"Yang… Brother Yang… get out of here quickly…" Li Jingjing turned away, but fearing her round, perky bottom would be seen, she nearly burst into tears.
After hearing the girl's clear, unadulterated plea, Yang Chen's bloodshot eyes finally calmed. Taking a deep breath to suppress his impulsive desire, he immediately closed the door and retreated.
After waiting quietly outside for a moment, Li Jingjing, now fully dressed, emerged with her head lowered, a blush spreading to her ears.
Yang Chen said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Jingjing, I didn't mean to."
Li Jingjing murmured softly, "Hmm," "I… I know… Brother Yang is a good man…"
"Good man?" Yang Chen muttered with a wry smile, "Jingjing, when you make some money, buy a nice house. You can get a mortgage, too. It's not convenient for a girl like you to always live with your parents."
"Hmm…" The girl, not sure if she had heard him, looked like a wounded little lamb, a pitiful sight that drew pity. Yang Chen sighed, "It's getting late. You should get some rest early. You have to go to work tomorrow, right? You've just started teaching, so you need to make some progress. I'm going to the bathroom and then I'm going back."
"Um... Brother Yang, take care." The girl's voice was still soft, but it was enough to make a man's bones numb.
Chatting into Li Jingjing showering completely sobered Yang Chen up. Feeling a tinge of guilt towards the innocent girl, Yang Chen left the courtyard and headed home with the old Li couple's farewell.
After closing the door, the old Li couple started talking about Yang Chen.
Aunt Li said with some concern, "Old man, do you think our Jingjing has fallen in love with Xiao Yang? Why does she look at Xiao Yang with such joy?"
"That's good. Isn't Xiao Yang a good match for our Jingjing!" Old Li chuckled. "What are you talking about! Xiao Yang is a nice guy, but he also sells mutton skewers. Our Jingjing is now a teacher at a key high school. Are you really going to let Jingjing marry a mutton skewers vendor?" Aunt Li said angrily.
Old Li took a puff of his cigarette unhappily. "What's wrong? Do you look down on us small business owners? Xiao Yang has helped us so much. If it weren't for our family, would he only sell mutton skewers?"
Aunt Li, seeing that she had angered her husband, said nothing more. But she had made up her mind: she would never let her daughter be with Yang Chen. At worst, she could treat Yang Chen to a few more meals to make it up to him.
Unbeknownst to the old couple, their precious daughter, Li Jingjing, was secretly standing at the upstairs window, blushing and heartbeating as she watched Yang Chen leave.
Following the river, Yang Chen bought a pack of West Lake cigarettes for two yuan at the convenience store and walked home, smoking as he did so. He recalled every moment he'd had when he'd returned to China and met Li Jingjing's family. He thought of how the young girl had suddenly transformed into a beautiful young woman six months later. He couldn't help but sigh, both at how girls change as they grow older and at the unpredictable nature of life.
I remembered how I'd saved Li Jingjing from being raped by a gangster by this river, and that's how I'd gotten to know the Li family. Perhaps every girl has a hero-worshiping streak. Even if I was just selling kebabs, in Li Jingjing's eyes, I was special.
Thinking this way and that, Yang Chen unknowingly reached the riverside dock. The sparse streetlights cast a hazy, beautiful light on the dock. A gentle summer breeze blew by, bringing a whistling cool breeze.
Just then, a tall SUV appeared on the road ahead. Yang Chen's eyes lit up. He glanced at the riverside guardrail and saw a tall woman in a black dress standing against the wind. Her flowing, wavy hair, a rosy hue shimmering under the light, framed a charming, fair face. The woman wore light eyeshadow, her watery eyes gazing at the dimly lit yachts in the distance, a hint of melancholy evident. Her voluptuous figure showcased the exquisite charm of a mature woman. Her ample breasts and plump hips, even beneath the hem of her black gauze skirt, were still eye-catching. Her slender legs, clad in flesh-colored stockings, were adorned with crystal-colored high heels, exuding an air of nobility and elegance.
This was definitely the perfect nighttime trophy. Yang Chen took one look, and the blood that had just been boiling from the sight of Li Jingjing's physique began to boil again.
"Nice car! I didn't expect to see a limited-edition Land Rover, only forty of which exist in the country, in this place..." Yang Chen praised, slowly leaning against the railing. The beautiful woman withdrew her distant gaze and gently turned her head away. A hint of confusion and surprise flashed in her eyes, but then she revealed a charming and beautiful smile. "You understand this car?"
More than that, I understand. I must have blown up hundreds of these British-made Land Rovers back then... Yang Chen smiled bitterly inwardly, while speaking with a leisurely and contented expression, "Anniversary, Land Rover's 40th Anniversary Edition. Maximum power: 375 kilowatts, peak torque: 625 hp, 5.0-liter supercharged engine... Am I right?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about. I just like this car, so I bought it." The woman smoothed her flying hair. This simple gesture was charming and alluring. "Don't women all like small, elegant sports cars? The Porsche 911, Mercedes-Benz SLR, BMW Z4, even the Audi TT's looks would be more popular than a Land Rover, right? I don't believe that people who can afford this car can't afford those." Yang Chen took out another cigarette. Since the mature beauty before him didn't reject him, Yang Chen didn't mind chatting more.
The girl shook her head, "I don't think so. Driving a sports car is far less secure than driving an SUV... Aren't women supposed to protect themselves better..."
"Beauty, it seems like you're very insecure." Yang Chen was delighted. She seemed like a resentful woman, and such women were the easiest to seduce.
But the girl still shook her head, "You're wrong. I'm safe. The reason I say driving an SUV is safer is just to give myself some extra comfort."
"You're wrong. If you really felt safe, you should slap me right now and tell me to get out." Yang Chen smiled wickedly, leaning forward and blowing out a puff of smoke. The girl didn't dodge. The pungent smell of cigarettes dissipated in the wind. Her eyes, shining like stars, stared straight at Yang Chen. Finally, she smiled brightly, "Whose young master are you? If you're trying to get my attention with this kind of talk, you're underestimating me."
"Your name is Tang Wan?" Yang Chen mumbled to himself, then smiled. "I'm not a young master. I'm just a lamb kebab vendor. If you have time, go to the West District Market and I'll tell you."
"A lamb kebab vendor?" Tang Wan looked Yang Chen over carefully, then couldn't help but burst out laughing. After a few trembling fits, she stopped and said, "Handsome boy, do you think I'm a fool, or are you kidding yourself?"
"I really am a lamb kebab vendor, even though I don't have a business license," Yang Chen repeated distressedly. Why is it that in this world, no one believes the truth?