"Thinner!" Upon seeing Dong Yingxue again, Li Zhi appeared distressed. He was never particularly robust, and now he looked even slimmer.
Although she may be beautiful, Li Zhi still hoped she would eat more and gain some weight. A little extra weight on a woman wouldn't necessarily make her less attractive, especially in her line of work, where being more curvaceous would be more appropriate.
Dong Yingxue smiled awkwardly, not appreciating Li Zhi's familiarity, especially in the presence of her cousin, Zhuge Meili.
The three of them agreed to meet at Vada Square.
Zhuge Meili paid no attention to the affection between the two and didn't even hear what they were saying. Her eyes were fixed on Li Zhi, and she seemed frozen in place.
Her trembling lips seemed to be repeating the word "impossible" if one were to listen closely.
After chatting with Dong Yingxue for a while, Li Zhi turned to Zhuge Meili and furrowed his brow. "Excuse me, what's with that look of yours?" Have you ever seen a ghost in broad daylight? Or do I look that terrifying? Come back to your senses.
He waved his hand in front of her.
Zhuge Meili stared at Li Zhi and instinctively took a step back, trembling as she asked, "Are you... are you human or a ghost?"
Li Zhi rolled his eyes and turned to Dong Yingxue, asking, "Did your cousin forget to take her medication today?"
"I don't know," Dong Yingxue shook her head with a smile. She couldn't figure out if Zhuge Meili was intentionally acting this way. She was always enigmatic and unpredictable, keeping her thoughts to herself. If she didn't speak, no one would know what she was thinking.
"You're the one who didn't take your medication!" Zhuge Meili snapped back, coming to her senses after hearing Li Zhi's words. She couldn't help but kick at him, but the shock in her eyes still lingered.
Seeing Li Zhi again made her feel like her worldview had collapsed. How could this have happened in such a short time? It was too unbelievable. But this sense of disbelief and shock couldn't be shared with anyone. Some things were destined not to be understood by others.
One of those things was metaphysics.
Sadly, Zhuge Meili was deeply involved in the world of metaphysics.
Li Zhi didn't want to know what Zhuge Meili was thinking. She was a woman with peculiar nerves and unconventional thoughts. He avoided her and turned to Dong Yingxue, asking with a smile, "Would you like to eat something?"
"Anything will do."
"How about we go inside and browse first?" Li Zhi suggested.
Dong Yingxue nodded. "Sure."
As they walked towards the square, Zhuge Meili, who was following behind, didn't make much noise. Her gaze was fixed on Li Zhi, and she hesitated, unsure if she wanted to follow. It wasn't her inner desire but an instinctive aversion that kept her from getting too close to Li Zhi.
Avoiding bad luck. Why? She couldn't say.
Muttering to herself, she repeated, "Impossible, how could it be possible for such a significant change to happen in such a short time?" "It's too unbelievable."
Could there really be someone helping this guy change his fate?
Suddenly, Zhuge Meili's face turned pale. She didn't follow and turned to walk away.
Dong Yingxue and Li Zhi continued chatting and walking, unaware of Zhuge Meili's absence. It wasn't until a few minutes later that Dong Yingxue received a text message from Zhuge Meili.
"Meili said she's not feeling well and left first!"
Li Zhi was secretly delighted. He was eager for the woman to leave, but he couldn't show it in front of her cousin. He reluctantly said, "She was fine just now." Why is she suddenly feeling unwell? Is she okay?
"She should be fine," Dong Yingxue said as she put her phone away and shook her head.
"Shall we continue strolling then?"
"Yes, it's rare for me to go out, and I also want to buy some things!"
With Zhuge Meili gone, her absence had no impact on Li Zhi and Dong Yingxue. They continued chatting and laughing as they strolled through the mall.
"Do you often have cases to deal with?" Li Zhi asked.
Dong Yingxue shook her head. "Not often, but when there are cases, it can get busy, especially with the more challenging ones."
"Then you should take care of yourself."
Dong Yingxue smiled but didn't say anything.
