Stop Chasing the School Belle, My Shy Deskmate is Sweet and Soft - Chapter 35

The mocking words from the man at the next table instantly made Ye Ningyu’s face flush red. Embarrassed, she lowered her head and quietly apologized, “S-Sorry… I’ve never had steak before. I didn’t know there isn’t such a thing as eight-tenths cooked steak…”

“But… we didn’t steal our parents’ money to eat here!”

Ye Ningyu was flustered and clearly upset by the man’s remarks, shrinking back into her seat, her shy and timid nature making her even more uncomfortable.

Seeing this, Xia Tian turned his gaze toward the man, his eyes cold and sharp.

The man, whose name was Cao Mingzhi, sneered dismissively. “Kid, don’t look at me like that. At your age, you should be focusing on school instead of pretending to be someone you’re not by bringing your little girlfriend to a high-end place like this.”

“Steaks don’t come in eight-tenths cooked,” he added, adjusting his tie as if to emphasize his superiority.

Cao Mingzhi was clearly enjoying this, thinking he had the upper hand. His expression was full of disdain as he looked down on Xia Tian and Ye Ningyu.

Realizing the man had misunderstood her and Xia Tian’s relationship, Ye Ningyu panicked. “M-Mister, you’ve misunderstood! We aren’t a couple. I’m just his deskmate…”

“Heh, little girl, do you really expect me to believe that? The two of you coming to a place like this? You’re clearly more than just deskmates.”

Not knowing how to respond, Ye Ningyu’s eyes started welling up with tears, her anxiety peaking as she struggled to find the words to explain herself.

At that moment, Xia Tian gently grabbed her hand, giving a small shake of his head to calm her down.

He then turned back to Cao Mingzhi, his gaze icy.

“You’ve never seen an eight-tenths cooked steak? Well, I’ve never seen a dog as shameless as you.”

“What did you say, brat? Who are you calling a dog? Say that again, and I’ll smash your mouth in!” Cao Mingzhi slammed the table and shot up from his chair, clearly not expecting Xia Tian to retaliate.

But Xia Tian wasn’t one to back down. He stood up as well, and with his 183 cm (6’0″) tall frame, he towered over Cao Mingzhi, who found himself looking up at the high school student.

Cao Mingzhi gulped, startled.

Since when were high school students this tall? Did they grow up eating Ultraman?

Sizing up the situation, Cao Mingzhi quickly calculated that he might not stand a chance in a physical confrontation. As a result, he quickly switched back to his smug, condescending tone.

“Isn’t that the uniform for Bei’an No. 1 High School? I’ve heard that school is full of well-behaved, academically gifted students. How did someone like you slip through the cracks?”

“If you don’t study hard, you’ll end up sweeping the streets in the future. And when that happens, you’ll only dream of eating in a place like this. Unlike me, who’s successful in my career and can eat at places like this whenever I want.”

Cao Mingzhi adjusted his collar confidently before turning to his companion, a woman named Minmin, for validation. “Right, Minmin?”

Minmin nodded appreciatively, gazing at him with admiration, feeding his inflated ego.

But Xia Tian’s expression remained one of utter disdain.

“Uncle, stop blowing hot air. If I had to guess, you’re probably just a construction worker, right?”

Cao Mingzhi’s face twisted with anger, and he immediately started cursing. “Bullshit! I’m a company manager!”

“Is that so? Then why does your suit look rented? Aside from your shoes, everything else you’re wearing looks like it’s been borrowed,” Xia Tian retorted, smirking.

“What do you mean rented? This suit cost me 2,899 yuan—more than your parents make in a month!”

Xia Tian raised an eyebrow and pointed at Cao Mingzhi’s left side. “Uncle, your price tag is still sticking out from your jacket. Are you sure you didn’t rent it?”

Cao Mingzhi immediately panicked and looked to his left side, only to find nothing there. Furious, he roared, “You little liar!”

At this, Xia Tian chuckled, pointing to the right side of Cao Mingzhi’s jacket this time.

“My bad, Uncle. It’s actually on your right.”

Stunned, Cao Mingzhi quickly looked down at his right side and, sure enough, there was a price tag sticking out from under his jacket. His face turned pale as he realized Xia Tian had played him.

The truth was, Cao Mingzhi had rented the suit for 100 yuan, and though it was a bit short on him, as long as he didn’t move too much, it wasn’t noticeable. But Xia Tian had tricked him into exposing the tag, and now his lie was out in the open.

Desperate to salvage his dignity, especially in front of Minmin, Cao Mingzhi stammered, “I-I just bought this suit! I didn’t have time to cut off the tag! You must’ve watched too many TV dramas if you think price tags mean a suit is rented! Don’t listen to him, Minmin!”

But Xia Tian wasn’t done yet. Smirking, he added, “Well, if you really bought the suit, you can just cut off the tag now, and we’ll drop the matter. Go ahead, show me it’s yours, and I’ll shut up.”

Cao Mingzhi froze, unsure of what to do.

The truth was, he hadn’t bought the suit—it really was rented. If he cut the tag off, he’d have to buy it, and that would cost him a month’s salary!

While Cao Mingzhi stood there, speechless, Xia Tian pointed out yet another detail.

“Uncle, if you really are a company manager, why is there cement and sand stuck to the edges of your shoes?”

