Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Not quite so.” Qi Chengzhi smiled at her. “My prior verbal warning was to no avail, obviously, as Mu Sisi was still impudent. She was becoming bolder and bolder due to his brother’s position. I shouldn’t wait for her to create more serious trouble, it’d be too late for her to regret. She had framed Ruan Dancheng this time, and she might do the same on others next time. When will she stop doing this? She would become bolder and commit more harm if we don’t take any action.”
“How about Mu Huaisheng?” asked Song Yu.
“I’ve fulfilled my duty as a friend by letting his sister off so many times. We should stop being passive. If he did blame me because of this, then I may have to reconsider whether he’s a worthy friend.” Qi Chengzhi pouted slightly.
Song Yu knew that he did not want her to feel wronged after all.
Today she could talk so bluntly towards Mu Huaisheng in front of him because she knew he would not blame her. She also wanted Mu Huaisheng to realize that they would not tolerate invariably.
Song Yu walked towards Qi Chengzi and stopped beside him. He was still sitting at the side of the sofa. She stood beside the sofa and gently touched his arm, her soft and slender fingers caressing it.
Qi Chengzhi looked up at her coolly, his graceful expression decorated with elegance.
“Sorry for troubling you,” said Song Yu softly.
“No trouble at all.” Qi Chengzhi did not feel he was burdened. Quite the contrary, he felt that she was wronged because of him.
Smiling at him, Song Yu suddenly bent forward and nimbly pecked on his lips. When she straightened her body and looked at him, the elegance he displayed moments ago was gone. He was blushing—even his ears turned red.
He was extremely cute with a startled expression. It was rare to see this kind of expression on him.
Qi Chengzhi’s eyes were shining brightly. He stared at her intensely like he was itching to pull her into his arms and make out with her. It was Song Yu ‘s turn to flush due to his passionate stare. She could not help but touch him one more time before turning around and walked to the kitchen with her head down timidly.
Looking at her back, he could not stop smiling.
…
…
Ruan Danchen sniffed a few times, then she wet a piece of tissue and wiped her eyes.
She was looking into the mirror, her eyes were still reddish, but it was not very apparent. She could not hide in here for too long because Song Yu would be worried about her. She took a deep breath and opened the restroom’s door. She stepped outside with her head bowed and her forehead bumped into something.
Ruan Danchen astonishingly raised her head and saw Qi Chenglin was standing right outside the restroom.
He was tall and had a broad chest. He was obstructing the way out, forcing Ruan Danchen to be blocked inside the restroom, but she could not walk back inside.
“Young Master Lin, please excuse me.” Ruan Danchen hastily bowed as she dare not let him saw her reddened eyes.
“I want to use the restroom.” Qi Chenglin’s frosty voice sounded at the top of her head.
“…” Ruan Danchen was speechless—of course she knew that he came to use the restroom. “Shouldn’t you let me out first before coming in?”
Unexpectedly, Qi Chenglin snorted and answered, “Don’t speak like you’ve never seen me pee.”
“…” Ruan Danchen’s face turned red, he was implying that she should enter the restroom with him and stood beside him to watch him pee?
Bah!
She already stepped aside to let him in. It was very rude of him to talk like this.
“It’s not attractive at all.” Ruan Danchen looked down and mumbled.
However, Qi Chenglin was able to listen clearly to what she said. He put his hands into his pockets, raised his eyebrows and asked, “This means that you had seen quite a few? Why don’t you tell me whose is the most good-looking?
“I never saw other’s before, only saw yours, but it was ugly enough, okay? Are you going to let me through?” said Ruan Danchen furiously as she raised her head. She had lost her patience.
She was blocked by him without any reason and now they were discussing whether his penis was good-looking, was this appropriate?
“Why are your eyes so red? You cried?” Qi Chenglin teased her.
“No!” Ruan Danchen was annoyed. She lifted her arms and tried to push him away.
However, the moment she touched his chest, her wrists were grasped by his roasting hot hands.
His palms were huge because he had long fingers. In contrast, her wrist was so thin and delicate.
He moved into the restroom forcefully, causing Ruan Danchen to retreat into the restroom weakly without much resistance. In a split second, she was flung towards the opposite side. Before she could react, the door was closed with a bang and she was pressed against the restroom’s door.
Their bodies were within touching distance. His face seemed enlarged because he was so near to her. He looked much more attractive in close distance and she could taste his rich odor with her trembling lips.
