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The car was heading towards the shopping mall, but the atmosphere was unusually tense.
Ji Huailuo was fuming in anger: “If you dare start a relationship now, I’ll go straight to your mother and report you!”
Xu Zhiqiao retorted sharply, “Didn’t I tell you before? Don’t chase after the girls in our school?”
Ji Huailuo snapped, “You said ‘your side,’ but this girl isn’t on your side. Otherwise, how would I not know her?”
“…”
Xu Zhiqiao was equally furious. “I’m going to report you to your dad. The girl you’re chasing just hit me!”
Ji Huailuo cursed furiously, “That’s called pushing!”
Xu Zhiqiao shot back, “That’s hitting!”
Ji Huailuo: “…”
Xu Zhiqiao threatened, “One day I’ll find a boyfriend who can beat you up. Just wait.”
“…” Ji Huailuo laughed maniacally, “In this world, no one could ever beat me… they’re not even born yet…”
At this point, he noticed the driver and suddenly changed his tone: “That’s rare.”
Ji Huailuo coughed lightly: “Ah Cong, why are you silent?”
“What should I say?” Zhou Cong remained indifferent. “Who am I helping?”
Ji Huailuo: “Help me.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “Help me.”
The two of them spoke in unison.
Zhou Cong: “So who exactly are you helping?”
Ji Huailuo, with an air of certainty, answered: “You’re my brother, of course, you should help me.”
“You’re chasing after a girl who slapped her,” Zhou Cong said, neither angry nor pleased, “and yet you still have the face to ask me for help?”
“…”
Zhou Cong: “Have you even touched her with a single finger?”
Ji Huailuo felt like he was being lectured out of nowhere.
It felt as if his little sister had been the one pushed.
Zhou Cong nonchalantly said a few words: “Ji Shou will scold you like this, and then give you two slaps.”
“…”
After Ji Huailuo was pushed by the girl he wanted to ask out, and after he forcefully shoved money into his pursuer’s hands, Xu Zhiqiao didn’t want to go any closer to him. Even when they entered the shopping mall, she stayed firmly by Zhou Cong’s side.
Ji Huailuo’s face darkened with anger.
“Don’t you want your allowance?”
“No,” Xu Zhiqiao said, keeping a distance, as Zhou Cong walked between them. “You keep it to pursue girls.”
“…” Ji Huailuo grumbled, “Are you done yet?”
Hearing this, Xu Zhiqiao didn’t respond, but Zhou Cong glanced at him first: “You’d be fine if you just corrected your attitude.”
Ji Huailuo: “…If you’re not going to help, at least don’t make things worse.”
They passed by a clothing store, and Ji Huailuo let out a hiss: “I’ll buy you a down jacket. Hurry up and give me back my coat.”
The mention of that made Xu Zhiqiao suddenly remember the down jacket she had thrown to the back of her mind.
After a brief pause, she circled around and walked back to Ji Huailuo’s side: “Let’s go then.”
Zhou Cong gave a cold smile, one that made the back of her neck tighten.
“I don’t know why you’re acting like a frustrated pervert today,” Ji Huailuo muttered, “Did your grandfather set up a blind date for you again?”
Zhou Cong: “No, I plan to follow your example and pursue someone myself.”
Ji Huailuo: “.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “.”
“Ah, I misspoke,” Zhou Cong said in a teasing tone, “Let the other person pursue me.”
Ji Huailuo sneered: “Who would dare pursue you? They’d need a heart of steel to do that.”
“Don’t be so sure,” Zhou Cong said lazily, “Some people are bold enough. Maybe in the morning, they’d blush in front of you, but by night, they’d turn their back on you…”
Xu Zhiqiao felt a chill run down her spine, suddenly doubting herself.
Did she blush this morning?
Definitely not.
He was just saying random things.
Ji Huailuo was still confused and picked up a pink cherry-colored down jacket: “How about this one?”
Zhou Cong: “Ugly.”
