Chapter 419: The Deal Was for Sex, Not Feelings

After finishing her exam, Jiang Lai arranged to meet Fu Youqing at an afternoon tea café; Fu Youqing said she had brought a professional astronomy enthusiast—none other than her brother, who is busy with myriad affairs.

"Jiang Lai!" Fu Youlin, who had been listening to his sister's reminders all along, still couldn't control himself when he saw Jiang Lai; his eyes lit up and his voice was gentle and lively.

Fu Youqing smiled helplessly; indeed, this person, even when young, still couldn't encounter someone too stunning.

Before Jiang Lai could even get up, Fu Youlin had already come to her front, smiling broadly, and called out again.

Fu Youqing walked over, slapped the tablet on her brother's chest, and called him: "Little Fu CEO."

After all, he's the CEO of a company with several thousand employees—can't he be more steady? His invisible tail behind his butt would be wagging like a propeller in front of Jiang Lai.

Fu Youlin smiled embarrassedly at his sister and Jiang Lai, and after his sister sat down, he also sat down.

Jiang Lai passed the menu over: "See what you want to eat."

Since they're friends, Fu Youqing didn't need to be polite; she ordered coffee and dessert, then pushed the menu to her brother beside her, while telling Jiang Lai: "Youlin also counts as an astronomy enthusiast; maybe he can give you some practical advice."

"Thank you." Jiang Lai said while looking at the brother and sister.

Fu Youlin saw that Jiang Lai had nothing to eat or drink in front of her, opened his bright eyes and asked: "What do you like? I'll order it for you."

Fu Youqing glanced at her brother: "She doesn't eat sweets."

Jiang Lai looked at Fu Youqing, smiled slightly, nodded and said: "I like spicy food; you order your own."

Fu Youlin's eyes held no disappointment, only the joy of knowing the goddess likes spicy food.

After the afternoon tea spread arrived, Fu Youqing slowly sipped her coffee and said to her brother: "It's time to show off your professional skills."

Fu Youlin opened the astronomy equipment purchase page on the tablet, lifted his eyes to Jiang Lai, eyes smiling: "Are you getting astronomy equipment for daily ground sky observation, or to see clearer deep-sky celestial bodies of the Milky Way?"

Jiang Lai had done some homework beforehand, had a slight understanding of the relevant equipment; hearing this, she calmly replied: "If you want precise observation of deep-sky celestial bodies in the Milky Way, wouldn't you need fixed equipment at a professional observatory?"

Fu Youlin's lips curled slightly, he nodded and explained: "Regular deep-sky precision measurement does require fixed observatory equipment, so I gather you mean you want a portable model?"

"Yes." Jiang Lai lightly nodded; she knew Ke Zhongyu had a private observatory in the suburbs, connected to a horse ranch, with professional and complete equipment, but she had other plans.

Buying a portable one, next time she brings Ke Zhongyu back to G Province they can go together to the mountain for stargazing—the mountain she loved as a child, where one can pick honeysuckle and at night see the sky full of stars.

Fu Youlin then carefully asked about equipment parameters, usage scenarios, and several other key questions, finally asking about the budget.

Jiang Lai thought briefly, then asked: "Is a budget of 200,000 enough?"

Fu Youlin blinked slightly, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, then he honestly said: "This budget is more than enough; it's already the equipment configuration standard for a small professional observatory, far exceeding the needs of ordinary portable observation equipment—you don't need that much."

Jiang Lai softly said 'ah', nodded, and looked seriously at Fu Youlin: "Then I'd like a better configuration; does this need customization? If customized, how long until delivery?"

Fu Youlin gathered from her words that it wasn't for himself, so he asked: "Is it a gift?"

Jiang Lai nodded: "Yeah, a birthday gift."

Ke Zhongyu's birthday is in April, coming up soon.

Fu Youqing had long guessed it was for Ke Zhongyu; she ate and drank silently beside them, just watching when her brother would realize.

Fu Youlin vaguely guessed: "Who is it for?"

Jiang Lai looked into Fu Youlin's eyes and said three words: 'Boyfriend.'

She wasn't saying Ke Zhongyu's name, but saying the identity of boyfriend, subtly telling the smiling little sun in front of her not to waste his feelings on her.

Fu Youlin seemed not to have heard, and naturally said: 'Oh, so it's a gift for CEO Ke.'

He passed the tablet over: 'These two models have good performance configurations; take a look and buy whichever you like.'

'Sure, want to have dinner together tonight?' Jiang Lai took the tablet, noted the brand and model, took out her phone to prepare to search, when Ke Zhongyu's message popped up, asking why she hadn't gone back yet.

Jiang Lai was keeping the equipment purchase a secret from Ke Zhongyu.

She replied that she had something to do, that she would have dinner with friends tonight; without waiting for Ke Zhongyu to ask which friend, Jiang Lai had already sent him the invitation.

Jiang Lai: 【Together?】

Ke Zhongyu: 【Address】

Jiang Lai: 【Confirmed, I'll send it to you】

Ke Zhongyu was thus placated.

Fu Youqing and Fu Youlin agreed to have dinner together that evening; Jiang Lai asked the two to keep the equipment purchase secret.

The brother and sister readily agreed.

Only Fu Youlin felt a bit sour in his heart; he thought if he had returned earlier last year, he might have met Jiang Lai before CEO Ke, and perhaps today Jiang Lai was buying astronomy equipment for him.

Fu Youqing saw her brother's hint of despondency, sighed lightly, 'Brother, when you're young you should endure some bitterness in love; by the time you're older and want love, it's gone, leaving only whether you're compatible.'

Thinking of this, Fu Youqing's mood sank a bit; even the dessert on her fork wasn't fragrant.

She put the dessert she had taken a bite of onto the white porcelain plate in front of her.

Jiang Lai noticed her low mood and asked: 'What's wrong?'

Fu Youqing looked at Jiang Lai, suddenly not knowing how to speak.

Fu Youlin then spoke for his sister: 'Dad wants my sister to marry Li Dan.'

Jiang Lai's pupils slightly trembled; her first reaction was: 'What about Chi Ce?'

Fu Youqing cleared her throat, signaling Jiang Lai not to mention Chi Ce in front of her brother; actually she thought her affair with Chi Ce was quite secret, even her own brother didn't know, but she didn't understand how Ke Zhongyu and Jiang Lai found out.

She and Chi Ce had agreed on the three-article pact, cannot tell people around them.

Later she also pressed Chi Ce on why Ke Zhongyu would know; Chi Ce earnestly said he hadn't mentioned it.

She believed Chi Ce.

From childhood to now, Chi Ce has never been unreliable with her.

The three sat for a while before heading to the dinner restaurant; Jiang Lai deliberately slowed her pace to walk beside Fu Youqing, asking what was going on.

'What else could it be? It's just an exchange of interests between the two families; we're born into such families, destined to bear this responsibility—I just didn't expect it to be Li Dan.' Fu Youqing gave a slight shrug, sighing that Li Dan had also improved, enough to earn her father's favor.

Actually the Chi family is also quite good.

It can also be considered a medical family.

But the Li and Fu families have a closer relationship.

Jiang Lai pressed her lips and ventured to ask: "Chi Ce?"

Fu Youqing's body tensed slightly, her gaze gradually dimming: "I don't know."

They had agreed to keep it physical, not emotional, but upon hearing Jiang Lai's question, Fu Youqing still felt a heaviness in her chest for a while.