Chen Gu truly hadn’t expected Jiang Mian to just say it outright.
After a slight pause, he couldn’t suppress his rising lips, chuckling low: “What to do then?”
Chen Gu tilted his head slightly, his tone earnest: “Maybe I should get plastic surgery?”
Still frowning, Jiang Mian: “?”
He tilted his head to look at Chen Gu, his brows and eyes full of confusion.
If captured on camera, it could make an “Are you okay?” meme.
This made Chen Gu laugh again.
He was in a very good mood.
Jiang Mian could feel it.
And a smile like that was always infectious.
Thus, the dark clouds accumulated in his heart gradually dissipated. The prickly spines he hadn’t even realized he’d raised also slowly retreated, tucking back into his body.
Jiang Mian’s tone was even more serious than Chen Gu’s: “You don’t need plastic surgery for something like that.”
Here it comes.
Chen Gu smiled, thinking to himself how Jiang Mian was endearing without realizing it.
Thankfully, the people around him didn’t realize it either.
“Then tell me what to do; I’ll follow it.”
“…”
Jiang Mian fell silent.
Chen Gu wasn’t in a hurry. Only when the next red light stopped them did he unhurriedly prompt: “Hm?”
Jiang Mian pressed his lips together, speaking truthfully: “I did think about it.”
He said quietly: “I thought it’d be best if you didn’t come to the school to find me. Though South Boundary is small, it’s still quite big. After graduation, everyone’s connections will fade. If they don’t see you, no one will comment about anything.”
But that wouldn’t be fair.
It wouldn’t be fair to Chen Gu.
Jiang Mian couldn’t make Chen Gu endure that kind of grievance.
Even though… he felt that once he said it, Chen Gu really would do it, he still couldn’t.
Yet Chen Gu’s focus wasn’t on that at all. It was even skewed to an absurd degree.
His fingertips tapped lightly on the steering wheel, his mood so delightful his tone was light as if resting on clouds: “Jiang Mian.”
Chen Gu’s lips curved: “You’re considering our ‘future’, aren’t you?”
Actually, Jiang Mian’s words were already very clear, but he insisted on a direct, definitive answer.
As if only then could he confirm something.
Jiang Mian lowered his head. After another long silence, he finally spoke: “I just need some time.”
He said softly: “I am considering it. So you don’t need to…”
Jiang Mian had wanted to tell Chen Gu not to assume the worst possible outcome.
He just needed time to sort out his own chaotic and contradictory heart.
To find the courage to face his parents’ failed love and not let it affect him and Chen Gu.
Because Jiang Mian knew he couldn’t refuse Chen Gu.
Facing Chen Gu’s repeated advances and forward steps, he couldn’t retreat. At most, he could stay silent, and would even be provoked into stepping forward himself, wanting to get closer to Chen Gu.
He was caught in a tug-of-war between reason and emotion.
But before Jiang Mian could finish, Chen Gu interrupted.
Chen Gu made a silencing gesture: “Shh.”
His brows and eyes held a smile, his entire person looking gentle and tender, like a summer sky without sun yet infinitely clear and blue.
Only, the words Chen Gu spoke were not nearly so clear: “Jiang Mian, if you don’t plan to say yes to me right now, then don’t give me hope.”
Jiang Mian furrowed his brows. Before he could say anything, he was hit by Chen Gu’s shocking words: “After all, you’re in my hands right now. If you tease me again, I might not be able to resist kissing you until you nod yes, before I’m willing to let you go.”
His tone was lazy. At first listen, it seemed like a joke, but Jiang Mian’s fine hairs stood on end eerily, a chill exploding down his spine.
Every nerve in Jiang Mian’s body was taut. Not only did he suffer the true damage of this direct shot, making his heartbeat so noisy and chaotic it seemed about to give an on-the-spot performance of a frenzied symphony, but he also sensed the danger beneath Chen Gu’s nonchalant demeanor.
More terrifying than any time before.
Jiang Mian’s intuition seemed to be failing him.
Because for a moment, he couldn’t determine if Chen Gu was truly capable of such a thing.
But no matter what, Jiang Mian didn’t move.
He just sat in the Passenger Seat, and as the car finally passed the last red light and sped forward, amidst all the car horns, his ears burning red, he very rarely and very quietly mumbled: “Pervert.”
Chen Gu, with his excellent hearing, glanced at him.
Jiang Mian had his head turned away, presenting the back of his head to Chen Gu, yet perfectly exposing that light Cinnabar Mole right under Chen Gu’s eyes.
