He is Lovestruck in the Revenge by Gu Nanxi

Chapter 43 - 43 042 Changling and Xie Shang Gamble on a Drinking

Chapter 43: 042: Changling and Xie Shang Gamble on a Drinking GChapter 43: 042: Changling and Xie

Shang Gamble on a Drinking G“Why are you wearing glasses now?” He caressed the fingers that had

touched Wen Changling, his expression seemed to savor the moment, “You look better without glasses.”

Granny Zhu happened to cout.

“Changling.” Noticing the guy at the door with a shifty look, Granny Zhu glanced at a broom in the corner and

asked Wen Changling, “Who is he?”

Wen Changling walked over to Granny Zhu's side: “A stranger.”

Granny Zhu nudged Wen Changling, signaling her to go inside first, then herself moved a chair and sat down by

the gate.

The old lady was of considerable age, with gray hair, a robust body, and sharp eyes, exuding an air of

fearlessness.

Zeng Zhili went to a nearby shop, had a bowl of sweet soup, and after sitting and shaking his legs for a while, he

left.

The next day.

After work, Wen Changling first stopped by Sister Tao's fruit store, where Sister Tao cut open a honeydew melon

and let Wen Changling take half of it home.

Sister Tao's youngest son, Aimin, was struggling with a few math problems, and Wen Changling, not in a hurry to

go home, sat down to explain them to him. She was very patient when explaining, which Sister Tao admired -

unlike herself, who would easily lose her temper and flip the table while “domestically abusing” her child during

such lessons.

“Changling.”

“Hmm?”

Sister Tao nodded towards the door: “Do you know the person outside?”

It was Zeng Zhili, he had cagain.

Wen Changling calmly redirected her gaze: “I don’t know him.”

“Then why is he always staring at you?”

With a sneaky appearance, he didn’t look like good news.

Sister Tao glared at him.

After explaining the problems to Aimin - oh, right, Aimin’s older brother's nwas Aiguo - Wen Changling got

up to head home.

“I'm leaving now.”

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Sister Tao cut another bunch of bananas, packed them nicely, and handed them to Wen Changling, cautioning

her, “Be careful.”

“Okay.”

Wen Changling left the fruit shop.

Sister Tao stood at the door, watching her leave. That sneaky fellow followed, walking behind Wen Changling,

keeping a two-step distance.

“You wouldn't want others to know about your little secret, would you?”

Zeng Zhili’s voice was low, audible only to Wen Changling.

She didn’t turn back: “What secret?”

“The one where you gotsent to prison.”

She wasn't afraid of Zeng Zhili, just incredibly annoyed, so annoyed that she wanted to do something to vent her

frustration, and she was holding back: “Don’t follow me.”

Zeng Zhili crossed his arms, trailing not too far behind, and shamelessly said, “I got a criminal record because of

you, now | can’t find a job, can’t even eat properly, aren't you supposed to compensate me?” He suddenly

leaned in closer, “Have the money ready, I'll cto collect it next time.”

Wen Changling stopped, the plastic bag holding the fruit was pinched so tightly that a hole had been made.

“Changling.”

It was Granny Zhu yet again. For the second time, she asked, “Who exactly is this person?” At first, she thought

he was a loafer, but now he didn’t seem like one.

Before Wen Changling could speak, Zeng Zhili sneered at Granny Zhu, showing off his teeth like a ruffian: “I'm

Changling’s cousin, cespecially to see her.”

He patted Wen Changling on the shoulder: “I'll cto see you again, cousin.”

Wen Changling clenched the bag in her hand.

The man had already disappeared around the corner, and Granny Zhu, concerned, pulled Wen Changling into the

house.

“Is he really your cousin?”

Wen Changling nodded, keeping the rest to herself. Granny Zhu knew what she was like and didn’t press for

more.

Wen Changling carried the bag to the backyard, where she stood under the Sweet Osmanthus Tree, looking up at

the lush Hooked Cymbidium.

