Jiang Fei shook his head and put his phone down.
Qiao Yiyi—a songstress famous across Asia, ranked among the top three most beautiful faces by the media—was coming to his place for a vacation. It wouldn’t be right for him to unceremoniously kick her out, would it? Even though he had to head to Emei’s Golden Summit in just over ten days to face Liu Shengzongju in a duel, Qiao Yiyi’s presence wouldn’t really disturb him.
Besides, she had just returned from a music awards ceremony in Europe. Countless domestic media outlets were probably waiting to interview her, yet she chose to come to his home instead. He couldn’t just brush off such sincerity.
If news got out that this “pure and innocent” superstar singer had willingly come to stay at a man’s home for a vacation, Jiang Fei would undoubtedly become the envy of countless men—and even women.
So, as a normal man, Jiang Fei was actually quite pleased to hear this news.
Ye Yuanyuan hadn’t heard what Qiao Yiyi said over the phone, but she could roughly guess from Jiang Fei’s responses. Frowning, she asked, “That Qiao Yiyi… is she coming here later?”
“Yeah. It seems she flew straight to Jincheng right after returning from Europe. She’s already on her way to Daocun Village,” Jiang Fei replied, then turned his head to look at Ye Yuanyuan. “Why don’t you stay here tonight too? You’ve been over so many times, but as far as I recall, you’ve never stayed over. What, are you afraid I might try something?”
Seeing Jiang Fei’s teasing, half-smiling expression, Ye Yuanyuan—who had actually been considering staying over—suddenly felt inexplicably annoyed. She really wanted to punch this guy. Coldly, she shot back, “What’s so great about your place? Why would I stay?”
With that, without caring whether her words stung, she turned and left without looking back.
If there weren’t going to be anyone else tonight—if Qiao Yiyi weren’t coming—she wouldn’t have minded staying. But with Qiao Yiyi on her way, she instantly lost all interest. She had no desire to watch Jiang Fei flirt shamelessly or act lovey-dovey with Qiao Yiyi!
That two-timing jerk!
Jiang Fei was long used to Ye Yuanyuan’s bad moods. Seeing her leave didn’t surprise him. This was normal for her. If she ever started acting more feminine—like her chest had slowly become—that would be strange indeed!
About an hour after Ye Yuanyuan left, a car horn sounded outside the villa again. Then came Simba’s unique, lion-like roar—though it quieted down in under three seconds, replaced by a joyful tone in its barking.
It was, of course, Qiao Yiyi arriving.
Qiao Yiyi had stayed in Daocun Village for quite a while before, though that was when Simba was still young, not fully grown. An ordinary dog might have forgotten an old acquaintance, but Simba had evolved into a spiritual beast, its intelligence far surpassing that of a normal dog. Naturally, it still remembered Qiao Yiyi as a past playmate.
Hearing the noise, Jiang Fei walked out and indeed saw a black Audi parked in the small courtyard. Qiao Yiyi and her agent, Auntie Mei, were getting out of the car.
“This… this is Simba?” Qiao Yiyi covered her mouth with one hand, staring incredulously at the massive creature wagging its tail beside the car door, then turned to Jiang Fei for confirmation.
She simply couldn’t connect the lion-like beast before her—reminiscent of something from the African savanna—with the once normally-sized Tibetan Mastiff. But seeing Simba’s wagging tail and the unmistakably intelligent look in its eyes, she realized it really was Simba.
As for Auntie Mei, she was so startled she almost scrambled back into the car. A beast-like Simba was truly awe-inspiring; one could easily mistake it for a lion.
“He has grown quite a bit, hasn’t he?” Jiang Fei walked over with a smile. He gave a light wave, and Simba trotted to his side, allowing Qiao Yiyi and Auntie Mei to feel a bit safer.
“Don’t celebrities usually prefer vacationing in European castles or on beaches? Yet here you are, flying all the way back from Europe just to vacation here,” Jiang Fei remarked, taking the suitcase from Qiao Yiyi.
Auntie Mei—who had been haughty and dismissive of Jiang Fei during their first meeting—quickly waved her hands politely this time, insisting she would handle the luggage.
Now, Auntie Mei didn’t dare act superior toward Jiang Fei at all.
