Chapter 65: Different Forms of Address
Song Jiaren got into the car quickly, her cheeks a rosy shade of red.
Qiao Yanjue’s smile was so mesmerizing that she found it hard to resist.
However, what kind of relation did Xia Xibei have with such a handsome man?
Xia Xibei was at a loss for words as she watched Song Jiaren getting into the car with swift, nimble movements.
She must be wishing very badly for Qiao Yanjue to sell her to someone else!
Upon meeting Song Jiaren’s trustful gaze, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and get inside the car.
Luckily, Qiao Yanjue didn’t go for the passenger seat, but the co-driver seat instead. Xia Xibei heaved a sigh of relief when seeing that.
The car moved forward and Song Jiaren muttered softly to Xia Xibei, “How did the two of you get to know each other?”
“By chance,” Xia Xibei replied, her expression remaining unruffled.
“He’s so good-looking!” Song Jiaren clasped her mouth and giggled as she spoke.
Xia Xibei was speechless. She didn’t know until now that Song Jiaren was such a groupie!
However, she was rather glad that Song Jiaren had managed to detach herself from Yang Xuan’s affairs.
Although she hadn’t known Song Jiaren for more than two days, she found Song Jiaren to be a good person.
Despite being plump, she had a generous and loyal personality, which suited her very well. Moreover, she was very different from the arrogant, domineering bully that the other students assumed her to be.
Qiao Yanjue kept a composed look, as though he had no idea what the two girls were chatting about in the back.
“Do we go to the herb store first or your place?” he asked.
Xia Xibei thought for a second before answering, “The herb store.”
She didn’t want Qiao Yanjue to go to her place. Besides, she had agreed upon treating him at the herb store previously.
Qiao Yanjue nodded and the driver expressed his understanding immediately.
Although she was confused, Song Jiaren remained quiet.
Very soon, the car arrived at Huo Zijun’s herb store.
Once they got out of the car, Song Jiaren’s eyes became wide.
“This herb store is so huge!”
The scent of herbs could be picked up on when approaching the place, so one could only imagine just how much herbs there were in the store.
When Huo Zijun came out, Song Jiaren’s eyes became even wider.
“So handsome!”
“Brother Huo, this is my schoolmate, Song Jiaren. Jiaren, you could call him brother Huo, just like I do. He’s friends with Mr. Qiao,” Xia Xibei introduced him to her.
“Hello, brother Huo!” Song Jiaren’s eyes lit up instantly, but she was baffled when she recalled Xia Xibei’s last line. “Wait, why do you address them differently?”
One was brother Huo, while the other was Mr. Qiao. It was obvious whom Xia Xibei was closer with!
The look on Qiao Yanjue’s face turned dismal as well.
He still couldn’t wrap his head around the reason why Xia Xibei was so cold and distant toward him.
Even Song Jiaren, who had met him for the first time today, had noticed the problem.
“Mr. Qiao is an elder, of course. We have to show him respect,” Xia Xibei said with a straight face.
Qiao Yanjue’s face turned as dark as coal.
He remembered how Xia Xibei had previously called him “uncle.”
He gnashed his teeth and flashed a humorless smile, pointing out, “I’m the same age as Zijun!”
They were the same age and they weren’t even relatives, so what was the difference in their forms of address all about?!
He then looked toward Song Jiaren. “I’ll call you Jiaren, and you may call me brother Qiao.”
Song Jiaren was startled for a moment before she nodded, “Brother Qiao!”
Qiao Yanjue nodded with a smile, then looked towards Xia Xibei, waiting for her to address him in the same way.
Xia Xibei’s lips twitched with unease. This man was just too cunning!
She was schoolmates with Song Jiaren, so wouldn’t she have to call him brother too, if that was what Song Jiaren did? Otherwise, the seniority would be all messed up.
He was a crafty man indeed!
“Brother Qiao,” Xia Xibei finally said with a joyless smile, left with no other choice.
The soreness within Qiao Yanjue was finally relieved.
Huo Zijun, who was standing at the side, couldn’t help but shake his head as he watched the scene in front of him.
Qiao Yanjue was a whole different person in front of Xia Xibei!