Dinner Together

"Tonight we're having a get-together. Want to come?"

At lunch, Chen Sheng carried his tray over and sat across from Jiang Qiao.

After spending some time with them, he had realized that Shi Junyi's attitude toward Jiang Qiao was actually rather subtle.

You couldn't say he trusted Jiang Qiao. Jiang Qiao had not even passed all the assessment criteria, yet Shi Junyi had made an exception to let him stand night watch, taken him out alone, and had even stayed twice in a house registered under Jiang Qiao's name.

But you couldn't say he trusted him completely, either. Whenever Shi Junyi thought of it, he would send Chen Sheng to keep an eye on Jiang Qiao's movements.

Chen Sheng had not been able to get a read on the situation before, but after what happened today, he felt Jiang Qiao had done it deliberately—whether consciously or not, he was doing things for Shi Junyi.

That was why he had decided to invite Jiang Qiao as one of their own.

Jiang Qiao absentmindedly stuffed some broccoli—the food he hated most—into his mouth. "We eat this stuff every day. What's there to get together over?"

The Shi family bodyguards' meals were prepared by a dedicated nutritionist, specifically tailored according to each person's daily needs for protein, dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and other nutrients.

Low in oil and salt, healthy enough, but utterly tasteless. With Jiang Qiao's appetite, he often had to ask Shen Guiyi to make him an extra meal after he returned home.

Chen Sheng lowered his voice. "It definitely won't be this. The young master approved it. Every time he goes out, he lets us relax a little."

That finally caught Jiang Qiao's interest. "Who's going?"

"Me, Chris, Zhang Liang, Axu. Sang Ye used to come too, but he probably won't today," Chen Sheng said.

Jiang Qiao considered it. "Will there be alcohol?"

Shi Junyi was not around anyway. Sneaking a little drink would not cause any trouble.

But Chen Sheng shook his head. He had always followed the rules; more than anything, he lacked the nerve. "Who could possibly get hold of that stuff?"

Jiang Qiao finished the food on his plate in two bites and asked Chen Sheng, "Mind if we add one more person?"

"Who?" Chen Sheng asked, puzzled.

Jiang Qiao grinned. "Someone with alcohol."

Dusk was approaching.

As the best friend of Shi Jiao, the powerful mistress of the Shi family, Shen Guiyi's stash far exceeded anything Chen Sheng and the others could have imagined.

When Jiang Qiao lifted the white cloth covering the serving cart, Chris's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

Zhang Liang reacted quickly, yanking Shen Guiyi, who was standing at the doorway, into the room before swiftly shutting the media room door tight.

Their guilty-looking panic made Jiang Qiao shake his head.

"What are you panicking for?" Shen Guiyi asked, rubbing her wrist. These rude men really are unlikeable.

Looking at the cart loaded with dark beer, lager, champagne, and brandy, Chen Sheng sighed. "Where did you hide all this?"

Shen Guiyi remained expressionless. "Shi Jiao's room."

"She doesn't care?" Chen Sheng asked in shock.

"She bought it for me," Shen Guiyi said.

No wonder.

"Same people, different fates. Does big sis still need anyone over there?" Axu asked.

"She does, but she doesn't want you. Big sis has high standards for looks. You don't make the cut. Someone like Chen Sheng barely passes, while Jiang Qiao is best—easy on the eyes."

Axu scratched his head. "You're still as unpleasant as ever."

"Sorry," Shen Guiyi apologized, without an ounce of sincerity.

This was the first time Jiang Qiao had entered this media room since coming to the Shi family.

It was nothing like the cinema or KTV room he had imagined.

The style and atmosphere were much warmer: a standard 3+2+1 sofa set, two reclining beanbag chairs, a transparent coffee table, a white wall, and a projector.

At the moment, the coffee table was covered with ingredients, with a charcoal brazier in the middle that had just been lit. No pot had been set on it yet, nor had any broth been added.

"Hot pot?" Jiang Qiao asked.

Zhang Liang picked up several coconuts freshly picked from the yard, split them open with a knife, and poured the coconut water into the pot. "Coconut chicken!"

Shen Guiyi plucked a vegetable leaf and chewed it raw while pouring drinks for everyone.

With the copper pot set over the charcoal brazier, the rich, fragrant broth soon began bubbling away.

Chris tipped a plate of prepared chicken into the pot. Just as everyone raised their glasses to celebrate the beautiful evening, there came a knock at the door.

They exchanged glances, every one of them tensing.

Cooking for themselves had Shi Junyi's permission. Drinking did not.

They hurriedly hid the alcohol beneath the table, pushing and shoving one another as they picked someone to answer the door.

Jiang Qiao exchanged a look with Shen Guiyi and buttered her up. "Go on, Sister Guiyi. You're powerful enough that there's no one you can't send away."

With a cigarette hanging from her lips, Shen Guiyi rolled her eyes at Jiang Qiao. "Pathetic."

Barefoot, she climbed over the sofa and walked to the door. "Who is it?"

Everyone inside held their breath. Aside from the bubbling copper pot, not a sound could be heard.

A clear male voice came from outside, asking softly, "Is Brother Qiao in there?"

Jiang Qiao's face stiffened. He quickly gestured to Shen Guiyi, telling her to say he was not there.

Seeing that, Shen Guiyi immediately guessed who was outside.

She gave Jiang Qiao a look that said, Leave it to me. Don't worry.

Then she yanked open the media room door.

Fu Zhilan stood outside. It was rest time, and he wore a soft goose-yellow sweater with white shorts, holding a box of little butter cookies in his hand.

He looked at Shen Guiyi. "Sister, is Jiang Qiao here?"

Shen Guiyi was utterly smitten, her heart melting. How could she care about Jiang Qiao's life or death? She immediately said, "He is! Come in, hurry. We're eating—join us!"

Fu Zhilan asked shyly, "Is that all right?"

Shen Guiyi grabbed Fu Zhilan by the wrist and pulled him inside. "Of course it is, absolutely. This room is full of rough men. We were missing a sweet, soft little darling like you."

Jiang Qiao let out a long sigh.

Damn it. He had known this woman was unreliable.

Shen Guiyi dragged Fu Zhilan to the sofa, got him a bowl and chopsticks, then asked, "Do you drink?"

Fu Zhilan shook his head. "Thank you, Sister. I'm not good with alcohol."

Then he obediently added, "You can drink. I'll keep it secret."

He edged closer to Jiang Qiao and placed the box of cookies on Jiang Qiao's lap. "I just made these. I brought them for you all to try."

Jiang Qiao shifted away, opened the cookies, and set them on the table. Stiffly, he said, "He just made these. Try them."

Chen Sheng's gaze kept shifting between the two of them. Seeing that, Jiang Qiao shot him a warning look.

Chen Sheng immediately thought of Sang Ye, who had been beaten half to death in the fighting arena that morning.

He shuddered and made a zipping-his-mouth gesture.

With Fu Zhilan joining them, everyone except Shen Guiyi felt somewhat uncomfortable. None of them ate or drank; they simply stared at Fu Zhilan.

Only Jiang Qiao casually picked up a bottle of dark beer and took two swigs, then reached into the pot with his chopsticks and picked up a piece of meat. "Is it cooked?"

Zhang Liang nodded. "It's cooked."

After saying that, he looked eagerly at Fu Zhilan again.