Chapter 18

When He Qingmo agreed to let Fan Xing choose the place, he never expected that they would end up in a wholesale market.

The entire building was divided into cages, clothes piled up together, and shelves haphazardly placed on the floor. Most of the stores were wholesale, and occasionally, there were a few that sold retail, but their attitudes were extremely indifferent, as if they didn’t care whether customers bought anything or not.

He Qingmo walked behind, hands in his pockets, watching as Fan Xing went from store to store, negotiating with the shopkeepers when he found something suitable. He didn’t mind being rejected and continued to browse.

When they encountered a store that agreed to sell retail, the little child even used his somewhat fluent Chinese to haggle with the shopkeepers.

It was probably because he looked good that he managed to haggle successfully every time. And then the child would happily show his teeth.

He Qingmo felt that he was definitely not happy because he found clothes he liked, but most likely because he was saving money.

The man lowered his head slightly and rubbed his nose, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth, thinking that he had married a wife who knew how to manage money.

However, he didn’t notice that this scene was captured by many people’s phones.

Wherever he went, his appearance and demeanor were always eye-catching, and his face appeared in entertainment news from time to time, making him quite well-known among the general public.

This was not a high-end international brand store where you needed to spend millions to become a member, so they didn’t pay much attention to their customers. Seeing He Qingmo, the natural reaction was to take photos and videos to share online.

So, ten minutes later, topics like “Mr. He’s New Boyfriend,” “Mr. He’s Shopping in the Wholesale Market,” “Guwei Technology Faces Crisis,” and various other discussions began trending online.

Mr. He, who was currently unaware of his online fame and had brought his new partner to the wholesale market to save money due to his shrinking assets, was only feeling a bit tired after accompanying Fan Xing for one floor.

Wasn’t it said that accompanying a woman shopping was suffering? Why did this kid seem to enjoy it so much?

Or…

“Brother, I’m done shopping. Let’s go,” Fan Xing said as he approached He Qingmo, pulling him to leave.

“Aren’t we going to explore the upper levels?” He Qingmo asked as he followed Fan Xing.

“No, my feet hurt. Actually, I don’t like shopping and buying things. It makes me tired easily. And I guess you don’t like this kind of place either, do you?” Fan Xing looked at the man with a hint of apology.

At first, he had been a bit competitive, feeling that He Qingmo was always teasing him for fun. So, he wanted to see if He Qingmo would feel uncomfortable in such a place.

However, he didn’t see any signs of discomfort.

He Qingmo walked behind him throughout, looking relaxed and at ease, as if he were strolling in his own garden.

Well, perhaps He Qingmo simply didn’t have a category of discomfort in his nerves.

But still, Fan Xing felt that He Qingmo didn’t like, or rather, wasn’t used to such places.

After all, most of the customers here were traders from all over the country, and the environment was noisy and chaotic. He Qingmo had probably never been to a place like this before.

“It’s okay, just a bit noisy,” He Qingmo said in a relaxed tone, showing that he really didn’t mind.

Fan Xing still felt somewhat guilty and suggested, “How about I treat you to something delicious, big brother?”

By this time, they had just exited the wholesale market.

“Now?” He Qingmo looked at the sky. “It’s not dinner time yet; it’s too early.”

The sun hadn’t set yet, and having dinner so early in the summer seemed a bit excessive.

Fan Xing felt a bit embarrassed by his question and touched his stomach. He whispered, “Actually, I’m a bit hungry.”

He had hardly eaten anything at noon and had been shopping for a while. His stomach was already empty.

“In that case, let’s go.” The man seemed oblivious to his discomfort and led him to the car.

Ten minutes later, they arrived at a popular food street near Tsinghua University.

Since it was summer vacation, the crowd wasn’t too large, and most of the visitors were tourists from out of town.

After applying to Tsinghua University, Fan Xing had also researched information about the university and had heard about this famous food street. He had planned to visit it before going out today, but he didn’t expect He Qingmo to take him here voluntarily.

Feeling that He Qingmo might have misunderstood his intentions, Fan Xing explained, “I was afraid of picking a place that’s too expensive and you wouldn’t be able to afford it.”

Oh, right, they had agreed that he would treat!

Fan Xing suddenly realized this and smiled, “How much can two people eat? Big brother, just choose whatever you like.”

He Qingmo raised an eyebrow slightly, smiling with a hint of mischief. “In that case, I won’t hold back.”

Two hours later, Fan Xing regretted pretending to be rich. He never expected that a meal would cost several thousand yuan!

The small, crooked alley led to a modest-looking storefront with a few home-cooked dishes. Did it really cost this much?

Although the food was delicious, Fan Xing couldn’t help but feel that He Qingmo and the owner were conspiring to rip him off!

But that wasn’t the truth.

This inconspicuous-looking little shop was actually quite famous in the city, known only to a few ordinary people. Those who came here were either rich or didn’t care about the prices; they just wanted to enjoy themselves.

Realizing the truth, Fan Xing felt like biting his own tongue in frustration. He never thought He Qingmo would tease him like this, and he was really angry.

Over 5,000 yuan!

He was practically using up all his savings by paying the bill here today.

But the waiter looked at him with surprise and said, “Mr. He is a premium member of our restaurant, you don’t need to pay.”

Huh? Huh…

After the unexpected revelation, Fan Xing couldn’t help but heave a sigh of relief. However, he suddenly heard the man next to him burst into hearty laughter, completely different from his usual aloof and cool demeanor.

He’s teasing me again!

Fan Xing was genuinely annoyed, staring at him with anger.

The man laughed to his heart’s content before innocently spreading his hands, “You said you would treat me.”

Fan Xing was rendered speechless. It was true; he had offered to treat, and he had even said that He Qingmo could choose whatever he liked. Now, he couldn’t blame anyone else for not being able to afford it.

Feeling somewhat melodramatic, Fan Xing apologized quietly, “I’m sorry, I’ll pay you back.”

He began to get up and walk away, but the man grabbed his wrist and pulled him back, seating him on his lap effortlessly. Fan Xing instinctively struggled but was easily subdued by the man, his hands held behind his waist.

The man pinched his chin and leaned in until their eyes met. He chuckled, his voice carrying a hint of mischief. “Do you want to separate our finances so clearly?”

 

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