Chapter 25 Valentine’s Day “Brother, is she your girlfriend?”..

Han Rao felt that she was the typical type of person who preferred to keep the peace, meek and timid just to achieve her goals.

Under the pressure of Zhao Jichuan’s lewd threat, she reluctantly nodded and agreed to stay at his house.

These four days felt like an eternity.

At night, Zhao Jichuan seemed to take revenge on her, trying every possible way and variety to completely wear her out, causing Han Rao’s biological clock to be completely disrupted. Almost every time she opened her eyes, the sun was already high in the sky.

Zhao Jichuan was either working out at home or had already gone out to work.

Han Rao often sat alone on the guest room bed in a daze after waking up, then cursed Zhao Jichuan a couple of times, marveling at his extraordinary energy.

Clearly, he was completely drained by her the night before, yet he was still full of energy the next morning.

Later, once they talked about this matter, he ruthlessly exposed her, saying it was all just her imagination. If he hadn’t thought she was too timid and physically weak, and had to consider sustainability, he wouldn’t have let her off so easily.

That year, by a twist of fate, Valentine’s Day came later than usual. The last day Han Rao stayed at Zhao Jichuan’s house happened to be Valentine’s Day.

Han Rao didn’t expect to spend this kind of holiday with him, so she told him a day in advance that she was going to see a movie.

There is a movie called “Night Stay,” released on Valentine’s Day. It’s a suspense film, and the plot summary is about a murderer who, triggered by his wife’s infidelity, goes on a killing spree, harming many innocent young women.

Netizens jokingly said that this movie fired the first shot in the “anti-lover” campaign. It’s estimated that no couples would want to watch this film, and the box office is even more precarious.

But Han Rao was very eager to see it, and had even been secretly looking forward to it for a long time.

Zhao Jichuan hadn’t reached the point of restricting her freedom, so he nodded readily in agreement, but still teased her, asking, “With that friend who eats grilled fish?”

Han Rao: “I’m not used to going to the movies alone with guys who aren’t my boyfriend.”

It’s too ambiguous in the dark.

Han Rao knew she had to keep a sense of boundaries.

“This time it’s with Vivi.” She thought he didn’t know who Vivi was, so she added, “She’s the new assistant my sister Nan hired for me.”

Zhao Jichuan smiled lightly, didn’t press further, and only asked if she could be picked up after the movie ended since it was on the way.

Han Rao said okay.

Han Rao and Vivi bought tickets for the evening show, starting at 8:15, with a total runtime of 103 minutes.

When Vivi heard Han Rao was treating her to a horror movie, she was over the moon. But she was all talk and no courage; at any bloody scene, she would shrink closer to Han Rao.

Han Rao curled the corner of her lips and asked, “You’re clearly such a scaredy-cat, so why do you still muster the courage to watch the movie with me?”

Vivi chuckled and said, “Because you acted in this movie.”

This movie was filmed in the autumn two years ago. At that time, Han Rao managed to get an extra role in the crew. Because of her striking looks and how stunning she looked in the school uniform, the director immediately noticed her and cast her as a victim.

In the entire film, Han Rao appeared for less than two minutes and didn’t have a single line. She just needed to play the role of a “dead person,” lying at the crime scene where the body was dumped, waiting for the forensic doctor to examine the corpse, and then have a couple of photos taken.

Because she had been blacklisted by that bastard Lin Siliang for so long, Han Rao’s acting roles were almost nonexistent.

So she valued every role she had played exceptionally, even if it was just a “dead person,” she wanted to buy a movie ticket to see it live.

Hearing her thoughts, Vivi felt heartbroken. Such a passionate performer, yet she had been overlooked all these years for various reasons.

Vivi leaned close to Han Rao, speaking with a selfish tone: “Sis, I think you acted even better than the male lead.”

Han Rao teased her: “Just lying there without any expression, can you really tell if it’s good or bad?”

Vivi clicked her tongue lightly and lowered her voice, “Sis, you just acted really well,

Although I don’t know how to act, I can definitely tell the difference.”

Vivi specifically listed two suspense dramas that had aired recently, saying, “The dead person’s acting was terrible, the chest rising and falling was way too obvious, and sometimes I could even feel the eyes rolling nonstop through the screen. It was so awkward it drove me crazy.”

