Is not being able to do as you please also called rebirth?

Chapter 209 Invitation

The caddie had already prepared the clubs and the cart. The three of them boarded a spacious electric cart and headed towards the tee box.

"Yifei, haven't you been preparing for your new movie lately? How come you have time to play ball?" Tang Yufei sat in the middle, leaning slightly towards Jiang Xun, but turned to ask Liu Yifei.

"The script reading was postponed by a day, and since you invited me, Yufei, I thought I'd come out for some fresh air." Liu Yifei's voice remained cool, her gaze fixed on the undulating fairway in the distance. "The environment here is very nice."

"Of course, I personally oversaw the design." Tang Yufei proudly raised her chin, then leaned close to Jiang Xun's ear and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear, her breath warm with a hint of ambiguity, "How about it? I didn't lie to you, did I? Isn't she a great beauty? But don't you dare try anything with her, Yifei... she only likes women." She spoke the last few words meaningfully, glancing at Liu Yifei.

Jiang Xun understood immediately. Just as he suspected. No wonder Liu Yifei possessed such a unique aloofness and detachment, and no wonder Tang Yufei's tone carried a subtle possessiveness when she introduced her. It seemed the relationship between this "fairy sister" and Tang Yufei was far more than just ordinary best friends. He recalled Tang Yufei's previous infatuation with Yan Jin and her own complex sexual orientation; it seemed this young lady from Beijing's elite circles indeed had a rich and diverse "circle of friends."

He remained expressionless, only smiling faintly: "Miss Tang's friends are naturally all top-notch."

The golf cart arrived at the tee box for the first hole. The scenery was superb, with a wide and unobstructed view.

"Who wants to go first?" Tang Yufei asked eagerly, picking up her golf club.

"Ladies first," Jiang Xun gestured for them to proceed.

Tang Yufei didn't stand on ceremony, stepping onto the tee with a standard and graceful posture. Her swing was fluid and powerful, and with a crisp "thud," the white ball traced a beautiful arc, landing steadily in the center of the fairway, not far from the green.

"Beautiful!" Jiang Xun exclaimed sincerely. Tang Yufei's athletic talent was indeed outstanding.

"It's your turn, President Jiang." Tang Yufei raised her eyebrows smugly.

Jiang Xun stepped onto the tee. Although his golf skills were only at a beginner level (he hadn't practiced much since the system registered him), his strong physical coordination and learning ability allowed him to pick it up extremely quickly. He recalled the key points of the movement, adjusted his breathing, and swung!

The ball flew out, its trajectory not as perfect as Tang Yufei's, and its landing point was slightly off, but the distance was still acceptable, remaining within the fairway.

"Not bad, is this your first time playing?" Tang Yufei was a little surprised.

"I've played it a few times before," Jiang Xun said vaguely.

It was Liu Yifei's turn. She picked up her cue and walked onto the tee.

Her movements weren't as powerful as Tang Yufei's, but rather possessed a unique rhythm and elegance, as if she weren't playing golf, but rather performing an art form. At the moment of her swing, her posture was graceful, like a swan spreading its wings. The ball flew high and far, landing even closer to the green than Tang Yufei's.

"Wow! Yifei, you're in great shape!" Tang Yufei exclaimed, her eyes filled with undisguised admiration and... a certain fervor as she looked at Liu Yifei.

Liu Yifei simply smiled faintly, a smile as radiant as melting snow, instantly brightening her cool and aloof face, making her breathtakingly beautiful. "Good luck," she said softly, her gaze briefly meeting Tang Yufei's in mid-air. Jiang Xun clearly caught the unspoken understanding and subtle affection in their eyes.

The three began walking along the fairway. Tang Yufei, with her lively personality, chattered away the whole way, her topics ranging from teasing Jiang Xun to whispering and laughing with Liu Yifei. She seemed to enjoy the feeling of being surrounded by two women (although there was no physical contact), and especially enjoyed showing off her "intimacy" with Jiang Xun in front of Liu Yifei.

She would occasionally and naturally link her arm with Jiang Xun's, or casually lean against him, and even excitedly pat his shoulder or back when he hit a good shot. With each touch, she would deliberately look at Liu Yifei, as if observing her reaction.

Liu Yifei was mostly quiet, focusing on playing ball or admiring the scenery. She reacted indifferently to Tang Yufei's deliberate displays of affection. When Tang Yufei linked arms with Jiang Xun, her gaze would sweep over them calmly, without any ripples; when Tang Yufei excitedly patted Jiang Xun, she would simply watch indifferently, her eyes showing neither displeasure nor jealousy, as if everything before her was irrelevant.

However, Jiang Xun sensed something deeper from her extreme calm. Was it a kind of... certainty? Or perhaps, a possessiveness that needed no declaration? She seemed absolutely certain of Tang Yufei's feelings, certain that no matter how intimate Tang Yufei acted with Jiang Xun at this moment, it wouldn't change anything in the end. Her aloofness was more like a detached composure, because she knew that Tang Yufei's "playfulness" wouldn't touch the core issue.

Jiang Xun found this realization intriguing. Was Tang Yufei trying to use him to provoke Liu Yifei? Or was she using him to test Liu Yifei's reaction? Or perhaps, this young lady simply enjoyed the pleasure of simultaneously attracting two "different types" of people?

