Chapter 12

Zhiyi didn’t explain why she wasn’t sitting next to him, nor could she.

She simply said, “I’ll sit with Auraro.”

Ning Yun turned to Jiang Sixun and said, “I don’t like that you said it like that. Why can’t Zhiyi sit next to me?” She smiled warmly at Zhiyi, handed her the menu, and encouraged her to order first.

Jiang Sixun’s gaze lingered for a half-second between Zhiyi and the empty seat before he stood up. “Let’s switch seats.”

The man, holding his water glass, moved to stand next to her.

Zhiyi wasn’t sure whether he wanted to sit in a row with Ning Yun or if he was being considerate of her feelings since she was next to the empty seat, which might make her feel like a third wheel.

With little time to think, she moved to sit across from Ning Yun, and Jiang Sixun took the seat next to Ning Yun.

The conversation at the table remained focused on the two of them, while Zhiyi ate quietly.

Ning Yun placed her half-empty glass of water in front of Jiang Sixun, silently indicating that he should refill it.

Jiang Sixun glanced at her and courteously refilled her glass.

Ning Yun smiled brightly. “What a pity, if I had known, I would have had paparazzi come and take a photo of that thoughtful scene earlier. If it had made the hot search, my grandfather would have lived a few more years.”

Jiang Sixun handed her the glass. “You spend quite a bit on hot searches each year, don’t you?”

Ning Yun laughed heartily and teased, “You know it well enough yourself. Do you really need to say it out loud? Do I have no sense of shame?” The frequent appearances on domestic and international social media platforms weren’t just due to her looks; it was a substantial amount of money spent.

She took a sip of her water and mentioned her birthday party in August, which would be held at the estate this year. He would need to fly over from Manhattan, which would take at least two days round-trip, so she reminded him not to forget and to keep those days free.

Jiang Sixun responded with a “mm.”

They had been introduced through family arrangements a few years back and had reached a mutual understanding to meet symbolically twice a year, only showing up at each other’s birthday parties, as a courtesy to their families.

Ning Yun, concerned about neglecting the young woman in front of her, redirected the conversation to Zhiyi, asking about her major and year in school.

Zhiyi answered each question as she swallowed her food.

“You’re smart and good-looking. I bet the boys at your school are lining up to pursue you.”

“Not quite that dramatic.”

Ning Yun laughed. “If they’re not lining up, that would be abnormal. You skipped grades in middle school and double majored in college; how could you have time for a relationship?”

Zhiyi honestly replied, “I say I don’t have one when people ask, but actually, I do.”

Ning Yun was amused and increasingly fond of her future sister-in-law.

Enjoying their conversation, she asked Zhiyi if she had a boyfriend and, if so, to join them for a meal next time.

Jiang Sixun glanced at her and thought of Ning Wei, who was also dating and of a similar age.

Zhiyi replied to Ning Yun, “No, I haven’t met the right person.”

“Let me introduce you to some excellent young men. Maybe you’ll find someone you like.”

As the meal was winding down, Ning Yun noticed that Zhiyi seemed a bit bored, so she called her cousin, Ning Yinqi, to take Zhiyi for a drive.

They were of similar ages and should get along well.

Jiang Sixun intended to decline Ning Yun’s suggestion but was surprised when Zhiyi agreed, appearing quite enthusiastic about the drive.

She wasn’t interested in the drive itself; she just wanted to use the opportunity to leave and not be a third wheel.

Jiang Sixun simply thought she wanted to go out and see the sights. “If you want to see the night view, I’ll take you later. No need to trouble Yinqi.”

Zhiyi said, “I’d rather go with someone my age. It’s easier to talk.”

Jiang Sixun smiled at her. “Seems like you don’t have much to say with me. I’m not much older than you.”

This comment was hard to respond to, so Zhiyi remained silent.

Ning Yun, finding Jiang Sixun a bit tactless, teased him directly. “Could you at least act like an older brother? What young girl wants to go out with her father or brother? It’s not like we’re still kids.”

She turned to Zhiyi with a bright smile. “Don’t mind him.”

In less than fifteen minutes, Ning Yun’s cousin arrived.

Handsome and warm, Ning Yinqi made a good first impression.

After greeting him, Zhiyi grabbed her bag and waved goodbye to Jiang Sixun.

Jiang Sixun instructed, “Return to the hotel early.”

“Okay.” She left with Ning Yinqi.

