I Start with a Mysterious Island-Chapter 147 - 146: We’re Not Close, Don’t Misunderstand
Seeing Su Yue completely ignore his teasing and call his bluff, Lin Li could only nod helplessly.
"Yeah, I was just making that up. You were perfectly well-behaved when you were drunk. You didn’t say anything weird."
"I always behave myself when I drink," Su Yue said with a laugh.
"Oh, right, I forgot to ask. That place where I picked you up yesterday was all luxury villas! The people who live there must be loaded. I didn’t realize you had such wealthy friends. That guy who was with you on the roadside..."
Before Lin Li could finish, Su Yue cut him off. "Let’s not talk about him. His parents are just old friends of my parents. His family was holding a party yesterday and invited me. There’s nothing between us."
"I see," Lin Li nodded. ’Even though Su Yue says there’s nothing between her and that guy,’ he thought, ’when I went to pick her up yesterday...’
’I could clearly sense his hostility. The only explanation is that he’s interested in Su Yue. Otherwise, there would be no reason for him to be so hostile toward me.’
"Let’s not talk about yesterday. What’s past is past. Let’s hurry up and eat. We need to team up for some games after dinner!" Su Yue said, placing a salt-and-pepper pork rib in Lin Li’s bowl. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
"You eat too! Don’t just serve me," Lin Li said quickly as he watched Su Yue move to grab another dish for him after giving him the pork rib.
"I’m on a diet, so I’m eating less. You’d better do your best to finish everything on the table!" Su Yue said with a smile.
"A diet?" Hearing this, Lin Li turned to look Su Yue up and down. Her figure was stunning.
’Curvy in all the right places. A figure like that would make anyone jealous. Why would she need to go on a diet?’
"You already look great. There’s no need for you to be on a diet..."
"No way. I have to maintain my weight. While I’ve been working part-time at the flower shop, my coworker there keeps getting me to eat snacks and drink milk tea with her."
"I’ve already gained a few pounds in just a short time. If I don’t hit the brakes now, I’m afraid I’ll be a fatso by the end of summer break."
Su Yue shook her head. She was clearly determined to maintain her weight. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that gaining a few pounds in such a short time had given her a sense of crisis.
"You still have to eat proper meals. If you want to lose weight, you should just exercise more. You don’t need to do it by eating less," Lin Li said after a moment of thought.
Su Yue smiled in response. "I know. I’ve been doing aerobics and yoga in my free time... Tee-hee, see? I’m eating. You should hurry up and eat too!"
"These spicy crayfish you made today would be even better if they were a little spicier."
"It’s so hot out, I was afraid you might feel unwell, so I used less chili... Since you don’t think it’s spicy enough, I’ll add more next time."
The two chatted as they ate, thoroughly enjoying the dinner.
After dinner, Su Yue cleaned up the kitchen. Then they sat on the living room sofa and started gaming, teaming up to stomp some pubs.
「...」
Since it was a Monday the next day and Su Yue had to get up early to open the flower shop where she worked, they didn’t play too late.
At nine o’clock, Lin Li left Su Yue’s apartment carrying a container of leftover spicy crayfish she had packed for him. He strolled leisurely in the direction of his own home.
As he neared the entrance to his residential complex, he suddenly saw a man harassing a woman in front of the convenience store next door.
As he got closer, he realized the woman was his neighbor, Xia Qing, and the man was the owner of the convenience store.
’This guy must have forgotten his lesson from last year...’ Lin Li’s brow furrowed, and he quickened his pace.
"Miss Xia, it’s just a movie. Don’t be so quick to refuse!" the convenience store owner said, his eyes burning as he stared at Xia Qing.
Xia Qing, holding a bag of salt, frowned at the greasy middle-aged man before her and replied in a cold tone.
"I’m sorry, I don’t have time. I have to take my daughter to her swimming lesson tomorrow."
"That’s fine! After her swimming lesson, the three of us can go see a movie together!"
Ever since the convenience store owner found out that Xia Qing’s husband had passed away years ago and that she was now raising her daughter alone, he hadn’t been able to control his desires and had immediately started pursuing her.
Unfortunately for him, Xia Qing had absolutely no interest in him. No matter how persistent the owner was, it was no use.
"I have other things to do after the swimming lesson. I don’t have time for a movie."
"If you don’t have time during the day, we can go at night! Surely you’re not busy at night, too!"
Xia Qing couldn’t believe how clueless he was, pestering her relentlessly.
Just as she was wondering what to do, a familiar voice called out from nearby.
"Xia Qing, fancy seeing you here. What are you up to...?"
Xia Qing turned her head. Upon seeing who it was, she breathed a silent sigh of relief, knowing she could now escape this situation.
"Oh, Lin Li! I just ran out of salt, so I came down to buy a bag. Where are you coming back from?"
Lin Li shot a glance at the convenience store owner before turning to Xia Qing.
"I’m just coming back from a friend’s place... Say, didn’t you ask me to look into something for you? I just got the information. Let’s talk as we walk."
’When did I ask Lin Li to look into something for me?’ Xia Qing was stunned for a second, but she quickly caught on, nodding. "Alright."
The convenience store owner fell silent the moment Lin Li appeared, forced to watch as Lin Li and Xia Qing chatted and laughed on their way into the complex.
’Damn kid, ruining my plans,’ he thought, glaring hatefully at Lin Li’s back.
He only dared to make threats in his mind, though. After all, he didn’t even come up to Lin Li’s shoulder.
He was short, fat, and out of shape. If they ever got into a fight, even if Lin Li weren’t a Cultivator—even if he were just a regular guy—he could easily beat the owner to a pulp.
「...」
「Inside Ping’an Garden District.」
WHOOSH...
RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE...
A sudden gust of wind swept through, making the flowers and plants in the district’s greenbelts sway and rustle. It tousled the hair of the people walking by.
Xia Qing raised a hand to smooth her windblown hair and turned to thank Lin Li.
"Lin Li, thank you. If you hadn’t shown up just now, I don’t know how I would have gotten away from him."
「...」
