Qiao Xi felt his voice was too gentle, which made her heart tingle a bit.
She was easily stirred emotionally by him.
"I just finished up."
She urged him, "Then you should hurry up and eat."
Shen Dang replied unhurriedly, "See you tomorrow."
Just as Qiao Xi was about to hang up, Shen Dang’s lazy voice drifted over, "How’s the LArtisan endorsement going?"
Qiao Xi responded indifferently, "Still waiting on the results."
"Okay," he responded.
Hearing Su Tutu calling her, Qiao Xi told Shen Dang, "I need to hang up now," and quickly hung up.
"These people are being too harsh on me!"
Seeing Qiao Xi walking over, Su Tutu immediately complained to her.
Leaning on the chair behind her, Qiao Xi chuckled lightly, "Isn’t Brother Chao there?"
Su Tutu huffed at Sheng Chao, pouting, "Brother Chao doesn’t catch my eye signals at all."
Sheng Chao looked innocent.
Qiao Xi couldn’t help laughing.
She patted Su Tutu on the shoulder and said, "Tutu, go sneak a peek at their cards and then come be my strategist."
Su Tutu’s eyes lit up, "That’s brilliant!"
Tang Honghe immediately started protesting, "You two sister-in-laws are being way too overt about it!"
Jiashu laughed, "Even if you see all our cards, you probably still won’t beat us."
Su Tutu scoffed, "Impossible!"
Sheng Chao raised an eyebrow, half-smiling, "Wife, how about I just move the cards in front of you?"
"You’re underestimating us!"
Amidst laughter and playful banter, Qiao Xi played with them for a while longer and seeing it was time, she suggested they wrap up.
Jiashu stood up promptly, "I’ll drive you back, I was just about to check on Qu Keke anyway."
"Okay," Qiao Xi told Su Tutu and the others, "then Jiashu and I will head out first."
Jiashu drove Qiao Xi away.
"Xixi, when is Ah Dang coming back?" ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NovᴇlFir(e).nᴇt
"Xixi," Jiashu looked at Qiao Xi, hesitating slightly, "about Qu Keke’s matter..."
With a slightly smiling curve of her lips, Qiao Xi said, "Jiashu, we’ve been friends for many years, just speak your mind."
Jiashu sighed, "If my sister has any designs on your brother... no matter what happens between those two, I hope you won’t mind. She just doesn’t consider others’ feelings—her brain is missing a wire."
Jiashu genuinely complained about his sister.
Turning her face, Qiao Xi smiled at him, "I wanted to tell you something similar. If my brother somehow upset Qu Keke, I hope you won’t mind either."
Chen Jiayan’s rejection of Qu Keke was so obvious, Qiao Xi knew Qu Keke didn’t stand a chance.
If there had been any chance, Chen Jiayan wouldn’t have been so firm.
After all these years, he knew what he wanted.
Jiashu chuckled dryly, "From what you’re saying, Qu Keke really doesn’t stand a chance."
"Not necessarily," Qiao Xi comforted, feeling as if she knew the answer, but added, "Anything is possible."
He dropped Qiao Xi off at her building then headed straight home, only to discover Qu Keke wasn’t there. Jiashu quickly called her.
The call didn’t connect, so he immediately contacted the person accompanying her and found out she had gone to a bar alone.
Jiashu cursed his foolish sister inwardly.
Qiao Xi got home and decided to take a bath; she placed her phone nearby, and when it rang, she reached for it.
Shen Dang made a video call to her.
But how could she answer it now?
Qiao Xi’s finger slipped and she hung up.
Before she could tell Shen Dang that she was bathing, Boss Shen impatiently made another video call.
As Qiao Xi raised her hand to hang up, she accidentally touched the display and connected the call.
Her eyelid twitched violently, her body reacting faster than her brain as she dipped beneath the surface of the bath, and the camera angle shifted.
Shen Dang only saw the camera shaking wildly, and amid it vaguely saw something.
Qiao Xi felt unbearably embarrassed.
Shen Dang wouldn’t think she did it on purpose, right?
"Is there something you needed?"
Not daring to bring the camera into view, her voice was cool and slightly forced.
"Nothing," Shen Dang’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly, "Just wanted to see you."
Gritting her teeth, Qiao Xi said, "I’m taking a bath!"
His voice mixed with a hint of laughter, "I didn’t know." He sounded pleased, "Then why did you accept my video call?"
Qiao Xi replied irritably, "If I said it was an accident, would you believe me?"
A single word, and Qiao Xi was left speechless.
Based on Boss Shen’s usual behavior, he probably would have retorted, "Do you think I believe it?"
But now he simply said, "I believe."
Qiao Xi didn’t know what to say.
"I’m not done bathing yet, I’ll call you later, you hang up first."
Although she was well hidden at the moment, Qiao Xi still felt too embarrassed to face the camera, uncertain if he had seen anything.
"I haven’t seen you yet," Shen Dang’s voice was casual, "I just wanted to see you."
Qiao Xi coolly laughed, "Do you think it’s appropriate right now?"
Shen Dang leisurely countered, "What do you think?"
"Are you going to hang up?" Qiao Xi was slightly annoyed.
"Fine, I’ll hang up."
Qiao Xi heard Shen Dang laugh briefly—a very meaningful laugh.
Soon after, a "beep" sound came as the call was disconnected.
Qiao Xi let out a breath.
Shen Dang was indeed a troublesome character!
She put the phone back in its place and both of her palms touched her face, her cheeks burning hot, unsure whether it was from the bath or something else.
She didn’t feel like bathing anymore.
Qiao Xi went into the shower, rinsed off quickly, and then stepped out wrapped in a bath towel.
She had no intention of calling Shen Dang back.
It was clearly impossible for her to call him back.
The next evening at seven-thirty.
Qiao Xi took Wang Li to attend the "Blossoms Old Dreams" sponsorship banquet.
Director Ye insisted she make an appearance, and Qiao Xi couldn’t refuse; she asked Wang Li to wait outside while she headed into the banquet hall alone.
As the leading actress in the drama, once there, it wasn’t so easy to leave.
After over an hour of mingling and back-and-forth toasting, Qiao Xi gradually lost her patience.
The air inside the banquet hall was sultry and heavy with various uncomfortable scents, making it unbearable.
Qin Mo noticed her discomfort and asked with concern, "What’s wrong?"
Her brow slightly furrowed, Qiao Xi replied, "I feel a bit dizzy."
She wasn’t very good at holding her liquor, and unavoidably had a few drinks; combined with the surrounding odors, her head was spinning.
"Go outside for some fresh air; I’ve got things covered here."
As they were speaking, Qiao Xi’s phone rang. After excusing herself to Director Ye, she went outside to take the call.
Qin Mo, worried, followed her out.
Leaning tiredly against the wall, Qiao Xi tilted her chin up, the delicate line from her forehead extending to her swan-like neck.
The bright overhead light cast a slightly mysterious silhouette of her, projecting a superior shadow on the wall.
"I’ve arrived at the airport, Teacher Qiao, do you want to come pick me up?"