Jiang Mian let out a "poof" and chuckled. She had to admit, her few brothers were quite pure-hearted.
"Really?" she asked.
Her smile was sweet, and for some reason, Lu Cong's heart skipped a beat.
He touched his head. "Really, Shen Tingyu isn't as tall as you, nor as pretty."
Jiang Mian chuckled lightly. "I don't mind, we didn't fight, but you can't side with her next time."
Lu Cong nodded seriously. "Don't worry, little sister-in-law, I'll turn and walk away if I see her again."
Chang Qin pulled out a cigarette, about to light it, when Chang Qing glanced over.
"Tsk," he put down the cigarette case and raised his hands in surrender. "I won't smoke, my little ancestor, stop looking at me."
Chang Qing was a little shy and whispered, "There's candy in the bag, eat one if you really feel unwell."
The two sat together.
Chang Qin leaned close to her, talking nonsense. "How can candy be sweeter than you? Come here and let me have a kiss?"
Chang Qing glared at him. "Speak properly, it sounds so unpleasant to talk like that."
Lu Cong's teeth ached at the sight. He said to Jiang Mian, "Sister-in-law, I've called Xiu Ge. He said he'll be here later. Try this Irish Mist, it tastes great."
He handed Jiang Mian a glass of the untouched wine on the table.
Jiang Mian swirled the wine glass and took a small sip.
She hadn't expected it to taste so good, and before long, she had finished the entire glass.
Lu Cong's eyes widened. "Um, sis, this wine is quite strong."
Jiang Mian's eyes were clear. "Do I look drunk?"
Her alcohol tolerance wasn't at the level of being immune to a thousand toasts, but it wasn't too bad either.
Lu Cong swallowed. "As long as you're okay."
Jiang Mian hooked her little finger. "Come here, I have a few questions for you."
Lu Cong grabbed a snack platter from the table, crossed his legs, and popped a piece into his mouth. "Ask away, sis, I'll tell you everything I know."
"Tell me about Shen Tingyu and your Xiu Ge."
"Cough… cough cough…" A French fry nearly choked him. Lu Cong grabbed a drink from the table and gulped it down, feeling only slightly better.
Why ask about that? Why ask about that?
Lu Cong's face fell. "Sis, you're not going to bring up old grudges with Xiu Ge, are you?"
Jiang Mian smiled. "Of course not, it's 'know yourself and know your enemy and you will never be defeated.'"
Lu Cong didn't quite catch the latter half. "What did you say?"
"Nothing, go on, I'm just a little curious." She urged.
Lu Cong thought for a moment. "I don't know, there doesn't seem to be much to say. The Shen family has an elder son, her step-brother, who was also one of us four brothers. But he's been studying abroad for many years. Before he left, he introduced Shen Tingyu to us.
Three years ago, Xiu Ge and she dated for a while, not long, maybe a month. Shen Tingyu was going abroad and dumped Xiu Ge. But Xiu Ge was truly good to her back then! When Shen Tingyu first arrived, she was so uncouth, and when others mocked her, Xiu Ge was the first to stand up for her."
As soon as he said it, he realized it was bad. He chuckled sheepishly, "You can see what a compassionate person our Xiu Ge is."
Jiang Mian remained silent. Ji Zhi Xiu was such a cold person; if he hadn't cared about her, how could he have paid so much attention to her and protected her everywhere?
...
After work, Ji Zhi Xiu went to the hospital to see Ji Zhi Lan.
She was feeling much better and sat up to greet him when she saw him. "Brother."
Ji Zhi Xiu's expression was calm. "En," he replied, asking, "Has Jiang Cheng been harassing you?"
Ji Zhi Lan denied it. "No."
She didn't dare tell the truth. After Ji Zhi Lan blocked Jiang Cheng, he had kept calling her from a new number.
When she didn't answer, Jiang Cheng kept sending her messages.
Ji Zhi Lan couldn't help but look at them; they were all about their five years together.
Her thoughts had been very chaotic these past few days.
Ji Zhi Xiu stared at her intently. Ji Zhi Lan felt a little flustered by his gaze and changed the subject. "Did Mom say anything to you?"
"I told her you went on vacation to a Philippine island."
Ji Zhi Xiu's eyes darkened with coldness. "Once you're recovered, tell Xiang Long to come back. I won't be coming to see you these next few days."
Ji Zhi Lan nodded. "Brother, if you're busy, you don't need to come see me."
After Ji Zhi Xiu left, Ji Zhi Lan picked up the phone, surprised. "Tingyu! You're back?"
"Where are you? Zhi Lan, I'm coming to find you."
Ji Zhi Lan bit her lip slightly. "I'm on vacation on a Philippine island. I'll find you when I get back in a couple of days."
After hanging up, Jiang Cheng sent her a video.
It was a video of him kneeling on the ground, slapping himself and crying, begging for forgiveness.
The man looked haggard, with stubble. Ji Zhi Lan's heart softened as she watched.
[Jiang Cheng]: Please, Zhi Lan, just meet me once! I went to your family's house to look for you. The servant said you weren't home. Where exactly did you go? I'm very worried about you. I'm waiting for you at the coffee shop downstairs from my place. I won't leave if you don't come.
Ji Zhi Lan got up and stood at the door, hesitating.
Xiang Long saw her coming out and asked, "Where is Miss going? What do you need? I'll arrange it for you."
Ji Zhi Lan wasn't very good at lying. She stared at the floor and said, "I want to go for a walk, you don't need to follow me."
Xiang Long saw through her immediately. He had overheard the conversation between the young master and her earlier.
