Noob
The commotion from the three of them finally drew the attention of others.
Shen Xiuhuai wiped his hands clean and walked over, first saying to Lu Ji, “Sir, your order is complete. If you have any other requests, feel free to call me anytime.”
Then, without changing his expression, he pushed the menu toward Meng Zhizhuo. “Is there anything you’re allergic to, sir?”
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at Su Yuning and said, “The kitchen is short-handed. Go help out for now.”
Su Yuning: “Oh! Okay!” She scurried away in a flash.
Shen Xiuhuai subtly glanced over. Lu Ji stared at her retreating figure, lost in thought, while Meng Zhizhuo’s peach blossom eyes curved slightly, his heart itching restlessly as he watched her ponytail sway back and forth while she worked.
Su Yuning deliberately avoided looking in their direction. When she finally had a moment to check again, she found that Lu Ji had already returned to his seat and was quietly eating his meal. Shen Xiuhuai was bustling about, and Meng Zhizhuo’s seat was empty. She looked around and spotted him in the smoking area, their eyes meeting.
It seemed he had been watching her the whole time. The moment he caught her gaze, he waved cheerfully at her, extinguished his cigarette, and walked over. With one hand in his pocket, he leaned in slightly and said seriously, “Your new boss has just reassigned employee duties. Now, we need to discuss your salary. Come, let’s talk outside.”
Mention of her salary made Su Yuning both anxious and obedient, and she followed him out.
Outside the restaurant, two luxury cars were parked side by side in the parking area—one was Lu Ji’s Maybach, and the other was undoubtedly Meng Zhizhuo’s.
The silver-white car had sleek lines, a convertible top, and sat low to the ground. Even though Su Yuning knew nothing about cars, just by looking at its peculiar shape, she could tell it was definitely not cheap.
The weirder it looks, the more expensive it is.
Meng Zhizhuo led her toward the car to talk. As they neared the passenger side, he suddenly scooped Su Yuning up, lifted her over the car door, and stuffed her into the passenger seat. He then swiftly slid into the driver’s seat, closed the door, and locked it—all in one smooth motion!
The silver-white sports car roared to life with a deafening growl, leaving Su Yuning’s ears ringing.
She fumbled with the door, trying to open it, but she had never been in a car like this before and found herself in the same awkward predicament as last time.
Even if the door weren’t locked, she wouldn’t have been able to open it anytime soon, let alone with it locked.
The car shot forward smoothly and swiftly. Su Yuning had just opened her mouth to speak when a gust of wind slapped her in the face, leaving her skin numb.
Now Su Yuning understood: the reason people in TV shows driving sports cars always wear sunglasses isn’t just to look cool—it’s also to block the wind!
Meng Zhizhuo wasn’t frightened by her horrified expression; instead, he found it amusing. Seeing that Su Yuning seemed about to say something, he pressed a button, and the convertible top extended over their heads. The wind noise finally subsided considerably.
Su Yuning: “If you have something to say, say it properly! Kidnapping is illegal!”
Meng Zhizhuo burst into laughter.
The deafening roar drew attention from inside the restaurant. Lu Ji abruptly stood up, but by the time he rushed outside, all he saw was the rear wing of the sports car disappearing into the distance.
He quickly got into his car and told the driver, “Catch up with him!”
Driver: “Yes, sir.”
The two cars gave chase, inevitably drawing attention. The Maybach glided like a ghost as it pursued the sports car, finally catching sight of its silver-white rear at an intersection. But before they could close the gap, the sports car sped through the intersection just as the traffic light turned red.
The Maybach came to a stop at the crosswalk.
In just a few short seconds, the sports car had already disappeared from sight. The driver assessed the situation and said, “Young master, we can’t catch up.”
Lu Ji frowned. “What if we chase after it now?”
“That’s not allowed,” the driver replied with a smile. “Following traffic rules is about ensuring the safety of both you and me. The eldest young master has said that my responsibility is to protect your life—nothing else matters.”
Lu Ji fell silent, sitting in the back seat, lost in his thoughts.
The driver sighed quietly. After a long while, he heard a voice from the back say, “Then search nearby. I’m worried about Su…”
“Wow! Did you see that? Picking someone up and taking them away in a sports car—it’s like something straight out of a novel! So romantic!”
The gossipy onlookers in the restaurant were buzzing with excitement again.
A young girl tugged at her friend’s sleeve, squealing excitedly:
“That guy chased after them too! What kind of dreamy shoujo manga is this?! I’m dying!”
“Ugh… I want that too. I’ve dreamed of it, even for just a second!”
Shen Xiuhuai had only turned away for a moment, but when he looked back, Su Yuning and the other two were gone.
He stood there, his fingers clenched tightly.
Meanwhile, Su Yuning, who was being envied by others, wasn’t feeling too great at the moment.
This kind of scenario was something many girls fantasized about, and she was no exception. But when the car stopped in a pitch-black, desolate wilderness, all thoughts of a romantic, Mary Sue-like plot were overshadowed by fear.
Su Yuning began to let her imagination run wild.
For instance, what if Meng Zhizhuo had some twisted preferences and had brought her here to assault her before killing her, or kill her before assaulting her? After all, this place looked like the perfect spot to dump a body.
No, no—this was a society governed by law, and she had been taken away in public. Meng Zhizhuo wouldn’t dare do anything!
But—as the saying goes, money can make the devil turn the millstone. She had no money or influence, and even if she died here, with Meng Zhizhuo’s capabilities, he could probably sweep the whole thing under the rug.
Otherwise, why would he abandon the stunning beauty Lin Shuiqing and start harassing her instead?! He must have ill intentions! Seeing that she had no family or connections here, she was an easy target!
No wonder he had been chatting with her lately and asking about her family situation. This—this was clearly him scoping things out!
The more she thought about it, the more terrified she became. As she watched Meng Zhizhuo leisurely unbuckle his seatbelt and get out of the car, Su Yuning shrank back into her seat, her eyes darting around for something to protect herself with, her fingers quietly reaching for the phone in her pocket.
Now that he had brought her out, Meng Zhizhuo was in no hurry. He got out of the car first and walked around to the passenger side, intending to pick Su Yuning up.
He didn’t plan to do anything—he just wanted to talk to her properly and make her stop avoiding him.
In the past, he had always been effortlessly successful with women. A mere crook of his finger would send crowds of men and women scrambling to throw themselves at him.
This was the first time Meng Zhizhuo had ever taken the initiative to pursue someone like this, chatting with her every day. But Su Yuning either ignored him or brushed him off with a sticker.
Meng Zhizhuo couldn’t sleep at night, thinking about her obsessively, as if under a spell. Even her plain features could ignite a fire in his heart.
He had completely lost interest in the types he usually liked. Aside from her, everyone else seemed dull and uninteresting.
He had cut off all his past relationships and had been sleeping with her photo these past few days, rubbing his right hand until it was practically sparking, yet he still couldn’t figure out what was happening.
Meng Zhizhuo was not one to avoid things. Since he couldn’t figure out the reason now, he simply stopped thinking about it. Knowing clearly what he wanted, he acted directly.
Originally, he had intended to take her straight home or to a hotel to have a proper talk. But the moment he saw Su Yuning’s frightened expression and remembered her almost nonexistent romantic history, his heart softened.
Fine, he thought, let’s take it slow, so as not to scare this little novice.
With that thought in mind, he opened the passenger door.