The Byoukidere Is Her Sweetie

Chapter 118: 118: Ah Fang, restrain the wife!
 

Jiang Zhi patted his daughter’s head and went out with Xue Bingxue.

In the private room, only Xue Baoyi and Zhou Xufang were left.

Looking at the delicate little girl, Xue Baoyi felt a surge of paternal affection. Setting aside his usual carefree demeanor, he asked kindly and amiably, “What do you usually do for fun, little sister-in-law?”

Little Sister-in-law Zhou said, “Watch TV.”

Watch TV, huh.

Xue Baoyi then asked, “Do you watch the shows directed by Jiang Zhi?”

“I’ve watched all of his shows,” Zhou Xufang, always prompt to respond and knowing Jiang Zhi’s good friend was asking, sat up straighter than usual and replied with more sincerity than usual, “Now, I’m watching ‘President Gu, Your Fragile Wife Ran Away With the Ball’.”

“…”

Xue Baoyi was stunned.

Regarding “President Gu, Your Fragile Wife Ran Away With the Ball,” Xue Baoyi had no desire whatsoever to learn about it. He sipped his tea and changed the subject, “Brother Zhi mentioned that you’re quite an outstanding extra in crowd scenes.”

Zhou Xufang’s eyes lit up, “Really? He praised me as outstanding?”

“… Cough cough.”

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Xue Baoyi choked on his tea. There was nothing he could add to the perfunctory praise he had blurted out, so he switched topics again, “Do you have any plans to pursue acting?”

“No.” Zhou Xufang was still not used to making eye contact, so she looked at a plate of edamame shells in front of her, “I look like a female ghost in every role.”

Then let’s not go for a debut.

Xue Baoyi tried another topic, “Are you still running a stall at Ba Yi Bridge?”

“Yep.”

He just mentioned casually, “Your phone screen protectors are of good quality.”

Zhou Xufang sounded as official as a Taobao customer service, “Thank you for your trust and support.”

Xue Baoyi: “…”

Maybe it’s better not to force small talk.

No matter how witty he was, he couldn’t keep up with the steel-strong, quirky thought processes.

Xue Baoyi put down his teacup, “How about playing darts?”

Zhou Xufang wasn’t interested, but since Mr. Xue was a good friend of Jiang Zhi, she pretended to be very interested, “Sure.”

“Have you played before?”

“No.”

At this point, anyone would want to show off a ‘miraculous skill,’ so Xue Baoyi took a dart, squinted one eye, and aimed, “It’s very simple, just hit that target—”

Thud.

It hit the bullseye.

Xue Baoyi, who hadn’t finished aiming yet, “… ” He looked at the dart deeply embedded in the bullseye and awkwardly retracted the one in his hand, “First time playing?”

Zhou Xufang: “Yep.”

First time and she hit the bullseye.

Xue Baoyi, out of politeness, said, “Little sister-in-law, you’ve got good skills.”

Little Sister-in-law Zhou: “You flatter me.”

“…”

That overwhelmingly old cadre vibe.

Looking like she was eighteen, the little girl spoke in a rigid, academic tone, like an old scholar.

Xue Baoyi found darts boring, “How about billiards? Ever played?”

There were plenty of entertainment options in the private room, but most visitors to Fusheng Inn looking for fun were young masters, and there wasn’t much for girls to do.

The delicate Zhou Xufang shook her head, saying she’d never played billiards.

That damn desire to show off surged again, and Xue Baoyi grabbed a cue stick, prepped it with chalk, and stretched his muscles, “Let me show you how.”

He hit a flashy but successful shot.

After demonstrating, he briefly explained the basic rules and handed the cue stick to Zhou Xufang.

Zhou Xufang’s learning ability was extraordinarily strong; she copied everything, used the chalk, flexed her wrists, hit a fancy shot and made it too.

Xue Baoyi was stunned once again.

“Are you really playing for the first time?” The young master didn’t quite believe it.

The peachy Zhou Xufang wore an honest expression, “Yep.”

Where on earth did Jiang Zhi find this top-notch little capable person?

Xue Baoyi thought this girl was cut out for big things, “Little sister-in-law, what did you do before you sold screen protectors?”

Zhou Xufang thought for a moment, oh, he remembered, “I sold kebabs.”

“…”

Xue Baoyi felt as if both his EQ and IQ had been rubbed raw.

No, he had been humiliated thoroughly.

He decided to play to his strengths and show little sister-in-law just how capable Brother Bao was, “Let’s play cards.”

“Okay.”

Five minutes later…

Xue Baoyi grabbed a handful of his hair, doubting his life, “Little sister-in-law, what did you do before selling kebabs?”

Zhou Xufang thought for a moment, oh, “I worked on a construction site moving bricks.”

“…”

After playing three rounds of cards, apart from the first round where he explained the rules, the pretty little sister-in-law had memorized all his cards in the next two rounds. Xue Baoyi felt he was making a fool of himself.

“Let’s just eat broad beans.”

Finally, he could stop pretending to be interested, and Zhou Xufang agreed readily, “Sure!”

Then, the two of them in the private room ate their own broad beans.

