Chapter 86: A Qualitative Shift in the Relationship with Da Yizi

A few days later, inside a villa on Fei E Shan in Xiangjiang.

Lin Qingxia, with a worried expression, leans on the leather sofa and waves to the Filipino maid beside her who is doing her nails, signaling her to step out for a moment.

After the maid leaves, Lin Qingxia turns her gaze to the desk calendar on the marble table and begins to talk to herself.

"Strange, why hasn't Xu Sheng come to see me yet?"

"He's supposed to leave the day after tomorrow, clearly."

Lin Qingxia can't figure out the reason.

…

"Fine, I'll go find him tomorrow."

Finally, she declares her decision.

The next day, there is only one day left before Xu Yuexin departs Xiangjiang.

In the morning, Chen Yixue deliberately approaches him: "Look, she didn't come to see you, did she?"

"Speak with integrity, and be more respectful in the future."

"Don't rush, there are still two days left."

Xu Yuexin, seated on the bedside, peels longans calmly, saying.

"Just a day and a half; we leave tomorrow afternoon."

Chen Yixue lifts the corner of her mouth slightly, replying dismissively, "I should have looked for you earlier."

"Dude."

"Xu Sheng, are you there? It's Qingxia."

As soon as the words finish, a clear, cheerful young female voice comes from outside.

Chen Yixue's smile freezes: she ran over to see what Xu Yuexin was doing? "Qingxia, ah."

Xu Yuexin smiles at Chen Yixue, steps forward and opens the room door.

"Xu Sheng, I've been keeping an empty seat ready for you these past days."

As the door opens, Lin Qingxia laughs and complains, "Why didn't you come to see me?"

Lin Qingxia today wears a red shirt with a black suit skirt, her long hair falling naturally, giving an impression of brightness and vigor.

"There are too many exchange events; I truly can't keep up."

"I hope the lady warrior Lin can understand."

Xu Yuexin politely explains and invites Lin Qingxia into the room.

At this moment, Lin Qingxia notices another person in the room.

"She is my Da Yizi, Chen Yixue, who attended an exchange event that day."

Xu Yuexin introduces.

"Hello, Yixue."

Lin Qingxia steps forward and shakes Chen Yixue's hand, saying.

"Ah..."

Chen Yixue, still dazed, stands up confused after hearing Xu Yuexin's introduction and shakes hands with Lin Qingxia.

She never imagined in her dreams that the biggest female star in Xiangjiang would personally come to visit her brother‑in‑law.

After shaking hands, the two sit by the bedside, making the already small room feel especially cramped.

Chen Yixue regains her composure, finds an excuse to Xu Yuexin, and withdraws back to her own room.

"What did Xu Sheng just call me?"

As soon as Chen Yixue leaves, Lin Qingxia asks with interest, "Female warrior?"

"Exactly. I think you look dashing and have a true heroine aura."

Xu Yuexin gestures, "Look, if you wear a conical hat and tie your hair up, anyone who sees you would have to call you a great hero."

Who could forget Qiu Moyan from 'New Dragon Gate Inn'?

Lin Qingxia imagines the look based on Xu Yuexin's description and thinks it really is like that.

"You're right, I also think that would look great."

"Hmm, so you could consider starring in a wuxia film to broaden your acting path."

In 1983, 'New Shushan Sword Hero' was released, and Lin Qingxia earned a Best Actress nomination at the Golden Horse Awards for it.

Xu Yuexin has always believed that Lin Qingxia's appearance and temperament are made for wuxia films.

"Wuxia film?"

Lin Qingxia's attention is drawn to Xu Yuexin's suggestion, "You're right, action films have been box‑office hits these years. A related wuxia film would surely make a fortune."

"May I ask how you came up with these ideas?"

"A hermit has his own clever calculations."

Xu Yuexin says deliberately mysteriously.

Lin Qingxia laughs at him, her bright eyes curving into tiny crescents: "You're so funny, I feel you know everything."

While speaking, Lin Qingxia picks up a longan to peel, but fails with her fingernail.

Xu Yuexin takes the longan from Lin Qingxia's hand, swiftly peels it and brings it to her mouth.

"Thank you..."

Lin Qingxia's face reddens, she opens her mouth and swallows the longan.

The two chat for a long time, becoming increasingly in sync and speaking without reservation.

Before leaving, Lin Qingxia asks Xu Yuexin a question: "Xu Sheng, may I ask if your wife is your ideal type?"

"Of course, she is."

