IMGH Chapter 29

Meeting Han Yuancheng

Qiu Rui hastily scooted to one side, as though he were treating Jiang Yi like the plague.

The rejected Jiang Yi didn’t seem to mind. He took a new bowl, ladled out fresh soup, and carried it over to Qiu Rui.

He scooped up a spoonful, gently blew on it, and raised it to Qiu Rui’s lips, saying softly, “Rui’er, drink your soup!”

Qiu Rui was momentarily stunned. Jiang Yi’s sincere eyes and the jade-white broth in the spoon sent his mind into a sudden haze.

The result was that, as if compelled by some unseen force, he lowered his head and drank the soup.

The moment the smooth and savory broth touched his lips, Qiu Rui felt as though he had been scalded by boiling water — the discomfort was overwhelming.

How had he let this idiot get his way? How had he let himself be fed like that?

Qiu Rui drank the entire bowl of soup, his heart full of bewilderment.

When he finished, he immediately began to regret it. His expression darkened until it was as black as the bottom of a pot.

Having gotten what he wanted, Jiang Yi naturally knew better than to push his luck. He quietly cleared away the bowls and chopsticks without daring to say a single word — yet inside, his heart was bubbling with delight.

Sure enough — pull tight, then loosen; loosen, then pull tight. That was the real trick to reeling a man in.

After tidying up the dishes, Jiang Yi glanced at his watch. It was nearly time for his appointment with Han Yuancheng.

He pulled a button-down shirt and dress trousers from the wardrobe, deciding he couldn’t afford to look shabby in front of the man rumored to be Qiu Rui’s secret love interest.

Once changed, he called out to the still-sulking Qiu Rui, “Rui’er, it’s time — we should head to Guomao Mansion!”

Qiu Rui responded with a soft sound of acknowledgment and drifted over. When he caught sight of Jiang Yi, neat and properly dressed, he paused for a moment.

Qiu Rui had never seen him in formal wear before. He had expected it to look bad — but not only was it not bad, it was actually rather easy on the eyes. He looked sharp and capable, mature and composed. As long as he didn’t open his mouth, he actually looked quite the part.

Noticing Qiu Rui staring at him, Jiang Yi raised the corners of his mouth smugly. “Rui’er, what do you think? Handsome, right?”

Qiu Rui curled his lip, ignored the self-admiring man entirely, and turned to head out the door.

Standing inside the elevator, Jiang Yi stole a glance at Qiu Rui and noticed his expression was visibly uncomfortable. The moment Qiu Rui caught him looking, he immediately averted his gaze, the tips of his ears flushing a faint pink — an altogether endearing sight.

Jiang Yi smiled to himself. Qiu Rui was probably still annoyed about being fed just now.

Jiang Yi felt that Qiu Rui was good in every way, except that his temperament was far too prickly. So he offered some reassurance. “Rui’er, the fact that your soul is trapped has everything to do with me. Naturally, I have to take responsibility for you — food, clothing, shelter, and everything in between. None of it can be lacking. If I ever neglected you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself!”

Jiang Yi said it all with complete seriousness, yet no matter how Qiu Rui heard it, something about the tone felt off. He shot Jiang Yi a glare and continued to ignore him.

Jiang Yi simply smiled faintly and said nothing more. They left the residential complex, hailed a taxi, and rode it down to the café on the ground floor of Guomao Mansion.

Jiang Yi pushed open the door and walked in. From a distance, he spotted the man seated at a table by the floor-to-ceiling windows. Jiang Yi had never met Han Yuancheng before, and Qiu Rui hadn’t offered much of a description — yet the reason Jiang Yi noticed this man at first glance was simply that the man had an overwhelming presence. As much as Jiang Yi resented it, he had to admit that the man was exactly as Jiang Mingxuan had described: strikingly handsome, surpassing even the most polished stars on screen.

When Qiu Rui’s eyes landed on Han Yuancheng, the eagerness that surfaced in his gaze made Jiang Yi deeply uncomfortable.

Sure enough — Rui’er liked him.

As they walked over, Jiang Yi leaned slightly toward the visibly stirred Qiu Rui and murmured, “Rui’er, so this is your so-called personal assistant. He’s nothing special, really. Sure, he may be better-looking than me — but in terms of presence, I’d crush him by a mile. Don’t you think so, Rui’er?”

Qiu Rui glanced at Jiang Yi and said flatly, “Boring.”

Jiang Yi raised an eyebrow and continued toward Han Yuancheng. Han Yuancheng rose as they approached and politely extended his right hand.

“Hello, I’m Han Yuancheng.”

“Hello, I’m Ryan.”

Jiang Yi reached out and shook it, pulling out a practiced, courteous smile.

From beside him came Qiu Rui’s soft murmur — “Chengcheng” — a single word carrying far too much feeling. Jiang Yi’s brow furrowed.

He glanced sideways at the dazed Qiu Rui standing next to him. Something heavy settled in Jiang Yi’s chest — a suffocating, stifling weight.