Song Qingchi raised an eyebrow slightly and gestured invitingly toward Ji Xingzhu with a graceful, carefree motion. His air of extravagant spending drew envious looks from those around.
Only Ji Xingzhu remained utterly indifferent, turning to look for a restaurant. As for the things she had bought, she had them directly shipped back to her home.
After some deliberation, Ji Xingzhu finally selected a restaurant. For the convenience of filming, they also booked a private room with good privacy.
Song Qingchi handed the menu to her, indicating she should order.
Adhering to the principle of “relentlessly finding fault with the Male Lead,” Ji Xingzhu didn’t take the menu. Instead, she said with an air of reserve, “You order.”
Obligingly, Song Qingchi opened the menu and casually asked, “What would you like to eat?”
Ji Xingzhu immediately kicked off an act, glaring at Song Qingchi angrily. “You don’t even know what I like to eat?”
Song Qingchi: “…” Should I?
Even the accompanying filming crew couldn’t help but twitch their mouths. You’ve only known each other for a couple of days; isn’t it normal not to know your preferences? This young lady is too difficult to please!
However, Ji Xingzhu wore an expression of utter disbelief, as if deeply hurt. “To think I just started liking you a little today, and yet you don’t even understand my taste… You are… so disappointing!”
Just as Song Qingchi was about to speak, he heard the familiar voice in his mind, tinged with a hint of schadenfreude. “Host, I told you earlier, Ji Xingzhu’s ‘liking’ is very fragile; it can easily be depleted if you’re not careful! It seems your performance isn’t very satisfactory. If she stops liking you because of your actions, that’s not on me!”
Song Qingchi unconsciously tightened his grip on the menu. A rare competitive drive ignited in his heart. This kind of anxious, restless emotion usually only surfaced when he stood on a boxing ring, yet now it unexpectedly surged within him.
His eyes, hidden behind gold-rimmed glasses, were dark and penetrating. He chuckled lightly and replied in his mind, “Don’t worry. I’ll retain Ji Xingzhu’s… affection.”
Immediately after, Song Qingchi revealed a tolerant, apologetic smile. “My apologies, that was an oversight on my part. Let’s order every dish on the menu then. You can pick what you like to eat. I’ll take the rest away; it won’t go to waste.”
Song Qingchi closed the menu directly, not bothering to order meticulously. He simply instructed the server as he had said: serve every dish. Not only did he not blame Ji Xingzhu for being unreasonable, but he also resolved the matter in an unexpected way, leaving even someone as deliberately difficult as Ji Xingzhu momentarily at a loss for words.
Song Qingchi gazed steadily at her and asked with a smile, “Miss Ji, are you satisfied with this arrangement? Can you still…”
“Continue to like me?” he asked, smiling as he enunciated each word.
Ji Xingzhu: “…” Well played.
Ji Xingzhu: “Acceptable. Keep it up.”
Hmph, anyway, he’s the one footing the bill. I’ll reluctantly “like” him a little longer.
Cannon Fodder System 999 fell into deep thought: What on earth is going on?! Clearly, these two have no real feelings for each other. Why is Song Qingchi working so hard just to retain the “liking” of his malicious fiancée?!
He couldn’t shake the feeling that this fiancé and fiancée were locked in some kind of rivalry…
Do they have some strange sense of competitiveness? How did a joke-like ‘make Ji Xingzhu like Song Qingchi’ escalate to this point?!
The Cannon Fodder System felt utterly bewildered. Really, completely bewildered!
Viewers in the live stream were also astounded—
【Damn, my horizons have been broadened. Is this how rich people date?】
【Song Qingchi, wake up! Ji Xingzhu is gaslighting you! [Crying while laughing]】
【The young lady is truly well-versed in dog training techniques… (Just kidding)】
【I feel bad for Song Qingchi. Ji Xingzhu is too overbearing. How can she be so unreasonable? They’ve only known each other for two days. Isn’t it normal not to know her preferences? Is that worth her giving him attitude?】
【Don’t feel bad for Song Qingchi. I think he’s enjoying himself!】
【Respect and blessings. 🙏】
【Where can I find a love-struck fool like Song Qingchi who’s rich and generous?!】
【I’ll take a love-struck boyfriend! (Praying)】
The earlier ordering incident was just Ji Xingzhu finding an excuse to be difficult. Now, watching dish after dish being served, she actually felt a bit of a headache.
