GDRG CH11

Chapter 11: The Green Tea Schemer Forgets the Small Sample

Xing Jun maintained his low mood until ten minutes before the plane took off when he finally received a text message from Shi Xueqing.

“Brother Xing, sorry, I was too sleepy last night.”

The next text read: “You left a scarf at the hotel. Would you like me to mail it to you in the Bay Area?”

How polite. Xing Jun’s nerves immediately became sensitive. Wouldn’t that mean Shi Xueqing would know his address?

Xing Jun called him directly: “No need. Just deal with it yourself.”

“Oh…” Shi Xueqing’s tone made him think Shi Xueqing hadn’t fully woken up yet. It was rare that he sounded so drowsy.

He wondered if Shi Xueqing was leaning on the sofa right now, draped in the blanket he’d tossed to him, eyelashes slightly lowered, just like he’d just woken up… Sitting on the first-class sofa, Xing Jun inexplicably thought this.

He even found the image somewhat peaceful.

Shi Xueqing’s next sentence, however, made his blood boil: “Then I’ll just give it to Xing Wei. I won’t bother you anymore.”

“…” Xing Jun used his coldest tone to say, “I told you, keep it.”

“Me? Keep it?”

“I just bought it, the packaging hasn’t even been opened. It’s your luck that it was left at the hotel,” Xing Jun said. “Got it?”

The scarf happened to be designed by a designer Shi Xueqing liked. How could there be such luck and coincidence in the world? Xing Jun could only force himself to believe that he did this to make Shi Xueqing less likely to seek out Xing Wei.

This made him feel slightly more at ease.

The plane was about to take off. Xing Jun watched the flight attendant walk through the cabin checking, and decided to turn off his phone.

But Shi Xueqing spoke at that moment: “Brother Xing, I have my dignity too.”

The sentence was spoken in a cool, detached tone.

The call was cut off, the plane took off, and it took a long time for Xing Jun to recover his senses. He thought about the sentence Shi Xueqing had just said, and a corner of his heart moved.

Dignity?

Did his words just now make Shi Xueqing feel deeply humiliated?

He had always wanted to drive Shi Xueqing away from his sister, viewing him as a calculating ‘green tea scammer,’ but Shi Xueqing said that he could also be hurt.

Just as Xing Jun was lost in complex thoughts, Shi Xueqing was already humming a tune and happily storing the scarf away.

The words had to be said, but he certainly couldn’t compromise on the material front. If Xing Jun insisted on giving it to him, why shouldn’t he take it?

That was a scarf worth over $400!

Plus, he had successfully played his role verbally—image maintained. Whether Xing Jun believed him or not didn’t matter. Xing Jun wasn’t going to fly all the way back just to take the scarf back, was he?

What Shi Xueqing was after was the feeling of winning.

Shi Xueqing, the big winner, took the scarf and walked around the top-floor suite again. This was the first time he had stayed in such a luxurious suite. Both the living room and the bedroom had entire glass windows, offering panoramic views of the bustling city and the lake. There were even two bathtubs—one in the bathroom and one facing the floor-to-ceiling window! Was that so guests could enjoy the night view while soaking? The bath products were also luxury brands, like Acqua di Parma and so on.

Shi Xueqing couldn’t resist and took hundreds of photos in the suite before the 12 PM checkout. He photographed the facilities, then himself—he could make a few new photo sets. Finally, he took a few pictures of his outfit in the full-length mirror.

Without wearing the scarf, of course.

When will I be able to live in a suite like this for a week… no, a month would be better. Shi Xueqing felt a twist of envy and regret. Envious of the rich for their wealth, and regretting that he didn’t know when he could achieve his own wish.

He was in a rare state of awkward sentimentality, feeling a bit lost and self-loathing. He didn’t even take any of the luxury toiletries before leaving. It wasn’t until he was on the bus ride home that Shi Xueqing regretted it, tearing his hair out, so he leaned back in his seat and discreetly posted a few quick photos.

