The Young Miss Refuse To Love
Chapter 39: Dispute

Chapter 39: Dispute

Qi Jianyi sighed as she settled into her seat, her earlier attempt to escape He Zeqing having ended in failure. Instead of learning how to ride with Song Chengfeng, she had been coerced into learning from He Zeqing.

Now that they had finished, He Zeqing insisted on pulling her along for dinner, determined to keep Song Chengfeng at bay and prevent any further interaction between his cousin and his friend.

But Song Chengfeng, as He Zeqing quickly realised, was not so easily dissuaded. No amount of pointed glances or subtle hints could move the man, whose thick skin allowed him to casually ignore He Zeqing’s obvious intentions.

"Tomorrow is your grandpa Qi’s birthday. Are you going?" He Zeqing asked, offering a bowl of soup to Qi Jianyi.

Taking the bowl, she hesitated, her voice uncertain. "Maybe?"

He Zeqing frowned, his tone growing slightly stern. "Even if you’re on bad terms with your parents, can’t you at least give them face? It’s been years since Uncle Qi came back home."

"Cousin, I swear, the older you get, the more you sound like a nagging mother," Qi Jianyi quipped, rolling her eyes dramatically. "At this rate, you might as well kiss your chances of dating anyone goodbye." Her tone dripped with sarcasm, clearly unamused by his persistence.

Ever since their disagreement over Grandpa He’s mansion, He Zeqing’s tendency to nag had become a new fixture in her life, and she, unfortunately, found herself as the primary target of this newfound habit.

He Zeqing stiffened, momentarily taken aback by her blunt comment. Did I really nag her just now? he wondered. All he had intended was to pass on a piece of advice, a favour her parents had requested of him. Yet, somehow, Qi Jianyi’s indifferent attitude had drawn this side of him out, and he didn’t like it.

"Anyway," He Zeqing continued, brushing aside her words, "you should still go home today." His voice remained firm, his mind set on fulfilling his promise, no matter how much Qi Jianyi protested. Let her say what she wants, he thought. A promise is a promise.

Qi Jianyi’s patience wore thin as her fingers tightened around the chopsticks, barely resisting the urge to throw them at his face. He was getting under her skin more than usual today. "He Zeqing," she said slowly, her eyes narrowing, "I know my way home. I’ll go back when I want to. I appreciate the concern, and I know you’re just doing my parents a favour, but enough. Stop bothering yourself with it." Her tone was final, laced with a warning that left little room for argument.

For the past week, Qi Jianyi had been struggling to adjust to this life as the weight of knowing her existence had been stolen pressing down on her. While she hadn’t intended to blame He Zeqing or anyone else, the anger she harbored couldn’t remain bottled up forever—especially when people kept disturbing her fragile peace.

She knew her words had been harsh and rude. But Qi Jianyi also a human, filled with emotions that sometimes became too much to contain. It was unrealistic to expect her to swallow all of it without consequence.

He Zeqing fell silent, her words sinking in. His expression softened as he replayed their conversation, wondering if he had unintentionally crossed a line.

Qi Jianyi glanced at Song Chengfeng, who continued to eat leisurely, seemingly unfazed by the tension between the two cousins. His calm demeanour suggested he had long grown used to these disputes.

Turning back to He Zeqing, she noticed he had resumed eating in silence, clearly mulling over her outburst. The longer she watched him, the more uncomfortable she became. After all, she had been the one to lash out. If anyone needed to apologise, it was her.

"I’m sorry," Qi Jianyi said softly, her voice losing its earlier edge. "I didn’t mean to snap at you like that."

He Zeqing paused before responding, his tone more even now. "Don’t worry about it. I’m the one who overstepped."

His words only deepened Qi Jianyi’s guilt. She shifted her gaze to Song Chengfeng, silently pleading for his help, but he merely shrugged and smiled, raising his hands as if to say, ’I’ve got no experience in this.’

Qi Jianyi glared at him, muttering under her breath, "Useless."

Song Chengfeng chuckled softly, unbothered by her frustration.

For a brief moment, the private room was engulfed in silence, with only the occasional sound of chopsticks clinking against plates to break it. Qi Jianyi sat there, unsure of how to properly apologise, while He Zeqing mulled over whether he should rein in his concerned cousin routine. Meanwhile, Song Chengfeng, as usual, was utterly unbothered, enjoying his meal while sneaking glances at Qi Jianyi’s obvious frustration.

As the food on the table gradually disappeared, signaling the end of their meal, Qi Jianyi sipped her juice, wiping her mouth with graceful precision. She raised her head and locked eyes with He Zeqing, who was absorbed in an email from his assistant.

"A week ago, I found out that someone had stolen something that was mine," Qi Jianyi began, her voice soft but clear. "I left home to look for it, but I don’t know where to start. Maybe... I snapped at my parents because I couldn’t hold in my frustration." Her gaze never wavered from He Zeqing’s face as she spoke.

A sad smile crept onto her lips as she continued, "Cousin, I was really frustrated, and you came along and nagged at me. I’m sorry."

He Zeqing frowned, her sudden explanation catching him off guard. "What did they steal from you?"

Even Song Chengfeng, usually so detached, straightened in his seat, his expression growing serious. The idea that someone had the audacity to steal from the Young Miss Qi was unheard of.

"Something very important," Qi Jianyi replied, her answer deliberately vague. After all, how could she tell them that what was stolen from her was her life itself?

"Do you need help?" Song Chengfeng asked, his voice breaking the tension for the first time since they had entered the room.

He Zeqing shot him a look of immediate disapproval. "Why would she need your help? Am I dead? I can help her just fine. You—don’t bother with it," he snapped, irritated that Song Chengfeng had beaten him to the offer.

Song Chengfeng raised an eyebrow, unfazed. "What can the president of an entertainment company possibly do?"

"At least I can do more than a useless salted fish like you," He Zeqing retorted, unwilling to back down.

Qi Jianyi blinked, speechless at the petty squabbling. Here she was, dealing with the aftermath of a life-altering realisation, and they were bickering over who could help her first.

"Cousin, Young Master Song," she interjected, cutting through their back-and-forth, "there’s no need for either of you to worry. I’ll find it on my own. But I do appreciate the offer, truly." Her calm tone brought their argument to a halt, though He Zeqing’s disgruntled expression remained.

"If you need help, just let me know. Don’t seek out this guy," He Zeqing warned, making it clear he didn’t want them to interact.

Song Chengfeng glanced at him but remained silent. Whether Qi Jianyi reached out to him or not was beyond He Zeqing’s control.

Qi Jianyi chuckled and nodded. "I’ll contact you first if I need anything," she said, her tone reassuring as she ignored the sharp look from the corner of her eye.

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