The Obsessive Tycoon Claims the Deserted Heiress-Chapter 74 - 073: Do not look at others

The little girl was easily embarrassed. Shi Weiqing was afraid of making her uncomfortable, so he didn't dare disturb her watching her drama anymore.

As the sun sank into the west and the afterglow spilled through the glass window, leaving deep crimson marks inside the house, Shi Weiqing finally pressed the pause button.

He took the earphones off her ears and gently patted her head. "Enough for now. They're coming over for dinner in a bit."

Yu Zhi was initially reluctant, not quite ready to stop, but hearing his words, she could only set aside the drama for now and followed him downstairs.

Having wasted too much time, Shi Weiqing no longer had time to cook. He had no choice but to order a platter of prepped ingredients and decided to have hotpot at home instead.

Xu Linchuan and Jin Yunzhi arrived right on time. The moment they stepped into the house, they caught a whiff of the aroma and strode quickly to the dining table.

"Wow, looks amazing!" Jin Yunzhi eyed the table packed with dishes and swallowed hard.

Just as he was about to grab a piece of pumpkin pancake to appease his craving, Shi Weiqing, who was still in the kitchen, turned his head around abruptly. "Wash your hands first."

Jin Yunzhi: "..."

His hand, frozen mid-air, paused for two seconds under Shi Weiqing's silent gaze before he dashed off to the bathroom to wash up.

Xu Linchuan leaned lazily against a chair, his hands resting on the back, observing the two standing so close together. He raised his eyebrow and asked, "Living together now?"

Shi Weiqing emerged from the kitchen, holding the little girl's wrist, and gave Xu Linchuan a brief, indifferent glance.

Though he didn't say anything, the look in his eyes conveyed a meaning that Xu Linchuan couldn't ignore.

Xu Linchuan quickly sat down next to Shi Weiqing, nudged his elbow, and whispered just loud enough for only them to hear, "You serious about this?"

Shi Weiqing replied with a light "Mhm," completely ignoring Xu Linchuan's reaction. Instead, he leaned closer to the little girl's ear and asked which dish she wanted to try first.

The indulgent and gentle way he acted made Xu Linchuan feel like he had just seen a ghost. He was so shocked he almost wanted to run outside and scream to the sky.

"What are you doing?" Jin Yunzhi, returning from the bathroom, caught Xu Linchuan dumbly pinching his own arm. It was unclear what kind of weird fit he was throwing.

Xu Linchuan frowned and gestured towards the two seated nearby, giving Jin Yunzhi a knowing wink.

Seeing that Jin Yunzhi didn't get it, he gestured with his lips towards his right.

"Did you have a seizure?" Jin Yunzhi glared at him in annoyance.

Xu Linchuan: "..."

He took a deep breath, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

Xu Linchuan decided not to say another word, though to Jin Yunzhi, his attitude looked like he had been teasing him the whole time.

Angrier the more he thought about it, Jin Yunzhi shot him another fierce glare. When Xu Linchuan picked up a slice of beef and was about to put it into his bowl, Jin Yunzhi quickly stretched out his hand and snatched it away.

"Hmph." Jin Yunzhi ate the beef, tilting his head haughtily, looking at Xu Linchuan as though down his nose.

Xu Linchuan clicked his tongue lightly, refraining from making a fuss. He picked up another slice of beef and swished it in the pot.

But the moment Jin Yunzhi tried to snatch another piece, there came a light knock from the direction of the living room.

"Go get the door," Xu Linchuan said, using the distraction to discreetly move his bowl further away.

"It's always me!" Jin Yunzhi grumbled as he jogged off to the door.

When he opened it, that all-too-familiar face was instantly framed in his view.

The man wore a sports tracksuit, a few strands of slightly messy hair hanging on his forehead, as if he had just finished exercising.

Xu Fan's obsidian-like eyes flickered almost imperceptibly when he saw who it was.

"Long time no see," he said, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.

"Not that long, really." Jin Yunzhi blinked, his gaze landing on the plastic bag in Xu Fan's hand. "What're you carrying?"

Xu Fan handed the bag over. "Something tasty."

Walking into the house, he casually reached out and ruffled Jin Yunzhi's hair.

Jin Yunzhi opened the bag, took a look, and then tugged at Xu Fan's sleeve. "Let's go over there quickly."

The two of them walked briskly to the dining table, greeted the group, and then found seats for themselves.

Jin Yunzhi swished a piece of beef in the pot. Just as he was about to eat it, he sneaked a glance at Xu Linchuan. Afraid of retaliation, he quickly cradled his bowl and moved to sit next to Xu Fan.

"Did you two fight?" Xu Fan asked with a chuckle, his gaze drifting between Jin Yunzhi and Xu Linchuan.

"He wants to steal my food!" Jin Yunzhi huffed, clutching his bowl even tighter.

His greedy, food-guarding demeanor made Xu Fan involuntarily recall their childhood.

Back when they were little brats, Jin Yunzhi adored clinging to him, following wherever he went.

If Xu Fan walked too fast, Jin Yunzhi would grab hold of his sleeve with his tiny hands, whining sweetly, "Brother Fan, wait for me."

Whether it was wanting ice cream or asking for cake and candy, all he had to do was call out, "Brother Fan," and Xu Fan would grant him anything.

But now that they were grown, Jin Yunzhi no longer stuck to him like that.

A hint of sadness flashed through Xu Fan's eyes. He scooped several pieces of meat into Jin Yunzhi's bowl and smiled. "Don't mind him; eat up."

"You're the best!" Jin Yunzhi beamed up at him, his glossy, grape-like eyes sparkling brightly.

Xu Linchuan tutted. "Ungrateful."

He had been taking care of Jin Yunzhi with food and drink all night, yet as soon as Xu Fan appeared, Jin Yunzhi couldn't see anyone else in his eyes.

Jin Yunzhi immediately retorted, "You're the ungrateful one! Stop staring at my bowl because I'm not giving you anything!"

"Who wants your bowl? I have plenty of meat in mine, okay?"

"Quit pretending—you know deep down you want it!"

"..."

While they were bickering, Yu Zhi's gaze had been fixed on Jin Yunzhi, as if she wanted to bore a hole into him.

"Zhizhi, why are you staring at him?" Shi Weiqing squeezed her hand under the table, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.

Clearly, he was right beside her, yet she insisted on looking at someone else.

"I'm just curious about what kind of person his grandfather is." Yu Zhi leaned closer to his ear, whispering softly to avoid others overhearing.

As she leaned in, Shi Weiqing felt a slight jolt, his earlobe tingling and numb.

He wrapped his arm around her waist possessively, speaking domineeringly, "You're not allowed to look anymore."

Though he knew she wasn't drawn to Jin Yunzhi's looks, just seeing her focus on someone else made him inexplicably uneasy.

Yu Zhi shifted slightly to the side, lowering her head in embarrassment. "There are people here; don't do this."

"They can't see," Shi Weiqing replied nonchalantly, tightening his grip on her waist.

Yu Zhi glanced around, confirming that no one was paying attention to them, and finally let out a soft sigh of relief.

After a moment, she wriggled slightly again and murmured, "You've been holding me for a long time."

Shi Weiqing hummed lightly but showed no intention of removing his hand from her waist.