“I remember you said you had never seen Fireflies. Summer has arrived, and the ecology around the new house is good. We might find a pleasant surprise while checking on the renovations.”
His gentle explanation made Su Xiang feel as though she were living in a jar of honey. He had remembered something she had mentioned in passing and even wanted to inspect the renovations. Was he hoping they could start living together soon?
Who said Ji Yan was gentle on the surface but cold inside? He clearly held her in his heart.
“Mm.”
Ji Yan looked at Su Xiang’s shy profile and sighed inwardly. She was a pampered young lady, yet she had always compromised herself in their relationship.
In his memories, Su Xiang’s first emotional breakdown occurred after the Female Protagonist, Lin Ranran, came to “him” for comfort. The male protagonist, Shang Xu, had misunderstood and hurt her, so he took Lin Ranran to see the Fireflies. Su Xiang happened to encounter them while arranging the new house, and jealousy took deep root in her from then on.
He could not understand why the “him” in the Plot had met Lin Ranran only a few times yet kept breaking his principles for her.
If he had to find a reason, he could only attribute it to the competitive nature between men.
Shang Xu had always been the most dazzling existence in their circle. His family had the largest business, he had the strongest work abilities, and the people around him feared and admired him most. Although the four of them were known as The Four Young Masters of Haicheng, Shang Xu was the one most often compared with the others.
Unfortunately, his grades had ranked second ever since their school days.
Now, the Ji Family wanted Financing to raise its stock price, but it could achieve that only through a Marriage Alliance. He could not help feeling resentful and bitter.
Then the Female Protagonist, Lin Ranran, appeared. Ji Yan had never seen Shang Xu display any emotion, so he wanted to know what charm Lin Ranran possessed that made Shang Xu break his principles again and again. He also wanted to prove through Lin Ranran that his own charm was no inferior to Shang Xu’s.
Perhaps he had intended to use Lin Ranran at first, but at some point he began investing genuine feelings. He became increasingly ensnared until he ultimately gave up everything.
Ji Yan let out a quiet breath. Was Lin Ranran truly so wonderful? Was she worth abandoning his family, friends, and all his property? From what he had seen today, she was indeed unworldly beautiful, but not enough to make his heart stir.
By comparison, Su Xiang’s shyness and nervousness made him feel even more protective of her.
“We’re here.”
He opened the car door like a gentleman, sprayed some mosquito repellent, and walked beside her toward the lakeside.
This wealthy villa district had been built along a natural lake. The developer had carefully landscaped the lakeside, and dedicated staff even managed the planting and growth of the aquatic plants. The result was clean, natural, and harmonious.
Dim yellow streetlights cast circles across the flagstones, creating a romantic atmosphere. It was a breathtaking place for a date.
Su Xiang’s racing heart gradually calmed, and she began looking forward to life after moving in.
But why wasn’t he holding her hand? If she took the initiative, would she seem too forward?
As Su Xiang hesitated, Ji Yan seemed to hear her thoughts. He took her hand, jogged a few steps, and chuckled as though seeking praise. “See? I told you there would be Fireflies here.”
His mood infected Su Xiang, and the corners of her lips rose. “Mm, they’re beautiful.”
She paused, then met Ji Yan’s gentle eyes. “Thank you for bringing me to see the Fireflies.”
This time, Ji Yan was the one left stunned. The girl’s overflowing love left him at a loss. His heart, worn dry and emptied of emotion in the Endless Wasteland, felt as though an electric current had passed through it.
He suddenly felt utterly despicable. The girl’s sincerity lay bare before him, yet his kindness toward her from the beginning had been for the Mission alone.
At the same time, he felt a trace of jealousy. Did Su Xiang love the “him” from before, or the current him?
Time seemed to stand still. Su Xiang waited in anticipation while Ji Yan hesitated.
A passerby walking a dog finally broke the ambiguous, awkward atmosphere.
The girl took the initiative and broke the stalemate with a laugh. “There are more over there. Let’s hurry.”
Ji Yan strode after her. He would kiss her, but not now.
They returned home deep into the night. Su Xiang’s parents were still awake. Seeing their daughter’s sweet smile, the couple smiled indulgently as well. “Did Ji Yan bring you home?”
“Mm.”
Su Xiang’s Father analyzed the situation rationally. “Considering how attentive Ji Yan has been, this Marriage Alliance is fairly acceptable after all. Even if he’s only pretending, keeping it up for a lifetime would be good enough.”
Seeing his daughter pout, Su’s Mother rolled her eyes at him. “You’re worrying over nothing. Where will you find a son-in-law who’s perfect in every way? Ji Yan is already excellent. Among men with comparable family backgrounds, who is as outstanding as he is? Among ambitious men, whose personality is as good as his? And among men with good personalities, whose figure and looks are as pleasing?”
The more Su’s Mother spoke, the more highly she thought of Ji Yan. “Shang Xu is outstanding too, but if he gave your daughter a cold look every day, could you stand it? The He Family girl chases after Shang Xu all day. Have you forgotten Old He’s aggrieved expression? And then there are Fu Jia and Jiang Yi. They fool around with women, and who knows? They might end up with a whole bunch of Illegitimate Children, just like their fathers.”
Su xiang’s father was helpless. “I only said one thing. Why are you criticizing me so much?”
Su’s Mother gave a light snort. “You’re too hard to please. The further down you look, the worse it gets. What if you found a kept man who was only after the family fortune? Once we’re gone, our daughter could be manipulated and bullied, and you wouldn’t even have anywhere to cry. Are there really so few examples like that?”
“I was wrong, I was wrong.” Su xiang’s father raised his hands in surrender. “Isn’t it because I care too much about our daughter? I’m afraid she’ll get hurt.”
“Look at how happy Xiangxiang is. There’s no sign that she’s been hurt. Ji Yan is also a Heaven’s Favored Son. Reaching this point is already extremely difficult.”
Su Xiang nodded inwardly.
Especially tonight—it was the first time she had seen him stunned. Ji Yan seemed more relaxed and more human, no longer rigid and mechanical. He was no longer forcing himself to live like a machine or painstakingly construct a perfect public image.
She liked watching Ji Yan slowly reveal his true self to her.
Su Xiang linked arms with her mother and wheedled sweetly, “Mom, you’re the one who understands me best.”
Then she said seriously, “You don’t need to worry. I can sense whether someone is sincere or pretending, and Ji Yan isn’t as cold as you imagine.”
To Su’s Mother, however, those words sounded like a boast. “I knew my daughter would be loved.”
Su Xiang’s Father gazed indulgently at the mother and daughter, and his opinion of Ji Yan softened. He saw that there was still room to be flexible in the cooperation between the two companies.
The Su Family had only one daughter. As long as she could be happy, he did not mind giving up a little more profit. The new project Ji Yan had proposed earlier was not impossible to discuss either.
Ji Yan was bewildered when his future father-in-law showed him kindness the next day. If that was the case, could they change the investment direction instead?
The Internet industry was indeed at its peak, but several major companies had already established a tripartite balance of power. He was more optimistic about the Smart Home sector.
As life grew faster-paced and young people gradually gained control over wealth and Voice in the Entertainment Industry, products that could free both body and mind would become one of the future’s greatest demands.
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