Edge of A Burning Kiss - Chapter 9

Xia Jin knew she was in the wrong, so she could only force an awkward smile and help pick up the lunchbox.

But the battered lid of the lunchbox chose that moment to come loose, and the meticulously arranged meal inside, soup and all, spilled right out of Xia Jin’s hands.

The worst part? Some of the soup splashed onto Guan Yunshi’s custom-made white dress.

How on earth had she ended up raising such a ruinous dog like Fanbao? That dress Guan Yunshi was wearing could buy a lifetime’s worth of dog food for him.

This was it, she was completely screwed.

That was the only thought left in Xia Jin’s mind, barely registering the scalding soup on her own hand.

Guan Yunshi stared at the stain on her skirt, nearly losing her mind.

This was a brand-new Chanel dress, she’d spent a fortune and pulled strings to get it. The money wasn’t the issue; the real problem was that once stained, the dress was as good as ruined. How was she supposed to show off in front of her socialite friends now?

The atmosphere in the room turned painfully awkward. Even Fanbao froze in place, as if aware he’d done something wrong.

Just as Guan Yunshi was about to unleash her spoiled-rich-girl temper, she spotted Qin Yu striding over with a look of urgency.

Thinking he was rushing over to console her, Guan Yunshi quickly reined in her anger and looked up at Qin Yu with pitiful eyes. “Brother Yu, my knee hurts so much…”

But Qin Yu didn’t even glance at her. Instead, his brows furrowed as he stared at the reddened back of Xia Jin’s hand.

“What are you standing around for? Go rinse it with cold water. I’ll get you some ointment.”

Just as Qin Yu reached out to take Xia Jin’s wrist for a closer look, she swiftly dodged his grasp.

Was he kidding?!

Xia Jin was convinced Qin Yu was doing this on purpose. Guan Yunshi’s glare was practically slicing Fanbao into a thousand pieces.

And now Qin Yu had the audacity to grab her hand? Wasn’t this just redirecting the disaster, setting her up to take the fall for Guan Yunshi’s wrath?

Xia Jin scrambled backward several steps, putting distance between herself and the two of them. “Don’t worry about me! I’ll clean this up myself. Qin Yu, you should take Miss Guan and go.”

Qin Yu frowned, still unconvinced. “Go rinse your hand first.”

Guan Yunshi had never seen Qin Yu show this much concern for any girl before. Xia Jin had merely been scalded, yet the usually composed Qin Yu was acting uncharacteristically flustered and anxious.

Xia Jin could feel Guan Yunshi’s dagger-like gaze and inwardly sighed. Why wasn’t Guan Yunshi glaring at Qin Yu to shut him up instead?

If Qin Yu just kept his mouth closed, everyone would be happy, wouldn’t they?

“I’ll go rinse it! You two talk! You two talk!” Xia Jin forced another awkward smile before hastily fleeing to the bathroom, leaving the living room to them.

Qin Yu instinctively moved to follow Xia Jin but was stopped by Guan Yunshi grabbing his arm.

“Brother Yu!” The young heiress had never been this aggrieved before. “Brother Yu, my leg really hurts. Can you take me to the hospital?”

Qin Yu took a step back, putting distance between them. “I’ve already called your brother to pick you up. Don’t come looking for me unless it’s important, no, scratch that. Even if it’s important, don’t come looking for me.”

Guan Yunshi bit her lower lip, looking utterly pitiful. “Brother Yu, this time, it was Grandpa Qin who asked me to come see you. Don’t blame me, okay?”

Qin Yu was growing impatient with her persistence. “So, you’re saying I should blame the old man instead? He’s lived long enough to end up taking the fall for you?”

“That’s not what I meant!” Guan Yunshi was on the verge of tears.

Just as she tried to cling to Qin Yu again, her phone rang.

When Guan Yunshi saw the caller ID showing Guan Jiayou, despite her reluctance, she had no choice but to answer the call: “Brother, I told you I came to the capital just to find Qin Yu.”

Qin Yu couldn’t quite make out what Guan Jiayou was saying on the other end, but he could hear him yelling furiously at the top of his lungs.

“Close the door on your way out. Next time I see you, it won’t be as simple as just calling your brother over,” Qin Yu said, his gaze as distant as ever.

Guan Yunshi stomped her foot in frustration but had no choice but to leave, shooting Fanbao a glare on her way out. The little dog barked at her several times in response, clearly irritated.

Xia Jin watched as Qin Yu opened the bathroom door. She turned off the faucet and, after confirming there was no movement outside, whispered, “Is she gone?”

Qin Yu hummed in affirmation, leaning over to turn the faucet back on. He grabbed Xia Jin’s hand and continued rinsing it under the water.

Xia Jin sighed cautiously. “I saw the logo on her dress—the latest Chanel release. I could afford to compensate her, but finding an exact replacement would be impossible!”

Qin Yu finally couldn’t help but smirk, raising an eyebrow at her. “With the Xia family’s vast wealth, are you really worried about not being able to compensate her?”

Xia Jin couldn’t muster a smile, her expression troubled. “Just whose daughter is she? What happened today has definitely offended her. I’ll have to find a way to make it up to her with a gift later.”

“This is all your fault!” Xia Jin grew angrier the more she thought about it, yanking her hand away. “Let go! It’s all because of you! If you don’t like her, just say so. Why drag me into it? That girl was practically murdering me with her eyes, and you just stood there watching like it was nothing.”

Qin Yu opened his mouth to defend himself, but before he could speak,

Xia Jin’s phone rang. She shot him a glare, signaling him to shut up, and answered the call.

A cheerful woman’s voice came through the phone. “Xia Jin! I’m back in the country. You have no idea how stunning Lake Baikal is during the freezing season, the blue ice and frost patterns intertwining like something out of a fairy tale. Thank you so much for introducing me to such a professional guide. This trip has given me so much inspiration.”

Xia Jin smiled. “Really? Anli, that’s such a shame. If I weren’t swamped with work here, I would’ve loved to join you and see it for myself!”

“I’ve also reviewed your designer’s drafts, they’re full of creativity. I’d be very happy to collaborate with you. So, you absolutely must come to my welcome dinner tonight. 7:30 at Tiansong Hotel. Call me when you arrive, and I’ll come get you.”

“No problem…”

After a brief exchange, Anli hung up, citing her need to catch a ride.

Anli Garfield, a renowned German designer, had once collaborated with Xia Jin’s ex-boyfriend, Shen Du. Xia Jin had met her while accompanying Shen Du at the time.

But the reason Xia Jin was now so close to her was that she was personally funding a recent graduate’s fledgling fashion brand and was keen on securing a collaboration with Anli.

Qin Yu, having overheard the conversation, leaned against the doorframe and asked, “Since when does Stellar Cube dabble in the fashion industry? Is President Xia planning to switch careers now that you can’t compete with Lelai? If so, I’d be happy to acquire Stellar Cube for two billion.”

“Dream on. If President Qin finds the entertainment industry tough, why not let me spend two billion to acquire Lelai?” Xia Jin turned off the faucet and shook the water from her hands. “I invested in a graduate from A University, quite talented but lacking opportunities. He collaborated with his roommate, only to have his designs stolen. The roommate then joined forces with a wealthy, influential young lady, leaving no one to believe those designs were his in the first place.”

“Our President Xia certainly goes to great lengths to cherish talent.”