Shen Xi had turned around as the car burned rubber and gained speed towards her.
Leaving Shen Xi with no time to react, the car drifted beautifully and brushed past her before braking in front of her to a screeching stop.
While the car was making its way over, she was pulled into Li Yuan’s arm by the waist.
Shen Xi’s jaw dropped. This was one bad*ss driving and a pro! Judging by the steady, fast, and skilled driving, she was sure it was not her darling Madam Yun behind the wheel.
Having only gotten her driving license last year, Madam Yun kept to the mantra that slow and steady would win the race. There was no way she was up to this professional level.
With the car pulled to a stop, the door opened and someone got out of the vehicle. It was not Yun Jinping but Jiang Yin. Raising her brow, she sized up Li Yuan who was in the wheelchair behind Shen Xi. She asked, “Who are you?”
There seemed to be a thing going between the pair. The girl was smiling like she was weak in the loins. Was she in love?
“Hello, Ms. Jiang.” Li Yuan knew her. Giving a polite nod, he added. “I’m a friend of Xixi.”
Following his words, Shen Xi, standing by his side, bore a flicker of loneliness in her eyes. A friend? She was a little down to be regarded as a friend to him.
“Look at where your hands are.” Jiang Yin turned a deaf ear to his answer and was not bothered how he knew her. However, she could not stand by and watch him clutching Shen Xi’s waist.
A friend?
What kind of friend was this intimate? More like a boyfriend!
Li Yuan released his grip and let out a polite smile.
“Ms. Jiang, why are you here?” Shen Xi took a step forward to come in between them.
“Am I getting in the way of your business?” Jiang Yin spoke without holding back. Look at the little traitor coming to the man’s defense. It was not like Jiang Yin was going to eat him alive.
“No.” Shen Xi gazed at her with a smile after returning to her usual cool head and composure. “Brother and I are just heading out for a barbecue. Do you want to come along?”
Jiang Yin snorted. “And be a third wheeler?”
“Ms. Jiang, we’re not what you think we are.” Shen Xi refuted unconvincingly. They were not right now, but that would change in the future. She believed so!
“I need to talk to you. Follow me.” Without looking at Li Yuan, Jiang Yin snubbed from him and pulled Shen Xi along to the house.
Brother?
Brother, her *ss.
It sounded more like a lover!
The girl sure had the guts!
Furrowing her brows, Li Yuan worriedly looked at the girl’s receding figure. Even though Shen Xi looked back to gesture at him to relax, he was still worried sick.
Her teacher was known for her unsparing remarks and cocky attitude. He would put Jiang Yin in her place if Shen Xi was not a student of hers.
Jiang Yin hurled Shen Xi onto the sofa before picking up an apple on the table for a bite. She looked down at Shen Xi. “It’s time for you to confess.”
“I like him.” Shen Xi gladly admitted her real feelings to anyone but Madam Yun and Old Shen.
Jiang Yun nearly choked on the apple. Pointing her finger, she gave Shen Xi a dressing-down. “Show some restraint. Does he like you back? Is that all it takes for you to like him? You seem proud and smug to throw yourself all over him.”
“I will win his heart sooner or later!” Shen Xi earnestly clenched her fist to cheer herself on.
“Don’t tell me you’re carrying a torch for him?” Jiang Yin curled her lips out of rage. “Let me tell you. No good comes out of unrequited love. I’ll kick your *ss if you make the first move by confessing your love and wooing him!”
Sensing something amiss, Shen Xi sought guidance with an open mind. “Ms. Jiang, were you hurt by a one-sided love before?”
“Get out of here. Would I be as hopeless as you? I would be on the other side of a one-sided relationship.” Reserved, Jiang Yin sat opposite of her and crossed her legs. She then changed the subject. “Do your parents know?”
“No.” Shen Xi contemptuously shook her head as Jiang Yin delved into narcissism. “My parents think I’m too young to fall in love. I’ll tell them when I’m of age.”
“And you want me to keep it a secret?” Jiang Yin slammed another question.
Shen Xi nodded. “Yes, for now.”
Jiang Yin was not one to ask for nothing in return. She showed no mercy as she steamrolled her own student over. “Sure, I can keep this secret for you, but you have to be the stylist for Cloud Seven’s new script.”
