Qi Yanli dragged Qiu Xiaoyue into the banquet hall.
In front of Old Master Qi and all the relatives, he embellished the story and spilled everything that had happened with Qiu Xiaoyue the night before.
Old Madam Qi had never approved of this marriage to begin with. Upon hearing this, her face fell. “You little brat. You look so honest, but you come to the city and immediately start fooling around? What will you be like in the future?”
Qiu Xiaoyue lowered her head without offering a single word of defense.
Yet she had the distinct feeling that a pair of eyes had been scrutinizing her from beginning to end. Her slender back seemed to grow faintly hot.
Old Master Qi’s expression was frighteningly grim. Only after a long while did he speak. “Xiaoyue, tell Grandpa the truth. Did someone force you?”
Qiu Xiaoyue shook her head. “I kissed him first.”
Old Master Qi lifted his teacup and took a sip to soothe his inflamed tonsils. “Is he your boyfriend?”
Qiu Xiaoyue shook her head again. “I don’t know him.”
Old Master Qi nearly spat out his tea.
He coughed twice and set down the cup. “Young people are full of energy. It was just an accident; it won’t affect your marriage to Yanli.”
“Grandpa!”
Qi Yanli panicked. “Just look at her! Her face is covered in black pockmarks, she’s rustic and ugly, and she’s already slept with someone. What man would want to marry such a country bumpkin?”
“I will.”
The voice was not loud, but the entire banquet hall instantly fell silent.
Qiu Xiaoyue raised her head.
Qi Sen was looking at her.
There was something profound in his gaze, something impossible to put into words.
“Uncle…”
Under Qiu Xiaoyue’s astonished gaze, Qi Sen walked toward her step by step.
The first time Qiu Xiaoyue had met Qi Sen was eight years ago.
That year, Qi Sen had accompanied Old Master Qi to the village to visit Grandpa, and everyone in the village had come running to watch the spectacle.
Twelve-year-old Qiu Xiaoyue had hidden behind Grandpa. It was the first time she had ever seen such a handsome man.
His face was sharply defined, his features impossibly beautiful. He stood ramrod straight, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long legs, and an air of nobility that made him dazzling. At first sight, he had been like a beam of sunlight shining into her eyes, leaving no room for anyone else.
Eight years later, he was even more handsome.
“Xiaoyue.” Qi Sen stopped in front of her. “Will you marry me?”
Qiu Xiaoyue’s mind went blank with a buzz.
What was he talking about? All she could see was one authoritative face—so handsome it startled her.
As if she had been fed some kind of bewitching potion, Qiu Xiaoyue nodded dazedly.
Wait.
What had Uncle just said?!
“No!”
Old Madam Qi was the first to rise, her face turning white. “Qi Sen, have you lost your mind? Do you know what her status is, and what yours is?”
Qiu Xiaoyue came back to herself as well and looked at him in bewilderment. “Uncle, why do you suddenly want to marry me?”
Qi Sen lowered his head and leaned close to her ear.
“Fifty-three yuan and five jiao.”
Whether it was the scorching breath that spilled from his lips as he spoke or the sheer impact of his words, Qiu Xiaoyue’s face flushed bright red.
Her eyes widened. “It was you!”
Qi Sen took a step forward. His tall body immediately enveloped Qiu Xiaoyue, shielding her from those ill-intentioned, scrutinizing gazes.
Qi Sen turned to Old Master Qi. “Father, I’m marrying Qiu Xiaoyue.”
Old Madam Qi was nearly in tears. Qi Sen was her most outstanding child. His future wife had to be a heaven’s favored daughter—only someone like that would be worthy of her son.
“Have you got water in your brain? If you dare bring her into this family, I’ll—I’ll hang myself right outside your bedroom door!”
Qi Sen’s tone remained calm. “I’m not asking for your permission. I’m informing you.”
“I was the one who slept with her last night. Since it happened, I have to take responsibility.”
“You really were hungry!”
