Chapter 58 Just Like Me

"Why."

As Qi Nian went downstairs, he heard a sigh from Ning Min who was sitting on the sofa.

He walked over to eat breakfast out of curiosity and asked, "Auntie, why are you sighing?"

"Don't worry about anything. Isn't it because her classmate's son is getting engaged soon?" Chu Zhen was holding a newspaper in his hand. He looked up at Qi Nian and shook the newspaper before speaking.

Qi Nian was a little confused and asked doubtfully: "Shouldn't this be a good thing?"

Why does the aunt look so sad?

"It's a good thing, but when I think about the fact that my son hasn't made any progress in all these years, I feel worried." Chu Zhen worked diligently as a translator, and his translation was very accurate. Qi Nian understood immediately.

Sure enough, Ning Min put the invitation letter aside and said worriedly, "Your eldest brother is already 30 years old and there is no movement at all. How can I not be worried?"

Qi Nian felt something was wrong and counted on his fingers for a long time: "But isn't my brother only 28 years old?"

It seems that many elders like to add a few years to people for no apparent reason.

Ning Min thought it was about the same. What was the difference between 28 and 30? She didn't believe that her eldest son, who looked like he had no desires, would be able to bring home a child before he turned 30.

But she couldn't do anything about it and could only worry about it.

"You know what? You're getting engaged at only 25 years old!" Ning Min's tone was filled with envy.

Qi Nian wanted to comfort Ning Min, but didn't know how. After all, this matter was beyond human control.

Fortunately, Ning Min only muttered a few words and stopped talking. She then said to Chu Zhen, "On the day of the engagement party, please make time to come with me."

Chu Zhen asked: "When is the engagement party?"

"Next weekend." Ning Min said.

"Oh, that's really unfortunate. An old friend of mine is coming to our Beijing city that day. It's so rare for him to come, so I can't not entertain him." Chu Zhen was helpless. He didn't expect it to be such a coincidence.

"Okay, Nian Nian, are you free that day? How about you accompany your aunt?" Ning Min didn't want to go alone. After all, there would be classmates she didn't know. It would be so awkward if she went alone with no one to talk to.

Qi Nian naturally had nothing to do on the weekend, so he said considerately, "Sure."

So it was settled.

——

In a blink of an eye, it was the weekend. Qi Nian followed Ning Min's request, put on a set of clothes that the elders liked, and followed Ning Min obediently.

He was ready to be a silent little pendant for a day. After all, he definitely didn't know Ning Min's social circle.

Unexpectedly, he saw a familiar person.

"Sister Jiang?" Qi Nian never expected that Chu Jiang would appear here.

The two of them communicated with each other and finally found out that it was such a coincidence that the editor-in-chief of the news department where Chu Qian worked was Ning Min's classmate.

As the editor-in-chief's best reporter, Chu Qian would naturally attend the engagement party for his son.

Ning Min saw that Qi Nian actually ran into an acquaintance, and she happened to be going to talk to an old classmate, so she let Qi Nian and Chu Qian talk first.

"I haven't had anything to do recently. I've been working in a news agency. It's so boring." Chu Qian felt that she might be the legendary person who lives a life of hard work. She felt uncomfortable when she had free time.

"There aren't that many big news." Qi Nian said.

“That’s right.”

After a while, the two met the protagonists of today's engagement party. Qi Nian had seen their names on the invitation letter - the man was Ning Min's classmate's son, named Wu Zhao, and the woman was Yue Mingzhu.

As the protagonists, both of them were dressed up carefully. Wu Zhao was dressed in a suit and tie, looking handsome and heroic. Yue Mingzhu was tall and beautiful, with two round dimples when she smiled, which softened her coldness and made her seem much more approachable.

"I heard from our editor-in-chief that they were classmates in high school and college, and they have been together since high school. They have been dating for about ten years now," Chu Qian whispered.

"You've been together since high school?" Qi Nian was shocked. After all, he still believed that high school students were forbidden to fall in love. He sighed, "Your editor-in-chief is really open-minded."

"I also think that our editor-in-chief is quite trendy. Sometimes I feel like an antique in front of her." Chu Qian sighed.

Qi Nian looked at the two people in the distance and soon discovered that there was a boy following Wu Zhao. The boy was about the same height as Wu Zhao, but unlike Wu Zhao's handsomeness, the other boy was more handsome.

