Chapter 37: A Crisis of Feelings Sparked by a Plate of Cold Cake

Xia Yuze and Ning Jiale stood in the elegant and luxurious foyer, changing their shoes. Suddenly, Xia Yuze pointed to the curved staircase, “That’s my sister, Xia Yuan.”

Following his finger, Ning Jiale looked over.

Xia Yuan stood sideways on the stairs, her delicate shoulders wrapped in a Loro Piana shawl. A blue fishtail skirt, reaching below her knees, accentuated her frail and slender waist. Her cold, pale skin peeked out between the shawl and the hem of her skirt, resembling a camellia flower in full bloom — tender yet decadent.

Hearing the noise, she glanced at the two vibrant young men. Her beautiful, clear eyes were faintly red, as if delicately carved by an artist. When she smiled, those eyes became even more expressive, glistening and lively, a timeless beauty.

Xia Yuze treated Ning Jiale like a good buddy, unaware that his friend was secretly composing a mental essay about Xia Yuan’s looks.

“Sister!”

Xia Yuze walked over first, scanning Xia Yuan up and down. “I heard you’re sick again. Is it another cold this time? Are you feeling better? You should go lie down and rest.”

Xia Yuan replied, “I’m not sick, it’s just that the sun was too strong today, and I got a bit of heatstroke.”

She looked past Xia Yuze, focusing on the tall boy behind him.

“And who is this?”

Xia Yuze quickly introduced, “I forgot to introduce him! This is Ning Jiale, my partner since our debut. I’ve mentioned him before. You even praised his sharp features and excellent bone structure. I’ve always wanted to introduce you two, but never had the chance. Today’s just a coincidence.”

Xia Yuan smiled, “Jiale, nice to meet you.”

‘Sharp features, excellent bone structure’ — that’s how the media described Ning Jiale. What was rare about him was his strong youthful energy, and many directors had offered him roles in historical dramas.

“Good evening, sister,” Ning Jiale greeted her with cold eyes, showing no more warmth than he would to a fan.

Xia Yuze quietly warned him, “Are you crazy? Why are you acting like a celebrity in front of my sister? She’s not one of your fans. Besides, even if you were famous your whole life, you couldn’t afford this mansion!”

The overprotective brother was back in action!

Ning Jiale shot him a helpless look, “I’m not putting on an act. If I were overly enthusiastic toward your sister, then you’d have something to worry about.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Xia Yuze then asked Xia Yuan, “Where’s my brother-in-law?”

Xia Yuan chuckled, “I wanted some rose cakes, so he went to the greenhouse to pick roses. You two sit down, he’ll be back soon.”

Housekeeper Wang had already prepared tea and snacks.

The two tall, handsome boys sat opposite Xia Yuan, looking very restrained, each with their own thoughts.

Finding the atmosphere a bit too quiet, Xia Yuan pushed the snacks toward them.

“Thank you, sister. I can help myself,” Ning Jiale quickly reached out to take some, his excessive politeness creating a slight distance.

Xia Yuan withdrew her delicate fingers, feeling as if she had been lightly touched. It must have been an accidental brush with Ning Jiale’s hand.

Celebrities tend to spend a lot on self-care, but Ning Jiale’s fingers were surprisingly rough.

Perhaps he was too busy with work, or maybe it was required for acting, leaving him no time for self-care.

What she didn’t consider was that her own fingers had been pampered too much by Qin Mohuai.

Ning Jiale, while eating the soft and sticky cold cake, thought it was also overly tender.

Without realizing it, he had eaten the entire plate. If his manager knew, he’d be furious.

But it was just so delicious, he couldn’t help himself.

Xia Yuze, too preoccupied with his small account on Weibo, was busy arguing with trolls and then reporting them.

His fans were too polite, nowhere near as fierce as Ning Jiale’s dedicated ones. Otherwise, he’d be able to enjoy his cold cake in peace.

Putting down his phone, Xia Yuze picked up another plate of cake and tried a piece. “Hmm… this is pretty sweet. I thought you didn’t like sweet things?”

Ning Jiale said, “The cake i had wasn’t very sweet.”

Xia Yuze gave him a knowing look. Ning Jiale remained composed, showing that his lessons in managing expressions hadn’t gone to waste.

“You’re too stiff. There’s no need to eat everything,” Xia Yuze remarked.

“It’s not stiffness; it really wasn’t sweet,” Ning Jiale insisted.

Xia Yuze clicked his tongue and began massaging Ning Jiale’s shoulders, “You say you’re not stiff, but your muscles are all tensed up!”

At this moment, Qin Mohuai appeared holding a bouquet of double-petal roses. He bent down to kiss Xia Yuan’s forehead, handed the roses to Housekeeper Wang, and casually asked, “What’s all this fuss about?”

He sat beside Xia Yuan, his pristine white shirt adorned with a few rose petals, exuding a refined yet relaxed air.

Xia Yuze cheerfully explained, “Earlier, my sister gave Jiale a plate of cold cake. Even though he doesn’t like sweet things, he ate it all out of politeness and said it wasn’t sweet.”

Qin Mohuai replied, “I don’t like sweet things either.”

He picked up a piece of cold cake and tasted it. His deep-set eyes narrowed slightly, a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, “It is a bit sweet.”

Qin Mohuai’s hand gripped Xia Yuan’s slender waist — it was a grip, not an embrace, carrying a hint of a threatening edge.

Xia Yuan felt uneasy. What was he upset about?

Was he angry that everyone ate the cold cake before he arrived?

But he doesn’t like sweet things.

Xia Yuze, ever the optimist, continued cheerfully, “This is the afternoon tea we prepared for my sister. She likes sweet things, so the cold cake is naturally sweet.”

Qin Mohuai’s hand, with veins bulging, tightened around Xia Yuan’s waist. She gasped in surprise, her beautiful eyes misting over. Her already delicate waist, nearly worn out, couldn’t even manage a simple attempt to escape.

“When we were young and poor, our parents used to say that if candy fell on the ground, my sister would pick it up, wash it, and eat it.”

Oh, come on! Stop talking!

What good does provoking Qin Mohuai do for you?

Xia Yuan leaned against Qin Mohuai, her fingers lightly resting on his chest, soft and compliant, like an extremely precious female comforting a ferociously angry wolf.

“Since you’re here, stay for dinner,” Qin Mohuai said, easing his grip and masking his emotions with an offer to dinner. His meticulous and considerate demeanor left no room for criticism. He was not just about losing his temper; his emotional intelligence was top-notch, even if he didn’t always need to use it.

Dinner featured dishes with a sweet flavor, like sweet and sour shrimp and sugar-coated ribs.

Ning Jiale ate quietly, finding the dishes tolerable despite their sweetness.

After dinner, Xia Yuze wanted to go to the huge outdoor pool. Qin Mohuai, with a deep, amused look in his eyes, said, “Perfect, I also want to swim for a while to digest.”

Xia Yuan had to follow them to prevent any issues; her left eye kept twitching.

At the lavish outdoor pool, she simply removed her sandals and dipped her toes in the water. Her pale, pinkish toes looked like petals, and the splashing sound of water was quite out of place, evoking endless fantasies.

Xia Yuan gazed absentmindedly and happened to see Ning Jiale taking off his clothes, revealing well-defined six-pack abs.

It was impressive.

But it wasn’t as attractive as Qin Mohuai.

She averted her gaze and caught a glimpse of Qin Mohuai surfacing from the water, his cold, dark eyes fixed on her.

“Do you think he looks a bit like your ex-boyfriend?”