Chapter 18: Rain

As the days passed and the game levels were completed one by one, they gradually reached the final stages. Li Qingji’s right leg had also recovered.

“Have you heard? The boss secured the land in the West City,” someone said.

“Ah?” Yao Qi shifted her legs, her chair moving next to Wang Wenbo’s. “Isn’t it another boss Li from Hengchuan who took over? How did it change to our boss?”

“Cough, cough, I only heard some gossip from industry friends regarding this project; it might not be true, so don’t go spreading it around.”  

“I know, I know. Just tell us.”  

Jiang Nai couldn’t help but look over.  

Wang Wenbo lowered his voice and said to them, “This time, the boss’s car accident has something to do with his second brother. Old Li from Hengchuan is furious with their grandfather. He hasn’t said anything openly, but in reality, he has reduced the second brother’s power. This piece of land was won by Hengchuan anyway, so how it’s ultimately handled is decided by the upper management. So, Old Li has left it to our boss, which can be seen as giving him an explanation.”  

“Wow, there’s still this layer to it.”  

“Of course, it’s said that Old Li usually lets them compete, but something like harming one’s own brother touches his bottom line.”  

Yao Qi said, “Please, this is definitely a bottom line. What kind of brother does this?”  

“Exactly.”  

…  

Jiang Nai looked back at her computer screen. So this is how things had developed, but no matter how it’s explained, Li Qingji’s injuries are genuine. She still felt it was not worth it.  

Gossip ends as quickly as it starts, and Wang Wenbo said, “Oh right, can I bring my girlfriend to KTV tonight?”  

Yao Qi replied, “Oh, you have a girlfriend now.”  

Wang Wenbo said, “Hehe, we just confirmed our relationship a few days ago.”  

“Alright, anyone with family can bring them; the more, the merrier.”  

Tonight was the annual team-building event for the planning groups one, two, and three of the marketing department. After work, everyone first went to a restaurant for dinner. After eating, they went to a KTV box to sing. Yao Qi and Wang Wenbo loved this part the most; the two of them bounced around in front, making Jiang Nai laugh.  

By the time they wrapped up, it was already eleven at night, and it started pouring rain.  

Everyone had drunk a bit today, so those who drove called for designated drivers, and others who hadn’t driven were hailing cabs at the entrance. 

Jiang Nai hadn’t driven either, fearing it would be troublesome after drinking. She opened her ride-hailing app, but due to the rain and the approaching weekend, there were particularly many people requesting rides in that area, and she couldn’t get a car for a while.  

[Is it over?] Just then, her phone chimed, and Jiang Nai saw that it was a message from Li Qingji.  

Jiang Nai: [It’s over]  

[Okay, I’ll come pick you up]  

She had mentioned to him that her department had a team-building event, so he knew where she was. However, Jiang Nai glanced around and saw that there were still many colleagues who hadn’t left, and she quickly replied: [I’m with everyone, it’s not convenient. You don’t need to come pick me up; I can go back by myself]  

After replying, she switched back to the ride-hailing app, and there were still many people waiting.  

“It’s raining so hard, Jiang Nai, aren’t you going to have your husband come pick you up?” Yao Qi said.  

Xu Xiao, who was standing nearby, looked over.  

Jiang Nai replied, “No need, taking a taxi home is more convenient.”  

Yao Qi insisted, “Convenience or not, it’s raining, and your wife is outside. He definitely should come pick you up! Girls with partners should be a bit more demanding!”  

Jiang Nai smiled and didn’t engage with that remark: “Have you managed to get a ride?”  

Yao Qi said, “I just got a ride with someone. Why don’t you come with me to my place and stay the night?”  

Jiang Nai replied, “No need, you go ahead; I’ll wait a bit longer.”  

“Okay…”  

One by one, everyone left until only three people were left waiting for a ride: Xu Xiao from their group and Meng Xiaoyue from Group Three.  

“Is your Jiang Nai really married?” Meng Xiaoyue asked quietly, standing next to Xu Xiao.  

Xu Xiao replied, “Yeah.”  

Meng Xiaoyue obviously breathed a sigh of relief and joked, “I was worried before. With such a beautiful girl in your group, you might finally be off the market. Now our group’s girls won’t have a chance.”  

Xu Xiao was also one of the outstanding figures among his peers, tall with good looks and strong work capabilities. Many girls in the company were interested in him and had previously inquired both openly and subtly about whether he had a girlfriend.  

Xu Xiao forced a smile, saying, “Don’t joke around.”  

