Chapter 780 Not Good-Looking

• Jayce stayed unfazed and spoke coldly. "I don’t think this is a good thing, and I don’t want to know you." Hearing Jayce’s words, Howie couldn’t hold back her glee, almost bursting into laughter. Old Edwin was such a straight shooter! Of course, Jayce wasn’t a hardcore straight-laced guy. He was just blunt with certain people. With someone he liked, he wouldn’t be like this. Lainey was stunned by Jayce’s reply, but she didn’t mind. Some men were like that—slow on the uptake, blunt by nature. But even the blunt ones couldn’t resist a honey trap. Lainey smoothed her mood and tried again. "Handsome, seems like I’m not welcome, huh? Is it because someone else is here? How about we meet alone another day? I promise you won’t want to leave…" "Lainey!" Howie shot to her feet, anger hardening her face. This woman wasn’t just flirting anymore—she was openly acting thirsty. Howie ground her teeth, furious. She’d never seen someone this shameless. Lainey didn’t care at all. In her eyes, seducing men was her skill. If your man got stolen, that was on you. Her favorite line was: Watch your men—I’m heading out! But with Jayce, she got nothing. Jayce said coolly, "No need. I don’t want to meet you alone." His words made Lainey stiffen again. She frowned. No way this man didn’t get what she meant. She bit her lip. "So my look today didn’t catch your eye? Want me to change outfits next time? What type do you like? Fresh and youthful, or wild and sexy? I can pull off both…" She was basically going all in, not caring about the stares. If it were any average guy, she would’ve gotten a response in the first round. Even with a girlfriend sitting beside him, he’d at least swap contacts. But with Jayce, nothing. Jayce lifted his eyelids and looked at her, serious. "You’ve got it wrong. I’m ignoring you not because your outfit is lame. It’s because your face doesn’t cut it, your vibe doesn’t cut it, your skin doesn’t cut it, and your body doesn’t cut it. Got it?" The restaurant fell silent. People were stunned. Even the bystanders went slack-jawed. That was brutal. No mercy at all. Not good-looking, bad figure, bad skin, bad vibe… Was there anything that did cut it? Howie couldn’t hold it back anymore. She burst into laughter, clutching her stomach, grinning so wide her cheeks hurt. Like she’d just heard the funniest thing on earth. Old Edwin was savage. Hahaha… Lainey’s face turned ugly. She never expected Jayce to say that. After she’d been posing for so long in front of everyone, he just told her she was a fail in every way. He wasn’t uninterested because of the clothes—he was uninterested because she herself didn’t make the cut. Lainey grit her teeth. Jayce was way out of line. How could he say that to her! Seeing Howie laugh so unrestrained, Lainey blew up. "What are you laughing at? You need a slap!" She lunged forward, swinging her arm wide toward Howie’s face. Howie might be a big boss, but in Lainey’s eyes she was just a classmate. Hitting her was no big deal. Smack! The slap cracked—but it landed against a forearm. Jayce’s speed was insane. No way a random woman could match him. With Jayce there, Lainey had zero chance. Her wrist was blocked by his arm, and she snapped. "What the hell are you doing? You want to die—" Before she finished, Jayce flipped his hand and slapped her. Smack. A solid hit right across Lainey’s cheek. A clear five-finger mark bloomed, swelling fast, visible to the naked eye. Spit flew from her mouth. Her face burned. Half of it went numb. Lainey was furious, stunned for a long beat. She never thought this man would actually hit her. Courting death! "You… You dare hit me? Do you even know who my dad is?!" Jayce sneered. "Your dad can be whoever. Keep yapping, and I’ll slap you again." He wouldn’t give a woman like this any respect. He could tolerate noise—but laying hands on someone? That was asking for it. Seeing Jayce raise his hand again, Lainey flinched, stepped back a few times, and covered her cheek, nerves all over her face. "Pig! Howie! You two just wait. My dad’s in the entertainment biz. Treat me like this, and you won’t even know how you die!" With that, Lainey rushed out. After dropping her threat, there was no point staying. She bolted. Hands on her hips, Howie felt wonderfully vindicated and snorted. "Cheap witch, you really needed that! Old Edwin, gotta say, that was a clean hit!" Jayce smiled and said nothing. That slap did let Howie blow off steam. As for who Lainey’s dad was, he didn’t care. With a daughter like that and a home like that, the parent likely wasn’t any better. If they came to provoke him, Jayce wouldn’t mind taking them both down. Mom looked worried. "Maybe we should leave?" Staying here wasn’t smart. What if she really brought someone back? Jayce said, "It’s fine, Auntie. Sit and eat. If anyone shows up, I’ll take care of them." Howie grinned. "Yeah, Mom, relax. My boyfriend’s a badass. Normal folks don’t mess with Old Edwin, right?" She was obviously teasing, not truly praising Jayce. She kind of hoped he’d trip up. Jayce gave a helpless smile, shook his head, and kept his mouth shut. He had no clue what went on in Howie’s head, and he couldn’t guess. Better not push her. The three of them ate quietly. A few minutes later, a middle-aged woman strutted in, dripping in jewels, wearing sunglasses indoors, dripping designer pieces from head to toe. She spotted Mom and froze. "Xu Hui? You?" Mom—Xu Hui—heard the call and paused. She looked up, frowned at the middle-aged woman. What a coincidence running into someone she knew here. "Li Xiaojun?" Li Xiaojun wrinkled her nose and gave a mocking smile, her tone snide. "Well, look at you, Xu Hui. Loaded now? Eating at a high-rank restaurant like this? At your age, don’t tell me you’re doing those socialite split-the-bill games." Li Xiaojun felt a sting. She could rarely afford a three-star Michelin spot. If not for a friend treating her, she’d never come. Running into someone she knew here? Yeah, that rubbed her the wrong way.