I'm Rich - 8
Chapter 8
Half an hour later, Qi Chengyan brought her to a Chinese restaurant.
The restaurant sat by the lake, perfectly situated. Walking through the entrance, every corner held antique furnishings, each piece clearly worth a fortune.
Actually, Guan Zhiyi was quite familiar with this place. The restaurant had been around for over a decade, and it was where her brother, Guan Yuanbai, came most often.
When they reached the private room he usually used, a server opened the door for them.
The moment the door opened, a floor-to-ceiling glass window came into view. Beyond it stretched a panoramic view of the lake, the vista astonishingly clear and unobstructed.
Farther inside stood a table made of red sandalwood. Steam curled from the tea set upon it, carrying a delicate fragrance through the air. A man was seated at the table, quietly drinking tea. He had a handsome face and a proper dignified bearing.
—Guan Yuanbai.
"You got here pretty quickly." Qi Chengyan walked over and took the seat opposite him.
Guan Yuanbai hummed in acknowledgment, then lifted his gaze to Guan Zhiyi. There was nothing frightening about his gaze, but Guan Zhiyi pressed her lips together and, without the slightest hesitation, sat down beside Qi Chengyan.
Guan Yuanbai gave a cold snort. "Thought you'd come up with a few hundred excuses not to show up."
A smile immediately spread across Guan Zhiyi's face. "How could I? It's been so long since you invited me out to eat, of course I had to come."
"You're the one who's too busy. I can never get a hold of you."
The corner of Guan Zhiyi's mouth twitched faintly. Under the table, her hand tugged at the hem of Qi Chengyan's clothes. He understood at once and obligingly changed the subject. "Have you ordered?"
Guan Yuanbai withdrew his gaze. "Not yet."
The server inside hurried over with the menu at these words, offering it first to the lady.
Guan Zhiyi was being especially sycophantic today. She immediately turned the menu around and pushed it in front of Guan Yuanbai. "Ge, you order."
"Order whatever you want."
"No, no. Whatever you pick, I'll love."
Guan Yuanbai shot her a look, half a laugh escaping him. "Look at you. Speak properly!"
Seeing him crack a smile, Guan Zhiyi finally relaxed. "I am being proper."
"Such a smooth talker."
Guan Yuanbai lowered his eyes and began ordering. Stern as he was with her, he was also genuinely good to her. After looking through the menu, he ordered several dishes that she liked.
Once he was finished, he handed the menu to Qi Chengyan as well. "If it weren't for you today, she probably wouldn't have come."
Qi Chengyan: "Oh? Is that so."
Guan Zhiyi protested, "Of course not... Can't you have a little confidence in yourself?"
"You still dare deny it?" Guan Yuanbai said. "How many times have I called you asking you to come home or come out for a meal? Every time, you dodge and make excuses about being busy with something."
Guan Zhiyi blinked innocently, feigning amnesia. "Did I?"
Guan Yuanbai couldn't be bothered to argue. "Chengyan, you remember. This girl's been following you around since she was little. Whatever you said, she'd listen. Whatever I said, she wouldn't."
Qi Chengyan looked down at the menu, a faint smile curving his lips.
Guan Yuanbai continued, "When she was eight, I told her she might as well take your surname and be your little sister. She actually took me seriously, was so happy she couldn't sleep all night."
Why was he dragging up embarrassing stories from years ago too?!
Guan Zhiyi caught the amused glint in Qi Chengyan's eyes and felt her ears burn.
"Ge, can't you say something nice for once?"
"What's nice?" Guan Yuanbai leaned back and slowly said, "Oh, then let's talk about your boyfriend."
"............"
Qi Chengyan paused. "Boyfriend?"
Guan Yuanbai's expression turned cold. "You didn't know? Your cousin didn't even tell you?"
Qi Chengyan hadn't been in touch with Hua Hongxi for days. He genuinely had no idea what had happened.
Reading his expression, Guan Yuanbai explained, "Your cousin and Xiao Wu are together."
Qi Chengyan's brows drew together as he looked at Guan Zhiyi. "Really?"
Guan Zhiyi actually found it difficult to lie in front of Qi Chengyan. He was always kind and gentle with her, but when he was genuinely displeased, his intimidating presence was even more formidable to her than Guan Yuanbai's.
So when she met the questioning gaze, her voice caught. "Oh, this... We're together... I guess."
