Chapter 3

Chen Gu had deliberately stayed silent.

Chen Yishen had a boastful personality. He’d told him he had a good brother who’d been in the same class as him since middle school, and even showed him a photo.

Although the photo Chen Yishen provided was only a profile view, Chen Gu still recognized Jiang Mian at first glance.

After all, people this good-looking were rare. Even for someone like him who didn’t paint figures, seeing Jiang Mian for the first time made him want to make an exception and capture him in his art.

But it was just a fleeting thought.

His initial impression of Jiang Mian had remained at that beautiful profile photo.

But now, Chen Gu was a bit surprised.

Even if Chen Yishen had told Jiang Mian he wasn’t home yet, had mentioned having a twin brother… a normal person’s first reaction in this situation would still be to wonder “How is he here?” It would take even a quick mind a second to remember the twin detail.

After all, they hadn’t met before.

Yet Jiang Mian recognized at first glance that he wasn’t Chen Yishen.

A bit interesting.

Chen Gu’s lips curved up nonchalantly.

Indeed, Jiang Mian had recognized instantly that he wasn’t Chen Yishen. And when Chen Gu slightly raised an eyebrow, showing his surprise, he keenly realized Chen Gu had deliberately stayed silent, even slightly imitating Chen Yishen to try and confuse him…

This kind of person was dangerous.

Jiang Mian’s grip on the plastic bag tightened a bit as he added an explanation. “Sorry, I meant, are you Chen Yishen’s older brother?”

Chen Gu nodded, motioning for him to come inside and talk. “My name is Chen Gu, I’m Chen Yishen’s older brother. Don’t just stand there, come in.”

Jiang Mian hesitated for a split second but still walked in slowly. “Hello, my name is Jiang Mian.”

Entering, he noticed several extra pairs of shoes in the entranceway. It seemed Chen Gu was indeed temporarily staying here.

Chen Gu asked, “Come to hang out with him?”

Having been seen through, Chen Gu no longer deliberately pretended. His voice was a bit similar to Chen Yishen’s, but lower and much hoarser, like Chen Yishen with a bad cold, though not as weak.

Simply put, Chen Yishen’s voice was more energetic, his more mature.

Jiang Mian actively kept a meter’s distance from Chen Gu and changed his shoes. “Came to do an assignment.”

Chen Gu raised an eyebrow. “The Puzzle, right? Saw him fiddling with it a few days ago. He said it’s a club assignment for both of you.”

He’s so familiar.

Jiang Mian thought this as he replied, “Yes.”

He’d thought his coldness could make Chen Gu give up the idea of continuing conversation, or at least kill that flicker of interest Chen Gu had taken in him. After all, people like Chen Gu seemed too proud to easily lower themselves.

But Chen Gu just chuckled lightly. “Coming to do homework and you buy so many snacks? Planning to watch a ball game tonight?”

Jiang Mian wanted to say “I don’t watch ball games,” but to avoid Chen Gu continuing this topic, he amended his reply. “No.”

Yet Chen Gu still wasn’t deterred by his curtness. “Then it’s a visiting gift? I heard from my little brother that you two have been good friends for many years. Still this formal?”

Jiang Mian: “…”

Were all people surnamed Chen this chatty?

Seeing Jiang Mian didn’t answer immediately, Chen Gu opened the entrance door and softly asked, “Sorry, I haven’t seen someone my own age from back home in a long time. Am I talking too much, making you annoyed?”

…Lies.

Jiang Mian lowered his eyes and followed him in. After placing the shopping bag on the table, he watched Chen Gu turn on the Air Conditioner, and finally said slowly, “No.”

Chen Gu, who hadn’t even planned on waiting for his reply, turned his head to look at Jiang Mian, who was taking things out of the bag.

Jiang Mian was slightly bent over, the wide neckline of his top drooping, revealing a patch of delicate, prominent collarbone, its owner completely unaware.

Jiang Mian was actually a bit on the thin side.

Both his exposed arms and legs were thin, fair, and straight. He didn’t look like a Law Student, more like a dance student.

A loose sleeveless top like this hung on him, looking really somewhat empty, making him seem even thinner.

Chen Gu looked away, impassive. “That’s good, then.”

Jiang Mian pocketed his two packets of soft candy and that hair tie. Then he looked at Chen Gu. “Um…”

Chen Gu turned around. “What do you call Chen Yishen?”

Jiang Mian said, “I just call him by his name.”

“Then just call me by mine.” Chen Gu smiled. “Him and I are Twins.”

Jiang Mian agreed, then said, “I’ll go work on the Puzzle first.”

Chen Gu nodded, indicating he should feel free.

