Night Fire Lingering

Chapter 168 Darling, you are my lucky star!

"S-Sorry!"

When the woman spoke, her voice was as gentle as a spring breeze and flowing water.

Lou Qi was about to say something when the woman had already left quickly with her head down.

"Ah-Xing!"

As soon as an anxious male voice rang out, a man ran out of the private room, quickly caught up, and blocked the woman's path.

"Ah Xing, listen to me! This client is really important, I—"

"Ying Kaian, I'm your girlfriend. I'm here as your lawyer to review the contract, not to keep you company while you drink! Didn't you see that guy touch my leg?"

"I...I didn't know that person would...would lay a hand on you!"

Ying Kaian made a calming gesture with his palms down, then hugged the woman: "I'm sorry, I didn't think it through, I'm sorry! I don't want this cooperation anymore, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

Lou Qi heard the two people arguing in front of him like they were acting, but the last thing that came to his mind was the sentence "I am your girlfriend". He pursed his lips.

After calming his girlfriend down, Ying Kaian smelled smoke and noticed someone nearby. Turning around and recognizing who it was, a warm smile immediately spread across his face.

"Young Master Lou, I've heard so much about you! Are you having dinner here today too?" Ying Kaian stepped forward and shook hands with Lou Qi.

"Who are you?" Lou Qi remained unmoved, his left hand in his pocket and his right hand holding a cigarette.

Despite the other party's arrogance, Ying Kaian remained unperturbed, proactively handing over a business card and introducing himself: "My name is Ying Kaian, and I am the founder of Mingkai Technology. Your company even provided Series C funding for my company last year!"

Lou Qi had no recollection of this. He did indeed have a venture capital firm that screened startups for investment every year.

Upon seeing Lou Qi accept the business card, Ying Kaian exclaimed happily, "Young Master Lou, I was thinking of inviting you to dinner here to see if there would be any opportunities for further cooperation. I didn't expect to be able to invite you today!"

Lou Qi seemed not to have heard him, and casually glanced at his business card with his eyes lowered.

The next second, he suddenly raised his eyes and looked behind Ying Kaian.

Ying Kaian turned his head suspiciously and saw his girlfriend, Jiang Xing.

"Young Master Lou, this is my girlfriend." Ying Kaian grasped Jiang Xing's hand and did not introduce her by name, clearly an act of asserting his ownership.

Lou Qi easily saw through Ying Kaian's little scheme and chuckled sarcastically, "Mr. Ying, your girlfriend bumped into me and got my clothes dirty."

Ying Kaian then noticed a red stain on Lou Qi's shirt, which was similar to Jiang Xing's lipstick shade.

He had just suspected that Lou Qi had taken a liking to Jiang Xing, but it turned out he was overthinking it!

Ying Kaian felt a pang of embarrassment and immediately apologized, "I'm so sorry! Young Master Lou, I didn't see it just now. I'm sorry. How about I buy you a new one?"

Jiang Xing frowned and touched her lips, thinking about what had happened a few minutes ago. How come she remembered that she bumped into him with her forehead?

Jiang Xing looked over suspiciously, only to meet Shang Louqi's interested gaze, like a fox sizing up its prey. This made Jiang Xing feel uneasy and like she was being pricked by thorns.

She looked away, subtly shifted her position, and hid half of her body behind Ying Kaian, no longer looking at Lou Qi.

Lou Qi silently curled the corners of his mouth.

Then, turning her gaze back to Ying Kaian, she said, "This was made by the tailor in my family; you can't buy it."

Ying Kaian looked troubled and subconsciously glanced at Jiang Xing.

Jiang Xing pursed her lips, realizing that Lou Qi was deliberately making things difficult for her. However, Lou Qi was an investor in Ying Kaian Company and a major financial backer, so she couldn't afford to offend him.

"Young Master Lou, let me clean you up. Is this alright?" Jiang Xing lowered his eyes to avoid revealing the coldness and annoyance in them.

"Okay." Lou Qi seemed very agreeable. "Come to my company to pick it up tomorrow."

After Lou Qi left, Ying Kaian was overjoyed. He picked up Jiang Xing and spun her around, then happily kissed her forehead: "Baby, you are truly my lucky star!"

Jiang Xing smiled and said, "You're so happy just because Lou Qi didn't pursue the matter?"

"Of course!" Ying Kaian felt his girlfriend didn't understand, so he patiently explained, "He didn't pursue the matter today and even told us to pick up the clothes tomorrow. It's obvious he's giving me a way out, a chance to talk to him about new financing! As long as he agrees to invest again, I won't worry about the company's cash flow!"

After Ying Kaian finished his rambling, Jiang Xing belatedly realized that he was somewhat unhappy.

"Ah Xing, what's wrong? Were you scared by Lou Qi?" Ying Kaian asked gently with concern.

Jiang Xing shook his head: "I just feel... he's a bit difficult to get along with, and I don't want to have any contact with him."

Ying Kaian couldn't be happier, after all, Lou Qi had a reputation for being a womanizer, and he was worried that Lou Qi might one day take a fancy to his girlfriend!

“Then you shouldn’t have any contact with him! Lou Qi changes girlfriends more often than he changes clothes, he’s a real womanizer!” Ying Kaian continued, “A-Xing, once I succeed, your parents won’t object to us being together anymore, I will definitely fight for our future!”

Jiang Xing didn't hear a word Ying Kaian was saying. The look Lou Qi had given her was still lingering in her mind, making her feel uneasy.

-

"Where have you been?"

Gu Yanci finally saw Lou Qi return, and specially brought him a glass of wine, taking the initiative to clink glasses as a gesture of toast.

He didn't say it explicitly, but Lou Qi understood what Gu Yanci meant; he was simply apologizing to him for Wen Yan's behavior earlier.

There's no need for apologies between brothers, all you need is a drink.

"Sister-in-law is protective of her own, that's perfectly fine." Lou Qi didn't take Wen Yan's slapping of his girlfriend, no, his ex-girlfriend, to heart at all.

Moreover, this whole thing was Gu Yueyue's own fault for being so foolish and for not having a proper understanding of herself!

"Something good has happened?" Gu Yanci noticed that Lou Qi's expression was completely different from when he left.

Lou Qi downed a glass of wine in one gulp, his peach blossom eyes sparkling. "I suppose so."

-

The next day.

Jiang Xing was reading a book when she received a call from Ying Kaian, asking her to go to Lou Qi's company to pick up the soiled clothes.

"Me? Weren't you planning to go yourself?" Jiang Xing asked, puzzled.

"Another investor has come to my company at the last minute, and I have to be there." There was a car horn honking on Ying Kaian's end; he was driving. "You were here yesterday, so your clothes will still fit. Ah Xing, please help me, okay?"

"……it is good."

Jiang Xing didn't want to go, but she was the one who dirtied Lou Qi's clothes, so she had no reason to refuse.

When Jiang Xing arrived at the company, she went to the front desk to explain her purpose and was led to a small meeting room to wait.

Unexpectedly, ten minutes later, a man in a suit and tie arrived.

Lou Qi casually placed the brown paper bag on the coffee table and asked casually, "Miss Jiang, didn't your boyfriend come with you?"