Chapter 218: How Could He Say Something So Shameless?

She discreetly stared at the hand holding her arm. It was pale, the bones of its long, slender fingers defined. She could not believe that these hands had played basketball in university. When these hands had dribbled the ball, what an elegant sight that must have been.

A few black hairs were strewn on the back of his hand. Even so, they looked beguiling on his fingers. His veins and tendons coiled beneath his hand, making them seem slimmer.

Her gaze moved up his arm and she turned to see his face. Cheng Dongge looked at her, then abruptly let her go. Coolly, he said, "You should go home."

Qi Chengyue averted her eyes. She fluttered her eyelashes. "Be careful on the road."

Cheng Dongge watched as she entered the car. Since she already knew he was following her, he escorted her into the community compound and saw that she got home safely. Only then did he leave.

...

...

The next afternoon, Qi Chengyue left her office and saw her colleagues in the large shared office, tidying up and preparing to go out for lunch. As they cleaned, they casually chatted with each other.

"Just now, I saw a woman coming to see Cheng Dongge!" Qi Chengyue did not know which department they were from, but she knew that they were not from the finance department. The person was there because it was lunchtime and was waiting for their friend to tidy-up. Their friend responded..

"What's so surprising about that? You dashed in like our general manager was getting married." Xiao Zhang drank a sip of water and stood. "I'm done tidying up. Let's go for lunch."

"No, listen! I saw that her temperament and clothing were not ordinary, so I asked around and found out that she's the precious daughter of Jiangyuan Media's owner, Jiang Xiyao! I heard that Cheng Dongge went on a blind date with Jiang Xiyao yesterday night. Special Assistant Cheng is now no longer an ordinary man; even his blind dates are women from rich families. I'm guessing that this Miss Jiang is really into him. Why else would she come to Qilin personally to see him? I think they're gonna be a 'thing'. Special Assistant Cheng is such a talented man, I'm sure he'll be a great match for the young lady," the person blabbed, while keeping pace with Xiao Zhang's footsteps.

"Yo!" Xiao Zhang suddenly stopped. He appeared intrigued, as well. "How could you say that?! All the single ladies in our company will cry until they faint! Ever since he became single, he's been the target for many of them. I heard that He Cancan, who's working in the director's secretary room, has been running into Cheng Dongge every day because her office is close to his. I bet she's the biggest rival for the women in Qilin."

As Xiao Zhang was talking, he suddenly stopped. He noticed that Qi Chengyue was walking toward them. Immediately, he gave his friend a nudge. No one believed that Cheng Dongge and Qi Chengyue had any kind of relationship. They thought that Cheng Dongge stepping up was merely to help the director as a part of his responsibilities as the director's assistant. However, since Cheng Dongge and Qi Chengyue's situation had been all over the media, he still felt bad thinking of Qi Chengyue overhearing their conversation.

"Manager Qi," Xiao Zheng greeted cautiously.

Qi Chengyue nodded. Seeing Xiao Zhang's anxiousness, she stated, "Lunch break isn't office hours. You're free to continue your conversation."

After saying so, she left the room immediately.

"Qi Chengyue, don't go up there, don't go up there," she mumbled to herself, walking to the elevator. Unable to stop herself, she pressed the number '25' on the elevator.

She stepped out of the elevator and turned a corner. As predicted, she saw Jiang Xiyao and Cheng Dongge standing face-to-face.

Jiang Xiyao was holding her bag in front of her with both hands. Today, she wore a button-up blouse that was checkered white and watermelon red. This was paired with a short blue, floral print skirt. Her blouse was tucked into her skirt, highlighting her thin waist. Furthermore, she had a thin pink cardigan on top of her blouse.

Jiang Xiyao was smiling confidently at Cheng Dongge. Qi Chengyue heard her silken voice say, "Yesterday, you left because of an urgent matter- saying that you would make it up to me another day- but I didn't know when that day was, so I came here today to let you take me out for lunch."

Cheng Dongge maintained his unaffected look. She saw that Jiang Xiyao's expression was also blank. She guessed that Jiang Xiyao could not decipher his thoughts either.

Finally, he nodded and replied, "That's good. I have some things to tell you, too, Miss Jiang."

Jiang Xiyao was startled, then smiled. "It seems like I came at a good time, then."

