Chapter 49
Generally speaking, in any story, the men and women are bound by some serendipitous coincidences or destiny.
However, when the handsome and tall young man suddenly appeared before him, Jin Chaoyang's first reaction was...
This guy probably sent someone to follow them.
However, people's will is often not firm, so when Jin Chaoyang saw that Jiang Chen was following behind Li Xing'en, the words "lingering ghost" that he was about to say were immediately changed to "lingering ghost".
"This...this world is so small..."
Jin Chaoyang was so frustrated he wanted to slam his fist on the table.
Didn't she only secretly message Jiang Chen? Why is Li Lucha also there...?
Two tall, handsome young men appeared one after the other, attracting frequent glances from onlookers. Jin Chuwan was also stunned for a moment. Before she could turn around, the chair next to her was suddenly pulled away.
It's Li Xing'en.
Jiang Chen, who was walking behind, glanced down at the boy who had sat down, and then pulled out the seat next to Jin Chaoyang.
Both were dressed formally, and their faces showed signs of fatigue. Jiang Chen's demeanor seemed even colder after not seeing him for some time.
Li Xing'en looked as if he had just been disgusted by something, although he was now trying hard to hide his emotions.
Jin Chuwan glanced at the two people who had suddenly appeared. Although she was indeed a little curious, she didn't ask any questions. She simply asked the waiter to come over and add some dishes, and also picked out two drinks from the menu.
As long as they don't cause her any trouble, she wouldn't mind having two more pairs of chopsticks.
Soon the waiter brought the drinks over, and Jin Chaoyang took the opportunity to steal a glance at Jin Chuwan.
She didn't think she had done anything particularly wrong, but why did everyone else seem so calm while she was the only one huddled in a corner, feeling anxious and uneasy?
The love triangle scenes in novels are great, but please don't let her witness them in real life!
Jiang Chen lowered his head and took a sip of his drink, then frowned. He glanced at Jin Chuwan's cup, saw that it was coffee next to it, and didn't say anything more.
How did you end up here?
Is it a coincidence?
Kim Cho-wan sensed something was off between the two, especially Lee Sung-eun, who almost never showed any emotion other than gentleness in front of her.
But now she could clearly read the words 'get lost' in the way he looked at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen had calmed down considerably by now. He glanced at Jin Chuwan, who was frowning, and without much hesitation, he confessed about Jin Chaoyang.
"Your sister invited me to celebrate your birthday with you."
As he spoke, he took a small square box out of his shirt pocket.
"This is a gift..."
With a gentle push of his fingertips, the exquisite box moved in front of Jin Chuwan. Seeing Jin Chuwan take it, his dark eyes seemed to hold a hint of expectation.
"Happy birthday."
Li Xingen glanced down at the square box, then slowly withdrew her hand from her pocket.
If they hadn't happened to bump into each other at the counter, he wouldn't have known that he and Jiang Chen had actually ordered the same gift.
—I've seen a ghost.
The boy immediately looked away, his eyes concealing a hint of melancholy.
Jin Chuwan didn't quite understand the string of English trademarks on the box, but the shape of the box was somewhat ambiguous, making her a little uneasy. She nervously opened the package and saw a simple watch inside, which made her relax.
She put the watch on her wrist and felt it fit quite well.
"Thank you, then I'll accept it."
Jiang Chen's gaze softened slightly. "I'm glad you like it."
The restaurant was decorated in a fairly elegant manner, with bamboo curtains separating the seats. Jin Chuwan looked at Li Xing'en, her chin propped up, as she watched the little girl next door occasionally glancing at her.
"But what brings you two together today?"
In Jin Chuwan's memory, their relationship didn't seem to be good enough for them to invite each other to parties.
Lee Sung-eun, who had seemed sullen since the beginning, suddenly showed a hint of grievance in his beautiful eyes when Kim Cho-wan asked him a question.
He sat up a little more comfortably, and then subconsciously called out.
"Auntie..."
But he quickly remembered that Kim Cho-wan forbade him to call her that in front of 'outsiders'.
The boy was silent for a moment, his gaze lingering on Jin Chuwan's face, but thankfully she didn't seem to care.
“Nothing special, it’s just that he and I,” Li Xing’en said, pointing somewhat unfriendly at the person opposite her, “happened to be on the same flight back today.”
Li Xingen spoke briefly, but Jiang Chen raised his eyes as he listened.
“Our two families have recently collaborated, but somehow my father found out that our relationship isn’t very good, so these past few days, we’ve been trying to cultivate a ‘friendship’ with the help of our elders…”
Most of the time, Jiang Chen didn't like to hide anything from Jin Chuwan.
So, under Li Xingen's icy gaze, he continued, "To be honest, if it weren't for the fact that it's your birthday today and I was in a hurry to come back, I wouldn't have put up with the disgust and shake hands with this smiling tiger."
Li Xingen's eyes turned cold: "Likewise."
Jin Chaoyang tilted her head and glanced at both sides of the table. Most of the drink in her hand was gone, and she had also swept up all the snacks on the table.
Wow, is this what it feels like to be a bystander?
Is this the energy of her younger sister?
It was as if there were two invisible dog leashes on the dining table. Even though these two people hated each other so much, they still managed to force themselves to sit quietly.
