Mad Dog

Chapter 92: Brother — Likes and dislikes are like the wind, never constant.

When it came to their relationship, both of them had tacitly agreed not to tell anyone around them for the time being.

After all, they weren’t like couples who had known each other for a long time and naturally ended up together. Ji Liang and Zhi Yu started dating mostly because of a momentary impulse — but no one knew how long that spark of passion would last.

If they told others, it might happen that people hadn’t even finished congratulating them before they broke up.

Someone once said that young people nowadays, their likes and dislikes are as fleeting as the wind, without any certainty.

Especially for Ji Liang and Zhi Yu, who had no “emotional foundation,” it was better to take things slowly for now.

Since telling Zhi Qi would mean informing Zhi Yu’s parents as well, they hadn’t even told the little girl. Occasionally, when Zhi Qi called, she would regretfully mention the things she “missed out on” with Zhi Yu, and Ji Liang couldn’t help but feel a little guilty.

But without realizing it, this relationship, which they initially thought wouldn’t develop further, had already lasted several months. From early autumn to the winter solstice, time flowed by like a gentle stream.

On the day of the winter solstice, Zhi Yu brought Ji Liang two boxes of dumplings.

“One box is filled with a three-ingredient stuffing, and the other with pork and cabbage.”

The two insulated food containers were placed on the table, and Zhi Yu came over to ask her, “Which one do you like?”

Ji Liang, who usually didn’t go home often since her parents lived in a neighboring city, blinked as she looked at the two containers.

Her first instinctive question was, “Winter solstice… you’re not going home?”

“The winter solstice isn’t a big holiday. What’s the point of going home?”

Zhi Yu responded indifferently, “But I still went back to grab two boxes of dumplings.”

After sneaking away with them, he came straight to her — although the winter solstice isn’t a major holiday, Zhi Yu always felt that a girl living away from home might feel a bit lonely.

“Thanks, boyfriend.”

Ji Liang, naturally, understood Zhi Yu’s intention, even though he was too embarrassed to say it outright. Her heart warmed, and she smiled, giving him a wink. “Good timing, I was too lazy to make dumplings.”

“Too lazy?”

Zhi Yu raised an eyebrow, and his straightforward nature kicked in again. “Or you just don’t know how to make them at all.”

…

There was no way to continue that conversation.

Ji Liang didn’t bother to respond, lowering her head to silently eat the dumplings. Her pale cheeks puffed up like a little hamster.

She had a small appetite, so after eating a few of each kind, she couldn’t eat anymore. Naturally, Zhi Yu finished the rest.

Leaning against the sofa, the woman touched her flat belly, giving a thumbs-up in praise. “So full! Your mom’s cooking is amazing.”

Zhi Yu didn’t say anything. After finishing the last few dumplings and wiping the corner of his mouth, he calmly spoke, “Our housekeeper made them.”

“…You’re awful.”

Ji Liang couldn’t help but kick him, pouting as she complained, “Why are you so bad at conversation?”

Her pale foot had just made contact with Zhi Yu’s leg when he grabbed it with his long hand.

Ji Liang had a great figure, the kind that was flawless from head to toe. Of course, that included her legs, revealed by the nightgown she wore at home. Her calves were soft and white, delicate and slender in his grasp, almost fragile.

Her ankle was like a piece of warm jade carved with precision, beautiful and exquisite. Even her toes were small enough to fit in one hand.

Her toenails were neatly trimmed, resembling small pink seashells.

It wasn’t clear whether it was because of Zhi Yu’s long fingers gently stroking her ankle or the way he was looking at her, but her delicate little toes curled shyly.

Ji Liang wanted to retract her leg, but it was held firmly in place.

She pouted and couldn’t help but ask, “What are you doing?”

Her tone was lingering and lazy, almost like it was intentionally enticing.

Zhi Yu’s eyes darkened slightly as she leaned in, her fingers gripping Ji Liang’s chin, getting closer.

Just as the ambiguous atmosphere was thickening, ready to ignite, Zhi Yu’s phone in his pocket rang.

Neither of them could say whether they felt disappointed or not, but it was indeed a bit inappropriate to make a scene in the middle of the afternoon.

Ji Liang took the opportunity to pull her foot back and urged him with a slightly spoiled tone, “You should answer the phone.”

Zhi Yu glanced down and saw that the caller was “Feng Qingdong.” He absentmindedly picked up the call, saying, “Hello?”

They chatted about who knows what; the man was in a state of “uh-huh, ah-huh” throughout the conversation, and soon hung up.

After Zhi Yu ended the call, Ji Liang leaned in curiously to ask, “Who was it?”

“Feng Qingdong.”

Zhi Yu casually pulled her closer, his fingers lightly tapping on her shoulder as he calmly recounted the phone conversation: “He said the boss returned to the country a couple of days ago and wants us to gather tonight.”

