Chapter 175 Exchanging Feelings
Ji Wanqing's heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
His words carried a clear hint of teasing, and even a subtle ambiguity.
She opened her mouth, but didn't know how to answer.
Fortunately, the waiter started serving the dishes at the right time, breaking the awkward atmosphere.
During the meal, Xie Chi didn't bring up those heavy topics again. Instead, they talked about some lighthearted things, such as her live stream content and interesting racing-related stories that she was interested in.
As Ji Wanqing gradually relaxed, she discovered that, setting aside his online identity as "Finish Line," Xie Chi in real life was an extremely charming man.
Mature, steady, meticulous, and...very good at managing emotions.
It can make you feel tense, but it can also relax you at the right time, like riding a roller coaster.
"Oh, by the way," Xie Chi casually remarked, "what a coincidence that you happen to be neighbors with your aunt's attending physician?"
Ji Wanqing's heart skipped a beat, and her hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly.
"Yes, it is quite a coincidence."
"Dr. Pei is young and promising, a very outstanding person." Xie Chi's tone was flat, revealing no emotion. "Are you... very familiar with each other?"
"Well... not very familiar." Ji Wanqing carefully chose her words. Why did everyone keep asking this question? Meng Chao had asked it before too.
She felt somewhat helpless, "It's just a normal neighborly and doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Pei is a very good person and very responsible."
Xie Chi glanced at her, but didn't press further. He simply gave a faint "hmm" and changed the subject.
The meal was more relaxed and enjoyable than Ji Wanqing had expected, but when she went to pay the bill, she was told that Xie Chi had already paid.
Ji Wanqing paused for a moment, then turned to see Xie Chi's smiling eyes. "Let's go."
It turns out he had just made an excuse to go to the restroom, but actually came to pay the bill.
The two said goodbye downstairs at the restaurant. Ji Wanqing took the soup to the hospital and stayed with her mother for a while before going home to prepare for the broadcast.
Ji Wanqing looked at the lively fan group, discussing her being soft-banned by the platform.
She stared at her phone silently for a while, then put it down and sat back in her chair, staring blankly at the computer.
The images of Li Anping's hypocritical smile and Boss Wang's increasingly aggressive demeanor flashed through her mind, making her feel nauseous.
Frustration, helplessness, and a hint of resentment churned in her mind.
Do we really have to bow down to those kinds of people? Trade our dignity for a pitiful amount of traffic?
She ruthlessly extinguished the thought as soon as it arose.
no way!
She took a deep breath, sat up straight again, and focused her gaze on the computer screen.
She opened the backend of the live streaming platform, and sure enough, the exposure of the recommended slots had dropped to almost zero, and search traffic had also declined sharply. Only her old fans who had followed her could still enter the live streaming room through the subscription list.
Switch platforms?
After the idea popped into her mind, Ji Wanqing immediately pulled out the contract she had previously signed with the union and read it carefully.
Sure enough, she found it; these kinds of contracts all have penalties for breach of contract.
There was nothing wrong with the contract itself; Kiyono had already reviewed it.
No one expected this to happen when they were signing the contract.
She doesn't earn money, the union doesn't lose anything, but if she switches platforms, she'll have to pay this breach of contract penalty.
Moreover... she really wasn't sure if these fans would follow her, especially her older brothers and sisters.
Ji Wanqing was caught in a dilemma.
Now that things have come to this, all we can do is hope that the finish line and Kiyono can help her through their connections.
Just as her thoughts were in disarray, the doorbell rang.
When Ji Wanqing opened the door, she was surprised to see Pei Yu standing outside, carrying a small paper bag.
"Dr. Pei? You're off work so early today?"
Pei Yu was dressed in casual clothes, his face showing a hint of fatigue, but his eyes remained clear.
"I just got back from my shift and passed by the dessert shop at the entrance of the community. I saw that their red date and longan cake looked pretty good. I thought you might be under a lot of pressure lately, and eating something sweet can help relieve that, so I brought one for you."
Ji Wanqing looked at the bag of cakes that were still slightly warm, and her heart felt as if it had been gently bumped by something, and a warm current suddenly surged into her heart.
"Thank you... Brother Pei." She took the bag Pei Yu handed her.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself, things... will always be resolved."
He didn't mention what it was about, as if he was only referring to Ji's mother.
But as Ji Wanqing heard that familiar voice, she suddenly remembered that the finish line had also mentioned that the voice on the isolated island was very familiar.
Moreover, his mother had already passed the most difficult period and only needed to stay in the hospital for a while longer. As the attending physician, he couldn't possibly not know this.
He didn't send her any desserts a few days ago, saying it was to relieve stress, but after the live stream went wrong, he suddenly said she was under a lot of pressure.
Ji Wanqing smiled and nodded. As Pei Yu turned to open the door, she suddenly spoke.
"By the way, Brother Lonely Island..."
"What's wrong?" Pei Yu turned around and looked at Ji Wanqing seriously, wondering if there was anything else she needed help with.
But Ji Wanqing raised an eyebrow at him and asked, "So, the isolated island really is you?"
Pei Yu was exhausted after a long day, and he often heard Ji Wanqing call him "Big Brother of the Lonely Island," so he really didn't react at first.
Seeing Ji Wanqing's expression, Pei Yu finally showed panic.
"I really didn't mean it... Sunny, don't be angry..."
Ji Wanqing lowered her eyes, a helpless smile appearing on her lips. She didn't know what she was feeling at that moment.
She wasn't the first one to lie to her, and she didn't quite understand why everyone would deliberately hide their identity.
Pei Yu became even more anxious when he saw that she didn't speak, and took a step forward.
"I... I met you at the hospital first, and then I accidentally saw you doing a live stream... This was for the sake of my image as a doctor. I was afraid that if you knew, you would think I was unreliable... Anyway, it was wrong of me to lie to you, I'm sorry."
Hearing Pei Yu's sincere words, Ji Wanqing finally felt a little happier.
If that's the reason, she can accept it.
Just as she was about to speak, a person emerged from the dark stairwell, a playful smile on their lips.
"You're right, lying is wrong, so please don't bother Qingtian anymore, okay?"
The two of them turned to look at the same time, and it turned out to be Xie Chi.
Ji Wanqing stared at Xie Chi as he slowly walked out of the shadows of the fire escape staircase, her mind went blank, and she was completely stunned.
How did he get up to the eleventh floor? And how long have he been standing there?
Pei Yu was clearly stunned as well. He looked at Xie Chi, who had suddenly appeared, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. The panic he had felt when facing Ji Wanqing quickly subsided, but a hint of vigilance and scrutiny appeared in the depths of his eyes.
He subconsciously turned slightly to the side, blocking Ji Wanqing by half a body length.
"Mr. Xie?" Pei Yu's voice regained its usual coldness. "So late, is there something you need?"
Xie Chi ignored Pei Yu, his gaze fixed on Ji Wanqing's face, the playful smile on his lips deepening, but his eyes remained devoid of warmth.
"Looks like I've arrived at the wrong time? Have I interrupted your... friendly chat?"
His tone was clearly sarcastic, and his gaze swept over the dessert bag in Pei Yu's hand and Ji Wanqing's face.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
