ORCBRB – Chapter 7
Chapter 7
The next morning, Sang Shi'an received a message from her brother, Sang Shiyue. The message saying he was coming to pick her up had been sent an hour ago. Sang Shi'an pulled open the curtains, and sure enough, the familiar Phantom was already parked downstairs.
She quickly washed up and went downstairs. The driver saw her from a distance, got out, and opened the car door for her.
“What took you so long?” Sang Shiyue closed his laptop, his gaze falling on Sang Shi'an’s face. “Why are you wearing a mask so early in the morning?”
Sang Shiyue was a full eight years older than Sang Shi'an. Having been in charge of the company for many years, he had long since developed the aura of a person in power. He was dressed formally today, his shirt and suit custom-tailored, looking sharp and neat even as he leaned back casually.
“If you drive a cheaper car next time, I won’t have to wear a mask,” Sang Shi'an said, leaning over the front seat to speak to the driver. “Uncle Wang, let’s go.”
Sang Shiyue asked a couple of questions about her studies before he started taking calls. He seemed very busy, one call after another. When his phone finally fell silent, Sang Shiyue noticed Sang Shi'an’s gaze, and the smile on his lips was both helpless and meaningful. “Still looking? What, have you discovered that none of the boys at your school are as handsome as your brother?”
Sang Shi'an immediately turned to look out the window. “You’re insane.”
Sang Shiyue moved much closer to Sang Shi'an, as if suddenly intrigued. “Is it wrong for me to show some concern for my own sister’s love life?”
Sang Shi'an leaned back until her back touched the car door, but there was no escape. “I-I-I came back this week to talk to you about something serious.”
Sang Shiyue rested his left hand on the center armrest, revealing a sophisticated watch. “Speak.”
“Can you… advance me some allowance?” Sang Shi'an lacked confidence, her words stuttering. “The kind you don’t tell Mom and Dad about.”
“Reason?”
“I bought a few birthday gifts for my friends, and then it was my turn to pay when we went out…”
The Sang family didn’t restrict Sang Shi'an’s normal expenses. To be honest, she felt guilty about this herself. At the end of the summer vacation, Sang Shiyue had privately transferred her a sum of money large enough to buy an apartment outside the Fifth Ring Road.
This answer obviously wouldn’t pass muster.
Sang Shiyue’s deep, dark eyes scrutinized her, devoid of the earlier warmth, filled instead with the cold, oppressive air of a superior. Sang Shi'an barely dared to breathe, feeling almost suffocated.
Suddenly, Sang Shiyue chuckled softly and flicked her forehead with his finger. “You little spendthrift.”
“I don’t care how you spend the money; Mom and Dad will stop restricting your spending in a year or two anyway. But don’t associate with shady people, especially—the kind with dyed yellow hair and tattooed arms.” As Sang Shiyue said this, he gave Sang Shi'an a warning look. “Did you hear me?”
“You’re the one who likes that flashy salon style.”
Since they were on the topic, Sang Shi'an cheekily added, “Brother, when are you going to bring a sister-in-law home?”
Sang Shiyue remained symbolically silent for two seconds. “Mind your own business when it comes to adult matters.”
Sang Shi'an persisted, “What about that older sister from last time? I thought she was quite nice.”
Sang Shiyue: “Which one?”
Sang Shi'an described her, but Sang Shiyue still had no recollection. She then mentioned another one she had run into before. Finally, Sang Shi'an ran out of words, frowning in silence for a long time. “You really are…”
Sang Shiyue folded his hands and calmly answered for her.
“A scumbag?”
“Promiscuous?”
“Irresponsible?”
Finally, Sang Shiyue said with a blank expression and an icy tone, “Sang Shi'an, your allowance is gone.”
Sang Shi'an’s face was a picture of disbelief, but she knew when to yield and immediately lowered her stance. “I was wrong.”
Sang Shiyue laughed, and the deliberately constructed facade seemed to vanish, replaced by a hint of the devil-may-care attitude he had before joining the company. He tapped on his phone a few times, and soon, Sang Shi'an’s screen lit up with a bank transfer notification.
Sang Shi'an counted the number of zeros and finally smiled. “Thank you, brother.”
