Chapter 169: Chapter 168 Cunning Scheme
Returning to her seat, Zhao Meimei suddenly remembered to take out her phone and glanced at it. Shi Yang had replied to her message: "Got it, I understand."
Thinking about those two chubby mandarin ducks that looked like ducks, Zhao Meimei couldn’t help but laugh. She quickly typed back another message: "Brother, what are you up to?"
Shi Yang responded swiftly: "Having dinner with Brother Chao."
Zhao Meimei hurriedly and obsequiously reported the lunchtime dining event with Zhang Xin, detailing everything in five separate text messages.
"Hey, hey, hey! What are you doing! Move over a bit, the waiter is serving the dishes!" Qu Chaozong tapped on the plate in front of Shi Yang with his chopsticks.
Shi Yang looked up, realizing that the waiter was trying to place a dish in front of him, and his arms were in the way, resting on the table.
Shi Yang quickly moved his arms aside, offering an apologetic smile to the waiter.
The waiter, who was just in his early twenties, was a bit shy and nodded slightly when he saw Shi Yang’s handsome features, then turned and walked away.
Qu Chaozong chuckled mischievously: "Hey! That little waiter was quite pretty. Did you smile at her because you thought she was cute?"
Shi Yang finished reading the message carefully and then looked at Qu Chaozong, a mysterious smile playing on his lips: "Hehe... I can’t compare to you."
Qu Chaozong, noticing his expression, felt a chill run down his spine and raised his eyebrows: "What do you mean?"
Shi Yang waved his phone: "Zhang Xin went to school today to find Meimei."
Qu Chaozong widened his eyes in surprise: "What did she want with Meimei?"
Shi Yang didn’t answer, just smiled at Qu Chaozong.
Qu Chaozong stared at the smile on Shi Yang’s lips for a while before understanding, and after a long pause, he muttered: "Really hard to shake off."
Shi Yang planned to pick up Zhao Meimei and get the cake, so he left early.
Before leaving, Qu Chaozong called him over, and the two of them avoided others’ eyes, with arms around each other’s shoulders. Qu Chaozong handed Shi Yang a square box, without even a gift bag.
Qu Chaozong smiled and said: "Happy Birthday."
Shi Yang glanced sideways at Qu Chaozong, feeling touched: "Wow! You actually remembered!"
Qu Chaozong playfully punched him lightly, not using much force: "From childhood to now, I can only remember the birthdays of you, my mom, and myself? Touched?"
Shi Yang laughed, feeling a wave of warmth inside, and didn’t hold back: "If I knew you remembered, I would have made you treat me to a big meal at noon!"
Qu Chaozong rolled his eyes: "Have a little conscience, will you! I treated you to roast lamb leg at noon which cost over two hundred bucks, what more do you want!"
Shi Yang teased him with a grin: "How about a Western meal! Grilled steak and creamy mushroom soup or something!"
Qu Chaozong raised a corner of his mouth with a roguish smile: "Pfft! If I had money to burn, I wouldn’t take a grown man to eat Western food! If I were to go, it would have to be with your future sister-in-law! My principle is that fat waters don’t flow into others’ fields."
Shi Yang kicked him playfully: "I’m off!"
Qu Chaozong waved his hand, turned around, and went back to work.
Back in the car, Shi Yang opened the box to find a silver lighter from a big brand. It made a crisp click sound when lit, with a beautiful green windproof flame.
Shi Yang fiddled with it fondly before casually putting it into his pocket, retiring his previous lighter.
While picking up the cake, Shi Yang quoted Zhao Meimei’s name and phone number first. The server said there was no such order. He then thought for a moment and gave his own name, which jogged the server’s memory, "Ah yes, there is one, ordered by two female classmates."
Leaning on the counter as the server fetched the cake, Shi Yang’s phone rang.
He pulled it out for a glance, seeing an unfamiliar number. Staring at the digits flashing on the screen, he squinted for a moment before answering.
Shi Yang: "Hello, who’s this?"
The phone paused briefly, followed by a gentle laugh: "Hello, it’s Zhang Xin."
The corners of Shi Yang’s lips slowly lifted, but his voice sounded surprised: "Ah, it’s you. What’s up?"
From the quiet background noise, it seemed Zhang Xin was indoors; you could hear faint breathing if you listened closely.
"Can’t I call if there’s nothing up?"
The server came out with the cake and, seeing Shi Yang on the phone, stood by holding the receipt slip, waiting patiently.
Shi Yang signaled to her to hand over the pen, managing to sign while saying: "Of course not."
Zhang Xin chuckled again: "Are you free tonight? I’ll treat you to dinner."
Shi Yang handed the signed slip back to the server, carried the cake, and walked out: "Can’t tonight, got plans."
The phone went silent for a second or two, then Zhang Xin suddenly asked: "Are you still renting the stall at the mall?"
The server helped Shi Yang open the glass door. He nodded his thanks as he left the cake shop before saying: "I’d love to rent it, but the mall hasn’t granted it."
Zhang Xin’s voice sounded tightly controlled, almost gritting her teeth: "I couldn’t tell you were keen! You haven’t been to the mall lately!"
Shi Yang displayed a smug look, though his voice sounded troubled: "I’ve been blocked every time before, spent a lot to curry favor, yet no effect even after all that money."
Zhang Xin sneered coldly: "Acting tough! Keep acting with me! Don’t tell me you don’t know who my dad is!"
Shi Yang held back a laugh: "I really didn’t before."
Zhang Xin: "Now that you know, how come you haven’t asked me for help?"
Shi Yang countered: "Would asking you help?"
Zhang Xin blurted out: "Of course, it would!"
The moment she spoke, silence fell on the phone line, her eyebrows knitting tightly, knowing that Shi Yang had coaxed the truth out of her with a few sentences, yet instead of being angry, she laughed, her laughter resonating through the phone.
Shi Yang followed up smoothly: "Then I’ll ask you for help now."
Zhang Xin bluntly laid out her demand: "Your asking won’t work, you need to get Chaozi to ask me."
Shi Yang: "I can’t control him. If that’s how it is, then I won’t ask you anymore. Our current installation business is doing well enough. Discussing the Naughty Castle matter later won’t be too late."
Shi Yang finished speaking and, not giving Zhang Xin a chance to respond, quickly added: "I need to go pick up Meimei now, talk to you next time!"
Shi Yang promptly hung up.
Imagining Zhang Xin’s frustrated expression, he pursed his lips, a cunning glint flashing in his eyes.
The moment class ended, Zhao Meimei was the first to dash out of the tutoring class with her backpack. She ran straight out of the complex, and as she was about to search for where Shi Yang had parked, a car flashed its headlights at her twice. Recognizing Shi Yang’s car, she happily trotted over, opened the door, and got in.