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Psst! We're moving!
The lights in the tunnel flashed by rapidly, and the car was silent.
Shi Min smoothly accelerated, overtaking another vehicle. She casually reminded him, “Give me a reaction.”
Luo Mingjing asked, “Why?”
A good question. Shi Min chuckled, “Not bad for a reaction.”
Luo Mingjing frowned, “Have you… seen me before?”
Otherwise, this suddenness didn’t make sense.
Shi Min rested her head on one hand, driving with the other, and replied, “I first saw you the day before yesterday. That’s enough.”
“And you fell for me just like that?” Luo Mingjing looked utterly astonished.
“Yes,” Shi Min said confidently. “You’re exactly my type. Very much so.”
Luo Mingjing reined in his surprise and spoke with utmost seriousness, “Honestly, if you had said you just wanted to sleep with me, it would’ve made more logical sense…”
Shi Min laughed, “So you believe lust at first sight more than love at first sight?”
Luo Mingjing paused, “Love at first sight?”
“Don’t believe it?” Shi Min lowered her voice seductively, “You have what it takes to make me fall for you at first sight, Luo Mingjing.”
Silence settled between them.
Shi Min honked the horn lightly, “Snap out of it. I should’ve introduced myself earlier, but I think introductions are less effective than getting to know each other through interaction. Before we interact, you’ve already seen everything there is to see. I like your appearance and demeanor, and your personality seems acceptable too. So far, you give me a good impression. Are you satisfied with me?”
She had completely taken control of the conversation. Luo Mingjing hesitated, then said thoughtfully, “Are you talking about my looks? Honestly… it’s surprising. I’ve heard your name before, but I never imagined you’d be this beautiful.”
He was being very earnest in his evaluation.
Shi Min couldn’t help but glance at him. Seeing his serious expression, she smiled faintly, “In that case…”
We can move on to the next step.
Luo Mingjing suddenly realized he’d been led astray. Throughout their conversation, Shi Min had held all the reins.
This wouldn’t do.
Luo Mingjing quickly interjected, “I need friends.”
“Oh?”
“At this stage, I need friends.” Luo Mingjing continued, “If President Shi…”
Shi Min corrected him, “Use a different term.”
“If… Sister Shi, if you want to get to know me, let’s start as friends.” Luo Mingjing smoothly adjusted his address, “We can begin as friends and slowly get to know each other along the way.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he noticed Shi Min’s amused expression.
After a long silence, she narrowed her eyes and asked, “How old are you?”
“…Twenty-seven. Did I say something wrong?” Luo Mingjing wanted to ask her age but remembered that a woman’s age was a closely guarded secret, so he didn’t bring it up.
On second thought, his nearly thirty-year-old self wasn’t exactly material for a sugar relationship anyway.
Shi Min said, “Whatever makes you happy.”
Luo Mingjing asked, “So we’ll start as friends. Does Sister Shi agree?”
“No problem,” Shi Min said indifferently. “It’s all the same to me.”
With that, the topic was closed. Shi Min slowed the car down as they approached a villa district. Seeing the sparse lighting and lack of people, Luo Mingjing started to panic but tried to stay calm, asking, “Where are we going?”
Shi Min sensed his unease and said sternly, “Are you afraid I’m going to sell you off?”
“No…”
But deep down, Luo Mingjing really was a little scared. Shi Min gave off an inexplicably reliable vibe, so when she told him to get in the car, he hadn’t thought twice. However, the conversation they had during the ride had drained him mentally. Now, seeing this secluded, dimly lit villa district, his imagination ran wild.
He feared that a group of burly men in sunglasses might suddenly appear, knock him out with a bat, and drag him into some mansion to play a twisted game for the wealthy. If he disappeared, aside from his carefree cousin Xu Qianqian, no one else would bother looking for him.
For someone like him, who lived alone, getting into a car with someone he barely knew was admittedly reckless—even if he did have some self-defense skills…
Shi Min parked the car in the garage and said, “I’m a respectable person.”
She must have guessed his concerns.
