Urban All-Round Master

”Have you been waiting for a long time?” Lin Zifeng smiled after seeing Zhang Xixi.

”Brother Lin, you’re here.” Zhang Xixi flashed a smile. She had been waiting here for Lin Zifeng for nearly an hour, and seeing him arrive made her face glow with happiness.

Nearly an hour of waiting, and the diners at the food stall drinking and eating meat kept glancing over now and then.

”Haha, if I hadn’t come sooner, I was afraid you might have run out of patience.” Lin Zifeng stepped forward and wrapped his arm around her soft waist. This small gesture immediately made Zhang Xixi’s body tremble.

Her heart seemed to be pierced sharply by something, then she relaxed, her soft body leaning into his hand.

”Brother, what would you like to eat?”

The enthusiastic food stall owner, with his keen eyes, noticed that Zhang Xixi standing there had attracted quite a few customers, drawing more business for him. Now that her friend had arrived, such a stunningly beautiful person likely has an extraordinary boyfriend.

So the owner tried to make his smile more warm.

”Xixi, what do you want to eat?” Lin Zifeng glanced at her. The last time he brought Zhang Xixi to a place like this to eat, the atmosphere and the environment made him feel more at ease.

”Brother Lin, anything is fine.” Feeling Lin Zifeng’s attentiveness warmed her heart, but she sat quietly at the table without saying a word, her quiet demeanor made Lin Zifeng uncomfortable.

”What’s wrong? Not used to it?” Lin Zifeng smiled, taking out a cigarette and lighting it, letting the smoke envelop his face. Having gone through so much, Lin Zifeng clearly appeared more mature now.

”No.” Zhang Xixi shook her head. In reality, she was quite happy. Lin Zifeng asking her out proved that she still had a place in his heart, at least to some extent.

”Brother Lin, have you planned the future direction of the Holy Hall?” To avoid making the atmosphere heavy, Zhang Xixi deliberately changed the subject. After all, the Holy Hall was in complete disarray, and without timely handling, there would be no good outcome.

”Which aspect are you referring to?” Lin Zifeng took a deep drag on his cigarette, his eyes deeply fixed on Zhang Xixi, immediately making her blush under his gaze.

”Zhonghai, Yanjing, Jiangzhou—these three cities are currently the domains where our Holy Hall is developing. If our Holy Hall doesn’t have a complete system integration for these major cities, I’m afraid...”

”I know, but there’s no rush for that now. Xixi, tonight let’s not talk about business, isn’t it nice to chat about life instead?” Lin Zifeng smiled. He didn’t want to talk about business right upon meeting.

Besides, he already had an account in his heart. He could give up Jiangzhou and Yanjing, but Zhonghai City was his base of development, and it was where South Heavenly Gate unified the entire domain. In Zhonghai, he knew every inch of land clearly, though he wasn’t as familiar with Yanjing and Jiangzhou.

If something unexpected happened in Jiangzhou or Yanjing, he would regret it to death.

”So, what to talk about regarding life?” Talking about life, Zhang Xixi’s voice was weak, uncertain about how to converse on the topic. Besides, her life was very mundane; she had no boyfriend, worked, and lived alone, leading to a monotonous and tasteless life, which is why she chose to dedicate most of her time and energy to work.

”Of course, just chat freely.” Lin Zifeng chuckled; this girl was adorably silly.

Soon, the food stall owner brought all the dishes, and smelling the familiar aroma was indeed an enjoyment.

”Come on, Xixi, staring at a computer every day is bad for your eyes, eating some fish is good for them.” Lin Zifeng placed some fish gently in her bowl, which warmed Zhang Xixi’s heart as she looked up with her snowy eyes gazing at Lin Zifeng.

”What’s wrong? Do I have flowers blooming on my face?” Lin Zifeng shrugged with a smile.

”No... It’s not that. Brother Lin, thank you.” At that moment, Zhang Xixi was deeply moved. Since childhood, besides her father being nice to her, her personal life was rather plain, with hardly anyone being so kind to her. Now, the small thoughtful gesture from the man before her was incredibly touching.

Perhaps due to different living environments growing up, Zhang Xixi was indeed a woman easily satisfied and had no large ambitions or dreams. Her simplest and most unambitious wish was to always be by the side of the person she loved...

By the end of the meal, Zhang Xixi began to loosen up a bit, even asking the food stall owner for a few bottles of beer before leaving. For the first time, she indulged herself, learning from the surrounding men how to drink in big gulps, which even startled Lin Zifeng with her way of letting loose.

As they left, this girl was already drunk, mumbling incessantly.

”Damn it, if you can’t drink, don’t drink so much.” Lin Zifeng was speechless, finding a taxi, and headed toward a nearby hotel.

”Brother Lin, don’t leave me, don’t leave me.” Perhaps from drinking too much, Zhang Xixi’s cheeks were rosy like water, leaning against his chest, mumbling continuously. When they checked into the hotel, Lin Zifeng was even more exasperated, as the two women at the counter looked at him with odd expressions.

Carrying the intoxicated Zhang Xixi into the room, the girl suddenly extended her two pale, lotus-like arms, hugging his neck tightly.

”Brother Lin, don’t leave me, okay? Tonight... can you stay with me?”

Having experienced intimacy between a man and woman before, to be honest, Zhang Xixi’s beauty and temperament were indeed very alluring, but right now, he felt a struggle internally, an impulse to stay with her.

However, rationality told him he couldn’t stay, as relationships are like stepping on dog poop; no matter how clean you wash it, you always feel like there’s a lingering smell.

”Uh...” Lin Zifeng was momentarily stunned, looking at her red, breathless face, swallowing hard, but still didn’t take action, gently placing her on the bed, then walked to the window to light a cigarette, the flame burning brightly with each deep inhale.

While lying on the bed, Zhang Xixi was secretly watching him.

Brother Lin, I know your struggles, Xixi won’t make things difficult for you.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xixi’s heart was equally tense. She’s usually a lady, even a timid girl. Drinking in big gulps and indulging herself today, even pretending to be drunk to make Lin Zifeng stay, was already her limit.

She was even scolding herself internally, Zhang Xixi, oh Zhang Xixi, knowing Brother Lin has difficulties, why still make it hard for him?

..................

Just like that, at first, Zhang Xixi was both scared and slightly excited in her heart, but then? Lin Zifeng’s behavior disappointed her, as he stood by the window smoking non-stop, consuming more than half a pack of Double Happiness cigarettes.

Gazing at the bustling scenery outside the window and the neon lights that could make one lose themselves, his mind wasn’t on how to settle things with Zhang Xixi, but thinking about future developments, as everything was almost in place now.

He really wanted to delve deeper into the Dark Prison, to find out his father’s true whereabouts. Even if the Demon Nature Holy War wasn’t his real father, at least it was a side of his father forced out.

If he couldn’t find all the answers in his lifetime, he wouldn’t be able to calm down. After all these years, wasn’t it just to find his parents?

But then another problem arose: if he went to find his parents, what about the women by his side? Moreover, Nangong Bing is now pregnant; the Dark Prison is a place of life and death, how could he just let it be?

Thinking of this, Lin Zifeng exhaled a long breath of turbid air. Turning back, he found Zhang Xixi had already fallen asleep, having spent the entire night waiting in vain without her wish being granted, yet falling asleep herself. Once she wakes up tomorrow, Zhang Xixi would probably regret to death.

(Thanks to Yangcheng Suiyue for the 100 Book Coins reward, muah muah.)