Chapter 198: You Kid, So You Have a Girlfriend
Chapter 198: Chapter 198: You Kid, So You Have a Girlfriend
Lei Li hadn’t expected to be blocked at the door.
Xue Can had gotten in so smoothly. Why wouldn’t the automatic glass door open for her?
She didn’t know it was because Shen Lu had given Xue Can access for the day. Normally, outside of regular business hours, someone from inside had to open the door for a person to enter.
Shen Lu remembered this beautiful customer who was like a wildcat and immediately walked over.
"I’m sorry, our little shop doesn’t offer dinner service."
Shen Lu assumed she was here to eat. ’She’s a new customer who just arrived today,’ she thought, ’so she probably doesn’t know the shop only serves lunch.’
"I’m with Xue Can." Lei Li’s lips curled into a smile. "Isn’t he having dinner here tonight?"
"Right. This way, please." Shen Lu didn’t question it at all.
She had been against Xue Can bringing dozens of people from his Mercenary Corps for dinner, but one or two extra guests was no problem.
Besides, it wasn’t like she had to cook any extra dishes.
Xue Can sat calmly in his seat. He had deliberately changed his clothes before coming for dinner.
His clothes from the daytime had gotten dirty during training. Normally, he wouldn’t care about such things, but the thought of seeing Shen Lu that evening made him change into a clean, undamaged outfit.
He did it out of respect for Shen Lu.
He knew he’d made a poor impression on Shen Lu and wanted to redeem himself somewhat.
Hearing footsteps, Xue Can looked up. When he saw Lei Li behind the young woman, his pupils contracted sharply.
Lei Li raised her hand and gave a little wave, her expression both triumphant and mischievous, as if to say: ’Surprise!’
Xue Can’s face darkened, but he quickly composed himself.
"Mr. Xue, I assume this is a guest you invited?" Shen Lu pulled out a chair for Lei Li. "Please, have a seat. I’ll go get you a bowl and chopsticks."
"Thank you," said Lei Li.
As soon as Shen Lu was gone, Xue Can tapped his fingers lightly on the tabletop. "Lei Li, don’t take this too far."
Lei Li propped her chin in her hands, smiling like a cat that got the cream. "How am I taking it too far? Mr. Xue, it’s just one meal. You’re not going to be that petty, are you?"
Xue Can sneered, his gaze like two sharp knives. "Following me, investigating me... What, is the Thunder Mercenary Corps declaring war on the Gale Mercenary Corps?"
"Of course not!" Lei Li pouted her full, red lips. "I just want to spend some time alone with you, just the two of us. You shouldn’t think so badly of me."
"Lei Li, I don’t like you," Xue Can said, enunciating every word. As if afraid she didn’t understand, he repeated himself, "I have no feelings for you whatsoever. Please stop wasting your time on me. It’s a nuisance."
He had no romantic feelings for Lei Li, no interest in the matter, and he certainly wouldn’t sacrifice himself just to help the Gale Mercenary Corps advance.
Wasn’t that ridiculous?
He and his corps members weren’t useless fools who needed to rely on such methods to get by. If that were the case, why even be mercenaries? They might as well just become gigolos.
Previously, whenever Lei Li had gotten close, he hadn’t said anything explicit, but his actions had made his stance clear.
He didn’t want to make the relationship too tense. They moved in the same circles, and sometimes you had to let each other save face.
But Lei Li’s behavior today had crossed his line.
It was one thing for Lei Li to pester him constantly, but how could she go as far as to follow and investigate him?
What was next? Was she going to tie him up and force him to marry her?
"It doesn’t matter. You not liking me is your business, but me liking you is my business." Lei Li wasn’t the kind of girl to be hurt by such words. "We’re not interfering with each other. It’s not like I’m forcing you to like me."
"Then what do you call this behavior right now, if not interfering?" Seeing that more words would be useless, Xue Can stood up, intending to pack up the food on the table and leave.
Shen Lu came in with the bowl and chopsticks and saw the cold anger on Xue Can’s face. She couldn’t help but ask, "What’s going on here?"
Lei Li wiped away non-existent tears and choked out, "I said the wrong thing and made Xue Can angry."
Xue Can: ???
Shen Lu blinked at Xue Can, not doubting Lei Li in the slightest.
In her mind, Xue Can had never been a good-tempered person.
He was just good at pretending.
’Just look at the first time he tried to buy mint water from me; he was so swift and ruthless in his attack. If Fu Cheng hadn’t risked his life to save me, the grass on my grave would be three meters tall by now.’
’Oh, wait, that’s not right. If I had died back then, I would’ve just been collected as fertilizer, becoming another part of the planting cycle.’
"You scared me! I thought for a second that Mr. Xue was unhappy with the food."
Xue Can: ...
Lei Li grabbed Shen Lu’s hand. "Boss, please help me talk to Xue Can. Otherwise, he’s going to leave me here all by myself."
Shen Lu thought, ’You really overestimate me. Xue Can isn’t going to listen to a thing I say.’
Still, Shen Lu spoke up, mostly because she had a soft spot for beautiful women.
"Mr. Xue, just leaving like this wouldn’t be very gentlemanly, you know."
Whether Xue Can listened or not was none of her business.
Xue Can’s handsome brows knitted together. He began frantically searching his mind, wondering where Lei Li had dug up this information. How did she know he would be eating at Shen Lu’s place tonight?
Ever since he’d expelled Jin San from the corps, the members had been well-behaved and followed the rules. It was the most peaceful period he’d had since taking over the Mercenary Corps.
Lei Li saw that Xue Can’s attitude had softened slightly and held onto Shen Lu, refusing to let go.
"Boss, could you sit down and eat with us?"
’Of course not!’
Shen Lu tried to pull her hand away, but after struggling against Lei Li twice, she failed.
She was practically half-pulled, half-dragged into staying.
"Well then, it would be rude to refuse. It’s a perfect opportunity for you two to give me some feedback on my cooking."
With Shen Lu sitting down, it became even more difficult for Xue Can to suggest packing up the food and leaving.
The man pressed his lips together and sat down, radiating a cold aura. He shot Lei Li a look, signaling her not to cause trouble and to behave herself.
Lei Li shot him a defiant glare in return and scooted closer to Shen Lu to talk.
"Boss, did you make all this food? It looks so delicious."
This spread was clearly much better than the food sold at lunch, so Lei Li’s praise was completely sincere.
"Mr. Xue did me a huge favor a while ago, so I made this meal specially to thank him." Shen Lu briefly explained. "I thought it would just be Mr. Xue, so I was worried I’d made too much food."
"I never expected him to treat me to such a feast, either," Lei Li said with a beaming smile, her words crafted to be misleading. "He’s usually so quiet and boring. I never knew he could be so full of surprises."
Xue Can’s hands, resting on his knees, clenched into fists. He really wanted to throw this woman spouting nonsense out, but he knew that if he did, his impression in Shen Lu’s eyes would only get worse.
So he held back, glaring at Lei Li as if she were a dead person, warning her to shut her mouth!
Shen Lu’s expression morphed into one of sudden understanding.
She secretly winked at Xue Can. ’Hey, you rascal. So you have a girlfriend now, huh?’
’Looks like I misunderstood him. I thought he was deliberately trying to get back at me, but it turns out he just wanted to treat his girlfriend to dinner.’