this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!
The discussion about Wen Xiangxiang quickly shifted after just a few remarks.
It was unclear whether Huo Wanfeng knew about Wen Xiangxiang’s feelings for him, but his attention had always been solely on Shu Ruan.
Upon learning that Wen Xiangxiang’s arranged marriage partner was far from shabby and in fact, quite well-off, Xu Qingli finally put her worries to rest.
Since Wen Xiangxiang and Huo Wanfeng were never meant to be, it was better for her to explore other possibilities sooner rather than later.
After some casual chatting, the group officially started playing cards. The most common way to play Fight the Landlord was with three people.
Originally, Huo Wanfeng had the perfect plan: if they played with the four of them, he would team up with Shu Ruan; if they played with three, he would let the other three play while acting as Shu Ruan’s strategist by her side.
But to his surprise, Wen Qiaozhou unexpectedly beat him to the punch by claiming he didn’t know how to play. Since Wen Qiaozhou rarely played cards in general, Huo Wanfeng didn’t suspect anything and had no choice but to join the game himself, letting Wen Qiaozhou sit beside Xu Qingli to learn.
Wen Qiaozhou moved his chair a little closer to Xu Qingli.
“President Wen, why don’t you play?” Xu Qingli offered him the cards.
“No need, I’ll watch you play first,” Wen Qiaozhou replied, raising his hand to gently decline. His fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of her hand.
It was just a fleeting touch, like a dragonfly skimming the water, and he withdrew his hand almost immediately. However, Xu Qingli couldn’t help recalling the dream she’d had that night—the one where she kept playing with someone else’s hands… Although Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t possibly know about it, her cheeks still warmed slightly. She quickly sat back and didn’t insist further.
Xu Qingli drew the landlord card in the first round. Her reserved nature, combined with Wen Qiaozhou watching her, made her a little nervous, leaving her utterly defenseless against Huo Wanfeng and Shu Ruan when they teamed up against her.
Seeing how well he and Shu Ruan worked together, Huo Wanfeng immediately convinced himself it was because they were “in sync.” Thrilled, he couldn’t stop praising her.
“Just shut up,” Shu Ruan said helplessly, glancing at Xu Qingli. “We only won because we had good cards.”
Xu Qingli didn’t mind. As long as no one was deliberately targeting her, she preferred not to be the centre of attention in situations like these.
But Wen Qiaozhou was clearly far more petty.
In the second round, Xu Qingli offered him the cards once again. This time, Wen Qiaozhou didn’t refuse.
When it was his turn to make the decision first, he didn’t even glance at his cards before saying, “Pass.”
Xu Qingli barely had time to react, sucking in a breath and holding it, staying silent. Wen Qiaozhou had drawn an excellent hand, perfect for playing as the landlord.
Shu Ruan was next in line. Since Wen Qiaozhou had taken all the good cards, Shu Ruan’s hand was naturally weak, so she also passed. In the end, Huo Wanfeng had no choice but to take the landlord role.
At this point, Wen Qiaozhou handed the cards back to Xu Qingli. “You play instead. I’ll keep learning from the sidelines.”
With a strong hand and Shu Ruan refusing to go easy on him either, the two of them crushed Huo Wanfeng far more brutally than Xu Qingli had been beaten in the previous round.
Huo Wanfeng protested, “It’s definitely not because I’m bad at this, it’s just that both of your cards are too good! Seventh Brother Wen, why didn’t you take the landlord role with such a great hand? You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
“I don’t know how to play,” Wen Qiaozhou replied with absolute confidence, lazily leaning back in his chair and tilting his head slightly toward Xu Qingli. “Besides, if your skills are bad, don’t blame it on luck. These two ladies just play better than you.”
Huo Wanfeng couldn’t argue with that, so he could only fume silently, “One more round.”
Xu Qingli pressed her lips together, her mouth curling up involuntarily. She lowered her voice and said to Wen Qiaozhou, “You should draw the cards for this round too.”
He seemed to have good luck drawing cards.
This side of Wen Qiaozhou inexplicably made Xu Qingli feel safe and less restrained.
