When Shen Changan pushed the door open and came in, he found Dao Nian and Cai Ran sitting quietly, not saying a word. Knowing that both were not the chatty type, he cleared his throat and began looking for a topic to ease the atmosphere.
After Shen Changan came in, the atmosphere quickly returned to normal, as if the almost awkward silence from just now had never existed.
With the idea in her mind, when Cai Ran looked at Shen Changan and his friend again, she could find differences in their way of interacting everywhere.
Shen Changan, who was usually so carefree, would pick out fish bones for his friend. Even though he was using serving chopsticks, sometimes his friend would eat the food directly from Shen Chang’an’s chopsticks, which was definitely not something that straight male friends would do.
It was supposed to be a dinner for three, but she didn't deserve a name. No matter how beautiful the setting or how delicious the food was, none of it could compete with the killing power of dog food.*
Why bother eating? Just watching the two of them show affection was enough.
“Ranran, although Cao Jin can’t openly do anything to you right now, I’m afraid he’ll use underhanded methods, so you still need to be careful.” Shen Changan looked at Cai Ran. “But you’re so beautiful and talented, you’re bound to have exceptionally good luck. When you win glory for the country and become world-famous, remember to let me latch onto your coattails. When I’m chatting with other people in the future, and they mention you, I’ll say, ‘Cai Ran? I know her very well. We’ve been good friends for many years.’”
“You’re really ambitious. Why can’t I latch onto your coattails in the future?” Cai Ran chuckled. “But I appreciate your kind words. If I really become famous in the future, I’ll post a special message on Weibo saying that you’re my friend, okay?”
“Of course, you have to keep your word.” Shen Changan happily slapped the table. “If you don’t post it on Weibo, you’re a puppy.”
“When has this old lady ever gone back on her word?” Cai Ran sneered. “It’s someone who said they were going to continue studying for a post graduate’s degree, but in the end…”
But then he ran off to a place that no one knew and started dating another man.
Heh, men. They’re all big, fat pig trotters.
Shen Changan gave an awkward smile. “Well, plans can’t keep up with changes.”
“Drink the soup.” Dao Nian put a bowl of soup in front of Shen Changan. “You don’t eat properly at noon, but then you eat more than anyone else at night. You young people these days have such bad eating habits.”
Shen Changan picked up the soup and whispered in Dao Nian’s ear, “My friend is still here. Give me some face.”
Dao Nian glanced at Cai Ran and slowly lowered his eyes.
He should save some face for his own people in front of outsiders.
Cai Ran felt that Shen Changan’s friend was looking at her with a strange expression. As a highly intelligent and sophisticated talent, her reason reminded her not to delve too deeply into it.
“You don’t want to stay in the capital?” As the meal was coming to an end, Cai Ran couldn’t help but ask. “Changan, you’ve been in the capital for so many years. Are you really willing to never come back?”
“The capital is big, lively, and prosperous. Everyone is rushing around for their dreams.” Shen Changan put down his chopsticks. “Wuming City is different. The streets there aren’t wide enough, the residents don’t wear clothes that are as fashionable, and the streets and alleys are full of buffets that cost twenty or thirty yuan per person. When I walk on the streets, residents often greet me and chat about nothing in particular. It’s either ‘Have you eaten?’ or ‘Where are you going?’”
“But I like it there.” Shen Changan smiled. “In that city, I’m needed.”
Cai Ran suddenly understood. What Shen Changan liked wasn’t the city, but the warmth of being liked and needed.
She knew that Changan’s parents were dead, but he had never told his friends about his parents. He was always smiling and was the bright and cheerful boy in everyone’s eyes, as if these things didn’t exist if they weren’t mentioned.
But how could things that already existed not exist just because they weren’t spoken?
In the end, it was just that they, his friends, had long been used to Shen Changan’s smiling face and didn’t care enough about him.
She turned her head to look at Shen Changan’s friend and put down her chopsticks, wiping her mouth clean. “Changan, are you happy now?”
Shen Changan nodded.
Apart from the fact that he didn’t earn enough money himself and was always freeloading off Dao Nian’s food and drink, his current life could be called perfect.
“That’s good.” Cai Ran smiled. “I was originally going to invite you to walk around the school, but you and…”
What was Shen Changan’s friend’s name again?
“You and your friend might have other things to do, so I won’t waste your time. Let’s leave it for next time.” As she said this, Cai Ran’s tone dropped slightly. “When will you come back to the Capital again?”
“I'll come back every year.” Shen Changan smiled. “There are still some elders who took care of me here in the capital.”
“That’s good.” Cai Ran’s tone was a bit happier. “I was afraid that after I achieved fame and success, I’d want you, this leg pendant, to come out and latch onto my coattails, but I wouldn’t be able to find you.”
“Don’t even think about it. After you achieve fame and success, even if you don’t want to see me, I’ll climb into your house through the window to hug your thighs.” Shen Changan said with a grin. “A thigh without a pendant isn’t a perfect thigh.”
“Changan.” Dao Nian put his hand on Shen Changan’s shoulder. “You chat with your friend slowly. I’m going out for a bit.”
Shen Changan looked up and saw Shen Tu standing at the door, and nodded reassuringly. “Okay, come back soon. Did you bring your phone?”
“Yeah.” Dao Nian nodded.
Shen Tu walked into the private room and gave Cai Ran a slight smile and nod before pushing Dao Nian out.
