The moment Song Xinya saw Qin Yuhe's name on her phone, her heart gave a sharp tug.
At the same time, Han Jingyi was also watching the phone in her hand.
On the screen, the three characters "Qin Yuhe" blazed brightly.
Song Xinya looked at Han Jingyi across from her. "Let me take this call first."
Han Jingyi turned his back like a gentleman and stepped two meters away, respecting her privacy and not eavesdropping on her conversation.
Song Xinya pressed the answer button, and Qin Yuhe's voice came through: "At the supermarket?"
Song Xinya: "Yes."
Her tone was light and probing. "Why are you calling me?"
Qin Yuhe: "Hearing that, it sounds like you don't want me calling right now."
Song Xinya's heart skipped a beat. "No, I didn't mean that."
"Yaya..." Qin Yuhe called her name in a low, deep voice, then asked, "What are you doing right now?"
Song Xinya: "Buying tomatoes. I'm going home to make you tomato beef noodles."
Qin Yuhe hummed in acknowledgment, not pressing further on that topic, and said, "I called to tell you to buy a bottle of lubricant."
Song Xinya didn't react immediately. "What lubricant?"
Qin Yuhe: "What do you think? It's not for bicycle chains."
Song Xinya suddenly understood what kind of lubricant he meant.
Her eyes darted around her surroundings. Luckily, she hadn't spoken too loudly just now.
She covered her mouth and whispered, "What do we need that for?"
Qin Yuhe: "You said it hurt last night. I want to reduce the discomfort for you."
Song Xinya: "If you want to reduce my discomfort, then just stop messing with me."
Qin Yuhe: "If I stop messing with you, you'll be even more uncomfortable."
Song Xinya: "......You!"
"Fine, I'll buy it."
The call ended. Song Xinya glanced around again—no one was looking her way.
She immediately straightened her posture.
It was just buying lubricant. Which married couple didn't use such intimacy products? She wasn't buying it to use with anyone other than her husband. What was there to feel guilty about?
Song Xinya lifted her chin, putting on an air of complete normalcy.
Two meters away, Han Jingyi saw Song Xinya hang up and walked over to her. "Done with your call?"
Song Xinya: "All done."
Han Jingyi: "I checked the map just now. There's an European-style café about five hundred meters from here that serves chocolate mousse and cheesecake. Want to go sit for a while?"
Song Xinya: "Sorry, Brother Jingyi. I'm not free today."
Han Jingyi: "Something urgent to take care of?"
Song Xinya: I'm going to buy lubricant.
She said aloud, "I have some work matters to handle."
Han Jingyi followed up with a question: "Was that your colleague who just called?"
"No..."
Song Xinya looked him in the eye. "Brother Jingyi, I'm married. That was my husband calling."
Han Jingyi froze, his heart feeling as if it had been struck by a dull, heavy blow.
People came and went around them, all dissolving into blurry, indistinct shadows.
His mind went blank, his train of thought derailed.
Fortunately, the refined upbringing ingrained in him from birth as a member of an elite family allowed him to maintain composure in any surprise. After a brief moment of shock, he pulled himself together.
"You're married..."
It sounded like a murmur, like an incredulous question.
Song Xinya replied, "My husband and I have already registered our marriage at the civil affairs bureau."
Han Jingyi: "Why didn't you tell me?"
What relationship did she have with him? He wasn't her real brother. Why was it necessary to inform him?
Realizing his words had overstepped, Han Jingyi amended, "I mean, a big event like your marriage—why didn't the Song family notify me?"
Song Xinya: "Because I'm not important to the Song family."
Han Jingyi's heart constricted sharply, and guilt filled his eyes as he looked at her. "I'm sorry, Xinxin. I haven't been by your side to protect you."
Song Xinya gave a light, lazy smile. "Brother Jingyi, you don't need to apologize to me. You don't owe me anything. This is my own path in life, and you have yours to walk."
"Actually, I should thank you. Before you left for Germany to pursue your medical doctorate, you left me a sum of money. With that money, I was able to complete my university studies, support my younger brother, and pay for my grandmother's medical treatment."
"Brother Jingyi, I'm truly grateful to you."
Han Jingyi looked at her with a complicated expression. "Is he good to you?"
He?
Song Xinya realized he was referring to Qin Yuhe.
She replied, "My husband treats me very well. I'm happy with him. Seeing him makes my heart joyful. He's an excellent person. Sometimes, when I'm with him, I feel a sense of insecurity, like I want to hide him away in the most secret corner of the world, like a squirrel hoarding nuts, just for me alone."
Han Jingyi stared deeply at Song Xinya's face, taking in every expression she made.
