“Let me tell you: You can’t come over to disturb me. I now have the right not to let you speak. Without my permission, you are not allowed to speak, or else I will throw you out to sleep on the streets.”
Madam Ji could not read his minute expression. She only felt frustrated. She had just been telling Madam Gongsun about the awkwardness of how Qu Xiujie was currently staying in her house temporarily and also complaining about how he had stolen so many of her skincare products at home.
Qu Xiujie started panicking as that man was already getting closer and closer to that long-legged, beautiful lady.
“I dare you to glare at me like that again; I will let you—”
Before she could finish speaking, he already put down all the shopping bags in his hands and rushed to that beauty’s side. Instantly, with a shriek and a loud shout, Qu Xiujie nimbly caught the pickpocketer and pressed him onto the ground.
“Who are you?!” shrieked Mao Nana. She fell down onto the ground because of the impact when Qu Xiujie had suddenly rushed over. She looked at the two men behind her—one was a young man in his twenties to thirties, while the one above him was an uncle in his fifties.
“Young lady, are you alright?” Qu Xiujie spoke as he took the wallet the pickpocket was holding and handed it to her. “This chap stole your stuff.”
“What?! He stole my stuff?”
She was speechless. It had not even been a day since she reached R City, and she had already met such a situation. She was so shocked that she got up and took out her phone, telling the middle-aged man before her, “Uncle, don’t move. I will take a picture of this pickpocketer, then send him to the police afterward.”
“Alright, go take it.”
With a twist, he turned the pickpocketer’s face upward. If not for him, this long-legged beauty would likely be the one in a desperate position.
After taking a photo, Mao Nana recorded a few videos of the people around them, who were watching the ruckus, with practiced movements before calling the police. Before the policemen could arrive, the security of the departmental store rushed over first and dragged the pickpocketer away after jotting down the two’s phone numbers.
Madam Ji stood at the side and looked on as Qu Xiujie turned from a stone that she despised by her side to a respected thief-catcher. She could not help but lament at how he was so scheming. It was precisely because of this that Mao Nana, who was standing beside him, had a look of reverence. When she was taking a photo with him, her lips even almost touched his cheek.
“Thank you, uncle. If not for you, I really don’t know what would happen to me today. If my wallet truly got stolen, I wouldn’t have anything. My passport, bank cards, and even my hotel’s room card are all inside it.”
She revealed a look of worry. She had not expected her savior to be such a handsome uncle who was just her type.
“It’s nothing. It’s normal for young people like you not to know how thieves operate. As for someone old like me, I have to do my part to keep our society safe.”
Her praise made him extremely embarrassed. When he looked up, he spotted Madam Ji and the three children standing quite a distance, looking at him with a smile. Instantly, his face turned expressionless.
“Then, Miss Mao, I have something on, so I won’t be chatting with you anymore.”
He hurriedly found an excuse to leave. Although Madam Ji was still smiling, it was a little cold.
“Uncle, don’t leave yet. Let’s exchange phone numbers. I am a model and came here for business. If you have time tomorrow or even the day after, can I treat you to coffee?”
Qu Xiujie pretended not to notice her heart-shaped eyes, or rather, he did not even dare to look. He knew what kind of person he was, and he did not want, nor did he have the intention, to find out what kind of lady this long-legged beauty was.
“Uncle, don’t rush; can’t you just leave a contact for me?”
Mao Nana was so flustered that her eyes reddened. The crowd was getting larger. It felt as though the gazes of those who had witnessed him save the beauty like a knight in shining armor just then were awaiting his agreement to bring Mao Nana back home.
The situation took a turn.
“How about this, miss: You only want a phone number, right?”
Seeing that more and more people were gathering, he started panicking, for he had never encountered such a situation before. Upon hearing that all she wanted was a phone number, he came up with a plan.
“Yes, uncle. Just leave me a phone number. I will definitely treat you to coffee as long as I am in this city.”
“Forget about coffee. I don’t drink that.”
He frowned tightly, then took the phone in Mao Nana’s hand. He then switched on his phone. After finding a certain number, he copied it to hers.
“Don’t call it. Call only when you get back.”
He purposely reassured her.
“Alright, but why did you have to look at your contacts for your number?”
She was suspicious inside as she put on a serious look.
“I don’t remember my number, so do you want it or not?”
His annoyed tone made him sound very manly.
“Fine, fine, fine. I want it. Then, please pass my phone to me. I will call you when I’m free.”
Mao Nana lightly bit her lower lip. Her coy look made one unable to say anything harsh to her. Qu Xiujie also silently heaved a sigh of relief. Afraid of matters regarding relationships, he was already regretting saving this long-legged beauty.
“Okay, then remember to call at night. Don’t call now, or I will immediately blacklist you.”
He threatened again. Mao Nana only nodded as she listened intently. She held her handphone tightly. The eleven numbers on the display seemed even more important than her wallet.
“Alright, uncle. I will definitely not bother you.”
After saying this, she watched as he turned around and walked toward Madam Ji. The three children were all clapping and praising his braveness and courage.
“Granduncle, you are so brave. I thought that thief would be able to escape.”
“That thief definitely couldn’t outrun this granduncle of yours.”
“Yes, granduncle is more powerful than anyone else.”
…
The three children did not hold back their praises, making even Qu Xiujie himself think that he was hallucinating. This time, even Madam Ji’s gaze on him had a subtle change.
“Not bad, old thing.”
