Back in the private room, Xia Xiaotang cradled her boyfriend’s face, carefully inspecting the small scratch that the fingernail had left, her eyes red with worry.
“It’s nothing.” Qi Yue said with a smile. “Thick skin, it’ll be gone by morning. Besides, didn’t you get back at her for me? That slap was so satisfying.”
Xia Xiaotang managed a smile through her tears, then turned to Mo Ming. “Mo Ming, you were so cool back there. Usually, you’re so quiet, but with just a couple of sentences, you took control of the whole situation. When that woman called all those people out, I was really scared. I didn’t even think about the cameras and was terrified that the sleazebag might twist the story.”
“They have a basic sense of judgment.” Mo Ming said softly. People who could dine at such an upscale restaurant wouldn’t be complete barbarians—they had to care about their reputations, at least.
“I never expected Wen Ci to show up and smooth things over for those two, and then Han ShaoZhou appeared right after. I was completely shocked.” Qi Yue added.
“No wonder that woman was so arrogant; she had Wen Ci and Han ShaoZhou backing her up.” Xia Xiaotang said, still a bit shaken. She then looked at Mo Ming with concern. “You spoke to Wen Ci like that, and with Han ShaoZhou standing right there—I was so worried he might step in for Wen Ci. Do you think… will they hold a grudge against you for this?”
“I don’t think they’re that kind of people.” Mo Ming replied gently.
Qi Yue nodded thoughtfully. “Wen Ci seems like a pretty refined guy. He doesn’t strike me as someone petty. And as for Han ShaoZhou, considering he dated you for a few years, I don’t think he’d make things difficult for you over…”
Xia Xiaotang interrupted with a deliberate cough. Her boyfriend’s careless comment had just reopened Mo Ming’s wounds—Wen Ci’s return had led Han ShaoZhou to dump Mo Ming, confirming the online speculation that Mo Ming had only ever been a stand-in for Wen Ci. Xia Xiaotang thought back to when Han ShaoZhou had declared himself Mo Ming’s boyfriend in front of her, and then to tonight’s events. It made her heart ache for Mo Ming.
What a jerk. Anyone who treats someone as a stand-in is the worst kind of scumbag…
Mo Ming sneezed twice, seemingly out of nowhere.
Xiao Song stood up to close the window that had been letting in a draft, but Xia Xiaotang quickly suggested, “Let’s switch to another restaurant. Just thinking about being in the same place as that sleazebag ruins my appetite.”
Given how close the private rooms were on this floor, there was a high chance they might bump into each other again on the way out. Xia Xiaotang didn’t want Mo Ming to have to face Han ShaoZhou and Wen Ci again—it would just be too hurtful for him.
Qi Yue supported his girlfriend’s idea. “Yeah, let’s switch places. It’ll be more relaxing. Come on, Xiao Song, Mo Ming, let’s go get some hotpot. My treat…”
Mo Ming and Xiao Song didn’t object and picked up their coats to leave.
“Xiaotang.” Mo Ming said gently, “ask the owner for a copy of the hallway’s surveillance footage.”
Qi Yue quickly caught on. “Right, we need to keep the upper hand in this situation. If we have that footage, it’s up to you whether or not to pursue it further, babe.”
Xia Xiaotang nodded firmly. “You’re right. I’d better hurry before that sleazebag thinks to ask the owner to delete it first.”
She turned to run out of the room, but Mo Ming suddenly stopped her.
“Wait, Xiaotang.”
Mo Ming furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment before turning to Xiao Song. “Xiao Song, can you go? Tell the staff that you lost something important and need to check the hallway’s surveillance footage. While they’re retrieving it for you, make sure to record it on your phone.”
In a high-end restaurant like this, the owner would definitely be “business-savvy” and know who not to offend. With people like Han ShaoZhou and Zhao Cheng involved, the owner wouldn’t risk crossing their friends. It would be easy for them to brush it off with an excuse like a “faulty camera.”
Xiao Song immediately understood. “Got it. Mo-ge, you guys find a place to sit down, and I’ll meet you there once I’m done.”
Qi Yue didn’t look too far for a new spot. They ended up at a hotpot place just across the street from Zui Ju Lou. He sent Xiao Song the address and the name of the restaurant.
