Julian Qi seemed a bit more relaxed, "I don't need luck in love." "Why not? Are you planning to grow old alone because of a heartbreak?" I asked, smiling as I ate a little hot pot.
"Not really, it's just..." Julian Qi hesitated briefly, then laughed instead of answering, peeling a few shrimp and placing them in my bowl. "Sis Zoe, you're too thin, eat more."
I didn't want to be so thin either, but I didn't know why my weight gain plan was always unsuccessful.
Since my rebirth, I've only gained three or four pounds, and it sometimes decreases.
Maybe it was because Eva Liu was dismissed too early; if she had cooked for me longer, I might have even reached triple digits and joined the ranks of those with great figures. Julian Qi was quite a bit younger than me, so after chatting for a while, I could still feel that he was a bit immature. For example, he had a naive perspective on many things, seeing them in black and white.
I didn't refute him but instead went along with his ideas, which seemed to make him happy, as if he was glad I shared his views. After finishing the buffet, Julian Qi and I left the restaurant.
The car had already been driven back by Leo Li, so I needed to take a taxi home today. "It's snowing again," I said, looking at the snowflakes falling from the sky, extending my hand to catch a few and examining their shapes closely. "Sis Zoe, do you like milk tea?" Julian Qi asked, both of his hands in his jacket pockets, white mist escaping from his mouth as he spoke. He has double eyelids and large eyes with long eyelashes.
People often say that college students have an innocent look that might seem a bit silly, which fits him well. I loved drinking milk tea when I was in college, but after getting married, I gradually stopped. Drinking a cup of warm milk tea in this weather didn't sound bad at all. I nodded, and Julian Qi immediately ran towards a nearby milk tea shop.
The place was quite popular and required queuing, and he patiently waited. At this moment, my phone vibrated. I rubbed my cold, red hands together and took out my phone. It was a call from Hugh Pei. "Hello?" I answered the phone, sniffing a bit before speaking. "Where are you?" Hugh Pei's voice sounded somewhat cold. "I'm… over near Yulin Street. Why?" I replied, glancing around before throwing a question back. "With whom?" Hugh Pei was concise.
I was a bit puzzled; what did it matter to him? Even if he had previously laid down rules, Julian Qi wasn't exactly his friend. I decided to ask him, "What about you? Where are you?" After two seconds of silence on the other end, Hugh Pei finally spoke up, "I'm with Lila Wei right now, but I'm alone in the hotel." His response was surprisingly quick and detailed.
This left me speechless, holding the phone to my ear for a moment without a response. After a while, I managed to say, "Are you suddenly calling to check on me? Why do you suspect me? You went off to have fun with your little lover, and I didn't question you. Hugh Pei, are you flipping the narrative on me?" This was something I learned online: women shouldn't argue logically; when they're at a loss for words, they should turn the tables.
Sure enough, Hugh Pei fell silent from my words, then took a deep breath. I could hear it clearly through the phone as he said, "I helped Evan Yu take care of his cat and took it with Lila Wei's ex-boyfriend to the pet store. Zoe Xu, how could you be so playful?" "How do you know?" I blurted out. It was normal for Hugh Pei to know I was looking after Evan Yu's cat since I had posted about it online; he should know the cat. But how did he know I was with Julian Qi?
At that moment, a message notification popped up on WeChat, and I took a quick glance. Evan Yu: I was with Hugh Pei when you sent the video, and he saw it. What a perfect timing! One word: perfect! "Sis Zoe, your bubble tea is here!
The original flavor is fantastic!" Julian Qi ran over after buying the milk tea, his voice bright. Hearing his words, Hugh Pei immediately said, "You better wait," then hung up the phone. Wait for what? I decided to drink my milk tea instead.
Anyway, Hugh Pei is unpredictable; who knows what he's angry about. "Thank you!" I cheerfully thanked Julian Qi. "You're welcome, Sis Zoe," Julian Qi said, his face slightly red, unsure if from the cold or shyness. He then quietly complimented me, "You look really pretty today." I felt quite happy. Every woman enjoys being told they're pretty, and even the milk tea in my hand seemed a bit sweeter.
Drinking milk tea and walking in the snow while chatting with a boy was something I had never experienced before. Many pursued me in college, but when they learned my ultimate goal was Hugh Pei, they often backed off out of consideration.
Naturally, all kinds of romantic little moments hardly ever happened to me. All my efforts to create romantic moments for Hugh Pei were directly ignored by him.
After finishing the milk tea, I called a taxi to take Julian Qi back to Mapleview Manor since his fat orange cat was still at my place and he needed to take it back. "What are you standing there for? Come in!"
When we reached the front door, Julian Qi appeared a bit anxious, seemingly hesitant to enter. After my urging, he changed into a pair of slippers and walked into the spacious and luxurious living room. Putting aside the price of the mansion itself, just the decoration here cost millions. I was used to it, but it was clear Julian Qi wasn't.
He showed signs of unease, his face betraying his discomfort. Had Lila Wei ever felt this awkward? Being given access to a wealth that wasn't hers, thanks to a man, must have been confusing. "Meow!" The fat orange cat meowed excitedly when it spotted its owner, clumsily rushing over and jumping onto Julian Qi's lap.
Bubu followed behind and came to nuzzle at my feet, and I quickly picked it up. Julian Qi looked down and stroked the fat orange cat, then asked, "Sis Zoe, are you home alone?" He likely wanted to ask if Hugh Pei was home, the very villain who took away his girlfriend and his formidable enemy. "Yeah, he should be... on a business trip with your ex-girlfriend," I honestly replied.
Julian Qi already knew quite a bit, so there was no need to hide it.
Upon hearing Lila Wei's name, his expression darkened slightly; after all, she was a girl he genuinely cared for. "Want to stay for dinner before you go?" I suggested, trying to invite Julian Qi to eat with me. Julian Qi shook his head, "No, Sis Zoe, I need to go back to school." "Oh." I nodded. "Winter vacation is coming up soon.
Next semester, I might have an internship, so I might have more free time, but I could also be busier than now," Julian Qi shared with me. I repeated my usual line, "Alright, if you need help finding an internship, just ask. I'll help as much as I can."