Chapter 4

“Ah Yang, what’s with you today? You’ve been out of it the whole game.”
In the locker room, Ling Ze, dressed in a deep blue jersey, wiped the sweat from his forehead and glanced over curiously. Throughout the match, Mu Yang had kept sneaking looks at the stands, his mind clearly elsewhere.
“Nothing. I’m just off today. I’m heading out first, I’m tired. Need to rest.”
Mu Yang tilted his head back and drained his water bottle, agitation simmering just under his skin. He wasn’t even sure what he was annoyed about.
He slung his backpack over one shoulder and strode out of the locker room.
Ling Ze watched his retreating back, lazily adjusting his jersey, a thoughtful look flickering in his eyes.
“Anniversary special! Half off your first order!”
“Come take a look, everyone!”
The girl’s clear, lark-like voice threaded through the honks and rumble of the street. As the sun dipped low, neon signs flickered to life and dusk pooled along the pavement.
Jiang Wei wiped sweat from her forehead.
Ever since that ridiculous dream, she’d had a persistent feeling that what she’d seen was her future.
But the events in the dream were simply too absurd.
Forget it. She would quit in a few days anyway. Just in case reality decided to imitate her nightmare, she had no desire to play along.
This café seemed to be a place Fate favored for chance encounters with Senior Ling. When she took the job as a server, she hadn’t known he often passed by here. Only later did she realize that every Saturday, she’d see him.
But they were like two parallel lines, never crossing.
No matter how she racked her brains, she couldn’t figure out why the dream kept repeating. The only thing she could do was avoid contact as much as humanly possible.
If she never got close to him, those things couldn’t happen… right?
“Hey, Weiwei? You working here now?”
A nauseatingly familiar voice scraped at her ears. Jiang Wei’s expression froze.
Great. Just great.
She really did need to change jobs.
“Why aren’t you in school like a good girl? Out here working again? Are you short on cash?” The young man sauntered closer, voice greasy. “I told you before, if you date me, give me a kid, later our parents can get everything official, and your big brother here will pay your way through school.”
A few small-time punks in loud floral shirts hovered around her, hands already a little too restless. They were the same neighbors’ sons who lurked around her building, dropouts who lived off petty theft.
Seriously, shouldn’t they be holed up in an internet café or KTV at this hour?
What were they doing loitering on the street outside her workplace?
Hearing them spout that garbage, even Jiang Wei’s habitual polite smile almost cracked.
Please, she knew exactly what they were, barely managing to feed themselves.
And they thought they could “support” her?
She wanted to turn and slip back into the café. But if she did, they’d only make a scene. The café owner was a decent person; she didn’t want to drag him into their mess.
“Jiang Wei? What are you doing here?”
A roar of an engine cut through the noise as an iridescent ice-blue supercar streaked past, the sound splitting the air like a gust of wind.
moments later, the attention-grabbing car circled back and pulled up by the curb. The window rolled down, revealing Mu Yang’s rakishly handsome face.
He looked completely different from his school self, hair slicked back, one hand casually on the steering wheel, not a trace of “student” left on him. His brows furrowed slightly in confusion.
Relief washed through Jiang Wei.
She didn’t know why, but she instinctively felt that Mu Yang would help her. Maybe it was because he’d carried her to the infirmary last time. Deep down, she couldn’t quite reconcile him with the terrifying image everyone at school painted.
“Senior Mu, I work here.”
She hesitated, loath to ask for help outright. Her eyes, those clear, liquid eyes, flicked toward him, uncertain. She bit her lip, and in the end, didn’t say more.
But those bright, damp eyes reflecting in his own made something tighten in Mu Yang’s chest.
The words came out before he could think.
“Are you in trouble?”
He took in the sight of her standing there obediently, clutching a café promo board, that hint of grievance at the corner of her eyes. Then he swept his gaze around them.
His brows drew together.
He killed the engine, swung open the door, and stepped out, his long legs eating up the distance.
The punks stared at the owner of the luxury car, 1.90m, sharp eyes, a dangerous aura wrapped in casual arrogance.
They flinched for a second, but then noticed there were girls watching nearby, and stupid bravado kicked in.
“I’m talking to my girlfriend. What’s it to you?” the one in a leopard-print shirt sneered.
Mu Yang stepped in front of Jiang Wei, blocking her completely from sight.
“Senior Mu, I’m not! They’re just my neighbors’ sons. They’re, they’re disturbing my work,” Jiang Wei burst out, cheeks flushed with anger.
She hadn’t expected Chen Si and the others to grow thicker skin every year, slinging rumors about her like it was nothing. Her face and neck were red with fury, the color blooming against her pale, oval face, making her look even more stunning.
“I know.”
Her flustered explanation only amused him.
Did she really think he’d believe she was involved with these bottom-feeders?
“No wonder you look down on us,” one of them spat. “Turns out you’ve hooked some rich young master.”
“Then get lost,” Mu Yang said flatly. “Now.”
“You mother-”
The guy in the leopard shirt lunged, thinking Mu Yang was outnumbered and trying to play the hero.
His fist never landed.
Mu Yang twisted his arm with a sharp, efficient movement. A sickening crack sounded, and the punk collapsed with a scream, clutching his limp arm and howling in pain.
His final kick landed squarely in the leopard-shirt guy’s chest.
The thug doubled over, hacking and choking, nearly losing his breath entirely.
The others took one look at Mu Yang, rich, powerful, and, more importantly, ruthless with his fists, and decided they wanted no part of this. They slunk back, but couldn’t resist flinging a few last filthy insults over their shoulders.
“Thought you were so pure. You’re just like your stuck-up, gold-digging mother.”
