Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Jiang Nian smiled and said, "It's me."...

04. Meet Again

Jiang Nian has a brother, but in his eyes, Shen Rong is also a brother. His brother Jiang Hao is older than both him and Shen Rong, and he is excellent and strict, so he dare not offend.

Chen Rong is different. In Jiang Nian's heart, Chen Rong is a gentle second brother. He will take him out to play, bring him delicious food, never scold him when he gets into trouble, and will help him find a solution.

Jiang Nian lived his life so seriously that he often forgot he was living in a book. Sometimes when he thought about the plot, he felt a little reluctant to let it go.

When the plot officially begins and Chen Rong and Lu Zhao's friendship develops into love, he will no longer be able to pester Chen Rong to take him out to play like this.

Despite his reluctance, he decided to be a considerate and sensible friend, not a stumbling block in his friend's love life. It was just so boring being alone and unable to go out. Hopefully, by then, his health would be better, his demands wouldn't be too high, and he'd be able to go out freely.

The car quickly stopped in front of an antique building. Jiang Nian discovered that the teahouse was very spacious. Entering through the heavy gate, he saw pavilions and waterside terraces inside, everything he needed, like a paradise.

This teahouse is a membership-based one, and the service, food, and drinks are all first-class. Many people choose to do business here.

Jiang Nian rarely visited places like this, and he found everything fresh and new. He followed Shen Rong briskly, entering the private room and opening the window. He discovered a fish pond beneath it, with koi swimming freely in it.

Seeing that he was interested, Shen Rong handed him the bait on the table, and Jiang Nian started feeding the fish.

Chen Rong sat down at the table, looked at Jiang Nian's profile and said, "This is fine, right? If you feel bored, we can go to the front hall, where there is a storyteller."

The temptation of koi was obviously greater than that of the storyteller. Jiang Nian said this place was great and he concentrated on feeding the fish.

Soon, the waiter brought tea and snacks. The snacks were uniquely shaped and looked delicious. Jiang Nian wiped his hands with a wet towel, picked up a magnolia-shaped snack, took a bite, and his eyes lit up.

The pastry had a crispy crust and the filling was full of floral and fruity aroma. It was not at all sweet and tasted even better than he had imagined.

Seeing that he was enjoying his meal, Shen Rong poured him a cup of fruit tea.

Jiang Nian finished a piece of dessert and a cup of tea, then stood up and said, "I'm going to the bathroom."

When they were out, Shen Rong never let Jiang Nian act alone, so upon hearing this, he stood up and walked towards the bathroom with him.

Jiang Nian came out after washing his hands and saw Chen Rong waiting in the hallway, talking to someone. He walked over and took a closer look, his eyes lit up and he blurted out, "Ah, it's you."

Lu Zhao looked at him and paused slightly.

The last time they met, Jiang Nian was wrapped up tightly, revealing only a pair of impressive eyes. When they met again today, Jiang Nian was not wearing a hat or a mask, and his entire face was clearly displayed to Lu Zhao.

Jiang Nian was wearing a white cashmere sweater. He had a slender and thin figure. His skin was fair and delicate, he had almond eyes and a straight nose, and his facial features were soft. When he smiled, his eyes were very lively, as if all the sorrows in the world were beyond his heart.

His smile diminished his frail aura, making him look like an elf that had fallen into the human world, so beautiful that it was impossible to look away. This appearance was a thousand times better than Lu Zhao had imagined.

Jiang Nian thought Lu Zhao didn't recognize him, so he raised his hand to cover the lower half of his face, and looked at Lu Zhao with a smile and eyebrows: "It's me."

A smile flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes, and he said, "What a coincidence."

Last time, Jiang Nian climbed over the wall and came back, and this time when he saw him with Chen Rong, Lu Zhao immediately figured it out. Jiang Nian climbed over the wall and "escaped from prison" that day to find Chen Rong.

Shen Rong was a little surprised that the two knew each other.

Jiang Nian had been out for such a long time, and he was in a good mood after having eaten some delicious food. In his heart, Lu Zhao was Chen Rong's future partner, not an outsider. He told Chen Rong about what happened that day without hiding anything.

As expected, Chen Rong frowned when he heard this and looked at Jiang Nian with a serious expression: "Did you fall off the wall?"

Jiang Nian's eyes wandered for a moment, feeling a little guilty. Chen Rong was willing to take him out to play only after he was sure of his safety. If his safety couldn't be guaranteed, Chen Rong wouldn't take him out.