While he talked with others on the surface, his gaze kept drifting to Jiang Nai. He couldn’t help but wonder why her husband wasn’t here to pick her up in such heavy rain. If it were him, he would definitely come, no matter how troublesome it was, so she wouldn’t have to wait outside in the cold…  

Meng Xiaoyue wanted to say something else but noticed that Xu Xiao’s eyes were fixed on Jiang Nai, so she lowered her voice and asked, “Have you met her husband? I’m curious what the partner of such a beautiful girl looks like.”  

Xu Xiao replied, “… I haven’t seen him; she’s never mentioned him.”  

“Oh, I see.”  

Xu Xiao didn’t want to talk about it anymore, so he interrupted, “Have you managed to get a ride?”  

Meng Xiaoyue said, “Not yet.”  

“Jiang Nai.” Xu Xiao called out.  

Jiang Nai turned her head from a short distance away.  

Xu Xiao walked over and asked, “How’s it going? Have you gotten a ride yet?”  

Jiang Nai shook her head, “Not yet, but it should be soon. I see there are only ten people left waiting.”  

“I still have five people; I’ll hurry. Should I have the driver drop you off on the way?”  

Jiang Nai was about to say it wouldn’t make much difference when a black extended Rolls-Royce slowly drove up on the right side of the road, its sleek body coming to a stop in the rain. The three of them froze for a moment, instinctively looking at the car.  

The back seat window slowly rolled down, and a calm gaze looked out from inside the car. Jiang Nai was taken aback and stood there in shock.  

Didn’t he say not to come pick her up? Why was he here?  

Xu Xiao and Meng Xiaoyue were also stunned, staring blankly at Li Qingji inside the car.  

It wasn’t until Li Qingji asked, “What are you doing here?” that they finally reacted, saying, “Hello, boss!”  

Xu Xiao explained, “Our department is having a team-building event here today.”  

Li Qingji nodded, “Is it over?”  

“Yes.”  

“Then why aren’t you leaving?”  

Meng Xiaoyue replied, “It’s raining heavily, and it’s hard to get a cab. We’re waiting for a ride…”  

“Come on up.”

“Uh?”

Li Qingji: “I’ll give you a ride.”

Meng Xiaoyue and Xu Xiao exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with surprise and panic. After all, running into the boss and being offered a ride home was something they never dared to imagine!

The car window slowly closed. Throughout it all, Li Qingji hadn’t even glanced at Jiang Nai or spoken to her, as if he didn’t notice she was there at all. Jiang Nai realized this was a good method; that way, everyone wouldn’t think Li Qingji had any connection with her.

“What should we do?” After the window closed, Meng Xiaoyue finally dared to ask.

Xu Xiao: “Let’s get in.”

It would be foolish not to get in, and this would leave a deeper impression on the boss, which could only be beneficial.

Meng Xiaoyue thought the same, but she was still quite intimidated by Li Qingji. True, he was a handsome guy, but she had heard too many rumors about him at the company and was completely deterred from having any ambitions toward such a boss.

“Alright… then let’s go.” Meng Xiaoyue looked at Jiang Nai. “Jiang Nai, let’s get in the car together.”

Jiang Nai nodded: “Okay.”

The group walked around to the other side of the car and got in. To avoid any suspicion, Jiang Nai directly opened the front passenger door and left the back seats for Xu Xiao and Meng Xiaoyue. The moment she sat down, Li Qingji glanced at her. From this angle, he could see her profile, her slightly pursed lips, and her eyes fixed straight ahead.

The evidence was right there.

Li Qingji gave a faint smile and looked away.

The car slowly started, and the driver, Zhao Siyuan, asked for the addresses of the three of them. After the first two shared their addresses, Jiang Nai deliberately mentioned a distant one. She did this on purpose, wanting to be the last one to get off.

Once all the addresses were given, the group fell silent, the atmosphere as still as a picture.

After a while, Meng Xiaoyue couldn’t help but take out her phone to chat with her friends and colleagues.

[Wow, we just ran into the boss while waiting for a ride, and he’s actually driving us home! I’m so nervous!!!]

[Also, I have to say, the boss is really handsome… he’s sitting right next to me, but I don’t dare to turn my head.]

Colleague: [What luck! How could this happen? Why would the boss be around there?]

Meng Xiaoyue: [Maybe he was just with a friend or a client nearby.]

Colleague: [Is he all better now?]

Meng Xiaoyue: [Looks like there’s no serious problem anymore.]

Colleague: [I’m so envious!!! If I had known, I would have stayed longer and not gotten in the other car!]

An hour later, Xu Xiao and Meng Xiaoyue were dropped off at their destinations, leaving only “the insiders” in the car.

At this point, Jiang Nai finally turned her head: “Thanks for coming to pick me up.”

Li Qingji: “You’re willing to talk now?”

