Chapter 18

What to do if I made someone angry?

Song Ling searched casually but a lot of answers popped up. Most of it was nonsense like “try to communicate”, and some of the practical answers were also very strange.

For example: [If you’re ordinary friends, go eat skewer hot pot. If once isn’t enough, go eat it twice. If this is your girlfriend, just eat skewer hot pot. If once isn’t enough, go eat twice. When you’ve had enough, then meet in bed.]

Eat hot pot?

Skewers?

What the hell was this?

[Why try to coax the other person? If they’re mad, then they must have a bad temper.]

When Song Ling saw this, he snorted.

Absolutely right, it must be that the other had a bad temper. Why get angry for no reason?

Song Ling threw away his phone and turned on his computer, starting to concentrate on work. However, Zhou Qingluo’s stinky face kept floating in his mind, causing his mind to be in disarray.

He closed the computer anxiously and called Jiao Zuo.

As soon as it connected and before Jiao Zuo could even say ‘hi’, Song Ling asked: “If someone made you mad and then treated you to skewer hot pot, would you stop being angry?”

At this time, Jiao Zuo was drag racing with others outside around the mountain roads. He took first place and while he was celebrating enthusiastically, he received Song Ling’s inexplicable call.

Jiao Zuo: “Hah?”

Song Ling: “Did you not hear?”

“I heard, you want to coax Jiang Shiyan that b-? No comment.”

“Not him.”

“Huh???”

Jiao Zuo was a little overwhelmed. Besides Jiang Shiyan, who else could make Young Master Song condescend to ask poor him questions on emotions and relationships?

“Then who is it?”

Song Ling was silent for a moment, not intending to answer. He indifferently said, “Oh, you don’t like spicy food. Hanging up.”

Jiao Zuo hurriedly said, “Don’t hang up, don’t hang up! I’ll help you ask someone else, okay?”

“Sure, you ask.”

Jiao Zuo asked the person next to him, “If you’re angry and the other invites you to skewer hot pot, would you calm down?”

With the others making a racket at their improved drag racing skills, he found this question extremely out of the blue.

But Jiao Zuo was so serious that he was left puzzled.

Asking this kind of question during their happy celebration, was he playing some kind of game or a new meme they didn’t know?

He turned his head and asked the next person, “If you’re angry and the other invites you to eat skewer hot pot, would you calm down?”

Jiao Zuo: “…”

This not-so-bright group turned into a telephone game, on and on until the last person.

The last person finally turned a bit brighter, “What do you mean?”

Everyone shrugged and looked at Jiao Zuo.

Jiao Zuo also shrugged, covered the receiver, and whispered: “Song Ling’s call.”

Everyone looked disgusted, “He wants to coax Jiang Shiyan that b- again?”

Jiao Zuo shook his head, “Not him this time.”

Everyone paused before scrambling to express their opinion first.

“I eat spicy food. I think I’d be good!”

“I don’t eat spicy, so I think I’d still be mad.”

“Why not go get barbecue instead? There’s spicy and not spicy.”

After collecting everyone’s opinions, Jiao Zuo summarized: “Those that eat spicy food wouldn’t be mad anymore, and those that don’t would still be angry. You can also go get barbecue, there’s spicy and not spicy.”

Song Ling: “Okay.”

Song Ling hung up and everyone looked at Jiao Zuo.

Since Song Ling was an illegitimate child, mainstream young masters weren’t willing to have much contact with him, but there was always a non-mainstream rebellious group. For example, Jiao Zuo’s group was willing to hang with Song Ling.

After all, Song Ling was like a cheat. Drag racing, rock climbing, bungee jumping, parachuting… there wasn’t anything he didn’t dare to do. If you gave him a balanced steel bar, he would rather walk on a tightrope.

He also played games well. Climbing up was only a matter of minutes.

Everyone liked strong players. Who didn’t want to just lie down and get carried?

But he just liked that whiny Jiang Shiyan who controlled people to death, so Song Ling never played with them again.

They gave Jiang Shiyan a nickname—Beast Tamer, training a wolf into a pug.

After a long silence, someone finally asked: “Brother Jiao, did Song Ling finally break free of Jiang Shiyan’s brainwashing?”

Jiao Zuo put away his phone, nodding, “The future seems promising.”

