The Spring Festival was just around the corner, marking the imminent start of the annual largest mammal migration on Earth. Qian Fei, who prided herself as a master of snagging freebies on Taobao, had surprisingly failed when it came to buying train or plane tickets home.
It looked like she wouldn’t be able to make it back for the holidays.
At the critical moment, it was Li Yifei who came to her rescue once again. Qian Fei was starting to think that, aside from being vain, pretentious, and sharp-tongued, Li Yifei actually had some real skills. There had been several instances where she couldn’t accomplish something herself, but he managed it effortlessly.
When Qian Fei took the plane ticket, she was so overjoyed she blurted out without thinking, “Li Yifei, I’ve decided to start looking at you in a slightly better light from now on!”
Li Yifei asked expressionlessly, “And how exactly were you looking at me before?”
Qian Fei had mentally compiled his “characteristics” so many times that she didn’t even need to organize her thoughts—she could rattle them off instantly: “Vain, pretentious, foul-mouthed, picky, finicky, gluttonous, lazy, tsundere, bad-tempered, etc.”
Li Yifei bristled. “Nine adjectives in one breath, and then you had to add ‘etc.’ for good measure? Fine, sanitary pad, give me back the ticket. If that’s how you see me, forget about looking at me in a better light—I should live up to your ‘etc.’ and be true to form!”
As he spoke, he made a grab for the ticket.
Qian Fei jumped onto the sofa, holding the ticket high above her head, and cried, “Don’t be like this! Calm down! Give me a chance to rephrase, okay?”
Li Yifei arched an eyebrow and looked at her. “Fine, I’ll give you one more chance.”
Qian Fei hopped down from the sofa and forced her expression into one of utmost sincerity. “Actually, while you may be vain, you really are good-looking, so it’s only natural to flaunt it—who wouldn’t with looks like yours?
“Sure, you love being pretentious, but the pretentiousness you pull off is stylish, classy, and high-end. Not being pretentious would be a disservice to your inherently refined nature!
“Foul-mouthed? That just means you’re eloquent. Not everyone can pull off being foul-mouthed with such finesse!
“Picky? That shows you take life seriously, never settling for less. You’re a responsible person!
“Finicky? Well, uh… that just means you have high standards for living. You know what you want and what you enjoy, and you go after it. That’s the embodiment of positive energy!
“As for being gluttonous—honestly, I should be happy about this one. It’s proof you appreciate my cooking!
“And lazy? You’re destined for greatness! How could you let trivial chores hold you back? If you were actually good at housework, maybe you wouldn’t have the skills to get me this plane ticket today, right?
“Tsundere? Oh, I only added that for the rhyme—just refer back to the ‘finicky’ point!
“And lastly, bad-tempered… What was I thinking, adding that? Yes, you used to argue a lot with your ex-girlfriend, and when you fought, you really went for the kill. But you’ve never fought with me like that, so how could I, as an outsider, righteously point that out? I’ve never experienced it firsthand, after all!”
Listening to the first part, Li Yifei thought she was doing a decent job twisting his flaws into “quasi-virtues.” But when she got to the last point, he decided he’d had enough and that it was time to live up to his “bad temper” honestly.He raised his hand and, taking advantage of the moment when Qian Fei was chattering away unguardedly, swiftly and decisively snatched the plane ticket from her grasp.
"Don't go home. Stay here and keep me company for New Year's! If I don't teach you a lesson, you'll never know what it means to be profoundly wrong!"
Qian Fei let out a wail and threw herself onto his arm. "Young master, I was wrong, I was really wrong! I've never seen someone as good-looking as you! Forgive me, I was blinded by your handsome face, my rational nerve endings were paralyzed, that's why I spouted nonsense! I already know what it means to be profoundly wrong! Forget profound—my teeth are engraved with 'I know I was wrong' now! Please give me back the ticket, it's my lifeline!"
Li Yifei was torn between laughter and exasperation by her antics and tossed the ticket back to her.
Qian Fei didn't notice the tips of Li Yifei's ears turning slightly red. Thinking her nagging had worked, she happily hugged the ticket and went back to cracking melon seeds on the sofa.
Li Yifei shook his arm.
When that damn girl had thrown herself at him and grabbed his arm, his forearm had coincidentally brushed against two soft mounds, stirring some restless thoughts in him.
Noticing certain physical changes beginning to stir, he calmly made his way to the bathroom.
Inside, he braced his hands against the mirror on the wall, waiting for his body to calm down.
Staring at his reflection, he felt bewildered.
