The story of Rose starts with being a brother

Chapter 507 The Big Winner (Part 3): The Arrogant Woman and the Cowardly Man

April 21, Thursday, the day before Zeng Xiaoxian participated in "Who Can Become a Millionaire".

Love Apartment 3601.

"She'll call me today, she won't call me today, she'll call me today, she won't call me today..."

In the living room, Zhang Wei was squatting next to the coffee table, counting each piece of chewing gum one by one. After counting each piece, he put it into the jar of imported chewing gum.

At this moment, Lu Ziqiao walked in from the balcony and asked Zhang Wei curiously after seeing his behavior, "Zhang Wei, what are you doing?"

"I'm wondering if Jian Ning will call me today," Zhang Wei replied without looking up. "She will call me today..."

Seeing this, Lü Ziqiao rolled his eyes speechlessly, then went to the refrigerator to find something to eat.

Just then, another furtive figure walked in from the balcony. Lu Ziqiao, who was drinking milk, saw this and asked curiously, "Guan Gu, what are you doing now? You're acting like a flower thief."

"Talent?" Guan Gu Shenqi was taken aback, then laughed, "I am very talented, but I am not a thief."

"..."

Lu Ziqiao rolled his eyes again, feeling that today was not a good day to communicate with others.

But after glancing at Tang Youyou's room, Guan Gu Shenqi asked, "Ziqiao, is your aunt home?"

"do not know."

"Youyou went out for an audition today and won't be back until tonight," Zhang Wei, who was counting his chewing gum, answered for her.

"That's good." Guan Gu Shenqi finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat down on the sofa.

Lu Ziqiao walked over and asked curiously, "What's wrong? You seem quite happy that your aunt isn't here. Could it be... you're really going to pick flowers behind her back?"

"Uh, 'picking flowers' means picking flowers, so the translation is asking if you're secretly having an affair behind Youyou's back."

The thoughtful Attorney Zhang explained things to Guan Gu before he spoke.

Guan Gu Shenqi, who had been somewhat confused, suddenly retorted angrily, "Ziqiao, don't talk nonsense! How could I possibly have a lover behind Youyou's back?!"

"Oh, you actually want to do it in front of her? That's really disrespectful to your nephew!"

"..."

Guan Gu Shenqi clenched his fists: "Lu Ziqiao, if you dare to spout nonsense again, believe me, I'll commit seppuku in a minute... no, I'll cut your stomach!"

"Alright, alright, stop arguing." Zhang Wei, no longer bothering to count the chewing gum, quickly tried to smooth things over. "Guan Gu, what's going on? Why are you avoiding Youyou?"

"I didn't avoid her!"

Guan Gu Shenqi denied it briefly, then sighed and said, "I just don't want to argue with Youyou."

"quarrel?"

"Weren't you and my aunt excitedly working on that time capsule yesterday? How come you're arguing today?"

Guan Gu Shenqi glanced at the two of them, then looked up at the ceiling and said helplessly, "It's the time capsule issue. Youyou... peeked into my time capsule."

A few days ago, Guan Gu received a time capsule from her elementary school back home. Inside were her drawings and toys from elementary school. When Youyou saw it, she suddenly had the idea to prepare a time capsule for herself and Guan Gu, bury it underground, and dig it up fifty years later so that they could reminisce about their youth. She thought it was very romantic.

After hearing Guan Gu's words, Lu Ziqiao and Zhang Wei exchanged a glance, and then Lu Ziqiao said, "Because your aunt peeked into your time capsule, so... you're angry?"

"Yes."

Guan Gu nodded first, then realized what was happening and quickly said, "It's not me who's angry, it's Youyou who's angry."

"She looked at your time capsule, so why is she angry?"

"Because in my time capsule... I only have one book, 'Love Trivia'."

"..."

The living room fell silent instantly, and Lu Ziqiao and Zhang Wei stared at Guan Gu Shenqi with disbelief.

After a long while, Lu Ziqiao shook his head and said, "I thought Zhang Wei counting with chewing gum was idiotic enough, but I didn't expect Guan Gu to do something even more idiotic."

"I……"

“First of all, I’m not an idiot for counting chewing gum, it’s called romance, you know?” Zhang Wei spoke up before Guan Gu could refute.

