497: Chapter 497: Hate you!
Hate you!
Hate you!
497: Chapter 497: Hate you!
Hate you!
Hate you!
Happiness Community.
“This is the place.” Tangyu rang the doorbell, and soon the door opened, revealing Li Xiang, who he hadn’t seen for more than ten days, standing excitedly at the door with a radiant smile, as if she’d encountered something incredibly joyful.
However, when Li Xiang’s gaze fell upon Lin Feifei, whose hand was linked with Tangyu’s, her smile suddenly ceased, and she pouted her lips, staring at Tangyu with a hint of melancholy in her eyes.
The clear sky had abruptly turned overcast with clouds.
“This is my girlfriend, Lin Feifei.
I brought her to celebrate your birthday with you.
These are all the gifts we picked out for you,” Tangyu said.
Li Xiang’s pout became even more pronounced, as if she had been subjected to a violent windstorm.
Lin Feifei was aware of Li Xiang’s situation, as Tangyu had briefed her on the way over.
Lin Feifei smiled at Li Xiang and said, “Hello Li Xiang, I’ve often heard Tangyu speak of you, saying that you’re a really sensible, gentle, and wise beauty.
I’m so happy to meet you.
I insisted on coming with Tangyu, we came without an invitation from you.
You don’t mind, do you?”
“You’re already here, there’s nothing for me to mind anymore,” Li Xiang muttered and then said, “I know who you are, Lin Feifei, one of the top ten beauties of Donglin University.
If you’re a great beauty, then I’m just a minor beauty.”
At that moment, Li Jie came over: “Yo, sister-in-law, you’ve also come!
You truly honor our Li Xiang with your presence, adding luster to our humble home.
Come in quickly.
Li Xiang, what are you doing?
Why haven’t you welcomed the guests in yet?”
Tangyu and Lin Feifei stepped inside, and Li Xiang ushered them to the sofa.
“Tangyu, you guys just watch some TV and make yourselves at home.
There’s fruit on the table, and drinks if you’re thirsty,” Li Jie said as he continued to bustle about, “I’ll be done soon.”
“No worries, you go ahead,” Tangyu nodded.
Li Xiang, pouting and somewhat downcast, sat next to Tangyu.
With his girlfriend right there, she didn’t dare to sit too closely to him.
She handed Tangyu an apple in one hand, and a bottle of drink with the other, saying, “Here, have an apple.”
“Oh, thanks.” Tangyu took it and passed the apple to Lin Feifei, opening the drink for himself.
This made Li Xiang even more displeased: “The apple was for you.
Why did you give it to someone else?”
“I don’t like apples,” Tangyu replied.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Li Xiang frowned and blinked.
She hadn’t invited anyone else to celebrate her birthday, so who could it be?
Could it be a delivery, or a surprise from her brother?
With that thought, Li Xiang hurried to open the door.
When she saw Wang Dazhuang and Wen Jing standing at the threshold, her expression turned interesting: “Big Brother Dazhuang, Sister Wen Jing, how come you’re here?”
Wang Dazhuang grinned and said, “Surprise, huh?
Hehe, didn’t you tell me your birthday was today?
Yesterday, I specifically asked Li Jie whether we should celebrate, and he said yes, so I brought my wife over.
Hehe, I sure splurged for you today, got you a brand-new smartphone model that even I couldn’t bear to buy for myself.
I really do treat you like my little sister.
Hey, why are you still blocking the entrance?
Aren’t you going to welcome me in?”
Li Xiang took the new smartphone from Wang Dazhuang’s hands, glanced at it, and finally smiled cheerfully: “Big Brother Dazhuang is always so good to me, how could I not welcome you?
I just got caught up talking with you and forgot, you’re the one giving me surprises.
Come on in, Big Brother Dazhuang, Sister Wen Jing.”
“Yo, Brother Yu, sister-in-law, you guys are here too.
I thought it was just us two,” Wang Dazhuang called out as he entered, then winked at Tangyu.
Tangyu smiled, knowing that Wang Dazhuang must have been invited by Li Jie: “We’ve just arrived, I thought it was just the two of us too.
It’s livelier with more people.”
“Wang Dazhuang, Wen Jing, please make yourselves comfortable.
We’ll be ready to eat shortly,” Li Jie’s voice came from the kitchen.
“Alright, Li Jie, don’t mind us, we won’t be shy.
Haha, I didn’t expect it, Li Jie, you’re truly a model of a good man.
But Li Jie, you need to find a wife yourself,” Wang Dazhuang said.
Li Xiang nodded in agreement: “Exactly, I keep urging my brother.
He’s not in a hurry, but I’m anxious on his behalf.
Big Brother Dazhuang, if you know any suitable ladies, you should introduce them to my brother.”
“Haha, Li Jie is just too dedicated to his work, and doesn’t have time to look for someone.
Otherwise, with Li Jie’s qualities, finding a wife would be a piece of cake,” Wang Dazhuang said.
With Wang Dazhuang present to lighten the mood, the atmosphere soon became much more harmonious.
Everyone was talking and laughing, allowing Li Xiang’s previous displeasure to thaw.
As the laughter continued, time flew by, and Li Jie brought out a table full of dishes.
While it wasn’t exceedingly lavish, the table had all the common items from the market, making for a decent spread for six people.
No one drank much today; three people shared a bottle of white, and the ladies stuck to soft drinks.
