Twelve noon.
The plane landed at Jiangzhou Airport.
As Ye Qiu and his group emerged from the cabin, they saw a Mercedes-Benz van parked below. Qin Wan stood by the window, dressed in a long skirt, exuding grace and charm.
Qin Wan spotted Ye Qiu, gave a radiant smile, and waved.
“Why is Sister Wan here?” Fairy Hundred Flowers asked, puzzled.
“On the way back, I sent Sister Wan a message,” Ye Qiu explained. He walked up to Qin Wan first, immediately pulling her into a tight embrace and kissing her cheek.
Qin Wan’s face flushed as she said, “Everyone’s watching, let go of me.”
“What, feeling shy?” Ye Qiu whispered in her ear, “Sister Wan, you weren’t this shy last time in the wild, were you?”
“Don’t bring that up!” Qin Wan, blushing, glared at Ye Qiu, then stepped out of his embrace to greet Fairy Hundred Flowers and the others.
After the pleasantries.
Xiao Zhan slid into the driver’s seat and said to Qin Wan, “Sister Wan, I’ll drive. You keep… the boss company!”
He nearly said “brother-in-law” but quickly corrected himself, recalling his sister hadn’t yet won Ye Qiu over.
“Thanks for the effort,” Qin Wan said with a warm smile.
“No trouble at all,” Xiao Zhan replied. “Sister Wan, where are we headed?”
Qin Wan said, “I’ve booked a table at the Imperial Hotel. We’ll head straight there for dinner. By the way, Jingzhi is there too.”
With that, the group left the airport.
Forty minutes later.
The van stopped at the entrance of the Imperial Hotel.
As Ye Qiu stepped out, he saw Lin Jingzhi walking out of the hotel, followed by Sun Mengjie.
Lin Jingzhi wore a fitted white qipao, accentuating her graceful figure. Her long hair cascaded over her shoulders, exuding the gentle charm of a Jiangnan woman.
“I really want to marry Sister Lin,” Ye Qiu thought to himself.
“You’re back?” Lin Jingzhi approached Ye Qiu, smiling. Her smile revealed two dimples, strikingly beautiful.
“Yeah,” Ye Qiu nodded, naturally pulling Lin Jingzhi into an embrace.
“Was the trip smooth?” Lin Jingzhi asked.
“Smooth,” Ye Qiu added, “Very smooth.”
Lin Jingzhi’s smile widened. As a perceptive woman, she immediately sensed from Ye Qiu’s words that he had gained a lot from this trip.
“Good to know it went well,” Lin Jingzhi continued, “Was it fragrant?”
“Huh?” Ye Qiu didn’t catch her meaning.
“How was the taste of the flower?” Lin Jingzhi asked again.
Ye Qiu was baffled. “Sister Lin, what are you talking about?”
Lin Jingzhi glanced at Ye Qiu’s expression, exasperated, and said, “You, honestly, what a letdown. Such a perfect opportunity, and you didn’t win over Fairy Hundred Flowers. Are you even a man?”
“Uh…” Ye Qiu finally understood her meaning and said, “Sister Lin, am I still your man? Why do you keep wanting me to be with other women?”
“You’re so exceptional. If I kept you all to myself, wouldn’t that make me seem selfish?” Lin Jingzhi asked, “You really didn’t win her over?”
“There’s nothing between us…”
“Alright, I get it. I’ll arrange something later.”
Ye Qiu laughed helplessly. “Sister Lin, don’t meddle. Fairy Hundred Flowers isn’t someone to mess with.”
“Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. I’ll make sure she’s willingly devoted to you,” Lin Jingzhi said with a slight smile, walking over to take Fairy Hundred Flowers’ hand affectionately. “Little sister, did Ye Qiu bully you on this trip?”
“No,” Fairy Hundred Flowers replied.
“Did you bully him?” Lin Jingzhi asked.
Fairy Hundred Flowers shook her head.
“Little sister, I’m telling you, that’s your mistake,” Lin Jingzhi said. “We’re all family. If you want to tease him, go ahead. He won’t dare resist. Rest assured, I’m always on your side.”
Family?
At those words, Fairy Hundred Flowers blushed, her thoughts wandering.
Knowing Fairy Hundred Flowers was shy and fearing she’d feel overwhelmed, Lin Jingzhi quickly changed the subject. “Let’s go up and eat.”
With that, the women linked arms and walked off, leaving Ye Qiu and Xiao Zhan behind.
“Brother-in-law, you eat with the sisters. I won’t join the fun,” Xiao Zhan said.
Ye Qiu glared at him. “What, treating me like an outsider?”
“No, no. I’ve been away for days, and I need to check on my sister. I miss her,” Xiao Zhan said, his smile fading. “Brother-in-law, are you really going to the cultivation world in a month?”
“Yeah,” Ye Qiu confirmed with a nod.
“Brother-in-law, I have a small request. Before you go, could you…”
“I know what you’re getting at,” Ye Qiu interrupted. “Before I leave, I’ll have a good talk with your sister.”
“No, you misunderstood. I don’t mean talk to her, but… be with her,” Xiao Zhan said. “You know how she feels. If you leave without settling things, she might do something drastic. If you’re not around, I won’t know what to do.”
Ye Qiu’s expression turned serious. “Once I go to the cultivation world, I don’t know when I’ll return, or if I’ll return alive. So I…”
“Brother-in-law, I believe you’ll come back alive. I don’t care. You have to be with my sister before you go. If you don’t grant this small wish, I’ll die right here.”
“You little punk, threatening me? Looking for a beating?” Ye Qiu said.
Xiao Zhan grinned. “Then it’s settled. I’ll head back now.”
“Wait,” Ye Qiu said. “Tell Zhuque I’m heading to the capital in a week. Have her gather Qilin, Han Long, and the others to meet me there.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Go on, and give my regards to your sister. Tell her I’ll visit soon.”
“Got it!” Xiao Zhan replied, then left.
“The hardest thing to bear is a beauty’s grace,” Ye Qiu sighed, entering the hotel.
After dinner, Qin Wan left with Fairy Hundred Flowers and Lüluo.
“Husband, you were so quiet during dinner,” Lin Jingzhi said. “You’re usually so talkative with us, but today you seemed like a different person. Is something on your mind?”
Ye Qiu took a deep breath. “Sister Lin, I do have something to tell you.”
Lin Jingzhi looked at him deeply. “Let’s talk in my office.”
Ye Qiu followed her to her office. As soon as they entered, he began, “Sister Lin, I…”
“Wait, let me show you something first,” Lin Jingzhi interrupted. Before he could finish, she quickly undid her qipao. The next second, Ye Qiu’s eyes widened.
Lace…
Openwork!
