Ji Qingtang stared at the meme for a few seconds, looking utterly speechless.
If this guy was the one sent to take care of her, he’d probably annoy her to death.
She turned off her screen and went to sleep.
The next day was the weekend, so Ji Qingtang could sleep in without worry—if only someone weren’t pounding so hard on her door.
Unable to bear it any longer, Ji Qingtang flung the door open and shouted at the person outside: “What do you want this early in the morning?!”
A tall boy froze at being yelled at, looking at Ji Qingtang in disbelief, and blurted out, ”Oh, my God!”
The expression on his face was rather exaggerated, as if he’d just witnessed something incredibly rare.
Ji Qingtang coughed awkwardly a couple of times. She had thought it was that guy Shen Qian. She was just about to say something when the door across the hall opened, and Shen Qian’s face appeared in her field of vision.
Seeing the scene before him, Shen Qian raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
The boy, seeing Shen Qian suddenly appear across the hall, glanced back at Ji Qingtang, then decisively walked over to Shen Qian and said in a voice Ji Qingtang couldn’t hear, “What’s going on?”
Shen Qian leaned lazily against the door, his tone careless, though his eyes were on Ji Qingtang. “What’s going on with what? I was about to ask you the same thing.”
“I thought that I… never mind.” Jiang Cheng scratched his head. He couldn’t exactly admit he’d gotten his brother’s room number wrong.
Seeing a woman answer the door, he’d thought his brother—that eternal iron tree that never blooms—had finally come to his senses. Well, he’d been overthinking it.
“Let’s go.” Shen Qian closed the door and walked over to wait for the elevator.
Jiang Cheng glanced at his brother, then at Ji Qingtang, who was about to retreat into her room, and decisively walked up to her.
Ji Qingtang: “?”
Shen Qian: “?”
Jiang Cheng said with easy familiarity, “Miss, come hang out with us. There’s a small party downstairs. It’d be such a waste to spend the weekend sleeping.”
Shen Qian frowned, his voice turning heavy. “Jiang Cheng, come over here right now if you want to live.”
Ji Qingtang raised an eyebrow at Shen Qian. “Sure, let me change my clothes first.”
“Great! No rush, Miss.” Jiang Cheng looked at Shen Qian with a smug grin. Shen Qian stood with his hands in his pockets, expressionless.
The elevator opened and closed, closed and opened.
Shen Qian finally walked over as if resigned to his fate, clicked his tongue, and said to Jiang Cheng, “Why do you call every girl you meet ‘Miss’? Is that really what you should be calling her?”
Jiang Cheng chuckled. “Then what should I call her? Should I call her… Sister-in-law?”
With that, he watched Shen Qian’s expression.
He’d noticed it earlier—his brother had been staring at that Miss the whole time. Even while walking to the elevator, he kept his attention on her. His brother definitely felt something unusual about her.
Besides, he remembered that the apartment across the hall wasn’t supposed to be rented out, was it?
This entire building was Shen family property. The floors above and below had all been rented out, except for that one apartment across from his brother’s, which he’d refused to rent out.
And now such a beautiful Miss had moved in.
That’s why he had tentatively invited her to come out with them.
Shen Qian’s face showed no extra emotion as he coldly spat out three words: “Up to you.” But Jiang Cheng keenly caught sight of his brother’s ears quietly turning red.
So his brother, that creature, was actually capable of blushing.
Getting dressed up really was a hassle for women. Jiang Cheng glanced at his watch, regretting that he’d let it slip earlier. Then he looked at his older cousin, who seemed completely relaxed, not the least bit impatient.
He sighed slowly and kept waiting.
Ji Qingtang had picked out a long red velvet slip dress. Her already striking features, made up now, looked even more exquisite—like an untouchable queen.
She casually grabbed a Hermès clutch and walked out, smiling apologetically. “Sorry to keep you waiting.”
Jiang Cheng was dazzled by her red lips and said blankly, “Not at all, not at all…”
Shen Qian silently walked between Jiang Cheng and Ji Qingtang, blocking his view, and said to her, “Let’s go.”
Jiang Cheng trailed obsequiously behind the two of them and asked curiously, “Miss, what’s your name? I’m Jiang Cheng.”
Ji Qingtang’s gaze paused on Shen Qian and Jiang Cheng. “What’s the relationship between you two?”
“He’s my cousin. His dad is my uncle, and my mom is his aunt.”
“Oh.” Ji Qingtang took a look—the two of them actually did look somewhat alike.
Jiang Cheng pressed on, “Miss, you still haven’t told me your name.”
“Ji Qingtang.”
The moment she said it, the chattering Jiang Cheng suddenly went quiet. He looked at her in disbelief, then glanced at Shen Qian, and silently shut his mouth.
No wonder. No wonder at all.
“What’s wrong?” Ji Qingtang asked, puzzled.
“Nothing, Miss. Your name sounds really lovely,” Jiang Cheng flattered.
Ji Qingtang: “…”
The party was right downstairs. Jiang Cheng opened the door, and the three of them went in together.
The moment they entered, Ji Qingtang was dazzled by the lights, along with blaring metal music. It was only thanks to the apartment’s excellent soundproofing that the neighbors hadn’t filed complaints.
The place was big, with about seven or eight people dancing, men and women alike—apparently a small private party.
Seeing them arrive, a man came over with a drink in hand and punched Jiang Cheng’s chest with his free hand. “What took you so long?”
Then his gaze landed on Ji Qingtang, his eyes lighting up. “Hi, Miss Ji.”
Ji Qingtang recognized him as the man who’d invited her to the party downstairs last night. She was a little surprised—she hadn’t expected such a coincidence, that it was the same party.
“Hello.”
“I didn’t expect you to actually come to my party. I’m so glad. What’s your name?” The man seemed completely oblivious to Shen Qian’s murderous glare and kept talking to Ji Qingtang.
“Ji Qingtang.”
“You can call me Bob.”
Ji Qingtang nodded.
She looked around, found a spot at random, and sat down, picking up a cocktail to sip slowly.
Shen Qian followed her over. He was wearing a suit today; he took off the jacket, tossed it casually on a nearby sofa, and undid the top button of his shirt, revealing his sexy Adam’s apple.
He rolled up his sleeves as he moved.
He sat down next to Ji Qingtang and picked up the same cocktail she had. Feeling a bit uncomfortable, Ji Qingtang subtly shifted away from him.
But he simply moved along with her.
The man was naturally the kind who drew everyone’s attention, and his appearance caused a small stir. As he sat down, many others followed suit and sat down too.
Jiang Cheng sat to the side, watching helplessly as Bob walked over to the sofa next to Ji Qingtang, picked up a glass of wine, and continued asking, “Ji, I have a Chinese name too.”
“Oh?” Ji Qingtang asked with interest. “What’s your Chinese name?”
He said, with a touch of pride and in stiff Chinese, “Li Hua.”