Not to mention Jiang Fei’s remarkable achievements in piano, which Qiao Yiyi greatly admired. His titles—foremost master of traditional Chinese medicine, chairman of the Chinese Medicine Association, and chairman of Jiang Pharmaceuticals—meant his status was now fully on par with Qiao Yiyi’s.
In terms of official influence, especially after the recent visit of the Western medicine exchange delegation, Jiang Fei even surpassed entertainment stars like Qiao Yiyi. Auntie Mei knew better than to look down on him.
Of course, most importantly, Auntie Mei was well aware that the relationship between Qiao Yiyi and Jiang Fei wasn’t something she could interfere with. Just like this time: after the European music awards, Qiao Yiyi rushed back to China, intent on vacationing at Jiang Fei’s place, and there was nothing Auntie Mei could do about it.
“Those places aren’t necessarily more scenic than Daocun Village,” Qiao Yiyi said with a smile. “Besides, the food there definitely can’t compare to what you make…”
Jiang Fei rubbed his nose. “Alright, it seems my primary profession has now become ‘chef.’ How long is your vacation this time?”
“One week. I have to get back to work after New Year’s Day,” Qiao Yiyi replied.
Once inside the villa, Qiao Yiyi took her luggage to the room she’d stayed in before. After Auntie Mei helped tidy up, she promptly said her goodbyes.
She had enough self-awareness to know that neither Jiang Fei nor Qiao Yiyi likely wanted her staying in the villa too.
After reminding Qiao Yiyi to take care of herself, Auntie Mei left by car. As for whether her stunningly beautiful artist would be safe alone with a single man… Auntie Mei wasn’t too worried.
First time awkward, second time familiar. Since Jiang Fei hadn’t done anything to Qiao Yiyi last time, he probably wouldn’t this time either.
“Have you eaten?” Jiang Fei asked Qiao Yiyi as she came downstairs.
Qiao Yiyi looked a bit embarrassed, smoothing her hair. “No… the airplane food wasn’t good at all. I just drank some water…”
Jiang Fei nodded knowingly. “Wait here for a bit, then. There are still some ingredients in the fridge. I’ll make you something simple.”
Qiao Yiyi quickly agreed.
With Jiang Fei’s unparalleled, world-class culinary skills, even something “simple” by his standards would be an exquisite delicacy—far tastier than five-star hotel cuisine!
In the fridge were some leftover bone broth from tonight’s stew, flour, and even some shrimp. These ingredients were perfect for something simple yet delicious: wontons or noodles. So, Jiang Fei decided to make Qiao Yiyi a bowl of Cloud-Swallowing Noodles.
Adding some greens and sausage, the dish wasn’t just rich in flavor but also adhered to the principle of “Jiang Fei’s creations are always works of art”—visually appetizing.
About twenty minutes later, when Jiang Fei brought out a steaming, fragrant bowl of Cloud-Swallowing Noodles, Qiao Yiyi took it and inhaled deeply. “It smells amazing! Thank you!”
Jiang Fei smiled. “Go ahead and eat.”
Nodding, Qiao Yiyi grabbed her chopsticks and eagerly dug in.
Qiao Yiyi’s attire today still lacked the glamour typical of many superstars: a white chiffon blouse with embroidered patterns, paired with light-blue jeans, and her chestnut-colored hair casually draped over her shoulders. Simple, like a college girl rather than a white-collar worker, yet she unmistakably had that star quality.
Basically, her great figure and highly recognizable pretty face naturally gave off that aura.
As Qiao Yiyi ate with relish, Jiang Fei sat nearby watching the news on TV.
Then—
Ding!
The doorbell suddenly rang.
Both Jiang Fei and Qiao Yiyi were puzzled. It was already past ten at night. Unlike in the city, villagers in Daocun were mostly asleep by now, with only a few still watching TV. It couldn’t be a villager at the door.
Moreover, Simba hadn’t barked at all when the bell rang, meaning the visitor was someone familiar.
Qiao Yiyi looked up from her noodles. “Could it be Auntie Mei coming back?”
She started to get up to answer the door, but Jiang Fei gently pressed her shoulder. “Keep eating. I’ll get it.”
Walking quickly to the door, Jiang Fei opened it—and froze.
