Qi Shaobai leaned back in his computer chair.
His lazy and arrogant sitting posture made him feel very smug about his witty retort just now.
He felt like he had gained the upper hand.
His cold eyes lazily glanced at his phone.
Seeing the message Sheng Mumu had just sent in the group chat, his face suddenly froze.
-【Sheng Mumu:@Qi Silent, control your son.】
Qi Shaobai: "!!!"
No way.
Tattling?
This...
Although his relationship with Dad had become much closer in recent years, the innate fear of Dad over the past decade had become a conditioned reflex, a muscular memory.
His fingers reacted faster than his brain, hurriedly replying with cowardice:
-【Qi Shaobai (Flavorful Version): Let's not chat anymore, I'm going to do test questions.】
After saying this, he felt it was not enough.
To demonstrate his changed lazy ways and show his hard work and diligence, he added:
-【Qi Shaobai (Flavorful Version): I plan to do three more sets of test papers today.】
Qiao Li also saw the group messages and instantly saw through Qi Shaobai's guilty conscience.
She ruthlessly mocked:
-【Qiao Li: Hahahaha So passionate and confused】
-【Qiao Li: @Qi Shaobai (Flavorful Version), you'd better really go do test questions.】
-【Qi Shaobai (Flavorful Version): Of course】
-【Sheng Mumu: Send them to me to check after you finish the test papers.】
Qi Shaobai gritted his teeth and replied: 【Okay】
Then he felt that was not enough.
In order to show his diligence and hard work, he added:
-【Qi Shaobai (Flavorful Version): I plan to do three more sets of test papers today.】
As always, Feng Yaoqin took the conversation off topic:
-【Feng Yaoqin: Shaobai, your enthusiasm for studying is praiseworthy [clap] but remember to let your eyes rest every half hour by looking at green plants. [smile]】
-【Feng Yaoqin: [Public Account Article: Five amazing tips for protecting your vision. Read this and you'll understand]】
-【Feng Yaoqin: Go on, work hard preparing for the college entrance exam [thumbs up][thumbs up][thumbs up]】
-【Qiao Li: Under the guidance of Cousin and Cousin-in-law, Qi Shaobai is becoming more and more diligent. Keep it up!】
Qi Shaobai stared at his phone.
He noticed that several minutes had passed and Dad still hadn't said anything in the group chat, so he finally felt relieved.
On the other hand,
Sheng Mumu had a faint smile of victory on her face.
She private messaged Qi Shaobai.
Sheng Mumu: "The whole world cares about how high you can fly, only I care about how tough your wings are."
Qi Shaobai: "I can't laugh .jpg"
*
The two weeks passed more quickly than imagined.
After getting the branch company business in order, Sheng Mumu boarded the plane back to Beijing.
Walking out of the airport exit, she assumed Zhang the butler and the driver would be waiting for her outside.
She didn't expect to see two familiar figures in the distance.
Qiao Li was the first to spot her and her eyes lit up. She waved to Sheng Mumu:
"Sister-in-law, we're over here!"
Cheng Zhuo was a bit slower to react. Hearing Qiao Li's excited voice, he finally turned his head and saw Sheng Mumu.
He immediately broke into a cheerful smile.
He jogged over and took the luggage from her hands.
"Sis, let me get that for you."
Sheng Mumu was confused but pleasantly surprised, "Why are you guys here? You didn't tell me in advance."
Cheng Zhuo: "Li Li said she wanted to surprise you. She booked the restaurant in advance and said we'd pick you up and head straight there."
He paused and shrugged helplessly at Sheng Mumu, continuing:
"I wanted to let you know in advance, Sis, but she insisted on keeping it a surprise."
Sheng Mumu looked back and forth between Cheng Zhuo and Qiao Li.
She vaguely sensed something was off between the two.
But this wasn't the time and place to gossip, so she pushed down her curiosity and looped her arm through Qiao Li's.
