"Sis, do you have the photo? Send it to so I can take a look!" Yin Xuan’s curiosity was piqued.
"Sure, I’ll scan it and send it to you in a bit."
"OK, I’ll wait. Let’s see what kind of girl managed to stir up my brother’s springti feelings!"
After waiting for a little while, Yin Xuan received the emailed photo. No matter how she looked at it, she didn’t get the "perfect match" impression her sister had described. Her brother’s expression was fine—quite relaxed. The girl was pretty, but she seed way too uptight, her smile stiff and unnatural. Even the way they were standing was off; there was zero sense of intimacy!
Clearly, her sister was making a big deal out of nothing. However, Yin Xuan’s big, pretty eyes sparkled mischievously as she grinned and forwarded the email to soone else. Little brother, I hope this ti I can actually help you out!
Just before getting on the plane, Li Si decided to play it safe and called Leng Mochen. "Brother Leng, I need to head back to North City for sothing. Don’t forget to drink that spring water!"
"Don’t worry, kiddo, I won’t forget. What’s so urgent?"
"Ah, it’s just a private matter. I’ll tell you all about it next ti we et. Brother, I’m boarding soon, so let’s talk later!"
"Alright, kiddo. If you need anything, call !"
"Got it!"
After hanging up, Li Si shook her head and boarded the plane. Everything went smoothly, and as soon as she got off the plane, she spotted Yin Xian dressed in all black, looking around the area.
Li Si pulled a box out of her bag, walked up to him, and shoved it into his arms. "Yin Xian, here, take it back. I’m leaving now!"
"Wait, Li Si, I know I ssed up, but at least give a chance to explain!" Yin Xian grabbed her tightly and hurriedly tried to clarify.
"Don’t talk to about this. I don’t want to hear it!" Li Si wasn’t sure what was wrong, but a sense of grievance surged in her heart, making her eyes sting.
"Li Si! It’s already this late. Let treat you to dinner, and we can talk while we eat, okay?" Yin Xian’s pleading tone carried an unmistakable hint of pity.
Li Si didn’t intend to agree, but her stomach had other plans when it let out an embarrassing growl. She felt mortified, as if she wanted to hide in a hole.
Yin Xian quickly seized the opportunity, guiding Li Si into the car. The drive to the restaurant was silent.
When they arrived at the destination, Li Si belatedly realized they were at Uncle Bo’s Ho Cooking. Oh well, eating anywhere was still eating, wasn’t it? She might as well check how Zhou Rou was doing with her job here.
As soon as she stepped in, she saw Zhou Rou behind the mahogany bar counter, settling a bill with a middle-aged man. The light cast on her small face gave her a particularly delicate and soft aura.
Li Si snuck next to her and tapped her shoulder. "Hey!"
"Li Si? Is that you?" Zhou Rou turned and asked in surprise.
Zhou Rou was scheduled for today’s shift. The restaurant had two cashiers per shift, and she rotated with a few other girls. They got along well, though she was a bit anxious about not knowing how much she’d make for the month. Still, overall, the experience had been positive.
"I ca here to eat with a friend! How’s it going lately? Is work going well?" Li Si pulled her always-chilly hand and smiled as she asked.
Zhou Rou lowered her gaze. "It’s alright! Just a little busy; otherwise, I would’ve reached out to you earlier."
She felt sowhat grateful to Li Si but had held off contacting her. Truth be told, she had her own petty thoughts—to her, Li Si was now a university student and might be too busy with studies, even during the winter holiday. Zhou Rou gave herself excuses, intentionally ignoring the slight pang of envy in her heart.
Suddenly, she raised her head and looked around. "By the way, which friend are you talking about?"
Li Si pointed to Yin Xian standing not far away. "There, it’s him! Alright, you go ahead and get back to it. Let’s chat another ti—I’ll head over now!" Two custors approached the counter to settle their bills, so Li Si didn’t want to hold Zhou Rou up.
"Alright!" Zhou Rou glanced at Yin Xian with a deliberate look, her eyes flashing with curiosity and the hint of a smile.
Li Si and Yin Xian headed to a small private room on the second floor. After ordering, the room fell into a silent lull.
Yin Xian watched as Li Si absentmindedly rubbed her cup, deep in thought, and couldn’t help but speak. "Li Si, I hope you’re not angry. I didn’t an to deceive you."
"Oh? Then explain this: why did you give a gift that was ant for your ex-girlfriend, and on top of it, pretend it was from soone else? Yin Xian, do you know how awkward that situation was?"
After a full day and night, Li Si had cald down considerably. She had reflected on things afterward and realized it wasn’t that big of a deal.
If she hadn’t gone to the Han Family to return the gift, things might’ve stayed uneventful. Then again, she reconsidered—who was to bla here? Perhaps she had made a mistake by accepting the gift so recklessly in the first place.
"Honestly, the fault is mine. If I had been upfront with you initially, none of this would’ve happened. Li Si, my ex and I broke up years ago—I don’t want to discuss the details."
He glanced at Li Si’s calm expression and continued, "Ever since I t you, I’ve found myself liking you. If possible, I’d like to be in a relationship with you."
Though straightforward, his words ca from the heart. Especially after receiving that phone call yesterday and thinking deeply overnight, this desire had grown even stronger!
It had been so long since he’d felt his heart stir like this. Since the breakup, his life had revolved around school and ho, keeping any advances from won firmly at bay.
"What?" Li Si’s mouth opened in astonishnt. Was he confessing to her?
Yin Xian awkwardly cleared his throat. "What I an is, I’d like to pursue you and have you as my girlfriend."
"I..." Li Si started to respond but was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door.
"Co in!"
The person who entered with the dishes turned out to be Zhou Rou, her face glowing with a radiant smile. "Hello, sorry to interrupt!"
Li Si was surprised. "Zhou Rou, why are you serving the food?"
"One of the servers had sothing co up—I’m just helping out! Li Si, who is this? Aren’t you going to introduce us?"
She glanced at them teasingly, her expression full of mischief as though hinting that sothing shady had happened behind closed doors.
"Ah? Let introduce you two. This is Yin Xian, and this is Zhou Rou!" Li Si blinked in slight confusion before quickly stepping in.
They greeted each other briefly, but Zhou Rou didn’t show any intention of leaving. Instead, she cozied up next to Li Si.
"Brother Yin, how do you know our Li Si? Don’t be fooled by how calm she usually seems—she’s actually pretty naïve!"
"Haha, I know!" Yin Xian laughed awkwardly, unsure of how to respond.
"By the way, I noticed your accent—are you from out of town? Brother Yin, do you have a girlfriend? What type are you looking for? I know plenty of girls I could introduce to you!" Zhou Rou’s gaze softened as she stared intently at Yin Xian.
Li Si frowned and felt displeased by Zhou Rou’s behavior. What was she doing?
Yin Xian noticed Li Si’s unhappiness. "I’m from Beijing. As for a girlfriend, no need for introductions, thank you. Miss Zhou, if you’re busy, please don’t let us keep you."
"Alright then! Brother Yin, Li Si, enjoy your al! I have so things to take care of, but let know if you need anything!" With that, she tapped Li Si on the shoulder and made a hand signal for a phone call before leaving the room.
Reviews
All reviews (0)