Qi Chengzhi kept a straight face as he returned the phone to Song Yu. He said in a steady tone, “I heard that women like to show off the gifts they received from men, especially on days like this. And social media gets flooded with such posts.”
“…” Song Yu was speechless. ‘So he’s showing off on her behalf then?’
“Let’s go.” Qi Chengzhi had a satisfied expression on his face as he took Song Yu’s hand.
“…” Song Yu suddenly understood the intentions behind that WeChat Moment in Hong Kong. It was likely a similar gesture.
…
…
Once they entered the elevator, Qi Chengzhi started getting frisky. His hand traveled into her coat and started caressing her waist through the thin blouse. His nose brushed across her face as he left a trail of kisses along the way.
Song Yu was turned crimson by his actions. She pushed at his waist and said, “There’s a camera. People are watching.”
“It’s not like we’re doing anything salacious, what are you afraid of?” Qi Chengzhi hummed. He pecked at the corner of her lips, branding her like a hot iron.
The taunts and teases were getting on Song Yu’s nerves. She rested her head against his chest and spoke in a quivering voice, “Let’s go home. I have a gift for you.”
“You got me a gift?” Happiness in his tone, Qi Chengzhi was curious as to what she had gotten him. He lifted her chin and kissed her on the lips.
He knew Song Yu would not buy a gift for him using his money, the woman was too proper for that. She would not be able to buy something too expensive with her own budget.
Her gift was most likely something unrelated to material worth.
They reached home. The sudden shift of temperature from the cold exterior to the warm interior made the body felt even colder.
Song Yu did not head on to the bedroom just yet. She went to Aunt Yang to get a flower vase. She filled the vase with water and placed the rainbow rose in it.
Although it stood alone in the vase, Song Yu liked it.
She returned with the flower vase and followed Qi Chengzhi upstairs.
They stood in front of the bedroom door when Song Yu blocked Qi Chengzhi’s way. “You…stay out here first.”
Qi Chengzhi obeyed. He was eager to know what gift the blushing Song Yu had planned for him.
Song Yu did not dare to meet his eyes so she kept her head low. Her blush had spread down to her neck. She opened the door just wide enough for her to slip in without giving him a glimpse of the inside.
The door shut in his face before he could make out what was going on.
Song Yu placed the flower vase at the bedside table. She then took the paper bag that contained the sleepwear she bought at the mall during lunch break.
She headed for the bathroom to change. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she squirmed in uneasiness.
The sleepwear was not too unorthodox, just that the skirt was on the short side. While it was not extremely short, bending over would be a problem. The thin straps joined to form a low-cut ‘V’ at her chest. Song Yu licked her lips and breathed shakily. She anxiously checked her outfit a few more times before donning a bathrobe.
She took three deep breaths before opening the bedroom door. Her fist clenched tightly at the bathrobe. “Come on in.”
Qi Chengzhi raised his eyebrows at her attire. He could somewhat guess what her gift was and boy, was he excited for it. He went in and saw the floral arrangement on the bed. Cut roses were arranged into a heart shape with multiple layers of flowers stacking onto each other. Upon closer inspection, he noticed something in the center of the flowers. He held up one of the flowers and found a pack of Durex stuffed within the petals.
Qi Chengzhi turned and looked at the embarrassed Song Yu, a smile toying at his lips.
“That…” Song Yu’s face burned under his playful gaze. She wondered if this was a bit too presumptuous and felt like Qi Chengzhi was mocking her.
She blurted out, “I bought them during my lunch break. A few of the different types. I couldn’t think of what to give you, so… Choose yourself!”
“Different types?” At that point, Qi Chengzhi sat himself down on the carpet and started to go through his gift in earnest.
Song Yu was experiencing first degree burns by now. Sooner or later, she was going to explode. She watched him flip through the condoms and silently cursed.
Qi Chengzhi’s long arm stretched over and pulled her into his embrace. She tumbled headfirst into his chest. The two of them sprawled on the carpet.
Song Yu stared at the floor. Her hands instinctively clenched at his shirt. While he was waiting outside, Qi Chengzhi had removed his coat and suit jacket. The sleeves were rolled up and his shirt was unbuttoned midway—it gave him a carefree look.
She could feel his warm breath at this proximity and her hands that were on his chest trembled. “I didn’t pay attention when I was buying. Just bought all the different packagings.”
When she went to pay at the counter, the cashier was baffled. That was the moment she regretted taking up Ruan Danchen’s suggestion.
“Now tell me, do you like strawberry flavor?” He whispered and kissed her neck.
Song Yu’s blush would not let up and her neck was starting to itch. Red to the tips of her ears, she said, “I don’t know. I never tried.”
“Let’s try it tonight then,” Qi Chengzhi said.
“…”
His fingers trailed down to the belt that held her bathrobe in place. A skilled tug and the bathrobe came loose. He went still when he saw what she was wearing underneath. The shocking intensity of his passion clouded his eyes and Song Yu was taken aback.
A moment passed and his deep voice uttered, “I really like this gift.”
Song Yu had no time to react. Her vision was a blur and she found herself pinned to the floor. The straps of her sleepwear had been pulled down. Qi Chengzhi kissed her forcefully as his breathing ran ragged.
“Want to try that strawberry flavor?” he murmured.
“…”‘This b*stard!’
Actions spoke louder than words and Song Yu wrapped her arms around his neck. She hoisted herself up and gently bit his ear.
Qi Chengzhi chuckled. His hoarse voice sounded like a mesmerizing melody played from an unknown instrument. It was music to her heart.
He only wanted to tease her and felt unfair if he actually made her do it. He peppered her face with soft kisses.
…
…
In the morning, Song Yu slept peacefully in bed. She felt the bed dip on one side and a pair of lips placed kisses along her eyebrows.
Her eyelids fluttered, her body was reluctant to wake up.
She resisted opening her eyes up till the pair of lips moved to kiss her own lips. The refreshing scent of mint lingered. The clean-shaven and handsome face of Qi Chengzhi was right in front of her, up close and personal.
Their eyes met.
The lips that were kissing her withdrew gracefully.
Song Yu blinked as a thumb brushed against the corner of her eye. “Look at your eye shit.” He showed her his thumb.
