Chapter 53

Lin Wei, her high heels slightly disheveled, stiffly disappeared into the other side of the living room, like a pink rose broken by wind and rain. The seat she had been sitting in became empty, and several pairs of eyes, seemingly enjoying the spectacle, drifted over, only to be quickly drowned out by the loud voices and laughter of the elders nearby.

Shi Ye was still frozen in her chair, feeling the heat on her cheek from Qi Jin's words, "She doesn't need to know me from others," hadn't completely subsided; instead, it seemed to be spreading to her neck and ears. She picked up her teacup, pretending to lower her head to drink water, the cool porcelain against her palm slightly cooling her down.

Qi Jin acted as if nothing had happened. She picked up the food box that Aunt Liu had brought from the coffee table, opened it, and sure enough, inside were several delicate and small Chinese pastries, still slightly warm. She picked up a piece of osmanthus cake and naturally handed it to Shi Ye's plate.

"Aunt Liu's specialty pastries aren't too sweet." Qi Jin's voice returned to its usual calm, as if she hadn't said the words that were clearly protective of her just now.

Shi Ye looked at the translucent pastry adorned with osmanthus blossoms on the plate, then at Qi Jin's expressionless profile. The burning heat in her heart slowly cooled, condensing into something... something even more unsettling, something damp and unsettling. She picked up the pastry, took a small bite, and found it indeed sweet but not cloying, with a rich osmanthus fragrance.

"It tastes good," she said softly.

Qi Jin gave an almost imperceptible "hmm" and picked up a piece to eat slowly.

The surrounding relatives seemed to have gotten used to (or rather, become immune to) Qi Jin's "saying something outrageous" style, and soon they started chatting in twos and threes again. The topic briefly shifted from Shi She to the recent economic situation, whose child had been admitted to which prestigious school, or which new tea was good. The atmosphere became relaxed and lively again.

Grandpa Qi watched the two of them interact with a smile, stroked his white beard, and said to an equally vigorous old friend next to him, "Old Zhang, look, Xiao Jin is finally showing some humanity."

The old man, referred to as "Old Zhang," laughed heartily, his voice booming: "That's right! He used to be as cold as an ice cube, but now he knows how to serve snacks to people! Shi girl, you've done a great job!"

Shi Ye nearly choked on a mouthful of osmanthus cake and quickly picked up her teacup to clear her throat. Merit? What merit did she have? Was it the merit of being forced to attend a family banquet and then being fed snacks?

Qi Jin picked up his teacup without changing his expression, took a sip, and ignored the two old men's teasing.

Just then, a young man who looked to be about the same age as Qi Jin, wearing a casual suit and frameless glasses, with a gentle demeanor, walked over, also carrying a plate of snacks.

"Sister Jin, Grandpa, Grandpa Zhang." He greeted them politely first, then his gaze fell on Shi Ye, and he smiled warmly, "This must be Miss Shi? I am Qi Jin's cousin, Qi Ran. There were too many people earlier, so I didn't have time to greet you. I apologize for the neglect."

Qi Jin nodded to him as a greeting.

"Hello, Qi Ran," Shi Ye replied politely. This cousin seemed much more pleasing to the eye than Lin Wei from before; his eyes were clear, and his attitude was sincere.

"Miss Shi, please make yourself at home," Qi Ran said with a smile, placing the plate of pastries in front of Shi Ye. "These are some new walnut shortbreads that the kitchen is trying out. They're very crispy. Try them." He then looked at Qi Jin, "Sister Jin, I just heard from Uncle and the others that your company is also interested in participating in the cultural and creative park project in the west of the city?"

Qi Jin put down his teacup: "Yes, we're evaluating it."

"That's great!" Qi Ran's eyes lit up. "Our studio has also been in contact with them recently, looking for a suitable place to hold a new exhibition. If there's an opportunity, we might even be able to collaborate."

The two chatted briefly about work, their tone very professional. Shi Ye listened quietly from the side and noticed that Qi Jin and his cousin seemed to have a good relationship. Although they still didn't talk much, Qi Jin's attitude was noticeably more amiable than when he treated other relatives.

After chatting for a few minutes, Qi Ran realized that Shi Ye couldn't get a word in edgewise, so he wisely made an excuse to leave. Before leaving, he winked at Shi Ye and mouthed, "My sister is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, don't mind her."

Shi Ye: "..."