Once Zhiyi was gone, Jiang Sixun returned to his seat across from Ning Yun, summoned his bodyguards, and instructed them to accompany Zhiyi.

Ning Yun teased, “Who would have thought you had a latent sister complex?”

Jiang Sixun didn’t respond, instead telling the bodyguards Ning Yinqi’s license plate number, and they quickly headed downstairs.

Earlier, in front of Zhiyi, there were some things he couldn’t say: “Don’t casually introduce people to Zhiyi.”

Ning Yun was displeased. “What do you mean by casually introducing?”

“You’ve known Yinqi for a while. Honestly, what’s his character like? Introducing them doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll date. Zhiyi has just been recognized; she doesn’t know anyone in this circle. It’s good for her to have more friends.”

She scoffed, “You don’t know what’s good for you!”

Jiang Sixun didn’t argue. “I promised Zhiyi’s mother to take good care of her. There will be more opportunities to meet friends later.” But not now. Her true identity hadn’t been publicly acknowledged by Xu Xiangyi yet, and there were occasions she couldn’t handle smoothly.

He couldn’t, and shouldn’t, take it upon himself to reveal Xu Xiangyi’s decision.

Downstairs, Ning Yinqi opened the passenger side door.

It was a bit awkward for two unfamiliar people to go for a drive together.

Zhiyi settled into the seat and fastened her seatbelt. “Thank you very much. You’ve really helped me out.”

Ning Yinqi understood and smiled. “No problem. I wouldn’t want to be a third wheel either. If it were me, I wouldn’t last a minute. Is there anywhere special you’d like to go? If not, I can plan the route.”

Zhiyi couldn’t think of a specific place she wanted to go. The last time she was in London, her second brother had taken her around all the neighborhoods, leaving early in the morning and returning around two or three in the morning every day. She had seen all the night views.

“You plan it.”

Ning Yinqi took the initiative to lighten the mood, chatting non-stop from campus life to his current internship.

He also mentioned a recent concert by her idol, and to her surprise, Ning Yinqi was also a die-hard fan, which instantly brought them closer.

Ning Yinqi invited, “There’s another concert in London in August. The playlist has been updated with two songs from an album ten years ago. Would you like to come?”

Those two songs were exactly the ones that got Zhiyi hooked.

She definitely wanted to go, but the key issue was getting tickets, which were extremely hard to come by for every concert.

Ning Yinqi noticed her hesitation. “I’ll handle the tickets. Consider it a welcome gift from me. My dad and Uncle Lu have a very good relationship.”

Uncle Lu?

Zhiyi’s mind briefly went blank before she realized that Uncle Lu referred to Lu Jianbo. Ning Yinqi thought Lu Jianbo was her real father.

She really didn’t want to lie to Ning Yinqi. For a moment, she wanted to tell him that her real father was Xu Xiangyi. However, she remembered that Xu Xiangyi had not yet publicly revealed that Xu Ningwei was not his biological child.

Very few outsiders knew about the mix-up.

Whether Xu Xiangyi would eventually reveal Xu Ningwei’s status as an adopted child was uncertain.

So the strong urge to tell Ning Yinqi the truth was quickly extinguished.

Ning Yinqi occasionally glanced at the rearview mirror, making sure that the car behind them was still following. It seemed Jiang Sixun didn’t fully trust him to drive around aimlessly.

He asked Zhiyi, “Shall we go to the London Eye?”

“No, just find a place to look around.”

Ning Yinqi drove to a prime viewing spot, parked the convertible by the side, and stared at the Ferris wheel under the night sky for a while.

He looked at her again and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to go on it?”

Zhiyi shook her head. “I’ve been on it before.”

“You’re like me. Once you’ve been on it, you don’t want to go again. I know someone who would love to go every week and never gets bored. I’d accompany her whenever I’m free,” Ning Yinqi seemed to drift into memory.

“The girl you like?”

Ning Yinqi was slightly stunned but then admitted openly, “Yes.”

Zhiyi checked the time on her phone; it was almost nine. Her hotel was nearby, just a ten-minute walk, so she didn’t need him to drive her back.

“I’m heading back now. I’ve taken up so much of your time tonight. Next time, I’ll invite you and that girl for a meal.”

Ning Yinqi responded quickly, “Afraid of delaying my date with her? We broke up a couple of years ago, and she’s not in London now. She has her own life.”

He paused.

“I often drive here alone.”

Because you can see the London Eye just by looking up.