Wu Zhao spoke to the other party from time to time, and it seemed that they had a good relationship.

Soon the engagement banquet began. The bride and groom were about to toast together, but the boy next to Wu Zhao left first, leaving only the newlyweds smiling and toasting each other one by one.

Compared to a wedding ceremony, an engagement banquet is much simpler. Although the Wu family's engagement banquet was quite grand, not many people were invited, and they were all people with whom they had a good relationship.

The engagement party ended very quickly. Since Ning Min had a good relationship with Editor-in-Chief Chu Qian, she did not leave immediately after the party.

"I have to go over and talk to your Aunt Lin later. I haven't had the chance just now because she's too busy with work. It's so hard for us to get together, so I can't leave so soon." Ning Min explained to Qi Nian.

Qi Nian nodded.

Sure enough, after the engagement party, Qi Nian followed Ning Min to Aunt Lin's house.

Aunt Lin was wearing a red cheongsam today and had a happy smile on her face. As soon as she met Ning Min, the two of them gave each other a big hug.

"The last time we met was a few months ago, right? Alas, the news agency has been so busy lately that I don't even know what I'm busy with." Aunt Lin complained.

"I'm not idle here either." Ning Min said with a smile. She opened several stores and had more free time, but she could be busy all day and night.

The two of them exchanged a few words, and Aunt Lin looked at Qi Nian again, then her eyes trembled: "This is..."

Before Ning Min could say anything, Aunt Lin smiled and said, "I didn't expect the child to be this big. I remember that he was only as big as a little bean."

Qi Nian greeted her nervously: "Hello, Aunt Lin."

Aunt Lin smiled and looked at Qi Nian's face, as if she was looking at another person through him.

At first, Aunt Lin had a good relationship with Qi Nian's biological mother. Although not as good as Ning Min's relationship, it was definitely closer than ordinary friends.

Aunt Lin couldn't help but pull Qi Nian aside to ask a few questions, all of which were about study and the like. There was nothing she could do, that was how elders talked to the younger ones, and apart from study and work, there was nothing else they could ask.

Qi Nian answered them one by one.

Ning Min smiled and said, "This child is introverted and doesn't like to talk much."

Aunt Lin didn't expect Qi Nian to have such a personality. That's right, although he is her son, he is not the same person after all.

"Okay, I won't bother you anymore." Aunt Lin said half-jokingly, "It just so happens that your brother Xiaozhao and sister Mingzhu are back. You guys have a lot to talk about as people of the same age. You two can get to know each other."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Zhao and Yue Mingzhu opened the door and came in, followed by Wu Zhao's handsome friend.

Aunt Lin was obviously used to seeing each other, and said with a smile: "Xiao Yu is here too?"

Sang Yu smiled and nodded to Aunt Lin. The other person looked very gentle and it was easy for people to like her.

According to Aunt Lin, Sang Yu was Wu Zhao's college roommate, and the two had such a close relationship that they could even wear the same pants. Wu Zhao treated Sang Yu no differently from his own brother.

Moreover, Yue Mingzhu and Sang Yu have a good relationship. After all, Yue Mingzhu and they are from the same university and are very familiar with each other.

"Ah... getting engaged is too tiring, right?" Yue Mingzhu changed her high heels as soon as she returned to the room.

She smiled and put her foot on Wu Zhao's leg: "Come, rub my feet. Look at my feet, they are all red."

"I told you not to wear high heels." Wu Zhao said in disgust: "Go away, your feet stink."

"Nonsense!" Yue Mingzhu's eyes widened immediately, and she said unconvincedly: "How can my feet be smelly? They smell really good!"

As we were talking, there was a knock on the door.

Wu Zhao: "Who is it?"

"It's me." Sang Yu's voice came from outside.

Yue Mingzhu was lying on the bed without any image. When she heard the voice, she immediately did a sit-up and said anxiously: "Wu Zhao, don't open the door yet, let me put on my shoes!"

Yue Mingzhu frantically searched for her high heels and put them on in a hurry.

"I said, didn't you say that high heels rub your feet and are very uncomfortable to wear?" Wu Zhao was speechless.

"Ah...don't bother yourself!" Yue Mingzhu's originally fair face turned red.

