Chapter 612: Getting Dirty (2)
Zhao Youlin stared at Mu Tingfeng for some time before she said, “If I told you it’s based on my intuition, do you believe me?”
Mu Tingfeng was stunned. The next moment, he gave a nod and said, “I believe in you!”
This time, Zhao Youlin was instead the one who got taken aback. She was struck dumb for some time before she unwittingly let out a bark of laughter.
“Well, it’s mostly based on my intuition. Of course, it’s also partly because I discovered something suspicious.”
Mu Tingfeng raised one of his eyebrows. He asked curiously, “For example?”
“For example, Mr. Li has been providing me with benefits in my shoes. Usually, there would only be two possibilities for circumstances like these to happen. One, Mr. Li has an ulterior motive. Two, he truly considers things for me. When I mentioned that I wanted to meet up with the actual owner of the outlet, he looked like I had put him in a difficult position. However, he did not look like he was terrified. As such, I believed the person behind all these should be someone whom I’m acquainted with. In addition, the person has no malicious intent toward me. As I pondered it over, the only person around me who would do such things is none other than you. As such, I was sixty percent confident with my speculation before your appearance.”
“Sixty percent? How about the remaining forty percent?”
“Twenty percent of my guesses were incorrect. I actually thought that someone was harboring ill-will toward me and had an ulterior motive. Uncertainty accounted for the remaining twenty percent. I’m not sure if the person is my ally or enemy.” As Zhao Youlin was saying this, she unwittingly looked up and gave a look at Mu Tingfeng. She cracked a grin. “However, the results showed that I was right.”
Mu Tingfeng met Zhao Youlin’s eyes. His gaze was soft, and he did not say anything.
Zhao Youlin thought for a moment before she asked again, “Is the outlet’s ownership under your name?”
Mu Tingfeng’s eyes flashed. Those who were close to him were aware that this was his usual behavior whenever he felt a sense of guilt. Zhao Youlin naturally was no exception.
“So, it’s true! In other words, ever since I started the business, I’ve already fallen into your trap. You are aware of everything I did inside the shop, right?”
“No… I don’t…” Mu Tingfeng’s expression changed slightly. He was afraid that Zhao Youlin would misunderstand him. He explained embarrassedly, “At that time, we had just divorced. After the divorce, you behaved like that… Later, we met up at the pet shop… And I learned that you planned to start your own pastry outlet… Since most of the outlets along the street belonged to me, I might as well…”
“Might as well have someone buy all the outlets, and when the day comes when you find me displeasing in your sight, you could take back the outlets, so that I end up like a deer in headlights, and be left unable to even recover my capital, huh?”
For a moment, Mu Tingfeng’s expression turned stiff. Even though it only happened in the blink of an eye, Zhao Youlin still managed to catch a glimpse of it.
“No. I subconsciously hope that you could stay somewhere within my sight.”
“Stay somewhere within your sight?” Zhao Youlin cocked one of her eyebrows before she said teasingly, “If that’s the case, do you mean that you’ve fallen for me since then?”
Mu Tingfeng froze. His expression grew increasingly embarrassed.
“Are you aware that your eyes would droop about 5° lower than usual whenever you tell lies?”
Upon hearing her words, Mu Tingfeng immediately lifted his eyes, and stared straight at Zhao Youlin, as if to prove that he did not lie to her.
“Also, whenever you tell lies, you would subconsciously touch your bow tie, even though it’s only a brief action and barely noticeable.”
Right after Zhao Youlin spoke, Mu Tingfeng paused his hand movement, which was indeed about to reach out for his bow tie.
“On top of that, whenever you tell lies, the tips of your ears turn red despite your expression remaining calm.”
Mu Tingfeng’s expression changed slightly. He stretched out his hand to touch his ears.
This was Zhao Youlin’s first time seeing Mu Tingfeng behaving so awkwardly. She instantly let out a bark of laughter.
“Alright… Stop struggling. Is it really that difficult to admit that at that time, you still hated me, or to put it in another way, you were wary of me and was looking for ways to cause me to stumble?”
Mu Tingfeng’s expression darkened before he mumbled quietly, “The person that I’m cautious of is not you.”
Zhao Youlin was taken aback. By the time she reacted to it, she could not help but laugh, “Yes… I’m aware of it. The person whom you should be on guard against is the former Zhao Youlin instead of me. So, do you admit to it now?”
It was only then that Mu Tingfeng realized he had unwittingly admitted what Zhao Youlin had said. He unusually felt diffident.
“But, we were still in the middle of the cold war when I rented the outlet. I don’t mind that you did that at that period of time. However, we’re already married now. Why did you still hide things from me? Why did you even look for a stranger to sign the contract with me?”
Zhao Youlin paused. She looked like she recalled something before she abruptly looked up at Mu Tingfeng. “Are you concerned that once you told me the truth, I would be angry because this incident would remind me of my pastry outlet, huh?”
Mu Tingfeng’s expression changed once more. He did not refute her. His silence was his consent.
Zhao Youlin was aware that she had speculated correctly. She did not know whether she should laugh or cry. On the other hand, she was discreetly happy over the fact that Mu Tingfeng had worried too much about it and had, in turn, acted childishly for her.
Zhao Youlin crossed her arms to support her chin. She grinned as she looked at the person opposite her. “I’m a bit angry… How are you going to compensate me?”
Mu Tingfeng’s eyes lit up when he saw Zhao Youlin in her current state. He asked quietly, “How do you want me to compensate you, then?”
“If I’m going to expand my outlet, I’ll have to renovate the interior of the new outlet as well. How about this? You personally create the interior design of the new shop for me. If possible…” Zhao Youlin stroked her chin before she said in a muffled voice, “I want it to be similar to the style of the coffee shop when we first dated. However, it should not be exactly the same style. In short, I want the atmosphere to be soothing and comfortable. At the same time, it has to be outstanding while not being overly extravagant. Are you able to do that?”
Mu Tingfeng received the hint of mockery from Zhao Youlin’s eyes. His tense face as a result of being exposed gradually relaxed. “There’s nothing that I couldn’t do in this world, except if it’s something that I refuse to do.”
Zhao Youlin felt like beating him up as she watched Mu Tingfeng’s annoyingly smug expression. “That’s a nice thing to say. But, there’s at least one thing that you couldn’t do.”
“What is it?”
Zhao Youlin deliberately rose and leaned close to Mu Tingfeng as she enunciated each and every word clearly, “Give birth to a child!”
Mu Tingfeng looked into Zhao Youlin’s eyes. His eyes sank, and the corners of his lips curved upward. He subconsciously leaned forward to her.
Zhao Youlin was about to return to her original seat. Just then, her hand was grabbed all of a sudden. By the time she looked up, she was greeted by the sight of Mu Tingfeng’s dangerous expression.
“Why are you grabbing me? Let me go!”
Mu Tingfeng was not affected at all. He imitated Zhao Youlin’s action a while ago as he slowly leaned close to her ears and whispered solemnly, “Although I can’t get pregnant a child, I could cause you to become pregnant!”
Zhao Youlin thought to herself. ‘This guy’s train of thought is getting dirty.. Am I… falling into his trap, willingly?!’
Updated from fr𝒆ewebnov𝒆l.(c)om