Chapter 111: Chapter 111: Did You Really Fall?

Ji Tingyang thought about when their mother had died; his sister had been young, her childhood bearing no memories of their mother, unlike him and Ji Zeqiu.

Now, telling her that their mother had come back, resurrected from the dead, she would probably think he was either crazy or had met a scammer.

Should he just tell her it was a friend?

As Ji Tingyang hesitated on how to explain, Ji Yuqiao was already growing impatient.

“Who is it, anyway? If you don’t tell me, I’m leaving.”

She clutched her notebook and hurried past Ji Tingyang, who stood at the door, and quickly left.

“I’ll have the driver take you to school later,” Ji Tingyang called after her, but the faster he spoke, the quicker she walked until he sharply shouted her name, “Ji Lanyue.”

Ji Yuqiao’s steps halted suddenly, then she frowned slightly, turned around with a displeased look, and glared at Ji Tingyang, “I’ve changed my name a long time ago. Don’t call me by my old name.”

“What about your name change? Your mother chose that too,” Ji Tingyang replied steadily, his dark eyes casually glanced at Ji Yuqiao, carrying an air of authority that didn’t need anger to be imposing.

Every time she faced this version of Ji Tingyang, her heart trembled with fear.

Like a naughty child facing a strict parent.

As a child, mischievous as she was, she followed her classmates to swim in the river and was nearly swept away by the rapid currents, which led the teacher to notify her parents.

When she got home, she saw Ji Tingyang’s stern face, his demeanour as cold as ice, casting a shadow over her heart.

Ji Yuqiao pursed her lips, lacking the courage to argue any further, “It’s nothing, but I really need to get back to school or I’ll be late for class tonight. You can introduce your friend some other time.”

With that, she dashed off, running as if a fierce beast were chasing her, not looking back.

Once out of the villa’s gate, Ji Yuqiao patted her chest, still frightened.

She took out her phone and sent a message to Lin Xu.

Raining Qiao: [It was terrifying, I just went home and my brother said he wants to introduce me to someone.]

Raining Qiao: [From what I’ve seen on TV, usually in this kind of situation, it’s about matchmaking. Good thing I ran fast!]

This wasn’t the first time something like this had happened.

Because Ji Tingyang disapproved of her clinging to Xiao Yu all day, he had introduced her to a young master from Zhao’s household, saying it was to broaden her horizons and meet outstanding men, instead of always pining over a poor boy.

Ji Tingyang arranged for her to meet Young Master Zhao by Century Lake, but that day Ji Yuqiao heard Xiao Yu was working part-time at a restaurant and ran over to find him, completely forgetting about meeting Zhao.

By the time Ji Yuqiao remembered, it was already evening.

He must have left after waiting an hour or two, right?

Ji Yuqiao nervously thought to herself, and after waiting for a long time without any sign of Young Master Zhao seeking out her brother, she gradually relaxed, while silently despising Ji Tingyang’s meddling behavior.

Little did she expect, after such a long time, her brother had “relapsed.”

Lin Xu was a bit surprised to see the message.

Willow Wadding: [How old are you even, to start thinking about matchmaking?]

Raining Qiao: [Exactly, everyone advocates for free love these days.]

Willow Wadding: [Good thing you ran fast.]

Raining Qiao: [Good thing I’m clever.]

While Lin Xu and Ji Yuqiao’s exchange of messages was heated, it was quite chilly on Xie Changyan’s end.

On the golf course, Xie Changyan sat under a sun umbrella, frequently glancing at his phone.

Su Linzhou approached with a golf club from not far away and asked in confusion, “Are you waiting for someone’s message?”

“No,” Xie Changyan leaned back in his chair with a languid expression, crossing his long legs and tapping his phone absentmindedly on the table.

Su Linzhou didn’t think much of it, casually placing his cue on the side of the table while chatting about a few beauties he had met on the lawn.

Xie Changyan’s eyes slightly closed, responding half-heartedly.

“They invited me to the bar tonight, how about it, wanna come along and have fun?” Su Linzhou continued talking about those beauties, winking at him.

“I won’t go,” Xie Changyan, predictably, refused.

“You really have no luck with women,” Su Linzhou shook his head.

“Your luck with women isn’t shallow, just make sure you don’t end up catching more than good fortune,” Xie Changyan sneered.

“Dude, don’t jinx me!” Su Linzhou shivered in fear.

“Don’t worry, I’ll introduce you to a good doctor if it comes to that, friend’s price,” Xie Changyan’s narrowing, beautiful eyes carried a hint of chill, “Even if it’s incurable, I’ll burn a few more beauties for you in front of your tombstone, so you won’t be so lonely down there.”

Su Linzhou couldn’t take it anymore, somewhat losing his composure, “Brother, did you eat firecrackers today? You’re so snappy.”

He had often said similar things to Xie Changyan before, and at that time Xie Changyan would usually just listen silently, throwing in a teasing comment or two.

Unlike now, it was almost as if he was burying him in ridicule.

Xie Changyan remained silent.

Suddenly.

The phone vibrated once, as a message came in.

He opened his eyes, checked WeChat, saw the irrelevant content, and then locked the screen, a trace of irritation flickering in his brown eyes.

“You wouldn’t be waiting for Lin Xu’s message, would you?” Su Linzhou suddenly realized.

Xie Changyan: “…”

Su Linzhou shocked, “Brother, you didn’t really fall for her, did you!”

Recently, he had occasionally seen messages from Lin Xu on Xie Changyan’s phone, and he felt somewhat resentful about it.

She clearly already had a boyfriend, why keep messaging Xie Changyan?

Trying to play the field wasn’t supposed to be so blatant.

Fortunately, Xie Changyan was sober, knew his limits, and hadn’t responded to her.

Lin Xu seemed to have given up too.

But it turned out his own brother had never been sober at all.

“She has a boyfriend, you need to stay calm!” Su Linzhou felt as if struck by lightning, his mind all muddled.

The noise from Su Linzhou made Xie Changyan’s head buzz, his irritable tone growing colder, “What if I can’t stay calm.”

Su Linzhou froze on the spot, throat seemingly losing its voice, opening his mouth but unable to utter a word.

After a long while, he found his voice again, with an indescribable look, “If you really like her that much… maybe just go for it.”

Xie Changyan’s gaze turned deep as he looked at him.

“After all, neither of you are married, and even if it’s a relationship, they can end in break-ups, right?” Su Linzhou, seeing his friend hopelessly in love, reluctantly gave him a piece of advice, “With your qualifications, you’re much better than Ji Tingyang. If she’s not blind, she’d definitely choose you and break up with Ji Tingyang.”

“Then, you’d really get the beauty in the end.”

Listening to his words, Xie Changyan’s eyes lowered slightly, as if pondering something.

A faint string in his heart was touched.