When she spoke about that man, her face was filled with sweet smiles, her eyes sparkling as if stars had fallen into them.
He had watched her grow up since she was a child, but he had never seen her wear such a loving, passionate expression when talking about anyone else.
She truly loved that man.
Han Jingyi listened carefully, word by word, as she talked about him.
Then he said to her, "Xinxin, congratulations."
Song Xinya: "Thank you, Brother Jingyi."
The two hadn't seen each other for years, and Han Jingyi had originally had a lot to say to her. But at that moment, he suddenly lost the desire to speak.
Lost the desire to communicate about anything at all.
The two fell into silence, facing each other.
The sharp sound of high heels approached. Zhang Yingying rushed to Han Jingyi's side and leaned toward him. "Young Master Han, how did you end up over here?"
Han Jingyi: "I caught a glimpse of an old acquaintance and came over."
Zhang Yingying looked at Song Xinya warily, then turned to Han Jingyi. "Young Master Han, you know Song Xinya is already married, don't you?"
She then turned back to Song Xinya. "Why didn't you tell Young Master Han about your marriage? Pretending to be single while married—that's not very ethical."
Just as Song Xinya opened her mouth to respond, Han Jingyi spoke: "Xinxin didn't pretend to be single. She has already told me about her marriage. Miss Zhang, you made an unfounded assumption about her. Please apologize to Xinxin."
Zhang Yingying was taken aback. She turned to Han Jingyi and cooed, "Young Master Han~"
Han Jingyi: "Apologize."
Zhang Yingying's expression stiffened.
Her one goal right now was to marry Han Jingyi, so she didn't want to tarnish her image in front of him. She obediently lowered her head. "Song Xinya, I'm sorry. I misunderstood you. I apologize. You're always so broad-minded—surely you won't hold this against me."
Song Xinya smiled faintly. "Even if I don't forgive you, that doesn't make me any less broad-minded. Don't try to guilt-trip me, because you have no moral high ground to stand on. Without it, you can't hold me hostage."
She waved at Han Jingyi. "Brother Jingyi, I'll be going now. Let's catch up some other time."
Han Jingyi looked at her and said, "All these years, my number has never changed. If you ever need me, give me a call."
Song Xinya replied, "Okay."
Han Jingyi knew it was just a polite remark, because before he went abroad, he had said the same thing to her, and she had also said okay, but in the years he was abroad, she never once called him for help.
She was a very independent person, with a stable core, self-respecting and self-loving, preferring to face all kinds of problems on her own, and she could solve them by herself.
Zhang Yingying noticed Han Jingyi still staring at Song Xinya’s retreating figure, sniffled, and said in a soft, weak voice, "Han Gongzi, Song Xinya was so fierce just now. I was so scared I didn’t dare to speak."
Han Jingyi said, "I don’t think she said anything harsh. What she said made a lot of sense."
Zhang Yingying’s repeated attempts to provoke him failed, and she pouted.
Han Jingyi walked ahead to buy some household items.
Zhang Yingying followed him: "Han Gongzi, I’m the best at picking out household items. Let me help you choose～"
Song Xinya finished her shopping and met up with Song Tingyou in the snack section. They went to the checkout together.
Beside the cash register stood a row of shelves displaying items like gum, chocolate, condoms, and the like.
Since she had her underage sister with her, Song Xinya didn’t stare at the shelves, only gave a quick glance.
Her eyes suddenly lit up.
There was lubricant!
Of course, she couldn’t buy adult products in front of her little sister. Song Xinya said to Song Tingyou, "Youyou, I’m a bit thirsty. Go get me a bottle of jasmine tea."
"Okay," Song Tingyou turned and walked back into the supermarket to get the jasmine tea.
Song Xinya grabbed a bottle of lubricant: "Checkout, quick!"
The female cashier glanced up at her, understanding perfectly, and quickly rang up the lubricant separately.
Song Xinya slipped the lubricant into her pocket. When Song Tingyou returned, she saw Song Xanya calmly and elegantly paying for the fruits and vegetables.
The two pushed their cart out of the supermarket, and Song Xinya’s phone rang.
Qin Yuhe: [Did you buy the lubricant?]
Song Xinya: [No, I didn’t]
Qin Yuhe: [Then how about using peanut butter instead tonight?]
Song Xinya was stunned for a moment, then suddenly understood what he meant, and her face flushed bright red.
[I’m not smearing peanut butter on my body!]
Qin Yuhe: [Don’t like peanut butter, huh? Then how about blueberry jam? Sweet orange jam? Butter? Sesame oil? Olive oil? Pick one out of five.]