Hán Ráo suddenly felt a sting in her nose upon hearing this, and she forced a smile at the corner of her mouth.

Vivi was quite right because during the performance, she deliberately overcame her physical reactions, holding her breath for a long time just for one shot, hoping not to make the audience feel uncomfortable.

She really enjoyed watching this movie because Han Rao unexpectedly realized that she was actually quite lucky to have met someone who understood her so well.

When the movie ended, Han Rao sent a message to Zhao Jichuan to let him know.

He didn’t waste words and just told her to wait.

Han Rao didn’t know when Zhao Jichuan would arrive, so she told Vivi to leave first. She planned to pack up her things tonight and the two of them would fly to Hengdian tomorrow evening.

As they left the cinema, there happened to be someone selling flowers by the roadside. The packaging was simple—some bouquets had three flowers, some five, and others contained just a single bloom.

Han Rao was a romantic at heart, so she casually bought two bouquets by the roadside—one to give to Vivi, and the other to keep for herself.

Vivi was especially happy to receive the flowers. She hugged Han Rao tightly and said, “Sis, I love you so much.” Then she got into the car.

Han Rao was waiting alone by the roadside for Zhao Jichuan. In February, the northern city was already showing signs of gradually warming up, unlike the bitter cold when she returned before the New Year.

She adjusted her scarf, held the rose under her nose, and took a sniff. The rose was indeed fragrant, but not as much as the lily.

She hid her hands in her sleeves, thinking it was a pity that lilies also had their flaws, namely being too bland.

She didn’t like things that were too bland; she preferred things that were intense and passionate. Whether it was roses, her career, or love, she liked them all to be fiery and overwhelming.

It’s just a pity that now she and Zhao Jichuan are entangled in such a murky way, there’s nothing grand or passionate about it.

For example, this morning, both she and he knew it was Valentine’s Day, but during the meal, they tacitly kept silent about the holiday.

Perhaps when one is alone, they tend to become sentimental, as if certain sensitive cells in the brain are endlessly multiplying.

Han Rao stood in the wind, gently shaking her head, brushing away the chaotic thoughts. She told herself that when it came to matters of the heart, she needed to develop a thicker skin and stop making trouble for herself out of nothing.

After a short while, the car stopped by the roadside. Zhao Jichuan lightly honked twice, waking the woman who had been lost in thought.

Han Rao immediately snapped back to reality, opened the car door, gave him a smile, then got in and fastened her seatbelt.

Zhao Jichuan naturally saw the bouquet of fiery roses in her hand, but he deliberately ignored it and was too lazy to ponder whether she was trying to hint at something by carrying such a symbol of love.

Perhaps men’s thinking is truly different from women’s; men tend to be more stubborn and consider things more rationally.

At that moment, Zhao Jichuan thought to himself, if Han Rao really had any improper intentions, he would immediately kick her out. He only wanted a compatible physical relationship and didn’t care about something like love at all.

Even if he has love and marriage in the future, it will never be with Han Rao.

The man glanced at her briefly; she was scrolling through her phone.

He withdrew his gaze, suddenly recalling the three rules they had agreed upon back then, and felt relieved that she wasn’t that kind of foolish woman.

Han Rao had no idea that Zhao Jichuan had thought so much because of this bouquet of roses. She calmly scrolled through her Moments and saw that just three minutes ago, Vivi had posted an update, with the bouquet of roses as the main subject of the photo.

Han Rao couldn’t help but laugh.

“What are you laughing at? How was the movie?” Zhao Jichuan finally dared to talk to her.

Han Rao said casually, “Pretty good-looking.”

She slightly turned her body, “I have a flight tomorrow night, so I have to leave your place early tomorrow morning and go back to double-check the things I need to bring.”

“Mm.”

Receiving a positive response, Han Rao let out a sigh of relief; Zhao Jichuan was indeed a man of his word.

The car drove steadily along the wide asphalt road, the neon lights outside flashing by like fleeting shadows.

Han Rao leaned against the window, lost in thought. After a while, Zhao Jichuan suddenly took a call. He seemed very anxious, his tone much more intense than usual. “Yes, I understand. I’ll be there right away.”

Han Rao opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but seeing his darkened face, she swallowed her words.

