Page 40

Chi Ning:...

Apparently, he really hadn't seen him.

But it wasn't his fault.

Qin Heng's casual suit was in the same style as Xu Jiahao's, looking carefree and eye-catching. Zhang Qiuwen, meanwhile, wore a stiff black suit and stood at the side like a bodyguard, so he had been automatically overlooked.

Chi Ning fiddled with the hem of his clothes, feeling a little guilty.

How strange. Zhang Qiuwen was such a tall guy—how had he failed to see him back then?

"Zhang Qiuwen." Qin Heng called out, rummaged in his pocket, and pulled out that thick stack of business cards.

He stuffed the assorted, perfume-sprayed cards into Zhang Qiuwen's hands all at once, then casually patted his shoulder. "Your good fortune has arrived. There are men and women—pick for yourself."

Zhang Qiuwen:...

Come on, bro, you're even helping Chi Ning out of this?

You were done for. You had fallen hard.

Speechless, he clutched the cards and asked, "Want this good fortune for yourself?"

A faint smile appeared on Chi Ning's face.

The three of them had stood there for too long, and quite a few guests had seen Qin Heng toss the business cards to Zhang Qiuwen.

Shen Xichun frowned and said to the person beside her, "Brother, I told you that wouldn't work. Qin Heng obviously isn't interested in women. You need to switch to boys."

"Where in our family am I supposed to find someone better-looking than the Chi family's second young master? Why don't you try cutting your hair short?"

Shen Xichun sneered. "Are you sick? With that brain of yours, you'd better stop fighting for the family fortune. Come abroad with me and study art, cultivate your character a little. Or, if nothing else, go surrender to Brother Shen and be his lackey. He cares about his reputation, so he won't do much to you for the sake of appearances."

As Shen Xichun spoke, she looked back toward Chi Ning.

Having given away the cards, Qin Heng looked as though he had thrown off some burden. He stretched out his long arm, hooked it around Chi Ning's shoulders, and smiled at Zhang Qiuwen. "I don't want your good fortune."

Zhang Qiuwen's teeth were about to ache from all that sweetness. He felt like a dog passing through the banquet hall who had been kicked for no reason.

Chi Ning smiled and briefly put an arm around Qin Heng's waist, but quickly let go. "Come on. Uncle Xu must be getting impatient."

He had only meant to show everyone that his relationship with Qin Heng was good—that they were friends.

But Qin Heng suddenly stiffened.

Chi Ning watched the smile on his face fade slightly, as though he had gotten angry.

Chi Ning froze. Before he could explain, Qin Heng's hand slid from his shoulder to the back of his neck.

His palm was scorching, practically warming Chi Ning's mind. Qin Heng gently pinched the soft flesh at the back of Chi Ning's neck, tilted his head, and pressed his lips close to Chi Ning's ear. "Don't scratch my waist. It tickles."

Everyone wore different expressions.

The conversation in the banquet hall abruptly paused. Chi Ning and Qin Heng's relationship was even better than they had imagined.

Half the people looked toward Xu Jiahao, waiting for him to state his position.

Xu Jiahao stood there lazily with a glass of champagne in hand, smugly asking Chi Yang, "My son. What do you think?"

Chi Yang stared fixedly at Qin Heng's hand around Chi Ning's neck and ground out his praise through clenched teeth. "A... fine... young... man."

Xu Jiahao smiled. "He is clever, indeed, but your younger brother is even better."

Not far away, Chi Baichuan turned his head. "How so?"

"Straightforward, honest, kind-hearted, sweet-tongued." Xu Jiahao counted them off on his fingers, then patted Chi Baichuan on the shoulder. "Brother Chi, you really know how to raise kids."

Chi Baichuan felt a little lightheaded with pride, but before he could be pleased for more than a few seconds, Xu Jiahao added, "I originally wanted to take Chi Ning as my godson, but unfortunately, he already has a father."

Chi Baichuan:?

No, he now had reason to suspect that Xu Jiahao's motives for cooperating with the Chi family were impure!

He treated Xu Jiahao as a friend and business partner, yet Xu Jiahao wanted to steal his son?

And even if Xu Jiahao wanted to steal him, Chi Ning seemed to like Qin Heng a little!

It was even a secret crush!

Like father, like son!

Chi Baichuan took a deep breath and feigned regret. "Ah, what a pity. You two simply have no father-son fate."

Xu Jiahao thought that wasn't necessarily true. He still had a roundabout plan to save the day. It all depended on his outstanding godson.

He waved Qin Heng over. "Come, meet your Uncle Chi."

Qin Heng withdrew the arm hooked around Chi Ning's neck, then walked properly up to Chi Baichuan and extended his hand. "Hello, Uncle."

Not only did he shake hands, he even bowed slightly while doing so.

It was difficult for Chi Baichuan to find any fault with him.

His feelings were complicated.

He feared Qin Heng liked Chi Ning and would trick him away.

But he also feared Qin Heng did not like Chi Ning and would break his son's heart.

For the moment, Chi Baichuan could not face this brat with his usual calmness, so he could only drag over his eldest son. "Chi Yang, come meet him."

Qin Heng and Chi Yang went through the same routine again.

Chi Yang gripped Qin Heng's hand and squeezed hard as though wringing out a towel, but Qin Heng's eyes did not even twitch. He even smiled at Chi Yang.