“Okay.” Wen Qiaozhou watched as the little girl above her head sat on a chair, tiny feet swinging back and forth, in a rare state of relaxation. She looked so leisurely and carefree that his voice unconsciously softened a few degrees.
Sure, all her other dramatic expressions were adorable, but this peaceful, contented version of her? It simply made him soften from the inside out.
Counting cards wasn’t difficult for Wen Qiaozhou to begin with, let alone with the help of his special ability. In the subsequent rounds, he effortlessly controlled the game. If Xu Qingli became the landlord, he did everything to help her win; if Shu Ruan became the landlord, he deliberately gave Huo Wanfeng opportunities to feed her cards; and if Huo Wanfeng became the landlord, he mainly targeted him to create amusement, caring less about winning and more about keeping the atmosphere lively.
In the end, everyone was satisfied: Xu Qingli didn’t care about winning or losing and was just happy to play in a relaxed manner; Shu Ruan, who valued winning, ended up with the most victories; and Huo Wanfeng, who only wanted to catch Shu Ruan’s attention, excelled at both suicidal card-feeding and being the life of the party—he was certain that from now on, whenever Shu Ruan thought of card games, the first person to pop into her mind would be Huo Wanfeng.
As for whether the two of them would end up together, that would depend on Huo Wanfeng’s personal charm. Wen Qiaozhou had already done his best to help his friend.
pls do not share this anywhere or u will always stub ur toe when u walk past a door frame !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:
Wen Qiaozhou kept his achievements hidden. When seeing Xu Qingli off, he said to her, “Thank you for teaching me how to play cards. I had a great time tonight. Let me treat you to a meal sometime.”
Although the atmosphere tonight had been pleasant, as a socially anxious person, Xu Qingli still wasn’t keen on dining alone with her boss. She quickly replied, “You were the one who was amazing. I didn’t really teach you anything—in fact, I feel like you played even better than me.”
His occasional, seemingly casual hints always had yielded unexpectedly good results. If not for the lack of a reason, she might have even suspected he was just pretending to be a novice.
“Just a coincidence,” Wen Qiaozhou said, afraid that continuing the conversation would expose him. He smoothly changed the subject with a smile, “Anyway, you worked hard tonight, whether it was playing cards or helping Wen Xiangxiang with her portrait.”
“About Xiangxiang…” Xu Qingli hesitated but mustered the courage to say, “Actually, I think her arranged marriage isn’t that bad…”
She wasn’t normally the type to meddle in others’ affairs, so she paused mid-sentence, still searching for the right words. Wen Qiaozhou couldn’t help but ask, “You like that type?”
“Huh? No.” Xu Qingli had no idea how the topic had shifted to her and shook her head hurriedly, speaking faster in her fluster. “What I mean is, Xiangxiang mentioned before that she’ll still ultimately choose an arranged marriage. If that’s unavoidable, and this candidate’s conditions are decent, why not let them give it a try? Relationships are, after all, a matter between two people. As outsiders… wouldn’t it be inappropriate for us to interfere too much?”
She still believed Wen Qiaozhou genuinely disapproved of the arranged marriage and wanted to break them up.
Wen Qiaozhou: “…”
Actually, he hadn’t paid any attention to Wen Xiangxiang at all. The fact that she was about to enter an arranged marriage was something he’d only heard in passing from Huo Wanfeng. As for what her fiancé was like, he truly had no idea. However, he knew Wen Xiangxiang’s parents were extremely materialistic people, so he had already unconsciously assumed that their choice of marriage partner wouldn’t be great. His earlier casual remark had merely been a ploy to keep Xu Qingli around so that he could see her drawing in person. As for whether he would help Wen Xiangxiang or how he would do it, he hadn’t really thought it through. But now, seeing how seriously Xu Qingli was taking his words, his conscience pricked him slightly.
“Alright, we’ll do as you say,” Wen Qiaozhou said, a little sheepish, softening his voice. “Let them figure it out on their own.”
His voice was already deep and mellow, but when he spoke gently, the sensation truly felt like your ears were getting a spa treatment.
Even though this was exactly what she had meant, hearing it from Wen Qiaozhou’s lips made it feel different somehow. Xu Qingli was relieved that she wouldn’t have to join him in doing something strange anymore, yet she also felt embarrassed at the same time and said quickly, “Then I’ll head back now. Sister Miaomiao is waiting for me.”
