Wang Li looked at her chrysanthemum-like calmness and tentatively asked, "Xixi, didn’t Mr. Steve give you any news?"
Qiao Xi glanced at Wang Li and found it funny, "No, nothing at all. Don’t be in such a hurry; be as calm as me."
Right now, Yan Fanghua was incredibly smug. If she really got the endorsement, her nostrils would probably reach the sky.
Wang Li even wanted to pray to the ancestors for Yan Fanghua to be rejected.
Wang Li found a Korean restaurant.
The restaurant wasn’t crowded at this time, and Qiao Xi and her two companions walked in and sat down in a private booth.
She had just put down her purse when she heard her phone vibrate.
Taking out her phone, she saw that it was Qu Keke calling her.
After their last phone call, Qiao Xi had saved her number just in case; she wondered what this lady wanted from her this time.
Qiao Xi answered the call, her voice light and indifferent, "Hello."
Qu Keke hesitated, "Last time, you even asked me who I was; I thought you’d ask me again this time!"
Could it be that Qiao Xi had remembered her number?
Qiao Xi directly asked, "Let’s get to the point. What do you want calling me?"
"Well, it’s ... um..."
Qu Keke hemmed and hawed, hesitant, and even a bit careful.
Qiao Xi couldn’t stand her dilly-dallying and got a bit impatient, "If you don’t start talking, I’m going to hang up!"
Qu Keke, afraid she might really hang up the next second, quickly said, "Don’t hang up in a hurry; I really have something important to ask you."
"I want to invite you to lunch. Where are you? Let’s talk slowly."
Qu Keke felt somewhat guilty, after all, she had a favor to ask, and her past attitude towards Qiao Xi hadn’t been good.
It was like walking into a funeral parlor.
Qiao Xi wondered if Qu Keke had changed her ways or was just under some stress.
But she didn’t want to hold a grudge with Qu Keke, considering she was a friend’s sister.
Qiao Xi replied in her usual indifferent tone, "I’m having a meal right now."
Qu Keke, perhaps able to bend as well as straighten herself, carefully probed, "I see, then how about I invite you to dinner tonight?"
Qiao Xi chuckled, "You can talk over the phone if you have something to say; no need for the trouble. I’m not used to your sudden politeness towards me."
This change must be because she had something up her sleeve, right?
"Well, then I’ll just ask," said Qu Keke, embarrassingly clearing her throat with an air of importance, "What kinds of things does your brother like? Food, clothes, anything he likes, tell me everything!"
So it was because of Chen Jiayan.
Qiao Xi’s eyelashes lowered slightly as she asked uncertainly, "...Are you serious?"
She had thought Qu Keke was just acting on a whim.
Hearing Qiao Xi’s remark, Qu Keke became upset, raising her voice a bit, "When have I not been serious?!"
Qiao Xi faintly smiled, "That’s true, you were serious when you liked Shen Dang back then too."
As for when that changed, Qiao Xi couldn’t pinpoint exactly.
"Let’s not bring up the past; it’s all over now. Can you just stop talking about it?"
It’s quite embarrassing, you know?
Even so, Qu Keke didn’t detect any mockery from Qiao Xi’s words, which saved her from feeling too humiliated.
She found a way to save face for herself, "Back then, I was young and didn’t know better, but now I have met someone I think is suitable."
"But just because you think he’s suitable doesn’t mean he feels the same way."
Qiao Xi hoped she wasn’t just caught up in the heat of the moment, to avoid a difficult situation like with Shen Dang. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ɴovᴇl(F)ɪre.ɴet
She was still just a young girl, after all.
Qu Keke didn’t dwell on these matters; for her, there was no need to overthink.
She boldly said, "If you like someone but keep worrying about this and that, you can’t do anything. Whether it’s suitable or not, I’ll only know if I try."
That actually made some sense...
Qiao Xi thought Qu Keke was quite brave and had the simplicity of a little girl... to put it bluntly, she was single-minded.
"Tell me quickly!" Qu Keke urged impatiently.
"But I really don’t know what he likes; I might not be able to help you."
Upon hearing this, Qu Keke felt that Qiao Xi was brushing her off, "How is that possible? Isn’t he your brother?"
Qiao Xi leisurely retorted, "Do you know what your own brother likes?"
Qu Keke thought for a moment and said uncertainly, "...My brother doesn’t seem to have any particular likes."
He seemed rather indifferent to desires.
They had several years between them, and Qu Keke’s biggest impression of her brother was that of a successful businessman.
After their father stepped down, he took over the family business, and as a little princess, her job was just to spend money and be beautiful.
"I really can’t help you."
"Don’t be unreasonable," Qiao Xi got serious, "If you want to pursue someone, be sincere. All those fancy tricks are useless. What the other person likes, you’ll only know after you get to know them better."
"I don’t care. I want to be your sister-in-law!"
Qu Keke ended the call with a "snap."
"Who was it?" Wang Li asked curiously.
Qiao Xi laughed helplessly, "A friend’s sister wants to court my brother and is seeking advice from me."
Wang Li was quite interested, "Your brother is still single?"
"...You really don’t have a clue about your own brother."
Qiao Xi smiled, eyes twinkling, "That’s true."
"He really doesn’t consider becoming a star?" Wang Li still harbored hope.
"He doesn’t need the money."
"Alright, you guys are all impressive."
When the dishes arrived, Qiao Xi put down her phone and started with a bowl of miso soup.
After the meal, Wang Li dropped Qiao Xi back at her home.
Qiao Xi planned to take a nap and then saw a message from Shen Dang: [Have you eaten?]
Qiao Xi paused before replying: [Just got back after eating.]
[Boss Shen: You finished early today?]
[Qiao Xi: I went straight to eat with Sister Li and Bei Bei once we were done working.]
Shen Dang sent a picture.
Qiao Xi clicked to see a table filled with beautifully plated dishes, nearly covering the whole table.
[Boss Shen: Having a meal with a business partner.]
Boss Shen specifically reporting such mundane things felt odd to her.
Qiao Xi didn’t feel her ears heating up; she pursed her lips slightly and typed a reply: [Then you go ahead and eat; I’m going to sleep for a bit.]
Shen Dang responded with a single "Hmm."
She didn’t know how long she had slept when she was woken by the persistent ring of a phone call.
Squinting, she looked at the caller ID; it was Qu Jiashu.
She swiped to answer and brought the phone to her ear, "Jiashu."
"Xixi, do you want to come out for dinner tonight? I’m with Tang Honghe, Brother Chao, and his wife."
Qiao Xi sat up on the bed, leaning against the headboard, her voice still a bit lazy, "Sure, what time and where?"
"Xiaotang Mountain. Where are you living right now?"
"Then don’t drive; I’ll pick you up on my way."
In the afternoon, around five, Qu Jiashu arrived downstairs at Qiao Xi’s house.
When Qiao Xi got into the car, she realized there was another person already there.
Guess without a prize: is Chen Jiayan the official match for Qu Keke?