Chapter 3202: Saving Zero Egg Bai Ze's Love Story 03

As soon as Bai Ze is mentioned, it hits Qiqi's berserk switch; he doesn't even eat dinner, just stares warily at Jin Chen.

Jin Chen remained unfazed, saying, "I've known Bai Ze since childhood; calling him half an older brother is not an exaggeration, and you two are now fiancés—am I not even allowed to ask?"

Being stared at by him made Qiqi feel a bit creeped out, but he didn't want to show weakness, so he stuck out his neck and glared back, his gaze burning for a while before turning his head away and saying stiffly, "I don't know."

But he couldn't hold it for more than a couple seconds, then turned back again, staring at Jin Chen with an inscrutable look, "Bai Ze is helping others bully me—you'd better not speak up for him."

"I really, extremely, especially hate him right now."

Jin Chen skipped over his string of adjectives, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said, "I'll tell my father—since you're not on good terms, there's nothing to keep this engagement for; it'd be better to call off the marriage."

Qiqi: "……?"

He felt a lump in his chest and almost blurted out, "Well, that's not necessary either."

No, this cheap older brother has a problem! Arguing is arguing—on what grounds does he get to cancel the engagement? Who gave him that kind of authority to act unilaterally? He's not the one who gets to decide!

Qiqi glanced askance, glaring, and enunciated each word: "I, do, not, permit."

Jin Chen felt relieved—at least he still cared, and it hadn't reached an irreparable point.

Then he heard Qiqi say angrily, "Even if he's ruined, rotten, or dead, he must still be mine."

Jin Chen: "……" Ha.

He finally lifted his eyes from the plate, gave Qiqi a look that was all smiles and no sincerity, and said, "You're really something."

Qiqi didn't grasp the deeper meaning of that remark, but sensed it wasn't anything good; he snorted, picked up his knife and fork again, and, out of spite, cut a large piece of steak, shoved it into his mouth, and chewed until his cheeks bulged.

Jin Chen watched him like that, sighed inwardly, and decided to change the subject.

"So what exactly happened?" he asked, his tone softening, "Who did Bai Ze help bully you?"

Qiqi's chewing motion paused, and he didn't answer.

He lowered his head, stared at the food on the plate, as if engaged in some fierce internal struggle.

After a while, Qiqi put down his knife and fork, picked up the glass of milk beside him, gulped it down angrily, and then set the glass back on the table.

"... None of your business, I'm full."

Jin Chen watched Qiqi's back disappear at the restaurant door, remained silent for a moment, then slowly set down his knife and fork.

Weisen came up at just the right moment and asked cautiously, "Young Master, does the kitchen need to prepare anything else?"

Jin Chen leaned back in his chair, tapped his fingers lightly twice on the tabletop, and said in a light tone, "Have someone bring him back."

Weisen blinked and said, "This……"

Jin Chen lifted his gaze at him, his tone calm and eyes slightly crinkled, "Otherwise, you go yourself."

Weisen immediately bowed and said, "All right, Young Master."

A few minutes later, two servants escorted Qiqi back to the dining room respectfully.

Jin Chen pretended not to hear and continued eating.

——

After the meal, Jin Chen moved to the living room.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling window faced a small courtyard, with flowing water embracing stones, lush trees providing shade, a rock garden arranged picturesquely, several ground lamps casting warm yellow light that shimmered on the water's surface, where koi swam in the glow, occasionally flicking their tails and sending up tiny splashes.

Jin Chen sat down on the sofa, casually picked up his laptop, and glanced at the work messages coming from District Ten.

Qiqi sat on the single sofa opposite him, with a plate of sliced fruit placed after the meal in front of him.

He picked up a fork, speared a piece of apple, put it in his mouth to chew, chewing and chewing, his eyes rolled, and he furtively glanced at Jin Chen beside him.

Jin Chen didn't look at him and continued reading the documents.

Qiqi withdrew his gaze, then speared a piece of honeydew melon, shoved it into his mouth, chewed and chewed, and his gaze drifted over again.

Jin Chen leisurely blew on the hot tea, took a sip, and still had no intention to speak.

Soon the plate of fruit was emptied, and Qiqi's fork scooped nothing from the empty plate.

He lifted his head to look at Jin Chen and finally spoke, as if lowering his noble self.

"Why aren't you going to rest? Didn't you just come back on a long flight?"

Jin Chen heard his insincere concern, deliberately refused to indulge him, and replied leisurely, "Not tired yet."

Qiqi turned his head away and clenched his teeth.

Truly, one mountain cannot hold two tigers!

He sprang to his feet and announced bluntly, "I'm going back to my room—don't bother me!"

Jin Chen didn't even lift his head, kept looking at his phone messages, and said, "Please do."

Qiqi stood where he was, snorted, turned and strode toward the stairs, his footsteps thudding loudly, expressing his dissatisfaction in this way.

Jin Chen waited until he went upstairs, then put down his laptop, glanced toward the stairs, gave a slight shake of the head—his temper was quite big after all.

The sky gradually grew dark.

Jin Chen stayed in the study on the fourth floor for a while, processed the documents from District Ten, and also had a video call with his cheap father, Jin Junhao.

Jin Junhao beamed on the screen, clearly enjoying himself quite comfortably in District Ten, and asked when he would return.

Jin Chen couldn't be bothered to listen to his show of affection, exchanged a few brief words, hung up, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes to rest for a moment.

It was too quiet.

That little brat Zero Egg actually stayed honestly in his room with not a stir.

No, that's not normal.

But Jin Chen didn't move for the time being and continued staying in the study for a while.

Meanwhile, Qiqi had already made his way down the stairs to the entrance of the basement.

Qiqi cleared his throat.

Weisen looked up, saw it was the young master, gave a slight nod, and said, "Young Master."

Qiqi took three steps at a time down the stairs, stood before Weisen with a solemn expression, and asked, "Did he go upstairs?"

Who he was referring to goes without saying.

Weisen slightly bowed: "Yes, young master. The Young Master is in the Study on the fourth floor, currently having a video call with Mister."

Yiqi felt somewhat relieved, but still uneasy, he warned: "Don't let him find out."

"Yes." Weisen, who had been dragged onto the pirate ship, solemnly agreed.

Yiqi glanced at him again, then turned and walked toward the end of the corridor.

There was an inconspicuous door there leading to the basement.

The basement stairs were long, the light dim, mixed with a faint smell of rust.

Yiqi walked down step by step; his footsteps echoed in the narrow space, and with each step closer, his expression grew colder.

At the deepest part of the basement, Yiqi stopped before the door, reached out and pushed it open. The iron door slowly swung open, revealing the scene inside.