The moment they stepped through the main door, they saw a man standing in the center of the living room. Cang Xuehe was about to call out to him when the man turned around before she could speak.
It wasn’t the second brother, but a man she hadn’t seen before. He looked to be about the same age as the second brother—tall and thin, with healthy wheat-colored skin, giving a clean and fresh first impression.
Upon seeing Cang Xuehe, the man immediately broke into a bright and surprised smile.
While Cang Xuehe was wondering who this was, the other person already spoke: “Xuehe!”
As he spoke, the man had already walked up to her and, before she could say a word, pulled her into a hug.
Cang Xuehe: “???”
Big brother, who are you?
“Have you forgotten me?” the man said. “I’m your Liangping-ge!”
“???” Liangping? Cang Xuehe was completely bewildered. Was there such a character in the original book? Where did this guy pop out from? Why didn’t she have any memory of him at all???
“Liangping. You’re scaring Xuehe.” The second brother, Cang Zhe, came out of the bathroom and, seeing this scene, helplessly walked over to separate the two.
“Azhe! You came just in time; Xuehe doesn’t remember me anymore!” Gu Liangping looked heartbroken, hoping Cang Zhe could explain things for him.
“It’s your own fault for being abroad for so many years; it’s normal for her not to remember you.” Cang Zhe turned to his sister and said, “Xuehe, this is the Liangping-ge you used to shout about wanting to marry when you grew up. Do you remember now?”
“???” Cang Xuehe hadn’t recovered from the shock. Good heavens, the original female lead had actually said such nonsense in her youthful frivolity??
She didn’t know the original lead’s attitude toward Gu Liangping, so fearing she might blow her cover, she stiffly changed the subject. “Oh, let me introduce you; this is my friend, Xiao Youyi.”
Xiao Youyi, who had been neglected until now, finally gained everyone’s attention. Cang Zhe looked at her closely; his expression didn’t change much, he only said, “I haven’t seen such a friend by your side before.”
“Yeah, we just met.” Cang Xuehe looked confused and asked, “Is there a problem?”
“No problem.” Cang Zhe showed Xiao Youyi a polite yet distant smile and reached out his hand. “Hello, I am Xuehe’s second brother, Cang Zhe. You are welcome here.”
Compared to Cang Jie’s reaction, the second brother was somewhat cold, and his gaze held a scrutinizing quality, as if he were thinking about something.
Gu Liangping, completely unable to read the room, jumped into the conversation and also reached out his hand to Xiao Youyi, his attitude much warmer than Cang Zhe’s: “Hello, hello! I’m Gu Liangping, very nice to meet you.”
This guy was quite familiar. Cang Xuehe’s gaze fell on Gu Liangping’s hand, wishing she could use eye-beams to snap his claws away.
“Don’t just stand there.” Cang Xuehe took the opportunity to “unintentionally” pull Xiao Youyi’s hand back from Gu Liangping’s. “Can we eat now? I’m hungry.”
The Cang family’s dining table was always lavish, and with guests present, it was even more so. Cang Xuehe took a look; everything that ran on land, swam in the sea, or flew in the sky was present.
Gu Liangping attentively served a bowl of soup to Cang Xuehe, then looked at Xiao Youyi’s empty bowl and served her one as well.
Cang Xuehe squinted her eyes warily. This kid wouldn’t have the same nature as Cang Jie and have taken a liking to Xiao Youyi too, would he?
“Xuehe, by my count, it’s been five years since we last met, right?” Gu Liangping proactively sought a topic. “I heard from Azhe that you got engaged and then canceled it a while ago. How have you been lately?”
“Mm.” Cang Xuehe grunted in response. Since the topic was herself, she was happy to engage. “Lately I’ve been great—eating well and feeling strong.”
Cang Zhe mentioned: “Xuehe is planning to start a company now, doing advertising.”
“Really?!” Gu Liangping was surprised. “If it’s advertising, I actually have some business I can send your way.”
“!” Cang Xuehe’s eyes lit up. She even stopped eating and put down her chopsticks. “Really? What kind of good thing? Let me tell you, even for acquaintances, I don’t give discounts.”
Gu Liangping laughed. “No need for a discount; consider it a gift for our reunion.” As he spoke, he took out his phone. “Let’s add each other on WeChat first. I tried to add you before, but you never accepted.”
“No wonder some stranger was trying to add me a while ago.” Cang Xuehe happily took out her phone to scan the QR code and add him. “So it was you.”
