My Favorite Ship Became My Sister-in-Law - Chapter 2

The Pickup: Throwing Himself Into His Arms

Ji Chenchuan, dressed in a camel-colored trench coat paired with a white shirt, strode toward Shi Yue. His long, straight legs were partially hidden beneath the coat as he pulled a black suitcase. Reaching Shi Yue, he curled a slender finger and gave him a playful, light tap on the forehead. The movement of his coat released a pleasant, clean scent of fresh laundry.

“Brother Chenchuan, how could I possibly not recognize you?”

Overcome with excitement, Shi Yue lunged forward and pulled Ji Chenchuan into a tight hug.

The sudden embrace caught Ji Chenchuan off guard, causing him to stumble slightly before regaining his footing. He hadn’t expected that, even after all these years, Shi Yue would still like to “hang” on him just like he did as a child.

Ji Chenchuan looked somewhat helpless.

“When did you get here? My phone died and shut off,” Ji Chenchuan said. He calmly and naturally placed his large hands on Shi Yue’s shoulders to help him stand steady, effectively ending the enthusiastic hug.

Ji Chenchuan was the perfect embodiment of his parents’ excellent genes: his father’s tall stature and his mother’s beauty. Compared to the generally shorter inhabitants of the South, Shi Yue was already considered tall at 1.8 meters. However, standing before the 1.93-meter Ji Chenchuan, Shi Yue couldn’t help but appear somewhat petite.

“I got here early. There surprisingly wasn’t any traffic today; no wonder I couldn’t get through to your phone,” Shi Yue said.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting,” Ji Chenchuan said with a regretful tone and a smile. “Let’s go!”

With that, he walked side-by-side with Shi Yue toward the exit hall. The two were so striking that they drew a hundred percent turn-rate from passersby along the way.

“Are we taking a taxi back?” Shi Yue asked.

“No need. My mom and Ji Zhiruo drove here to pick me up. They are just outside,” Ji Chenchuan replied.

As the two exited the hall, they spotted a black Mercedes pulling up to the curb. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, the passenger door flew open. A girl of about sixteen or seventeen jumped out. She was gentle and sweet-looking, sharing about forty to fifty percent of her features with Ji Chenchuan, and was dressed in a white, Mori-style knee-length dress.

The moment she saw Ji Chenchuan, her eyes lit up. She rushed forward and, without a second thought, threw herself onto him.

“Brother! You are finally back! I missed you so much!”

“You are such a big girl now, why are you still always pouncing on your brother?” Ji Chenchuan laughed, patting Ji Zhiruo on the back and helping her stand upright.

“Because I missed you! Hehe!” Ji Zhiruo acted spoiled.

Ji Chenchuan shook his head with a smile but said nothing; he had always doted on her.

“Huh? Shi Da-Yue, when did you get here?” Ji Zhiruo finally noticed Shi Yue standing next to her brother and was visibly surprised.

“Me?” Shi Yue shrugged. “I have been here a while. I had nothing to do at home anyway.”

Upon hearing this, Ji Zhiruo’s expression immediately soured. “Shi Da-Yue, what is that supposed to mean?”

Seeing her face, Shi Yue knew this crazy girl was about to act up again. He quickly declared, “I did not say anything. If you want to go crazy, find someone else.”

“You did not say it out loud, but your words implied everything! You are showing off that because you are first in the grade, you do not need tutoring and could come pick up my brother early, while I, at the bottom of the grade, had to stay for tutoring and arrived late. Hmph! Just you wait. See if I do not work hard every day. One day, I will definitely knock you off that top spot!” Ji Zhiruo looked deeply aggrieved, making her vow with great determination.

Shi Yue was speechless at Ji Zhiruo’s nonsensical logic. He did not want to engage with her at all, but he knew the more you ignored her, the more fired up she got. The only way to get her to quiet down was to provoke her just enough to let her vent.

“Fine, I am waiting. I have been hearing you say that for eleven years since elementary school, and I have not seen a bit of progress.”

“You dare look down on me? Believe it or not, Shi Da-Yue, if I cannot beat you with brains, I will use brawn!”