“…” After a night’s sleep, did he expect her to look perfect? She had little faith in her morning look and his comments had done nothing to assuage her. “If you don’t like it then don’t kiss my face,” she said in an unhappy tone.
She turned her back against him and buried her face in the blanket. She surreptitiously wiped the eye shit from her eyes.
Qi Chengzhi nudged her shoulder, “It was just a joke. Don’t be angry.”
Song Yu shook off his touch and said in frustration, “You’re always making fun of me!”
“Why are you suddenly so mad?” Qi Chengzhi laughed. Song Yu was always praised for her good nature, so where did this sudden temper come from?
Song Yu ignored him and shifted further away in the bed.
Qi Chengzhi did not follow. Instead, he sat at the empty space she left and spoke calmly, “I’m going back to my grandparents’ house today. I wanted to bring you back to make a formal introduction.”
He sensed her muscles tensed for a while. Then, she relaxed and rolled over to find Qi Chengzhi’s earnest gaze upon her.
It seemed like Qi Chengzhi was always the one who woke up first. She saw that he was already kempt and presentable. Of the few times she had caught sight of his sleeping figure, he always looked neat and beautiful, unlike her.
The faint scent of mint mingled with the scent of his usual cologne.
He was dressed proper and decent. The image was jarring as Song Yu recalled the ferocity and passion of his actions last night.
Apparently, the strawberry flavor was not enough to satiate his curiosity. In the end, Song Yu was left with quivering, thighs wet.
She sat up with the blanket wrapped around her naked body. She knew that this day was going to come sooner or later, especially after Qi Chengzhi had mentioned it. She knew, but she was still incredibly nervous.
“You’re going to tell them who I am?” she asked.
Qi Chengzhi understood the meaning of her question. “Other than my girlfriend, what other status would you have? Sooner or later you will need to present yourself to the family, so there is no point in hiding the truth.”
Song Yu was deep in thought. Her heart was beating erratically in nervousness.
“Regretting your decision?” Qi Chengzhi raised an eyebrow at her while he took hold of her hand.
“No. Just nervous.” Song Yu looked down at his pale and slender hand. She rubbed her thumb across his long fingers.
“It’s not that big of a matter. Don’t worry about it.” He squeezed her hand. The strength and warmth of his grip reassured her.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Go on and have a little more rest.”
After Qi Chengzhi left, Song Yu had trouble falling back asleep. She got up and packed her stuff. A call came from Ruan Danchen and she headed out.
…
…
Qi Chengzhi did not expect to see Yu Keyao lounging in the family residence. She was engaged in conversation with Xia Wenna and Qi Chengyue in the living room.
Apart from the three ladies, Qi Zhongxun and his wife, Qi Chenglin, Qi Zhongliang, Qi Chengji, and Qi Youxuan were all seated on the couch.
On the other hand, Grandfather and Grandmother Qi were nowhere to be seen.
Qi Chengyue was the first one to spot him and called out, “Big brother!” She looked pleased with herself.
In the end, she felt that she had won their game of one-upmanship.
Qi Chengzhi did not spare her a look. The smile remained frozen on her face.
Yu Keyao’s eyes darted between them. It seemed like Qi Chengyue, this little cousin, was not favored by Qi Chengzhi. Perhaps she should reconsider getting too close with Qi Chengyue.
“You’re back. Come, sit.” Xia Wenna beckoned for Qi Chengzhi. The unrestrained glee on her face was concerning.
“Where’s grandpa and grandma?” Qi Chengzhi remained standing where he was and asked coolly.
His impressive height demanded Xia Wenna to strain her neck just to address him.
“When we came over, they had already gone out for a stroll. They’ll be back soon,” Xia Wenna explained. “Why are you just standing there? Keyao came today with gifts for your grandparents. Isn’t she just lovely?” she said suggestively.
Yu Keyao sat with her hands folded across her knees. Hearing Xia Wenna’s words, she tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled, “It was presumptuous of me to come without notice. I didn’t know that there would be a family gathering.”
She slowly stood from her seat and said, “I think I shall make a move. I’ll drop by to visit grandpa and grandma another day.”
“You’ve come a long way. Stay and have dinner with us. This get together happens every week and it’s not a serious affair. Relax,” Xia Wenna persuaded.
“But I’m the only outsider here,” Yu Keyao said sheepishly and looked to Qi Chengzhi, “Chengzhi…”
At the corner of the room, Qi Youxuan heard the affectionate tone of Yu Keyao and turned to look between Qi Chengzhi and the lady. With Grandfather and Grandmother Qi out, Qi Chenglin made sure that he was not given access to any junk food. There was nothing to occupy Qi Youxuan and he was bored out of his mind.
Before his eldest uncle came, he had listened in on some of the chatter of the three women. There was something about matchmaking and compliments about Yu Keyao. Something about her beauty and sincerity. Needless to say, it made him want to puke.
That lady now blushed and acted coyly. She reminded him of his classmate, Tao Baona, who was such a drama queen.
Qi Youxuan’s pudgy hands pushed himself off the couch and exited the living room.
“Oh, you’re not an outsider. I’ve never taken you as an outsider,” Xia Wenna said—the meaning behind her words not lost unto others. Distracted by this turn of events, Qi Chenglin did not notice his son’s absence. He raised an eyebrow and looked to Qi Chengzhi.
Yu Keyao’s face was flushed and she muttered, “Auntie, this…”
Unable to say whatever she wanted to say, she turned to look at Qi Chengzhi bashfully, “Chengzhi, I…”
Qi Chengzhi only glanced at her with indifference and proceeded to stride out of the living room.
“Chengzhi!” Xia Wenna hollered behind him but he did not slow down his steps. The last thing he heard was his mother’s voice saying, “Keyao, sit. We’re all family.”
…
…
Qi Youxuan ran to the bathroom. Before closing the door, his round head peeked out and checked if the coast was clear. Seeing that no one was around, he took out the phone from his pocket. It was a kid’s phone, evident from the Totoro phone case.
Ruan Danchen had invited Song Yu out and here they were at a Doraemon exhibition. As she handed her phone to Ruan Danchen to take a photo, a call came in.
It was Qi Youxuan.
The young boy came over to Qi Chengzhi’s house for a sleepover that night and was persistent about exchanging phone numbers.