Jiang Nai felt a bit guilty: “… It wasn’t convenient earlier.”

Li Qingji let out a chuckle from his nose.

Jiang Nai touched her nose: “But why did you still come? I said I could just take a taxi.”

“I happened to be nearby on business, and it was on the way.”

“Oh…”

Jiang Nai felt relieved and turned back to sit properly, nodding at the driver, Zhao Siyuan.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Zhao Siyuan was momentarily stunned before quickly responding: “Not at all, thank you, Miss Jiang.”

——

As New Year’s Eve approached, Siningte also had a holiday.

During the first few days of the break, Jiang Nai stayed at the Li family home with Li Qingji. Later, due to family customs, the two went together to Jiang Nai’s family old residence. This was their first time back at the woman’s family during such an important occasion after getting married, and Li Qingji politely brought many gifts.

When they arrived home, there were many people in the house; both the eldest and second uncles’ families were there, all waiting for them to have dinner together.

“Qingji, is your injury all healed?” Grandpa Jiang Yuantao asked after they were seated.

“It’s fine now, you don’t have to worry,” Li Qingji replied.

“That was really a close call. Luckily, it wasn’t that serious. Seeing you recover so quickly makes us feel relieved,” the second uncle chimed in.

“Oh, by the way, when are you planning to have the wedding?” the eldest uncle asked.

Li Qingji: “We’ll choose an auspicious date this year.”

“Right, right, this is important! You must choose well and pick a lucky day,” he continued.

…

After the elders expressed their concerns, they unsurprisingly began discussing business matters.

Jiang Nai felt that while Li Qingji had a cool demeanor, he handled such situations quite well. He effortlessly maintained a polite and humble facade. Jiang Nai felt relaxed; it was rare for the dinner table to be so quiet, allowing her to eat in peace without needing to say a word.

That night, they stayed overnight at Jiang’s house, sleeping in Jiang Nai’s old room.

The room was neatly arranged and clean, with many books on the desk and some photos displayed. While Jiang Nai was taking a shower, Li Qingji casually picked up a photo and glanced at it. In the photo were two boys and two girls, likely participating in some club activity, all wearing matching outfits.

His gaze swept over the picture and finally landed on Jiang Nai’s face. At that time, she still had a bit of baby fat, a shy smile, and looked somewhat youthful.

“I’m done,” Jiang Nai said as she opened the bathroom door. Seeing him looking at her photos made her a bit embarrassed. “They’re old photos; I look a bit silly.”

Li Qingji: “Is this from college?”

Jiang Nai nodded.

“What club were you in?” 

“Programming.”

Li Qingji paused, a little surprised: “You know how to do that?”

“I don’t really. I just thought it was… fun, and I just messed around. I only learned a little bit in the club,” she explained.

Li Qingji put down the photo.

Jiang Nai said, “You should go take a shower; it’s getting late.”

“Okay.”

The couple had shared the same bed a few days prior at the Li family home, as it was impossible for married couples to sleep in separate rooms in front of the elders.

So, it was the same tonight. After Li Qingji finished showering, he lay down on the bed. Jiang Nai caught a whiff of a sweet fragrance and couldn’t help but smile at him. Li Qingji turned to her, curious about what made her laugh.

Jiang Nai said, “You used my shower gel. It smells… really nice.”

Li Qingji was at a loss for words.

This was his first time sleeping in her room. Perhaps it was because this was a space she had occupied since her teenage years, every corner was imbued with the essence of a young girl, including her bathroom and all the toiletries inside it. He had seen those colorful grooming products at home before, but he had never used them; today, he had no choice but to.

“Are you not used to it? I can get something else from my aunt tomorrow,” she offered.

Li Qingji replied, “No need.”

It wasn’t that he wasn’t used to it; after all, he often caught that scent on her.

“About what your family asked today regarding the wedding, what are your thoughts?” Li Qingji suddenly asked.

This matter had come up before when he had taken her home; his family had said they would first set a date, and as for the style of the wedding, it would depend on the preferences of both parties. But Jiang Nai wasn’t enthusiastic about it.

She found it to be a huge hassle.

“Simple.”

Li Qingji smiled, “You’ve just made the hardest request.”

Jiang Nai laid back on her pillow and said, “Then I have no thoughts; let it be based on your preferences, how about that?”

Li Qingji said, “Simple.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m thinking the same.”

Jiang Nai’s eyes lit up, and she sat up, saying, “Then let’s not do it!”

After saying this, she noticed Li Qingji’s amused gaze and deflated: “Okay, I know it’s impossible.”

“I’ll have them try to keep it simple and reduce the hassle,” he assured her.

“Okay!”

