Because the official blog said in advance that Zhong Ruanxing would take the VIP passage when she returned to the capital, her fans did not organize to pick her up at the airport. When she came out of the VIP passage, she saw Song Shuling hugging a big bunch of tulips standing there. As soon as Song Shuling saw her, a big bright smile appeared on her face and she ran over to her.
"Sister!"
Zhong Ruanxing took the bouquet and smelled it, smiling as she stroked Song Shuling's head: "It smells so nice."
Song Shuling intimately pulled her along as they walked outside: "Brother said he didn't want to bring you scandals, so he's waiting for us in the car."
So he was waiting in the car. She had thought he didn't come.
Hearing that Boss Song had come to pick them up, Ran Tingting said goodbye to Zhong Ruanxing and slipped away with Wu Chengwang. When they arrived at the parking lot, Zhong Ruanxing did see the familiar Bentley. Song Jinxing got out of the driver's seat, and when he saw her, the corners of his lips tilted up slightly. He walked over to her and naturally took the suitcase from her hand.
Song Shuling nimbly sat in the back seat. Song Jinxing put away the luggage and held open the passenger door for her.
Zhong Ruanxing got in hugging the flowers. She had just pulled the seatbelt over about to buckle up, when she saw a cup of milk tea in the central armrest box, the same flavor as the one she drank when she was hospitalized back then.
She glanced at Song Jinxing who had gotten into the car beside her. He didn't seem to notice her gaze. He picked up the milk tea, stuck in a straw, and handed it over to her.
Zhong Ruanxing asked redundantly, "This is for me?"
Song Jinxing was buckling his seatbelt. Hearing this, he raised his head with a faint smile and glanced at her. "Yes, it's for you."
The milk tea was still hot, warming her hands as she held it. The floral scent filled the car. If it wasn't for Song Shuling sitting in the back, Zhong Ruanxing felt she wouldn't be able to restrain herself.
She turned her head nonchalantly: "Does Shuling want milk tea?"
Song Shuling shook her head vigorously: "No, no! That was specially bought by Brother for you! I don't like drinking milk tea!"
Zhong Ruanxing: "......"
She turned back around and started silently drinking her milk tea. It was her favorite 50% sugar level, with double pearls, the QQ biting texture bursting in her mouth, extremely satisfying.
Song Jinxing started the car and glanced at her, "Should I take you to eat first before sending you home?"
It was almost lunch time already. The two siblings had come all this way to pick her up, so she couldn't just abandon them and go home without even eating a meal. Zhong Ruanxing nodded, "Okay."
Delight surfaced in Song Jinxing's eyes. "What do you want to eat?"
Zhong Ruanxing thought about it, "Peking duck."
Song Jinxing sent a message to Fu Ling to book them seats in advance. Then he drove towards the restaurant. The car exited the parking lot into bright daylight. Although it was the dead of winter, the sun was dazzling. But even the rays shining down felt frozen by the winter, imparting no warmth.
The heating was on in the car. Zhong Ruanxing took off her coat and draped it over her legs. Underneath she wore a figure hugging turtleneck sweater, outlining her perfect curves. She sat up straight hugging the flowers. Every time Song Jinxing looked in the rearview mirror, his gaze would linger on her for two seconds.
Zhong Ruanxing felt that fleeting gaze and her body stiffened as she sat up even straighter.
Suddenly, she heard Song Jinxing chuckle softly beside her. Her ears grew hot. She inexplicably felt he was laughing at her.
Somewhat annoyed, she shot him a glare. Song Jinxing maintained his front facing driving posture, pretending not to notice her embarrassment and anger. He tilted his face slightly and calmly asked, "What's wrong?"
Zhong Ruanxing fiercely sucked up a mouthful of milk tea, aggressively chewing the pearls.
She didn't see how Song Jinxing's lips quirked up lightning fast.
Song Shuling shrank down in the backseat, trying her best to minimize her presence. But inwardly she found it laughable. In front of her, Sister seemed so mature and steady, giving her a sense of security that she could support the skies from falling. But as soon as she was in front of Brother, she became so awkward.
It looked like her hopes weren't just fantasy! Turning Sister into a real family member was imminent!
Each preoccupied with their own thoughts, when they arrived at the restaurant and got out of the car, Zhong Ruanxing finally heaved a huge sigh of relief. The confined space in the car made her feel like all her thoughts were laid bare, that he could see right through her.
Their reserved private room already had a pot of old duck soup simmering with sour radish, the aroma whetting appetites. After they were seated, the server brought over slices of golden crispy roast duck, its fragrance wafting.
Zhong Ruanxing first ladled herself a bowl of the duck radish soup. In the winter, that first mouthful of sour soup sliding down felt like her entire body came alive.
While drinking the soup, she caught from the corner of her eye Song Jinxing next to her slowly and methodically rolling up the roast duck slices, just like when he was working, even duck rolling was done perfectly and properly.