How could he have reacted like that to that tomboy...?
●︶3︶●
While Li Yifei was in the bathroom composing himself, he received a call from Dajun.
Dajun's complaints were fiercer than ever: "Li Yifei, you're really something! How come you just flap your lips while I do all the legwork? Even if we're tight, you can't bully me like this! I was the one who busted my ass to get that plane ticket for your tomboy landlord, so why do you get to be the good guy in front of her? No way, not this time—you have to introduce her to me! I admit it, I've taken a liking to a tomboy, and I'm ready to go all the way, even if it means marriage! I want to be friends with her, date her!"
Li Yifei scoffed. "You dare lay hands on someone in my territory? Tired of living? Have you forgotten who saved you in middle school when a bunch of girls surrounded you and pulled your pants down? No worries, if you've forgotten, I’ve got photo evidence to remind you of the great favor I did for you!"
Dajun shrieked, "Damn it, Li Yifei, you’re such a bastard! Is that a great favor? That’s oppression and blackmail! Do you have any idea how hard it was to get that plane ticket? If you’re so capable, why don’t you make up with the old man and have him get it for you?"
Li Yifei sneered coldly, his voice icy. "Daring to bring up that old geezer with me? I suppose you don’t want that export deal to Japan anymore. I’ll just call Lu Ze in Dalian and tell him to send all the goods back to you."
Dajun immediately caved over the phone. "Bro! I was wrong, bro! Ask your landlord what brand of tea she likes—I’ll go recharge my phone bill right now!"
Li Yifei smirked triumphantly and hung up.
Then he paused to wonder why he had smirked "triumphantly." After a moment, it dawned on him.
He had successfully defended his claim over the tomboy, keeping her from being tainted by that bastard Dajun.He smirked at his reflection in the mirror, continuing his smug sneer.
●︶3︶●
Qian Fei had taken two days off from work in advance. The day she returned home was a Thursday, a regular workday nationwide. As she was dragging her suitcase out the door that morning, she was surprised to see Li Yifei still at home.
"Why aren't you at work?" Qian Fei asked him while pulling her luggage.
"You're going home today," Li Yifei answered matter-of-factly.
"Me going home means I don't have to work—what's that got to do with you?"
Li Yifei walked over and took the suitcase handle from her. "Don't be ungrateful! By all rights, when Young Master Li personally offers to see you off and carry your luggage, you should be weeping with gratitude and kowtowing in thanks! Your current reaction is completely inappropriate. Collect yourself and try again!"
Qian Fei stared blankly: "You...want to send me off at the airport?" She pointed at her own nose as she asked Li Yifei.
"Young Master, what's gotten into you? Do you need me to do something for you? If you've got something to ask, just say it—no need for all this uncharacteristic enthusiasm. This sudden humanitarian concern of yours is making me nervous!"
Li Yifei narrowed his eyes and looked down at her. "Tell me, shouldn't I describe you with those two words?"
Qian Fei knew he meant "asking for it." Rolling her eyes, she said, "Keep them for yourself—they suit you better!" Then she tried to grab back the suitcase. "I think I know what you want to talk about. Planning to bring your girlfriend home for New Year? Feel free—no need to be so hesitant. If I can put up with you for this long, what wouldn't I accommodate? Just one thing—try to keep it clean and tidy. Don't leave those gelatinous substances full of potential life lying around everywhere. Of course, if you clean up after yourselves, then by all means, leave them wherever; but if I have to clean up when I get back, I'm warning you—I'll lose it when I see them!"
It took Li Yifei a moment to process what she meant by "gelatinous substances." When it clicked, his face darkened as he jabbed her forehead hard with his finger. "Are you even a woman? How can you say such things to me? Do you think I'm some kind of stallion?!"
Qian Fei's head jerked sideways from the force. As she straightened up and rubbed her forehead, she muttered, "I think you're the king of all stallions!"
Li Yifei raised his hand to jab her again, this time with enough force that Qian Fei rubbed her forehead the entire ride.
"So mean—playing around and going straight for the kill!" Qian Fei couldn't help grumbling in the taxi.
Li Yifei hadn't taken the front passenger seat. He sat beside Qian Fei in the back, glancing sideways at her while shaking out his hand and complaining, "What did you pack in that suitcase? It's so heavy! Young Master's wrist is about to break!"
Qian Fei couldn't resist teasing him. "Honestly, with your delicate pea-prince physique, what can you even do? Whining about carrying such a tiny bit of luggage—if you time-traveled back to the 60s, you'd starve to death several times over!"
