Chapter 213: Are You Sure You Won't Help?
"Can you be a little reasonable? I'm telling the truth! Think about it yourself. I've been running all over the place. As soon as I got back, I had to help you at the Chen Group, and then we ran into all those assassins. Isn't that tiring? Last night, I killed a bunch of enemies at the bar, then climbed a mountain. I really didn't get any sleep!"
Zhou Fan explained with a look of utter grievance, as if he'd suffered some terrible injustice.
"I don't want to deal with you. Don't talk to me!" Looking at Zhou Fan, who was making faces at her, Chen Yao fought the urge to kick him in the face as she spoke in a huff.
"Fine. By the way, do you know the owner of this place?" Zhou Fan gave a shameless smile, glanced at the owner bustling in the back kitchen, and asked quietly.
Chen Yao shot Zhou Fan a look and decided to ignore him, but she regretted it a second later.
"Since you're not talking, I guess I'll have to go ask myself!" Zhou Fan said with a shrug, getting up as if to head for the back kitchen.
"Alright, alright, just sit down! I went to elementary school near here. My parents had already passed away by then, and I was pretty rebellious. Grandpa would send people to pick me up for dinner, but I'd refuse to go home. My relationship with my brother was strained, too, so I always came here and would treat my classmates to BBQ!" Quickly pulling Zhou Fan down, Chen Yao, utterly exasperated with the shameless man, began to explain quietly.
"I came here less often after I started college. Only when I was feeling down would I come sit here by myself."
Zhou Fan nodded, not pressing her any further. Suddenly, he looked up at the entrance as several young people walked in. They looked like local college students.
"I want some boba tea too!" Chen Yao glanced at the drinks in their hands, then suddenly pouted at Zhou Fan, putting on a cute, coquettish air.
"Then wait here." Zhou Fan stood up, asked the group where they got their boba tea, and then turned and left the small shop.
"Wow, you're so pretty!" One of the girls in the group was staring intently at Chen Yao. When Chen Yao looked her way, the girl spoke, a little embarrassed.
"You're very pretty too!" Chen Yao replied with a smile. What woman doesn't like being told she's beautiful, after all?
Before long, when Zhou Fan got back, he found them all chatting happily. He couldn't help but ask out of curiosity—or more aptly, just to be a pain—"You're five or six years older than them. Is there no generation gap?"
"Would it kill you to keep your mouth shut? And after I was just singing your praises when they asked about you!" Chen Yao fought the urge to hit him, struggling to maintain her ladylike composure. She glared at Zhou Fan and forced the words through gritted teeth.
After Zhou Fan and Chen Yao had a few beers and were about finished with their food, they were getting ready to leave when a dozen or so people, a mix of men and women, suddenly appeared at the entrance.
At first, Zhou Fan and Chen Yao paid them no mind, figuring they were just more customers. After all, while the BBQ wasn't anything special, it was cheap and perfect for a student budget.
But the next second, one of the newcomers smashed a beer bottle over the head of one of the boys from the students' table.
Instantly, the two sides were at each other's throats. Zhou Fan was no longer in a hurry to leave. He simply turned around to watch the commotion.
'Kids these days. They don't fight nearly dirty enough. Go for the groin! Use a chair on them! What a waste. This is a perfect chance to show off for the ladies!'
Zhou Fan sounded like a color commentator, watching as the small group of students gradually lost ground. He couldn't help but shake his head, the very picture of disappointment.
"Zhou Fan, shouldn't we help them out? They were really nice to me," Chen Yao whispered, grabbing Zhou Fan's arm with both hands.
"Huh? Help how? A fight at this level... it'd be straight-up bullying for me to step in. If word got out, I'd be a laughingstock. Nope, not happening!" Stunned for a moment, Zhou Fan quickly shook his head and refused.
'Are you kidding me?'
'Even though there are a dozen or so of these kids, a brawl of this caliber is just child's play for me. If I get involved and people find out, I'll be a total laughingstock!'
"'You're sure you won't help?'" Chen Yao saw the girl she'd been chatting with get kicked to the ground. A wave of anxiety washed over her, and an idea suddenly popped into her head. She asked Zhou Fan one more time, but he just shook his head firmly.
"Fine then, I'll do it myself!" Chen Yao huffed in annoyance, rolling up her sleeves. She grabbed a beer bottle and stalked menacingly towards two men who had their backs to her. Then, she smashed a bottle clean over each of their heads!
CRACK! CRACK!
With two sharp cracks of shattering glass, the small shop fell instantly silent.