Chapter 89: Chapter 85: I’m Afraid She’ll Slip Away from My Side (1)
"Meng Meng... do you like me? Hmm?"
"Say you like me... say you like me..."
Su Xiaomeng looked really troubled.
Yin Shixiu was very patient, but just as Su Xiaomeng was about to hesitate, a sound came from outside the restroom, and the door was pushed open!
Her heart leapt into her throat, and Su Xiaomeng was completely aware of it.
She hurried to push Yin Shixiu away, but he held her tightly in his arms and turned around, facing none other than the somewhat anxious Duan Qiaoqiao who had been waiting outside.
Su Xiaomeng stared blankly at the delicate girl, suddenly filled with the panic of being caught doing something sneaky.
"Four- Four Brother... this, this is..." Duan Qiaoqiao asked.
Yin Shixiu remained calm, straightened Su Xiaomeng’s clothes, put a coat over her, took her hand, and walked towards Duan Qiaoqiao...
"Sorry, Qiaoqiao. I have a girlfriend."
Duan Qiaoqiao’s pale face visibly stiffened for a moment, and then she forced a smile.
But despite that, she still tried to remain calm and said, "Oh, I see... Four Brother, you should have told me earlier."
Su Xiaomeng clutched tightly onto Yin Shixiu’s sleeve.
She was undeniably moved...
Just a moment ago, she was convinced that Yin Shixiu was nothing but a sleazy player, just like those she had seen in movies...
And the next moment, he openly introduced her to his blind date.
"I was going to tell you, just didn’t expect I didn’t get the chance before you started getting jealous."
Yin Shixiu said, glancing at someone whose face had turned as red as a tomato.
It was the first time he’d seen her this shy.
Su Xiaomeng’s heart was screaming!
Who was jealous?! She was just a little bit jealous...
And didn’t he say no one would come in! Didn’t he say he hung the sign?!
Now, not only were they seen, but... but it was by this girl!
"I was afraid if I didn’t act quickly, she’d slip away from me."
Yin Shixiu’s tone was somewhat helpless, but his simple words stirred waves in Su Xiaomeng’s heart.
Duan Qiaoqiao looked at Yin Shixiu, then at Su Xiaomeng, and although she said she wasn’t upset, it wasn’t true...
It was the first time she’d seen Four Brother show such an expression to someone...
And the first time she’d seen Four Brother do something so inappropriate, bold, and reckless in public.
He had always been well-mannered, elegant, and full of gentlemanly charm...
"Since he is Four Brother’s girlfriend, should I call you Sister-in-law?" she smiled.
Su Xiaomeng was taken aback, looked up, and met the smiling woman in front of her, whose smile was a bit helpless but mostly sincere.
"She’s calling you sister-in-law, aren’t you going to respond?"
Yin Shixiu asked.
He knew what kind of girl Duan Qiaoqiao was, kind and well-educated, not demanding or forceful.
This was the grace and composure only a true lady of a great family possessed.
"Oh... hello."
Su Xiaomeng felt so lame at that moment!
She didn’t expect the girl in front of her to be so calm and magnanimous.
"Four Brother, why don’t you take Sister-in-law back to the table? I’ll use the restroom."
Duan Qiaoqiao said.
"...Okay."
Yin Shixiu nodded, then took Su Xiaomeng out, removing the sign from the door on the way.
Duan Qiaoqiao glanced at the work uniform Su Xiaomeng had changed out of in the restroom, sighed with a bit of helplessness, and smiled.
After using the restroom, she folded the clothes neatly and headed to the bar counter.
The guy at the bar had been a bit confused seeing Yin Shixiu lead Su Xiaomeng out of the restroom earlier, and now even more so when Duan Qiaoqiao returned the uniform to him saying, "My sister-in-law borrowed it, returning it to you, thank you." He was puzzled.
Sister-in-law?
What’s going on?
The confusion wasn’t just on the face of the bar guy.
Yin Meng had picked up a call and hadn’t paid much attention to what was happening; when she came back to her senses, she was a bit confused too.
Why were those three still sitting at the same table?
Why was Xiaomeng sitting with Uncle, and why was her face so red? And her lips... what had happened?
Unable to sit still, Yin Meng picked up her bag and approached their table.
"Uncle..."
Yin Shixiu had spotted Yin Meng when he saw Su Xiaomeng.
"Have a seat, this is Qiaoqiao, your Grandpa Duan’s daughter, you might have some memory of her."
Yin Shixiu introduced.
Yin Meng was stunned for a moment, then quickly turned to Duan Qiaoqiao, who smiled at her, "Yin Meng, right?"
"Uh... Sister Qiaoqiao?"
Yin Meng blinked, somewhat dazed, and only then realized the girl seemed familiar.
Duan Qiaoqiao nodded.
"So... weren’t you two supposed to be on a blind date?"
Yin Meng was somewhat confused about the situation.
Duan Qiaoqiao looked a bit embarrassed and glanced at Su Xiaomeng before explaining, "I didn’t know Four Brother already had a girlfriend. Uncle Yin told me to meet him, and I didn’t think otherwise, so I came... Who knew it would hurt Sister-in-law."
Su Xiaomeng hurriedly said, "No, no, no! I wasn’t hurt! It’s my fault, I should have, should have asked clearly..."
Duan Qiaoqiao’s every word was so understanding, making Su Xiaomeng feel very embarrassed.