Cang Xuehe was about to ask what kind of business it was when a pair of chopsticks reached over, placing a piece of her favorite ribs in her bowl.
“Eat first; the food is getting cold,” Xiao Youyi reminded her.
Cang Xuehe was in a great mood and ate quite a bit more. Coupled with Gu Liangping’s witty talk that made her laugh, the meal was very pleasant.
“I’ll go wash my hands first.” Having gotten some sauce on her hands, Cang Xuehe wiped them with a tissue but still felt a bit greasy, so she got up and walked toward the bathroom.
Gu Liangping looked at his own clean hands, hesitated briefly, and then found an excuse to follow her.
Xiao Youyi wasn’t quite at ease, her gaze frequently drifting toward the bathroom. Cang Zhe, sitting opposite her, took a sip of soup and wiped his mouth with a napkin, his movements slow and deliberate.
He looked at Xiao Youyi, intentionally seeking a topic: “Is Miss Xiao finding the meal to her liking?”
Xiao Youyi wiped her mouth and replied, “It is fine.”
Cang Zhe smiled, then changed the subject. “What is your relationship with Xuehe?”
Being scrutinized by Cang Zhe’s gaze, Si Yao didn’t flinch at all. She sat upright and elegant, also smiling, playing tai chi with him: “What does the Second Young Master think?”
“I’ve investigated you. You used to work in a bar.” Cang Zhe asked point-blank: “What are your intentions?”
This question made Si Yao’s mouth twitch. She hadn’t expected to encounter the lines of a “rich mother-in-law,” so she replied directly: “I couldn’t possibly be here because I like her.”
“That possibility isn’t non-existent.” Cang Zhe pushed up his glasses, not looking like he was joking at all. Finally, he added: “Even if you like her, it’s useless.”
“Xuehe and Liangping grew up together. Even if they haven’t seen each other for a few years, their relationship will soon be as good as it was before.”
“…” So what exactly was Cang Zhe trying to express? Si Yao was a bit confused and could only nod in response: “That’s good, then.”
“It’s not good,” Cang Zhe replied immediately. He glanced toward the bathroom to confirm they hadn’t returned, then continued: “If you can break them up, this card is yours.”
“???” This move left Si Yao stunned, and she blurted out: “Why?”
“No reason.”
The refusal at the tip of Si Yao’s tongue was about to come out when she suddenly held it back. Instead, she asked: “Do you think Xuehe will like Gu Liangping?”
Cang Zhe pushed up his glasses and said without changing his expression: “Before meeting Ding Hongyuan, Xuehe always had a crush on Liangping.”
“I can help you,” Si Yao replied quickly. “But I won’t take the money.”
She pushed the bank card back.
As the saying goes, rather tear down a temple than break up a marriage. Si Yao didn’t want to interfere in this matter, but since it involved Cang Xuehe, she felt she had to step in.
She remembered the system saying: “The grudge of stealing a husband is irreconcilable.”
“Xuehe, wait for me!”
Cang Xuehe was focused on washing her hands and walked a bit faster. Suddenly hearing Gu Liangping calling her from behind, she turned around. “What is it?”
“My hands are dirty too; let’s wash them together,” Gu Liangping grinned.
Cang Xuehe figured that if Gu Liangping was with her, he wouldn’t go to “harass” Xiao Youyi, so she stopped to wait for him.
The two stood at the sink washing their hands together when she heard Gu Liangping ask: “Is your relationship with Miss Xiao very good?” There was a hint of testing in his tone.
Cang Xuehe’s movements paused. “It’s quite good, why?”
“Nothing, just a bit curious. We haven’t seen each other for so many years, but you’re still the same as before, no changes.” Gu Liangping paused here, looked up at Cang Xuehe in the mirror, and then smiled. “Actually, that’s not right; you’re even more beautiful than before.”
Cang Xuehe couldn’t help but get goosebumps. Showing a clear expression of disgust, she said directly: “Saying that is so greasy; do you have some kind of ulterior motive?”
“No. Do you have time this weekend? Let’s go sea fishing.” Worried Cang Xuehe would refuse, he added: “You can bring Youyi; it’s more fun with more people.”
Youyi? That’s quite an intimate way to call her. Cang Xuehe laughed in her heart; wasn’t it obvious that his real interest wasn’t in the person he was asking?
She was about to refuse when the system’s voice suddenly popped into her head.
[System]: Host, a new task has been issued: Accept Gu Liangping’s invitation.
Cang Xuehe was shocked.
[Cang Xuehe]: Holy crap, you’re still here?!!!?