After tidying up her skirt, she motioned Wu Zhao to open the door.

The door opened, and not only Sang Yu but also Qi Nian was standing outside.

Qi Nian and Sang Yu had just met, or so they should have been, and they had only exchanged a few words, most of which were initiated by Sang Yu.

Sang Yu said, "I didn't have time to eat just now, but those two people insisted that I come back with them. I want to go out to eat, do you want to come?"

The other party saw Qi Nian sitting alone next to Aunt Lin and Ning Min, looking a little lost and pitiful, so he took the initiative to ask him.

Qi Nian hesitated for a moment and then agreed.

The main reason was that he didn't want to disturb Aunt Lin and Ning Min's conversation. He could see that with him there, there were many things the two of them couldn't say to each other.

Actually, he wasn't that hungry.

Seeing that he agreed, Sang Yu smiled and said, "I'll go tell Wu Zhao and Ming Zhu about this. By the way, do you have any dietary restrictions? I'm quite familiar with this area."

Qi Nian felt embarrassed to trouble others, so he shook his head.

I knocked on Wu Zhao and Yue Mingzhu's door. When Sang Yu said that she wanted to go out to eat with Qi Nian, unexpectedly, Wu Zhao and Yue Mingzhu both said that they wanted to go too.

Wu Zhao glanced at Yue Mingzhu and said, "Didn't you just say your feet hurt? Why don't you just rest at home?"

"I'm so bored at home alone, and I didn't eat much just now, so I'll go too," said Yue Mingzhu.

The two looked at Sang Yu, who shrugged and said, "Okay, it's all right."

Wu Zhao laughed: "I'm not saying anything, why are you still like this? You can do anything. You have such a good temper."

"It is possible." said Sang Yu.

After he finished speaking, he introduced: "This is Qinian, the son of Aunt Ning who I just met."

Wu Zhao and Yue Mingzhu looked at Qi Nian and greeted him.

The four of them discussed it and finally decided to go eat hot pot.

"Hot pot is perfect. You don't have to worry about who doesn't like it. Just eat the dishes you like." Yue Mingzhu said, and then asked Sang Yu: "What do you think?"

"I'm not picky about food, you decide." Sang Yu said with a smile.

Qi Nian raised his hand: "I can do it too."

"Okay, let's have hot pot." Yue Mingzhu made the decision directly.

"Hey, don't you even ask for my opinion?" Wu Zhao pretended to be dissatisfied.

"Is it necessary to ask? You, boy, act as if you have lost your life when you see hot pot." Yue Mingzhu was speechless and still pretended to be with her.

"How can it be so exaggerated?" Wu Zhao said, looking at Sang Yu: "Why don't you help your friend?"

Sang Yu smiled, looking very good at keeping things balanced: "You are all my friends, I can't help anyone, so I might as well not help any of you."

"Come on, stop flirting." Sang Yu said he couldn't stand it anymore and said to Qi Nian, "Let's go together and let them continue, okay?"

Qi Nian nodded, acting like a ruthless nodding machine.

"What do you mean by flirting?" Yue Mingzhu glanced at Wu Zhao and muttered softly, "How could I flirt with you?"

"It's all your fault. Why are you talking about Sang Yu for no reason?" Yue Mingzhu was very dissatisfied.

"Okay, my bad," Wu Zhao said.

The four of them went to eat hot pot together, Qi Nian and Sang Yu sat together, and Wu Zhao and Yue Mingzhu sat together.

Sang Yu left for a while, and soon came back with four cups of milk tea: "I just looked at the ratings of this hot pot, most people say it's quite spicy. If you feel spicy later, drink some milk tea to relieve the spiciness."

"And this, I have disposable aprons and disposable gloves. Take them if you need them to prevent your hands and clothes from getting dirty." Sang Yu distributed aprons and gloves to them one by one.

This was not what shocked Qi Nian the most. What shocked him even more was that Sang Yu was considerate enough to use hot water to scald the tableware for each of them.

When the scalded tableware was placed in front of him, Qi Nian silently gave a thumbs up: "Sang Yu, you are so awesome, aren't you? So thoughtful."

"Sang Yu is always so considerate!" Yue Mingzhu happily took the tableware: "Thank you."

Sang Yu smiled and said, "Just casually."