She felt that the Qi family was a truly...unique yet harmonious family. There was a cheerful and lively patriarch like Grandpa Qi, an iceberg-like (seemingly melting) heir like Qi Jin, a distant relative with fickle thoughts like Lin Wei, and a gentle and friendly cousin like Qi Ran... When put together, they created a strange and lively atmosphere.

The family banquet officially began in a spacious and bright dining room. The long mahogany dining table was full of people, and the dishes were exquisite and plentiful, but the atmosphere was more like a lively family gathering than a formal banquet for the wealthy. Grandpa Qi sat in the head seat, and Shi Ye was arranged to sit next to Qi Jin, on the other side of Grandpa Qi.

During the meal, Grandpa Qi was in high spirits, constantly putting food on Shi Ye's plate, introducing each dish as he did so: "This Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is Aunt Liu's specialty, it's been stewed for over ten hours, have a taste!" "This is seasonal crab roe tofu, it's very fresh!" "Eat more, look how thin you are! And Xiao Jin too, doesn't he know how to take good care of people!"

Qi Jin silently picked out the fatty parts that Grandpa Qi had put in Shi Ye's bowl, which she didn't particularly like, and put them in his own bowl. He then put some light vegetables and fish in her bowl. His movements were natural and fluid, as if he had done it a thousand times.

Shi Ye looked at the "optimized" dishes in her bowl, then at Qi Jin's calm profile, and the pool of water in her heart started bubbling again.

The other relatives at the table were also chatting and laughing, their topics ranging from all over the world. When someone asked about Shi Ye's family situation, Grandpa Qi immediately waved his hand dismissively: "Why ask so many questions! Let's eat! Shi Ye's daughter is a guest in our house, so she's one of us! Eating is the most important thing!"

Shi Ye looked at Grandpa Qi gratefully, and the old man smiled kindly at her.

Shi Ye didn't eat much during the meal (mainly due to nervousness and unease), but she felt much more relaxed than she had expected. The atmosphere at the Qi family home, at least on the surface, was much simpler and warmer than she had imagined. There was no deliberate difficulty, no subtle probing, only Grandpa Qi's undisguised affection and the curious or friendly glances from the other relatives.

Of course, aside from the occasional glances Lin Wei cast her, tinged with resentment and scrutiny, she remained seated far from the head of the table and didn't initiate any further conversation.

After dinner, everyone moved to the adjacent tea room and living room to continue drinking tea and chatting. Grandpa Qi pulled Shi Ye into a game of chess—Shi Ye wasn't very good at it, only remembering the basic rules, but Grandpa Qi was enthusiastic, teaching her as he played, occasionally giving her a few moves at a time, and cheerfully saying, "This girl has good comprehension! Better than Xiao Jin! When Xiao Jin played chess with me as a child, if he lost, he would put on a stern face and could even flip the chessboard!"

Qi Jin was sitting on a sofa not far away, talking to Qi Ran and two other young relatives. Hearing this, he looked up and looked over. He had no expression, but a hint of helplessness seemed to flash in his eyes.

Shi Ye was amused by Grandpa Qi and relaxed a lot, playing a game of "instruction chess" with the old man.

As it approached nine o'clock in the evening, the guests began to leave one after another. Grandpa Qi personally escorted Shi Ye to the door, patted her hand, and said in a slightly lower but still hearty voice, "Girl, I'm sorry to have troubled you today, having to keep up with us old folks. Come again often! Make yourself at home! If Xiao Jin dares to bully you, tell Grandpa, and Grandpa will teach her a lesson for you!"

Shi Ye felt a warmth in her heart and nodded earnestly: "Thank you, Grandpa Qi, I'm very happy today."

Grandpa Qi smiled so much his eyes narrowed into slits: "As long as you're happy! Xiao Jin, take Shi back home, be careful on the way!"

Qi Jin nodded, bid farewell to Grandpa Qi and the other relatives who were still there, and led Shi Ye to the parking area.

Night had fallen, and the streetlights in the villa area cast a soft glow. Away from the hustle and bustle and the warmth of the indoors, the cool evening breeze brushed against his face, clearing Shi Ye's slightly feverish mind.

The two walked side by side, their footsteps sounding exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

"Today..." Shi Ye began, wanting to say something, but unsure where to begin. Thank you? That seemed too inadequate. Share your thoughts? That was too complex.

"Are you tired?" Qi Jin asked.

"...It's alright," Shi Ye said honestly. "Better than I expected."

