After The Beautiful Drama Queen’s Marriage To The Wealthy Tycoon - Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Going on a Date

Even though they hadn’t swapped secrets, Jiang He could feel that his relationship with Qi Hanchuan had grown slightly closer. His kidnapping was never a secret anyway; it had caused quite a stir back then, so there was no way Qi Hanchuan didn’t know. Telling him wasn’t a big deal.

However, he truly wanted to help Qi Hanchuan improve his relationship with the Old Master. There was no need for a biological father and son to be at odds like that; it wasn’t as if they had a blood feud. If the Old Master truly had no feelings for Qi Hanchuan, he wouldn’t have kept him by his side to raise and teach him personally. Neither was strictly wrong; if anything, the age gap was just too large, leading to some issues in their education style.

“Sigh…”

Hearing him sigh, Fang Zhiyi handed Jiang He a kitten. “Why the long face? Still haven’t recovered?”

Both had been exhausted lately. Fang Zhiyi had school and the rescue station to worry about, while Jiang He had to oversee the cat café’s expansion and renovation, all while visiting the rescue station daily.

Jiang He gave the kitten a few pets and slumped lazily onto the table. “No, I’m just thinking about Qi Hanchuan’s situation.”

Fang Zhiyi sat down across from him. “Did you two fight again?”

Jiang He shook his head. “No, I’m just thinking about how to fix the relationship between him and his father.”

The main issue was that Qi Hanchuan wasn’t willing to talk much, leaving Jiang He with nowhere to start.

Fang Zhiyi thought for a moment and said slowly, “Don’t force these things. If he wants your help, he’ll ask. If you rush in, it might backfire.”

Jiang He was warm-hearted, but not everyone necessarily wanted that heat.

Jiang He leaned back, lifted the kitten in the air, gave it a little wiggle, and placed it back on his stomach. “I know. That’s why it’s annoying.”

Fang Zhiyi made a cup of instant coffee for him. “Just let nature take its course. Don’t let it stress you out. Since we finally have some free time, relax for a few days.”

Jiang He took a deep breath, sat up, and patted his own face. “You’re right. I can’t let this bother me. Today, I’m going to go play at your university!”

Fang Zhiyi turned to prepare lunch for the animals. “Fine. Once I’m done, we’ll go together. I borrowed that book you wanted to read; I’ll give it to you then.”

Jiang He stood up to help. “I’ll stay in your dorm tonight.”

Fang Zhiyi didn’t refuse, but asked, “The dorm beds are small. Can you get used to it?”

Jiang He bumped his shoulder against Fang Zhiyi’s. “Listen to you. It’s not like I never went to college.”

Fang Zhiyi smiled. “When you were in college, you didn’t live on campus.”

Jiang He placed the cat food in its designated spot. “Doesn’t matter. Anyway, I’m not going home tonight.”

Fang Zhiyi leaned against a cage, a kitten perched on his shoulder. “Aren’t you afraid your husband will get the wrong idea?”

Jiang He rolled his eyes. “You’re a ‘0’ bottom. What is there for him to worry about?”

Seeing Fang Zhiyi’s expression, Jiang He leaned in mischievously. “Wait, are you not a 0 anymore?”

Fang Zhiyi gave a skin-deep smile. “For now, I still am.”

Jiang He laughed loudly and threw an arm around his friend’s shoulder. “Think about it—I’m a 0.5 and you’re a 0. We’d actually make a pretty good pair.”

Fang Zhiyi raised an eyebrow. “Since when did you become a 0.5?”

Jiang He waved it off. “Not long ago. It’s a long story.”

Best not to mention Qi Hanchuan’s ‘hidden ailment’ impotence; that’s his privacy.

Fang Zhiyi looked puzzled but didn’t pry, assuming it was just a lie Jiang He told to feel superior.

Once they finished, they headed to the university where Fang Zhiyi was doing his graduate studies. However, Jiang He didn’t get to sleep in the dorm. As soon as Qi Hanchuan finished work, he drove directly to the school gate to pick him up.

Fang Zhiyi teased with a smile, “Looks like your husband isn’t comfortable letting you stay with me.”

Jiang He guessed, “He probably has something important.”

But when he met Qi Hanchuan, the man said nothing was wrong; he was just “passing by.”

Jiang He frowned. “Your company is in the North of the city. The University Town is in the East. How is this ‘on the way’?”

Qi Hanchuan remained expressionless. “I was meeting a client nearby.”

Jiang He didn’t doubt him further but grumbled, “But I told you I was staying with Fang Zhiyi. I sent you a message.”

“I didn’t check my phone,” Qi Hanchuan replied flatly. “I didn’t know.”

A flash of disappointment crossed Jiang He’s eyes. “Fine. I’ll visit him next time then.” He had wanted to catch up with Fang Zhiyi to see if the Fang family had been bullying him lately.

Qi Hanchuan frowned slightly. “Why not invite him to stay at our house?” He didn’t like the idea of Jiang He staying in a dorm; it didn’t feel safe.

In reality, he had seen the message, and he wasn’t meeting a client. He had come specifically to get him.