Ever since she kicked Ding Hongyuan to the curb, the system hadn’t appeared in eight hundred years. Now it had jumped out again with the same old formula and unreasonable tasks.
[Cang Xuehe]: You’ve got to be kidding me! You’re clearly my system, yet you’re helping someone else as a wingman. What kind of peerless piece of trash are you!
She certainly wasn’t going to help Gu Liangping get with Xiao Youyi.
After a short silence, the system spoke.
[System]: Since you kicked Ding Hongyuan out of the game, the current male lead has been replaced. Your destined one is Gu Liangping.
[Cang Xuehe]: How can you be so unprincipled, replacing the male lead just like that? Where does that leave Scumbag Ding! Let me tell you, I’m not so stupid as to give myself a green hat! I’m not going, not going, not going!
After scolding the system, she opened her mouth and refused: “I’m very busy this weekend, I’m not going.”
This was another kick to the plot task, and the system unexpectedly didn’t act like a broken record to annoy her as it had before.
Instead, it said very calmly: [You will go. The current development of the story is no longer up to you.]
Cang Xuehe said the line everyone loves to hear: [I, Cang Xuehe! Even if I jump from here and die outside, I will not go!]
The system’s appearance made Cang Xuehe’s originally beautiful mood not so beautiful. They returned to the dining room, where the other two were still sitting and waiting for them, looking as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
Cang Xuehe sat back in her chair and turned to ask Xiao Youyi: “Are you full?”
Seeing Xiao Youyi nod, she immediately said: “Then let’s go check out the garage.”
Gu Liangping jumped at the opportunity. “Are you going to pick out a car? I know all about that! I can recommend cars suitable for girls.”
She didn’t really want to agree, but the person beside her had already smiled and accepted. In her heart, Cang Xuehe secretly marked a score against Gu Liangping.
The Cang family garage was practically a private parking lot, with all sorts of colors and styles—from small two-wheeled heavy motorcycles to long Lincolns taking up several spaces, and even RVs. For a moment, Cang Xuehe was dazzled, having the illusion she was playing GTA5.
“Which one do you like?” Cang Xuehe took a fancy to a Mercedes SUV. It looked very cool, but it was too big and would be inconvenient for a girl to drive daily; besides, driving an SUV in the city wasn’t as good as a supercar.
“What about you?” Xiao Youyi asked back.
Cang Xuehe walked over to a supercar and stopped. She opened the door to sit inside, but found the chassis so low it gave her the illusion of sitting on the ground, and it only had two seats.
She really wanted to try the taste of driving a Ferrari with one hand, but before getting her driver’s license, she’d better behave and sit in the passenger seat…
“How about this car?” Gu Liangping stood by a white sedan and explained: “This model has high safety performance and the seat design is very friendly, very suitable for girls to drive. The back space is also large; if you take friends out, the back seat space is ample and they’ll be very comfortable.”
Xiao Youyi looked at the Volvo and probably felt Gu Liangping made sense. She then looked at Cang Xuehe to let her make the decision.
Cang Xuehe shrugged. “I have no objection.” Anyway, she was thinking that once she got her license, she could come back and “borrow” another one.
“Then I’ll help you do a basic check to see if it starts normally.” Gu Liangping opened the door and sat inside, his attitude extremely attentive.
Cang Xuehe walked to Xiao Youyi’s side and looked at the person in the car with her, her face a bit helpless as she tested the waters: “Don’t you think he’s being a bit excessively attentive?”
“Is he?” Xiao Youyi played dumb.
“Very.”
As they spoke, Gu Liangping had already come out. He was holding the car key and walked over to hand it to them.
His gaze unintentionally moved toward Xiao Youyi. After hesitating, he extended an invitation to her: “Youyi, do you have time this weekend? Let’s go sea fishing. We can have a seafood feast with the fish we catch. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
Gu Liangping originally thought that if Xiao Youyi didn’t agree, he would persist a bit more, and once she agreed, he’d have her persuade Cang Xuehe.
Who knew the other party would reply very straightforwardly: “Sure, I have time.”
Cang Xuehe: “!!!”
Good one, Gu Liangping. Now she wouldn’t believe for a second that he wasn’t interested in Xiao Youyi. Wasn’t it clear? His initial purpose in inviting her was for Xiao Youyi! Now that the plan had failed, he went directly to the person involved.
She also hadn’t expected Xiao Youyi to be so lack of restraint. Usually she was so self-respecting, but now with a handsome guy’s invitation, she’d lost her way!
