Seeing Zhou Ping speechless, his third uncle spoke up, "You kid, keep a close eye on Xiao Yan!"
“Yes, I will keep an eye on him,” Zhou Ping nodded solemnly, standing to the side.
After chatting for a while, as Shang Qingqian was about to leave, she glanced at Zhou Ping every now and then, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.
My third uncle had already returned to his seat to continue reading and hadn't noticed what was happening.
Shang Yan looked left and right, then uttered an inappropriate question, "Sister, why aren't you leaving yet?"
Shang Qingqian hesitated: ...
Ever since this kid got sick, his words have become increasingly offensive, like his mouth is laced with poison.
There's a feeling that you're willing to risk your life to create something great for everyone.
Zhou Ping noticed Shang Qingqian looking at him early on. He turned his head away uncomfortably, his body stiffened, and his face tightened.
"Zhou Ping, why do you have such a cold face?" Shang Yan's untimely voice rang out again.
He was right. Zhou Ping's face was tense and expressionless, looking as if he had a cold face.
Zhou Ping pursed his lips after Shang Yan said that, forcing a smile at Shang Qingqian.
Shang Qingqian covered her face. "Forget it, you'd better not laugh."
That stiff smile—anyone who didn't know better would think he'd been threatened or done something.
After giving the mischievous Shang Yan a hard slap on the head, Shang Qingqian hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Zhou Ping, how about we have a talk?"
She shifted her gaze to Shang Yan, her eyes softening slightly.
"Ah... okay." Although he didn't know what Shang Qingqian wanted to talk to him about, Zhou Ping was inexplicably a little nervous. He agreed and followed Shang Qingqian out of the restaurant.
Shang Yan, who wanted to follow, was shoved back by Shang Qingqian, who said, "You stay here and wait obediently!"
"Oh..." Shang Yan stopped in his tracks upon hearing this.
...
The conversation between Shang Qingqian and Zhou Ping lasted for ten minutes, which was not long.
Since Shang Qingqian did most of the talking, Zhou Ping nodded silently.
After the conversation ended, Shang Qingqian felt relieved and waved to Zhou Ping and Shang Yan with a relaxed expression, "Then I'll be going now. Little Zhou, don't forget to bring Xiao Yan back!"
Shang Yan keenly noticed that Shang Qingqian's way of addressing Zhou Ping had changed, and he nudged Zhou Ping's arm curiously, "What did my sister say to you?"
"..." Zhou Ping hesitated for once, seemingly unsure of how to begin.
Shang Yan stared at him suspiciously, his gaze intense, until Zhou Ping looked away uncomfortably, before he finally looked away.
Seeing that Zhou Ping wouldn't say anything, Shang Yan simply stopped asking.
Having spent a long time with Zhou Ping, I've come to understand his personality perfectly.
Zhou Ping only speaks when he really wants to, and he speaks very softly. If Shang Yan hadn't been keeping his attention on him, he would have thought that Zhou Ping wouldn't respond.
Shang Yan rolled up his sleeves and strode toward the kitchen with high spirits. "It's only a little past seven. Are there still dishes or something that haven't been washed?"
"Okay." Zhou Ping followed, and said to Shang Yan, "Wait for me a moment, I'll wash quickly."
There weren't many customers at the restaurant today, so we can clean up faster.
"That's great! Wouldn't it be faster if we washed them together?" Shang Yan said excitedly. He rushed to the kitchen, turned on the tap skillfully, squeezed out some dish soap, and started washing the dishes.
Zhou Ping, who had followed, paused for a moment upon seeing this, then stepped forward, picked up the plate, and started washing dishes with Shang Yan.
While washing the dishes, his gaze would occasionally fall on Shang Yan, then quickly look away.
Thinking of what Shang Qingqian had told him before, Zhou Ping let out a soft sigh.
He washed the dishes quickly, and soon a stack of clean plates was piled up beside him.
"What's wrong? You seem to have something on your mind?" Shang Yan asked, somewhat puzzled, after skillfully stacking the plates. "Actually, I wash dishes all the time at home, so I won't ruin them for you."
"...Very well washed." Zhou Ping glanced at the plates Shang Yan had washed and nodded slightly.
Ding-dong—
Just then, Shang Yan's phone vibrated in his pocket; someone had sent him a message.
After putting down the plate, Shang Yan looked around and found a clean cloth to wipe his hands.
It must have been Shang Qingqian who sent him the message. Remembering that he hadn't had time to change the nickname he had given Zhou Ping, he turned his back to Zhou Ping and opened his phone.
Zhou Ping paused while washing the dishes, then continued washing them as if nothing was wrong.
His height gave him a clear view of Shang Yan's phone screen.
Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Ping caught a glimpse of Shang Yan opening the little green message and seeing that Shang Yan was the contact in the second column. The nickname "Baby" caught Zhou Ping's eye.
He almost dropped the plate, but luckily he reacted quickly and grabbed the other end.
If yesterday, when Shang Yan was somewhat confused and hugged him calling him "wife," Zhou Ping could still attribute it to the patient's silliness, but what about now?
Shang Yan is perfectly sober now. What kind of good brother would save someone's contact as "baby"?
Zhou Ping remembered the nickname he had given Shang Yan, which was Shang Yan's real name.
Beneath her long eyelashes, a multitude of emotions flashed rapidly in her dark eyes: confusion, doubt, entanglement, struggle...
After replying to the message and hurriedly changing "Baby" to "Good Brother" in his contact name, Shang Yan turned off his phone and put it back in his pocket.
He was unaware that in just a few minutes, Zhou Ping was already in a state of utter confusion.
Seeing that Zhou Ping was washing the dishes slower, Shang Yan chuckled and proved his masculine charm to him. He quickly wiped the remaining plates and bowls with the rag in his hands.
"Alright, that's a wrap!" Shang Yan washed his hands, dried them with a clean cloth, and handed the cloth to Zhou Ping, who had just finished washing the dishes and was washing his hands.
“We’ve both finished washing the dishes, and there’s still some time before 8 p.m., how about we get a room?” he asked excitedly, pulling Zhou Ping’s hand.
Zhou Ping was a little puzzled, "Why do you need a room?"
"Let's fight," Shang Yan waved his phone at him, then opened the game.
He leaned over and reached into Zhou Ping's pocket, rummaging around but not finding what he wanted. Shang Yan asked, puzzled, "Where's your phone?"
Why not carry something so important with you at all times?
"It's on that table over there." Shang Yan's warm hand touched his leg, and Zhou Ping's expression changed slightly, as if he wanted to back away.
"Come on, let's grab our phones and book a room to play some games," Shang Yan said, scratching his head as he turned and walked out.
Zhou Ping followed behind him, picking up a broom as they walked out.
The dishes have been washed, but the floor hasn't been swept yet.
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