Chapter 41 Sulking: "Don't play with me like this."
Liu Xingjie turned the steering wheel and drove onto Fusheng Road.
As Qin Man looked at the gradually familiar streets and scenery, memories of the past slowly filled her mind.
For her, life was a dazzling and glamorous experience. From elementary school to high school, her memories of that time were filled with extravagant, carefree, and unrestrained days.
Back then, she was able to stand behind Qin Chen and use his power to her advantage. Even if someone was dissatisfied with her, they had no choice but to treat her politely.
Qin Chen was the undisputed boss there, and she was a young lady whom no one dared to offend; everyone doted on her and indulged her.
Apart from Jiang Xuchi.
She still remembered that when Jiang Xuchi appeared in Fusheng, he was either defiantly bullied by Qin Chen, or he was all alone.
When Qin Chen bullied him, he didn't say a word. He wouldn't roar like a wild beast, but instead stared back like a hunter.
At that time, she was not afraid of him, but she always remembered his dark and deep gaze.
Jiang Xuchi should hate her, but after so many years, she feels that the hatred has gradually merged with another kind of emotion.
As for what those feelings were, it was too complicated; she was too lazy to think about it, and even less willing to face it.
She could only force Jiang Xuchi to make his own choice.
Not long after, Liu Xingjie drove up to the entrance of Fusheng.
"We're here. You guys get out first, I'll find a place to park on the side of the road," he said.
Qin Man got out of the car and saw several boys standing at the entrance of Fusheng School, wearing Xilai's school uniforms.
The boys initially didn't pay much attention to them, but one of them muttered "Holy crap!" and whispered, "See that? It's Qin Man."
This sentence caused the others to look up and focus their attention on one of the girls among them.
Qin Man had only graduated less than a year ago, and most of the students in Xilai's junior and senior high schools knew something about her. Seeing her standing here in person, they couldn't help but feel emotional.
Qin Man felt the gaze coming from the front and turned her head to look, but her view was blocked by Jiang Xuchi's figure.
"What are you dawdling for? Hurry up and go inside." Jiang Xuchi raised his hand and turned Qin Man's head back, while also pushing her into the bar.
The students were still standing at the door, looking at each other in bewilderment.
Someone asked, "Shall we go in and take a look?"
"Forget it, Jiang Xuchi seems to be next to me."
Who is that?
In Xilai, Qin Man's name is known to almost everyone. She is surrounded by too much controversy, with rumors, photos, and videos constantly emerging that have never truly dissipated.
"You're a disgrace to Xilai's student. That's Jiang Shuhai's grandson, and his family makes a living doing this."
He made a gesture, and everyone immediately understood.
“I happen to be applying to schools recently. Which country did he go to? I'd like to know.”
“Neither he nor Qin Man went to study abroad,” the most well-informed person chimed in, who knew everything about the industry. “Jiang Shuhai has connections; he managed to get into a university in the capital through special channels. It’s just a matter of getting credits. He’s probably already managing things at the company. As for Qin Man, I don’t know. Didn’t her family go bankrupt? How could they afford to go to school?”
"Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse; even if someone goes bankrupt, they can still afford to go to school if they want to," another person remarked.
Xilai has never lacked prominent second-generation figures, but some of them have backgrounds that these nouveau riche can't even compare to.
Inside the Floating Life Bar.
Two people had already arrived at the table that Liu Xingjie had reserved: Jiang Chenyao and Chen Qixu. Qin Man recognized them; she had seen them before when she had dinner with Lin Xian.
She calmly chose a seat a little distance away from Jiang Chenyao and sat down.
"Manman, don't be so formal, come sit here."
Jiang Chenyao's casual "Manman" completely changed the atmosphere of the private room.
Qin Man couldn't help but gasp. Jiang Chenyao really had no sense of propriety when it came to his words. She should have distanced herself from him properly.
That day, she was a little carried away and said some ambiguous things to Jiang Chenyao.
But she didn't say it explicitly, only telling him to let him do it himself.
That's all he did?!
Qin Man couldn't help but glance at Jiang Xuchi.
He leaned back on the sofa, his expression indifferent, his eyelids half-closed, seemingly completely unconcerned.
This indifferent attitude stirred up Qin Man's resentment.
Qin Man sat down after hearing Jiang Chenyao's words.
They started drinking, and Qin Man joined in. They played cards together, but Qin Man had terrible luck and lost several hands, so she drank a lot of drinks.
Jiang Chenyao always tried to pull Qin Man to his side, and seeing Qin Man's tacit agreement, he couldn't help but look at Jiang Xuchi with a smug expression.
He was still a few years younger, and his appearance could be described as that of a petty person who had achieved success.
But Jiang Xuchi was not one to back down. When it came to cards, no one could beat him. After a few rounds, he lost all the chips on the table.
"Damn, you're insane! Winning this much is crazy!" Liu Xingjie slammed his cards on the table, quitting the game, and dragged Lin Xian to the dance floor to let loose.
Chen Qixu had run out of bargaining chips, so he made up an excuse to leave.
Only the three of them remained in the private room.
Qin Man kept anxiously watching Jiang Chenyao's next move, and was also extremely concerned about Jiang Xuchi's reaction. She had no heart for this game at all, so she naturally lost the most.
She was already a little drunk and didn't want to continue playing.
As luck would have it, Jiang Chenyao leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Manman, you're out of chips right now, can I lend you some?"
Although it was whispered in his ear, everyone knew that Jiang Xuchi could hear it.
Qin Man couldn't help but look up.
Jiang Xuchi remained unmoved, showing no interest in Jiang Chenyao's actions.
