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Chapter 49: Jinjiang, Poisoned
Jinjiang Fat Growth…
Even the usually silent and reserved Huo Qi, who kept to the corner, cut his chicken in half without a word and placed his portion in front of Ning Qingyan.
The message was crystal clear: “Take it. You don’t need to do anything for it.”
He had eaten so many of Ning Qingyan’s late-night snacks over time. Half a pound of chicken? No big deal. If Ning Qingyan wanted it, he could have it.
After all, Huo Qi felt he had hurt Ning Qingyan emotionally. It was only fair to make up for it in other ways.
Meanwhile, Sheng Mingzhu, who believed Xu Ruanruan was dragging Ning Qingyan down, had just mocked her. But the mood shifted. Xu Ruanruan, who had been staring enviously at everyone else’s meat, suddenly lit up.
Teaming up with Ning Qingyan was a dream come true!
No wonder she had used her one chance at forcibly reassigning teams to pair up with him.
Given Ning Qingyan’s personality, there was no way he’d keep everything for himself. If he had meat, she’d get her share too!
Thinking of this, Xu Ruanruan straightened her back and said cheerfully,
“Well, I’m sorry, but with my amazing Qingyan-ge around, getting meat is no big deal!”
As she spoke, she clung to Ning Qingyan’s arm, looking as close as could be.
Watching Xu Ruanruan hold Ning Qingyan’s left arm, Sheng Mingzhu immediately glared at her in fury.
“Shameless!”
“Who are you calling shameless, Sheng Mingzhu? Say it again!” Xu Ruanruan retorted angrily. Just as she was about to argue further, Sheng Mingzhu, in a stunning display of audacity, ran over and clung to Ning Qingyan’s right arm!
With two soft, curvy sisters clinging to his arms, Ning Qingyan felt his limbs go numb. His whole being felt like it was floating.
No wonder men in ancient times loved being surrounded by wives and concubines. Dang, even as a woman, Ning Qingyan could barely handle this!
There was no denying it—soft and warm, it felt heavenly!
Standing nearby, Gu Si saw Ning Qingyan’s flushed and flustered face and couldn’t help but chuckle in exasperation. His usual lazy and mischievous tone turned cold and low.
“Ning Qingyan. Are you on cloud nine right now?”
Under Gu Si’s piercing gaze, Ning Qingyan felt a chill run down her spine. But her sisters were clinging so tightly to her arms that she couldn’t break free.
“What’s the matter? Are you jealous?” she shot back fearlessly.
Gu Si pressed his lips into a thin line, turned his gaze away, and said nothing. Then he spun around and jogged to the beach to splash cold water on his face.
He was losing it.
Why was he so affected by his little brother’s actions—or by the way others interacted with him? It was driving him insane, like a scorned lover. How humiliating!
Gu Si had always been perfectly clear about his preferences. Not only was he not into men, but women didn’t interest him much either.
Even so, he firmly believed he was straight. Never had he imagined that one day, a boy like Ning Qingyan would throw his world into chaos.
The phrase he once told Ning Qingyan, “Don’t mix business with pleasure,” echoed in his mind. Yet he found himself losing control more and more.
The worst part? Ning Qingyan clearly preferred curvy, feminine women. He didn’t even have a chance to question his own preferences.
Worse still, how could he possibly have inappropriate feelings for the youngest member of their group?
Splashing his face with more cold water, Gu Si tried to regain control.
Meanwhile, Qiao Li frowned at the scene of Ning Qingyan, caught stiffly between two clingy sisters. “Don’t pull on him like that,” she said, stepping forward to intervene.
But Huo Qi, uncharacteristically proactive, beat her to it. He strode over, grabbed Ning Qingyan, and said in a calm, icy voice,
“We should start cooking now.”
Everyone’s stomachs were rumbling after a morning of hard work. Realizing the truth in his words, they quickly snapped out of their petty squabbles.
They couldn’t let their star chef, Ning Qingyan, be held back by drama.
Even Wen Shijin, who usually stayed quiet during such disputes, stepped in. Gently but firmly, he pulled Ning Qingyan’s arm out of Huo Qi’s grip and said in a deep, steady voice,
“You’re right. Let’s cook. I’ll help.”
He then slid his hand down to Ning Qingyan’s wrist, gently leading her toward the fire.
Huo Qi stood frozen, his hand still half-raised. His eyes followed Ning Qingyan’s retreating back, his gaze dark and unreadable.
Real-Time Livestream Comments:
“Ning Qingyan is officially everyone’s favorite!”
“This is a full-blown jealousy showdown, and I am here for it!”
“Did Huo Qi just step in to rescue Ning Qingyan? My heart can’t handle this. Huo-Qi-for-the-win!”
“Wen Shijin literally yanked Ning Qingyan away. Excuse me while I faint from the sheer tension!”
“Gu Si, are you even trying? You’re losing your wife while washing your face!”
With Wen Shijin assisting her, Ning Qingyan cooked quickly. In no time, their first meal on the deserted island was ready.
Fresh seafood soup, sautéed wild vegetables, mushroom chicken stew, braised pork belly, spicy clams…
Throughout the meal, Gu Si sat at the farthest corner from Ning Qingyan, barely glancing in her direction. Huo Qi also seemed unusually quiet.
In contrast, Wen Shijin ensured Ning Qingyan sat beside him, even peeling clams for her with his elegant, slender hands.
Ning Qingyan, delighted, exclaimed, “Thanks, Ge! You’re the best! Love you!”
Wen Shijin’s ears turned red at her words. But when she added, “You’re like a real brother to me!” his face fell slightly.
“I’m not your real brother,” he said quietly.
Ning Qingyan blinked, confused. “Of course, I know that. I mean I’ll treat you like one!”
Wen Shijin’s brow furrowed slightly as he watched her eat. For some reason, the phrase didn’t sit well with him.