Chapter : 09
Zhou Qingluo stepped back as he spoke:
“I’ll take a drink for you, you save my life, then we’re even, OK?”
His expression was serious, like he was trying to reason with someone about to jump off a building.
Song Ling watched him with interest.
Zhou Qingluo immediately turned and walked away.
After taking two steps, he looked back at Song Ling.
Song Ling frowned, her chin tilted up, showing a defiant, unyielding attitude.
Zhou Qingluo said:
“Being even also means ‘we’re clear,’ nothing to do with each other. You get it, right?”
Song Ling said nothing.
Taking the cue, Zhou Qingluo ran off.
Song Ling stood in place, watching his retreating figure. In her mind, she imagined the sunflower swinging on his helmet, swaying back and forth, scattering tiny rays of sunlight across the ground.
“Zhou Qingluo.”
She whispered his name and snorted with disdain.
He couldn’t charm her with flirtation, so he changed tactics, acting cute and playing hard to get?
Interesting guy.
In no time, Zhou Qingluo spent a full month delivering takeout.
He was handsome and could make people laugh, so the owners of the stores he frequently visited gradually became familiar with him.
It was already dinner time, and Zhou Qingluo was busy as ever. Coincidentally, he had a delivery to a cake shop he often went to.
The shop was called “Unique,” and the owner was Cui Xiuying, known as Sister Cui.
Sister Cui was cheerful and optimistic, often helping him out and subtly trying to set him up with someone.
Zhou Qingluo always found ways to brush it off. Did he need a partner now? No, he needed money.
When Zhou Qingluo arrived, she and her staff were busy and didn’t even have time for dinner. A delivery had just arrived; the driver unloaded it at the curb and left.
During the plum rain season, rain could come at any moment.
Seeing the goods about to get wet, Zhou Qingluo stopped accepting orders and helped Sister Cui move the packages inside.
He was busy going in and out and didn’t notice a red Porsche parked nearby, its license plate full of eights.
Inside the Porsche sat Song Ling and Jiao Zuo.
Jiang Shiyan was holding a school promotion banquet at Lakeview Hotel, but Song Ling hadn’t received an invitation.
The Jiang family had only one son and would never admit their son was involved with another man, so they didn’t allow Song Ling to attend.
Jiao Zuo thought Song Ling liked people like Jiang Shiyan, so he had tried introducing someone slightly similar.
But Song Ling wanted only Jiang Shiyan. The substitute seemed to have failed.
That substitute hadn’t been reliable either. He had once promised to treat Song Ling well, even risking himself to take a drink for her at a bar that night, then vanished afterward.
Out of human decency, Jiao Zuo took Song Ling out for a meal to comfort her broken heart.
In a few days, Jiao Zuo had to leave town. He worried no one would stop Song Ling from causing trouble at Jiang Shiyan’s banquet and was nearly losing his hair.
Jiao Zuo asked the silent person in the passenger seat:
“Do you want to go to my place or back to the Song family?”
Song Ling:
“Go to Unique Cake Shop to buy the matcha mousse cake.”
Jiao Zuo:
“…”
Jiang Shiyan liked the matcha mousse cake from Unique. Whenever he wanted it, Song Ling had to drop whatever game she was playing and go buy it.
Jiao Zuo frowned in annoyance:
“That’s not on the way.”
Song Ling:
“One kilometer, let’s go.”
Jiao Zuo sighed and hit the steering wheel.
Unexpectedly, when they arrived, it started raining heavily.
They had no umbrellas in the car, so Jiao Zuo parked on the side road, waiting for the rain to ease.
Bored, he looked out the window, lit a cigarette, and watched the delivery rider struggling through the rain to carry things inside. He commented casually:
“This delivery guy is really dedicated. The takeout team really spreads positive energy.”
Hearing “delivery guy,” Song Ling suddenly remembered Zhou Qingluo, who had promised to be even with her. It wasn’t a trick; he hadn’t appeared at all during the past month.
The rain lessened, and Jiao Zuo could see clearly who the dedicated delivery guy was. It was the substitute he had found for Song Ling!
He tossed his cigarette, shook Song Ling’s shoulder:
“Look, it’s Zhou Qingluo!”
Song Ling looked up from her phone and immediately saw the sunflower clay figure on his helmet.
The little clay sunflower smiled broadly, swaying and playing in the rain.
Jiao Zuo:
“Oh my, this tiny, soft, delicate little body is delivering takeout?”
Song Ling continued watching through the window.
Seeing she didn’t react, Jiao Zuo kept going:
“Hardworking, motivated, kind, resilient, endures hardships—how cute.”
Song Ling suddenly remembered the excited look he had when asking the network admin how much a month’s salary was.
He was desperate for money. Then why not keep clinging to her? That would have earned him money faster.
Jiao Zuo didn’t notice her change in expression and continued:
“Not better than that… um, Jiang Shiyan? Do you want to get along with him properly?”
Song Ling turned her gaze back and said coldly:
“Shut up.”
Jiao Zuo mimed sealing his mouth with tape and sulked.
Mention Jiang Shiyan, and Song Ling reacted like someone had struck a nerve.
Jiao Zuo:
“Rain’s stopped. Go buy it yourself. I won’t. After you get it, take a taxi to Jiang Shiyan. I’m not taking you.”
Song Ling:
“Let’s go.”
Jiao Zuo:
“I’m not going!”
Song Ling rolled her eyes:
“Drive.”
Jiao Zuo:
“Huh? Not getting the matcha mousse cake??”
Song Ling:
“Stop talking so much.”
After finishing her work, Sister Cui realized it was raining and remembered a batch of deliveries still outside.
She hurried with her staff when she saw Zhou Qingluo, soaked through, preparing to leave, while the packages were safely stacked inside.