Jiang Mian then moved a few rare quick steps into the study.

The Puzzle was laid out on the floor. After turning on the study’s AC, Jiang Mian inexplicably felt a sense of relief.

Staying with Chen Gu brought too much oppressive pressure.

Chen Gu had a dangerous aura, completely different from a simple goof like Chen Yishen.

Although their parents were divorced, Chen Yishen followed his mother, his mother remarried, and he had a stepfather. He even had a younger half-sister and half-brother. Chen Yishen’s family was still very happy.

Jiang Mian had met Chen Yishen’s mother and stepfather. They were very cheerful elders, warm but with good boundaries, comfortable to be around.

So Chen Yishen also grew up into that silly fool. His EQ was indeed touching, but his carefree nature truly made people happy.

Being friends with Chen Yishen was quite comfortable.

As for Chen Gu, Jiang Mian didn’t understand him.

But he could feel it.

Chen Gu was no good person.

Jiang Mian took out his phone and saw a message Chen Yishen had sent two minutes ago, saying he was stuck in traffic.

Jiang Mian: “…”

Honestly, he had never yearned so much for Chen Yishen to show up and rescue him.

Jiang Mian replied “Got it,” put down his phone, and began to study the remaining part.

The leftover Puzzle pieces were piled messily by Chen Yishen, hard to even find. Jiang Mian could only start by laying these pieces out neatly next to him.

He’d barely laid out two pieces when his phone rang.

It was Li Yue calling.

Jiang Mian answered immediately. “Partner Li?”

Li Yue laughed on the other end. “Little Jiang, it’s nothing major. I just can’t find that document you emailed me before you left work yesterday. Got a moment to send it again?”

Jiang Mian said, “Sure, let me find it.”

Li Yue said, “Okay. By the way, Lawyer Luo took on a case. An overseas Painter wants to sell paintings to a gallery and asked Lawyer Luo to be their legal consultant to review the Contract. Partner Wang wants Lawyer Luo to take you along to gain some experience. Are you interested in learning about this area?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Good, I’ll let Lawyer Luo know later.”

“Is there anything I need to prepare?”

“No need. Lawyer Luo will contact you when the time comes. It’s nothing much, just go and observe.”

Jiang Mian knew the entire firm was looking out for him, so he said thank you again.

He didn’t have any particular thoughts about this special treatment. He wasn’t proud, nor was he rebellious.

The former was because these privileges all stemmed from his Dad, not him. The latter was also because these privileges all stemmed from his Dad.

His Dad only had him, one son. It wasn’t like they were pulling strings via illegal connections to get him into some place, just letting acquaintances guide him a bit.

His Dad had toiled half a lifetime to build up connections and reputation. Not using them seemed a waste.

Jiang Mian was a very practical person.

After hanging up, Jiang Mian continued laying out Puzzle pieces.

He always tended to let his mind wander doing this kind of task. Usually, he’d silently recite legal statutes in his head, but today he was thinking: actually, it’d be fine if Chen Gu kept his distance from him like this.

Preferably, he was overthinking things, preferably Chen Gu wouldn’t provoke him, preferably…

Before Jiang Mian could reach his third “preferably,” there was a knock on the door.

He paused.

Chen Yishen wouldn’t knock; he’d just barge right in.

So it could only be Chen Gu.

Jiang Mian pinched the Puzzle piece in his hand and sighed softly inwardly.

Especially when he heard Chen Gu’s slightly lazy tone outside the door. “Jiang Mian? Can I come in?”

This was Chen Yishen’s home, and Chen Gu’s home, not his. He had no reason to refuse. “Sure.”

So Chen Gu opened the door and walked in, placing a glass of water beside Jiang Mian. Jiang Mian could only politely say thank you, the aloofness in his voice almost directly telling Chen Gu to back off.

But Chen Gu acted as if he hadn’t noticed. He also glanced at the Puzzle on the floor. “Chen Yishen left the hardest part for you.”

Jiang Mian stayed as cold as possible. “Mm.”

“Need a hand?”

“No.”

“Mind if I use the computer next to you to look something up?”

“…”

Jiang Mian wanted to say he minded, but obviously couldn’t. “I don’t mind.”

Chen Gu curved his eyes, looking at Jiang Mian, who never once lifted his head to glance at him. A meaningful look surfaced in his dark pupils.

He no longer harassed Jiang Mian and turned to the computer beside him instead.

But Jiang Mian couldn’t relax, not even zone out anymore. He quietly finished laying out the remaining fifty-some pieces.

After that, he ran into trouble himself.

Chen Yishen wasn’t very sensitive to color, and Jiang Mian was only slightly better.

