During the latter half of their phone call last night, Qian Fei had gotten Li Yifei so worked up that he stubbornly refused to hang up, dragging her into endless conversation. By the time she finally went to bed, it was almost 3 a.m. Yet she had to get up before 7 a.m. to catch her flight. Unable to book the same flight as the rest of her visiting team, she would arrive an hour earlier than the others. They agreed to meet at the airport exit after landing.
Once on the plane, Qian Fei was so exhausted she could barely sit straight. As soon as the aircraft stabilized after takeoff, she collapsed onto the tray table, fast asleep.
Mid-flight, when the flight attendant served breakfast, she roused herself just enough to wolf down a boxed meal in a half-asleep daze. Her frantic eating amused the well-dressed, executive-type man in his forties sitting beside her, who chuckled at the sight.
After eating, she pushed the meal box to the corner of the tray table and tried to resume her nap. But with half the space occupied, she couldn't get comfortable no matter how she positioned herself.
The suited gentleman silently moved her meal box onto his own table while smiling. Qian Fei forced her bleary eyes open to murmur thanks before collapsing back into deep sleep.
She only woke when the man kindly nudged her as the plane prepared to land.
Knowing she had to meet corporate clients after disembarking, Qian Fei struggled to shake off her drowsiness. She vigorously slapped her cheeks with both hands— pat pat pat pat —prompting another amused chuckle from her neighbor.
"You seem exhausted!"
It took Qian Fei a moment to realize the successful-looking businessman was addressing her.
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, I slept too late last night!" she replied with a brief smile.
The announcement came that the plane had landed.
The man's eyes sparkled as he continued, "What do you do for work? It must be demanding!"
"Investment banking," Qian Fei answered politely but succinctly.
His eyes brightened further. "Oh? That's quite impressive for a young woman! Based in Dalian?"
Qian Fei shook her head with a smile. "No, I'm from Beijing—just here on business."
As the plane stopped, she stood up. The helpful gentleman retrieved her luggage from the overhead compartment and followed her off the plane.
They both headed toward the exit together.
While walking, he produced a business card and handed it to her. "What a coincidence—my company is also based in Beijing. Here's my card."
Qian Fei examined the card—it belonged to a listed company. His title read: Chairman.
Instantly respectful, she began searching for one of her own cards when suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder from behind. Startled, she thought this might be a potential harassment situation.
She whirled around—only to freeze in shock. The "harasser" turned out to be Li Yifei, who should have been back in Beijing.
"Chairman Meng, long time no see! Didn't expect to meet you here!" Li Yifei extended his right hand with a smile.
The suited gentleman's expression flickered momentarily before transforming into a brilliant smile. Shaking hands while glancing between them, he asked cheerfully, "Xiao Li, is this your girlfriend?"
Without hesitation, Li Yifei said, "Yes."
"Ah," the chairman nodded approvingly. "Your girlfriend is both accomplished and beautiful—you're a lucky man!"After exchanging a few more polite pleasantries, Director Meng tactfully excused himself to leave first. Before departing, he hesitated for a moment before saying to Li Yifei and Qian Fei, "When we're back in Beijing, I'll treat you both to a meal if there's a chance!"
Out of courtesy, both responded with polite but noncommittal "Sure."
Once the suited Director Meng had walked far enough to be out of earshot, two voices spoke up simultaneously.
Qian Fei exclaimed in surprise, "What are you doing here? Weren't you tied up with a project in Beijing?"
Li Yifei snapped, "How wide is your fishing net that you're not even sparing forty-year-old uncles?"
After a pause, Qian Fei retorted, "I'm not casting any nets! He was the one who started talking to me!"
Li Yifei countered, "Good thing I came to check, or who knows how rampant your rotten peach blossoms would become!"
Qian Fei rolled her eyes at him. "Big brother, were you sent by monkeys to witness how the world has shrunk to village size where you bump into acquaintances everywhere you go?"
Li Yifei raised an eyebrow. "Please translate that last sentence into human language!"
