Chapter Eighty: Seeing You Play It Cool, I Can Only Bow My Head

Metal overcomes wood, wood overcomes earth, earth overcomes water, water overcomes fire, fire overcomes metal—Li Qingcheng defeats me, but who do I defeat?

Qin Luo mused that this woman must be his destined nemesis. Every time he faced her, he ended up subdued, utterly docile.

She was impervious to both gentle persuasion and hard threats, immune to flattery or pressure. No wonder people called her the “Black Widow.”

Standing beside Li Qingcheng like a schoolboy, Qin Luo watched as she slipped her delicate, flawless feet into a pair of bold black strappy heels. He apologized in a low voice, “I didn’t mean to deceive you. I just didn’t expect to run into you here.”

“Is that so? If I hadn’t run into you here, I’d never have known you were lying to me,” Li Qingcheng replied, flashing him a brief smile before turning to the boutique staffer waiting nearby. “Could you bring out the purple pair I was looking at earlier? I’d like to try them on.”

“Certainly. One moment, please.” The saleswoman glanced at Qin Luo in surprise before hurrying off. She’d overheard Li Qingcheng’s phone conversation earlier and simply couldn't imagine how such a fashionable, alluring woman could take a liking to a bumpkin like him.

Of course, that was the customer’s private business—she could only speculate in her mind. She’d seen far more mismatched couples before.

Seeing Qin Luo standing awkwardly, lost for words, Li Qingcheng couldn’t help but laugh behind her hand. Patting the sofa beside her, she said, “Come. Sit with your big sister.”

Qin Luo sat down next to her, immediately enveloped by the intoxicating scent of her perfume.

“What do you think of the revenge method I mentioned just now?” Li Qingcheng asked.

“Not good,” Qin Luo replied hastily. He wasn’t joking—if she went and made a scene at his school, how would he ever find a wife? He was still planning to woo some female students, after all.

“Not good? Then tell me, how should I take my revenge on you?” Li Qingcheng leaned over, her head tilting toward him until their bodies were nearly touching.

“What if you just… didn’t?” Qin Luo said with a wry smile.

“No. I won’t feel better until I’ve had my revenge,” Li Qingcheng replied firmly.

“Then I—”

“Why don’t you just offer yourself to her? Little brother, Li Beauty couldn’t make her intentions any clearer, and you’re still pretending not to understand? You’re too innocent.” Out of nowhere, Ran Yu popped up behind them, leaning in.

“Ran Yu, your mouth is as foul as ever,” Li Qingcheng scolded.

“True. I can’t help but expose certain people’s dirty little thoughts. My mouth is foul, I admit. Anyway, I’ll leave you two alone. Just got a call from a friend—she’s broken up again and says she’s going to jump off a building. I need to go save her. Once a month, like clockwork—more regular than my period.”

She turned to Qin Luo and winked. “Handsome, our Li Beauty is all yours now. She likes to play hard to get. If being gentle doesn’t work, just take charge. May your spring night leave no trace.”

Qin Luo waved goodbye, amused. These women might have sharp tongues, but their hearts were good.

After trying on the purple shoes, Li Qingcheng asked, “Which do you think looks better?”

“They both look great,” Qin Luo replied honestly. It wasn’t flattery—he meant it. He wasn’t complimenting the shoes, though; it was just that Li Qingcheng’s feet were so beautiful, anything she wore looked stunning. Of course, they looked even better without shoes.

“Alright, I’ll take both pairs,” Li Qingcheng told the saleswoman.

“Certainly. Please wait a moment.” The saleswoman was all smiles—these two pairs were worth over a hundred thousand. Her commission alone would be several thousand.

“I’ll buy them for you,” Qin Luo volunteered, pulling out his credit card.

A master in the art of love had once said: there are two shortcuts to winning a woman’s heart—jewelry and skill in bed. Jewelry wasn’t fitting for this occasion, and he wasn’t confident in his bedroom prowess just yet. So buying her shoes as an apology was his only option.

The saleswoman took his card, bewildered. This man didn’t look like someone who’d casually spend over a hundred thousand on a woman’s shoes.

“Wait.” Li Qingcheng stopped him. “Do you dislike me that much?”

“No, I just wanted to make amends by buying you shoes,” Qin Luo explained with a rueful smile. Women’s ways of thinking were always a mystery to him.

“Don’t you know what giving shoes means?”

“What does it mean?” Qin Luo shook his head. He only knew that giving roses symbolized love.

“It means you want me to walk away from your life.”

“…”

To show he had no intention of sending her away, Qin Luo had no choice but to put his card away and watch as Li Qingcheng paid herself.

“Come on, I’ll buy you a drink,” she said, handing him both shopping bags.

“What are we having? I don’t drink,” Qin Luo quickly clarified. His tolerance was abysmal—one glass and he’d be out. With a wild woman like Li Qingcheng, he felt particularly vulnerable.

Li Qingcheng shot him a glare. “Who said anything about alcohol? We’ll have coffee.”

Since they were right on the main street, they soon found a café. Li Qingcheng ordered a latte and, for Qin Luo, a cappuccino with ice cream. Settling comfortably into the sofa, she looked at him and said, “Now you can tell your earth-shattering, soul-stirring tragic tale.”

“What?” Qin Luo blinked.