She simply kept a few dishes she liked and let the show’s crew take the rest, as it was lunchtime anyway. That way, none of the ordered food was wasted.
After the meal, Ji Xingzhu enjoyed the dishes she liked, the show’s crew got a free lavish meal, and the only one left holding the bill was Song Qingchi…
However, he remained calm throughout, even saying with a smile, “Now I know what you like to eat.”
Ji Xingzhu: “…”
Ji Xingzhu couldn’t help but exclaim to 999, “This Male Lead is truly someone destined for great things!”
Despite her being so difficult, he remained so composed and graceful, practically embodying gentlemanly manners to the core. Ji Xingzhu could only say: Impressive!
As the meal neared its end, Ji Xingzhu ordered a dessert and was slowly savoring it when suddenly, their private room door was knocked upon, and two unexpected guests arrived.
Wen Yajun looked at them with delighted surprise. “Xiao Zhu, you really are here!”
Behind her was Shao Rui, wearing a sour expression. These two had automatically become a pair since no one chose them. It was just unclear why they had come here.
Ji Xingzhu was somewhat surprised and casually asked, “Why are you here?”
She was in a decent mood at the moment. Even though Wen Yajun disgusted her, she surprisingly didn’t immediately lash out.
However, Wen Yajun misinterpreted Ji Xingzhu’s calmness as indulgence. She boldly walked up and directly took a seat beside Ji Xingzhu, explaining with a smile, “We happened to be wandering around nearby and overheard some passersby mentioning they saw you guys. I took the initiative to ask around and came to find you.”
Wen Yajun didn’t want to see her spoiled, ill-mannered cousin either, but she had no choice. Right now, the viewership for Ji Xingzhu and Song Qingchi’s live stream far surpassed everyone else’s. If she wanted to ride on that popularity, she had to proactively insert herself.
“Is that so?” Ji Xingzhu blinked, suddenly revealing a meaningful smile.
Wen Yajun had been feeling uneasy, worried that Ji Xingzhu might directly throw her out without any regard for face. Unexpectedly, although Ji Xingzhu was cold and indifferent, she didn’t voice any objections to make things difficult for her.
Feeling secretly pleased, Wen Yajun began chatting eagerly.
Song Qingchi stood up, gentlemanly and refined. “You two chat. I’ll step out to the restroom.”
Shao Rui also quickly grew impatient. After saying a quick word, he left the private room to wander around. The spacious room was now left with only Ji Xingzhu and Wen Yajun. Even the show’s crew had gone outside to eat.
As for the live stream camera, it was currently in a paused, resting state.
A glint flashed in Wen Yajun’s eyes as she eagerly probed, “Xiao Zhu, when you said this morning… that you liked Song Qingchi, were you serious?”
Ji Xingzhu gave her a meaningful glance and sniffed lightly. “Of course.”
Wen Yajun’s heart instantly soured. If Ji Xingzhu’s fiancé were truly a destitute, useless poor man, she would have been delighted for Ji Xingzhu to be love-struck and throw herself at a loser. But Song Qingchi… was exceptional!
Although the Song family was a thing of the past, Song Qingchi had now amassed considerable wealth on his own, proving his exceptional abilities. Wen Yajun had been following the online buzz and knew Song Qingchi had just spent a lot of money on Ji Xingzhu, which made her even more resentful.
The key was that Song Qingchi was also extraordinarily good-looking. The first time Wen Yajun saw him, she had been momentarily dazzled by that handsome, outstanding face. Song Qingchi was outstandingly perfect, yet he was Ji Xingzhu’s fiancé… This ignited a raging fire in Wen Yajun’s heart—a fire of jealousy and anger.
