Chapter 345: The People Who Care About You
Chapter 345
The ancient jade lamb was taken away by Li Weijin, and Xiao Qi felt heartbroken for a good while.
She didn't know how to assess its value, but antique jade was antique, and the washed lamb was also very moist and oily, so it should also be a good piece of jade, surely more valuable than modern jade.
But thinking about it, he had spent over a million to buy it, while she had only spent 10,000 yuan, so in terms of cost, she was actually taking advantage.
No, she couldn't think that way, why did she have to trade with Li Weijin?
Xiao Qi rode on the horse's back, the more she thought about it, the more confused she felt, always feeling something was not right...
The coach came back today, and the chairman was also there.
The chairman had regained his usual manner, stern yet generous, his attitude was mild, as if there had never been a previous confession between them.
Xiao Qi also breathed a sigh of relief.
What she feared most was when a potential romance failed, they would become enemies, not even remaining as friends.
She truly did not harbor other feelings for the chairman. She had clearly rejected him. Admiration and love were two different matters.
Seeing Xiao Qi again, Xiao Sheng Zhou felt she looked even more beautiful, her gaze was frank and straightforward. She smiled at him very cheerfully, without any ambiguity. Indeed, the little girl did not harbor other intentions towards him, it was him overthinking things.
Although he had discovered that he liked Xiao Qi, he was a very rational man. He would not pester her stubbornly or interfere in other people's lives. He would only rationally restrain these stirrings of his heart.
He felt that he was probably too free recently, leading to excessive flights of fancy. He still had to busy himself.
Steven had been away for a week. He had come back bursting with energy. He had earned quite a bit this time. In the past when overseas, he would spend as soon as he earned. But this time it was different. Maybe it was the influence of his student, Xiao Qi. Although he said he would be out playing for a week this time, he had actually gone to buy a house.
He chose a city he liked, Yun Province, and bought a rather big villa there with a lake right in front and beautiful scenery. He hoped that when he got old, he could live there and call his old friends to come play. The villa was very big, enough to house all his friends.
After buying the villa, he suddenly regained spirit. He would work hard. He felt very settled, as if there was now a place he could return to in the future. Turns out deep down he was still a Huaxia person, who also liked a stable life. It’s just a pity he didn't understand that when he was with Ollie.
Jigu had also returned, looking quite spirited too. Xiao Qi did not shower right after coming home, afraid that showering after a return journey would make her sick. But she rode a few laps and felt happy to be back in familiar surroundings.
Apparently, Jigu was even more proud and confident after an outing. Unlike the past when he seemed rather listless under captivity, Jigu was meant for the racing grounds.
Finally, she ate a sumptuous dinner at the racetrack with the coach again like old times, after so many days of not doing so. She had missed it quite a bit.
The Chinese and Western chefs were both especially warm towards Xiao Qi.
Xiao Qi simply decided on a fusion of cuisines. She ordered a Chinese and a Western dish. Afterall she had a big appetite and needed a lot of food intake due to her high activity levels.
During the meal, Xiao Qi received a call. It was Lin Min calling to inform that he would be coming to Enhua tomorrow to run some errands and asked if she would like to meet for a meal.
Receiving the call, Xiao Qi felt happy. Being overseas, she realized she would feel closer to people from Lvshan City, let alone a neighbor.
Returning to her dorm after the meal, she tidied up before heading to evening self-study class. Surprisingly, Li Weijin was absent today.
It seemed the classroom somehow lacked a unique fragrance without him.
Others wore perfume too but she felt they either wore too much or their choice was too pungent due to the alcohol base.
Li Weijin's perfume was always just right each time, subtle, with a layered scent profile, and he wore something different every time, very special.
Because Li Weijin liked wearing perfume, Xiao Qi had specifically read up on perfumes. She discovered the perfume bottles looked very beautiful too. She wondered if Li Weijin's family had a whole cupboard wall just to display the many fragrances. She felt rather envious.
As evening self-study commenced, Xiao Qi collected herself and studied diligently right until the recess bell rang before she got up and walked around a little.
Unexpectedly, Chu Yu suddenly walked over and asked: “Class monitor, you actually bought a new pendant. This jade Buddha pendant looks so nice, how much did it cost?”
Xiao Qi: “...”
Oh gawd, why was Chu Yu so observant over her, even her deskmate Honey did not notice.
Perhaps your biggest foe observes you the most. Even though Chu Yu appeared to be reading a book in self study class while chatting with the boy behind her, she was actually observing Xiao Qi. She noticed Xiao Qi touching the pendant around her neck three times while doing work. She had not seen it before.
“Not expensive, very cheap,” Xiao Qi thought of Li Weijin's comment that it cost 94 yuan and felt somewhat amused as she answered.
“Could you take it off for me to see? I'd like to buy a little Buddha too, I heard it's lucky,” Chu Yu smiled sweetly and reached to take it off.
Xiao Qi shook her head directly in refusal.
“It's inconvenient.”
“Pfft..” Honey couldn't help laughing while shaking her shoulders.
