Chapter 36

Once again, their gazes locked.

Neither was going to back down.

Far off, several meters away, Xu Zhiyi glanced back at the people and the car by the roadside. The man leaned against the car, one hand propped on the body, the other gripping the handle. The door wasn’t opening, and it seemed the driver inside had locked it, leaving him unable to get in.

“Have the driver open the car door for Jiang Sixun,” she instructed her brother before turning to him. “If there’s any reckoning to be done, you can deal with it back at the hotel.”

Without her glasses, Xu Zhiyi couldn’t see Jiang Sixun’s expression at the moment. But judging by her brother’s demeanor, it seemed that Qi Zhengchen had come through, not backing down, and had chosen to face Jiang Sixun head-on.

Xu Heng clapped his sister on the shoulder. “You stay here and wait for me. I’m going over to talk to Jiang Sixun.”

As he started to walk away, his sister grabbed his arm. “Hey, brother.”

“What is it? You don’t really think I’m going to hit him, do you?”

Xu Zhiyi held onto her brother’s arm tightly. “I confessed my feelings to him. I’ve liked him for six years. Brother, he’s not like Lu Jianliang or Lu Jianbo.”

Xu Heng was stunned. “Six years?”

“Yes, six years.”

Xu Heng was incredulous. “You liked him when you were twenty?”

Xu Zhiyi admitted freely, “I had feelings for him the first time we met.”

“…” Xu Heng was at a loss for words. His sister had harbored feelings for Jiang Sixun longer than she had known him. He removed her hand and warned again, “Wait here for me.”

Worried about any potential altercation, Xu Heng hurried over, feeling as if he might have done something wrong in a past life.

Meanwhile, the car window had descended completely.

Jiang Sixun released the door handle and slowly stood up.

Xu Heng approached, gently pushing Jiang Sixun back a step. He leaned against the window, using his body to create a barrier between the two men. In a low voice, he said, “Since we’ve run into each other, let’s deal with this directly. The facts are clear: one is married, one has a crush on his boss from the first day of the internship, and one suddenly has an inexplicable interest in the Lu family. Handle it as you see fit.”

With that, he turned and went to find his sister.

Qi Zhengchen was momentarily stunned by the mention of “having a crush on his boss from the first day of the internship.”

Jiang Sixun remembered that day vividly; he had recognized her immediately in the elevator, dressed in a flowing white blouse and a khaki skirt.

After a moment of silence, Qi Zhengchen shifted slightly. “Do you want to come in?”

Jiang Sixun glanced toward Xu Zhiyi’s direction. With Xu Heng stalling, she wouldn’t be coming over immediately, but he had no intention of getting into the car.

Qi Zhengchen handed him a cigar through the window. “Last night, I was just like you—finally catching my breath only by the end of the night.”

Jiang Sixun took the cigar and tapped it on the back of his hand, not lighting it. He had quit smoking and had no intention of breaking that resolve.

A few minutes passed. His thoughts were no longer as scattered. “Did Xu Heng persuade you to come?”

“Sort of,” Qi Zhengchen explained. “Before coming here, Xu Heng didn’t know who his sister’s boyfriend was. He only saw you and Zhiyi on the street last night.”

The bond of old friendship had long faded into the background. Now, with the facade of propriety gone, their possessiveness over Xu Zhiyi was glaringly clear.

Jiang Sixun toyed with the cigar. “If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I’ll answer everything tonight.”

“No questions,” Qi Zhengchen said, holding a blue-black lighter. His fingers absently flicked it on and off, torn between jealousy and relief. Relief that she had found someone who favored her, and jealousy that Jiang Sixun was the one meant to be with her.

Qi Zhengchen stared at the car window frame, his gaze unfocused and vacant. “Don’t tell Zhiyi yet. Otherwise, she won’t be able to focus on her relationship. She tends to put those who are good to her above herself. Once I’ve fully moved on, I’ll talk to her about this myself.”

In his rational mind, he knew he should let her go. But in his heart, it was unbearable.

“I do have one question. I asked Xu Heng to find out, but he probably forgot.”

“What’s the question?”

“Those coffee cups you had—were they a gift for Zhiyi?”

Jiang Sixun hesitated before nodding. “Yes.”

“When did you buy them?”

“September 12th, six years ago, around three in the afternoon.” Even if Qi Zhengchen had a good memory, he wouldn’t remember the exact date. Jiang Sixun added, “That was just a couple of days before you called me, saying you liked Zhiyi.”

