"On the Day of Reunion, The Heir to the Wealthy Family Became My Brother" - Chapter 12

Qiao Shan looked up and glanced at Ning Xin’er before shifting her gaze to the blue rose in Ning Xin’er’s hand.

She calmly accepted the flower without showing any surprise or displeasure.

She didn’t say a word the whole time.

Ning Xiner’s hand froze mid-air. She awkwardly waved it before quickly running to the bathroom.

Time waits for no one.

Sure enough, by the time Ning Xin’er finished showering and walked out, the dorm lights went out with a “click”!

Their school was always punctual with lights-out, even on weekends, only extending it by half an hour.

Ceng Yi poked her head out of her bed and considerately took out a flashlight to light the way for her.

“Why do you keep bringing her flowers? Does she really have that many admirers?” Ceng Yi whispered to Ning Xiner.

Ning Xin’er knew that “her” referred to Qiao Shan.

Only the three of them knew that Qiao Shan was Huo Jingtian’s girlfriend. No one else in the entire school had a clue.

Huo Jingtian protected Qiao Shan so well that it was practically airtight!

Every time Huo Jingtian asked Ning Xin’er to bring something to Qiao Shan, she had to rack her brain for an excuse to fool the other dormmates.

Her usual excuse? The gift was from one of Qiao Shan’s admirers.

As for who the admirer was, she didn’t know—she just happened to run into them downstairs.

After all, Huo Jingtian had repeatedly made her promise not to tell anyone besides the three of them.

“I just happened to run into someone downstairs, so I brought it up,” Ning Xin’er said, keeping the truth even from her good friend Ceng Yi.

After all, this was a private matter between “Huo Jingtian and his little girlfriend.” She was just a paid secret-keeper. There was no reason for her to go around announcing it and causing unnecessary trouble.

Once the agreement expired, she wouldn’t have to be their cover anymore.

These past few months had been exhausting—it gave her an unexplainable weird feeling.

“How come you’re always the one who runs into them? Wang Yan and I have never met any of them.” Ceng Yi mumbled softly.

Wang Yan, another dormmate, was already asleep.

“Well, maybe you’ll get the chance someday,” Ning Xin’er chuckled, wiping toner on her face before getting ready for bed.

“Forget it, not worth the effort.”

Ceng Yi pouted and pointed to the trash can. “The flower’s in the garbage.”

Ning Xin’er was momentarily stunned and followed Ceng Yi’s gaze.

The blue rose had been crushed and lay in the trash can in a mess. If they hadn’t known it was a bouquet, anyone else might not even recognize it.

Ning Xin’er spread her hands helplessly and shook her head. “Let’s talk on WeChat. Don’t wake them up.”

Their dorm had strict rules—no loud noise after eleven. Anyone who broke the rule would face a “dorm trial” where the whole room would criticize them.

Ceng Yi gave an “OK” sign. Seeing Ning Xin’er climb into bed, she turned off the flashlight.

Just as Ning Xin’er lay down, her phone lit up with a message from Ceng Yi:

[Why does Qiao Shan have so many admirers? I just don’t get it. She gets gifts every now and then, and I’ve been single for almost four years!]

Ceng Yi’s bed was across from Ning Xiner’s, and every now and then, she could see her kicking her legs in frustration.

Ceng Yi really couldn’t understand—Qiao Shan wasn’t particularly pretty, had a quiet personality, and was even a bit timid. So why did she keep getting admirers?

Meanwhile, Ceng Yi considered herself a cute girl, yet she hadn’t had a single boyfriend throughout university.

Comparing people really was infuriating.

Ning Xin’er smiled and replied:

[If you changed your personality a bit, I bet your admirers could line up from here to France.]

Even Ning Xin’er was surprised. With Ceng Yi’s looks, how could she not have a single admirer in four years?

If there was a reason, it was probably her carefree personality—she got along with everyone like a “bro.”

[Are you saying my personality is bad? I’m strong, smart, and if a gang of thugs shows up, I can take down two of them myself!]

Ceng Yi immediately argued. Anyone who doubted her, she’d fight them on the spot.

[No, no, your personality is great. I love it.]

Ning Xin’er truly liked Ceng Yi’s personality. She was real, loyal, and never held back—perfect best friend material. They really were the best of friends in college.

[You’re the best, Xiner! Mwah!]

[But seriously, I’m curious. What kind of guy actually likes Qiao Shan? She barely talks. I doubt she says more than twenty words in the dorm each week.]

Ning Xin’er thought for a moment. Ceng Yi was a bit extreme, but different people had different personalities.

[Maybe she’s just naturally quiet and doesn’t like talking much.]

Although Qiao Shan wasn’t close to anyone in the dorm, everyone still took care of her.

Ning Xin’er actually admired Qiao Shan. She was quiet and reserved yet still managed to capture the heart of the school heartthrob, Huo Jingtian, who was utterly devoted to protecting her.

Huo Jingtian even hired Ning Xin’er as a “bodyguard” to cover for them.

Another message popped up from Ceng Yi:

[By the way, Xin’er, why don’t you just move in with the big school heartthrob? He’s so handsome! Aren’t you tempted to make a move?]

Ning Xin’er paused her typing.

Then, she spilled the entire night’s events to Ceng Yi.

Ceng Yi was always hungry for gossip, and they ended up chatting until midnight before calling it a night.

Before sleeping, Ning Xin’er casually glanced at the trash can in the distance.

After hesitating for a moment, she opened Huo Jingtian’s chat:

[Your girlfriend doesn’t seem to be in a good mood. You should comfort her.]

Just after she sent the message, a new text popped up from an unknown number:

[Did you make it back to school?]

Ning Xin’er stared at the unfamiliar number. She didn’t recognize it.

Another scam message?

Definitely.

She deleted it right away, turned off her phone, and went to sleep.

…

At Nightshade Bar, inside a private VIP lounge—

Huo Jinyan stared at his phone, his eyes fixed on the screen.

The message he sent half an hour ago remained unanswered.

He took a sip of his drink.

“Hey, Huo, why are you just staring at your phone? Did my sister text you again?” Li Xinglei leaned in, trying to get a glimpse.

Huo Jinyan swiftly moved his phone away and replied indifferently, “No.”

Li Xinglei was Li Qingqing’s younger twin brother.

Li Qingqing had been born a few minutes earlier, making her the older sister, while Li Xinglei was the younger brother.

The three of them had grown up together and had always been close.

“Is Old Man Huo making you go coax my sister again?” Li Xinglei sprawled lazily on the couch.

“Mm.” Huo Jinyan responded.

Li Xinglei immediately sat up. “Huo, something’s off with you today. You’re barely talking. All I’ve heard from you is ‘Mm, Ah, No.’”

Huo Jinyan: “Mm.”

Li Xinglei: “…”

Li Xinglei was speechless. He had invited everyone out for drinks, but the atmosphere was way too dull.

“Relax, I’m not forcing you to marry my sister. If you like someone else, just go after her.”

Huo Jinyan turned his head and locked eyes with Li Xinglei, his dark gaze unreadable.

Li Xinglei froze. Then he grinned mischievously. “Wait… Huo, do you actually like someone?”

“Who is it? Do I know her?”