Qian Fei huffed, "I was just asking how it's such a coincidence that you know that guy."
Li Yifei explained, "I handled his company's IPO—of course I know him! That old fox may look refined, but he's quite the playboy! Though his standards for women are ridiculously high, he's got a real knack for charming young girls. If he sets his sights on someone, that girl doesn't stand a chance." He paused, gave Qian Fei a sidelong glance, and curled his lip. "Lucky I showed up today, or who knows what schemes he might've had for you! You used to be so well-behaved—what happened to make you so troublesome now?"
Qian Fei frowned in mock distress. "I'm worried too! Why do I only attract middle-aged men in their forties and fifties these days? Where have all the young guys gone?"
Li Yifei's eyes widened. "What do you mean 'only attract middle-aged men in their forties and fifties'? That statement is rather profound—please explain it word by word, especially that 'some' character. A detailed analysis of no less than 800 words would be appreciated, thank you!"
Qian Fei mimicked his raised eyebrow. "Why should I? Do you really think you're my personal guardian angel? Do I have to report every little thing to you?"
Li Yifei glared threateningly. "Don't say I didn't warn you—spill the details, or I'll start causing a scene right here!"
Qian Fei scoffed at him before recounting an incident during a client visit in Xi'an.
The owner of the Xi'an client company, a man in his forties, had been extremely hospitable. After their business meeting, he not only insisted on treating them to a meal but also took the whole group to visit the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.
Throughout the outing, the boss enthusiastically took countless photos of everyone with his DSLR. But after a while, Qian Fei began to feel something was off. Not wanting to seem overly sensitive, she kept it to herself but stayed vigilant, making sure to stick close to a female lawyer around her age.
Soon, the lawyer whispered to her, "Qian Fei, don't take this the wrong way, but something feels weird. I think all those photos of other people are just excuses—he seems to be trying to take pictures of you!"
At that point, Qian Fei finally confirmed it wasn't just her imagination.After visiting the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, the boss was still eager to take everyone to see the Terracotta Warriors. Qian Fei firmly stated that she had already booked a high-speed train ticket to Changsha and had to move on to the next destination, bidding farewell to the enthusiastic Xi'an boss.
●︶3︶●
Qian Fei asked Li Yifei in confusion, "Tell me, I didn’t flirt with them by batting my eyelashes or strike up random conversations, so how could something like this happen?"
Li Yifei glanced at her sideways, raised the corner of his eye, and chuckled, "Because older folks have poor eyesight!"
Qian Fei looked up at him darkly, "Then what’s your excuse for constantly pestering me?"
Without hesitation, Li Yifei replied, "I’m blind!"
If it weren’t for the bustling crowd around them, Qian Fei would have loved to lift her skirt and deliver a flying side kick to this insufferable jerk.
Li Yifei shamelessly sidled up to her, slinging an arm over her shoulder in a buddy-buddy pose. "Listen, from now on, be more careful and stay away from those lecherous old men. They reek of medicine!"
Qian Fei was puzzled, "What medicine?"
Li Yifei said with a straight face, "Viagra and the like."
Qian Fei shoved him away, "Get lost!"
Li Yifei continued unabashed, "Otherwise, what do you think motivates men in their forties and fifties? The invincible power of true love?"
Qian Fei really wanted to strangle this incorrigible scoundrel. "Save some decency for yourself! Or when you’re in your forties or fifties relying on drugs for motivation, won’t you feel like slapping yourself in the face?"
Li Yifei tossed his head, "I’m different from the rest—I’m a perpetual motion machine! And my motivation is genuinely the invincible power of true love for you!"
Qian Fei felt like she was about to throw up the airplane food in her stomach.
●︶3︶●
Though Li Yifei claimed that men in their forties and fifties had poor eyesight, deep down, he didn’t actually believe that.
His true thoughts were more along the lines of astonishment.
He was astonished that he had almost overlooked something beautiful.