“Youxuan?” Song Yu answered the call. She waved Ruan Danchen ahead and navigated past the crowd to get to a quiet corner.
“Auntie, there’s a lady in great-grandpa’s house and she’s my uncle’s matchmaking candidate.” There was no one in the bathroom but Qi Youxuan spoke into the phone with a hand over his mouth, acting like a spy on a mission.
“…” Song Yu did not know what to say.
“Auntie, you can’t allow this. Uncle flirts with women everywhere and now one of them has come to our doorstep. You’re too nice. If it was me, I would never stand for this. There’s still time for you to reconsider and be my stepmom,” Qi Youxuan said with a straight face.
“…”
She had no idea how to respond to Qi Youxuan’s childish babbling but his words struck a chord.
Matchmaking candidat…maybe it was that woman, Yu Keyao.
Actually, how many candidates were there in line for Qi Chengzhi?
Qi Youxuan got ready to deliver a spiel in promotion of his dad when suddenly a shadow fell upon him. His mouth gaped speechlessly. The ominous shadow gave off an immense pressure behind him.
He did not manage to turn around and the phone was already snatched out of his hand. Qi Youxuan lifted his head and saw his eldest uncle.
‘Uncle walks so quietly!’
Qi Chengzhi gave his nephew a sullen glance. The Totoro kid’s phone rested awkwardly in his slender hand.
Qi Chengzhi brought the phone to his ear and asked, “Where are you?”
The sudden change of voice surprised Song Yu. ‘When did he get a hold of Qi Youxuan’s phone? Did he hear all the stuff Qi Youxuan said?’
Song Yu did not take Qi Youxuan’s words to heart but she worried that Qi Chengzhi would berate the young child.
It was possible based on his usual pettiness.
“I’m at a Doraemon exhibition with Danchen,” Song Yu answered. She scanned the crowd and found her friend taking selfies with Doraemon.
“Where’s the place? I’ll go over now,” he said. Qi Youxuan pulled at his pants for attention.
Qi Youxuan held on to his uncle’s pants and whispered, “Uncle, give me back my phone.”
Qi Chengzhi coldly pried open the young boy’s grip from his pants and walked away. “Address.”
“Why are you coming over? Don’t you have a guest at home?” Song Yu replied gloomily, her heart in a knot.
Hearing the jealousy in her voice, Qi Chengzhi smiled. He spoke in a teasing tone, “You really want me to entertain the guests?”
“…”
The silence prompted him to continue, “Yu Keyao came over.”
“…” The trap was laid and she had stumbled into it foolishly. A part of her was reluctant to admit her possessiveness.
However, she truly did not like the notion of Yu Keyao spending time with Qi Chengzhi. Just the thought of Yu Keyao staring lovingly at Qi Chengzhi made her blood boil.
Ultimately, she gave him the address.
Qi Chengzhi hung up and returned the phone to Qi Youxuan. While his nephew presented no competition, his plot to make Song Yu his stepmom irked Qi Chengzhi.
He gave his nephew a warning, “Go find another person to be your stepmom. If you’re lucky, you’ll find your own birth mother. Don’t bother your auntie.”
After that, Qi Chengzhi walked away with his hands in his pockets.
Qi Youxuan was shocked that his uncle said that. Could it be that he still had a chance to find his birth mother?
There was a risk in finding a stepmom. What if he found one that did not love him? If she gave birth to siblings, then he would be neglected for sure.
Qi Youxuan mulled over the issue. Perhaps he should start prying into the mystery of his birth mother.
…
…
Back in the living room, Yu Keyao was still seated on the couch. She saw Qi Chengzhi walk back into the room and quickly stood up. In a demure tone, she greeted, “Chengzhi.”
Qi Chengzhi walked on as if he did not hear a thing. Yu Keyao’s smile froze in place, the corners of her lips twitched. She tried to hide her emotions from Xia Wenna but the pain and awkwardness were evident from her expression.
Hurt flashed past the endearing and innocent face of Yu Keyao. Xia Wenna would not stand by this slight.
She was responsible for connecting the Yu family, yet her son blatantly ignored Yu Keyao. Xia Wenna felt the secondhand embarrassment for the Yu family.
“Qi Chengzhi!” Xia Wenna stomped over to her son and blocked his exit. “Where are you headed to? You just got back. Keyao was calling you, did you not hear?”
“I’m going out for a while. Be back in a second.” Qi Chengzhi skirted Xia Wenna and went out the door. He paid no heed to her second question.
No one in the Qi family could handle Qi Chengzhi’s temper. He normally kept it in check, unlike Wei Ziwei who was unrestrained in his anger. Qi Chengzhi’s anger ran deep and cold rather than loud and hot. Before you could react, he would already have made his displeasure known and felt without any outward signs of hostility.
Anyways, this thing with Qi Chengzhi and Yu Keyao was not a done deal. There were so many women out there for Qi Chengzhi to choose—as long as they were not Song Yu, Xia Wenna did not mind.
She let Qi Chengzhi leave. When she came back to the living room, Xia Wenna chuckled sheepishly, “Keyao, don’t mind him. He’s a bit temperamental. No one can really keep him in line, even his dad or grandma. Stay and have dinner with us. He said he would be back in a second and if anything, Qi Chengzhi is as good as his word.”
“You guys can talk during dinner. Maybe get to know each other better. There won’t be any more odd happenings today, so take this chance to bridge the gap,” Xia Wenna gently clasped Yu Keyao’s hands as she said this.
“Auntie…” Yu Keyao lowered her head as her face turned pink.
Xia Wenna watched the woman’s reaction and sighed internally. Yu Keyao was a good choice for her son, though she was a bit theatrical with her shrinking violet act. It was becoming distasteful. Qi Chengzhi was not very fond of this type.
However, Xia Wenna had gone through a long list of candidates. Yu Keyao stood out among all the ladies from notable families as someone who was well-mannered and well-behaved.
There was no choice as most daughters from rich families were spoiled rotten. Her own niece, Qi Chengyue, was the prime example. Although she was her aunt, Xia Wenna honestly would not want someone like Qi Chengyue as her daughter-in-law.
…
…
Qi Chengzhi stepped out of the mansion proper and ran into his grandparents.
