Chapter 109: From Now On, I'll Earn Loads and Loads of Money for You to Spend
Tang Yu wrapped her arms around his neck, hanging onto him like a koala. The young girl wore jeans and a short-sleeved shirt. As passersby walked by, Bian Yang supported her by the hips with one hand, freeing the other to adjust her shirt downward, covering the exposed part of her waist. Then, both hands moved to cradle behind her knees as he carried her forward.
Her chin rested on the young man’s shoulder. Her slender legs swayed gently. “Bian Yang, am I heavy?”
He let out a soft chuckle. “You must have some misunderstanding about ‘heavy.’ You’re not even as heavy as the dumbbell at home.”
She protested, “But I weighed myself this morning. I gained seven pounds, now I’m eighty-five pounds.”
He smiled. “Is that so? Eighty-five pounds… only when you reach ninety-five will it be impressive.”
She puffed out her cheeks. “I’ll work hard to grow.” She didn’t want him to look down on her.
“Hmm, then eat an extra bowl of rice every day, alright?”
“Okay!” She raised her hand eagerly.
She added earnestly, “I’ll make lots and lots of money for you to spend.”
Bian Yang struggled to suppress his smile. “Tang Xiaoyu, you’re amazing.” His tone was patient and gentle.
Receiving his approval, her lips curved sweetly. Under the dusk sky, tiny sparks shimmered in her eyes.
Clinging to his neck like a beloved toy she didn’t want to let go, she coaxed softly, “As long as you’re with me, I won’t treat you badly.”
That tone—how was it so…
Bian Yang narrowed his eyes. “Who taught you to say that?”
“From the TV,” she said with a shy smile, then leaned closer, whispering into his ear, “I’ll work hard to keep you.”
“…”
He took a breath. “No more watching those messy dramas.”
“I want to watch,” she murmured, burying her head in the crook of his neck, inhaling his pleasant cedar scent, her voice soft.
“I want to keep you like this…” So that you belong only to me.
She didn’t finish her sentence, gradually quieting down, her breaths softening. She didn’t notice that where her lips pressed against the young man’s skin—his tender, delicate neck and ear—was visibly flushing red.
Bian Yang exhaled deeply, freed a hand to gently shift her head to the side, then continued carrying her forward.
Ahead, Liu Yaojie and his brothers were laughing and joking as they walked arm in arm. Suddenly, Liu Yaojie glanced up and caught sight of Bian Yang. Their eyes met briefly, cold and indifferent.
At that moment, Liu Yaojie’s eyes widened dramatically. Without a word, he turned and ran.
His brothers were baffled, watching as Liu Yaojie tripped and fell hard, but quickly got up and kept running.
“What’s wrong with him?”
“No idea. Possessed or something? It’s late at night, kinda creepy…”
Bian Yang withdrew his gaze calmly, carrying the girl past them.
Once at the apartment, he laid her on the bed.
She clung to the blanket, no longer demanding anything from him, curling up comfortably.
No trace remained of her earlier bold ambition to ‘keep’ him.
Bian Yang smiled at the sight, removed the cloth bag from his neck and placed it on the table. Squatting by the bed, he took off her shoes, lifted the blanket, and tucked her in.
The girl’s cheeks were flushed, still tipsy, sleeping soundly.
After a moment, he went next door and retrieved a box from under the pillow. Inside lay a necklace, quietly resting.
It was custom-made for her birthday. It hadn’t arrived earlier, but had been delivered just these past days.
---
Near noon, Tang Yu awoke groggily.
The curtains let in little light. A small hand emerged from under the cream-colored quilt, fumbling around the headboard but finding nothing. Her mind still foggy, she rubbed her head against the pillow then slowly sat up.
Her hair hung messily by her cheeks. She stared blankly at the bedding.
But her mind replayed last night’s wild declarations frame by frame…
“I’ll make lots and lots of money for you to spend.”
“As long as you’re with me, I won’t treat you badly.”