Outside the private room.

The two leaned against the wall, standing in the corridor, separated by a water-ink mural. Fusheng Inn had an air of pseudo-elegance, and the painting had a certain imposing quality.

Xue Bingxue said, “My flight is in the afternoon.”

Jiang Zhi hummed in acknowledgment.

“If I pretended it was a chance encounter, would Wei’er believe it?”

Xue Bingxue was the worst liar among them.

“No,” Jiang Zhi said, “she would beat you up.”

That’s okay.

Xue Bingxue smiled, “Let her beat me then.”

Idiot.

Jiang Zhi couldn’t be bothered to berate him.

“I won’t be here; if you need anything, go to the Chinese medicine clinic and find my teacher.” Xue Bingxue pulled out a medicine bottle from his pocket and handed it to Jiang Zhi, instructing him seriously, “This medicine is for emergencies, don’t take it unless absolutely necessary.”

He took it, “I know, I still want to have children with Zhou Xufang.”

“…”

Xue Bingxue was a bit naive; he was embarrassed just listening and ignored Jiang Zhi.

He then asked, “Am I really infertile?”

A blushing Xue Bingxue, “..currently, yes.” Angrily embarrassed, Xue Bingxue said, “You have no shame!”

Ashamed?

Even though Old Sir Xue had taught him all sorts of crafty schemes, and despite being strictly righteous in certain areas to an infuriating extent, Jiang Zhi knew that what was deeply ingrained in Xue Bingxue was no different from any of them; they were of the same kind.

“There’s something I can’t figure out.”

Xue Bingxue asked, “What?”

Jiang Zhi held the medicine bottle, playing with it by flipping it over, “Why was Xiao Linsu urgently arrested before Lin Shuang turned himself in? At that time, Jin Song’s recording hadn’t reached the Criminal Investigation Team, how did he become a suspect?”

The timing didn’t match up.

Xiao Linsu’s arrest came first, but the evidence from the recording surfaced later.

Xue Bingxue was silent for a while, “Someone reported an attempted murder.”

“Who was the reporter?”

“His own self.”

Drip.

The medicine bottle fell from Jiang Zhi’s hand.

First, acting out a scene by imposing on himself the unforgivable titles of abuser and murderer, then pushing Jiang Wei’er away and sending himself to prison.

It was a suicidal plan.

Jiang Zhi picked up the medicine from the ground and pocketed it, asking nonchalantly, “Was it the old lady or you?”

Xiao Linsu’s vulnerability was too apparent—extremely insecure and overly emotional. Those who knew how to play mind games could make him surrender with just the three words ‘Jiang Wei’er.’

Xue Bingxue looked up, his eyes turbulent as though a stone had been tossed into a clear, tranquil pond, stirring the calm, “It was—”

Jiang Zhi interrupted him, “Don’t tell anyone, including me.”

Without waiting for him, Jiang Zhi headed back to the private room in Bamboo Garden first.

Xue Baoyi was on a phone call, receiving a call from Qiao Nanchu.

“Don’t wait for me.”

Xue Baoyi threw a broad bean into her mouth, crunching loudly, “What happened?”

“Rear-ended.”

So unlucky!

Just as Xue Baoyi was about to ask further, a woman’s voice came through the phone.

“Nanchu.”

That voice…

Xue Baoyi, finding it familiar, asked, “Female driver?”

Qiao Nanchu, distracted, replied, “Yeah, you know her too.”

“Who is it?”

Qiao Nanchu said, “Zhang Zixi.”

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

Damn! Xue Baoyi laughed, “What is even going on?” She glanced at Jiang Zhi, “Nanchu got rear-ended, guess who it was?”

Jiang Zhi was feeding Zhou Xufang and pouring water with little enthusiasm.

Xue Bingxue cooperatively asked, “Who?”

“Zhang Zixi.”

Xue Bingxue also showed a surprised expression.

Jiang Zhi pulled out a wet wipe to clean Zhou Xufang’s hands, asking, “Who is Zhang Zixi?”

Xue Baoyi was dumbfounded…

You’ve met her so many times before and still don’t remember!

“Nanchu’s ex-girlfriend.”

Oh, Jiang Zhi had some impression then.

Qiao Nanchu had only dated one girlfriend, five years ago, not long after he had transferred from the police academy.

Zhang Zixi was the belle of the police academy, who had pursued him overtly and covertly for a while; Qiao Nanchu was always lukewarm. Then he took a trip to Da Mai Mountain, and when he returned, the two started dating.

“Long time no see.”

The woman stood by the roadside, dressed simply with her hair tied back neatly and generously. She smiled, showing shallow dimples; she was very pretty in a completely non-threatening way.

Zhang Zixi.

It had been five years.

Qiao Nanchu got out of the car, “When did you get back?” His tone was as casual as asking ‘have you eaten,’ utterly placid.

“Got back to the country last month.”

He walked to the rear of the car, squatting to check it without lifting his head, “Still the same number?”

Zhang Zixi smiled, “Changed it long ago.” Her gaze stayed on him, her expression complex, so much to say yet nothing to say.

The rear-end was severe.