In truth, when Luo Mingjing saw the warm, flower-filled courtyard, his earlier “rich people’s game” fantasy shattered instantly.
This place felt too much like home—there wasn’t even a hint of danger.
Luo Mingjing exclaimed in surprise, “Is this your house?”
Shi Min locked the car, opened the door, and replied, “The hairdresser’s house. Come inside to fix your hair.”
Luo Mingjing was thoroughly confused.
As they entered the foyer, the smell of food wafted over. The house was warm and inviting.
Shi Min slipped into slippers, visibly relaxing. Hearing movement from the kitchen, she asked, “What are you doing?”
“Frying eggs,” a cold male voice responded from the kitchen. “There’s none for you since you didn’t call ahead.”
Luo Mingjing curiously pointed toward the kitchen, but Shi Min only smiled mysteriously.
She gestured for Luo Mingjing to sit in the living room while she reclined on a single-seater sofa, crossing her legs and picking up a fruit knife to peel an apple.
The sound of the blade scraping against the apple flesh filled the air. Luo Mingjing watched intently. Shi Min glanced at him and teased, “Never seen a left-handed person before? You’re staring so hard.”
“I’m still… trying to figure things out,” Luo Mingjing admitted. “Are we here to get a haircut?”
“Mhm.” Shi Min chuckled softly. “Why did you cut it?”
“It was too long before—it was inconvenient.” Luo Mingjing explained. “So I trimmed it shorter.”
Shi Min recalled the image of him sleeping in the recliner, his long hair trailing on the floor, and sighed slightly, “Are you cutting it super short this time?”
“No, just tidy it up,” Luo Mingjing said. “Sister Shi, whose house is this?”
“…The hairdresser’s,” Shi Min joked with a straight face.
From the kitchen came faint sounds resembling the whirring of remote-controlled toy car wheels. The man’s voice grew closer. “I don’t feel like cooking extra. If you’re hungry, fend for yourself.”
Shi Min replied, “I’ll leave soon.”
Luo Mingjing looked up and locked eyes with the homeowner, surprised.
The homeowner was a thin man in a black sweater. He had the same phoenix-like eyes as Shi Min, paired with long eyebrows that extended toward his temples, giving him a sharp, commanding look.
However, Luo Mingjing nodded politely, averting his gaze without further questions.
The man’s expression remained indifferent as he maneuvered his electric wheelchair around the sofa, setting down his dinner. He then turned to Shi Min and asked, “Who’s this?”
Shi Min deliberately finished peeling the last bit of apple skin before lazily replying, “A friend.”
“What kind of friend?”
Shi Min didn’t answer. Instead, she placed the peeled apple on the man’s plate and said, “After dinner, help trim his hair.”
The man scoffed, “Did the family go bankrupt?”
“Our fortunes are rising,” Shi Min countered.
“Did the stylist charge an exorbitant fee?”
“If I’m hiring someone, I hire the best.” Shi Min said coolly. “Please oblige me.”
The man sneered and began eating.
Shi Min lounged on the sofa and finally introduced him to Luo Mingjing, “This is my brother—my real brother. Do you have any siblings?”
Luo Mingjing blinked, shook his head, “No.”
“Oh, an only child,” Shi Min remarked. “Then you must live a comfortable life.”
The man in the black sweater shot her a cold glare, adjusted his wheelchair, and extended his hand for a formal introduction, “Shi Chu, as in ‘Chu River and Han Boundary.’”
“Luo Mingjing, as in ‘a clear mirror held high.’”
Both only introduced their names.
Shi Chu sat in his wheelchair, with a thin blanket draped over his legs. Luo Mingjing didn’t pry or stare further.
During dinner, Shi Min peeled an apple for Luo Mingjing. The siblings exchanged casual banter, occasionally interrupted by Shi Chu’s probing questions directed at Luo Mingjing. His inquiries were subtle and natural.
After the meal, Shi Chu said, “Sit. Shi Min, come help me clear the dishes.”
