Chapter 23: The Ancestor Appears

Jiang Yunqi was naturally straightforward and easygoing by nature. Moreover, she genuinely wanted to ask Chu Fei in person why he had taken so long to accept her friend request. So she turned to Qu Yiyi and asked, “Where should I invite him to?”

Qu Yiyi replied, “Didn’t we just say it? Jiang is taking us out to a bar; just ask him to join us there!” This was clearly setting a trap for Chu Fei—Qu Yiyi delighted in these dramatic scenes. Two men fighting over a woman—how thrilling! Especially when that woman wasn’t herself; that made it even better!

Jiang Yunqi shook her head, worried Chu Fei might actually beat Jiang Yangrong to death. Guan Ya, however, offered a more reliable suggestion: “Let’s meet at ‘Cloudview Loft’ next to the university.” Cloudview Loft was a quiet bar, not as noisy as the dance clubs, and much better suited for conversation.

Though Qu Yiyi was a little disappointed to miss out on some excitement, she conceded to the majority. “Alright, hurry up and message him! And tell him not to dress so old-fashioned, or he’ll embarrass us all!”

Guan Ya shot Qu Yiyi a glance, suspecting her intentions weren’t entirely pure, but she said nothing more. They’d known each other for almost a year and got along well enough. Jiang Yunqi was on par with her in looks, with a complementary personality, making for pleasant company. Luo Man was unassuming but sharp beneath her calm exterior—someone Guan Ya also didn’t mind. As for Qu Yiyi—materialistic and somewhat self-important—Guan Ya could tolerate her, if only for the sake of group harmony.

Having settled things, Jiang Yunqi prepared to message Chu Fei. But as she opened the chat window, her hand froze midair, hesitating for a long time as if lost in thought.

Guan Ya, amused by her flustered state, couldn’t resist teasing her: “What is it, can’t type in Pinyin? Want to send a voice message instead?”

“Oh, it’s not that—I just don’t know what to say!” Jiang Yunqi protested. She was used to being pursued, always saying yes or no, never initiating. She’d never actually invited a boy out before, and now she was at a complete loss.

“It’s not hard at all. Just tell him you want to chat, and that your roommates want to meet him,” Guan Ya suggested.

Qu Yiyi chimed in sarcastically, “Seriously, girl, what’s wrong with you? You’re not usually like this. Why so shy just because he’s a bumpkin?”

“I’m not! I’ll just send it like this!” Jiang Yunqi retorted, and sent the message.

After sending it, she deliberately ignored her phone, afraid that if Chu Fei didn’t reply, it would be too embarrassing. Thankfully, Chu Fei didn’t keep her waiting this time, responding with, “What about you?”

“I want to talk with you too,” Jiang Yunqi replied without overthinking it.

But his next message left her utterly baffled: “Any longing that doesn’t flow is a lie.”

Jiang Yunqi stared at the screen for ages, unable to decipher what he meant. She handed the phone to her roommates. Except for Guan Ya, the other two immediately understood the implication: “I want to get off this bus—this is no kindergarten ride!”

Chu Fei didn’t wait for Jiang Yunqi’s reply but asked her to send her location. When meeting a girl, it’s best not to rush into romance. Start as friends; maybe her friends are even more attractive!

Before leaving, Chu Fei took a small umbrella from his drawer. After a moment’s hesitation, he took the whole box with him. Even if Jiang Yunqi didn’t mind, her roommates might. As for the black box on his shelf, a bold idea occurred to him: Seven marriage contracts, seven eyes. Both sevens—could it be a coincidence? Perhaps there was a connection; tonight might be the perfect time to find out. With a meaningful glance at the black box, he finally left his room.

As Chu Fei headed out, Meng Ziyi and Shen Miaoyu, who were discussing work in the living room, both looked up. Secretary Jin asked, “Heading out this late? Off for a hook-up?”

“You read me like a book,” Chu Fei replied carelessly, then turned to Meng Ziyi. “Third Senior Sister, I’m heading out—I might not be back tonight!”

Meng Ziyi said nothing until Chu Fei was gone. Then she muttered, “Something’s off—seriously off.”

“What’s off?” Shen Miaoyu frowned.

“Didn’t you hear him say he might not come back tonight?”

“So? Let him stay out if he wants.”

Meng Ziyi said, exasperated, “Aren’t you afraid he’ll cheat on you? If I were you, I’d follow him!”

“I have no interest in that.” Shen Miaoyu replied, but her eyes drifted to the window.

By the time Chu Fei arrived at Cloudview Loft, it was already nine o’clock. The place was still quiet, and he quickly spotted Jiang Yunqi and her friends. Even in a crowd, it would have been hard to miss them—four beautiful girls together, two of them dazzling, an eye-catching group anywhere.

Before Chu Fei arrived, several men had already tried to get their contact info, but Guan Ya’s imposing presence had rebuffed them all. So when Chu Fei took his seat, a number of onlookers stared in disbelief, wondering where this “founder” had come from to land such good fortune. Some even secretly wished he was gay, a male confidant, or just uninterested in women.

If Chu Fei heard this, he would probably reply, “I’m quite the big ‘G’ myself!”

Instead of sitting beside Jiang Yunqi, Chu Fei took the seat next to Guan Ya, the long-legged, sophisticated beauty. He met the four girls’ curious gazes without the slightest sign of discomfort.

What was going on? He was her guest—why sit next to Guan Ya? Jiang Yunqi felt a bit annoyed but couldn’t say anything for fear of seeming petty.

To ease the awkwardness, she introduced her roommates. Not that she needed to—Chu Fei could already guess their personalities from their styles and demeanor.

Guan Ya, next to him, wore a form-fitting black dress with a cool, aloof aura. Her looks matched Jiang Yunqi’s, but her presence was even stronger—the only real rival among the girls. That was precisely why Chu Fei chose to sit beside her. In a situation like this, you can’t let them unite against you; divide and conquer from within.

Across from him, Luo Man appeared gentle and ladylike, with the vibe of the girl-next-door. As for Qu Yiyi, who was sizing him up—her sweet, flawless appearance was clearly calculated. Chu Fei could tell at a glance: she was the type who played up her innocence, likely materialistic and opportunistic. The disdain on her face was obvious, as though his very presence lowered their group’s standards.

After Jiang Yunqi’s introductions, Chu Fei greeted everyone warmly—except Qu Yiyi. Then he gestured at their cocktails. “Is this what you’re drinking?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty good. Want to try?” Jiang Yunqi offered, about to order a drink for him.

But Chu Fei simply picked up her glass. “I’ll try yours,” he said, taking a sip without hesitation, oblivious to the four girls’ reactions.

Jiang Yunqi’s cheeks flushed—he was making her feel unexpectedly shy. The other two girls stared, amazed at his composure; how could he be so bold and not even crack a smile?

After Chu Fei finished, Qu Yiyi sneered, “Disgusting. Some country bumpkins just love to drink after their goddess. So? That glass was Yunqi’s—must taste delicious to you, right, mutt?”