Jiang He sighed, leaning his chin on his hand. “He’s busy. He has to be in the lab early tomorrow. Maybe in a few days.”

Qi Hanchuan didn’t push it. Instead, he asked, “Do you want to eat at home or go out?”

On a whim, Jiang He said, “Qi Hanchuan, let’s go on a date.”

Qi Hanchuan:

Jiang He was excited. “Let’s go on a date! we haven’t had one yet.”

Qi Hanchuan was becoming accustomed to Jiang He’s whims, but he truly hadn’t expected a request for a date. In his mind, dates were for couples. He and Jiang He…

Looking at those sparkling eyes, Qi Hanchuan could only say, “I’ll have someone arrange it.”

Jiang He waved it off. “No arrangements. Let’s just wing it. Dinner, then a movie, then the amusement park. If there’s time, we’ll just wander around.”

Qi Hanchuan put his phone away. “As you wish.”

Jiang He was satisfied and asked curiously, “Have you ever been on a date with anyone before?”

Qi Hanchuan looked at him and said nothing.

Jiang He leaned in, smelling the cedar fragrance of Qi Hanchuan’s cologne. “Have you?”

Qi Hanchuan retracted his gaze. “No.”

Jiang He nodded with satisfaction. “Excellent. This is my first time too. Is your first kiss still available? Just in case the atmosphere gets right and we need to kiss or something…”

Seeing him get more and more outrageous, Qi Hanchuan had to speak up: “If you’re going to act like this, we’re going home.”

Jiang He huffed. “You’re so unromantic. I was just asking.”

The “unromantic” Qi Hanchuan became even more so by starting to handle work emails, appearing as if he didn’t want to talk.

But Jiang He wouldn’t give up. “So, you’ve never been in a relationship, right?” He knew the answer, but he loved to tease. When no answer came, he wasn’t deterred. A glint of mischief flashed in his eyes.

“I have,” Jiang He said proudly, holding up ten fingers. “Ten of them.”

Qi Hanchuan remained expressionless and silent. Jiang He assumed he was intimidated. He patted Qi Hanchuan’s arm. “Don’t feel inferior. When you’re this charming, people just flock to you everywhere.”

They went back to the same restaurant Jiang He liked. Since it was autumn, the night air was cool, and the view from the 18th floor was beautiful. Jiang He ate quite a bit. Qi Hanchuan was mentally calculating whether he should hire the restaurant’s chef to work at home, but then Jiang He began critiquing the dishes.

Only one or two items received praise; he complained about all the others. Never mind about the chef then, Qi Hanchuan thought.

After finishing his critique, Jiang He leaned back. “The juice was good.”

Seeing Qi Hanchuan’s face, Jiang He asked, “Hubby, you don’t think I’m too picky, do you?”

Qi Hanchuan knew that if he answered, a hundred more questions would follow. He changed the subject: “To the movies next?”

Jiang He picked a romance movie at random. Because he insisted on things being “casual,” Qi Hanchuan hadn’t cleared the theater. They were spotted by onlookers, and within minutes, the news was spreading through high society circles.

Jiang He wasn’t paying attention to the gossip. The movie turned out to be a tragedy. He felt quite miserable and left the theater with red-rimmed eyes.

Qi Hanchuan, who rarely watched romance movies, hadn’t known it would be a sad one. Seeing Jiang He’s teary eyes, he asked softly, “Do you want ice cream?”

He remembered Jiang He liked it, but Jiang Xu had warned him not to let the boy eat too much, so Qi Hanchuan hadn’t bought him any lately.

Jiang He looked up, his lashes damp. “I want two.”

Qi Hanchuan went to buy them personally at Jiang He’s request: strawberry and matcha. Jiang He sat on a bench in the hallway, looking like he wouldn’t budge until he got his treats.

When Qi Hanchuan returned, Jiang He only finished one and gave the other to Qi Hanchuan. “It’s melting! Hurry up and eat it,” Jiang He urged.

Qi Hanchuan took a bite and frowned deeply. The texture was poor, tasting purely of additives. He couldn’t understand the appeal.

“Give it to me if you don’t like it!” Jiang He snatched it back and took a large bite right where Qi Hanchuan had bitten. “It’s delicious! You just don’t know how to enjoy life.”

Qi Hanchuan watched him eat and reminded him, “Don’t eat too much.”

The amusement park was crowded, and since it was night, they didn’t get to do many attractions. Qi Hanchuan didn’t really play; he just stayed by Jiang He’s side. After the carousel, Jiang He lost interest and complained that Qi Hanchuan was “boring.”

Qi Hanchuan didn’t argue. He followed Jiang He out, mentally reviewing the date. Aside from not buying a third ice cream, he didn’t think he had done anything wrong.

They were about to head home when they passed a DIY craft shop. Jiang He insisted on going in.

While Jiang He was busy, Qi Hanchuan remembered his secretary, Zhou Yu, saying that a date required flowers. Since Jiang He seemed unhappy at the amusement park, Qi Hanchuan sent Zhou Yu a message to find a nearby florist, buy a bouquet, and put it in the car. He also told him to pick up a gift.

Since he had agreed to come out with Jiang He, he naturally wanted him to be happy.