Chapter 15
Page 1/3
Ji Xi responded with a soft “Hmm,” speaking lightly, “Soon.”
???
Wu Tianqi was quite surprised; Ji Xi didn’t seem to be joking.
This was big news.
“Why are you getting married all of a sudden? You never mentioned it before.”
He added, “Who are you marrying? I didn’t know you had a girlfriend.”
Ji Xi replied, “There will be one by then.”
Wu Tianqi was speechless.
Shu Shiran was speechless too.
What kind of statement was that?
Wu Tianqi was utterly confused.
“Who’s the bride? Someone local or abroad? Have you had a girlfriend in the States all along?”
Ji Xi glanced toward Shu Shiran, “I don’t have a girlfriend in the States.”
Wu Tianqi exclaimed, “!! So it’s someone local? Do I know her?”
At that moment, Shu Shiran felt Ji Xi’s gaze on her, as if he wanted her to step in.
He didn’t seem overwhelmed.
Though she thought that, Shu Shiran spoke up.
She called Wu Tianqi’s name: “Wu Tianqi, quiet down.”
“...Okay.” Wu Tianqi closed his mouth, suppressing his curiosity.
He looked at Shu Shiran.
Aren’t you curious at all?
Of course, Shu Shiran wasn’t curious. She was just surprised.
She hadn’t even thought about the wedding home.
Indeed, a wedding home was necessary, whether they would live there was another matter.
Dai Jiao, who was eavesdropping, smiled and said, “So you’re getting married. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Ji Xi’s lips curved slightly.
Shu Shiran gave him a look to remind him not to say more.
The smile in Ji Xi’s eyes deepened.
Dai Jiao said, “Regarding the wedding home, you should consider the bride’s opinion. You could add her to the group chat then.”
Ji Xi remained noncommittal, glancing at Shu Shiran.
Shu Shiran casually looked away, her heart beating a little faster.
Probably because she’d been named, she felt guilty.
Ji Xi said, “Just follow the designer’s idea.”
**
After the chat, Ji Xi left.
Wu Tianqi volunteered to see him off.
He thought again and again that Ji Xi’s sudden marriage announcement was strange, something was off.
But Ji Xi was tight-lipped; no matter how he asked, he got no answer, which only made him more curious.
He used to think he wasn’t that nosy.
The two walked to the reception desk.
Wu Tianqi asked, “Why so mysterious? Who’s the bride? Do I know her?”
Ji Xi said, “You’ll know later. Keep it a secret for now.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Wu Tianqi noticed a bouquet of roses on the reception desk. His gaze lingered for a moment and he asked casually, “Is it someone’s birthday today here?”
Wu Tianqi replied, “No one’s birthday. The flowers were sent to Sister Ran.”
Ji Xi raised an eyebrow, “Someone else?”
Wu Tianqi said, “Sister Ran doesn’t know who.”
He lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously: “Actually, it’s from Feng Kuan.”
Meanwhile, Shu Shiran and Dai Jiao were walking back to the office, Dai Jiao talking about Ji Xi.
“Didn’t expect your high school classmate to be getting married. From the way the young master talked to him, it seems the bride’s never appeared publicly.”
Dai Jiao privately referred to Wu Tianqi as “that young master.”
Dai Jiao added, “Suddenly feeling a bit sorry for the bride.”
Shu Shiran, taken aback by the pity, asked, “…Why?”
Page 2/3
Dai Jiao said, “He’s so vague about the marriage, hardly says anything, like it’s casual. The bride hasn’t even been acknowledged. His attitude toward the wedding home is also casual, not considering the bride’s opinion at all. You can tell he doesn’t really care about her or her thoughts.”
Shu Shiran was speechless.
There was a reason for the vagueness.
As for the wedding home, she hadn’t been consulted because Ji Xi intended to follow her idea entirely.
The casual attitude was casual indeed, but accusing him of disregarding the bride’s feelings was unfair. She wasn’t that pitiful.
Shu Shiran said, “Maybe he’s considering her feelings.”
Dai Jiao said, “He hasn’t even added her to the communication group.”
Because she was already in the group.
Shu Shiran said, “Perhaps they’ve already reached an agreement.”
Dai Jiao said, “I don’t think so. Didn’t you say he’s a playboy?”
Shu Shiran recalled she might have said that.
Dai Jiao continued, “A guy like that suddenly getting married—either the girl got pregnant and it’s a shotgun wedding, or he feels it’s time to settle down and marriage makes it easier to play around outside.”
“…”
Maybe she should just take this chance to pull her into the office and tell her directly.
Shu Shiran was about to speak when Dai Jiao glanced at the time, saying, “I have an online meeting with the design institute soon.”
Shu Shiran said, “Then you better go.”
Dai Jiao quickened her pace.
Shu Shiran returned to the office and had just sat down when her phone rang.
It was a voice call from Ji Xi.
He had just left; why was he calling? Had he forgotten something?
She answered, “You’re still there?”
Ji Xi’s voice came through, “Still downstairs. I just remembered something.”
Shu Shiran asked, “What?”
“Are you free for dinner tonight? I have a dinner event tomorrow night with some people I don’t know well, want to ask you about them.”