Qi Chengyan narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, 'I guess'?"
"No, no. We are together." Remembering her agreement with Hua Hongxi, Guan Zhiyi gritted her teeth and committed to it. "It happened a few days ago."
Qi Chengyan put down the menu, his expression turning somewhat stern. "You've only met a few times and you're already together?"
Guan Yuanbai stared at her too, clearly waiting for an answer.
Guan Zhiyi forced herself to steady her nerves. "Love at first sight only takes a second sometimes."
Qi Chengyan: "..."
Guan Yuanbai: "..."
Guan Zhiyi took a sip of tea to calm herself. "Ge, how did you find out? Dad told you?"
Guan Yuanbai: "Who else? Ha. When he found out you were together with that kid from the Hua family, you have no idea how happy he was."
"Really?" Guan Zhiyi instantly felt that it had all been worth it. As long as Dad was happy, that was enough. If Dad was happy, he wouldn't come interfering with her anymore!
"Xiao Wu, dating isn't something to joke about. Are you sure you really like Hongxi?"
Guan Zhiyi looked at Qi Chengyan, but the longer she looked at him, the guiltier she felt, so she simply stared at her own fingers instead. "I... I like him quite a bit."
"How well do you know him?"
"Aren't you pretty familiar with him?" Guan Zhiyi muttered softly. "Hua Hongxi is your younger cousin, after all. That should count for something, right?"
"What, you think being my cousin automatically makes him a model citizen?"
"Ah..."
Qi Chengyan reached out and tapped her on the head. "Get your head on straight. Get to know him properly first."
Guan Zhiyi shrank back, covering her head as she looked at him.
Qi Chengyan's gaze darkened slightly. "Did you hear me?"
"...I heard you."
The dishes gradually arrived. In the meantime, Guan Yuanbai and Qi Chengyan took turns lecturing her without pause.
Guan Zhiyi looked thoroughly aggrieved. She'd thought with Qi Chengyan there, she would at least get a break from her brother's scolding. Instead, the two of them had joined forces to lecture her. What a mistake coming here.
Eventually, when they finally stopped, they could at last begin eating.
She ate quietly, doing her best to make herself invisible, while the other two chatted idly over their meal. They talked about stocks going up and down, various company projects, and all sorts of other things...
She couldn't understand a single word.
Halfway through the meal, Guan Zhiyi's phone suddenly rang. It was Liu Yun calling.
Guan Zhiyi answered. "Hello?"
"Zhiyi, about the Zhaoyang role..."
"Is there a result already?" Her heart shot to her throat. "How did it go?"
Liu Yun hesitated for a moment before saying heavily, "It's gone."
"Gone... How?"
"From everyone's reactions during the audition, I thought for sure it was yours too, but..." Liu Yun sighed. "well, it happens. Who knows what unexpected contender appeared halfway through."
The light in Guan Zhiyi's eyes dimmed, flickering out. She took a shallow breath, swallowing the sudden surge of disappointment and loss. "I understand. I'll hang up now."
"Don't be too upset. There'll be other opportunities in the future. For now, just focus on getting ready for the variety show."
"Mm..."
Guan Zhiyi hung up.
"What's wrong?" Guan Yuanbai asked when he saw the change in her expression.
Guan Zhiyi said gloomily, "I didn't get the role."
Qi Chengyan paused, turning to look at her. "That role you mentioned before?"
"Mm."
Guan Yuanbai said indifferently, "Then you didn't get it. No big deal. Eat."
No big deal?!
She loved that novel so much. She'd wanted that role so badly. From the moment she learned she could audition, she'd read the script every day, practiced every scene in front of the mirror. She had poured so much thought, so much effort into it... How could it not be a big deal?
The disappointment and frustration in her heart were instantly set ablaze by Guan Yuanbai's casual dismissal. Guan Zhiyi slammed down her chopsticks and snapped, "It is a big deal!"
Guan Yuanbai's chopsticks stopped mid-air. He looked up at her. "Why are you getting angry?"
Guan Zhiyi glared at him. "Ge, you don't know anything. Why do you get to decide that it isn't a big deal?"
Guan Yuanbai's expression darkened. "Then tell me what makes it such a big deal. What's the difference between having this role and not having it? Xiao Wu, you've been struggling in this industry for almost five years now. When are you going to give up?"
