Chapter 91: So many people like Zhou Lichuan; who would bother remembering who she is?

"How could Zhou Lichuan possibly have any woman? Are you kidding me?"

A beautifully dressed woman carrying a Fendi bag sat down in the row behind the three while talking on the phone.

Hidden by the lush ornamental plants, the three figures were not easy to notice, yet they were all drawn by the familiar name.

The girl kept talking on the phone. Whatever the person on the other end had said was unknown; only her lazy, contemptuous tone could be heard.

"What painter? So anyone who has attended an art exhibition is a painter now? Is that really how people define painters these days? Oh, so she graduated from an art academy—no wonder she could follow him around without any name or standing. Artists really do know how to play."

"I'm in Changzhou right now. My dad said Zhou Lichuan has been coming here a lot lately, so he told me to come try my luck. If I could run into Zhou Lichuan and something happened, that would be perfect."

"My goodness, what kind of family is the Zhou family? How could they possibly take a fancy to some artist painter? Who doesn't know the twists and turns of that art world? What's there to care about? A pheasant born to humble origins really thinks that once it lands on a branch it becomes a phoenix? She ought to look in the mirror and see what she is."

After hearing this, Zhou Jiayan exploded at once, slapping the table and rising to her feet, only to be forced back into her seat by Jiang Zao, who covered her mouth tightly with her hand.

Zhou Jiayan struggled in indignation. Jiang Zao leaned close to her ear and said softly, "I'm pregnant, so keep your movements small."

Zhou Jiayan immediately swallowed her anger, terrified she might accidentally touch Jiang Zao's belly.

Seeing her gradually calm down, Jiang Zao lifted her head and sent a look to Li Baixiu across the table.

Li Baixiu caught the signal, stood up, and walked straight over to the woman.

"Miss, please keep your voice down. This is a public place. If you need to make a call, you may step outside."

The woman, upon hearing this, said angrily, "Who are you? What gives you the right to tell me what to do? I'm a customer, a consumer—what right do you have to kick me out?"

Li Baixiu straightened his back and replied, "I'm the owner of this shop. If you cannot restrain yourself, please leave immediately. Today's meal is on me. Brother Zhang, please see this guest out."

The largest of the male staff approached, untying the apron around his waist as he walked.

His sturdy waist was wrapped beneath a close-fitting wool sweater, and the muscles bulging on his arms looked imposing at that moment.

Seeing this, the woman was truly afraid the other man might do something dangerous, so she grabbed her bag and left the shop.

Li Baixiu nodded to Brother Zhang, and the tall male employee turned back to his own work.

Seeing Li Baixiu sit back down, Jiang Zao smiled faintly. "You even have such a burly employee."

Li Baixiu drew out a small smile. "He's a trainer from the gym next door. He comes by now and then to help move things and do the heavy lifting. Sister Jiang Zao, are you... all right..."

Before Jiang Zao could answer, Zhou Jiayan slapped the table again. "All right? That was all right? Who was that just now? Which blind idiot was that? In broad daylight and under a clear sky, every kind of demon and monster comes crawling onto the street. Why isn't she afraid a slap from the Buddha will strike her dead?"

Jiang Zao reached out again and pulled her back down. "Come on, I haven't even been bothered by it, and you're already more worked up than I am."

Zhou Jiayan sat back down. "Why aren't you angry?"

Jiang Zao found it rather amusing. "Why should I be angry?"

Li Baixiu said, "Sis, I'll check who she is right now. Don't worry, I'll handle it for you."

Jiang Zao rested her chin on one hand and looked at him. "How do you plan to handle it? Aren't you afraid Zhou Lichuan will see her and fall for her at first sight? Then you'll be the one in trouble."

After spending this time together, Li Baixiu had long since come to see Jiang Zao as his sister, and his loyalties had shifted unconditionally toward her, away from Zhou Lichuan. It was a heartfelt reverence, a solemn devotion born of admiration, the only warm harbor in the adult world willing to shelter him, even if only for a moment.

"Sis, the way you're saying that makes me sound terribly ungrateful."

Zhou Jiayan said, "Jiang Zao, don't worry. My brother has had women throwing themselves at him since he was little, enough to fill several truckloads, and not one has ever caught his eye. Trust me, that woman is definitely not the type he would like. He'll only ever like you. Truly."

As a fellow man, Li Baixiu honestly did not quite believe that.

But this was not the time to interfere in anyone's relationship.

"Sis, rest assured. In Changzhou, there isn't anyone I can't find. Wait a moment; I'll call and ask right now."

Jiang Zao caught the corner of his shirt. "All right, all right. Come back and sit down. Zhou Jiayan, you sit too. No need to ask—I know who she is."

Zhou Jiayan and Li Baixiu looked at each other. "Who?"

Jiang Zao said, "Her family is in jewelry. Her surname is Zhao. That girl should be... Zhao Luyi."

Li Baixiu shook his head. "I don't know her. Zhou Jiayan, do you know her?"

Zhou Jiayan also shook her head. "I don't know her either."

Jiang Zao thought through the information in her mind and said, "She's not from Capital City. She only came here with her father in the past two years to do business."

Zhou Jiayan angrily took out her phone. "No, I need to message Sister Qiao Yuan. She has to know her."

Jiang Zao did not stop her this time, only saying, "Your Sister Qiao Yuan has been busy to death lately. She probably won't have time to reply until tonight."

Li Baixiu crossed his arms over his chest. "Sis, do you have that much faith in Mr. Zhou's feelings for you?"

Jiang Zao shrugged and gave no answer.

Without question, Jiang Zao did not place the slightest importance on this suddenly appearing so-called rival. She had not taken her to heart at all.

Zhou Jiayan still could not quite settle down. Though she said aloud that Zhou Lichuan would absolutely never take a liking to anyone else, that was not something she could decide. What if... that woman really did look rather good? And her figure seemed somewhat similar to Jiang Zao's.

Seeing her restless state, Jiang Zao said, "Zhou Jiayan, you didn't drive today. You came in your brother's car, didn't you?"

Zhou Jiayan nodded.

Jiang Zao went on, "Why do you think Zhou Lichuan is so obsessed with standing guard? Could it be that he's taken a liking to the security industry and wants to experience retirement early?"

Li Baixiu scratched his neck. "Sis... could this be you deliberately playing hard to get..."

Jiang Zao smiled. "Not exactly. I just understand him. Everything between us came too easily, which is why there were the twists and turns before. Now I need to make him ache for it, give him a little and take it away, promise him one thing while pushing him back at the same time. He needs to know that what is hard-won is what one learns to cherish."

Zhou Jiayan shivered. "I'm relieved now. That Zhao woman won't beat you."

Li Baixiu also gave a thumbs-up. He had never been in love, and he was even less versed in matters of the heart, so he had truly learned something today.

Jiang Zao looked at their expressions with some helplessness. "I'm not some scheming green tea type either. I understand your brother, and your brother understands me too. He knows I'm doing this on purpose, and he's willing to indulge my little tricks. Otherwise, with how forceful he is, he could have simply taken me back to Capital City, and I wouldn't have been able to do a thing about it."

Li Baixiu suddenly understood. "Ohhh—so that's the legendary kind of romance."

This time, Zhou Jiayan was the one to raise her thumb.