Сhарter 16: Grabbing Is Fаst.
Тhе tоу was a yеllоw Psyduсk. Jing Ge studied it fоr а mоmеnt, mаdе it quaсk, аnd wаtсhed it waddlе clumsily from her sidе оver tо Li Мusi’s.
Тhе sсenе wаs sоmewhat соmicаl.
Espeсiallу when pairеd with Li Musi’s еxрrеssionless fаce.
Jing Ge wаs in high sрirits, grinning аs shе retrievеd thе Рsуduck and rеpеated thе actiоn back аnd forth.
Until the child аt thе nеxt tаblе, enticed tо teаrs, stаrted crуing and begging his рarеnts tо оrder thе same mеal set fоr him.
Jing Gе quiеtly tucked the Psyduck into hеr аrms.
“That kid’s prettу wеll-behaved, huh,” shе sаid dryly. “I was afraid he’d come ask me for it—that would’ve been awkward.”
Li Musi, as usual, responded with a noncommittal “Mm.”
Jing Ge scooted closer to him. “Uncle…”
Li Musi glanced at her untouched food. “Not hungry?”
“I am,” Jing Ge said, unable to hold back. “Do you know who the boss assigned as my mentor? You’d never guess—she’s so nice. I even wanted to give her a hug today, but I didn’t dare. She has this stern face, just like you…”
At this point, Jing Ge abruptly stopped talking.
Somehow, it felt like she was talking behind Li Musi’s back.
But Li Musi asked calmly, “What did she do that made you think she’s nice?”
“So many things,” Jing Ge said. “She looks fierce, but when I ask questions, she answers patiently. She even taught me how to develop clients…”
Li Musi said, “Wasn’t your last supervisor like that at first?”
“……”
Jing Ge deflated.
At the beginning, she had said the same things about Anna.
And Li Musi had even told her that everyone in the company was a competitor.
Alright.
Not only had she forgotten, but she hadn’t learned her lesson at all.
As soon as someone treated her kindly, she got carried away.
“I’m not saying you’re wrong,” Li Musi said, handing her a pair of disposable gloves. “Doing your job well is the best way to repay her—and yourself. There’s no need to develop other feelings or expectations toward her.”
Jing Ge stared at him.
Li Musi met her gaze.
“Uncle, you might not know this,” Jing Ge said with a cheeky grin, “but us young people’s feelings can grow wild and unchecked like weeds… Okay, okay, I remember now, I remember!”
In the end, she couldn’t withstand his sharp, serious gaze.
She yielded to his intimidating authority.
Jing Ge shoveled rice into her mouth, but after just one bite, she remembered something else. “Uncle…”
Li Musi felt a headache coming on.
He knew this girl talked a lot, but he hadn’t realized she could talk this much.
Seeing his expression, Jing Ge’s voice softened. “She also ordered me a bowl of hot, savory pork wonton soup, with the dried shrimp I like.”
Her voice grew even quieter. “You haven’t touched your cream of mushroom soup. Can I have it?”
“……” Li Musi visibly sighed in resignation and pushed the soup toward her. “Go ahead, drink it.”
Jing Ge said, “Can we swap meal sets? I don’t like the kids’ meal.”
Li Musi glanced at her from the corner of his eye. “I don’t like it either.”
“But Uncle, you don’t even like fast food like this,” Jing Ge argued softly. “No matter what meal it is, right? At least one of us should enjoy it.”
Li Musi was actually left speechless.
Jing Ge realized she might be pushing her luck. “I’m just kidding. I like everything. I’ll just take your soup…”
Then, she muttered under her breath, “Old people just can’t take a joke.”
“……”
Old… people??
He was only 28!
Right in the prime of his youth!!
Still blooming, even!!Li Musi stood up expressionlessly. “I’m going to wash my hands.”
Jing Ge waved. “Watch your step.”
“……”
As soon as the man left, two young women from an unknown table immediately crowded over, excitedly asking, “Little sister, who is that gentleman to you?”
Jing Ge paused. “My uncle.”
“Wow!!” the women suppressed their cheers. “Does your uncle have a girlfriend?”
“No.”
“Wow! Can you give us his contact info so we can add him?”
“……” Jing Ge hesitated. “No, sorry. Without his permission, if I give it out randomly, he’ll skin me alive.”
“Wow! So principled, so strong-willed—definitely not some sleazy playboy!”
Jing Ge: “”
Their judgment was sharp indeed.
The women: “Then, can you ask him for us first?”
With that, they gave Jing Ge their contact information.
If Li Musi agreed, he could add them directly.
Jing Ge nodded.
By the time Li Musi returned, the two women had already gone back to their seats.
After much hesitation, Jing Ge stole a glance at his handsome face under the light and cautiously said, “Uncle, in such cold weather, isn’t it lonely sleeping alone?”
Li Musi: “”
Jing Ge beat around the bush. “Don’t you want a lively girl kicking around under your blanket?”
“……”
Li Musi’s gaze suddenly darkened, inscrutable.
While stealing glances at him, Jing Ge handed him the contact information. “Did you see those two beauties over there? They want to get to know you.”
Li Musi’s deep eyes instantly froze over.
A thick layer of frost.
Jing Ge observed his expression.
He seemed quite displeased.
In truth, she had always been curious about this young uncle from the Li family—wondering if he simply wasn’t interested in women, given that he had never even had a girlfriend.
“I’ve given you the numbers,” Jing Ge didn’t dare say more. “You decide what to do.”
Li Musi ignored her. Reaching over the pile of snacks, he directly retrieved his bowl of mushroom soup from in front of her.
“……” Jing Ge tried to stop him. “Uncle, that’s mine…”
She had already drunk from it.
Before she could finish, Li Musi’s arm, with its rolled-up sleeve, reached over again, this time with precise aim, snatching the Psyduck she had hidden in her arms.
Jing Ge grew truly anxious. “That’s mine!”
Li Musi, expressionless, reached out a third time.
Uncertain what else he intended to take, Jing Ge hastily wrapped her arms in a circle, shielding the pile of items in front of her.
“It’s mine!” she emphasized.
Yet Li Musi merely shot her a cold, indifferent glance and pulled two napkins from the tissue box beside her arm.
That was all.
Jing Ge felt like crying but had no tears.
She stared longingly at the Psyduck in front of him, which belonged to her.
Li Musi didn’t even glance at her, calmly eating his food while casually rolling up the phone numbers she had given him with the napkins and tossing them away.
Jing Ge wanted to reach out and take the Psyduck back.
Her hand was halfway there when Li Musi swatted it away.
That shameless old man!
Jing Ge cursed him eight hundred times in her heart.
Cursing aside, when they finished eating and prepared to leave, Jing Ge immediately fawned, “Uncle, let me carry your coat for you.”
Li Musi: “No need. This fat goose is too heavy for you.”
“……” Jing Ge looked somewhat pained. “Uncle, can’t you tell the difference between a duck and a goose?”
With that, Jing Ge gave him a sympathetic look. “Well, I’ll give it to you to play with, Uncle. Just remember next time: ducks have flat bills and short legs.”Li Musi’s temple twitched imperceptibly.
“I know him.”
“You know him?” Jing Ge’s hands moved lightning fast, snatching the Psyduck plush back from his coat pocket in a flash. “Then I’m not giving it to you.”
Li Musi: “…”
Snatching is indeed faster than asking.