"I'm not giving up!" Guan Zhiyi stood up. "What right do you have to tell me to give up? Because you think I'll end up like Mom? Ge, Mom is Mom, and I'm me. I like being an actress. I really do!"
"Guan Zhiyi!"
"I can't make sense with you!" Guan Zhiyi grabbed her bag, turned around, and walked straight out.
Guan Yuanbai watched her slam the door and leave, a flicker of pain passing through his eyes.
Qi Chengyan rose. "I'll go check on her."
Guan Yuanbai rubbed at his brow. "Sorry to trouble you."
Qi Chengyan said nothing. He got up and left the room.
The restaurant was lakefront, and beyond its doors was a long corridor running along the water. After leaving the restaurant, Qi Chengyan spotted a figure in the distance on the corridor.
He frowned and followed.
**
"Xiao Wu."
His voice came from behind her. Guan Zhiyi reached up to wipe her eyes but didn't turn around. "I can get home by myself."
Qi Chengyan caught her arm. "Wait."
Guan Zhiyi still refused to face him. Qi Chengyan sighed helplessly and walked around to stand in front of her.
The girl in front of him had already put on a mask, but her eyes were rimmed red, tears still clinging to her lashes. She looked unbearably wronged.
He'd always been helpless when it came to her crying. "Don't cry."
Guan Zhiyi turned her face away, her muffled voice coming through the mask. "I'm not crying."
"You're like this. Still saying you're not crying?"
"..."
Guan Zhiyi's heart was a complete mess. She'd wanted Zhaoyang so badly—and she'd been so sure it was hers. To lose it was one thing. To have her brother rub salt in the wound was another. She had nowhere to put all this frustration.
"Tell me what happened. Take your time. I'm listening." Qi Chengyan cupped her face, wiping away the tear marks beneath her eyes with his thumb. "You're all grown up, but when you cry, you're still just like a little brat."
Guan Zhiyi looked up at Qi Chengyan, and somehow, seeing him only made her want to cry even more. The next second, tears spilled out in big, uncontrollable drops.
Qi Chengyan froze for a moment. "Hey, you..."
"Can you pretend you didn't hear what I said earlier? Please, waaaah..."
"What did you say?"
"The stuff... in the car... on the way here…”
He thought for a moment, then remembered. On the drive over, she'd been brimming with confidence, certain that the role would be hers. She had even said that once the official list came out, he would have to give her a reward. But now, the role was gone.
The little brat probably felt embarrassed.
Qi Chengyan smiled and shook his head. "At a time like this, you're still bringing that up."
"Because I have to! You must think I'm ridiculous... I didn't get it... Sob, sob, why was I so confident?"
"No. I don't think you're ridiculous." Qi Chengyan wiped away her tears as he coaxed her gently. "Be good. No more crying."
Because Guan Zhiyi was wearing a mask, crying made it difficult for her to breathe. She pulled it down a little, revealing her bright-red nose. "But I'm still sad. I'm already like this and my brother just had to make me feel worse..."
"He was in the wrong. I'll have a word with him."
Guan Zhiyi steadied her breathing and asked seriously, "Can you actually win an argument with him?"
Qi Chengyan paused, then laughed. "I'll do my best?"
"Forget it... You can't reason with him." Guan Zhiyi lowered her eyes. "Maybe he's right. I've been struggling for five years and haven't gotten anywhere. Maybe the problem is me. Maybe I'm just a failure."
"No. The right opportunity just hasn't found you yet." He patted her head. "You're very capable. Have a little faith in yourself."
Guan Zhiyi's heart gave a sudden tremor. "Really?"
"Mm."
The emotions weighing on her seemed to dissolve in his gentle words. She looked into his eyes and felt her heart come back to life.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
It was beating so loudly.
"All right. I'll take you home. Don't wander around here anymore," Qi Chengyan said.
Guan Zhiyi let him keep hold of her arm, following behind him in a daze.
"Chengyan-gege."
"Mm?"
"I... It's nothing."
He glanced back at her, a faint smile playing on his lips—the same smile that said, even all grown up, she still cried with such complete abandon.
Guan Zhiyi lowered her head, listening as her heart continued to beat hard and strangely.
Actually, there was still something she wanted to say.
She wanted to tell him that he was still just as great as before.
No.
He was even better than before…
---
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