The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

When Lu Ying heard that Shen Qingyao had twisted her ankle while skiing in Switzerland and had already returned to Beijing, she immediately came to see her.

As soon as the doorbell rang, Zhang Ma quickly opened the door, smiling as she stepped aside to let her in: "Miss Lu, please come in. Miss Lu was just talking about you."

"Good morning, Aunt Zhang!" Lu Ying said, carrying a milk tea bag and a cake box, and walked in with light steps.

The cashmere carpet in the living room was so soft it felt like walking on clouds, and the air still carried a slightly cool, medicinal scent.

Shen Qingyao was nestled on the sofa when Meng Jiangyu half-squatted in front of her and covered her injured ankle with a thin blanket.

Hearing the noise, Shen Qingyao's eyes curved into a sweet smile as she beckoned to her, "Come sit down, I've missed you so much."

"Here you are!" Lu Ying glanced at Meng Jiangyu, nodded politely, and greeted him, "Good morning, Mr. Meng."

Meng Jiangyu raised his eyes, his gaze softening. This girl was Lu Linchuan's cousin, with a cheerful and likable personality, and he had a good impression of her.

"Your cousin and I are good brothers, no need to be so formal, just call me Brother Jiang Yu."

"Brother Jiang Yu," Lu Ying said crisply.

Seeing that she was still a little reserved, Meng Jiangyu reached out and ruffled Shen Qingyao's hair, his tone gentle yet affectionate: "You two chat slowly, I'm going to the study to handle some work."

"Okay, get back to work!" Shen Qingyao waved to him.

Lu Ying placed the milk tea and cake on the coffee table, bent down to examine her ankle more closely, and sighed helplessly, "How are you feeling now?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore. The doctor said I should be fine after a month of rest." Shen Qingyao leaned on her shoulder and shook her arm playfully. "Quick, I want some milk tea."

Lu Ying smiled, untied the straw, inserted it into the cup, and held it to her lips: "Taro boba, less sugar, less ice, I know what you like."

Shen Qingyao took a big sip, the warm, sweet aroma spreading across her tongue. She squinted her eyes contentedly and looked up at Lu Ying: "Why are you here so early today? You usually don't open your eyes until noon. I thought you were coming in the afternoon."

Lu Ying chewed on her straw: "Ugh, my mom forced me to go on a blind date yesterday, I wasn't in the mood to go clubbing."

Shen Qingyao had just picked up her fork to dig into the cake when she paused, raised an eyebrow, and looked her up and down, her eyes full of mockery: "You? On a blind date? So eager to get married?"

"What else can I do?" Lu Ying slumped onto the sofa, spreading her hands in a look of utter despair. "My mom said that girls should plan ahead early, get married and have children right after graduation to minimize the harm to their health. If I go on blind dates now, I can meet someone I like and date for two or three years, which is a natural way to move into the next stage of life."

Shen Qingyao took a bite of cream, her curiosity deepening: "So, what's he like? Is he handsome?"

"He's handsome, that's alright," Lu Ying recalled carefully, her expression a little subtle, "but... how should I put it, he has a 'marriageable' vibe."

Shen Qingyao couldn't help but laugh out loud, her shoulders shaking: "What does 'marriageable style' mean? I've only ever heard it used to describe clothing, never to describe a person."

"He's the kind of guy who looks really reliable and dependable, and who's good at all the little things in life," Lu Ying sat up straight and gestured with her hands, "The moment he stands there, he exudes the aura of a husband, and his whole body screams 'I'm perfect to be a husband.'"

"You could even tell that?" Shen Qingyao exclaimed in amazement.

"It's similar to the feeling that Bai Ke gives off; he looks honest and reliable," Lu Ying added.

"Do you have any photos? Let me see them."

"How could there be photos so soon? We just met yesterday and added each other on WeChat."

"Did you check his WeChat Moments? Are there any selfies?"

"I've flipped through it; it's only been six months, and there's not a single photo of his face." Lu Ying pouted.

"What does he post on his WeChat Moments?"

"Skiing, mountain climbing, drinking, traveling—life is quite colorful."

"That's exactly your hobby! You two are a perfect match, you can play together in the future." Shen Qingyao raised an eyebrow.

"My mom also said that he has a pretty good impression of me." Lu Ying touched the tip of her nose, a little embarrassed.

