Yu He was half-believing, but Ruan Tianxin was better at handling relationships with men, so she agreed.
That night.
The villa courtyard rented by the film crew for Ruan Tianxin and the others was brightly lit, set up for a party.
When Yu He arrived with Qin Beiting, he had a cold expression, but he still came along.
Nan Ou had night scenes tonight. Besides Shi Ban, there were two other actresses and a few assistants in the courtyard, grilling, chatting, and drinking. The atmosphere was lively.
"Xiao He Miao, over here." Ruan Tianxin, who had claimed a grilling station for herself, waved at them when she saw them arrive.
"Young Master Qin wouldn't do this kind of rough work. Go sit over there and have a drink. We'll bring it to you when Xiao He Miao and I are done grilling."
Seeing that Qin Beiting had come along, Ruan Tianxin said.
Qin Beiting glanced coldly at the grilling station. This was it?
He had undergone military special training before, where he was simply dropped into the wilderness for three days and three nights, surviving on his own while also guarding against surprise attacks. The living conditions were extremely harsh. This small task of grilling was nothing.
However, he wanted to try the young girl's cooking. He turned and found an empty table, sitting down and watching Yu He from afar.
Yu He knew Ruan Tianxin was deliberately trying to keep Qin Beiting away. After washing her hands at the nearby sink, she picked out a few lamb skewers and returned to the grilling station to start grilling.
When she was in the mountains before, she had often gone hunting with her neighborhood friends behind her grandmother's back and grilled the meat to eat. This was her specialty.
Before long, the alluring aroma of grilled lamb wafted through the courtyard, making Shi Ban cry with longing.
He ran over, "Boss, it smells so good, I want to eat!"
"Young Master Qin hasn't eaten yet. Do you dare to eat?" Ruan Tianxin teased.
Shi Ban suddenly felt two dagger-like gazes fixed on him from behind and shivered. "I'll just grill my own."
With that, he went to get his own food.
"When you take it to him later, don't put on a stern face. Be softer, perhaps even act a little spoiled."
Ruan Tianxin arranged the skewers Yu He had grilled on a plate, and also put the grilled enoki mushrooms wrapped in foil onto it. She even drew a heart on it with ketchup.
"...Is this going to work?" Yu He looked at the heart, somewhat dubious.
"Trust me, it's a hundred percent effective."
Ruan Tianxin patted her chest. "Men throwing a tantrum isn't because they genuinely want to. They just want to gain your attention and have you focus on them."
Was Qin Beiting really thinking like this?
Yu He was a little doubtful but still picked up the plate, contemplating how to be softer as she slowly walked towards him.
Just then, a flash of red intercepted her and placed the grilled food in front of Qin Beiting.
Yu He stopped.
Qin Beiting was looking at his phone, replying to messages. Suddenly, a perfume scent, so strong it masked even the aroma of the grilled food, approached, and a plate of barbecue was placed before him.
He looked up. It was a woman in a red slip dress, looking like a seductive enchantress. He frowned, disliking the strong perfume.
"Sir, you look lonely. Let's eat barbecue together."
Meng Lina tucked her hair behind her ear and winked.
She had gone to the restroom and on her way out, she saw a man in the courtyard who was even more handsome and younger than Nan Ou. Her heart instantly fluttered, and she came over specifically to strike up a conversation.
She was a recently popular rising star, very confident in her looks and figure. In the entertainment industry, there was no man she couldn't capture.
Qin Beiting's expression remained cold. The word "scram" hadn't yet left his lips when his gaze swept past Yu He behind Meng Lina, and he suddenly changed his mind.
His thin lips moved, "Alright."
Seeing this, Meng Lina smiled more charmingly. Indeed, no man could resist her allure.
"I grilled this myself, try it." She sat opposite Qin Beiting.
Under the table, she took off her high heels and was about to extend her foot towards Qin Beiting's leg when Yu He walked over.
She placed the plate in her hand on the table and smiled at Qin Beiting, saying, "Daddy, here's the barbecue you wanted."
Meng Lina immediately withdrew her foot, almost losing her balance and falling off the chair. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them in disbelief.
Daddy?!
This man looked only in his early twenties.
How could he have such a grown-up daughter?!
Qin Beiting looked at the girl dotingly. "Thank you, darling. And there's a heart too. You're so thoughtful, darling."
Yu He smiled, "I'm glad you like it."
Qin Beiting picked up a lamb skewer and took a bite...
It was so salty, it was like biting into salt.
Didn't it fill the courtyard with its aroma? How could it taste like this...
"Is it delicious?" Yu He asked, still wearing a deathly smile.
Qin Beiting swallowed without changing his expression. "Delicious."
"...If it's delicious, then eat more." Yu He pushed the barbecue towards him, then looked at Meng Lina. "Auntie, would you like to have some?"
The chilling deathly smile on Yu He's face made Meng Lina shiver.
Auntie?!
Did she look that old?!
Then she looked at the plate, almost completely covered with ketchup and chili sauce, with an ugly heart drawn on it. It was hard to describe.
Were these two really father and daughter?!
She must be dreaming!
"My, my apologies. I'll be going now." Meng Lina quickly put on her shoes and left. She didn't want to be exposed as a homewrecker.
As soon as Meng Lina left, the smile on Yu He's face instantly faded, and she returned to her usual aloof demeanor.
"Sorry, did I scare away your romantic encounter?" Yu He asked nonchalantly.
"Yes, what a pity," Qin Beiting said, though his tone showed no regret.
Yu He looked at him calmly for a few seconds, then turned and left.
She was in a good mood, so why would she need coddling?
Hmph, men really are big scumbags!
Qin Beiting watched her back as she left the courtyard. Damn, he had gone too far.
Over at the grilling station, Ruan Tianxin had only stepped away to take a phone call. When she returned, she found that the condiment bottles were all empty, and there wasn't even any salt left.
"That's strange. It's one thing for the ketchup and chili sauce to be gone, but why is a whole big bottle of salt also missing?"
--
After Yu He left the courtyard, she realized she had lost her composure. There were no streetlights outside, and the moon was hidden by dark clouds. The path ahead was completely dark.
The villa they were staying in was tens of meters away, obscured by trees, and no light could be seen.
Her steps slowed. She turned on her phone's flashlight, cold sweat beading on her forehead.
Since the incident when she was six, she had always believed she could remain indifferent to the world.
It wasn't until she met Qin Beiting again that she realized she couldn't.
She always found herself in unexpected situations because of him.
Like now, she had rushed out only to find herself surrounded by darkness.
She was afraid of the dark. She could handle short periods of darkness, but prolonged exposure made her body tremble uncontrollably, her heart race, and her breathing grow rapid.
She unconsciously quickened her pace but accidentally tripped over a stone and fell.
Her phone was knocked somewhere, and she was plunged into complete darkness.
Yu He lay on the ground. The more anxious she felt, the less she could see. She even felt something approaching in the darkness.
Trembling, she shuffled backward when suddenly a cold hand grabbed hers...