Suddenly, she grew silent. She pursed her lips and began worrying her lower lip. Blushing, she asked, "Do you think I'm too thick-skinned?"

Cheng Dongge was surprised. In that instant, he did not know the appropriate way to phrase his thoughts. He did not want to overstep his boundaries.

Qi Chengyue looked down. Sucking on her bottom lip, she made to leave. Suddenly, a voice called, "Miss Qi."

Unexpectedly, Jiang Xiyao had seen her. Qi Chengyue had to abandon her plan to subtly disappear. She knew no alternative but to bite the bullet and walk towards them. She nodded at Jiang Xiyao and greeted, "Miss Jiang."

The two of them were casually acquainted, having only met once.

Now that Jiang Xiyao was this close to Cheng Dongge, she disliked talking to her even more.

Qi Chengyue did not dare to look too closely at Cheng Dongge's expression. Hurriedly, she declared, "I'm here to see my big brother."

Immediately, she bolted for Qi Chengzhi's office. Behind her, Cheng Dongge could only utter, "Young Master Cheng and—"

Before he could finish, Qi Chengyue had already opened the door.

Bam!

She stepped into the office and slammed the door shut. Briefly, she had seen Song Yu and Qi Chengzhi sitting on the sofa. Song Yu was pressed up against the sofa's back by Qi Changzhi. Her whole body was pushed into the sofa.

Qi Chengzhi had one hand on Song Yu's lower back and the other cupping her face. He kissed Song Yu intensely, as if trying to erase their separate forms.

Song Yu was extremely submissive in his arms. Her cheeks were glowing red as he kissed her. She appeared especially delicate. Both her hands grasped firmly onto Qi Chengzhi's shirt as he hugged her so tightly, she seemed to have vanished into his arms.

None of them heard the sound of Qi Chengyue opening the door. Only when the door had been slammed shut, did they jerk back to reality.

Qi Chengzhi let go of Song Yu. Frowning, he turned his head to see who had barged in at a time like this. Qi Chengyue blushed. Stomping her foot, she demanded, "Why didn't you two lock the door?!"

"Why didn't you knock?" Qi Chengzhi was also vexed.

Qi Chengyue had no response.

Song Yu's face was bright red. She was too embarrassed to look at Qi Chengyue. She quietly gave Qi Chengzhi a pinch.

This was all his fault. She had told him to lock the door even though they were only kissing - if someone were to barge in and see them, it would still be bad.

Even so, Qi Chengzhi's mouth had immediately locked lips with hers, refusing to leave. He would not even back off half a step, saying that Cheng Dongge was outside and that no one would dare enter without knocking.

The brute force he used when he pressed himself against her was incredible. He would not budge even the slightest if he had no wish to.

Song Yu was looking down, tidying her hair while her face was still flushed. She was still too mortified to show her face, so she hid behind Qi Chengzhi with her forehead resting on his back. As if taking revenge, she kept poking his waist.

Qi Chengzhi reached back and grabbed her hand. He whispered, "Cut it out."

"Why did you come in?" Qi Chengzhi asked as he grabbed Song Yu's hand and gently pinched her.

Since she was already in the room, Qi Chengyue had no choice but to say, "I... suddenly remembered: I want to invite you two for lunch!"

Qi Chengzhi glared at her from the corner of his eyes. With a hint of sardonicism, he released a fake laugh and said, "When Song Yu came in, she ran into Jiang Xiyao. Did you see her?"

Qi Chengyue had always felt that he knew something. She examined him with caution and suspicion. Pretending that she did not understand, she replied, "Yes, I did. When I came up, I saw her talking to Cheng Dongge."

"Oh, I heard that their date went smoothly. Yesterday night, Grandma even rang up the Jiang family to assess the situation. It seems that Jiang Xiyao's opinion of Cheng Dongge is pretty good and she wants to try developing their relationship."

Qi Chengyue squinted. "Big Brother, why are you telling me this?"

Qi Chengzhi stated seriously, "I'm just making conversation. I thought that we, as siblings, haven't had a real conversation in a while."

Qi Chengyue went silent.

Even Song Yu was dumbstruck. How could he say something so shameless?

"Let's go for lunch." Qi Chengzhi pulled Song Yu to her feet and they both went to Dynasty with Qi Chengyue.

His Range Rover was still in the workshop so he drove the Jaguar. It was a sedan so it was quite low. Song Yu was used to the Range Rover's height so she was struggling to accustom herself to the Jaguar.

