Utterly... unmoved.
Mu Hanqi gritted her teeth, her left leg, exposed to the air, remained lifted, swaying gently in mid-air.
If anyone else were present, they would have been unable to resist. Yet, Ye Longlin remained completely unperturbed, leaning back on the sofa and reading the newspaper.
He even rustled the newspaper.
Mu Hanqi felt helpless. She shouldn't have held any expectations for Ye Longlin; this guy was a block of wood!
"Not a bit of charm, so boring."
She pouted. If it weren't Ye Longlin, she wouldn't have made such alluring movements. It was precisely because she trusted Ye Longlin that she dared to act this way.
She believed Ye Longlin would never cross the line.
However, belief aside, in the face of reality, she had lost. She never expected Ye Longlin to be completely unfazed.
It made no sense. She was 1.75 meters tall with a 36C bust. Just these two points alone were enough to outshine many women, yet he showed no sign of excitement. He could even focus on reading the paper so intently?
Though she was so angry her teeth hurt, she felt a mix of unwillingness and frustration at Ye Longlin's attitude.
Ultimately, Mu Hanqi could only angrily finish her drink alone and return to her room.
Not long after, Lin Tianai returned. Seeing Ye Longlin washing dishes in the kitchen, she went to Mu Hanqi's room without a word.
"Did Ye Longlin personally cook for you?"
Lin Tianai had been busy trying to infiltrate the business circles of South Province. However, the business circles there were too insular, making it extremely difficult to integrate. She was quite frustrated. If she could integrate into this circle, entering South Province would just be a matter of time.
Mu Hanqi's eyes darted around, and she asked with a sweet smile, "Yes, it's such a pity you weren't back. You have no idea how good Ye Longlin's cooking is, especially the sweet and sour pork ribs and braised pork. They were so fragrant."
As she spoke, she even put on an expression of longing. It was unclear whether it was genuine emotion or a yearning for such a day to come, with such a scene unfolding in their little home.
Lin Tianai glanced at her appearance and sighed, "Actually, it's for the best. After all, I looked down on him before, and now I want to come back. I, Lin Tianai, am not that shameless. Since you two have confirmed your relationship, then stay together happily. I'll move out tomorrow."
Sensing the loss in Lin Tianai's tone, Mu Hanqi opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, said nothing.
The two were once very, very close sisters, friends who talked about everything. But now, for Ye Longlin, while they hadn't fallen out completely, they were close to it. It was impossible to return to the days when they could talk about anything.
Mu Hanqi ultimately said nothing. The two sat in silence on the bed for half an hour before Lin Tianai got up and left.
Mu Hanqi didn't voice their relationship because there was no need.
People are selfish, especially when it comes to love.
Can anyone maintain magnanimity in front of a love rival?
"Tianai, I'm sorry. As a friend, I wish you could stand by Ye Longlin's side, but as myself, I love him, so I can't give him up."
Outside the door, Lin Tianai wiped away a tear and managed a smile, "I wish you happiness. I hope one day in the future, I can attend your wedding."
...
The next day, bored, Ye Longlin headed towards the club.
He had promised Old Master Qi a match yesterday and couldn't go back on his word.
"My young friend, you've arrived, hahaha."
Seeing Ye Longlin, the old man immediately greeted him with a hearty laugh and then pointed at the old fellows playing chess at several tables, muttering, "These old geezers don't believe there's a young person under thirty who can beat me in Go. They insisted on coming to see for themselves."
"And... I mentioned last time that I would bring a helper, hahahaha."
The old master was truly astute. They say the longer one lives, the more astute one becomes. With Qi Sheng's cultivation, he should have already been ranked among the three thousand immortals.
Ye Longlin rubbed his nose, feeling a bit speechless. "Old Master, dwelling too much on winning and losing spoils the fun."
The old master shrugged and asked him as if making a deal, "How about... you play a game with my granddaughter? She's participating in an international Go competition next month and is feeling unsure. With you here, this competition would be practically a sure win. If you're willing, hehe, I'll play a few more games, how about that?"
After speaking, he sighed, "It can't be helped. Those damn brats from that country are living quite comfortably and have openly declared on various domestic and international platforms that there's no one in Da Xia who can match them. So..."
Ye Longlin nodded, saying nothing more. He had seen this matter in the newspapers. At first glance, he was quite angry. So, last night, he had ordered a targeted Go club attack operation against that country living quite comfortably.
Damn it, you think you're arrogant, you think you can bark like a dog.
I'll take down your entire nest!
Ye Longlin nodded. "Two games."
Qi Chuyao, standing beside them, looked excited but, seeing Ye Longlin's demeanor, couldn't quite gauge his attitude.
Already a social recluse, now being asked to be coached by him, her small face turned red. She looked pleadingly at Qi Sheng.
Qi Sheng shook his head and reluctantly pushed her into her seat. However, Qi Chuyao lowered her head, looking at the ground, her hand nervously clutching a white stone.
A master.
To be able to play a game with someone of this caliber in her lifetime was an extreme honor.
Ye Longlin was helpless; he could tell at a glance that Qi Chuyao had been learning chess since childhood, but some aspects were not yet refined.
"Chess players, Go skills, cannot be confused; these two are hierarchical.
"A chess player is one who plays the game; the player, the yi, is an art.
"And as a chess player, one must not lack imposing manner, temperament, and etiquette.
"Hold your head high, breathe deeply, slow your breathing, and concentrate."
Qi Chuyao exhaled deeply and quickly followed his instructions.
After a long while, she finally gathered her courage and said hesitantly, "Sir, I'm ready."
"Let's begin."
Ye Longlin smiled kindly. Since she was to represent Da Xia and bring glory to the nation, he wouldn't hold back. Moreover, she was reportedly the last disciple of the Yi Qi Master, so he certainly couldn't take it lightly.
Yi Qi Master was a master from that country living quite comfortably, the founder of a school of thought.
"The Yi Qi Master's style is mysterious. His self-created 'Bewitching Eight Formations' can trap enemies, making them unable to extricate themselves. The first formation is 'Locking Dragon,' preventing your dragon head from emerging."