Love in the Fast Lane - Chapter 67 - Pointless Busy-Body

Did I leave the house without checking the calendar today? Is it one of those days when my luck just explodes, allowing me to help a lot of people? Mo Zihan was puzzled and found it strange that someone like Wu Chengxian would mysteriously request her help. And now, Li Ke was even more insistent, wanting her assistance. Had she inadvertently become someone who could be of great help to others?

Mo Zihan was curious, and not wanting to cook for herself at home, she agreed to go with Li Ke to a small restaurant to eat and talk.

Li Ke, of course, chose an upscale Western restaurant. Mo Zihan said, “Let’s find a Chinese restaurant. I’m not really into Western food.”

Li Ke replied with a smile, “What good can you find in a Chinese restaurant? Haven’t you seen the recent reports? Gutter oil, let’s not even talk about that. Even the vegetables are washed with water from the sewers. Western food is safer. Since you don’t usually eat Western food, you can treat yourself once in a while.”

This comment angered Mo Zihan, and she responded firmly, “Where does all this talk of gutter oil come from? So many people go in and out of Chinese restaurants, and you don’t see many of them just dropping dead at the door, do you? I don’t like Western food, so why would I use it as an excuse to treat myself? It’s absurd.”

Li Ke was left speechless by her words and had to relent, “Alright, we’ll go to a Chinese restaurant. I’m just thinking of your best interests.”

It wasn’t that Mo Zihan had any particular issue with Li Ke’s attitude. In this world, everyone has their quirks; it’s not unusual. But the way Li Ke implicitly treated her as if she couldn’t afford to eat at a Western restaurant and blatantly mocked Tang Ning’s lack of sophistication annoyed Mo Zihan greatly.

Is a tea house inferior to a cafe? Is Western food necessarily better than Chinese food? It’s one thing to adopt foreign ways, but claiming that traditional Chinese eating habits are inferior and constantly belittling one’s own culture is just absurd.

Finally, they chose a hot pot restaurant and requested a small cubicle. Mo Zihan quickly sat down before Li Ke could pull out a chair for her. She glanced around at the crowded restaurant, the scent of hot pot filling her nose, and felt a satisfying sense of contentment.

After ordering, Li Ke turned to the waiter and asked, “Do you have red wine here? What’s the best you have? Which year is your Lafite?”

Mo Zihan interrupted, “Just get me a bottle of juice.”

Li Ke laughed, “How about some red wine? I hear the wine here is quite good.”

Mo Zihan responded calmly, “What’s so great about that sour taste? Besides, I’ve never heard of pairing hot pot with red wine-it just doesn’t sit well with me.”

Li Ke felt slightly embarrassed as the waiter smirked but politely explained, “Miss, this is a trendy way to eat now. This gentleman just wants you to experience some fine red wine.”

Mo Zihan smirked, “Oh? Just because it’s trendy, we have to follow? So, when the flu is going around, does that mean those who don’t catch it are outdated? Foreigners drink red wine with Western food to enhance the dining atmosphere. But we’re having hot pot now, which is a completely different experience. Hot pot is about spicy and fresh flavors-is wine really a good match for that?”

The waiter blushed, unsure about red wine, and chose not to speak further.

“A bottle of juice for me. You can have wine if you like.” After dealing with the cheeky waiter, Mo Zihan addressed Li Ke.

Li Ke conceded, “Just get me a drink then. Drinking alone isn’t such a great look.”

The waiter rolled his eyes, defeated by this excuse, and walked away with the menu.

Li Ke awkwardly remarked, “See, if we were at a Western restaurant, even the most mediocre ones, the waiters would at least maintain a certain level of politeness. But here, they don’t even recognize customers as supreme.”

Mo Zihan retorted, “We’re here to eat, not to be treated like gods. Besides, we’re fully capable of serving ourselves. Do we need someone to feed us? What kind of civility is that… Alright, what do you need help with? If I can assist, I certainly won’t refuse.”

Li Ke pondered for a moment, then waved his hand, “Let’s talk after eating. It’s not that urgent.”

If it’s not urgent, why are you acting like you’re being chased by a dog?

Of course, Mo Zihan didn’t think Li Ke was making a fuss over nothing. For him to humble himself to ask her for help meant he genuinely needed something. His hesitation to speak could only mean he found it difficult to ask or wasn’t sure she could agree.

What could it be?

Feeling cautious, Mo Zihan said, “Why not just say it now? You’ll have to eventually. If you say it now, I can think about it while we’re eating, and we might resolve it before we’re done. If you wait until after, I’ll have to clean up in the afternoon, and being busy might make me overlook your important request.”

Li Ke chuckled, “It’s not that complicated. I mentioned before that it’s a simple matter for you, nothing difficult. Of course, you might need to think of a few words to explain, but I have a plan for that.”