“Let's go to the bathroom,” Xiao Qi pulled the giggling Honey as they left. That girl Trouble was such an unnecessary nuisance.
Every time Honey encountered her foolish old neighbor, she would turn irritable and be the first to lash out.
Chen Hanhe turned red-faced and tongue-tied. He felt what Honey said was not exactly wrong either but Chu Yu's pitiable and aggrieved appearance just now made him feel bad when he saw it.
Xiao Qi looked at the struggling Chen Hanhe sympathetically. His EQ was beyond saving.
Returning from the bathroom to the classroom after recess, the boy seated in front of Xiao Qi, Chen Hanhe, could not help but air his grievances: “Class monitor, aren’t you too petty? Chu Yu merely wanted to look at your Buddha pendant, it wasn’t an unreasonable request. Why didn’t you agree to it?”
“Why should Xiao Qi show her personal belongings to others? If you feel aggrieved for not getting your way, then lie on the floor and wail. Go ahead,” Honey was always irritable when dealing with her foolish hometown bumpkin and immediately rebutted.
Chen Hanhe flushed red right up to his ears. He felt Honey was somewhat right too but Chu Yu’s appearance just now seemed so pitiable and aggrieved that it pained him when he saw it.
As evening self-study ended and they returned to their dorm room, the girls freshened up, tidied up and got ready for bed. Xiao Qi had met her daily step count goal today so she did not go running. Instead she practiced her calligraphy in the dorm room. She was completely focused while writing that she did not even realize almost lights out time until half an hour had passed. She then also went to wash up and prepare for bed.
However, her dorm mates were still very excited today despite lights out and lying in bed. Mainly because they were curious about Xiao Qi’s jade Buddha pendant which she did not have this morning, so it seemed like something must have happened.
Xiao Qi had wanted to tell her dorm mates on Saturday when she returned that the student she gave private tuition to was from Li Weijin’s household. But she never found an opportunity that whole weekend. Having worked an entire tiring day, her urge to gossip diminished and she did not take the initiative to bring it up.
Now that her dorm mates asked, she was excited to finally have an eager audience after holding in gossip for two days. She enthusiastically recounted all that she had seen and heard over the weekend tuition sessions.
“I just went to his house today, the main gate was preposterous. The columns were as thick as several people’s hugs round. The roof was also glittery golden, as if gold roof tiles were used... “
Yunshu couldn’t help laughing.
She knew Li Weijin’s family was very wealthy. Hers was quite well-to-do too, although nowhere near his. But following her parents she had been to quite a few relatives' and friends' expensive homes, yet none were as exaggerated as what Xiao Qi described!
What kind of aesthetics was that! It sounded like some upstart’s residence. But Li Weijin did not resemble an upstart one bit with his tasteful refinement and aloof demeanor.
“Didn’t that kid say he liked you the other day? And then so coincidentally, you became his home tutor, was it arranged by his parents? Wow, Xiao Qi, you’ve even met his parents then?” Mei said in an astonished tone, though speaking softly, still very excited.
Xiao Qi: ......
I met his mother and older brother, and even caused a misunderstanding.
I called his mother "sister" and his brother "uncle." Xiao Qi rarely felt her own emotional intelligence burst out for once, not catching a woman and calling her auntie, but instead causing such a misunderstanding, awkward. Fortunately, Li Weijin told me on WeChat, if it was face-to-face it would probably be even more awkward.
Xiao Qi talked about the misunderstanding she caused, and several dorm mates laughed loudly.
Even Wei Cheng laughed uncontrollably.
“Was this jade Buddha also a gift from him? It doesn’t look cheap.” Yunshu was the first to stop laughing to ask.
She had a jade pendant around her neck that her mother bought, spending a lot of money. Although she felt Xiao Qi wouldn’t be so short-sighted as to care about another’s money, she still subtly said one sentence.
“I know it’s expensive. He forcibly stuffed it to me after school and even snatched away my little sheep.” Xiao Qi said annoyed. 𝓯𝑟𝓮ℯ𝘸ℯ𝘣𝑛ℴ𝘷ℯ𝓵.𝘤𝑜𝑚
“Ah!” Wei Cheng uttered an exclamation.
Because last night she saw Xiao Qi unusually did not write and study in the dormitory, but made a pot there, specifically to soak her little sheep, talking excitedly that she bought it at auction, worth a lot of money, particularly arrogant. It was rare to see Xiao Qi so emotionally expressive, if it was someone else saying this, they might not believe it, but Xiao Qi’s personality never exaggerates, it should be true.
“Doesn’t that mean you lost out even more?” Wei Cheng said stubbornly.
“This should count as mutual gifting between you two!” Mei said with a laugh. She felt that with Xiao Qi’s strength, if she didn’t want to give it, Li Weijin wouldn’t have been able to take it away.
“Although I've never been in love, but Xiao Qi classmate, I feel the sour smell of love from you.” Yunshu said while looking at the novel on her phone.
Xiao Qi: ......That seems to make some sense.