*

Zhou Qingluo went home to rest after delivering Song Ling’s meal. He was a little allergic and felt a lot better after showering, so he started fixing Oath Café’s poster.

There were too many questionable points with the poster and Zhou Qingluo ended up changing the whole thing, only keeping a few of Oath’s original elements.

Realizing that there may be a copyright issue, he simply drew one himself.

Once he started drawing, he could achieve a state of selflessness. His phone was thrown into his bag which was hung on the hook behind the door, and though it rang a whole afternoon, he didn’t hear it. He didn’t even remember to scratch his itchy skin.

The sun gradually sunk under the horizon, the afterglow passing through the windows and splashing on his body. His figure seemed to be outlined with a layer of gold.

Outside the window, a red Maserati with the license plate ‘LingA’ whizzed over, stopping steadily under a camphor tree not far away. The person inside wished that he could take a pair of binoculars and stare at him, but Zhou Qingluo didn’t realize it.

Zhou Shoulin came back and heard Zhou Qingluo’s phone still ringing, “Qingluo, your phone’s been ringing for the whole afternoon. Is someone looking for you urgently?”

Zhou Qingluo just finished and sent his revised poster and original poster to Cui Zi. He stretched and walked outside.

“They’re probably just sending emoticon packs in the food delivery group chat.”

“Come and drink some bubble tea, the little girl in the shop said this was the best one.”

Zhou Shoulin put a mango pomelo sago on the dining table and went into the kitchen with vegetables.

Zhou Qingluo looked at the drink with water vapor and then at Zhou Shoulin’s back, smiling silently.

This was fatherly love.

“Thanks, Dad.”

“You young people love to drink icy stuff.”

Zhou Qingluo took a sip and looked at his phone, pausing.

Other than the food delivery group chat, there was also Song Ling’s messages.

Through the entire afternoon, Song Ling called him 8 times and even left him some texts.

Zhou Qingluo opened WeChat.

[. transferred 2000 yuan]

Seeing this, Zhou Qingluo felt the need to change his nickname.

[.]: Here?

[.]: Do you eat spicy?

[.]: Do you eat skewers?

[.]: Do you eat hotpot?

[.]: If you like to eat, then I’ll invite you till you’re full.

[.]: Please reply when you see this.

Song Ling also recommended several skewer and hot pot restaurants.

[.]: The ones above are the best in the city. If you don’t like it, we can go to other provinces to eat too.

This message was sent two hours ago.

Zhou Qingluo didn’t know what Song Ling was up to, suddenly being so attentive. Did Jiang Shiyan like to eat hot pot and skewers?

Then what a coincidence. He doesn’t eat spicy.

Zhou Qingluo was allergic to chili peppers. Looking at the spicy red hot pot made him itch all over.

[Don’t look for me unless you need something]: I don’t eat spicy.

[.]: Then let’s go eat barbecue. There’s spicy and not spicy.

[Don’t look for me unless you need something]: No.

Zhou Shoulin came out of the kitchen, glanced at Zhou Qingluo and was startled: “Qingluo, what’s wrong?”

Zhou Qingluo: “Nothing.”

Zhou Shoulin anxiously said, “Your face and arms.”

Zhou Qingluo hurriedly ran to the mirror. Red bumps appeared all over his face and arms. There were also more under his clothes.

It turned out that the itching wasn’t an illusion.

Zhou Shoulin grabbed his bag and walked out with him, “Go, let’s go to the hospital.”

Zhou Qingluo: “No worries. It might be a mite allergy. I’ll go take a shower, change my bedsheets, and clean my room a bit. Everything should be fine.”

“You had solar dermatitis when you were a kid. I thought that you were cured, but it seems that it’s relapsing after this period of running outdoors delivering food.”

Zhou Qingluo didn’t expect his body to have this problem.

Since he was using someone else’s body, he had to treat it well.

What if his face was disfigured? After all, this face was still somewhat similar to his old face.

Zhou Qingluo packed his things, “Dad, I’ll go to the hospital myself. You stay at home.”

“Let’s go together. I can look after you.”

The two went out and Zhou Qingluo saw a red Maserati parked in front of their house, next to his scooter, super flamboyant.

This car looked suspiciously familiar, and Zhou Qingluo subconsciously turned to look at the license plate.