He said coldly, "You can go out, but I advise Miss not to. The doctor said Miss needs rest the most right now. Even if you go out, Young Master Ji asked me to protect your safety, so I have to go with you."
If she went with him, how could she meet Jiang Cheng?
Ji Zhi Lan looked up and glared at Xiang Long, her small face turning red with anger.
Xiang Long remained expressionless, still blocking her way.
His physique was tall and imposing. Ji Zhi Lan only reached his chest when she looked up. She didn't dare to force her way through, fearing he would report her.
Ji Zhi Lan turned back and lay on the bed, out of sight, out of mind. She simply turned off her phone.
Seeing her lying down, Xiang Long stood at the door again, his posture straight.
...
When Ji Zhi Xiu arrived at "Seattle," Jiang Mian had already had several drinks.
Seeing him arrive, she wasn't afraid of the cold aura emanating from him. She wrapped herself around his shoulder and purred enticingly, "Husband."
Ji Zhi Xiu had just entered, radiating coldness. He pulled the woman away and said in a deep voice, "Drunk?"
Lu Cong was a bit intimidated when Ji Zhi Xiu arrived. He hadn't kept an eye on her for a moment, and now the little sister-in-law had drunk two more glasses.
He moved away from them and decisively shifted the blame. "Xiu Ge, the little sister-in-law wanted to drink, it has nothing to do with me."
Chang Qing greeted Ji Zhi Xiu. "Xiu Ge."
Ji Zhi Xiu nodded at her. "Qing Qing."
Chang Qin pulled his wife into his embrace. "Don't worry, two drinks won't cause a headache, it's just that the after-effects are a bit strong."
Ji Zhi Xiu picked up the woman and said to the others, "Alright, I'm taking her back first. If you haven't had enough, call a few more people. Let Chang Qin pay the bill."
Chang Qin rolled his eyes. "Xiu Ge, you know I own this bar, and you're asking me to pay? Have you stolen all the bamboo shoots from the mountain?"
Ji Zhi Xiu had driven himself here.
The woman was carried in his arms, her head buried in his coat. Jiang Mian hugged his waist and naughtily bit his chest.
A current of pleasure shot through him, and Ji Zhi Xiu quickened his pace.
In the car, he put the woman in the passenger seat and leaned over to buckle her seatbelt.
Jiang Mian grabbed his hand, her eyes hazy, filled with mist. Her eyes sparkled like stars in the sky, and she said aggrievedly, "I want my husband to pick me up."
Ji Zhi Xiu reached out and brushed aside the stray hairs on her forehead, his voice gentle. "Who am I?"
Jiang Mian blinked her eyes a few times, looking at him carefully, and obediently said, "My husband."
"I'm not drunk, see, I still recognize you." She was a little proud, her tone carrying a hint of self-satisfaction, like a child seeking praise.
Ji Zhi Xiu settled her in and drove towards Sheng Shi Hua Ting.
He drove like the wind. Jiang Mian was too restless.
One moment her small hand was on his chest, the next she was clamoring for a hug.
The dark color in Ji Zhi Xiu's eyes deepened, and he struggled to endure.
He coaxed and tricked her into getting home. Little Fish's tail swayed out to peek, then retreated back into her nest, displaying a lazy, ladylike demeanor.
Ji Zhi Xiu loosened his tie and tossed her onto the large bed.
The mattress was soft and bouncy. Jiang Mian bounced up and sat upright. "Husband… I'm so hot…"
Ji Zhi Xiu resigned himself to it and removed Jiang Mian's coat. His large hand cupped the woman's chin, his voice hoarse. "Unhappy?"
A few drinks shouldn't have made Jiang Mian this drunk.
Ji Zhi Xiu keenly sensed that Jiang Mian was in a bad mood.
However, Ji Zhi Xiu didn't know that this drink wasn't meant for Jiang Mian in the first place.
The bartender had deliberately made it strong with a powerful after-effect to get Chang Qin and the others to give him some pointers.
Jiang Mian was genuinely feeling a bit muddled now. It hadn't been this bad in the private room.
Now, her head felt dizzy.
Ji Zhi Xiu seemed to multiply before her eyes. She felt a little wronged, and said pitifully, "Why are you yelling at me?"
Ji Zhi Xiu frowned and said calmly, "I'm not yelling at you."
"You are, isn't this yelling at me?" she accused.
Ji Zhi Xiu was silent for two seconds, wondering why he was explaining himself to a drunkard.
...
Jiang Mian reeked of alcohol. Ji Zhi Xiu's germophobia immediately flared up. He had reluctantly endured it outside, but now there was no need to hold back.
He dragged Jiang Mian into the bathroom and turned on the shower.
Jiang Mian broke free and squatted down, starting to sing: "How can I not fly out of this world of flowers~ It turns out I'm a drunken butterfly~"
After singing, she even demanded that Ji Zhi Xiu clap for her.
This was the first time Ji Zhi Xiu had seen Jiang Mian drunk. He had never imagined that Jiang Mian would be like this when she was drunk and acting out.
It was, frankly, too amusing…
After a long struggle in the bathroom, they finally emerged. Jiang Mian was incredibly clingy now, both obedient and enthusiastic, clinging to Ji Zhi Xiu and refusing to let go.
After she fell asleep, Ji Zhi Xiu opened the bedside cabinet and bit into an unlit cigarette.
His back burned with pain, covered in the scratches of the little wildcat from earlier.
Ji Zhi Xiu looked down at Jiang Mian's sleeping face. It would be nice if she could just stay by his side like this.
"Mian Mian, my Mian Mian." His voice was hoarse and lingering, filled with years of endless longing.
Jiang Mian turned over in her sleep, burying herself in his embrace, oblivious.