“Where are you going?” Grandmother Qi asked. She had a small watermelon in her hands, which was requested by Qi Youxuan.
“I’m fetching your future granddaughter-in-law over for dinner. You guys can officially meet,” Qi Chengzhi explained.
Grandmother Qi was ecstatic. “Oh! you should have said earlier. I shall get the people to prepare more food. Go and pick her up. Don’t let people wait and delay dinner.”
Qi Chengzhi nodded and took two steps before he was arrested by Grandmother Qi. “Is this the one you want to marry?”
“Yes. If not why would I bring her back? She’s the only one I want to marry. There will be no one else,” Qi Chengzhi said with a certain finality. He wanted to impress upon his grandmother the importance of Song Yu in his life while her identity remained unknown.
“Aiya!” Grandmother Qi was stunned by his declaration and almost dropped the watermelon. “The gods be willing! If so, I will bring out the Qi family bracelet meant for the eldest grandson’s wife.”
Grandfather Qi quickly cut in, “Calm down. She hasn’t even entered the family.” His wife was too rash. They had not even met this woman and there were no wedding plans yet. The family heirloom was not to be handed out so impulsively.
“Your eldest grandson’s wife is visiting for the first time and you don’t want to present a welcome gift? Don’t be stingy!” Grandmother Qi retorted. The watermelon in her hands incited the second round of barrage, “And this watermelon. I said we should buy the big one but no… Someone wanted me to get the small one instead. Now there won’t be enough to serve everyone.”
The veins on Grandfather Qi’s temple throbbed. There was no winning an argument with this woman.
Their great-grandson’s belly was growing bigger by the day. With his appetite, it did not matter how big of a watermelon they bought, Qi Youxuan would just devour it whole. He was being prudent, not stingy.
“Wait till the marriage before giving the bracelet. We have a bunch of stuff in the house. Just pick something for the welcome gift,” Grandfather Qi grumbled.
The old couple squabbled away while Qi Chengzhi excused himself.
Grandmother Qi had nothing more to say and angrily shoved the watermelon into the old man’s arms before walking into the house empty-handed.
When she entered, she was surprised to see a stranger in her living room.
‘Who was this stranger?”
Xia Wenna went forward and explained the situation, “Mother, this is the Yu family’s daughter, Yu Keyao.”
She then whispered into the old lady’s ear, “Do you think she’s a good match for Chengzhi? They met before and Keyao is interested. She came over today to officially introduce herself to you and father so I asked her to stay for dinner. If this match takes off, you will have your granddaughter-in-law. Maybe even some great-grandchildren in the near future.”
If it were not for Qi Chengzhi’s parting words outside, Grandmother Qi would have been happy with this turn of events.
As it stood, her grandson had declared that he had a woman that he wanted to marry. The conviction in his tone far outweighed this matchmake candidate pulled in by his mother.
In front of Yu Keyao, Grandmother Qi said nothing about Qi Chengzhi’s girlfriend. Inside her mind, she was worried. When Qi Chengzhi comes back with his girlfriend, what were they going to do with Yu Keyao?
“Grandma,” Yu Keyao stood up and greeted.
“Sit, sit,” Grandmother Qi smiled politely. Her interest in the girl was mild at best, unlike Xia Wenna’s overwhelming enthusiasm.
She went straight into the kitchen to order Aunt Liu to prepare more food.
As Grandmother Qi left the living room, Grandfather Qi walked in with a watermelon. His surprise at seeing a stranger at home was only slightly muted compared to Grandmother Qi.
Yu Keyao called out sweetly, “Grandpa.” Grandfather Qi was at a loss as to how to respond. He just got out of a heated exchange with his wife and he was not in a good mood.
In the end, he settled with a nod and grunt. He took the watermelon into the kitchen and huffed when he saw Grandmother Qi. He walked back out with the fruit cut and sat gloomily in his chair.
Yu Keyao thought to herself, ‘What’s wrong with them? Do they hate me that much?’
‘Had they already met Qi Chengzhi’s girlfriend?’
Yu Keyao turned to Xia Wenna for some guidance. However, Xia Wenna had no idea how to console the girl so she pretended to not see her pleading looks and focused on eating her fruit.
Grandmother Qi gave out her orders for the kitchen staff. “Aiya. Forgot to ask Chengzhi what the girl likes to eat.”
“Isn’t Miss Yu right outside? I can go ask her.” Aunt Liu thought Grandmother Qi was referring to Yu Keyao.
Grandmother Qi hurriedly waved Aunt Liu back before she went into the living room. Yu Keyao did not need another misunderstanding.
“Not that one.” Grandmother Qi whispered, “What is Wenna doing? Last time Chengzhi already said he had a girlfriend but she’s still finding a match for him. I think he saw Miss Yu out there and decided to bring his girlfriend over for dinner. If he really brought his girlfriend over to antagonize Miss Yu, the Yu family’s image will be affected.”
Aunt Liu decided the world of the rich was a bit too complex for her and kept mum.
She was Grandmother Qi’s confidante and had been in the family’s service for a few decades. Grandmother Qi trusted Aunt Liu to keep a secret, which was why she confided in her. She needed to get some of the secrets off her chest to keep herself sane.
“Great-grandma!”
Grandmother Qi turned around to see Qi Youxuan walking in with his pants half down.
Qi Youxuan had a bad habit. After doing his business, he had no patience to finish wearing his pants in the toilet. Luckily, Qi Youxuan had the common sense to not do it in public but only at home, he would waddle out of the toilet while pulling his pants up.
Grandmother Qi helped him to zip and button his jeans. Qi Youxuan’s bulging tummy made it hard to zip and when she was done, his tummy spilled over the waistband of his jeans.
“You’ve gotten fatter,” Grandmother Qi admonished.
Qi Youxuan worried that his grandmother would side with the other family members and make him go on a diet. However, Grandmother Qi said, “I’ll get you some new pants soon.”
Qi Youxuan breathed a sigh of relief. His pudgy hand reached for a slice of turkey on the countertop. He took a bite and said, “Great-grandma, is auntie coming over?”
“Huh?” Grandmother Qi raised her head and looked at her great-grandson. “You’re talking about your uncle’s girlfriend? You’ve seen her before?”
