Showbiz Scandal: The Official Announcement of My Ex and Myself-Chapter 243: You Two Have Such a Good Relationship
Luo Sheng ran two steps behind, shouting incredulously, "Sis! Where’s our money!?"
"In the pocket! Quick, quick, quick! Xie Qingci, hurry and give it to them! Give them thirty!"
Xie Qingci didn’t hesitate, reached into her coat’s large pocket for the money, quickly counted out thirty, and handed it to Luo Sheng.
As the money was exchanged, the two pairs of partners distanced themselves, essentially parting ways.
Yu Xia charged out of the crowd on her scooter, following the enthusiastic fans’ guidance toward the back door exit.
The remaining fans kept reminding them from behind.
"They’re catching up! Running so fast!"
"We’ll help block them! Hurry and run!"
"Be careful, little brother! The exit ahead is really narrow, watch your legs!"
"Go Yu Xia! You guys are sure to be first!"
Yu Xia was sweating at the forehead, as the scooter’s wheels ran over a somewhat raised tile, and with makeshift boards from nearby carts occupying limited space, the scooter lost control, its handlebars wobbling frantically.
She gasped, instinctively pressing her feet down to maintain her balance.
At this moment, two hands reached out from behind; Xie Qingci gripped the handlebar. Though his hands didn’t directly cover hers, being seated right behind, his long arms spread out and embraced her entirely.
The little scooter resumed driving in a straight line, her heart pounding wildly from shock.
Hearing her heavy breaths, Xie Qingci calmly reassured her, "Don’t rush, we’re almost out."
Yu Xia’s hands stiffened, unsure whether to let go of the handlebars. Would that make her sit more snugly in his embrace if she did?
Before she could decide, Xie Qingci navigated the scooter right, and they were about to pass through a narrow iron pillar.
"Tuck in your legs and sit tight."
Instinctively, she clasped her legs together, her posture innocently adorable, as she watched the little scooter narrowly scrape past the iron pillar, before Xie Qingci accelerated, swiftly leaving the pursuers far behind, zooming away——
As the crowd faded, they rode along a now deserted road, wind in their face, traveling far.
Yu Xia’s heartbeat was even more pronounced.
Worried that the chasers might catch up at any moment, Xie Qingci chose a more secluded path, weaving in and out until they found themselves in a quaint old district.
Low-hanging tree canopies, narrow roads, with an immediate steep downhill leading to a flat avenue further below. Beyond, the road seemed to lead straight to another district, crisscrossed by a river.
The scooter slowed down, and they coasted down by gravity.
The wind tousled Yu Xia’s hair, cool air seeping down her neck, making her shiver.
Xie Qingci looked back and said, "No one’s behind us anymore, we’re safe now. Are you cold? Want to sit at the back?"
Even if she wasn’t cold, they couldn’t stay in that position forever, right?
Yu Xia internally snarked, sniffed, and said, "It’s a bit chilly, let’s switch."
Upon reaching a flat stretch of road, they switched positions with Xie Qingci now pedaling in front and Yu Xia hunkered down silently on the back seat.
A straight path lay ahead, with little traffic, nearby a culturally rich stone railing where some elderly folks strolled leisurely.
Stepping into this place felt like entering a slow-paced rural town. Both of them let out a deep breath, finally relaxing.
Yu Xia took out the money, smoothing and counting it with a bit of excitement, "Originally, we had one hundred forty-eight. We spent fifty on our room and earned three hundred, then gave Ling Luo thirty... wait, we haven’t paid for their wonton noodles yet!"
When splitting the room fee, because they were so broke, they barely managed to scrape together twenty bucks, so Yu Xia covered the bulk, paying fifty.
Later, they had wonton noodles with no cash, promising to repay after earning from selling art. Yet she just handed over thirty without keeping ten for herself!
Her constant murmuring made her seem like a housewife meticulously budgeting her household finances with her husband over something as trivial as ten bucks.
Xie Qingci in front couldn’t suppress a chuckle, lightly laughing.
Yu Xia didn’t notice; she remained mentally fixated on those ten bucks, plotting to retrieve it should they cross paths with Ling Luo again.
She carefully folded the remaining three hundred sixty-eight bucks, contemplating their spending over the upcoming days.
"Lodging will cost a lot; if we want better conditions, this money won’t stretch far. Meals will definitely cost a decent amount, as wonton noodles won’t last past a few servings, and noodles maybe just a couple of meals. Fruit can’t be a substitute, and you’re a big eater, tch..."
Oh, the woes of having a big eater at home, and of having fields where nothing grows.
Reviewing and analyzing, Yu Xia still felt the money was insufficient, so she planned to lower Xie Qingci’s living standard:
"If you only eat noodles with some one-buck pickles... hey, why not speed up? Isn’t this a flat road?"
The scooter slowed to a stop.
Xie Qingci turned back hesitantly, "Out of battery."
"...Huh?"
——
Breezes carried the moist air stirred by the river, settling the floating dust.
Among the leisurely crowd emerged two people who seemed entirely out of place.
Yu Xia and Xie Qingci matched strides to push the electric scooter along.
Xie Qingci’s long legs pushed hesitantly, his tone complex as he asked, "Sister, is this really our only option?"
This primitive act made him feel like a toddler pedaling a bicycle without pedals.
Yu Xia, counting on his long legs for more force, sneakily slacked off, solemnly saying, "What else can we do? We have to find a place to charge the battery first."
Xie Qingci responded, "I can get off and push you."
"...Why didn’t you suggest this earlier?"
Then the two transformed from both pushing to one pushing while the other relaxed comfortably on the back seat.
Xie Qingci even pulled out some bread from his backpack for her.
"Eat a bit to fill up for now. After we charge the scooter, let’s find somewhere to eat. What do you want for lunch?"
Yu Xia lazily pondered and suggested, "Let’s have a nice meal. Lunch is quite important. Do you have any dishes you like?"
"How about chicken casserole?"
Yu Xia: "No way."
Xie Qingci: "...Then what do you think I might like?"
Yu Xia snapped her fingers, "You must love buns. I’ll order you a scallion and meat bun later!"
Xie Qingci reluctantly accepted this "preference."
They found a place to charge the scooter and indeed found a business-open-at-noon bun shop.
It was enthusiastically recommended by the charging spot people, saying the end-of-street bun shop boasted a century-old legacy, with such good flavor that visitors would buy dozens to give away.
Against skepticism, Yu Xia ordered five big meat buns for Xie Qingci, along with a variety of side dish bowls spread around them.
"This counts as a grand feast; you start eating."
If it wasn’t tasty, she simply wouldn’t eat any.
The shop owner, a kindly-faced granny, heard her and said, "You two have a nice relationship, even sharing buns."
Yu Xia: "..."
