Chapter 172 - Chapter 172: Chapter One

Chapter 172: Chapter One-Hundred and Seventy-Two: Surprise

Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation

“What suffering?” A deep, mellow voice with a hint of laughter spoke behind them.

Liang Han and Xi Cheng turned around and exclaimed, “Shi Ke! It’s you!”

Shi Ke and Shi Nian walked up to them. Shi Ke and Shi Nian weren’t much different in height and build, and the two brothers looked very similar, though Shi Nian’s elder brother, Shi Ke, had an imposing and dignified steadiness. With Shi Ke beside him, Shi Nian’s usual sternness seems much gentler.

Shi Ke hugged Xi Cheng and Liang Han, patted their backs, and said with a smile, “It’s been ages since I’ve seen you, brats!”

Liang Han chuckled, “Shi Ke, we’re not brats anymore! We’re nearly in our thirties! That’s old!”

Shi Ke laughed and punched him on the shoulder. “Don’t mention the word ‘old’ before me.”

Liang Han giggled. Xi Cheng had a rare happy smile as he asked, “Shi Ke, you came back to accompany Xiang Yang, didn’t you?”

Shi Ke smiled and nodded. Shi Nian glanced at his older brother and commented, “He’s already getting on in years, and yet he’s still so immature. He’s here to surprise Xiang Yang. She still doesn’t know that he’s back!” Shi Ke’s smile remained unchanged, completely unconcerned about his little brother’s snitching.

Liang Han sighed. “I’m so envious. I believe in love again!”

Shi Nian scoffed, “You always say that, but I’ve never seen you get in a relationship.”

Xi Cheng glared at him. “Why are you so acerbic? Did you get up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” Liang Han found it extremely funny and laughed.

Shi Ke wasn’t annoyed by Shi Nian’s attitude at all. He smiled and said, “You guys Imow him better than I do. Just now, when I saw him looking like this, I tried to figure out if I owed him money! I found out later that Xiang Yang had taken Yun Nan with her, and he was ignored. He’s unhappy he was left alone.”

Xi Cheng and Liang Han shook their heads and said in unison, “Serves you right! It’s retribution!”

Shi Ke cracked up laughing and then looked around. “Huh? Where’s Ye Kun? Is he not here with you guys?

Liang Han took out his phone and showed it to the Shi brothers. “See for yourselves. He doesn’t want us to bother him. I don’t know what he’s up to.” Shi Guang chuckled, “Maybe he’s on a date?”

“Tsk! What girl would be so foolish as to fall for him?” Liang Han was unconvinced. Shi Ke was accustomed to the four boys’ love-hate relationship and just smiled as he watched them fooling around.

Gu Man was looking for Shi Nian in the crowd and immediately spotted the four guys. After all, it wasn’t difficult to notice these four outstanding men in the mass. Her eyes lit up, and she nudged Shi Gao and Lin Yu beside her.

There was an intense energy about Gu Man—she was eager to see Shi Nian again. She obviously hadn’t given up on him; it seems that the greater the challenge, the more determined she gets. Even if Shi Nian had rejected her outright, Yun Nan had staked her claim, and even Xu Yun couldn’t make any leeway, it didn’t matter! It only strengthened her determination to obtain Shi Nian.

‘Such an outstanding man like Shi Nian would naturally be hard to obtain,’ Gu Man thought. ‘ The more difficult it is to get him, the more it proves I have good taste!’

Gu Man didn’t think Yun Nan had anything she didn’t have. She was just as good as—if not better than—Yun Nan. It was just a problem of bad timing. If she’d been the one to meet Shi Nian first, then Yun Nan wouldn’t have had anything to do with him. It didn’t matter; Gu Man was confident she could snatch Shi Nian from her.

Girls have more success pursuing guys than vice versa; after all, men are creatures of impulse and often swayed by wild passions. As long as Gu Man her heart into it, failure was impossible—she would certainly succeed in getting the man she loved!

However, Gu Man had also learned her lesson from her previous defeats. Be it Shi Nian or his mother, they didn’t like people who were too direct. They probably preferred people like Lin Yu and Shi Gao—always putting on airs and beating around the bush. Therefore, she needed to drag the two to her side to help her.

Of course, Lin Yu and Shi Gao knew Gu Man’s intentions. Lin Yu couldn’t wait to marry Gu Man off as soon as possible. That woman was cancer to those around her; Lin Yu didn’t care if Gu Man harmed anyone so long as she’d be rid of her. Shi Gao… only had eyes for Shi Ke.

She stopped breathing when she saw him. Shi Ke was always so dazzling, so much so that her eyes prickled whenever she looked at him. Shi Gao unconsciously walked toward him. One step, two steps, three steps—

Shi Gao’s heart was beating so fast she feared it would burst out of her chest.

She could feel herself tremble slightly and tried her best to take a deep breath. ‘ You can do it, Shi Gao! Deep breaths!’ Shi Gao silently encouraged herself.

Shi Ke just so happened to turn his head toward her. His eyes suddenly lit up, and a brilliant smile appeared on his face. Shi Gao was stunned.

‘Shi Ke is smiling at me! He smiled!’ Shi Gao thought, overjoyed. ‘He’s smiling so happily!’

Tears rolled down Shi Gao’s cheeks. She saw Shi Ke stride towards her. ‘He’s coming over!’

Shi Gao closed her eyes tightly. Her soul seemed to have left its shell and stood from up high, examining whether her smile was perfect enough to match Shi Ke’s current feelings…

Shi Ke walked past her without stopping for even a second! He walked straight past, towards… “Honey!” He called out, his deep and mellow voice filled with affection.

Xiang Yang froze for a few seconds, and then— “Ah!” she screamed in delight and rushed over. Shi Ke went up and embraced her and spun them both around twice.

He hugged her and turned her around twice, and Xiang Yang laughed and exclaimed unbridledly. She was extremely happy to see him..