To Escape an Arranged Marriage, I Became the Heir’s Fake Girlfriend - Episode 24

“I’ll go change my clothes. I’ll be quick.” Before she could refuse again, the man turned and went upstairs.

Beile returned from the door and started circling around her.

Qi Jinyou didn’t want to pay attention to it. After two days of careful care, it betrayed her without hesitation. Truly heartless.

About five minutes later, Song Chu came down from upstairs, now dressed in a neatly tailored dark-striped suit instead of the casual outfit he had worn when he came in.

From her angle, Qi Jinyou suddenly understood why Shen Yan had been so persistent in chasing after him.

It seemed he had washed his face. The fatigue from earlier had disappeared, replaced by his usual cold and noble aura.

Such a formal outfit—if he was just sending her off, there was no need to dress like this.

It was the same Bugatti. When Qi Jinyou got in the car, she checked the time: 6:30. One hour was enough.

The weekend traffic in Haishi was heavy. Song Chu skillfully maneuvered through the lanes, swiftly overtaking cars. From the passenger seat, Qi Jinyou watched as their car barely brushed past others before accelerating and cutting ahead.

Her heart raced with every near-miss. Song Chu was wealthy enough to afford any damage, but she worried about innocent drivers getting caught up in an accident.

“You don’t have to rush like this. Safety first,” she reminded him.

Song Chu smirked but said nothing, continuing as before.

As he swerved to overtake another car, the sharp right turn caused Qi Jinyou’s body to lean left. Instinctively, she reached out for support. When she realized something was wrong, she looked down—her hand was gripping Song Chu’s thigh tightly.

Her pinky finger was just a little away from touching a very sensitive area.

Qi Jinyou’s hand shot back as if burned. Embarrassment flooded her, her face turning bright red.

“S-Sorry.” Even she could hear the unnatural tone in her voice.

The feeling of his firm muscles still lingered in her palm. She clenched her hand into a fist.

Song Chu said nothing, just smirking slightly.

She quickly made an excuse, “You’re driving too fast.”

“Aren’t you in a hurry? If I make you late, I can’t afford the blame.”

His expression remained calm, completely unaffected by the earlier awkwardness. It only highlighted her own inexperience and discomfort with physical contact between men and women.

“I’m not in a hurry,” she said stubbornly.

She turned to look outside, refusing to face him again.

The car slowed down. Qi Jinyou checked the route and estimated they would arrive at the restaurant just past 7:00.

After passing the main road, the car turned onto a commercial street. Just as they were about to reach the restaurant, the Bugatti suddenly stopped in front of a women’s clothing store.

Qi Jinyou looked at Song Chu in confusion. “Do you have something to do?”

His gaze moved past her to the store entrance, and he raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t you going on a blind date? Shouldn’t you change into something nicer?”

Seeing her stunned expression, he added, “I guessed right, didn’t I? On a weekend, the only thing that could make someone this anxious is either a blind date or meeting someone special. What else could it be?”

His sharp eyes scanned her with a critical look. “Clothes make the person. Dressing up nicely will leave a good impression.”

Qi Jinyou had been about to ask how he knew she was going on a blind date. But when she saw the teasing in his eyes, she became annoyed and didn’t bother asking anymore.

“No need.”

“There’s still time,” he said casually, glancing at his watch.

“I said no,” she repeated, her tone firmer.

“Really?” He rested his hands on the steering wheel and asked again.

Qi Jinyou turned her head away, feeling not just frustrated but also suffocated. What did her blind date have to do with him? Why was he interfering?

The car started again and soon arrived at the restaurant. As soon as the car stopped, Qi Jinyou quickly said, “Thank you,” and got out immediately.

Only when she reached the restaurant entrance did she realize she had forgotten her small bag, which contained her charger. She turned back, but the Bugatti was already gone.

She could only deal with it later.

She stepped into the restaurant—it was a Western-style place.

On the way here, she had already prepared a rejection speech.

But now that she was actually here, she decided to ease into it first.

On the second floor, she saw her aunt sitting in a semi-private booth by the window. Across from her were two people, but their backs were turned, so she couldn’t see their faces.

Her aunt waved at her, smiling warmly.

Both people across from her turned around at the same time. When Qi Jinyou saw the young man’s face, she wasn’t surprised—it was Chen Nuo. The other person, a well-dressed woman about her aunt’s age, had a dignified and elegant look.

If she guessed correctly, this was Chen Nuo’s mother.

Qi Jinyou’s heart sank. After all that preparation, she found it difficult to speak in front of them.

Were they in such a rush? A blind date had turned into a meeting with the parents. Did they already assume she would agree?

She walked over. Her aunt glanced her up and down, briefly showing a hint of displeasure.

Qi Jinyou noticed that her aunt was dissatisfied with her outfit.

But the displeasure only lasted a moment before her aunt smiled again.

Chen Nuo stood up immediately and greeted her, “Hello, Jinyou.”

After the introductions, her aunt motioned for her to sit inside. The four of them sat down.

Chen Nuo’s mother had been watching Qi Jinyou closely since she walked in, clearly pleased with what she saw.

She spoke warmly, “Jinyou, I heard you also graduated from No. 8 High School and then went to one of the top universities.”

Qi Jinyou nodded. “Yes, Auntie.”

“That’s amazing! I admire kids who are good at studying.”

She added with a smile, “They say intelligence is inherited from the mother. That means your future children will be smart, too. Not to mention, you’re also very beautiful.”

Qi Jinyou hadn’t expected this kind of conversation and felt a little awkward.

Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at her aunt, who looked slightly uncomfortable.

Shen Yan and Shen Yao had been notoriously bad students, and while wealthy families didn’t rely on academics, having a smart child was still a source of pride.

Chen Nuo’s mother finished speaking, and her aunt quickly stood up. “Didn’t we have an appointment with Mrs. Li?”

Chen Nuo’s mother caught on immediately and stood up as well.

Qi Jinyou and Chen Nuo both got up to see them off.

Once they were gone, Qi Jinyou finally relaxed. Now she had a chance to say what she had planned.

Two plates of steak were served.