Chapter 42: Flustered and Bewildered

  "Please come in," said Luo Xiaotong. "Xiaoye, Mayor Chen Huatang has arrived." Luo Xiaotong greeted him and winked at Chen Hua secretly.

  Xiao Ye was unhappy in her heart, but she had no choice but to force a smile: "It's the town head, please come in."

  He stood up and showed his welcome. Although he didn't like the man very much, after all, he was a figure with head and face in the town and couldn't be despised.

  "Little Ye, why are you being so polite? Just call me Chen Hua, don't keep saying 'you' and 'town head', it sounds awkward," Chen Hua said as he came in and took over the position that Luo Xiaotong had just occupied, which was closest to Little Ye.

  Xiao Ye smiled: "That's not going to work, you're the town head, and I have to show respect for you." Xiao Ye said this, but it wasn't praise, there was a bit of a teasing tone.

  Ke Chenhua didn't take it to heart and pretended he hadn't heard: "You're being too polite, we're family after all."

  Xiao Ye couldn't help but feel a little upset, her face changing slightly: "Town Head, you and I aren't family."

  Chen Hua bumped into a nail, but still had a smile on his face: "I know, I know, Xiaoye you always have hostility towards me. But Xiaotong is my brother, since Xiaotong and I are family, and you're so good to him, in the future when you marry him, won't that be family too?"

  Chen Hua is a sly guy, he has his own thoughts when saying this, also known as testing the waters. He wants to figure out what kind of relationship Luo Xiaotong and Xiao Ye have, and absolutely cannot let Luo Xiaotong be fooled.

  This sentence really had an effect. Lu Xiaotong naturally felt that Chen Hua's words were not good, and just as he was about to speak, Xiao Ye jumped in: "Mayor, you misunderstood, I'm just a normal friend with Little Tong, I won't marry him." While speaking, she looked at Lu Xiaotong with a smile.

  "Yes, Mayor, how could someone as ordinary as me catch the eye of Xiao Ye?" Lu Xiaotong's words were tinged with a hint of bitterness.

  Chen Huada had achieved his exploratory goal, felt at ease and thought it was unnecessary for everyone to beat around the bush. He knocked on the table with his hand and said: "Since that's the case, I misunderstood. However, since you're Xiaotong's friend, you're also my friend. Today we can consider ourselves lucky to have met by chance, this meal is on me, I'm treating you two young people."

  Luo Xiaotong understood that Chen Hua wanted to tell Xiao Ye that he was the one who invited him, but couldn't say it out loud, so he humbly declined: "Town head, this won't do, since we have a good relationship, let's just eat together and consider it as me inviting you."

  Chen Hua patted Luo Xiaotong's shoulder, speaking warmly: "Xiaotong, I'm your brother, right?" Luo Xiaotong said: "Of course, just like my own brother." The words were firm and decisive, without a hint of hesitation, as if his heart was free from distractions. Chen Hua was very satisfied, Luo Xiaotong really knew how to act, so he nodded and said: "Since that's the case, then don't say anything else, just listen to your brother, I'll treat you."

  Xiao Ye was unhappy in her heart, she didn't want to have anything to do with Chen Hua. However, at this point, it's not easy to say anything.

  The dishes came up quickly, and the aroma filled the room in an instant. Chen Hua didn't want white wine, he hoped Xiao Ye would drink some beer too, but Xiao Ye didn't touch a drop of alcohol. Luo Xiaotong knew she could drink, but felt that today was not the day to mention it, no need. Chen Hua didn't force her either, and had the waiter bring over a bottle of soda, which he personally opened and placed in front of Xiao Ye.

  If it were just Luo Xiaotong and Xiao Ye together, the two of them would be very relaxed. However, with Chen Hua present today, the atmosphere is particularly special, everyone is very awkward, but Chen Hua, being a seasoned veteran, frequently raises his glass to ease the embarrassing situation.

