Mo Shaoyang confirmed with his manager after leaving the stage that there was no arrangement between the company and the broadcasting station to take special care of him. That was to say – everything that Chu Qin did on stage was out of his own goodwill.
Within the country, Friendly Confusion’s ratings were either ranked first or second. As a newcomer whose face was still unfamiliar to the public, being remembered in the entertainment scene would be of tremendous help to him. Adding flowers to brocade was easy, but sending charcoal during snow was hard. Mo Shaoyang silently noted this kindness.
“Why are you taking such good care of him?” Zhong Yibin muttered half-genuinely as he helped Chu Qin to take off his clothes.
“It’s not easy to be young, I’ll help if I can,” Chu Qin stretched out his hands and obediently let him take his clothes off. The cold air from the air-conditioner blew against his skin, causing him to sneeze.
Zhong Yibin moved nearer and nibbled on that white shoulder.
“Wu…” Chu Qin was shocked. The warm breath against the cool skin gave him the illusion of being bitten by a beast. “Stop playing around.”
Zhong Yibin had felt a little gluttonous after seeing that beautiful shoulder and couldn’t resist having a taste. After satisfying his craving, he helped Chu Qin put on his clothes. ‘What young person? You talk like you’re old.”
Chu Qin was actually only twenty-five this year. It was just that he entered the entertainment circle when he was eighteen, hence he always thought of himself as old.
“I am old,” Chu Qin said with a smile. “Come, call me uncle.”
Zhong Yibin raised an eyebrow and bit his ear, breathing hot air inside, “Uncle Qinqin…”
“Hey…” Chu Qin was tickled by the hot air and instinctively let out a laugh.
The program recording ended smoothly. Chu Qin didn’t have the energy to make small talk with people so he went home after changing his clothes and saying goodbye to Teacher Liang. Zhong Yibin saw that he was tired and offered to drive.
“You remember how to drive?” Chu Qin was slightly worried but for the sake of the man’s self-respect, he still sat shotgun and kept an eye on Zhong Yibin’s motions.
Zhong Yibin took the car keys and searched for a while before finding the keyhole. Then, he paused. How was he supposed to start the car?
The corner of Chu Qin’s mouth twitched, “Press on the accelerator in front.” Secretly sighing, he pointed everything out one by one. The accelerator, the brake, how to change gears, how to switch on the headlights…
“All right, I got it,” Zhong Yibin said with utmost confidence. He stepped on the accelerator and the car moved forward.
Chu Qin grabbed the armrests above the car door nervously. “Step on the brakes if you notice anything wrong. When you don’t need to accelerate, place your foot on the brake.”
Zhong Yibin turned his head to see an incomparably anxious Chu Qin. “Don’t be afraid. Even if I don’t remember, the body remembers.” Saying this, he drove the car seamlessly out of the underground carpark, joining with city’s night traffic.
The car was driven smoothly and steadily. Chu Qin slowly calmed down and released his grip on the armrest.
“Driving is like eating. I don’t remember how to peel crabs but I remember how to eat them…” Zhong Yibin said delightedly. He hadn’t finished his sentence when his phone suddenly rang. “Qinqin, help me take a look.”
Chu Qin stretched out and took the mobile phone from his pocket. The caller ID on the screen was ‘fifty thousand’. He hesitated for a moment and didn’t pick the call up.
“Who is it?” There was a red light in front. Zhong Yibin stopped the car and turned around to ask him.
“It’s Wu Wan,” Chu Qin’s lips curled, “He’s your childhood friend, the second young master of Five Elements Mining.”
Although Zhong Yibin could not be considered particularly hedonistic in the past, he was still a playful young master who knew a group of rouges. This Wu Wan was someone he got along well with – Chu Qin also recognized him.
After giving Zhong Yibin a brief description of Wu Wan, Chu Qin was silent for a moment before saying, “He probably contacted you to play. Say that you’re busy recently and can meet up in a few days.”
“You don’t like him?” Zhong Yibin was sensitive and picked up on Chu Qin’s change in mood.
“That’s not the case,” Chu Qin didn’t have an opinion of Wu Wan. It was just that he disliked the individuals in that group of young masters and ladies. In his heart, he didn’t really want Zhong Yibin to play with them.
“Tell me all the people you don’t like, I won’t play with them again in the future,” Zhong Yibin smiled and said. One hand gripped the steering wheel while the other reached out to grasp the hand that Chu Qin had on his knee.
The warm palm wrapped around the back of his hand. Chu Qin was momentarily moved by Zhong Yibin’s suggestion. However, he quickly stopped himself. If he didn’t like anyone, he only needed to tell Zhong Yibin that this person was not good. Then what difference would there be between him and Mother Zhong?
Early the next morning, Chu Qin started picking out clothes.
Zhong Yibin’s head emerged from the blankets. He scratched his scalp, “Why wake up so early?”
