Chapter 61

Zhang Gui roared, as if he had finally let out all his pent-up frustration. The woman then pushed him away and covered herself with the blanket. Zhang Gui was taken aback for a moment, silently put on his pants, and the woman coldly snorted, "You haven't contacted me for a while. The other night, I saw you with another woman. Do you think I don't know? That woman is prettier, more noble, and more graceful than me... I'm just an ordinary streetwalker. If you don't want me, it's understandable."

Zhang Gui shouted, "Yingzi, what the hell are you talking about?"

If Xiao Bing had seen Zhang Gui's expression, he would have been very surprised. This short, ugly, timid, and cowardly man now had a look of almost疯狂的悲愤 on his face, along with an undeniable love!

"I met you when I was twenty-eight, and you were just twenty-two. From that night on, you have been my woman for life! These past few years, I've been trying to earn enough money to buy you out, but I'm useless! But even if I'm useless, I still have a conscience. I remember everything you've done for me. I, Zhang Gui, am not a man without a conscience!"

"Stop, stop..." Yingzi cried, her makeup smudged.

Zhang Gui pounced, crawled into the bed, and hugged Yingzi tightly. Though he was short, his actions and words made him seem very tall at that moment.

Zhang Gui looked like he was about to cry too: "You've been with me all these years. Others look down on me because I'm short and ugly, but you never did. You've been gentle and caring to me. We're not married, but you've been better to me than any wife. You pretend with other men, but you're always sincere with me. How could I not know?"

Zhang Gui choked up: "But I'm useless. If I had the ability, I would have bought you out from Qiangzi long ago. You wouldn't have to keep selling yourself... I thought about running away with you, but they're animals. If we tried to run, we'd both end up dead..."

"Stop, stop." Yingzi cried like a rain-soaked pear blossom. "I don't blame you, I don't blame you... I'm sorry, I was just overthinking. Since that night four years ago, I've been your woman for life. Maybe I've been under too much pressure lately and thought too much... I felt I didn't deserve you, so I thought you found another woman."

"Don't overthink it." Zhang Gui hugged Yingzi, crying and shouting, "With this face of mine, who else besides you, Yingzi, would not look down on me? Even if I don't deserve you, it's me, Zhang Gui, who doesn't deserve you, not the other way around... Every time we go out, do you think I don't know that people point and laugh at us? They just laugh at you for being with a man as ugly as me! Who the hell doesn't deserve whom?"

"Stop... really... stop. When we can save enough money to buy you out from Qiangzi, I'll marry you and be your woman for real, okay?"

"Okay... okay." Zhang Gui held Yingzi tightly, his eyes shining with an indescribable light. "Your birthday is in a week. On that day, I'll give you a big surprise, something you'll never forget..."

A week... just one more week...

Over the next two days, after finishing his work each night, Xiao Bing would go with Yezi to look for a suitable storefront. Since that night, Xiao Bing hadn't seen Julia again, and the events of that night gradually faded from his mind.

Su Xiao had caught up with her studies, but she still insisted on having Xiao Bing help her with her homework every night. Xiao Bing couldn't help but admire Su Xiao's dedication to learning, so he always explained things to her carefully. Su Xiao's mother, Li Chunlan, was also getting closer to being discharged from the hospital.

On the third day, Xiao Bing and Su Xiao parted ways at the entrance of the Normal University. As he was about to reach the noodle shop, he saw Julia walking towards him from the opposite direction. Xiao Bing was about to try to avoid her, but he noticed that Julia looked flustered and quickly turned to walk in the opposite direction.

What's going on?

Xiao Bing was puzzled. Instead of running away, he couldn't help but follow out of curiosity. As he was about to catch up to Julia, he called out, "Julia!"

Julia was forced to stop. Xiao Bing caught up to her and saw that she was wearing a large black sunglasses. When she saw Xiao Bing, she immediately turned her face away. Was this woman angry with him? Was she angry because he took advantage of her that night? Or was she angry because he didn't take enough advantage of her?

Xiao Bing felt a bit regretful. Curiosity killed the cat. Why did he follow her? After that night, Xiao Bing always felt a bit awkward around Julia.

However, Xiao Bing was a man who had seen the world. In Kyoto, he had also had women who liked him, so he wasn't too nervous. Only in front of Yezi was he an exception. So, he quickly regained his composure and smiled, "Julia, why did you turn and walk away without saying hello?"

