Wang Zhenfeng arrived much faster than Su Qingyi expected.
The moment she realized the other party already knew she had been impersonating her online, her face turned deathly pale.
If Su Yu found out, she would absolutely break her legs.
After rushing into the antique shop, she did not dare ask why Su Qingyi was there. Instead, she shuffled closer obediently.
"Cousin… cousin…"
Su Qingyi had lived with her for nearly three months. This was the first time she had seen her so meek.
She could not help smiling.
Standing up, she introduced her calmly to Jiang He. "This is the child who messaged you, wanting to learn short video editing."
Jiang He visibly relaxed when he saw it was just a teenage girl.
As long as it was not a burly man with hairy legs calling him brother.
He waved her over. "Come here, little one."
Wang Zhenfeng walked over stiffly, uncertain of her fate.
Seeing how nervous she was, Su Qingyi lightly pressed her shoulder. "Relax. I won't settle accounts with you here."
Here?
So they would settle it at home?
Wang Zhenfeng's vision darkened. She nearly collapsed.
Jiang He jumped up in alarm. "Little sister, are you okay?"
The two people in the kitchen poked their heads out.
Clutching the sofa armrest, Wang Zhenfeng forced herself upright. "I'm fine. I'm fine."
Su Qingyi's smile deepened, dangerously satisfied.
She bit her finger and lowered her head, pretending innocence.
Lu Jingcheng glanced at her indifferently, washed his hands, grabbed a towel, and stepped out of the kitchen.
Sensing an opportunity for mischief, Su Qingyi folded her arms and quietly positioned herself behind Wang Zhenfeng.
A shadow fell over the girl.
When she turned and saw who it was, she nearly broke into a cold sweat again.
After confirming repeatedly that she was fine, Jiang He resumed talking.
Su Qingyi did not actually intend to bully her.
She simply enjoyed teasing her at moments like this.
Thinking about it carefully, perhaps Wang Zhenfeng had valid reasons to dislike her.
Seeing that she was truly terrified, Su Qingyi decided to stop.
She lowered her arms and prepared to move away, only to realize that Lu Jingcheng had come to stand beside her without her noticing.
He was watching the computer screen with the others.
"Brother Jing, perfect timing," Jiang He said. "Can you take a look at how I should cut the second half of this promotional video?"
Lu Jingcheng did not respond verbally.
He leaned slightly closer to the screen.
Su Qingyi glanced at him again unconsciously.
Dangerous thoughts flickered through her mind.
Amitabha. Amitabha.
Because he leaned forward, his face was much closer to hers.
Up close, he looked even more upright and composed. Dignified in both appearance and temperament.
This was nothing like the Jiang Jingye she remembered.
Unable to suppress her doubt any longer, she asked quietly, "Jiang Jingye, did you get your haircut somewhere?"
He finally turned to look at her.
Truthfully, he had been enduring her gaze since she walked in. The way she stared made it impossible to ignore.
But she was a girl.
Some things were not easy to call out.
Now, though, he could not stay silent.
He pressed his lips together awkwardly.
Su Qingyi's eyes widened. The tips of her ears flushed red.
Then, in a voice only he could hear, she whispered, "Brother, if you're going to talk, just talk. Stop licking your lips at me."
They both froze.
Her face turned crimson instantly. She snapped her head away.
He continued looking at her.
She had been the one teasing him, yet she looked like the flustered one.
"Brother Jing?" Jiang He called repeatedly.
He finally snapped back to reality. "Hm?"
"I was asking about the cut."
"Fine."
Jiang He blinked. "I haven't even shown it yet."
Lu Jingcheng hesitated. "We'll discuss it later."
He straightened and walked away.
Su Qingyi watched his retreating back, once again feeling a faint sense of sacrilege.
She should not have teased him.
She lightly slapped her own lips in regret.
Before her hand dropped, he turned back.
"You. Come downstairs."
His tone was steady. His posture straight.
Suddenly she felt like a student summoned by the headmaster.
She followed him down, looking properly chastened.
Upstairs, Wang Zhenfeng was too busy fearing for her life to notice anything.
Jiang He, however, watched with shining eyes.
There was drama here.
…
Downstairs, rain had begun to fall.
Drops struck the copper wind bells and the green plants by the entrance, creating a rhythmic patter.
After confirming no one was nearby, Su Qingyi spoke first.
"Jiang Jingye, for the sake of being classmates, I'll let this slide. Let's pretend nothing happened."
Let it slide?
He studied her carefully.
"Do you feel embarrassed now?"
She did not.
She only felt guilty about his arm.
Seeing her glance cautiously at him without speaking, he did not press further.
He was about to end it when her eyes suddenly brightened.
She leaned closer conspiratorially.
"Jiang Jingye, do you have a girlfriend?"
He went silent.
He grabbed the back of her collar lightly and pulled her a step away.
"Will you ever stop?"
"Ouch," she protested, then added stubbornly, "I'm not embarrassed about liking you. Why are you complaining?"
His brows furrowed faintly. "What do you mean you're not embarrassed about liking me?"
"You're not the same as in junior high. Back then I was at least the class beauty. If my old classmates found out…"
It would be social suicide.
But she would not admit defeat.
Now that he looked like this, how could she be blamed?
She lifted her chin righteously. "Just give me a little face. Let me have a taste, and we'll pretend none of this ever happened."
He stared at her.
What exactly did she mean by have a taste?
He almost laughed.
Sometimes, when one is utterly speechless, laughter is the only reaction.
At least now he understood her intention.
He composed himself. "Should I draw you a bath? What kind?"
She glanced around to confirm privacy, then leaned closer and whispered, "Kiss. Hug. Lift me up. Don't worry. I won't tell anyone."
Her ears and neck turned red.
It was her first time saying something like that.
He had never met someone so shameless, yet so unashamedly beautiful.
Vulgar words, celestial face.
It felt less lewd and more mischievous.
He suspected a misunderstanding.
He tried to clarify. "Actually, you should have guessed that I'm not…"
Not Jiang Jingye.
But if he said it, explaining everything later would be troublesome.
Before he could decide, her eyes lit up.
Not Jiang Jingye?
But then she quickly covered his mouth.
"No. You are."
He stared at her.
She was more afraid of losing this convenient old-classmate connection than he was.
"It's okay," she said softly. "I don't mind you being embarrassed."
He inhaled deeply.
He reached to pull her hand away when a sharp pain shot through his right arm.
He stiffened.
She immediately dropped her hand, all playfulness gone.
"See? I told you your arm isn't fine."
He gestured for silence.
She swallowed the rest of her sentence.
"Have you seen a doctor?" she asked instead.
He could not quite read her.
From the moment she lit a longevity lamp with his name at the temple, something had felt off.
She acted like she knew him.
"You don't need to worry," he said calmly. "I can handle it."
Of course she knew he could.
But if he had not stepped in yesterday, the candlestick would have hit her.
She could not ignore that.
He always acted as if nothing was wrong.
Except when she said she liked him.
Her heart betrayed her.
She liked him even more now.