Qi Chengzhi saw the awkward way Song Yu entered the car. He switched to gear D, stepped on the oil pedal, then reached for Song Yu's hand. Holding it, he said, "Let's head to the 4S shop to check out some cars later this evening."

"Why? Who do you want to buy a car for?" Song Yu was puzzled. She thought that Qi Chengzhi wanted to buy her a car, but remembered she was pregnant, and there was no way he would let her drive. Moreover, he has said before that if she ever needed a ride, he would drive her. If he was busy, he would send Chang Lai. In short, he would not let her drive alone. He was worried that something might happen to her on the road. It was something he could not control, so could only blindly worry about every time she left.

"If the Range Rover needs to be fixed, it will be some time before we get it back. Also, it has been in a number of accidents, so superstition deems it inauspicious. Changing a car will change the aura, clearing away misfortune. It sounds like a good idea." Qi Chengzhi glanced at her. He rubbed her hands and asked, "What car would you like?"

Song Yu thought about it, then asked in reply, "What about you? Which type of car do you like?"

"If you're talking about car types, I would like to get an SUV. It's spacious so it would be comfortable to sit in," Qi Chengzhi decided. He took into account that Song Yu was pregnant- once her tummy grew larger, it would be more comfortable to sit in a big car. A sedan, on the other hand, felt like he would be doing her wrong. "Besides, you're used to SUVs."

She could not believe that she had never noticed how alike their thinking was. She also had never imagined that she would be with someone whose mind was perfectly in sync with hers.

From just a look, they could tell what each other was thinking.

This feeling of being able to telepathically understand each other made Song Yu feel especially blissful. She could not help but squeeze his hand tightly.

"Then let's get another Range Rover. I've really grown accustomed to it. Slightly emotionally attached, too. I don't want it to change." Song Yu looked at him. "Every time I see that car, I know you're sitting in it, so it feels particularly safe."

"Fine." Qi Chengzhi smiled. Her last sentence delighted him. As the two held hands, he slid his fingers between hers so that their hands were interlocked. Then, he pulled her hand to his lips and kissed it.

"Chengyue is sitting right there!" Song Yu whispered. Her ears turned red. She did not dare look back. Qi Chengzhi was literally pretending that Qi Chengyue did not exist. His behavior in public was the same as it was in private. How embarrassing!

"So you do still remember I'm here!" Qi Chengyue scoffed. "I thought you guys had long since forgotten! Acting all lovey-dovey, as if no one else was around. At least think of me!"

Song Yu quickly pulled her hand back, but Qi Chengzhi would not let go. She tugged twice but still, he held on. Song Yu was baffled. Unwaveringly, he ordered, "I'm driving, knock it off."

Song Yu was at a loss for words. He said that all the time.

"If you envy us, go find a boyfriend," Qi Chengzhi said, glancing into the rearview mirror, "Do you want me to introduce a few guys to you?"

Qi Chengyue squinted. She wondered if he really did not know.

"No." Qi Chengyue mumbled.

"When Jian Yi was pursuing you, I knew that a few other guys from different families were interested in you, too. Still, you chose Jian Yi. Now that you're divorced, I'm sure the ones who are single are preparing to court you again," Qi Chengzhi said.

"Once I'm divorced, I'm sure they won't like me anymore," Qi Chengyue blurted. "Even if they still want me, I'm sure all they'll see is the Qi family. Nonetheless, Jian Yi is now a good example of the consequences. In the end, he didn't gain a single thing from the Qi family. The others should know to give up."

"Do you really think so? Do you think no one likes you for you?" Qi Chengzhi asked.

Qi Chengyue kept silent. There was one. Cheng Dongge. Even so, she liked him too much. She would not be a good match for him.

"Is it because you have had a divorce that you think you have lost to others?" Qi Chengzhi asked in a flat tone, making it impossible to gauge his emotions.

Qi Chengyue still did not say anything. Qi Chengzhi continued, "Nowadays, divorce is very common. Many people have been married a mere six months, and they don't think it's a big deal. It's as simple as breaking up after dating. So why do you view it as something so grave? Isn't it just a divorce? What makes you less than others? A person who sincerely loves you wouldn't care if you've had a divorce, so why do you beat yourself up over it?"

