The Sickly Villain Only Wants to Survive

81

After Liu Jianbai's ostentatious "recognition ceremony" at the banquet, the mysterious and reportedly frail Young Master Zhu from A City was fully exposed to the public eye.

Due to his twin sister, Zhu Xin, although Zhu Tong was enigmatic in A City, he was not completely unknown. Even with AI face-swapping technology, people could guess his general appearance. His identity as a member of the Zhu family was alluring enough, but those with ulterior motives ultimately hesitated because of his "illness."

People motivated by self-interest were unwilling to take a sick person home to care for. Instead of pursuing Zhu Tong, it was more advantageous to seek out his twin sister.

However, a single banquet altered their preconceived notions of Zhu Tong.

At the banquet, Zhu Tong confronted Xia Weiyi as a junior, standing next to Liu Jianbai. Despite his youth, he exuded confidence—where was the slightest trace of sickness?

After some inquiries and investigations, they reached a conclusion: Zhu Tong's illness had likely been cured long ago.

Consequently, some individuals could no longer remain idle.

The prominent families and socialites of A City were stirred; many were intrigued by him. However, Zhu Tong left A City right after the banquet, which hindered their opportunities to approach him.

Looking for someone in a small county? First, they were unwilling to lower themselves, and second, it seemed overly deliberate.

Yet, some were not deterred by such intentionality.

Kong Lu had come specifically for Zhu Tong.

Initially, she merely intended to strike up a conversation during the New Year holiday, but upon seeing Zhu Tong, her mind shifted.

After a moment of surprise, she displayed a perfectly measured, reserved smile.

Kong Lu was attractive, with long black hair and a short woolen coat over a dress paired with knee-high boots, radiating a gentle, Korean-inspired charm.

Zhu Tong instinctively glanced at the counter, noticing several customers gathered there, though there was no queue.

Thinking they might be unwilling to wait at the counter, he nodded slightly and then returned to his drawing.

Seeing his indifferent demeanor, Kong Lu was unfazed. Ignoring the others engrossed in their studies, she bluntly asked, "Are you Zhu Tong?"

Zhu Tong looked up once more.

Kong Lu continued, "I saw your photo in the comment section of my cousin's Weibo. I initially thought you were from E City, but I'm surprised to find out you're actually from A City as well. Would you mind if we got to know each other?"

"..."

Zhu Tong replied, "Your cousin?"

"Yes." Kong Lu displayed a hint of pride, "My cousin is Zhuo Yunan. You should know her, right?"

This was also the reason Kong Lu felt confident enough to approach him at the milk tea shop. Zhuo Yunan had previously clarified public opinion for the shop, making her well-known among the online community in Gongshui County.

Her cousin was Zhuo Yunan, and because of this connection, she had always been envied and flattered at her school in A City, with many of Zhuo Yunan's fans eager to curry favor with her.

In fact, her cousin could be considered a benefactor of this milk tea shop. She had learned that Zhu Tong visited the shop almost every weekend, making it easy for her to approach him as Zhuo Yunan's cousin.