Xu Yuexin and Lin Qingxia's gazes met, first full of affection, then he turned the conversation, "But my ideal type isn't just one."

"Oh? What other kind?"

Lin Qingxia asked curiously.

"Also the kind like you, Qingxia."

Xu Yuexin stared into Lin Qingxia's eyes and said boldly.

Lin Qingxia hurriedly turned their face, delighted yet whispered, "Don't say that carelessly."

"I didn't say anything reckless; you did."

Xu Yuexin looked solemnly at Lin Qingxia and said, "By the way, you just mentioned you have to shoot a drama this afternoon; will there be enough time?"

Lin Qingxia, after his reminder, quickly glanced at the women's wristwatch on her hand, and her expression tightened: "No, I have to leave now."

After speaking, she looked at Xu Yuexin apologetically: "I originally planned to treat you to a meal, but time flew by."

"What's your home address?"

"Jingcheng Haiding District, Keyuan Community."

"When I have free time later, I'll call you."

"Hmm! We'll keep in touch, hoping to have a chance to meet you in the mainland."

At parting, Lin Qingxia gazed at Xu Yuexin intently, feeling reluctant to part.

Xu Yuexin escorted Lin Qingxia downstairs, and the first thing he did upon returning was look for Da Yizi.

"How should we put this?"

In Chen Yixue's room, Xu Yuexin sat on the bedside, looking at the ceiling, and said.

Chen Yixue could not accept having lost the gamble.

She could not at all imagine how a famous star of Xiangjiang could become involved with her brother‑in‑law.

When she thought again of the consequences of losing the bet, Chen Yixue instantly became unsettled.

"Let's gamble again, betting on something else!"

Chen Yixue, irritated, said, "If I win, we'll settle the score."

Xu Yuexin inexplicably found Da Yizi very cute.

It's like playing a best‑of‑three game with a child, then after losing demanding to change it to best‑of‑five.

Is this the other side of the ice‑queen? Quite a contrast.

Xu Yuexin, of course, would not agree to her.

A hard‑won victory shouldn't be taken for granted.

"One for one."

Xu Yuexin refused, "If you want to start another round, you have to fulfill this time first."

"Fulfill? How do you intend to fulfill?"

Thinking of Xu Yuexin's past actions, Chen Yixue immediately warned.

"Just like that, fulfill it."

After saying that, Xu Yuexin swiftly wrapped his arms around Da Yizi's willow‑thin waist and planted a hard kiss on her cheek.

Hmm, the feel is good; Da Yizi's skin is as tender as tofu, springy like frozen tofu—truly exquisite.

Chen Yixue was driven mad with anger by him.

"Let go quickly!"

Chen Yixue's eyes were full of fury; she forcefully pushed Xu Yuexin away, took out a handkerchief and repeatedly wiped her face, "You've overstepped, haven't you?"

Xu Yuexin wore a relaxed smile: "This is fulfilling the agreement."

"If you want revenge, why not gamble once more."

"Bet what?"

Chen Yixue said resentfully, swearing to wipe away the disgrace she endured this time.

"I haven't decided yet."

"How about you think of one?"

Chen Yixue glared at Xu Yuexin irritably: "It should have been me to think of it in the first place."

"This time you're just setting a trap for me."

"Who told anyone to be foolish enough to take the initiative to dive in."

"You're the foolish one."

Chen Yixue, feeling indignant, said, then thought, "Let me first consider what to bet."

"I'll tell you once I've decided."

"Oh, then I'll wait."

"Go back, you; seeing that face of yours makes me angry."

…

A dozen minutes later, Xu Yuexin and Chen Yixue met again in her room.

Looking at Da Yizi's stunningly beautiful face, Xu Yuexin felt a faint sense of accomplishment.

Finally, he kissed her.

This was an important leap in their relationship.

When Chen Yixue saw Xu Yuexin, she still wore a look of lingering anger.

"Didn't you say you were going to start serializing a novel?"

Chen Yixue said with a composed face.

"That's right, the book is called 'Great Ming 1566'."

"Why do you want to use my book for a bet?"

"Hmm, the bet is how many characters you can write in a day. If during the serialization you can reach twenty thousand characters in a day, you win. If you can't, you lose. How does that sound?"

"Twenty thousand characters? With pen and paper the fastest is about a thousand per hour. To hit twenty thousand, you'd have to go without food or drink all day and sleep only four hours."

"You're really treating yourself like a human typewriter!" Xu Yuexin muttered to himself, his mind conjuring several solutions. "For example, could I hand the outline to Chen Qiaoqiao and have her write part of it?"

