Chapter 39: There Is an Old Acquaintance🐔

Pei Xingyan was already overjoyed. Before him lay countless exquisite delicacies, and he didn’t even know where to start.

But an annoying figure stood right in his way, like a fierce beast blocking the path.

“Lu Yan, can you move aside? I’m really hungry right now and don’t have the energy to talk to you.” Half pleading, half firm, he tried to get around this tall girl named Lu Yan.

“You eat then, I’m not stopping you,” Lu Yan said with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m just watching from the side, that’s not illegal, right?”

“Not illegal, but it kills the mood.” Pei Xingyan sneered and picked up a plate from the table, starting to pick through the food.

Everything here was precious; he hadn’t had such a feast in a long time. Unable to resist, he took more than usual, then settled down in a corner to eat heartily.

“Why do you look like you haven’t eaten in days?” Lu Yan followed him again, her face full of surprise. “Shouldn’t you, Pei little brother, be the type who’s particular about etiquette? Why do you look like a starving ghost now?”

Pei Xingyan glanced at her, remembering that she’d been abroad the past two days and probably didn’t know his family had fallen on hard times.

But not wanting to stir up trouble, he gave a cold smile and continued eating by himself.

“Hey, hey, that girl is your girlfriend, right?” Lu Yan didn’t care that he wasn’t responding; she just kept babbling, “You bastard, you actually managed to hook up with such a pure little sister. How does it feel? Comfortable? Is she that innocent in bed too? When you’re with her, does she cover her eyes? Does she scream loud?”

“You’re disgusting beyond words. Ever thought about getting surgery to stick a rod in yourself?” Pei Xingyan shot back without holding back. He just couldn’t put up with this person’s attitude.

He was absolutely convinced that if Lu Yan weren’t a girl, but a guy, she’d be the exact type of spoiled rich kid who’d torment seven or eight girls every night.

But unfortunately, she was a girl — full of energy but with nowhere to channel it, always looking for thrills, not in nightlife but on highways, in the air, or underwater. She’d tie her hair up and come off as a total tomboy.

“Don’t say stuff like that. Tell me, whose daughter is she? She doesn’t look like a Cinderella.” Lu Yan shamelessly leaned in closer, “Also, if you’re together with this girl, what about Xiao Yezi? Did you ditch her? You actually dare to dump a woman like that? Impressive~”

“Can you shut up?” Pei Xingyan’s ears were almost going numb. He sighed helplessly. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

“Not your girlfriend?” Lu Yan repeated mockingly before bursting out laughing. “Not your girlfriend, yet you’re holding her hand? Not your girlfriend, yet you’re walking so close with her? Don’t tell me you’re just ‘pure friends’?”

“Hey, actually, yes. We’re just pure friends.”

“Tch.” Lu Yan clicked her tongue, then suddenly seemed to get it, “I see, Pei little brother, you want to have your cake and eat it too, huh? Pretty banners outside but the red flag at home still flies high, right? No way, no way. Ye Zi Wei would definitely go crazy. I don’t want to see your names on the evening news for a crime.”

“Sigh…” Pei Xingyan sighed helplessly.

He didn’t really believe Lu Yan was being so considerate. After all she said so much just to annoy him or humiliate him.

Or maybe she had some other motive…

“Hey, hey,” Lu Yan wouldn’t let up. She nudged his arm and advised, “I’m telling you, don’t get too attached. Just play around and stop. Girls who look pure like that have a short shelf life. Once they’re ‘developed’ enough, it gets boring, and they’re stubborn too. If you end up causing trouble one day, like getting the girl pregnant, there’s no turning back.”

“I didn’t…” Pei Xingyan weakly protested again.

“Aren’t you really hungry? Why are you eating so much? Didn’t your family give you money?” Lu Yan looked on in shock as Pei Xingyan wolfed down the food. “You look like you haven’t eaten a full meal in months.”

Pei Xingyan thought to himself, it’s been more than months — it’s been years since he’d had anything so luxurious. Usually, he just ate whatever was available. Not that he deliberately saved money, but the cafeteria food couldn’t compare to something that cost thousands a bite.

Right now, he just wanted to fill his stomach properly.

“Can you mind your own business?” Pei Xingyan pleaded. “I really want to have a proper meal, or I’ll starve to death.”

“My job is to entertain guests. Didn’t you check who the host is before coming?”

“What? This is your family’s banquet?”

“Of course.”

Seeing how serious Lu Yan looked, Pei Xingyan wasn’t sure whether to stop eating.

Out of sentiment, he didn’t want to eat her food — it felt like charity. But out of reason, he thought he should stuff himself thoroughly and eat with gusto.

He chose reason and ate faster.

Lu Yan sat quietly watching him. If he didn’t know her nature, Pei Xingyan might have said she looked affectionate.

But he knew her well enough not to read anything into it.

Finally, Lu Yan revealed her true nature. She leaned close to Pei Xingyan’s ear and suddenly said, “Little Pei, after you eat, how about a lap around the Third Ring tonight? My skills have improved a lot these years. You won’t be able to catch me now.”

“We don’t do illegal stuff.” Pei Xingyan rejected simply.

“What?” Lu Yan was dumbfounded. She burst out laughing like she’d heard a joke. “What the hell are you talking about illegal? I’m just inviting you to a race. You scared of my skills or what?”

“The speed limit on the Third Ring is 80. The maximum speed allowed is 96. Speeding is illegal.” Pei Xingyan said quietly. “Besides, I advise you not to go. If you get caught, you’ll have to rely on your dad to bail you out. That wouldn’t sound good if it got out.”

Lu Yan lost her earlier friendliness all at once. She suddenly shoved Pei Xingyan hard and repeated, “You’re really full of it now. Illegal this, illegal that — I don’t believe you. You look down on me, don’t you?”

That’s what Pei Xingyan feared. He’d been the ‘other kid’ all his life, while Lu Yan was the type who was always told she wasn’t as good as ‘that kid.’ So she never accepted him, especially when it came to competition, particularly the kind of wild, reckless stuff she loved.

But now he really couldn’t compete with her. Not even pretend to lose to save face. Lu Yan loved racing, but his only transportation was a shared bike with a 14-yuan Meituan unlimited monthly pass. What could he possibly compete with? Two legs against a W16 engine?

He could only shake his head silently.

Lu Yan was nearly furious, clawing at her chest, baring her teeth, taunting him without stop — but she still couldn’t sway Pei Xingyan.

“Look down on me, huh?” She spat out harsh words and stood up. “Fine, fine, if you look down on me, I’ll go find someone else who appreciates me. Fair enough? Just you wait!”

Pei Xingyan remained completely unruffled. He knew Lu Yan’s nature wasn’t bad; she wouldn’t actually do anything truly harmful.

He continued devouring the food.

But suddenly, he remembered that Lu Yan had said “someone else” and that she thought Lin Xiaoyu was his girlfriend.

“Oh no!”

Without caring about tidying himself, Pei Xingyan hurriedly got up and dashed toward the main hall.