LingA was Song Ling’s car.

Zhou Shoulin muttered in a low voice, “Strange, this car hasn’t left yet. How can someone in our small neighborhood afford this?”

Zhou Qingluo was taken aback: “Not left yet?”

Zhou Shoulin: “It was here when I went to buy vegetables, around two hours ago.”

Zhou Qingluo: “…”

Zhou Qingluo summarized the information.

Song Ling parked his car under the camphor tree in front of his room window for two hours.

Zhou Shoulin was a bit anxious, “It’s rush hour right now and we can’t get a taxi.”

Zhou Qingluo looked at the still-pending car service, “Dad, don’t worry.”

When he said that, the car on the other side started up. The person inside turned the steering wheel, and with a roar, the car made a U-turn light as a swallow.

Both Zhou Shoulin and Zhou Qingluo were stunned. If they were in the desert, this turn would’ve sent rocks and sand flying.

The car stopped by their side and Zhou Qingluo came back to his senses.

Some people had great driving skills and easily broke into young men’s hearts. This pretense was successful.

Song Ling rolled down the car window and took off his sunglasses. He nodded at Zhou Shoulin, “Uncle Zhou.”

Zhou Shoulin: “So it’s Xiao Song. Are you here to find Qingluo?”

Song Ling turned his eyes and looked straight at Zhou Qingluo, measuring him up and down. Then, he looked into his eyes calmly.

Zhou Qingluo: “…”

That up and down scan made him feel like he was under a full-body x-ray scan.

Song Ling took back his gaze and looked at Zhou Shoulin, “You guys are going…?”

Zhou Shoulin: “Qingluo’s allergic and we’re going to the hospital, but we can’t get a car.”

Song Ling: “I’ll send Qingluo there.”

Zhou Qingluo: “?” Who are you calling Qingluo?

Zhou Qingluo wanted to refuse but Zhou Shoulin smiled, “Then thank you very much, Xiao Song. Please do.” After thanking him, he said to Zhou Qingluo, “Qingluo, get in the car quickly.”

He really didn’t want to get into the car, “But there’s only two seats in his car.”

“Xiao Song can send you; I won’t go.”

Zhou Qingluo: “Dad?”

Song Ling immediately followed up, “Don’t worry, Uncle Zhou. I’ll definitely take good care of Qingluo.”

Zhou Qingluo: “…” Who are you calling Qingluo? Who needs you to take care of?

Song Ling put on his sunglasses and extremely smoothly tilted his head at Zhou Qingluo, “Hop on.”

Zhou Shoulin: “Go early and come back early. Xiao Song, come home to eat later.”

If Zhou Qingluo refused again this time, it would be a bit too contentious. He got on the car and fastened the seat belt, head looking straight ahead the whole time: “People’s Hospital, please. Thank you.”

Song Ling only stared at him, lightly hooking the corners of his lips. He teased, “Qingluo, how come you’re allergic after just a day of not seeing each other?”

Zhou Qingluo laughed dryly, wondering what the relationship was between not meeting for a day and allergies.

He distantly yet politely responded, “It’s probably solar dermatitis. Not a big deal.”

“Then Qingluo, you’re not suitable for working outdoors. You should work in places like cafés.”

His indifference didn’t deter Song Ling, so he could only remain silent and hum, “Mm.”

“Qingluo.”

Zhou Qingluo got goosebumps all over by his call, “What’s that? You should just call me by my name.”

“You’re not called Qingluo?”

“Full name, the kind with the first and last name.”

“Please pay to chat?”

“…”

“Or, Don’t look for me unless you need something?”

Zhou Qingluo understood. Song Ling was teasing him for fun. The best way to deal with mischievous people was to be even worse than them.

He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and looked him with a smile. His whole countenance was gentle.

For some reason, Song Ling’s heart skipped a beat.

Zhou Qingluo’s eyelashes were long and curled, a pair of dark eyes curved at the perfect arc. At first glance, he looked like an innocent and harmless little white rabbit, but he was actually a money-loving little fox, full of charm.

Even though Zhou Qingluo’s eyes seemed to look like he had the determination of smashing the broken pot, he still found it unbelievably beautiful.

“Then, okay, let’s talk like this from now on, Ling’er.”

“? ………”