Qi Jin turned his head to look at her. The moonlight and streetlights intertwined on her face, softening her features. "My grandfather likes you very much."

This sounds like a statement, but it also sounds like...a confirmation?

Shi Ye's heart started pounding again, much to her dismay. "Grandpa Qi is a very good person."

"Hmm," Qi Jin responded, and then said nothing more.

Walking to the car, Qi Jin opened the door for her as usual. Shi Ye got in and fastened her seatbelt. Qi Jin went around to the driver's seat and started the car.

The car drove away from the villa area and merged into the city's nighttime traffic. Soft piano music played in the car, making it even quieter than when we arrived.

Shi Ye leaned back in her chair, gazing at the dazzling city lights outside the window, her mind replaying the events of the evening like a movie: Grandpa Qi's hearty laughter, the curious or friendly glances from her relatives, Lin Wei's resentful look, Qi Jin's understated protection, and those words that made her heart race...

This all feels so unreal.

Like a dream that was too beautiful, yet somewhat chaotic.

She subconsciously raised her hand and touched the moon necklace around her neck. The cool jade seemed to have absorbed her body heat at that moment.

“Shi Ye,” Qi Jin suddenly spoke.

"Um?"

"Don't worry about Lin Wei." Qi Jin's voice was particularly clear against the backdrop of music and engine sounds. "She is the daughter of a distant relative of my mother's. We had more contact when we were young, but we saw each other less often later."

Is this... an explanation? Or a reassurance?

Shi Ye paused for a moment before realizing that Qi Jin was referring to the girl in the pink dress. "...I didn't pay attention."

"Mm." Qi Jin responded, paused for a few seconds, and then said, "The gift that Grandpa gave you will be delivered to you by Aunt Liu tomorrow."

A gift? Shi Ye remembered that before leaving, Grandpa Qi seemed to have slipped a small box into her hand, saying it was "a little something." She was a bit overwhelmed by Grandpa Qi's enthusiasm and accepted it without looking at it carefully.

"No need to be so polite..." she instinctively wanted to decline.

"Keep it," Qi Jin interrupted her, his tone flat. "It's Grandpa's gift. He likes you."

It's that phrase again: "He likes you."

Shi Ye felt her cheeks starting to heat up again. She turned her head and looked out the window, pretending to be attracted by the neon lights outside.

The wet, chaotic emotions in her heart were slowly smoothed out by an invisible hand, and some warm, bewildering things were mixed in.

The progress bar for the forced association hung quietly in her mind, still displaying that glaring number, but at this moment, it didn't seem to frighten her as much.

Even... a little numb?

Or perhaps it's a case of "what's the use of trying?"

She didn't know.

All she knew was that tonight, she seemed to have... seen another world of Qi Jin. A world completely different from the cold, complicated, and scheming wealthy family she had imagined—a lively, warm, and even somewhat... lovely world.

And Qi Jin stood at the center of that world, pulling her in (perhaps unwillingly) in a way she had never imagined.

The car was parked downstairs at her house.

Shi Ye unbuckled her seatbelt and opened the car door. The cool night breeze made her shiver.

"Tomorrow," Qi Jin also got out of the car and walked up to her. In the night, her eyes were like stars immersed in a cold pool, shining brightly. "Get some rest."

"Mm." Shi Ye nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Thank you for today."

Qi Jin looked at her without saying a word. In the moonlight, her eyes were so deep that they seemed to see into one's soul.

After a few seconds, she spoke slowly, her voice low and clear:

"You're welcome."

"There may be other occasions like this in the future."

"You...get used to it gradually."

After she finished speaking, she raised her hand, as if she wanted to touch Shi Ye's cheek, but in the end she only brushed away a withered leaf that had fallen on her shoulder from who-knows-where.

"Go on up." She withdrew her hand and got back into the car.

Shi Ye stood there, watching Qi Jin's car slowly drive away until the taillights completely disappeared into the night.

She raised her hand and touched the shoulder that Qi Jin had just brushed against.

There, a faint trace of the coolness from Qi Jin's fingertips and the chilly scent of cedar emanating from her body still lingered.

The pool of water in my heart has completely calmed down.

No longer boiling, no longer churning.

It turned into a smooth, mirror-like lake, clearly reflecting everything that had happened that night, and... her own heart, which was quietly changing.

She turned and went upstairs, her steps seeming much lighter than when she came.