Chapter Ninety-Four: Falling in Love?

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"All right, Sandra, what do you want?"

By the time everyone had gone, Sandra had wiped the writing off the wall outside, yet he was still sitting there, as though he did not quite want to move. So Qiu Fengyu walked over, looked at him, and said, "Hmm, so what is it?"

"Well, it is like this. Anyway, I'm only a cowboy here, so I can work for you, just like Davis. I promise I'll do a very good job."

"Do you think my little noodle shop can afford the two of you at the same time?" Qiu Fengyu could not help rubbing his head. "Besides, I already beat you up."

"That's in the past. I promise you'll think it's a very good idea."

Sandra seemed to think it was a good idea too, so he looked at Qiu Fengyu with obvious hope.

"No, Sandra, I don't need anyone else here. If one day I open my noodle shop in Los Angeles, maybe I'll hire you to be my security chief. But definitely not now." Qiu Fengyu shook his head.

Sandra rose a little dejectedly and shrugged at Qiu Fengyu.

"Qiu, I was in the navy. On that point alone, I'm better than Davis by a lot..."

"Hey, Sandra, I'm still here. Don't talk behind my back!" Davis would not stand for that. He rushed over and shouted at Sandra, "You're too late, man. There can only be one of me here. Forget it. This kind of work is not something you can do well just because you're big."

"None of your business, Davis!" Sandra did not even look at him.

"Fine, if I ever need to buy a big ship, I'll definitely consider you, because you're ex-navy." Qiu Fengyu patted his shoulder and shook his head. "We're closed, Sandra."

"Well, bad news always comes faster than good news." Sandra looked disappointed. He walked to the door, then stopped and turned back to look at Qiu Fengyu. "So... can you tell me when you'll go to Los Angeles to open a shop?"

Qiu Fengyu was startled, then laughed. "Maybe. I'll go to Los Angeles to open a shop someday, but when... ask God. I honestly don't know when I should go there."

Watching Sandra leave with a sense of disappointment, Qiu Fengyu suddenly felt like laughing out loud. Was this big fellow completely here just to be funny? Thinking about it, opening a shop in Los Angeles did sound like a good idea, but he really had no idea when he would do it. He had some money now; maybe opening a small noodle shop in Los Angeles would not be a problem at all. But Qiu Fengyu had never once thought about leaving this little town.

To be honest, he already had a few friends here, and if Qiu Fengyu wanted to leave, he truly would need courage. What he had lacked before was precisely a group of simple, cheerful people who knew how to live. Once he went to a big city, the outside things he would have to care about would probably multiply, and his thoughts might become complicated too.

That was not what Qiu Fengyu wanted.

"Hey, boss, did that big lug go crazy?" Davis looked toward where Sandra had gone, clearly dissatisfied.

"Who knows? I beat him up, and then after he got out of the police station he still wanted to come work in my shop. Who can guess what is going through that guy's head? All right, let's not talk about him. What I want to figure out now is... why didn't Tim come help today?" Qiu Fengyu looked at Davis. "I remember today is Saturday, a day off."

Davis laughed at him. "That kid's been bewitched by a girl. I saw him leave with one from Britt's house. A girl I've never seen before. Definitely not from this town."

"He has a girlfriend?" Qiu Fengyu was genuinely surprised.

That boy had always made it clear that he could never have a girlfriend at his age. He had revenge to pursue, so this outcome was somewhat unexpected.

"Who knows? Maybe. But... I have to say, that kid really attracts girls!" Davis shrugged. "I'm even a little jealous of him. Actually... I'm not that bad myself, am I?"

"Well, this is a very surprising change."

Qiu Fengyu shook his head. If the little rascal had truly fallen into love, then everything he had trained him for would have been meaningless.

Still, Qiu Fengyu did not intend to interfere. This was Tim's own choice. Qiu Fengyu had neither the right nor the habit of making choices for other people, so all he could do was let things develop naturally.

Tim was indeed with a girl. He was accompanying her as they walked through town, and the young girl was riding a motorcycle that looked very cool. A jacket and tight pants made her seem a little mature. Blond hair, blue eyes, and a figure that was honestly impressive—at fifteen or sixteen, she already made many adult girls envious.

"Want to go for a ride?" The girl tilted her head at Tim and winked.

"Listen, Mary, I'm not thinking about that right now. I know what you have in mind, but I won't..." Tim looked at her, serious as could be. "You don't know me at all..."

"No, Tim, I do know you, just as well as I know myself. I like you. I knew I liked boys like you the moment you came to school. Don't rush to say such sad things, okay?" Mary looked at Tim and reached out, lightly touching his face.

Tim was about to speak again when several young men on bicycles passed through town. They whistled at Tim and Mary.

"Hey, Tim, have you two slept together yet? Or tell us, are you still a virgin..."

"Fuck!" Tim raised his middle finger at the boys from town.

That made the fellows laugh loudly before they sped away with ease.

"If you want... it isn't impossible... Tim, are you really a virgin?" Mary looked at Tim and could not help laughing. Then she lowered her voice, leaned closer, and said, "I'll tell you a secret. I'm a virgin too. Is that okay? We could go to a hotel nearby..."

"Oh my God, I'm going crazy." Tim rubbed his head.

"Don't be like that. We've always been fine."

"I know, I know, but Mary, I can tell you I don't want to talk about this right now. I don't like being tied down by a woman and then... not being able to do anything." Tim said it again.

"I promise I won't cling to you. Once a week together will be enough!" Mary looked pitiful.

"Oh, Mary, damn it, I've said all this. Are you sure you're listening?" Tim was getting annoyed.

Mary said nothing. She simply fell silent.

"My God, go home. Otherwise your parents will worry."

Mary heard him, turned away without a word, put on her helmet, and rode off without looking back.

Tim stood there silently for a moment. Then he turned around and saw, about ten meters behind him, a man standing there. It was Qiu, arms folded, watching him.

Tim shrugged at him and spread his hands.

"I just came to see why you didn't come help at my place on your day off." Qiu Fengyu smiled. "Then I saw this. Have you really made up your mind?"

"Yes, boss. Not long after you saved me, I decided." Tim nodded.

"It's a difficult decision, because it means you have to keep your distance from a lot of people who want to get close to you. No deep feelings, nothing like that, so you won't have any burdens and nothing like that will affect your judgment."

"So... would I be your burden?" Tim asked.

"Good question, kid. If there ever comes a day when you get captured, maybe... I'll rescue you, then kick your ass hard and tell you that this is what happens when you don't train hard enough."

"Well, I'll tell you right now, that day will never come!" Tim laughed.

"Still... have you really not thought it over?"

"Thought about what?"

"Finding a woman and living a quiet life?" Qiu Fengyu looked at him seriously. "Sometimes hatred can ruin a person's entire life. Maybe your parents would not want to see you like this."

Tim could only laugh helplessly. "Boss, isn't this a little late to be saying that now?"

"Fine, let's pretend I said nothing. Come on, Davis is still jealous of you." Qiu Fengyu patted Tim on the shoulder, then started walking back.

Tim hurried after him, laughing as he walked. "Is he jealous because he still hasn't found a woman who likes him?"

The two of them talked as they walked. As they were nearing the shop entrance, Qiu Fengyu's phone rang. He took it out, glanced at it, then shrugged at Tim. "You go back first. I'm taking this call."

"Hey, Alyssa..."

Hearing that, Tim immediately turned and made faces at Qiu Fengyu, lowering his voice. "See? What were you just saying about me? Women..." He even let out a long sigh.