Tycoon: From Rags to Riches

Chapter 72: Chapter 72: Human Fireworks

RING RING RING...

Gu Heng and Xu Mo were each riding a shared bike down the wide street.

They weaved through the torrent of electric scooters, heading toward Guilin Road.

In Beichun, the summer days were hot but not stifling.

Once the sun began to set, the evening breeze would gradually turn cool and refreshing.

If the Xu Mo sitting inside the Maybach GLS 600 was reserved and quiet,

then the Xu Mo currently riding a bicycle was lively and spirited.

She was like a bird set free, like a sunflower growing toward the sun, her entire being overflowing with the optimistic and positive energy of youth.

The wind lifted the ends of her hair, revealing her sweet and innocent smile.

Gu Heng rode slightly behind and to the left of Xu Mo. Watching her like this, the corners of his lips couldn’t help but curve into a small smile.

It took them about fifteen minutes to ride from the Celestial Bath Spring to Guilin Road.

After parking the shared bikes in the designated area, the two of them walked toward the entrance of Guilin Road.

...

As Beichun’s most famous pedestrian food street, Guilin Road was always packed with people hunting for good food, whether it was a weekday or the weekend. The crowd consisted mostly of young people and college students.

Now, on this summer weekend night, Guilin Road had completely awakened as twilight settled.

It was like a bubbling, thick stew, boiling away the day’s heat and simmering it into a captivating, bustling scene of worldly life.

In the distance, the sky was filled with a brilliant, rouge-like red.

The sky hadn’t completely darkened yet, but the streetlights of Guilin Road were already lit.

Before Gu Heng and Xu Mo even set foot on Guilin Road, they could smell the fragrances wafting through the air.

There was the smoky aroma of grilled meat and the rich scent of durian cheese, the spicy fragrance of mala clams and the savory temptation of charcoal-grilled oysters, the sweet, caramel notes of sugar-fried chestnuts and the tangy-sweet deliciousness of old-fashioned chicken skeletons...

The CLANG of spatulas on griddles, the SIZZLE of oil in woks, the BUBBLE of clay pots stewing, the POP of bottles being opened—all these seemingly chaotic sounds, paired with the aromas in the air, composed the most authentic picture of everyday life.

Through the billowing steam, figures of all kinds weaved through the crowd like a shuttle through a loom.

"Wow!"

"It’s so lively!"

Xu Mo, wearing a light pink babydoll dress, stood at the entrance to the street. She gazed at the bustling crowd on the pedestrian food street, her eyes filled with anticipation.

"It’s Saturday. Of course it’s lively."

Gu Heng looked at the scene before him, also in a very good mood.

"GOGOGO!"

"Gu Heng, I’m taking you to that grilled pork skirt place first!"

"Their pork skirt skewers are huge, and they have a secret house-made sauce. They only grill a limited amount each day, so if you go too late, they’ll be sold out!"

Having arrived here, Xu Mo felt completely in her element, like a fish in water.

Gu Heng followed beside Xu Mo, listening as she described her hidden gem food stalls.

Soon, after making two consecutive turns, the grilled pork skirt shop Xu Mo had mentioned came into view.

Compared to the shops on the main street, this one’s location was actually a bit out of the way.

However, the foot traffic to the shop was quite impressive.

"Gu Heng, you wait here for me."

"It’s a little dirty over there. I’ll come find you after I buy it."

Because she had been walking so quickly, Xu Mo’s pure, pretty face was a little flushed.

After saying this to Gu Heng, she hurried toward the grilled pork skirt shop.

After Xu Mo got in line at the very back, she subconsciously glanced back in the direction she’d come from, only to find that Gu Heng was gone.

"Are you looking for me?"

Just as Xu Mo was looking around, Gu Heng’s familiar voice suddenly came from behind her.

Turning her head, Xu Mo saw Gu Heng standing right behind her.

"Gu Heng, why did you follow me?"

"It’s a little dirty here, and the smoke is really thick."

Xu Mo saw Gu Heng standing behind her, like the boyfriends of the young couples in front of them, his large frame subtly shielding her.

Although she felt a sweet warmth in her heart, she looked at the barbecue skewers and trash paper strewn carelessly on the ground, worrying slightly that it might make Gu Heng uncomfortable.

"What?"

"In your eyes, am I really that delicate?"