"Oh... Xiao... Xiao Bing. I just remembered something I need to do at home."

"That's fine. I'll go to the shop first. You go home."

"Okay, see you next time."

"See you next time."

Xiao Bing chuckled to himself. You were heading home in the first place, but you turned around when you saw me and said you were going home... But Xiao Bing didn't point it out. As they passed each other, Xiao Bing noticed a slight purplish bruise under Julia's sunglasses...

When Xiao Bing tried to look more closely, Julia had already passed by and left. Thinking about the bruise and her flustered expression, Xiao Bing felt a bit uncomfortable. How could such a beautiful woman have a bruise on her face for no reason? There seemed to be only one explanation... But it was her family's business, and it had nothing to do with Xiao Bing. He suppressed his discomfort and walked away.

At the noodle shop, Erhuo was standing on the street, smiling foolishly and saying to passersby, "Our noodles are delicious, come in and have some ramen!"

The passersby pointed and laughed at Erhuo, but no one listened to him. Those who wanted to eat would come, and those who didn't wouldn't, no matter what Erhuo said. He wasn't a beautiful woman, so he didn't have that kind of appeal.

Xiao Bing found it amusing. Why did Erhuo think of standing on the street to attract customers?

When Xiao Bing walked over, Erhuo scratched his head and laughed sheepishly.

"Do you think you're a streetwalker? Who runs a noodle shop and stands on the street to attract customers? Come on, let's go back."

"No, I'm not going back," Erhuo said stubbornly. "Hongmei said I look honest, and people believe me. If I go out and shout, business will be much better."

Xiao Bing tried to suppress his laughter. "Did she really say that?"

"Yes... and Hongmei also said I look handsome."

Xiao Bing looked Erhuo up and down and shook his head. "Then her eyes must be blind."

"Hongmei's eyes are fine, she's just a bit fat."

Xiao Bing had no idea what to do with Erhuo. He ignored him and walked into the shop. It was still early, and there were no customers. Seeing Li Hong and Zhang Jing chatting, Xiao Bing walked over and asked, "Hongmei, why did you send Erhuo out to attract customers?"

Li Hong looked up at Xiao Bing and smiled. "Boss, don't you think Erhuo looks cute? Maybe he can increase our customer rate."

Xiao Bing laughed. "Yesterday you two were complaining about being too busy, and today you're worried about the customer rate. Don't try to fool me."

At that moment, Wang Guifang came out of the kitchen and said, "Xiao Bing, don't listen to her. Call that silly boy back in. It's because Erhuo said Li Hong was a bit fat this morning, and she's angry, so she sent him out to embarrass him."

Li Hong stuck out her tongue and huffed, "I'll call him in, I'll call him in. Hmph, I think he's not just silly, he's blind."

After Li Hong left, Zhang Jing chuckled, "Hongmei has been a bit fat these past two days, but Erhuo is too silly. No girl likes to hear that she's fat."

"That doesn't mean you should let him embarrass himself. Luckily, Erhuo is a simple person and doesn't mind. Don't do this to him again!"

Zhang Jing giggled, "I know. We're just teasing him because we get along well. Even though Li Hong teases him, she always thinks of him when something good happens."

Erhuo soon came back in with Li Hong. He walked behind her, muttering to himself, "Didn't she say I look handsome? I didn't bring in a single customer, and now she's making me come back in. Isn't this a waste of my good looks?"

Everyone, including Li Hong, burst out laughing at Erhuo's words. Erhuo stood there, confused and puzzled.

Xiao Bing said to Wang Guifang, "It's the weekend tomorrow. I plan to spend the next two days with Yezi looking for a suitable storefront, so I won't be coming to the shop."

"Don't worry, we can handle it. We'll tell the customers that we won't be making the signature ramen these two days."

"Okay!"

When Xiao Bing went home that night, he encountered a familiar person—the heavily made-up woman he had seen with Zhang Gui the other night. Although he had only seen her once, Xiao Bing, who had been the leader of the Dragon Tooth team, recognized her immediately. He didn't pay much attention, but suddenly an old lady nearby shouted, "Yingzi, come and take a customer!"

"Coming!" The heavily made-up woman responded and ran over quickly.

Xiao Bing thought to himself, so her name is Yingzi, and she is indeed a streetwalker...

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