Song Xinya’s face turned even redder.
Oh my god, what kind of game is this!
Peanut butter, blueberry jam, sweet orange jam, butter, sesame oil, olive oil… even these can be used for play!
[Qin Yuhe, you’re such a pervert!]
She couldn’t continue this conversation. With pedestrians coming and going around her, Song Xinya was worried someone might see the content of her and Qin Yuhe’s chat.
Their conversation was very "deep," extremely "deep."
She put her phone back in her bag and pretended nothing was wrong, continuing to walk forward.
She heard Song Tingyou ask, "Sis, why is your face so red?"
Song Xinya: "It’s hot."
Song Tingyou: "It’s not hot. The mall’s air conditioning is turned down really low. I even feel cold."
She looked at Song Xinya’s flushed face and asked worriedly, "Sis, do you have a fever?"
Song Xinya: "Yes, I’m sick because of a little brat who won’t stop asking questions."
Song Tingyou didn’t dare ask anymore.
The two sisters walked onto the escalator and disappeared from view.
At the supermarket checkout, Han Jingyi stared at the escalator entrance, his gaze blank.
Zhang Yingying stood behind him and pointed at the row of shelves beside the cash register: "Han Gongzi, look, this was neatly arranged before, but now there’s a gap."
Han Jingyi’s eyes swept over and saw a gap in the middle of the row of lubricants.
Everyone knew what that kind of thing was for.
He didn’t want to discuss such adult topics with Zhang Yingying.
It went far beyond the bounds of friendship.
Too intimate.
Han Jingyi’s gaze passed over it without a word.
Zhang Yingying talked to herself: "Just now, I saw Song Xinya take a bottle."
She said this while observing Han Jingyi’s expression.
His handsome face was as calm as water, showing no visible change.
Zhang Yingying felt she couldn’t quite read his thoughts.
Before arranging for her to accompany Han Jingyi, Song Xuanli and Li Cuirou had specifically told her that Han Jingyi and Song Xinya had a close relationship—both the bond of childhood friends growing up together and the care and protection of an elder for a younger one.
Zhang Yingying thought, in this world, there’s no such thing as pure friendship between a man and a woman.
There were plenty of girls who grew up with Han Jingyi, and plenty younger than him too. Why didn’t he guard and care for them?
No matter what kind of feelings Han Jingyi had for Song Xinya, it made Zhang Yingying uncomfortable.
Because Han Jingyi’s kindness hadn’t fallen on her.
Zhang Yingying added, "Han Gongzi, Song Xinya and her husband are very much in love. She really likes her husband."
Han Jingyi placed the items from his shopping cart onto the checkout counter one by one, his expression indifferent.
"She already told me about that."
Zhang Yingying: "A man as outstanding as her husband, any woman would like him. Marrying such an excellent man, any woman would work hard to maintain the marriage."
Han Jingyi pulled out a shopping bag and asked, "Who is her husband?"
Zhang Yingying: "Qin Yuhe."
"Han Gongzi, since you live abroad all year, do you know Qin Yuhe?"
Han Jingyi: "No one in the elite circle of the capital doesn’t know Qin Yuhe."
Zhang Yingying: "Yeah, a man of such noble status, handsome as he is talented. Before he even turned 18, when he was still in high school, he had already taken over the family business. Under his leadership, the Qin Group has been thriving, reaching its peak."
Han Jingyi remained expressionless, his head lowered, his long lashes casting a shadow, his hands methodically arranging items with calm grace.
He sorted the scanned goods into categories: toiletries in one bag, kitchen and dining items in another, household cleaning in another. Even his casual organization was meticulous, revealing a person with a tasteful lifestyle and a strong focus on quality living.
He said, "Qin Yuhe is indeed outstanding."
Zhang Yingying watched his face, thinking to herself, this guy is surprisingly magnanimous, actually praising Qin Yuhe.
Once all the items were packed into the bags, Han Jingyi pushed his shopping cart forward.
Zhang Yingying walked beside him and asked with underlying meaning, "Han Gongzi, I saw you bought plates and bowls. At home, do you cook, or does your girlfriend cook?"
Han Jingyi: "I’m single. I cook for myself."
Having gotten the answer she wanted, Zhang Yingying grinned.
Han Jingyi understood her little tricks perfectly well, but being single was nothing to hide, nor did he need to conceal it from anyone.
Zhang Yingying followed his steps toward the escalator, her tone lively as she said, “I’m single too.”
“People like us, single and all, we spend the night all alone.”
“Hey, look at Song Tingyou—she even bought lubricant. She’ll definitely have a hot and exciting night with her husband tonight.”