Shen Xi said, “Didn’t you sign the contract?”
It was agreed upon that Jiang Yin was to be the stylist for Shen Xi’s latest script. Why was the responsibility pushed back to her at the last minute? Was Shen Xi supposed to write the script and style the actors as well?
“I have a conflict in schedule and won’t be able to leave my post until the 11th of October.” Jiang Yin unscrupulously passed the buck. “Besides, isn’t it a TV series by your company? As the boss, it’s only fitting that you become the stylist.”
“Yeah, right. I have to get my study on because I’m back to school then.” Shen Xi was frustrated. “Let’s not forget that it’s beneath the boss to work as the stylist.”
“Oh, pulling the boss card now, huh? I’m the top stylist in the industry, you know.” Jiang Yin was then struck by a thought. “You had Ruan Sisi follow me around all day. Is she my student or yours?”
“Fine, I’ll do it.” Shen Xi knew she was in the wrong.
“Now that’s my good student. I’ve sketched the outfits and looks while Ruan Sisi will straighten out the details. You’d only need to work on the matching. Bring her along so you can bond with her and show her the ropes,” Jiang Yin responded.
Shen Xu uttered, “Thank you.”
At least Jiang Yin had the decency not to leave all the work to her.
“That reminds me. Can you arrange a meeting for me and Cloud Seven?” This was the purpose of Jiang Yin’s trip here. Yuan Yu would not budge and insisted that Cloud Seven would not see anyone.
“No.” Shen Xi was blunt on the refusal. “Cloud Seven doesn’t do visits. I never met the scriptwriter myself.”
Jiang Yin did not believe a word she said. Sitting next to Shen Xi, Jiang Yin spoke in a hushed tone as though it was some secret. “Don’t you want to charm that man? Get me a meeting with Cloud Seven and I’ll set you both up. He’s handicapped and has difficulty with his legs. Your parents will have a hard time accepting him. I can take your side and stick up for you.”
These words were a stab in Shen Xi’s heart. She would have told her parents long ago if this was not a concern. While she could accept Li Yuan’s disability, she was afraid Madam Yun and Old Shen would not be able to. Her willful act would only break their hearts.
“Come on, is it a yes or no?” Jiang Yin prodded her cheek. Oh my, it was tender to the touch. Her supple-skinned student was too good for the boy.
The kid was good-looking but it was a shame he was a cripple. He would have been perfect if he was without impairment. It was not that she looked down on the handicapped, but as the elder, she did not want to see her darling student end up with a cripple.
“Who is requesting Cloud Seven?” Shen Xi inquired.
Jiang Yin replied, “This is a secret I can’t tell you, Lil’ Chairman Shen. Just tell me if you can do it.”
Shen Xi probed further. “When?”
Jiang Yin answered, “This coming Sunday. I’ll pick you up.”
It was supposed to be for tomorrow, but the person had something come up and called to change the date while Jiang Yin was on her way here. Hence, it was changed to Sunday.
Shen Xi retorted, “I’ll try and see if I can arrange a meeting. I’ll let you know later.”
Jiang Yin happily gave her a bear hug. “I believe in you. I should get going.”
Shen Xi watched as Jiang Yin walked out while chewing on the apple. With a frown, she pondered who was interested to meet her and how she should disguise herself.
Once at the door, Jiang Yin suddenly stopped in her tracks and let out a provocative grin. She gave Shen Xi a friendly warning. “You might want to keep a lookout while on your date. Your mom will break your legs if she catches you.”
Shen Xi, “…”
Jiang Yin then left.
Letting out a sigh of relief, Shen Xi went for a barbeque with Li Yuan. She got home, only to dwell right back into who wanted to see Cloud Seven, so much so to go through Jiang Yin.
She gave Yuan Yu a call, but the latter had no idea. All he knew was that Jiang Yin wanted Cloud Seven’s contact. There was no mention of who was the requestor.
Jiang Yin kept a tight lip and despite Shen Xi’s discreet efforts to find out, the former refused to let up. In the end, Shen Xi dropped it. Surely, it would not be someone she knew.
Sunday came by in a flash.
That afternoon, Shen Xi got past Jiang Yin by dressing up as a young man. She met Jiang Yin in a café before riding along in her car to go and meet the mysterious person.
