Seeing He Qing's serious demeanor, Chu Ge couldn't help but find it amusing. However, he didn't stand on ceremony and was the first to pick up his chopsticks. Once he took the first bite, the three beauties beside him followed suit.

The meal lasted over an hour. With the lively Qin Ruoying at the table and everyone being talkative, the atmosphere was anything but dull. By the time the meal concluded, it seemed as if they were lifelong friends.

After they had eaten and drank their fill, they chatted for a while longer, and then He Qing suggested leaving. Naturally, the task of taking her home fell to the only man present, Chu Ge.

Originally, Qin Ruojing had also wanted to see He Qing off, but a joking remark from He Qing made her too embarrassed to follow.

"Miss Qin, I'm just borrowing your boyfriend for a while. I promise I won't run off with him. You can't possibly be reluctant to part with Chu Ge even for a bit, right?"

Since He Qing said that, Qin Ruojing didn't insist further. She turned on the porch light, stood at the door with Qin Ruoying, and watched as Chu Ge and He Qing entered the elevator. Only then did the sisters return inside.

"Sis, there's something off about He Qing."

As soon as the door closed, the smile on Qin Ruoying's face turned into a look of concern, and she said with a furrowed brow.

"Off? What's wrong?" Qin Ruojing asked curiously, seeing the rare seriousness on her sister's face.

"Sis, I suspect she's interested in brother-in-law."

Qin Ruojing burst into laughter, shaking her head as she sat on the living room sofa, "Impossible. Do you know what a remarkable woman He Qing is?"

Seeing Qin Ruojing react as if she'd heard a funny joke, Qin Ruoying grew more anxious and sat beside her sister. "Sis, how can you laugh at a time like this? Why is it impossible? Didn't you notice she was toasting brother-in-law and waited for him to eat first?"

"Xiaoying, I saw what you mentioned. Frankly, I found it strange too. I even suspected that Chu Ge and He Qing knew each other before. But if you say He Qing is interested in your brother-in-law, that's absolutely impossible."

"Oh, sis! My dear sister! You..."

Qin Ruojing waved her hand to interrupt her sister, "Xiaoying, let me put it this way. He Qing's publicly acknowledged assets are in the billions, and her background is very mysterious. The reason big stars like Xingye and Fa Ge come to Lidu to shoot the movie written by Linlin for almost no pay is all for He Qing's sake."

Qin Ruoying looked at Qin Ruojing in frustration, "So what?"

Qin Ruojing responded naturally, "So it's impossible for someone as privileged as He Qing to be interested in your brother-in-law. They're simply from different worlds. Stop overthinking and help me clear the table. All these dishes are giving me a headache."

With that, Qin Ruojing got up from the sofa. Yet before she took two steps, her wrist was caught by Qin Ruoying, who spoke with great seriousness behind her.

"Sis! Compared to brother-in-law, aren't you also privileged? Didn't you fall for him?"

Qin Ruojing was taken aback, then turned around and shook her head helplessly, "Xiaoying, it's different."

"How is it different? Unless... unless you and my brother-in-law aren't in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship at all. You're so calm because you don't care about him."

Qin Ruoying fixed her gaze on Qin Ruojing's eyes, and by the end, her words were firm and decisive.

"I don't care? Who said I don't care? Qin Ruoying, can you stop being so outrageous whenever you come over?"

Qin Ruoying stood up from the sofa and confronted Qin Ruojing, "I'm not being outrageous. I'm serious!"

"It's not just that He Qing can't be interested in your brother-in-law. Even if she truly likes him, do you think her family would let them be together? This is the real world, not some fairy tale. Cinderella and the Frog Prince are all lies. Do you think such a wise woman wouldn't see through this? Would she bother with such a futile effort?"

Qin Ruojing rubbed her forehead and patted Qin Ruoying's shoulder.

"Moreover, even if, against all odds, He Qing is truly taken with your brother-in-law and is willing to forsake everything for him, would you still not have faith in your brother-in-law?"

"Since your brother-in-law chose to be with me, I'm willing to believe that in his eyes, I'm the most perfect woman in the world. Isn't mutual respect and trust the basic foundation of being together?"

Looking at Qin Ruojing's composed and confident demeanor, Qin Ruoying furrowed her brows and said, "Sis, didn't you just say it yourself, He Qing is too outstanding. She's practically perfect—whether it's her looks, figure, temperament, eloquence, wealth, or family background, they're all perfect. If she really likes brother-in-law, don't you think this rival is too strong? Aren't you worried at all?"

Qin Ruojing smiled faintly, "If it's meant to be mine, it will be mine. If it's not, I can't force it. What's the point of worrying or not worrying?"

