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.....

As Jiao Jiao slipped into the back seat, Yuan Ming stopped Li Qian with a hand on his chest. "I thought we were going to eat, dude, not find your little girlfriend for a lunch date!"

Li Qian pushed his hand from his chest. "Shut the fuck up. You'll embarrass her to death if she hears you. We're just friends, and I promised her mom I'd watch out for her while she was gone."

Yuan Ming gave Li Qian a knowing side-eye. "Whatever you say, Li Qian. I saw your face when she said she was going to a dude's house. Just friends, yeah, right," he laughed.

Li Qian glared frostily at him, and Yuan Ming held his hands up in surrender. As he moved around the car to the driver's side, he thought, 'So this is what it looks like when the iron tree finally blooms.'

Once everyone was seated, silence fell. As formidable as these two men were, they were pretty inexperienced regarding the female gender. Her soft, flowery scent slowly drifted over them, and they exchanged glances.

Li Qian took a deep breath and looked in the rearview mirror to check on Jiao Jiao. She was gazing quietly out the window and didn't notice the awkwardness of the two men in front. Yuan Ming then mouthed to Li Qian, 'Rock, paper, scissors.'

One, two, three - he did rock while Li Qian flattened his palm out.

Fuck! Yuan Ming cringed, then looked over his shoulder. He said softly, "Little sister, may I ask who the friend is that you're visiting?"

Li Qian shot him a poisonous look – too obvious!

Yuan Ming glared back at him – you would do better??

Jiao Jiao broke their silent argument when she passed her phone to Li Qian. "Here's the address."

Li Qian plugged it into the GPS, and as Yuan Ming pulled into traffic, he quickly texted Chen Fan: 'Find out whose address this is!'

After they arrived, Jiao Jiao jumped out and waved at the two men. "Thanks for the ride, Brother Ming! And I'll see you later, Li Qian?" She gave them a last dimpled grin before flitting off.

Yuan Ming immediately turned to Li Qian. "Well?"

Li Qian replied, "It's that boy from the Chi family. Jiao Jiao told me about him before. Chen Fan said he placed behind her in the rankings and probably needs her help."

Yuan Ming burst out into laughter as they drove off. "You better watch out for him, A'Qian. His mind isn't only on homework with a pretty girl like her."

.....

When Jiao Jiao answered Li Qian's call the next day, she bypassed the greeting and said, "I need help with something. Can you come upstairs?"

She buzzed him in, and his anticipation swelled when he knocked on the door. Yes, he had cared for Jiao Jiao since the moment he saw her; how could he not with her face filling his dreams since he could remember? But his attraction to her was growing day by day. The more time he spent with her, the harder he fell.

When the door swung open, he was stunned by what he saw. Jiao Jiao stood there, radiant as the sun, with a smile on her glowing face. She was dressed in soft layers of pastel blue that clung to her curves before cascading into a flowering skirt that rustled with every movement.

As their eyes met, a gentle blush rushed along her cheeks, and she lifted a hand to sweep her long, ebony hair over one shoulder. Two shiny clips held her hair back on one side while twinkling little studs decorated her ears.

"Is this okay?" She gestured down to her dress, wondering whether it was appropriate for the occasion.

As she looked him over, she realized his tailored, midnight blue suit perfectly complemented her dress. Couples outfit?! She saw a grin spreading over his face as he watched her, so she stepped aside and led him into the living room.

Without making eye contact, she stood behind the carefully wrapped painting. Holding the corners gave her hands something to do, and she waited for him to speak.