Chapter 37 It's boring to always be so aloof.
On Friday afternoon, Zhu Fan was stopped by Qiu Chen as she came out of the library after borrowing books.
Qiu Chen crossed his arms, looking like he'd finally gotten his hands on her. "Cold beauty, what did I do to offend you that you dislike me so much?"
The two books that Zhu Fan was holding, which were thicker than bricks, were taken away by Qiu Chen.
She met Qiu Chen's beautiful yet melancholic face and said, "Something really came up at home tonight."
She agreed to accompany A-Yuan to try on her dress for tomorrow's party that evening.
Qiu Chen only heard about Zhu Fan's family situation in the two days since she returned to China. When Zhu Fan explained that she was going back to accompany her sister, Qiu Chen assumed it was Zhu Ci.
He clicked his tongue, "Today isn't some big day for Zhu Ci, what's there for her to accompany? She's 17, not 3."
"Are you worried that she'll be bullied at home by your younger sister who just came back?"
It's good enough if Zhu Ci doesn't cause trouble or bully others.
She was both amused and exasperated. "I'm staying with my younger sister."
Qiu Chen clicked his tongue: "Having younger siblings is such a hassle."
He suddenly became curious about Zhu Fan, his younger sister who had just returned. "This is a good opportunity for you to let her integrate into our circle."
Qiu Chen waved his phone in front of her, "I told Aunt Yin that you're joining us for a party tonight. Aunt Yin told us to have fun."
"I'm going to pick up my sister now."
Zhu Fan called out to him, "My sister is a minor, it's not appropriate. Besides, today is the first day your bar has opened, it's even more inappropriate."
Qiu Chen also felt that his suggestion was a bit ill-considered. "My sister can't go today, but we'll all go to her party and ancestral recognition ceremony tomorrow to support her."
"It's obvious that your grandmother values your new sister a lot."
The original owner and Qiu Chen had been playing together since childhood, and their relationship was unbreakable over the years.
In the two weeks since the start of the semester, Qiu Chen skipped nearly two weeks of classes at Xida University, traveled abroad, and even climbed the Matterhorn, a mountain he had always wanted to challenge. He only returned to Beijing on Wednesday afternoon this week.
The bar he recently acquired during the summer vacation is scheduled to open tonight, and many of his friends in the industry are going to celebrate with him.
Qiu Chen hosted a gathering for his own people at his own venue tonight.
Firstly, it was to celebrate his successful ascent of the Matterhorn, and secondly, it was because everyone hadn't gotten together in a long time.
Seeing that Zhu Fan still didn't nod, he raised an eyebrow. "I've been back from abroad for two days now. I asked you to come and get the gift I brought you, but you didn't come. I asked you to have dinner with me and Gou Bai, but you didn't come either. And you're really not going to my bar opening tonight, are you?"
"He's dating another woman, why are you taking it out on me?"
Zhu Fan frowned slightly. "Why are we bringing up Fang Qibai again?"
Qiu Chen slapped the book in his hand and said, "Fine, I won't drag him into this. Let's just talk about the two of us. You're going to warm up the atmosphere for me tonight. Give me a definite answer, are you coming or not?"
The phone Zhu Fan was holding rang twice.
She looked down and saw it was a message from A-Yuan.
A-Yuan told her to have a great time at her party with friends that night. Her grandmother would be coming over tonight to help her try on dresses.
Zhu Fan stuffed her phone back into her bag and went to get the book that Qiu Chen had vented his anger on.
Qiu Chen sidestepped.
Zhu Fan pointed to the book in his hand, "If you keep taking pictures like this, the pages of this book will fall apart."
“Who would dare not go to your turf, Young Master Qiu? Give me the book, I'll put it in my bag.”
Qiu Chen, having achieved his goal, smiled and took the bag from her shoulder, stuffed the book inside, and slung it over his own shoulder. "Only you get this treatment. Young Master Qiu, I've had to beg you three or four times to carry my bag and be my driver."
Zhu Fan got into the passenger seat next to Qiu Chen. "Are we going now?"
It was still bright outside.
Qiu Chen glanced disdainfully at her plain white dress, then touched his own short, prickly haircut, which the old man had cut short with scissors. "Let's go change our clothes first."
Zhu Fan noticed a fresh scab on the back of his head. "Your old man really went all out this time."
Qiu Chen turned the steering wheel with one hand. "For so many years, the old man has disapproved of me wearing women's clothes and having long hair. In order to make me look like a man when I meet my arranged marriage partner, he personally cut my hair."
"How about that? Pretty manly, huh?"
Qiu Chen sounded nonchalant, but Zhu Fan felt a little uncomfortable listening to him.
