Chapter 97: Will He Really Come Back?

Words : 1926 Updated : Sep 12th, 2025

Lu Liang forgot to check the price per pound. Either way, the three plates were filled to the brim, and even after the half-off discount, it still cost over seventy yuan. Watching his cousin scarf down the food with a ravenous energy, Lu Liang's appetite improved as well. Normally, he didn't eat much for dinner, but tonight, he surprisingly managed to polish off two bowls of rice.Fang Shiyu's enormous appetite caught the attention of both the staff and customers in the restaurant. The key point? He actually finished everything. Even Zhang Qian noticed. When she saw Lu Liang sitting next to Fang Shiyu, her eyes widened in surprise. “When did you get here?” she asked with a delighted expression. Lu Liang smiled. “I’ve been here for a while. I saw you were busy, so I didn’t want to disturb you.” “How do you feel about it?” Zhang Qian asked, smiling as she continued clearing a couple of tables while chatting with him. “It’s not bad,” Lu Liang said softly. “There’s definitely potential, though it’ll be hard work.” If gold shines wherever it goes, Zhang Qian was certainly proof of that. During the meal, Lu Liang overheard no fewer than ten compliments about her looks. Young boys sneaking peeks at her weren’t in short supply either. After all, even as the night shift manager, her charm still far exceeded that of most people—even while wearing an apron and handling food. Just imagine—most restaurant owners you’d see on the streets were either overweight, exhausted-looking, or hunched over. But Zhang Qian stood tall and proud, with a graceful smile that felt like a spring breeze, always on her face. Even when tired, she managed her expressions impeccably. For someone like her, it was almost an unfair advantage. The food tasted good too. As long as the prices weren’t too steep, there would surely be plenty of returning customers in the future. “Life—when isn’t it hard?” Zhang Qian’s smile was radiant. Lu Liang’s single compliment made her happier than a hundred from anyone else. Lu Liang hesitated to speak, swallowing back the words on the tip of his tongue. Instead, he suddenly asked, “Where’s Xiaoguai?” Zhang Qian nodded toward a small door in the far corner. “She’s in the break room, sleeping. She helped out a lot after school today. Do you want to check on her?” Suddenly, an employee called out, “Sister Qian, Xiao Wu went to the restroom. Can you come over to handle the payment?” “Coming!” Zhang Qian answered. She hesitated for a moment before glancing at Lu Liang. Lu Liang waved her off with a smile. “Go ahead, don’t worry about me. It’s not like I’m a stranger.” Zhang Qian nodded and gave a quick look at Fang Shiyu. “Is your friend full? If not, I can grab more food.” “I’m stuffed,” Fang Shiyu muttered hesitantly, nodding. As Zhang Qian hurried away to her duties, Lu Liang spoke softly, “If you’re full, let’s head out.” He walked to the cashier’s counter, setting down a gift box. “I have something to take care of, so I’ll leave now. This is a gift for Xiaoguai.” Zhang Qian accepted the box. Watching Lu Liang about to leave, her heart welled up with complex emotions. She couldn’t help but ask, “Will you come back?” Lu Liang smiled and replied, “Of course.” Just then, a customer interrupted, “Boss, where’s the free drink? Are you out?” “We’ve got some, don’t worry!” Zhang Qian hurriedly responded. She bent down to grab another box of drinks. When she stood back up, Lu Liang was already gone. She murmured to herself, “Will he really come back?” Walking out of the pedestrian street, Lu Liang glanced at his cousin, who seemed deep in thought. “Did you notice something?” he asked. Fang Shiyu froze for a moment before replying after much thought, “Bro, I didn’t understand a thing.” “Then what were you staring at?” Lu Liang asked. “That crispy roast meat over there. It looks really good.” Fang Shiyu pointed to a roadside grill where bright red roasted meat and ducks hung on display. Embarrassed, he smiled and admitted, “I guess I wasn’t quite full earlier.” ŕἁ₦ỗ฿Ës̩ Lu Liang laughed in exasperation. “If you want to eat, go buy some.” With a grin from ear to ear, Fang Shiyu bought two pieces weighing about a kilo. When he returned, his expression looked a bit disappointed. “Fifty-eight yuan per pound—it’s more expensive than back home.” “How much money do you have left in your pocket?” Lu Liang asked. “Seven thousand three hundred.” Hearing this, Lu Liang pulled out his phone and transferred thirty thousand yuan to his cousin. “Use this for anything—food, shopping, gas, parking fees—deduct it from here. If it’s not enough, come find me.” Fang Shiyu stood frozen, his face turning bright red. Lu Liang glared at him. “Take it.” “Oh,” Fang Shiyu mumbled. “Let’s go home.” It was after eight when they returned to the parking lot of Tomson Riviera’s Tower B. Next to Lu Liang’s designated parking spot was a Porsche 718 that he hadn’t seen in a while. As the yellow Urus came to a halt, the soft top of the Porsche slowly opened. Li Manli stood on her seat, black registration papers in hand, looking smug. “I just got my license today! I even drove back from the western suburbs by myself—” Halfway through her sentence, she was startled by Fang Shiyu. To him, Li Manli looked like a little chick. She asked in alarm, “Who are you?” “He’s my cousin and also my driver. His name’s Fang Shiyu,” Lu Liang said, laughing as he stepped out of the passenger side. “Brother Shiyu, nice to meet you. I’m Li Manli,” she greeted politely, quickly slipping her shoes back on as she got out of the car. “Hello,” Fang Shiyu responded in a muffled voice. Sёarch* The NôᴠelFirё.