Huo Jingchen laughed bitterly, speechless. “You really are…”
Huo Jingli lifted her chin. “What about me?”
Seeing Huo Jingchen didn’t respond, Huo Jingli snorted. “You talk about me, but I think your brain must’ve been kicked by a donkey. You used to act like a lapdog in front of Qiao Zhiwei, and now in front of Xia Yin, you’re pretending again.”
Huo Jingchen looked at Huo Jingli and suddenly felt a deep sense of helplessness. “What if I act like a lapdog in front of Xia Yin too? Then what would you do?”
“What do you mean?”
Huo Jingchen explained seriously, “I’d be stealing your job.”
“You…”
Huo Jingli was so angry she raised her hand to slap him, but Huo Jingchen grabbed it firmly.
She couldn’t move at all, her face flushing red. “Let go of me, Huo Jingchen!”
Huo Jingchen squinted at her, scolding, “If you weren’t my sister, you’d be dead a thousand times by now, got it?”
Seeing he was serious, Huo Jingli became a little frightened. “It hurts! Let go!”
Huo Jingchen released her hand, his expression turning cold. “Scram!”
Huo Jingli pulled her hand back, both angry and aggrieved, shouting, “Dad! Grandpa!”
Hearing her, Huo Jingchen loosened his tie, tousled his hair, and flopped onto the chair, looking utterly disheveled.
Huo Qingshan, hearing Huo Jingli’s cries, pushed open Huo Jingchen’s study door.
Huo Jingli was stunned at his actions, and before she could react, Huo Jingchen said weakly, “I really can’t manage this sister of mine at all.”
He looked helpless, playing the “bad guy first” role.
Huo Qingshan looked at the scattered pens and books on the floor, then at his son’s disheveled, embarrassed expression, and immediately asked his daughter, “Lili, what did you do with your brother this time?”
“Dad, it’s him bullying me.”
Huo Qingshan pointed at the mess. “Did you make this mess?”
“I…”
Huo Jingli couldn’t speak.
Huo Jingchen wore a heartbroken expression. “Not only did she flip all my stuff over, she even tried to hit me.”
“Huo Jingchen, stop lying. I didn’t hit you; you grabbed my hand.”
Huo Qingshan furrowed his brow. “You actually tried to hit your brother?”
“I didn’t hit him!”
“Being so willful do you think you can beat him? You’re grown up; why are you fighting?” Huo Qingshan scolded sternly.
Before Huo Jingli could respond, he ordered, “Apologize to your brother, pick up your things, and if this happens again, half your allowance for the month is gone.”
“But Dad, he falsely accused Xia Yin, and I couldn’t stand it.”
Huo Jingchen sighed. “You’re so stubborn and won’t admit it. I was just starting trouble with her, she explained herself, back and forth. But what did you do? Throw a tantrum in front of me and ruin my image. Besides, if Xia Yin had been wronged, would our parents even notice?”
Xia Yin wouldn’t let anyone notice, otherwise it would be awkward to explain. Huo Jingli was a fool; Huo Jingnian wasn’t.
Huo Qingshan glared at Huo Jingli again. “Stay out of your brother’s affairs unless necessary. Pick up the mess and apologize.”
After saying that, he left.
Once the door closed, Huo Jingchen sat upright, his expression back to normal. “Did you hear me? Pick up my stuff.”
Huo Jingli looked at him, frustrated and angry, but couldn’t say a word.
“Huo Jingchen, you…”
He immediately pointed at her raised hand. “What? This time I’ll fight back~ If you dare call me again, I promise you’ll regret it more than just now.”
Huo Jingli froze, her hand suspended in midair. “You jerk!”
Huo Jingchen was unbothered. “Go ahead and yell, just don’t stop moving your hand~”
Huo Jingli flushed red with anger, finally crouching down and crying, “You only know how to bully me.”
Huo Jingchen sat with his long legs crossed. “Yes, as they say, one thing beats another. Didn’t you only know how to bully the poor Qiao Zhiwei and Qiao Zhilan?”
Huo Jingli glared at him. “You’re helping her?”
“I’m not helping her, I’m just stating facts.”
Huo Jingli fell silent. She couldn’t win by fighting or arguing, so finally muttered, “Huo Jingchen, you’re so despicable and theatrical.”
Huo Jingchen adjusted his tie. “It’s a talent. Even if you followed Xia Yin for ten years, you wouldn’t learn it.”
“You…”
Seeing his sister almost turn away in anger, Huo Jingchen laughed. “Fine, Qiao Zhilan wouldn’t learn it either. You and she should get along then.”
“Get along? If she and her sister enter our Huo family, I’ll never show her a friendly face.”
Huo Jingchen kept smiling. “I’m afraid Huo Jingnian won’t give you that chance.”
The next morning, Qiao Zhiwei woke up and, opening the door, saw Huo Jingnian standing tall in the doorway. She was momentarily stunned and asked lightly, “You’re here. Why didn’t you knock?”
“I wasn’t sure if you were awake.”
Qiao Zhiwei let him in politely. “Have you eaten breakfast?”
“Not yet. You and Lanlan should come with me.”
Qiao Zhiwei noticed the faint bruising under his eyes.
Almost getting married, and still so busy he can’t even sleep properly?
At that moment, Qiao Zhilan came out as well. Seeing Huo Jingnian no longer as warm as before, she greeted him lightly. “Brother Jingnian.”
Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong, she still felt a little disappointed probably because she had expectations of him.
She should trust her sister’s words: Huo Jingnian marrying her sister had never been about personal feelings.
“Brother Jingnian wants us to accompany him for breakfast. Let’s go together,” Qiao Zhiwei said with a smile.
Qiao Zhilan wanted to say something but thought it best not to create tension he would marry her sister anyway and nodded.
“Okay.”
The two sisters went out together, following Huo Jingnian to the car, sitting in the back.
The car drove a long distance, getting farther from the usual breakfast spots. Qiao Zhiwei couldn’t help asking, “Brother Jingnian, where are we going for breakfast?”
“In five or six minutes, we’ll be there.”
Qiao Zhiwei fell silent, watching the scenery change from the busy, chaotic morning market to the lush greenery of poplar trees.
Finally, the car stopped in front of a small Western-style villa, passing a government building and a renowned university on the way.
Huo Jingnian got out of the car; Qiao Zhiwei and Qiao Zhilan followed.
Qiao Zhiwei looked at the villa, sensing its historical character and feeling familiar with it. She recalled, “Hasn’t this building appeared in An He’s paintings?”
An He is one of the outstanding artists in China since the reform era. He painted historical buildings left from wartime, capturing both story and atmosphere.
Qiao Zhiwei had bought one of his paintings and hung it in her home.
Huo Jingnian nodded slightly.
Surprised, Qiao Zhiwei looked at him. “We’re having breakfast at a famous person’s residence?”
Is Huo Jingnian really that romantic?