“Qi Chenglin, what are you doing?” Ruan Danchen’s wrists were clutched by him and she was unable to free them, she crossly said, “Stop behaving like a hooligan, go and find other women. This is your brother’s house, what do you want to do?”
Qi Chenglin stared at her derisively and laughed. Then he questioned her coolly, “Did you asked for Youxuan’s birthday just now?”
He looked malicious and stern, Ruan Danchen was frightened by his gaze. Her heart was beating very fast, why did he ask her about this? Did he find out something?
Ruan Danchen appeared to be nervous and not knowing what to do. “Youxuan told me you cried. Why did you cry when you were only asking about his birthday?” Qi Chenglin sneered.
Ruan Danchen’s face turned pale and she turned her head away. “Nothing, I was reminded of one of my relative’s kids.”
Qi Chenglin snorted with disdain and threw her hands away. “You should prepare a draft next time if you want to lie. Youxuan is still a small kid, don’t involve him in your plot.”
“What do you mean, Qi Chenglin? What could I have plotted on him?” Ruan Danchen was fuming, she could feel the blood surging into her head and her face flushed to the color of scarlet. Her eyes turned red again after being accused by him. “Do you think I had done that because of you? If you thought it was because of you, I can tell you straight, stop flattering yourself. Youxuan said it right, he had to try to complement your undesirable character.”
Ruan Danchen used her elbow to push him away. She opened the door and ran out.
…
…
When they were having dinner, Ruan Danchen sat obliquely opposite to Qi Chenglin. She was feeling uneasy as she could see him whenever she looked up.
Furthermore, she could feel that Qi Chengling was looking at her now and then. This caused her to eat with her head down all the time. She only took the dishes in front of her without uttering a word.
Even the others sensed that there was something unusual going on between them, and they exchanged puzzled looks.
“Danchen, why are you so quiet tonight? You’re not behaving like your usual self.” Song Yu smiled and exchanged the dishes in front of her with the dishes in front of Ruan Danchen. “Don’t just pick the dishes in front of you. There’s no need to feel embarrassed since there’s no outsider here.”
Although Ruan Danchen was not as outgoing as the incredibly lively Lu Nanxi, she was not an introvert either. Therefore, Song Yu felt awkward that she was so quiet tonight.
Ruan Danchen replied to her with a smile, but she accidentally caught Qi Chenglin’s eyes. She immediately turned her head and pouted in contempt.
After they had their dinner, they sat for a while before taking their leave.
Ruan Danchen knew Song Yu very well, so she started to talk when Song Yu was just about to ask Qi Chenglin to send her back. “Mr. Cheng, Miss Qi, could you give me a lift? Just drop me off at a nearby subway station.”
It was obvious to Cheng Dongge there was something unusual going on between Ruan Danchen and Qi Dongge. He took a glance at Qi Chenglin who did not say anything and nodded. “It’s my pleasure, it would be inconsiderate to drop you off at the subway station. I’ll send you back home.”
Ruan Danchen sincerely thanked him and left with Cheng Dongge and Qi Chengyue.
Qi Youxuan was pouting unhappily as he followed Qi Chenglin to the car. He climbed into his child safety seat and let Qi Chenglin fastened his seatbelt.
After Qi Chenglin started the engine, he asked with his lips still pouted, “Dad, did you make Aunt Ruan angry?”
Qi Chenglin glimpsed at him from the rearview mirror and did not answer him.
Qi Youxuan stuck out his fair and chubby little finger and pointed it at Qi Chenglin. He was furious at his passiveness and said, “Oh, Dad, what do you want me to tell you! When will you find a wife with this kind of temper? You’re a grown man, yet you still need your son who’s going to kindergarten to worry about you. Can you be more reliable?”
“…” Qi Chenglin speechlessly took a glance at him and said, “Since you know that you’re still a small kid attending kindergarten, you should do what kindergarten kids do. Don’t concern yourself with adults’ matters.”
“What if this kindergarten kid wanted the latest Gundam model. Would you buy for him?” asked the smart child with his eyes wide open in anticipation after he sensed an opportunity.
Qi Chenglin was at a loss for words. “…”
This naughty brat. Did he purposely trap him?
Is his IQ so high?
“You see, you refused to buy one for me again. I wanted to do what kindergarten kids should be doing, but you didn’t give me the chance!” Qi Youxuan distressfully slapped his chubby thigh and gave him a helpless look. “Dad, I’ll marry Muran in the future. Nowadays, girls don’t like staying with their in-laws. Of course, if you don’t marry anyone, then Muran would only have father-in-law, and this would make things more inconvenient. What should I do if you fall for your daughter-in-law? I can’t stop worrying!”
