Chapter 46

When Ji Xi and Luke stepped out of the elevator, Wu Tianqi and Feng Kuan had just descended in another.

Xiao Yu, the front desk receptionist, had only recently returned to her seat. Seeing someone approach, she perked up.

To her surprise, it was Sharon's husband.

"Mr. Ji," she greeted.

Ji Xi nodded in response.

"Are you here to see Sharon? She's in."

Xiao Yu offered to guide them to Shu Shiran's office.

Ji Xi declined, "No need, I know the way."

Luke followed leisurely behind Ji Xi, casting curious glances around the surroundings.

"Jaziel, how many people are there in your wife's firm?"

"Sixteen," Ji Xi replied.

"You're quite well-informed," Luke remarked, then added, "Are those architectural models over there? They're rather pretty."

"Does your wife's firm take on international projects?"

Inside the office, several architects had been discussing Sharon's high school classmate, speculating whether this person might eventually become their client.

Seeing Sharon's husband appear alongside a mixed-race handsome man, their attention was instantly captured.

Everyone already knew Sharon's husband was strikingly attractive. After all, his very first visit to the firm had shattered their usual impression of clients, leaving them feeling that facing such a face made revising drawings a few times entirely bearable. Every subsequent encounter still managed to dazzle them.

With him bringing along another handsome man of mixed heritage—both tall, slender, and radiating an effortless nonchalance—the duo was a feast for the eyes.

What was going on this afternoon? Handsome men kept filing into their firm one after another, making it impossible to take it all in.

Hearing a knock, Shu Shiran, who had just sat down at her desk, looked up from her computer and said, "Come in."

Upon seeing the two visitors, she paused in surprise.

"Why are you two here?"

Ji Xi raised an eyebrow. "We aren't allowed to come?"

For no apparent reason, Shu Shiran felt a tinge of sarcasm in his tone and shot him a glance.

When had she ever said he wasn't allowed to come?

"I happened to be passing by and heard your firm was located here, so I wanted to drop in for a visit," Luke explained.

"Have a seat," Shu Shiran said.

Ji Xi glanced at the unfinished tea still sitting on the coffee table.

Shu Shiran retrieved two cups, poured water for them, and asked, "Where's Sandy?"

"She's at the hotel," Luke answered. "I just went with Jaziel to check out the offices we selected."

Shu Shiran brought the poured water over and sat down, while Luke enthusiastically began recounting his experiences and observations from the past few days.

After chatting for a while, Luke mentioned he would love to take a tour of the firm, noting he had never been inside an architecture practice before.

Shu Shiran stood up and offered, "Then I'll show you around."

"No need, just find someone random to give us a tour so Jaziel doesn't accuse me of distracting you from work," Luke said.

"I'll have my assistant take you then."

Shu Shiran called out for Yuanyuan.

Just as the group was leaving the office, Dai Jiao happened to be stepping out of the adjacent room.

Dai Jiao, who had just finished an online meeting with a client, was suddenly confronted with two tall, dashing men and let out an internal "whoa."

She looked at Ji Xi and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

"...?"

Shu Shiran noticed the corner of Ji Xi's lips curve upward, clearly recalling the misunderstanding from their phone call the day before.

"I'm all good," Ji Xi replied.

Shu Shiran introduced Luke to Dai Jiao. "This is Luke, a friend of Ji Xi's."

After brief pleasantries, Ji Xi and Luke set off with Yuanyuan for the tour.

Watching them leave, Dai Jiao lowered her voice and said, "After the meeting, I heard one of your high school classmates had dropped by and wanted to ask you about it, only to walk out and see Ji Xi and his friend. Things are quite lively around here this afternoon."

Shu Shiran felt her afternoon had indeed been exceptionally busy; it seemed things hadn't stopped since her meeting with Feng Kuan.

"What high school classmate?" Dai Jiao inquired.

"Someone who just moved back to the country," Shu Shiran replied.

