Together with Zhan Yang, Su Qi took a flight from City S to City H, then switched to a car for a two-hour drive. By half past four, they finally arrived at Stone Creek Village. Before she could marvel at the primitive village, her eyes were drawn to a lively roadside canopy tent, where she spotted her brother amidst the crowd.
As soon as Zhan Yang parked nearby, Su Qi jumped out of the car and strode straight toward the roadside canopy tent.
Su Ling and Lin Feng were busy helping the villagers pack the Chinese ricefish when he noticed another car arriving. Without thinking, he looked up to see a girl approaching. In an instant, his face broke into a cheerful smile as he put down the tape and turned to the nearby Little Bee. “That’s it for today’s live stream. Thank you all for your hard work, and see you next time!”
He winked at the camera and said goodbye to his viewers.
Brimming with excitement, Su Qi stood before him and called out with a bright smile, “Brother!”
The viewers barely had time to bid farewell to their idol when a stunning girl suddenly graced the screen, sparking a wave of curiosity — only for the signal to abruptly cut off, leaving them reeling in disbelief.
Paying no mind to the viewers, Su Ling turned his attention to his sister, whom he had not seen for ages. Reaching out, he measured her height with his hand and remarked, “It looks like you’ve grown a little taller.”
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“… This house was originally the Su Clan Ancestral House.” Su Ling introduced while giving his sister a tour of the ancestral home. As they walked, he shared stories of the Su family’s past, detailing the remarkable deeds of their second grandfather.
Eyes wide with wonder, Su Qi took in the intricately sculpted stones and waterside pavilion, each one leaving her in awe.
“How beautiful!”
No wonder Brother is so unwilling to leave the countryside! The air is crisp and fresh, the landscape is breathtakingly beautiful, and the atmosphere is so blissfully peaceful.
“Wait a minute, we have a second grandfather,” Su Qi stated, looking baffled after hearing her brother’s introduction. “Why has Grandfather never mentioned him?”
Su Ling pursed his lips for a moment before explaining, “He cut ties with the family thirty years ago. That’s why Grandfather never mentions him.”
Had it not been for Lawyer Zhang’s call, he would have never known about Second Grandfather, who resided in the countryside. Although he had visited once with his father as a child, he was far too young to remember much from that trip.
Su Qi entered the guest hall, her gaze sweeping the room until it landed on a Dragon Li kitten curled up and fast asleep on a mahogany chair. Unable to resist, she walked over and gently stroked its soft fur.
The Dragon Li kitten perked up, its ears twitching as it opened its eyes, fixing a sharp gaze on an unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar figure.
Meeeooow! It stretched, arching its back and giving a big yawn.
Su Qi resembled her brother in some ways, but her gentle, delicate features, porcelain-like skin, and long, wavy black hair that fell to her waist lent her a distinctly feminine grace. The Dragon Li kitten found her familiar and allowed her to stroke its back, narrowing its eyes slightly in pure contentment.
“How well-behaved you are!” Su Qi exclaimed, her face aglow with happiness. This was her first close interaction with a small animal, so she was overcome with joy. Before long, she found herself gently stroking it multiple times.
“Its name is Lion.” Su Ling shared, gently scratching the Dragon Li kitten under its chin. “And over there is a little pup who loves to sleep.”
Su Qi glanced toward the corner of the guest hall and noticed an open dog bed, on which a snow-white tugou lay soundly asleep.
Brother is really a winner at life! How fortunate and happy he must be to have a cat and a dog!
Stepping silently through the doorway, Lin Feng saw the siblings wrapped up in their conversation. Rather than interrupt, he slipped behind the folding screen and headed upstairs for a shower.
When Zhan Yang stepped inside with the suitcase, he appeared somewhat unsure, caught in a mild awkwardness about whether to approach. Only then did Su Ling notice him and pause his chat with Su Qi. “Thank you, Assistant Zhan, for bringing my sister here.”
Zhan Yang responded courteously, “You’re too kind, Mr. Su. It was no trouble at all.”
In any case, he had already planned to go to City H. With the planning for the Sylvan Willows River Corridor complete, construction was just about to start. Now, with CEO Lin appointing him as the project manager, he would be stationed in Sylvan Willows Town for the foreseeable future.