Qi Nian scratched his face, feeling that Sang Yu's behavior was quite embarrassing.

The hot pot started to boil. Qi Nian picked up the boiled beef rolls and put them on a small plate for Sang Yu: "Here, my chopsticks have never been used before, they are clean."

Sang Yu was stunned for a moment: "For me?"

Qi Nian nodded: "Yes, I see you like beef rolls very much, so it's only courtesy."

Sang Yu has always been used to playing the role of caregiver, but he didn't expect that he would be taken care of by his younger brother who is a few years younger than him. It was a little funny for a moment, but at the same time he felt that this feeling was not bad.

"Thank you." Sang Yu said. He really liked eating beef rolls.

Qi Nian smiled and said you're welcome, then started eating happily.

"Sang Yu, let me pick up some food for you too!" Seeing this, Yue Mingzhu also took the serving chopsticks and picked up some food for Sang Yu.

Sang Yu was helpless: "No need, everyone just eat."

"Okay..." Yue Mingzhu had no choice but to put down her chopsticks.

Seeing this, Wu Zhao gave up the idea of ​​picking some food for Sang Yu.

After finishing the hot pot, they felt particularly satisfied, because Qi Nian had just eaten it at the engagement banquet and was not very hungry, so he did not eat much.

However, Sang Yu and the other two hadn't eaten much before, so they ate quite a lot.

After dinner, Qi Nian saw Ning Min’s message asking him where he was, and he quickly said that he would find her soon.

[Ning Min]: It’s okay, no rush, I still have something to talk to your Aunt Lin.

Although Ning Min said this, Qi Nian did not dare to delay any longer.

Yue Mingzhu was suggesting: "Why don't we go for a walk around the area and help digest our food."

Qi Nian apologized, "No, I have to go back."

"Okay, then Sang Yu, are you going?" Yue Mingzhu looked at Sang Yu, looking forward to him going with her.

"Yes, Sang Yu, are you going?" Wu Zhao also asked.

Sang Yu shook his head: "No, you guys go ahead."

Yue Mingzhu heard this and said, "Well... actually I don't really want to go shopping, what about you, Wu Zhao?"

Wu Zhao also shook his head: "You're the one who said you wanted to go. I don't really want to go."

"Ah... Wu Zhao, you bastard." Yue Mingzhu was convinced: "Come on, if I don't want to go, then I won't go."

So, the group gave up the idea of ​​going shopping.

Qi Nian felt that Yue Mingzhu and Wu Zhao were really weird. It seemed that as soon as they heard that Sang Yu was not going shopping, they immediately didn't want to go.

However, fearing that Ning Min might get anxious, Qi Nian did not have time to think and went back to reunite with Ning Min.

On the way back, he and Sang Yu exchanged contact information, although neither of them talked much.

Several days had passed since the engagement party and Qi Nian had almost forgotten about it, but then he received a message from Sang Yu.

[Sang Yu]: Do you have time this weekend?

Before Qi Nian had time to wonder, he saw the other party sending him another helpless emoticon.

[Qinian]: I don’t have anything to do this weekend, what’s wrong?

[Sang Yu]: That’s great. Do you want to go to Red Lake Island together?

What is Red Lake Island? Qi Nian searched it for a while in confusion, and then found that Red Lake Island is a very beautiful lake with a light pink water. Because of this unique color, it has always been a dating destination.

No, why did Sang Yu ask him to go here? Qi Nian didn't think much about it, but just felt it was strange.

He silently sent a puzzled emoticon.

[Sang Yu]: I was also embarrassed, but Wu Zhao and Yue Mingzhu both asked me to go.

【Joint Thoughts】: The two of them!

Qi Nian's mouth opened wide. He didn't understand. He had only seen two people in an ambiguous period call other friends to avoid embarrassing each other.

But, Yue Mingzhu and Wu Zhao are both engaged, why would they drag a poor single person along? Maybe they just like to bring a light bulb on a date.

Sang Yu didn't like to complain about other people's personalities, but this time he really couldn't help it.

He said that this situation happened more than once or twice. He did have a good relationship with Yue Mingzhu and Wu Zhao, but why did these two people like to bring him along on every date?

[Sang Yu]: I used to think that they might think that I was single, and every time they called me, it was to show their care for single people, but! I really don’t need to thank them.

