Cheng Xiran didn't stand on ceremony either. She reached out to take it and then pretended to be aloof as she smiled at him and said, "Then I'll thank you, my lord."
Why did he say he didn't know her? Was it because he was still angry that she hadn't obeyed his order?
On her way to look for Zhuque and Yun'er, Cheng Xiran kept thinking about this question. What she didn't expect was that Zhuque and Yun'er were no longer in their original places, while Helian Duo had been following closely behind her.
"Zhuque! Yun'er!"
Cheng Xiran called out several times while looking around. But no matter how loudly she shouted, her voice was instantly drowned out by the continuous hubbub.
Even though it was noisy all around, she could clearly hear Helian Duo's cold voice, every single word: "Cheng Xiran, I'm starting to think you're getting dumber. Do you think they can hear you shouting like this?"
Cheng Xiran was annoyed and glared at him, gritting her teeth as she said, "My lord, I don't think I know you, do I?"
Helian Duo remained calm: "So you've learned to be tough with me?"
He exuded an intimidating aura even without getting angry. But Cheng Xiran didn't know where she got the courage to confront him. Adopting the same attitude she had towards Lady Liu, she lashed out at him: "Helian Duo, who do you think you are? We're just in a cooperative relationship. Even if you're my employer at work, this is our private time now. Please stop putting on airs."
After saying this, she felt a momentary sense of relief, but it only lasted for a second.
A second later, she didn't even dare to look up at Helian Duo, afraid that a single glance from him would seal her fate.
After a while, Helian Duo's voice came from above, noticeably softer: "Alright, I don't feel at ease leaving you alone. Let's go to the teahouse to meet Li Yin. That Xue Lianyu saw Ruoyue and went to enjoy the lanterns with her, leaving us behind."
After saying that, he turned around and walked away slowly. Cheng Xiran was stunned for a moment and then followed him.
Cheng Xiran kept telling herself in her heart that she was following him because she didn't want Chu Liyin to be unhappy.
It definitely wasn't because of Helian Duo!
The two of them arrived at the teahouse one after another. From afar, they saw Chu Liyin sitting dejectedly on the outside steps with a dazed look in her eyes. On her way towards Chu Liyin, Cheng Xiran had already cursed Xue Lianyu dozens of times in her heart.
When Chu Liyin saw Cheng Xiran, she quickly got up and started to act coquettishly, seeking comfort: "Sister, Xue Lianyu is really so annoying!"
"Yes, yes, yes. Xue Lianyu is such a jerk!" Cheng Xiran comforted her while gently hugging her.
After the girl's emotions had stabilized, Cheng Xiran took her hand and walked into the bustling crowd. Helian Duo silently followed behind them, looking more like a bodyguard.
Fortunately, the jewelry that Cheng Xiran had asked Zhuque to pawn earlier had fetched a good amount of silver. So whatever Chu Liyin wanted, Cheng Xiran would pay for it to make her happy.
Even so, Cheng Xiran still felt a bit pained about her money, as after all, it wasn't easy for her to earn it.
The three of them had a harmonious time on their way, buying a lot of trinkets. However, Helian Duo was still too cold. When he saw a street performance, he would say it was just a showman's trick and didn't want to squeeze into the more crowded areas with them. He said he hated being too close to others.
In the end, he was left behind by Cheng Xiran and Chu Liyin. All alone, he went back to the teahouse by himself.