I'm Rich - 25
Chapter 25
"A little souvenir I brought back from Europe," Guan Zhiyi said.
Hearing that, Guan Yuanbai naturally assumed she'd picked up some kind of keepsake for them. He grunted an acknowledgment, shoved his hands in his pockets, and headed for the living room. "So what is it?"
"I'll show you in a bit." With that, Guan Zhiyi tugged Qi Chengyan toward the stairs.
Guan Yuanbai glanced back and scoffed. "What kind of random junk did she buy now?"
Probably something else he'd have no use for.
While Guan Yuanbai was still grumbling about how he'd never use whatever she'd bought him, Guan Zhiyi, who had bought him absolutely nothing, was pulling a gift box out of her suitcase.
"I got this in Croatia. It's perfect for you."
The box was elegant. Qi Chengyan took it, and he'd be lying if he said it didn't please him. It felt like that feeling of... being remembered by a child. Any adult would be happy.
"Thank you."
"Open it."
"Alright." Qi Chengyan undid the bow and lifted the lid.
Inside was a dark-colored tie. At first glance, it looked understated and refined, but once he picked it up... the tip was embroidered with a soft, fluffy rabbit?
Qi Chengyan looked at Guan Zhiyi, caught between laughter and exasperation. "You're sure this suits me?"
Guan Zhiyi nodded like it was obvious. "Of course. I think you're like a little rabbit, Gege. Gentle and cute!"
Like a rabbit? Gentle and... cute?
That was probably the most bewildering description of himself Qi Chengyan had heard in his entire life.
"Croatia is where ties originated, you know. Everyone on the trip bought one. I saw this and thought it was so unique, I wanted to give it to you."
Qi Chengyan murmured an acknowledgment, staring at the rabbit for a moment without speaking. He was only thinking, could he actually wear this day to day? Probably. The rabbit was on the tip. If he didn't pull the whole thing out, it wouldn't show much.
Guan Zhiyi had no idea what he was thinking. She assumed his silence meant he didn't like it, so she said, a little embarrassed, "Um, it's definitely not as expensive as the ties you usually wear, so you don't have to wear it. Just keep it for a keepsake."
Qi Chengyan glanced at her, unable to bear disappointing her. "It's nice. It'd be a shame to keep this rabbit locked away."
"So you'll wear it?"
"I can try."
Guan Zhiyi's eyes lit up. "Then let me put it on you!"
Qi Chengyan had loosened his tie at home for comfort before coming over, so his collar was bare, which gave Guan Zhiyi the perfect opportunity.
"Gege, lean down."
Qi Chengyan instinctively started to oblige, but the moment he bent and saw her face suddenly so close, he stopped short.
"You're not her real brother. Being overly affectionate with her is a problem too, you know."
Xiao Ran's nonsense rang in his head at the worst possible moment. Qi Chengyan froze for a beat, then slowly straightened back up.
Guan Zhiyi hadn't even reached up yet. Seeing him straighten, she said in annoyance, "You're too tall. Lean down, lean down."
Qi Chengyan smiled faintly and took the tie from her. "Do you even know how? Let me do it myself."
Watching him tie it, Guan Zhiyi huffed. "Of course I know how. I've tied ties for people in dramas before."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, I even practiced specifically. I'm really good at it."
But as she spoke, Qi Chengyan had already knotted the tie in a few quick movements. Guan Zhiyi didn't notice anything off. She just stepped back and studied him seriously for a moment, then said with genuine feeling, "Worthy of my taste. Gorgeous."
Qi Chengyan raised an eyebrow slightly, glancing at himself in the full-length mirror nearby. Fine. That rabbit... it actually looked pretty good after a while.
After tying the tie, the two of them headed downstairs. Guan Zhiyi was in a good mood seeing Qi Chengyan wearing her gift, her steps were lighter on the way down. "Can we eat now?"
In the living room, Guan Zhiyi plopped down beside Guan Yuanbai.
"Am I not waiting for you two?" Guan Yuanbai glanced at her, then asked, as if casually, "You were up there forever. Where's the gift?"
Guan Zhiyi pointed cheerfully at Qi Chengyan. "Right there. Well? Isn't it nice?"
Guan Yuanbai followed her finger toward Qi Chengyan—
Qi Chengyan leaned back and gave the tie a little flick.
Guan Yuanbai: "..."
"What's with that face? Isn't it nice?" Guan Zhiyi asked.
Guan Yuanbai's mouth twitched. "What's that white blob on the tie?"
"It's a rabbit. Ge, is your eyesight bad?"
Guan Yuanbai looked at Qi Chengyan, paused for two seconds, and said insincerely, "It suits you."
Qi Chengyan smiled slightly. "Thank you."
"You didn't buy me something like this too, did you?" Guan Yuanbai asked after a moment.
Guan Zhiyi shook her head blankly. "No."
"Good." Guan Yuanbai exhaled in relief. "So what did you get me? Let me see."
Guan Zhiyi looked even more blank. "Nothing."
Guan Yuanbai: "What?"
Guan Zhiyi spread her hands. "I said I didn't buy you anything."
"............"
The atmosphere went a little stiff.
Guan Zhiyi sat there dazed for a moment, suddenly catching on. "Oh... Ge, you want me to buy you a gift too?"
Guan Yuanbai's expression shifted. "Did I say I wanted you to buy me a gift? Do you think the stuff you buy would suit me? Would it even be usable?"
"Wouldn't suit you, wouldn't be usable." Guan Zhiyi said seriously. "I knew you'd look down on my gifts, so I planned ahead and just didn't buy one."
