The second day after Mi Shi’s disappearance, the police came to the dorm to investigate, as Gao Yang had expected. Qiu Qiu and Lin Dajian were at first shocked. Then they were anxious, looking everywhere for their friend to no avail.
Gao Yang played the role of a worried friend during the day and worked as a member of Team Heavenbreaker during the night. Time passed quickly like that, and Tuesday came.
Four o’clock in the afternoon, Gao Yang and Little Qing Ling showed up at Happy Zhou Gold Jewelry in Shanqing District, dressed in matching black and white jumpers. Standing at the street outside the gold jewelry shop, they looked so serious that it was as if they were walking onto the battlefield.
“Ready?” Little Qing Ling asked.
“Yeah.” Gao Yang took a deep breath. Then he remembered something. “Wait.”
Little Qing Ling side-eyed him. “What?”
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“Well, can I pay for the renting service another way?”
“Why?”
“Because...it’s a little expensive.” Gao Yang admitted the truth with a wry smile.
He had thought the pay wasn’t much, but he didn’t expect how frequently Little Qing Ling would act cute, hold his hands, and hug him. When he got the bill Qing Ling sent him, his jaw almost dropped in his shock. It had cost him his monthly salary!
It wasn’t that he was stingy. He had willingly given Qing Ling 200 jinwu under the pretense of salary after all. He wouldn’t get paid the next month until quite a while later, though, and he was running low on savings.
“How about this?” Gao Yang said. “I’ll pay you 20 jinwu per day, and I’ll buy you all the meals you want whenever we have time.”
Little Qing Ling nodded. “Alright. I’m good with that. I’ll ask my sister.”
She closed her eyes for half a minute before opening them. “She said okay. We’ll ask for half a day’s pay for today’s work, so that’s 10 jinwu. I have a condition though. I’ll initiate contact from now on. You only have to play along.”
Gao Yang got what she meant. She would improvise and initiate contact as she deemed necessary. He just had to follow his lead.
She must be worried that I’ll take advantage of her now that I’m paying by day rather than number of contacts.
Ha, what kind of person do you think I am?
“Deal,” Gao Yang said.
Little Qing Ling brushed her hair back with both hands before holding onto Gao Yang’s elbow in an intimate manner, pulling him toward the shop.
“Welcome.” The young salesperson at the entrance opened the glass door for them, giving them a friendly smile.
Gao Yang and Little Qing Ling spotted Lin Yue at first glance.
“Mom!” Gao Yang called out.
Little Qing Ling waved with a sweet smile. “Auntie.”
Lin Yue was dressed in the shop’s uniform—a red fitted dress suit and a pair of black stilettos. She had a black silk scarf around her neck, her hair put up in an elegant hairdo, her makeup light and graceful.
Standing at the counter, she was introducing a golden bracelet to a middle-aged woman who dressed expensively. When she heard Gao Yang’s voice, she looked up at the entrance, pleasantly surprised.
With an apologetic smile, Lin Yue entrusted her young colleague with the client and moved up to the door with small steps. Smiling, she asked, “Yang Yang, Qing Ling, why are you here?”
Gao Yang said, “We don’t have class this afternoon, and we happened to come to the neighborhood when we were shopping, so we swung by.”
“Sister Lin, is this handsome boy your son?” The short-haired salesperson in her thirties looked at Gao Yang.
Lin Yue nodded with a smile. “This is Sister Li, Gao Yang.”
“Hello, Sister Li,” Gao Yang greeted her with Little Qing Ling.
“This is Little Ling, Yang Yang’s girlfriend,” Lin Yue introduced. “They were classmates.”
“Ah, a match made in heaven!” Sister Li spoke a few more friendly pleasantries before going back to work.
“Mom, I wanted to buy a ring for Little Ling as a birthday gift,” Gao Yang explained why he was here.
“Ring?” Lin Yue was a little surprised. Gold rings were expensive. Where would her son get that kind of money?
Gao Yang could read her thoughts, and he explained, “I’m getting a silver ring. Do you sell them here?”