Sang Shiyue: “Now that you’ve taken the money, do something for me.”
You can’t bite the hand that feeds you.
Thus, when Sang Shi'an faced her parents’ questions back home, she said as calmly as possible, “Our university has a study abroad exchange program, so I asked my brother to go to the school and help me look into it.”
“He’s not coming back for lunch?”
“Probably not.” Sang Shi'an considerately linked arms with her mother and asked, “Mom, did you need brother for something?”
“It’s nothing important. We had originally invited someone over for lunch and wanted him to meet them, but they had something urgent come up today and couldn’t make it.”
So it was a blind date.
Sang Shi'an was curious. “Which family’s older sister is it?”
Madam Ren stroked her hair, speaking mysteriously, “It’s someone you’re quite familiar with. You’ll find out when the time comes.”
Sang Shi'an stayed home for two days. She later called her brother to report on her mission’s progress, only to find out he was already on a plane for international business.
She didn’t know if he was truly busy or just pretending to be.
After being comfortably pampered by her parents for two days, Sang Shi'an got in the car to return to school on Sunday afternoon.
Dinner was booked at a newly opened Omakase restaurant in the city center. The Japanese cuisine, at two thousand yuan per person, ensured that everyone who was invited arrived at the restaurant early.
When Sang Shi'an arrived, Xu Taotao was pulling Su Ningyue into a gossip session. She greeted them enthusiastically, then opened her phone messages to hurry Jian Cenyu along.
【When will you arrive?】
Half a minute later, Jian Cenyu replied: 【Stuck in traffic, ten minutes.】
Sang Shi'an raised an eyebrow, just as Su Ningyue’s fluffy head leaned in. “Is it Senior Jian? No rush, Jiang Jiang and her boyfriend aren’t here yet either, right?”
On the table were two newly bought books. As Sang Shi'an got closer, she realized they were two recent weekly magazines.
Xu Taotao raised her hand. “I just opened the package. No one better fight me for them.”
Sang Shi'an: …
I don’t understand you fangirls.
Faced with such beauty, Xu Taotao seemed to finally remember her other roommate. She slapped the table and stood up. “Jiang Jiang said she was almost here just now. It’s been ten minutes, could she be lost? I’ll go take a look outside.”
Sang Shi'an stopped her. “I’m familiar with this area, I’ll go.”
Xu Taotao was indeed reluctant to leave. She sat back down, sighing, “That would be so embarrassing.”
Sang Shi'an chuckled, bantering with her for a moment before leaving the private room.
The restaurant wasn’t crowded, perhaps because the waiters were all in their respective private rooms. Sang Shi'an sent a message to Jiang Xinqi. While waiting, she looked around. Just as she was about to exit into the parking lot, she suddenly heard a low conversation from around the corner.
A familiar voice made her stop in her tracks.
It seemed to be Jiang Xinqi?
Because the distance was a bit far, Sang Shi'an couldn’t be entirely sure if it was Jiang Xinqi. She moved closer and saw Jiang Xinqi being cornered against a wall.
Opposite her was also a girl.
Their conversation drifted over: “You already broke up with him, so why can’t you take me to meet your roommates? Or did you two never break up at all, and you were lying to me before?”
Jiang Xinqi’s personality was the most reserved in their dorm, and her voice was soft and gentle. “Since I’m with you, of course we broke up for good. But it’s a bit sudden for me to bring a girlfriend to meet my friends, don’t you think?”
“Can’t you just tell your roommates what you said when you broke up with him?”
“Huh? Tell them I suddenly realized I don’t like guys? Wouldn’t that be a bit wei— Mmph!”
At this point, the sound suddenly stopped. Confused, Sang Shi'an peeked her head out and saw her sweet roommate being pressed against the wall and kissed by the other girl.
Sang Shi'an jolted. The direct impact of the scene made her face flush red, and she hastily backed away.
Her arm bumped into a sharp corner of the wall, and a sound was about to escape her lips when a hand suddenly covered her mouth from behind, accompanied by a low, “Careful.”
Sang Shi'an turned her head.
It was Jian Cenyu.
