No? Can I read the mind of my mortal enemy?

Normally, Pei Jingnian would definitely say "No".

But judging from Lu Zi's current situation, it's not just empty talk; he's genuinely injured.

He gently squeezed Shi Qiao's small hand, his fingertips touching the tips of her pretty nails.

"Wife, is it okay?"

Shi Qiao coughed lightly. She felt that she had to take some responsibility for Jiang Ruochu's anger towards Lu Zhou.

It was all because her mother asked such an inappropriate question that caused a chain reaction.

Both out of consideration for feelings and reason, Pei Jingnian, as Lu Zhou's brother, should go and comfort him properly.

She nodded. "Mm."

Pei Jingnian's lips curled into a smile. "Hmm~ How come my wife is so generous?"

Lu Zhou rolled his eyes inwardly. He was already itching all over after Jiang Ruochu hit him with a bag. "Give me the car keys, I'm going to drive."

Pei Jingnian tossed the keys to Lu Zhou, then turned to Shi Qiao, "You can't drink, shall I take you home later?"

Seeing that Lu Zhou had already walked far away, Shi Qiao quickly shook her head, "I want to go, I want to go!"

How could she not go to this heaven-sent melon patch!

A scholar might be killed, but he can't resist watching the drama unfold!

Pei Jingnian looked at her bright, darting almond-shaped eyes and couldn't resist teasing her.

"But I won't be home until the early hours of the morning. You can't stay there drinking, it'll be boring, honey."

"It's nothing!" She leaned close to Pei Jingnian's ear and offered a seemingly respectable excuse, "If Ms. Bai hadn't asked that question, Lu Zhou wouldn't have argued with Aunt Jiang."

"A mother's debt...a daughter's debt! I promise I won't touch a drop of alcohol and won't cause you any trouble!"

She blinked hard twice, afraid that Pei Jingnian would discover her ulterior motives and prevent her from going.

"And if you get drunk, I can take care of you, right?"

Her moist almond-shaped eyes reflected her curled eyelashes, and her two small hands gently shook Pei Jingnian's arm.

"Please, please."

Pei Jingnian's ears warmed slightly, and he couldn't help but hug her tighter. "Wife, you're so cute."

[I can do whatever my wife says, sob sob sob.]

[Or maybe we shouldn't go to the bar at all, let's just go home and have a good time.]

Shi Qiao now needed his help, so she pressed her advantage, nuzzling him and asking, "So, does that mean you agree, Pei Jingnian?"

"Hmm, but next time, wife, you can come up with an even better excuse." Pei Jingnian pecked behind her ear, his dark eyes filled with tenderness.

"If you just say 'I want to spend more time with Pei Jingnian' or 'I don't want to be separated from Pei Jingnian,' Pei Jingnian will agree more quickly."

*

"Hey, I said..." Lu Zhou tapped the steering wheel impatiently twice, "You two are going too far!"

He glanced at the rearview mirror and stared intently at the two people sitting in the back.

Especially Pei Jingnian, who would frequently touch Shi Qiao inappropriately, kissing and hugging her.

Even if he didn't want to watch, soft sucking sounds kept coming from the back row.

Lu Zhou gritted his teeth, "You two insisted on squeezing into the back of a two-door, four-seater sports car, treating me like your driver!"

Shi Qiao was also a little embarrassed, so she reached out and pushed Pei Jingnian a little in the opposite direction.

The man squinted slightly, his tall frame making the already cramped space in the back of the DBS seem even more cramped.

"Ignore him, honey. You have no idea how he treated me before."

"Let me tell you, he..."

"Hey hey hey hey!!" Lu Zhou shouted urgently.

He forced a smile that looked worse than crying, his lips stiff.

"Didi Xiaolu, at your service. Please fasten your seatbelts, the two in the back."

This brother of his, how come he becomes such a liar when he's around his wife?

Damn it.

"Fine, I won't say anything more about you."

Pei Jingnian kept quiet, but quickly handed his phone to Shi Qiao and swiped his finger to bring up their previous chat history.

Then he made a crying face, hoping Shi Qiao would comfort him.

"Honey, honey, look at him!"