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“Silver rings? Yeah, but there aren’t many designs.” Lin Yue smiled. “I’ll show you. Family of employees also get a discount.”
Lin Yue took Gao Yang and Little Qing Ling to a glass display in the corner, where a few silver accessories were. Little Qing Ling leaned in to look over the accessories closely through the glass. Lin Yue considerately made a few recommendations and took some out for Little Qing Ling to try on.
“How is this one?” Little Qing Ling put on a simple silver band, twirling her fingers before Gao Yang.
“Looks good.”
“Why don’t you put this on too, Auntie? I’m curious how it looks on others.” Little Qing Ling took off the silver band naturally.
“Sure.” Lin Yue took the ring and put it on her ring finger.
“It looks good,” said Little Qing Ling. “You’ve got such beautiful hands, Auntie. You can be a hand model.”
“Haha, you still speak so sweetly.” Lin Yue took off the silver ring with a laugh.
Later on, Little Qing Ling spent more time looking over the rings, asking Lin Yue to put many of them on. In the end, Little Qing Ling settled on a classic design, and Gao Yang paid for it.
They said goodbyes to Lin Yue and exited the shop, going left before turning another left at the crossroad. Little Qing Ling let go of Gao Yang’s elbow.
Gao Shou had been waiting for a while. He hurried up to them. “How is it? Does it go well?”
“Pretty well.” Gao Yang smiled and glanced at Little Qing Ling. “We have Mom’s size, but you’ll have to ask Little Qing Ling about the style. I don’t really get it.”
“There are two designs Auntie quite likes. I took pictures. I’ll send them to you later, Uncle.” Little Qing Ling smiled. “When you’re looking for the diamond ring, reference the two designs.”
“Okay!” Gao Shou smiled, his eyes crinkling. “I knew I could depend on you!”
Then he asked after a pause, “Are you hungry?”
Gao Yang and Little Qing Ling exchanged a glance before nodding. They hadn’t had a proper lunch, and they were feeling hungry.
“Let’s go. I’ll buy you two hamburgers.”
The three of them walked into a hamburger place and picked a seat near the window. Gao Yang’s father ordered a family set.
“Eat as much as you want. I’ll order more if it’s not enough.”
Gao Shou placed the basket full of food on the table, obviously in a good mood. “You’ve done well today. Now the prep work is done. We only have to wait for the right time! I’ll also need your help then.”
“Of course.” Little Qing Ling nodded. It seemed like she quite looked forward to that.
Gao Yang hadn’t told Gao Shou about him and Little Qing Ling being a fake couple since he believed it was better to have one less loose end. Thus, Little Qing Ling maintained her act as his loving girlfriend.
“Hm? Why is there one straw short?” Gao Shou went to the counter to grab a straw.
Little Qing Ling dropped her sweet smile immediately and focused on eating, not sparing Gao Yang even a glance.
She opened the small red box and picked up a french fry, glancing at Gao Yang. “What are you waiting for?”
Gao Yang tore open a pack of ketchup. Little Qing Ling dipped her fry into it and took a small bite. Then she picked up a cup of iced cola and glanced at Gao Yang. Gao Yang opened the pack of a straw immediately and put the straw into her cup of cola.
Satisfied, Little Qing Ling took a sip. Then Gao Shou returned.
Gao Yang huffed inwardly. Revenge should be served hot, in less than ten seconds!
“Little Ling, I’d like some roasted wings.”
Little Qing Ling smiled brightly and quickly picked up a roasted wing, holding it to Gao Yang’s mouth. “Here, have some.”
Gao Yang took a bite and glanced at the cola in her hand. “I’m a little thirsty.”
Little Qing Ling quickly held the cola to him. “Here, have this.”
Gao Yang took a deep sip, feeling refreshed and delighted.
“Haha, you’re so close.” Gao Shou was pleased.
“Not really.” Little Qing Ling was still smiling, but she stomped on Gao Yang’s foot under the table. “We also fight sometimes.”
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