Make Her Heart Flutter - Chapter 21

So, where is the common ground?

A sudden flash of insight crossed Chi Shuang’s mind, too fleeting to grasp.

In both the second and third lifetimes, “Jiang Qi” had once wanted to mark her. Could that be what she was after?

No! Chi Shuang quickly dismissed this theory, her delicate brows furrowing once again.

This conclusion didn’t hold up in the first lifetime.

“Ahhhhhhh! Sister Chi, the grilled fish, the grilled fish!” The girl’s clear voice snapped Chi Shuang out of her thoughts.

While she had been lost in contemplation, she had kept adding firewood under the grill. Now, the space beneath the grill was so packed it was almost overflowing.

“Ah, sorry.” Chi Shuang quickly removed the unlit firewood, pursed her lips, and smiled apologetically. “Ranran, you’ve finished your bath? It’ll be a little while longer.”

“All done. Is there anything I can help with?” Jiang Ran crouched down, quietly inching closer to Chi Shuang.

Chi Shuang picked up a small fan and fanned the flames, tilting her head to look at her. “Go call your Brother Yan Xu and help bring out the small tea table.”

Jiang Ran nodded. Before stepping inside, she glanced back at Chi Shuang. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Sister Chi seemed a bit off today, her back looked so lonely.

Soon, the table was brought out. Not only had Jiang Qi prepared the sour fish stew, but she had also whipped up a small cold dish.

Two grilled fish were seasoned, one spicy and one mild. Tang Qiluo, seemingly out of nowhere, produced seven or eight bottles of alcohol: white liquor, red wine, and beer. “Quick, quick! I hid them in my suitcase. The production team doesn’t know.”

“Maybe take a look at the cameras around us,” Yan Xu said helplessly, nodding toward the camera.

Tang Qiluo shook his head, grinning foolishly. “It’s fine, we’ll just drink our share. How can you have grilled fish without beer?”

“Exactly! Grilled fish and alcohol are the perfect match!” Jiang Ran chirped excitedly, grabbing a bottle for herself.

Jiang Qi glanced at her and pinched her cheek. “Are you even 18? Are you an adult yet?”

Jiang Ran winced and leaned back to “retrieve” her face, then covered her cheek and complained to Chi Shuang, “Sister Chi, please control her.”

Chi Shuang lowered her eyes. “I can’t control her.”

Over on the other side, Shang Chumu and Tang Qiluo were discussing something and didn’t notice the exchange.

Jiang Ran hadn’t expected that kind of response. She blinked, paused for a moment, and then understood. She might be young, but she wasn’t clueless. It was clear now that something must have happened between Sister Jiang and Sister Chi.

Once she realized this, Jiang Ran wisely kept her distance.

Jiang Qi had never seen Chi Shuang like this before. In her memory, Chi Shuang was always a gentle angel, somewhat distant with strangers, but always polite.

This version of Chi Shuang… was she unhappy? Because of something she had said?

The thought made Jiang Qi’s heart ache. Getting close to her risked hurting her, but staying away might make her sad.

So, what should I do…?

Young Miss Jiang, at twenty-four years old, had always done as she pleased, driven by clear goals. If she wanted something, she would obtain it.

Never before had she felt so torn, wanting to pull away yet unable to resist drawing closer, as if fate itself was pulling them together, as if they were meant to be.

“Then it’s settled! How about that?” Shang Chumu raised an eyebrow and clapped his hands. “Let’s begin!”

“?” Jiang Qi belatedly realized something and turned to exchange a surprised look with Chi Shuang, only to find Jiang Ran sitting beside her instead.

Chi Shuang was lowering her head, lost in thought.

A sudden emptiness washed over Jiang Qi’s heart like a receding tide. Before melancholy could set in, someone tugged at her sleeve.

Shang Chumu produced a rotating compass: “Just eating is boring. Let’s play Truth or Dare, whoever the pointer lands on loses. You can choose truth or dare, or drink if you refuse both.”

“Great idea!” Jiang Ran chimed in eagerly. Mainly because the atmosphere around her had become too oppressive, she needed some fun to break the ice between the two cold figures flanking her.

Hearing the game rules, Jiang Qi stole a glance at Chi Shuang. The other woman was no longer looking down but listening attentively, a familiar smile playing at the corners of her lips that made Jiang Qi breathe a sigh of relief.

Seems she’s not angry anymore.

“Who should go first? Me! Then we’ll go clockwise, okay?” Shang Chumu answered his own question, pausing symbolically for two seconds before continuing: “No objections? Then it’s settled!”

With that, he spun the pointer. It whirled rapidly before gradually slowing down, finally coming to rest right in front of Jiang Ran.

Jiang Ran looked thrilled: “Is it me? Really me?”

“Yes, it’s you. So happy about it?” Yan Xu smiled affectionately.

Jiang Ran nodded vigorously at Yan Xu, then raised her hand: “I choose truth!”

Since Shang Chumu spun it, he would ask the question. The moment Jiang Ran chose truth, he revealed a deeply meaningful smile: “See? Fell right into my hands.”

Jiang Ran propped her chin, completely unfazed: “Hah, as if I’m scared of you!”

The two faced off like squabbling schoolchildren, making everyone chuckle.

“Alright, here’s my question! Is there anything you haven’t dared to tell your parents?” Shang Chumu asked with a grin.

“Something I haven’t dared to tell my parents?” Jiang Ran repeated, her expression instantly freezing. The question was, would her parents watch this variety show episode?

The answer was definitely yes. Her parents had always doted on her since childhood, and they wouldn’t miss this show for anything.

Wouldn’t that be suicidal?

Oh no, oh no… would she really have to reveal that she scored 41 points in her math final exam?

Seeing everyone in the circle watching her pitiful expression, Jiang Ran realized she’d truly brought this upon herself.

Well, a bet’s a bet, she still had sportsmanship. She spoke slowly: “Last semester I got last place in math and didn’t dare have my parents sign the test. I signed it myself, they still don’t know.”

“Impressive, Xiao Ranran!” Tang Qiluo immediately gave her a thumbs-up.

“Next round, next round!” Jiang Ran called out.

The following two rounds landed on Shang Chumu (who chose truth) and Yan Xu (who spun it onto himself and took a penalty drink).

“Who’s next?”

“It’s Xiao Qi’s turn, Xiao Qi spins!”

After several rounds like this, everyone had drunk some alcohol or been involved in some way, except Jiang Qi and Chi Shuang, who hadn’t been selected even once.

“This isn’t fair! How come Lady Luck favors you two so much? Are you her favorites?” After downing two consecutive drinks, Jiang Ran’s speech was already slightly slurred.

Perhaps because of these words, the pointer that Chi Shuang had just spun came to stop right in front of Jiang Qi.

Shang Chumu shouted several times, “Heaven’s way revolves in cycles.”