I'm Rich - 69
Once all three dishes were ready, Guan Zhiyi carried them into the dining room.
She glanced at the fans' comments on the screen and said, "Are you here to watch my livestream or theirs? Why do you keep insisting they come out? They don't want to, okay? Mm... They're shy. I wouldn't dare impose... Hahaha. Honestly, it's mainly because I can't get them to come."
Qi Chengyan had come over today because he'd missed her during his business trip, so he hadn't left. He was simply standing somewhere outside the camera's view, watching Guan Zhiyi. Now, hearing her say that, he chuckled. "Can't get us to come? Wouldn't dare impose? Since when have you become so polite?"
Guan Zhiyi turned to look at him. "If I weren't being polite, would you really come on my livestream?"
She was only teasing. In her mind, there was no way Qi Chengyan would genuinely be willing to participate in a livestream. But the moment she finished speaking, the man standing beside her calmly sat down next to her. With remarkable ease, he took the chopsticks from her hand and picked up a shrimp.
"Hmm. Pretty good."
Guan Zhiyi: "...I was joking."
Qi Chengyan glanced at the delighted fans flooding the screen. "They say you weren't."
"Th-They were just saying that. You don't actually have to come over."
Qi Chengyan lowered his eyes and continued eating. "It's fine. I'll eat mine, and you can do your thing."
"Oh..."
After that, Qi Chengyan barely spoke. He simply concentrated on eating the food Guan Zhiyi had made. It wasn't until the screen filled with comments asking, "Why isn't Guan Yuanbai coming too?" that he finally remarked, with a faintly languid tone, "Her brother probably thinks he's not photogenic."
Guan Yuanbai had originally come out to get a glass of water. Upon hearing that, he actually turned around and came back. "What did you say?"
Qi Chengyan replied, "Nothing."
Guan Yuanbai walked up behind them and bent down to take a look at the phone. When he saw the viewers' "helpful" explanations, he turned to Qi Chengyan, visibly displeased. "I'm not photogenic? What are you talking about? I'm way more photogenic than you."
Qi Chengyan: "Am I supposed to have noticed?"
"Are your eyes not working properly?" Guan Yuanbai squeezed himself into the space between them. "Look. Aren't I better-looking than you?"
Qi Chengyan silently set down his chopsticks. "She's livestreaming. Stop messing around."
Guan Yuanbai: "Then what are you doing?"
"I'm keeping her company while she works."
"You're the one who wants to sit here and show off, aren't you, Qi Chengyan?"
"That requires an audience to appreciate it." Qi Chengyan looked at him. "You don't have one. You should leave."
"...?"
Guan Yuanbai couldn't be bothered to argue with him. Instead, he gave Guan Zhiyi a pat on the head. "You tell us. Who's more photogenic, me or him?"
Guan Zhiyi: "Huh?"
Why had they dragged her into this ridiculous question?
Qi Chengyan chuckled. "Isn't asking that just setting yourself up for humiliation? From childhood to now, have you ever beaten me in Xiao Wu's eyes?"
Guan Yuanbai choked. Then he remembered... He really hadn't! His little sister had always been hopelessly biased!
But even without confidence, he couldn't back down in front of the camera. So Guan Yuanbai pressed on. "Guan Zhiyi, come on. Tell us."
The air was thick with the scent of gunpowder.
Guan Zhiyi wasn't about to be foolish enough to answer that question on a livestream. She simply pretended not to hear him, picked up her phone, and stood. "My livestream's almost over. I'm going to say goodbye to my fans. Don't come over and bother me."
The livestream had been scheduled for an hour, and there were only five minutes left.
Guan Zhiyi hurried out of the courtyard with her phone. Only after finding somewhere to sit did she turn back to the camera. "Let's forget everything that just happened, okay? We've got another three or four minutes. Let's just chat for a bit."
By then, the fans were having the time of their lives:
[Hahaha, her brother is so cute!]
[Don't you think he's kind of tragic? He's never won against him, not once, from childhood to now??]
[Her brother's so handsome! I'm on Brother's side!]
[I could watch these two battle it out for a whole year.]
[President Qi is the best-looking! No arguments!]
[Waaaaah, President Qi is so wonderful. I want to marry him (just kidding).]
...
Guan Zhiyi scanned the comments. When she reached the one about wanting to marry him, she paused, then slowly said, "You can't marry Qi Chengyan. He's already taken. By me. Um... My brother is available, though. You can all marry him. He's still single."
Guan Zhiyi had actually expected the livestream to land her on the trending searches. After all, both Qi Chengyan and Guan Yuanbai had joined in on the fun. What she hadn't anticipated was one particular headline: #GuanZhiyiFindsHerBrotherAWife
Once the topic started trending, her relatives and friends bombarded Guan Yuanbai with phone calls, asking whether he was "desperate to get married." His face turned green with rage.
Fortunately, this all happened the following afternoon, by which time Guan Zhiyi had already left for the set. She narrowly avoided an attempted "assassination."
This was Guan Zhiyi's first time returning to a production after an extended break. The drama was set in modern times, and filming was taking place in Shanghai.
After joining the cast, she moved into the hotel booked by the production team. As luck would have it, Xiao Ran was filming nearby and staying at the same hotel.