The car was going much faster than before, and Han Rao secretly tightened her seatbelt without a word.

After a while, Zhao Jichuan remembered there was someone beside him, and he said succinctly, “My sister is missing, I have to go look for her.”

When Han Rao heard this, she thought something serious had happened. Maybe it was the fear brought on by tonight’s movie; she was really afraid something had happened to his sister.

Although she had no connection with the sister he mentioned, it was still a human life, and anyone would feel heartbroken.

Han Rao suddenly placed her hand on the back of his right hand, gently holding it and squeezing it slightly. “Don’t be too anxious, you’ll definitely find your sister.”

At that moment, Zhao Jichuan suddenly felt a lump in his throat, like holding a mouthful of snow—cold and astringent.

Her hands were still a bit cold, probably because she had been standing in the wind for a while just now, chilled by it.

But she didn’t utter a single complaint; wherever he told her to wait, she waited there, and she never urged him at any point.

Zhao Jichuan suddenly felt a pang of sympathy, thinking that sometimes he was too harsh on her, yet also believing she was someone who could endure, stubbornly swallowing her grievances.

The man felt a moment of tenderness; his first thought wasn’t to mock her for watching a movie that made her brain go numb, but to gently squeeze the pad of her finger and softly hum, saying it was okay.

The car finally stopped at a well-known club in the northern part of the city. It was said that this club was owned by a wealthy businessman from Macau, catering exclusively to the entertainment of the elite. Besides the usual games, this club was also an underground casino where losing a single round could cost you a car or even a house without a second thought.

Han Rao didn’t know how Zhao Jichuan’s sister had come here. She closely followed behind Zhao Jichuan as he took the elevator straight to the fifth floor. The man’s eyes were dark and deep as he directly pushed open the door to a private room.

Han Rao’s heart trembled as well. She looked up and inside, there were quite a few people in the room. Just by their attire, it was clear they were either wealthy or noble.

A young-faced man saw Zhao Jichuan come in and couldn’t help but sneer, “Look at your sister, she’s truly audacious beyond belief.”

Zhao Jichuan remained silent, weaving through the crowd, with Han Rao closely following behind him. Only then did they see two girls on the sofa. One looked underage, quite innocent, with a bare face, sitting upright at one-third of the sofa, her jaw tight, not daring to move, looking as if she had done something wrong. The other was slightly older, with a domineering, unrepentant attitude, lazily leaning on the sofa, draped in a gray blanket. She seemed to have had some alcohol, her face flushed with an unnatural redness.

Later, Han Rao learned that the first girl was named Cheng Luo. When she was young, her family fell into decline, and she was taken in by the Chen family. The person who had just mocked Zhao Jichuan was named Chen Wangzhou, her brother.

The second rebellious girl was named Zhao Jiyue, who was also Zhao Jichuan’s biological younger sister.

It was Chen Wangzhou who discovered that his own sister had gone out with Zhao Jiyue, and then disappeared, which is why he kept coming to look for the two of them.

Zhao Jichuan grabbed Zhao Jiyue’s arm and pulled her up, causing the blanket to fall to the ground. Zhao Jichuan scolded in a deep voice, “Getting bolder and bolder, huh? You even dare to come to the casino! I think you deserve a good lesson!”

Zhao Jiyue, drunk and flushed, shook off his hand, “You all scold me. Second Brother just finished scolding me, and now you’re scolding me too.”

Hán Ráo, upon hearing this, followed Zhào Jìyuè’s gaze and saw another man holding a cigarette between his fingers, standing quietly in the corner without saying a word. She guessed that this man was Zhào Jìzhōu, the second brother Zhào Jìyuè mentioned, and the biological younger brother of Zhào Jìchuān.

In just one evening, without any warning, Han Rao had met half of Zhao Jichuan’s family, which was indeed a bit unsettling.

Zhao Jizhou seemed to notice her gaze as well. Their eyes met, and his look was like that of a hawk, as if in that instant he had figured out Han Rao’s identity, then he revealed a meaningful smile.

Han Rao felt uncomfortable, uneasy all over, as if she didn’t belong here at all, forcibly pulled into this circle by Zhao Jichuan, enduring the scrutiny of these outsiders.

The people here are all sharp-witted; they all know that the woman Zhao Jichuan casually brought along at this time..

