Be defeated and piunge into the wilds to flee

"Hey, Tingting! Watch your image; look, you've scared Mr. Ye!"

Seeing Ye Xiu's discomfort, Zhou Xiaoyu coughed lightly and reminded her excited friend.

"Ah!"

Tingting was so excited she hadn't noticed her faux pas. Zhou Xiaoyu's reminder brought her back to reality. She quickly let go of Ye Xiu's arm, her face turning bright red. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ye. I got too excited..."

Her heart raced as she realized how direct and embarrassing her behavior had been. She wished she could find a hole to hide in.

"It's alright."

Ye Xiu, feeling awkward himself, quickly shifted the topic back to dinner. "So, what are we eating?"

"Let's go get something good! Mr. Ye, you'll love it; the food there is amazing!"

Tingting's bubbly personality resurfaced, and her embarrassment quickly faded. She grabbed Zhou Xiaoyu and started leading the way.

.........

Tingting took Ye Xiu to a Sichuan restaurant located in a corner on the fifth floor of a mall. She seemed to be a regular, familiar with the staff and the menu, and ordered without even looking at it. Perhaps because Ye Xiu mentioned his big appetite, Tingting ordered a lot of food.

To Zhou Xiaoyu, it seemed like Tingting was going all out, ordering way more than usual.

During dinner, through their conversation, Ye Xiu learned about the complicated relationship between Tingting, Zhou Xiaoyu, and Zhang Peng. Tingting and Zhou Xiaoyu were high school friends and close confidants. Zhang Peng was introduced to Zhou Xiaoyu by a mutual friend from her hometown. Initially, Zhang Peng appeared decent, and Zhou Xiaoyu agreed to date him. However, he soon revealed his true nature.

After realizing Zhang Peng's true character, Zhou Xiaoyu wanted to break up. Zhang Peng shamelessly demanded a breakup fee. Initially, Zhou Xiaoyu, wanting to avoid trouble, gave him some money, hoping he would leave her alone. But Zhang Peng, sensing her timid nature, continued to harass her.

Unable to endure any longer, Zhou Xiaoyu confided in Tingting, who promptly confronted Zhang Peng. Unfortunately, her warning fell on deaf ears.

Deciding to avoid trouble, Tingting had Zhou Xiaoyu move in with her and change her phone number. This seemed to work for a while as Zhang Peng didn't find them.

Today, Tingting and Zhou Xiaoyu had a rare day off and decided to go shopping. Unexpectedly, they ran into Zhang Peng, leading to the scene Ye Xiu had witnessed.

After hearing their story, Ye Xiu felt a twinge of regret. He didn't realize Zhang Peng was such a scoundrel and would have dealt with him more harshly had he known.

"Mr. Ye, Zhang Peng is a thug with some underworld connections. You humiliated him today; he might seek revenge. Please be careful."

"Mr. Ye, we're really sorry for dragging you into this."

Talking about Zhang Peng, both Tingting and Zhou Xiaoyu looked at Ye Xiu with guilt and concern, worried about potential repercussions.

"Heh, it's no trouble at all. He's just a small-time thug. I'm not worried. Besides, he doesn't know who I am or where I live. You don't need to worry about me. But you two should be careful."

Ye Xiu smiled, not taking Zhang Peng seriously. He then warned the girls to be cautious. From their story, it was clear Zhang Peng wouldn't give up easily and might retaliate against them.

Zhou Xiaoyu looked worried, but Tingting seemed unfazed. "What's there to fear? This is a lawful society. If he shows up again, I'll call the police and teach him a lesson!"

Thinking about how close she was to being slapped by Zhang Peng earlier, Tingting felt indignant.

Ye Xiu wanted to say more but decided against it. Sometimes, it's better not to worry too much and just live happily. After all, in a lawful society like theirs, what harm could a small-time thug like Zhang Peng do?

After shifting the topic away from Zhang Peng, the two girls soon focused their attention back on Ye Xiu. Tingting, in particular, was full of curiosity about everything related to Ye Xiu.

Bombarded with questions, especially from the ever-curious Tingting, Ye Xiu felt immense pressure. If not for the delicious Sichuan cuisine to help ease the tension, he might not have endured it.

Tingting had good taste; the restaurant's food was excellent, especially compared to Ye Xiu's usual cafeteria or fast food meals.

Ye Xiu answered their questions as best as he could, but when it came to personal matters, he kept things vague. For instance, when they asked why he was so good at fighting, he simply said he loved exercising and had a knack for martial arts.

His answer about exercising also gave him a good reason to eat a lot. He needed the energy to maintain his strength, after all.

Despite his prior warning about his large appetite, Tingting and Zhou Xiaoyu were still shocked by how much Ye Xiu could eat. He cleared ten bowls of rice and finished all the dishes on the table, including eight sizable dishes. The restaurant's portions were generous, and Tingting had gone all out.

Ye Xiu noticed their shock but didn't mind. He had already explained his situation and now just wanted to enjoy the rare, delicious meal.

After dinner, Ye Xiu chatted with the two girls for nearly an hour before finally finding an excuse to leave. Tingting's curiosity seemed boundless.

Her relentless questions, especially about his personal life, left Ye Xiu feeling overwhelmed. If not for Zhou Xiaoyu occasionally stepping in to redirect the conversation, Ye Xiu might have already lost his composure.

When he finally left the restaurant, Ye Xiu almost felt like he was fleeing the scene.