He Zheng’s eyes shifted slightly, a glimr of curiosity flashing through them.
Of course he wanted to know, but why was Qiao Rui asking like this?
He chuckled and said matter-of-factly, "Forget it, Secretary Si probably has a poor impression of , I know that much."
"Wow, so self-aware." Qiao Rui joked, "Since you don’t want to know, let’s drop it."
"It’s not that I don’t want to know." He Zheng suddenly smiled, "Sis-in-law, how about you tell instead?"
"Forget it." Qiao Rui knew he was being awkward.
This man, outwardly charming but still preserving his ’first ti,’ probably had a deeply ingrained sense of caution.
He wasn’t soone who easily opened himself up.
Despite his mild and warm deanor in conversation, when push ca to shove, he was fiercer than anyone else.
Qiao Rui felt she had a general grasp of He Zheng by now.
He Zheng kept smiling. "Co on, just tell , how does Si Ran really feel about ?"
"Average, really." Qiao Rui teased him on purpose. "Didn’t it co up during Truth or Dare already? Forget it, huh?"
He Zheng furrowed his thick eyebrows, his face looking a bit downcast.
Qiao Rui chuckled and said, "Mr. He, won need sincerity. Be sincere, and your wishes might just co true."
He Zheng paused, chewing over Qiao Rui’s words.
She smiled slightly and got into the car.
He Zheng froze in place. Suddenly, sothing flashed in his mind, a strand of inspiration hitting him with joy.
Wishes coming true?
That could work.
Qiao Rui had just gotten in the car when He Lan threw herself at her. "My idol, Qiao Rui, teach how to throw darts! I really want to learn!"
Qiao Rui looked at her helplessly. "Miss Heiress, learning this takes at least ten years, maybe eight if you’re lucky, to get it solid. ss it up, and soone might get turned into a eunuch."
"I’ll learn, I’m determined." He Lan exclaid enthusiastically. "Forget ten or twenty years, I’ll do it even if it takes thirty!"
"It shouldn’t take that long." Qiao Rui chuckled. "Do you really want to learn?"
"Of course!" He Lan nodded vigorously. "I really, really want to learn!"
"You’ll need to formally seek ntorship," Qiao Rui said.
"Like bowing? Kneeling rituals with eight bows, nine kowtows?" He Lan asked.
Qiao Rui gave her a "Well, there’s hope for you yet" look.
With a dramatic thud, He Lan knelt on the RV floor. "Master, here I kneel. Please accept as your disciple!"
Qiao Rui was completely stunned.
This girl truly was a go-getter.
No matter what she did, her approach was always so rash. Qiao Rui had only been joking, yet He Lan had taken it seriously.
"He Lan, get up." Qiao Rui reached out to pull her up. "You don’t need to kneel."
"Wait, no, let formally apprentice." He Lan protested, "It’s a sign of respect for you. Teach , teach , okay?"
When He Zheng got in the car, he saw his little sister kneeling on the floor, her obsequious deanor practically unbearable. "He Lan, what nonsense are you up to now?"
"I’m taking a master, Brother! I’ve decided—I want to learn that dart-throwing trick, that zip-zap move! That way, next ti you scold , I’ll toss a dart right by your leg to make you shut up!"
He Zheng froze, his face paling slightly.
Just now, he had seen soone nearly get ’turned into a eunuch’ by a knife that narrowly skimd their trousers, re milliters away from disaster.
"No!" He Zheng imdiately said firmly, "You can’t learn this."
Learning this would turn him into her communal dartboard! This brat had no boundaries.
"You can’t stop ." He Lan snorted, turning to face Qiao Rui. "Master, it’s settled. I’ll apprentice under you, you take on as your student, and from now on, we’re officially master and disciple."
"You don’t need to." Qiao Rui smiled, "I can teach you dart-throwing, but first, we need to make so rules."
"Sure, tell ."