Seeing her suitcase in his hand, Su Qi hurried over to take it from him and offered politely, “Thank you, Assistant Zhan.”
With a bright smile, Zhan Yang replied, “It’s my pleasure.”
After a long day’s work, sweat clung to Su Ling’s skin, leaving him sticky. He turned to them and suggested, “Xiao Qi, Assistant Zhan, why don’t you sit and relax in the living room for a bit? I’ll take a quick shower upstairs and then get started on dinner.”
“Ah, sure thing, Brother.” Su Qi answered, a hint of surprise in her voice at the idea of him cooking dinner.
Brother actually knows how to cook?
Back when they were at the Su Residence, her brother had been just like her — never lifting a finger. He never so much as washed a dish, let alone cooked a meal. But now? He not only worked the land like a seasoned farmer but also took on household chores with ease. It was utterly unbelievable!
Zhan Yang had tasted Su Ling’s cooking just once, yet the memory of it haunted him with every passing day.
There was no denying that the vegetables from the countryside were far fresher and tastier than those from the city. After tasting them, he found himself craving more.
Su Ling went upstairs to his room and heard water running from the bathroom. Grinning mischievously, he curled his fingers and tapped twice on the door.
“I’m coming in!” Without waiting for a response from Lin Feng, he opened the door. There, under the spray of the shower, stood a strikingly muscular man, his bare form fully revealed in the misty water.
Lin Feng’s long fingers brushed aside the damp strands of hair from his forehead, wiping the water droplets from his face. As he turned, his eyes met Su Ling’s, who was standing in the doorway with bright, sparkling eyes.
“… I’m not done yet,” he stated.
“It’s fine, we can wash together.”
Su Ling quickly stripped off his dirty clothes, tossing them into the laundry basket. Barefoot, he strode across the room and joined him beneath the showerhead.
Lin Feng’s eyes darkened as he stepped aside, making room for Su Ling to shower more comfortably.
The warm water enveloped Su Ling’s body, opening every pore and drawing a quiet sigh from his lips.
That quiet sigh carried a hint of seduction. Lin Feng’s hand shot out, pulling him into a firm embrace before lowering his head to claim Su Ling’s lips in a searing kiss.
Twenty minutes later, Su Ling descended the stairs with Lin Feng, his lips a light shade of red and his half-damp curls framing his face.
In the steamy confines of the shower, it was evident how easily things could heat up. Had they not been mindful of the guests in the house, they likely would have remained in the bathroom for much longer.
“Not bad! Not bad at all!”
In the guest hall, Director Dou strode in uninvited, his eyes behind glasses fixed intently on Su Qi as he muttered to himself in deep thought.
“Your image is just perfect! Just a couple of small adjustments to the script, and we could begin shooting the ad right away!”
Awaiting his verdict, Su Qi sat relaxed and completely unshaken by his scrutiny.
At that juncture, Director Dou found himself increasingly captivated by her. There was no doubt she was Mr. Su’s sister; her stunning appearance was unparalleled, and her privileged upbringing endowed her with an air of noble elegance.
“Have you had dinner yet, Director Dou?” Su Ling asked with a warm smile as he entered the guest hall.
Director Dou snapped back to reality, pushing up his glasses. “No, I’ve not,” he answered honestly.
Su Ling offered, “Why don’t you join us for a quick meal?”
Director Dou paused for effect, a hint of reluctance in his voice as he commented, “I… I wouldn’t want to intrude on your time with your sister.”
Smiling brightly, Su Ling remarked, “The more, the merrier.”
With a shift of tone, Director Dou dropped his previous formality. “Then I’ll have to trouble you, Mr. Su.”
After snagging a free breakfast, he was dragged into a day of work. So, when dinner rolled around, he felt zero guilt joining them.
Su Ling caught on to his unvoiced concerns but chose not to address them. “It’s no trouble adding another pair of chopsticks.”
He went into the kitchen and soon returned with a freshly brewed pot of tea, pouring a cup for everyone before heading back to his cooking.
Seated on the mahogany chair, Lin Feng tapped away on his phone, exuding an undeniable presence that quieted the raucous Director Dou. Then, the director collected himself, suppressing his excessive excitement to engage in a serious conversation with Su Qi.
With guests in the house, Su Ling went all out and prepared a lavish dinner.
