Chapter 140: Chapter 140

It wasn’t for anything else, but for that exhilarating sense of revenge...

In just under half a month, his actions had become utterly unbearable to her!

Every time he looked at her, he seemed to derive pleasure from it. He even stepped on her head and face for over an hour...

The mere thought of these things made it hard for her to remain calm. Whenever she was in front of him, she still forced a smile, and she had to admire her own ability to wear that mask for so long.

"As for other methods..." Zhou Xiyang thought for a moment, a shy smile touching his well-defined, handsome, and sunny face. "If we could do it directly, the impact would be the strongest."

When he said this, Zhou Xiyang’s expression was still as sunny and bright as before, betraying no hint of any sinister intent.

Upon hearing this, a dark chuckle escaped Hua Xiaomo’s lips. Doing it directly... Damn, that would be really powerful and thrilling!

Hmph! Qi Longbing, let’s see what you’ll have to be smug about in the future!

An icy glint settled deep within Hua Xiaomo’s eyes, carefully concealed.

Zhou Xiyang had been worried that Hua Xiaomo wouldn’t agree, but to his surprise, not only did she agree, she even added, "It would be best to capture the whole process on video..."

Zhou Xiyang smiled. "Xiao Mo, I didn’t expect you to have such a hobby too!"

"Hehe, just so-so!" Hua Xiaomo got up from the sofa, gave Zhou Xiyang a friendly pat on the arm, and said with a smile, "Buddy, I’ll definitely help you. I’m going to pick up my phone today. I’ll call you then, and we can arrange a time?"

"OK, Xiao Mo, you really are a good bro!" Zhou Xiyang smiled and saw her out of the office.

When Hua Xiaomo entered the McDonald’s lobby, she quickly spotted the man sitting in a quiet booth, wearing glasses and a stylish gray trench coat.

Hua Xiaomo’s eyes lit up immediately, and she walked straight towards him. "Brother Long, you’re here? Have you been waiting long?"

Her eyes couldn’t help but fix on his face. His fair, refined features, handsome as a crescent moon, were adorned with a pair of striking phoenix eyes. What set him apart today was the pair of distinctive glasses he wore, with elegant, creamy-white frames. Read complete versıon only at 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝✦𝘧𝙞𝙧𝙚✦𝕟𝕖𝕥

"Not really. Xiao Mo, have a seat," Long Shangxuan said with a smile, then signaled to a server nearby. "My meal can be served now."

"Yes, sir, please wait a moment."

Soon after, two meal sets were brought over.

"I ordered for you. I hope you like it?" Long Shangxuan said gently.

"Like it, of course I like it!" Hua Xiaomo responded quickly, her eyes bending into crescents. Her heart started pounding excitedly.

"If you like it, eat more," Long Shangxuan said, and reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a beautiful wine-red phone and handed it over. "Here’s your phone."

"Thank you." Hua Xiaomo reached out, and whether consciously or not, her hand touched his fingers as she took the phone...

For a moment, it felt as if the air stood still. He did not hurry to withdraw his hand, but let their fingers rest together momentarily, creating a heart-racing sensation.

"Brother Long... really, thank you." Hua Xiaomo smiled, her fingers deftly taking the phone as she retracted her hand.

"No need to be polite," Long Shangxuan replied. "Eat up before it gets cold and loses its flavor."

"Mhmm." Hua Xiaomo ate. It felt as if her heart was filled with honey. Why is it that only when I’m with him do I feel this endless warmth and comfort?

Brother Long, Xiao Mo really... really likes you...

If you do, please don’t let this devoted heart wait in vain any longer, okay?

Hua Xiaomo thought with her head lowered. For some reason, she began to feel an inexplicable pang of sourness and discomfort...

Beneath her fringe, her eyes inexplicably grew moist...

Suddenly, a hand reached towards her, offering a tissue into her line of sight. "Here, wipe your eyes."

Hua Xiaomo lifted her head, looking at him with tear-blurred eyes. For some reason, she found herself willing, willing to let go of her usual toughness and pretense in front of him.

"Thank you." Hua Xiaomo took the tissue and gently wiped away the tear stains.

"Is it something about your aunt that’s upsetting you again?" Long Shangxuan sighed, speaking slowly. "Xiao Mo, really, there are some things you don’t have to shoulder all by yourself..."

"..." Hua Xiaomo listened, her heart pounding violently. Is he... is he really going to confess to me?

She’d always liked Brother Long. Was he—this dear ’brother’ of hers—really going to confess? But she’d never heard him do so, and she’d grown quite disheartened, even thinking Brother Long definitely wouldn’t like her. Yet, what was this feeling now? She sensed that, deep down, Brother Long *did* like her.

"You have me, you have Director Mo, and you have all of us friends. We all care about you, Xiao Mo, do you know that?" Long Shangxuan said with concern, the gentleness in his narrow phoenix eyes so profound it could intoxicate the soul.

A ripple of emotion welled up once more in Hua Xiaomo’s heart...

Was it sourness, astringency, bitterness, or sweetness? It seemed like a myriad of flavors were mixed, making it impossible to discern any single one.

After a while, Hua Xiaomo smiled, thought for a moment, and slowly said, "Yes, Brother Long, I’m very happy... to have you, to always have you by my side. With this, no matter how great the suffering, I don’t feel it’s too much to bear."

She had spoken these words, a confession from her heart, and she knew he would understand what she was truly saying.

Long Shangxuan smiled, a tender smile, and stretched out his hand, his gaze falling on her delicate hand resting on the table. "Xiao Mo, you’ve really grown up. That makes Brother Long feel much more at ease!"

Hua Xiaomo’s heart skipped a beat again. She looked up at him; his radiant smile seemed to melt her heart in an instant...

"Brother Long..." Hua Xiaomo smiled back and, not knowing why, suddenly covered the back of his hand with her other hand, gazing intently at him...

It was as if she feared that if he withdrew his hand, he might disappear altogether.

Just like that, their three hands were stacked, and it seemed they could each feel the other’s heartbeat.

The first time, the very first time she had ever been this close to him...

Brother Long, you like Xiao Mo too, don’t you?

You must. You absolutely must.

"Look at you, are you nervous? My hand is all clammy from your grip..." Long Shangxuan chuckled.

Hua Xiaomo’s face flushed upon hearing this, and she retracted her hand somewhat embarrassedly. "I’m sorry, Brother Long, please don’t blame me."

To her surprise, he replied smoothly, "What would I blame you for?"

Hua Xiaomo’s cheeks grew a shade redder, but she couldn’t bring herself to say the words that followed. Even though I really, really want to say it...

But reason told her what problem she most needed to resolve right now...

Yes, the one-month contract with Qi Longbing! That damned contract!! I definitely won’t have any more contact with Qi Longbing! Qi Longbing is so detestable!