“You’re not going to tell me nothing happened to you tonight, are you?” Li Qingcheng scoffed. “If you dare say that, I’ll pour coffee on your face. Smart women know when to believe a man’s lies, but don’t take me for a fool.”

“How did you know something was up?” Qin Luo asked, surprised by her insight.

“When you’re in a normal mood, you’re always glancing around at pretty girls. When you’re down, you walk straight ahead like you’ve lost your soul. I was waving at you from the shop window for ages, and you didn’t react at all. Isn’t that odd?”

“…”

“Go on. Maybe I can help you.”

After some hesitation, Qin Luo shared his worries with Li Qingcheng. Despite her notorious reputation, for some reason he’d never found her unlikable—in fact, he considered her a trustworthy friend.

If Qin Luo had a secret, he might not tell Lin Huanxi, but he’d confide in Li Qingcheng.

“You like her?” Li Qingcheng asked after hearing his not-so-tragic story with Lin Huanxi.

Qin Luo shook his head. “I don’t know. Probably not.”

“You like her.” This time, Li Qingcheng was unequivocal.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Little brother, could you stop asking such silly questions? It’s written all over your face—even a fool could see it. You’re not upset about being betrayed; you’re jealous.”

Qin Luo’s heart skipped a beat. Could that really be it?

“From your description, that man sounds pretty impressive.”

“If you met him, you might like him too.”

“Pfft. I’ve met plenty of men; none have ever caught my eye.” She eyed Qin Luo up and down, adding, “But you’re an exception. Since your sister Lin doesn’t want you, why not choose me? I’m at least as good-looking as she is, aren’t I?”

Qin Luo shook his head. To be honest, it was hard to choose between Lin Huanxi’s icy beauty and Li Qingcheng’s fiery allure. One radiated an air of conquest, the other the thrill of being conquered. Ice and fire—a fascinating blend.

“My chest isn’t as big as hers?”

Qin Luo looked intently at Li Qingcheng’s deliberate display, then recalled Lin Huanxi’s graceful curves, and shook his head again.

“My legs aren’t as pretty as hers?”

Qin Luo shook his head.

“So what are you hesitating for?”

“I just don’t think we’re right for each other.”

“Wow, that’s harsh. This is the first time I’ve confessed to a man, and he turned me down!” Li Qingcheng laughed coquettishly.

Qin Luo sighed. “Do you know where I can buy an apartment?”

“You want to buy a place?” Li Qingcheng pondered a moment and understood his situation. If Lin Huanxi truly still had feelings for her ex, it was indeed inappropriate for Qin Luo to stay at her house. Seeing each other every day would only make things more awkward.

“The sooner, the better,” Qin Luo said.

“Even at best, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow.” Li Qingcheng looked him up and down and teased, “Unless… you come home with me tonight?”

Qin Luo was startled and shook his head.

When a woman follows a man home, it means something. When a man follows a woman home, it’s just as dangerous.

“What are you so afraid of? You think I’ll eat you alive?” Li Qingcheng huffed. “Besides, even if I did, you’d be the one enjoying it, wouldn’t you?”

“I’m not ready,” Qin Luo replied pitifully.

“…”

“So are you coming or not?”

“No.”

“Really not?”

“It’s not proper for a man and a woman to live together unmarried. I don’t think it would be decent.”

“I’ll ask you one last time: are you coming or not? If not, you can freeze to death on the street.” Li Qingcheng slapped the table.

“I’ll go,” Qin Luo agreed quickly. He couldn’t stand being threatened.

Li Qingcheng nodded with satisfaction, teasing, “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you.”

This time, when Qin Luo insisted on paying, Li Qingcheng didn’t stop him.

They walked out of the café together, only to be greeted by a BMW blaring its horn at them.

The window rolled down, and Li Qingyang leaned out, scanning them with a cold sneer. “You got lucky last time, but we’re just getting started, kid. Watch yourself.”

Had Wang Jiujiao been with Qin Luo, Li Qingyang wouldn’t have dared talk so brazenly—he might have driven away immediately. But seeing him with Li Qingcheng hit a sore spot. This enchantress, captivating as a siren, was the woman he’d been dreaming of day and night.

After hearing Li Qingyang’s words, Li Qingcheng’s eyes darted around.

“What are you looking for?” Qin Luo asked, puzzled, thinking she might’ve lost something important.

“A brick.”

“What for? There aren’t any bricks around here,” Qin Luo said, chuckling.

Taking his cue, Li Qingcheng squatted down, slipped off one of her black stiletto heels, and strode fearlessly to the front of the BMW.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Li Qingyang asked nervously, watching her approach with the shoe in hand.

Li Qingcheng gave him a seductive smile, then swung the heel at his car’s headlight.

Crack!

With a sharp sound, the fragile light shattered under her pointed heel.

Crack!

She moved to the other side and repeated the act.

“You crazy bitch! What the hell do you want?” Li Qingyang burst out of the car, shouting at her.

Li Qingcheng ignored him, turning instead to Qin Luo, handing him the heel with a cheerful grin. “Weren’t you in a bad mood? The last two lights are yours. Go on, it’s very satisfying.”

If you want to act cool, I’ll just bow my head.
It’s not that I’m bewitched by you—I’m just looking for a brick.

When Li Qingcheng went wild, there was a kind of seductive madness that seeped into her very bones.

At that moment, Qin Luo thought, even if he lay beneath her, surrendering to her every whim, it might not be such an unbearable fate after all.