Give Me Your Hands and Marry Me

After Shen Xinglan became close to A Miao, the media gradually tended to take more photographs of him. Of course, the main objective was to take A Miao’s photograph. The private life of Miss Elder Lan deserved more attention than that of the stars.

So, the news that Shen Xinglan sent her to have her picture taken, was circulated on the Internet the next day, followed by two mother-and-daughter photos of A Miao and Yaya, put up on the official website of the photography club.

“Don’t look at that…” Zhang Qian took the mobile phone from Li Nian. “The news on the Internet can’t be trusted.”

Guo Qiaoqiao wanted to say that the media was the one who took the photos, but she kept quiet, when she saw Li Nian’s expression.

“Lan Miao… Lan Miao…” Li Nian clenched her fists.

Her dyed nails snapped off with a sharp sound.

“Doesn’t it hurt?” Guo Qiaoqiao cried out. “It’s bleeding!”

Zhang Qian ran to look for the medicine box. Li Nian refused to let it be bandaged, and put a Band-Aid on it.

“Do you really like Shen Xinglan so much?” Zhang Qian somehow did not understand her. “There are plenty of men who are better than him. You can choose another one!”

Guo Qiaoqiao said, “Yes!” Then she added. “But Shen Xinglan is really handsome and better looking than any of those stars.”

“Shut up!” Zhang Qian shot her a glare.

Guo Qiaoqiao stuck out her tongue. “What I said is the truth! Well… what should we do now?”

Li Nian looked at her. “What should we do? Of course, we should invite her out!”

“…”

When A Miao received the invitation, she did not feel surprised. She knew Li Nian would not just wait quietly and do nothing. She had warned her once, so this time, it must be a big move.

“A tea party. She clearly wants to make trouble for you!” Little Demon threw the lavender colored invitation into the trash can. “Miss, are you going to the party?”

A Miao patted her on the shoulder. “If I don’t go to the party, she won’t give up easily. I also want to talk to her frankly. After all, we have other things to do. The purpose of coming here is not to fight due to jealousy.”

“I’ll be careful not to give them a chance to make trouble for me.”

A Miao smiled and thought, “No matter how careful I am, maybe I won’t be able to avoid any trouble. I can only minimize the threat…”

“Do you think she will come?” Guo Qiaoqiao muttered. “She won’t dare to come…”

Zhang Qian looked up, with a mirror in her hand. “She will come. She’s Miss Elder Lan. If she doesn’t come, the Lan family will lose face.”

Today, the tea tasting party was initiated by Zhang Qian. Her family business started with making tea at home. The officials, noble people in Jingcheng City and ordinary people, were familiar with her family’s tea shop.

“I took out the new series of Sparrow Tongue (a precious tea) specially. If she doesn’t come, she won’t have the chance to taste it.”

Li Nian smiled. “She is coming.”

A Miao wore a beige dress. She looked noble and beautiful, fluttering in like a fairy.

“Miss Lan!” A group of notable young ladies greeted her.

A Miao said hello and nodded to them. Zhang Qian came to take her hand. “It’s very nice of you to come. I was afraid you would not turn up!”

“Why not, I will certainly attend Miss Zhang’s afternoon tea!”

Guo Qiaoqiao suddenly appeared and said, “Why didn’t you bring your daughter?”

When she said this, Li Nian’s face changed at first. But Guo Qiaoqiao did not notice that, and thought it would embarrass A Miao, so she went ahead to ask her.

“Oh, I forgot she’s not your daughter. She’s someone else’s daughter!”

Zhang Qian gave her a push. “Stop talking. Sit down, please. I’ll ask people to make tea!”

Guo Qiaoqiao found that Li Nian was unhappy and she kept quiet, out of embarrassment.

Everyone took their seats and people who were familiar with each other, sat together. Zhang Qian pulled Lan Miao to sit with them. Li Nian sat opposite A Miao, but said nothing.

“This is a Chinese tea party today. Traditional snacks of Jingcheng City have been prepared. You might not see much of these in the south. Try them, please!”

She pushed the plate to A Miao’s side.

A Miao smiled and casually selected one to taste. “It’s delicious!”

“…” Little Demon stood up hurriedly, for fear that they might add something in the tea.

Li Nian held up her cup and the tea fragrance was overwhelming. She felt intoxicated by the aroma from the tea. She took a deep breath, before looking at A Miao.

“Your artistic photos are good. Why is it only you and Yaya in the picture? Didn’t Director Shen take pictures with you?”

A Miao smiled and said, “You know that Yaya regards me as her mother. I can’t refuse to take pictures with her. As for Director Shen.. how interesting. Why should he take pictures with us?”

“Miss Lan, you know what I’m thinking, so I’ll tell you frankly.” Li Nian put down her cup. “I think I should be Shen Xinglan’s girlfriend, so I asked you before if you liked him. Now, I’ll ask you again. What’s your answer?”

She was a forthright young lady. If she liked someone, she would not hide it. She didn’t speak out because she wanted to proceed slowly. However, in view of the situation, Li Nian wanted to make it clear to everyone that Shen Xinglan was her goal.

Especially… the woman in front of her, should know it.

“My answer is the same.” A Miao picked up her cup and took a sip. “Well, it smells good!” She looked up and smiled at Zhang Qian. “Miss Zhang, thanks for your tea!”

Zhang Qian had been listening to their conversation, and was afraid that they might start arguing in public.

“If you like it, Miss Lan can bring some back later, as a gift for Grandpa Lan!”

Guo Qiaoqiao disappeared and no one knew when she left.

