Chapter 23: Strangers to Each Other

When Ren Yishan called out for the third time, Jian Qing was the first to pull Li Jingche by the hand and leave.

Back in the private room that Li Shuang had reserved earlier, Jian Qing’s heart was pounding fiercely. She pressed her ear to the door and listened for a while, but the room’s soundproofing was excellent—there was not a whisper of footsteps or voices to be heard.

Exhaling slowly, Jian Qing turned to face Li Jingche, who stood quietly behind her. She gestured toward the seat across from her, inviting him, “Have something to eat.”

Li Jingche nodded and sat down, his expression unruffled, but for a long while, he said nothing.

“Are you working here?” Jian Qing asked, feigning nonchalance as she picked up a piece of tofu that melted instantly in her mouth. After swallowing, she continued, “You know, I’m always short on money,” Li Jingche replied, picking up a piece of whatever Jian Qing ate, following her lead.

He knew these dishes by heart—there was nothing novel about them for him anymore. Yet now, even the unremarkable silken tofu, which he’d once thought deserved to be struck from the menu, seemed worth savoring.

“So, did you take that job at Haiyan Heqing?” Jian Qing asked casually. Li Jingche pressed his lips together, set down his chopsticks, and asked, “Do you want me to take it or not?”

“Of course I don’t want you to,” Jian Qing replied, scooping up another two lychees from the plate, and after a satisfied purr, added, “You can sell your talent, but not your body, nor your looks. Your body belongs to me now.”

As she spoke, she reached over into Li Jingche’s bowl and snatched away the last piece of Feng’s braised pork he’d just put in. The pork was exquisite—there were only four pieces in total. One could imagine that after ten servings, the pig might only have suffered a superficial wound.

Li Jingche inclined his head, the curve of his lips barely noticeable. Silently, he switched his phone to silent mode. Dining there with Jian Qing seemed unexpectedly pleasant.

Meanwhile, in stark contrast to the peace in their room, the neighboring VIP suite was abuzz.

Du Te led Ren Yishan to the real He Jiangyu, and at the sight of his face, Ren Yishan paused in surprise. “Are you truly Mr. He?”

Before He Jiangyu could answer, Du Yu interjected, “Authentic, guaranteed.”

“So—” She drew out the word, exchanging a glance with Xiao Yuncheng, who visibly relaxed from his earlier wariness, a calm smile appearing on his lips. “Mr. He, I look forward to working with you in the future.”

He Jiangyu stood there, momentarily stunned, uncertain whether he’d let Li Jingche down, his hands, half-raised, awkwardly lowering to his sides.

“Jiangyu, the Xiao family is one of our key partners on Jingche’s project—it’s only right to get acquainted,” Du Yu whispered, but Jiangyu’s concerns lay elsewhere.

He extended his hand and, as he shook Xiao Yuncheng’s, asked, “Mr. Xiao, I heard your former fiancée was the young lady from the Jian family. Why does this one have the surname Ren?”

At that, both Xiao Yuncheng and Ren Yishan’s expressions grew uneasy—after all, in families like theirs, lineage was paramount. Ren Yishan, having entered the scene midway, didn’t even share the same surname, and once they reached the private room, there would be a flood of questions.

“Jian Qing is my younger sister, Mr. He,” Ren Yishan replied. She had managed to attach herself to Ren Tianchuan, who had, despite Jian Qing’s opposition, firmly brought this “elder sister” back into the family—she clearly had her means. “Jian Qing takes our mother’s surname, and I take our father’s.”

He Jiangyu hadn’t known who exactly his “Brother Che” was seeing using his name, but after being pushed to take Li Shuang into his arms, he understood at least part of the situation.

He released Xiao Yuncheng’s hand but did not accept Ren Yishan’s outstretched one. Ren Yishan’s hand hung in the air, awkward and unmoving, neither able to remain out nor to withdraw.

