Chapter 159: Chapter 74: The 60s Arts Troupe’s Top Sister (13)

The moment the words left her mouth, Xia Zhaoyun regretted them. In her first eighteen years, and even with the memories of the next sixty, she had always moved at a steady pace. She was rarely put in a passive position and had excellent control over her emotions.

’So why do I keep messing up whenever I’m around him?’

She didn’t dare to look at his face, which had gone from ashen to dark with anger. "How about this," she asked dejectedly, "I’ll just stand here, and you can yell at me to get even? You were the one who mistook me for someone else in the first place. I was just playing along a little..."

Huo Tianhao’s lips curled into a smirk. ’Her ability to turn the tables and shift the blame is impressive. It just rolls right off her tongue!’

He turned and started walking away. Just as Xia Zhaoyun was patting her chest in relief, he spun around and said coolly, "Since you were ’playing along,’ why not see it through to the end? Let’s go. We’re getting something to eat."

"See what through?" she asked, a little dazed.

"Oh, a friend of mine saw us talking and thought you were my girlfriend. He immediately went and ratted me out to my family. So, you’re going to have to take responsibility for this to the very end," Huo Tianhao said, one eyebrow raised. Seeing the shocked and incredulous look on her face, his mood finally lifted, and a smile touched his lips.

’Hmm, teasing her is actually pretty fun.’

This time, it was Xia Zhaoyun’s turn to look mortified. "No way. Sir, you can’t be this unreasonable, can you? I played one little joke on you, and now you’re going to pin this on me? From what I can tell, you don’t seem very interested in women. I figured you were planning on dying alone, right?"

"Look, I might be pretty and have a nice personality, but I’m very conservative. If I’m going to date someone, it’s with the intention of getting married, having kids, and growing old together."

"We’re not on the same page. I’ve already given you a sincere apology. Can’t we just move on from this?"

Huo Tianhao slowly shook his head. "My family’s been nagging me about blind dates lately, and I’m sick of it. Since you’re so sincere in your apology, you can be my human shield. Just help me get through today. It’ll give me something to tell my family, and we can call it even."

Xia Zhaoyun stared at him for a few seconds. "Just a human shield? You don’t have any other ulterior motives, do you?"

Huo Tianhao scoffed. "I’m on the road ten months out of the year. You think I’d feel safe leaving a pretty, trouble-making wife at home?"

Xia Zhaoyun couldn’t stop the corners of her lips from turning up. She tilted her head up slightly, affecting a prim expression. "Alright, then. Seeing as you complimented me, I’ll reluctantly help you out."

The two of them walked out side by side. As they left the main hall, they saw a group of young men and women waiting by the iron gate on their motorcycles.

"Hey," Xia Zhaoyun began, playing her part dutifully, "I still haven’t asked your name."

Huo Tianhao’s jaw tightened slightly. "Everyone just calls me Brother Hao."

Xia Zhaoyun nodded. She wasn’t too bothered that he didn’t give her his full name. ’After all, we’re strangers.’

She slipped on her sunglasses, put on her straw hat, and a faint smile played on her lips.

"Bro, your keys!" Seeing the two of them emerge one after the other—and noticing the girl was the same one from before—Liu Mingkun tossed the keys over, dazed with surprise.

He didn’t ask any questions, just shot Huo Tianhao a suggestive look. "The guys and I are heading out. See you at Old Mo’s!"

Huo Tianhao snatched them out of the air, walked over to the motorcycle, and handed her a pink helmet he’d taken off it.

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Xia Zhaoyun obediently took it. She put her sun hat in her bag, put on the helmet, and then glanced down at her dress. She had no choice but to place a hand on his shoulder, step onto the protruding footpeg, and hoist herself up to sit sidesaddle.

Her right hand hesitated for a moment, but deciding her life was more important, she feigned nonchalance and, with a faint blush, wrapped her arm around his waist. It wasn’t her fault; the back seat of this motorcycle was tilted high, and there wasn’t even a grab rail.

Huo Tianhao’s muscles tensed. ’What fresh new idiocy is this?’ he thought.

He had been genuinely angry with her, and the idea of using her as a human shield had just popped into his head. But now, out in the sunlight, his mind was clearing. He couldn’t help but ask in a cold voice, "You’ve got a lot of nerve, kid. Aren’t you afraid I might just sell you off?"

"Or that this isn’t just a ploy to reel you in, and I’ll end up latching onto you for real?"

Xia Zhaoyun laughed. "You’re quite the overthinker, little mister. How many bad guys are there in broad daylight? The very fact that you’re asking means you have no intention of doing any of those things."

"Besides, only people of a certain standing can attend that concert. You have an honest face; you don’t look like the type who needs to resort to tricks to get a girl."

"I admit I shouldn’t have deceived you. This way, it’s a fair exchange. After today, we go back to being strangers, and neither of us will feel guilty or awkward about it."

"Plus, I get a free meal out of it. I’d say I’m coming out way ahead!"

’Based on the fact that this Brother Hao character was able to track her down to the preliminary competition venue, she knew this wasn’t something she could have resolved with just a few words.’

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