Chapter 15 — A Family of Three

“Let me go… let go of me!” Lin Xiaowen shouted at him in frustration.

“Not unless you promise not to hit me again!” Cheng Yishu paused, then added, “And no kicking either!”

“Cheng Yishu!” Lin Xiaowen squeezed his name through gritted teeth, her jaws itching with suppressed anger.

“I’m right here,” Cheng Yishu replied with a smile, watching her.

After a prolonged standoff, Lin Xiaowen let out a breath. “Let me go…”

Balancing on one leg had left her unsteady, and her arms weren’t long enough to reach Cheng Yishu, so she had no choice but to give up.

Cheng Yishu released her and dusted off his hands. “Girls should be gentle. Always resorting to fists and kicks is not becoming at all.”

“Who asked for your opinion? Are you the beach warden?” Lin Xiaowen said impatiently, stretching out her hand. “Hand over the money, and then disappear from my sight for good!”

“I’ll pay you back, but I’m in a bad mood right now. I don’t feel like giving you the money,” Cheng Yishu replied bluntly.

“A bad mood…” Lin Xiaowen stared at him, eyes wide with disbelief. “And what does your bad mood have to do with me?”

She bit back the word she wanted to say, substituting it with a more polite one. That took a great deal of effort.

“I got off the plane and came straight to find you without even going home. I haven’t had lunch, my stomach’s empty, of course I’m in a bad mood!”

“So what does your bad mood have to do with me?” Lin Xiaowen asked again, drained of hope.

“Xiaowen… my tummy’s empty too. I want something to eat,” Ranyan blinked her big eyes at Lin Xiaowen, looking all innocence, but a strange glint flickered in her gaze.

“You’re hungry too, Ranyan?” Cheng Yishu raised his brows at the little dumpling on the floor, putting on a look of grievance. “Lin Xiaowen is mistreating children. Should we let the police arrest her?”

“Children? You mean yourself?” Lin Xiaowen wrinkled her nose and looked at him with undisguised disdain.

“Buy me a meal, and when I’m happy, I’ll give you your money,” Cheng Yishu said cheerfully, winking at Ranyan. “Just burgers, with chicken wings, cola, and large fries!”

“Yes, I agree!” Ranyan cheered, hopping in front of Cheng Yishu and raising her hand. He bent down to give her a high five, as if they had an unspoken understanding…

Lin Xiaowen was dumbfounded, and Xu Ningning was even more so. Why did she suddenly feel like an outsider to this little “family of three”?

Since she was the outsider, she figured she should quietly slip away and give the “family” some space.

As Xu Ningning drove away, she gave Lin Xiaowen a meaningful look, as though she wanted to say something but thought better of it, leaving Lin Xiaowen unsettled for quite some time.

McDonald's.

In a corner seat…

Ranyan’s mouth was stuffed full, yet she managed to sneak sips of cola through the straw, eating with unabashed delight.

Opposite her, Cheng Yishu bit into his burger at a leisurely pace, his cap pulled low so his eyes weren’t visible—only his mouth, moving as he chewed.

“Why aren’t you eating?” he asked, noticing Lin Xiaowen’s gaze fixed on him. Tilting his head, he continued, “Are you surprised that celebrities eat just like everyone else?”

He grinned after he spoke.

The light in the corner was dim, and under the brim of his cap, his eyes were hidden, but Lin Xiaowen could still make out the faint sparkle in those beautiful, phoenix-shaped eyes.

“A celebrity?” Lin Xiaowen propped her chin on her hand, thinking for a moment before answering seriously, “It’s not the same.”

“How so?” Cheng Yishu put down his half-eaten burger, looking at her with anticipation.

“You eat too much!” blurted Lin Xiaowen. “You’ve had two burgers, a pair of chicken wings, a latte, and a large corn cup… Aren’t entertainers supposed to keep their figures and avoid stuffing themselves?”

She watched him mournfully, wishing he’d just cough it all back up onto the counter.

“Why are you so stingy?” Cheng Yishu sighed, slumping back in his chair, latte in hand, watching her.

“Alright, you’re full now. Let’s get this over with, shall we?” Lin Xiaowen took out her phone and waved it in front of him, gently reminding, “It’s late. Your family must be waiting for you at home. Be good.”

Cheng Yishu had never met someone so eager to be rid of him. He protested, “Why do you dislike me so much? We’ve eaten together, and even slept…”

Lin Xiaowen’s eyes widened at him. Cheng Yishu stopped short, then corrected himself, “Slept in the same house, I mean… That makes us friends, doesn’t it?”

“I dare not presume,” Lin Xiaowen replied, relieved, glancing at Ranyan who was still munching fries. “At best, we’re accidental acquaintances who’ve met twice. We’re hardly close.”

“That’s no fun at all.” Cheng Yishu thought for a moment, then lowered his voice. “I know I was wrong before. I shouldn’t have misunderstood you… or accused you of faking an accident, or trying to con me…”

“Stop!” Lin Xiaowen cut him off, glaring at him as if she could no longer bear it. “Are you going to keep repeating that? Do you think I haven’t been humiliated enough?”

Cheng Yishu looked up, brows furrowed. “Don’t you realize I’m apologizing?”

“Apologizing?” Lin Xiaowen stared in disbelief, her eyebrows nearly standing on end. She sneered, “Have you ever seen anyone apologize so righteously?”

“I…” For a moment, Cheng Yishu was at a loss for words. “Then what do you want me to do?”

Come to think of it, he’d never really apologized to anyone, not before his debut, nor after he became famous.

“Big Brother should give Xiaowen flowers. Xiaowen loves pretty, sweet-smelling flowers best!” Ranyan piped up, busy as she was, and earnestly suggested it to Cheng Yishu.

Both adults stared at her, stunned—especially Lin Xiaowen, who blushed and blurted out, “Ranyan, are you done eating? If you are, we’re going home.”

“So what kind of flowers does Xiaowen like, do you know?” Cheng Yishu asked Ranyan, as if discovering a new land.

“Hmm… I think…” Ranyan swallowed half a fry, her expression earnest.

“Ranyan, no more talking. Mommy will take you to wash your hands,” Lin Xiaowen interrupted, afraid this little imp would say something outrageous.

“I remember now!” Ranyan smiled triumphantly, her eyes crinkling. “They’re red, with thorns… One time, after Mommy’s night shift, she told Aunt Ningning that Uncle Su Nian gave her a bouquet, and she loved it so much she put it in a vase…”

Ranyan recited all this with great seriousness, only to realize the two adults’ faces had changed.

Lin Xiaowen’s expression was a mix of helplessness and suppressed laughter…

This child—she’d been fast asleep when Lin Xiaowen was talking to Xu Ningning, so how did she know all this so clearly?

As for Cheng Yishu, the moment he heard Su Nian’s name, his whole face changed.

That was the owner of the little bar, wasn’t it? He could tell at a glance that man didn’t have good intentions toward Lin Xiaowen, grabbing her hand in public whether she liked it or not…

The very picture of a well-mannered scoundrel, just asking for a punch.