Xiao Song completed his task efficiently and soon joined them at the hotpot place, transferring the recorded footage to Xia Xiaotang’s phone.
The video was clear, and it showed Shen Qian’s inappropriate behavior toward Xia Xiaotang.
“Just as I was about to leave after recording it, that Shen Xixi came looking for the footage too.” Xiao Song said with a laugh. “I overheard her throwing Han ShaoZhou’s name around, trying to get the footage deleted. She didn’t even notice me—otherwise, she would never have let me leave.”
“Her name is Shen Xixi?” Xia Xiaotang frowned. “Such a pretty name, what a waste.”
Qi Yue was curious. “Xiao Song, how do you know her name? I only heard them calling her Xixi…”
Xiao Song explained, “She’s signed with Xingci now. I heard from my colleagues that the company plans to promote her heavily. She’s already been placed under Xinan’s management, with everything from magazine shoots to variety shows and dramas lined up for her…”
Xia Xiaotang’s mouth twitched. “No wonder she’s so arrogant. It’s really annoying. Is there no justice in this world? Doesn’t Xingci sign a bunch of new talents every year? Why push someone like her?”
“Well, I heard that the orders came from the chairman of the Shengda Group. He specifically told the company to give Shen Xixi special treatment.” Xiao Song sighed. “With connections like that, who in the entertainment industry could compete?”
“You mean Han ShaoZhou’s grandfather?” Qi Yue said. “That’s Han ShaoZhou’s grandfather.”
Xiao Song nodded.
“Alright, now I get it.” Xia Xiaotang said. “One person makes it big, and everyone around them benefits. I bet the old man has already started treating everyone around Wen Ci like his own family. Just imagine how much more arrogant Shen Xixi and that sleazebag will get if Han ShaoZhou and Wen Ci get married.”
Xia Xiaotang suddenly felt a wave of frustration and stomped her foot, almost on the verge of tears. “Why, why, why? I hate these kinds of stories where the bad guys get everything!”
Qi Yue quickly moved to comfort his girlfriend, torn between feeling sorry for her and wanting to laugh. He had just reminded himself not to bring up Han ShaoZhou and Wen Ci, but now they were the ones who had spiraled into it.
Mo Ming finally managed to swallow a mouthful of hot, tender duck blood. His face flushed, and he panted slightly as he said, “This broth is way too spicy. Qi Yue, what kind of broth did you order?”
He could usually handle spicy food, but this broth was so hot it stung his nose.
Qi Yue, who was still consoling his girlfriend, paused and said, “Huh? Super Spicy, right? Is it spicy enough?”
“…”
They stayed at the hotpot restaurant until it was nearly ten o’clock.
Mo Ming took a cab back home.
The cab reeked of cigarette smoke, probably because the driver was a heavy smoker. Mo Ming quickly felt nauseous, his entire body uncomfortable. Soon, he noticed a warm sensation in his nose, and a drop of blood fell onto his hand.
He realized he had a nosebleed…
As the blood dripped down, he quickly cupped his hand to catch it and asked the driver to pull over.
The driver handed Mo Ming some tissues, and he quickly wiped his nose, twisting a small piece of tissue to plug his nostril. He noticed he was just a short walk away from his apartment complex, so after paying the driver, he got out.
The cool, fresh night breeze instantly made him feel better.
“Damn it!”
An angry shout came from a short distance in front of Mo Ming. About seven or eight meters away, a couple was walking hand in hand along the roadside.
A small, thin puppy yelped as it rolled out from under the man’s foot—he had kicked it. The next second, the pup scrambled to its feet and darted into the bushes.
“Why’d you kick it so hard? It wasn’t hurting anyone; it was just wagging its tail at us.” the woman complained.
“How should I know what viruses it’s carrying? One lick, and you could catch rabies.”
“But you didn’t have to kick it.”
“If I didn’t kick it, you’d have bent down to pet it. Didn’t you see how filthy it was?”
The couple continued to bicker as they walked away. Mo Ming listened half-heartedly as he strolled along, until he reached the spot where the man had kicked the dog. Suddenly, the little pup emerged from the bushes, standing in front of him and wagging its tail happily.
The puppy was a scruffy little thing, small and skinny, with one injured, drooping eye. Its short fur was matted and dirty. Like it did with every passerby, the pup wagged its tail energetically at Mo Ming. But perhaps because it had just been kicked, it was cautious and didn’t immediately approach him.
