Chapter 171: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-One: Addicted

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

Liang Han grabbed him and asked, “Hey, have you seen Ye Kun? Where did that guy run off to?”

Xi Cheng shook his head and replied, “No, I haven’t seen him around.”

Liang Han gave Ye Kun a call, but Ye Kun simply hung up on him, and Liang Han could hear the voicemail recording: “The number you are dialing is currently busy.”

He then received a message from Ye Kun stating, “[I’m busy, stop bothering me.]”

“What?! Hey! What’s his problem? What’s up with him?” Liang Han grumbled and showed Xi Cheng the message on his phone.

“He’s probably off flirting with some girl he took a fancy to,” Xi Cheng commented disinterestedly.

Liang Han gave his words some thought and nodded. “You might be right.

Alright, I’ll cut him some slack. I’m off to chat someone up, too!”

Liang Han took two steps forward before returning to Xi Cheng to inquire,

“Hey, don’t you have to accompany your fiancée?”

“Can’t I take a breather?” Xi Cheng answered expressionlessly.

Liang Han found it funny and remarked, “Xi Cheng, my man, I’ve been feeling suffocated just watching you all this time. We barely see you alone these days; it’s like she’s your warden or something. It’s an engagement, not a life sentence! You’ve dated other girls before; you didn’t bring them along everywhere you go. You’ve never ignored us for your lady love in the past. But now that you have a wife-to-be, I can’t help but feel that you don’t care about us, your childhood bros, anymore with how you’re acting.”

Xi Cheng’s gaze landed on a painting not far away, and he detachedly said, “If you’re so bothered by it, why don’t you also find yourself a wife?”

Xi Cheng’s words seemed to have touched a nerve because Liang Han immediately uttered, “No way. Nope, not on your life. Bro, don’t curse me like that; it’s a fate too cruel to imagine.”

Xi Cheng walked towards the painting. In it, a young man stood tall and straight at the entrance of a bluestone-paved alley lined with white-walled buildings topped with black-tiled roofs. The painting was mostly done in cool tones and was named, ‘ Waiting.’

Xi Cheng waved an attendant over and told her, “I’ll buy this painting.”

The attendant smiled and politely informed him, “Sir, this painting isn’t for sale.”

Xi Cheng frowned. “It’s not labeled as such.”

The attendant hurriedly stated, “Sir, all the paintings on display aren’t for sale. A dear friend gave them to Miss Xiang, and all of them are her favorites. If you take a look at our jewelry, you’ll see that many of Miss Xiang’s jewelry have meanings that correspond to the paintings. For example, the name of this painting is ‘Waiting,’ and we have a hairpin that goes with it. Please, have a look.” The attendant pointed at a hairpin in the corner of the display counter produced it to Xi Cheng.

“Oh?” Liang Han came over and asked, “What kind of flower is this? It’s very unique!”

“This is a poppy flower,” the attendant said softly. She put on some gloves, opened the display counter, and took out the hairpin. “This hairpin is made of red agate. Poppies mean ‘silently waiting for your return’ in flower language, whereas red agate symbolizes hope, so this hairpin represents lovesickness, which echoes the painting ‘ Waiting.’ However, because the design is a poppy flower, no one is willing to buy it—”

“I’ll buy it. Can you wrap it up for me now, please?” Xi Cheng interrupted her.

The attendant was stunned for a moment before she smiled and told him, “Sir, you have to pay a deposit for our products first, and we’ll send them to your address after the exhibition ends.”

Xi Cheng whispered to Liang Han, “Help me buy the hairpin and have it sent to your place. Hold onto it for me.”

“Huh?” For a second, Liang Han was bewildered, and then he caught on. “Ah! Oh! Alright, I got it.”

Xi Cheng felt relieved. Liang Han went about purchasing the hairpin, and the attendant double-checked the information with Liang Han.

“Xi Cheng, what did you buy?” Xi Cheng heard an all-too-familiar voice and saw Lin Yu, Shi Gao, and Gu Man walking over.

Xi Cheng didn’t say anything, but Liang Han could tell his pal was silently asking him for help, so he smiled, gestured to the hairpin, and replied, “I asked Xi Cheng to help me pick out something.”

The three women looked at the hairpin in unison. “Hey, isn’t this a poppy flower? Liang Han, are you buying this?” Shi Gao curiously inquired.

“Yeah. It’s beautiful, so I don’t see why not!” Liang Han casually responded. Gu Man pouted. “But that’s a poppy. Isn’t it a drug? It can cause addiction!”

Liang Han’s hand momentarily paused in the middle of signing the purchase agreement when he heard this, and he uttered, “What’s there to be afraid of? I don’t take drugs, and this isn’t a real poppy. I won’t get addicted.”

“We’re heading over to Mom. Do you want to come with us?” Lin Yu asked Xi Cheng gently.

Xi Cheng shook his head. “I’m helping Liang Han pick out some jewelry.”

Gu Man laughed. “Oh? Who are they for? Liang Han, did you get yourself a girlfriend? What family is she from? You should introduce her to us.”

Liang Han chuckled, “It’s still too early to say. I’ll definitely let you guys know when I have good news!”

After the women left, Liang Han waved the receipt in his hand and joked, “You sure you want this, buddy? ‘It’s a drug!’ ‘ You’ll get addicted!”‘

Xi Cheng snatched the receipt from him, took out his phone, and transferred the money to Liang Han.

“Dude, don’t be like that; we’re bros. I’ll give it to you; you don’t have to give me money for it.” Liang Han told him as he looked at the transaction notification on his phone.

“No, I want to buy it myself,” Xi Cheng said impassively.

Liang Han sighed. “Buddy, don’t tell me you really got addicted. You could’ve just bought it yourself directly if you liked it so much. Why do you have to make things difficult for yourself? Like I said, you’re only engaged, not imprisoned for life. We all suffer when we see you like this.”

Xi Cheng tore the receipt into pieces and threw it into the trash can. ‘Yeah,’ he thought. ‘Like poppies, she’s addictive..’

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