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. “Shiyu, you can head back. It’s the weekend tomorrow—I’ll call you when I need you.” After watching his cousin drive away, Lu Liang turned to Li Manli and noticed the sweat on her forehead. “How long have you been cooped up in there?” Knowing how unpredictable Lu Liang’s return time was, Li Manli must have started waiting as early as five or six in the afternoon to be so perfectly on time. “Not too long. I just wanted to surprise you,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and acting coy. "You're starting to smell, and you still say it hasn't been that long." Lu Liang’s face was full of mock disdain. "Impossible! I still smell nice!" Li Manli was startled and sniffed herself, but she didn’t detect any strange odor—until she saw the mischievous smile at the corner of Lu Liang's lips. Realizing she’d been teased, she pouted in frustration. With a playful jump, she clung onto him, wrapping her legs tightly around his waist as she hugged him. “You stink!” “Alright, let’s go. Take a shower, and then we’ll head out for a spin to see how good your driving really is.” Lu Liang supported Li Manli’s petite frame as he headed upstairs. “Why don’t we shower together? I’ll scrub your back!” “Not a bad idea.” Laughter echoed as they fooled around in the bathroom for over an hour. By the time they came downstairs, it was already past ten. Brimming with confidence, Li Manli drove the car out of the underground garage. But soon after, Lu Liang’s constant feedback had her sulking in frustration. She eventually pulled the car to the side of the road, her face sullen. “You drive! I’m not driving anymore. Who keeps talking and criticizing when someone’s driving? I was so confident before, and now you’ve ruined it!” Lu Liang laughed helplessly. “You’re treating the solid lane lines as if they’re invisible—how could I not say something?” “I don’t know this road well, and the GPS didn’t show it! Plus, I only got my license today. Cut me some slack, will you?” Li Manli said, her face full of grievance. “Alright, alright. For a newbie, you’re doing pretty well. You drive, and I promise I won’t say another word.” Lu Liang comforted her with a smile but made sure to emphasize something important. “If the car gets damaged, it’s fine; we can just buy another one. But you only have one life—whether it’s yours or someone else’s on the road, you have to be careful. Hit anything you want, just don’t hit a person.” Li Manli, still young and impressionable, had her values shaped by her surroundings. Lu Liang could tolerate vanity and materialism, but he couldn’t accept arrogance or recklessness. “I understand.” Li Manli nodded seriously, her playful attitude giving way to sincerity. It was rare to see Lu Liang so serious, and it left a deep impression on her. The two of them headed west under the cover of night. Lost in his own thoughts, Lu Liang didn’t pay attention for a moment, and Li Manli somehow ended up on the highway. Worse yet, she missed the nearest exit. The only silver lining? At least she knew not to make a U-turn on the highway and just kept driving. By the time they reached the shores of Taihu Lake in Suzhou, Li Manli looked guilty. “How about we watch the sunrise at Taihu?” she suggested timidly. “It’s two in the morning—do you want to see ghosts instead?” Lu Liang glared at her, half-convinced she’d done it on purpose. “Oh, come on! Since we’re already here, can’t we wait for three more hours?” Li Manli whined, resorting to playful pouting and rolling around to charm him. The truth was, she’d been so busy with livestreaming recently that she hadn’t had much time to spend with Lu Liang. With the weekend coming up, she wanted to make the most of it. In fact, she’d even worked overtime in the past few days to hit her monthly streaming hours in advance, just so she could free up this weekend. “Let’s get a room first. We’ll talk about the sunrise in the morning.” Taking over the driving, Lu Liang headed to Xiangshan International and booked the most expensive room available, not bothering to look at the price. The hotel was adjacent to the International Conference Center, and its Presidential Suite was a true presidential-grade accommodation. Once inside, Lu Liang went straight to the study. He hadn’t paid much attention earlier when Li Manli drove onto the highway, but the sound of notifications in the middle of the night had caught his attention again. A light knock came at the door. Li Manli poked her head in, her face full of anticipation. “Brother Liang, want to watch the sunrise later?” “Call me when it’s about time,” Lu Liang said with a smile. Since they were already here, he figured he might as well enjoy the experience. He hadn’t been to Taihu Lake before, after all. “Alright! I’ll let you work for now. I’ll make you a cup of coffee,” Li Manli said, her face lighting up with a cheerful smile.

Chapter 97: Will He Really Come Back?

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