Two at the fingertips

  Before I even went downstairs, the silvery laughter from below made me pause in my tracks. I turned my head to look and saw that the elegant woman sitting on the expensive and soft sofa in the living room downstairs was chatting with Shen Biju, her eyebrows and eyes full of unhidden splendor.

  Gu Huamin and Gu Liu were not around, the nanny Li was busy preparing dinner, Qiao Yunge and Shen Bieru sat together chatting like a mother and daughter, the scene looked particularly harmonious.

  I didn't know whether I should go down or not. I thought that if I went down, I would ruin such a beautiful scene, maybe it's better to pretend I didn't see anything and leave. Just as I was about to turn around, Qiao Yunge had already seen me, waved at me, smiled and said: "Aqian, what are you standing there for? Come down quickly!" Her tone was so intimate, as if we were close sisters.

  She beckoned with her hand, and Shen Biju naturally also saw me. She glanced at me, but didn't say anything.

  I could only lift my foot and head downstairs, with a lukewarm smile nodding at Qiao Yunge. Qiao Yunge's gaze remained on me as she smiled and said to Shen Biju beside her: "Ah Jian and my brother are really well-matched, I think the children of the Gu family are all excellent. If only my family had another daughter, Ah Jian still has a younger brother."

  The smile on my face froze, and I couldn't laugh anymore.

  Shen Bieru laughed upon hearing this, "I think you and Liu Yu are the most compatible." She glanced at me again, with a tone of regret and disappointment, saying: "This foolish girl is not worthy of Nanmu. I had hoped that the relationship between our two families could be further strengthened, so I suggested adding another joyful occasion to the existing one. It's really an injustice to the Qiao family."

  Qiao Yunge gave me a meaningful look, with a hint of envy in her smile.

  I don't even know what I have that's worth her envy.

  The sound of the door being pushed open came from upstairs, and Qiao Yunge and I looked up at the same time. We saw Gu Liuyi and Qiao Nanmu walking shoulder to shoulder. Gu Liuyi's cold and stern face always had a hint of aloofness, while Qiao Nanmu's elegant face had a faint smile, but deep in his eyes was a hint of indifference.

  Suddenly, I feel that Gu Liuyi and Qiao Nanmu are somewhat alike, both being aloof to the point of being difficult to approach. The difference is that Gu Liuyi completely exposes his emotions on the outside, while Qiao Nanmu hides them deep in his heart.

  Qiao Yunge naturally reached out and grasped his arm, smiling and telling him not to overexert himself. I sat stiffly on the sofa, lowering my head to fiddle with my fingers, if only I had known that Qiao Yunge and Qiao Nanmu would be coming today, it would have been better to...

  Even if I die, I won't come back.

  "What are you sitting there for? Can't you even greet me? How rude!" Shen Bieru pushed me hard and said loudly.

  I bit my lip, took a deep breath, and put on an absolutely friendly smile, saying in a particularly gentle tone: "Miss Qiao Er, Young Master Qiao San, I really didn't expect you to come." Then I received Shen Bieru's icy stare.

  Shen Bieru only said: "This child is talking nonsense, don't mind her, she's just throwing a tantrum." After that, she gave me another warning glance.

  "Aqian is nervous seeing Nanmu." Qiao Yunge smoothed things over, then turned back to tease her younger brother: "Look at you, with a cold face, scaring people off."

  Qiao Nan glanced at Qiao Yunguo and responded with a cold "uh-huh".

  I averted my gaze, perhaps Qiao Yunge was right, I did get nervous when I saw Qiao Nanmu. From the conversation between Qiao Yunge and Shen Bier just now, I vaguely understood that Qiao Yunge didn't lie to me, and there might be some kind of connection between Qiao Nanmu and me.

  It's probably an unspoken understanding between them from the previous generation. All I know is that Qiao Nanmu doesn't like me, and I don't like him either.