Qiao Ling carried a double-shoulder backpack on her back, following behind the man’s footsteps, walking towards the direction of the restroom, stiffening her neck and ignoring the black-dress woman as well as many surrounding female customers’ direct and blunt suspicion.
From the corner of her eye, she met eyes with Qiao Jing not far away holding a tray.
Qiao Jing looked at the two of them walking one in front and one behind, clearly also stunned, mouthing: Wh-at-si-tua-tion?
Could it be that his younger sister completed her task too well, made that grandson Chen Kuang so angry he was going to beat someone up!?
Although if Chen Kuang made a move in the shop, he himself would have plenty of reason to kick him out of the bar, but he wasn’t a beast— even if he couldn’t catch up to the shop manager, he couldn’t just watch his own cousin sister get bullied ah!
Qiao Ling’s face was full of resentment, slightly shaking her head at her older cousin brother, indicating it’s fine.
Also indicating— don’t come over and add to the mess anymore!
Chen Kuang brought her all the way toward the passageway area near the restroom, this side had relatively fewer people compared to the dining area, convenient for private chatting.
Qiao Ling’s steps were hesitant, but she kept looking around at the bar’s decoration.
This Egypt-style bar was much more exquisite than she imagined. Walking along the way toward the restroom, the walls were lined all the way with strongly geometric, solemn yet bright murals of plants and animals in Egyptian style, as well as wall reliefs imitating the feeling of a temple.
Completely soaking the atmosphere in a mysterious ancient Egyptian world.
No wonder it took so long just for the renovation.
At this moment, the person in front suddenly stopped, Qiao Ling was still thinking about the bar’s decoration, and stopped right before bumping into Chen Kuang’s back, her heart suddenly hanging up.
She looked up, quickly took a step back, hands placed behind her back, voice thin and guilty.
“…What exactly do you want to say?”
Chen Kuang folded his arms, when his upper arms bent, there was naturally a bulging feeling of muscle swelling up.
His gaze was straight, “Was the wine good to drink?”
The other party’s questioning attitude was obviously not just asking about the taste of the wine, Qiao Ling felt guilty, nodded, yet her answer was: “Ju-just, so-so.”
“It’s really so-so,” he tilted his head, his eyes never moved from her face, “Or must it be so-so?”
The other party’s calm tone made Qiao Ling realize— the lukewarm stance he had toward her earlier standing inside the bar counter, was already a deliberately controlled state.
One part was professional conduct as a service provider, another perhaps was because that black-dress jiejie kept using the drinking experience matter to joke about her, so he was intentionally, using patience and a half-teasing attitude to control the atmosphere of the bar counter guest seats.
At this moment, having taken off the work apron, shedding the identity of bartender, his aura reverted back to the cold and fierce from when she saw him earlier.
Having walked out from the bar counter, he no longer had any obligation to take care of her emotions.
She became anxious, gritted her teeth and said: “It really is so-so, bitter and spicy and choking, never drank something so bad-tasting before…”
Chen Kuang calmly interrupted: “What is your relationship with Qiao Jing?”
Qiao Ling’s heart clanged once.
Wh-just got found out like this?
Is he eagle-eyes dog-nose??
The other party spoke neither fast nor slow, but carried an aggressive momentum, Qiao Ling forcefully picked at her fingers, secretly inching backward, turning her head, and meeting eyes with the tall Egyptian Pharaoh sculpture inside the wall alcove behind her.
“…”
Got startled.
This bar even has this kind of thing?
Her expression did not change, yet she did not dare look at him: “Qiao Jing is who?”
Chen Kuang moved his eyes away, no longer looking at her pretending dumb and acting confused, “If you’re bringing people to pick a fight, at least bring someone who can drink.”
“Didn’t expect that’s all the tricks he has.”
Qiao Ling silently chanted in her heart: You guys’ male competition asura field, there’s no need to let me know… not interested…
He took out a mint candy from his pocket, lowered his head and tore the wrapper, “But didn’t expect Qiao Jing still has such a big niece.”
Qiao Ling was immediately hit in the spot, lips pressed together letting out a hum of laughter.
Niece? Hahaha, does Qiao Jing really look that old?