"You really get me, Li Li. The plane food was so bad I barely ate anything. Now I'm starving."
Right on cue, her stomach let out a "gurgle" as if to play along.
Qiao Li laughed and picked up the pace, "Then let's hurry. This restaurant is really popular lately. Cheng Zhuo waited an hour to get a reservation."
Hearing this, Sheng Mumu became even more excited and walked faster with Qiao Li, chatting all the while.
She ignored Cheng Zhuo behind them pushing two suitcases.
Cheng Zhuo: "......"
Just as he was about to quicken his steps to catch up, Qiao Li looked back and urged impatiently:
"Cheng Zhuo, walk faster! Sister-in-law is hungry but you're dawdling."
Cheng Zhuo paused for half a second.
A helpless yet affectionate smile appeared on his face and he sighed, "Coming."
Out of the corner of her eye, Sheng Mumu glanced at Cheng Zhuo.
Her eyes narrowed.
These two...
Something's off.
When they arrived at the underground parking garage and headed towards Cheng Zhuo's Maserati, Sheng Mumu noticed Qiao Li slow her steps as she passed the front passenger door.
Almost instinctively, Qiao Li raised her hand as if to open the door.
Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she stopped herself mid-air, retracted her hand, and opened the rear door instead.
Qiao Li's unconscious actions did not escape Sheng Mumu's sharp eyes.
A flash of deep meaning shone in her eyes.
Something's definitely off x2
The restaurant wasn't far from the airport, about twenty minutes away.
Sure enough, as Qiao Li said, the restaurant was extremely popular.
There was a long line outside of people waiting to get reservation numbers.
Booming business had brought customers to the neighboring milk tea shop as well.
Having already reserved a table, the trio straightened their backs and headed inside.
Passing the milk tea shop entrance, Qiao Li turned her head and her gaze lingered for a few seconds.
"Do you want milk tea? I'll go buy some. You guys head to the restaurant and grab our table." Cheng Zhuo suddenly said.
Qiao Li answered with a smile, "Yes, I want some!"
Cheng Zhuo looked at Sheng Mumu, "Sis, what do you want?"
Sheng Mumu knew this chain without even looking at the menu and ordered directly:
"I want a strawberry milk foam, 30% sweet, less ice, thanks!"
"Got it." Cheng Zhuo glanced at his watch, saying, "Our reservation time is almost up. Why don't you two head in first?"
Qiao Li gave an "OK" gesture with her hand and linked arms with Sheng Mumu as they entered the restaurant.
Sheng Mumu felt something was off but couldn't quite pinpoint what.
With lingering doubts, she entered the private room in the restaurant.
Soon, Cheng Zhuo came carrying three milk teas and sat down across from them.
He passed the strawberry milk foam to Sheng Mumu and the other cup to Qiao Li.
His actions seemed natural.
While waiting for the food, Sheng Mumu's gaze inadvertently fell upon the label on Qiao Li's cup:
【Brown sugar pearls, jasmine tea, normal ice, 50% sugar, no tapioca】
Sheng Mumu: "!!!"
Her eyes abruptly narrowed.
Her keen radar started beeping.
Like Conan had possessed her, a flash of lightning went through her mind.
That's it!
The odd thing she'd noticed all along was this.
Earlier when Cheng Zhuo offered to buy milk tea, he hadn't asked Qiao Li what she wanted.
As if he already knew her preferences.
The previous times she sensed something off could be dismissed as Sheng Mumu being oversensitive.
But the small label on the milk tea cup was practically "ironclad evidence" in her eyes.
Sheng Mumu rested her chin on her hand and her eyes shifted around.
She thought to herself:
Qiao Li instinctively moved to sit in the passenger seat of Cheng Zhuo's car. Cheng Zhuo knew Qiao Li's preferences without even asking.
Adding everything up, she concluded - the two must have gone out together many times privately.
The corners of Sheng Mumu's mouth slowly curved up in a knowing smile.
She's discovered their secret.
