Make Her Heart Flutter - Chapter 7

Damn! A heart-sniper attack!

Jiang Qi silently retreated to the living room. Chi Shuang deliberately poked her head out from the kitchen: “It’s hanging on the wardrobe in my room. Go get it.”

Before Jiang Qi could refuse, Chi Shuang had already disappeared back into the kitchen.

Jiang Qi stood rigidly, blinking twice in a daze. Chi Shuang wanted her… to go into her room? How could she just barge into an Omega’s room like that?

Just as she was torn between fetching it or not, Yan Xu and Tang Qiluo arrived, having changed into clean, fresh clothes. Upon hearing Chi Shuang mention playing badminton, both agreed it was good exercise.

That was true, but still, wasn’t anyone considering whether it was appropriate for her to go get the racket? Jiang Qi thought for a moment. Two opposite-sex Betas probably wouldn’t be any more suitable. And so, left with no choice, she had no option but to go upstairs to fetch the badminton racket.

She had never felt climbing the stairs to be such an arduous process. Chi Shuang’s door wasn’t locked. She gently pushed it open, and the sweet scent of chocolate milk washed over her, followed by a subtle, intoxicating hint of whiskey.

Probably Chi Shuang’s pheromones, Jiang Qi thought to herself, a faint blush unconsciously rising on her usually cool and detached face. The scent felt strangely familiar, yet she couldn’t quite place it.

Chi Shuang’s room was tidy and clean. A few books were placed by the bedside, with a bookmark tucked in the middle of the top one, clearly the one she was currently reading.

The badminton racket was conspicuous; Jiang Qi spotted it as soon as she entered. She didn’t linger, grabbing the racket and stepping out.

Downstairs, the two were already waiting for her. Tang Qiluo took the racket: “Winners stay on, losers step down, and we rotate. How about you two go first for the first round?”

Jiang Qi nodded: “Sure.”

She wasn’t bad at badminton, though that was back in her school days. After years without playing, she felt a bit eager to give it a try.

Yan Xu, who appeared delicate and frail, was apparently almost recruited as a sports scholarship student in high school. The reason she didn’t end up going that route was because she got into a top-tier art academy in the country.

The courtyard arranged by the program crew was spacious, plenty big enough for the three of them to play around in. Jiang Qi and Yan Xu stood on opposite sides. Tang Qiluo tossed the shuttlecock to Yan Xu: “You serve first.”

Just then, Shang Chumu stepped over and shouted loudly: “Go, Sister Jiang!”

Tang Qiluo raised an eyebrow, went over, slung an arm around Shang Chumu’s neck, and roughly ruffled his hair with his other hand: “Kid, aren’t you supposed to be helping your Sister Chi? Slacking off here?”

“I’m not slacking off!” Shang Chumu retorted, then added, “I’ve already washed the vegetables. My job’s done.”

As he spoke, a wisp of smoke began to rise from the kitchen chimney behind them.

Tang Qiluo laughed: “What about Ranran? She can come watch the game too.”

Shang Chumu glanced back: “Ranran? She wants to stay with her goddess.”

Tang Qiluo had to admit, Chi Shuang was the most beautiful Omega he had ever seen. They’d filmed together on set before, and she was genuinely kind and gentle. But this time, she seemed to give off a slightly different vibe than before.

“Whoa, whoa! My Sister Jiang is super cool!” No matter what, Shang Chumu was always ready with his rainbow-flavored compliments.

While Tang Qiluo was lost in thought, Yan Xu and Jiang Qi had already exchanged several rounds. They were evenly matched, and Jiang Qi was thoroughly enjoying the game.

As a former sports scholarship candidate, Yan Xu was starting to see Jiang Qi in a new light: “I didn’t expect you to be this good at badminton.”

“I practiced for a while back when I was in school.” Even after playing for so long, Jiang Qi’s voice remained steady, her tone light and calm.

“Which school did you graduate from, Xiao Qi?” Yan Xu asked curiously.

The two of them managed to chat while exchanging shots, a feat that left Tang Qiluo deeply impressed.

Jiang Qi had grown accustomed to the nickname by now. Ever since Chi Shuang started calling her that, everyone except the two younger ones had begun referring to her as Xiao Qi.

“J University,” Jiang Qi replied casually. Due to the hot weather, a thin layer of sweat had already formed on her forehead.

Yan Xu let out a soft “wow” before saying, “A world-class top-tier university. I wouldn’t be able to get in even in eight lifetimes. That’s really impressive!”

“It’s nothing much,” Jiang Qi said, though inwardly she felt a surge of pride. Back in her school days, she had been an unrivaled genius. The principal had openly praised her at the graduation ceremony, even declaring that there wouldn’t be another talent like her for five generations before or after.

Jiang Qi’s mind wandered briefly, but her movements remained steady and powerful. As she swung the racket, the smooth muscle lines on her arm were clearly visible.

The two played for over half an hour, only stopping when Chi Shuang’s voice called them for dinner. In the end, neither emerged as the clear winner, but they had certainly developed a better impression of each other.

“Let’s continue next time,” Yan Xu said, wiping the sweat from his forehead and speaking to Jiang Qi with sincere earnestness.

“Sure!” Jiang Qi, unafraid of a challenge, agreed immediately. “I’d be delighted.”

Watching the two finish their match, Shang Chumu’s eyes sparkled with admiration. “Wow, Sister Jiang is so cool! Brother Yan is amazing too!”

Yan Xu, having grown more familiar with them, was no longer as shy as he had been in the morning. “Want to give it a try?”

A look of longing appeared on Shang Chumu’s face. “I do… but I don’t know how.”

“No problem, I can teach you,” Yan Xu said with a smile, demonstrating a swinging motion with the racket. “It’s really simple.”

Shang Chumu’s eyes lit up for a moment before he sighed. “Never mind. Omegas just don’t have the same physical stamina as Alphas and Betas.”

Jiang Qi and Yan Xu exchanged a glance but said nothing. Tang Qiluo stepped forward and slung an arm over Yan Xu’s shoulder. “So unfair, I didn’t even get a turn. I thought you two were as mediocre as me.”

Yan Xu grinned, his eyes crinkling, and removed the hand from his shoulder. “I’ll let you go first next time. I’ve just worked up a sweat.”

Tang Qiluo shrugged. “I don’t want to play with you two. I’ll go pick on Xiao Shuang instead.”

Hearing the keyword, Jiang Qi’s expression turned even colder. For some reason, a wave of inexplicable emotions surged within her, annoyance, irritation. And to think, her first impression of Tang Qiluo had been that of a refined gentleman.

Tang Qiluo suddenly felt a chill from nowhere and shrank his neck, glancing around but finding nothing amiss. The only thing he noticed was Jiang Qi’s increasingly sour expression. Before he could ponder it further, his thoughts were interrupted by the enticing aroma wafting toward him.

Shang Chumu swallowed. “It smells amazing.”

Chi Shuang placed the last bowl on the table and untied the apron from her waist. “Today’s meal is pretty simple, tomato sauce noodles. I hope you like it.”

“It smells incredible just from the aroma, Sister Chi! You’re amazing!” Shang Chumu’s eyes hadn’t left the bowls since he entered the room.

“Of course, you have to see who made it!” Little fan Jiang Ran continued to gaze at Chi Shuang with starry eyes, looking as if she shared in the glory.