"Or I could simply give Da Yizi a false figure to deceive her? As for conscience, Xu Yuexin has a little, but not much."

"To win the wager, he doesn't mind tricking Da Yizi once."

"Alright, is the win‑lose condition the same as last time?"

Xu Yuexin resolved, feeling he was one step closer to getting Da Yizi.

"Okay. If you win, I'll tolerate you once. If I win, you must give me full respect."

Chen Yixue said seriously, "Qiao Qiao told me earlier that you have 110,000 stored drafts, and those don't count."

"Later I'll have her supervise the number of drafts you write each day."

Da Yizi actually played an after‑the‑fact move!

That was something Xu Yuexin hadn't expected.

She's quite smart; this time she clearly set a trap to lure him in.

"No, you didn't say the whole story at the start."

Xu Yuexin waved his hand decisively, "If you had said that earlier, I wouldn't have agreed."

"You can't phrase it that way."

"Isn't it proper to keep honesty and credit when betting?"

Chen Yixue retorted, leaving Xu Yuexin speechless.

"Fine, you have a point; you're right."

"Just think about how to finish twenty thousand characters!"

Xu Yuexin let out a long sigh, turned his face toward Chen Yixue, "I was just teasing you; I would never back out."

"By the way, the bet we just made isn't over yet; you still have to tolerate me once more."

"You're still being sly?"

Chen Yixue, already still bitter about being kissed, got angry at his words, "What more do you intend to do?"

"Don't rush; think carefully—what did we say when we made the bet?"

"We said if you win, I tolerate you once. So why haven't I tolerated you?"

"Hmm, you didn't tolerate. After I kissed you you got angry, so I still have one more chance."

Xu Yuexin said slowly and calmly.

"Rogue logic, it's pure rogue logic!"

Chen Yixue was left fuming by his argument.

"Get going!"

Chen Yixue rose from the bedside, pointing at the doorway angrily, "If you do this again, I won't talk to you anymore."

"Anyway, just remember you still owe me one more time."

Xu Yuexin slowly got up, observing Da Yizi as he spoke.

Seeing her highly guarded demeanor, a surprise attack like last time was impossible.

"We'll save it for next time; after all, the logic is on my side."

Comrade Chunfeng roams the jianghu, preaching that reason can travel the world.

…….

The day to leave Xiangjiang has arrived.

They came by train, and for the departure the organization booked plane tickets for Xu Yuexin and Chen Yixue.

The reason was that they performed outstandingly in the exchange event, making strong cultural promotion, which was a reward for the two.

Of course, Xu Yuexin and Chen Yixue still had to take a train to Guangzhou first, then fly to Jingcheng.

On the morning of departure, a member of the exchange group asked Ye Xinrong if they could have half a day of free activities.

Ye Xinrong saw that everyone performed well in the exchange and that their family backgrounds were both prominent and specialized, so he relaxed the management requirements and allowed them to go out in pairs.

After receiving the news, Xu Yuexin told Chen Yixue to go shopping together and spend the remaining Hong Kong Dollars.

"Don't act up; I'll go out with you."

In the room, Chen Yixue warned cautiously.

"Don't worry, I definitely won't today."

Xu Yuexin assured.

After observing Da Yizi's expression, Xu Yuexin found that her mindset had changed.

He had just kissed her yesterday; previously her attitude toward him would have been sour for several days.

Now it's different; Da Yizi remains cautious, but her attitude is actually quite normal.

"Could this be seen as… a breakthrough in his relationship with her?"

"Thus, as long as effort is deep, an iceberg melts into spring water!"

After going out with Chen Yixue, Xu Yuexin, relying on his memory of Xiangjiang's transport, led her onto the subway from Causeway Bay straight to bustling Central.

Skyscrapers rose into the clouds, luxury boutiques lined up one after another, and wherever you looked, you could spot many pedestrians dressed head‑to‑toe in designer brands.

As soon as Xu Yuexin stepped out of the subway exit, he smelled the scent of money in the air.

"How much money do you have left?"

When crossing the street, Xu Yuexin asked.

"Only 200 left, probably can't buy anything."

Chen Yixue, relying on intuition, could estimate the prices here and couldn't help but smile wryly.

"Take it, and buy some more things to bring back."

Xu Yuexin took out 200 Hong Kong Dollar, handed it to Chen Yixue, saying,

Chen Yixue's expression froze, and hesitating she didn't take it, saying, "Buy a bit more for Qiao Qiao."

