"Cough cough cough!!!" Chi Yining realized something was wrong halfway through, and in his excitement, he choked on his own saliva.
" Chichi, are you alright?" Chen Shiyu gently patted his back, her tone anxious and concerned.
Chi Yining turned her head and saw Chen Shiyu's rosy little face.
Chi Yining found out; he knew he was in deep trouble!
" Li Qingmi, what are you sitting there for! Go and get Chichi a glass of water!"
Luo Ye's voice had lost its previous gentle tone and had become stern.
Waaah, Aunt Luo, how can you have two faces!
Wait a minute! I was so caught up in the awkwardness that I forgot to offer the guests tea!
Feeling extremely rude and remorseful Chi Yining secretly dug a hole in the ground with a hoe, wanting to bury himself where no one could see him!
"Aunties, please wait a moment, Li Qingmi and I will go and pour you some tea... It was my rudeness, I forgot even the most basic manners."
Chi Yining forced a stiff smile, as if he wanted to escape the scene as if he was about to explode.
Upon reaching the bar, Chi Yining first filled a container with water and boiled it, then took out tea leaves and a teapot from the cabinet. Her steps were methodical and orderly.
Li Qingmi looked at Chi Yining and asked with a smile, "Are you nervous?"
Chi Yining didn't look at him, her tone cold and indifferent. "You're behind this?"
"No, it's just that I was curious about where you guys have been staying lately. Yan Guiyun wouldn't answer, so I checked on my own," Li Qingmi replied without any attempt to hide her feelings.
Chi Yining smiled and chuckled, "All done investigating? Do you have any pocket money left?"
Li Qingmi: "..."
Oh no! How did Chi Yining know?! I'm so embarrassed! It's shameful for a grown man not to have pocket money, please don't tell anyone!
"Ahem, well, my mom and the others felt guilty and insisted on coming to thank us. I couldn't get their address, so I had to pay them to look it up." Li Qingmi said, bending down to take a tray from the cabinet under the bar and handing it to Chi Yining.
"And how did you all come together?" Chi Yining felt less nervous talking to Li Qingmi, whom she saw every day in the dating reality show.
"No, it's a coincidence. Besides, it wouldn't be difficult for them to find someone." Li Qingmi sat on a high stool, propping her head up as she looked at him.
"That's true, but couldn't you have notified me first?" Chi Yining carefully pried open the tea cake with a small golden knife. "I can't help it, Brother Yan. I know your tea cakes cost tens of millions; this is already the cheapest one I could find."
"I know we were being presumptuous, but both our families are very grateful to you and want to repay you. Besides, they won't be able to sleep well if we keep this up."
Chi Yining sighed. Yes, he probably would have done the same if he were in that situation.
"Perhaps you feel that your act of saving lives was just something you did on a whim, but you saved two families. I think you should accept the gift as a token of your gratitude." Li Qingmi's voice was no longer as lazy and casual as before; her tone had become unusually serious.
Li Qingmi was a little curious. Where did Chi Yining learn his manners and upbringing? He didn't seem like a child who grew up by the sea at all.
His demeanor was more like that of a young master from a top-tier family; he always exuded an aloof and unapproachable aura, and he was always calm and composed in everything he did.
Even brewing tea is done with such elegance and grace... That perfect face, exquisitely flawless...
"Thump, thump..."
Suddenly, Li Qingmi's breath hitched, and he clutched his chest. Why was his heart beating so fast all of a sudden?
He stood up somewhat flusteredly, wanting to immediately stop his strangely rapid heartbeat.
"Um, Yining, do you have any fruit? I'll go get some."
Chi Yining, oblivious to the strange behavior of the person beside her, didn't even look up. "Yes, go get it from the fridge."