Unlike Zhong Ruanxing who when eating roast duck, would first stuff the entire skin in her mouth, then stuff the duck meat and cucumber in after, looking completely savage.
Song Jinxing rolled his duck slices elegantly. Not a drop of sauce leaked out. After rolling them up neatly, he would stretch out his hand and place them on the plate in front of her.
Zhong Ruanxing blanked for a second, feeling a little awkward. "Thanks, but I can do it myself."
Song Jinxing neither agreed nor denied. After she finished eating, he placed the roast duck slices he had rolled onto her plate again. Zhong Ruanxing couldn't help but glance at him. Song Jinxing smiled at her, "I have gloves on, so I just rolled them up together. Eat up while it's hot."
Of course he didn't just roll for Zhong Ruanxing, but also for Song Shuling. So she didn't say anything more and just silently enjoyed his service. He would roll one for every one she ate. She couldn't even eat faster than his rolling speed.
Only when he saw that she was truly full did he finally take off his gloves. He slowly wiped his hands with a napkin.
Zhong Ruanxing hadn't eaten so heartily for a long time. No matter how slender, after eating one's fill, the stomach would still bulge out a little. She secretly felt her stomach, then discreetly pulled her sweater down to cover it up.
After the meal, Song Jinxing drove her home.
Adding in the time they switched, she had already reunited with her family for half a year. Now she inevitably felt a tug towards home. So when Song Shuling asked about her work plans, she answered without thinking too much: "There's no more work before the Lunar New Year, I can rest for half a month. I'll start participating in a dating variety show after the eighth day of the new year."
Song Jinxing's fingers involuntarily tightened around the steering wheel.
Song Shuling's eyes also widened. "A dating variety show? One of those romance shows?"
Zhong Ruanxing said, "Yes."
She simply explained the content of "Love by Instinct", and joked, "I'll also need to look up wilderness survival guides in advance. Don't want to starve when the time comes."
Song Shuling glanced at her brother's profile. Feeling regretful, she didn't ask anything else.
Until sending Zhong Ruanxing home, Song Jinxing got out of the car to take out her luggage and said in a low voice, "I won't send you up. Rest well."
Zhong Ruanxing nodded, "Thanks for today, bye bye."
She had called ahead, her dad, mom, and Yoyo were all home waiting for her. She waved and eagerly turned to go inside.
Song Jinxing stood in place watching as she entered the elevator before turning to return to the car. Song Shuling also got in the car, seeing her brother start the car silently, she couldn't help but say, "Bro! Did you hear, Sis is going to be on a dating show!"
Song Jinxing said lightly, "I heard."
Song Shuling was nearly driven to tears: "Bro, do you not know what a dating show is? Sis going on that show means she's going to date! Didn't you hear her say, four men and four women, matched into four couples. Sis is so pretty and such a good person, she'll definitely be chased away by them!"
Song Jinxing still didn't say anything as he drove the car out of the complex.
Song Shuling leaned over the front passenger seat and begged urgently, "Bro, tell me honestly, do you like Sis or not?"
Sis' attitude towards Bro seems ambiguous right now, hard to determine clearly. But with Brother's cold temperament, being so concerned about Sis, it's very clear!
Could her judgment be wrong? Does Brother only treat Sis differently because they switched identities before?
If that's really the case, then Brother is blind!
Just as Song Shuling was indignant, she suddenly heard a faint "like" from the front.
She didn't react at first upon hearing it. After realizing what was said, she nearly leapt up. Thank goodness! Bro isn't blind!
Song Shuling suddenly felt the heavy responsibility on her shoulders. In order to make her sister a real family member, she immediately stood on the same front as her brother: "If you like her, you should pursue her, brother! If you keep being like this, when will you ever get sister to be with you? Didn't you just hear what sister said? The show will invite two civilians, this is a chance!"
Song Shuling was imagining the wonderful scene of her brother boldly pursuing his love on the show, when she suddenly saw Song Jinxing glance back at her, his gaze calm, but disapproving.
Song Shuling shrank her head: "No...not okay?"
Song Jinxing looked ahead at the red light, and said lightly: "That show requires staying on an isolated island for over half a month. I can't possibly leave my company's business to participate in such a show."
With Song enterprises spread all over the world, tens of thousands of employees under him, and billions of dollars in transactions every day, all this cannot go on without his operation.
If he abandoned this huge company to go to a deserted island to participate in a dating show, he wouldn't have the face to continue sitting in this position, without Old Master Song having to say anything.
Zhong Ruanxing would definitely not like such a person either.
Song Shuling deeply felt her brother was right, and became dejected: "Then what should we do? Just watch as sister goes and dates someone else?"
Song Jinxing lightly tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, a flash of smile in his eyes, and said in a low voice: "It's not like there's no way."