Jiang Nian touched his nose and whispered, "That was an accident. You know, I'm usually very stable. It was snowing that day..."

Looking at Shen Rong's serious expression, he couldn't help but pull his sleeve and shook it left and right twice.

Perhaps because he had been weak since childhood and was doted on by everyone around him, Jiang Nian was an expert at acting like a spoiled child. Shen Rong was completely overwhelmed by his behavior and said, "This won't happen again." Then he turned to Lu Zhao and thanked him.

Lu Zhao said, "You're welcome. I'll help anyone who encounters that kind of situation."

Shen Rong hummed and formally introduced the two before asking why Lu Zhao was here.

Lu Zhao had a rare day off today. His mother hadn't seen him in a while, so she asked him to be her driver and take her to have afternoon tea with her sisters. Lu Zhao sat with his mother for a while before leaving. The room was filled with elderly women, and it was not convenient for him to chat with them.

Lu Zhao was originally planning to find a place to sit and wait for his mother to finish, but Jiang Nian said, "It's so boring to be alone. If you don't mind, come with us."

In Jiang Nian's view, Lu Zhao was Shen Rong's official match, which meant he was also his friend. Although their relationship hadn't started yet, it was always good to spend more time together. The closer they were, the closer their relationship would be. He was absolutely certain of this.

Lu Zhao, Shen Rong, and Jiang Nian returned to the private room. The three of them were of similar age, and with Shen Rong present, the atmosphere was harmonious and warm, not at all dull.

After sitting for a while, Jiang Nian wanted to eat another piece of snack, but he was not very hungry. Although the snacks were not big, he could not finish a whole piece. He scanned the snacks one by one. Should he eat or not?

Chen Rong saw Jiang Nian's dilemma and said, "Have a piece of hawthorn cake." He cut the hawthorn cake into two, gave half to Jiang Nian, and ate the remaining half himself.

Jiang Nian took a bite and said, "This tastes good too."

Chen Rong said, "I like it when I leave later. I'll pack some for you to take back."

Jiang Nian really liked the snacks here, but he was a little worried about taking them back: "How am I going to explain it to myself?"

He glanced at Chen Rong, thought of something, and suddenly laughed, with curved eyebrows and smiling eyes, like a little fox.

Chen Rong immediately understood what he meant, and said helplessly and lovingly: "Okay, I'll send it to you when the time comes."

Lu Zhao drank tea and watched them get along. They were so close that he was unsure of their relationship.

Are they dating? But Chen Rong is usually busy with work, so it doesn't seem like they are in a relationship.

Lu Zhao drank tea with his eyes lowered, not knowing what he was thinking.

In the quiet space, the phone rang suddenly. Jiang Nian was startled. He looked at Chen Rong and then at Lu Zhao before realizing that it was his.

He wiped his hands and glanced at the caller ID. His back immediately tensed up. He held the phone and said to Shen Rong in a low voice, "My brother."

Chen Rong's eyes widened slightly, and they were both in a state of panic. Lu Zhao, watching from the side, couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

Jiang Nian walked aside to answer the phone. Perhaps because he was nervous, he kept scratching the window with one hand, looking around, as if he was afraid that his brother would come out from that corner and grab him.

Lu Zhao became more and more certain that they had sneaked out without telling the Jiang family.

Dating?

A trace of regret flashed through Lu Zhao's mind. He felt a little bored and had no intention of staying any longer.

Jiang Nian said a few words to his brother over there and then hung up the phone. Shen Rong kept staring at Jiang Nian. After Jiang Nian sat down, he said, "My brother said he would be home later in the evening and my parents were on a business trip. He told me not to wait for him to eat first."

After saying that, he patted his chest and said, "I was scared to death." He thought his brother had gone home.

Chen Rong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's okay."

Lu Zhao didn't intend to be a light bulb here, so he stood up and said, "It's getting late. Thank you for the meal. I'll be leaving first."

Jiang Nian answered his brother's call, feeling somewhat uneasy. Upon hearing this, he also stood up and said, "Then we'll go too."

Shen Rong immediately agreed.

Jiang Nian and Chen Rong hurried, wanting to return quickly. Out of courtesy, Lu Zhao escorted them out. As they reached the door, a steady male voice rang out, "Chen Rong?"

Lu Zhao noticed that Jiang Nian's back tensed up suddenly. He glanced over there and saw Jiang Hao, the heir of the Jiang family.