What kind of status is that? Even Han Rao’s gaze held a hint more disdain.

Han Rao really disliked this feeling of being exposed, as if a spotlight was harshly shining directly into her eyes.

She felt a bit short of breath indoors and had a severe headache, so she quietly took a few steps back.

Afterwards, the room was filled with commotion, with Zhao Jichuan and his brother playing the roles of the stern and gentle figures. After an unknown amount of time, Han Rao began to feel sleepy, and only then did they finally manage to persuade Zhao Jiyue. She jumped down from the sofa and agreed to go home with Zhao Jichuan.

So, Han Rao left the club together with this pair of siblings.

Zhao Jichuan had just acted quite intimidating, but he was actually worried about his own sister. Han Rao saw the man carefully supporting Zhao Jiyue, who was a bit lightheaded from drinking, and asking her if her stomach felt uncomfortable.

Han Rao followed behind, helping to carry Zhao Jiyue’s bag. She thought to herself that in this situation, she really wasn’t suited to go back with Zhao Jichuan either, so she said, “I’ll go home by myself later.”

Zhao Jichuan glanced back at her; she was following alone, looking somewhat pitiful.

The man said, “Come to my place, Auntie isn’t home, you can help cook some porridge.”

Han Rao gave a slight sneer, clearly expecting her to do the hard labor.

She forced a laugh, feeling helpless. She hadn’t expected that these days she would not only have to handle Zhao Jichuan’s three meals a day but now also cook porridge for his sister.

She really didn’t understand. Maybe Zhao Jichuan was just taking her home for convenience, but wasn’t he afraid Zhao Jiyue might ask about their relationship?

Or perhaps Zhao Jiyue was already used to seeing unfamiliar women around her brother?

Han Rao shrugged, then thought it was indeed more appropriate for her to go back with Zhao Jichuan tonight—her suitcase was still at his place, saving her another trip tomorrow.

Having made up her mind, Han Rao strode quickly to catch up with Zhao Jichuan, opened the car door for him, helped Zhao Jiyue inside, and casually returned Zhao Jiyue’s bag to her.

Zhao Jiyue narrowed her eyes at the somewhat familiar face before suddenly raising her voice to ask, “Bro, who’s this? I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before.”

“None of your business?”

Zhao Jiyue still seemed angry, crossing her arms and turning her head away from him.

Han Rao smiled in response and then climbed into the passenger seat.

The bouquet of roses she had bought was still on the seat. She picked it up gently and held it in her hand.

Zhao Jiyue was quite the chatterbox. She answered a phone call on the way and kept chattering nonstop.

Han Rao leaned back in her seat with half-closed eyes, quietly eavesdropping on her phone conversation. She found Zhao Jiyue rather amusing—much cuter than Zhao Jichuan, who only knew how to glower and intimidate people.

Han Rao used to think Zhao Jichuan’s foul temper might truly be a family trait.

Now that I compare, it seems it was all personal issues—simply others having bad tempers.

The car soon stopped in the parking lot. Han Rao got out with her things and casually tossed the bouquet of roses into the trash bin.

This action was noticed by Zhao Jiyue, who felt sorry for the roses and openly accused Han Rao of wasting something precious. Han Rao truly couldn’t handle Zhao Jiyue’s enthusiasm and didn’t know how to interact with her, so she just forced a smile and wisely remained silent.

Once home, Zhao Jichuan dumped Zhao Jiyue onto the sofa and turned to loosen his tie.

Han Rao, seeing the situation, tactfully said, “I’ll go make some porridge first.”

She had only taken two steps when she heard Zhao Jiyue bluntly ask Zhao Jichuan, “Brother, is she your girlfriend?”

“No.”

Those two light, effortless words, crisp and clear, came as if they were a predetermined answer—spoken without the slightest hesitation, resolute and unwavering. They slipped into Han Rao’s ears word for word, making her heart tremble for a moment before she let out a self-mocking laugh.

“Then why did you send her roses?”

Zhao Jiyue’s persistent questioning gave Han Rao a sense of childish bluntness. Clenching her fists, she hurried into the kitchen and turned on the faucet.

The water rushed out with a loud whooshing sound that filled Han Rao’s ears, drowning out Zhao Jichuan’s words completely.