Chapter 8: Zhang Xiluo Is a Villain

“Did this old woman push you?” The newcomer was Zhuo Tongtong, Zhou Yao’s classmate. She shoved aside Zhang Xiluo and pulled Zhou Yao up from the ground.

“Tongtong, don’t say that. I fell on my own.” Zhou Yao’s expression was open and honest, her tone reproachful, clearly displeased with Zhuo Tongtong’s attitude.

“Miss, I apologize on her behalf. She just likes to blur right and wrong—please don’t take it to heart.” She wasn’t being pretentious, nor did she try to feign innocence.

Zhou Yao’s words warmed Zhang Xiluo to her; no wonder Li Mingye was fond of her.

“I’m only concerned about you—why are you defending her?” Zhuo Tongtong protested, feeling wronged. “A scratch on her lousy car and she’s demanding four hundred thousand? She’s obviously making things difficult for you on purpose.”

“Enough,” Zhou Yao said, clamping a hand over her friend’s mouth.

“Why shouldn’t I say it? Decked out in Chanel, carrying a Hermès bag, and she can’t afford to repair a car? She’s just bullying you!” Zhuo Tongtong stood up for Zhou Yao, unleashing a torrent of criticism at Zhang Xiluo.

The café was filled mostly with students. In such a lopsided contest of wealth, their sympathies naturally sided with Zhou Yao.

Many people cast Zhang Xiluo hostile, envious glances, whispering about her.

Zhang Xiluo let out a cold laugh and sat back down. “Very well, if that’s how it is, I’ll play the villain.”

“Young lady, please write another IOU. I don’t like to drag things out. Ten years is too long—I’ll give you one year.”

Zhou Yao froze for a moment. Not wanting to escalate things, she nodded stiffly, took out pen and paper from her bag, and rewrote the note.

Seeing that Zhou Yao didn’t have a stamp for her fingerprint, Zhang Xiluo thoughtfully handed her a Serge Lutens lipstick.

Once she had the IOU, Zhang Xiluo glanced at Zhuo Tongtong and, before leaving, advised Zhou Yao, “You’d do better without friends like her.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? What did I do?” Zhuo Tongtong flared up. “So what if you have money? Don’t walk away!”

Zhou Yao said nothing, only stared in a daze at the lipstick.

Leaving the café, Zhang Xiluo received a distress call from Jiang Xueting, who was in the middle of a disastrous blind date and begged Zhang Xiluo to come rescue her.

This wasn’t Jiang Xueting’s first time being forced into a blind date; her family was well-known in Longcheng, and she hardly considered ordinary people worth her attention.

If she was calling for help, there must be trouble.

Worried, Zhang Xiluo hurried to the meeting place.

Jiang Xueting was dressed in a flamboyant green dress, wearing a pink wig and heavy makeup. Across from her sat a man in a pale blue shirt, his back straight, exuding a refined air.

“Luoluo!” Jiang Xueting waved excitedly when she saw her savior. “Over here.”

Zhang Xiluo walked over, and when she saw the man’s face, she was taken aback.

“It’s you?”

Someone like Ouyang Chen—a diamond-grade bachelor—needs a blind date?

“I was just as shocked to see him. What kind of situation is this?” Jiang Xueting shot Zhang Xiluo a meaningful look, urging her to get her out of there.

Her father had given strict orders: she was absolutely forbidden to sabotage the date.

“Something urgent came up. Come with me,” Zhang Xiluo said, grabbing Jiang Xueting’s arm.

“Wait,” Ouyang Chen spoke, his gaze fixed on Zhang Xiluo. “She can go. You stay.”

“Why?”

“Why?”

Zhang Xiluo and Jiang Xueting asked in unison.

“Stay and you’ll find out.” Ouyang Chen leaned back, looking relaxed and unruffled.

“Crazy,” Zhang Xiluo shot him a glare. Another infuriating man—always mysterious, always playing it cool.

Ouyang Chen’s brows twitched; he hadn’t expected Zhang Xiluo to curse him.

“If you leave, I’ll tell Uncle Jiang that she deliberately sabotated the date,” Ouyang Chen threatened openly, making Jiang Xueting so angry she wanted to hit him.

“You jerk! Don’t think I won’t hit you!”

Zhang Xiluo held her back. “A wise woman doesn’t fight with men. You go first. I’ll call you later.”

After coaxing Jiang Xueting away, Zhang Xiluo sat down across from Ouyang Chen.

“All right, what do you want with me?”