He had invited him already, but it was no use. Su Ke had turned him down in a heartbeat.
Ji Shileng had asked why.
Su Ke’s reason was wonderfully straightforward: he didn’t want to see Ji Shifeng for the time being.
Ji Shileng had been speechless.
Clearly, Ji Shifeng had upset him again while taking him home.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? What’s so good about the office? Even the cafeteria food can’t compare with home cooking” Wen Qin urged him, “Invite Su Ke over. We’ll have the housekeeper make a feast tomorrow”
Mr. Su had long since given up on persuading Su Ke to enter politics. But with the Military and Political Commission’s recruitment exam coming up, he couldn’t help bringing it up a few more times.
Living under the same roof meant constantly running into each other, and the sight of his son irritated him.
Su Ke knew better than to linger. Every day, he left earlier than the chickens woke and returned later than a wandering dog, cultivating the image of a dedicated professional.
“Then I’ll ask him again…”
With Wen Qin extending the invitation, Su Ke would naturally give her that much consideration.
“Again?” Wen Qin immediately picked out the key word.
Under his mother’s piercing gaze, Ji Shileng felt too much pressure to bluff his way through.
“I asked Su Ke yesterday. He said he wasn’t coming because seeing Ji Shifeng annoyed him”
As an outstanding younger brother, he promptly placed the blame on Ji Shifeng.
To be fair, though, Ji Shifeng deserved it.
Who told him to keep upsetting Su Ke for no reason?
To prove that he wasn’t merely deflecting trouble onto someone else, Ji Shileng opened their chat. Leaning forward and steadying himself against the seatback, he handed Wen Qin his communicator. “Mom, I’m not making it up”
Wen Qin took it, glanced through the messages, then lightly pressed her brow and made a decision.
“Message your brother first. Tell him that starting tomorrow, he’s to sleep at the Military Industry Research Institute and stop coming home”
Ji Shileng burst out laughing and gleefully sent Ji Shifeng a message.
[Winter Snow Is Cold]: Shifeng, Mom says you’re to sleep at the institute starting tomorrow. Don’t come home.
Ji Shifeng replied quickly. At this hour, he was probably on his way home after working overtime.
[Winter Snow Is Cold]: Did you upset Su Ke again a couple of days ago? Mom wants him to come stay, but he says he doesn’t want to see you.
[Winter Snow Is Cold]: Nothing we can do. Sleep at the institute. It’s your second home anyway.
During one particularly obsessive stretch, Ji Shifeng had gone half a month without coming home.
Wen Qin had been so frightened that she thought something had happened to him. She hurriedly contacted his supervisor, only to discover that he had been working nonstop for two weeks.
After repeated scoldings from his sister and father, Ji Shifeng had started sending a message whenever he stayed overnight at the institute.
Everyone joked that it was his second home.
[Winter Snow Is Cold]: Settled, then. Enjoy work~
“Mom, he’s agreed by default” Ji Shileng truly deserved the title of the Federation’s finest younger brother. “Should I ask Su Ke now? If he’s pretending to work overtime, he might still be there”
Wen Qin was editing photos for her social feed. She really was delighted with the pictures she had taken at Yongyi Court.
She was even planning to sort through her older photographs in a few days and have them all printed into albums.
“Ask him. If he’s working late, we can pick him up on the way home”
Ji Shileng acknowledged Su Ke’s standing as an honorary member of the Ji family.
If nothing else, his position was already higher than Ji Shifeng’s.
If those two ever argued in the future, the Ji house might stop being Ji Shifeng’s home altogether.
[Winter Snow Is Cold]: Finished work yet, President Su?
[Little Grass Has No Answers]: Just got out of the elevator. Slept all day again. I barely have the strength to walk.
[Winter Snow Is Cold]: Mom wants you to come home with me. She’s having a feast made tomorrow.
[Winter Snow Is Cold]: Coming? We can pick you up on the way.
The other party struggled with the decision. The chat kept showing that he was typing.
After a long while, Su Ke finally sent a new message.
[Little Grass Has No Answers]: What about Ji Shifeng?…
[Winter Snow Is Cold]: Mom’s temporarily kicked him out. He’s to sleep at the institute starting tomorrow.
[Little Grass Has No Answers]: Then come get me. Don’t feel like driving.
After receiving the reply, Ji Shileng said, “Could we stop by Joker Studio, please? We’re picking up Su Ke”
Wen Qin tapped Post, looking utterly delighted. “How about the three of us head out to the countryside for a picnic tomorrow?”
Today, she had seen her close friend and learned that Ji Shileng had made a respectable new friend of his own, even if that friend seemed to have intentions beyond friendship.
She could also accept the outcome of Guo Weishui’s reading.
On top of that, her newly posted photographs were already attracting countless likes and comments.
The emotions that had weighed on Wen Qin for some time were like dark clouds gathered on the horizon. Today, more than half of them had finally dispersed.
Ji Shileng’s rapidly typing fingers froze. “Mom, I have plans tomorrow. How about the day after?”
“Who are you meeting tomorrow?” Wen Qin asked casually as she replied to comments.
“Qin Si”
“Little Qin? The one who had dinner with you tonight?”
“Yes” Then Ji Shileng grew puzzled. “Mom, since when have you two been so close?”
They had only just met. How was she already calling him Little Qin?
“Because I feel like it” Wen Qin continued, “Why don’t we invite him along? The four of us can have a picnic in the countryside”
“Wouldn’t that be a little awkward…?”
Every inch of Ji Shileng radiated refusal.
Wen Qin waved a hand, choosing not to press the matter. “Then you two enjoy your time alone. I’ll take Su Ke grape picking”
Ji Shileng choked on thin air and doubled over, coughing into his knees.
Wen Qin handed him a bottle of mineral water and chided him, “How did you manage to choke again?”
“Mom, what do you mean, time alone? We’re perfectly innocent friends”
Wen Qin gave an “Oh”. Whether she believed him was another matter.
When they arrived outside the Joker Studio building, Su Ke was leaning against a utility pole, wrapped tightly in his coat and yawning.
Ji Shileng lowered the window and called him over.
Su Ke looked up and quickly darted into the car, bringing a damp chill with him.
“Good evening, Auntie!”
“Good evening. Would you like to go grape picking and have a picnic in the countryside with me tomorrow?”
“Yes, absolutely!”
Su Ke agreed faster than his brain could process the question.
After spending the past two days shut up in the office, he felt as though he was about to grow mold.
Breathing out and rubbing his arms, he muttered, “The temperature difference between day and night is ridiculous. I only stood there for a few dozen minutes and nearly froze solid and passed out”
Ji Shileng raised an eyebrow. “Passing out would prove how hard you’ve been working. You’d have an even stronger case to make to your dad”
“Please, no” Su Ke’s face puckered miserably. “As if my dad doesn’t know what I’m like. He’d scold me even more if I passed out”
Once he had warmed up a little, he looked Ji Shileng’s outfit up and down and hooked an arm around his shoulders. “Shileng, who was the blind date you dressed up so handsomely for today?”
“Didn’t I dress like this just to pick you up and bring you home?”
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