A beautiful summer night

"What's your name?" Xie Qiyan didn't let the conversation fall flat, but he ignored the others and turned to look at the woman sitting next to Zhou Yu.

Sun Lingzhi trembled and lowered her head, not daring to look at him: "Sun...Sun Lingzhi."

Xie Qiyan remained unmoved, pondered for a long while, and then asked with a rather aggressive air: "Which Zhi?"

Sun Lingzhi's voice suddenly trembled with tears as she glanced at Zhou Yu.

No one will help her.

“Zhi… the Zhi of gardenia.” Sun Lingzhi closed her eyes in despair.

The people present generally wouldn't bother to know the name of a woman who was serving drinks, but upon hearing this, many people subconsciously turned their gaze to Zhou Yu.

After a long silence, Xie Qiyan scoffed, "So it's the 'zhi' in Xia Wanzhi's name."

These words struck Zhou Yu like a thunderbolt, and he finally looked up at Xie Qiyan.

Jiang Baichuan frowned and snorted, "Interesting."

The rumored eldest son of the Zhou family, who is supposedly indifferent to women, actually has a woman by his side whose name ends with the same character as his former fiancée's.

Whether it's a stand-in or something else, that depends on what people say behind your back.

"Your Xia family sister wants to break off her engagement with the Zhou family. Could it be that she discovered that her cousin has a woman outside?" Jiang Baichuan swirled the ice in his Long Island Iced Tea and said quietly, "I remember that although your sister has a good personality, I heard that she can't tolerate even a grain of sand in her eye."

Xie Qiyan glanced at him, unusually cooperative: "Not bad."

No one dared to utter a sound.

When there are many people, there will be a lot of gossip.

They don't say it openly, but gossiping behind people's backs is a daily routine for these people.

Tonight's episode is sure to be even more interesting tomorrow morning.

Jiang Baichuan finished his performance and left, putting down his untouched Long Island Iced Tea as he departed: "Thank you for the treat."

After leaving the club, Xie Qiyan had a stern face, as if someone owed him a hundred million.

Jiang Baichuan was driving when he recalled the incident and couldn't help but jokingly say, "It's rare to see you stand up for someone like this."

Xie Qiyan said casually, "It's normal. I just formed a strategic partnership with someone. Protecting her is protecting me."

Jiang Baichuan scoffed: "The partnership you're talking about can also be a marital relationship. Only between husband and wife is there no distinction between 'yours' and 'mine,' and only then can you say that what you call protecting her is actually protecting yourself."

That makes sense.

Every path has its own merits.

That's absolutely irrefutable.

Xie Qiyan's usually composed face plummeted to rock bottom.

"Where are you going?" Seeing that he was ignoring him, Jiang Baichuan stopped there.

Xie Qiyan turned his head: "What do you think?"

"How would I know? Maybe you want to go back to Lanting Villa and be their neighbor." Jiang Baichuan was doing it on purpose.

If Xie Qiyan spends more time with Xia Wanzhi, he can then get to know Xia Wanzhi through Xie Qiyan.

By getting to know Xia Wanzhi, you can get to know Yunli.

The best of both worlds.

"I remember you weren't this talkative," Xie Qiyan said, clearly displeased.

Jiang Baichuan turned the car around with one hand, while resting the other hand on the windowsill in a cool manner. Hearing this, he just chuckled and said, "Try being forced to stay home and take care of the baby when you're only twenty-one and become an uncle, and you'll know why I talk so much."

Xie Qiyan: "..."

After the Jiang family and the Lu family formed a marriage alliance, their relationship became so close that they were practically inseparable. The two families even lived in the same courtyard, resulting in a large and prosperous family with many descendants.

Of the four great families in the northern part of the city, only the Xie family has gradually declined.

Everyone says that Xie Qiyan took over the Xie family after his parachuting back, and that he is the victor.

In reality, Xie Qiyan was taking over a mess.

He cleaned up the mess bit by bit and got the Xie family back on track.

The reason why the Xie family patriarch handed over real power to him, and why the entire Xie family dared not object, was because they knew this well, not simply because they succumbed to his ruthlessness.

"Go to your place." Xie Qiyan replied to the question Jiang Baichuan had asked at the beginning.

"That's inappropriate, it would ruin my reputation," Jiang Baichuan refused.

Xie Qiyan: "..."

After a while, Jiang Baichuan, realizing he had made a fool of himself, sighed and said, "I can have a couple of drinks with you, but tomorrow you have to treat Xia Wanzhi to dinner and have her bring Yunli along."

Xie Qiyan chuckled: "And then?"

"Then you take me with you." Jiang Baichuan's arrangements were crystal clear.

Xie Qiyan: "Dream on."

The dinner took place as scheduled on the second day.

The doorbell rang, and Xia Wanzhi stared blankly for more than ten seconds as Xie Qiyan and then Jiang Baichuan appeared behind Xie Tan.

