You understood my answer.
That evening, Mo Wen privately messaged Ji Shu, asking for a change: "Two days from now, could you arrive ten minutes later than the agreed time? Once you meet, the identity of Xia Yuan might be a burden."
"I want to carve out some time to spend alone with him, to get to know him better and eliminate any awkwardness."
Ji Shu understood this action and came to discuss the issue: "I didn't expect you to have thought of this in advance. I don't need to tell you, I'll go and inform them."
"Thank you." Mo Wen replied, then stopped following.
Ji Shu notified the two people besides Wen Zhuyao, and even Chi Nuo got a reason to create a small group.
"Chi Nuonuo added you to the group chat, watching Zhuzhu..."
Two seconds passed.
"Chi Nuonuo kicked you out of the group chat, watching Zhuzhu..."
The continuous flashing of the screens forced him to pay attention and see what it was.
Mo Wen typed a private message: "Please add me, thank you."
Two seconds after the private chat.
"Chi Nuonuo pulled you into..."
They happened to be at the same airport and around the same time, so they booked hotels together. Mo Wen lied and said he would take the high-speed rail instead of the airport.
The current situation has naturally evolved.
"What are these two people secretly talking about?" Chi Nuo walked in, her perspective shifting, freezing at an ambiguous distance.
Gossips instinctively joined in the commotion.
Wen Zhuyao turned around upon hearing the sound, wanting to see where it came from.
Mo Wen gently turned his head back by supporting his chin with his hand, and once his head was straight, he lowered his hand.
I often use my phone and computer, which can cause neck problems. Suddenly turning my head might strain my muscles. This careful consideration is clearly not understood by people I know well.
"What's wrong? Can't I even take a look?" Wen Zhuyao patted his shoulder lightly to show her displeasure.
After a brief period of reckoning with their past controversies, nothing is off-limits for building closer relationships.
Chi Nuo then came to the table and sat at the far end opposite, resting her chin on her hands and looking back and forth between the two people: "One is cute, the other is cold, just like in the game."
"Let's show some signs of ambiguity, hopefully this time they won't leave me behind." Mo Wen didn't explain, covering it up with a reasonable excuse.
"Come on, wasn't it you who ran off with Xiaozhu and left the three of us behind?" Chi Nuo pouted, then explained, "They're coming soon. They rented a car in advance and are looking for a parking space."
Wen Zhuyao thought about it and realized that it was indeed the case.
He ignored the fact that the "unknown plot" would lead to a solo scene, focusing instead on Chi Nuo, the girl next door who had followed him around since childhood, whose appearance was somewhat different from his memory.
Now, she sports a neat, ear-length light blue bob and punk-style accessories.
"Wow, that's cool! Did you dye it recently?" she couldn't help but compliment, then remembered another question, "Did your aunt approve?"
Upon hearing the praise, Chi Nuo changed her expression to a cool one, and then disappeared to match her next words.
"It's not that easy for a good girl to change her style. I was afraid of implicating you, so I didn't even bother to scold you." Ji Shu came at the wrong time, just in time to ruin things.
This time, when Wen Zhuyao turned her head to look, no one stopped her.
What catches the eye is her flamboyant, wavy red hair, captivating and beautiful beyond description, but she knows that if she falls too easily into the trap of beauty...
She will be met with military submission.
"Big sister, I miss you so much," Wen Zhuyao said, her infatuation genuine. "If you'd like to be close to me, I'll eat two extra bowls of rice to repay your kindness."
And the younger brother following behind was also a man.
One sentence made both men turn pale at the same time.
"You're married, don't even think about it. I'll be watching you forever." Bai Yuzhou knew that look all too well, and pointed to his eyes.
It will keep watching you forever.
Bai Yuzhou forgot about one more person and turned to Chi Nuo, saying, "And you too."
"There's nothing we can do about it, the airport already has stickers on them, and what you said really ruins your composed demeanor."
Chi Nuo patted the empty seat next to her, indicating, "Big sister, sit in the middle. We'll sit around you, little girl, and not mix with certain guys."
The implication was clear, so Mo Wen stood up and made way for him.
