Chapter Sixty-Five: The Food Festival (Part Two)

The Colorful City in the development zone was once vibrant and bustling just a few years ago. However, as more entertainment venues sprang up in the surrounding areas, the number of places to have fun increased, and the initial liveliness gradually faded. The food festival being held here was simply a local gathering, yet the turnout was surprisingly large. Some of the more established vendors had set up many tables and chairs, and every seat was filled. Chu Dong managed to find a spot only after a group of guests had just left, quickly calling Tan Xue over to sit.

Holding several freshly grilled beef skewers and duck necks in her hands, Tan Xue devoured them, her lips gleaming with oil. She ate as she walked, and was indeed a bit tired; seeing a place to sit made her genuinely happy. Once she sat down, she didn’t want to move again.

“Hey, they’re selling grilled chives over there. I haven’t tried those yet—go buy ten skewers for me,” she said, her mouth still full, spotting a new “prey” and hurriedly instructing Chu Dong to fetch them.

Actually, Chu Dong hadn’t eaten little following Tan Xue around. She bought a lot but didn’t eat much herself, merely sampling each item. She never cared whether Chu Dong liked it or not—the leftovers were all dumped onto him. He had protested that he wasn’t a garbage disposal, but Tan Xue had countered with grand arguments about how many in Africa couldn’t even eat, and how wasting food was the most shameful thing. Under her barrage, he was subdued. So, the surplus always ended up in Chu Dong’s stomach.

Seeing Tan Xue still wanted more, Chu Dong frowned—not because she was bossily directing him, but because his stomach was already full, and it was clear she expected him to clean up the aftermath again. Yet, seeing her expectant gaze, he still walked over.

It was an ordinary barbecue stall, with three small square tables and several folding stools around each. At one table sat a group of young men who caught Chu Dong's attention.

Four men in their twenties, all looking in the same direction, occasionally whispering to each other. Chu Dong followed their gaze and saw the back of a long-haired girl. Her figure was slender and well-proportioned, dressed in stylish clothes. Her face wasn’t visible, but surely she wasn’t far from attractive. What was surprising was the pile of empty bottles beside her. No one else sat at her table—if she drank all that alone, she was certainly extraordinary.

Chu Dong wasn’t far from them. Despite the noisy crowd, he could barely make out the gist of their conversation.

“In a bit, stay sharp... When she leaves, you follow her. Once she reaches... you block her. Then I’ll show up—find an opportunity, and things will be easy...” A thin, long-haired youth was giving instructions to the others.

Chu Dong chuckled. Still playing the old “hero saves beauty” routine? It seemed that the latest pick-up tricks hadn’t evolved at all. Just as he was about to leave with the grilled chives, he heard another, hoarse voice say something that made him pause.

“That girl really screwed us over last time. Damn it, if not for her, we wouldn’t have spent half a year inside. Once she falls into my hands, I’ll show her what a real man is.”

Wait, that didn’t sound like a pick-up attempt—it was more like revenge. And they were targeting a young woman. As a conscientious, socially responsible young man, Chu Dong felt it was his duty to warn the girl. But he couldn’t very well walk over holding skewers, and besides, suddenly appearing might make her mistake him for someone trying to hit on her. Though he didn’t care about that, it would be bad if it delayed things. Thinking of this, Chu Dong strode back to Tan Xue, handed her the food, then turned around and went to look for that girl.

The crowd was thick. The distance was only a dozen steps, but by the time Chu Dong returned, the group of young men and the girl whose back he’d seen were gone.

“Damn, could it really be this coincidental?” Chu Dong cursed under his breath. Using his height to advantage, he scanned the surroundings, hoping to spot them. After searching for a while, he was disappointed—the surging crowd was endless, and the group had vanished.

Back at Tan Xue’s side, he found her holding nine now-cold chive skewers, waiting for him. Now he’d learned to respond promptly—he grabbed them and quickly finished them off. Seeing that Tan Xue had eaten her fill, he asked if she was ready to leave.

“Let’s go. I really did eat a lot of good stuff today.” She patted her still-flat belly, showing not a hint of extra fat, her face full of satisfaction. Turning to see Chu Dong forcing down the last bite, she became spirited again, “But it’s still you who lucked out—you ate the most.”

It was Tan Xue’s first time indulging in so many street snacks. Before, it was either at home or at school; after going abroad, it was all Western junk food. Even Chinese restaurants rarely offered anything authentic. After years of ham, bread, and sausages, and upon returning home, her mother made delicious food for her, but it was limited to home-cooked dishes. She’d eaten through the menus at restaurants, but never so enjoyably as today. Imagine a pampered girl like her—she’d never encountered such scenes, nor had the chance to try these common snacks. This time, she’d gotten her fill.

Following Chu Dong, she squeezed out of the crowd and reached the parking area. As Chu Dong unlocked the car electronically, she obediently climbed into the passenger seat.

“When it comes to food, Chinese people are the ancestors. Just think—from color, aroma, taste, variety, flavor, nutrition, and more, there are so many kinds of dishes they can’t even be counted. Every region has its own specialties, leading to countless ways of eating. You spent those years abroad, let me tell you, you really missed out.”

As he started the car, the streetlights illuminated the figures of those young men, running off in one direction.

Not good—that girl must be in trouble.

Without time to explain to Tan Xue, Chu Dong jumped out of the car and ran after them.

“What are you doing? Hey! Come back!” Tan Xue was about to make a snide remark about his self-satisfaction when she saw him leap up as if bitten by a dog and run off. Her shouts couldn’t stop him.

After crossing the street, the group had disappeared again. Relying on instinct, Chu Dong strode quickly after them, sprinting over two hundred meters before hearing sounds from the side of the bank building.

“Stupid girl, try running now. Let’s see if you can escape my grasp today. Be obedient—let us vent a bit, and maybe in a good mood I’ll find you a nice place. Otherwise, you’ll regret meddling.”

“Luo Feiyu, do you remember me? Last time, you caught me. If not for you, would we have ended up behind bars?”

It was the same hoarse voice. Chu Dong bent down, picked up a half brick, weighed it in his hand, and walked forward.

ps: These days, I’ve noticed that Fox’s old book is still popular on mobile. If you’re reading books on your phone, brothers, help recommend the old book—thanks in advance!

And another shout—today’s first chapter is here!