Old Madam Qi’s blood pressure shot up. She clutched the back of her head and leaned against the chair. “You’ll eat anything, no matter what sort of monster or demon it is!”
The rice had already been cooked.
Old Madam Qi simply closed her eyes, determined to see nothing and hear nothing.
The instigator, Qi Yanli, was completely dumbfounded.
He had sent the wrong person to the wrong room—and delivered her straight to his own uncle?!
Wasn’t his uncle famously uninterested in women? How had he managed to kiss that ugly girl?
Still, this was good too. At least he wouldn’t have to marry that country bumpkin.
He hurriedly added fuel to the fire, speaking righteously. “Grandpa, I’m willing to withdraw and give Uncle and Qiu Xiaoyue my blessing!”
Old Master Qi sat there, his mind buzzing.
After thinking it over for a long while—
Whether a grandson or a son married her, she would still be entering the Qi family. He and Old Man Qiu would still become in-laws.
Besides, his younger son was nearly thirty and had never even been in a relationship. He refused every blind date they arranged for him. At one point, Old Master Qi had even suspected that his son liked men.
Now, two major concerns had been resolved at once.
An opportunity like this would not come again.
Old Master Qi slapped the table. “It’s settled!”
After a pause, he added, “But I have one condition—you two are getting your marriage certificates today.”
He knew his own son best.
If this boy changed his mind tomorrow, even eight horses would not be able to drag him back.
Moreover, Qi Sen’s own company was even larger than the Qi family’s main business. He did not depend on the family’s inheritance rights for a living, so they had no leverage over him at all.
******
On the way to the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Qiu Xiaoyue climbed into Qi Sen’s Porsche. The moment her bottom touched the seat, she shot back up.
“Why is it hot?!”
Qi Sen took the driver’s seat. “I turned on the seat heater.”
Qiu Xiaoyue looked amazed and carefully sat down again.
The temperature was just right, warm and cozy.
Like last night…
Like Qi Sen’s hand supporting her bottom last night.
Qiu Xiaoyue’s face instantly caught fire.
What was she thinking?!
She hurriedly lowered her head and tugged down the eye-catching pink-and-rose floral pants covering her legs, trying to hide her flushed face.
Qi Sen had recognized her the moment he entered the room.
He had known because of these pants.
They were far too conspicuous. There could not be a second pair like them anywhere in Jing City.
She was still wearing yesterday’s clothes.
A thought suddenly flashed through Qi Sen’s mind: He had torn her underwear in half. So now, was she…
He could not help glancing at her.
Those pants were so thin.
Was she wearing nothing underneath?
The indescribable scenes from the previous night rose uncontrollably in his mind.
His burning palms stroking her round, delicate buttocks…
The softness pressed against his palms had been utterly unreal…
Qi Sen’s long, distinct fingers lowered the air-conditioning temperature again and again.
Cold air roared through the car, yet he still did not feel any cooler.
Why was it so hot today?
At the intersection, he turned the steering wheel to the right.
The navigation system announced, “You have deviated from the route. Recalculating… You have devi—”
Qi Sen slapped off the navigation.
Qiu Xiaoyue looked at him in confusion. “Aren’t we going to the Civil Affairs Bureau anymore?”
His expression remained impassive. “We’re buying clothes first.”
Qiu Xiaoyue looked down at herself.
A white short-sleeved shirt and floral pants. Clean and perfectly fine.
“No need, no need. These are new clothes. Before I came to the city, Second Aunt specially went to the boutique in town and bought them for me.”
Qi Sen’s Adam’s apple bobbed, and his throat inexplicably felt dry.
“The ones underneath.”
Qiu Xiaoyue froze.
Then her entire body turned scarlet.
Her two slender legs silently pressed tightly together.
She had wanted to say there was no need, but the pants were made of linen and a little coarse. They rubbed against her as she sat, making the skin at the tops of her thighs unbearably itchy and numb.
She really could not stand it anymore.
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