“Last night, my mom called Aunt Tan to invite her out for a meal, but she had to leave on a business trip,” Lin Yi’an said, quickly regaining her composure.
Zhou Mingshi nodded. “Mm. I didn’t see her after I got back either.”
As they chatted, the car came to a stop in front of the hotel. Zhou Mingshi didn’t get out immediately. Instead, he picked up a jewelry box from beside his seat and held it out to Lin Yi’an.
“A gift for you.”
Lin Yi’an hadn’t expected a gift. She looked up at him. “I didn’t prepare one for you.”
Looking at her serious expression, Zhou Mingshi chuckled. “This isn’t some gift exchange game. Just because I prepared a gift for you doesn’t mean you have to give me one in return to complete the task.”
Lin Yi’an looked at him.
He asked, “Do you want me to help you put it on?”
Lowering her gaze to the jewelry box, Lin Yi’an asked, “What is it?”
“A bracelet. I’ll put it on for you.”
Without waiting for her reply, he opened the jewelry box, gently took her left hand, removed the white jade bracelet from the box, and carefully slipped it over her wrist.
Sitting in the driver’s seat, Assistant Chen held his breath and remained perfectly still, afraid that even the slightest sound would disturb the two of them. At the same time, his eyes widened with excitement.
Before Lin Yi’an had time to react, a bracelet had already been slipped onto her fair wrist. She glanced down at it and was just about to speak when she heard him say,
“When I saw it at home, I thought it would suit you. It really does look perfect on you.”
Lin Yi’an thought it looked beautiful too. “Thank you.”
Zhou Mingshi let go of her hand and said, “We’re engaged. You don’t have to be so polite with me.”
Looking at the bracelet on her wrist, Lin Yi’an said, “I really like it.”
Zhou Mingshi told her, “It was one of my grandmother’s collectibles. Every New Year, she gives presents to her grandchildren. She puts all the gifts into a box and has us draw lots. This was the one I drew.”
Lin Yi’an said, “But you couldn’t use it.”
Zhou Mingshi smiled. “Now I can.”
Without waiting for her response, he continued, “Let’s get out of the car.”
Lin Yi’an nodded. “Okay.”
After getting out, the two of them walked side by side toward the hotel.
Zhou Mingyuan had come out on a date with his girlfriend, He Xishan. They had just arrived at the hotel entrance when he spotted his second brother walking into the hotel with the Third Miss of the Lin family. He immediately grabbed his girlfriend’s hand and quickly ducked off to the side.
He Xishan frowned in annoyance. “What are you doing?”
“My second brother.”
She knitted her brows. “Zhou Mingyuan, what are you trying to say? Why are you dragging me into hiding just because you saw your second brother? Am I really that embarrassing? Am I not even allowed to meet your brother?”
Patiently, Zhou Mingyuan explained, “My second brother is with his fiancée.”
“So what?”
Zhou Mingyuan let out a sigh. “Didn’t I tell you about my mom’s temper? She doesn’t approve of me dating someone whose family background isn’t good enough…”
He Xishan let out a cold snort. “You can break up with me if you want. It’s not like I’m desperate to be with you. You’re the one who chased after me. But sneaking around like this? That’s unacceptable. My family may not be well-off, but I’m still a respectable girl from an honest family. I’m not some woman you can keep hidden away.”
Zhou Mingyuan pulled her into his arms. “When did I ever say I was going to listen to my mom? Even if I’m going to introduce you to my family, shouldn’t I wait for the right opportunity?”
He Xishan didn’t believe a word of it. She was convinced he looked down on her and thought she wasn’t presentable enough.
“Either you take me into the hotel for dinner right now, or we break up. I want to stand proudly by your side, not hide in the shadows.”
Although Zhou Mingyuan had a headache from dealing with her, this stubborn streak of hers was exactly what he liked. Breaking up was out of the question.
“All right, all right. You’re really my little ancestor.”
In any case, his second brother wasn’t the type to gossip. Even if he saw them, he’d pretend he hadn’t.
Only then was He Xishan satisfied. “Let’s go.”
The two of them headed toward the hotel. Thinking back to the fleeting glimpse she’d just caught of the couple, He Xishan said curiously, “Your second brother and his fiancée seem to have a pretty good relationship. They even came to the hotel together for a date after work.”
Zhou Mingyuan didn’t think much of it. “It’s an arranged marriage between powerful families. What feelings could there be?”
He Xishan pouted. “You wealthy families are always arranging marriages. You never consider how your children feel or ask whether they’re willing.”
