Chapter 36: I Like Beautiful Women

With Liang Ye around, the two of them ate in much greater silence.

It wasn’t that they were worried about him overhearing—it was that he talked way too much.

The moment Han Mo opened his mouth to say, “Later, do you want to—”

Liang Ye immediately cut in: “Later, what are you two up to? Take me with you! I’ve got the day off, and I’m free anyway. I was feeling kinda bored this morning...”

He Huanhuan gave him a sweet smile. “We’re planning to go shopping. Are you going to pay for me?”

He shut up at once. “Uh, yeah, I think I have to go back to the neighborhood committee for some overtime this afternoon...”

He Huanhuan raised an eyebrow at Han Mo. See? That’s how you handle him.

Han Mo smiled and gave her a little nod. You’ve got experience.

Their silent exchange made Liang Ye’s teeth ache with jealousy.

A few days apart, and now they could send each other telegrams with their eyes.

Hmph!

This Han Mo—jobless as he was—still couldn’t stay in his lane!

If he wasn’t careful, Liang Ye might get competitive and start spending money on He Huanhuan too!

He, he, he... he’d buy her...

Damn it!

He couldn’t bear to part with his money!

He sulkily finished his spicy hot pot, then shot Han Mo a dirty look. “Save your money, alright? Is your family loaded or something?”

Han Mo nodded. “Okay.”

Damn!

He clearly wasn’t taking it seriously!

Liang Ye fumed inwardly.

This man was such a poser. If he ended up spending all that money and He Huanhuan still didn’t end up with him, just wait—he’d regret it!

He stomped off in a huff. “I’m going back to work overtime!”

The two watched him leave. He Huanhuan was baffled. “His family is that rich, so why is he so stingy?”

Han Mo explained quietly, “I heard he was raised by his grandparents.”

The older generation in his family had lived through the hardships of war and the turbulent years that followed.

As a result, they were extremely frugal.

Without realizing it, those habits passed down to the kids.

When Liang Ye was little, these traits weren’t so obvious.

He was just more careful with money and didn’t like waste.

His parents thought it was a good thing and praised him plenty.

But as he grew up, his eccentricities started to show.

He refused to live in the family estate, and he hated when the driver picked him up from school.

If any classmate saw that, he’d be overcome with embarrassment.

He’d want to dig a hole and crawl into it.

As soon as he graduated college, he moved straight into a run-down old apartment in the city and happily played the part of an ordinary broke guy.

He Huanhuan was speechless. Life! It was truly absurd.

Some people went crazy trying to become rich but failed, while others were born into wealth and didn’t want it.

What a damn joke.

If they didn’t want to be rich, they could let her take over!

She sure knew how!

After finishing the spicy hot pot, she thought Han Mo would keep taking her shopping.

But to her surprise, he actually drove her straight home?!

What did that mean?

Was her free shopping spree over?

As she got out of the car, she looked at Han Mo. “Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

Han Mo had been off today—strange since this morning.

He reached out and patted her head. “I might be a bit busy tomorrow. Let me take the day off.”

His tone and expression were no different from usual, but He Huanhuan suddenly felt it.

Han Mo wasn’t coming back.

This weird relationship between them was about to end.

She couldn’t help frowning, a complicated surge of emotion welling up inside her.

She watched Han Mo get into the car, ready to leave.

“Han Mo!”

She yanked open the car door and looked at him in the driver’s seat. “You...”

“What’s wrong?”

He looked up at her.

But she abruptly closed the door again. “Nothing. Drive safe.”

She silently cursed herself. What was she doing?

This was a book world, after all!

How could she feel attached to a character in a book?

She lay down on the bed, not wanting to get up at all.

Her mind was swirling with complex emotions—her own scrutiny of this world, of herself.

And a vague uncertainty about the future.

At first, she had only thought this was a dream, a beautiful one at that.

When the dream ended, she would still be that free-spirited girl He Huanhuan.

He Huanhuan, waiting to come of age.

But the longer she stayed here, the more real everything became.

She turned her head toward the bedside table. Three Labubu dolls sat there, grinning mischievously at her.

Han Mo had taken her to buy those.

Her gaze drifted to the wardrobe, stuffed full of all kinds of clothes.

All of them had been bought over these days, piece by piece, as Han Mo took her to try them on.

There were pretty Lolita dresses, casual jeans, and elegant halter maxi dresses.

Anything she thought looked good, he bought for her.

She suddenly realized how full her room had become.

When had it started filling up?

She couldn’t remember. Every day, they bought a little more, added a little more, until the room was suddenly packed.

But the person who had helped fill that room might never come again.

She lay flat on her back and laughed out loud.

“Damn! Rich people sure know how to play the game.”

At that moment, somewhere in Southeast Asia, Gu Chacha and Han Xuan sat in a second-floor office, watching the people downstairs twitch as electric shocks hit them.

“Don’t worry, our standards here are strict. If performance doesn’t meet the target, they get a lesson,” said the dark-faced middle-aged man, sizing up Gu Chacha. “Don’t be scared. You won’t get shocked.”

Gu Chacha couldn’t help shrinking back. She didn’t like the way he looked at her.

Like a sticky snake, cold and oppressive.

But Han Xuan didn’t notice a thing. He pulled her close, looking openly at the man. “Of course I trust you. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have come.”

He rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. “Aren’t we signing the contract? I can’t wait!”

The man glanced at Gu Chacha again, then broke into a big smile. “We’ll sign the contract, of course. But since we’re helping Miss Gu arrange her tour, would you mind playing us a tune?”

His oppressive gaze fixed on her, making her skin crawl.

She frowned, about to refuse, but Han Xuan beat her to it. “Of course she can! Gu Chacha’s piano was taught by a world-class master!”

“Han Xuan!”

She shoved him in annoyance. She didn’t want to play.

She had come to help him sign the contract and discuss the tour details.

She wasn’t a cheap performer.

Han Xuan bent down and kissed her. “Just one piece, okay? Let them see what we’ve got. Be good, won’t you?”

“But...”

She hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn’t withstand that oppressive stare and nodded.

Cheerful, flowing piano notes rang out across the compound, mixing with the wails of those people.

Beautiful and despairing.

Gu Chacha sat upright at the piano, playing with total focus.

She was starting to regret it. This place was too dangerous. She shouldn’t have come.

She shouldn’t have put herself in harm’s way.

The dark-faced man walked over and leaned close to her. “Miss Gu, do you know? You’re very beautiful. Very beautiful.”

Gu Chacha’s body tensed even more. Her eyes desperately darted to the side.

Where was Han Xuan?

What was he doing?

“Don’t be afraid,” the man chuckled softly. “I won’t hurt you. I like beautiful things. Especially beautiful women.”