Ji Xi had been away from Nancheng for so long that it was natural he didn’t know many people or things.
Shu Shiran said, “I am, but I’ll be a bit late, around seven.”
Ji Xi asked, “What do you want to eat?”
Shu Shiran thought for a moment, “Something spicy.”
She hadn’t eaten spicy food in a long time.
“Can you handle spicy?” she asked.
Ji Xi said, “I can.”
**
There weren’t many urgent tasks today, so Shu Shiran left earlier than planned.
Ji Xi later sent her a location: a Sichuan restaurant in a small Western-style house.
There was some traffic on the way; Shu Shiran parked the car at 6:56.
Their appointment was at 7:15; she arrived more than ten minutes early.
Inside, she gave the private room number.
The waiter said, “Mr. Ji is already here.”
Shu Shiran was a little surprised—Ji Xi arrived even earlier.
The waiter led her to the room.
When the door opened, Shu Shiran saw Ji Xi sitting calmly, looking down at his phone. Tea was on the table, indicating he had been there a while.
Hearing the noise, Ji Xi glanced up casually.
When he saw Shu Shiran, his gaze paused just imperceptibly.
Shu Shiran stepped in, “Why are you so early?”
Ji Xi lowered his eyelids, “Had some things this afternoon, came straight here to avoid going back and forth.”
He paused for a second, then added, “You’re pretty early too.”
Shu Shiran said, “Left work early.”
After sitting down, the waiter poured her tea and handed her the menu.
Ji Xi told her to pick.
Shu Shiran had heard of this Sichuan restaurant before but never had the chance to visit.
After ordering some recommended dishes, she said to Ji Xi, “See if you want to add anything.”
Ji Xi said, “This will do.”
Page 3/3
The waiter took the menu and left, closing the private room door.
The restaurant’s atmosphere was vintage, bathed in warm light, creating a tranquil ambiance.
Shu Shiran glanced around the room, then unintentionally met Ji Xi’s eyes.
Their eyes locked; Shu Shiran was momentarily at a loss for words, a bit awkward.
This was their first meal together.
She sipped her tea, recalling the purpose of the dinner, and asked, “Who’s going to be at your dinner tomorrow?”
Ji Xi’s gaze settled on her face, then he named two people.
He said, “I don’t know much about the others.”
Shu Shiran was familiar with the two.
“Are you collaborating with them?”
As far as she knew, Ji Xi was a hot commodity in Nancheng now, sought after by newcomers and some reserved families in their circle.
Ji Xi said, “I’m still figuring it out. The two eldest sons of the Shen family are both after me.”
Shu Shiran asked, “What do you want to know?”
Ji Xi said, “Anything about them. I only cooperate with one of the Shen brothers. I heard the eldest recently had a fallout with his father and went independent.”
Tomorrow’s dinner was with the Shen family’s eldest son.
Shu Shiran said, “You should know the two brothers are half-brothers.”
Ji Xi hummed and picked up his cup, tracing the rim with his fingertip.
Shu Shiran said, “Actually, the eldest’s mother initiated the divorce. Shen Sr. was reluctant at first but later felt guilty. He’s a strong-willed man; without his tacit approval, the eldest wouldn’t have established himself so smoothly.”
She looked into Ji Xi’s eyes as she spoke.
Meeting his direct and focused gaze, her heart tightened inexplicably.
Ji Xi said, “So you mean, it seems the younger is favored now, but in his heart, the father still leans toward the eldest?”
Shu Shiran nodded.
Ji Xi chuckled, “Looks like I asked the right person.”
Shu Shiran didn’t deny it.
Only a few of them knew about the Shen family’s early affairs.
As for the other person, Shu Shiran wasn’t very familiar.
She messaged Zheng Tingyan to inquire and then relayed the information to Ji Xi.
Just as she finished, the waiter came in with the dishes.
Ji Xi said, “Let’s eat first.”
The food was excellent; Shu Shiran enjoyed it thoroughly.
She noticed Ji Xi wasn’t eating much and asked, “Are you not good with spicy food?”
Ji Xi’s hand paused slightly as he touched his cup, then said, “I’m okay.”
Suddenly, Shu Shiran recalled something else and asked, “Are you really planning to use Jinhe Mansion as the wedding home?”
Ji Xi asked, “You don’t like that place?”
Shu Shiran hesitated, “No.”
“Then just do it your way,” Ji Xi smiled slyly, “My taste isn’t great—flashy and superficial.”
Shu Shiran was speechless.
He was referring to the first time they met for this project, when she had a stereotyped impression of his preferences.
So it would all be her taste.
Actually, Shu Shiran had once imagined designing her own wedding home, but after her views on marriage were shattered, she stopped thinking about it.
Unexpectedly, Ji Xi was now letting her fulfill that idea.
Though the wedding home might just be a formality.
Ji Xi’s voice brought her back to reality: “You asked about the flowers on the phone?”
Shu Shiran said, “What flowers?” Then realized what he meant.
She said, “You saw them?”
Ji Xi raised his eyebrows slightly, “Such a big bouquet, hard not to see.”
“…”
Shu Shiran said, “I don’t know who sent them, I was just asking.”