Although Shen Jianxi had anticipated someone might come looking for her tonight, the current scene was something she truly hadn't expected.
A twitch tugged at the corner of her lips as she awkwardly greeted them, "Hi~ What a coincidence."
"No coincidence, no coincidence! I came specifically to catch you!"
"Uh..." Was it too late to leave now?
The situation was too awkward. She tentatively suggested, "How about... we go out to talk?"
"Okay/Fine! Let's see what you have to say."
Five minutes later.
They found a KFC and sat down.
The current arrangement left Shen Jianxi feeling somewhat overwhelmed.
Opposite her, on her left, sat Xie Shu in a crisp white suit, and on her right, Song Duanli in a brown trench coat.
Judging solely by their appearances, both men were handsome enough to make one's legs weak, but the atmosphere was decidedly off.
Xie Shu looked at her with a cold smirk, "You wanted to talk, didn't you? Why aren't you speaking?"
"I..." She nervously twisted her skirt hem with her hands underneath, unsure of what to say.
"It's my birthday today, and you didn't say a word, yet you rushed off to see male models, and dressed like this?!" Xie Shu felt deeply wronged. He had agreed to her unreasonable request not to talk about romance yet, and she had still run off to see male models.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Xie Shu raised his voice slightly, "Why aren't you speaking?!"
"Do you take everything I say as mere wind?"
"What do you take me for?"
"I'm sorry." Shen Jianxi lowered her head, not knowing what to say.
"Come back with me." Song Duanli, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
His expression was extremely cold, and his words were blunt.
"Who are you? Why should I go back with you?" Before Shen Jianxi could speak, Xie Shu retorted.
"Because I'm her elder brother." Song Duanli's simple statement instantly deflated Xie Shu's imposing demeanor.
He stammered, "Oh... an elder brother."
Not wanting to waste any more time, Song Duanli simply stood up and directly pulled Shen Jianxi towards him, preparing to leave.
"Wait a moment, I have something to say. You go wait outside for me first." Seeing that Song Duanli had no intention of leaving, she continued, "Please, Brother."
77: "Beep! Affection +15, current Song Duanli affection is 35."
That address of "Brother" made Song Duanli's heart bloom. He nodded, and before leaving, he couldn't resist giving Xie Shu a warning look.
After Song Duanli had completely exited, Shen Jianxi sat back down in front of Xie Shu, "I..."
"Wait a moment."
Xie Shu interrupted her, stood up, took off his suit jacket, and draped it over her shoulders. Then, he resumed his displeased expression and looked at her, "Go ahead."
"Happy birthday, Xie Shu."
She started with that, which surprised Xie Shu. He blinked, then cleared his throat, "Don't think this means..."
"Let's be together."
This statement stunned Xie Shu. An overwhelming surge of joy struck him, leaving him momentarily speechless.
Shen Jianxi waved her hand in front of him, "Hey, are you stupid?"
This jolted Xie Shu back to reality. He still couldn't quite believe it and stammered, "You, you said you didn't want to date for now?"
"Why are you talking so much nonsense? Are you going to date or not? If not, then forget it."
"Yes! I will!" Fearing she might change her mind, Xie Shu quickly grabbed her hand, looking at her eagerly.
77: "Beep! Affection +9, current Xie Shu affection is 70."
"Pfft!" His foolish expression made Shen Jianxi burst into laughter. Although Xie Shu didn't know what she was laughing at, his girlfriend was smiling, so he smiled along.
"You're so silly, Xie Shu." She teased him.
"I wouldn't have a girlfriend if I wasn't silly." Xie Shu didn't mind. He picked up her hand and gently kissed it.
"Why did you come today?"
Shen Jianxi knew Song Duanli would surely receive news, but Xie Shu's arrival today was beyond her expectations.
Speaking of which, Xie Shu became angry. "Someone here saw you, took photos, and sent them to me."
Then he gritted his teeth and said, "If it weren't for that, I wouldn't have known my dearest girlfriend would go to see male models and shout 'So handsome'."
"Are they as handsome as I am?"
"Are they as young and beautiful as I am?"
"Do they have my stamina?"
"Can they make you happy like I can?"
"Are they as rich as I am?"
The barrage of five questions left Shen Jianxi stunned. She recovered and said with a sheepish smile, "Of course not! Xie Shushu must be the best!"
Seeing him about to speak, Shen Jianxi quickly continued, "I swear, I'll never come to a place like this again! Boyfriend, please don't be angry anymore~"
The address "boyfriend" made Xie Shu's bones go soft. How could he still be angry? His face turned red, "Okay, alright, but no next time!"
"Knock, knock, knock!" The sound of knocking on the glass interrupted the mood between them. Shen Jianxi turned to look. Song Duanli stood by the window, staring at them with dark, chilling eyes.
Seeing his obvious impatience, Shen Jianxi quickly stood up, "I'm going back now. See you at school!"
"See you at school!"
Xie Shu remembered his elder brother's rules and dared not act too intimately. Even though he was reluctant to part with his girlfriend of less than ten minutes, he could only watch her leave.
As Shen Jianxi walked away, Song Duanli's clenched fist finally relaxed.
The atmosphere between them made him feel jealousy for the first time, making him want to disrupt it.
77: "Beep! Affection +7, current Song Duanli affection is 41."
Shen Jianxi lowered her head, preventing anyone from seeing her slightly upturned lips.
Men, after all, only pay more attention when they feel a sense of crisis.
As soon as she stepped out, Song Duanli grabbed her hand with such force that she couldn't break free.
His thumb rubbed hard over the spot where Xie Shu had just kissed her. After getting into the car, he threw a pack of wet wipes at her, "Wipe it off."
Then he started the engine.
Shen Jianxi disliked his commanding tone the most. With a provocative smile on her lips, she opened the car door, threw the pack of wet wipes into the trash can right in front of him, then sat back in the car, chin held high, looking at him as if to say, "I did it on purpose, what are you going to do about it?"
Song Duanli let out a cold laugh and stomped on the accelerator. The immense force of acceleration made Shen Jianxi instinctively grip the handrail on the door.
She secretly glanced at the man driving, his aura very low, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
For a moment, Shen Jianxi even felt like she was the steering wheel in his hands.
The two of them were like a standoff, neither speaking a word, speeding back to the villa.
By the time they arrived home, Shen Jianxi's knuckles were stiff and sore from gripping too tightly.
But she didn't say a word, her lips pressed into a thin line, and she followed Song Duanli into the house.