“Do you think it’s appropriate for me to wear this or this?” Chu Qin placed two sets of clothes on the bed. Both sets were casual suits, one was a light color while the other was a dark color.
“Why would you wear a suit on such a hot day?” Zhong Yibin looked at the dazzling sun that was already out so early in the morning. His head was quickly becoming a rattle-drum.
“Oh, right!” Chu Qin hung the suits back up and took out five long-sleeved shirts in solid colors, asking him which was nice.
Wearing a long-sleeved shirt during summer and rolling up the sleeves was a more formal way of dressing compared to wearing a t-shirt. Looking at the Chu Qin’s serious face, Zhong Yibin raised an eyebrow, “What are you dressing so nicely for?”
“Going to see your brother!” Chu Qin continued to take out clothes from his closet. “You quickly get up too, pick something to wear.”
Friday was the day they agreed to meet the Zhong family’s eldest son. He had only met Zhong Jiabin a few times but Chu Qin experienced exceptional jitters every time. That person possessed an inherent sense of oppression.
Zhong Yibin reluctantly crawled out of bed and yawned. he didn’t have many clothes here, so he casually picked out a dark blue long-sleeved shirt. He raised his eyes to look at Chu Qin’s clothes. “Wear a dark blue shirt too, we can wear couple outfits.”
“We better not…” Chu Qin shook his head. The Zhong family’s eldest son only agreed to let Zhong Yibin stay with him because of his brother’s illness. Chu Qin didn’t know what his attitude towards the both of them was. Arrogance would provoke disgust – Chu Qin knew this the best after being in the entertainment industry for so many years.
In the end, he picked a piece in rice-white. It was very easy on the eyes when paired with dark blue. They were not deliberately similar yet they still looked like they matched very well. Chu Qin gave himself a score of ninety-nine in his heart, put the shirt on and dragged Zhong Yibin to stand together in front of the mirror.
The sea blue and cloudy white looked both fresh and compatible.
“I think rather than picking clothes, we should wash our faces and shave.” Zhong Yibin rubbed his stubbled chin against Chu Qin’s head.
Chu Qin slapped his forehead. He was caring about clothes when they had not even washed up.
Zhong Jiabin was the executive-chairman of the Shengshi Group. He was so busy everyday that his time was calculated in minutes. Hence, the eating place was not far from the headquarters of the Shengshi Group. The place was called Jianghe Lake, a high class Chinese restaurant.
Having arrived earlier and settled down in the agreed-upon room, Chu Qin looked through the menu. This restaurant was famous for its dishes and specialized in making lakefood and seafood. “Mr Zhong must dote on you. He knows you like to eat crabs so he chose this restaurant.”
The room was decorated in a very refined manner. Half the wall was made out of transparent glass that stretched to the ground. Outside the glass, there was a courtyard full of bamboo and a bridge overarching running water. It was verdant and lush. The room was decorated in a vintage style. It was spacious yet the table was actually only a rectangular wooden table, very suitable for chats over tea.
Zhong Yibin scratched his head and moved to Chu Qin’s side to look at the menu. He couldn’t remember how the relationship was between him and his brother. After he woke up, his brother’s face was always cold. He never showed much concern towards him either, only asking him the phrase ‘remember anything?’ after coming home every day.
The door to the room was pushed open and the waiter stood at the door attentively. A person dressed in a black high-class, custom made suit walked in calmly.
“Mr Zhong.”
“…Brother”
Chu Qin pulled Zhong Yibin up.
“Sit down,” Zhong Jiabin took off his suit jacket and handed it to the waiter. His personal secretary behind him placed a leather folder beside his hand and immediately left. The dishes were ordered in advance by the secretary so they didn’t have to worry about it. After receiving his instructions, the waiter also quickly retired.
Zhong Jiabin was not in a hurry to give the medical files to Chu Qin. Instead, he personally poured him a cup of tea, “You have been troubled these few days.”
“You’re too polite, taking care of him is something I should do,” Saying words of courtesy the minute he arrived meant he had something more to say. Chu Qin cradled the cup in his hand and directed a smile towards the Zhong family’s eldest son. He soundlessly moved closer to Zhong Yibin.
Zhong Jiabin looked at Chu Qin with a pair of deep-seated eyes, before glancing at his younger brother seated beside Chu Qin. He slowly took a mouth of tea.
The author has something to say:
Small theater: <Turbulent undercurrent between Big Brother and Wife>
Big Brother: Thank you for taking care of my brother
Qin Qin: Taking care of my husband is my duty
Er Bing:（⊙o⊙）Don’t argue
Big Brother: Hehe, does calling him husband mean you don’t plan to give a betrothal gift?
Qin Qin: Hehe, isn’t that the same as giving a dowry?
Er Bing: （⊙v⊙）En?
Big Brother: Hehehe, can the dowry have more betrothal gifts?