Chapter 9
The second son of the Zhang family was named Zhang Xitan, and he was rumored within their circle to be Li Qinyue’s fiancé.
Actually, they had only met a handful of times, and the last time they spoke was back in sixth grade.
In recent years, the business cooperation between the Zhang and Li families had been flourishing. The official Weibo accounts of their two brands had gained millions of fans by playing up their “bromance”. Netizens joked about them being online in-laws, while friends in their circle teased Li Qinyue and Zhang Xitan.
It was rumored that they had been engaged since childhood, that they had attended the same elementary school and were childhood sweethearts. It was rumored that Zhang Xitan was returning from abroad this time to marry Li Qinyue.
Bullshit.
That was Li Qinyue’s summary of these rumors.
She didn’t care what others said, but what was scary was that two months ago, her father had shifted his focus from criticizing her “unserious” extreme sports career to criticizing her love life.
Then, her grandfather listed a bunch of suitable “high-quality” candidates for marriage, and her father, during several phone calls, specifically praised Zhang Xitan.
The New Year was approaching, and there would be a family dinner gathering. If Li Qinyue didn’t object, everyone, from her friends to their families, would take their non-existent relationship as a fact.
Of course, Li Qinyue wouldn’t let that happen. She was originally prepared to fight it head-on, but then Ling Xi presented her with this opportunity.
If Ling Xi hadn’t had ulterior motives, Li Qinyue would have suspected she was trying to help her.
Now, with a lively little bomb by her side, stirring up her blood and making her mischievous instincts surge, she wouldn’t let any of those who tried to scheme against her off the hook.
That day, Li Qinyue didn’t return to the villa complex. She took Zhuo Zhi to several places, broadening her horizons.
Although she disdained being deeply involved in their social circle, she had grown up in it after all, and she had all the connections she needed, both black and white.
Zhuo Zhi was like an errand boy, going wherever Li Qinyue told her to, even buying cigarettes without a second thought.
After a busy day, they finally made all the arrangements. Everything was in place, waiting for the fish to take the bait.
Two days later, the second son of the Zhang family, Zhang Xitan, landed at Nanhai Airport, amidst much anticipation.
Lin Haitao had been waiting for a long time. He picked him up and showered him with compliments, making the second son, who had lost money running a company abroad and was back to ask his father for money to pay off his debts, sound like a leading figure in promoting Sino-foreign economic cooperation returning home in triumph.
Meanwhile, Ling Xi tried her best to subtly tell Li Qinyue about how fun a certain club was, even getting her the number tag of a certain pheasant rock climbing champion who worked there as an escort.
Li Qinyue laughed as she read the messages on her phone. Knowing everything, she shook her head and sighed to Zhuo Zhi, “Her acting is too bad, too bad!”
Zhuo Zhi leaned closer, wanting to see the messages too, but felt embarrassed to keep looking at someone else’s phone.
Li Qinyue simply pulled her closer and placed the phone with its large screen in front of them both.
Li Qinyue typed quickly, enjoying playing hard to get. Suddenly, she turned to Zhuo Zhi and asked, “After all these days, do you think the marks you left on them are still there?”
“They probably haven’t faded yet,” Zhuo Zhi said.
“Hey, great!” Li Qinyue picked up her phone and suddenly started a video call.
Zhuo Zhi instinctively dodged to the side.
“Come here,” Li Qinyue beckoned to her.
“What for?” Zhuo Zhi squeezed into the corner of the sofa cautiously.
“It’s nothing,” Li Qinyue pulled her closer and put her arm around her shoulder, fixing her in a suitable position.
The video call connected, and Ling Xi’s face appeared on the screen, wearing a mask. She asked, “Why did you suddenly want to video call?”
Li Qinyue said, “Too lazy to type.”
“Eh, eh, eh, eh, eh…” Ling Xi noticed Zhuo Zhi, who was showing half of her face, “Who, who, who is this?”
“Don’t you recognize her?” Li Qinyue tilted her head, resting it on Zhuo Zhi’s forehead, “My person.”