“Your Ma ran off with some guy. You should hurry up and do the same, dump that old hag in the alley and go live the good life with your rich boy, hahaha.”
“You can run off now, but you can’t run forever. When you come back, I’ll deal with you, you filthy bitch.”
Mu Yang’s temper flared instantly.
He rolled up his sleeves, ready to charge after them, but Jiang Wei grabbed him by the arm.
He glanced back, baffled.
Her eyes flickered, then lowered. She spoke very softly.
“Please don’t go after them, Senior Mu. They’re my neighbors. My grandma and I… we still have to live in that alley for a long time.”
Her mood had clearly sunk. Head bowed, fingers clutching his sleeve, she sounded like she was begging him.
For a moment, Mu Yang’s anger deflated like a punctured balloon.
Since the day he was born, Young Master Mu had never swallowed his pride for anyone.
Those punks had really lit his fuse, but looking at her like this, he could only snap, annoyed at her reluctance to fight back:
“It’s just a few pieces of trash. I could crush them with one hand. What are you afraid of?”
Jiang Wei did feel grateful he’d helped, but hearing that sort of “above the clouds” statement, she almost rolled her eyes.
Of course a young master like him thought everything could be solved by “crushing” something.
He’d rough up Chen Si and the others, then what? They’d just come back and take it out on her.
Even if she managed to dodge them, what about Grandma…
When she didn’t answer, Mu Yang finally realized the truth.
Just like those idiots had shouted: you can chase off the monk, but not the temple.
He caught himself wondering why he cared so much about her situation.
Damn it. This was the second time.
To cover his own discomfort, he changed the subject abruptly.
“Ahem. Didn’t you say you’d treat me to a meal?”
He regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth.
“Forget it. Just tutor me a bit for finals. We’ll call that your repayment.”
“Ah… then maybe I can at least treat Senior Mu to a cup of coffee, if you’re free, that is.”
Jiang Wei glanced at the flashy supercar parked by the curb. He’d obviously planned to go out racing with his crowd tonight.
“Don’t worry, I can afford it. Employees get a discount,” she added quickly.
Then she stuck out the tip of her tongue and flashed him a bright, sunny smile, so dazzling it wiped away the lingering gloom.
Speak of the devil: Mu Yang really had been on his way to Palm Bay for a street race. Delayed on the road, he was already late; his friends, seeing he hadn’t shown up, assumed something had happened. But without their young master present, none of them dared start without him.
“Brother Yang, where are you? The boys are all waiting,” a voice crackled through his phone.
“Uh… you guys start without me. Someone’s treating me today, I’m not coming.”
There was an unmistakable thread of smug delight in his tone. That faint, lovestruck edge did not escape the group of seasoned playboys on the other end.
“Oho? Who’s treating our Brother Yang?”
“Not you lot. A little junior is buying me coffee. Okay, that’s it.”
He hung up.
On the other end, imaginations ran wild.
Junior sister? More like some little lover.
Since when did a mere cup of coffee make Young Master Mu this cheerful?
Sitting inside the café, Jiang Wei felt a bit nervous.
She had been the one to offer to treat him, and she should pay, but after patting her wallet… she decided she’d better keep this job for a few more months.
After wavering for a long time, she decided there was one more favor she had to ask of him.
“Senior Mu, about that day, what Liu Feifei said was complete nonsense. I… I really don’t have any improper thoughts about Senior Ling.”
“Hm? What?”
The words stunned Mu Yang into silence. Awkwardness thickened in the air.
Jiang Wei thought she’d said the wrong thing, but if she wanted to avoid trouble in the future, she had to push through.
“What I mean is… could you explain things to him for me?”
Her index fingers twisted together in front of her, her body leaning forward slightly, eyes earnest.
Mu Yang finally understood.
She really didn’t have feelings for Ling Ze.
His mood soared.
But then he remembered what he’d overheard from Liu Feifei that day and asked, “If you don’t like Ling Ze, why were you watching him play basketball?”
That was… tricky.
Jiang Wei fumbled for words and said nothing.
Mu Yang became even more curious.
She squeezed her eyes shut like she was steeling herself.
“If I tell you, you can’t tell anyone. You have to promise, Senior Mu.”
“Okay, okay.”
Eager to know, Mu Yang agreed instantly.
“I promise.”
“I was selling mineral water at the court. And…”
“And what?”
“Senior Ling’s used things… actually sell pretty well.”
Mu Yang blinked.
“That day, Senior Ling just wanted me to throw his bottle away. But then Liu Feifei and the others misunderstood and thought there was something between us. In reality, there’s absolutely nothing. We’re completely innocent.”
“Oh, right. I ended up selling that bottle for two hundred and fifty yuan. I feel really bad about it. I won’t do something like that again. Senior Mu, could you please help me give this two hundred and fifty back to Senior Ling? I hope he won’t misunderstand, and I hope I haven’t caused any trouble for him.”
With that, Jiang Wei pulled a few wrinkled bills from her pocket and placed them carefully on the table.
She sneaked a look at Mu Yang’s expression, her own face clearly saying:
That’s my full confession, sir. Now will you help me?
Mu Yang promptly choked, spraying coffee out in a perfect arc.
Thankfully, Jiang Wei was prepared this time and raised a fashion magazine to block her face.
“‘Sell pretty well’…”
He swore this was the most unusual girl he’d met in his life.
And in just a few days, his impression of her had been overturned again and again.
When he’d thought she was just another lovestruck fool, she’d turned out to be a tough, top-of-her-grade student.
When he’d decided she was merely a slightly pretty, boringly proper freshman, she revealed herself to be… a “businesswoman.”
“You’re something else, Jiang Wei,” Mu Yang muttered at last, after a long silence.