"I..." Qi Chengyue had a head full of words, yet she did not know how to voice them.

Song Yu squeezed Qi Chengzhi's hand in an effort to calm him down and said, "Chengyue, the truth is, although you've just been divorced, many families have sent people to inquire about you after Grandma. Grandma is just worried that you haven't sorted out your emotions yet, so they all left and no one told you."

Qi Chengyue kept quiet. The car had stopped in front of Dynasty.

Coincidentally, Li Zhuohui was passing by, walking and chatting with two clients. He noticed them and signaled his assistant to show the two clients to the VIP room as he walked over.

"Director Qi, Mistress Qi," Li Zhuohui stood in front of them and greeted with a smile. Lastly, he turned toward Qi Chengyue and, in a more attentive manner, said, "Miss Qi."

"You came here to discuss business?" Qi Chengzhi asked bluntly. Due to his younger brother, Li Zhuoan's, feelings toward Song Yu, Qi Chengzhi was not fond of Li Zhuohui either.

Nevertheless, Qi Chengzhi always had a long face so it was hard to tell.

Li Zhuohui did not take it to heart. He nodded and answered, "Yes. I saw you guys just now so I came over to say hi. As for Miss Qi, we haven't seen each other in a while. I remember you used to be my junior."

Qi Chengyue was astonished. She thought about it and realized that he was right. She just had not expected him to remember.

"I'm going to leave you guys be," Li Zhuohui added, then went into the restaurant.

While Qi Chengzhi was leading Song Yu and Qi Chengyue into the room, Song Yu probed, "You knew Li Zhuohui in the past?"

"He was quite famous in the university I went to. When I was in my freshman year, he was already a senior. He was helping out at his family's company, so he only came to school a few times during activities. He would cause a commotion each time. The girls went crazy for him," Qi Chengyue recalled. With her status and pride, however, she had definitely not been one of those girls.

"From what you said, it seems like you two could not have interacted much. I'm surprised he remembers you." Song Yu smiled. From her gaze to her smile, her entire expression gave off a flirtatious vibe. "I noticed his gaze on you just now. It definitely did not feel ordinary. I think he has feelings for you."

Qi Chengyue had always felt that Song Yu had been lead astray by Qi Chengzhi. "I don't even know him. How could he have feelings for me? Nonsense."

Song Yu ignored her and turned to Qi Chengzhi, inquiring, "How much do you know about Li Zhuohui?"

Qi Chengzhi snorted, then calmly said, "Li Zhuohui is much more reliable than his younger brother. I heard that he went through a divorce last year. Not two days later, many women from big families had started to pool around him."

"Does that mean that the divorce was not his fault? Otherwise, why would so many women rush to him?" Character was what Song Yu prioritized in a man.

"I heard that his ex-wife cheated on him. While he was still married. I've never heard of him being disloyal in any way." Qi Chengzhi glanced at Qi Chengyue. "If Li Zhuohui actually has feelings for you and wants to pursue you, you could give it a go."

Qi Chengyue felt uncomfortable. "What are the two of you saying so harmoniously?!"

"He's single, you're single. Why shouldn't you two try going out? You'll have to start a new relationship eventually, won't you?" Song Yu pointed out. "After all, you don't have an ounce of feeling toward Jian Yi anymore. You're not burdened or tied down by emotion. It's not like you're reluctant to let go of this marriage, neither are you depressed about your divorce. Since you're not at all burdened by that, why not give it a chance?"

"Weren't you talking yourself down because of your divorce? Well, he's divorced too. With him, you won't have to carry this burden yourself, or worry about him being at a disadvantage," Qi Chengzhi added. From his expression, he appeared to be quite serious about it.

Qi Chengyue did not say a word.

She did not notice the wicked, conspiratorial smile Song Yu shot Qi Chengzhi.

...

...

The three of them finished lunch. As they walked out of Dynasty, they coincidentally ran into Li Zhuohui and his clients again. Li Zhuohui saw them, too. He turned back and shook his clients' hands, then said a few words to his assistant. His assistant escorted the two clients away.

Li Zhuohui then approached them and said in a conversational manner, "What a coincidence."

"Indeed, what a coincidence," Qi Chengzhi replied. "Director Li, you're not leaving with them?"

"My assistant can handle the rest," Li Zhuohui explained, his eyes fixed on Qi Chengyue. "Where are the three of you headed to?"