Tang Wen saw her amused expression and nearly died laughing. “Your Second Brother specifically told me to put you on a small horse.”
Sheng Qing looked glumly at the pony, which was about as tall as she was. “How about you sneak me a big one? I won’t tell him.”
“Can’t. If he finds out, he’ll skin me alive.”
“…Fine, then.”
She wouldn’t make things difficult for him.
Tang Wen cleared his throat, then suddenly leaned closer and asked in a gossipy tone, “Are there any boys here you think you’d get along with?”
“We just met. Isn’t it a little soon to say?”
“Then is there anyone you like?”
Sheng Qing looked puzzled. “Brother Mosquito, you’re hinting at something.”
Tang Wen blinked. “What, you didn’t know this is a matchmaking setup? Your Second Brother is picking out a husband for you.”
Those big shots had actually come along to play the supporting cast. If word got out, who knew how many people would be left with their jaws on the floor?
Sheng Qing was stunned too. “!!!”
She’d never imagined Qin Shi would pick a boyfriend for her!
Why had he suddenly decided to find her a boyfriend?
Did he think she was desperate for a man?
Sitting on the pony, she couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
“Don’t be scared. Relax. That way, the horse won’t get nervous either.”
A voice suddenly sounded beside her.
Sheng Qing came back to herself.
The young man beside her looked to be in his early twenties. He sat astride a tall, powerful horse, holding its reins.
He smiled at her. “The first time I rode, I was even worse than you. I nearly cried.”
Sheng Qing wasn’t actually afraid, but since he was being kind, she nodded. “I am a little nervous.”
He reined in his horse, swung down, and came over to her. “I’ll hold your reins and walk you around for a bit. Once you get used to it and relax, you’ll be able to pick up speed.”
Sheng Qing paused, then smiled. “Sure. Thanks.”
Since these people were part of Qin Shi’s circle, there couldn’t be any problem with either their character or their family backgrounds.
If Qin Shi wanted her to date a good man, then she’d listen to him.
She’d find herself a boyfriend among these men.
Not far away, Qin Shi watched the man leading Sheng Qing’s pony. His beautiful, peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly.
“Who is he?”
Ji Ziming followed his gaze. “He’s from the Xue family. I think his name is Xue Yuan. He’s twenty-one, not a bad guy, and has no messy romantic history. He fits the criteria you gave me.”
“They seem to be getting along pretty well. They’re laughing and chatting. They probably like each other. Maybe it’ll work out.”
Qin Shi frowned. “He’s a little young.”
Ji Ziming gave him a surprised look. “Didn’t you say someone her own age would be better?”
Qin Shi’s expression immediately turned cool. “He’s too young to know how to take care of someone.”
Ji Ziming’s expression grew strange. “Second Brother, do you really think of Sheng Qing as your little sister?”
He was the one who’d said he wanted to find her a boyfriend, but now he was the one nitpicking everything.
His attitude was just too strange.
Qin Shi frowned. “She’s just a little girl. If I don’t think of her as a little sister, what am I supposed to think of her as?”
“Then sit there like a rock and let them go have their sour, stinky romance.”
Qin Shi turned his head toward him, expressionless.
Ji Ziming suddenly felt a chill crawl up his back and immediately backed down. “Of course, you’re her older brother. An older brother looking after his little sister is only natural!”
“It’s only their first day meeting. How can they get so close already?”
“That Xue kid has no sense at all. What’s wrong with him? As her older brothers, we can’t just stand by and watch!”
He tossed aside the cards in his hand. “Come on. I’ll help you break up the lovebirds!”
**
After chatting and spending time together, Sheng Qing learned that his name was Xue Yuan and that he was about her age.
Young people never ran out of things to talk about. Once they got chatting, they could quickly become friends.
Xue Yuan personally taught her to ride and gave her plenty of pointers.
Sheng Qing was a natural. After watching a few times, she could grasp most things, both mentally and physically.
In less than ten minutes, she knew how to control the horse and was galloping around on the pony.
Still, she couldn’t help envying the others on their big horses. “They look so imposing. So cool.”
Xue Yuan thought a beginner shouldn’t try anything too difficult, but he couldn’t bear to dampen her enthusiasm. “Why don’t you try riding mine?”
Sheng Qing’s eyes lit up. She hopped off the pony without hesitation. “Sure!”
“Big horses are different from ponies. They’re harder to control, and you’ll be higher up, too. Be careful.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Sheng Qing patted the big horse’s head, put a foot in the stirrup, and swung herself up with ease.
Once she’d gotten used to it, she took the reins and set off at a gallop.
Xue Yuan, standing outside the riding arena, was a little surprised.
He’d thought she’d be like every other girl who came here to ride for the first time, fussing and fretting, afraid of this and that.
He hadn’t expected her to be the complete opposite.
She was clever and beautiful, and she wasn’t fussy at all. She was exactly his type.
Xue Yuan couldn’t help being drawn to her.
Suddenly, he felt as if a thorn were pricking his back.
He turned around and saw that Qin Shi had come over at some point. Qin Shi’s deep, icy eyes were fixed on him.
“Second Master Qin.” Xue Yuan hurried over to greet him respectfully.