Li Yifei snorted coldly. "Let me tell you, don't be ungrateful. Young Master has never carried anyone's luggage before!"Qian Fei blurted out exaggerated praise without much thought: "Young master, you're amazing! Young master, you're so virtuous! Young master, my eyes are nearly blinded by tears of gratitude! Young master, go ahead and wreck the apartment with your girlfriend—if the landlady dares complain, just watch me smack her!"
Their banter in the backseat left the driver utterly bewildered as he glanced at them through the rearview mirror.
What the hell was their relationship? He was completely lost...
Li Yifei side-eyed Qian Fei for a moment before saying, "On New Year's Eve, all my buddies are with their own families, so I’d be alone. If she doesn’t go back to her hometown, I might actually invite her over—but just to eat, watch TV, and celebrate the New Year together. Nothing inappropriate." Noticing Qian Fei’s stunned expression, he added after a pause, "Your young master here has standards!"
Qian Fei thought that if she had a bottle of water in hand right now, she’d definitely take a sip just to spit it out in shock—right onto Li Yifei’s face—for maximum dramatic effect.
"Haha, no, don’t make it sound like I’m interfering in your personal life! Haha, whatever you do or don’t do is your business—no need to report to the landlady!" she said, scratching her cheek awkwardly.
Li Yifei shot her a look. "Look at you, acting like an idiot." He flicked his wrist and continued, "I remember hearing you mention to your dad on the phone that he likes a drink now and then. A friend gave me two bottles of Wuliangye, but I don’t care for it. Take them back for your dad." He nudged the bag at his feet.
Qian Fei suddenly realized he’d been carrying that bag the whole time. She had assumed it held documents—never imagined it was for her.
She leaned over and peeked inside, grinning mischievously. "Aw, this is so embarrassing! Look at you—I just asked you to play along with my dad on the phone, and now you’re taking the act way too seriously! How old is this liquor?"
Li Yifei replied casually, "Just fifty-year-aged. A bit rushed this time—tell the old man to make do for now."
Qian Fei froze mid-motion. Working in investment banking, she often dined with corporate executives, and over time, she’d picked up some knowledge about liquor. Fifty-year-aged Wuliangye? Each bottle easily cost over ten grand.
She slowly straightened up, staring at Li Yifei in disbelief. "Young master Li, please tell me this is high-end counterfeit booze! Otherwise, I can’t accept it!"
Li Yifei scoffed. "Counterfeit my ass! If this is fake, I’ll take your surname!"
Qian Fei’s heart pounded wildly. "Bro, this gift is way too extravagant—I can’t take it!"
Li Yifei looked at her with disdain. "You call this extravagant? Clearly, you’ve never seen real luxury."
At the airport check-in counter, Qian Fei hesitated, clutching the bag of liquor with trembling hands.
"I still think it’s inappropriate for me to take these! You should keep them!" She shoved the bag back at Li Yifei.
Annoyed, he snapped, "Stop wasting time! Look at the line behind you!" Then he handed the bag directly to the check-in staff.Qian Fei watched nervously as the staff affixed the labels to the liquor bottles and mumbled, "After I accept these two bottles from you, you're not going to force me to do something terrible for you, are you?"
Li Yifei scoffed, "Enough with the self-importance already! Did I ever say these were for you? I made it very clear they're for your dad!"
Qian Fei remained wary. "Then you're not going to force my dad to do something terrible for you, right?"
Li Yifei didn't respond. Instead, he mustered all his strength and jabbed Qian Fei's forehead hard with his finger.
Author's Note: Thank you all for your generous support with the thunder and bombs!!!!!! My dear benefactors, I want to be best friends with you all!!!!!! Mwah mwah mwah mwah!!!
In the past, Little Scoundrel never took his flings seriously and never thought about the future, let alone marriage. To put it bluntly, he was just having fun while he was young. Little Waste is probably the first time he's ever been sincere, and this is a situation he's never encountered before. So honestly, he doesn't even know what he's doing or why he's doing it. His excuse to himself is that Little Waste is his buddy, and being good to a buddy is just what you do, haha...
The second update of the double update is here!!! Please don't hesitate to flood me with comments until I'm overwhelmed!!! Come on, babies!!! [From the last chapter, it seems like everyone wasn't too enthusiastic about the double update... My gamble on popularity failed. I won't bet anymore—feels like we can't have fun together anymore TT]
← Recommending Jiumei's novel, a great post-apocalyptic story with an adorable and silly husky! Everyone should go check it out ^_^
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