He always acts all serious and profound in front of Jiang Chenyao; it's really boring.
Qin Man asked, "Borrow?"
"If you can't win later and can't pay me back, then you'll have to promise me." Jiang Chenyao smiled slyly.
"I promise you?"
“Of course—” Jiang Chenyao looked at Jiang Xuchi, “agree to be my girlfriend.”
His words were too direct and too pointed.
Jiang Xuchi couldn't possibly fail to recognize this as a provocation.
Qin Man roughly knew what kind of person Jiang Chenyao was.
Jiang Xuchi looked down on someone as talented as him.
"..."
Qin Man knew that Jiang Xuchi was too lazy to even respond.
"Sure," Qin Man said nonchalantly. "I'll agree if I lose, give me the chips."
Jiang Chenyao pushed all the remaining chips on the table to her.
Qin Man looked at the chips, her feelings complicated.
If Jiang Xuchi had romantic feelings for her, how could he have no reaction at all? If he just liked to control her and watch her make a fool of herself, that would make sense, wouldn't it?
Qin Man couldn't quite describe how she felt at that moment.
I just felt a deep sense of betrayal.
"Play your card."
Seeing that Qin Man had some leverage, Jiang Xuchi urged her calmly.
This feeling of being detached is so annoying.
Qin Man randomly picked a card and threw it out.
Jiang Chenyao was with her family, so she didn't answer.
Jiang Xuchi: "I can't accept it, pass."
Qin Man casually tossed another card aside.
Neither of them wanted it.
At this point, everyone understood what Jiang Xuchi meant: he wanted Qin Man to win.
Jiang Chenyao laughed from the side, "You're being too deliberate."
Looking at the remaining cards in his hand, Qin Man felt smug but couldn't resist teasing him.
You want me to win, right?
I won't.
Qin Man broke up all the cards she could play and played them one by one, just wanting to see Jiang Xuchi not want any of them and indulge her.
He was really patient, managing to let Qin Man play all of her dozen or so cards one by one.
Qin Man won in a very dishonorable way, but she was very happy.
She gathered the chips to her chest, ready to start the next round, when Jiang Xuchi suddenly stood up.
He reached out and grabbed Qin Man's hand, pulling her up and saying, "Let's go, it's time to go back."
Jiang Chenyao said with a grin, "If you lose, you're done playing. Jiang Xuchi, you're not being fun."
"Playing with you is really no fun." Jiang Xuchi's voice was unreadable, but Qin Man inexplicably felt that he was angry.
Good riddance! She wanted him to be angry, otherwise all that time spent here would have been for nothing.
“How is it boring? Nobody said anything,” Jiang Chenyao said slowly, his smooth-talking side particularly strong at times like this. “Qin Man, sit down and continue playing.”
Before Qin Man could make a move, Jiang Xuchi dragged her out of the private room.
He was strong enough that Qin Man couldn't pull him away, and was dragged to the center of the dance floor.
The people around them were all dancing and making a ruckus, jumping around, and no one paid any attention to the two of them.
The air was filled with booming electronic music, dazzling spotlights, all sorts of glittering sequins, and the mingled smells of perfume and alcohol.
Qin Man rarely came to jump around; she felt like she was being overwhelmed and was suffocating.
"Was that interesting?" Jiang Xuchi whispered in her ear.
"What do you mean?" Qin Man feigned ignorance.
"Acting alongside Jiang Chenyao, I can tell," Jiang Xuchi concluded, "It's boring."
"..."
Are you angry?
They must be furious.
Qin Man wanted to get a good look at Jiang Xuchi's expression, so she tiptoed closer. Before she could even see his eyes, a large hand suddenly pinched her nose.
"Hello!"
He hit really hard, it hurt a lot!
Qin Man tried to push him away with her bare arms, but Jiang Xuchi wouldn't let go.
Jiang Xuchi put his other arm around her waist and pulled her to the very edge of the dance floor.
The lighting was dim, and several people standing around smoking immediately left when they saw the two of them coming over, embracing and hugging.
"What are you trying to say?" Qin Man covered her reddened nose. "Just say what you want to say, why are you hitting me?"
"Does it hurt?"
"Of course, it won't hurt if I pinch you."
Jiang Xuchi cupped her face and gently licked the bridge of her nose.
Qin Man was stunned.
They had kissed so many times, and each time Qin Man felt it was sudden. Jiang Xuchi's kisses never considered the timing or the atmosphere, but this time seemed a little different.
"Does it still hurt?"
"..."
Qin Man looked up, her heart pounding so fast she couldn't speak.
She heard him say that.
"Don't play this on me."
Now, he can change Qin Man's mind with just a few words.
"I……"
Qin Man's words stuck in her throat.
"Promise me you won't play these tricks on me like this anymore, it hurts me." Jiang Xuchi stroked her cheeks with both hands, staring straight at her.
Qin Man was at a loss.
What she wanted was very simple.
Is it so hard to hear you say you like someone?
Qin Man couldn't bring herself to ask that question at that moment.
Seeing her stunned expression, Jiang Xuchi smiled and said, "If I talk to you properly, you'll just pretend you're mute. Who would want to talk to you like this in the future?"
"..."
It's amazing, Qin Man really is like a mute, unable to say anything.
Afterwards, Jiang Xuchi led Qin Man through the bar and back onto the street. They had come in Liu Xingjie's car, and now they needed to take a taxi to get back.
Standing on the street, the cold wind blew straight into Qin Man's collar, and she couldn't help but move closer to Jiang Xuchi.
When the car arrived, she was dragged onto it again.
Before getting in, she glanced at the rearview mirror and realized how red her face was.
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