The Young Miss Refuse To Love-Chapter 117: The never ending feud

"That’s fine. Let me know when it’s ready. I’ll pick you up later." Song Chengfeng’s tone was calm, unpressing, his words reflecting his willingness to respect her boundaries. He didn’t probe further, knowing that pushing for answers would only make her uncomfortable.

If Qi Jianyi had said she didn’t want to be recognized, then he would honor her wish without question.

Qi Jianyi gave a slight nod in response. She didn’t elaborate, nor did she feel the need to. Instead, she quietly returned her attention to her meal, her chopsticks moving with the same meticulous precision as everything else she did.

After a while, when the plates had been cleared and only their drinks remained, she lifted her glass of juice, took a slow sip, and shifted the conversation to lighter, more inconsequential matters.

"Are you busy later? Or do you need to head back to work?" she asked casually, her gaze flickering briefly in his direction before settling back on her drink.

Song Chengfeng, who had already finished eating and had been idly watching her, shook his head.

"I don’t have anything to do." His tone was nonchalant, but his words carried a deeper meaning.

In truth, no matter how packed his schedule might have been, he would have found a way to clear it for her. Spending time with Qi Jianyi mattered far more to him than any meeting or task.

Her response, however, was far from what he expected.

"Okay, then. I’ll go first." The words were delivered lightly, almost dismissively, as if she didn’t notice how they might land.

Song Chengfeng’s face darkened almost imperceptibly, the slight change in his expression betraying his dissatisfaction.

"Are you leaving me?" he asked, his voice carrying an undertone of grievance.

Qi Jianyi, oblivious to the subtle shift in his mood, simply nodded, her expression as innocent as ever. "Of course. You’re not busy, but I am," she replied, her tone matter-of-fact, as though the logic behind her words was self-evident.

For a moment, Song Chengfeng was at a loss. The way she looked at him, so unbothered and sincere, made it impossible for him to hold on to his displeasure.

Instead, he found himself questioning his own reactions. Was he being too clingy? Was it unreasonable to want her time and attention so badly? After all, she had her own priorities, her own life, and he couldn’t expect her to accommodate him at every turn.

With a quiet sigh, he swallowed the words that had been on the tip of his tongue, letting his frustration dissolve before it could take root. In the end, he gave a reluctant nod, though his heart wasn’t entirely in it.

But no matter how much he tried to mask his feelings, they showed through in the smallest of ways. His stoic face, typically unreadable, now carried subtle hints of his inner turmoil—a slight pout on his lips, the faint crease of his brows. These tiny details didn’t escape Qi Jianyi’s notice.

Her eyes flicked to him, and she immediately understood. He wasn’t sulking outright, but his disappointment was obvious, almost endearing in its quiet intensity. It made her want to laugh, though she forced herself to hold it back. Instead, she decided to throw him a lifeline.

"I want to meet Zeqing," she said, her voice laced with a hint of mischief. "Do you want to come along?" She raised an eyebrow, suppressing the grin that threatened to break free.

The effect was instantaneous. Song Chengfeng’s entire demeanor changed as if someone had flipped a switch. His eyes lit up, the earlier gloom vanishing without a trace. He straightened in his seat, his eagerness barely concealed as he worked to maintain a composed facade.

"Well, if you insist," he replied, his tone deliberately serious. "I’ll tag along."

Qi Jianyi stared at him, incredulous. The speed at which he recovered was almost comical, and she couldn’t help but marvel at it.

"You’re unbelievable," she muttered, shaking her head.

"I’m your boyfriend," he declared shamelessly, a hint of pride in his voice. "It’s only right for me to accompany you wherever you go."

"Tsk. Whatever." Qi Jianyi rolled her eyes, though the gesture was more playful than exasperated.

Rising from her seat, she headed toward the door, leaving him to follow behind her like an obedient puppy. And following he did, his earlier dissatisfaction entirely forgotten in the face of her invitation.

...

"What is this man doing here?" He Zeqing asked, his tone laced with undisguised displeasure.

His sharp glare cut across the room, landing squarely on Song Chengfeng, who sat unbothered on the couch, casually flipping through the magazines scattered across the coffee table.

Song Chengfeng didn’t so much as glance up. He was completely unaffected by He Zeqing’s hostility, as if the man’s sharp stare were nothing more than a light breeze.

After all, this wasn’t the first time he’d been on the receiving end of such animosity, and he was confident it wouldn’t be the last. But why should he care? The woman he loved was on his side, and that was all that mattered.

