MGASC -Chapter 168 Like a Young Lady, So Easily Flustered

Outwardly, Zhang Ling kept her head down, quietly eating her noodles, picking up small bites at a time.

Suddenly, a braised egg appeared in her soup.

She looked up.

Then another chopstickful of beef appeared.

Along with a man’s firm command: “What are you looking at? Eat!”

As he spoke, Jin Quan twirled noodles from his own bowl and shoveled them into his mouth in big, bold bites.

Even eating noodles he did with such gusto. Zhang Ling wanted to refuse, but didn’t dare, so she kept her head down, eating her own portion.

She didn’t have a big appetite, and the extra braised egg and all that beef left her completely full.

Zhang Ling thought to herself that maybe she should pay for this meal.

After all, last time she had even cried on his clothes and dirtied them.

When she finished her noodles, she realized that he had long since finished eating and had been staring at her intently for quite some time.

“Finished?”

“Mm.”

Jin Quan called the owner over, pulled out a large bill, and slapped it on the table: “All together!”

“No need…”

Before Zhang Ling could refuse, the owner had already taken the bill.

“Thanks.”

Jin Quan stood up, bit a cigarette from the pack, and held it between his lips: “No problem. Next time, you pay!”

“…Okay, I guess.” Zhang Ling hadn’t even spent any money yet, and already felt a pang of worry.

What if next time he wanted something expensive?

By the time they went out, it was already noon.

The streets were crowded, the sunlight glaring, making her red jacket shine even more.

Today Zhang Ling had deliberately worn the red jacket that Qiao Qiao had given her, and even put on some makeup. That morning, when she went to handle the divorce paperwork, people had still thought she was a bride coming to get married.

How ironic!

But she felt happy, and insisted on dressing this way.

She raised her hand to shield her forehead from the sun, only to notice Jin Quan sitting in a farm truck loaded with mustard greens, staring at her intently.

His gaze was so direct that just one look made her want to look away.

Unexpectedly, Jin Quan spoke in a rough, commanding voice: “On the way anyway, get in. Let’s go together!”

“No…”

“Walking back would take half an hour. Hurry up!”

The farm truck rumbled as the engine turned. Afraid he’d get impatient, Zhang Ling clumsily climbed up from the other side where he was sitting.

Suddenly, her arm was grabbed. Before she could react, she was firmly lifted and placed onto the seat next to him.

The space was tight, and sitting so close, her legs pressed against his strong, muscular thighs. The taut muscles made Zhang Ling blush, and she quickly shifted sideways.

The man holding the steering wheel suddenly glanced at her. Her face, already flushed, felt like it had been painted by the sunset under his leopard-like gaze.

“Already married, huh? Yet you’re like a young lady, blushing so easily?”

Hearing his teasing, Zhang Ling felt even more flustered: “Shut up!”

“Then sit properly!”

The truck jolted forward. Zhang Ling’s body leaned back, and she had no choice but to grab his arm.

Firm, strong, muscular—his arm radiated power. Even through clothing, the smooth lines of his muscles were visible. When Zhang Ling let go, her heart thumped nervously.

As soon as they reached the door, Zhang Ling eagerly jumped down.

She opened the gate for Jin Quan to drive the truck inside.

Zhang Qiao, holding the drawings she had made, was discussing something with Sister Li and Xiao Wu when she suddenly saw Jin Quan drive in with the farm truck. Her expression stiffened.

“Sister, now it’s Brother Quan delivering mustard greens for us?”

“Yes, he’s been doing it for the past half month. Qiao Qiao, do you know him?”

After parking, Jin Quan jumped down smoothly and waved to Zhang Qiao from a distance.

“Met him twice. Mm… you can unload the truck now.”

Zhang Qiao tensed and quickly headed upstairs.

She didn’t want to have anything to do with a dangerous person who might form a special investigation team for him in the future!

Downstairs, Jin Quan squinted at Zhang Qiao’s departing figure: “Why’s your sister running so fast?”

Zhang Ling cast him a careful sideways glance, thinking, Do you think I don’t want to run?

This man looked like a bandit—who wouldn’t want to keep their distance?

But she couldn’t leave. She still had to count the mustard greens and settle the bill with Jin Quan.

Sister Li and the others knew she had gone to divorce that morning and immediately gathered around, asking if the procedures were finished and comforting her: nowadays, divorce was nothing, women could hold half the sky, and besides, Sister Ling was so capable!

Carrying two large bags of mustard greens, Jin Quan passed by the women. He didn’t hear much except the word “divorce.”

Tsk, really divorced!

He thought, normally such a stingy person, today she even treats someone to a meal.

So it’s true—joy makes people generous.

After unloading the truck, Zhang Ling went upstairs to get the money.

Zhang Qiao, holding her belly, paced back and forth. As soon as Zhang Ling came up, she asked, “Sister, has that Jin Quan left yet?”

“Not yet. Why? Nervous seeing him for the first time?”

Zhang Ling took some money from the reserve fund and carefully recorded the account.

Zhang Qiao raised an eyebrow: “Was I nervous?”

Zhang Ling smiled gently: “Do you think the man downstairs looks a bit fierce? I was a little scared when I first met him too. But after getting to know him, he’s actually fine. He doesn’t say much, but when he does things, he’s thorough.”

“Really?” Zhang Qiao felt she might have been overthinking.

What he would become in the future had nothing to do with her. In the book, Jin Quan didn’t affect Lin Tianyue’s career; on the contrary, when the two were in Jiang City, they should have complemented each other.

Later, Lin Tianyue did legitimate business, but privately, to compete for resources, he inevitably used extreme methods. Zhang Qiao guessed Jin Quan was the hidden knife in the shadows.

Whatever—Lin Tianyue eventually went to the capital, and Jin Quan had nothing to do with her, so there was no need to worry.

Seeing her sister holding money and about to go downstairs, Zhang Qiao called after her:

“Qiao Qiao, do you still have something to say?”

“I think Jin Quan is complicated. Sister, tell our people to stay away from him.”

Zhang Ling was silent for a moment: “…Okay.”

Downstairs, Jin Quan had draped his jacket over his shoulders. Tall, he crouched on the ground, holding a drawing and studying it carefully.

It was the bread oven design Zhang Qiao had drawn.

According to Sister Li, Zhang Qiao wanted to bake bread since the weather had turned cold. She designed a bread oven to be built in the yard using bricks and cement.

Originally, she had assigned this task to Xiao Wu, but Xiao Wu was illiterate and couldn’t understand the drawings.

Zhang Ling stood next to Jin Quan, bending over to look at the drawing with him.

“Is it difficult to make?”

“Not difficult. Next time, get the materials ready, and I’ll help you build it.”

Saying this, Jin Quan stood up and handed the drawing to Zhang Ling. Bending over, she didn’t watch her head and bumped into his chest with a “ya!” Her arms were caught steadily by him.

“You’re an adult, yet still so careless.”

Suddenly meeting his dangerous, burning gaze, Zhang Ling stepped back.

Yet his hand didn’t loosen, still holding her arm. He wasn’t gripping hard, but she struggled several times and couldn’t break free.