Ji Zhiruo puffed out her cheeks in anger and rolled up her sleeves, looking ready for a fight. Despite her ladylike dress, her refined appearance could not hide the tough girl spirit in her bones.

“Full disclosure! A real man does not fight women. I am not fighting you,” Shi Yue said, grabbing Ji Chenchuan’s coat and hiding behind his back.

“A girl should be reserved. Do not go raising your fists all the time; you are not a little thug,” Ji Chenchuan said softly, patting Ji Zhiruo on the head.

Just like when they were kids, Ji Chenchuan was always the older brother Ji Zhiruo admired most. As long as he spoke, no matter how much fire she had in her, it would be extinguished instantly.

“I will let you off easy for my brother’s sake. Dare to provoke me again, and we will settle all our old and new scores at once!” Ji Zhiruo said to Shi Yue with a grin.

In truth, Ji Zhiruo was a paper tiger who only talked tough because she was pampered. She knew Shi Yue would not actually hit her, which gave her the courage to be so arrogant. Now that they were older, if Shi Yue actually got serious with her, ten Ji Zhiruos probably would not be a match for him.

After not seeing her son for two years, Feng Liuyu was desperate to see him. As soon as she parked the car, she hurried out and gave Ji Chenchuan a tearful hug; she only reached her son’s shoulder.

Since they could not park for long, the four quickly climbed into the car. Ladies first: Ji Zhiruo took the front passenger seat, while Ji Chenchuan and Shi Yue sat in the back.

The traffic moved slowly, which was normally annoying, but Shi Yue preferred it this way. It gave him more time to pester Ji Chenchuan with questions about university life: What time did he wake up? What did he eat for breakfast? Was the dorm far from the cafeteria?

If Shi Yue were to look back at their chat history, he would realize he had asked these questions at least ten times already. Nevertheless, Ji Chenchuan patiently answered him once more, showing no signs of irritation.

It was nearly six o’clock when they arrived home.

As the four stepped out of the elevator, they heard the laughter of Ji Shengqiang and another man coming from inside the apartment.

“My dad is here too?” Shi Yue asked, surprised.

“Not just your dad; your mom should be here as well,” Feng Liuyu said with a smile. “With laughter that loud, the door definitely is not closed.”

“Truly a rare sight! Dad actually got off work early today,” Ji Zhiruo teased.

“With your brother coming home today, of course your father would leave work early,” Feng Liuyu replied.

Feng Liuyu led the way. The door was indeed wide open. She entered first, followed by Ji Chenchuan, Shi Yue, and Ji Zhiruo.

At the dining table, Ji Shengqiang sat facing another man. The man was about forty-five or forty-six, sporting a stylish Balbo beard and wearing a Bodhi bead bracelet on his wrist. Dressed in a light apricot-colored, ink-wash Chinese style linen shirt, he exuded a strong artistic vibe. He was indeed a professional photographer.

Upon seeing Feng Liuyu and the others enter, the man quickly stood up and called out, “Sister-in-law, you are back.”

“Have not seen you in two years, Chenchuan. You have grown a lot taller, probably even taller than you now, Brother Ji!” After greeting Feng Liuyu, the man looked at Ji Chenchuan and smiled at Ji Shengqiang.

Ji Shengqiang turned to look at Ji Chenchuan. Seeing his son looking so distinguished, his eyes filled with undeniable pride. “I would say we are about even.”

“Uncle Shi,” Ji Chenchuan greeted the man.

The man was Shi Yue’s father, Shi Jingsong. He nodded happily in response.

“Is Xiaolin here?” Feng Liuyu asked, looking around the living room for He Lin.

“Of course I am here! For a big occasion like Chenchuan’s graduation, how could his Auntie He miss out?” Before Shi Jingsong could answer, He Lin poked her head out from the kitchen and spoke with a beaming smile.

He Lin was forty-one or forty-two, but she looked much younger, closer to thirty-four or thirty-five. She wore an apron over a sharp white suit, her hair pulled back into a low bun. Unlike the gentle Feng Liuyu, she gave off the aura of a capable career woman.

“Auntie He,” Ji Chenchuan greeted her.