"No hurting people," Qiao Rui said. "Learn the craft, and first learn to be a good person."
"Master, are you saying I’m not a good person?" He Lan blinked. "Fine, I’ll change."
Qiao Rui glanced at He Zheng.
He Zheng imdiately said, "Absolutely not—she can’t be taught. If she learns that, she’ll beco a nace to society, a danger to public safety."
"What’s with the na-calling?" He Lan retorted. "Even if I used it on you, it would be for the greater good, a public service!"
"Shut up! You’re always like this, doing things recklessly." He Zheng snapped.
"I don’t care. I’ll learn, and you can’t stop !" He Lan ignored He Zheng entirely, turning back to Qiao Rui to plead, "Master, please, teach anyway."
Seeing her persistence, Qiao Rui didn’t hold back anymore. "Fine, I’ll teach you."
"Great!" He Lan sprang to her feet and hugged Qiao Rui tightly. "Master, from this day on, you’re officially my ntor. Brother Pei will be my master’s spouse, uh, I an, teacher from above!"
He Zheng was dumbstruck. This hierarchy was incomprehensible.
Si Ran couldn’t help but laugh at He Lan. This girl was truly wild when she played around.
The car continued to drive, with Song Muyu’s car leading in front and He Zheng’s following from behind.
That way, they could look out for each other on the way back to Qingcheng.
The Truth or Dare ga kept going.
This ti, it was He Zheng’s turn to spin the bottle, and the neck of the bottle pointed straight at Qiao Rui.
Qiao Rui lost the round.
"Master lost!" He Lan cheered, a bit too excited. "Master, it’s your first ti losing!"
"Indeed, ma’am, your first ti losing." Si Ran chid in, equally thrilled.
He Zheng grinned at the three girls, "Sis-in-law, I’m going to ask sothing juicy this ti!"
"No, you’re not allowed to ask! I’ll ask instead!" He Lan quickly intervened to defend Qiao Rui. "Master, when did you et Brother Pei?"
"I wouldn’t ask such a simple question." He Zheng imdiately protested, "He Lan, get lost."
"How dare you insult and make trouble for my ntor! When I’ve mastered dart-throwing, I’ll turn you into target practice!" He Lan took the opportunity to issue threats.
He Zheng replied, "Well, you can talk big again once you’ve actually mastered it."
He Lan kept up her taunts. "Anyway, that’s the question we’re sticking to!"
"That’s just an easy cop-out question, not juicy at all." He Zheng rebutted, "My question would be."
"You’re not allowed to ask." He Lan cut him off, addressing Si Ran, "Si Ran, the three of us—two against one—we’ll overrule my brother, right?"
Si Ran gave He Zheng a brief glance.
He Zheng said, "Si Ran, you’re on my side, aren’t you?"
Si Ran’s lips twitched faintly into a smile. "Sorry, President He, I agree with Miss He. I think her question is perfectly fine—actually, I really want to know when the madam t the boss."
He Zheng looked utterly put out. "What’s so interesting about that? Better to ask sothing else."
"You can ask next round." He Lan smacked the table. "It’s decided—Master, answer the question."
Qiao Rui smiled lightly, "A long, long ti ago."
"That answer is way too vague!" He Zheng imdiately complained, "This question is already basic enough. Give a specific ti. Otherwise, it lacks sincerity."
Qiao Rui pondered for a mont, her gaze turning distant. After a pause, she finally said, "Ten years ago, during winter."
"What?" He Lan’s eyes widened. "You’ve known each other that long?"
Even He Zheng was taken aback.
Si Ran paused in shock too; all three froze with their mouths open.
So they had known each other ten years back—at that age, they’d only have been kids, barely teens.
Back then, Qiao Rui had been in the countryside. How could they possibly have t?
He Zheng couldn’t help glancing at Qiao Rui a little longer.
She looked at them with a cryptic smile, then said, "Let’s start the next round."
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