My Favorite Ship Became My Sister-in-Law - Chapter 3

Catching the faint fragrance from Shi Yue’s breath and seeing the spark of expectation in his bright eyes, Ji Chenchuan momentarily drifted into a daze. After two years apart, Shi Yue was no longer that little child who did nothing but follow him around, crying out “Chenchuan-gege.”

He had grown up; he even knew how to mix drinks now.

“Not bad. Who did you learn that from?” “My dad. You couldn’t tell, could you?” “I really couldn’t. I thought Uncle Shi only drank white liquor.” “Hehe, you can’t judge a book by its cover.” “True.” “So, do you like it? My dad taught me many kinds, and they are all very delicious.” “It is alright.” “Then I will go to the supermarket right now to buy the ingredients and mix some for you!” Hearing that Ji Chenchuan liked it, Shi Yue became incredibly excited and prepared to head to the store.

Ji Chenchuan quickly pressed a hand onto Shi Yue’s shoulder, forcing him to sit back down. “Eat first. When there is an opportunity later, I will definitely let you show off your skills.” “Alright! Then it is a deal. Once I have the ingredients, I will mix them for you, and you must drink every drop.” “Okay.” “But I know how to make over ten kinds. Drinking them all might be too much. I think I will just let you have a sip of each instead.” “Sure, whatever works.”

Ji Zhiruo sat separated from them by He Lin and Feng Liuyu. Watching Shi Yue whisper to Ji Chenchuan made her feel uncomfortable. This was clearly her own brother, so why was Shi Yue more intimate with him than she was? Too lazy to swap seats, she simply squeezed her dining chair directly between Shi Yue and Ji Chenchuan.

“What are you two talking about? Brother, I want to hear too.” Since Shi Yue and Ji Chenchuan had just finished their topic, both remained silent when she interrupted. “As soon as I arrive, you stop talking. You are actually marginalizing me! Believe it or not, I will cry right here.” Ji Zhiruo blinked her lively eyes in disbelief, looking from Ji Chenchuan to Shi Yue. The two men looked back with innocent expressions.

Ji Zhiruo clenched her teeth in feigned frustration and jokingly punched Shi Yue twice. She would not dare offend Ji Chenchuan, so she grabbed his arm and acted spoiled, shamelessly insisting they tell her what they had been discussing. Shi Yue eventually gave in and told her. The four parents, seeing the three children so close, all smiled with affection.

The meal lasted for three full hours, finally ending around ten o’clock.

After Ji Chenchuan finished his shower, he did not immediately organize his luggage. Instead, he went to find Ji Shengqiang.

Graduating from university meant a change in identity. He was no longer a carefree student but a young man who had to strive for a livelihood and a career. Ji Chenchuan had not told his parents that he had turned down the opportunity to continue his studies and teach at Zhejiang University. He felt that such a life was uninteresting, as one could see the end of the road from the very beginning.

The Ji family was in the business sector. Ji Shengqiang owned the largest shop in the city’s primary construction materials market. Consequently, the family possessed a fair amount of wealth. As long as he avoided vices like gambling or drugs, Ji Chenchuan could live a superior life even if he chose to be idle.

However, Ji Chenchuan was not lazy. He possessed a strong sense of ambition and wanted to start his own business. Since his freshman year, he had been contemplating his career path. After years of observing the industry, he decided to open an interior design and renovation company. He shared his thoughts with his father.

According to his research, several large residential complexes in Lincheng would begin delivering finished units early next year. These properties were relatively affordable, leading to a surge in buyers from out of town. These buyers generally lacked the time to manage renovations due to work, and most were completely ignorant of the industry. Therefore, the renovation industry was set to welcome an unprecedented “lazy economy,” where owners would hand over their homes entirely to a company and only expect to move in once everything was finished.

To achieve a “broom-in-hand” move-in experience, soft furnishings and decor were essential alongside the hard construction. Most current companies only provided structural services. Ji Chenchuan believed that offering a full interior decor service would be a highly competitive entry point. He saw the potential in this industry and was determined to pursue it.

After listening, Ji Shengqiang agreed that this was a promising investment opportunity. Since his own business dealt with tiles and stone, they already had a market advantage. All Ji Chenchuan needed were decor partners and capital. However, opening a decent renovation company required at least a million-dollar investment. While this was not an impossible sum for Ji Shengqiang, it was not small either. Given Ji Chenchuan’s youth and lack of experience, his father had to act as a gatekeeper.

Ji Shengqiang asked Ji Chenchuan to work at the shop for six months first to gain a thorough understanding of the industry. If he could prove he could establish a foothold, his father would provide full support. Ji Chenchuan did not argue; his father’s concerns were logical. No matter how brilliant an idea sounded, it remained a theory until put into practice.

“Thank you, Dad. Starting tomorrow, I will go to the shop with you.” “There is no need to be in such a hurry. You just graduated. Take some time to rest, or I can give you money to go traveling. Enjoy the last of your carefree student days before you start working.” “I am not interested in traveling. I would rather go to work with you.” “You child, ever since you were young, your biggest flaw has been being too serious.” Ji Shengqiang patted his son’s shoulder, feeling both proud and a bit melancholic.