He truly wondered what possessed them back then to pick the Intellectual Games Club.

Holding the reference picture, Jiang Mian looked at the remaining pieces. Their colors didn’t seem too far apart, some were practically identical.

Turning a piece in his hand, Jiang Mian felt this was harder than cooking.

“That piece in your hand goes on the far edge, top left corner.”

Just as he was getting a headache and about to call his Senior Sister to ask for leniency, Chen Gu leisurely spoke. “Really sure you don’t need my help?”

Jiang Mian held up the piece to compare, tried placing it, and felt its perfect fit.

He fell silent for a moment, then ultimately bowed to credits. “Can you?”

Chen Gu’s lips curved. He got up and sat down beside him. “Let me see the reference picture?”

Jiang Mian placed his phone on the floor and pushed it over.

Chen Gu raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing, just picked up the phone to look.

Jiang Mian had tried very hard not to pay excessive attention to Chen Gu, but he still noticed Chen Gu’s hair wasn’t the kind that fell smoothly downward. It was unevenly cut, tied back, similar to the Samurai Bun that was popular a couple of years ago.

That style was like the Wolf Cut, but didn’t require the hair to be as thinned out.

“That piece goes here.”

Chen Gu signaled him, and Jiang Mian reached for the piece. “This?”

Chen Gu nodded. “Rotate it a bit to the left.”

Under his direction, Jiang Mian placed it, then, relying on his own color perception, picked up another he thought was adjacent. “Is it this one?”

But Chen Gu said, “Not that one. This color is half a shade lighter. It’s that piece.”

Jiang Mian followed the direction he pointed and picked it up. Seeing Chen Gu nod, he fell into deep thought.

These two pieces… are they not exactly the same?

He placed the piece, couldn’t help but glance at Chen Gu a bit more.

Just meeting Chen Gu’s gaze, Chen Gu chuckled lightly. “What is it?”

Jiang Mian was silent for a beat, then still said, “It feels like you’re really amazing.”

Chen Gu tucked back some hair that had fallen and blocked his view.

Jiang Mian’s gaze was involuntarily drawn in for a moment.

Chen Gu’s hands were very beautiful, fingers long and well-proportioned, knuckles defined. When they slipped into his hair, his already pale skin seemed almost reflective.

“I studied fine arts,” Chen Gu said casually. “So I’m more sensitive to these things.”

He paused slightly and looked at Jiang Mian somewhat apologetically. “I saw you bought a Hair Tie earlier. Can I borrow it to tie up my hair? Chen Yishen doesn’t have any at home, and I forgot to buy some when I went out just now.”

Jiang Mian wanted to say no, but his gaze fell on the Puzzle, and he could only silently pull out the hair tie that had gotten slightly warm in his pocket.

Chen Gu gave him a brilliant smile and reached out to take it. “Thanks.”

Chen Yishen would smile like that too, but the two identical faces didn’t overlap in the slightest for Jiang Mian.

Because when Chen Yishen smiled, Jiang Mian felt calm and indifferent inside, not even quite understanding why those girls screamed. But when Chen Gu smiled like this, Jiang Mian’s internal alarm bells rang immediately.

The heterochromatic black cat head was now tied at the back of Chen Gu’s head. Chen Gu truly had a Samurai Bun hairstyle.

This style immediately made his initially somewhat innocent-looking face brim with aggression. Even his originally pitiable puppy-dog eyes seemed wolf-like and intimidating.

Jiang Mian averted his gaze and heard Chen Gu say, “I haven’t bought a hair tie yet. When I go buy one later, can I return this to you next time we meet?”

…Here it comes.

Sure enough, it was this ploy.

If he said “Give it to Chen Yishen to give to me,” Chen Gu would probably say he didn’t trust Chen Yishen.

Truthfully, Jiang Mian didn’t trust Chen Yishen either.

That kid was indeed a bit unreliable.

Jiang Mian said calmly, “No need. I don’t need to tie up my hair anyway. You can keep it.”

He paused, afraid Chen Gu would still pester him, and deliberately added, “Consider it thanks for the puzzle help.”

Chen Gu looked at him with all his avoidance shields up. He didn’t say okay or not okay, only laughed softly. “That won’t do. This puzzle is half Chen Yishen’s responsibility anyway. Helping you is no different than helping him. We’re not friends; I can’t just casually accept a gift from you.”

Jiang Mian: “…”

He felt like he understood why Chen Yishen’s EQ was so moving—because all those points went to his older brother, Chen Gu.

Chen Gu’s words completely cornered him, forcing him to choose between “meet next time” and “be friends.”