Qin Ruoying pinched the bridge of her nose, "Sis, you say it so easily. If every woman facing such a problem thought like you, how would the word 'fretful' even exist? Let me ask you now, are you sure you really love brother-in-law?"

Suddenly hearing her sister mention the word "love," Qin Ruojing couldn't help but feel a bit flustered. In all her life, apart from her close family, she had never thought about using this word with any man. But facing her sister's questioning now, she dared not show any hesitation.

Qin Ruojing nodded firmly, looking at Qin Ruoying without a hint of evasion, "Of course I love him, and I have no doubt about his love for me!"

Qin Ruoying also nodded, looking at Qin Ruojing with the same determined gaze, "Alright then, I'll be watching closely to see whether I eventually expose you, or you prove that your love with brother-in-law is stronger than gold."

Qin Ruojing lifted the corners of her mouth, "Fine, just watch then. But let's talk about future matters in the future. Now, come over and help me wash the dishes."

"Uh... sis, my stomach hurts, I'll go to the bathroom first!" Qin Ruoying scratched her head and turned to run. Before she could take a step, she was grabbed by the wrist by Qin Ruojing, just as she had grabbed Qin Ruojing earlier.

"Where are you going? Come back, you ate the most just now!"

"Sis, I really need to go to the bathroom, ah, ah... don't pull me, I seem to have a condition where washing dishes gives me a stomachache, sis..."

Meanwhile, Chu Ge and He Qing were sitting in the backseat of a taxi, with the driver being a bodyguard of He Qing who had been waiting for some time.

"Chu Ge, the meal you prepared today was a bit too lavish, wasn't it? I've never had this kind of treatment when I used to go to your place for a free meal!"

Even though there was a bodyguard in the car, He Qing spoke without any reservations. The bodyguard who could follow by her side was naturally loyal to her. He would automatically filter out what he shouldn't hear and ignore what he shouldn't see.

Chu Ge glanced sideways at He Qing and said, "Isn't it because an important guest like you is coming over? And isn't this a welcome meal for my pretend little sister-in-law? What were you playing at just now? You even made a point of toasting me with the first drink, and waited for me to start eating first during the meal? You've never had that habit when we used to eat together, right?"

He Qing chuckled, "I'm doing it for your own good. It's one thing if you don't thank me, but how can you blame me?"

Chu Ge rolled his eyes, "Thank you? Do you know that Qin Ruojing practically worships you like a goddess? Wasn't she embarrassed by the way you behaved just now?"

Hearing this, He Qing nudged Chu Ge's rib with her elbow, teasingly saying, "Oh? Judging by your tone, you sound like a doting husband. Are you and Qin Ruojing play-acting but have actually fallen in love with each other?"

"Don't joke around. She's the director, and I'm just a lowly employee. She's the one who pays my salary; of course, I have to stand by her."

"See? You said it yourself—Qin Ruojing is the director, and you're a lowly employee. You two are pretending to be a couple, and I'm worried that she might bully you. After today's incident, your status is sure to soar, and she won't easily show you a cold shoulder anymore. So, don't you think you should thank me?"

Upon hearing He Qing say this, Chu Ge was suddenly enlightened, "You're quite thoughtful. Going by what you said, I should indeed thank you. But you might be overthinking it; she has always treated me well when we're together. When I visited her house, she didn't take back the red envelope her mom gave me and let me keep it as a bonus—ten thousand and one yuan."

Listening to Chu Ge speak so fondly of Qin Ruojing, He Qing felt even more envious, but of course, she wouldn't show it outwardly. She continued teasing, "Ten thousand and one yuan? The one-in-a-million exemplary son-in-law? Nice work on charming your pretend mother-in-law!"

Chu Ge smugly touched his nose, "Hehe, of course. Others may not know, but don't you know how exceptional my acting skills are?"

He Qing smiled on the surface, but in her heart, she felt sorry for Chu Ge. For a man like Chu Ge, money and power shouldn't be anything difficult, yet he gave up everything he once had, and for a mere ten thousand and one yuan, he could show such a brilliant smile.

Living the life of an ordinary person is fine? He Qing wasn't entirely persuaded that this was Chu Ge's true belief.

In He Qing's view, if you're a dragon, you should soar through the skies; if you're a tiger, you should roar through the mountains. Everyone's abilities are different, thus determining different paths and destinations. Simply becoming a common person should absolutely not be Chu Ge's destiny.

Looking at Chu Ge's masculine profile adorned with his signature smile, He Qing couldn't help but feel a bit enchanted, though she couldn't show it on her face.

And since she was here now, everything was progressing in the direction she anticipated. She believed it wouldn't take long before Chu Ge would embrace the life he truly deserved.

She would wait and see!

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