Qi Zhengchen was stunned, his body sagging into the seat as if all support had been drained from him. This was the answer he had hoped for, his saving grace, yet it was also his greatest fear.

Because of this, they had missed six years together.

His lips moved slightly. “So, what made you suddenly interested in the Lu family?”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Not to compete for the family fortune, but to compete for the person?”

Qi Zhengchen fell silent, his lighter growing warm in his hand.

Finally, he looked up at the man standing not far away. The tension and pain between them needed an outlet. “By the way, Zhiyi once told me that if I ever had a conflict with her husband, she’d stand by me, no matter what. Even if she’s cut off contact with me now, if there’s a conflict between you and me, she’d still support me.”

Jiang Sixun remained silent.

Feeling slightly better after letting out his frustration, Qi Zhengchen added, “Zhiyi’s WeChat—currently, the only pinned contact is me.”

Qi Zhengchen’s eyes widened.

“Even if she doesn’t pin me, I’m sure I’m still at the top of her list of important people,” Jiang Sixun said, emphasizing the point.

The conversation trailed off abruptly. “Forget it, you’ve let me have my way for years. Today, I’ll give in just this once.”

Jiang Sixun didn’t press further. He tossed the cigar back through the car window. “Let Xu Heng have it. Let’s leave it at that for today. You go home and recover from your injuries, and I’ll head back as well. See you in Beijing.”

Qi Zhengchen, feeling exhausted, raised the car window.

Behind the black glass, neither could see the other.

Jiang Sixun turned to the chatting siblings. “Zhiyi, let’s go.”

“Right away.” Xu Zhiyi waved to her brother, “We’ll talk at home.”

“…Are you still coming with me to the Grand Prix?” Qi Zhengchen asked with a hint of complaint.

“Don’t worry, I’ll definitely go with you,” Xu Zhiyi replied, already walking towards Jiang Sixun.

Though she said not to worry, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

Xu Zhiyi pointed to the silver-gray car. “Aren’t you taking my brother’s car?”

“He’s feeling put out right now, has a bit of pride. Let’s take the subway back,” Jiang Sixun replied.

Xu Zhiyi smiled. “Alright.”

They walked side by side toward the subway station.

Halfway there, Xu Zhiyi suddenly turned around.

Jiang Sixun asked, “What are you looking at?”

Xu Zhiyi turned back, shaking her head. “Nothing.”

Inside the silver-gray car, Qi Zhengchen pressed his forehead against the seat, watching her turn away. He felt a pang of emotion and took several deep breaths to steady himself.

The familial bond he shared with her, lasting over twenty years, was oddly perceptive, as if he could sense her presence even when she was not there.

It was like the alley where she went on a blind date; when he turned around, there was nothing but emptiness behind him.

…

Back at the hotel, Xu Zhiyi’s first order of business was instant noodles. While waiting for them to cook, she quickly pulled up her long hair and removed her makeup.

With a fresh face, she carried the steaming noodles and knocked on the door of the opposite room.

Jiang Sixun had just unbuttoned his shirt to shower when the doorbell rang. He had been guessing between Qi Zhengchen and Xu Heng and was shocked to find it was Xu Zhiyi, bringing him a late-night snack.

Rebuttoning his shirt, he opened the door. Xu Zhiyi told him to stay back. “Don’t touch me, it’s a bit hot.”

“I’ll take it,” Jiang Sixun reached out.

“No, just don’t touch me,” she said carefully placing the hot noodles on the table.

Seeing her eagerness, Jiang Sixun smiled and pulled her into an embrace, lowering his head to kiss her. “If you want to ask me something, just ask directly. No need for noodles.”

Xu Zhiyi wrapped her arms around his waist. “What did you mean by that Cantonese phrase you said at the concert? I didn’t understand it.”

“The last few words, did you get them?”

“I understood those, but I want to know what you said at the beginning.”

She shook his waist, urging him, “Say it again.”

Jiang Sixun couldn’t keep the smile from his face. He nearly lost himself in her tenderness and kissed her again on the lips. “I’m going to eat the noodles now.”

Xu Zhiyi refused to let go. “You’re really not going to tell me?”

“I forgot what I said before. Only remember the end, ‘I like you.’”

“……”

She still wouldn’t release him. Jiang Sixun lowered his head, sealing her lips with his. Xu Zhiyi instinctively tilted her head away, but he didn’t give her a chance to speak, his arms tightening around her back. His lips and tongue pressed against hers, parting her lips.