Zhou Mingyuan said, “That’s my second brother. He’s a workaholic. All he sees is work. He treats himself like a machine. I’m not surprised he’d agree to an arranged marriage. I’m different. When I get married, it’ll be to someone I actually love.”
The corners of He Xishan’s lips curved upward slightly. “If you ever decide you want an arranged marriage, let’s break up early. Don’t waste my time.”
Without a second thought, Zhou Mingyuan replied, “Impossible. Ever since I was a kid, whenever I wanted something, my parents could never win against me. If I truly didn’t want it, they couldn’t force me.”
He Xishan smiled. “I’ll give you credit. You know what to say.”
By the time they entered the hotel, Zhou Mingshi and Lin Yi’an had already gone into a private dining room.
After the dishes were served, Zhou Mingshi ladled out a bowl of soup first and placed it in front of Lin Yi’an.
“Have some soup first.”
Lin Yi’an nodded. “Okay.”
The two of them ate slowly and unhurriedly, savoring every bite. They finished their meal in peaceful silence. Since it was still early, Zhou Mingshi asked, “Where would you like to go next?”
After thinking for a moment, Lin Yi’an said, “How about we go back and watch a movie? At my place?”
Zhou Mingshi’s priority was simply to keep her company. “Sure.”
The two of them got up and headed outside. Assistant Chen had already ordered a meal for himself earlier, finished eating, and was waiting for them in the hotel lobby. Seeing them come out, he hurried off to settle the bill.
Just then, Zhou Mingyuan and He Xishan finished their meal and came out as well, running into them face to face.
Zhou Mingshi glanced at his younger brother and casually greeted him, “Out for dinner?”
Standing a little stiffly in front of him, Zhou Mingyuan straightened his back and said, “Second Brother.”
Then he looked at Lin Yi’an. “Miss Lin.”
Lin Yi’an nodded politely. “Hello.”
Zhou Mingshi said nothing more. He took Lin Yi’an’s hand and walked out with her.
He Xishan stared at their retreating figures for a long while, unable to come back to her senses. It wasn’t until Zhou Mingyuan nudged her that she snapped out of it.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
Zhou Mingyuan looked at her. “What are you daydreaming about?”
He Xishan said, “Your second brother has an incredible presence. He looks approachable, but he’s actually very aloof. He looks down on ordinary people like us.”
“And your second brother’s fiancée too. She didn’t even spare us a glance.”
“Do all you rich young masters and young ladies look down on ordinary people like us?”
Zhou Mingyuan slipped an arm around her shoulders. “As long as I don’t look down on you, that’s enough. Why does it matter whether they do? Besides, Miss Lin was kidnapped when she was little and was only found a few years ago. She’s only been a wealthy family’s daughter for a few years. Her original family’s circumstances were even worse than yours.”
He Xishan’s eyes widened. “Something like that actually happened?”
Zhou Mingyuan nodded. “It’s true. So don’t overthink it. Some people who seem proud on the outside may not actually have had a life as good as yours.”
He Xishan gave a soft hum in acknowledgment.
Lin Yi’an and Zhou Mingshi went to the house next to her traditional Chinese medicine clinic.
The villa was fairly spacious. Whenever Lin Yi’an stayed there, Wang Yuehua would have Aunt Wang come over to look after her, cook her meals, and make the house feel a little more lived in.
When they arrived home, Aunt Wang was tidying up the kitchen. Since no one had stayed there for several days, the whole house needed cleaning. Ye Lingzhi was watering the flowers. As soon as she saw them return, she hurried over with tea.
She carried the tea tray over and set it in front of them. Her sharp eyes immediately noticed the jade bracelet that now adorned Sister Yi’an’s slender, fair wrist. Her eyes lit up, but she said nothing and quietly slipped away.
Zhou Mingshi looked around the room before asking, “Do you like Chinese-style décor?”
The house in Changping had an elegant, classical charm, and this villa was no different.
Lin Yi’an replied, “I do. Or rather, it’s the style I prefer.”
Zhou Mingshi nodded. “Then should those two houses be decorated in a Chinese style as well?”
Instead of answering, Lin Yi’an asked, “What style do you like?”
There was a lightness in Zhou Mingshi’s voice as he replied, “As it happens, the same as you.”
Hearing that, Lin Yi’an couldn’t help feeling pleased. Since they shared the same taste, there would be no need to argue over the interior design of the houses.
She said, “My second sister says I’m old-fashioned, but I think it’s simply a personal preference. It has nothing to do with being old-fashioned.”
Zhou Mingshi nodded. “I agree.”