Chapter 41 - Argument:
Gu Hengzhi had booked a private room, which was more than spacious enough for four people.
Bai Chutang and Bai Chuyun sat together, opposite Gu Hengzhi and Ji Linxue.
Since the dishes had been ordered in advance, the waiter started serving the food as soon as they sat down.
The aroma of the dishes was inviting. Bai Chuyun held her chopsticks eagerly, but Bai Chutang tapped her.
"Don't be in such a hurry, you won't starve."
Bai Chuyun playfully stuck out her tongue. She glanced to the side and saw Gu Hengzhi carefully rinsing bowls and chopsticks for Ji Linxue, his movements meticulous.
Ji Linxue said something to Gu Hengzhi with a smile. The two exchanged glances and both laughed.
She felt increasingly pleased. Such gentle, considerate, handsome, and wealthy men were rare. She glanced at her sister and saw that Bai Chutang hadn't noticed this scene at all and was busy sending messages to someone on her phone.
Bai Chuyun leaned over: "Sister, who are you chatting with?"
Bai Chutang hurriedly put away her phone, feeling quite exasperated.
"You're just a child, why are you asking so many questions?"
"It's not with my future brother-in-law, is it?" Bai Chuyun blinked, her tone becoming wary.
Bai Chutang ignored her and said to Ji Linxue.
"Brother Linxue, I forgot to ask, why are you two here?"
Ji Linxue replied, "We came here to fish."
The two chatted for a while, and the dishes on the table were gradually served. The few of them began to eat.
During the meal, it was mostly Ji Linxue and Bai Chutang chatting. Bai Chuyun occasionally interjected. Gu Hengzhi hadn't spoken much, silently putting food on Ji Linxue's plate.
He knew Ji Linxue's preferences by heart and only picked up dishes that Ji Linxue liked. Moreover, the ingredients at this restaurant were fresh, and the chef's skills were excellent. Towards the end, everyone was busy eating and had no time to talk.
The meal finished quickly. After dinner, Ji Linxue went to the restroom, leaving the three of them in the private room.
Bai Chuyun's eyes darted around. She looked at Gu Hengzhi.
"Hengzhi gege, you're so handsome. Do you have a girlfriend?"
Ji Linxue had just introduced them to each other, and Bai Chuyun finally knew Gu Hengzhi's name.
Hearing this, Gu Hengzhi raised his eyelids, his tone as calm as still water. "No."
He was always indifferent towards people he wasn't close to. If it weren't for Bai Chutang having a good relationship with Ji Linxue, he definitely wouldn't have answered such an offensive question.
"Is that so?" Bai Chuyun grinned, disregarding Bai Chutang who was severely pinching her hand under the table, and tried hard to say, "Then what do you think of my sister? She's still single."
Gu Hengzhi frowned, his tone cold and deep: "Sorry, I have someone I like."
The atmosphere in the private room dropped to freezing point because of this sentence. Bai Chutang apologized repeatedly in embarrassment: "I'm sorry, my sister is young and doesn't know any better. Please don't take her words to heart. Actually, I already have a boyfriend."
Bai Chuyun touched the spot where she was pinched, not feeling embarrassed at all. When Bai Chutang's words fell, her eyes widened in shock: "Sister! You have a boyfriend? Since when!"
"What does he look like? Show me a picture..." Before she could finish the rest of her sentence, Bai Chutang pulled her out.
Looking at the retreating figures of the two sisters pulling at each other, Gu Hengzhi's brows were tightly furrowed.
Anyone with eyes could see what she was scheming. Did this Bai Chuyun think he was a fool?
Outside the private room.
Bai Chuyun was still stuck on the previous question, so anxious she was almost crying.
"Sister, are you stupid! There's such an excellent man right in front of you, and you're not grabbing him? What kind of relationship are you talking about!"
Saying that, she remembered something and asked urgently.
"Is your boyfriend from C City? What's his family background? If he's no good, break up quickly, don't waste time... I said, why were you typing and smiling just now, and ignoring me? Were you chatting with that boyfriend of yours?"
Her tone was accusatory, her eyes filled with a worldly shrewdness that didn't match her age.
Bai Chutang looked at her with disappointment.
Although their family suddenly faced hardship when she was young, she had never let Bai Chuyun experience any negative emotions.
To allow her to study with peace of mind, she didn't hesitate to work several jobs, sleeping no more than five hours a day.
"Bai Chuyun, I can overlook the last incident. But you've truly gone too far this time. Someone kindly invited us to dinner, but all you could think about was scheming against others. Why do you always think about relying on others? Money earned with your own hands is what you can spend with peace of mind and confidence. If you always think about relying on others, others will only look down on you more."
She spoke a long string of words, but Bai Chuyun still had an expression of "What are you talking about?" and didn't listen at all.
"Oh, saying all this is not as good as telling me about your boyfriend's family background."
Bai Chutang closed her eyes, suppressing the anger in her heart.
"I don't have a boyfriend. I was chatting with a female friend just now."
Bai Chuyun exclaimed in surprise. "Then why did you lie just now? No way, I'll go help you clarify with Brother Hengzhi."
Bai Chutang fiercely grabbed her wrist. She had done a lot of physical labor in the past few years, and her strength was so great that Bai Chuyun couldn't even struggle and was obediently dragged aside.
"I won't bring you out again next time. You go home right now!"
"Say what you need to say, why are you being so fierce!" Bai Chuyun cried angrily, but Bai Chutang had no hint of pity. She pulled her and walked outside.
Just as they turned the corner, they ran into Ji Linxue, who was returning after using the restroom.
Their pulling stopped for a moment. Ji Linxue looked at this scene in surprise: "What's going on?"
Bai Chutang said: "Something came up at home, we're going back first. Please tell Hengzhi gege."
Before Ji Linxue could speak, Bai Chuyun had already clamored: "Linxue ge, quickly save me, my sister insists on sending me back, and I'm not full yet!"
Ji Linxue looked at Bai Chutang. The other party frowned and gave him a look.
Ji Linxue understood. He said to Bai Chuyun.
"Since something came up at home, go back first. Listen to your sister."
Bai Chuyun protested as she was dragged away by Bai Chutang.
After their figures disappeared at the end of the corridor, Ji Linxue returned to the private room. When he entered, Gu Hengzhi was on the phone, talking about a new project, not avoiding Ji Linxue's presence at all.
After he hung up the phone, Ji Linxue spoke, "Something came up at their home, they left already."
"Okay," Gu Hengzhi didn't ask anything, just said, "Let's go too. I'll drive you back."
He drove Ji Linxue back to the apartment. When they reached downstairs, Ji Linxue unbuckled his seatbelt, but Gu Hengzhi didn't move.
Ji Linxue asked him, "Aren't you coming up?"
Gu Hengzhi said, "Something came up at the company. I won't be coming back to sleep tonight."
This answer was within Ji Linxue's expectations. He nodded, about to open the car door, but was stopped by Gu Hengzhi, "Wait."
He turned his head, looking at the other person in confusion.
Gu Hengzhi's right hand was in his pants pocket, and he hesitated, gripping something in his palm: "Actually, I..."
After saying the first three words, he stopped, like a fledgling young man who had just started to understand feelings, shy and awkward under the gaze of the person he liked.
Even though he had rehearsed such a scene many times in his mind, and had even said more shameless things to Ji Linxue, Gu Hengzhi opened his mouth and found that he just couldn't say it.
Rarely seeing him so uncertain, Ji Linxue smiled, his tone gentle: "It's okay, you can say it slowly."
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