Top floor, floor-to-ceiling window, lake view, hands with beautiful bone structure. No full body shots, that was too tacky.

—I absolutely can’t let my emotions affect my actions in the future; I’m still too emotional. After receiving countless likes, Shi Xueqing repeatedly lectured himself in his heart, resolving to be the kind of person who always takes the luxury toiletries in the future.

With this thought in mind, he solemnly placed the scarf on the very top shelf of his wardrobe—separating it from his other fake luxury goods. He certainly wouldn’t wear it out. He could collect it for now, and the feeling was lovely.

He handled it gingerly, not even tearing the packaging paper.

Too bad there’s no shopping bag, that would lower the price if I sell it second-hand.

He planned to sell it later, when Xing Jun had completely forgotten about the scarf. Who said he couldn’t sell something designed by an idol?

He hoped his idol’s career would improve so he could sell it for a higher price.

Xing Jun was still a bit uneasy when he got off the plane. He almost dropped his suitcase on someone’s foot as he took it off the conveyor belt.

He apologized, thinking this was the first time he had made such a mistake.

On the drive home, he considered calling Xing Wei and telling her he had landed safely.

“Okay… Brother, why did you come back a day later?”

“An old classmate was in M City, and I had dinner with him yesterday,” Xing Jun lied without changing his expression.

Xing Jun chatted aimlessly with Xing Wei, becoming increasingly distracted. Xing Wei noticed his lack of interest in talking and said, “Then I’m going to hang up now.”

“Alright,” Xing Jun then remembered he was a protective older brother and added casually, “Don’t keep going out to clubs late at night. No ‘normal student’ does that.”

Xing Wei immediately got upset: “What do you mean ‘normal students don’t do that’? All my classmates do, I’m perfectly normal!”

“You dare argue with me? You came back to the apartment at four in the morning, I don’t even want to lecture you.” Xing Jun frowned.

“What’s wrong with four in the morning? At least I didn’t spend the night out. Stop being so shocked. What’s wrong with going out during the holidays? Lots of my classmates stay out all night. Qiao Yu, Annie, Edwin…”

“Stop listing those party animals’ names,” Xing Jun snapped.

“Then… not party animals… Shi Xueqing also stayed out all night. I saw his Instagram story that he posted from a hotel. I asked him what he did last night, and he said he went to a music bar in the city, came back too late, so he just stayed the night at a hotel…”

Xing Jun: “…”

Xing Wei, seeing Xing Jun speechless, was a little smug, feeling she had finally silenced her brother.

After a long silence, Xing Jun said, “You saw him post a hotel story?”

“Yeah. What are you going to question now? Want me to screenshot it for you!”

“…”

The image of Shi Xueqing frantically taking photos at the Japanese restaurant a few days ago immediately flashed in his mind.

His fingers tightened around his phone, veins protruding on his strong wrist.

—He actually thought Shi Xueqing was hurt!

Turns out he’s still a ‘green tea scammer’! That sentence was just Shi Xueqing’s way of playing hard to get!

“Stay away from Shi Xueqing,” Xing Jun said coldly after a moment.

“Why? Why do you always have to lecture everyone?”

“That person is no good,” Xing Jun said, then hung up the phone.

He looked at the winding mountain road outside the window, his heart cold. He thought that in fact, he had sensed it these past few days—he and Xing Wei didn’t get along well.

Even though Xing Wei was his own sister.

Since the family fortune battle, his personality had become increasingly cold and ruthless, and he unconsciously showed this side even to his only relative. Thinking this way, he realized it had been years since he had watched a movie with any family member.

He walked through the stringent security measures and entered the room.

“Alexa,” he commanded.

He needed to make a sound himself in the empty room before the lights would illuminate the dim interior.

He sat on the sofa for a while, his suitcase tossed beside his feet. Looking at the huge TV screen, he thought, his last movie was actually the one he watched with Shi Xueqing.

With someone like Shi Xueqing… a ‘green tea scammer’ who only cared about money and luxury goods.

