Chapter 52

The next afternoon, Shi Ye felt like a sacrificial offering waiting to be placed on the altar. Lin Xiaoyu dragged her out of bed early in the morning, first forcing her to do a soothing face mask ("to improve complexion!"), then supervising her to wash and blow-dry her hair ("Hair should be smooth and shiny!"), and finally making her sit in front of the mirror, ready to unleash her "personal use only, effects questionable" makeup skills.

"Sister Shi Ye, don't move! This eyeliner is very expensive! It would be a pity if you drew it crooked!" Lin Xiaoyu held up the eyeliner that looked very high-end (and also dangerous), as if facing a formidable enemy.

Shi Ye tried her best to keep her facial muscles still, but her eyelids still trembled slightly uncontrollably. Looking at herself in the mirror, who had been painted and smeared by Lin Xiaoyu and was gradually becoming a little unfamiliar, the nervousness she felt because of "meeting the parents" was strangely suppressed by her worry about "being painted like a panda."

"Alright!" Lin Xiaoyu finally put down her tools, took a step back, examined her "work," and nodded in satisfaction. "Perfect! A clear, natural nude makeup look! The key is to highlight your eyes! I'm sure you'll love it!"

Shi Ye looked in the mirror. The person in the mirror did indeed look more radiant, and their eyebrows and eyes were lightly outlined, making them appear much more energetic. Their lips were a natural mauve color. Indeed... not exaggerated, one could even say just right.

"It's alright," she commented.

"What do you mean 'okay'! It's absolutely gorgeous!" Lin Xiaoyu complained, then picked up a comb and gave her hair a final touch-up. "Alright, hurry up and change your clothes! Your senior will be here soon!"

Shi Ye changed into the light apricot-colored dress and matching knitted cardigan, put on the flat shoes Qi Jin had given her, wore a moon necklace, and carried a simple handbag. Standing in front of the full-length mirror, she almost didn't recognize herself. The soft, warm colors softened her usual aloofness and detachment, making her look... somewhat gentle (?).

"Wow!" Lin Xiaoyu exclaimed, her hands clasped to her chest, her eyes shining. "Sister Shi! You're so beautiful! Even my senior wouldn't be able to take her eyes off you!"

Shi Ye felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze and changed the subject: "What about you? Aren't you going?"

"Me?" Lin Xiaoyu blinked. "What would I do there? Be a third wheel? Besides, it's the Qi family's banquet; it wouldn't be appropriate for an outsider like me to go." She paused, then put on that sly smile again. "And, I'll be waiting here for your firsthand battle report! Remember to send me messages anytime! Text! Pictures! Videos are even better!"

Shi Ye: "..."

Just then, the doorbell rang.

Lin Xiaoyu immediately jumped up like a startled rabbit: "Coming! Coming! Senior is here! Sister Shi, hurry up and open the door! Remember! Smile! Be natural! Good luck!"

Shi Ye was pushed to the door by her. He took a deep breath and turned the doorknob.

Qi Jin had already arrived outside the door.

She didn't drive here today; instead, she stood at the entrance, followed by a well-dressed, smiling middle-aged woman carrying a rather exquisite-looking food box.

Qi Jin's gaze lingered on Shi Ye for a few seconds, scanning her from head to toe. Her expression didn't change much, but Shi Ye keenly noticed a faint hint of...satisfaction? in her eyes.

"Ready?" Qi Jin asked, his voice gentler than usual.

"Mm." Shi Ye nodded, trying to keep his voice calm.

"This is Aunt Liu, the housekeeper. She's here to deliver some things," Qi Jin briefly introduced the woman behind him.

Aunt Liu smiled and nodded to Shi Ye: "Hello, Miss Shi. Old Master Qi asked me to bring some freshly baked pastries over, in case you get hungry on the way."

"Thank you," Shi Ye said somewhat awkwardly.

Lin Xiaoyu peeked out from behind Shi Ye and greeted her sweetly, "Hello, senior! Hello, Aunt Liu! I'm counting on you two for Shi Ye!"

Qi Jin nodded to her, and Aunt Liu responded with a smile.

"Let's go." Qi Jin naturally reached out and took the handbag from Shi Ye's hand, which was actually quite light.

Shi Ye was stunned for a moment; the handbag had already changed hands. She looked at Qi Jin carrying that small, off-white handbag that clashed so sharply with her cool and aloof demeanor, and that strange feeling welled up inside her again.

The three went downstairs, where Qi Jin's car was already waiting. Aunt Liu put the food box in the car, waved to them, and turned to leave.