Although Guan Zhiyi had publicly confirmed her relationship, the chemistry between her and Xiao Ran remained strong, and many of their old CP fans were still holding the line. When photos of the two running into each other in the hotel lobby and exchanging greetings were uploaded to Weibo, their CP fans immediately erupted.
Neither Guan Zhiyi's team nor Xiao Ran's team paid much attention to such minor incidents. They were both at the height of their popularity, and rumors flying around was hardly unusual.
That day, after wrapping up filming, Guan Zhiyi climbed into her van.
"Tomorrow's call time is one in the afternoon, and you'll probably finish around ten at night," Liu Yun said. "You'll have more free time."
Guan Zhiyi looked puzzled. "How is that more free time?"
It wasn't much different from starting in the morning and finishing in the afternoon.
Liu Yun said, "Ah... I forgot to tell you. President Qi called while you were filming earlier. I answered."
Guan Zhiyi blinked. "What did he say?"
"He's in Shanghai on a business trip these two days and wants to see you. He asked me to take you to his place after you finish work. That's why I said you'd have more free time tomorrow. You won't need to rush over first thing in the morning."
Guan Zhiyi was caught off guard. She glanced out the window and only then realized they weren't heading back to the hotel.
"Why didn't he tell me sooner?"
Liu Yun raised an eyebrow. "Probably planning another surprise."
A trace of amusement warmed Guan Zhiyi's eyes. "Oh... Then drive faster."
"Tsk. The nauseating stench of being in love."
Qi Chengyan owned property in Shanghai as well, but this was Guan Zhiyi's first time visiting this particular place.
When she arrived, Qi Chengyan was still at work and hadn't returned. So she ordered takeout for herself, ate while watching a variety show, then tidied up and took a shower in the bedroom.
There were very few clothes hanging in the wardrobe, which made it obvious that Qi Chengyan rarely stayed here. Guan Zhiyi casually pulled out a white T-shirt to use as pajamas. Once she'd put it on, she settled into the living room to wait for him.
About an hour later, she heard the sound of the lock turning outside.
The moment Guan Zhiyi heard it, she sprang up from the sofa and darted aside to hide.
A short while later, Qi Chengyan came in. He had just finished a meeting and was still dressed in an especially formal black suit, his tie perfectly straight.
"Xiao Wu?"
He didn't see her in the living room, so he started toward the bedroom. Guan Zhiyi smiled to herself. The moment he turned away, she dashed out from around the corner and raced toward him, leaping onto his back.
"You're home!"
Qi Chengyan had heard her running, but before he could turn around, she'd already jumped on him. The impact made him take a step forward, but he quickly caught her securely.
"Stop fooling around. What if you fall?"
Guan Zhiyi wrapped her arms around his neck. "I won't. You caught me, didn't you?"
Qi Chengyan turned his head to look at her. "How long have you been waiting?"
"Forever. I've already showered and everything."
Qi Chengyan glanced at her bare legs and only then noticed the oversized white T-shirt she was wearing. "My clothes?"
"Mm. I just grabbed something from your wardrobe."
The corners of Qi Chengyan's lips lifted. He remained where he was, shifting her from his back to the front. Guan Zhiyi cooperated readily, locking both legs around him.
He adjusted his hold on her and asked softly, "Not getting down?"
Guan Zhiyi shook her head with a grin. "Carry me for a while. It's been so long since you last held me."
"Hmm... That's true." Qi Chengyan looked at her, hitched her a little higher, and kissed her.
After a brief separation, lovers in the throes of passion often found their reunion all the sweeter. Guan Zhiyi could barely contain her happiness or how much she'd missed him. With her arms around his neck, she kissed him back without holding anything back.
They remained standing in the middle of the living room, kissing as their breaths mingled and the atmosphere grew increasingly intimate.
Only after a long while did Guan Zhiyi pull back, breathing hard. "Okay, okay. Put me down..."
Qi Chengyan hummed but didn't let go. Instead, he carried her to the sofa, sat down, and settled her directly on his lap.
"Have you eaten?" he asked.
Guan Zhiyi idly played with his tie. "When I got here, I realized there wasn't much in the kitchen, so I ordered takeout."
"Mm. I don't stay here often, so there's not much food."
"What about you? Have you eaten?"
"Not yet."
"Then I'll order something for you."
"No need."
"Aren't you hungry?"
Qi Chengyan fixed her with a dark, intent gaze.
Guan Zhiyi blinked. "What is it?"
"I am a little hungry." He rested his forehead against hers and spoke slowly. "But I'd rather have you first. Is that okay?"
Guan Zhiyi froze for a moment, then answered in a small voice, "I... I suppose that's okay..."
She was wearing nothing over the oversized white T-shirt, which was long enough to pass as a dress on her, but not by much. Sitting on his lap, the hem had ridden up considerably.
As the evening progressed, their intimacy deepened, and the rest of the world gradually fell away. When the moment came to leave the living room, they made their way toward the bedroom together, leaving the details of what followed behind a closed door.
Guan Zhiyi was left breathless, resting against him as he held her close.
"The protection is in the bedroom," he murmured near her ear.
"Mm..."
"Then shall we go in there?"
Guan Zhiyi pressed her lips together and gave a quiet reply. Qi Chengyan gathered her into his arms and carried her toward the bedroom, keeping her close as they disappeared from view.
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