I’m not, I didn’t, don’t talk nonsense.
Wen Ying ran through a triple denial in her head before steadying herself.
She suspected she’d been Xie Qian’s fangirl last life, but this time she’d upgraded to “mom fan,” her focus on him was a protective urge for her handsome “son”!
Yep, that’s it.
Feeling lighter, Wen Ying happily helped Xie Qian set up the tent.
She actually knew how.
Several “hobbies” of hers came from time with He Zhen.
Thinking of He Zhen chasing seniors abroad irked her, but the skills she’d picked up with him were hers now, and she was pleased.
With her help, the tents were up before Wang Shuang’s crew even grilled the meat.
Three tents total—tonight, the three girls would share one, the four boys split the other two.
Li Mengjiao returned with a bunch of wildflowers to spruce up the tents, Qin Jiao, not fully into the barbecue or camping vibe, was waiting for Yu Wenhao’s move.
Wen Ying told her to relax.
“It won’t happen that fast.”
Qin Jiao had just arrived at Longtan Lake, if Yu Wenhao’s son popped up now, it’d be too obvious.
Meanwhile, Wang Shuang’s group got the charcoal going, he grilled a few skewers himself, calling Qin Jiao to try his work.
Before she could, Li Mengjiao nabbed two, critiquing, “Wang Shuang, your peppers aren’t cooked enough, the potato slices are burnt… why’s it all veggies? No way, grill me some pork belly!”
“Food can’t even shut you up, don’t eat if it’s bad!”
Pork belly? Qin Jiao liked veggies, especially soft, grilled potato slices.
Li Mengjiao kept nitpicking while munching Wang Shuang’s veggies, he griped she was clueless, and they bickered by the grill.
Qin Jiao, veggie lover, ended up eating Fang Long’s ribs.
The ingredients were prepped and marinated, flavor spot-on, the issue was Wang Shuang’s group botching the heat… outdoor grilling was fun, hands-on, all about the vibe, but Wen Ying inwardly recoiled at their half-raw, half-charred skewers.
No way she’d let those reach Xie Qian.
Rolling up her sleeves, she said, “I’ll help!”
Fang Long, from a family running an agritourism spot, had better skills, so Wen Ying assisted him.
She wasn’t a grill master, but she was patient, timing flips well, her skewers didn’t burn.
Wang Shuang’s trio got sidelined, their skills dissed, leaving Wen Ying and Fang Long in charge.
Hearing Wen Ying ask Qin Jiao about grilled eggplant, prep spice-free beef skewers for Xie Qian, note Li Mengjiao’s love for wings and Tang Yifeng’s for ribs… Wang Shuang was fuming.
Did he plan this trip just to give Wen Ying a stage?
Xie Qian got her beef skewers.
Just cumin, no chili powder or oil.
He’d never eaten with Wen Ying, how’d she know he couldn’t handle spice?
Probably a fluke.
Out-of-province folks weren’t as spice-crazy as Sichuan locals.
Even if it was chance, Xie Qian felt her thoughtfulness.
He tried the beef, perfectly cooked.
Mid-bite, Wang Shuang sidled up with an ice-cold soda, “Xie Qian, don’t you think, maybe I’m overthinking, but Wen Ying seems to be sucking up to everyone… it’s weird.”
Xie Qian paused, hand outstretched for the soda.
Wang Shuang’s words rubbed him wrong.
Setting the skewer down, he asked seriously, “She’s sucking up to you, what can you give her?”
Wang Shuang blinked, then explained, “You don’t know, her uncle works with Qin Jiao’s dad, a tiny favor from Uncle Qin could stuff her uncle’s pockets—”
As he spoke, Qin Jiao stood by the grill, asking Wen Ying if she was hot, handing her a towel, then water.
Xie Qian cut him off, “Sorry, I don’t need to hear this, you’re meddling too much, and your last name’s not Qin.”
Wen Ying cozying up to this crowd for her uncle’s connections?
If he hadn’t seen her vibe with Qin Jiao or heard she’d hired a PI to catch her uncle’s affair, he might’ve bought it.
Xie Qian left Wang Shuang, grabbed some skewers, and said he’d try grilling.
Wen Ying, sweaty from the fire, had done plenty, Xie Qian figured she could rest, they were all here to hang out, splitting costs, no need for her to overdo it and get judged.
“Xie Qian, you know how?” Wen Ying asked.
She couldn’t picture him grilling.
Him doing this? If his forum fangirls knew, they’d drown her in spit… As she fretted, Xie Qian laid skewers on the grill, asking back, “How hard can it be?”
To a top student, maybe nothing was tough, at least grilling wasn’t harder than math Olympiads in his eyes.
Ten minutes later, Wen Ying ate ribs he’d grilled.