In an instant, Jin Chaoyang's mind flashed through some gender-swapped palace drama scenes.
She couldn't help but lower her head and chuckle to herself.
Jin Chuwan glanced in her direction, and Jin Chaoyang closed her grin again.
"W-what's wrong?"
Jin Chuwan remained silent. Not long ago, she had been contemplating how to live her life peacefully, but while Jiang Chen and Li Xing'en were bickering, she suddenly realized that her life seemed to have reached a turning point.
That's right, it seems she doesn't really need to live a particularly cautious life...
Jiang Chen and Li Xing'en were still at an impasse when Jin Chuwan picked up the water glass next to her and took a sip.
"Can't you guys be a little more peaceful? You're not children..."
Jin Chuwan frowned. She disliked arguing and conflict, so she decided that if they made things difficult for her again, she would also lose her temper.
She no longer wanted to follow them hesitantly, caught in a dilemma because it was none of her business.
"Besides, it's my birthday today, can't you guys just make me feel comfortable?"
Kim Cho-wan's accusations were indeed effective; the two, who had previously disliked each other, both suppressed their anger.
By this time, all the dishes they had ordered had been served. Jiang Chen glanced at Li Xing'en sitting directly opposite him, hesitated for a moment, and then discussed it with Jin Chaoyang beside him.
"Let's switch places."
Li Xingen smiled sarcastically, but since Jin Chuwan had already spoken, he could be lenient and forgiving of her rudeness.
Moreover, maintaining a facade of friendliness isn't that difficult; it's just a little disgusting.
Lee Sung-eun didn't notice that she was holding Kim Cho-wan's cup, only pausing when she brought it to her mouth.
This is... wine?
Although it tasted a bit sweet, the alcohol content wasn't low. He then glanced at Jin Chuwan beside him, and sure enough, her face was slightly flushed.
But she still seemed calm, only her voice was a little louder than usual, and her gaze was a bit colder than usual.
Overall, it looks more imposing than usual.
The boy couldn't help but chuckle, resting his chin on his hand. So this is what Jin Chuwan looks like after drinking.
Why are you suddenly looking at me and laughing?
Jin Chuwan raised her hand and scratched the back of her neck. Anyway, she had already asked him last time and found out that he wasn't interested in her, so there was nothing to worry about.
She openly extended her hand to Li Xing'en.
"Xing En, where's my birthday present?"
In the past, there were handmade chocolates, knitted scarves, or limited edition CDs every year.
When the gift was mentioned, Li Xing'en's smile froze, and he awkwardly looked away.
Jin Chuwan placed her outstretched palm on the table. Naturally, she wouldn't get angry over such a small matter; she only pretended to complain on the surface.
"Looks like there won't be any this year..."
Hearing the regretful tone, Lee Sung-eun subconsciously reached into his pocket, but for a moment his eyes swept over Kim Cho-wan's wrist.
A hint of gloom flashed across the boy's eyes.
This feeling was fleeting, and Jin Chuwan didn't realize that she just wanted to tease Li Xing'en on a whim.
"Then what should we do? Why don't you treat us to this meal?"
As Jin Chuwan spoke, she raised her hand and ruffled Lee Sung-eun's hair. The boy's hair was fluffy and soft, and it easily got tangled between her fingers. Lee Sung-eun sat quietly and let Jin Chuwan mess up his hair. He knew that this was hopeless, but he was just easily indulging in such accidental intimacy.
God knows how much he wished this garden belonged to just the two of them. He wanted to lie comfortably on her lap, or hold her hand and gently stroke her cheek. If no one else was around, he would even beg her to lower her head and give him a tender kiss.
But all of this was far off, and as Jin Chuwan withdrew her finger, those imagined fragments came to an abrupt end.
The boy subtly adjusted his breathing rhythm, allowing his thoughts to return to normal conversation.
“I don’t mind treating you, but can Young Master Jiang pay for his own share…”
Jiang Chen responded with a cold laugh.
"The more unwilling you are, the more I want you to pay the bill for me."
As he spoke, Jiang Chen opened the disinfectant napkin beside him and placed it next to Jin Chuwan.
Jiang Chen then changed to a more comfortable sitting position, but even his casual movements looked elegant and handsome to onlookers.
Jin Chaoyang couldn't help but admire himself for creating such a charming male lead.
Jiang Chen didn't notice Jin Chaoyang's mutterings. His gaze was mostly on Jin Chuwan, so he could tell that she was a little tipsy. However, she seemed to be in a good mood, so he and Li Xing'en tacitly refrained from trying to dissuade her.
After finishing his meal, Jin Chaoyang suddenly answered a phone call mysteriously, then left with his bag.
When Jin Chuwan saw her point to the ring, she immediately understood and didn't stop her.
Li Xingen glanced at Jin Chaoyang, who was walking away. The boy's eyelashes were thick and slightly lowered, concealing many emotions.
Actually, after entering, he and Jiang Chen had already made a three-point agreement. After all, they both knew that Jin Chuwan didn't like conflict the most. It's just that he walked a little faster, so he just happened to vaguely hear a few words.
'You've only been in this world for two years... Who is this person? And how old are you...?'
Li Xingen wasn't sure if she had misheard, but she was just a little curious.
What is time travel?
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