“Let’s head in; there are plenty of people inside,” Du Yu said, unaware of the tangled relationships and thinking only that standing around in the corridor was undignified. He called out, “Shuang’er, where’s your brother?”

“My brother…” Li Shuang glanced back, about to answer when He Jiangyu clamped a hand over her mouth.

She looked up to see He Jiangyu gesture mysteriously for silence. “Your brother’s in heat—don’t say a word.”

“In—” Thus, Du Yu herded He Jiangyu and Li Shuang to the front, with Ren Yishan and Xiao Yuncheng following. Once all five entered the private room, Du Yu clapped his hands, “Anyone seen Brother Che?”

“Wasn’t he just out with Jiangyu?” someone replied. The conversation shifted to He Jiangyu, who, with Li Shuang still muffled under his hand, could only stammer incoherently.

Ren Yishan sidled up to Du Yu, tugging at his sleeve and leaning in to whisper, “Mr. Du, the ‘Brother Che’ you mentioned—is that Li Jingche?”

“Yes, and the young lady with Jiangyu is his sister, Li Shuang.”

At first, Ren Yishan had thought Li Shuang was just a spoiled girl, but learning her true identity, she immediately picked up two glasses of champagne, eager to ingratiate herself.

“Shuang, where’s Brother Che?”

Just then, Hao Qing emerged from the crowd, dressed in a white gown adorned with subtle floral patterns—simple yet elegant.

“Hao Qing, let’s start eating. Brother Che had some business to attend to,” He Jiangyu chuckled, then pulled Li Shuang out of the room. “Shuang, I just got two new pieces of jewelry—help me pick one.”

“What do I know about jewelry…” Li Shuang protested.

“Just come!” He Jiangyu hissed, lowering his voice to a menacing whisper.

From a distance, Ren Yishan watched them head into the lounge, drink in hand, waiting for her moment. The moment they stepped inside, before Li Shuang could speak, He Jiangyu launched into a rapid explanation:

“Li Shuang, listen. Your brother is using my identity to date someone. You must not expose him—if anyone asks, say you don’t know him. He likes to play at being poor to attract rich women’s sympathy—perhaps it’s a new kind of roleplay.”

The information hit Li Shuang so hard that she needed a moment to process. Blinking her striking eyes, she finally asked, “Did he get mistaken for a gigolo by some wealthy woman while working as a boss at Haiyan Heqing—is that why all this happened?”

After a moment’s consideration, she nodded in self-assurance. “With that face, it’s no wonder.”

They muttered together for some time, finally sealing their pact with a handshake.

He Jiangyu breathed a sigh of relief. “Your brother is dating Jian Qing from the Jian family—whatever happens, don’t blow his cover. Just play along.”

Li Shuang, not connecting Jian Qing with Fu Zhuo, simply nodded in understanding and flashed an OK sign.

As soon as they stepped out of the lounge, Ren Yishan blocked Li Shuang’s path and offered her a drink with a flattering smile. “Miss Li, I’m Ren Yishan from the Jian family. I’ve always heard the Li family’s second daughter is both talented and beautiful. Meeting you today, I see your reputation is well deserved.”

Ren Yishan knew how to talk, and after He Jiangyu’s warning, Li Shuang assumed she and Jian Qing were family. She accepted the glass without reserve. “Thank you.”

He Jiangyu lingered nearby, watching them exchange pleasantries, wishing he could pry open Li Shuang’s head to keep her from offending the real sister-in-law. But in the end, he needn’t have bothered—someone else stepped in.

“Shuang, why hasn’t Brother Che returned yet?” Hao Qing, though addressing her with an affectionate “Shuang,” spoke with a tone that was anything but friendly, almost chastising, as if she were already Li Shuang’s sister-in-law and had the right to scold her.

Li Shuang glanced at her, too focused on extracting information about Jian Qing from Ren Yishan to bother responding. “Jiangyu said my brother is busy on the phone outside. Maybe check the hallway?”