"Secondly, I'm not counting, I'm speculating whether Jian Ning will call me today!"

"Third, my name is not Zhang Wei. Please call me by my new name from now on—Zhang Yida!"

"..."

The living room fell silent again. This time, even Guan Gu Shenqi, who was in a bad mood, forgot his unhappiness for a moment and looked at Zhang Wei with the same strange looks he and Lu Ziqiao were looking at.

After a long silence, Lu Ziqiao spoke first: "Sure enough, men become perverted once they fall in love."

"You're the pervert, I'm not."

"Neither do I."

Hearing their denials, Lu Ziqiao snorted and then said, "Stop denying it. The character 'lian' in 'lianqing' (love) is composed of the character 'bian' (change) in the upper part and the character 'tai' (state) in the lower part."

Seeing that the two were still pondering, Lü Ziqiao shook his head and left, adopting an attitude that they were hopeless.

Zhang Wei and Guan Gu Shenqi were left looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Zhang Wei, did you get the result of your prediction that your girlfriend Jian Ning might call you today?" Guan Gu Shenqi changed the subject.

Zhang Wei's face fell as soon as this was mentioned.

"Sigh, I've counted several times, but the result is always the same: Jian Ning won't call me today."

Guan Gu Shenqi looked at him and asked, "From which one did you start counting?"

She will call me today.

"Why don't you switch and count again?" Guan Gu Shenqi patted his shoulder and said in a tone of concern for someone with intellectual disabilities.

After thinking about it carefully, Zhang Wei nodded and said, "Hey? Good idea!"

"..."

"She won't call me today, she will call me today..."

……

in the afternoon.

"Dali, is there anything else you need to bring?"

After picking up Zhuge Dali from school, Wen Sheng didn't take her home directly. Instead, he took her to buy supplies for their camping trip the next day.

Actually, I had prepared quite a bit in the past few days, but since we're leaving tomorrow, I can naturally prepare more if I can.

Zhuge Dali looked at the items on the department store shelves, carefully considering what else she needed to buy.

But after walking around with Wen Sheng for a while, she finally shook her head and said, "I feel like there's nothing I need to bring. No matter how many snacks I bring, Mom won't agree."

"So sensible?"

"Hehe." Zhuge Dali chuckled slyly, then said, "How about we bring our PS3 with us?"

"..."

Wen Sheng's lips twitched, and he said irritably, "You can't even bring too many snacks, do you think your mom will let you bring this?"

"I'm also worried that there won't be any signal on the mountain, and it will be too boring at night." Zhuge Dali first spoke with conviction, then lowered her stance and said, "How about bringing a PSP? There probably won't be any electricity on the mountain."

Seeing Zhuge Dali's expectant and pleading expression, Wen Sheng pondered for a moment, then, as if remembering something, smiled and agreed:
"Why bring a PSP? Bring a PS3 instead."

"Really?!" Dali's eyes lit up with surprise, but he quickly hesitated, "Then how do we solve the electricity problem?"

“That’s no problem. My downstairs neighbor, Xiao Hei, has a portable diesel engine,” Wen Sheng said with a smile. “It’ll be enough to play all night.”

"Yes! That's great!" Zhuge Dali jumped up excitedly. "Uncle, I want to have a showdown with you in Pro Evolution Soccer tomorrow night!"

Wen Sheng smiled, then added, "Remember to keep it a secret from your mother first."

"Don't worry, I'll keep it a secret!"

After all, this was her own request, so how could it be a leak?

After the two of them discussed the matter, Wen Sheng checked the time and said, "It's getting late. Your mother has to work overtime today. Let's go get something to eat first."

"it is good."

After leaving the supermarket, Wen Sheng drove Dali to find a restaurant, but his phone rang while they were on the way.

After glancing at the incoming call information, surprise immediately appeared in his eyes.

How could it be her?
"Dali, can you answer this for me?"

"Oh."

Zhuge Dali put down her comic book, picked up her phone from the armrest, and was quite surprised when she saw the incoming call message.

She answered the call and put it on speakerphone, then called out sweetly, "Hello? Sister Laura!"

