Chapter 104: You can only kiss Qi Lin, not Jiang Lei. - The Rich Second-Generation Villain With No Morals

104: You can only kiss Qi Lin, not Jiang Lei. "Boom!" This strange sound caught Qi Dong's attention. "What was that noise?" he wondered, turning around suspiciously. Qi Xue Yao's cheeks flushed pink, understanding that it must be Jiang Lei getting jealous upon seeing Qi Lin's arm wrapped around her waist. With a quick excuse, she said, "Oh, it must be the rats. This office building is quite old, and there are a lot of them around." Whatever the case, she thought, I can't let my dad find out Jiang Lei is here. Otherwise, he might be in trouble. Qi Lin showed a playful grin. Rats? He had a hunch something, or someone, might be hidden inside. Having been to the tutoring center before, he knew that Jiang Lei often used this office to handle paperwork and enroll students. The fresh ink on the desk's notebook suggested someone had just been here working, and it wasn't Qi Xue Yao's handwriting. Qi Lin guessed Jiang Lei had just left, but with noise coming from the cabinet, he already knew where Jiang Lei was hiding. "Xue Yao, it's not like I haven’t told you before—you need to work hard and aim for a better place to work, like Qi Lin's family," Qi Dong advised. "There are rats in the company; your work environment isn't as good as back home. By the way, where are your business ledgers? Let me take a look." Qi Xue Yao sighed softly as she handed him the books Jiang Lei had recorded. "At least this will set Dad’s mind at ease. I don't want him coming to Jiang Han City all the time. This visit gave me quite a scare; one more like this and my heart's liable to jump out," she thought to herself. Qi Dong, while not particularly educated, had attended middle school and could understand the ledgers. He flipped through the pages carefully, not noticing Qi Lin and Qi Xue Yao behind him. Just then, a peculiar glint shone in Qi Lin's dark eyes as he looked at Qi Xue Yao, who realized what Qi Lin intended to do. Suddenly, she found herself pulled against Qi Lin's chest as he kissed her. "Ah, ah, ah!" Inside a metal cabinet against the wall, Jiang Lei witnessed this scene and felt like going mad. However, with Qi Dong present, he didn’t dare make a sound and could only watch helplessly as his beloved was kissed by Qi Lin. His eyes widened in fury, bloodshot, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms. Even as blood dripped inside the cabinet, the pain was nothing compared to his heartbreak. "Xue Yao, your tutoring center earns a lot, doesn't it? Making a thousand or two a day..." commented Qi Dong with a chuckle, his back to Qi Xue Yao. "Your dad only earns four or five thousand a year from farming. Seems like Qi Lin wasn't exaggerating; your tutoring center looks promising." Qi Xue Yao, face flushed with embarrassment and anger, pushed Qi Lin a few times. Satisfied, Qi Lin finally let her go. "Uncle, Sister Xue Yao's future at the tutoring center is bright. I think it calls for a celebration. Shall we go out today and buy her some gifts?" Qi Lin suggested with a smile. "Yes, yes, I almost forgot. I brought some money for Xue Yao to use. Poor girl managed college without any support from me, working and studying on her own. I feel terrible as a father," Qi Dong laughed. "Dear, take today off and come out with us." "No, no, no, I have students to teach," Qi Xue Yao shook her head repeatedly, not wanting to go. Jiang Lei was still hiding in the cabinet, and she couldn’t just leave him there. "Uncle, Sister Xue Yao has been working hard and deserves a break. So, I insist," Qi Lin grinned, lifting her into his arms in a princess carry. "Ah! What are you doing, you jerk! Put me down!" Qi Xue Yao blushed furiously, blood rushing to her face as she tried to pummel Qi Lin with her fists. Qi Dong saw this and laughed heartily. "Yes, forcing her to rest is the only way to take care of her health. Qi Lin, let’s take her to the mall." Qi Lin was surprised, "Uncle, you know about the mall?" "Of course. Just because I live in the countryside doesn’t mean I don't watch TV. I know many things," Qi Dong boasted as the two of them chatted, their voices fading into the distance. Five minutes later, Jiang Lei, making sure everyone had indeed left, started banging his fists against the cabinet. The door wasn't locked, just latched, and soon he freed himself. Emerging from the cabinet, his face was red with shame and anger. Despite the physical pain, Jiang Lei's hatred was unmistakable in his bloodshot eyes. "Qi Lin! Qi Lin!" he seethed. "From now on, I'm going to make your life a living hell. Just