Guan Yuanbai: "...How clever of you."
"I know, right."
"Miss, dinner's ready," the housekeeper said, coming over just then. "We made your favorite black chicken soup today. Come try it."
"Great!" Guan Zhiyi got up and headed for the kitchen. "Where is it? Give me a bowl to taste first."
Guan Zhiyi bounced off. Guan Yuanbai looked at Qi Chengyan and only then said, "Seems like after all these years, you still win."
Qi Chengyan: "Hm?"
Guan Yuanbai stood lazily. "I think Guan Xiao Wu is just an ungrateful little thing. When she was young, she only ever thought about you. She still does now."
Qi Chengyan paused, remembering the past. Back then, he and Guan Yuanbai would often joke around, using the same thing to coax Guan Zhiyi, seeing who she'd follow.
And every single time, he won.
It wasn't that Qi Chengyan knew better what she liked. It was that compared to Guan Yuanbai, his patience and temper with her were far better. The little girl naturally clung to the one who spoiled her rotten.
Qi Chengyan shook his head with a smile. "That's what you get for saying one thing and meaning another."
"When have I ever said one thing and meant another?"
"Just now." Qi Chengyan lifted the tie and waved it at him again. "You obviously want one, but still insist it's ugly."
Guan Yuanbai's eyes widened slightly. "Want one? Qi Chengyan, are you alright up there? Who would actually want that thing?"
"Oh."
"And it really is ugly."
"Is that so."
"Yes. Who embroiders a rabbit on a tie... And would you dare wear that out in public?"
"I don't see why not."
Guan Yuanbai looked at him, at a loss for words. "Then you're genuinely insane."
**
Guan Zhiyi had been well protected growing up. Whenever she ran into trouble, either Qi Chengyan stepped in or her father and brother handled it. So she used to be a bit soft, giving people the impression she wasn't the rebellious type.
Which was why, when she threw caution to the wind in college and entered the entertainment industry despite her family's objections, everyone who knew her was stunned. They all thought the little girl had grown up, had changed.
But only Guan Zhiyi knew she'd simply poured what little courage and conviction she had into her acting career. Deep down, she still wasn't that brave.
Just like right now, with Qi Chengyan. Hinting at things, overt and covert, was one thing. Saying it out loud was another.
It hadn't been love at first sight for her. They were too close, had known each other too long. She knew that once it was out in the open, things would spin beyond her control. So right now she was using every ounce of courage she had to try, to see if she could change how he saw her...
Which meant these days at home couldn't be wasted.
The next morning, Guan Zhiyi timed it carefully. When she saw Qi Chengyan in his workout clothes coming out of his house, she stepped out from around the corner as naturally as could be. "Oh? Gege, good morning."
Qi Chengyan's hand paused on his earphones. He turned toward the voice. Not far off, Guan Zhiyi, in a pink-and-white tracksuit, was waving at him.
He took out his earphones. "Xiao Wu?"
Guan Zhiyi ran up. "What a coincidence! I even run into you when I go for a jog."
Qi Chengyan had always gone for morning runs, but he remembered she never ran in the morning.
"You actually got up," Qi Chengyan said, surprised.
Guan Zhiyi shot him a look. "What kind of comment is that? I get up early plenty."
"Your brother said you never get up early unless you're filming."
"Well… well, not always." Guan Zhiyi said, feeling guilty. "I've gained weight lately. I have a new project coming up, so I need to slim down."
With that, she jogged ahead of him. "Come on, come on, let's go."
Gained weight?
Qi Chengyan automatically sized her up. Was she even capable of being fat?
All he saw was the girl in cropped running shorts, the pink-and-white fabric framing two slender, straight, pale legs. She was jogging backward now, and with each step, her top, which barely covered her waist, rode up slightly, revealing a small strip of fair skin. Visually, it was only about a handspan.
"Why aren't you running? Hurry up, don't let me beat you." The person ahead turned back.
Qi Chengyan blinked, quickly looking away.
"Coming." He put his earphones back in and ran to catch up.
He was much faster than Guan Zhiyi, so he overtook her in no time. Seeing him pass her, Guan Zhiyi hurried to keep up.
"Boss, your competitive streak is way too strong! I only said you couldn't outrun me, and you take off like that!"
Guan Zhiyi puffed along beside him. Qi Chengyan glanced at her. "This is just my normal pace."
"Is… is that so?"
"Your legs are short. No need to keep up with me."
What Qi Chengyan actually meant was that there was a height difference, a leg-length difference, so naturally a stride difference.
But what Guan Zhiyi heard was: her. legs. short!
"Who says! I may not be tall, but my… my legs are pretty long!" Guan Zhiyi said, indignant. "Really. My manager even said my legs are golden ratio. Great on camera!"
Qi Chengyan glanced sideways at her and saw the girl's cheeks were puffed out, clearly annoyed.
She'd misunderstood? He couldn't help the corner of his mouth curving up.
"What are you laughing at! My legs really are long. Definitely beautiful legs."
"Mm, sure..."
"What kind of tone is that? How about I go back and measure them for you!"
Qi Chengyan paused, then reached over and tapped her on the forehead. "How old are you? Don't you know you can't say things like that in front of others? Have you no shame?"
Guan Zhiyi rubbed her forehead and said quietly, "What does it matter with you..."
Qi Chengyan's gaze, fixed ahead, narrowed slightly. He was about to say something when the girl beside him said seriously, "Gege, you're not 'others.'"
---
Author's Note:
So you... see it, see it, see it? :)
---
Comments
Post a Comment