Chapter 1799 - 741: I Have It

Chapter 1799: Chapter 741: I Have It

Ding dong! Ding dong!

After a short pause, the doorbell kept ringing, as if the person outside had a determination of "I won’t leave unless you open the door."

Before long, the armored door finally opened, revealing a cool and elegant face.

"Wenxi, why is it you?"

Standing inside the door, Jiang Qingkui was wearing loose home clothes. Her expression was initially one of helplessness with a hint of aloofness, but upon seeing the visitor, it turned to surprise.

"I thought you were going back to Yunan Province for the New Year. Didn’t you say you haven’t been home to see your parents for a long time?"

"I asked my parents to come to Magic City..."

Xu Wenqian explained briefly and then smiled, "Sister Qingkui, in fact, I’m here to invite you to have New Year’s Eve dinner together."

"No need, actually, I’ve... um, already eaten."

Jiang Qingkui shook her head immediately, refusing without thinking.

"Sister Qingkui, don’t lie to me. I’ve already asked Wu Lingling, and she said there’s barely any food in your fridge. You haven’t gone out all day, it can’t possibly be takeaway, right?"

"That Xiao Wu... why does she tell you everything? Where is she? Didn’t I ask her to hurry home?"

Jiangkui’s face turned a bit awkward after being exposed, and she looked around.

Wu Lingling is Jiang Qingkui’s driver, a local girl from Magic City, initially recruited through a headhunting company. Jiang Qingkui later found her to be pretty good: not only a steady driver but also a very measured worker, so she was retained.

"I already asked her to leave when I came over, you can’t blame her; she cares about you after all."

Xu Wenqian explained and confirmed, "Sister Qingkui, are you sure you don’t want to come over and have New Year’s Eve dinner with me?"

"Don’t persuade me, Wenxi, I really don’t have an appetite, and I don’t feel like going out. You should hurry back and reunite with your parents, I..."

"Alright, Sister Qingkui, since you insist, I’ll have to use Plan B."

"What’s Plan B?"

Jiang Qingkui was taken aback, but the next second she understood Xu Wenqian’s intention.

Because Xu Wenqian bent down and picked up two large bags full of ingredients from the door and walked right in.

"Hey, hey?"

Jiang Qingkui was perplexed, "Wenxi, what are you doing?"

"Since you won’t come over, I’ll just have to cook for you myself. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you company for this New Year’s Eve dinner, no way am I letting you be alone."

Xu Wenqian smiled back, unusually playful and less serious, then headed straight to the kitchen.

"You’re really... there’s no need to trouble yourself, I truly don’t feel like eating."

Jiang Qingkui playfully complained, but subconsciously closed the door and followed towards the kitchen.

But soon, she was ushered out by Xu Wenqian, who wanted to showcase her cooking skills and didn’t allow disturbances.

Helplessly, Jiang Qingkui could only wait in the living room, but listening to the busy sounds from the kitchen, she couldn’t help but smile slightly.

... Jiang Qingkui had never experienced such a quiet Spring Festival.

Back when she was studying abroad, she would try her best to come home every Spring Festival. Even when she couldn’t return in junior year due to academic conflicts, she and a few classmates who also didn’t return to their home countries still made a New Year’s Eve dinner together.

With friends by her side and the companionship of fellow countrymen, it was always less lonely.

But this year seemed particularly quiet.

Maybe it’s because this house at "Huayun·Outer Bund Nine Miles" is just too big.

With more than 300 square meters of space, once the housekeeper responsible for cooking and cleaning, and her driver assistant were all on holiday, Jiang Qingkui realized how empty it felt.

The excellent soundproofing and the already sparsely populated high-end community meant that not even inside the apartment, but wandering in the neighborhood, it was almost devoid of any sign of life.

Even outside the window, it was desolate, only occasionally punctuated by faint fireworks sounds.

This is the downside of big cities during festivals.

Strict safety regulations and the exodus of people during the New Year have minimized the festive spirit and intensified Jiang Qingkui’s sense of solitude.

Of course... this quietness might not just be environmental, but also psychological.

Thinking of something, Jiang Qingkui bit her lip gently and caressed her still flat belly.

"Sister Qingkui, dinner is ready!"

Xu Wenqian’s call snapped Jiang Qingkui back to reality, realizing more than an hour had passed without her noticing.

"Coming."

Jiang Qingkui responded, getting up and heading to the dining room.

The table was set with four dishes and a soup—plenty for two people, but considering it was New Year’s Eve dinner, it somehow seemed a bit sparse.

"Time was tight, this is the best I could do."

Xu Wenqian said sheepishly.

"What are you saying, Wenxi, it’s already quite a feast. Actually, I’m not really hungry, just having you here is nice. But what about your parents, they came all this way..."

"It’s alright, I explained the situation to them. I’ll just go back later to have a meal with them, and they’ll be staying in Magic City for a while anyway, no rush."

"Alright then."

Jiang Qingkui thought for a moment and asked, "By the way, Wenxi, would you like a drink? Although I can’t drink much, only a little..."

"Sure, I don’t usually drink either, but since it’s New Year, let’s have a little."