“I wasn’t asking you,” Ji Huailuo nodded his chin, gesturing. “Xu Zhiqiao, how about it?”
Zhou Cong: “Black looks better.”
Ji Huailuo, impatient: “I wasn’t asking you.”
Xu Zhiqiao licked her lips: “It looks good.”
Ji Huailuo: “Then this one. Just wear it right now.”
Zhou Cong: “I’ll take the black one too. I’ll give it to my little sister.”
“No need,” Xu Zhiqiao reflexively refused, “I have plenty of clothes…”
Ji Huailuo was puzzled: “Have you developed a grudge against black?”
Zhou Cong’s face remained expressionless as he instructed the shop assistant to pack up the black one and head to checkout.
“Alright, alright,” Ji Huailuo accepted casually, “This black one does look pretty good.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “I don’t want it…”
Ji Huailuo waved his hand: “Thanks, bro.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “…”
What exactly were Ji Huailuo’s big ears for?
“You carry this for a while,” Ji Huailuo instructed, “My cigarette cravings are acting up. I’m going to the bathroom.”
Xu Zhiqiao panicked: “Why do you need someone to carry it?”
Ji Huailuo: “Right, you two wander around first. If I’m not done, go upstairs and wait for me at a restaurant.”
Xu Zhiqiao: “…”
Her ears might as well be donated.
Ji Huailuo walked off with large strides.
Xu Zhiqiao quietly shrank her neck and said cautiously: “Big Brother, I want to buy some treats for Xu Bie Zhen.”
Zhou Cong, holding the shopping bag, said: “Look at me when you speak.”
“…” Xu Zhiqiao hesitated, then looked up. “Can’t you hear me when I say it this way?”
Zhou Cong chuckled in frustration: “Where’s the outfit you wore this morning?”
Xu Zhiqiao’s neck inexplicably grew warm: “My roommate helped me bring it back.”
“Was it uncomfortable to wear?”
“…Why did you wear one just like it?” Xu Zhiqiao stammered, “If my brother sees it, he’ll misunderstand.”
Zhou Cong: “Misunderstand what?”
“…”
“People say,” Zhou Cong lowered his eyes casually, “Only those with a guilty conscience would feel uneasy…”
Xu Zhiqiao’s face flushed like a blooming flower, suddenly turning bright red.
She was irritated and refuted: “Didn’t you say that outfit was yours? My classmate said that was a women’s style. You’re the one who lied, and now you’re shifting the blame! I think you’re the one with a guilty conscience!”
“Mm,” Zhou Cong said slowly, “I’ve always had a guilty conscience.”
“…”
Zhou Cong: “I bought a piece of clothing for the girl I like, but I was afraid she wouldn’t accept it, so I had to coax her into wearing it. What’s wrong with that?”
“…” Xu Zhiqiao’s face turned red, and she stammered, “You’re really so frivolous!”
Zhou Cong raised an eyebrow: “It’s not as serious as sending flowers, is it?”
Xu Zhiqiao was caught off guard.
“Red roses, huh,” Zhou Cong said sarcastically, “I saw your brother’s post on WeChat Moments.”
“…”
Zhou Cong: “And you liked it right away.”
Xu Zhiqiao’s shoulders slumped, and the long-dead memories were suddenly dragged back. She spoke with little confidence: “W-What’s it to you?”
“It’s nothing to me,” Zhou Cong said with a vague tone, “After all, I was being blocked by certain people at the time.”
“…”
The silence was deafening.
“Xu Zhiqiao.” Zhou Cong suddenly called her name.
“Ah?”
“I just said,” Zhou Cong bent down to meet her gaze, “I like you… and you didn’t get angry…”
She only found him frivolous.
But she didn’t show the obvious rejection she used to.
Xu Zhiqiao straightened her small frame and tried to remain calm: “Well, let me make it clear now, don’t say that again. If you do, I’ll feel like hitting you.”
Zhou Cong: “…”