“I’ll work hard to keep you.”
She pressed her hands to her face, cheeks burning.
What had she done…
Hearing noise outside, Tang Yu threw back the covers. She was still in yesterday’s clothes, slippers by the bed.
She slipped on her slippers, tiptoed to the door, and peeked quietly toward the sound.
Three dishes and two bowls of porridge were laid out on the dining table.
Noticing the movement, Bian Yang, standing by the fridge, glanced up and turned slightly toward her.
The girl fiddled with the wall, unsure what she was doing. When their eyes met, she quickly looked away, sheepish.
He smirked, grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, and twisted the cap open.
“I was just about to call you. Now that you’re awake, what are you standing there for? Go wash up.”
The boy was much taller than the fridge. Apparently fresh from his shower, his hair damp and tousled on his forehead, dressed in white casual wear, looking especially clean and relaxed. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he drank, exuding a lazy ease.
Tang Yu quickly averted her gaze, murmured “Oh,” and headed to the bathroom.
After washing up, she returned to find Bian Yang already seated, sipping porridge.
Awkwardly searching for words, she asked, “Did you make all this yourself?”
She had prepared some compliments, but the boy lazily lifted an eyelid.
“I ordered all of it,” he said. “Takeout.”
“…”
Her praise died on her lips.
Tang Yu pulled out a chair and sat down, taking a sip of porridge. Bian Yang picked up some food with his chopsticks, his tone faint.
“Don’t worry, it’s your money I used. Someone insisted on stuffing cash into my pocket last night saying he’d keep me. See, he’s already started.”
“Cough! Cough!” She choked on her porridge, turning her head to cough uncontrollably.
He handed her a tissue.
She grabbed it and wiped her mouth quickly, her face nearly buried in the bowl.
Bian Yang glanced at her small head and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
“What, having second thoughts?”
“No, no!” She said, then immediately choked again, realizing how odd that sounded.
If she regretted it, it’d mean breaking her word. If not, then it was an admission…
Tang Yu felt it was all awkward and decided to play dumb.
“Don’t pretend,” he said, raising his eyebrows slightly. “You look fine, no memory gaps. I won’t help you recall every detail, but remember what we agreed on last night, okay?”
Tang Yu was mortified, recalling his words.
He said he wouldn’t go abroad.
He said she had to consult him about everything.
And all the other things she’d said…
She remembered them all.
She gave a perfunctory “Mm” and buried her head in her food.
Bian Yang’s lips lifted faintly. “Are we still going back to your place this week?”
“No.”
She had called her grandparents and decided not to return before the college entrance exam, even quitting her part-time job to focus on studying.
“Then shall we study together later?”
Tang Yu bit her chopsticks, glanced at him. He nonchalantly picked at his food.
Remembering their agreement not to hide anything from each other, she spoke directly.
“About what I said last night…”
Bian Yang looked up at her. She cleared her throat twice, eyes darting.
“Some of it was true, some was nonsense from being drunk…”
“Whether true or nonsense, I believe all of it,” he said, a slight smile curling his lips.
“Tang Xiaoyu, you better work hard. Keeping me is expensive.”
Tang Yu muttered, “It can be more expensive…”
“Want to try?” he teased.
Tang Yu was caught in his trap again, lowered her head and pretended not to hear.
“Shall we go to the supermarket later?”
She kept up the act.
Leaning back in his chair, Bian Yang went on to himself, “You’re already backing out before we’ve really started. I wonder who said they’d make lots of money for me to spend.”
“…”
“And said as long as they were with me, they wouldn’t suffer losses.”
“…”
“Looks like it was all empty promises.”
“…”
Tang Yu couldn’t take it anymore. She put down her bowl, feeling like she was burning up from head to toe.
“Buy, buy, buy,” she sighed. “Let’s go to the supermarket later. Whatever I want, I’ll buy.”
Bian Yang couldn’t hide the satisfaction on his lips.