Hearing this, Ji Liang slowly remembered Feng Qingdong. He was the person they met over two months ago when they went out to eat, Zhi Yu’s college roommate. Back then, Feng Qingdong mentioned that the boss from their dorm would return at the end of that month and hoped Zhi Yu could join them then. Everyone had forgotten about it… So, the boss only returned now?

Also, it was said that Miss Ye, Zhi Yu’s ex-girlfriend, would also be present.

Ji Liang pondered this while keeping her expression neutral and asked, “Are you going?”

“Why don’t you come with me?”

Zhi Yu gently squeezed Ji Liang’s shoulder and earnestly said something like “I’m being vulnerable”: “Otherwise, if they all bring their families, I’ll be all alone.”

Ji Liang couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly, glancing at him with beautiful eyes: “Can’t you just be a little more charming?”

…

Zhi Yu’s ears turned slightly red, and he clumsily argued, “Who’s being charming?”

“Fine, let’s just say you’re begging me.”

Ji Liang quickly said, and before Zhi Yu could respond, she nodded in agreement: “Alright, I’ll accompany you.”

People generally have a sense of comparison.

Ji Liang was no exception; she wanted to see what Zhi Yu’s only “ex-girlfriend” looked like.

Feng Qingdong informed them via WeChat that the gathering would be at Yan Hui Lou, a well-known restaurant, suggesting it was not a casual meet-up. It was said that the boss had been developing abroad for many years and was quite wealthy now.

Therefore, Ji Liang did not wear a subtle makeup look but opted for a “peony makeup” instead.

With fiery red lips, elegantly arched eyebrows, and bright eyes framed by lustrous black hair and fair skin, she looked even more radiant than the peony.

Dressed in a fiery red knee-length dress, she resembled a stunning red rose.

Ji Liang played with her thick, long black hair in front of the mirror, turned to Zhi Yu, and smiled, “Do I look good?”

Zhi Yu didn’t respond, thinking she did look good, but…

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Seeing Ji Liang’s bare shoulders and two straight legs revealed by the strapless dress, he couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you cold?”

He was genuinely confused and didn’t quite understand how girls could wear such beautiful outfits that were freezing—after all, it was December.

“Silly! Of course, I’ll wear a coat.”

Ji Liang chuckled, reached for the coat hanging on the rack, and put it on. The cashmere coat reached her ankles, instantly transforming her from a flamboyant beauty into an intellectual elegance. Ji Liang tucked a stray hair behind her ear, saying, “The dress is for when we eat.”

Zhi Yu, who was just pleased that her snow-white, delicate skin was covered up, felt a little gloomy upon hearing this.

It was like switching channels on a TV remote.

While driving, his long fingers gripped the steering wheel as he restrained himself from asking, “Is it necessary to dress so formally?”

“You wouldn’t understand.”

Ji Liang was touching up her makeup with a compact mirror, and without thinking, she replied, “At occasions like this, the female companions always dress beautifully.”

Having attended numerous dinner parties, she had plenty of experience.

Ji Liang was a girl who was competitive in every aspect, especially when it came to her beauty. She would rather outshine others than be overshadowed.

Zhi Yu didn’t quite grasp the subtle competitive mindset that girls understood. He felt Ji Liang was being overly dramatic.

However, when they arrived at the reserved private room in Yan Hui Lou, Zhi Yu was slapped in the face by reality.

It turned out everything Ji Liang said was true.

At such a high-end venue, the girls really were dressed more exquisitely than one another, making Ji Liang’s knee-length dress look rather ordinary.

However, regardless of her attire, Ji Liang’s face and figure were flawless. The moment she walked in, she drew everyone’s attention, especially the men.

Zhi Yu frowned slightly and subtly moved to shield her.

“Old Four, long time no see.”

A well-dressed man approached, his appearance and demeanor exceptionally graceful, and he lightly patted Zhi Yu on the shoulder: “How have you been these years?”

A very polite exchange.

Ji Liang, hidden behind Zhi Yu, raised her eyes slightly to observe, guessing this man was likely the “boss” from their dorm.

Sure enough, Zhi Yu smiled and politely responded, “Boss, I’m doing well.”

It turned out that brotherhood could sometimes be quite superficial and plastic.

But since they referred to each other as “boss” and “Old Four” and maintained such a plastic demeanor, was it really because of the woman named Ye Lingling?

As she pondered this, the subject of her thoughts suddenly appeared.

A woman in a white dress with a graceful figure and a gentle smile approached. Her eyes held a hint of awkwardness and a touch of nostalgia as she looked at Zhi Yu, her voice soft as water: “Ah Yu, long time no see. I’m really glad you could come today.”

“The boss is treating us, so of course I had to come.”

Zhi Yu half-heartedly tugged at the corners of his mouth, then pulled Ji Liang out, who had been watching the show from behind him. With a casual arm around her tender shoulder, he introduced, “I brought my girlfriend along to enjoy a meal too, hope that’s okay?”

Ye Lingling and the boss seemed a bit surprised, exchanging glances instinctively.

Then the boss, Song Liu, shook his head and quickly said, “Of course, no problem.”