Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Why Not Take Me In, Too?

Xu Su was a bit surprised. ’That Little Huang Mao was seriously injured, and it all happened in plain sight. This isn’t Beijing, either. How could the Shen family pull strings to get him out so fast?’

As this thought crossed her mind, Xu Su couldn’t help but blurt out, “You’re already out?”

Shen Chen laughed, annoyed. “What, are you disappointed? Xu Su, who exactly do you think I did that for? You could at least wish me well.”

“….That’s not what I meant.” Xu Su could tell her words had been taken the wrong way, so she explained placatingly, “I was just surprised, that’s all.”

Shen Chen strode over and examined her wound up close, his gaze turning cold again. “Don’t worry, this isn’t over. Everyone at that table who opened their mouth… I’ll deal with every last one of them. This is far from over.”

He continued, his tone chiding, as if disappointed she hadn’t been smarter. “Why did you have to get physical? If you were that pissed off, you could have just given me a heads-up. Did you really need to take on a street punk by yourself?”

“I couldn’t help it.” Xu Su looked up at him with an innocent expression. “I really couldn’t hold back. The things they were saying were just too infuriating.”

“…” Looked at like that by her, any anger he had simply vanished.

Thinking of those filthy words, Shen Chen sneered. “That cousin-in-law of yours is a real piece of work. I’m going to settle the score with him, too. You’re not going to defend him, are you?”

Luo Shaofeng was certainly no gentleman. He hadn’t gone to the countryside to escort the bride, he hadn’t offered a toast to his parents-in-law, and he had let his buddies harass his own sister-in-law.

If he had even an ounce of respect for Li Tingting, he never would have let things escalate this far.

Xu Su wasn’t stupid. Just as she was about to speak, the doctor applied a cotton swab soaked in iodine to the cut on her neck. She flinched in pain, rendered momentarily speechless.

Xi Zirong, who had been silent all this time, reached out and put an arm around her. Xu Su took the opportunity to lean her head on his shoulder.

Shen Chen stood in front of them, watching with narrowed eyes, utterly silent.

Huang Feng, Qian Jia, and Xu Ran: …

’They were really witnessing some major drama today…’

’All the gossip from their years at First High School combined wasn’t as juicy as this one scene.’

The wound was treated quickly with a simple application of iodine. As for any ointment, Shen Chen insisted they wait until they were back in Chang City, saying he wanted to get her better medicine to avoid a scar.

A gray Porsche was parked by the curb outside the county hospital. It was rare to see such a luxury car in this small county; you might not see one for years. Not many people recognized the brand, but the few who did had stopped to get a better look. A small crowd had already gathered around it.

Acting as if he didn’t even see the onlookers, Shen Chen pulled open the passenger-side door and raised an eyebrow at Xu Su. “Get in the car, Xu.”

“…” Xi Zirong’s grip on her wrist tightened, and Xu Su felt a familiar headache coming on.

’She should be riding back in her boyfriend’s car. After all, even if she’s thinking about breaking up with him, Xi Zirong is still her boyfriend right now.’

’But Shen Chen just got into a fight for her. It would seem pretty cold to let him drive back all by himself.’

’Besides, there were things Xu Su needed to discuss with him. Ideally, she could get Shen Chen to promise not to tell Zhou Mochen about Xi Zirong.’

’She wasn’t just afraid of Zhou Mochen’s anger anymore; she was also afraid of hurting him…’

After hesitating for a long while, Xu Su looked at Xi Zirong and asked in a negotiating tone, “…What if I ride back to Chang City in his car?”

But the very act of asking the question showed she had already made her decision. Xi Zirong closed his eyes for a moment, struggling to suppress the rage rising in his chest.

Her wrist throbbed where he held it. Xi Zirong looked down at her. “And what if I say I don’t want you to get in his car?”

“…Xi Zirong, I have my reasons for needing to ride with him.” Xu Su tried to pull her hand away. “Please, let go.”

’Please, let go…’

’How badly Xi Zirong wanted to say no. To tell her bluntly that he couldn’t let go, that he could *never* let go.’

’…But she’d get annoyed. This girl never had much patience. She wouldn’t bother comforting someone for very long. He couldn’t annoy her…’

When he spoke again, he was resorting to pleading. “Then will you kiss me? Susu, I’m hurting a little. If you kiss me, it won’t hurt anymore.”

’A kiss…?’

Xu Su glanced around. It was a hot afternoon, and the street was mostly empty, save for the few pedestrians by the Porsche and Qian Jia, Huang Feng, and their friends.

’Oh, and Shen Chen.’

He had heard Xi Zirong’s words, and the smile on his lips had vanished. Leaning against the car door, his eyes were fixed on Xu Su, as if to say, ’Go on, I dare you to kiss him.’

“…” Xu Su’s immediate instinct was to refuse. But as she lifted her head to speak, her gaze met Xi Zirong’s.

The boy’s eyes were bloodshot, and an undisguised pain was spreading across his face. It suddenly hit Xu Su how much she was hurting him by planning to get into another man’s car right in front of his face.

And so, the refusal that was on the tip of her tongue came out as, “Okay.”

“Xu Su!” Shen Chen shot upright, his face darkening with rage.

The next second, she wrapped her arms around the boy’s neck and pressed her lips to his in a brief, fleeting kiss.

“Xi Zirong, you can take them back first. I’m going to get my neck taken care of, and then I’ll head back to school.” Xu Su pulled her hands away and smiled. “See you tomorrow.”

As she got in the car, Shen Chen slammed the door with an earth-shattering bang. He looked angrier than if he’d caught his own girlfriend cheating—as if he’d just watched his best friend’s girl cheat right in front of him.

Xu Su was also a little speechless. ’Doesn’t he know that Xi Zirong is my boyfriend? A kiss is pretty normal, isn’t it? Does he really need to have such a huge reaction?’

Shen Chen’s face was like thunder the entire drive. Xu Su ignored him and calmly looked around the car, her contented expression making him grind his teeth in frustration.

They were on the highway before Shen Chen finally spoke. “When are you breaking up with that little boyfriend of yours?”

“…?” Xu Su raised an eyebrow. ’How did he know I was planning to break up with him? Or does he not know at all, and he’s just demanding that I do it?’

Sure enough, Xu Su’s prolonged silence made Shen Chen assume she couldn’t bear to break up with him. When he spoke again, his tone was dripping with sarcasm. “I didn’t realize you were such a player at your age. One little boyfriend at school, and another one you’re seeing on the side. Why don’t you add me to your collection? A third one wouldn’t be too many, would it?”

Her heart skipped a beat. Xu Su whipped her head around to face him. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“What? Don’t like the way I talk?” They happened to be passing a rest stop, so Shen Chen flipped on his turn signal and pulled in. After stopping the car, he leaned toward her, his eyes dark and menacing. “Am I not telling the truth?”

He was genuinely intimidating when he wasn’t smiling. Compounded by the small space inside the car, the pressure from Shen Chen was palpable. Xu Su didn’t know him well—only that he was a heartless playboy who changed girlfriends like he changed clothes. She had never been this close to him.

The hug today was an accident, the only one in two lifetimes combined. So now, as he leaned in, Xu Su was so flustered that her voice trembled.

“What are you trying to do? Shen Chen, I know you’re angry on Zhou Mochen’s behalf, but you’ve misunderstood. I’m not two-timing anyone.”

He hadn’t expected her to be so scared. Shen Chen froze for a second before sitting up straight. “So you’re only on one boat, then? Or did you only get with this little boyfriend *after* you broke up with Brother Zhou?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep