Chapter 101: Chapter 95: Zhan Qipei Brings Cake to Qiao Jing
 

“Here, this is for you.”

“Huh?” Qiao Jing looked at Zhan Qipei with a puzzled expression.

“Ahem—” Zhan Qipei cleared his throat, his demeanor somewhat awkward.

“After all, I am technically your husband. Yesterday was your birthday, so it’s still acceptable to offer my wishes today, even if it’s a day late.”

Qiao Jing suddenly realized that Zhan Qipei was rather prideful. She could feel that he genuinely wished her a happy birthday, yet he acted as if buying the gift was a duty he could not ignore.

Well, since he cared so much about his image, she wouldn’t expose him.

“That’s true, it wouldn’t be proper if you hadn’t bought anything.” Qiao Jing said as she touched the cake box, a smile spreading across her face. “When is your birthday? I’ll return the favor with a gift then.”

Reciprocity was a principle Qiao Jing lived by.

“New Year’s Eve,” Zhan Qipei replied.

“That’s a good time for a birthday,” Qiao Jing raised her eyebrows and then frowned. “But our arrangement ends in just over forty days. Let me calculate, will I still be living with you by then?”

Qiao Jing opened her phone calendar, “Wow, what a coincidence! The day we go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get divorced is New Year’s Eve. I’ll still be able to celebrate your birthday.”

Zhan Qipei’s expression tensed; he didn’t want to hear the word “divorce” first thing in the morning, especially from Qiao Jing.

“Eat quickly, it’s getting cold.”

“Yes.” Qiao Jing, in a good mood, had quite an appetite—he ate two bowls of porridge and two servings of steamed buns.

Zhan Qipei glanced at Qiao Jing’s abdomen, which was noticeably swollen.

It’s good that he had eaten.

Soon, Zhan Qipei had dropped Qiao Jing off at the entrance of the research institute.

Xu Moqian had just arrived as well and saw Zhan Qipei’s car stopping.

“Huh? Isn’t that Zhan Qipei’s car? Why is it here?”

No sooner had Xu Moqian spoken to himself than he saw Qiao Jing get out of the car.

Sister Jing? Why was she in Zhan Qipei’s car? Did Zhan let her be driven here?

While Xu Moqian was thinking this, he suddenly heard Zhan Qipei’s voice coming from the car.

“The cake.”

With the man’s voice falling, the driver’s door opened, and Zhan Qipei got out, retrieved the cake from the back seat, and walked up to Qiao Jing.

“Thank you,” Qiao Jing took the cake and smiled politely at Zhan Qipei.

“No need to thank me so much,” Zhan Qipei said and turned to leave.

“Wait,” Qiao Jing called out to Zhan Qipei.

Zhan Qipei turned his head in confusion, and before he could speak, Qiao Jing had already approached him, tiptoed, and reached for his hair.

At that moment, Zhan Qipei’s heart skipped a beat, and he stood there, stunned, like a wooden post.

As the saying goes, a man’s hair and a woman’s feet shouldn’t be touched carelessly.

Since Zhan Qipei could remember, no one had touched his hair, let alone a woman from the opposite sex.

So it was indescribable how Zhan Qipei felt at that moment.

Qiao Jing plucked a dead leaf from his hair and presented it to him, “A leaf.”

Having said that, Qiao Jing threw the leaf into a trash bin and walked towards the institute’s main gate as if nothing had happened, carrying the cake.

Zhan Qipei watched Qiao Jing’s retreating figure, his gaze lingering for a long time.

As Zhan Qipei stood there spellbound, Xu Moqian approached and warned, “I advise you, don’t harbor any ill intentions towards my Sister Jing; she’s not someone you’re worthy of.”

Zhan Qipei’s train of thought was interrupted as he glanced sideways at Xu Moqian.

“I’m not worthy, and you are?”

Xu Moqian raised his eyebrows and took a deep breath, puffing out his chest.

“Of course— I’m not!”

“…” Zhan Qipei

Xu Moqian hadn’t finished speaking, “But that’s not important because no man in the whole world is worthy of her. For her, it’s like choosing a general from a group of dwarfs; whoever she picks wins the grand prize.”

