Chapter 61

Chapter 61: You're My Destined Husband On the other side. Jiang Shixu was playing cards with a few of his brothers. Qin Yan drew a card, cigarette dangling from his lips as he teased lazily, "Well, well, look what the cat dragged in. Since when does Xu have time to hang out with us? Not going to pick up your little Tangtang from work?" Ever since Chu Tang started working and moved into her apartment, Jiang Shixu would go to Mingjiayuan whenever he had free time. It had been a long while since he'd gathered with them. Last time at the engagement ceremony, Jiang Shixu had gotten into trouble and spent some time in the hospital. After being discharged, his relationship with Chu Tang had heated up, and they'd become even more inseparable—he made time to pick her up from work almost every day. Jiang Shixu's expression was utterly indifferent as he played a card. "She's having dinner with colleagues tonight." "Got ditched, have we?" Qin Yan let out an exaggerated laugh at that, his expression practically begging for a punch. His tone was dripping with sarcasm. "Well, well, our Young Master Jiang actually got cast aside by a woman? What kind of colleague dinner is so important it outranks you?" A faint chill emanated from Jiang Shixu. He lifted his eyes and cast a cool glance at Qin Yan. "Cast aside?" "That's impossible." Jiang Shixu curled his lips. "She still has to come home after her dinner ends, doesn't she? What about you? Are you going to pick up your girlfriend and take her home later?" That remark wasn't particularly damaging, but the humiliation was off the charts. Everyone knew Qin Yan was single as a pringle—where the hell would he get a girlfriend? He was so irritated his teeth itched. He turned to look at Zhou Zheng'an, trying to stir up trouble. "Look at him! Is this any way to mock your brothers? Zheng'an, you're single too—can you really take that?" Zhou Zheng'an coughed. "Sorry, but I'm actually seeing someone too." "What?" Qin Yan's jaw nearly dropped. His mouth hung slightly open, and even his cigarette fell out. "What did you say? You're seeing someone too?" Zhou Zheng'an hummed in confirmation. "Never heard you mention it. Which family's girl? The Zhao family? The Li family?" Qin Yan asked, all gossip and curiosity. The Zhao family was a prominent wealthy clan in Jiangcheng, while the Li family had red political connections—their head held considerable power and influence, second only to the Jiang and Zhou families. Zhou Zheng'an was a third-generation official, a bona fide child of privilege. Qin Yan instinctively assumed the girl he'd set his sights on would be from a family of equal standing. Before Zhou Zheng'an could answer, Qin Yan rambled on, "I actually met that young lady from the Zhao family not long ago—she just came back from studying abroad, and she's gorgeous. Tell me, is it her?" But Zhou Zheng'an shook his head. "Just an ordinary college girl." "What?" Qin Yan looked utterly incredulous, repeating the words one syllable at a time. "An ordinary college girl?" Jiang Shixu's reaction was completely nonchalant—he merely swept a glance at Zhou Zheng'an. "Will your family approve?" Zhou Zheng'an blew out a smoke ring, his tone flat. "Just playing around, not getting married. Why wouldn't they approve?" Qin Yan clicked his tongue twice and shook his head. "How'd you end up messing with a college girl? Not afraid you won't be able to get rid of her later?" Zhou Zheng'an smiled carelessly, all roguish charm. "What's there to get rid of? Buy her a couple of bags, transfer some money. If I don't want to see her, how's she going to see me?" Qin Yan rubbed his chin. "That's true." For people at their level of society, unless they were willing, ordinary people would probably never come into contact with them in their entire lives. Jiang Shixu drew a card, his gaze passing over Zhou Zheng'an, his tone mild. "You're toying with a girl's feelings like that. Not afraid of karma?" Zhou Zheng'an smiled. "Who says I'm toying with her? We're just getting what we each need." Jiang Shixu: "Just make sure you know what you're doing. Don't end up falling in yourself and not being able to climb out." Qin Yan's eyes sparkled again, full of nosy curiosity. "What does she look like? Bring her out sometime so we can have a look." Zhou Zheng'an's expression turned somewhat cold. "Look at what? Not the same circle. No need." Qin Yan shrugged. "Fair enough." Jiang Shixu didn't say anything more. Even while playing cards, he kept glancing at his phone from time to time, afraid of missing a message from Chu Tang. After several rounds of cards, he hadn't received anything from Chu Tang—but he did get a message from his friend Chen Min. [Heard you've got a problem down there?] Jiang Shixu's brows furrowed, his lips pressing into a stiff line. Just as the card game ended, Qin Yan stood up to stretch, happening to walk right past Jiang Shixu. He caught a glimpse of the message on Jiang Shixu's phone and suddenly burst into a honking, goose-like laugh. "Hahahaha gahahahaha—" Qin Yan laughed outrageously. "Seriously? Ahahaha you've got a problem down there?" Jiang Shixu's expression turned icy, his gaze sweeping over like a blade. Qin Yan immediately stifled his laughter, forcing himself to hold it in with a comical expression. "What's going on?" Jiang Shixu stood up. "I'm heading out." Qin Yan grinned and followed after him, not forgetting to toss a look back at Zhou Zheng'an: Come on, let's follow and watch the show. ... At the bar. Chu Tang took the freshly mixed drink from the bartender and took another couple of sips, then began singing, swaying unsteadily. By the time Jiang Shixu arrived, Chu Tang was in the middle of a song's climax—badly off-key. The moment Qin Yan stepped into the bar, he covered his ears. "Jesus, who's singing that badly?" Jiang Shixu thought he heard Chu Tang's voice and kept his face taut without saying a word. It wasn't until the group drew closer that they saw the person singing with wild passion on the bar's stage was indeed Chu Tang. Qin Yan nudged Jiang Shixu with his elbow. "Go pull your sister down already—isn't this pure noise? Other people sing for money; she sings to take lives!" Jiang Shixu stood still. "Let the kid sing however she wants." Qin Yan: "..." "Fine, just keep spoiling her then." Qin Yan lowered the hand covering his ears and found a bar stool to sit on. Jiang Shixu sat down beside him, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the stage, a doting smile curving at his lips. Zhou Zheng'an watched Chu Tang with interest, then glanced at Jiang Shixu, his tone teasing. "So your Chu Tang's got this talent too." Qin Yan laughed as well. "You know what? After listening for a bit, it actually starts sounding kind of pleasant." Chu Tang was thoroughly drunk, her mind hazy. She barely got a few lyrics right and kept going off-key. Jiang Shixu stubbornly listened to the whole song before walking up to the stage. The man's hand closed around her wrist. A warm sensation traveled up from her wrist. Chu Tang turned to look at him, her eyes hazy and dreamy. "Brother, you're so handsome. Let me count on my fingers—you're my destined husband." That word "husband" made Jiang Shixu's heart skip a beat. He felt every drop of blood in his body boil in that instant. His breathing fell out of rhythm, and Jiang Shixu froze in place for a moment, at a loss for what to do. Chu Tang tilted her face up slightly, grinning at him. Two small dimples sat on her flushed cheeks, her expression so sweet he couldn't tear his eyes away. The two held that pose, gazing at each other for a few seconds. Then, without any warning, Chu Tang leaned forward and pressed her head into Jiang Shixu's chest. Her fuzzy head nuzzled gently against him like a little kitten, and she mumbled softly, "Mm... even the scent is exactly like my husband's." Jiang Shixu habitually wore a crisp, woody cologne—like cedar under winter sunlight. It smelled wonderful, and Chu Tang couldn't help but take a deep breath. "So nice... husband..."