"By the way, have you finalized your theme yet?" Ji Shu steered the conversation towards Wen Zhuyao, her professional instincts leading her to inquire about the progress.
Upon hearing the sound, Wen Zhuyao stood up. Her smile froze on her face, a slight upturn that revealed no joy or happiness.
I reluctantly sat down next to her. I had mentioned it before, but I didn't expect her to remember it. It's annoying to be remembered.
Ji Shu sighed helplessly, but still said, "Since you're going to record a vlog, our plans aren't that rigid. It won't take up much time to chat now."
"Well... I'll just film whatever I play. I haven't thought about a theme." Wen Zhuyao doesn't have many limitations on the content; she's easygoing in both her personality and her interactions with people.
Mo Wen took advantage of her changing seats to let Bai Yuzhou sit down as well, while he sat on the outside facing her.
Seeing her looking guilty, I spoke up to defuse the situation: "With Second Brother, that planning fanatic, around, we have to give him some room to maneuver. I don't know how long Eldest Sister had to persuade him before he gave up."
"If you don't think ahead, your second brother might punish you by making you write down your business plan for next year."
Bai Yuzhou took out his notebook from the backpack beside him, typed away, and calmly retorted, "Aren't you a workaholic too?"
They seemed unaffected by their conversation.
Chi Nuo, always eager for a good show, egged them on: "Let's fight! Let's fight!"
"I support you. I will always stand behind you and encourage you. Go forth and charge forward!"
One looked down at the dessert menu, the other searched for nearby recommendations, and without exchanging glances, the two said in unison, "If we start fighting, the first thing we'll do in the future is to cross out your entertainment time."
"Haha...then you two can get along harmoniously, pretend I never said anything." Chi Nuo pouted again, hugged Ji Shu's arm, and didn't want to recall it.
Workaholics and planning staff team up, giving no rest time whatsoever—no normal person could handle that!
Seeing that the farce had come to an end, Ji Shujian brought the conversation back on track: "They each offer a direction you'd like to try, so there's variety and you can choose one."
"Personally, I like escape rooms or experience centers; I prefer novelty and excitement."
This is a good choice for the subject matter of the shoot, and it's generally a very interesting point, but compared to the story...
Wen Zhuyao imagined the scene: being chased by someone... No comment yet.
"Going to exhibitions, having barbecues, and camping." Bai Yuzhou prefers stability, and for a man over thirty, perhaps fishing should be added to that list.
“DIY, so cozy and comforting.” Chi Nuo was still lively and cheerful: “Besides, hasn’t Zhu Zhu sent the ring a long time ago? We can play together and get a new one.”
Those who had expressed their opinions focused their attention on the two people who hadn't spoken to each other.
Wen Zhuyao nodded under the gaze. Everything was fine, but she couldn't make a decision. She had a little heart-to-heart talk: "Don't look at me like that. I think everything is fine. I have no opinion."
Another reason why someone can't be a decision-maker is mainly because they don't have time to play and are working from home; what good advice could they possibly have?
Mo Wen shrugs; it doesn't mean anything, it's just background noise.
Ultimately, Ji Shu made the decision. Both were adopted that day: her and Chi Nuo's escape room + DIY activity, with the rest scheduled for the following days.
Bai Yuzhou made plans on-site, estimating the total time required for the two activities, and arranged the playtime accordingly to avoid missing dinner.
Before the others went to dessert, the drinks were served first.
"Escape room is pending. Let's go to the shop that Xiaozhu went to for DIY." Bai Yuzhou stopped searching and reached out to skip over the iced Americano next to him.
He hovered his index finger over the chocolate cake on the dessert menu and then tapped it.
Ji Shu glanced at it and added a chocolate cake and an extra serving of cocoa beans to the chocolate series, on top of the already selected plum mousse and bamboo leaf pudding.
She then shifted her gaze to the corner and picked out a Longjing tea pastry that wasn't too sweet.
She selected the pen and the form and handed them to Chi Nuo, who was still holding her hand. Chi Nuo immediately let go and looked down to examine them carefully.
“Sure, it’s right next door,” Wen Zhuyao said, sipping the apple sparkling water that had been delivered and recalling the location. “Just turn the corner and you’ll be there.”