Dai Jiao raised an eyebrow. "I heard from the girls he's quite handsome. He wouldn't happen to be an old admirer of yours, would he?"

"...No. He has a project he wants me to take on," Shu Shiran clarified.

"A recently returned high school classmate asking you to handle a project..." Dai Jiao arched an eyebrow further. "Babe, doesn't this feel a bit familiar?"

***

Prompted by Dai Jiao's words, Shu Shiran realized the parallel.

Ji Xi had started the exact same way.

***

After touring the firm, Ji Xi and Luke quickly returned to Shu Shiran's office.

Luke was holding a small bamboo architectural model when he walked in, explaining that one of the architects had given it to him as a souvenir.

Shu Shiran: "..."

Fortunately, Luke was scheduled to return to New York soon; otherwise, she might genuinely worry about him charming the younger girls at the firm.

"Sharon, Jaziel and I just agreed that we'll come over to your place for dinner tonight," Luke announced. "I've been here for days and haven't visited your home yet."

Shu Shiran nodded.

Given how close Luke and Ji Xi were, inviting Luke over was indeed the appropriate thing to do.

Ji Xi looked at her. "Will you come with me to the supermarket after work?"

"The supermarket?" Shu Shiran asked.

"It's almost five. No need to make Auntie Dou run all the way over here."

Since they had originally planned to dine out with Luke tonight, they had already informed Auntie Dou not to prepare dinner.

Reflecting on it, Shu Shiran agreed; making Auntie Dou rush over to cook at the last minute would be too much trouble.

"You know your husband can cook, right?" Luke asked.

"I know," Shu Shiran replied, glancing over at Ji Xi.

So he would be the one cooking tonight?

"I probably won't be able to leave early tonight," she noted.

"That's fine. I need to head back to the hotel to pick up Sandy anyway," Luke said.

***

Luke took Ji Xi's car keys and left.

Before departing, he didn't forget to wave goodbye to the architect who had given him the model.

He was truly smooth.

Observing this, Shu Shiran looked back at Ji Xi, reminded of their friendship.

Catching her gaze, Ji Xi slightly lifted his brow and asked, "Do you really want me gone that badly?"

"...?"

What did this have to do with wanting him gone or not?

Glancing at the used cup on the coffee table, Ji Xi asked, "Were you meeting with a client before we arrived?"

Shu Shiran nodded. "He's also a high school classmate of ours, named Qin Shengyan. You should remember him, right?"

That was a name that had frequently been linked with hers back in high school.

Ji Xi's gaze dimmed slightly as he replied, "No impression."

Hearing this, Shu Shiran wasn't particularly surprised.

The impression he had left on her during high school was one of isolation and indifference; she had rarely ever spoken to him.

By then, Shu Shiran had already returned to her computer to resume work.

Ji Xi asked another question, his tone casual, as if tossing out a random thought: "Do you keep in touch with him regularly?"

Thinking that topic had already been closed, Shu Shiran was momentarily caught off guard.

"No."

***

Before long, it was nearly six o'clock.

Shu Shiran's work was not yet finished.

While she could take her drawings home to review later, there were still administrative tasks she needed to wrap up today.

She looked up at Ji Xi, who was seated on the sofa scrolling through his phone.

She sensed a subtle, indefinable shift in his demeanor today; his mood seemed subdued and somewhat low.

Seeming to sense her gaze, Ji Xi looked up.

Shu Shiran withdrew her inspecting look. "I still need a little while longer before I can leave. Would you mind going to the supermarket first?"

If she waited until she finished to go shopping, it would be quite late by the time they returned home.

"I've already bought the groceries and had them delivered directly home," Ji Xi said.

A sudden question crossed Shu Shiran's mind. "Are we eating upstairs or downstairs?"

"Upstairs, I suppose," Ji Xi answered.

"Won't Luke notice?"

To maintain appearances for Auntie Dou's occasional visits, she had arranged her living space to project the illusion of them living together.