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Qi Chengzhi kept a straight face as he returned the phone to Song Yu. He said in a steady tone, “I heard that women like to show off the gifts they received from men, especially on days like this. And social media gets flooded with such posts.”
“…” Song Yu was speechless. ‘So he’s showing off on her behalf then?’
“Let’s go.” Qi Chengzhi had a satisfied expression on his face as he took Song Yu’s hand.
“…” Song Yu suddenly understood the intentions behind that WeChat Moment in Hong Kong. It was likely a similar gesture.
…
…
Once they entered the elevator, Qi Chengzhi started getting frisky. His hand traveled into her coat and started caressing her waist through the thin blouse. His nose brushed across her face as he left a trail of kisses along the way.
Song Yu was turned crimson by his actions. She pushed at his waist and said, “There’s a camera. People are watching.”
“It’s not like we’re doing anything salacious, what are you afraid of?” Qi Chengzhi hummed. He pecked at the corner of her lips, branding her like a hot iron.
The taunts and teases were getting on Song Yu’s nerves. She rested her head against his chest and spoke in a quivering voice, “Let’s go home. I have a gift for you.”
“You got me a gift?” Happiness in his tone, Qi Chengzhi was curious as to what she had gotten him. He lifted her chin and kissed her on the lips.
He knew Song Yu would not buy a gift for him using his money, the woman was too proper for that. She would not be able to buy something too expensive with her own budget.
Her gift was most likely something unrelated to material worth.
They reached home. The sudden shift of temperature from the cold exterior to the warm interior made the body felt even colder.
Song Yu did not head on to the bedroom just yet. She went to Aunt Yang to get a flower vase. She filled the vase with water and placed the rainbow rose in it.
Although it stood alone in the vase, Song Yu liked it.
She returned with the flower vase and followed Qi Chengzhi upstairs.
They stood in front of the bedroom door when Song Yu blocked Qi Chengzhi’s way. “You…stay out here first.”
Qi Chengzhi obeyed. He was eager to know what gift the blushing Song Yu had planned for him.
Song Yu did not dare to meet his eyes so she kept her head low. Her blush had spread down to her neck. She opened the door just wide enough for her to slip in without giving him a glimpse of the inside.
The door shut in his face before he could make out what was going on.
Song Yu placed the flower vase at the bedside table. She then took the paper bag that contained the sleepwear she bought at the mall during lunch break.
She headed for the bathroom to change. Looking at her reflection in the mirror, she squirmed in uneasiness.
The sleepwear was not too unorthodox, just that the skirt was on the short side. While it was not extremely short, bending over would be a problem. The thin straps joined to form a low-cut ‘V’ at her chest. Song Yu licked her lips and breathed shakily. She anxiously checked her outfit a few more times before donning a bathrobe.
She took three deep breaths before opening the bedroom door. Her fist clenched tightly at the bathrobe. “Come on in.”
Qi Chengzhi raised his eyebrows at her attire. He could somewhat guess what her gift was and boy, was he excited for it. He went in and saw the floral arrangement on the bed. Cut roses were arranged into a heart shape with multiple layers of flowers stacking onto each other. Upon closer inspection, he noticed something in the center of the flowers. He held up one of the flowers and found a pack of Durex stuffed within the petals.
Qi Chengzhi turned and looked at the embarrassed Song Yu, a smile toying at his lips.
“That…” Song Yu’s face burned under his playful gaze. She wondered if this was a bit too presumptuous and felt like Qi Chengzhi was mocking her.
She blurted out, “I bought them during my lunch break. A few of the different types. I couldn’t think of what to give you, so… Choose yourself!”
“Different types?” At that point, Qi Chengzhi sat himself down on the carpet and started to go through his gift in earnest.
Song Yu was experiencing first degree burns by now. Sooner or later, she was going to explode. She watched him flip through the condoms and silently cursed.
Qi Chengzhi’s long arm stretched over and pulled her into his embrace. She tumbled headfirst into his chest. The two of them sprawled on the carpet.
Song Yu stared at the floor. Her hands instinctively clenched at his shirt. While he was waiting outside, Qi Chengzhi had removed his coat and suit jacket. The sleeves were rolled up and his shirt was unbuttoned midway—it gave him a carefree look.
She could feel his warm breath at this proximity and her hands that were on his chest trembled. “I didn’t pay attention when I was buying. Just bought all the different packagings.”
When she went to pay at the counter, the cashier was baffled. That was the moment she regretted taking up Ruan Danchen’s suggestion.
“Now tell me, do you like strawberry flavor?” He whispered and kissed her neck.
Song Yu’s blush would not let up and her neck was starting to itch. Red to the tips of her ears, she said, “I don’t know. I never tried.”
“Let’s try it tonight then,” Qi Chengzhi said.
“…”
His fingers trailed down to the belt that held her bathrobe in place. A skilled tug and the bathrobe came loose. He went still when he saw what she was wearing underneath. The shocking intensity of his passion clouded his eyes and Song Yu was taken aback.
A moment passed and his deep voice uttered, “I really like this gift.”
Song Yu had no time to react. Her vision was a blur and she found herself pinned to the floor. The straps of her sleepwear had been pulled down. Qi Chengzhi kissed her forcefully as his breathing ran ragged.
“Want to try that strawberry flavor?” he murmured.
“…”‘This b*stard!’
Actions spoke louder than words and Song Yu wrapped her arms around his neck. She hoisted herself up and gently bit his ear.
Qi Chengzhi chuckled. His hoarse voice sounded like a mesmerizing melody played from an unknown instrument. It was music to her heart.
He only wanted to tease her and felt unfair if he actually made her do it. He peppered her face with soft kisses.
…
…
In the morning, Song Yu slept peacefully in bed. She felt the bed dip on one side and a pair of lips placed kisses along her eyebrows.
Her eyelids fluttered, her body was reluctant to wake up.
She resisted opening her eyes up till the pair of lips moved to kiss her own lips. The refreshing scent of mint lingered. The clean-shaven and handsome face of Qi Chengzhi was right in front of her, up close and personal.
Their eyes met.
The lips that were kissing her withdrew gracefully.
Song Yu blinked as a thumb brushed against the corner of her eye. “Look at your eye shit.” He showed her his thumb.