There was no forceful aggression, just a gentle guide, coaxing her to relax and savoring her hesitant response.

In his strong yet tender embrace, Xu Zhiyi closed her eyes, trying to reciprocate. Her senses filled with his presence.

When their tongues met, a tingling sensation spread from her heart to her fingertips.

Her black T-shirt crumpled under his palm.

In the room, their breaths grew increasingly urgent.

As he completely overtook her breathing, Xu Zhiyi pulled back briefly, taking a few breaths. But before she could get more air, he captured her lips again, not letting her go.

They kissed once more.

This time, Xu Zhiyi tentatively tried to push his lips away.

Jiang Sixun’s abdomen tightened suddenly, as he steadied his breathing.

When their lips parted reluctantly, he said, “I still have a call to return.” He held her shoulder, turning her around and pointing to the dining chair. “You go ahead and eat some noodles. Just save half for me.”

Feeling the urge, he used the excuse of a phone call to grab his phone and head to the bedroom.

The door locked behind him as he unbuttoned his shirt on the way to the bathroom.

Xu Zhiyi knew exactly why he went to the bedroom. She sat down to finish the nearly cold noodles.

While eating, she thought about things, and before she knew it, she had finished the whole bowl.

There was another bowl in her room, so she went back to get it, calculating that Jiang Sixun should be almost done with his shower. She opened the new bowl and started preparing it.

Before the noodles were done, Jiang Sixun emerged from the bedroom, still in the same clothes, though his hair was freshly washed and dried.

The cool scent of his shower gel was noticeable even from a couple of meters away.

Jiang Sixun glanced at the noodles on the table. “You didn’t eat?”

“I finished them all. I made another bowl for you,” Xu Zhiyi said casually, sitting next to him and resting her chin on her hand as she looked at his black shirt. “You look good in red.”

Jiang Sixun asked, “Which shade of red?”

Xu Zhiyi replied, “Burgundy red. You wore that color on the first day I met you during my internship.”

Jiang Sixun tried to recall their first meeting six years ago. He remembered what she wore but had no recollection of his own outfit from that day.

“Wait a moment.” He stood up and went back to the bedroom.

Xu Zhiyi called after him, “Are you going to make another call?”

Jiang Sixun didn’t look back. “No, just take a look at the table.”

It was then that Xu Zhiyi noticed his phone was lying next to the bowl of noodles.

Soon enough, he returned, carrying three shirts—all in the same burgundy red.

“Want one? I’ll give you one, they’re all brand new.”

“…” Xu Zhiyi was puzzled. “Why did you buy so many of the same color?”

Jiang Sixun placed the shirts on a nearby chair. “I always stock up on shirts in bulk.”

Xu Zhiyi said, “The shirts are too big for me, and I don’t have any occasion to wear them.”

Jiang Sixun responded, “You can wear them casually at home, or even as pajamas.”

As he began eating the noodles, he realized he might have been a bit too casual in his last comment.

The last time he had instant noodles was back in college, a meal prepared by Xu Heng, which came with the unspoken expectation of reciprocation.

The siblings had the same tactic—spend the least to get what they wanted.

Xu Zhiyi glanced at her watch. It was nearly two in the morning. The excitement from the concert still lingered, and she wasn’t the least bit sleepy, but it was time to leave.

She picked up the top shirt. “I’ll take this one.”

Jiang Sixun nodded. “Alright.”

Their brief exchange seemed to carry an undercurrent of unspoken emotions.

Xu Zhiyi stood up. “I’m heading back.”

Just as she was about to leave, she turned, kissed him on the ear, whispered a couple of sentences in Spanish, then switched back to Mandarin, “Good night.”

Jiang Sixun grabbed her arm. “What did you just say in Spanish?”

Xu Zhiyi smiled lightly. “Use your Cantonese to trade for it.”

“Good night.” She brushed his hand aside and left, wearing the red shirt.

In reality, she didn’t know Spanish at all. She had just mimicked some phrases she’d heard, and, since she’d forgotten some of the pronunciations, had added a few extra words on the spot.

After returning from the concert, she had bought instant noodles from a convenience store. The flavor she liked was nearly sold out, and when she asked the clerk if there were any left, the response was that they would restock.

If she were to confess her feelings, she wouldn’t use a language he didn’t understand.