"And what about him? How do you feel?"

"Hmm...it feels pretty good, we get along quite well."

"That's settled then! If you like him, go for it. You'll only know what kind of person he is after you get to know him." Shen Qingyao patted her shoulder, looking like someone who had been there before.

"What did you two do when you met yesterday?"

"Playing golf at the Mountain and Water Manor."

"How's his ball skills?"

"Objectively speaking, she's much better than me," Lu Ying said sullenly.

"Did any romantic moments happen when you were together?" Shen Qingyao winked.

"Ugh, don't even mention it. We were both so nervous, the whole conversation was awkward." Lu Ying waved her hand.

"That's right!" Shen Qingyao slapped her thigh. "Only when facing someone you like will you hesitate and feel helpless."

She took a sip of her milk tea, winked mischievously, and said, "Oh no, you've fallen in love."

Lu Ying blushed at her words and quickly changed the subject: "Let's not talk about me anymore, let's talk about you, how's your skiing going?"

"Not bad, I can skate on the beginner slope by myself now!" Shen Qingyao proudly raised her chin.

"And then you gloriously twisted your ankle?" Lu Ying bluntly exposed his lie.

"I was originally planning to challenge the intermediate level the next day!" Shen Qingyao coughed twice, trying to save face.

"Wow, that's amazing!"

"By the way, didn't you go to Dali a while ago?" Lu Ying suddenly remembered this.

"Yes, Sister Fang is staying in Dali, and I went to keep her company for a few days."

"How is she now? Is she still the same?"

"Enjoying the mountains and rivers, drinking tea and reading books, living in the moment, it's so pleasant," Shen Qingyao summarized with a smile. "I brought you gifts, I'll have Zhang Ma give them to you in a bit."

"Yay!" Lu Ying's eyes lit up, then she remembered something, "Oh right, my cousin and Miss Su are getting married!"

"I know," Shen Qingyao nodded. "They mentioned while they were skiing that Miss Su invited me."

"Are you going to the wedding?"

"I won't go." Shen Qingyao shook her head and listed her reasons: "First, given my relationship with Sister Fang, it would be awkward if I went; second, my foot is injured and it's inconvenient for me to go out; third, Ayu said that since it's the first time he's introducing me to his family elders, it should be more formal and not take advantage of other people's occasions."

Lu Ying clicked her tongue in admiration, her eyes filled with envy: "Jiang Yu is so thoughtful! Yao Yao, you're so lucky!"

"Oh dear, don't tease me." Shen Qingyao's cheeks flushed.

"By the way, I haven't asked you yet, what's your blind date's name?"

"What, are you going to help me find out about his character?" Lu Ying raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, what if Ayu knows someone? He has a wide circle of connections, he can help you find out."

"Thank you in advance. His name is Gu Xizhou."

"Okay, I got it!"

The two chatted for a while longer before Lu Ying glanced at the time and said, "Yao Yao, I have something to do this afternoon, so I need to go back and pack up. I'll be going now."

"Okay, bye-bye." Shen Qingyao waved to her and called out, "Aunt Zhang, please help deliver Yingying."

"Okay." Zhang Ma came out of the kitchen.

-

Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting dappled shadows on the floor.

Aunt Zhang carried a plate of cut fruit into the living room, her tone respectful: "Miss, the housekeeper said there are quite a few gifts from brands piled up downstairs, and he's asking what you'd like to do with them?"

"Bring them all up, I'll open them and take a look," Shen Qingyao said casually.

"OK."

Before long, a dozen butlers filed in, each carrying several exquisitely packaged gift boxes. The dozens of boxes quickly piled up into a small mountain in the living room, all bearing the logos of luxury brands.

"Aunt Zhang, please help me open them all," Shen Qingyao said, resting her chin on her hand.

"Yes, Miss." Zhang Ma called over two maids, who quickly opened the gift box.

The unwrapped gifts were laid out in a row on the carpet, a dazzling array of perfumes, decorations, tableware, cosmetics, and skincare products.

Shen Qingyao glanced at them and pointed to two boxes of scented candles: "Put these Mason Magellan and Tiptick candles on my dressing table. Keep the rest if you like them, and get rid of the rest if you don't."

"Yes, Miss," Zhang Ma replied, and the servants' eyes were full of smiles.