“…” After a night’s sleep, did he expect her to look perfect? She had little faith in her morning look and his comments had done nothing to assuage her. “If you don’t like it then don’t kiss my face,” she said in an unhappy tone.
She turned her back against him and buried her face in the blanket. She surreptitiously wiped the eye shit from her eyes.
Qi Chengzhi nudged her shoulder, “It was just a joke. Don’t be angry.”
Song Yu shook off his touch and said in frustration, “You’re always making fun of me!”
“Why are you suddenly so mad?” Qi Chengzhi laughed. Song Yu was always praised for her good nature, so where did this sudden temper come from?
Song Yu ignored him and shifted further away in the bed.
Qi Chengzhi did not follow. Instead, he sat at the empty space she left and spoke calmly, “I’m going back to my grandparents’ house today. I wanted to bring you back to make a formal introduction.”
He sensed her muscles tensed for a while. Then, she relaxed and rolled over to find Qi Chengzhi’s earnest gaze upon her.
It seemed like Qi Chengzhi was always the one who woke up first. She saw that he was already kempt and presentable. Of the few times she had caught sight of his sleeping figure, he always looked neat and beautiful, unlike her.
The faint scent of mint mingled with the scent of his usual cologne.
He was dressed proper and decent. The image was jarring as Song Yu recalled the ferocity and passion of his actions last night.
Apparently, the strawberry flavor was not enough to satiate his curiosity. In the end, Song Yu was left with quivering, thighs wet.
She sat up with the blanket wrapped around her naked body. She knew that this day was going to come sooner or later, especially after Qi Chengzhi had mentioned it. She knew, but she was still incredibly nervous.
“You’re going to tell them who I am?” she asked.
Qi Chengzhi understood the meaning of her question. “Other than my girlfriend, what other status would you have? Sooner or later you will need to present yourself to the family, so there is no point in hiding the truth.”
Song Yu was deep in thought. Her heart was beating erratically in nervousness.
“Regretting your decision?” Qi Chengzhi raised an eyebrow at her while he took hold of her hand.
“No. Just nervous.” Song Yu looked down at his pale and slender hand. She rubbed her thumb across his long fingers.
“It’s not that big of a matter. Don’t worry about it.” He squeezed her hand. The strength and warmth of his grip reassured her.
He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “Go on and have a little more rest.”
After Qi Chengzhi left, Song Yu had trouble falling back asleep. She got up and packed her stuff. A call came from Ruan Danchen and she headed out.
…
…
Qi Chengzhi did not expect to see Yu Keyao lounging in the family residence. She was engaged in conversation with Xia Wenna and Qi Chengyue in the living room.
Apart from the three ladies, Qi Zhongxun and his wife, Qi Chenglin, Qi Zhongliang, Qi Chengji, and Qi Youxuan were all seated on the couch.
On the other hand, Grandfather and Grandmother Qi were nowhere to be seen.
Qi Chengyue was the first one to spot him and called out, “Big brother!” She looked pleased with herself.
In the end, she felt that she had won their game of one-upmanship.
Qi Chengzhi did not spare her a look. The smile remained frozen on her face.
Yu Keyao’s eyes darted between them. It seemed like Qi Chengyue, this little cousin, was not favored by Qi Chengzhi. Perhaps she should reconsider getting too close with Qi Chengyue.
“You’re back. Come, sit.” Xia Wenna beckoned for Qi Chengzhi. The unrestrained glee on her face was concerning.
“Where’s grandpa and grandma?” Qi Chengzhi remained standing where he was and asked coolly.
His impressive height demanded Xia Wenna to strain her neck just to address him.
“When we came over, they had already gone out for a stroll. They’ll be back soon,” Xia Wenna explained. “Why are you just standing there? Keyao came today with gifts for your grandparents. Isn’t she just lovely?” she said suggestively.
Yu Keyao sat with her hands folded across her knees. Hearing Xia Wenna’s words, she tucked her hair behind her ear and smiled, “It was presumptuous of me to come without notice. I didn’t know that there would be a family gathering.”
She slowly stood from her seat and said, “I think I shall make a move. I’ll drop by to visit grandpa and grandma another day.”
“You’ve come a long way. Stay and have dinner with us. This get together happens every week and it’s not a serious affair. Relax,” Xia Wenna persuaded.
“But I’m the only outsider here,” Yu Keyao said sheepishly and looked to Qi Chengzhi, “Chengzhi…”
At the corner of the room, Qi Youxuan heard the affectionate tone of Yu Keyao and turned to look between Qi Chengzhi and the lady. With Grandfather and Grandmother Qi out, Qi Chenglin made sure that he was not given access to any junk food. There was nothing to occupy Qi Youxuan and he was bored out of his mind.
Before his eldest uncle came, he had listened in on some of the chatter of the three women. There was something about matchmaking and compliments about Yu Keyao. Something about her beauty and sincerity. Needless to say, it made him want to puke.
That lady now blushed and acted coyly. She reminded him of his classmate, Tao Baona, who was such a drama queen.
Qi Youxuan’s pudgy hands pushed himself off the couch and exited the living room.
“Oh, you’re not an outsider. I’ve never taken you as an outsider,” Xia Wenna said—the meaning behind her words not lost unto others. Distracted by this turn of events, Qi Chenglin did not notice his son’s absence. He raised an eyebrow and looked to Qi Chengzhi.
Yu Keyao’s face was flushed and she muttered, “Auntie, this…”
Unable to say whatever she wanted to say, she turned to look at Qi Chengzhi bashfully, “Chengzhi, I…”
Qi Chengzhi only glanced at her with indifference and proceeded to stride out of the living room.
“Chengzhi!” Xia Wenna hollered behind him but he did not slow down his steps. The last thing he heard was his mother’s voice saying, “Keyao, sit. We’re all family.”
…
…
Qi Youxuan ran to the bathroom. Before closing the door, his round head peeked out and checked if the coast was clear. Seeing that no one was around, he took out the phone from his pocket. It was a kid’s phone, evident from the Totoro phone case.
Ruan Danchen had invited Song Yu out and here they were at a Doraemon exhibition. As she handed her phone to Ruan Danchen to take a photo, a call came in.
It was Qi Youxuan.
The young boy came over to Qi Chengzhi’s house for a sleepover that night and was persistent about exchanging phone numbers.