“Not only that, my father-in-law surely won’t allow Muran to stay with you. At that time, you’ll be all alone—such a pity! What I did was for your good, so how could you be so stubborn!”
“…” Qi Chenglin could not bear it anymore, he said with his mouth twitched and his teeth gritted, “Qi Youxuan, enough is enough. Where did you learn all this nonsense?!”
…
…
“New Year’s Eve Special Edition”
This was the first time Song Yu celebrated Chinese New Year’s Eve with Qi Chengzhi at the Qi family’s old manor. Glittering snowflakes were falling outside. The ground, lawn, holly trees, and all the other various plants were covered by a blanket of white, just as how it was described in paintings and fairy tales. The joyous New Year’s atmosphere in the Qi family’s manor was lively and palpable.
Song Donglin and Yu Qianying went to celebrate New Year with the Song family, so Song Yu was not worried that her parents would feel lonely.
The Qi family also experienced some changes compared to before as Qi Chengyue had followed Cheng Dongge back to Li City for New Year’s celebration. This was the first time she was not together with her family on New Year’s Eve.
Aunt Liu also returned to her hometown and would be back on the seventh day of the Chinese New Year.
Song Yu, Xia Wenna, and Guan Liya were wrapping dumplings together. Guan Liya smiled and said, “I wasn’t used to not having her around on New Year’s Eve. She wasn’t very helpful in the chores but she loves wrapping dumplings, although her dumplings were not good-looking. The filling was too few and the skin was too thick—just a glance and we could identify which dumplings she had made after cooking.”
Qi Chengzhi smiled at her. He was sitting beside Song Yu, fiddling with his phone with his arms around her waist. There was a large cot beside the sofa with an infant was lying inside. The skin of his face was still wrinkled with a tinge of yellow.
Qi Youjin was just one month and a half old. Song Yu had completed her confinement half a month ago and she had not completely slimmed down. There was still some flabby flesh around her waistline.
Qi Chengzhi enjoyed it when he held her flabby tissue in his palm intermittently and pinched it.
He opened the WeChat app and saw a photo sent into the Qi Family’s group which showed two hands holding a dumpling each, one of the dumplings was larger than the other.
The dumpling on the smaller hand had visibly much fewer filling and thicker skin whereas the one on the larger hand was well-made.
Needless to say, Qi Chengzhi already knew which dumpling was wrapped by Qi Chengyue. She passed the phone to Guan Liya.
Guan Liya grinned when she saw the photo. “This girl, no improvement at all after wrapping for so many years. Her mother-in-law would surely laugh at her!”
After he said that, Qi Chengzhi’s phone received a request for WeChat video call, “Gee!” said Guan Liya. “Chengzhi, quick, a video call from Chengyue.”
Qi Chengzhi accepted the video call while finding a perfect angle to fit all of them into the camera.
Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi moved closer to them. All of them were trying to squeeze to fit into the camera.
Qi Chengyue cheerfully called the names of people who were present one after another. Guan Liya asked with a grin, “Hopefully you’re not causing inconvenience to your husband’s family!”
“Mum, what are you talking about?” Qi Chengyue asked with her face flushed.
“No, absolutely not!” Sun Shaoyun and Cheng Zhaohui appeared on the screen together. Sun Shaoyun was waving her hand. “Grandfather Qi, Grandmother Qi, and Mrs. Qi, Chengyue was really great. When she came back with Dongge yesterday, all of our neighbors who met her praised her because she was pretty and well-mannered. They envied us a lot!”
“Big Brother, let me see my little nephew!” Qi Chengyue urged.
Qi Chengzhi passed his cellphone to Qi Chenglin and he lifted it. He went to the cot beside the sofa and carried the baby in his arms for Qi Chengyue to see.
“Yahoo, little Youjin, your aunt missed you the most when I’m here!” Qi Chengyue looked like she truly wished she could extend her arm out of the screen to stroke his head.
Her voice had startled Qi Youjin. He blinked her eyes a few times and suddenly burst out crying.
Qi Chengzhi tried to calm him down. “Maybe he peed. I’m changing his diaper now.”
After quite a while, Qi Chengzhi carried little Youjin back and confirmed, saying, “Yes, he did pee.”