“Ahem.” Cang Xuehe gave a dry cough to show her presence. Seeing this, Xiao Youyi asked: “Are you going too?”
“Since you’ve asked, I’ll ‘reluctantly’ go.”
Gu Liangping was delighted. It seemed asking Xiao Youyi was the right decision. No wonder they say to chase a girl, you should start with her best friend!
Cang Xuehe was suffering in her heart. She hadn’t expected to fall into the system’s trap after all.
The two drove the new car home. Gu Liangping had wanted to invite them for afternoon tea, but Cang Xuehe flatly refused. Wouldn’t it be better to spend that free time watching a couple of movies at home?
So Cang Xuehe turned on the TV. The original movie section on the homepage had somehow changed to a cartoon section, and several cartoons even showed “Downloaded.”
Cang Xuehe was a bit confused. She didn’t remember when she had downloaded cartoons, and she didn’t even watch them.
Just then, Xiao Youyi came out of her room. Holding the remote, she asked: “Did you adjust the TV? Why is it all cartoons?”
Xiao Youyi said without changing her expression: “Didn’t I say a couple of days ago I’d download some cartoons for you? Well, here they are.”
Heh, she had forgotten about that.
“But I also said I’d watch them with you!” Cang Xuehe patted the spot next to her. “Come here.”
“No.” Xiao Youyi refused without even thinking. “I don’t watch these.”
No? Cang Xuehe wasn’t happy about that. Xiao Youyi could fulfill her promise to download cartoons; why couldn’t she pull her into watching them together?
Cang Xuehe reached out and grabbed Xiao Youyi’s arm, pulling her toward herself with force. Xiao Youyi, caught off guard and unable to find her footing, fell directly onto her.
“…”
“…”
In the moment their eyes met, Cang Xuehe felt the weight pressing down on her. The distance between them was so close she could smell the perfume on the other woman.
She didn’t know the name of the perfume Xiao Youyi wore, but it smelled exceptionally good—the most special of all the perfumes she had smelled. it gave off a mature and cold feeling, very subtle.
“Baby, you smell so good.” These words slipped out unconsciously.
The “iron-straight” woman Xiao Youyi said: “I’ve been using it for a while and you’re only just saying it smells good. Isn’t your sense of smell a bit too dull?”
…No romantic sentiment.
Cang Xuehe pursed her lips and let go. The two sat side-by-side on the sofa, and she turned on one of the cartoons.
Xiao Youyi didn’t leave; she sat with her to watch.
But soon Cang Xuehe noticed the other woman was doing something else—the frequency with which she checked her phone was very high. She didn’t know who she was replying to.
She thought it was more job inquiries on the recruitment app and didn’t want to mind it, but then her peripheral vision unintentionally caught a familiar profile picture.
The owner of the profile picture was the friend she had just added a few hours ago.
Cang Xuehe frowned, an unspeakable irritability rising in her heart. She reached out directly to snatch Xiao Youyi’s phone, turned off the screen, and set it aside.
“Stop playing and watch the TV.”
With her phone suddenly taken away, Si Yao was displeased. She frowned, wanting to argue with Cang Xuehe, but seeing the other woman’s somber face, she seemed very unhappy.
She pursed her lips and, for some reason, the words of condemnation wouldn’t come out.
“Give me my phone back first.”
This time Cang Xuehe wasn’t so easy to talk to. She clutched the phone and asked: “If I give it back, will you stay and watch with me?”
“I’m taking it to charge.” This was the biggest concession Si Yao could make linguistically.
Cang Xuehe stared at her for a long time before finally handing the phone back. After getting her phone, Xiao Youyi went back to her room to find a charger.
When she came back out, the cartoon was paused on a comical expression of a character.
Cang Xuehe just sat on the sofa, silent and wordless, the atmosphere a bit heavy.
She walked over and sat beside Cang Xuehe, then pressed the play button again. The living room was instantly filled with the sounds of cartoon characters.
Funny, quirky sounds filled the air.
Si Yao usually had zero interest in these kinds of “all-ages” animated films, but now that she had finally settled down to watch, she actually found them somewhat intriguing.
Just as she was beginning to get into the story, she felt a sudden weight on her shoulder. She turned her head to find Cang Xuehe leaning against her, head tilted. From her angle, Si Yao could only see the other girl’s eyelashes.
Even so, she could clearly sense that Cang Xuehe’s mood had plummeted.
Si Yao reached out and gently patted her head, unable to suppress a silent sigh. She really is just a kid after all…