His faith in Qi Jianyi’s support was unshakable. He didn’t feel the need to respond to He Zeqing’s obvious provocation. It wasn’t because he lacked the wit to respond—far from it.

Song Chengfeng simply thought it would be far more satisfying, not to mention effective, if the rebuttal came from Qi Jianyi herself.

After all, He Zeqing’s frustrations stemmed from her decision to choose him as her partner, and nothing he said would change that. But if Qi Jianyi were the one to counter her cousin’s remarks, perhaps it might finally drive the point home.

And, as expected, Qi Jianyi didn’t let him down. She didn’t even pause to consider her cousin’s scathing tone before responding.

"We had lunch earlier, so we came together," she said smoothly, her voice calm but firm, as though her statement required no further explanation.

However, far from pacifying He Zeqing, her words only seemed to deepen his dissatisfaction. His sharp gaze flicked from Song Chengfeng to Qi Jianyi, his brows furrowing in disapproval.

It wasn’t just the presence of Song Chengfeng that irritated him—it was the easy, natural way his cousin had come to his defense. He Zeqing crossed his arms, leaning back slightly, his posture radiating displeasure.

"Since when did ’we’ become a thing?" he muttered under his breath, loud enough for both of them to hear but vague enough to avoid being a direct attack.

Song Chengfeng’s lips twitched, the hint of a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. He didn’t bother to hide his amusement at He Zeqing’s thinly veiled frustration. This kind of reaction was almost entertaining to him now.

He Zeqing’s lips twitched in annoyance, his gaze briefly darting back to Song Chengfeng before settling on Qi Jianyi. "I thought you were coming here to discuss the project, not to bring him along like some shadow," he muttered, crossing his arms.

"And I’m here to discuss it," Qi Jianyi replied firmly, raising an eyebrow. "What does it matter if he’s here? He’s not interfering." freёnovelkiss-com

"Yet," He Zeqing muttered under his breath, but he begrudgingly shifted his focus. He reached for the folder on his desk, his irritation clear in the stiff way he handled the documents. "Director Tang and I went over the manuscript earlier this afternoon," he began, handing the folder to Qi Jianyi.

"Like I promised, Director Tang really likes your manuscript," He Zeqing began, a faint trace of smugness lacing his tone. "So much so, in fact, that he’s fully on board to make this project happen. I told you it was a solid story, didn’t I?"

He leaned back slightly, crossing his arms as if expecting some acknowledgment for his efforts. "I also talked to him about your request regarding the audition process. Honestly, it was a bit troublesome to convince him—he’s not the type to make exceptions lightly. But in the end, he agreed. You’re welcome," he added with a self-satisfied smirk, clearly fishing for praise.

"Now, we just need to wait for him to finalize things with his production team," he continued, his tone shifting to something more matter-of-fact. "Once that’s done, I’ll take you to meet him in person. He’ll want to discuss the finer details with you directly."

There was an unmistakable air of pride in He Zeqing’s demeanor, as if he had singlehandedly orchestrated the entire deal. He glanced at Qi Jianyi, waiting for her reaction, clearly expecting her to acknowledge his efforts with at least a word of gratitude.

"What about the investor? Do we need to look for more?" Qi Jianyi asked, her tone businesslike and steady, completely ignoring He Zeqing’s subtle attempt to fish for praise. She focused on the matter at hand without indulging in any distractions.

Before He Zeqing could respond, Song Chengfeng swiftly interjected, "I’ll invest."

However, He Zeqing immediately shot down his suggestion. "I have money. Do we really need yours?" He glared at Song Chengfeng, clearly irritated by his interruption.

Song Chengfeng didn’t even flinch at the sharp look, briefly glancing at He Zeqing before sneering. "Are you that greedy?"

He Zeqing’s eyes narrowed, his voice tinged with a hint of indignation. "This is Jianyi’s first project. Of course, I have to be the sole investor. We can’t let those corrupt businessmen get their hands on this project and mess everything up."

His words were firm, but it was clear that part of the reason he was so insistent was his desire to keep control over the project. While greed played a role, his reluctance was also motivated by a genuine desire to protect the integrity of the work.

"I’ll invest, just tell me how much you need," Song Chengfeng insisted, his voice unwavering.

The importance of this project wasn’t lost on him—it wasn’t just He Zeqing’s cousin’s debut, it was also his lover’s first major work in this world. He was determined to ensure its success, and this was his way of showing support.

His words were simple, but they carried weight—especially when it came to backing Qi Jianyi’s vision.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is fre(e)novelkiss