Ji Xi raised an eyebrow. "It's fine, Luke is easygoing."

Around 6:30 PM, Shu Shiran finished work and headed back with Ji Xi.

Taking advantage of the time before Luke and his companion arrived, Shu Shiran went down to her own place to change into more comfortable clothes.

When she came back upstairs, Ji Xi was already busy at the kitchen island.

Auntie Dou typically used the Chinese kitchen, so the Western-style kitchen area was sparsely equipped. The island was mostly clear, holding only a large bag of groceries.

Under the warm lighting, the space looked exceptionally neat.

Ji Xi stood with his gaze cast downward in an easy, nonchalant manner, his sleeves rolled up halfway.

Although she had already seen him preparing wontons before, Shu Shiran still found herself momentarily dazed.

She walked closer, peeked into the bag, and asked, "What are we having for dinner?"

"Steak, keeping it simple," Ji Xi replied.

Shu Shiran nodded.

Ji Xi turned to retrieve something from the other side of the bag on the island.

Attempting to give him room, Shu Shiran accidentally blocked his path as he tried to walk around her, and the two of them nearly bumped into each other.

She stepped aside toward the island again, only for Ji Xi to move in that exact same direction.

Ji Xi halted and looked down at her.

Shu Shiran suddenly felt entirely in the way.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"What can you do?" Ji Xi countered.

Shu Shiran blinked. "I can learn."

After a two-second pause, Ji Xi let out a sigh.

Shu Shiran: "..."

Just then, the phone resting on the island rang.

The screen displayed an incoming voice call from Luke.

Ji Xi picked up the phone and handed it to her. "They must have arrived. Go down and let them in."

"Oh," Shu Shiran murmured.

***

Luke and Sandy arrived bearing wine and flowers.

When Shu Shiran ushered them inside, Ji Xi was already busy searing the steaks.

Luke strolled over to inspect the progress and asked without the slightest bit of reserve, "Jaziel, when is dinner ready?"

"Almost," Ji Xi replied.

Aside from steak, the dinner included roasted vegetables and soup.

Luke uncorked the wine he had brought, and they toasted before digging in.

It was Shu Shiran's first time eating a meal cooked by Ji Xi.

Though relatively simple, it tasted exceptionally good.

Learning that this was her first time trying Jaziel's cooking, Luke turned to her and asked, "Sharon, is Jaziel's food good?"

Shu Shiran nodded. "It's very good."

"Don't let Jaziel's current appearance fool you; he used to work part-time in a restaurant back in the day," Luke revealed.

Shu Shiran's movements paused. It was difficult to associate Ji Xi with the concept of "working part-time in a restaurant."

Though many international students took on part-time jobs, Ji Xi had commanded significant attention within their circles even before returning to China, subsequently lending crucial assistance to the Wanleng Group. He had always carried an aura of disdain, arrogance, and a devil-may-care attitude, so Shu Shiran had never once imagined he could have experienced financially strained days.

Moreover, no matter what, he was still a member of the Ji family; how could he ever be reduced to working in a restaurant?

"Did the Ji family not even give you living expenses?" The question slipped out of her mouth out of sheer astonishment.

"Luke, don't you talk too much," Ji Xi warned.

The two statements rang out simultaneously.

Hearing his words, Shu Shiran paused, realizing he clearly preferred not to discuss these matters with her.

They generally tended to steer clear of overly personal topics in their daily lives.

Ignoring Ji Xi's warning entirely, Luke turned back to Shu Shiran and continued, "What's wrong, Jaziel? Sharon is your wife, after all. Shouldn't she know about your past?"

A slight, imperceptible frown touched Ji Xi's brow, and he remained silent.

Luke elaborated to Shu Shiran, "His father's wife shipped him off to America before he even finished high school simply because she didn't want to look at him. It was fine at first, but later on, they only paid his tuition. After he started college, they cut off his tuition too, and Jaziel had to rely entirely on himself."