Shui Miao knew she had been playing cards with Wen Qiaozhou and the others, so she hadn’t disturbed them earlier. Now, she was waiting at a distance, though she didn’t approach them.
Wen Qiaozhou didn’t say anything more, watching as she left.
Xu Qingli got into the car and, through the window, saw Wen Qiaozhou still standing at the entrance. She waved at him.
“Looks like you had fun?” Shui Miao sat down beside her, sniffing the air. “What’s that smell on you?”
“A smell?” Xu Qingli startled, immediately lowering her head to sniff herself. “Does it smell bad?”
She couldn’t detect anything.
“It’s not exactly bad,” Shui Miao shook her head, curious. “What did you do?”
It wasn’t hot enough for her to sweat that much, and with just the few of them together, what could they have done that involved something smelly?
Xu Qingli hesitated awkwardly before mumbling, “Stinky… tofu.”
Shui Miao’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “You ate stinky tofu at President Wen’s place?! What were you thinking?”
“No, no, he was the one who wanted it,” Xu Qingli hurriedly explained the situation, then couldn’t help muttering, “Besides, I took care of it.”
When the butler first brought the stinky tofu, despite the fact that bringing this dish out was somewhat impolite, Xu Qingli had genuinely been happy. Wen Qiaozhou had wanted it too, so her concerns about smelling were also brushed off, after all, they were both going to be eating it.
But later, when the butler came to fetch her to meet Huo Wanfeng with Wen Qiaozhou, Xu Qingli belatedly realized how inappropriate it was. She had rushed to rinse her mouth, wash her face, sprayed on perfume, and even used a hairdryer to blow-dry herself… Had the smell really lingered this long? Did that mean everyone had smelled it?
That would be mortifying!
“President Wen likes stinky tofu?” Shui Miao was focused on something entirely different, her disbelief evident on her face. “Are you sure he ate it?”
The question made Xu Qingli pause, then she shook her head. “No, he didn’t get the chance to.”
Shui Miao studied her, hesitating.
“Just say what you’re thinking,” Xu Qingli pressed her lips together.
“There’s another smell on you—it’s men’s cologne,” Shui Miao said, her nose sharp. “Where’d it come from?”
Men’s cologne?
Xu Qingli thought for a moment before it clicked. “From President Wen’s clothes?”
The coat he had given her earlier did indeed carry a faint scent, somewhat similar to Wen Qiaozhou’s own fragrance, though slightly stronger. She had carried that coat for a while, and later when she felt cold during the card game, she had even draped it over herself. Could the scent have transferred onto her?
Wait a minute, Wen Qiaozhou hadn’t actually eaten the stinky tofu, had changed his clothes, and then inexplicably lent her a coat sprayed with cologne… Could it be that he had been trying to discreetly mask the stinky tofu smell clinging to her, sparing her the embarrassment?
Although he really was considerate, Xu Qingli’s mood still plummeted instantly.
As someone with social anxiety, one of her worst fears was making a fool of herself. Even if others helped cover it up, the memory alone could be mortifying afterward.
But what upset Xu Qingli even more than her embarrassment was the realization that she had thought she and Wen Qiaozhou shared similar tastes, though now that didn’t seem to be the case.
No, things still didn’t add up for Xu Qingli: “But then why did he suddenly have someone deliver stinky tofu?”
There was no way he could have known she happened to be craving it. And even if he did, why would he go out of his way to indulge her every wish?
“Maybe it was a test,” Shui Miao said, clearly focused on a different angle. “I heard some gossip tonight—apparently, the Wen family really does have illegitimate children living out there. Pear Blossom… you really might be President Wen’s sister1.”
Xu Qingli froze.
Occasionally, in her wildest fantasies, she’d dream of being a long-lost heiress to a wealthy family. But at this moment, she realized she felt no joy in the news at all.
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- Can be used interchangeably with cousin as it’s just a matter of adding the maternal/paternal (biao/tang) prefix in front. At this point, we still don’t know whose illegitimate children are out there and it’s rather vague in Chinese too so I’ve left it as sister as a cousin sister is still a sister. ↩︎