"Her part was already set aside."

"Both of you sisters, I will take care of you."

Xu Yuexin hadn't spent much before, and the 1000 Hong Kong Dollar remained entirely in his pocket.

After Chen Yixue accepted the money, Xu Yuexin took her straight to Taigu Lane, entered the Valendino clothing and shoe store, and picked a pair of studded high heels for Chen Qiaoqiao.

"These shoes aren't good to wear out, are they?"

Chen Yixue looked at the shoes and cautioned Xu Yuexin, saying,

"You don't get it, these aren't meant to be worn out."

Studded high heels, colloquially called attack‑speed shoes.

When Qiao Qiao's long legs wore them, Xu Yuexin's attack speed was at least multiplied by five.

If they're not for going out, then how else to wear them? Who has free time to wear high heels at home?

Chen Yixue was baffled.

After buying the shoes, Xu Yuexin used the remaining money to buy Chen Qiaoqiao a white, fitted dress, a very elegant style that could be worn out in Jingcity now.

Chen Yixue also liked the dress and bought herself the same style.

Seeing this, Xu Yuexin couldn't help to daydream.

If one day the two sisters could wear the same dress and lie in front of him, that would be great.

Then, which should he choose first, the older sister or the younger sister…

……

In the afternoon, the two took a train back to Guangzhou, then a bus to the airport.

The flight took off at midnight; it was Chen Yixue's first time flying, and she felt quite nervous.

"Don't be scared; flying is actually safer than eating."

After boarding, Xu Yuexin comforted the Chen Yixue beside him, saying, "The risk of choking on a bite of food is higher than the risk of flying."

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"I see, hearing that makes me feel much more at ease."

Chen Yixue patted her chest and said, no longer feeling anxious.

Xu Yuexin looked at her, her shoulders pulled up by the seatbelt like towering peaks, and at that moment the plane took off.

All the way, the plane was very smooth, but as it neared landing, the fuselage suddenly became turbulent, and the shaking intensified.

Passengers on the plane began to panic, and the flight opened a broadcast to comfort them.

"Comrades, the plane is currently encountering turbulence. Please fasten your seatbelts and stay seated without moving."

"Our captain and co‑captain are veteran pilots who have seen many battles; please be sure to trust their handling."

The flight attendant repeatedly emphasized in a sweet voice, yet the passengers still couldn't calm down.

Most passengers on this plane were on their first flight and had never experienced such a situation.

Murmurs and panicked voices filled the entire cabin.

"What should we do? Nothing will happen, right?"

Chen Yixue asked with a slightly pale complexion, her usually confident face showing a hint of terror, as stories of air disasters kept flashing in her mind.

"Don't be scared; turbulence is just a daily meal."

Xu Yuexin calmly comforted.

Chen Yixue's complexion improved a bit, but then someone in the rear seat let out a "wa" cry, repeatedly shouting "Mom."

Soon after, faint cries kept echoing through the cabin, some shouting "Mom," others calling their wives' names.

"Damn it, what's there to cry about? It's just turbulence."

Xu Yuexin cursed inwardly, and Chen Yixue's face, which had just brightened, grew even more panicked.

The turbulence kept going.

Xu Yuexin clearly saw that in Chen Yixue's usually strong eyes, tears were rarely glimmering.

"What's there to cry about."

Xu Yuexin said helplessly.

"Our family's good days have only lasted a couple of years; Qiao Qiao just married you, and if today…"

Chen Yixue choked up at this and couldn't continue.

Xu Yuexin placed his hand on Chen Yixue's fragrant shoulder, gently hugging her: "Don't panic, I said it's fine, it's fine."

"Just be like me; think of nothing and it'll be fine."

"Sigh…"

This time Chen Yixue didn't push Xu Yuexin away; instead she rested her face on his shoulder, looking extremely fragile.

Xu Yuexin didn't know how to continue comforting.

Maybe…

Looking at Da Yizi's pear‑blossom‑wet, stunning face, a bold thought flashed through his mind.

"If you were the one who met me first, would you be my partner?"

Xu Yuexin looked at Da Yizi affectionately and said.

Chen Yixue was left dumbfounded by his question: At what point is this, that he still has the mind to think about it?

Xu Yuexin, still deeply devoted, held her even tighter and said, "In these final moments, will you answer me honestly, okay?"

Chen Yixue could only think seriously, and memories of the moments she spent with Xu Yuexin floated through her mind.

Xu Yuexin no longer pressed, and quietly waited for her to give an answer.

(End of chapter)