Zhan Qipei narrowed his eyes, “You’re the dwarf, not me.”

“Hey! You—” Before Xu Moqian could finish, Zhan Qipei had already opened the car door, got in, rolled up the window, raised his hand, and touched his hair, smoothing his handsome eyebrows.

Standing at the entrance of the research institute, Qiao Jing called out to Xu Moqian, “What are you standing out there for? Why don’t you come in?”

Hearing Qiao Jing call him, Xu Moqian, not wanting to continue squabbling with Zhan Qipei, scurried over to her side, his gaze immediately drawn to the cake in her hand.

“Sister Jing, what’s the deal with this cake?”

“He sent it.” Qiao Jing looked toward the departing car.

Xu Moqian followed Qiao Jing’s gaze and immediately had a bad feeling.

“No way, did he really get the advantage by being closer? Zhan Qipei, hasn’t he always said he doesn’t like you? If he doesn’t like you, why would he send you a cake?”

“You’re thinking too much. He only bought it out of courtesy, and I promised him that I’d send a gift in return when it’s his birthday,” Qiao Jing said in a casual tone.

Listening to Qiao Jing’s calm tone, Xu Moqian then dismissed his concerns.

“I really spooked myself there, I mean, come on. Sister Jing, how could your taste be that bad? I’m way more handsome than that Zhan guy.”

Qiao Jing stopped walking and looked at Xu Moqian’s face, which was handsome and striking.

But—

“Honestly, he’s a bit more handsome than you.”

Xu Moqian “…”

“Ah, Sister Jing, you’ve changed! We’ve known each other for so many years, how can you side with an outsider? Where is he more handsome than me? I’m only one centimeter shorter than him, okay?”

Gan Lanlan was drawn over by the almost howling sound, knowing only one person could make Xu Moqian react like this.

“Professor Qiao! You’re here!” Gan Lanlan’s eyes sparkled as she ran toward Qiao Jing, her face lit up like a blooming flower.

“Tsk tsk tsk—” Xu Moqian clicked his tongue, “Your number one fanboy is here.”

After Gan Lanlan ran over, he also saw the cake in Qiao Jing’s hand.

“Professor Qiao, is it your birthday today?”

“Yesterday,” Qiao Jing replied.

The birthday was yesterday? Gan Lanlan looked greatly disappointed; he had missed Professor Qiao’s birthday yesterday!

It was a major regret in life!

“Professor Qiao, why didn’t you come yesterday?”

“I had some matters to take care of yesterday, didn’t have time to come over,” Qiao Jing said as she put the cake on the table, “Why don’t you go call Grandpa Xu and the others over? While the cake is still fresh, let’s eat it first.”

“Okay, I’ll call everyone right now!” Gan Lanlan, as if he had received a royal decree, scurried off to call people eagerly.

This Gan Lanlan is even more diligent than him! Xu Moqian muttered to himself with a smirk.

Only because he knew Gan Lanlan’s feelings toward Qiao Jing were purely of admiration, otherwise he would never let Gan Lanlan get close to Qiao Jing so easily.

Once everyone had almost arrived, Qiao Jing started cutting the cake.

At this moment, Xu Moqian suddenly scooped up a piece and smeared it on Qiao Jing’s nose.

“Hahaha—Sister Jing, you look like a clown!”

Qiao Jing gave Xu Moqian a speechless look, “Childish.”

Xu Hongzu, as well as other older professors, all started scolding Xu Moqian.

“What a waste of food!”

“Exactly, the cake is meant to be eaten, not played with!”

“…”

Xu Moqian didn’t care much, a bunch of old-fashioned folks, not a single one who could take a joke.

Xu Moqian took out his phone and snapped a photo of Qiao Jing.

“Sister Jing, how do you like this photo?”

Qiao Jing looked at the photo of herself, she had never seen herself like this before, and it was quite interesting.

“Send me the photo.”

“Alright—”

“Beep—”

After receiving the photo, Qiao Jing immediately posted it on her Moments.

Zhan Qipei had just arrived at the office when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

He pulled it out to see it was from Qiao Jing.

She posted on Moments?

Zhan Qipei, curious, clicked to open it.