Chapter 8 

Chen Linyao opened her wallet and sighed. This month, she really didn’t have much money left. 

She had spent a significant amount on her new car and still had monthly payments to worry about. Although she had some savings initially, after her accident with Xie Zhengjie, her comfortable finances turned into a barely manageable sum. 

“Let’s just go eat porridge,” Chen Linyao suggested, opting for the most budget-friendly choice she could think of. 

Xie Zhengjie had flatly rejected her suggestion to go on a talent show. Since she couldn’t conjure flames herself to earn extra money, all she could do was stretch what little she had left. 

But her problems for the day were only beginning. 

“A’Yao, when did you get married?” 

Before they had even made it out of the building, they ran into Song Xiuying’s grandmother, Ye Yilan. A woman from the countryside, she had been fortunate that her daughter married a doctor. Together, the couple had invested in an apartment building to rent out and brought Ye Yilan to the city to help collect rent and take care of Song Xiuying. 

Granny Ye was a talkative soul, and everyone in the apartment complex knew her. Anything she learned quickly became common knowledge among the tenants. 

Chen Linyao froze at the question, glancing briefly at Xie Zhengjie. Seeing that he wasn’t about to explain anything, she had no choice but to clarify herself. 

“Granny Ye, I’m not married.”

This time, it was Granny Ye’s turn to pause. She glanced at Xie Zhengjie, then leaned in close to whisper,

“Is this handsome young man a relative of yours?” 

Chen Linyao hesitated to reply. She didn’t want to lie, but Song Xiuying had already seen them together. If she told the truth, it might cause even more misunderstandings. 

“I’m not,” Xie Zhengjie answered on her behalf. 

Chen Linyao whipped around to glare at him. 

I know we’re not related, but could you at least think about the situation before speaking? 

“Oh” Granny Ye exclaimed, narrowing her eyes and giving Chen Linyao a knowing smile. “I see how it is.” 

“It’s not what you think, Grandma!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Times have changed. I’ve been in the city long enough to understand—I’m not judging you.” 

A few days ago, when Xie Zhengjie had grabbed her neck, it had left red marks. Before heading out, Chen Linyao had used foundation to cover them up. Unfortunately, Granny Ye noticed the heavy makeup and misinterpreted it completely. 

“Young people are so passionate—it’s only natural,” Granny Ye glanced at Chen Linyao’s neck, tilted her head to one side, then to the other, and warned, “But next time, leave marks in less obvious places. That foundation is too thick—anyone could notice.” 

Chen Linyao’s heart wept. 

Granny Ye was just like most elderly people: once she believed something, there was no convincing her otherwise. The more you tried to explain, the guiltier you looked. 

Fuming, she turned to glare at Xie Zhengjie, let out an exasperated huff, and stomped back to her apartment. 

It was a pleasant day, and most people were dressed in a single layer. Yet when Chen Linyao stepped outside again, she had a scarf wrapped around her neck. 

After breakfast, there was plenty of time left. Usually, on her days off, Chen Linyao would sleep in until nearly noon. But today, she finished her porridge with hours to spare before lunch, leaving an abundance of time before she could even think about going to bed. 

Spending so much time alone with a healthy young man in her apartment wasn’t something she could handle. Even if he didn’t do anything, just a few words from his sharp tongue were enough to exhaust her. 

On the way back, she noticed the young man frequently glancing around, his demeanor resembling that of a tourist taking in the sights. If he had a camera in his hands, he would undoubtedly stop to snap pictures at every corner. 

“Do you want to go somewhere? I can take you,” Chen Linyao asked, thinking it might be a good idea to go on an inexpensive outing. If it made him happy, it might help foster some peace between them going forward. 

Besides, her car had already been repaired. In truth, she hadn’t been driving very fast that day—the front end had only been slightly dented, and the engine wasn’t affected. The mechanic had fixed it up in just a few days, and it looked as good as new. Plus, she hadn’t driven it since the accident, so the gas tank was still nearly full. 

Xie Zhengjie pondered her question seriously before replying, “I’d like to visit the moon someday.” 

Chen Linyao tilted her head in thought. Was there a place called “The Moon” in her city? Maybe a temple with that name? Or could it be some kind of nightlife venue? 

“Which moon are you talking about?” 

Xie Zhengjie pointed to the sky and said, “The round yellow one that comes out at night.” 

“...” 

“You can’t take me there?” Seeing her frozen in place, the young man shook his head and said. “You shouldn’t boast if you don’t have the ability to deliver.” 

“Are you crazy?! Who in their right mind thinks about going to the moon?” 

“Just a few days ago, I saw people on television walking on the moon. They even talked about when they’d be going next. I admit that no one in my kingdom has achieved such a feat yet. But if I could step on the moon, my trip here wouldn’t have been in vain.” 

After saying this, Xie Zhengjie asked again, “So, can you take me or not?” 

“I… I can’t. Outer space is too far.” 

“Then let’s go to the kingdom called America. In the western lands of my kingdom, there are golden-haired people my imperial father doesn’t usually concern himself with. They form tribes, and neither their weapons nor their immortal arts can compare to even a fraction of ours. But when I watched television, I was surprised to see that those golden-haired people possess powerful weapons. I should investigate this further.” After finishing, Xie Zhengjie asked once more, “Can you take me there?” 

“That’s… also too far. I can’t take you there right now.” 

“Not right now? So you could, but something is preventing you?” 

“It’s too far, and I don’t have the money.” 

“Then how about North Korea? That should be much closer. I recall that they also have powerful weapons similar to America. A few days ago, they even launched two missiles. We could go investigate there.” 

“It’s still too far…” Chen Linyao replied, her tone weary. This man was clearly trying to torment her on purpose.