---

The next morning, they were heading back to London.

The weather in B Village had been pleasant, and Jiang Sixun mentioned he had never seen a sunrise there. Xu Zhiyi decided to accompany him for one.

On the flight back, she received a call from her father.

Xu Xiangyi asked warmly, “What are you up to now? Haven’t heard from you in a while.”

Xu Zhiyi replied, “The concert is over. I’m flying back to London.” She smiled, trying to make her father happy. “I was just about to call you.”

“I brought gifts for you and your mother.”

“Where’s Mom? Is she with you?”

“She’s not here; she went to your Aunt Jiang’s place for dinner and a movie. We’ll be back in Shanghai tomorrow.” Xu Xiangyi got to the point. “I called to tell you that Shen Qingfeng is in London recently. She has met with Ning Wei, and it’s uncertain if she’ll reach out to you.”

“I’m waiting for her to contact me. Even if she doesn’t, I’ll go see her once the holiday is over.”

They chatted for about half an hour before hanging up.

After putting away her phone, Jiang Sixun took her hand.

“Repeat those Spanish sentences from last night.”

“I forgot,” she admitted. She truly couldn’t remember the words, and after sleeping, she had forgotten the pronunciation.

Jiang Sixun simply smiled, not believing her. He gently kissed the tips of her fingers.

Her fingertips tingled, and she wanted to pull away, but she couldn’t.

After landing in London, Jiang Sixun received a call from his bodyguard. Shen Qingfeng was meeting with Lu Jianbo for afternoon tea again.

Jiang Sixun instructed, “Wait for me there.”

After ending the call, he told Xu Zhiyi he had some errands and would pick her up for dinner later.

Xu Zhiyi didn’t press for details. “Alright, you take care.”

In the city, Jiang Sixun got out of the car first, and the driver took Xu Zhiyi home.

After walking almost a block, Jiang Sixun met up with his bodyguard.

The bodyguard pointed to a café that Lu Jianbo frequently visited. “He’s still inside.”

Jiang Sixun reached out. “Give me the camera.”

The bodyguard hesitated. “…”

He didn’t move.

Taking pictures of his father with an old lover was not an easy task. “Mr. Jiang, let me handle it.”

“No need.”

Reluctantly, the bodyguard handed over the professional camera.

Jiang Sixun entered the café and approached his father’s table, adjusting the camera’s focus and angle from five or six meters away.

Everyone around seemed to be staring and whispering, and as they turned to see the man holding the camera was Jiang Sixun, the moment of shock was captured perfectly.

Jiang Sixun handed the camera back to his bodyguard, his expression stern, and then walked over to the bar.

Shen Qingfeng didn’t even glance at the camera. She was more intrigued by Jiang Sixun taking the pictures himself. The photos from today, combined with those from before, would be perfect to send to Lu Jianliang. It would definitely rattle him a bit.

Her husband was notoriously envious of his younger brother. Everything was a competition with Lu Jianbo, and he always ended up being overshadowed. Otherwise, how could she have married into the Lu family so smoothly?

Shen Qingfeng took out her makeup mirror from her bag. She wasn’t worried about being photographed but about whether her makeup was perfect. Looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn’t compare to her younger self, but at least time had been kind to her.

After putting away her mirror, she leaned over and whispered to the man at the table, “For the second time being photographed together, you’re completely indifferent?”

“What kind of reaction do you expect from me?”

“If I told him we were together, what do you think your son’s reaction would be?”

Lu Jianbo repeated his stance, “This is between my son and me.”

Shen Qingfeng smiled nonchalantly, putting on her sunglasses. “You still don’t know who your son likes, do you?” She glanced at Jiang Sixun, who not only resembled Lu Jianbo physically but also carried the same aura.

Lu Jianbo’s genuine feelings were sparse, with only a few reserved for the Lu family, and those came with a hint of calculation. The only one he truly cared for was his son. If she had had a child with him, maybe everything would have been different.

With a final glance, she said, “You two can discuss it between yourselves.”

She grabbed her bag and left with an elegant stride.

Jiang Sixun ordered an iced coffee to go and took a seat at an empty chair nearby while waiting for it to be prepared.

Lu Jianbo took a sip of his coffee and glanced at the disobedient son sitting at the neighboring table. “If it’s convenient, send me a copy of the photos. I’d like to keep one as a memento.”

Jiang Sixun replied, “Sending photos is a hassle. Just save them from the internet in an hour.”