The young leaves of the Hooked Cymbidium were most toxic.

She told herself to be patient, to obey the law.

Two days later, Zeng Zhili appeared for the third time, lurking at a street corner that Wen Changling had to pass.

Wen Changling had been standing there for two minutes already, motionless, almost resembling the wooden

signboard posted at the door of the hardware store next door.

Xie Shang walked over, “Why aren’t you walking?”

She turned around blankly, “I got lost.”

Just past this street, you could see Granny Zhu’s courtyard and the lanterns guiding the way. What in the world

had she lost her way to?

Xie Shang didn't believe it for a second.

“Xie Shang.”

It was a tone begging for help, somewhat soft.

Quite rare.

Xie Shang hummed a response, signaling her to ask away.

“Can you takeback?” She walked up to Xie Shang’s left side very naturally, very honestly, already closer

than a normal social distance. She seldom showed such a dependent posture, “Can we not take this road,

please?”

Phrases like ‘can we?’ or ‘is it okay?’ coming from Wen Changling’s mouth sounded very pleasant to the ear. Xie

Shang always liked hearing them and was willing to accommodate.

He glanced in the direction of the street corner, asked nothing, “Let's go.” He changed directions and took a

different road.

Wen Changling followed, like a tail.

After walking a bit, Xie Shang realized the tail behind him was getting increasingly distant, not at all diligent in

following.

He stopped, “Wen Changling.”

“Hmm?”

Wen Changling was clearly distracted.

“Aren’t you a road idiot? And you're not even paying attention when walking.” Xie Shang waited in place, “Can

you keep up, Miss Wen? | won't look for you if you get lost.”

Only then did a certain road idiot hurry to keep up.

The detour was quite long, but it led straight to the back door of Granny Zhu's house.

Xie Shang walked ahead, making casual conversation, “Where did you get your haircut?”

The scent on him had changed again, but it was faint, barely there.

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Wen Changling had heard from the pawnshop employee Qian Zhouzhou that if Boss Xie wasn’t at the pawnshop,

he would be in the lab formulating scents. He must be a perfumer.

“Lanying Hair Salon.” Wen Changling engaged actively in the conversation, eager to share, “Do you want to get

a haircut too? | have many haircut coupons; | can give you some.”

“I won't go,” Xie Shang glanced at her bangs and said nonchalantly, “I couldn't pull it off.”

Wen Changling: “...”

This culture of nuanced compliments and disguised critique was befitting of someone who cfrom a family of

lawyers.

The sunset faded, the bright colors in the sky slowly receding, like a palette being mixed, the water-diluted

indigo spreading in a thin layer, like smoke, like mist.

Xie Shang escorted Wen Changling to the back door of Granny Zhu'’s house.

“Go inside.”

She replied, “Goodbye.”

Only after she went in did Xie Shang start walking back to the pawnshop.

“Xie Shang.”

He stopped and turned around.

Wen Changling had already entered the courtyard, leaning out, “The loquat wine | made is ready to drink. Do you

want to try it?”

Xie Shang wasn’t fond of drinking.

He said, “Sure.”

Wen Changling could hold her liquor well, a fact unknown to most.

Xie Shang’s tolerance was mediocre, something Wen Changling had heard from the pawnshop employee Zhang

Xiaoming.

Under the tree, there was an old bamboo bed. Wen Changling moved the wine out, its color beautifully brewed, a

faint loquat yellow, clear and gleaming. She had learned wine making from her mother, Wen Yuan; she took up

brewing wine, while Ah Na took up tea making.

She sat down, placing the wine between herself and Xie Shang, “Do you want to play a game?”

Xie Shang carelessly threw his coat on the other end, “How do you play?”

Wen Changling went to the room and brought back a deck of playing cards, still new, unopened. She separated

out the jokers and the face cards, sitting cross-legged facing Xie Shang.

“Are you afraid of getting drunk?” She gave Xie Shang one of the cups.

Xie Shang replied, “I'm not.”