Chapter 542 - 557: Unexpected Romance

Jiang Xia noticed An Ning’s gaze lingering on something and followed her line of sight.

"Which one are you looking at?"

"The most beautiful woman there."

"You know her?"

An Ning nodded.

She looked away and looped her arm through Jiang Xia’s, not going over to greet them rashly.

The two of them soon blended into the crowd in the main hall and were surrounded by three influential figures, who fussed over them with concern.

Just before the event was about to start, An Ning went to the restroom.

An Ning stopped at the restroom door, listening to the profanities coming from inside.

"I’m warning you, stay away from Cheng Kun."

"I wonder in what capacity this young lady is warning me."

"A cheap slut from a nightclub dares to be so arrogant in front of me!"

"Let go!"

An Ning didn’t need to look to know it was the same old cliché: threats, a slap, and someone being held back.

"Miss, you’d better open your eyes and take a good look. It’s not that *I* wanted to come; the Cheng Kun you’re talking about insisted I be here."

"If you like him, then go and fight to win him over instead of threatening someone you look down on. It’s so fucking classless!"

Accompanied by a girl’s cold snort, the CLICK-CLACK-CLICK of high heels echoed from inside.

An Ning didn’t move, waiting at the door.

"You—"

"What a coincidence."

An Ning’s "What a coincidence" made the woman walking out laugh. She came up enthusiastically, wrapped an arm around An Ning’s neck, and said affectionately, "Why do I get the feeling you were waiting for me specifically?"

An Ning shifted her shoulder, removing the hand of her cousin, Lin Xiaoxiao.

"Wait for me here for a second, I’m going to the restroom."

"Hey—I can’t. Someone’s waiting for me outside. This is my workplace. If it’s convenient, come find me tomorrow."

Lin Xiaoxiao shoved a business card into An Ning’s hand, then thought for a moment and added, "Actually, no, don’t come here. Let’s meet at Guangji Tea House tomorrow."

"Wait for me! I’ll treat you to a meal."

Lin Xiaoxiao left in a hurry, so An Ning didn’t chase after her. She went inside first to take care of some important business.

The woman inside who had been told off by Lin Xiaoxiao was glaring daggers at An Ning. She had heard her talking with Lin Xiaoxiao.

"If I were you, I’d watch where I’m pointing those eyes."

An Ning opened a stall, went inside, and locked the door, completely blocking the other woman’s gaze.

For some reason, not only did the woman not leave, she actually stood in front of An Ning’s stall and started talking to her through the door.

"Tell me, do you think all men only like pretty faces?"

"What’s so great about that woman? What does she have besides a pretty face!"

"Hey, how do you two know each other anyway?"

"Why aren’t you saying anything?"

WHOOSH—

An Ning flushed the toilet, came out, and walked around the girl to wash her hands.

"We’re not close. If you’re looking for someone to have an intimate chat with in the bathroom, you’ve got the wrong person."

An Ning shook her hands dry and walked out. The girl behind her huffed a couple of times and left, fuming.

Returning to the auction hall, An Ning took a seat in the best spot. Coincidentally, Lin Xiaoxiao was sitting right behind her.

The man next to Lin Xiaoxiao, upon seeing An Ning take her seat, stood up very humbly and offered her a business card.

"Master An, my name is Cheng Kun. It’s an honor to meet you today."

An Ning turned her head. Lin Xiaoxiao gave a slight shake of her head, so An Ning only accepted the card without saying anything.

Although An Ning hadn’t spoken, Cheng Kun, who was behind her, was already overjoyed.

The auction began. Every time An Ning so much as moved to raise her paddle, the item would be bought at an extremely high price.

And whoever won the bid would try to gift the item to An Ning.

Throughout the entire evening, An Ning never got a chance to spend any money.

However, she treated everyone equally and refused all the gifts, saying only that when it came to charity, she had her own rules and wouldn’t accept them.

The auction ended smoothly. An Ning and Jiang Xia rode back in a limousine arranged by Uncle Jiang.

When the limousine was halfway up the mountain, a tire suddenly blew out. Fortunately, the driver was highly skilled, and no one inside was hurt.

The driver said he would go back to the villa to get another car, but An Ning and Jiang Xia, seeing that it wasn’t far, said they could walk the rest of the way.

The moonlight was hazy, and the stars twinkled.

A man and a woman, dressed in fine attire, walked along the deserted road.

Jiang Xia grew nervous for no reason, wondering if it was because they were dressed too formally.

"Um... that is... what I mean is—"

Jiang Xia started and stopped several times, spouting a bunch of nonsense. After waiting for a while, An Ning finally couldn’t help but ask, "What on earth are you trying to say?"

His wildly beating heart sent tremors through his bloodstream, making even his fingers tremble.

The night was too beautiful, the evening breeze too playful.

"It’s nothing. I was just going to ask if you were hungry."

An Ning’s suspicious gaze was unconcealed as she looked Jiang Xia up and down, left and right.

"Comrade Jiang Xia, you’ve been very suspicious lately. You don’t have a terminal illness, do you?"

With that one sentence, the romantic atmosphere was shattered.

"Comrade An Ning, can’t you think of something more positive?"

"I did. I was thinking that if you really do have a terminal illness, I’ll go study medicine. Don’t worry, I definitely won’t let you die."

An Ning’s words caused the pink bubble of hope that had just burst for Jiang Xia to inflate once more.

"So, my place in your heart is pretty important, huh?"

"Of course. What else would it be?"

’What else would it be?’

Her very natural rhetorical question made Jiang Xia a tiny bit braver. He asked tentatively, "Then... what do you see me as?"

"What do I see you as? What do you mean? You’re Jiang Xia. What else could you be?"

As long as Jiang Xia wasn’t direct, An Ning wouldn’t overthink it.

Jiang Xia, having backed himself into a corner, really wished there was a wall he could bang his head against.

"It’s nothing, nothing. What do you want for a late-night snack?"

"Something simple. I’m hungry."

The moment Jiang Xia heard An Ning was hungry, he quickened his pace. But An Ning, in her high heels, was even faster than him, giving him absolutely no chance to act like a gentleman.

That night, An Ning ate a bowl of deluxe seafood fried rice, which soothed the frantic beating of her hungry heart.

The next morning, Uncle Jiang gave Jiang Xia a look as if he were watching a good show. Jiang Xia pushed him into a corner.

"That ’broken-down car’ trick? We can’t use it again."

"You knew, kid?"

Jiang Xia gave Uncle Jiang a look that said, ’Do you even have to ask?’, leaving him to ponder it himself.

"What’s with that look, you brat? If it weren’t for me, would you two have had a chance to be alone?"

"I know it’s not my place to say, but when are you finally going to confess? Let me tell you, someone that outstanding has a whole line of people chasing after her. We’ll see who regrets it then."

Uncle Jiang’s piercing words gave Jiang Xia a renewed sense of crisis, but he still said timidly, "I’m afraid—"

"Afraid she’ll reject me."

It was the first time Uncle Jiang had seen Jiang Xia so humbled. Although he had never married, he had been in a few relationships, but he’d never encountered a situation like Jiang Xia’s.

Consumed by insecurity.

"How about you be the hero who saves the damsel? I see that in movies all the time."

"If we’re talking about a hero saving a damsel, I could only be the damsel."

Jiang Xia’s words earned him a nod of affirmation and sympathy from Uncle Jiang.

"Sigh, if all else fails, just try a honey trap. I don’t see much hope for you otherwise."

It was just another day of wondering what to do when the person you like is too amazing.