Chapter 14: Which Little Brother Sent You This Gift This Time?

The young man was left speechless by these words; he wanted to press further but felt a heaviness in his chest. After Jian Qing gave him a push, he sat on the sofa, lost in thought.

Beside him, Yan Jin was getting along famously with the handsome model, yet she didn’t miss a single bit of gossip. When she saw Jian Qing rise and stand by the window to catch her breath, Yan Jin patted the young man’s hand, rose to her feet, and joined her friend.

“My dear sister, although I’m your best friend and will always stand by you, bringing the main partner to pick out male models—now that’s impressive.”

With that, Yan Jin raised her thumb in admiration.

Jian Qing shook her head. “My relationship with him is a bit complicated. I’ll explain it to you another day.”

“Alright.” Yan Jin had known Jian Qing since they were children. They weren’t just close friends—they were more like real sisters.

Taking a sip of her drink, Yan Jin noticed fireworks blooming across the sea bridge. She handed Jian Qing a glass. “That’s the third birthday celebration for the Li family’s Maria cruise ship. Now that’s what you call old money—throwing a birthday party for a yacht. I heard setting off that display costs two million each time.”

“Life in those families must be exhausting,” Jian Qing replied, waving her hand. “Neither of our families are lacking, but neither are peaceful. Ordinary people couldn’t handle it.”

“But speaking of which,” Yan Jin waggled her brows, “your guy is really handsome. If only he had a bit of money, he could stand up for you in front of Ren Yishan.”

“It’s fine. As long as I have money, that’s enough.”

As they chatted, the drinks began to take their toll. The room came alive with singing and dancing, card games, and sticky notes plastered over faces, the atmosphere growing ever more raucous.

Meanwhile, seated in his private suite at the top of Haiching Heyan, Li Jingche was reviewing Jian Qing’s entire spending history on his tablet. The name “Xiao Wei” appeared with unfailing regularity.

Even if Xiao Yuncheng weren’t involved, Li Jingche and Jian Qing couldn’t have known each other long. It was one thing for Jian Qing to stir up trouble elsewhere, but fate had chosen to involve Li Jingche.

He was obsessive, rigid, with everything needing to be just so.

Jian Qing, on the other hand, was the exception.

He exhaled deeply. Lifting his eyes to the manager, who immediately nodded and bowed, smiling obsequiously.

“Our establishment is strictly about drinks and atmosphere, nothing else. You can rest assured, Mr. Li, Miss Jian has never crossed the line here, and she’s never given her personal contact information to any of the young men. She comes often, yes, but always with Miss Yan, and they only drink and sing. Sometimes Miss Yan even requests a guest room for a nap, but Miss Jian never stays overnight.”

Li Jingche nodded, his expression finally relaxing a touch.

“Shirt buttons must be done up to the top, trousers should never show the knees, no slippers or sandals allowed. In short, everyone dresses to the standard of a five-star hotel staff. Understood?”

“Absolutely, Mr. Li.”

With a wave, Li Jingche dismissed the manager.

He then took a pink bunny from his pocket—a women’s adult toy. It certainly wasn’t something Jian Qing would buy herself; otherwise, there wouldn’t be a phone number scrawled on it in marker.

Clearly, it was some trick by one of the restless young men here.

He took out his phone and dialed the number. After the call connected, there was only the sound of nervous breathing on the other end, no words.

Li Jingche’s patience wore thin. “Come to suite 1304 at Haiching Heyan. You know why.” With that, he hung up.

The dimly lit living room was illuminated only by the glow of the doorway lamp. Rising, the man entered the walk-in closet; as the door opened, three walls of clothes towered like neatly arranged mountains.

He rarely came here, but this suite was decorated exactly like home, and the wardrobe seemed untouched.

Standing before the mirror, he selected a white silk Ermenegildo Zegna shirt with a one-piece collar and a pair of off-white Oasi Lino Bermuda shorts. With a sharp tug, he tore off the top two buttons of the shirt collar.