The person before him was a complete stranger. Moreover, she was a foreigner with wine-red hair and green eyes…
Jiang Fei’s eyes swept over her, genuinely taken aback.
First, this was a woman—one with an explosively great figure. Even without heels, she was almost as tall as Jiang Fei. She wore a form-fitting black leather outfit that accentuated her perfectly shaped, full breasts, rounded hips, and long legs.
If one had to accurately describe her appearance, she closely resembled Black Widow from the Hollywood superhero film The Avengers—a near-perfect match.
Though her expression was somewhat cold, her looks and attire exuded an extreme allure.
How did such a beautiful foreign woman end up at his villa?
And… she didn’t seem lost. Instead, she glared at him angrily, with a look of betrayed resentment?
“Did I somehow hook up with a gorgeous foreign girl at some point?” Jiang Fei wondered inwardly.
That shouldn’t be possible. He wasn’t the protagonist of some military-romance novel, always ending up with a stunning foreign beauty as a confidante, frequently engaging in steamy video chats online…
Besides, if he had indeed been with such a beauty, he definitely wouldn’t have abandoned her.
“Can I help you, miss?” Jiang Fei asked.
By now, Qiao Yiyi—almost finished with her noodles—came over. Seeing the woman, her face immediately changed, showing both surprise and embarrassment. In English, she said, “Christina, what are you doing in China?”
Jiang Fei understood enough English to catch that. So, this woman was a friend of Qiao Yiyi’s.
‘Black Widow’ glanced at Qiao Yiyi, then pointed at Jiang Fei. “Qiao, is this the man you said is your boyfriend?”
Qiao Yiyi’s embarrassed face flushed red. She glanced nervously at Jiang Fei, stamped her foot in frustration, and said angrily, “No… Ugh, I can’t explain right now! Just leave. I told you, I’m not… I’m not that kind of person!”
“How do you know you’re not? I used to think I wasn’t either, but then I realized I was wrong. These wretched men aren’t worth our affection!” Christina said, gazing deeply at Qiao Yiyi.
At this, Jiang Fei’s eyes widened in shock.
This conversation sounded so familiar…
Wasn’t it similar to the dialogue in the movie If You Are the One, when the effeminate gay guy tries to persuade Ge You’s character to explore same-sex relationships?
And if Jiang Fei wasn’t mistaken, this Christina—who looked and carried herself exactly like Black Widow—might actually be… a lesbian?
At this realization, Jiang Fei’s expression completely changed.
Like a paparazzo stumbling upon a celebrity scandal, his eyes darted back and forth between Qiao Yiyi and Christina’s faces.
Under Jiang Fei’s scrutinizing gaze, Qiao Yiyi’s already flushed cheeks turned even redder.
This Christina was a European beauty Qiao Yiyi had met during the awards ceremony days in Europe. At first, Qiao Yiyi hadn’t known about Christina’s unconventional orientation. Introduced by one of the event’s hosts, she saw nothing unusual.
Always polite and kind, and sharing common topics as fellow beauties, Qiao Yiyi quickly grew close to Christina. Despite differences in nationality and skin color, in just a few days, Christina had “conquered” the unsuspecting Qiao Yiyi, becoming very good friends. They chatted, enjoyed delicious food, and Christina showed Qiao Yiyi many beautiful sights, seemingly on the verge of becoming cross-continental besties.
Everything was fine until two nights ago. After a day of sightseeing, they checked into a hotel. Already close, they decided to share a room instead of booking separate ones.
Qiao Yiyi still didn’t find this odd.
Women were different from men—often strolling arm-in-arm, dining together, even going to the restroom in pairs. Sharing a bed wasn’t a big deal, so she readily agreed.
However, once Qiao Yiyi fell asleep, the “scheming” Christina finally revealed her true intentions!
Half-asleep, Qiao Yiyi sensed something amiss. When she groggily opened her eyes to see what was happening, she discovered Christina had undressed her and was… touching her all over, kissing her indiscriminately…
Then, Qiao Yiyi was terrified.
She fled the hotel that very night. No matter how Christina explained or pleaded, Qiao Yiyi ignored her. As soon as the music awards ended, she hurried back to China.
She just hadn’t expected that Christina would secretly follow her all the way to China.