He Lin responded warmly, her eyes full of admiration. She announced that the food was ready and it was time to serve the meal.

Everyone pitched in to set the table, bring out the dishes, and scoop the rice. As the guest of honor, Ji Chenchuan did not need to worry about these chores. He simply took his suitcase to his room and washed his hands. By the time he returned to the living room, everyone had already taken their places, waiting only for him.

The dining table was a round eight-seater. There was no formal seating arrangement; everyone sat where they liked.

“Sit here, Brother Chenchuan.”

Shi Yue had intentionally moved an extra chair away to leave an empty spot next to him, patting the seat as he called out.

“You child, you are so big now and yet you still love clinging to your Brother Chenchuan,” He Lin said with a laugh.

The other three adults looked at Shi Yue and burst into laughter. Shi Yue gave a silly, honest grin; he simply enjoyed being close to Ji Chenchuan.

“Speaking of which, Brother Ji, my Shi Yue could practically count as half a son to your Ji family,” Shi Jingsong said. “Whenever Xiaolin and I got buried in work, we would leave him at your place to be raised. They say a good neighbor is better than a distant relative, and that could not be truer. It is really fate that our families ended up together. Brother Ji, you are from the Northeast, and I am from Guangzhou. We come from opposite ends of the climate, yet we both chose to develop our careers here in Lincheng. We bought homes in the same community, on the same floor, and we are a perfect social match. Most importantly,” Shi Jingsong’s gaze swept over Shi Yue and Ji Zhiruo as he laughed loudly, “these two were born on the same day of the same month of the same year. This is truly an incredible destiny!”

When Shi Jingsong said they were a perfect match, he meant it literally. Their housing complex was a high-end development with five units per floor and three elevators. On their side of the hallway, there were three units; their families lived at opposite ends of the corridor. If both families opened their doors at the same time, they could see into each other’s balconies.

It was because of these many coincidences that the two families were so close.

“Is it not? This is what they call fate bringing people together from a thousand miles away,” Ji Shengqiang laughed, pouring a glass of liquor and clinking it against Shi Jingsong’s.

“Honestly, Brother Ji, I do not know what you and your wife think,” Shi Jingsong continued, the alcohol making him talkative. “Actually, Xiaolin and I would love nothing more than for Zhiruo and Yue-yue to hit it off. If they get married in the future, our two families will be joined by blood. We have watched Zhiruo grow up; we already love her like our own daughter. You would not have to worry about a thing.”

“That is for sure. As long as the two kids like each other, my wife and I have no objections,” Ji Shengqiang agreed.

Here we go again, Shi Yue thought, turning his head to the side.

He had heard this speech so many times he had calluses on his ears. Every time the families ate together, the conversation inevitably turned to him and Ji Zhiruo within three sentences. It was as if their neighborly bond relied entirely on the two of them acting as a bridge. Aside from discussing his and Ji Zhiruo’s vague future, it seemed the four adults had no other common topics.

In the past, Shi Yue would just let it go in one ear and out the other. But today, for some reason, he stole a glance at Ji Chenchuan and felt a sudden urge to stop his father. He did not want them to keep linking him with Ji Zhiruo at all.

“Dad, is not Brother Chenchuan the protagonist today? Should we not have a drink with him first?” Shi Yue skillfully interrupted his father’s rambling.

Shi Jingsong realized he had drifted off-topic. “Yes, yes, of course! Cheers, everyone! May Chenchuan have a brilliant start to his career and a future without limits.”

“Thank you, Uncle Shi,” Ji Chenchuan said.

Everyone raised their glasses for a toast. Ji Shengqiang and Shi Jingsong drank Moutai, while the others drank a cocktail mixed with rum, Minute Maid, and Oolong tea.

The resulting drink had a low alcohol content and was not intoxicating. After a sip, the palate was met not only with the aroma of rum but also a perfectly balanced fruit and tea fragrance. It left a faint, pleasant scent on the breath that made conversation very enjoyable.

“Is it good? Brother Chenchuan, I mixed it myself.”

Shi Yue blinked his dark, bright eyes, staring at Ji Chenchuan as he waited expectantly for his answer.