"I didn't..." Cen Ya was completely taken aback by his accusation. She was the one criticizing Ou Minghan, yet somehow it had turned around to him criticizing her?
"No need to say more, Ya Ya. Is your mother arranging for you to meet the sons of dukes, marquises, or wealthy businessmen again? If you want to go, then go. I won't hold you back!" Ou Minghan turned his back completely. "I think we should take some time apart to think things through!"
With that, Ou Minghan strode away.
He had deliberately picked a fight with Cen Ya. Only after they had a falling out, and he was willing to risk his life for her, would it be deeply etched in her memory. That way, Cen Ya would be devoted to him and could never doubt his sincerity again!
"Minghan..." Cen Ya wanted to chase after him, but Ou Minghan didn't look back. She stood frozen in place, covering her face and weeping.
*
In the evening, Ye Zhi, who had returned from the construction site, first went back to her own home. She took a shower, changed into clean clothes, and then went to her next-door neighbor's to pick up Zhao Cai.
Arriving next door, the butler informed her that Qi Xuan was in the study. Ye Zhi, familiar with the way, went up herself.
In the study, Qi Xuan was using a laser pointer, boredly playing with Zhao Cai.
Zhao Cai, full of energy, was darting around, chasing the elusive little red dot.
Ye Zhi pushed open the study door and looked at the scene before her, somewhat surprised. "Perhaps I should pick it up later?"
"No need." Qi Xuan put down the laser pointer. "Come sit down."
Ye Zhi nodded and walked in.
Zhao Cai, displeased, jumped onto the desk and meowed at Qi Xuan in confusion. Seeing that Qi Xuan had no intention of paying attention to it, it jumped off the desk angrily and sprawled on the study's carpet.
"It really treats this place like its own home..." Ye Zhi was speechless.
"Isn't that good?" Qi Xuan smiled faintly. Then, he poured a glass of water and offered it to Ye Zhi. "You should pay more attention to your safety recently. I've received news that the Cen family plans to withdraw their investment from Feilong Live. If the Cen family really pulls out, Ou Minghan might go crazy."
"I'll be careful," Ye Zhi nodded.
"And also pay attention to the safety of your family," Qi Xuan added.
"I've already sent a few bodyguards to my family's place," Ye Zhi frowned slightly. "However, this isn't a long-term solution. I'm planning to buy a bigger house for them to move into. I just haven't decided where to buy it yet."
"There's a house for sale near my place. If you need it, you can buy it there. Then our two families can look out for each other," Qi Xuan said calmly.
"Near the Qi family..." Ye Zhi nodded. "That's indeed a pretty good option."
With that, Ye Zhi picked up the glass of water in front of her, as if to drink, but she used too much force, lifting it and spilling quite a bit of water.
Ye Zhi quickly put down the cup and stood up.
Seeing that she was a bit distracted, Qi Xuan paused. He handed her the tissue box on the table. "You have something on your mind?"
"It's not exactly something on my mind..." Ye Zhi took out a tissue and wiped her chin and the water stains on her clothes. "I had an argument with someone today."
"Did you lose the argument?" Qi Xuan asked with a smile.
"I didn't lose, but..." Ye Zhi's brow furrowed slightly.
Cen Ya's words certainly didn't affect her. It was just that she discovered one of Cen Ya's statements was actually true.
She thought back carefully, and indeed, apart from that overly confident guy, no one else had pursued her!
Although she didn't care whether anyone pursued her or not, she couldn't help but wonder.
Could it be that everyone around her only saw her as a partner or a brother, completely ignoring her gender?
"But what?" Qi Xuan asked.
Suddenly, Ye Zhi looked up, her gaze falling on Qi Xuan in confusion.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Qi Xuan's expression faltered slightly.
"Qi Xuan, do you like me?" Ye Zhi blurted out.
Qi Xuan's eyes widened in shock. He looked at Ye Zhi blankly, even doubting if he had heard correctly.
Ye Zhi was actually asking him if he liked her?!
Wait, he needed to stay calm!
Perhaps, like before, it was like the little red dot Zhao Cai could never catch – he had misunderstood. Ye Zhi didn't mean what he thought, and it was just a fleeting hope?
Taking a deep breath, Qi Xuan asked in a deep voice, "Why do you ask?"
"It's nothing, really..." Ye Zhi sighed. "I just suddenly realized that no one seems to be pursuing me. I guess I'm too strong, so strong that people ignore my gender, and no one sees me as a woman..."
Qi Xuan was stunned. Ye Zhi was actually thinking about romantic issues, not just him overthinking?
As if afraid of missing an opportunity, Qi Xuan quickly said, "I like you!"
Ye Zhi blinked, and the next moment, she burst into laughter. "Qi Xuan, you don't have to say that to cheer me up. Actually, I don't mind if no one pursues me; I just happened to think of it. I'm not a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl who's full of romantic fantasies. I know you've always treated me as a friend..."
Qi Xuan: ...
He knew it. Even if he confessed sincerely, Ye Zhi might not believe him.
His expression grew serious, and he said earnestly, "Ye Zhi, I truly like you."
Ye Zhi casually waved her hand. "Hahaha, thank you. I know your liking is platonic, I won't misunderstand, and I like myself too."
Qi Xuan sighed helplessly. He took a gift box from the bookshelf and handed it to Ye Zhi.
"This is a gift I've always wanted to give you," he said softly.
"What is it?" Ye Zhi opened it curiously. Inside was a certificate.
"Open it," Qi Xuan encouraged softly.
Ye Zhi opened the certificate and looked at the text on it in shock.
This was a certificate presented by Nandou to Qi Xuan, thanking him for donating a satellite to Nandou, and the satellite's name was... Hong Luan?!
Ye Zhi felt as if her brain had exploded. She stared blankly at the certificate, her mind in chaos.
But at the time, she had just casually set an unreachable condition to reject that overly confident guy. Why would Qi Xuan take it so seriously!
She suddenly understood why Qi Xuan had that satellite model. She also understood why Nandou had so easily agreed to cooperate with Taoxun, and why Academician Xu Hang had personally called her to ask what name she would give the satellite.
"You said before that only by giving you a satellite would someone be qualified to pursue you," Qi Xuan asked seriously. "Ye Zhi, Hong Luan belongs to you now. Can... can I pursue you?"