"As the saying goes, ’friendship is formed through conflict.’ Fourth sister-in-law looks younger than me. I hope we can become good friends in the future."
These words...
Even Yin Meng couldn’t help but lower her head, let alone Su Xiaomeng.
Silently, she took Yin Shixiu’s coffee cup and poured a little into her own empty cup.
Pretending to drink...
Duan Qiaoqiao, she remembered, was exceptionally intelligent since childhood, with a great temper and impeccable manners.
Compared to her, even Yin Meng felt inferior, not to mention Su Xiaomeng.
"Pfft—cough cough!"
Yin Meng had just taken a sip of coffee and couldn’t help but spit it out.
Duan Qiaoqiao paused, hurriedly took a wet wipe from her bag and handed it to her, laughing, "What’s wrong? Is Fourth Brother’s coffee so bad?"
Yin Meng looked at Yin Shixiu, his calm expression, then looked at Su Xiaomeng’s embarrassed face.
Instantly understood.
However, she couldn’t quite understand Yin Shixiu—
Uncle, are you serious? What have I done to offend you?
Watching her drink without stopping her, getting back at Meng Meng, why bring her into it? Could it be...
"Your fourth aunt is very petty, don’t do stupid things with her in the future."
Yin Meng understood, he was retaliating because she didn’t notify him in time...
Her heart was itching with anger.
Duan Qiaoqiao blinked and then realized, laughing, "Just now, Fourth Sister-in-law dressed like a waitress, bringing drinks in such a gruff voice, I was wondering what’s up with this waitress! Haha..."
Su Xiaomeng was so embarrassed that she wanted to dig a hole and hide in it!
"Little girl’s demeanor."
Yin Shixiu said lightly, then received a secret sharp pinch from Su Xiaomeng.
Though it hurt, his eyes were satisfied, satisfied and happy.
He grasped her small hand, pulled it onto his leg, holding it tightly.
The heart of Su Xiaomeng was in a state of turmoil all day long.
Melancholic unease, overwhelming excitement, sudden emotion, and... irrepressible joy.
Facing Duan Qiaoqiao, she still felt somewhat unable to lift her head, but, her heart finally calmed, and after calming, there returned a touch of her playfulness.
Duan Qiaoqiao quickly started chatting with Yin Meng; the two scholarly types conversed endlessly, especially since both studied finance.
Yin Shixiu occasionally chimed in, but Su Xiaomeng, a humanities student, felt like she was listening to a foreign language!
Her small hand, wrapped tightly within Yin Shixiu’s large hand, restlessly fidgeted, occasionally tickling Yin Shixiu’s palm, and from time to time, playfully bending his fingers.
Stealing a glance at Yin Shixiu, her eyes were full of laughter.
Though Duan Qiaoqiao was deeply engrossed in her conversation with Yin Meng, her sharp mind did not miss the little interactions between Yin Shixiu and Su Xiaomeng.
She didn’t know exactly what kind of girl Su Xiaomeng was or her background.
But just from what she knew about Fourth Brother, she understood...
At least now, the girl in front of her, Fourth Brother was taking seriously.
She believed Su Xiaomeng was excellent, a kind of excellence entirely different from her own.
The four of them finished their afternoon tea and had dinner together.
During dinner, Su Xiaomeng was completely at ease, her nature of getting along with anyone easily meant she naturally became close to someone like Duan Qiaoqiao quickly!
After dinner, Yin Meng drove Duan Qiaoqiao back, while Su Xiaomeng left with Yin Shixiu.
In the car, Duan Qiaoqiao was a bit curious and asked Yin Meng, "How did Fourth Brother and Xiaomeng meet?"
Cough cough...
Yin Meng naturally couldn’t disclose all the details, just simply and proudly said, "I introduced them!"
Duan Qiaoqiao laughed, then sighed heavily, "Oh... Fourth Brother has always been my idol..."
"Then why didn’t you go for it earlier?"
Duan Qiaoqiao pouted, eyes revealing a hint of sadness, "I just wanted to become more excellent... to be worthy of him."
"Do you think... Xiaomeng isn’t worthy of my uncle?"
Yin Meng asked casually.
Duan Qiaoqiao shook her head, "It’s just because I saw Fourth Brother and Xiaomeng together today that I realized... I was wrong. Being together doesn’t have anything to do with being worthy."
"Hmm... so you mean Xiaomeng isn’t worthy of my uncle?"
"Haha!" Duan Qiaoqiao laughed and nudged Yin Meng’s arm, "Look at you, defending Xiaomeng like that."
"Of course, my uncle being with her, I’m assured!"
Duan Qiaoqiao chuckled softly, "Maybe in others’ eyes, Xiaomeng indeed doesn’t match Fourth Brother, but from what I see, maybe Fourth Brother feels he’s not worthy of Xiaomeng... so you see, them being together, all the feelings derive from their own experience, our opinions, how are they important?"
"Sister Qi Qiao, believe me, you definitely will find a really, really good man!"
Yin Meng affirmed with confidence.
Duan Qiaoqiao smiled, maybe.
After getting in the car, Su Xiaomeng seemed uncomfortable.
Yin Shixiu glanced over, "What’s wrong? Overate?"
"Uncle... could you please step out for a moment?"
He raised an eyebrow.
Su Xiaomeng awkwardly whispered, "My bra strap is still undone... it’s been uncomfortable for so long."
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