Her fangirl filter maxed out, these were the best ribs of her two lives!
She didn’t know Wang Shuang had spurred this.
Wang Shuang watched from afar, nearly crushing his soda bottle.
Xie Qian fell for Wen Ying’s charm too? He’d warned him out of kindness, and got snapped at?!
Tang Yifeng strolled over, “Chill out, the girl’s fine, bustling around today, not picky at all, if you like her, hang out more, if not, invite her less, we can’t control who Qin Jiao befriends.”
Wang Shuang rolled his eyes, “A few ribs bought you off?”
Tang Yifeng, rebuffed, gave up talking.
Geng Xiao squatted by the lake skipping stones, Tang Yifeng said Wang Shuang was overreacting, Geng Xiao didn’t look up, “Haven’t you noticed? Anything with Qin Jiao, Wang Shuang’s all over it.”
Tang Yifeng froze, unsure, “You mean Wang Shuang… Qin Jiao?”
“Like,” he whispered, Geng Xiao barely caught it.
“I didn’t say it, you did,” Geng Xiao said, dropping his stone and brushing his hands.
Tang Yifeng felt struck by lightning.
If Wang Shuang liked Qin Jiao, why all the girlfriends?
Chasing her was iffy to start, now with a playboy rep, his odds were worse, plus Qin Jiao had a year till college entrance exams, then off to a top school with better guys, where’d that leave Wang Shuang?
Realizing this, Tang Yifeng thought Wang Shuang was nuts.
Qin Jiao befriending Wen Ying—what’s to fuss over? Jealousy’s aim was off, if anyone needed watching, it was Xie Qian, here today.
Even Tang Yifeng had to admit Xie Qian was too good-looking.
More than that, his manners screamed good upbringing.
He had an air of class.
Tang Yifeng and Geng Xiao pegged him as rich, maybe noble too, yet Wang Shuang felt no threat from him in their circle?
This bunch of teens all had their own agendas, only Fang Long seemed purely set on hosting well, sticking by the grill, serving Wen Ying’s crew with a big grin on his tanned face.
Fed by Fang Long and Xie Qian, they soon filled up, Wen Ying forgot her diet today, Xie Qian’s skewers were worth it, she’d feel bad not eating more after he braved the smoke!
Fang Long, the local, had activities lined up, his family prepped boats by the lake, inviting Wen Ying’s group to cruise and sightsee.
“This weather, lake breeze on the boat, eating watermelon, playing cards—pure bliss!”
“Got fishing rods too, big fish in Longtan Lake, see if you can catch one, if you do, tonight’s fish feast, our chef’s boiled and pickled fish are killer.”
“Fishing too tame? I’ll teach you net casting.”
Fang Long’s offerings weren’t exclusive, other tourists enjoyed them too, several boats already dotted the lake.
Wen Ying’s phone buzzed in her pocket, a text from Deng Shangwei, “Yu Wei’s coming with people!”
Yu Wei, Yu Wenhao’s son.
She glanced at Qin Jiao, who checked her phone too, same message.
Wang Shuang hopped on a boat, “Qin Jiao, Geng Xiao, get up here, watch me net fish later!”
Qin Jiao hesitated, Wen Ying thought boating was risky.
Longtan Lake, a water quality reserve, was more a massive reservoir.
She’d reasoned Yu Wenhao wouldn’t kidnap Qin Jiao, but with Yu Wei showing up, boating felt unsafe.
Li Mengjiao, clueless to the danger nearing Qin Jiao, grabbed her arm, “Let’s go, us girls on one boat, ditch Wang Shuang.”
Qin Jiao boarded bravely.
She’d said she wasn’t scared.
No risk, no catching Yu Wenhao’s tail.
It ended up Qin Jiao, Wen Ying, Xie Qian, and Wang Shuang on one boat, Li Mengjiao, dodging Wang Shuang, took another.
The lake view was stunning, Fang Long played guide, narrating.
Qin Jiao and Wen Ying’s phones pinged with updates on Yu Wei.
He’d reached the shore.
He’d boarded a boat.
His boat was closing in.
Wen Ying’s heart pounded.
Qin Jiao tensed too.
Wang Shuang, oblivious, yelled from the bow, striking Titanic poses, hollering at Geng Xiao to jump with him.
Wen Ying wanted to kick the fool overboard and be done.
Lake breeze brushed by, egrets skimmed the water, Xie Qian felt refreshed.
Wen Ying looked nervous, though.
Odd.
A motor roared past, water bikes on Longtan Lake!
Wang Shuang and crew lit up, “That looks fun, Fang Long, you got those?”
Fang Long shook his head, “Too risky, accidents for newbies, we don’t do it.”
A few bikes chased each other, Wen Ying squinted, one rider was Yu Wei, she and Qin Jiao had seen his photo!