“I-I’m a construction site supervisor! Part of my job is inspecting the workers. It’s completely normal for there to be sand and cement on my shoes!”

“Oh, is that so? I didn’t know supervisors had to lay bricks themselves. Look at the calluses on your hands and the dirt under your fingernails. It seems like your supervisory duties must be very… hands-on,” Xia Tian said, grinning as he delivered his final blow.

Cao Mingzhi broke out in a cold sweat.

What is this kid, Sherlock Holmes? How the hell did he notice all these little details?

With his identity hanging by a thread, Cao Mingzhi scrambled for another excuse.

“Earlier today, one of the workers got injured. I helped shovel a load of sand for him. As a supervisor, I make sure to set a good example for my employees!”

Satisfied with his rushed explanation, Cao Mingzhi straightened up again, feeling like he had just pulled off a miraculous save. He was already giving himself a mental pat on the back for his clever improvisation.

But before Xia Tian could respond, Minmin stood up, her face full of disbelief.

“Cao Mingzhi! You didn’t reply to any of my messages this morning, and during lunch, you told me you were in a meeting with your bosses. Now, suddenly, you were at a construction site? Are you lying to me?”

“And what’s with the price tag on your suit?”

“I-I…”

Xia Tian nearly burst out laughing.

He had been wondering how to expose Cao Mingzhi’s final lie, but he hadn’t expected the guy to dig his own grave.

Suppressing his laughter, Xia Tian added fuel to the fire. “Miss, let me guess—your ‘boyfriend’ here skipped his morning texts because he was too busy hauling bricks. He probably finished early so he could take the afternoon off for your date.”

Minmin’s expression darkened. “Don’t talk nonsense! I’m not his girlfriend!”

With that, she grabbed her glass of red wine and poured it all over Cao Mingzhi’s face.

“Cao Mingzhi, you’re nothing but a toad trying to eat swan meat! You should look in the mirror and see what kind of person you really are!”

“Trying so hard to act rich when you’re nothing but a poor loser—go to hell!”

With that, Minmin grabbed her purse and stomped out of the “Eighth Day” restaurant in her high heels.

Cao Mingzhi was left standing there, dumbfounded. He tried to chase after her, shouting, “Minmin, wait! Let me explain…”

“Smack!”

Minmin turned around and slapped him hard across the face, the sound echoing throughout the restaurant.

Every head turned toward them as the entire restaurant stared.

Without a second glance, Minmin stormed out and disappeared into the night.

Cao Mingzhi moved to chase after her, but the restaurant staff quickly stepped in to block him.

“Sir, you can’t leave yet. You haven’t paid your bill.”

“I… damn it!”

Cao Mingzhi’s face turned beet red as he pointed at Xia Tian, screaming, “You little brat! Are you looking for a death wish? Tell me your name and what class you’re in! I’ll find your principal and make sure you’re expelled! I’ll kill you!”

But Xia Tian just laughed softly and turned to the waiter.

“Is this the kind of environment your restaurant fosters? Letting people like him dine here? If that’s the case, I’ll have to file a complaint.”

Hearing the word “complaint,” the waiter’s face paled.

Their boss was a foreigner who valued the restaurant’s reputation above all else. If this high school student really filed a complaint, it would spell trouble for the entire staff.

Immediately, the waiters surrounded Cao Mingzhi, their voices growing cold.

“Sir, please settle your bill and leave the restaurant immediately. You’re disturbing our other patrons.”

“Get out of my way! I’m going to kill that brat!”

Cao Mingzhi was fuming with rage.

He had saved up half a month’s salary for this date with Minmin, and now Xia Tian had completely ruined it. He couldn’t just let him off the hook.

However, the waiters surrounded him and forcibly escorted him out of the restaurant, insisting that he pay his bill immediately.

With no other choice, Cao Mingzhi grudgingly paid the bill, his face flushed with fury.

Through the glass window, he glared at Xia Tian, harboring thoughts of revenge.

But Xia Tian simply waved him off with a smirk and even threw in a middle finger for good measure.

Seething with anger, Cao Mingzhi stormed off down the street, chased away by the restaurant staff to avoid drawing the attention of nearby passersby.

Once the commotion died down, a man dressed in formal attire approached Xia Tian and Ye Ningyu, looking apologetic.

“Sir, Miss, I sincerely apologize for the disturbance during your meal.”

“I’m the manager of this restaurant, and in light of what happened, I’d like to personally waive the bill for your meal. I hope this won’t leave a negative impression of our establishment.”

Xia Tian, who had spent years navigating the professional world in his previous life, quickly picked up on the manager’s underlying message.

The manager was essentially saying, “We’ll cover the cost of your meal, but in return, don’t escalate this by filing a complaint. Let’s both save face.”

Xia Tian smiled knowingly. “Hehe, well, thank you, then. The service here is top-notch. I’ll be sure to come back.”

The manager’s smile stiffened slightly. Please, don’t come back…

But outwardly, he smiled politely and said, “Of course. Please enjoy the rest of your meal.”

After the manager left, Xia Tian turned to Ye Ningyu with a gentle expression.

“Don’t worry, Little Ye. Forget about that guy’s nonsense.”

“He’s just someone trying to show off in front of his goddess. Let’s finish eating before the food gets cold!”