With the last light in the room turned off, the two fell quiet. Her bed was quite large, with a significant space between them, but Jiang Nai could still sense his presence. She suddenly realized that she had gotten somewhat used to having him around.

The next day, Li Qingji left early due to some social obligations related to the upcoming New Year.

Jiang Nai spent the entire afternoon in her room. Outside the window, the festive decorations were in full swing, and the family’s housekeeper had hung many small red lanterns on the garden trees. After watching for a while, Jiang Nai took out her phone and sent a few WeChat messages.

“Mom, Happy New Year!”

“This year I hope to see you. I will talk to Grandpa again.”

“Please don’t worry about anything; you can see me now, really.”

Jiang Nai knew she wouldn’t receive a reply, but perhaps it was the special occasion that made her feel a little hopeful. However, as expected, the hope proved useless.

Jiang Nai put her phone away and went downstairs. She walked to the garden and silently squatted down to water the flowers and plants.

“Miss, let me do it,” said the housekeeper, hurrying over when she saw Jiang Nai.

Jiang Nai asked, “Can these flowers be watered now?”

“Yes, they can,” came the reply.

“Then let me water them for a bit.”

“Well…”

“Let the young lady have her fun; she used to love stealing your job,” Uncle Zhong chimed in, passing by with a smile.

Jiang Nai smiled at him, saying, “Yes, I’ll be very careful not to kill them.”

The housekeeper replied, “That’s not what I meant; if you like to water them, go ahead, I’ll keep an eye on you.”

“Okay.”

Uncle Zhong walked over and asked, “How have you been lately? I heard the old lady mention once that you were working at a company.”

The few “elderly” workers who had been with the Jiang family for many years had a good relationship with Jiang Nai. During her school years, she had spoken to them more than she did with her grandparents.

Jiang Nai answered, “Yes, I’m working.”

Uncle Zhong sighed, “Miss, aren’t you tired? Is that job suitable for you?”

“I quite like it, and it’s not too tiring.”

“Oh, I see. What do you do?”

“I work on smart products, and my position is in marketing planning, which is what I studied in college.”

“I understand. Have you made any good friends at the company?”

Jiang Nai chuckled lightly, “Uncle Zhong, do you think I’m still a high school student?”

Uncle Zhong laughed, “I’m just asking.”

“Yes, I’ve met some really good people, and the work environment is great, so don’t worry.”

“Of course it’s great; you’re right under Li Qingji’s nose, how could it be bad?” Suddenly, a voice that sounded mocking came from behind. Jiang Nai turned to see Jiang Yao yawning as she walked out. “You’re at Siningte, right?”

Uncle Zhong and the housekeeper fell silent and quietly looked for a way to exit.

Jiang Nai glanced at her and continued watering the flowers. “Yes, that’s right.”

Jiang Yao casually sat down on a nearby chair. “Have you married Li Qingji, and now you think you’re too good for the Jiang family? You had to go work at his company. Well… sticking close to him is indeed a good choice; you’ve got a backer now, Jiang Nai.”

Under normal circumstances, Jiang Nai would never clash with Jiang Yao.

She had learned to be cautious and accommodating in the Jiang family, making an effort to avoid her since high school. But today, due to the issues with WeChat and her bad mood, she suddenly didn’t feel like holding back anymore.

Jiang Nai’s eyes hardened in that moment: “Yes, there is a backer now, but it’s a pity that sister missed out.”

That remark struck a nerve with Jiang Yao. She was used to doing whatever she wanted, always getting what she desired. Even though she didn’t like Li Qingji and hated his indifference towards her, she had always maintained a facade in front of others.

After all, the highly sought-after Li Qingji would eventually be hers.

She was certain of this, so when the situation took a turn that left her humiliated, how could she not be furious?

Now Jiang Nai dared to say something like that. If it weren’t for being at her grandparents’ house, she would have exploded.

“What are you being smug about? Li Qingji only married you because he had no choice; if we had another girl in our family, this wouldn’t involve you at all.”

Jiang Nai said coldly, “I know that, but we don’t have another girl. So if it weren’t for me, no one could save this situation.”

Jiang Yao was taken aback, “Jiang Nai, are you actually talking to me like this now? Do you really think Li Qingji likes you that much?”

A figure approached from the garden corridor. He had finished his business and returned. Jiang Nai looked over, paused for a few seconds, then suddenly beckoned him with her hand. The man a short distance away was obviously surprised for a moment but still walked over.

He stopped in front of her, his expression as always, cold and indifferent: “What’s up?”

Jiang Nai smiled at him, took his hand, and then, in the slightly astonished look in his eyes, she tightened her grip without hesitation.

“Nothing much,” she said, gazing intently at him, “I was just thinking, how much do you like me?”

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