Ling Xi remembered, “I remember, the super cool little cop from that day, right?”
“The bodyguard my grandfather found for me,” Li Qinyue pinched Zhuo Zhi’s cheek, her smile mischievous, “Super cute.”
Zhuo Zhi felt a little uncomfortable. Li Qinyue was being too touchy-feely right now.
Li Qinyue let go of her and said, “Go, wash some grapes for me.”
Her eyes conveyed her meaning clearly. Zhuo Zhi obediently stood up, afraid of disrupting any step in Li Qinyue’s plan, and went to the kitchen to wash grapes for Miss Li.
Li Qinyue laughed at the phone, “Cute, right?”
Ling Xi said, “President Li, something’s not right with you, what do you mean?”
“What do I mean, I’m just asking if my person is cute?”
“Do you know in what situations people ask that question?” Ling Xi pointed to herself, “I usually only ask that when I’m dating a girl.”
“Tsk,” Li Qinyue stood up, “Wait a minute.”
She took her phone and went upstairs to her bedroom, closing the door behind her.
The video call wasn’t hung up, creating a very secretive atmosphere.
When Li Qinyue’s face reappeared on the screen, Ling Xi was already impatient, “Miss Li, what’s going on? Don’t tell me it’s what I think it is.”
Li Qinyue said, “Take off that damn mask, it’s annoying me.”
“I have a cold sore, I’m afraid of scaring you.”
“A cold sore can scare the shit out of who? Was I raised by wolves?”
“Okay, okay, okay.” Ling Xi took off her mask. There was a colorful patch on the corner of her mouth, red and swollen, with yellow ointment on it.
Li Qinyue thought to herself that Zhuo Zhi, that little fool, actually lied to her. She had clearly been punched in the mouth too.
Li Qinyue didn’t hold back, “It is pretty disgusting.”
Ling Xi picked up the mask, “I’d better put it back on.”
“No, no, no, it’s fine, it’s more comfortable to see you like this,” Li Qinyue quickly stopped her.
It was more satisfying to see her like this.
That was what she was looking for, satisfaction.
Ling Xi put down the mask. Li Qinyue asked the question Ling Xi had been waiting for, “What does it feel like to like a girl?”
Ling Xi looked like she had won the lottery, “Which girl do you have your eye on?! Li Qinyue, aren’t you a straight woman?! I remember that certain actress was making moves on you, but you weren’t interested at all!”
“Not my type,” Li Qinyue said, “Take off your clothes.”
“Huh?” Ling Xi was stunned.
“Your top, take it off,” Li Qinyue paused, afraid of being disgusted, but still reminded her, “No need to get naked, keep your bra on.”
“Tomboys don’t wear bras,” Ling Xi said.
“Then aren’t you afraid of your nipples showing?!” Li Qinyue became impatient.
“I’m wearing a tank top.”
“Take it off!” Li Qinyue said, “Didn’t you also want to hook up with me before? Now you can’t even take off your clothes.”
“Okay, okay, I understand, I understand,” Ling Xi looked like someone experienced, “You want to see if you have any feelings for a woman’s body, so you can decide whether to pursue your crush.”
Li Qinyue scoffed, she was really good at finding excuses for herself.
Ling Xi said, “I’m taking it off.”
“Hurry up,” Li Qinyue was getting impatient.
Ling Xi propped up her phone and started taking off her jacket and sweater, her movements full of suggestive meaning, making Li Qinyue’s skin crawl.
Li Qinyue narrowed her eyes, blocking her vision. After a full minute, Ling Xi finally reached the level of undress that Li Qinyue wanted.
“Leave the tank top on,” Li Qinyue said.
Ling Xi smiled wickedly, “I won’t even let you see if you want to.”
Who the hell wants to see, Li Qinyue stared at the marks on Ling Xi’s arms and shoulders, her heart filled with joy.
The bruises hadn’t faded yet, they were very obvious if you looked closely.
Hearing about Zhuo Zhi beating them up for her and actually seeing the marks were two completely different feelings.