These chat logs are all mocking me for not having a wife to hug, sob sob.

There's a sense of déjà vu, like a large canine mistaking itself for a Maltese.

She couldn't help but smile, her eyebrows curving like crescent moons, and she gently patted Pei Jingnian's head.

The car slowly came to a stop, and Lu Zhou swerved into the parking space. "Have you two been lovey-dovey enough?"

"The principle of 'the happy ones yield' applies; I won't argue with you." Pei Jingnian turned off the screen, reclined the passenger seat, and opened the car door.

The three entered the bar. The bartender, upon seeing Pei Jingnian and Lu Zhou, immediately spoke a few words into his walkie-talkie before coming out from behind the bar:

"Mr. Pei, Mr. Lu, everything is arranged."

He looked at Shi Qiao, "Excuse me, is this young lady also drinking...?"

"She doesn't drink," Pei Jingnian said, hooking his arm around Shi Qiao's waist. "Wife, what would you like to drink?"

Shi Qiao glanced at the menu and read, "Passion Fruit Lemon Honey Bar."

Go up to the second floor, and you'll find a highly private room with a retro interior and warm orange lighting.

"Do you come here often?" Shi Qiao gently pushed the skull lamp used for decoration.

Lu Zhou chimed in quickly, "Of course! Be careful of that spot; it used to be Old Pei's favorite mourning spot."

"Maybe those tears have even seeped into the calfskin."

He was determined to say a few hurtful things about Pei Jingnian and escalate the attack.

"A man doesn't easily shed tears, but our Mr. Pei is almost crying his eyes out here."

Pei Jingnian narrowed his eyes and squeezed next to Shi Qiao. "Indeed, a man doesn't easily shed tears."

"But the tears I shed can soften my wife's heart, while the tears some people shed only bring heartache."

Lu Zhou gritted his teeth and used his canines to bite open the beer bottle cap. "Enough! I said enough!"

The liquor was poured into the iceberg glass, and immediately the aroma of malt filled the air, which could be smelled from a great distance.

Buzz, Bai Shuwen sent a message.

[Bai Shuwen: Qiaoqiao, Mom and Aunt Lin have gone back to Beijing first. Mom doesn't want to interfere too much with your relationship, but you should think things through yourself!]

Unbeknownst to Shi Qiao, Bai Shuwen and Lin Yahui were heartbroken and had changed their flight tickets to leave Gangcheng, this place of sorrow.

[Shi Qiao: I understand, Mommy. I'll think about it carefully.]

[Shi Qiao: Have a safe trip, Mommy.]

Pei Jingnian leaned on Shi Qiao's shoulder, jealously repeating her reply, "Think it over carefully? What do you need to think about, wife?"

Shi Qiao swallowed her words, covering her phone with her hand, "Well, that's all I'll say. Whether I do it or not is my business."

Lu Zhou pushed a full cup in front of Pei Jingnian, forcibly interrupting the young couple's conversation.

"Hurry up, hurry up, let's drink! Stop being so mushy!"

From then on, Lu Zhou practically used his wine glass as a comma, clinking it against Pei Jingnian's whenever they were deeply moved.

"Waaaaah, Lao Pei, why won't she admit she likes me?"

"If she didn't like me, why would she sleep with me again and again? Can sex and love really be completely separated?"

"Although...although I was the one who offered myself up the first time, she was the one who contacted me the second time!"

He drowsily clung to Pei Jingnian's left arm, unable to shake it off.

Shi Qiao listened with great interest, showing off most of the watermelon in the fruit plate.

Lu Zhou slammed down his wine glass and suddenly stood up, turning to Shi Qiao.

"Shi Qiao, you're the only woman here, so you tell us what to say."

"If you accidentally slept with Lao Pei and you didn't like him, what are the chances of you contacting him for another time?"

Shi Qiao, who hadn't swallowed the watermelon in her mouth, coughed twice upon hearing this.

How did I end up getting caught up in this mess?

-

Hey everyone, I've caught a bad cold. I hope I can manage to write another chapter later, but if I can't, please don't wait up for me! Please remember to keep warm, this cold is terrifying.