Somehow, without him noticing, that bratty girl had begun exuding a unique charm—a blend of youthful innocence and mature grace, natural, fresh, warm, and uplifting, making people feel incredibly at ease and drawn to her. At this stage, she could effortlessly captivate men of all ages, from naive young boys to seasoned older men.
He considered himself incredibly lucky to have encountered such a gem that only grew more radiant with time. Yet, he also began to feel a growing sense of unease.
Her goodness was no longer something only he could see—other men were starting to notice it too.
This silly girl was changing every day, becoming resilient, confident, and capable. She no longer worked passively just to pay off her mortgage like before. Now, she had clear goals and worked tirelessly to achieve them, tackling tasks even men would find exhausting without complaint. With each passing day, she became more and more captivating, though she herself seemed unaware of the charm she now possessed.
Sometimes, he wished she could just stay the tomboyish landlady she once was. That way, he wouldn’t have to worry day after day, constantly wondering if yet another person had discovered just how remarkable she was.
●︶3︶●After leaving the airport, Qian Fei asked Li Yifei, "By the way, why are you here?"
Li Yifei replied nonchalantly, "Just some business to take care of."
He told Qian Fei that after finishing his business, he would go to the Guangzhou Restaurant on Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street and asked her to meet him there directly by taxi after her client visit.
Qian Fei agreed.
The subsequent interview went smoothly. The client’s boss praised Qian Fei profusely and invited her to visit often before they parted. He also promised to contact her as the project lead if they ever decided to go public. (There was a commission bonus involved.)
After leaving the client’s company, Qian Fei told the rest of the visiting team that the rest of the day was free time. Those who wanted to go to Hangzhou could head to the airport now, while those who wanted to explore Guangzhou could take a later flight, as long as they could gather at the client’s company in Hangzhou the next morning.
Once everything was arranged, everyone scattered. Qian Fei took a taxi straight to Guangzhou Restaurant.
Upon arrival, she was startled by the crowd waiting for tables. The sheer determination of the people lining up struck her as almost tragic.
She called to ask where Li Yifei was seated and had a server take her there. Along the way, she could feel the envious, hungry, or even resentful stares of those waiting in line piercing through her.
She found it exhilarating—her sense of happiness silently skyrocketing.
When she entered the private room, she was shocked to see Li Yifei had ordered a table full of delicious dishes. Seeing her arrive, he stood up, pulled her to her seat, and said, "I placed the order when you called me from the taxi. Try these—they’re all famous Guangzhou snacks!"
Qian Fei rolled up her sleeves and began devouring everything without restraint.
Sticky rice chicken, smooth custard buns, steamed chicken feet with purple sauce, steamed shrimp dumplings, translucent shrimp dumplings, water chestnut cake, radish cake with cured meat, honey-glazed BBQ pork rice rolls, beef rice rolls with greens, shredded pork rice rolls… She ate and ate until she nearly burst—but it was Li Yifei who was almost scared to death.
"Qian Fei, stop right there! I told you to try a bit of each, not finish everything! Do you really want to eat yourself to death? Don’t think I won’t find myself a little vixen if you do!"
Qian Fei wiped the grease from her lips and smirked coldly. "Do you know what it means when they say ‘Life is precious, but good food is priceless’? Haven’t you heard the saying ‘For the sake of food, foolish men and little vixens can be cast aside’? Li Yifei, let me tell you—in the face of delicious food, you and your little vixen are nothing but fleeting clouds!"
Li Yifei slammed his chopsticks down. "Can we even get along anymore? You get your fill and immediately start ruining relationships! Fine, if I’m just a fleeting cloud, then spit out everything you ate of mine!"
Qian Fei said, "I can’t spit it out right now. How about this—you praise yourself a couple more times, like you usually do, and I’ll have no trouble returning everything in my stomach to you!"
Li Yifei cursed, "Damn it! So me stating a few facts about myself makes you this uncomfortable?"
●︶3︶●
After leaving the restaurant, Qian Fei rubbed her stomach and asked Li Yifei, "Did you finish your business in Guangzhou?"
