Debbie and Jared started exchanging heavy punches. Kasie, Kristina, Dixon, and Sasha watched helplessly as Debbie pressed Jared against the floor and beat him mercilessly.
Jared cursed, "Tomboy, I'm breaking off all ties with you. We're not friends anymore."
"Oh really? That's exactly what I was thinking. I better beat you to a pulp today so that I don't have to see your dumb face again," Debbie snapped back. She hit him blow after blow. Jared could only cover his face and try to dodge her punches.
Wiping off her tears, Sasha grabbed Debbie's wrist and pleaded, "Deb, don't hit him. His face is already black and blue."
Debbie grabbed Jared's collar with her other hand and said through gritted teeth, "I am not done yet. No one is allowed to bully my cousin. Jared, you are no exception."
Jared's face was killing him. He shouted at Dixon, "Bro, why are you standing still there? Pull this woman off me!"
He and Debbie used to fight against others all the time, and he thought she was pretty cool. But today, he was the one at the receiving end of her anger, and it hurt like hell.
Dixon said casually, "You asked me to let go of you, and I did."
Words failed Jared.
Debbie still refused to let him go. At that moment, her phone rang. Kasie picked it up from the table and saw the caller ID. She heaved a sigh of relief. "Tomboy, it's your husband. Answer it," she said anxiously.
Debbie yelled, "No! Because of him, Dixon and I have to go abroad, and Jared and I are fighting against each other." Saying that, she gave Jared another punch in his face.
Jared cried bitterly, "Tomboy, if it's your husband's fault, then why are you still hitting me?"
Sighing in defeat, Kasie answered Debbie's phone. In a low voice, she said into the phone, "Mr. Huo, we're in Room 2203. Debbie and Jared got into a fight, and we are unable to stop them. Please come quickly."
The phone was disconnected immediately, and within two minutes, the door to the private booth was pushed open from the outside. Carlos' tall figure came into view.
He felt much relieved when he saw it was Jared who got beaten.
"Hello, Mr. Huo."
"Mr. Huo, good evening." Everyone except Debbie and Jared greeted Carlos respectfully.
Seeing her husband, Debbie wheezed, "Carlos, you are right on time. Beat the hell out of him! I'm tired."
The rest of them gaped at her.
Carlos pulled his wife away from Jared and stroked her hand. "Your hand must be hurting," he said softly.
"Yeah," she nodded honestly.
Jared was tall and thin; he had so little fat that it hurt to hit him.
'I knew it, ' Carlos thought. He led Debbie to the table and gave her an empty beer bottle. "Here, hit him with this. Your hand won't hurt this way. Go on."
'Seriously?!' The rest of them looked at Carlos in stunned disbelief. 'Is Mr. Huo really here to stop them from fighting?'
Debbie was amused, and her anger evaporated. She put the bottle back on the table, and grabbed Carlos' hand. "Never mind. I'm not angry anymore. If I break his head with the bottle, I will end up in jail."
Dixon and Sasha helped Jared to his feet. His nose was bleeding and his face was swollen. Sasha asked anxiously, "Does it hurt? Let me take you to the hospital."
Ignoring her, Jared looked angrily at Debbie and said, "Humph! You made the right choice. If you beat me to death, then there will be no one to back you up when you fight against other people."
Rubbing Debbie's hand, Carlos said coldly, "I'll back her up after your death."
Jared's jaw dropped. His anger rose again. "Tomboy, listen to your husband! He's so cold-blooded that he wants me dead."
Debbie rolled her eyes and snorted, "You deserve it!"
"I deserve it?" Jared pointed to his bleeding nose in disbelief.
Debbie shrugged.
Jared stroked his aching cheek and immediately got an idea to get back at Debbie. "Mr. Huo, Tomboy said that she could knock you down with a single punch. Is that true?"
Debbie didn't want to stay at the booth any longer because Jared was snitching on her to Carlos. "Jared, shut your mouth. I'm leaving. You pay."
Then she grabbed her bag and pulled Carlos to the door before he could ask anything.
"Your husband is the richest man in the city, yet you want a poor kid like me to pay the bill. This is unbelievable!" Jared stared at their retreating figures, mouth agape.
Debbie turned her head and made a face. "You heard me. Tonight's on you. Sasha, let's go. We'll drive you back home."
Sasha, however, shook her head and murmured, "Deb, you go back with Carlos. I'll stay…"
Debbie looked back and forth between her and Jared, and immediately realized that something was off. "Jared, take Sasha back home," she ordered.
"No! She's your cousin, not mine!" he snapped.
Sasha's heart ached at his refusal. She forced a smile and said, "Deb, it's all right. I'll ask my driver to pick me up."
Debbie was really worried about her cousin. 'Does Sasha have a thing for Jared? Oh hell, no!
He's a playboy! I should have a talk with Sasha later, ' she thought.
When they exited the hotpot restaurant, a current of cool air blew on their faces. Debbie shivered and threw herself into Carlos' arms. "Get in the car," he said.
After they got into the car, Carlos looked at her. "Are you still hungry?" he asked.
He had noticed that about half their food was still on the table.
"Yes, I am. I want to eat some durian pizza."
Carlos paused, and then pulled out his phone. He asked, "Anything else?"
"Hotpot…" They had seldom eaten hotpot together. Carlos was not a fan, but Debbie loved it. She was not even full, yet the dinner was ruined by her fight with Jared.
"Durian pizza, hotpot and…?" He looked Debbie in the eye.
Stumped, she propped her hand against her chin and murmured, "There would be no pizza in hotpot restaurants. And pizza shops don't serve hotpot. I like hotpot more, so I'll go with that." Carlos hated food with durian, and that was why she chose hotpot. It didn't matter what to eat. She just wanted Carlos' company.
"Hmm…" Carlos dialed a number. "Prepare a hotpot and some durian pizza. And make some snacks and desserts too. I'm on the way."
'Really? A restaurant which has both hotpot and pizza?' Debbie wondered.
When they arrived at their destination, Debbie saw that the restaurant was called "Home Cuisine." Staring at the old-fashioned plaque and dimly lit courtyard before the restaurant, Debbie asked curiously, "This restaurant serves both hotpot and pizza?"
Carlos grabbed her hand and led her in. "Yeah. The owner is my friend."
As soon as they entered the yard, someone came over to greet them.
Debbie turned around to leave when she saw Curtis walking towards them. But Carlos stopped her. "Don't avoid him. He did nothing wrong."