Wen Yajun took a deep breath. Seeing there was no one around and no cameras, she leaned closer to Ji Xingzhu and said in a low voice, “Xiao Zhu, didn’t you hate him before? Why have you suddenly taken a liking to him?”
Ji Xingzhu lazily ate her dessert, putting on an exaggeratedly sweet voice. “How should I know? Liking someone is just that inexplicable~”
Wen Yajun’s smile stiffened, her words coming faster. “But have you forgotten what I told you before? The Song family went bankrupt. It’s not a suitable match for your family’s social standing. If you marry Song Qingchi, you’ll definitely be mocked by the other girls in our circle!”
Ji Xingzhu was enjoying seeing Wen Yajun squirm and acted even more fervently. “I don’t care! Who told Song Qingchi is handsome and willing to spend money on me~”
In her anxiety, Wen Yajun directly grabbed Ji Xingzhu’s hand, her tone earnest. Anyone unaware might truly think she was a caring older sister concerned for her cousin. She hypocritically advised, “Is Song Qingchi that handsome? Not really! Xiao Zhu, don’t be fooled by him…”
“This kind of penniless social climber loves to fawn over rich girls like you. Once he marries you, he’ll use your family’s assets to build himself up. After he succeeds, he’ll kick you aside…”
Ji Xingzhu’s expression grew darker the more she listened to Wen Yajun’s alarmist words.
The “social climber” Wen Yajun mentioned—wasn’t that her own biological father, Wen Xuzé? In both lifetimes, Ji Xingzhu had encountered a despicable, social-climbing scum of a father. Wen Yajun’s words right now were like stabbing her right in the heart, making her exceptionally furious.
Moreover, Wen Yajun was the illegitimate daughter of that very social-climbing scum! With her disgusting status, how dare Wen Yajun point fingers and accuse others of being social climbers in front of her?
Ji Xingzhu’s mood suddenly plummeted. Seeing Wen Yajun’s hypocritical face brought up old and new grievances, and a surge of rage rose within her.
She abruptly stood up, raised her hand, and slapped Wen Yajun hard across the face, cutting off her incessant drivel.
Ji Xingzhu’s face was icy. She had used all her strength in that slap, and her palm felt stinging hot. As for Wen Yajun, who received the slap, half of her face swelled up, looking utterly disheveled.
Still not satisfied, Ji Xingzhu backhanded her across the other cheek, only then feeling somewhat relieved.
Hmph, one slap is for stabbing “Ji Xingzhu” in the back repeatedly all these years. The other slap is on behalf of that shameless, live-in husband of a father. Ji Xingzhu thought to herself.
While feeling satisfied, she also felt a bit of regret. If only Wen Xuzé, that scumbag, were here. She could have landed that slap right on his old face herself.
While Ji Xingzhu felt relieved, Wen Yajun’s entire face was swollen like a pig’s head. She shrieked hysterically, “Ji Xingzhu, why did you hit me?!”
Right at that moment, the private room door opened. Song Qingchi, witnessing the dramatic scene before him, came to an abrupt halt in the doorway, a look of hesitation on his face.
Ji Xingzhu turned her head and saw Song Qingchi, her eyes instantly lighting up. She crossed her arms, exuding an arrogant, domineering air, and enunciated each word clearly to Song Qingchi, “Song Qingchi, do you know what happened? My cousin just secretly badmouthed you to me! She called you a scheming social climber, belittling you as utterly worthless!”
“As you know, I really like you right now. So, when I heard those words, I got so angry that I hit her without even thinking!”
Ji Xingzhu lifted her chin, her tone carrying a hint of bragging. “I hit even my dear cousin to defend you. This shows how much I like you! So, are you touched?”
Song Qingchi: “……”
May I ask, am I being used as a scapegoat again? 🙂