Love-Hate Rivals

Zhou Linzhe stared at Qi Si's profile, trying to recall his impression of him.

He really wasn't familiar with Qi Si.

Vaguely, he remembered that they had attended the same high school.

But Zhou Linzhe and Qi Si hadn't been in the same class, and Qi Si hadn't gone to school very often back then.

Even Bo Fuyu and Shen Shuyu, who had been in Qi Si's class, hadn't known him very well. Zhou Linzhe, from another class, knew him even less.

As he recalled, he had only caught distant glimpses of Qi Si a few times when he went to see Shen Shuyu.

The Qi Si in his memories had seemed perpetually sickly, as though a gust of wind could knock him over.

After graduating from high school, he had seen Qi Si even less.

Anything he heard about Qi Si had come from other people.

Zhou Linzhe couldn't understand it either. Back in high school, Qi Si had clearly been so quiet that people could barely sense his presence. How had he become this high-profile now?

The contrast was way too stark.

Zhou Linzhe had also met Qi Si's older brother, Qi Wang, a few times—the current head of the Qi Household.

Qi Wang had attended the banquets Zhou Linzhe went to with his parents and older brother.

He hadn't spoken much with Qi Wang either. They had only encountered each other from afar at those banquets.

When his parents and older brother spoke with Qi Wang, he would stand nearby and listen.

Compared to Qi Si's unreliability, Qi Wang was indeed much more composed.

Even Zhou Linzhe's parents and older brother had praised Qi Wang, saying he had surpassed his father.

Zhou Linzhe found it strange. They had the same parents, so how could the two brothers be so different?

Could Qi Si really have been spoiled rotten by Qi Wang? Raised into a useless wreck?

There had always been a rumor in high society that Qi Wang deliberately indulged Qi Si so he could turn him into a good-for-nothing and no longer fear Qi Si fighting him for power.

All that talk about Qi Wang being an obsessive little-brother doting freak was supposedly just an act.

Zhou Linzhe couldn't draw a conclusion about that.

Maybe the brothers simply had a good relationship?

Other than that, Zhou Linzhe's deepest impression of Qi Si was his previous grand pursuit of Lin Weiwei.

It had been so high-profile that the entire internet knew about it.

Zhou Linzhe had originally held no opinion about Qi Si. After all, Qi Si had nothing to do with him.

It was because of Lin Weiwei that Zhou Linzhe developed an issue with Qi Si.

After learning that both Qi Si and Lin Weiwei would be on this show, Zhou Linzhe had found a way to get himself a spot as well.

Zhou Linzhe had been certain Qi Si came for Lin Weiwei.

But after everything that had happened today, Qi Si's behavior confused Zhou Linzhe again.

All day long, Qi Si had been neither warm nor cold toward Lin Weiwei. Rather than pursuing her, he seemed more like he disliked her.

Zhou Linzhe couldn't figure out what trick Qi Si was playing.

Zhou Linzhe ate this meal with a head full of worries, nearly giving himself indigestion.

After dinner, Qi Si and Zhou Linzhe helped clear the dishes.

Neither of them rushed to wash the dishes, which surprised the livestream viewers.

The guests next door had all fought to wash up after eating, eager to show themselves off.

Why were these two completely ignoring the usual script?

Qi Si sat in his chair and looked at Zhou Linzhe, who likewise hadn't moved. He lifted his leg and gave him a light kick.

"Go wash the dishes."

Zhou Linzhe moved his leg away. "Why don't you go?"

Qi Si didn't feel embarrassed in the slightest and said righteously, "I'm not washing them for your own good. Otherwise, none of you will have bowls to eat from tomorrow."

Zhou Linzhe gave him a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Then why do you think I'm not going?"

Qi Si's expression went blank for a moment.

Yu Doudou, who had taken out his homework again and was preparing to do it, heard their conversation and mercilessly laughed at them. "Hahaha... You big brothers are so old, but you still can't wash dishes! Shame on you! I can wash dishes!"

Qi Si and Zhou Linzhe looked at Yu Doudou and fell unusually silent.