“Youxuan?” Song Yu answered the call. She waved Ruan Danchen ahead and navigated past the crowd to get to a quiet corner.
“Auntie, there’s a lady in great-grandpa’s house and she’s my uncle’s matchmaking candidate.” There was no one in the bathroom but Qi Youxuan spoke into the phone with a hand over his mouth, acting like a spy on a mission.
“…” Song Yu did not know what to say.
“Auntie, you can’t allow this. Uncle flirts with women everywhere and now one of them has come to our doorstep. You’re too nice. If it was me, I would never stand for this. There’s still time for you to reconsider and be my stepmom,” Qi Youxuan said with a straight face.
“…”
She had no idea how to respond to Qi Youxuan’s childish babbling but his words struck a chord.
Matchmaking candidat…maybe it was that woman, Yu Keyao.
Actually, how many candidates were there in line for Qi Chengzhi?
Qi Youxuan got ready to deliver a spiel in promotion of his dad when suddenly a shadow fell upon him. His mouth gaped speechlessly. The ominous shadow gave off an immense pressure behind him.
He did not manage to turn around and the phone was already snatched out of his hand. Qi Youxuan lifted his head and saw his eldest uncle.
‘Uncle walks so quietly!’
Qi Chengzhi gave his nephew a sullen glance. The Totoro kid’s phone rested awkwardly in his slender hand.
Qi Chengzhi brought the phone to his ear and asked, “Where are you?”
The sudden change of voice surprised Song Yu. ‘When did he get a hold of Qi Youxuan’s phone? Did he hear all the stuff Qi Youxuan said?’
Song Yu did not take Qi Youxuan’s words to heart but she worried that Qi Chengzhi would berate the young child.
It was possible based on his usual pettiness.
“I’m at a Doraemon exhibition with Danchen,” Song Yu answered. She scanned the crowd and found her friend taking selfies with Doraemon.
“Where’s the place? I’ll go over now,” he said. Qi Youxuan pulled at his pants for attention.
Qi Youxuan held on to his uncle’s pants and whispered, “Uncle, give me back my phone.”
Qi Chengzhi coldly pried open the young boy’s grip from his pants and walked away. “Address.”
“Why are you coming over? Don’t you have a guest at home?” Song Yu replied gloomily, her heart in a knot.
Hearing the jealousy in her voice, Qi Chengzhi smiled. He spoke in a teasing tone, “You really want me to entertain the guests?”
“…”
The silence prompted him to continue, “Yu Keyao came over.”
“…” The trap was laid and she had stumbled into it foolishly. A part of her was reluctant to admit her possessiveness.
However, she truly did not like the notion of Yu Keyao spending time with Qi Chengzhi. Just the thought of Yu Keyao staring lovingly at Qi Chengzhi made her blood boil.
Ultimately, she gave him the address.
Qi Chengzhi hung up and returned the phone to Qi Youxuan. While his nephew presented no competition, his plot to make Song Yu his stepmom irked Qi Chengzhi.
He gave his nephew a warning, “Go find another person to be your stepmom. If you’re lucky, you’ll find your own birth mother. Don’t bother your auntie.”
After that, Qi Chengzhi walked away with his hands in his pockets.
Qi Youxuan was shocked that his uncle said that. Could it be that he still had a chance to find his birth mother?
There was a risk in finding a stepmom. What if he found one that did not love him? If she gave birth to siblings, then he would be neglected for sure.
Qi Youxuan mulled over the issue. Perhaps he should start prying into the mystery of his birth mother.
…
…
Back in the living room, Yu Keyao was still seated on the couch. She saw Qi Chengzhi walk back into the room and quickly stood up. In a demure tone, she greeted, “Chengzhi.”
Qi Chengzhi walked on as if he did not hear a thing. Yu Keyao’s smile froze in place, the corners of her lips twitched. She tried to hide her emotions from Xia Wenna but the pain and awkwardness were evident from her expression.
Hurt flashed past the endearing and innocent face of Yu Keyao. Xia Wenna would not stand by this slight.
She was responsible for connecting the Yu family, yet her son blatantly ignored Yu Keyao. Xia Wenna felt the secondhand embarrassment for the Yu family.
“Qi Chengzhi!” Xia Wenna stomped over to her son and blocked his exit. “Where are you headed to? You just got back. Keyao was calling you, did you not hear?”
“I’m going out for a while. Be back in a second.” Qi Chengzhi skirted Xia Wenna and went out the door. He paid no heed to her second question.
No one in the Qi family could handle Qi Chengzhi’s temper. He normally kept it in check, unlike Wei Ziwei who was unrestrained in his anger. Qi Chengzhi’s anger ran deep and cold rather than loud and hot. Before you could react, he would already have made his displeasure known and felt without any outward signs of hostility.
Anyways, this thing with Qi Chengzhi and Yu Keyao was not a done deal. There were so many women out there for Qi Chengzhi to choose—as long as they were not Song Yu, Xia Wenna did not mind.
She let Qi Chengzhi leave. When she came back to the living room, Xia Wenna chuckled sheepishly, “Keyao, don’t mind him. He’s a bit temperamental. No one can really keep him in line, even his dad or grandma. Stay and have dinner with us. He said he would be back in a second and if anything, Qi Chengzhi is as good as his word.”
“You guys can talk during dinner. Maybe get to know each other better. There won’t be any more odd happenings today, so take this chance to bridge the gap,” Xia Wenna gently clasped Yu Keyao’s hands as she said this.
“Auntie…” Yu Keyao lowered her head as her face turned pink.
Xia Wenna watched the woman’s reaction and sighed internally. Yu Keyao was a good choice for her son, though she was a bit theatrical with her shrinking violet act. It was becoming distasteful. Qi Chengzhi was not very fond of this type.
However, Xia Wenna had gone through a long list of candidates. Yu Keyao stood out among all the ladies from notable families as someone who was well-mannered and well-behaved.
There was no choice as most daughters from rich families were spoiled rotten. Her own niece, Qi Chengyue, was the prime example. Although she was her aunt, Xia Wenna honestly would not want someone like Qi Chengyue as her daughter-in-law.
…
…
Qi Chengzhi stepped out of the mansion proper and ran into his grandparents.
