129: Chapter 130 Strolling Through the Night Market

At exactly seven in the evening, Jiang Jing leaned against his car. His eyes lit up as he watched a figure walk out from the office building.

Li Ruonan was wearing a wine-red slip dress. The hem swayed gently with her steps, revealing her fair calves.

She had rarely worn light makeup, and her lips were coated with a thin layer of cherry lip glaze, gleaming softly under the streetlights.

Her hair was no longer in her usual efficient ponytail; instead, it draped loosely over her shoulders, the ends slightly curled.

"What are you looking at!" Li Ruonan felt uncomfortable under Jiang Jing's direct gaze. She instinctively tried to pull up her non-existent neckline. "If you keep staring, I'm going back!"

Jiang Jing smiled as he pulled open the car door for her. "Director Li is unfairly beautiful today. What's wrong with me taking a few more looks?"

"Smooth talker..." Li Ruonan muttered as she slipped into the car, but she secretly touched her burning cheeks.

She rarely wore such ladylike clothes; most of the time, she just wore whatever was convenient and comfortable.

As the car slowly drove into the night, Jiang Jing glanced at Li Ruonan, who was sitting upright in the passenger seat. "Relax. We're going out to eat, not to a negotiation."

"Who's nervous!" Li Ruonan immediately retorted, but she involuntarily loosened her clenched fists. "I'm just... not used to wearing dresses."

Jiang Jing held the steering wheel with one hand and naturally placed his other hand over the back of hers. "Then you'll get used to it if you wear them more often in the future."

Li Ruonan wanted to pull her hand back as if shocked by electricity, but Jiang Jing held it firmly.

A warm sensation spread from the back of her hand throughout her body. She suddenly realized that Jiang Jing's hand was so large that it could completely envelop hers.

"Y-You... focus on driving!" In the end, she only protested in a small voice, letting her hand remain in his palm.

Twenty minutes later, the car stopped at the entrance of the most bustling night market in the east of the city.

Colorful neon signs stretched out in a line, the aromas of various foods mingled in the evening breeze, and the crowd was bustling.

"A night market?" Li Ruonan turned her head in surprise. "Didn't you say it was a high-end restaurant?"

Jiang Jing had already gotten out of the car and walked over to her side, pulling the door open like a gentleman. "I thought doing something different might leave a deep impression on someone." He leaned in close and lowered his voice, "Besides, there are a lot of people here, so it's not easy for acquaintances to run into our 'secret date'."

Li Ruonan's heart skipped a beat.

"Who's having a secret date with you..." she mumbled, unable to hide the smile at the corner of her lips.

As soon as they stepped into the night market, they were immediately surrounded by the sounds of various vendors shouting.

The sizzling of squid on the griddle, the cries of the candied hawthorn vendors, the aroma of cumin wafting from the barbecue stalls... Li Ruonan unconsciously took a deep breath, her eyes lighting up.

"Boss, two portions of grilled oysters!" Jiang Jing had already stopped in front of a stall. "Mildly spicy."

Li Ruonan looked at him in surprise. "How did you know I like this?"

Jiang Jing took the steaming paper bowls and carefully handed her a bamboo skewer. "I can read minds and predict the future."

Li Ruonan almost choked on her own saliva. "You... I really give up!" However, the upward curve of her lips still showed that she was in a very good mood.

Li Ruonan took the paper bowl, her fingertip accidentally getting touched by a bit of chili oil.

Just as she was about to look for a tissue, Jiang Jing suddenly grabbed her wrist, leaned down, and licked the chili oil off her fingertip.

"!!" Li Ruonan froze on the spot, burning up from her fingertips to the tips of her ears.

Jiang Jing's tongue was warm and moist, gently sweeping across her sensitive fingertip. The sensation at that moment made her knees go weak.

"It is indeed mildly spicy," Jiang Jing commented nonchalantly, as if the extremely intimate action just now was the most normal thing in the world.

Li Ruonan mechanically stuffed an oyster into her mouth. The savory and spicy flavors exploded in her mouth, but they couldn't drown out the roaring sound of her heartbeat at all.

This bastard... he's too good at flirting!

For the next two hours, they wove through the various stalls like an ordinary couple.

Jiang Jing bought candied hawthorns and insisted that Li Ruonan take the first bite. Li Ruonan, on the other hand, insisted on trying all the insanely spicy snacks. Even though she was tearing up from the heat, she refused to admit defeat, finally snatching Jiang Jing's iced sour plum soup and gulping it down.

"Drink slower, no one's competing with you." Jiang Jing smiled as he wiped away the water stains from the corner of her mouth with his thumb.

Li Ruonan panted, her lips a bright, fiery red from the spice. "I wouldn't even be afraid of another ten skewers of grilled wings!"

"Yes, yes, yes, Director Li is the best." Jiang Jing dotingly ruffled her hair and casually took the various snack bags from her hands.

Li Ruonan suddenly stopped in her tracks and stared at him blankly.

"What's wrong?" Jiang Jing turned back.

"Nothing... I just suddenly felt..." Li Ruonan looked down at the tips of her canvas shoes. "You don't look like a big boss worth tens of billions at all like this."

Jiang Jing raised an eyebrow. "Then what do I look like?"

"Like... like..." Li Ruonan stammered, unable to say it.

Like an ordinary boyfriend—these words were stuck in her throat, completely unable to be uttered.

Jiang Jing, however, seemed to understand her unspoken words. He chuckled and took her hand. "Let's go. There's a dessert stall ahead that's said to be very good."

At the moment their fingers intertwined, Li Ruonan didn't pull away. Jiang Jing's palm was broad and warm, holding her tightly but not enough to make her feel uncomfortable. This feeling of being cherished... was really nice.

They queued in front of a handmade ice cream stall. Li Ruonan suddenly remembered something and spoke up hesitantly, "Um... what about Xue'er..."

Jiang Jing's movements paused for a moment before he immediately returned to normal. "What about her?"

"Does she know we're... like this?" Li Ruonan's voice grew softer and softer.

Jiang Jing turned to face her, his expression turning serious. "Ruonan, I won't let Xue'er down. Just like with Wen Ying, with Xinxin, and all the others." He gently lifted her chin. "I never hide my playboy nature, and I never force anyone to accept it."

Li Ruonan bit her lower lip. Reason told her she should be angry and call him a playboy, but a voice deep inside her said: At least he is honest.

"Scumbag..." she finally muttered in a low voice, but she didn't shake off his hand.

Jiang Jing smiled and accepted this evaluation. "So, is Director Li going to join this 'scumbag's harem,' or..."

"Who wants to join!" Shamed into anger, Li Ruonan kicked him, but after getting the ice cream, she actively scooped a spoonful and held it to his lips. "...Try it, it's matcha flavor."

Jiang Jing obediently opened his mouth, his tongue deliberately sweeping across the tip of the spoon. Li Ruonan's hand shook, and she almost smashed the ice cream onto his face.

"Delicious," Jiang Jing said with a smile, though it was unclear whether he was evaluating the ice cream or something else.