"How could she think that guy is good?"
This thought thundered in his skull, making his temples throb.
When he tremblingly let go of his hand, he found that his fingernails had left four crescent - shaped red marks in his palm, like some kind of distorted medal.
Thankfully, Meng Ruozhao had been watching the fireworks and didn't notice anything amiss on his side.
Moreover, she was attracted by a sunflower - shaped firework and didn't even hear clearly the question he had asked her.
After Pei Jiangmu adjusted his emotions, a perfect arc suddenly appeared on his lips.
As the smile climbed to the corners of his eyes, the mole at the corner of his eye trembled in the moonlight, like a drop of congealed blood.
"Sister, since you don't have a wish, I'll make one for you."
Meng Ruozhao finally turned her head.
She heard the pleasant hum in his throat, but it carried an undeniable tone.
The moonlight, accompanied by the light of the fireworks, shone on him, but the halo seemed a bit eerie.
He leaned slightly towards Meng Ruozhao, his warm breath spraying on her ear, and a faint sense of possessiveness permeated the air.
Meng Ruozhao blinked her eyes, and there was a hint of shock in her gaze.
Before she could say anything, Pei Jiangmu took a deep breath.
His well - defined hand pointed at the colorful fireworks that were constantly rising and blooming.
But his dark and deep eyes were firmly fixed on Meng Ruozhao, as if he wanted to see through her.
"I hope that every day of sister's future can be as happy as tonight."
His voice was deep and slow, and every word seemed to be squeezed out between his teeth, with a kind of paranoid determination.
Meng Ruozhao was slightly stunned. The shock in her eyes dissipated and turned into amusement.
She had thought he was going to say something else.
It turned out he was just making a wish for her happiness.
"Okay, I'll take your good word for it. I'll work hard too."
She wasn't a spoilsport and replied with a big smile.
That smile was even more gorgeous than the fireworks above their heads.
The newly rising fireworks exploded into countless tiny lights in the night sky, illuminating their figures standing side by side.
Pei Jiangmu was standing very close, so close that Meng Ruozhao could smell the faint scent of his body wash.
But it wasn't a closeness that made her uncomfortable.
This appropriate distance gave her an infinite sense of security.
She was immersed in this wonderful atmosphere. As time passed bit by bit, the fireworks show was coming to an end.
The fireworks in the sky gradually became sparse, but each burst still caused exclamations from the crowd.
Just then, Meng Ruozhao's phone suddenly rang.
The name on the screen was Yan Qiubai. She was slightly taken aback and then answered the call.
"Qiubai," Meng Ruozhao said softly.
The voice on the other end of the phone was Yan Qiubai's, slightly tinged with guilt.
"Chaochao, I'm really sorry. There was suddenly an urgent matter at home. I shouldn't have left you alone."
Meng Ruozhao smiled, "It's okay. You must go back and deal with the family matter."
Yan Qiubai seemed to hear all kinds of noises on the phone and asked sharply, "Are you still outside?"
His fiancée strictly adhered to a "ten - o'clock curfew".
Every time they went on a date, once it passed nine o'clock, she would feel an indescribable restlessness.
It was as if someone would come to catch her at any time.
Obviously, the Du family should have been more than happy for her to go out with him.
He had also asked Du Feng indirectly and learned that the Du family didn't have such a curfew rule.
But she still insisted on going home before ten o'clock.
He had always respected her requirement before.
But when it came to work, she often broke this "rule" herself.
It was so late today, and she wasn't even in the store but outside.
He was a bit unhappy, but Meng Ruozhao didn't notice.
The peaceful atmosphere made her less sharp than usual.
She looked at the bustling crowd around her and the occasional fireworks still blooming, and didn't hide anything.
"Yes, I'm watching the fireworks show by the river."
When Pei Jiangmu saw the call from Yan Qiubai, his pupils suddenly shrank, and a surge of bitterness welled up in his heart.
Of course, he didn't want Meng Ruozhao to talk to Yan Qiubai.
But he didn't have any qualification or position to stop her now.
In order to avoid losing control of his emotions and doing something irrational, he "consciously" stepped aside.
After walking a few steps away, he put his hands in his pockets and looked into the distance, trying hard to suppress the impulse in his heart.
However, just as he was feeling upset, a few young men staggered over.
One of the young men walked unsteadily, but his eyes were always fixed on the arms and calves that Meng Ruozhao had exposed.
Then he turned his head and mumbled something inarticulate to his companions.
Pei Jiangmu was a bit far away and didn't hear clearly.
But he could tell that the looks in those people's eyes when they looked at Meng Ruozhao were lewd and malicious.
Already unhappy because of Yan Qiubai's call, a fire suddenly flared up in his heart.
What kind of nobodies dared to have thoughts about his Chaochao.
He turned around without hesitation and walked a few steps to stand in front of Meng Ruozhao, blocking those people's gazes.
"What are you looking at!"
His eyes were wide with anger, and his voice was deep and powerful, with an inviolable dignity.
The few young men were startled by Pei Jiangmu's sudden move.
But relying on their numbers, a young man with a crew cut retorted defiantly.
"Kid, it's none of your business. We can look however we want!"
Pei Jiangmu squinted his eyes slightly, and a hint of fierceness flashed in his eyes.
He took a step forward and said word by word, "I'll say it one more time. Don't look at her with your disgusting eyes."
At this time, Meng Ruozhao also realized what was going on here.
She quickly said to Yan Qiubai on the other end of the phone, "There's something going on here. I'll hang up first," then hung up the phone and stepped forward.
"What's going on?"
Meng Ruozhao looked at the few young men, and there was a hint of worry in her tone.
"It's okay, sister. Just stand behind me."
Pei Jiangmu didn't even turn his head. His eyes were firmly fixed on the few young men, afraid that they would do something out of line.
When the crew - cut young man saw Meng Ruozhao coming over, instead of restraining himself, he became even more presumptuous.
He whistled and said with a smirk,
"Yo, this chick really cares about you, kid. Are you a gigolo?"
This offensive language made Pei Jiangmu's pupils suddenly shrink to a dangerous pinpoint.
However, what offended him wasn't that he was called a gigolo.
It was that he used the frivolous term "chick" to describe Meng Ruozhao.
He no longer deliberately concealed his coldness. Looking at those people expressionlessly, he said, "Watch your mouth."
The people around noticed the conflict here and gradually gathered around, pointing and whispering.
At this time, a man who seemed to be their leader stepped forward.
He was wearing a flowery shirt, his arms folded across his chest. He sized up Pei Jiangmu and Meng Ruozhao.
He couldn't tell the value of Meng Ruozhao's clothes.
But looking at Pei Jiangmu, he felt that he was just a poor student from a nearby school. Then he said with a fake smile,
"Brother, we're all out for fun. Don't be so angry."
"Alright, let this chick apologize to us, and we'll let this matter go."