"You agreed to go on a blind date and even accepted their red packet?"
As soon as Su Qiqi stepped into the house, she was bombarded by her brother's words.
Upon seeing Su Qiqi's attitude, Su Xingchen muttered discontentedly, "I'm doing this for your own good. You're not young anymore, and you still don't have a boyfriend. As your elder brother, how could I not worry about you?"
"No need!"
Su Qiqi absolutely did not believe his nonsense.
When had Su Xingchen ever truly cared about her?
Previously, he'd racked up debts outside until the debt collectors bothered her at work, making her help him pay them off.
Only a few days of peace had passed before another calamity arose.
A blind date?
He might even sell her off.
"What attitude is this?"
Upon hearing this, Su Xingchen also flared up, pointing his finger at her nose and scolding, "The person I arranged for you is a big boss, very rich! If you marry him, you'll live a life of luxury. You don't know what's good for you."
Lin Hui also chimed in from the side, "Qiqi, don't blame your sister-in-law for being too nosy. You're not getting any younger. If you keep dragging on like this, you'll really delay your own future."
"A young girl always has more suitors. Once you get older, even if you want to find someone good, they won't be interested."
Su Qiqi sneered, "Sister-in-law, if you think he's so great, why not introduce your younger sister to him? I remember Qiaoqiao is around my age too. As you said, young girls have more suitors. Once they get older, they're harder to marry off."
Lin Hui's face turned red in anger, and she banged on the table, bellowing, "Su Qiqi! How dare you talk to me like this? I'm your sister-in-law."
Then, she glared furiously at Su Xingchen, "You're just going to let this outsider bully me? Are you or are you not my husband? If not, let's divorce."
Su Xingchen instantly panicked, waving his hands pleadingly at Lin Hui while giving Su Qiqi a fierce glare.
"Apologize to your sister-in-law! If you don't apologize, see how I'll deal with you!"
"Didn't you guys say all these words? Even when repeated by me, you can't bear it."
Su Qiqi turned her gaze towards Lin Hui, whose eyes were red with anger, and sneered, "I'm an outsider? Sister-in-law, don't forget, the down payment for the house you're living in now was all paid by me."
"Su Qiqi, what do you mean?"
Before her words even fell, Su Xingchen abruptly erupted in anger, shouting, "Are you aggrieved because you had to make the down payment? Ever think about why our parents would raise a money-drain like you without it? It's not JUST the down payment, it's also right for you to pay off the house loan."
"You..."
Upon hearing such shameless words, Su Qiqi felt her heart tremble with anger but managed to hold it in, retorting coldly: "My parents raised me, and it's my duty to be filial to them. What do I owe you? Stop disgustingly bringing that up, I..."
"If you're really filial, you should listen to your brother."
Before Su Qiqi could finish speaking, she was interrupted by a woman's voice filled with complaints.
Following that, the door to the master bedroom was opened and a middle-aged woman walked out, eyeing Su Qiqi discontentedly.
"You just got home and you're already arguing loudly. Of all people, your voice is the loudest."
Upon seeing her, Su Qiqi couldn't help feeling wronged, "It's my brother who's being unreasonable..."
Chen Shujuan directly interrupted her, speaking in a non-negotiable tone, "Enough is enough, the way you're behaving, arguing the moment you walked in. Your brother, your sister-in-law, aren't they worrying about you? Concerned for your future."
Upon hearing this, Su Xingchen wasn't angry anymore and smirked triumphantly as if he found a supporter, "As our sister grows older, her temper gets worse. Mom, if you don't control her, she'll go crazy."
Chen Shujuan smiled at him, and then scolded Su Qiqi sternly, "They're only asking you to go on a blind date, not asking for your life. If the condition is so good, just go and see. You're getting older, it's time you were married."
"But I..."
Su Qiqi tried to explain something, but before she could start, she was once again cut off by Chen Shujuan.
"Alright, alright, you don't listen to anyone now that you've grown wings. In the end, you won't listen to anything I say, so just pretend you don't have a mother."
Having said that, she pulled Su Xingchen towards her, adopting a posed demeanor of righteous indignation.
"Let's go. Isn't this the house she bought with her own money for the down payment? We'll leave. We won't live in her house."
"Mom... That's not what I mean."
Looking at her mother, Su Qiqi felt both urgent and angry.
She, who had always debated rationally with her brother-in-law, found herself swallowing the words that were on the edge of her tongue upon hearing her mother's words.
She forced herself to compose and asked, "So what do you want me to do?"
Seeing her relenting, a smile of satisfaction finally appeared on Chen Shujuan's face, "If you are obedient and respectful, listen to your brother and sincerely go on the arranged dates. If everything goes well, get married. Don't make me worry for you."
Su Xingchen hastily added, "That's right. You are not getting any younger, and others might think you are not getting any suitors. It brings dishonor to our mother!"
Observing the mother-son duo echoing each other, Su Qiqi felt her energy draining, like a balloon that had been punctured.
At this moment, she felt so tired, so tired. She had never felt this tired before...
She clenched her fists, her face emotionless as she looked at the three.
"Fine, I will go."
"Oh, isn't that..."
Just as Lin Hui started to smile, Su Qiqi interrupted, "But please remember, this is the last time."
...
April in Dragon City was somewhat stuffy, with a slight drizzle.
Su Qiqi got out of the car, intentionally put on sunglasses to hide her tear-stained eyes.
Times Square was already packed with people around two o'clock.
The address given by Su Xingchen was here.
Just in time, she had a client meeting in the JT Building behind Times Square this afternoon.
Su Qiqi walked into a café on the first floor, looking around.
Took out her phone and dialed the number given by her brother.
However, it was too noisy for her to hear the person on the other end.
She looked around the café filled with pairs, only a corner table occupied by a man in a suit was on the phone, frowning.
Could he be the one?
"Muchen, the girl I introduced to you will arrive soon, wait patiently. I've already checked, she's young and beautiful, and from an esteemed family, a perfect match for our Jin Family. I'm telling you, don't stand her up. If you still don't get married this year, I'll starve myself to death in Jin family's Ancestral Hall."
Jin Muchen ended the call.
His chiseled face held an icy cold expression. His slender fingers were stacked on his lap. His deep eyes revealed a hint of helplessness.
There was a distance-keeping aura around him, making him feel out of place in the bustling café.
He didn't think his grandfather was joking. On the contrary, his grandfather was a man who kept his word.
"Hello, are you Mr. Jin? I am Su Qiqi, the one you were just talking to."
Suddenly, a clear voice interrupted Jin Muchen's thoughts.
He looked at the unfamiliar woman talking to him.
A nice figure, a face of innocence, especially when she removed her sunglasses, her teary red eyes stirred a sense of pity.
He nodded his head, responding in a calm tone, "Hello."
Once confirmed, Su Qiqi promptly sat down on the chair across him. She looked at the man and gasped a little.
She had assumed that her blind date would either be an old man or a middle-aged man.
She didn't expect the man in front of her to be so handsome and dashing, especially those deep-set eyes, they had an unfathomable aura.
Though his cheeks were slightly cold, he was captivating enough to make people give him a second glance.
A man so handsome, still needing a blind date?