Qi Chengyue had hung up the video call. Qi Chengzhi put the baby back into the cot and lulled her to sleep.
Meanwhile, Qi Youxuan was staring at the dumplings while holding a pair of chopsticks. He was holding some edible red coloring on the other hand. That was given to him by Aunt Liu, and it was used for coloring the eggs when they were cooked after the birth of Youxuan. Qi Youxuan asked for it when he saw there were leftovers.
He seized the opportunity to draw a red dot on one of the dumplings with the chopsticks and the coloring when Xia Wenna and Guanliya were picking up them.
He had skillfully drawn a red dot on five of the dumplings before Grandmother Qi noticed his misdoing. “What are you doing?”
Qi Youxuan looked at her with his grape-like big black eyes and innocently said, “It would become better-looking after drawing the dots. We stamped the steamed buns during New Year, so I thought it would be a good idea to do the same on the dumplings.”
“…” Grandmother Qi studied the dumplings suspiciously for a long time and sensed something was wrong in it. Then, she took one of the dumplings and finally discovered the truth. “You’re marking the dumplings with money wrapped inside!”
“…” Qi Youxuan twisted his round tummy and said in an embarrassed manner, “People say the coming year would be more prosperous if we ate more dumplings with money wrapped inside them during New Year! I don’t believe in luck, so I decided to work for it!”
Previously, Qi Chengxuan was responsible for wrapping the money into the dumplings, thus he could effortlessly identify those dumplings. However, she was not around this year, so he had to find another way.
“…” Grandmother Qi made no reply. Everyone else fell into a mutual silence as well.
Grandmother Qi confiscated the chopsticks and the red colorings from Qi Chengxuan. “Stop fooling around—you already drew 5 dots, and there are only eight in total. You should be satisfied!”
Surprisingly, Qi Youxuan did not disagree. He ran towards Song Yu instead, twisting his buttocks and sticking out his little belly. He beckoned to her with his finger crooked, Song Yu lowered her head and heard him whispered, “Aunt, when you cook the dumplings at night, please cook the other three dumplings with money inside separately, and put them together with the red-dotted ones in my bowl!”
“…” Song Yu looked at this greedy little boy who wanted her to include all eight dumplings with money among the ten dumplings he would get. She nodded with a smile. “Sure.”
…
…
After having their reunion dinner, they sat down in front of the television to watch the Chinese New Year Gala. The Chinese New Year Gala was different this year—the channel had collaborated with various platforms to send out digital red packets, and the audience could follow the instructions given to fight for them.
Although the members of the Qi Family were wealthy, and most of the time there were only a few dollars or a few cents in the packets, they still participated in it for fun. It was quite interesting and fun—even Grandfather Qi and Grandmother Qi were holding their cell phones.
Grandmother Qi did not understand how these things work, hence she asked almost everyone she met about it before the New Year. She had asked all the Qi’s siblings about it, and they had had a difficult time explaining it until she eventually understood.
Song Yu was tapping for digital red packets on Alipay right after she finished shaking for the red packets on WeChat. She was delighted because she managed to win 17.78 Yuan, and the amount was the most in the family.
Qi Changzhi was smiling while combing her hair using his long and bony fingers. Her hair became less tidy after she bowed her head for so long to tap for the red packets. He did not have the heart to ridicule her when he saw her excitement.
Song Yu’s cell phone vibrated. She checked her phone and found out that Qi Chengzhi had just sent her a digital red packet via WeChat.
“Wow, you’re so in, even know how to send this!” Song Yu smiled. She thought Qi Chengzhi was just having fun with her.
She created a WeChat group with Wei Ran, Qi Chengyue, Ruan Danchen, Lu Nanxi, Fang Jiaran and Ning Wan before. They would send red packets into the chat group whenever they were free and see who got them first.
Song Yu tapped on the digital packet that was sent by Qi Chengzhi, and she was astonished by the number displayed.
5201314!
“Keep it for fun.” Qi Chengzhi was smiling. “This is for tonight. I’ll give you another one as the New Year’s lucky money 1 tomorrow morning.”
“…” Song Yu’s face turned red and she beamed at him. She felt that he was very romantic and sneakily kissed him. “Thanks, hubby.”
—
Author’s note:
Did you see the easter egg? Yes, it was Song Yu’s child. In the main text, Song Yu was pregnant for less than three months, but I had let her baby feature in this special edition. Please do not demand a twin, Orange Juice is still young, let them come one by one.