“You have not answered me yet.” Li Nian’s momentum suddenly changed, and she looked at A Miao aggressively.

A Miao put her cup down. “I have answered you. My answer is the same. The relationship between men and women is bilateral. Now, I don’t have any affection for him. But, if he pursues me and I feel good, then maybe I will agree to be his girlfriend.”

“On the contrary, if not, we will always be friends.”

Li Nian frowned, was apparently not satisfied with the answer, and decided to ask her again.

“Miss Li.” A Miao interrupted her. “Please forgive my frankness. If you like Shen Xinglan, you should tell him, instead of asking me! If he doesn’t like you, even without me, you will not be his girlfriend.”

“Since Miss Li comes from a well-known family, you should be clearer about this than me.”

If this woman could understand this, it would reduce a lot of trouble for A Miao, at least she would not trouble her anymore.

Li Nian’s face became even more solemn. If it helped if she told Shen Xinglan, she did not need to trouble A Miao…

“I don’t know whether Miss Lan understands this or not. One more competitor means one less chance. I don’t mind eliminating all the opportunities that are not good for me.”

Obviously… they did not reach an agreement.

A Miao smiled and said, “Then I can only give Miss Li my blessing!”

“Oh, have you finished talking?” Guo Qiaoqiao ran in from the outside. “I have set up all the tables upstairs. Let’s go and play twelve rounds!”

Play mahjong? A Miao was not interested.

“I don’t know how to play it. I won’t go!”

Zhang Qian stood up and said, “How can you reject it? We have not played with you yet. It doesn’t matter. We are also not good at it. We just want to have a get together, so we can exchange news. This is also the practice of our circle. Let’s go!”

“Rest assured, the stakes for gambling is not big.” Li Nian smiled proudly, and it was unknown what she was proud of.

Guo Qiaoqiao took hold of A Miao directly. A Miao was pushed and pulled into the elevator by Zhang Qian and her. Little Demon wanted to follow them, but Li Nian pressed the button.

“Wait a minute!” Seeing that the elevator door was about to close, A Miao reached out and prevented the door from closing.

Little Demon came in quickly, and stood behind her, without making a sound.

“Are you afraid of us?” Li Nian did not realize that this woman was not implicit at all, and her attitude was so obvious.

Guo Qiaoqiao glared at her. “We don’t have bodyguards. Why do you need a bodyguard?”

“Why can’t I do that?” A Miao looked at her innocently. “I’m used to going out with bodyguards.”

Li Nian nudged Guo Qiaoqiao, who still complained and said, “It’s all right. We respect your habits.”

Even if she disagreed, A Miao would not leave her bodyguard behind. A female bodyguard would not interfere with her plans.

The elevator stopped on the sixteenth floor. A Miao followed them into a room. There was a mahjong table, fruit, cakes and drinks.

Guo Qiaoqiao flatteringly said, “I don’t know what you like to eat, so I have prepared many kinds of snacks.”

A Miao smiled at her and said, “Sorry you had to go to so much trouble.”

“Sit down!” Li Nian took a seat first.

Zhang Qian introduced the rules, mainly to A Miao. “The counter for gambling is 1,000 each round. Anyone who gets the Hu cards will win. If someone finds a Hu card and then the other three don’t have Hu cards, then the three people will have to pay. Anyone who has a card that give people the chance to get Hu cards, should pay the money.”

She nodded. “No problem, but I won’t be able to play very long. I have to deal with something later.”

“Then let’s stop talking!” Guo Qiaoqiao pressed the shuffle key. “Start!”

Little Demon stood behind A Miao. Guo Qiaoqiao looked at her provocatively from time to time. However, Little Demon ignored her completely. A Miao played a few rounds, and neither won or lost. Guo Qiaoqiao lost the most, because she was not attentive.

“No, no! Let’s change seats.” She stood up and shouted.

A Miao looked at her watch. “It’s five o’clock. I’m leaving now.”

“No one can leave!” Guo Qiaoqiao grabbed her and said, “I’m still losing money. Do you want to go after your win?”

A Miao frowned. She was not the one who won the most, but Guo Qiaoqiao had given her several chances to reach Hu cards.

“We should play at least eight more rounds!” When Guo Qiaoqiao said that, she was about to press her to sit down.

Zhang Qian stood up. “Then I’ll go to the toilet!”

After she came out of the toilet, A Miao also wanted to go to the toilet. Little Demon stood at the door and guarded her. Guo Qiaoqiao tried to provoke her by passing some remarks about her. She simply ignored the woman. After waiting for a minute, she felt that something was wrong.

“Miss?” Little Demon knocked at the door.

Guo Qiaoqiao ran to her again and pulled her, “What are you doing? How can you manage your boss’s affairs so much? You even need to keep an eye on her, when she goes to the toilet.”

“Yes! Maybe Miss Lan is emptying her bowels. Don’t worry.” Zhang Qian poured a glass of wine and went over to her. “You have been standing all the time. Would you like a drink?”

Little Demon stayed away from her and said, “Thank you, I don’t drink.”

“Whatever you like!” Zhang Qian shrugged her shoulders.

It was extremely abnormal. If Little Demon did not notice that something was wrong, she would be a fool. She pushed Guo Qiaoqiao aside directly, and kicked the door of the toilet open with one foot.

“Miss?” Little Demon became anxious. The toilet was empty.

“Where is Miss?”

Li Nian smiled and said, “Isn’t she in the toilet?”

“Yes, yes!” Guo Qiaoqiao shouted. “We haven’t been there.”

Little Demon hurried to the door and took out her phone.