The dinner was initiated by Xie Tan, who said it was to celebrate that Xia Wanzhi's studio would not have to move.

They initially agreed to eat hot pot outside, but Yunli suggested eating at Xia Wanzhi's house, where she and Zhuzi would be in charge of cooking.

And so it was decided happily.

"Xie Tan, this neighborhood is quite safe. You don't need to bring two bodyguards when you come here in the future." Xia Wanzhi took a deep breath, forced a dry smile, and looked down at Xie Tan, who was standing in front of the two bodyguards.

Xie Tan forced a laugh and said, "The ancients valued the harmony of Yin and Yang. I'm bringing the Yang element to liven things up, for good luck..."

Xie Qiyan: "..."

He didn't teach Xie Tan that way.

It must have been taught by the comic book she's been reading lately.

This answer was far-fetched, and Xia Wanzhi's brow twitched slightly.

Yunli called out from the kitchen, "Who else is here?"

Xie Tan seemed to have found a savior, and immediately changed her shoes and ran over: "Sister Yunli, my big brother is here too!"

"Then what are we waiting for? Please come in quickly!" Yunli wiped her hands clean and came over to greet them.

She never thought highly of Zhou Yu, and now that Xia Wanzhi has finally broken off her engagement with him, plus Xie Qiyan, such a handsome guy, has been appearing so frequently lately, Yun Li sees that he and Xia Wanzhi are getting along well and can't wait for them to make some progress.

But when she walked to the door with a big smile, her enthusiastic smile instantly vanished when she saw the tall man next to Xie Qiyan.

"It's been a long time, boss lady," Jiang Baichuan said politely.

Yunli's lips moved, and she managed to utter a single, forced "Heh."

Yunli tugged at the apron strap and sheepishly retreated back to the kitchen.

Xia Wanzhi said dryly, "You come..."

Jiang Baichuan chimed in, "Just want to freeload a meal."

Xia Wanzhi: "..."

At that moment, Xie Tan, who was already eagerly sitting down at the table, called out, "Brothers, come in quickly!"

Xia Wanzhi sighed helplessly. After all, they were guests brought by the landlord, and she would meet Xie Qiyan many more times in the future. In order not to hurt their relationship, she had no choice but to take out two pairs of men's slippers from the shoe cabinet.

"Please come in." Xia Wanzhi smiled slightly.

With President Xie on the left and President Jiang on the right, there are probably not many people in the entire North City who can invite these two into their homes.

But today, these two bosses personally came to our door to freeload a meal.

It can be said that this humble abode has been greatly honored.

After changing his shoes, Xie Qiyan walked in side by side with Xia Wanzhi.

"Didn't you say there were no men's slippers?"

The last time he came, Xia Wanzhi wouldn't even change his shoes.

Xia Wanzhi blinked: "I'm a person who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and resentment. I treat enemies and partners with two different attitudes."

Upon hearing the word "partner" again, Jiang Baichuan's interpretation from last night flooded his mind. He paused slightly, his steps lagging behind Xia Wanzhi.

A little hot.

He was familiar with the room, so he turned around and lowered the air conditioner temperature by a few degrees.

In the kitchen, Zhu Zi and Yun Li were on edge preparing hot pot ingredients. When they saw Xia Wanzhi come in, they quickly huddled together, exchanging winks and embarrassments.

"Why is Jiang Baichuan here too?" Yun Li asked with a ferocious expression.

"Sister, I want to leave." Bamboo looked like she was about to cry. As she spoke, she actually took off her apron and ran away.

Xia Wanzhi had a headache: "..."

"What's going on, little girl?" Yun Li wasn't stupid; she could tell at a glance that this was a conspiracy.

Xia Wanzhi took a deep breath: "She hasn't started school yet. Things will calm down once she does."

Yun Li was both amused and exasperated: "It's normal for Xie Qiyan to come over, after all, he's Xiaohai's cousin and your business partner, but that tall guy..."

With her hands on her hips, Yun Li paused for a moment, then said angrily, "What is Jiang Baichuan doing here, getting involved in this mess?"

Xia Wanzhi glanced at her sideways as she peeled the bok choy: "You don't know?"

Yunli laughed in exasperation: "What do I know?"

"That domineering CEO has fallen in love with you." Xia Wanzhi sighed silently. "He chases her, she runs away, and she can't escape even if she grows wings."

"It's a bit cold," Yun Li said with a forced smile.

Xia Wanzhi was quiet for a moment, then suddenly looked up and bumped Yun Li's butt: "How about we consider it?"

Yun Li's lips twitched: "I'm not single."

“You don’t love him anyway,” Xia Wanzhi said seriously. “Just dump him, okay? The domineering CEO is rich and handsome.”

Yunli: "..."

Such a good sister.