"Brother Yang… get out, please…"
Li Jingjing turned around, on the verge of tears.
Hearing the girl's pure, untainted plea, Yang Chen's bloodshot eyes cleared. Taking a deep breath to subdue his urge, he quickly closed the door and stepped outside.
After waiting quietly for a while, a fully dressed Li Jingjing emerged, head bowed, her blush spreading all the way to her earlobes.
"I'm sorry, Jingjing. It wasn't on purpose," Yang Chen said guiltily.
Li Jingjing mumbled a faint "mm-hmm."
"I… I know… you're a good man, Brother Yang…"
"A good man…"
Yang Chen chuckled bitterly to himself.
"Jingjing, save up for a nice house when you earn money—even a mortgage would do. It's not convenient for a girl your age to live with your parents forever."
"Mm…"
The girl didn't seem to be listening, looking like a wounded lamb, pitiful and endearing.
Yang Chen sighed. "It's late. Get some rest—you start work tomorrow. You'll want to make a good impression as a new teacher. I'll use the bathroom and head home."
"Okay… take care, Brother Yang." Her voice was soft, sweet enough to melt a man's bones.
Walking in on Jingjing shocked Yang Chen sober. Filled with guilt over the innocent girl, he bid farewell to the Lis and headed home.
Once the door closed, the elderly couple began talking about him.
Aunt Li frowned worriedly. "Old man, do you think Jingjing likes Little Yang? The way she looks at him—she's glowing."
"Good! They'd make a great pair!" Old Li chuckled.
"What are you saying? He's a good kid, but he sells kebabs! Jingjing's a teacher at a key academy now—you want her to marry a kebab vendor?!" Aunt Li snapped.
Old Li took a drag of his cigarette, annoyed. "What's wrong with small business? He helped us so much—do you think he'd sell kebabs if it weren't for our family?!"
Aunt Li fell silent, not wanting to anger her husband, but resolved to keep her daughter away from Yang Chen. She'd just invite him over for meals more often to repay him.
Little did they know, their precious daughter was standing at her bedroom window, blushing and watching Yang Chen leave.
Walking along the river, Yang Chen bought a pack of two-yuan West Lake cigarettes from a convenience store, lighting one as he headed home.
Recalling meeting the Lis when he first returned to China—how the tomboyish girl had grown into a youthful beauty in half a year—he marveled at how much girls changed, and how unpredictable life was.
He'd saved Jingjing from being raped by thugs on this very riverbank, which was how he'd met the Lis. Every girl admired heroes, after all; even a kebab vendor like him stood out in her eyes.
Lost in thought, he reached the riverside dock. A few dim streetlights cast a hazy glow over the water; a summer breeze brought cool relief.
A large SUV parked by the road caught his eye. Glancing at the river railing, he spotted a tall woman in a black dress standing there, facing the wind.
Her wavy curls caught the light, streaked with rose-red highlights, framing a fair, enchanting face. Light eye shadow accentuated her watery eyes, which stared at the distant, glittering yachts with a hint of sorrow. Her perfect figure exuded mature allure, wrapped in an air of elegance and nobility.
She was prime prey for the night. One look, and Yang Chen's blood—still heated from seeing Jingjing naked—began to boil again.
"Nice ride. Never thought I'd see a limited-edition off-roader here—only forty in the whole country…"
Yang Chen whistled, leaning against the railing.
The beautiful woman turned her gaze from the horizon, confused and surprised, then broke into a sweet, alluring smile. "You know about cars?"
Know about them? I've blown up hundreds of these British-made vehicles… Yang Chen thought bitterly, but said calmly, "Range Rover Anniversary Edition—40th anniversary model. 375kW max power, 625Nm peak torque, 5.0L supercharged engine… Am I right?"
"I don't understand the specs. I just like it, so I bought it." She brushed a strand of wind-tousled hair, a simple move that oozed charm.
"Women usually prefer sleek sports cars—Ferrari California, Porsche 911 for the fancy ones, Porsche 718, Mercedes SLR, BMW Z4 for the rest. Even an Audi TT looks better than a Range Rover. I don't believe someone who can afford this can't buy those. Your taste is unique." Yang Chen lit another cigarette; since she wasn't pushing him away, he didn't mind chatting.
The woman shook her head. "I think it's normal for women to drive SUVs. Sports cars don't feel as steady… Women should protect themselves, right?"
"Beautiful, you sound like you lack security."
Yang Chen grinned inwardly—another lonely housewife, easy prey.
But she shook her head again. "You're wrong. I'm perfectly safe. Driving an SUV just gives me peace of mind, like how even rich people buy insurance…"
"You're wrong again. If you truly felt safe, you'd slap me and tell me to leave—not talk to me this long." Yang Chen leaned in, blowing smoke her way.
She didn't flinch. The acrid smoke faded in the wind, and her star-bright eyes locked onto his. Finally, she laughed brightly. "Which young master are you? If you think this'll catch my attention, Tang Wan, you underestimate me."
"Tang Wan?" Yang Chen repeated the name twice, smiling. "I'm no young master. I sell kebabs. Come to the West District market someday—you'll see."
"Sell kebabs?" Tang Wan studied him carefully, then burst into giggles, shaking with laughter. "Handsome, do you think I'm stupid, or are you lying to yourself?"
"I really do. Even without a business license," Yang Chen said, frustrated. Why didn't anyone believe him when he told the truth?