Now, her joy was doubled, so happy that she wanted to dance.
“Have you seen enough?” Ling Xi looked at Li Qinyue, thinking she was looking very handsome, “If you want to see more, we can find a time…”
“Enough,” Li Qinyue interrupted her.
You try to scheme against me and you still want to sleep with me? Dream on, you idiot.
After saying that, she turned the phone screen down, “Put your clothes back on, let’s discuss the topic we were talking about earlier.”
Ling Xi put her clothes back on. Li Qinyue asked pointedly, “What are those bruises on you?”
Ling Xi paused, then smiled, “What else could it be, I’m just getting overheated.”
“You’re overheated all over your body?”
“Hey, hey, hey, can’t you be more subtle?” Ling Xi said, “It’s the fire in my body.”
Okay, Li Qinyue understood.
Li Qinyue almost wanted to laugh out loud. She had clearly been beaten up, yet she was still lying and implying that she was vigorous in that aspect. What kind of idiotic logic was that?
But for the sake of the bigger picture, she held back her laughter, feeling that her brilliant ideas were flowing like a spring.
Picking up the phone again, Li Qinyue said with a worried expression, “I think we’re too familiar, it’s hard to tell.”
“Then what do you want to do?” Ling Xi couldn’t wait for her to come out of the closet, it would be adding fuel to the fire.
“Didn’t you say you were going out tonight?” Li Qinyue said, “Why don’t we try something new?”
“Huh? Not meeting the champion anymore? That’s a shame.”
“Right now, compared to the champion, I’d rather meet a pretty girl,” Li Qinyue said, “I heard there’s a place on Wei’er Street, first floor is for men and women, second floor is for men and men and women and women, third floor is for groups of 3, 4, 5, 6, anything you want.”
“Damn…” Ling Xi laughed, “You really go all out when you play.”
Li Qinyue lit a cigarette, “Are you going or not?”
“I’m going,” Ling Xi readily agreed.
Of course she was going. What Ling Xi feared most was that she would plan everything and then Li Qinyue wouldn’t go.
It was just a change of venue. As long as Li Qinyue went, it didn’t matter where they went. It was hard to find a four-legged frog, but there were plenty of girls who could be thrown at Zhang Xitan.
Moreover, the place Li Qinyue mentioned was actually one of Ling Xi’s own investments.
On her own turf, everything would be easier to handle. She had chosen other places before because she was afraid that Li Qinyue would become suspicious afterwards. Now, God had presented her with this opportunity, the timing, location, and people were all perfect, Ling Xi was ecstatic.
When the video call ended, both of them had their own schemes, but both were in high spirits.
After hanging up, Ling Xi even sent several messages asking if Li Qinyue had her eye on the fresh and tender little bodyguard from earlier, acting like she wanted to give her advice on how to pursue her.
Li Qinyue ignored her, throwing her phone aside. She was too happy right now and needed to share her joy with Zhuo Zhi.
She ran downstairs. Zhuo Zhi was trying to peel and seed the washed grapes, mixing them with yogurt, waiting on Miss Li.
She was still holding a grape when Li Qinyue suddenly appeared in front of her and said, “Stand still!”
Zhuo Zhi didn’t know what was wrong with her, but she didn’t dare to delay, quickly straightened up, and stood properly.
“Open your hands!” Li Qinyue ordered, and at the same time, she jumped up. The moment Zhuo Zhi opened her hands, Li Qinyue hung onto her.
A face-to-face embrace, the young lady’s long legs were flexible, wrapped around her waist, tight enough not to fall off.
Bearing Li Qinyue’s weight was no problem for Zhuo Zhi, but this sudden intimate gesture felt like someone was squeezing her heart, sending a strange sensation through her, making her hair stand on end.
“What’s wrong?” Zhuo Zhi’s hands were dirty, so she didn’t dare to hug her back.
Li Qinyue wrapped her arms around her neck and gave her a loud kiss on the forehead, “Little one, you did a great job!”
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