Shi Ye looked at the familiar car, then at Qi Jin beside her, carrying her bag and opening the passenger door for her, and suddenly felt... utterly unreal. It was as if she was really about to step into Qi Jin's life, in a way she had never anticipated.

The car drove smoothly towards the west of the city, a traditional villa district. The closer they got to their destination, the faster Shi Ye's heart raced uncontrollably. Looking out the window at the increasingly quiet and green streets, her mind began to rehearse all sorts of terrible possibilities: Would Qi Jin's grandfather be very serious? Would he ask her some difficult questions? What if she made a bad impression?

"Nervous?" Qi Jin's voice suddenly rang out, interrupting her wild thoughts.

Shi She turned his head and found that Qi Jin was looking at the road ahead, but the lines of his profile seemed softer than usual.

“…a little,” she admitted honestly.

"Don't be nervous," Qi Jin said, his tone calm but with a strange sense of reassurance. "My grandfather is a very nice person, he's just a bit... fond of crowds. There might be a lot of people today, just stick with me."

Does he like crowds? A lively atmosphere? Shi She's anxiety tightened again.

"Besides your grandfather, who else is there?" she asked tentatively.

“My parents are away from home most of the year and can’t make it back today. It’s mostly relatives and some of my grandfather’s old friends.” Qi Jin paused, then added, “They… are probably just curious.”

Curious? Shi Ye felt his palms starting to sweat. Curious about what? Curious about this woman who suddenly appeared, who was engaged to Qi Jin (albeit a business marriage), and whose situation seemed somewhat ambiguous afterward?

The car drove into a heavily guarded villa area and finally stopped in front of a traditional and grand Chinese villa. The courtyard was large and shaded by green trees, and the sounds of laughter and conversation could be faintly heard coming from inside; it was indeed very "lively".

Qi Jin parked the car and walked around to open the car door for Shi Ye. Shi Ye took a deep breath and got out.

Stepping onto the smooth stone path, she truly felt the reality of "going to war." Several cars were already parked in front of the villa, indicating that quite a few guests had arrived.

Qi Jin walked to her side naturally, not too close, but his silent, steady presence acted as a barrier, slightly separating Shi Ye from her unease in the face of the unknown environment.

"Let's go," Qi Jin said, taking the lead towards the gate.

Shi Ye followed half a step behind her, gritted his teeth, and followed after looking at Qi Jin's tall and straight back.

Stepping through the villa's gate, the first thing that catches the eye is a spacious and bright living room, decorated in an antique style yet full of life. There are indeed quite a few people; at a glance, there are probably a dozen or twenty, including elders and young people of similar age to Qi Jin. The air is filled with the aroma of tea and sweet pastries, as well as lively conversation.

The moment Qi Jin and Shi Ye appeared, the laughter and conversation in the living room seemed to pause for a moment, and almost everyone's eyes turned to them. Curious, scrutinizing, friendly, inquisitive... all kinds of gazes intertwined, focusing on Shi Ye.

Shi Ye felt his back straighten instantly, and he tried his best to maintain a polite and calm smile, but his fingertips were already slightly cold.

Just then, a strong, cheerful voice rang out from the center of the crowd:

"Little Jin is back? This must be the Shi family girl, right? Come here, let this old man take a look!"

Following the sound, they saw an elderly man with gray hair, full of energy, and dressed in a traditional Chinese Tang suit, smiling and waving at them. The old man sat in the main seat of the armchair. Although he was not young, his eyes were bright and his smile was kind. He was Qi Jin's grandfather.

Qi Jin led Shi Ye forward and nodded slightly to the old man: "Grandpa."

"Hello, Grandpa Qi." Shi Ye also greeted him politely, his voice relatively steady.

Grandpa Qi's gaze swept over Shi Ye carefully, and his smile deepened: "Good, good, good! A beautiful and spirited young lady! Much prettier than in the photos! Come, sit here, don't be shy!"

He pointed to the empty chair next to him. That seat... was very close to the head seat, practically the focus of everyone's attention.

Shi Ye reluctantly sat down at Qi Jin's prompting glance. Qi Jin then naturally sat down in the other chair next to her.

"Little Jin, you have good taste!" Grandpa Qi patted Qi Jin's shoulder, his voice booming with undisguised satisfaction. Then he turned to Shi Ye and said with a smile, "Shi family girl, don't be afraid. Today is just a family gathering and a simple meal. These are just some old folks and young people who love to join in the fun. You don't need to worry about them, just relax!"

These words immediately enlivened the atmosphere in the living room, with several older guests laughing and agreeing, "Old Qi, you're being biased! How are we considered to be just joining in the fun?"