Laura paused for two seconds before realizing what was happening and chuckled, "Oh, it's Dali! Hello." "Hello, Sister Laura."

Dali was deeply impressed by this Laura. When they first met, she looked like a beautiful woman, but after talking to her, he found out that she was a war correspondent. That was so cool.

That confident and carefree feminine charm made her, a primary school student, very envious.

"Why are you answering the phone? Where's Wen?" Laura asked on the other end.

Zhuge Dali glanced at Wen Sheng, and seeing that he didn't speak, she said, "Uncle is driving, do you need to see him?"

"drive?"

Laura muttered something, then raised her voice and laughed, "Wensheng, why aren't you saying anything?"

Hearing this, Wen Sheng chuckled and said, "Miss Laura, my driving skills aren't very good. I'm afraid I might drive the car into the wall if I'm not careful."

"Really?" Laura chuckled on the phone, then cut to the chase, "Are you free to have dinner together later?"

She paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "Little Dali can come too! I came back from abroad this time and can tell you some interesting things."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Dali's eyes lit up, and she looked at Wen Sheng with anticipation.

Wen Sheng felt somewhat helpless. Thinking back to the woman's attitude on the phone at the end of their last meeting, he didn't really want to see her again.

However, now that the other party has specifically called to invite him and Dali, it's not appropriate to refuse directly.

Besides, what's there to refuse? It's not like I'm afraid of her.
"Great! Dali and I are out looking for a place to eat right now. Why not take advantage of someone treating us?"

"..."

Twenty minutes later, inside a Hunan restaurant on the Bund.

As Wen Sheng sat down with Dali, he smiled and said, "I thought you lived abroad often and would choose to eat at a Western restaurant."

"It's because I've been abroad for so long that I want to eat more local food when I come back to China."

Wearing a red plaid long-sleeved shirt with the hem tied in a knot to reveal her slender waist, and high-waisted straight-leg jeans and leather shoes, Laura, with her long, wavy hair, looked at the two of them and spoke.

The velvety red lipstick clearly outlined the corners of her mouth, while huge round earrings were faintly visible in her wavy long hair. The V-neck shirt perfectly accentuated her long neck, delicate collarbone, and a glimpse of her cleavage.

There are always some women in the world whose very first glance makes you think of a bed.

But Laura's captivating gaze makes you forget those associations and instead want to chat more, hoping to understand the source of her charm.

"Long time no see, Wensheng and Dali." Laura smiled and handed over the menu. "Take a look and see what you'd like to eat."

"Long time no see." Wen Sheng took the menu and placed it in front of Dali, then asked, "When did you come back?"

"I've only been back for a few days, and I'm getting a little bored resting at home."

Wen Sheng nodded, then thought for a moment and said, "You've been away for quite a while. How was it? The big reporter must have had a very fruitful trip, right?"

Upon hearing this, Dali, who was still ordering food, immediately looked up at Laura.

Laura smiled and gently brushed her hair together, saying, "There have definitely been some gains, but... it's still not enough."

Thinking about the mysterious information they had been investigating, Laura sighed. There were too few clues in the Middle East, and there hadn't been much progress.

But the more she thought about it, the more curious she became. She felt that Skynet was not simple, and judging from the traces it left behind, it did not seem to be a terrorist organization.

But as a renowned journalist who has won the Pulitzer Prize, her experience and intuition told her that this was definitely a big fish.

Wen Sheng noticed that Laura suddenly lost in thought, but he didn't ask her any further questions, since it concerned her work secrets.

Taking advantage of the break, he and Dali ordered a few dishes. Laura, after regaining her senses, smiled and said, "Sorry, I just got back and haven't fully adjusted from work mode yet."

“I understand,” Wen Sheng said with a smile. “Your job is unusual to begin with, so it will definitely take you some time to adjust after you come back.”

Laura nodded, then suddenly asked after thinking for a moment, "By the way, how is Zeng Xiaoxian?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Sheng didn't rush to answer, but instead clicked his tongue and said, "You're a little later than I expected. You asked him before the dishes were even served."

“If we don’t talk about him, and we talk about you, I’m afraid you’ll leave before the food is even served,” Laura said with a smile, her eyes crinkling.

"..."