Li Zhi, with a bold expression, asked softly, "Have you thought about me in these past few days?"
"No, I've been thinking about solving cases," Dong Yingxue blushed and shook her head.
Li Zhi, somewhat incredulous, said, "So you've never thought about me, even just a little bit, during your free time?"
After a slight hesitation, Dong Yingxue said, "Not really. Occasionally, I do think about it during my free time."
"Hehe," Li Zhi chuckled sheepishly. Even that occasional thought made him feel content.
Ignoring him, Dong Yingxue walked ahead, feeling a sensation she hadn't experienced in her twenty-seven years. She didn't know how to handle it, but it made her heart beat faster.
Li Zhi caught up and grabbed Dong Yingxue's hand. Despite his experience in matters of the heart, his usual tactics seemed ineffective in front of Dong Yingxue. His nervous hands were sweating, making him feel like a novice in love.
To Li Zhi's surprise, Dong Yingxue didn't pull away. She allowed him to hold her hand, with a hint of a smile on her lips as they walked together.
They found a small eatery in the square and shared a sweet and intimate meal. After dinner, Li Zhi invited Dong Yingxue to watch a movie, and this time, she didn't refuse.
They chose a comedy and watched it until 10:30 in the evening.
On the way to drop Dong Yingxue home, she asked, "Have the Zhaos caused you any trouble recently?"
"No, I've been honest," Li Zhi replied with a smile.
Dong Yingxue fell silent for a moment before saying softly, "My cousin has gone off the deep end, and the family is at their wits' end with her." "I wanted you to lend me some of your imperial aura today, so I could use it as an excuse to avoid her."
Li Zhi was curious. "Can my imperial aura really help you?"
"Meili said it could, but I don't know the specifics," Dong Yingxue shook her head. She was clueless about metaphysical matters due to her superficial understanding. She was open-minded about most things, but this was an area she couldn't comprehend.
Li Zhi chuckled. "Did Meili mention how to transfer my imperial aura to you?"
Blushing, Dong Yingxue whispered, "It seems... it requires intimacy."
"What?" Li Zhi felt like he hadn't heard those words clearly.
Dong Yingxue looked up at Li Zhi and repeated, "Intimacy!"
Li Zhi pulled the car over to the side of the road and turned to look at her, his voice filled with sorrow. "Yingxue, I don't mean to offend you, but why did you refuse?" I was ready for it, and if you're not sure, maybe you should contact Meili to inquire if it's still possible for you to receive my imperial aura today. Honestly, I was prepared for it.
His face displayed a willingness to sacrifice as he gazed at her.
Dong Yingxue could tell he was joking and rolled her eyes, scolding, "Are you trying to take advantage of me? Are you planning to take me back to the office to have tea with you tonight?"
Li Zhi chuckled awkwardly and muttered, "It's not my fault." "It was your cousin's idea." "I only said I was willing, and nothing else."
"Stop teasing me."
As Li Zhi watched Dong Yingxue get out of the car, he felt a lingering reluctance to leave. This time, he had developed some affection for Zhuge Meili. Her discussion of "superstition" was quite intriguing.
What is the significance of the imperial aura? There's nothing to attach to!
Intimacy with Dong Yingxue?
Ha, just the thought of it was exciting. Upon further consideration, Li Zhi realized that his cousin, Zhuge Meili, was quite a troublemaker.
And repeatedly so.
But from Li Zhi's perspective, he actually found his "frugal" cousin quite agreeable!
The world is full of wonders, and Li Zhi felt like he was experiencing a stroke of luck that even he found hard to believe. He truly liked Dong Yingxue because being with her gave him that "spark," or perhaps a taste of love. Even when he was with Dong Xiaorou, Mu Xiaomei, and the others, the dynamic seemed to revolve more around desire between a man and a woman rather than genuine feelings of affection and excitement.
They had held hands, and according to Dong Yingxue's words, they might have even been intimate if she hadn't refused. It was a bold move, and Li Zhi approved of it. He wasn't afraid to take risks!