But just as she flashed a big grin while sliding down, Wei Ziqi suddenly appeared at the end of the banister.
He stood at the bottom of the stairs, expressionless, watching her.
Wei Ran was startled for a moment, her face showing a blank expression as she continued sliding down. She suddenly misjudged the height between the banister and the floor, forgetting that she should have gotten up to jump and land, instead continuing to slide straight down.
Just as it looked like she was about to fall headfirst, Wei Ziqi suddenly stretched out his arms and caught her in his embrace.
Wei Ran's breath caught, and her body stiffened in his arms, feeling extremely tense.
She hadn't forgotten Wei Ziqi's threat to her, after all, it had only been a week ago, and her mind was still sharp!
However, Wei Ziqi surprisingly held her with one arm, lifting her chin with his right hand, and gave her a faint smile.
"Be careful!" he said softly.
Wei Ran was stunned for a moment, before forcing a joyful smile.
Without thinking, she grabbed his face and gave him a big, wet kiss on his cheek.
Wei Ziqi's shock, and the rare faint blush on his cheek, were so clear in her mind, as though they had just happened a second ago.
Wei Ran couldn't help but smile, a sweet, gentle smile tugging at her lips.
"I know my own business!" Wei Ziqi's cold voice broke her train of thought.
Wei Ran froze, realizing she had unconsciously walked up to the door of Wei Minghao and his wife's bedroom.
"You're already twenty-six, and you still don't have a girlfriend?" Lin Qiuyue's somewhat helpless voice came from inside the room.
"Are you sure?" Wei Ziqi raised an eyebrow.
Lin Qiuyue shook her head in frustration. "I'm not talking about those women you sleep with for a few times and then break up with. I mean a serious girlfriend, one who you're dating with the intention of marriage!"
"Are you sure you want me to get married so early?" Wei Ziqi squinted his eyes as he asked.
"I'm not saying you need to get married right away, but if you want to get married, at least you need to have a partner, right? You don't even have a girlfriend now, when do you think you'll get married? At least have someone serious, so we can know you're ready to settle down. Is that so hard?" Lin Qiuyue said earnestly.
"Do you two have to do this every year on my birthday?" Wei Ziqi's voice was full of sarcasm.
"If you didn't make us so worried all the time, we wouldn't have to do this," Lin Qiuyue replied. "If it's about what happened two years ago, that's been long enough!"
"As for the Ye family, we'll make appropriate compensation. You don't have to spend your entire life trying to—" Lin Qiuyue's tone softened.
"Enough!" Wei Ziqi yelled, cutting them off. "My matters are my own business. Don't bother me with this again! When I get married, and who I marry, is none of your concern!"
"As for Ye Nian'an, I've told you, it has nothing to do with this!" Wei Ziqi said, his anger rising.
Wei Ran heard the heavy and rapid footsteps approaching. When they reached the door, the footsteps suddenly stopped.
Wei Ziqi turned around and said in a deep voice, "I hope this is the last time you bring this up to me. One year from today, I don't want to hear it again!"
Wei Ran's heart leapt to her throat. Pressing her back against the wall, she gripped the surface with both hands. It was too late to hide. She could only stare wide-eyed as the door "creaked" open, and Wei Ziqi walked out.
As soon as Wei Ziqi stepped out, he came face to face with her.
He paused for a moment, and the lips that had been tightly pressed in anger suddenly curled up into a mocking smile.
Since Wei Ziqi was blocking the way, Wei Minghao didn't see Wei Ran. He just shouted angrily at Wei Ziqi's back, "Unfilial son! Think about your position. Even for the sake of the family, you can't let this drag on!"
"Wei Minghao, don't get worked up!" Lin Qiuyue soothed, gently smoothing her husband's chest.
"Look at him, his temper's been like this since he was a child. I used to think it was just teenage rebellion, but now he's twenty-six, still like this, and no one can figure him out. Is this still adolescence? Maybe his adolescence has lasted too long!" Wei Minghao's finger was shaking with anger.
Hearing this, Wei Ziqi's mocking smile grew even more pronounced.
Wei Ran wasn't sure who he was mocking, though.
Without saying a word, Wei Ziqi turned and walked away, leaving Wei Ran exposed to Wei Minghao and Lin Qiuyue's gaze.
Realizing someone else was present, Wei Minghao and Lin Qiuyue froze, awkwardly looking at Wei Ran.
Wei Ran's face flushed, and she quickly turned to escape.
Before she realized it, she had unknowingly walked toward Wei Ziqi's bedroom. She saw that the door was slightly ajar, with dim light spilling through the crack.
She slowed her pace, walked up to the bedroom door, and gently stopped.
Her fingers brushed against the edge of the door, slowly pulling it open.
Standing at the door, she saw Wei Ziqi standing at the bar, his back to her.
"Come in if you're here," Wei Ziqi said without turning around.
Wei Ran's lashes fluttered, and upon hearing this, she stepped inside.
Wei Ziqi held a half-full glass of tequila without ice and walked to the bedside, sitting down. Wei Ran followed and stood by the bed.
Standing in front of him, her bare legs, exposed by the skirt she wore, were very close to Wei Ziqi's legs.
She silently tugged at his sleeve, still remembering what had happened two years ago.