Li Yifei glanced down at her with a meaningful look. "Yeah, just finished." Someone had already gotten to eat the sticky rice chicken they’d been craving.
Qian Fei asked, "So you’re heading back to Beijing now?"
Li Yifei said, "I’m going to Hangzhou with you."Qian Fei looked up, slightly puzzled. "Why are you coming to Hangzhou with me? Got nothing better to do?"
Li Yifei replied, "Tomorrow's Friday anyway. After you finish visiting the companies in Hangzhou, I can stay and hang out with you for a couple of days."
Qian Fei thought for a moment and asked, "What about Beijing? Weren't you supposed to oversee a project there?"
Li Yifei waved it off. "Don't worry about that."
Deciding not to poke her nose into unnecessary matters—lest her stomach protest again—Qian Fei focused on digesting her meal.
●︶3︶●
That evening, they flew to Hangzhou together.
Li Yifei checked into a hotel near the one where Qian Fei and her team were staying.
The next day, after Qian Fei wrapped up the client visits with her team, she discussed and arranged the follow-up plans with everyone.
They agreed that Saturday would be a free day for individual activities, and they would regroup early Sunday morning to head to their next destination, Chengdu.
On Saturday, Qian Fei contacted her two high school besties, Guan Meimei and Yi Xiaojin, who had settled in Hangzhou. Back in high school, the three of them had been inseparable—like conjoined triplets with six arms between them.
Her old friends were thrilled to hear she was in town and immediately competed to treat her to a meal at Longjing Caotang, an upscale restaurant.
When it was time to head to the dinner, Li Yifei shamelessly insisted on tagging along.
Qian Fei tried to reason with him, "Don’t come. You eat way too much, and Longjing Caotang is expensive. They’ll definitely be annoyed when they see you!"
Li Yifei lifted his chin defiantly. "I’ll pay for myself!" He paused, then smirked. "Besides, how can I possibly eat more than you? Yesterday, you devoured an entire table’s worth of food. If I hadn’t stopped you, you’d have swallowed the plates too!"
Qian Fei wanted to kick him into oblivion.
But Li Yifei stubbornly went along anyway.
To her surprise, when he showed up, Yi Xiaojin and Guan Meimei weren’t annoyed at all. In fact, they practically fawned over him with an almost disturbing level of enthusiasm.
Qian Fei scolded them for being shallow, caring only about looks and not considering how much the bill would skyrocket with Li Yifei’s appetite.
Yi Xiaojin shot back, "The bill is our problem!"
Guan Meimei added, "We’ll pay whatever we want!"
All Qian Fei could do was roll her eyes.
Meanwhile, Li Yifei felt like he was witnessing the saying "birds of a feather flock together" in action. Everyone around Qian Fei—from Yao Jingjing to Yi Xiaojin to Guan Meimei—shared the same blunt, quick-witted, slightly ditzy personality.
As the dishes arrived, Yi Xiaojin and Guan Meimei ate while interrogating Li Yifei, "So, young man, what’s your relationship with her?"
Before Qian Fei could blurt out "We’re nothing," Li Yifei cut in.
"We sleep together!" he declared shamelessly.
Qian Fei choked on her food, coughing so hard she nearly died.
Eyes red and face streaked with tears from the coughing fit, she glared at him furiously. "Sleep with your sister! We were roommates—roommates, got it? And that’s already over, okay!"
Author's Note:
Some readers feel Qian Fei likes Li Yifei more than he likes her. Well, these two chapters are meant to show Li Yifei falling deeper in love. And, after some calculations, I predict something big is about to happen.
Also, because of some technical issues, I couldn’t distribute points yesterday—was that why none of you left comments?! I stayed up until midnight yesterday to send out all the points, so now you’ve got motivation to comment today, right? RawrThank you, generous benefactors, for your thunderous support and gifts!!!!!!! I love you all with the same passion I have for tea eggs!!!!!!!!! Sorry for making you spend so much!!!!!!!
OpenNovel