The pair around the corner seemed to be arguing again, their kissing sounds becoming urgent and breathless. Blushing furiously, Sang Shi'an was pulled by the arm by Jian Cenyu, retreating to a second corner.
Once they stopped, Sang Shi'an whispered, “When did you get here?”
“Just parked.” Jian Cenyu gestured with her head toward the car beside them.
Sang Shi'an followed her gaze and saw the same Martin. Considering their slightly sneaky behavior, she let out a chuckle. “How many 007 movies have you watched?”
Jian Cenyu: “007?”
“Yeah,” Sang Shi'an explained. “Didn’t the Aston Martin DB10 become super popular because of him back then? Fewer people buy it these years. Yours looks similar, isn’t it because of the movie?”
Jian Cenyu shook her head. “No.”
Sang Shi'an let out an “ah.” “Okay, but it is really good-looking.”
Footsteps approached from not far away. Sang Shi'an saw Jiang Xinqi first and pulled Jian Cenyu to hide on the side of the car.
The space between the cars was very narrow, and the sudden proximity made the air feel thin.
The car had just been turned off, and she could almost feel the heat radiating from the engine. Jian Cenyu lowered her eyes, her gaze lightly sweeping over Sang Shi'an’s rapidly fluttering eyelashes. “What’s wrong?”
“My roommates are walking past.” Sang Shi'an didn’t know how to explain the whole homosexuality thing to Jian Cenyu. In any case, until Jiang Xinqi voluntarily brought the person before her, she had to pretend she didn’t know.
She peeked out again to look at the two. Seeing them leave the parking lot, she finally breathed a sigh of relief and turned her head. “Okay, let’s go out…”
A strand of Jian Cenyu’s hair brushed against her lips, and the end of her sentence died on her tongue.
After watching the show, Sang Shi'an finally realized just how close the two of them were standing. She practically froze into a statue.
It was Jian Cenyu who spoke first. “Shall we go out?”
Jian Cenyu didn’t seem to have noticed. Sang Shi'an seized the opportunity to stand up straight. “Right, right, let’s go too. Everyone’s here, waiting for dinner.”
On the way from the parking lot to the restaurant, Sang Shi'an was very quiet. Jian Cenyu wasn’t one for many words, and every few steps, Sang Shi'an couldn’t help but glance at her.
Finally, before entering the restaurant, she couldn’t hold it in any longer and tentatively asked, “You don’t seem… surprised about my roommates?”
Jian Cenyu: “Surprised?”
Sang Shi'an tried another word. “I mean… you’re not repulsed?”
Although same-sex relationships were becoming more common nowadays, same-sex marriage was ultimately not legal, and many people still held prejudices against it.
Thinking about having to eat with Jiang Xinqi and that girl soon, Sang Shi'an decided to give Jian Cenyu a heads-up. “This is actually a very normal thing. People are born with fluid sexual orientations. Heterosexuality and homosexuality are their own choices. If you can’t accept it, just sit a bit further away from them during dinner. Please don’t show—”
“Sang Shi'an.” Jian Cenyu stopped and turned to look at her.
Sang Shi'an: “Hm?”
The sky had already darkened. The evening glow of dusk was gradually fading from the eaves, leaving only the last sliver of daylight. Jian Cenyu stood against the light, her pale eyes holding a hint of scrutiny.
She paused for a moment, then asked, “Do you think I would discriminate against them?”
Sang Shi'an: …
Did you have to be so blunt?
She coughed awkwardly. When nervous, her eyes started to dart around again. “Of course I don’t think you’re prejudiced against same-sex love. I was just worried you might act strangely after seeing them kiss. My friend is thin-skinned, so please don’t expose them, okay?”
Jian Cenyu seemed to be listening to her seriously. After she finished, she slowly replied, “Okay.”
The tension in Sang Shi'an’s nerves eased. “Then let’s go in.”
Jian Cenyu retracted her gaze and walked inside.
A waiter recognized Sang Shi'an and came over to lead them.
As they crossed the main hall, Jian Cenyu suddenly said, “However.”
Sang Shi'an stopped in her tracks. “Huh?”
Jian Cenyu: “I don’t think I’ve ever said that I’m repulsed by same-sex intimacy.”
Comments
Post a Comment