Also true, since young he just…
After a laugh that came out instinctively floated out, she froze for a moment, suddenly lifting her eyes, crashing into the other party’s scrutinizing gaze.
She was completely unguarded, completely fell into the trap he lightly threw out.
Chen Kuang pinched the candy wrapper, teeth biting the mint candy and sending it inside.
He narrowed his eyes, hooked up an unfriendly smile, speaking vaguely: “Wasn’t it don’t know him?”
“What are you laughing for?”
Qiao Ling stiffened like a frozen frame, her head filled with the whistling sound of a kettle boiling.
Exposed… exposed ah!
Right now she and older cousin’s scheme had been completely seen through by this man, she racked her brain yet couldn’t think of any excuse to quibble, the chaotic brain finally pointed to the most instinctive decision— can she run?!
Qiao Ling urgently retreated a few steps, turning her head about to run along the open space behind the Pharaoh statue.
Chen Kuang glanced once, suddenly moved, grabbing the backpack strap on her shoulder, pulling forward toward himself—
The man’s strength in that grab was too big, Qiao Ling’s chest stalled for a moment, an instant of absolute force’s oppressive feeling rushing to her face.
She stumbled forward, feet braking, almost falling into his arms.
Just as she was about to get angry and flare up, she found that a staggering drunk man was swaying past, that person’s gaze was scattered, almost brushing past her back. If she hadn’t been pulled over just now, that smelly man would definitely have fallen on her.
At that moment, Chen Kuang simply and neatly let go, Qiao Ling turned her head back, only then understanding.
Her heartbeat at that moment became strange, like something was about to boil over and surge out.
Chen Kuang stared at the back view of that drunkard, frowned slightly.
Drunk like that already at eight-thirty, must’ve been drinking non-stop.
“What are you doing?”
He turned his head back, looking at Qiao Ling: “Mm?”
Qiao Ling’s cheeks were red, hand tightly gripping the backpack strap, stretching her embarrassed little deer eyes looking at the person watery.
“Even if helping, you can’t directly touch, just give me a reminder, wouldn’t that be fine?”
“Gave me a scare.”
Chen Kuang’s brows slightly raised, “Who helped?”
Qiao Ling countered: “Weren’t you afraid I’d bump into someone?”
His teeth knocked against the mint candy, “I saw you wanted to run.”
Qiao Ling: “……”
Overthought.
Chen Kuang bit and swallowed the remaining half piece of candy in his mouth, “Haven’t finished speaking, don’t go yet.”
She looked at him, her heartbeat not quite normal, “What else do you want to say?”
“Your shop…” He seemed to be wording things in his head, tilting his head to look around: “You saw it too, I work at night, get off work around four or five in the morning, get home, tidy up, go to bed around seven or eight.”
“When I get off work is when you start working.”
Chen Kuang was concise: “Your shop keeps knocking from morning till night, I basically can’t sleep.”
“This is what I want to talk about.”
Qiao Ling saw the faint bluish shadow under his eyes, the drooped brows revealing guilt, “I didn’t expect…”
“There wasn’t this kind of complaint from downstairs before.”
The silver accessories shop’s business hours were from 10:30 in the morning to 9:00 at night, even if there were no customers coming to do handmade work, she also had online shop orders to make, almost the whole day there wouldn’t be a stop to the noise from hammering silver.
Chen Kuang saw her expression loosening, both hands stuffed in his pockets, his attitude strengthened a bit: “I signed a long-term lease with the landlord, I can’t just leave for a while.”
“This also counts as disturbing the neighbors, you think of a way…”
“Sorry.” She suddenly spoke.
Chen Kuang froze for a moment.
Qiao Ling looked at him again, her gaze changed from before, mixed with a determination that couldn’t back down, “Looking at it this way, my business hours really do conflict quite badly with your rest schedule.”
“But my shop is opened in a proper office building, not in a residential building, how can it be said I’m disturbing the neighbors.”
“I can’t affect my own business for the sake of your rest.”
After summoning the courage to say these words, she looked at the other party’s face getting darker and darker, her just-rising momentum immediately softened.
He wouldn’t hit someone here, right?
“You…” Qiao Ling got scared, tears almost coming out: “Can’t you also think of a way to overcome it a little?”