However, the girl looked distressed and uneasy, as if she were being chased.
She went to the counter and ordered a strawberry juice and the simplest, cheapest eggplant rice. From her pajama pocket, she took out a small roll of banknotes, each less than ten dollars, and carefully counted them out for the cashier.
Then, holding these simple meals, the girl scanned the entire tea restaurant for a while, and surprisingly walked over to Lu Chen, asking in a low voice, "Sir, may I sit inside your restaurant?"
Lu Chen had noticed her when she entered. Her charming and delicate demeanor truly captivated him. In the past, he would have already approached her, but now, on the run, he could only suppress his urges.
But unexpectedly, she actually came over.
Lu Chen looked around. There were empty seats everywhere. Why did she choose this spot? Did she have a crush on him?
He glanced at the girl's fair skin and the exposed erogenous zones, then coughed lightly, "Uh, miss, actually I'm not a casual man..."
"You misunderstand!" the girl quickly said, "I'm not casual either, it's just... just for some reason, I'd like to sit in a more secluded spot, this place is more suitable."
Indeed, Lu Chen was extremely careful to evade his pursuers. The seat he chose in the tea restaurant was in the very corner, hidden by indoor flowerbeds in front and a pillar behind. Sitting here, he was unlikely to be discovered, yet he could see his surroundings from all sides.
"Uh, okay!"
Lu Chen's face flushed. He stood up and invited the girl to sit inside before sitting down himself. As soon as he sat down, he felt the heat emanating from the girl. Looking down, he saw a section of incredibly fair and smooth thigh beside him, and Lu Chen couldn't help but swallow hard.
Should he take this chance on a romantic encounter while on the run?
Although the girl wasn't there to be casual with him, Lu Chen was confident in his charm. Even if he was broke now, he could still charm her with his looks and sweet talk.
However, her demeanor suggested something was definitely wrong, making Lu Chen hesitate. He really didn't want to get into trouble.
The girl blankly ate a few mouthfuls of rice, then finished her drink in one gulp. Suddenly, she spoke: "Sir, could I borrow your phone? I just need to make a quick call."
That was fine with him, and Lu Chen took out his phone and gave it to her.
The girl dialed a number that was clearly familiar, but the other party had obviously switched off, and it went to voicemail. The girl then whispered, "Aya, this is Shangguan Wan. I escaped from Chen Tao and am trying to leave. He has some influence here, and I'm worried he'll catch me and take me back. If he does catch me, I've prepared a knife; I'll stab myself in the neck..."
Lu Chen listened, his heart pounding. What the hell was this all about?
"No matter what, I won't let him succeed. Although I once loved him and was tricked into coming here, I will never give myself to him! He can forget about getting the Seven-Life Flower within me, and he can forget about dominating this world!"
The Seven-Life Flower within my body? Dominating the world? Is this a movie?
Lu Chen found it increasingly strange. Although he came from a martial arts family, a rare existence in modern society, he still found Shangguan Wan's words unbelievable.
"Aya, I borrowed someone else's phone to call, you don't need to call back. If I can escape, I will look for you again. If I can't escape, please take good care of my mother and tell her I'm sorry! Thank you…"
Shangguan Wan finally finished speaking, her face covered in tears, even her phone was wet with tears. She carefully wiped the tears from the phone with a tissue, returned it to Lu Chen, and whispered, "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Lu Chen took the phone. Looking at Shangguan Wan's tear-streaked face, Lu Chen felt a pang of heartache. They were truly kindred spirits; he was fleeing a woman, she was fleeing a man.
However, the Seven-Life Flower sounded incredibly powerful—what exactly was it?
Lu Chen was curious but didn't ask. He silently ate his meal. After much thought, although he had a chivalrous heart, he was currently in a precarious situation himself, and besides, that Chen Tao seemed to have some influence. He decided it was best not to cause trouble.
Then, he heard Shangguan Wan sneeze twice. Turning his head, he saw that her fair skin was tinged with a pale blue—she was clearly a little chilly. He sighed, rummaged through his bag for a shirt, and draped it over her shoulders.
"It's alright, it will all pass. Take care of your health and safety," Lu Chen said calmly.
Shangguan Wan showed gratitude. She put on the shirt Lu Chen had given her, buttoned it up, and felt a little better. She turned to look at Lu Chen's profile, gritted her teeth, and whispered, "I want two hundred yuan for a train ticket, but... I don't have any money."