Chi Ning had seen Qin Heng being overbearing at school, seen him being ruthless, and seen him composed and measured around him, but he had never seen him this polite.

This kind of politeness from a junior toward an elder was different from his usual manner.

In short, two words—good at pretending.

Chi Ning thought for a moment, then said to his older brother, "You two talk. I'll go take a look over there."

Chi Yang said, "Mm. Be careful. Don't drink anything someone else gives you."

"Okay." Chi Ning took his orange juice and headed toward Sun Boxing.

Xu Jiahao and Qin Heng would not harm his older brother, but Sun Boxing was different.

He had to stay true to his original intention and remember his mission.

When Sun Boxing saw Chi Ning, the fingers holding his wineglass tightened at once. He quickly withdrew his gaze and looked toward Shen Minyi in the distance.

But Shen Minyi was not looking at him at all. His eyes were fixed directly on Chi Ning.

Sun Boxing viciously thought, Why doesn't Chi Ning trip and fall?

It would be best if he fell embarrassingly, so the orange juice could stain that custom-made designer suit jacket.

Unfortunately, Chi Ning not only did not fall, but walked steadily into the group of younger guests.

Gu Zhe, sitting in the corner, brightened at once. He squeezed through the crowd in a few steps, narrowed his eyes in an enthusiastic smile, and said, "Congratulations! You got five percent of the shares. From now on, you can lie down and count your dividends."

Sun Boxing curled his lip. Was Gu Zhe really stupid, or just pretending?

Was this something to celebrate? It meant the Chi family had removed their younger son from corporate management.

Chi Ning must hate it, right?

Chi Ning clinked his glass of orange juice against Gu Zhe's and smiled. "Yeah, I can lie down and count my dividends."

Starting next year, he would have more money than he could ever spend.

The seventeen- and eighteen-year-old boys and girls exchanged looks. Chi Ning's smile was so sweet... sweet enough to give people diabetes.

Chi Ning's gaze swept discreetly over Sun Boxing, and he put on a sigh.

Gu Zhe looked puzzled. "Isn't lying down and counting money a happy thing? Why are you sighing on your way to getting rich? If I had that much money, I'd hold a concert at Yangcheng Grand Theater and give away tickets for free!"

Chi Ning's mouth twitched.

Gu Zhe draped an arm over Chi Ning's shoulders like they were old pals. "Don't be unhappy just because I came over to talk to you. I saw a psychologist, and he said that how easily I fall for people is a psychological illness. It can be cured as long as I switch boyfriends more often, so I've decided to change boyfriends every half month."

Chi Ning said, "Huh?"

Are you sure that wasn't a quack?

After thinking it over, he quietly said, "I wasn't sighing because of you."

"Then what was it?" Like a pretty little fool, Gu Zhe followed along with Chi Ning's words. "If there's anything you need help with, I'll do my duty without hesitation!"

After carefully considering his wording, Chi Ning said, "Actually, it's not a big deal. It's just that this matter... maybe... I'm not saying for certain... but..."

Sun Boxing held his breath for so long that he nearly suffocated before Chi Ning said, "I think I may have fallen for someone I shouldn't."

Gu Zhe froze. Gu Zhe did not understand.

He said, "Huh?"

Chi Ning twisted his fingers, lowered his voice, leaned close to Gu Zhe's ear, and said in a voice only Gu Zhe and Sun Boxing could hear, "What would you do if you fell for a competitor's son?"

Sun Boxing's heart gave a heavy thump, and his throat tightened.

Although Chi Ning had not named anyone, he knew exactly who Chi Ning meant. It was definitely Shen Minyi. It had to be Shen Minyi!

Gu Zhe said, "If I were pursuing someone... I'd give him whatever he wanted to make him happy."

His eyes darted around, but he could not figure out who it was. There were only Qin Heng and Zhang Qiuwen around Chi Ning.

Who was it?

A competitor? Shen Minyi?

That couldn't be right, could it?

Chi Ning's taste could not possibly be that bad.

Gu Zhe always felt that might be a lie, but he had no proof.

Chi Ning said softly, "But I can't give him what he wants."

Sun Boxing thought, I can. He had originally planned to slowly investigate the Chi family laboratory's data. Given time, he would eventually get his hands on it.

But that would not work now. He knew very clearly how much Shen Minyi liked Chi Ning.

If Chi Ning really took the initiative, there would be no place for him in the future.

Sweat broke out across Sun Boxing's back. He rose and walked toward Shen Minyi. No one could be allowed to know Chi Ning's thoughts.

He had to...

Had to...

The instant Sun Boxing saw Shen Minyi, his heart nearly leaped out of his throat. He reached out, grabbed Shen Minyi's wrist, and pulled him into a corner. "Brother Minyi... I just heard Chi Ning say that he has someone he likes."

"It's..." you.

He paused, then said, "It's Qin Heng."

From the corner of his eye, Chi Ning caught sight of Sun Boxing and Shen Minyi huddled together and curled his lips into a smile.

Someone like Sun Boxing, who could abandon himself for the person he liked, definitely would not be able to sit still after hearing those words.

Second update

Chi Ning happily swung his foot.

He had provoked Sun Boxing because he wanted to make him anxious and expose a weakness. But Sun Boxing becoming so anxious that he went straight to Shen Minyi was truly beyond his expectations.