Book 4 Chapter 17 – Guo Ying’s Invitation

　　Li Yiming opened his eyes and stretched his limbs. He had just spent the last three hours paying close attention to the domain. Although its duration seemed longer this time, the session was ultimately fruitless. 'I wonder if I should use dinner as a pretext to learn more about Fu Bo? It makes me uncomfortable that I have to manipulate him like that when he thinks of me as a friend, but I have no other choice…' Li Yiming hesitated.

　　Ding Dong!

　　The doorbell rang. Li Yiming looked at the floor of the study. 'The domain isn't gone yet. Who could it possibly be?'

　　Li Yiming approached the door silently and looked through the peephole. 'What? Guo Ying? Why is she here?'

　　Ding Dong! Ding Dong!

　　The bell rang again. It sounded like the visitor was growing impatient.

　　'I can't hide forever.' Li Yiming steadied his breathing and went to answer the door with the most convincing calmness he could produce.

　　"h.e.l.lo, do you remember me?" Ying Mei's tone was cold and she had an unnatural smile.

　　"Of course, we just met in the morning, didn't we?" Li Yiming answered politely. He could see how forced Ying Mei's display of friendliness was. 'I wonder what kind of ulterior motives she has.'

　　"Xiao Qin and I have prepared a meal, would you like to eat with us? Don't tell me you've already eaten." Ying Mei went straight to the point.

　　"I…" Li Yiming was unsure of Ying Mei's true intentions, and the last thing he wanted right now was to see Ji Xiaoqin again, especially with this mysterious "cousin" of hers around.

　　"Well, even if you did eat, come and join us for the meal. You were friends in college with Xiaoqin after all, and now, you're lucky enough to have become neighbors! What are you waiting for?" Ying Mei pressed on and extended her hand in Li Yiming's direction. This time, it did sound like the authority she exuded was consistent with her true character.

　　"Alright." Li Yiming sighed, turned back to look at his own apartment and followed Ying Mei to the other side of the corridor.

　　"Are you done with the utensils? Yiming is here." Ying Mei led Li Yiming to his seat in the kitchen as if she was the owner of the place. Ji Xiaoqin was busy preparing a fruit platter on the counter and kept adjusting the position of a final piece of apple. In reality, she was simply looking to delay the face-to-face with Li Yiming.

　　Ji Xiaoqin wanted to avoid the encounter as much as Li Yiming did, but there was little she could do to refuse Ying Mei when she showed up with a bag of food and proposed having a meal together, only to suddenly suggest inviting Li Yiming over as they finished their preparations. 'Did she… notice something?'

　　"Alright. Come over then. The meal is going to become cold." Ying Mei sat down right next to Li Yiming and poured beer into his cup.

　　"I… I don't drink." Li Yiming promptly declined.