Thus, the meal was over quickly, in less than an hour.
After a simple cleanup, it was naturally time to cut the cake.
“Come on, Li Xiang, make a wish,” Wang Dazhuang urged.
Li Xiang, beaming with sweetness and happiness, approached the cake: “This is the first time I’ve had such a joyful birthday.
It’s also the first time so many people have celebrated it with me.
I’m truly happy.
Thank you all for today and for your gifts.
I’m going to make a wish now.”
“Hehe, as long as you like it.
As long as we’re still here, we’ll celebrate your birthday every year.
You’re Li Jie’s sister, and you’re my sister too; we all care about you a lot.
If it weren’t for your request, probably the whole department would’ve come to celebrate for you,” Wang Dazhuang laughed.
Li Xiang nodded happily, her smile beaming.
Actually, aside from being a bit rebellious, she was quite good in other aspects.
But she was young and didn’t really understand how things worked.
After making a wish, they cut the cake.
There was no tomfoolery or smashing involved; otherwise, they would have ended up with cream everywhere.
Once the cake was finished, Tangyu said, “It’s getting late.
We should head back.
If you guys have activities planned, go ahead and organize them.
I have some errands to run and need to leave first.”
“Leaving so soon?
You said we’d go out to have fun tonight, maybe sing some songs or something,” Li Xiang said somewhat disheartened.
“Ask your brother Dazhuang and sister Wen Jing to go with you.
If that’s not lively enough, call some friends to join in.
If you want to sing, head over to Yandang KTV.
My friends own the place; it’s safer there,” Tangyu said.
Li Xiang pouted and said, “I want to talk to you alone for a moment.”
“Li Xiang, stop fooling around,” Li Jie scolded.
Li Xiang stamped her foot and said, “I just want to talk for a bit, that’s all.”
“It’s okay, go ahead,” Tangyu said with a faint smile.
Li Xiang led Tangyu to the balcony and pulled the glass door shut behind them.
Looking at Tangyu, she said, “Is Lin Feifei really your girlfriend?”
“Of course she is, what else would you think?” Tangyu said.
“Oh,” Li Xiang replied, her voice betraying a sense of defeat as she nodded, “No wonder you never saw me that way.
You already have such a beautiful girlfriend.
But I still want to tell you, I like you, I really do.
I like you a lot, it’s just you, I like.
Isn’t there even a tiny bit, just a tiny bit of fondness you have for me?”
“No, I’ve always seen you as a sister,” Tangyu shook his head and said.
“I don’t want to be seen as a sister, I like you.
I don’t care whether you have a girlfriend or not, it doesn’t bother me.
If you liked me, I wouldn’t mind if you were seeing two people at once, because I just like you that much,” Li Xiang declared.
“…I’m not that kind of person,” Tangyu said.
“They say, ‘Girls don’t love a man who isn’t a little bit bad.’ You could be a little bad, how about letting me chase you?” Li Xiang said.
Tangyu was really at a loss for words with this girl.
What exactly was going on in her head to make her think so—unconventionally?
“No, if you continue this way, I won’t consider you a sister anymore.
I’m not right for you, and you’re not right for me,” Tangyu stated.
Li Xiang immediately stamped her foot and shouted, “I hate you!
I hate you!
I hate you!”
“I’m leaving.” Without paying any further attention to Li Xiang, Tangyu pushed open the glass door and returned to the living room.
Lin Feifei was standing there with a calm face, she never interfered with these matters, trusting Tangyu to handle them well.
Wang Dazhuang was off to the side, snickering.
Li Jie sat there smoking, his face showing a hint of helplessness.
“Li Jie, we’re going to leave now,” Tangyu said.
Li Jie stood up and nodded, “Let me walk you out.”
“It seems like you guys aren’t in the mood to do much today either.
We’ll head back first.
Take good care of Li Xiang.
We’re off,” Wang Dazhuang said as he followed suit.
After Tangyu and the others left, Li Jie closed the door, shook his head, and sighed.
At that moment, Li Xiang ran over and buried herself in Li Jie’s arms, starting to sob, “I hate it, I hate it.
You all are so annoying, not caring about me at all.
I hate you.”
Li Jie tenderly patted Li Xiang’s back and comforted her, “Alright, alright, we’re all annoying.
Stop crying, now.”
“Wuu, am I really that undesirable?
Does nobody like me?” Li Xiang asked.
“How could that be?
To your brother, you’re the most beautiful princess.
There’s a bunch of guys who like you, and you always tell me that many boys are after you.
That proves my sister is pretty and popular,” Li Jie reassured her.
“What’s the use of that?
They’re all ones I don’t like.
I won’t be like those other girls who just agree to any guy who chases after them.
I’ll only settle for someone I like,” Li Xiang asserted.
Li Jie pursed his lips, “Then take your time looking; don’t rush.
You’re still young.
Your Prince Charming is waiting somewhere for you, waiting for you to meet him.
Believe me, you’ll find your true love because you’re my Snow White in my heart.”
“Mm-hm, I will find someone handsomer than him, with more masculinity, with a greater sense of security—my Prince Charming.
I’ll show him.
He’s so annoying.
I don’t like him anymore, not at all,” Li Xiang said, nodding resolutely.
“That’s the spirit.
Alright, no more tears.
Let’s go have some fun,” Li Jie said with relief, knowing that Li Xiang was beginning to get over her heartache.