In the kitchen, after closing the door, Shi Chu asked bluntly, “One of your signed artists?”
“No.”
“So why did you bring him here?”
“How do you feel about it?” Shi Min countered. “I want to try dating him.”
“…Are you lacking maternal love?”
“Watch your tongue,” Shi Min warned icily. “If it’s his preference, I don’t care.”
Shi Chu snorted, “Cross-dressing.”
“As long as he looks good,” Shi Min shrugged. “If he likes it, I won’t interfere.”
“…How long has this been going on?”
“Two days,” Shi Min replied. “We just met the day before yesterday.”
Shi Chu frowned, “Already slept together?”
“No.” Shi Min raised an eyebrow, emphasizing, “I literally just met him two days ago.”
Shi Chu’s brows furrowed deeper, “You haven’t even tested compatibility, and you’re already planning to date him? What are you dating—a feeling?”
After a brief silence, Shi Min retorted, “…Are you being too open-minded?”
Shi Chu smirked, “Or are you being too naive? What’s the plan? Spend time and energy building a connection first, then sleep together? What if things don’t work out? Then you’ve wasted your time.”
Shi Min changed the subject, “Do you think he’s attractive?”
Shi Chu fell silent.
Shi Min pressed on, “Judging by your silence, he must be extremely good-looking. It’s rare for you to admit it.”
“You’d better be careful,” Shi Chu warned. “If you’re serious about pursuing a relationship, proceed with extreme caution.”
Shi Min nodded to show she understood, then added, “His appearance fits my ideal type perfectly. Doesn’t he look virtuous?”
“No,” Shi Chu disagreed. “He looks dangerous.”
“That’s because the botched haircut skewed your judgment. Which is why you need to fix it.”
Shi Chu wheeled over and pulled out a set of hairstyling tools, “I’m shaving his head bald.”
Shi Min twirled a kitchen knife in her hand, eyeing the meticulously pruned flowers on the windowsill as if contemplating where to strike first, “Try it, and see what happens.”
Shi Chu relented, and Shi Min withdrew her gaze from the flowers.
When Shi Chu emerged holding a full set of hairstyling tools, Luo Mingjing protested weakly, “This… isn’t appropriate, is it?”
“It’s his passion,” Shi Min explained. “Back when he dropped out of a prestigious school to apprentice under a master hairstylist in another city, he started as an obscure, low-tier stylist and eventually became the exclusive stylist for an award-winning actress. That’s the kind of person he is.”
Shi Chu neatly arranged the scissors and pulled out a small stool for Luo Mingjing to sit on.
“Certificates mean nothing to me,” Shi Chu muttered as he sprayed water onto Luo Mingjing’s hair. “Money can’t buy my willingness.”
The mist hit Luo Mingjing’s face, causing him to close his eyes and frown slightly. Shi Chu chuckled mockingly, “Nice expression.”
Shi Min lounged nearby, her hands resting on either side of the sofa like she was sitting on a throne. She teased lightly, “Don’t be creepy. If you scare him away, I’ll hold you accountable.”
Luo Mingjing asked cautiously, “How much does Brother Shi usually charge for a haircut?”
Shi Chu shot back immediately, “Either call me Shi Chu or Brother Chu. Who’s this ‘Brother Shi’? Don’t know him.”
Luo Mingjing corrected himself, “Brother Chu.”
Shi Chu maneuvered his wheelchair closer and said, “I can’t charge you money for this haircut. Let’s use a different unit of payment. Based on Shi Min’s current net worth converted into hours, every snip of my scissors equates to you spending a night with her…”
Shi Min glanced up calmly and said coolly, “Shut up.”
Shi Chu grinned mischievously.
Two hours later, as they returned to the car, Luo Mingjing said, “Today, was I just teased by your brother?”
Shi Min replied, “Are you complaining to me?”
Luo Mingjing asked, “What was he about to say? Every snip equals me spending what with you?”
“One night.”
After a pause, Luo Mingjing sighed sincerely, “That’s expensive.”
This was probably the most expensive haircut he’d ever had.
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