To Escape an Arranged Marriage, I Became the Heir’s Fake Girlfriend - Episode 10

Sister Zhou and Qi Jinyou sat by the door of the second car.

“Song Chu is driving himself to Meng Mountain, and this car is full of beauties…”

Sister Zhou swallowed the rest of her words, winked at Qi Jinyou, who only curved her lips slightly and remained silent.

Sure enough, at the mountain entrance, Song Chu stood tall beside a Bugatti. Surprisingly, a girl stood next to him.

The girl was just as eye-catching as he was. The two were chatting, and everyone in the car recognized her immediately—Zhuang Xiaoran, a name not on the registration list.

Behind them, two sports cars, one black and one white, stood out prominently and looked quite fitting together.

No wonder Song Chu had attended the event twice.

“Ah, I wonder how many hearts will be broken today,” Sister Zhou whispered.

All members had club logo stickers on their arms.

Qi Jinyou walked over to hand the stickers to the two of them, greeted them briefly, and then turned away.

Meng Mountain was over 700 meters high. During the Qingming season, trees sprouted new leaves, and the vitality of spring flourished. Qi Jinyou instantly felt refreshed.

It was indeed a perfect place for a spring hike.

Mr. Zhang led the team, holding the club flag like a tour guide at the front.

Qi Jinyou and Sister Zhou walked in the middle of the group, while a few male staff members stayed at the back. Since the event was announced suddenly, many of the part-time female staff had already made holiday plans. Qi Jinyou was the only one available.

Meng Mountain’s trail was a mix of challenges and rewards. The initial section was steep, but once past the midpoint, the path became smoother.

Mr. Zhang had carefully arranged the group, placing the male members, especially Song Chu, at the front.

Having a motivating presence ahead helped the female members walk with more enthusiasm.

But this trick only worked at first. In less than an hour, the female members began to complain, and the group started to disperse.

Further up, even the male members slowed their pace.

Reaching the peak in one go was impossible.

A message was sent in the group chat, instructing those in front to rest at the halfway point and wait for the others.

Qi Jinyou and Sister Zhou slowed down to accommodate the lagging female members.

By the time they reached the meeting spot, the front group had already been resting for twenty minutes.

Qi Jinyou scanned the area but didn’t see Song Chu or Zhuang Xiaoran, who had been leading the way earlier.

They probably missed the message and continued climbing.

Qi Jinyou regularly jogged in her free time and was in good shape. She treated the hike as a workout.

Meanwhile, the female members sat on the ground, whining about their exhaustion, their usual elegance completely gone.

After living in Haishi for over seven years, this was Qi Jinyou’s first visit to Meng Mountain. While it wasn’t as famous as other scenic peaks, it had its own charm.

She informed Sister Zhou and then walked off on a smaller side path.

After several dozen meters, the trail became more desolate, likely seldom traveled.

Branches stretched out wildly on both sides, giving the path a rugged charm. Some even snagged her hair a few times.

Qi Jinyou walked while admiring the scenery.

The noise behind her gradually faded, leaving only the occasional chirping of birds in her ears.

Feeling at peace, she unknowingly walked another hundred meters.

Suddenly, mixed within the bird calls, she heard faint human voices.

Qi Jinyou snapped out of her thoughts and looked ahead in the direction of the voices. About five or six meters away, a foot clad in a black hiking shoe peeked out from behind a rock.

Qi Jinyou held her breath and lightened her steps.

A deep male voice separated itself from the bird sounds.

That was all she could make out—she couldn’t hear the words clearly.

But she recognized the voice as Song Chu’s.

So, they hadn’t continued climbing. Instead, they found a quiet spot for a private meeting.

Qi Jinyou stood frozen for a few seconds, feeling as if she had trespassed on someone else’s territory.

She carefully turned around, making sure not to step on any fallen branches that might make noise.

However, she failed to notice a branch stretching out at head level.

It hit her forehead with a crisp snap, breaking a dried twig that had withered through the winter.

Qi Jinyou had no time to think—whether the people behind her were startled.

Holding onto the naive belief that “if I can’t see you, you can’t see me,” she quickly walked away.

She had barely gone five or six meters when—

Her phone suddenly rang.

It was a WeChat voice call.

“I want to make money, I want to get rich…” The ringtone was a soft, childish voice. It wasn’t particularly loud, but in the silence of the forest, it sounded unusually jarring.

Damn it! Who had such bad timing to call right now?

The phone was in the zippered pocket of her jacket. Qi Jinyou pressed the volume button through the fabric, but in her haste, she pressed the wrong side, making the sound even louder.

Maybe if she walked further away, the sound would be less noticeable.

She unzipped her pocket while quickening her pace.

Just as she grabbed the phone, she saw the caller’s name on the screen.

Song Chu.

The phone was still playing: “I want to take my silly little sister to find my brother…”

Within two seconds, multiple escape plans flashed through Qi Jinyou’s mind.

Running away seemed like the best option—she must not look back.

Ignoring the sounds behind her, she prepared to sprint away, but—

A hand grabbed her arm.

A male voice accompanied it: “Are you in such a hurry to find your brother?”

Qi Jinyou’s scalp tingled.

Before she could decide on an appropriate expression, the man’s face was already close.

His tone was teasing: “How will you find your brother without your silly little sister?”

Her “silly little sister” was actually out of town. It was all Le Yi’s fault for changing her ringtone after graduating last year.

Qi Jinyou’s face went from numb to burning in an instant. This was the second time she had ignored Song Chu.

“Song Chu, are you here enjoying the scenery?” She played dumb, sneaking glances behind him.

But the person she expected to see wasn’t there.

Song Chu raised an eyebrow. “No, I’m here catching a rabbit spirit. What about you?”

“I came to enjoy the scenery. The trees here are quite unique.” She smiled and glanced around.

Speaking of trees, she finally noticed the pain on her forehead. Instinctively, she touched the spot where she had been hit.

It was slightly swollen, probably red.

She had medicine in her backpack but would have to wait until they returned to the resting spot to apply it.

Song Chu also noticed. The area was about the size of a coin—red but not broken.

Three encounters, two injuries, both in visible places.

What kind of fate was this?

His gaze darkened. “Does it hurt?”

His eyes remained fixed on the spot.

The warmth of his touch seemed to activate the pain, sending a burning sensation through her forehead.

“A little. Maybe five out of ten,” she joked while rubbing it.

“Stop touching it. Come with me.” His tone was gentle as he moved her hand away, holding hers instead.

As he led her back to where he had been sitting, she hesitated. Wouldn’t Zhuang Xiaoran be upset if she followed him?

Sensing her resistance, Song Chu’s expression held a trace of confusion.

“I have my own medicine. I can apply it later.” She spoke to him, but her gaze drifted toward the rocks.

She worried that Zhuang Xiaoran might appear any second.

If she saw them holding hands, what would that mean? If it were her boyfriend, she would certainly be upset.

Song Chu instantly understood her hesitation.

All the more reason not to let her go.

He tightened his grip slightly. “Your medicine isn’t as effective as mine.”

She tried to pull away, but it was no use.