wait and see. I'll make sure you meet a tragic end!" Meanwhile, Qi Lin had already driven Qi Xue Yao and Qi Dong to the shopping center, leaving Jiang Lei far behind in his thoughts. He took Qi Xue Yao away specifically to leave Jiang Lei trapped in the cabinet. A simple yet effective strategy. "Sister Xue Yao, your suits and skirts are quite plain; you’ll tire of wearing the same thing every day. Why not try this set and see how it fits?" Qi Lin suggested, picking out a pure white suit and skirt ensemble, exuding elegance far beyond the gray one Qi Xue Yao usually wore. "Oh, it’s over six grand? This is too expensive. I’d better not try it,” Qi Xue Yao hesitated after seeing the price tag but couldn’t hide her interest. "It’s twenty thousand in cash, a reward for doing my laundry, cooking for me, and giving massages. Use it to buy yourself some clothes," Qi Lin declared, handing her a thick wad of cash. Initially resistant to taking Qi Lin's money, Qi Xue Yao thought about how he had stolen her first kiss and practically everything but her innocence recently. Plus, she cooked for him, did his laundry, and gave him massages daily. "This is what that scoundrel Qi Lin owes me. I might as well take it, eventually I’ll go broke otherwise." Biting her lower lip, she accepted the money, no longer shying away. Seeing this, a faint glimmer appeared in Qi Lin's dark eyes. Yes, use it well. Once she’s accustomed to spending tens of thousands a month, Jiang Lei won’t be able to support her. "You try on the clothes while I handle something else," Qi Lin smiled, gently pinching Qi Xue Yao's cheeks before stepping outside. "Wow, your boyfriend is so nice," the saleswoman gushed, unable to hold back her admiration. Blushing slightly, Qi Xue Yao replied, "He’s not my boyfriend, just my cousin." "He’s your cousin?" The saleswoman looked shocked. "People are getting bold. I can’t believe you guys aren't a couple." Embarrassed by the misunderstanding, Qi Xue Yao quickly clarified, "Oh, he’s a distant relative; there’s no blood relation." The saleswoman giggled, "I see. Well, then, when you two do get married, make sure to buy your wedding finery from us!" As the saleswoman's imagination drifted further off course, Qi Xue Yao shook her head and headed to the dressing room with her outfit. Meanwhile, Qi Lin left the store and went to a nearby custom cake shop. "Boss, I’d like to order a ten-layer cake—make it as pretty as possible, with a castle and maybe some prince and princess figures," Qi Lin told the shopkeeper. The busy owner was momentarily at a loss for words, floored by Qi Lin's surprising request. "Can’t do it? If not, I’ll go elsewhere," Qi Lin said, turning to leave. "No, no! We can do it! But it won’t be cheap, it’ll cost at least fifteen grand," the shopkeeper snapped out of it, rushing to stop him lest he lose the sale. Without missing a beat, Qi Lin pulled out wads of cash, "By seven tonight, deliver it to 6th Building, Apartment 201 at the Jiang Han police academy housing area." Qi Lin provided Lan Yu Xi's address to the owner. "Got it, sir. Rest assured, it’ll be there on time," the shopkeeper assured him with a smile, having pocketed the money. When it comes to money, anything is possible. If the price is right, he could whip it together in an hour if need be. After thinking a moment, Qi Lin added another request: "By the way, could you prepare a gift box tall enough to fit a person inside?" The owner, expecting a more complicated ask, simply laughed, "That’s easy! No charge for that, handsome, I’ll do it for free." "Thanks," Qi Lin grinned and walked away, leaving the cake shop behind him. Next, he headed to a phone store, where he picked out a stylish flip phone in sapphire blue—a color he knew Lan Yu Xi adored. In addition to the phone, Qi Lin bought her a small MP3 player with a lanyard, also in sapphire blue. Nowadays, with the recent emergence of MP3 players, the feature of listening to music on the go has captured the hearts of countless girls. In this era where even singing required reading from a book, such a device was nothing short of magical. "With so many surprises, I can't believe Lan Yu Xi wouldn't be tempted," mused Qi Lin as he arrived at his final destination. His expression momentarily twitched—a pharmacy. There, he picked up a box of umbrellas. "Qi Lin, did you take the wrong medicine today? Why are you buying me so many things?" Qi Xue Yao's face bore an odd expression as she looked at the phone and MP3 player Qi Lin handed her after changing clothes. Suddenly, something dawned on her, and her cheeks flushed, "You... you're not trying to woo me with