Unconsciously, he took out the candle again and held it in his palm. He let it spin in his palm lines for a moment. Due to big data, his phone pushed a movie review for ‘The Blue Room’ to him.

Shi Xueqing liked luxury, liked fashion matching, liked taking photos. His favorite designer was gay, and he had so many delicate little thoughts when it came to carving candles.

What if Shi Xueqing was gay?

What if Shi Xueqing was bisexual?

Xing Jun then thought of a third possibility.

“…”

The candle felt like it was burning his hand. He threw it onto the table and was thoroughly shaken. Just then, his lawyer friend sent him a message.

“The thing you wanted to handle in M City is done. Happy?”

“…What thing?” Xing Jun didn’t recall immediately.

Friend: “That bubble tea shop, you weren’t trying to mess with it? You really are good to your sister.”

Xing Jun: …

He hung up the phone numbly, watching the candle roll away. Just at that moment, the doorbell rang.

It was a UPS delivery. Xing Jun opened the package in front of the delivery person and found a statue inside.

“…”

Xing Jun fell into complete silence.

He tossed the statue into the corner of the living room, thinking of all the outrageous things he had done because of Shi Xueqing recently, finding it increasingly absurd.

Ultimately, what appeared in his mind were the hundreds of photos Shi Xueqing took at the hotel. He sneered and threw his phone aside.

He decided to completely detach himself from this matter.

He had only wanted to drive Shi Xueqing away, after all.

Moreover, if Shi Xueqing’s goal was to hook him, he couldn’t let him succeed.

For the next three weeks, Xing Jun buried himself in work. He resumed his usual rhythm and didn’t even contact his sister. Only very occasionally would he think of Shi Xueqing.

For example, when having dinner with a few friends.

“Influencers these days are really good at scamming. Brother Chang pursued one and has sunk tens of thousands of dollars into her, and he hasn’t even touched her hand. He didn’t come to dinner today; he’s off shopping with the influencer again,” someone lamented.

“What’s wrong, handsome guys are scamming too now?” a female investor rolled her eyes. “The quality of men in the Bay Area is poor. I can’t even find a younger guy to keep.”

“Sister Mu, what kind are you looking for? I can introduce you,” someone chuckled.

“I think, tall, fair skin. I like the clean-cut type, the one with some flair…” The female investor started to describe him seriously.

Xing Jun, who had been golfing, paused. Others noticed his change in demeanor and laughed, “Is Brother Xing interested too? Should I introduce you to one?”

“Pfft. Don’t bring up little Xing in this conversation. He’s too suspicious and hates scammers the most.”

Xing Jun: …

Actually, what first reminded him of Shi Xueqing wasn’t their conversation about scammers, but the matcha drink one of the friends’ girlfriends had brought.

The green matcha swirling with the white milk at the bottom looked like Shi Xueqing’s arm extending from his sleeve.

After coming down from the field, Xing Jun suddenly felt anxious. He gripped his phone, his arm muscles strong and defined, but his eyes were dark as he looked at a number that had sent him a few messages in Chinese.

He hadn’t created a contact entry for this number, yet he remembered it was Shi Xueqing’s number.

Three weeks had passed, and Shi Xueqing showed no sign of messaging him or adding him on WeChat.

The conclusion was clear: the third possibility was not true.

“Little Xing seems to be in a bad mood lately,” Mu Hong said not far away.

“That’s how he is after a vacation.” another person laughed.

“But to me, he looks like he’s waiting for some news… investment results?”

Xing Jun: …

He put his phone away. On the way back from the club, he looked out the window, frowning. Suddenly, he sneered, and once again opened WeChat.

He found the group chat that had been silent for a month and clicked on a profile picture.

This was the first time in three weeks that he had looked at Shi Xueqing’s moments. Especially now that he had completely confirmed that Shi Xueqing probably wasn’t trying to hook him.

But this time, he found Shi Xueqing’s moments to be very strange.

The top ten posts were all from the last few days. He was posting very frequently and seemed more affectedly deliberate.

It was almost as if—he was being even more intentional and trying harder to speed up the process and attract someone.