“Where are you going?” Grandmother Qi asked. She had a small watermelon in her hands, which was requested by Qi Youxuan.
“I’m fetching your future granddaughter-in-law over for dinner. You guys can officially meet,” Qi Chengzhi explained.
Grandmother Qi was ecstatic. “Oh! you should have said earlier. I shall get the people to prepare more food. Go and pick her up. Don’t let people wait and delay dinner.”
Qi Chengzhi nodded and took two steps before he was arrested by Grandmother Qi. “Is this the one you want to marry?”
“Yes. If not why would I bring her back? She’s the only one I want to marry. There will be no one else,” Qi Chengzhi said with a certain finality. He wanted to impress upon his grandmother the importance of Song Yu in his life while her identity remained unknown.
“Aiya!” Grandmother Qi was stunned by his declaration and almost dropped the watermelon. “The gods be willing! If so, I will bring out the Qi family bracelet meant for the eldest grandson’s wife.”
Grandfather Qi quickly cut in, “Calm down. She hasn’t even entered the family.” His wife was too rash. They had not even met this woman and there were no wedding plans yet. The family heirloom was not to be handed out so impulsively.
“Your eldest grandson’s wife is visiting for the first time and you don’t want to present a welcome gift? Don’t be stingy!” Grandmother Qi retorted. The watermelon in her hands incited the second round of barrage, “And this watermelon. I said we should buy the big one but no… Someone wanted me to get the small one instead. Now there won’t be enough to serve everyone.”
The veins on Grandfather Qi’s temple throbbed. There was no winning an argument with this woman.
Their great-grandson’s belly was growing bigger by the day. With his appetite, it did not matter how big of a watermelon they bought, Qi Youxuan would just devour it whole. He was being prudent, not stingy.
“Wait till the marriage before giving the bracelet. We have a bunch of stuff in the house. Just pick something for the welcome gift,” Grandfather Qi grumbled.
The old couple squabbled away while Qi Chengzhi excused himself.
Grandmother Qi had nothing more to say and angrily shoved the watermelon into the old man’s arms before walking into the house empty-handed.
When she entered, she was surprised to see a stranger in her living room.
‘Who was this stranger?”
Xia Wenna went forward and explained the situation, “Mother, this is the Yu family’s daughter, Yu Keyao.”
She then whispered into the old lady’s ear, “Do you think she’s a good match for Chengzhi? They met before and Keyao is interested. She came over today to officially introduce herself to you and father so I asked her to stay for dinner. If this match takes off, you will have your granddaughter-in-law. Maybe even some great-grandchildren in the near future.”
If it were not for Qi Chengzhi’s parting words outside, Grandmother Qi would have been happy with this turn of events.
As it stood, her grandson had declared that he had a woman that he wanted to marry. The conviction in his tone far outweighed this matchmake candidate pulled in by his mother.
In front of Yu Keyao, Grandmother Qi said nothing about Qi Chengzhi’s girlfriend. Inside her mind, she was worried. When Qi Chengzhi comes back with his girlfriend, what were they going to do with Yu Keyao?
“Grandma,” Yu Keyao stood up and greeted.
“Sit, sit,” Grandmother Qi smiled politely. Her interest in the girl was mild at best, unlike Xia Wenna’s overwhelming enthusiasm.
She went straight into the kitchen to order Aunt Liu to prepare more food.
As Grandmother Qi left the living room, Grandfather Qi walked in with a watermelon. His surprise at seeing a stranger at home was only slightly muted compared to Grandmother Qi.
Yu Keyao called out sweetly, “Grandpa.” Grandfather Qi was at a loss as to how to respond. He just got out of a heated exchange with his wife and he was not in a good mood.
In the end, he settled with a nod and grunt. He took the watermelon into the kitchen and huffed when he saw Grandmother Qi. He walked back out with the fruit cut and sat gloomily in his chair.
Yu Keyao thought to herself, ‘What’s wrong with them? Do they hate me that much?’
‘Had they already met Qi Chengzhi’s girlfriend?’
Yu Keyao turned to Xia Wenna for some guidance. However, Xia Wenna had no idea how to console the girl so she pretended to not see her pleading looks and focused on eating her fruit.
Grandmother Qi gave out her orders for the kitchen staff. “Aiya. Forgot to ask Chengzhi what the girl likes to eat.”
“Isn’t Miss Yu right outside? I can go ask her.” Aunt Liu thought Grandmother Qi was referring to Yu Keyao.
Grandmother Qi hurriedly waved Aunt Liu back before she went into the living room. Yu Keyao did not need another misunderstanding.
“Not that one.” Grandmother Qi whispered, “What is Wenna doing? Last time Chengzhi already said he had a girlfriend but she’s still finding a match for him. I think he saw Miss Yu out there and decided to bring his girlfriend over for dinner. If he really brought his girlfriend over to antagonize Miss Yu, the Yu family’s image will be affected.”
Aunt Liu decided the world of the rich was a bit too complex for her and kept mum.
She was Grandmother Qi’s confidante and had been in the family’s service for a few decades. Grandmother Qi trusted Aunt Liu to keep a secret, which was why she confided in her. She needed to get some of the secrets off her chest to keep herself sane.
“Great-grandma!”
Grandmother Qi turned around to see Qi Youxuan walking in with his pants half down.
Qi Youxuan had a bad habit. After doing his business, he had no patience to finish wearing his pants in the toilet. Luckily, Qi Youxuan had the common sense to not do it in public but only at home, he would waddle out of the toilet while pulling his pants up.
Grandmother Qi helped him to zip and button his jeans. Qi Youxuan’s bulging tummy made it hard to zip and when she was done, his tummy spilled over the waistband of his jeans.
“You’ve gotten fatter,” Grandmother Qi admonished.
Qi Youxuan worried that his grandmother would side with the other family members and make him go on a diet. However, Grandmother Qi said, “I’ll get you some new pants soon.”
Qi Youxuan breathed a sigh of relief. His pudgy hand reached for a slice of turkey on the countertop. He took a bite and said, “Great-grandma, is auntie coming over?”
“Huh?” Grandmother Qi raised her head and looked at her great-grandson. “You’re talking about your uncle’s girlfriend? You’ve seen her before?”
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