Qin Shi’s cold gaze swept over him from head to toe.
Then he asked, “Is she pretty?”
“Huh?” Xue Yuan looked confused.
“Is Sheng Qing pretty?”
Xue Yuan blushed and nodded, a little embarrassed. “She’s special. She looks delicate and makes you want to protect her, but deep down she’s got a lot of grit.”
“You like her?”
“I really do.” Xue Yuan nodded without hesitation.
Ji Ziming walked over and clapped him on the shoulder. “Kid, Sheng Qing is Second Master Qin’s little sister. Do you really think you’re good enough for her?”
Xue Yuan immediately answered solemnly, “I know Sheng Qing’s relationship with the Qin family. I like her, and I want to pursue her. I hope I can get your approval, Second Brother Qin.”
“Good, good. I like your attitude.” Ji Ziming nodded in satisfaction. “I can tell he really likes our little sister. Why don’t you give him the go-ahead and let him pursue her?”
Qin Shi said nothing. He leaned casually against the railing, his deep-set features betraying no emotion.
Under the gaze of those dark eyes, cold sweat slowly broke out on Xue Yuan’s back.
Had he said something wrong?
Ji Ziming felt unnerved, too.
Why was it getting harder and harder to understand his good friend when it came to this?
“Xue Yuan, right?” Qin Shi suddenly smiled, though there was no warmth in his eyes. “You’ve got some nerve.”
Xue Yuan froze.
What did he mean?
He looked at Ji Ziming for help: What did I do? What does Second Master Qin mean?
Ji Ziming gave him a look that said, “You’re asking me? Who the hell am I supposed to ask?”
Just then, a girl’s scream rang out from the middle of the riding arena. “Ah! Move!”
Two horses were galloping toward each other and looked about to collide.
One of the riders was Sheng Qing.
Xue Yuan jumped in alarm and instinctively called to the staff, “Open the gate! Quickly!”
A black blur flashed past. Qin Shi braced one hand on the fence and vaulted over it with a quick, clean movement.
His face dark, he strode toward the center of the arena, his expression icy.
**
Just as the two horses were about to collide, Sheng Qing pulled hard on the reins in time to stop the accident.
“Shanshan, are you all right?” Several people nearby rushed over.
Zhou Shanshan’s legs and arms were trembling as she slid down from her horse. Without her friends supporting her, she would probably have ended up on the ground.
Sheng Qing dismounted, too.
Though Zhou Shanshan had been the one charging around recklessly, Sheng Qing thought it over and went to check on her anyway. “Um, are you all right?”
When Zhou Shanshan saw the person who’d caused the whole thing, she glared at Sheng Qing, furious and shocked. “Are you blind? This is the area where I’m riding! What are you doing over here?!”
Sheng Qing found it laughable. “So you can claim part of a public place as your own now? Should I say the air here belongs to me, too, and your presence is polluting it?”
Zhou Shanshan had never been treated like this. People usually fawned over her. At Sheng Qing’s words, she slapped her. “You’ve still got the nerve to argue!”
The slap landed squarely on Sheng Qing’s small face.
Her expression turned cold at once.
“My face is insured for tens of millions. If you disfigure me, can you afford to pay?” Zhou Shanshan grew angrier as she spoke. She raised the riding crop in her hand and whipped it toward Sheng Qing.
A hand suddenly shot out from the side and stopped the raised crop without hesitation.
Zhou Shanshan was about to see who was sticking their nose into her business when a hard kick landed in her waist.
She flew backward and hit the ground face-first.
The pain in her waist made Zhou Shanshan cry out. “Ah!”
She turned her head and looked up at the tall, straight-backed man standing over her.
It was Qin Shi.
His face was livid, his eyes glinting coldly. His terrifying gaze was like a sharp blade of ice.
Zhou Shanshan jumped in fright. “S-Second Master Qin?”
Qin Shi threw the crop to the ground, his voice thick with anger. “Who brought you here?”
Zhou Shanshan forced herself to stand despite the pain and answered timidly, “Second Master Qin, I… President Gu brought me…”
“Where’s Gu Beicheng? Tell him to get over here!” Qin Shi’s eyes held a vicious glint.
Ji Ziming and Xue Yuan came running over, too.
“What happened? Weren’t they riding just fine? How did they nearly collide?”
“Zhou Shanshan can’t ride very well. She startled her horse, and it ran toward Sheng Qing.”
“Sheng Qing got out of the way in time, so the horses didn’t collide. But Zhou Shanshan seemed really angry and suddenly hit Sheng Qing.”
Ji Ziming looked baffled. “Is she an idiot? She caused the problem and still had the nerve to hit someone?”
“Maybe she’s counting on President Gu liking her. You don’t know, Brother Ji—President Gu usually spoils her. Whatever she wants, he gives her.”
“Even to a gathering like this, President Gu brought her along.”
Ji Ziming was speechless. “…”
This woman thought she could do whatever she wanted at Qin Shi’s gathering just because Gu Beicheng doted on her?
What kind of uniquely brainless idiot was she?!
Didn’t she realize that no matter how powerful Gu Beicheng was, he couldn’t hold a candle to Qin Shi?
Before long, Gu Beicheng hurried over.