Cai Ran quickly returned the smile. After Shen Tu and Dao Nian left, her straight back instantly bent over, and all traces of elegance and scholarly aura disappeared. “Shen Changan, your friend… he seems very rich?”
“It’s not just seem very rich, he really is very rich.” Shen Changan told some funny stories about his interactions with Dao Nian. “So, he just looks cold, but he’s actually very nice.”
“I know he’s very nice. You already emphasized it once on the phone yesterday. You don’t need to emphasize it again now.” Cai Ran took out her lipstick from her bag and touched up her makeup. “Shen Changan, you’re sometimes smart, sometimes stupid. It's really…”
“Huh?” Shen Changan looked at Cai Ran in confusion.
“Nothing.” Cai Ran smiled and shook her head, slowly capped her lipstick, also closing her insignificant romantic feelings for Shen Changan.
She had thought that he was a straight man with a one-track mind who hadn’t opened up to emotions. Now she understood that there was no one in the world who couldn’t open up to emotions. It was just that they hadn’t met the right person.
“Alright, I should go back.” Cai Ran stood up. “I’ve got an experiment waiting on results.”
A pig trotter that she couldn’t eat wasn’t worth wasting her precious research time on.
“I’ll walk you back.” Shen Chang’an stood up too.
“No need. I drove here.” Cai Ran turned her head and looked at Shen Changan. “Besides, if you see me back, what about your friend?”
“It’s okay. I can see you back with him.” Shen Changan took the coat off the coat rack and held it in his arms, following Cai Ran out of the private room.
Dao Nian, who had paid the bill and returned, saw Shen Changan and Cai Ran walking out of the private room one after the other. He asked, "Have you finished eating?"
“Yeah.” Shen Changan put the coat in Shen Tu’s hand and walked behind Dao Nian to push him. “The weather’s pretty good today. Do you want to go somewhere for a walk?”
Dao Nian turned his head to look at Cai Ran. “Together?”
“Not together.” Cai Ran quickly said. “I have to go back to the lab soon.”
Although you’re expressionless, I can still see the defensiveness and jealousy in your eyes. She was a high-IQ beauty. She didn’t want to be a third wheel for this gay couple.
“Okay, let’s wander around.” Dao Nian withdrew his gaze and nodded.
Cai Ran: “…”
Heh, if she said she was going with them, it would become that he didn’t have time and couldn’t go, right?
Tsk, tsk, tsk, men.
When she walked out of the restaurant, Cai Ran realized that Shen Changan hadn’t paid the bill. He had just pushed his friend out.
When Shen Changan lifted Dao Nian into the car and turned around to see her off to her car, Cai Ran couldn’t help but say, “Did your friend pay for our meal?”
“Yeah.” Shen Changan nodded. “He also helped me book the place to eat. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to afford to invite you to eat here.”
“I really didn’t expect it.” Cai Ran shook her head with emotion. Shen Changan looked so handsome and upright, but she didn’t expect him to be so comfortable eating soft rice.
“Didn’t expect what?”
“Nothing.” Cai Ran opened the car door and looked back. Shen Changan’s friend was sitting in the car, with the window open, watching them from afar.
She didn’t want to be the villainous female supporting character in someone else’s romance, so she took a step back and got into the car, putting distance between her and Shen Changan. “Changan, take care of yourself.”
“I will.” Shen Changan nodded. “You don’t have to worry about me.”
Cai Ran smiled. “Although this road may be a bit difficult to walk, I believe that you’re not the type of person who would give up because of rumors. If you encounter difficulties, you can talk to us old friends. Even if others don’t understand you, we’ll all stand behind you.”
Shen Changan: “…”
These words were very touching, but… something seemed a little off? He was just going to work in a small city. It wouldn’t be enough to be condemned by everyone, right?
“Your friend is pretty good.” Cai Ran smiled. “You guys take care of each other.”
Shen Changan nodded.
“Changan…” Cai Ran gazed deeply at Shen Changan. “I wish you happiness.”
“Thank you?” Shen Changan felt that Cai Ran wasn’t talking about the same thing as him. But no matter what she had misunderstood, he understood her good intentions.
“I also wish you happiness and early success.” Shen Changan smiled. “See you next time.”
“Go on, go on.” Cai Ran waved her hand. “Your friend is still waiting for you in the car.”
“Then be careful on the road.” After saying goodbye to Cai Ran, Shen Changan ran away happily. Cai Ran saw that in the moment when Shen Changan ran towards his friend, his friend’s expression softened.
She smiled and closed the car window.
She turned on a song and slowly hummed along.
“Where do you want to go this afternoon?” Shen Changan got into the car and fastened his seat belt. He was in a good mood after seeing a friend he hadn’t seen in a long time, and the smile on his face didn’t fade for a long time.
“I want to go see the places you used to be.”
“Then let’s go to my high school?” Shen Changan said with a smug smile. “There’s still my picture on the bulletin board at our school.”
“Your high school…” Dao Nian thought of the girl in the picture from Shen Changan’s high school days. “Okay.”
“Then wait for me for a moment.” Shen Changan ran to a nearby store and bought a lot of gifts. “Since we’re going that way anyway, I’ll buy some gifts for the teachers too.”
“Do you have any high school classmates that you’re particularly close to?” Dao Nian asked.
“It seems like I have a good relationship with everyone.” Shen Changan thought of some past events, and the smile on his face faded a little. “But there aren’t any that I’m particularly close to.”
Author's Note:
Cai Ran: I was wrong. I don’t deserve to have a name.