Slipping on a pair of slippers, he made his way downstairs with unhurried steps. At the private room door, he spotted a shadow lingering furtively.

After receiving the call, Yan Ni knew her fate was at a turning point.

She tidied herself up, carefully choosing her look. Dissatisfied with her own wardrobe, she borrowed a bespoke long dress from Yan Jin’s closet and hurriedly caught a ride over.

Yan Ni had never been to Haiching Heyan before, but had heard from her mother that it was a favorite haunt of the wealthy heirs. She’d been curious for a long time, but without a membership card, could only admire it from afar.

Today, she showed the call she’d received to the doorman, who summoned the manager to verify her. She was immediately invited upstairs, and realized at once—the person who called her was no ordinary figure.

Excited, she stood at the door, knocked, and then entered.

Inside, four people were playing cards. Yan Jin was pouring a drink for a male model who’d just lost a round when the door opened.

She turned and saw Yan Ni, her half-sister, staring at her in shock.

In an instant, Yan Jin was petrified, not sure whether to raise or lower her hand.

“Nini, wait, let me explain—”

Yan Ni’s gaze swept the room, sizing up the two men, neither of whom seemed likely to have called her. Her brows knitted in doubt—had she been tricked? And why was Yan Jin here?

She turned to leave, only to be blocked.

“So, you’re my girlfriend’s friend? Come in and join us, then,” Li Jingche said, glancing down. He’d considered whether the toy was a prank from a mischievous youth or an older man, but hadn’t expected it to be a young woman.

What now, was she into women?

Did he have to guard against both men and women?

Yet, to be fair, Jian Qing’s face could indeed captivate anyone.

Suppressing a twitch of his lips, Li Jingche showed no sign of relenting.

“Nini, what brings you here?” Jian Qing reacted quickly, throwing a glance at Yan Jin, who looked flustered—she always avoided these places for fear of her family finding out, and now, caught by Yan Ni, she had no idea how to explain.

Jian Qing immediately intercepted Yan Ni, giving Yan Jin a chance to speak.

Yan Jin pulled Yan Ni into a corner. “Nini, why are you here?”

“I… a friend got drunk and asked me to pick him up.”

Yan Jin nodded, ordered a juice for her sister, and only then noticed Yan Ni was wearing her dress. “Nini, why are you wearing my clothes?”

“I just thought, for a place like this, it’d be better to wear something of yours that’s more presentable.”

Seeing her sister grow anxious and her eyes redden, Yan Jin stopped questioning, not wanting to hurt her sensitive pride. She simply reminded her, “A few of my dresses have been torn lately, and the housekeeper hasn’t figured out why. Last time, I even found several needles in a dress—probably a prank from some kid at the last family gathering. Be careful if you wear my things.”

“Okay, Sis.”

Watching the sisters talk, Jian Qing was ready to back up Yan Jin at any moment, but Li Jingche seized her by the chin, forcing her to look at him.

“So, you’ve changed models? Where’s the little one from before? Grown tired already?”

She’d swapped the male model in the suite, and Li Jingche’s sharp eye caught it.

“The boss called him away. What about you? Why the outfit change? And where are your buttons?”

A little tipsy, Jian Qing reached out and brushed her hand across Li Jingche’s chest.

He inhaled sharply, a barely audible groan escaping him. “I… spilled something earlier. The boss said he had some old clothes I could wear, but the buttons were broken. The slippers are his, too.”

Li Jingche revealed his legs, and Jian Qing’s eyes were fixed.

Her hand, light as a feather, brushed along his thigh, coming to rest on his knee—smooth and pale.

His legs were longer than her life.

A full one meter ninety in height, and not an inch wasted.

The extra thirty centimeters over her all went into his legs.

“Stop, you’re crushing me. My chest hurts.”

Li Jingche murmured into her ear, but the woman, emboldened by drink, squeezed his chest again.

“Not at all. Feels pretty good to me.”