  At the banquet, Chen Hua's eyes seemed to have been hooked by a ghost, constantly staring at Xiao Ye. Even when drinking wine, his eyes didn't forget to steal glances, making Luo Xiaotong feel somewhat out of place. He found an excuse, saying he needed to use the restroom, and slipped away. He didn't go to the restroom, but instead asked the service staff if there was an empty room where he could sit for a while, promising to leave if customers came. The service staff agreed, pointing to a vacant room next door. Luo Xiaotong thanked him and went inside to sit down.

  Now that Luo Xiaotong has left, Chen Hua can speak to Xiao Ye with ease. Smiling at Xiao Ye, he raises his cup: "Xiao Ye, this is our first time sitting together like this, let's have a toast for our first time." Xiao Ye felt uncomfortable upon hearing these words, why did it sound so awkward? First time, not nice to hear. But there was no other way: "Then I'll just borrow the flower to worship the Buddha, and respect the town head instead."

  Chen Hua was delighted at the sight. He was very confident that no matter what kind of elegant and refined woman she was, as long as they had met and communicated, he could guarantee that she would go to bed obediently within three days. However, for Xiaoye, he really wanted to take her home as a legitimate wife, so he still needed to put in some thought.

  "Xiao Ye, since we're sitting here already and there's no need for reserve, I want to ask you, do you really dislike me that much?"

  Xiao Ye didn't expect him to be so blunt. To be honest, she really hadn't felt that she disliked him, just that he was older and her parents were also hostile towards people in the government, so she had kept her distance.

  "I didn't say I disliked you, Mayor."

  "Don't call me Town Head, if it's not convenient, just call me Chen Hua," Chen Hua was overjoyed in his heart: "As long as you don't dislike me, as long as you haven't married, I will always wait for you. I must make you believe that I am the one who loves you the most, and I am a man worthy of your trust." The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, and in the end, he forgot himself and grasped Xiao Ye's hand.

  Xiao Ye's face turned slightly red as she forcefully withdrew her hand: "Don't do this, Town Chief, don't do this." Her heart was racing wildly like a small deer. But strangely, when Chen Hua held her hand, why didn't she feel annoyed? Previously, she had always disliked this person, but now that she sat next to him, how did everything change in an instant? Xiao Ye was confused and couldn't understand herself. Flustered and disoriented, she stood up: "Where's Little Tong? He's been gone for so long, I'll go take a look." She hastily escaped.

  Arrived outside the room, didn't see anyone, asked the service staff standing not far away where the toilet was, and the service staff pointed with their hand. Following that direction, Xiaoye went there. After finishing up on her own, she still didn't see Luoxiaotong, called out softly at the door but still no response. Could it be that he fell inside? Impossible. Thought about going in to take a look but felt it wasn't proper, so went to ask the service staff: "Have you seen that young man who came with us?"

  The waiter said he saw it, pointed to the room next door and said rest there. Xiaoye pushed open the door with some doubt, and indeed saw Luo Xiaotong sitting there admiring a semi-nude beauty painting on the wall.

  Lu Xiaotong naturally heard the door sound, took a look at it was Xiao Ye, suddenly tense, secretly called bad, if let Xiao Ye detect something, things would not be good. No one likes to be deceived by others' schemes, because that would make them feel like fools.

  "Little Ye sister, how did you get out?" Luo Xiaotong pretended to be surprised: "How could you leave the town chief alone there?"

  "How did you end up coming out? And running all the way here to hide, what do you mean?" Xiao Ye's words contained dissatisfaction. But in her heart, she was actually quite happy, didn't think that she still didn't dislike that Chen Hua after all. If Luo Xiaotong hadn't come out, she wouldn't have known either. That feeling, it really was very strange. But she couldn't say that to Luo Xiaotong, that was a secret in her heart. Xiao Ye had indeed lived up to that phrase: having gotten a good deal and still pretending to be clever.

  "I don't know why, but I suddenly got constipated and felt uncomfortable. I hid here to relieve myself," Luo Xiaotong quickly came up with this excuse.

  Xiao Ye was so clever that he couldn't think of Luo Xiaotong telling a lie, and asked with concern: "Do you feel better now?"

  "It's much better," Luo Xiaotong stood up: "We shouldn't stay here for long, it's time to go back."