On her way to the next tee, Tang Yufei answered a phone call and stepped aside. Only Jiang Xun and Liu Yifei remained on the fairway, walking side-by-side, with a caddie pushing a golf cart behind them.

Sunlight bathed Liu Yifei, casting a soft golden hue over her cool and aloof demeanor. She possessed a faint, elegant fragrance, unlike Yan Jin's coldness or Tang Yufei's flamboyance. "Miss Liu plays very well," Jiang Xun said, breaking the silence.

"Thank you. Yufei taught well." Liu Yifei's voice remained calm, her gaze fixed ahead.

“Miss Tang is indeed very talented.” Jiang Xun smiled. “Have you known each other for a long time?”

"Yes, it's been many years," Liu Yifei replied succinctly.

"To be a longtime friend of Miss Tang and to be so highly praised by her, Miss Liu is indeed extraordinary." Jiang Xun's words carried a hint of probing.

Liu Yifei finally turned her head and glanced at him. Her eyes were clear and bright, as if they could reflect people's hearts. "Yufei... has many friends," she said calmly, her tone devoid of emotion. "She's always very enthusiastic towards people she admires."

Jiang Xun understood her unspoken message: Tang Yufei's enthusiasm didn't mean she was unique, much less special. Was she reminding him, or stating a fact?
“Enthusiasm is a good thing.” Jiang Xun met her gaze with his smile unchanged. “However, there are some boundaries that enthusiasm may not be able to cross.” He spoke meaningfully, his gaze sweeping over Tang Yufei, who was making a phone call and gesturing wildly in the distance.

Liu Yifei's lips seemed to curve upwards very slightly, a fleeting arc so quick it was almost an illusion. "Boundaries?" she repeated softly, her gaze returning to the distant, undulating mountains, her voice ethereal, "The boundaries in one's heart are often best understood by oneself."

After saying that, she fell silent and resumed her aloof and independent demeanor.

Jiang Xun gazed at her perfect profile, savoring her seemingly simple yet profound words. This "fairy sister" was indeed extraordinary. Her aloofness wasn't ignorance, but rather a calm acceptance born of insight; her distance wasn't indifference, but a steadfast commitment to her own world. She clearly understood what Tang Yufei's "enthusiasm" meant, and she also clearly knew her own position and what she wanted. Tang Yufei's plan to use him as a tool to provoke Liu Yifei was likely a miscalculation.

After finishing her call, Tang Yufei rushed back, hooking her arm around Jiang Xun's again, as if their brief time alone had never happened. "What were you talking about? Were you captivated by our Yifei?" she asked with a grin, her eyes darting between Jiang Xun and Liu Yifei.

"I was enjoying the beautiful scenery and Miss Liu's ball skills," Jiang Xun replied frankly.

Liu Yifei simply smiled slightly, neither confirming nor denying.

The atmosphere became even more subtle in the second half. Tang Yufei continued to act affectionately towards Jiang Xun, even with a hint of deliberate flirting, as if trying to prove something to Liu Yifei. Liu Yifei, on the other hand, maintained her detached calm, occasionally exchanging a few words with Tang Yufei in a gentle tone, yet carrying an invisible barrier.

Jiang Xun was happy to watch the show, playing along with Tang Yufei's "performance" while also observing Liu Yifei. He noticed that only when Tang Yufei played a particularly brilliant shot, or occasionally revealed a childlike expression, would a barely perceptible warmth and indulgence flicker in the depths of Liu Yifei's cool eyes. That was perhaps her true emotional expression.

After the game, the sun was already setting. The three returned to the clubhouse to rest.

"How about it, Jiang Xun? My court is pretty good, isn't it?" Tang Yufei said, sipping her iced drink, her face flushed from exercise, looking radiant.

"The environment is top-notch, and the experience is first-class," Jiang Xun praised. "Miss Tang certainly knows how to enjoy herself."

"That's right!" Tang Yufei raised her eyebrows proudly, then looked at Liu Yifei, "Yifei, want to have dinner together tonight? I know a good new Japanese restaurant that just opened nearby."

Liu Yifei gently put down her water glass, shook her head, and said in a clear voice, "No, Yufei, I have a script video meeting tonight, I have to go back."

"Oh? How disappointing?" A hint of disappointment flashed across Tang Yufei's face, but she quickly smiled again. "Alright then, let's meet up again next time. I'll have the driver take you?"

"No need, my car is outside." Liu Yifei stood up and nodded slightly to Tang Yufei and Jiang Xun. "Thank you for the invitation, Yufei. Mr. Jiang, it was a pleasure to meet you. Goodbye." Her farewell was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hint of reluctance.

Watching Liu Yifei's slender, aloof figure disappear into the club's entrance, Tang Yufei's smile faded. She pouted and muttered under her breath, "Still so difficult to deal with..."

Jiang Xun picked up her coffee, took a sip, and looked at her with a half-smile: "What, even Miss Tang has someone she can't handle?"

Tang Yufei rolled her eyes at him, then put on her signature slightly cynical smile again. She leaned closer to Jiang Xun, resting her elbow on the table, propping her chin up, and looking at him with a hooking gaze:
"It's good that she's gone. So, Mr. Jiang, are you free tonight? I know a place that's very private and has some good wine..." Her fingertips lightly traced the table, carrying a silent invitation.

(End of this chapter)