Mo Ming quickly recognized it as the same little gray dog he had seen at the entrance of his complex one morning.
It hadn’t grown much since then. Its belly was still scrawny, and it looked even dirtier and scruffier now. But it was just as lively as ever, wagging its tail despite its injuries, and even seemed to be smiling…
Mo Ming crouched down, just as he had before, and reached out to poke the pup’s round nose.
The little dog sniffed Mo Ming’s fingers, then suddenly recognized him as the person who had given it a bun. The pup instantly started spinning in circles, wagging its tail like a rattlesnake, and whimpering with excitement as it nudged Mo Ming’s hand with its head, doing its best to please him…
Looking at the tiny creature, Mo Ming whispered, “You’re too bold, running up to everyone you see and wagging your tail. You must’ve been kicked a lot these days…”
The puppy whimpered and rubbed against Mo Ming’s hand, then moved to his ankle, circling around him before gently tugging at his shoelace.
“Sorry, I don’t have any buns today.” Mo Ming said softly. “Stop looking for an owner. Maybe you were born to be a stray.”
The puppy tilted its head, blinked its eyes, and wagged its tail even harder.
Mo Ming slowly stood up and stepped around the pup to continue walking. The puppy let out a couple of soft whines and chased after him, biting onto the hem of his pants like a little sandbag, being dragged along with each step.
Mo Ming bent down, grabbed the scruff of the pup’s neck, and lifted it into the bushes.
“Get out of here, little one…” Mo Ming tapped the pup’s head. “No one here is going to love you.”
After saying this quietly, Mo Ming walked away, picking up his pace. But the pup scurried even faster, and three seconds later, it was back at his pant leg, whining and clinging on.
Looking down at the scruffy little thing at his feet, Mo Ming closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
He never should’ve stopped.
It was already past ten o’clock, but fortunately, the pet shop near his apartment complex was still open.
The owner, a sharp-looking woman in her thirties with short hair and a small tattoo on her wrist, was cleaning up the store with her girlfriend, getting ready to close for the night.
“Sorry, we’re closed.” the owner said. “Come back tomorrow.”
Mo Ming, wearing a mask, walked into the store and said softly, “I’m not in a hurry to take it tonight. I just want to leave this dog here for treatment. Once it’s better, I’ll come to pick it up.”
The owner nodded. “That’s fine.”
After arranging for a bath, vaccinations, deworming, a check-up, and boarding, Mo Ming swiped his card and spent several thousand yuan. He couldn’t help but feel a little pang in his heart.
How did I end up bringing this little thing back with me…
“Let’s add each other as contacts. It’ll be easier to stay in touch. What’s the dog’s name?” the owner asked, pulling out a small blue tag and unscrewing a marker. “I’ll write it on the tag and hang it on its cage. We usually call the pets by their names.”
Mo Ming frowned.
The owner chuckled. “This dog looks like you picked it up off the street. It probably doesn’t have a name yet, right? No worries, you can just come up with one now.”
Mo Ming glanced at the puppy. The little thing was lying in the cage, looking at him with a goofy expression, still wagging its tail.
“Let’s call it Xiao Han.” Mo Ming said.
The owner nodded, writing on the tag. When Mo Ming saw the characters she wrote, he quickly corrected her, “Not ‘Xiao Han’ as in the person’s name. I meant ‘Xiao Han’ as in ‘simple-minded,’ first tone.”
“Which Han?”
“Han as in ‘simple-minded,’” Mo Ming explained patiently, thinking it was a pretty cute name.
“Oh, as in ‘dumb,’ got it.”
“…”
Well, there goes the cuteness.
“When I first heard it, I thought you were naming it after someone. I wondered why you’d pick a person’s name.” the owner said as she finished writing. “Should I add your last name in front? What’s your last name, handsome?”
“Mo, as in ‘end,’” Mo Ming replied.
“Okay, so Mo Xiao Han.”
Before leaving, Mo Ming stood in front of Xiao Han’s cage, his gaze complicated as he looked at the puppy.
“You’re so ugly. I don’t even like you…”
Mo Ming’s eyelashes drooped, and after a long pause, he looked back at the pup, his tense expression softening. He murmured quietly, “But I know you like me, and that’s enough…”
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