Wen Sheng's smile faltered slightly after being taken aback. When he noticed Dali's eyes darting around beside him, he coughed lightly and said, "Zeng Xiaoxian has been doing quite well."

After a pause, Wen Sheng added, "By the way, he's going to be on a quiz show tomorrow night called 'Who Can Become a Millionaire,' did you know about that?"

"A quiz show?" Laura asked in surprise. "Why is he on that kind of show?"

"Who told your ex-boyfriend to have such a brilliant mind?" Wen Sheng chuckled. "If he answers all the questions correctly, he can win a five million yuan prize. Do you think Zeng Xiaoxian can do that?"

"..."

Laura fell silent, and after a few seconds she said thoughtfully, "Tomorrow night?"

……

Night, on the balcony of Love Apartment 3602.

"Strive! Fight! Strive! Fight! Strive! Fight—oh dear!"

A slipper flew over and interrupted Zeng Xiaoxian's self-encouragement shouts.

Hu Yifei walked out of suite 3601 with a stern face and said irritably, "What are you yelling about in the middle of the night?! Are you moaning in heat?!"

"You're going to kill me!"

Zeng Xiaoxian, who had been hit by a slipper, said irritably.

Tomorrow night's show is a rare chance for him to defy fate, and he's incredibly nervous right now. He's trying to cheer himself up to calm his nerves, but Hu Yifei sees him doing it.

"Are you nervous?"

Hu Yifei looked him up and down, then walked over to him and asked.

"How can it be?!"

Hu Yifei glanced at him, leaned on the railing and said, "Alright, tomorrow is your day on TV. I don't expect you to become famous overnight, just don't embarrass our Love Apartment."

"Are you saying this... to encourage me?"

The weather is nice tonight. Moonlight spills down, and a gentle breeze blows across the quiet balcony, carrying this pair of longtime rivals.

Arrogant women and cowardly men rarely have a proper conversation.

Zeng Xiaoxian took out a pass from his pocket.

"Lisa Rong gave me a spot in the fan club for tomorrow night, I..."

The invitation was hesitant and difficult to say at the end, but Hu Yifei could tell that. However, she did not accept it directly.

"Just one?"

"I also hope that all of you can come, but you know, the number of people at the live broadcast needs to be controlled."

"Then give it back to me? Aren't you afraid I'll boo you from the audience?"

"You... if you don't want to come, then forget it?" The cowardly man arrogantly tried to put away the pass.

The haughty woman immediately retorted, "It seems you're not being sincere at all."

Hearing this, Zeng Xiaoxian hesitated for a moment before saying, "Okay, I specially saved it for you."

Having lived together for so long, he was completely under her control.

But this was not the answer Hu Yifei wanted to hear. She looked at the moon in the sky and said casually, "I don't care about the flattery you've been begging for."

"..."

Zeng Xiaoxian's expression changed. A breeze blew by, carrying the scent of the woman's hair beside him. He didn't want to fight alone on that night, a moment that might be a turning point in his life.

"Yifei, if you can come, I will feel more at ease."

Hu Yifei smiled slightly, pleased with what the other person had said.

An atmosphere of ambiguity was building, but who was she? Hu Yifei! Could she respond to ambiguity with ambiguity?
"But I have something to do tomorrow, and the school is holding a lecture series by famous people, so I have to go," Hu Yifei said with a frown, still looking proud.

Upon hearing this, Zeng Xiaoxian didn't say anything more. His previous words had already exhausted his courage, so he turned around and left.

"But I didn't say I wouldn't come!"

Hu Yifei snatched the pass with lightning speed.

Zeng Xiaoxian felt relieved; this outcome was within his expectations. No one understood Hu Yifei better than him.

This was a way of getting along that he was already used to, a unique way that belonged only to the two of them.

However, he still pretended to remind him, "Hey, this spot is very valuable. I didn't sell it to Ziqiao even though he offered a high price. Don't stand me up!"

"Do you think I'm like you?" Hu Yifei, equally pretentious, rolled her eyes at him. "I'll come if the event ends early tomorrow, but I might be a little late."

After a pause, the arrogant Hu, hands on his hips, raised an eyebrow and laughed, "Hey, try to last a few more rounds, don't wait until I get there and you're already on your knees."

(End of this chapter)