Endless Fall

101 Why Do I Smell Jealousy?

Fang Liu placed the fruit plate on the coffee table. “He consulted with a master who said that changing the name to Hongyun will help the company develop better.”

“Is it effective?”

“I think so.”

“What do you mean you think so’?” Lin Hongyuan took off the Bodhi bracelet on his wrist and played with it. “I’ve already signed two big orders recently.”

“Apparently, the master you found is not some kind of charlatan.” Lin Jiao held the silver fork.

She forked up a piece of apple and curiously asked, “Are all the businessmen interested in Feng Shui and fortune-reading?”

“Not necessarily.” Lin Hongyuan raised his chin in Pei Zhi’s direction and said with a smile, “Young people like them probably won’t care.”

Pei Zhi indeed couldn’t be bothered with that kind of superstitious thing at all.

However, knowing that Lin Hongyuan was into Feng Shui, he planned to talk about it to get closer to him.

Their laughter drifted to the second floor, attracting Fang Yanwen, who had just come out of the bedroom.

She leaned against the spiral staircase and looked down. When that elegant man entered her vision, her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Driven by excitement, she quickly rushed downstairs. When she approached the sofa where he was, her hands were sweating.

“This is my sister’s daughter, Fang Yanwen.” Fang Liu introduced her to them immediately.

Fang Yanwen took her mother’s surname.

Her mother had married overseas last month. Because Fang Yanwen had to finish her studies, she could only stay with the Fang family for the time being.

“Hello.” Lin Jiao smiled.

Seeing Lin Jiao sitting side by side with the man, Fang Yanwen’s mind buzzed as she subconsciously thought of a possibility.

Fang Liu, who was ignored by Fang Yanwen, felt a little embarrassed.

She pulled Fang Yanwen and said again, “This is Jiaojiao’s boyfriend, Pei Zhi.”

As expected…

The answer shattered all her expectations and hope.

After saying hello with a smile, she followed them to the dining room to eat.

“This wine is not bad. Try it.” Lin Hongyuan unscrewed the lid of the white wine and poured Pei Zhi a glass.

Pei Zhi took the glass and clinked glasses with him before savoring the wine.

The white wine was not as spicy. When he swallowed it, he did not feel a burning sensation in his throat.

He picked up a few stir-fried prawns with garlic and slowly peeled them. “If you like white wine, I’ll bring it to you next time.”

“I don’t want anything with a high alcohol content.”

“Will forty-three to fifty-three be alright?”

“That’s about the range. If it’s over 53, I’m afraid I can’t even take a sip.”

“I can’t drink wines with high alcohol content either.”

“We’re not socializing outside.” Fang Liu picked up some food for them. “There’s no need to buy strong wines.”

“That’s true.” Pei Zhi placed the peeled prawns in Lin Jiao’s bowl and stared at her side profile.

He leaned over and asked, “Do you want to eat crabs?”

“No.” Lin Jiao put down her chopsticks and took out two tissues to wipe his greasy fingertips.

When Fang Yanwen saw their sweet interaction, she felt inexplicably annoyed.

Perhaps out of jealousy, she broke the silence. “Sister Jiao, when did you start working?”

“From July.”

“How do you feel?”

“Not bad.” Lin Jiao looked up at her and asked casually, “Which year are you in?”

Fang Yanwen did not pay attention to Lin Jiao’s appearance before.

Now that she looked at her face, she felt overwhelmed by a sense of inferiority.

She gripped her chopsticks tightly. “Third year.”

“Are you preparing to take the postgraduate entrance examination?”

“Not really. I want to intern first.”

“Getting some internship experience is not bad.” Lin Jiao chewed on the prawn, the satisfied look on her face made Fang Yanwen feel even more annoyed.

Fang Yanwen pursed her lips and asked, “How long have you been with Brother Pei?”

“More than two months.”

“Why did he tell me you two got together this month?” Hearing Lin Jiao’s answer, Lin Hongyuan looked at Pei Zhi.

Pei Zhi said calmly, “You might have heard wrongly.”

He did not look like he was lying, so Lin Hongyuan did not think much of it. “How did you two meet?”

Lin Jiao said, “He’s Yilan’s uncle.” Afraid that he wouldn’t remember her, she explained, “The one in the same dormitory as me.”

“The one who once came to our house?”

“Right.”

Lin Hongyuan had an impression of Pei Yilan now.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and clinked glasses with Pei Zhi again. “How old are you?”

“Almost thirty.”

“Your parents are not nagging at you to get married?”

“They are.”

Pei Zhi understood what he meant.

He held Lin Jiao’s hand that was on the table. “Jiaojiao is still young. I want to think about marriage after she turns 25.”

“I see.” Lin Hongyuan nodded in satisfaction.

He picked up the porcelain bowl and took two mouthfuls of rice. From time to time, he would chat with him, making the atmosphere even more harmonious.

Only Fang Yanwen could not blend in with them.

She kept stealing glances at Pei Zhi. To avoid being discovered, she had no choice but to talk to Lin Jiao.

“Sister Jiao.” When they returned to the living room, she took out her phone from her pocket. “Can we add each other on WeChat?”

Lin Jiao did not refuse.

She scanned the QR code. Before she could send a friend request, Fang Yanwen leaned forward.

“Brother Pei, can I add you too?” She stretched out her right hand, her voice charming and sweet.

Pei Zhi felt his scalp tingle when he heard her call him ‘brother’.

“I’m sorry, my friend list is full.” If not for the fact that she had a relationship with the Fang family, he would not even be bothered to find an excuse.

“That’s unfortunate.”

After being rejected, Fang Yanwen retracted her hand.

She accepted Lin Jiao’s friend request and asked when the Fang couple was not around, “Then do you have other social media apps?”

“No.”

“Brother Pei, you’re so old-fashioned.”

Pei Zhi took a deep breath to stop himself from flaring up.

“Jiaojiao.” He lowered his head and kissed Lin Jiao’s cheek, his expression completely different from before. “Can we have a walk outside?”

“Okay.” Lin Jiao held his hand.

She said to Lin Hongyuan and walked out of the front yard along the stone path.

Pei Zhi sat down on the bench by the fountain.

Perhaps because she could feel what was on his mind, before he could mention the annoying girl in the room, Lin Jiao, who was nestled in his arms, spoke.

“Uncle, do you hate her?”

“I do.”

“Because she called you brother?” She wrapped her arms around his thin waist and raised an eyebrow.

“Partly.”

“What about the rest?”

“She has designs on me.”

Pei Zhi had seen too many similar women like that and could guess at a glance what they were thinking.

He stroked her long hair. “Don’t interact with her in the future. You can’t befriend someone like her.”

“I know.” She had no intention of making friends with Fang Yanwen.

Lin Jiao soothed his frown and brushed her warm fingertips across his face. “Have you always been so popular with women?”

“Are you jealous?”

“No.”

Pei Zhi pinched her cheek. “Why do I smell jealousy?”