Chapter 186 - Brother-in-law

Qingyi had met Xiao Liu before when he was around Mu Han, so his expression remained unchanged upon seeing him now.

Leaning comfortably on the sofa, Qingyi’s demeanor was completely relaxed. After fiddling with his phone for a while, he looked up and casually asked, “Any updates from my brother? Did he say when he’s coming to City B?”

As he asked this, Qingyi intentionally kept an eye on Chu Qianqian from the corner of his eye, hoping to catch some sort of reaction from her. Yet, to his disappointment, her expression remained perfectly composed-there was no hint of anything unusual.

“President Mu specifically mentioned over the phone to inform Miss Chu that he’ll arrive in City B this Sunday and plans to stay here for three months.”

“Three months?!” Qingyi’s voice unconsciously rose in pitch. He and Chu Ziyu were also scheduled to stay in City B for filming for three months. If his brother was making this move to pursue Qianqian, wasn’t the timeline far too deliberate?

“Yes, three months. President Mu said he’ll be staying at the hillside villa near Park Road. If you two have time, you’re welcome to visit him there. As for the exact address, Miss Chu knows it,” Xiao Liu replied matter-of-factly.

The moment Xiao Liu finished speaking, both Qingyi and Chu Ziyu’s gazes immediately landed on Chu Qianqian. Her previously calm demeanor visibly faltered after hearing Xiao Liu’s last sentence. Her eyes darted nervously, and she avoided meeting their stares.

Having said his piece, Xiao Liu remained silent and focused on driving.

It had to be said-Xiao Liu was an excellent driver. The car moved steadily, and with the air conditioning running, the group felt comfortable even when traffic hit its peak on the way back.

However, because of Xiao Liu’s earlier remarks, the atmosphere in the car had become unusually tense. Both Chu Qianqian and Chu Ziyu tacitly chose to remain silent. Qingyi, unwilling to endure the awkward quiet, tried several times to start a conversation-only to fall silent again when no one responded.

The car eventually pulled smoothly into the driveway of the villa. As everyone got out, Xiao Liu, true to his usual reserved nature, simply said, “I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning,” before driving off without further ado.

That left the group standing there, exchanging a few glances but saying nothing.

Troubled by the news that Mu Han would be staying in City B for three months, Chu Qianqian seemed lost in her thoughts. After preparing dinner for the other two, she quietly retreated to her room, leaving only Qingyi and Chu Ziyu in the dining room.

Because she wasn’t in a great mood, Chu Qianqian didn’t spend much time in the kitchen today. For dinner, she prepared yet another vegetable salad for Qingyi and Chu Ziyu. This marked the third consecutive evening the two had eaten vegetable salad for dinner.

Looking at the brightly colored vegetables on his plate, Qingyi found himself uncharacteristically lacking in appetite. He set his utensils down, leaned back in his chair, and let his thoughts wander to the events of the day. With a long sigh, he asked, “What’s going on between Qianqian and my brother, anyway?”

The question was clearly directed at Chu Ziyu, as he was the only one seated beside Qingyi in the otherwise empty dining room.

Chu Ziyu’s right hand, which was gripping his fork, paused for a moment before quickly continuing its motion. Without looking up, he said flatly, “How would I know?”

Perhaps feeling that his reply was too curt, he hesitated for a moment before adding, “Why are you so fixated on matching Chu Qianqian with your brother, anyway?”

His tone unconsciously grew colder as he spoke, but Qingyi was too focused on the salad on his plate to notice.

Using his fork, Qingyi idly stirred the already well-mixed salad, his voice carrying both exasperation and certainty as he said, “Isn’t it obvious? They’re clearly into each other.”

“And where exactly did you get that idea from?” Suppressing his annoyance, Chu Ziyu replayed the moments in his mind when Chu Qianqian mentioned Mu Han. Aside from occasionally seeming a little uneasy, her usual attitude was one of avoidance-like she couldn’t wait to steer clear of him.

Facing what Qingyi deemed an overly “naïve” question, the latter put down his utensils, his expression brimming with self-assured wisdom. “It’s so obvious.”

“Qianqian is usually gentle-okay, fine, sometimes not so gentle-but her attitude toward most men is perfectly natural, isn’t it? But whenever my brother comes up in conversation, her behavior always seems… off.”

Chu Ziyu had long noticed this detail, but he forced down the discomfort it stirred in his heart. Frowning slightly, he retorted, “That doesn’t mean anything. Maybe she just dislikes Mu Han.”

Qingyi didn’t bother addressing the sharpness in Chu Ziyu’s tone, instead continuing to share his observations, “Come on, Ziyu, think about it. Qianqian is kind, beautiful, and incredibly capable at work. While I’ve never witnessed it, I’m sure plenty of guys have tried to win her favor. And yet, I’ve never seen her treat any man differently-except my brother. Her attitude only ever changes when it comes to him.”

Qingyi’s words were true, his brows tightly furrowed. However, Chu Ziyu immediately countered, “That doesn’t mean anything. President Mu is her direct boss. It’s normal for someone to act differently in front of their boss compared to others.”

Even as he said it, Chu Ziyu felt a pang of guilt. He clearly knew his forced explanation sounded more like a joke than a valid reason-it had no persuasive power.

Sure enough, Qingyi’s expression turned sly as he looked at Chu Ziyu, his tone teasing. “But every time Qianqian mentions my brother, her emotions fluctuate, don’t they?”

Emphasizing his point, Qingyi smirked mischievously. “Feeling uneasy or avoiding eye contact could still be explained away, but blushing? That crosses the line, doesn’t it?”

Seeing Chu Ziyu’s expression freeze as if he were caught off guard, Qingyi pressed on. “Qianqian’s change in attitude is unmistakable. Haven’t you noticed? Ever since she spent a month in City B taking care of my brother, the way she addresses him has changed-from ‘President Mu’ to ‘Mu Han’.”

Clicking his tongue as if to emphasize the point, Qingyi leaned back with an exaggeratedly gossipy look on his face. “Come on, a man and a woman spending an entire month alone together? And my brother being as exceptional as he is? It’s no surprise if Qianqian ended up liking him.”

Looking up at Qingyi, whose face was full of playful curiosity, Chu Ziyu clenched his jaw tightly, struggling to maintain his usual impassive expression. He finally averted his eyes to hide the unease in them and said in a low voice, “And does President Mu like her too? Would your family even approve of this?”

“Heh, my brother’s made it very clear-he intends to pursue Qianqian.” Noticing how Chu Ziyu seemed visibly startled by this revelation, Qingyi softened his tone and tried to comfort him. “I know this must feel hard for you. When I first found out my brother liked Qianqian, I felt uneasy too. But trust me, you’ll get used to it.”

“I totally get why you’d feel uncomfortable about it,” Qingyi laughed lightly. “But Ziyu…”