【Qinian】: Uh... have you told them?

[Sang Yu]: I have said that, but they said it was not a date, just a hangout among friends :)

【Qinian】：And then?

[Sang Yu]: No, they are the same as before.

Everyone thought: "..."

I really don’t understand, is Sang Yu just a part of their play?

[Sang Yu]: I don’t know who to ask, and everyone else is too busy, so I came to ask you.

[Qinian]: Did you agree?

Qi Nian's hands were shaking slightly.

[Sang Yu]: Hmm... I don’t know how to refuse.

Qi Nian: "..." Ah, this reason can indeed convince him.

He thought he was good enough not to refuse anyone, but he found out that Sang Yu's situation was even more serious than his!

When Qi Nian thought about Sang Yu being caught between other young couples, he couldn't bear it and had to agree.

[Qinian]: Okay, I’ll go.

【Sang Yu】：Thank you!!!

Looking at this exclamation point, you can see how excited Sang Yu himself is.

——

Putting aside other things, Red Lake Island is indeed very beautiful, with light pink water that is crystal clear. Moreover, people in Beijing are almost wearing cotton-padded clothes now, but the temperature in Red Lake Island is the same as in summer, but not as hot as in summer to make people irritable.

Qi Nian brought along the swimming trunks he had bought for the hot spring bath, as a way to avoid the winter chill.

"Sang Yu!" From a distance, Yue Mingzhu and Wu Zhao ran over and greeted Sang Yu with a smile.

"It's not easy to ask you out." Wu Zhao said to Sang Yu.

It is indeed not easy, especially for Yue Mingzhu. When she asked Sang Yu out alone, the other party tried particularly hard to find excuses to avoid suspicion, which made it very difficult for Sang Yu, who would never refuse anyone.

Wu Zhao is better, but if Wu Zhao asks Sang Yu out alone, Yue Mingzhu will follow.

Anyway, it will become a threesome in the end, Sang Yu was speechless.

He wanted to ask, "Is this your only friend?" Well, given his personality, he could only think about it in his mind, but he couldn't say such words.

"Why do you seem to have lost weight recently?" Wu Zhao looked at Sang Yu with concern: "Is work tiring?"

Facing the concerned looks from the two, Sang Yu was touched and helpless: "Fortunately, there has been a little bit recently."

"Okay, let's go swimming. I'll go with Qinian." Sang Yu said, and quickly pulled Qinian to go together.

She was still saying, "Sorry, I really don't want to be with us. It's really weird."

Qi Nian felt that it was indeed strange. With a young face, he patted the shoulder of Sang Yu, who was a few years older than him and said, "It's not easy for you."

"Haha, that's not so exaggerated," Sang Yu laughed, "They both cherish our friendship too much. Maybe they are afraid that the feelings will fade after not seeing each other for a long time."

"Is that so?" Qi Nian scratched his head, feeling that something was a little strange.

Even if we want to connect, why come to a place like this? Well, it's pretty nice here.

Qi Nian took a swimming ring and paddled slowly in the shallow water like a little duck. When he got tired, he hung on the swimming ring and rested, grunting.

At this time, Yue Mingzhu came over alone and called Sang Yu not far away.

Sang Yu walked over after hearing this. No one knew what the two were talking about. Yue Mingzhu kept looking at Sang Yu and didn't even notice her feet. She almost slipped. Sang Yu quickly reached out and supported the other's arm.

Qi Nian finally couldn't help himself and secretly looked up the gossip, and then he saw the content that shocked him: [Oh my god, I was wondering why it felt weird, it turns out that Yue Mingzhu likes Sang Yu! But isn't she engaged to Wu Zhao?! ]

"What? Mingzhu likes Sang Yu?" An equally shocked voice interrupted Qi Nian's thoughts.

Qi Nian was startled and turned around to find that it was Wu Zhao with a strange expression.

Qi Nian's heart trembled, and he automatically interpreted Wu Zhao's expression as anger, and said carefully: "You...don't be impulsive."

"Hahaha," Wu Zhao laughed unexpectedly. Just when Qi Nian thought he was going crazy, Wu Zhao started to mutter to himself again: "Great, she is just like me. I don't have to suffer anymore!"

Everyone thought: "???" No, what are you talking about? What is the same?

It's not what I thought...