His taillight was smashed. He pulled out his phone and handed it to her, “Enter your number.”

She hesitated for a moment before taking it, entered her own number, and then handed it back.

“The rear-end is entirely your fault,” he said, looking down as he saved the number. “Agree?”

His tone was rather like a traffic police officer.

Zhang Zixi smiled faintly, nodding, “Agree.”

He had darkened a bit from five years ago, less youthful, his gaze wilder, still as cool and elegant but oblivious to charm.

“Rushing now, I’ll contact you later.” He threw the phone on the passenger seat, closed the car door, and sped off with a press of the accelerator.

Zhang Zixi stood there, chuckling.

When Qiao Nanchu arrived at Fusheng Inn, it was almost dinner time.

Jiang Zhi poured half a cup of milk into a cup, pushed it toward Zhou Xufang, then looked up and exchanged a glance with him, “You’re late.”

Qiao Nanchu pulled up a chair to sit down, flipping the wineglass right side up, “So, how many drinks for my penalty?”

“Judge for yourself.” Jiang Zhi handed the menu to the waiter, “Is my girlfriend’s soup ready? If it is, bring it over first.”

He was worried about Zhou Xufang getting hungry.

The waiter quickly agreed.

Qiao Nanchu poured three glasses of “white,” sat down, and leisurely consumed them one by one, his demeanor…

Xue Baoyi had always thought he was the most “cultured” scoundrel among them. He kicked the scoundrel’s chair, “Speak.”

After three glasses of white wine, Qiao Nanchu didn’t even blink, “Speak about what?”

“About your ex-girlfriend.”

His interest faded, “That was ages ago, there’s nothing to talk about.”

Listen to that nonchalant tone!

“If a woman dared to cheat on me, I’d break her legs, yet you’re so generous, even being chased by her afterwards.” As a brother, he was frustrated, “If I were you, I’d wreck her car to bits.”

Qiao Nanchu dated Zhang Zixi for two months, and they broke up because she was caught cheating.

Qiao Nanchu poured a cup of tea, took a sip, “You’re like a three-year-old, talking about wrecking things to bits, seems like you want to end up in jail.”

That same indifferent attitude!

Xue Baoyi couldn’t stand Qiao Nanchu’s attitude, as if the sky could fall and it wouldn’t affect him. Like when Zhang Zixi cheated on him, wouldn’t a normal person’s reaction be to first kill the cheating guy?

But not Qiao Nanchu—he calmly sized up the guy and then made a very objective assessment, “Those abs are pretty ugly.”

The guy was so embarrassed his face turned green.

Xue Baoyi humphed, feeling uncomfortable, and blurted out, “I think you just can’t let go of that trashy girl. Men can hardly forget their first love, like Brother Zhi is still hung up on—”

Crash!

Zhou Xufang’s spoon dropped to the floor.

The broad beans Jiang Zhi was peeling also dropped.

Xue Baoyi’s right eyelid began to twitch.

“Jiang Zhi,” Zhou Xufang picked up the spoon, cleaned, and put it away, “I need to go to the restroom.”

Jiang Zhi stood up, “I’ll take you there.” Passing by Xue Baoyi, he left a sentence with a deadly look in his peach blossom eyes that lost its charm, “We’ll settle this later.”

One after the other, the couple left.

Xue Baoyi took a deep breath, resigned, “That look in Brother Zhi’s eyes, like he wants to kill me.”

Qiao Nanchu spread his hands, lounging back in the chair with a lazy attitude, “Any last words, say them.”

“Die together like brothers.”

“Get lost, who’s your brother, I don’t even know you that well.”

“…”

Outside the private room, Zhou Xufang squatted by the wall, back facing Jiang Zhi, presenting only the back of her head to him.

Jiang Zhi squatted opposite her, “Not going to the restroom?”

She jerked her head away, refusing to look at him, and even pulled on her hoodie’s cap, squatting there like a sulky blob, “Your friend is inside, I came out here to be jealous, it wouldn’t be polite inside.”

Jiang Zhi was amused by her.

She was irritated, “You’re still laughing.”

“Alright, no more laughing.” His mouth stopped laughing, but his eyes still were.

Zhou Xufang didn’t want to bother with him anymore and shifted away.

Jiang Zhi moved closer, bringing his handsome face below her eyes, intentionally tempting her with his coquettish dimples.

She moved again.

He moved too.

Fine, she stopped moving, “I have a question for you, and you can’t lie.”

Occasionally, passersby came and went.

Jiang Zhi pulled out a face mask and put it on her, “What do you want to know?”

Puffed up like a pufferfish, she fiercely asked Jiang Zhi, “How many girlfriends have you had?”

Trying to sound fierce, like a little leopard that hasn’t grown its teeth yet.

Jiang Zhi looked at her wanting to kiss.

He just leaned in, his lips hadn’t touched her forehead yet when she dodged, not letting him kiss.

Jiang Zhi chuckled, “Just you.”

She covered the only part of her head sticking out of the mask, “What about boyfriends?”

Still not letting him kiss.

Jiang Zhi directly pressed his lips against the back of her hand.