Bai Yuzhou changed his focus to dessert shops and found one nearby that had high ratings, was independent and innovative, and suited Ji Shu's travel preferences.
"Are you choosing all the nearby ones?"
He looked up and asked Ji Shu for her opinion: "I saw a place with good ratings, we can give it a try."
The others don't have decision-making power; they can just follow the arrangements. It would be more prudent for them to think about things.
To be precise, it's that one thing can't be considered, and two things can't be considered.
Experience is truly valuable; it's something that's been accumulated over time.
“Okay, let’s arrange it like this.” Ji Shu swirls the osmanthus-flavored iced milk, the gradient osmanthus sauce clinging to the side of the cup creating an autumnal atmosphere.
Chi Nuo spent a long time choosing, but finally picked a cheesecake. Looking up from the many options, she sighed, "All these fancy choices, who would pick these childhood sweethearts one after another?"
Mo Wen's unintentional remark drew three gazes to him: two with a hint of surprise and one with pure curiosity.
The first one I checked was Wen Zhuyao. I studied it for a long time, but when it came to the final step, I chose Green Plum Mousse without blinking.
Don't ask who comes next; once you've chosen, push it over.
"What's wrong with you guys?" Chi Nuo handed the order to the clerk before she had a chance to look at the scene. She took a sip of her strawberry milk in a daze.
Five people, five expressions.
Excuse me, may I bother you?
The shop assistant, who had left, returned to the table with two items in his hand: "We're having a promotion for childhood sweethearts right now. Collect two points and you'll get two free accessories."
"These are yours, please keep them safe." The shop assistant placed the jewelry on the table and turned to leave.
Two bamboo-shaped rings, plus a separate chain in the packaging (material not visible). They can be worn as necklaces.
Ji Shu reached out and brushed her hair to one side, stating, "I like pastries."
“I only like chocolate.” Bai Yuzhou then ruled himself out of the options, exchanged a glance with her, and raised their glasses together, remaining detached from the situation.
There was no way to hide from Chi Nuo's radar. Her eyes lit up instantly, and she started teasing, "You should wear them on your hands. The rings around your necks symbolize good friends."
"My hands are empty, with a bamboo horse and a bamboo stick. What a coincidence."
All eyes, filled with anticipation, fell on Mo Wen. Just a second before he was about to explain, Wen Zhuyao sharpened her knife, ready to strike the honest man.
The fact that she hadn't asked that question had also put her panic and discomfort out of her mind.
Wen Zhuyao snatched the ring first, opened it, put one ring on the middle finger of her right hand, and held the other ring in her other hand, gesturing to Mo Wen.
"We met in the game when we were newbies, so how can that not be considered childhood sweethearts?"
When a single question is compared to a complex answer, a good atmosphere can only make the probing go unnoticed, so much so that even the person making the decision is unaware of it.
What exactly is the essence of what she is hoping for?
"Are you messing with me?"
Mo Wen's smile after his pause made her avoid his attempt to take it, and she gently shook her head to give him the answer.
"Do you really have to put it on me yourself?" He understood, his hand hovering in the air, letting it be played with at will.
Chi Nuo, always eager for excitement, raised her phone to record this beautiful moment: "Come on, I support you all. Let's capture this wonderful scene."
"What's going on? Shouldn't that be followed by wedding vows?" Mo Wen's temporary interruption prevented the situation from returning to its original calm.
On the contrary... it seems to have gotten worse.
Wen Zhuyao obediently cooperated with the camera to show off the ring, doing whatever was asked and leaving room for the master to perform.
"I've brought them all. Let's coordinate a photoshoot to wish me fame. I'll give you a free photoshoot in return. A masterpiece, okay?" Chi Nuo was not at all shy about boasting and urged without blinking.
Don't try to muddy the water, but the materials are different and the water doesn't dissolve.
“If the two of us are to have a scene, it should be a separate scene. It’s not good to only film four scenes out of five people.” Ji Shu leaned back to help Chi Nuo adjust the angle more effectively.
He covered his forehead with his hand, expressing his helplessness, but still did as Wen Zhuyao said, enduring until the end before covering his face with his hands.
Over time, my earlobes gradually turned red.
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