Suddenly, Mo Zihan remembered something. Last year-no, according to the Gregorian calendar, it was the year before-after eating at a hotel, she discovered that her wallet had been slashed by a thief. It was Li Ke who came to her rescue. Although she later “figured” out a solution that would have worked with or without his help, it was still a favor. If he brought this up later and the favor he asked was indeed manageable, she couldn’t just decline without cause, which could complicate things.

So, Mo Zihan smiled and said, “Alright, we’ll wait a bit. Actually, I should be the one treating you today. You can’t compete with me on that. Back in the year before last, when I was at a hotel and got hurt by their faulty facilities, you came to my aid, remember?”

Li Ke didn’t expect a trap in her words and smiled, “What’s the big deal? We’re friends.”

Mo Zihan spread her hands and replied, “It’s still a favor, after all. So today, let me treat you. Don’t argue with me, or if what you need from me later is really challenging, this favor might leave me no choice but to agree.”

Li Ke’s face fell slightly, and he said coolly, “So that’s the reason. You’re really letting down an old friend.”

Mo Zihan chuckled, “Can’t help it. I’m short on time these days. In a few days, I have to go back to Tang Ning’s hometown with him, and I still have a lot of things unsettled here. I have to be cautious.”

As they spoke, the pot broth began to boil, and the dishes were brought in-by a different waiter.

The broth was a concoction of various nutritious herbs and ingredients. Mo Zihan glanced at the menu and mentally calculated that this meal might cost several hundred, enough to cover a week’s expenses for her and Tang Ning. She couldn’t help but feel a bit pained.

Since being with Tang Ning, Mo Zihan had become quite frugal, stretching every yuan. Qi Xiaomeng had mocked her several times for this, but Mo Zihan accepted it calmly. This was life, after all. The old Mo Zihan who had little concept of money, jumping around only when she ran out, was long gone.

Her actions, or rather her transformation, were not something Li Ke had expected. His focus seemed to be on the hot pot, and he didn’t notice Mo Zihan’s discreet glance at the menu.

Li Ke’s attempt to eat elegantly with chopsticks, despite his restraint, amused Mo Zihan greatly. Clearly attached to Chinese food, he insisted on dining at Western restaurants for every meal. Was this what some called being “cultured”?

Mo Zihan poured a drink and suggested, “Let’s toast. It’s customary, and then we can get down to business, right?”

Li Ke smiled awkwardly, took a sip of his drink, and was about to wipe his mouth with a napkin. Mo Zihan thought sarcastically to herself, picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, put it in her bowl, and ate it in one go without letting it cool. Her chopsticks were again reaching for more food.

Li Ke hesitated for a moment and tentatively asked, “Qi Xiaomeng, it seems her family is also pressuring her to find a boyfriend, right?”

Huh? Qi Xiaomeng? Could it be that Li Ke has his eyes set on Qi Xiaomeng now?

Mo Zihan thought of this and felt a brief moment of excitement, then dismissed her own thought.

What kind of person is Qi Xiaomeng? If Li Ke were her type, her family wouldn’t be pushing her, at least not for a while. From start to finish, Qi Xiaomeng has only seen Li Ke as a friend, which means neither of them is interested in taking it further.

So why is he asking about Qi Xiaomeng?

Mo Zihan’s gaze put pressure on Li Ke, who lowered his head and, after thinking for a while, said, “What I mean is, right now, all four of us are being pressured by our families to come up with various solutions, even resorting to fake cohabitation or fake relationships. So why don’t we collaborate?”

“How so?” Mo Zihan put down her chopsticks. Instinctively, she felt that Li Ke’s reason for seeking her out had nothing to do with Qi Xiaomeng.

Sure enough, Li Ke didn’t beat around the bush and candidly said, “I know about your situation with that person. I think maybe we could collaborate in a way. Since it’s all just an act, it doesn’t matter who the other person is, right? Qi Xiaomeng is under a lot of pressure from her family, and your current collaborator is likely in the same situation. You’ve been collaborating with him for a year. My idea is, why don’t you two say you’ve broken up, and then let that person partner with Qi Xiaomeng this year?”

Mo Zihan internally scoffed. If she didn’t know what Li Ke was scheming, she wouldn’t be herself.

However, she was puzzled about why Li Ke approached her. If it was just to put on a show for the family’s sake, there were plenty of women who would fit the bill for him, possibly even better ones. So why choose her?

“And then?” Mo Zihan placed her hands on the table and leaned back in her chair, asking slowly.

Li Ke casually spread his hands, “Then it’s simple. We know each other well, and you’d be more suitable than Qi Xiaomeng to meet my family. Also, pairing up with your collaborator just requires a believable reason for a breakup, which isn’t hard to come by these days. I believe that what your collaborator can do, I can easily achieve too.”

His implication was clear: anything Tang Ning couldn’t achieve, he certainly could.

Mo Zihan smirked slightly and said, “Your suggestion is quite logical. However, I won’t agree to it.”