[Hahahahaha, what is wrong with you two? You actually got laughed at by an eight-year-old child. (laughing through tears)]

[Spread the word! Two wealthy young masters can't even compare to an eight-year-old!]

[But seriously, two men in their twenties can't wash dishes? For real?]

[To the person above, I think it's for real. Think about who they are. Young masters from rich families like theirs must have housekeepers at home. Why would they need to wash dishes themselves?]

[That's not right. I remember Qi Si doesn't have housekeepers at home, does he? It's just him and his brother.]

[Do you really think Qi Wang, that little-brother doting freak, would let his little brother do housework?]

[Fine, fine, you have a point. You're right!]

Only Qi Wang, who was also watching the livestream, knew that Qi Si didn't not know how to wash dishes. He just didn't want to.

At home, asking him to wash a bowl was like asking for his life.

Now that he was outside, there was even less chance he would wash dishes himself.

Qi Wang had no particular thoughts about it. He didn't want his little brother washing dishes either.

His little brother didn't wash dishes at home, so why should he wash dishes for other people when he was out?

Besides, hadn't they been given money for meals?

Since it was a straightforward paid transaction, he had never heard of someone paying to eat at a restaurant and then having to wash the dishes afterward.

Qi Si's thoughts were different from Qi Wang's.

He truly disliked washing dishes, but that wasn't really why he chose not to help.

He and Zhou Linzhe were both young masters. Zhou Linzhe clearly didn't look like someone who did household chores at home. If he were made to wash dishes, it would probably turn out exactly as Qi Si said—no one would be eating tomorrow.

Qi Si chose to be useless together with Zhou Linzhe so Zhou Linzhe wouldn't stand out too much.

If both of them were useless, then the other wouldn't seem especially useless.

Of course, Qi Si wasn't thinking entirely of Zhou Linzhe. He was also thinking of himself.

If he really rushed to wash the dishes, the viewers would start insinuating things the next second, saying he was deliberately showing off for the cameras, putting on an act, and being so fake...

Who told him he wasn't as well-liked as Zhou Linzhe?

He had hung around all sorts of fandom circles before, so he was fairly familiar with the way those fans talked.

Rather than be mocked like that, he might as well remain a useless rich second-generation heir.

But being mocked by an eight-year-old brat made Qi Si feel as though his dignity had taken a hit.

Yet he couldn't take it out on an eight-year-old child, so he could only vent at Zhou Linzhe.

Barefoot, he kicked Zhou Linzhe in the knee. "I'm talking about you. You're this old and still can't wash dishes. Aren't you ashamed?"

Zhou Linzhe frowned at his knee. "You have the nerve to say that to me? Aren't you the same?"

"Who's the same as you? I can wash dishes, okay?" Qi Si retorted.

Zhou Linzhe said, "Then why aren't you washing them?"

Qi Si said, "I'm giving you a chance to show off!"

Zhou Linzhe said, "Why, thank you. You can keep that chance for yourself."

Qi Si said, "Why can't you appreciate kindness?"

Zhou Linzhe said, "If you know how to appreciate kindness, go wash them yourself."

[...(?)]

[I suddenly feel like the eight-year-old next to them is more mature than these two. (facepalm)]

[+1]

[Henan tooth extraction. Hard not to support it.]

[Quietly saying this, but I kind of think these two are cute together too. (guilty)]

[??? Don't be so ridiculous! Are you really watching this like it's a dating show?]

[The thing is, if you want to ship a CP, at least ship something normal. (facepalm)]

[What's not normal about it? Love-hate rivals are so good!]

At that same moment, two people watching the livestream unconsciously furrowed their brows at those comments.

[Mini Theater]:

Bo Yanqi: When do I get to appear? (knife at his neck) My wife still doesn't even know my real name, and you're already setting him up with another CP? (the blade presses against his neck, drawing blood)

Su Su: (wipes his neck) Ah! Blood! (plays dead)

[Appear? Hilarious. Treating your mom like that, you won't be appearing at all!]