Using freshly picked vegetables from his backyard, seafood bought from the supermarket the day before, and Chinese ricefish brought back from the paddies, Su Ling spent over an hour preparing a feast. Eight exquisite dishes and a hearty soup adorned the table, their mouthwatering aromas wafting through the air.
Director Dou was practically glowing with approval as he ate, showering praises on the incredible flavors. Su Qi’s eyes were filled with admiration as she gazed at her brother, her respect for him reaching new heights. Meanwhile, Zhan Yang grinned contentedly as he dug into the farm-fresh dishes, his satisfaction clear on his face.
Setting down his chopsticks, Lin Feng dabbed at the corners of his mouth with a napkin and turned to Su Ling. “I’ll take care of the dishes.”
Knowing he had guests to attend to, Su Ling added, “Of course, just try not to break any more plates, alright?”
After breakfast and lunch, Lin Feng and Su Ling washed the dishes together. In the process, Lin Feng clumsily broke a plate, nearly earning Su Ling’s wrath. The china set had cost him thirty thousand yuan1 CNY 30,000 is approximately US $4,123.09. , so losing even a single piece would ruin the entire set.
Fully aware of his mistake, Lin Feng gave a soft grunt, then carefully picked up an empty bowl and brought it to the kitchen sink.
Having been fed a full day of lovey-doveyness, Director Dou had taken it all in stride. Zhan Yang, who had seen CEO Lin kneel on a washboard, kept a calm expression, while only Su Qi gaped, her beautiful eyes wide with disbelief.
This man… did not seem as aloof as he appeared on the surface. In front of his elder brother, it was as if the icy glacier had begun to thaw, revealing a warmth as gentle as flowing water.
The contrast was too stark for her to handle, leaving her feeling somewhat disoriented.
As for Su Ling, he left Lin Feng to handle the dishes alone and invited the others to the guest hall. When Zhan Yang mentioned he needed to return to his hotel in Sylvan Willows Town, Su Ling did not stop him. Instead, he walked Zhan Yang to the door and watched his car disappear down the road before stepping back inside.
With only one guest room in the house, Zhan Yang had nowhere to stay now that Su Ling’s sister had arrived. Fortunately, he had his car, making it easy for him to return to the hotel in town.
After adding Su Qi on WeChat, Director Dou forwarded her the script for the advertisement. “Here’s the first draft. Take a look first; the revised one should be done by tomorrow.”
“Got it.” Su Qi opened the file and skimmed through it, finding that the advertisement had very few lines of dialogue and was mostly focused on striking poses.
When she raised her doubts, Director Dou cleared his throat awkwardly and answered, “This script was originally written for Lin Yun. His line delivery isn’t strong, so we’ve kept his lines to a minimum. But yours is impressive, so I’ll have the copywriter add more for you.”
After all, an actor’s proficiency in line delivery was the backbone of their craft; without it, there was little room for their acting skills to grow.
Su Qi had no objections. “Are we starting the shoot tomorrow?”
Director Dou shook his head, looking somewhat troubled. “We can’t start the shoot for now.”
“Why not?” Su Qi asked, a look of confusion crossing her face.
Director Dou sighed, “Everything else can be worked out, but the costume is the real issue.”
After seeing Zhan Yang off, Su Ling returned to the guest hall and overhead Director Dou. “What’s wrong with the costume?”
Director Dou threw his hands up and shrugged. “Previously, we were working with a male actor, so the costume was tailored to Lin Yun’s measurements. Now that we have Miss Su, I’m afraid the costume and accessories won’t be suitable.”
Su Ling nodded thoughtfully. “That’s definitely a serious issue. Are you all in a hurry to fix it?”
Director Dou’s face was etched with worry. “How can we not be in a hurry? We have just half a month to shoot. With such a tight deadline, we can’t afford to remake the costumes.”
So what now?
The living room grew thick with silence. After a pause, Su Qi’s eyes lit up, and she hesitantly suggested, “What if… I dressed as a man?”
Director Dou was rendered speechless, while Su Ling could only stare, completely taken aback.
Su Qi’s face flushed a shade of crimson under their piercing gaze. She hesitated, her voice barely above a whisper. “Is that… not possible?”
Director Dou hummed softly, his gaze flickering with interest. “What’s your height, Miss Su?”
“1.73 meters,” Su Qi answered.
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