Gu Heng had also come from humble beginnings. In fact, he used to be even more insecure and sensitive than Xu Mo, so he naturally knew what she was worried about.

"That’s not what I meant."

Xu Mo quickly waved her hands, her gaze a little nervous as she looked at Gu Heng.

"Momo, I’m not as delicate as you think."

Gu Heng smiled. "Honestly, compared to wearing a suit and eating a big meal in a high-end restaurant, I find a scene like this much more comfortable and relaxing."

"Really?"

Xu Mo looked up at Gu Heng.

"Really."

Gu Heng nodded with a sincere expression.

"That’s good, then."

Xu Mo said softly, "I was just afraid you wouldn’t be used to this kind of environment."

"Forget an environment like this; I can handle even a hole-in-the-wall joint with worse conditions. So whatever hidden gems you know, don’t hesitate to take me there!"

As he said this, Gu Heng put on a playful expression, as if to say, ’Don’t you dare hold out on me’.

"Okay!"

With her worries gone, Xu Mo couldn’t help but break into a brilliant smile.

However, at that moment,

the alley was narrow, and people were constantly passing through.

Suddenly, someone bumped into Gu Heng from behind, causing him to lose his balance. He stumbled forward a couple of steps and collided with Xu Mo.

In his haste, Gu Heng instinctively threw his arms out and wrapped them around Xu Mo’s slender waist. With a slight pull, he brought her entirely into his embrace.

In that fleeting moment, Gu Heng and Xu Mo were still looking into each other’s eyes, just as they had been seconds before.

Now, their eyes met.

Xu Mo’s fair, pure face instantly flushed a deep crimson, the blush spreading at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Such was the girl’s shy blush that even the brilliant rouge-red at the edge of the sky seemed to pale in comparison.

"Just now..."

"Someone behind me bumped into me."

Gu Heng’s throat bobbed slightly as he explained in a low voice to Xu Mo.

This situation, this beauty in his arms.

Forget a sage—not even a saint could have resisted.

"It’s okay."

Faced with Gu Heng’s somewhat heated gaze, Xu Mo first lowered her head in a fluster, but she quickly raised it again. As if mustering her courage, she met his eyes once more.

Just as the affectionate atmosphere was thickening, someone suddenly tapped Gu Heng on the shoulder.

Gu Heng turned his head and saw that a chubby boy in a school uniform had appeared behind him at some point. He was holding a handful of squid skewers in his left hand, and his mouth was slightly greasy.

"Sir..."

"It’s your turn."

The chubby boy looked at Gu Heng timidly, his eyes full of a craving for food.

"Got it..."

Gu Heng practically squeezed those two words through clenched teeth.

’What a kid!’

’We hit it off right away!’

’I should really get his address and mail a couple boxes of "gifts" his way!’

Meanwhile, Xu Mo, her face blushing, had already scurried out of Gu Heng’s arms. She called out to the owner standing in front of the grill, "Sir, I’d like three skewers of grilled pork skirt!"

"One skewer extra spicy!"

"As for the other two..."

Xu Mo paused and glanced back at Gu Heng.

"Make the other two extra spicy, too!"

Gu Heng added with a smile, while subconsciously pulling out his phone to scan the QR code and pay.

"Don’t you dare!"

But as soon as he opened his phone, Xu Mo stopped him.

Her pretty face was full of seriousness. "Gu Heng, we agreed. I’m treating tonight."

The day before Gu Heng was discharged from the hospital, he had left six large bags of fruit and snacks for Xu Mo.

That night, Xu Mo had said she would treat him to a meal when they had time.

Half a month had passed, and Gu Heng had long forgotten about it, but he hadn’t expected Xu Mo to still remember.

"Alright, you can pay for these three skewers of grilled pork skirt."

Gu Heng didn’t insist. "But I’ll pay for whatever we eat next."

"NONONO!"

Xu Mo extended a slender, pale finger and wagged it at Gu Heng. "Nope, nope. I’m paying for everything we eat tonight. You’re not allowed to back out."

Gu Heng looked at Xu Mo’s serious, almost insistent expression. He pondered for a moment, then smiled and nodded. "Alright. You can pay for everything. I won’t fight you for it."

"Yay!"

Seeing Gu Heng give in, Xu Mo’s face finally relaxed into a smile. She turned, took out her phone, and scanned the code to pay. As Gu Heng watched her back, he thought for a moment, then typed out a message and sent it...

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