treats, are you?" She suspected Qi Lin was planning to take advantage of her today. Qi Xue Yao had already made up her mind—if he dared make such an outrageous demand, she'd definitely give him a piece of her mind. Her purity was her last stand, something she would only give to her future husband, and she wasn't about to let anyone else take it. "What's that? For you? Qi Xue Yao, are you running a high fever?" Qi Lin chuckled. "These are for my other little girlfriend, not you." At his words, Qi Xue Yao's face reddened further, a mixture of shame and anger, realizing she had let her imagination run wild. "Scumbag!" she huffed, feeling unappreciated, and glared at Qi Lin, calling him a jerk. Qi Lin laughed and suddenly pulled out a box of protective umbrellas. "These are for you, want them?" Though still innocent, Qi Xue Yao wasn't naive. The offer left her both embarrassed and infuriated. "Qi Lin, stay away from me. You disgust me!" She was truly angered by Qi Lin’s antics. "Hmm, that white suit and skirt suit you well. Very classy, especially with the strong contrast against your back," Qi Lin remarked, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Contrast?" Qi Xue Yao was confused by the compliment. Qi Lin didn't explain further. Instead, he turned to the saleswoman, "Please wrap that orange dress for me as well." Gray business suit paired with black silk. White suit with sheer stockings. An orange sundress with white silk. Each day, something different—Qi Lin wouldn't tire of seeing her in new outfits. As they walked back to the office with bags in hand, a mix of emotions filled Qi Xue Yao’s eyes. She had known Jiang Lei for three years, yet they seldom went shopping, not even to a supermarket. Her sophisticated gray suit had taken three years’ savings to afford. But now, the first person to gift her an outfit wasn't her promised future partner, but this rogue Qi Lin, leaving her feeling out of sorts—guilt mingled with anticipation, yet mostly uncertainty. Was this a stumble? Qi Xue Yao dared not bring these clothes back to the tutoring center. After returning home with Qi Lin, she quickly stashed the two dresses and a dozen pairs of various thin stockings into her wardrobe, then excused herself, claiming sessions at the center weren’t over. As for the stockings? Qi Lin had pointed out that dresses without the right stockings lack flair. Surely, wearing the same two pairs daily would get tiresome, wouldn’t it? Qi Xue Yao had flushed crimson, irked by the comment, retorting, "Your feet hurt, not mine!" Qi Lin challenged her to prove otherwise. Unbothered, she threw him a glare, declining to engage further but secretly accepted the gifts. Back at the tutoring center: "Xue Yao, why did you kiss that bastard? Why didn't you push him away? It was your first kiss! I haven't even held your hand!" Jiang Lei fumed like a lion as soon as she returned to the office. Qi Xue Yao bit her lip, "I did it to protect you. If my dad realized you were here, he'd kill you." "I'd rather be beaten to death than live as a coward," Jiang Lei replied emphatically. Qi Xue Yao's temper flared at his words. "Jiang Lei, you've got a lot to say. I’m not your girlfriend, so why this jealousy? What did I do to wrong you? If you weren't okay with it, why didn't you deal with Qi Lin then? Instead, you crawled out of the cabinet later. Couldn't you have gotten out earlier?" Her penetrating gaze bore into Jiang Lei. Despite liking Jiang Lei, she couldn’t help but resent him for not protecting her. Qi Lin's carefully sown seeds of discord had finally taken root and were sprouting. Faced with the unmasking of his cowardice, Jiang Lei was speechless, his complexion alternating between red and white in embarrassment. Eventually, with a resigned sigh, he surrendered, "Xue Yao, I'm sorry. I couldn't protect you. I apologize. Can we please stop fighting? The more we do, the happier Qi Lin becomes. His aim is to drive us apart." Yet, Qi Xue Yao cast a disbelieving look at Jiang Lei, turning her head away in silence. "I'm warning you, I don’t want to hear such things again! If it continues, we’re done," she spat back. Jiang Lei stammered, "Xue Yao, after everything, Qi Lin kissed you. Can't we put this behind us?" Her expression cooled as she turned to leave, "Do you take me for a toy, Jiang Lei? Am I just something to play with?" Jiang Lei’s face went crimson with the implications of his words. "Are all men just driven by base instincts, Jiang Lei? I've had enough of Qi Lin's bullying, and now you too want to push me around?" she retorted, uncertain if she was ready for a confrontation of such magnitude.