Chapter 293 — The Promise

He didn't dare to let his concentration slip by reaching out to take the box lunch himself, so it had to be brought into the room for it to be safe.

"I'm not going... I'm not going, don't ask me..." The young errand boy was clearly not very old, having only recently entered society. Where had he ever seen anything like this? One furious roar from Huang Guanya dropped him straight to the ground. If a nearby policeman hadn't been quick enough to catch him, the box lunch in his hands would have gone flying to the floor.

Huang Guanya was somewhat speechless. Could someone really be this cowardly? He hadn't done anything to the boy - all he'd asked was for him to deliver a meal, and the boy was this terrified? That was far too cowardly.

"Hurry up and have him bring me the food. I'm hungry!" Huang Guanya barked.

"No... I won't go, I absolutely won't go, I won't go even if you beat me to death..." The errand boy shook his head vehemently, his eyes brimming with terror. A dark patch of moisture had actually appeared beneath him...

The policeman nearby couldn't bear to watch any longer. The boy had actually been scared into wetting his pants? Frowning, he said to Huang Guanya: "How about I bring it in for you? Rest assured, I won't carry a gun. I can hand my gun over right in front of you."

"No way. You bring it in? Do I know you? Who knows if you'll try to take me out?" Huang Guanya was clearly no fool. He couldn't possibly let anyone from the police get close to him - that would be asking for death.

Qiu Lingshan was also at her wit's end: "You can see for yourself, he can't possibly bring you your food. We can't exactly force him, can we? How about I bring it in to you?"

"You're even less suitable." Huang Guanya rejected the suggestion at once. "How about this - just grab any bystander and have them bring it in to me."

The moment Huang Guanya's words left his mouth, the crowd that had been gathered around watching the spectacle immediately began scrambling backward. Nobody wanted to be the unlucky one conscripted at this moment.

These people were perfectly happy to watch the excitement from the sidelines, but actually asking them to do something dangerous was out of the question. Nobody wanted to die. Delivering food to an armed criminal at a time like this - was that not a nine-in-ten chance of death?

Qiu Lingshan watched the crowd, who moments ago had been cheerfully craning their necks for a better view, all retreat. She felt a flicker of indignation. Just now she'd told them to stand back and they wouldn't listen, crowding in so close to gawk - and now they were scattering faster than rabbits.

But there was nothing she could say about it; she could only grumble inwardly. Suddenly, Qiu Lingshan turned her head and spotted Wei Zhao not far away - and a plan took shape in her mind.

Though she found Wei Zhao rather irritating, she had to admit his martial skills were formidable. There was still a gap between him and herself, certainly, but he should be more than enough to handle this Huang Guanya. Having him deliver the food - he was the ideal candidate.

It had to be said that this time Huang Guanya and Qiu Lingshan were of one mind. The crowd had scattered, and only Wei Zhao stood there looking as oblivious as ever, not moving an inch. Huang Guanya took it for youthful boldness and thought nothing of it, calling out to Wei Zhao: "That student - you, bring me the food! That's right, you. Stop looking around - I'm talking to you."

"Me?" Wei Zhao laughed inwardly, though on the surface he pointed at himself with a look of surprise.

"Yes, you. Hurry up, stop dawdling!" Huang Guanya roared.

"You... you won't hurt me, will you?" Wei Zhao asked with a hint of hesitation, his voice deliberately small.

"I won't. Just hurry up." Huang Guanya replied, growing impatient.

"All right then... you promised - you won't hurt me." Only then did Wei Zhao nod.

Qiu Lingshan was overjoyed and hurriedly winked at Wei Zhao, but Wei Zhao acted as if he hadn't seen her at all, turning away to pick up the box lunch.

Tang Zhi had never expected Wei Zhao to be singled out by the criminal, and she grew anxious. She didn't want Wei Zhao taking any risks. With so many police officers present, surely it wouldn't fall to Wei Zhao to step forward?

Unable to hold back, she grabbed Wei Zhao's hand tightly, her voice tense: "Wei Zhao... you..."

"Don't worry, it's fine. Don't you trust my skills?" Wei Zhao murmured to Tang Zhi.

Tang Zhi paused for a moment, then realized: of course - she was letting her worry cloud her judgment. Wei Zhao had beaten a ruthless criminal like Black Panther half to death and rescued her from that unfinished building without a scratch on him. He was clearly more than capable; there was no need to worry. Moreover, back at the school, even with a gun in hand Black Panther hadn't been able to threaten Wei Zhao - let alone this thug who only had a knife...

"But... then... you save the damsel in distress, and if she... if she offers herself to you in gratitude, what then..." Tang Zhi promptly began worrying about something else. This was the legendary hero-saving-the-beauty, after all; wasn't that partly why she herself had come to like him? If Guan Xin joined in and started competing for him too, what would she do? In her alarm, Tang Zhi quite forgot her shyness.

"I can't just leave her to die, can I?" Wei Zhao had not expected his little Tang Zhi's thoughts to turn so delicate. He pinched her soft, slightly damp little hand. "Then I won't save her?"

"No, you'd better save her... Actually, Guan Xin is a good person too. Even in a situation like this, she's still worried about the patient in the room." However one looked at it, Tang Zhi still admired Guan Xin; she was a kindhearted girl.

"Hey, are you two saying your farewells before death? If you want to court, wait until you've brought me my food!" Seeing Wei Zhao and a schoolgirl whispering sweet nothings together, Huang Guanya grew rather displeased. "Are you two ever going to finish?"

"Let's talk after I come out, haha. Even the criminal can't stand it anymore." Wei Zhao laughed.

"Mm..." Tang Zhi was a little embarrassed and nodded shyly. "Be careful..."

"Then kiss me, and I'll be careful..." Wei Zhao looked at Tang Zhi with a wicked grin.

"I..." Tang Zhi was deeply flustered. At a time like this, and he was still thinking about such things? Still, after a moment of reserve, she said, "Then... after you come out safe..."

"Heh... all right, then wait for me." Wei Zhao smiled, released Tang Zhi's hand, and strode over to the officer holding the lunchbox. He took the box from his hands, turned, and walked toward Huang Guanya.

Huang Guanya was growing impatient. Pulling Guan Xin with him, he retreated and yielded the gap at the doorway to Wei Zhao. "You come in, then shut the door."

"All right..." Wei Zhao walked in hesitantly with the lunchbox, then casually shut the door behind him. Ten seconds later, Wei Zhao came back out through the door, ran quickly up to Tang Zhi, and said, "I'm out. Can I kiss you now?"

Wei Zhao's voice was not loud, but Qiu Lingshan standing nearby could hear every word clearly, and she was on the verge of exploding with fury. Her intention had been for Wei Zhao to go inside and seize a chance to knock the knife from Huang Guanya's hand, or find an opportunity to take Huang Guanya down. But Wei Zhao... had really just delivered him the lunchbox and turned around and come out the moment it was delivered?

And he had come out so quickly just so Tang Zhi could kiss him? Qiu Lingshan truly did not know what to say to Wei Zhao. She pointed at him. "What is the matter with you?"V