Zhiyi felt a pang in her heart.

Ning Yinqi took out two bottles of water, opened one, and handed it to her. “If you don’t want to go back to the hotel, you can stay a bit longer. It doesn’t delay my time; I’d just be sitting in the car alone anyway. We can chat a bit more.”

He smiled, “Actually, you’re keeping me company.”

Zhiyi re-fastened her seatbelt.

They chatted about whatever came to mind.

The conversation was easy and natural, with no need to force topics, a rare mutual understanding.

Just as they were talking, it suddenly started to rain heavily.

Ning Yinqi put the car roof up and sincerely invited, “Come to the concert in August.”

Zhiyi hesitated no more. “Okay. I’ll treat you to a meal.”

Some people become close friends at first meeting, and she and Ning Yinqi were like that.

At ten-thirty, Jiang Sixun’s call came as expected.

“Zhiyi, when are you coming back? It’s raining outside.”

Zhiyi almost blurted out—It’s okay, I’m in the car, so I won’t get wet.

But since he was her boss, and he was gently urging her, she had no choice but to return.

She told the phone she was coming back now and would be at the hotel in a few minutes.

After hanging up, Jiang Sixun ordered two late-night snacks to be sent to his room. The seafood restaurant they had dined at was reserved by Ning Yun, and he wasn’t very fond of seafood, so Zhiyi didn’t eat much either.

After ordering, he sat down on the sofa as the rain pitter-pattered on the balcony outside.

After a moment of quiet, he thought of the concert countdown poster he had seen on the street earlier and called Cohen.

Cohen’s company was in the same building as Yuanwei; he was on the 20th floor, and Cohen was on the 16th. They often ran into each other while waiting for the elevator.

When the call connected, Jiang Sixun got straight to the point: “I need a favor.”

They had known each other for years, so it wasn’t surprising that Cohen immediately guessed, “Not more concert tickets, I hope?”

“You guessed it right—London tickets for August.”

“Still three tickets?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Two.”

Cohen had helped get three guest tickets for the New York concert. At that time, with the concert only a few days away, it had taken quite a bit of effort to get tickets in the central control area. This time, he asked Cohen for help in advance.

Cohen asked a follow-up question: “Aren’t you busy lately? Still have time to go to London for a concert?”

“It’s not for me; it’s for a younger sister at home.” Jiang Sixun didn’t elaborate on Zhiyi’s background.

Just as he hung up, the two late-night snacks were delivered to his room.

Zhiyi had returned by then, and as she passed his room, she called out to him.

His door was slightly ajar, and she stood at the doorway, unable to see inside, so she raised her voice, “Mr. Jiang, I’m back.”

He acknowledged with a sound.

“I’ve ordered some late-night snacks for you; take them back and eat.” Jiang Sixun, rolling up his sleeves, emerged from the living room carrying a portion of the late-night snacks and a gift from Ning Yun.

Zhiyi had only been thinking about escaping the seafood restaurant quickly that evening and had forgotten to settle the bill.

Since she had received the gift, it was only right that she treated.

“How much was dinner? I’ll transfer the money to you,” she glanced at the gift. “Otherwise, I won’t feel comfortable accepting it.”

Having interacted with her for a while, Jiang Sixun understood her personality well enough to know she wouldn’t easily accept favors. Not wanting her to be troubled by a gift, he directly told her the cost of the meal that evening.

Zhiyi rounded up the amount and transferred it.

She didn’t leave immediately after receiving the gift. A meal wasn’t worth as much as the gift, and she felt uneasy. Ning Yun was six years older than her, and it felt impolite to address him directly by name, so she used his English name: “Auraro, it seems like you think I’m your little sister to give me a gift. It’s not right to keep it a secret.”

Jiang Sixun said, “It’s okay. When Uncle Xu makes your relationship with Ningwei public, Ning Yun will naturally understand.” By then, no explanation would be necessary.

Zhiyi hesitated, unsure when or if her father would reveal this information. Even she, as the person involved, wasn’t sure, let alone Jiang Sixun. When Jiang Sixun had initially claimed to be her brother publicly, he probably considered the uncertainty about when her identity would be disclosed and used this as a temporary measure to take care of her.

After saying goodnight, she went back to her room.

The late-night snacks suited her taste, and she finished them all.

After eating, she opened the gift from Ning Yun—a color-blocked handbag. This brand’s bags range from tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand dollars, and she couldn’t guess the price of this particular model.

But it was definitely not cheap.