With his career direction settled, the heavy stone in Ji Chenchuan’s heart finally lifted. He returned to his room and saw it was nearly one in the morning. Realizing he had to work tomorrow, he meticulously organized his clothes into the wardrobe before lying down. Just as he was about to sleep, his phone on the nightstand notified him of a new message.

He knew it was Shi Yue; only Shi Yue would contact him this late. He picked up the phone and saw eleven new messages on WeChat. Frowning slightly, he scrolled up.

23:00 “Chenchuan-ge, what are your plans for tomorrow?” “No matter what you do, remember to call me.”

The third message was a photo of several math papers on a desk. “Three sets.” “Chenchuan-ge, time me and see if I can finish them all in two hours.” “If I finish them, I won’t have to look at them tomorrow.”

00:50 “Mission accomplished! Finished ten minutes early. Pretty impressive, right? Hehe!”

Seeing this, Ji Chenchuan could not help but smile. The speed was indeed fast, though he wondered how many answers were actually correct.

01:18 “Are you asleep, Chenchuan-ge?” “You haven’t replied to me.” “Fine, you must be asleep.”

The final message, sent just now, was a sticker of a cute cat tucked into bed with the words “Goodnight.”

Looking at the screen full of content, Ji Chenchuan initially wanted to reply but hesitated. He turned off the screen and put the phone back. Knowing Shi Yue, a single reply would lead to a never-ending conversation. He had to work tomorrow and had no time to play along.

The next morning, Ji Chenchuan returned from his morning run at seven o’clock to find his father already awake. The drive to the shop took thirty minutes without traffic. Although they were the owners, Ji Shengqiang was a former soldier with a strict sense of punctuality. To avoid being late for the 8:30 opening, he usually left twenty minutes early, around 7:40.

Ji Chenchuan quickly showered and changed into loose clothing within five minutes. In the dining room, his father had already cooked noodles. Just as they were about to eat, there was a knock at the door.

The father and son exchanged a look. Ji Shengqiang smiled. “I bet that is Shi Yue. Go open the door.”

Ji Chenchuan put down his chopsticks and walked to the door. Habitually checking the peephole, he saw it was indeed Shi Yue. First, a large nose appeared in view, followed by a face swaying back and forth. Shi Yue had a toothbrush in his mouth, toothpaste foam hanging from his lips, and looked as if he hadn’t fully woken up.

Ji Chenchuan frowned slightly and opened the door.

Shi Yue was wearing light gray cotton pajamas. The well-tailored collar accentuated his clear collarbones, and on his fair neck, his Adam’s apple was clearly visible. It moved slightly as his muffled voice reached Ji Chenchuan’s ears.

“Morning, Chenchuan-ge. Did you see the messages I sent last night?” The two stood, one inside the doorway and one outside.

“Morning. I saw them.” Ji Chenchuan shifted his gaze away from Shi Yue’s throat. “Did you see them last night or this morning? Why didn’t you reply?” Shi Yue asked in a rapid-fire sequence.

Because of the toothbrush and his high speed of speaking, Ji Chenchuan could not understand him clearly. Furthermore, he ended up being sprayed with toothpaste foam. Looking at the dozen or so white spots on his fresh black T-shirt, Ji Chenchuan did not know whether to laugh or cry.

“Go brush your teeth first. I can’t understand a word you are saying.” Shi Yue did not notice the mess he had made. Hearing that he wasn’t being understood, he pulled the toothbrush out and wiped his mouth with his pajama sleeve.

“I asked if you saw the messages last night or this morning! But that isn’t important now. What matters is: what are your plans for today?”

Ji Chenchuan looked at the dollop of white foam on Shi Yue’s sleeve with a complicated expression. He had a slight streak of perfectionism and felt a strong urge to wipe it clean for him, but he restrained himself. “I am going to the shop to work with my father.”

“Work?” “Yes.” “No way!” Shi Yue looked at him in disbelief. “You just got back yesterday and you are working today? I thought you would at least rest for a while to say a proper goodbye to your student status.”

“There is nothing to say goodbye to. It was just a phase,” Ji Chenchuan said indifferently.

Shi Yue’s shoulders slumped in disappointment. “Fine. Work it is. But this is your first day transitioning from a student to a working professional. I am coming with you.”

Just as Ji Chenchuan was about to speak, Shi Yue cut him off. “No rejections!” Shi Yue preempted him. “To clear my schedule for today, I stayed up late to finish three sets of math papers. Three whole sets! Do you know what that means?”

Ji Chenchuan had forgotten what finishing three sets of papers felt like since graduating high school. However, seeing the little kid who used to cry and follow him around suddenly becoming so assertive taught him a different lesson: it meant rejection was invalid.

“Hmph. I am not just coming with you today. I am going to accompany you for every ‘first time’ you have from now on,” Shi Yue said, looking up.

“You’re crazy. If you’re going to be there for every first time, will you accompany my brother on his wedding night too?”