"That's right! We came all this way specifically to see Xiao Jin... and this Miss Shi!"

"Miss Shi, don't be nervous. Old Qi may look serious, but he actually dotes on the younger generation the most!"

The teasing and friendly banter eased Shi Ye's tense nerves slightly. She secretly glanced at Qi Jin beside her and noticed that although Qi Jin still had no expression, her eyes were relaxed, and she even nodded slightly to one of the elders.

It seems that Qi Jin and her grandfather do have a very good relationship.

For the rest of the time, Grandpa Qi chatted with Shi Ye about everyday things, such as how her health was, what she had been busy with lately, and how her parents were doing. His attitude was kind and natural, without any airs of a wealthy patriarch. Shi Ye answered each question calmly.

Other guests also came over to greet him and introduce themselves; most were relatives or long-time friends of the Qi family. Shi Ye politely responded to each one. Although he couldn't remember so many names and relationships, at least he didn't make any mistakes.

To her slight surprise, these guests seemed unaware of the inside story of the "business marriage," or rather, neither Qi Jin nor his grandfather had deliberately emphasized it. Everyone seemed to assume she was Qi Jin's "girlfriend" or "fiancée," their attitudes were very friendly, even carrying a hint of...relief and blessing?

Shi Ye's sense of unease grew stronger. This was completely different from the "trap" or "serious test" she had imagined. It was more like... an ordinary, welcoming family gathering?

Qi Jin sat quietly beside her most of the time, rarely interrupting. But whenever someone asked Shi Ye about a topic she wasn't familiar with (such as a relative's business), or when Shi Ye seemed a little lost, she would always respond calmly or use concise words to help her out of the awkward situation.

This silent protection and guidance made Shi Ye feel more flustered than any deliberate act of intimacy. She could feel the presence of the moon necklace around her neck, and she could also feel the familiar, reassuring aura emanating from Qi Jin.

Just as Shi Ye was gradually getting used to the atmosphere and even began to occasionally respond to the guests' jokes, a young girl in her early twenties, wearing a pink dress and with exquisite makeup, walked over with a teacup. Her gaze swept over Shi Ye before finally settling on Qi Jin, and she spoke in a sweet, coquettish voice:

"Sister Jin, it's been a long time! This must be Miss Shi, right? She's just as beautiful as the rumors say!"

As she spoke, she sat down on the empty chair on the other side of Shi Ye, her movements as natural as if it were her own special seat.

Qi Jin glanced at her, his expression blank, and simply gave a faint "hmm".

Shi Ye could sense that the girl's gaze upon her carried a subtle scrutiny and... a hint of hostility? A tension tightened slightly within her.

"Miss Shi, is this your first time visiting our home? How are you feeling? Are you settling in?" the girl asked with a smile, her tone sounding friendly, but her eyes didn't quite convey the same innocence.

“Very good, Grandpa Qi and everyone else are very hospitable,” Shi Ye replied politely.

"That's good!" The girl smiled even more sweetly. "Sister Jin is usually very busy with work and has a cold personality. It's so kind of you, Miss Shi, to be so tolerant of her. I've known Sister Jin since I was little. She may seem unapproachable, but she's actually very soft-hearted; she just doesn't know how to express it. Miss Shi, please be understanding in the future!"

These words sound like they're speaking for Qi Jin, but there's a sense of superiority and intimacy in them, as if they think, "I know her better than you do."

Before Shi Ye could figure out how to respond, Qi Jin suddenly spoke up, his voice calm and even, yet carrying an undeniable distance:

"Lin Wei, you don't need to worry about my affairs."

The girl named Lin Wei's smile froze for a moment, then returned to normal, her voice tinged with a hint of grievance and coquettishness: "Sister Jin, I'm just concerned about you! I was afraid Miss Shi wouldn't understand you and might misunderstand..."

“There’s no misunderstanding.” Qi Jin interrupted her, turning his gaze to Shi Ye, his tone gentler than ever before (at least to Shi Ye’s ears), “She doesn’t need to know me from others.”

Shi Ye's heart skipped a beat.

Lin Wei finally lost her composure, gave an awkward smile, said nothing more, got up and made an excuse to leave.

The little incident passed quickly, and the lively atmosphere in the living room returned. But Shi Ye felt that his heartbeat could never return to its previous rhythm.

Looking at Qi Jin beside her, who seemed perfectly normal as if nothing had happened, the boiling water in her heart seemed to evaporate completely into scalding steam, making her cheeks burn and her head spin.

Qi Jin's words...

What does that mean?

Does she not need to know about herself from others?

Is it...trust?

Or... something else, something deeper, something she dared not think about?