She looked at his new hairstyle quite carefully. The neat buzz cut didn't look awkward on Qiu Chen's stunningly beautiful features, which seemed to be favored by God. Instead, it gave him an indescribable charm. It blended together, losing the breathtaking beauty he had with his long hair, but gaining a touch of unrestrained freedom. No matter what he wore, he looked beautiful in just the right way, unique and different.
Zhu Fan sincerely said, "You are beautiful no matter what."
Qiu Chen's shoulders slumped suddenly. "I didn't cry when the old man shaved my head, and I didn't cry when he asked me to marry him."
But Zhu Fan's undisguised admiration and the words "You're beautiful no matter what" brought tears to his eyes.
Zhu Fan patted his shoulder and said, "If you want to cry, find a secluded spot. You can lean on my shoulder for three minutes."
Qiu Chen drove lazily, saying, "Three minutes isn't enough; it'll take at least three hours."
Zhu Fan smiled and said, "Okay, cry freely, cry with all your might."
Qiu Chen chuckled for a moment, "You've never been this considerate and gentle before."
Zhu Fan didn't respond to his words.
Qiu Chen glanced at her for a moment, "You're better this way than before. It's boring to always be so aloof."
"Friends should act naturally and not change themselves to please anyone."
Zhu Fan agreed with Qiu Chen's words.
Qiu Chen: "See that bag next to your feet? It contains oatmeal lattes I bought for you, both hot and iced. The gift I brought for you is in the back seat, remember to take it."
Zhu Fan opened two cups of coffee, one hot and one cold, both with the same flavor, and kept the hot one for himself.
She took the iced glass and prepared to place it next to Qiu Chen.
Qiu Chen lowered his head and took a sip of the coffee that Zhu Fan handed him.
A car was driving in front of him, and he almost crashed into it because he was distracted.
Qiu Chen jerked the steering wheel, causing the car to swerve violently, and Zhu Fan nearly dropped her coffee.
Her heart was in her throat, but Qiu Chen acted as if nothing had happened: "Your hand is really steady, not a drop of coffee was spilled. Wait a minute, I'll take a couple more sips."
Zhu Fan raised the coffee a little higher so that he could drink it more easily and still see where he was going.
Qiu Chen's car almost brushed against the black Koenigsegg.
Qiu Chen wiped his chin. "Coffee spilled on my chin. Give me a tissue."
Zhu Fan bent down to get him some tissues from her bag, not noticing the black sports car that had just been wiped down.
She reminded Qiu Chen, "Pay close attention to the road and drive carefully."
Qiu Chen took the tissue, rolled down the car window, turned around and shouted to the black Koenigsegg that had suddenly stopped behind him, "Sorry, brother, I was distracted just now."
Wen Yuxing, sitting inside the car, rolled down the window, ready to unleash a torrent of abuse.
Hearing Qiu Chen's sincere apology, he clicked his tongue, "Qiu Chen is known to be the worst driver of all time. Luckily, Brother Zhou, you're a good driver, you were just a centimeter away from crashing..."
"Didn't he say he didn't date girls? Where did he find such a beautiful girlfriend?"
"The car was going too fast just now, I didn't see the girl's face clearly."
"So, his girlfriend feeding him coffee completely bewitched him?"
"Brother Zhou, why did you suddenly stop the car..."
Fang Qizhou didn't speak, his dark eyes fixed on the rearview mirror.
Wen Yuxing suddenly realized something, "Could the person sitting in that car be Zhu Fan?"
At that moment, he wished he could sew his mouth shut.
He said awkwardly, "Brother Zhou, your wife and Qiu Chen grew up together. It's normal for her to hand out coffee casually... Qiu Chen's bar is opening tonight, so your wife is definitely going over to help him get in the mood."
"Your sister-in-law is there, otherwise we could give Qiu Chen some face and let him pass by—"
Wen Yuxing lowered his head and didn't continue speaking.
Fang Qibai will definitely be here tonight.
The photos and videos of Fang Qibai draping a coat over Zhu Fan while she slept in the classroom on Wednesday afternoon spread throughout Peking University.
Then there's the breakup between Fang Qibai and Rong Lewei, and all sorts of rumors circulate about the three of them. Among them, the most popular claim is that Fang Qibai broke up with Rong Lewei because of Zhu Fan.
Of course, Zhou Ge and Zhu Fan's popular posts still remain firmly at the top of the list.
Wen Yuxing took out his phone from his pocket and sent a message to Zhu Fan.
Fang Qizhou raised his dark eyes, his fingertips lazily resting on the steering wheel.
The Cullinan in the rearview mirror had already driven far away, leaving the school.
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