Just as she was about to check the price on the official website, she received a message in the family group chat and opened it.

The group was named “Family.” It had been changed from “Family (Zhiyi)” just two minutes ago.

Xu Heng: [For the Austin F1 Grand Prix in October, sign up in the group. The registration deadline is noon.]

Zhiyi: “…”

Xu Heng privately messaged her: [I’ve reserved a ticket for you.]

Zhiyi: [Thank you, Brother.]

It seemed that the group message was specifically for their parents to see.

She glanced at the time; it was 6:20 in the morning in China, so her parents might still be asleep.

What Zhiyi didn’t know was that her parents were used to early morning exercise.

As the morning light streamed in, He Yian and her husband were playing tennis on their front lawn, with several green balls scattered on the grass.

After finishing a set, she went to the rest area to drink water. Her phone screen lit up occasionally, and she dealt with a few messages from overseas work groups before seeing her son’s message in the family chat.

“Come over and sign up.” She called to her husband.

Xu Xiangyi, puzzled, asked, “Sign up for what?”

“The F1 Grand Prix in Austin in October.”

“Not interested,” Xu Xiangyi said, unimpressed by watching racing cars going around in circles.

He Yian said, “Zhiyi also likes F1.”

“How do you know? Have you asked her?”

“Her bookmark is actually a ticket stub from an F1 Grand Prix.”

Xu Xiangyi immediately said, “Then I’ll go with Zhiyi.”

He Yian replied in the group chat: [The whole family should go.]

Xu Heng: [Are you four or five people? Please clarify in advance, in case I only reserved four tickets.]

Her son’s remark touched a nerve. How could she bring Ningwei along when accompanying Zhiyi to the race? He Yian: [Do you have a girlfriend? If you bring your girlfriend, then it’s five people. Your dad will also go.]

Xu Heng: “…”

His mother’s subtle jab hit him where it hurt.

[No girlfriend.]

He Yian: [Then it’s four people.]

She added: [Zhiyi might be asleep since it’s midnight there. Next time, send the message earlier.]

Zhiyi quickly replied: [I’m still awake.]

She took a photo of the bag and sent it to the group: [Mom, what’s the approximate price of this bag?] It’s not certain if she could find it on the official website, so asking her mother seemed more accurate.

He Yian: [Including the matching accessories, it’s not cheap—about the cost of a year’s tuition and living expenses. This model isn’t available to regular members. Since it’s a gift, are you thinking of a return gift?]

[What do you want to give? Mom will prepare it for you.]

Zhiyi: [No need for a return gift for now. I haven’t decided what to give back. It was a gift from Ning Yun.]

He Yian: [Then no need for a return gift. No matter what, don’t be polite. Just accept it.] They would handle any social obligations.

Zhiyi: “…”

Her mother even knew about the arranged marriage.

He Yian: [I’ve also ordered a bag for you; it will arrive in a month or two.]

She urged her daughter: [Go to sleep quickly, or you’ll have trouble waking up tomorrow.]

[Okay. Good night, Mom.]

Zhiyi put down her phone and put the box away.

Perhaps because she had eaten too much late-night snack, she couldn’t fall asleep.

For the next two nights, Jiang Sixun had the kitchen send her late-night snacks, taking good care of her.

On Thursday, the cooperation with the Xiao Ning Group was basically finalized. The smooth progress was thanks to Director Ning’s personal involvement, showing sincerity for the family alliance.

That afternoon, they flew back to Manhattan.

On the plane, Zhiyi took out her eye mask to adjust to the time difference.

Not long after she closed her eyes, a fresh woody fragrance wafted from beside her, and someone sat down in the seat next to her. Zhiyi took off her eye mask and sat up straight.

Jiang Sixun, turning his face, asked, “Did I wake you?”

“No. I just can’t sleep.” Zhiyi packed her eye mask away and took out her tablet.

They each kept to their own tasks, speaking only occasionally.

Zhiyi suddenly turned her face and said, “By the way, Auraro gave me a limited edition bag. It’s very expensive.”

Jiang Sixun replied, “No matter how expensive it is, it’s not a problem. I’ll handle the return favor.” He forwarded an email to her, with attachments containing project-related materials.

Her tablet’s current page was the company email inbox, but she hadn’t clicked on it for a while.

Jiang Sixun observed her and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

Zhiyi snapped back to attention and said, “I was thinking about what gift would be appropriate for your wedding with Auraro.”