Including that completely red ear.
Chen Gu was speechless, then laughed. Being cursed actually improved his mood.
Truthfully, Jiang Mian wasn’t as untouchably divine as the school forum made him out to be.
He also had his own temper. Occasionally, he even grumbled and complained internally.
He was only nineteen. He hadn’t yet cultivated himself to Jiang Liaoyi’s level of appearing completely unmoved and steady as a mountain in any situation.
It was just that Jiang Mian’s world differed from most people’s. Too few could understand and enter it.
So Jiang Mian gradually closed himself off again, until Chen Gu…
It wasn’t that the power of love was too great, but that Chen Gu could casually provoke Jiang Mian’s emotions at any time.
Because he had always been giving Jiang Mian some emotions, and only to Jiang Mian. Even if others were around, his eyes seemed only able to see Jiang Mian.
A small pebble thrown into the sea might not cause a ripple, but when a meteorite crashes down, the concept is different.
Time and again, Jiang Mian would inevitably respond.
Once something starts, it becomes simple afterward.
After all, there’s a saying: The first step is always the hardest.
——
Today, what Chen Gu brought Jiang Mian to eat was lamb hotpot, a famous delicacy from Fengbei.
Because Chen Gu had noticed that although Jiang Mian wasn’t a picky eater, he didn’t particularly favor foreign cuisines. His food preferences leaned toward domestic dishes.
Facts proved Chen Gu’s observation was correct, because after taking the menu, Jiang Mian couldn’t help but order many different dishes.
Especially knowing Chen Gu could genuinely finish everything, he… just needed to be responsible for ordering what he wanted to eat, and leave the “Clean Plate Campaign” to Chen Gu.
As for drinks, as always, it was Chen Gu who went to buy Pearl Milk Tea.
It wasn’t that Jiang Mian was afraid trying a new flavor of milk tea would be disappointing, but that in the milk tea category, he really only drank Pearl Milk Tea and nothing else.
After all, he preferred coffee, but coffee couldn’t be consumed every day.
While eating, Chen Gu casually asked Jiang Mian about the South Boundary University Academy of Fine Arts.
Jiang Mian wasn’t very familiar with that department. His only impressions were always seeing them setting up easels to draw on the sports field, or that he’d been asked to model: “What about it?”
Chen Gu hummed lightly: “Someone from their side contacted me, asking if I could give a lecture.”
Jiang Mian gave an “Oh”. If it were anyone else, they’d definitely joke about this, but he indeed lacked any talent for lightening the mood. He just followed the topic very flatly and asked: “So, are you going?”
“I haven’t decided yet.” Chen Gu placed the cooked tripe into an empty side dish for Jiang Mian’s easy access, then continued blanching meat slices and shrimp: “If I accept, will you come to listen?”
Jiang Mian spoke truthfully: “Depends if I have class.”
He could skip an elective, but not a mandatory course.
Even though classmates sometimes skipped mandatory courses too, Jiang Mian absolutely wouldn’t.
Even if he already knew the knowledge points, he would still go and listen.
That was just how Jiang Mian did things—a bit rigidly.
Hearing Jiang Mian’s answer, Chen Gu wasn’t surprised at all. But to say he felt absolutely nothing would be a lie.
Still, he didn’t say anything. He just suppressed the faint sourness in his heart, smiling as he sighed: “Good Student.”
Jiang Mian bit his chopsticks lightly and didn’t speak.
Eating with Chen Gu was very relaxing. Jiang Mian had always felt this way.
Their tastes were so similar it was as if copy-pasted, and the topics they chatted about were always just right.
Jiang Mian even asked: “In the future, are you planning to settle down in South Boundary?”
Chen Gu raised an eyebrow and gave Jiang Mian a meaningful look, his tone drawn-out: “Of course, I already bought a house.”
He joked: “Sir Jiang, housing prices in South Boundary aren’t cheap. This apartment, with renovation, cost nearly a hundred million—pretty much sunk most of my net worth. You can’t drive me away, but you can let me follow you.”
Jiang Mian: “…”
Under Chen Gu’s saucy verbal attack, he couldn’t help but remind him, deadpan: “One of your paintings sold for a hundred million. Even after taxes, you took home over eighty million. There’s still some leftover.”
Speaking of which, at almost the same age—Chen Gu was only half a year older than him—he had already sold a painting for a nine-figure sum, while Jiang Mian was still studying, still taking exams.
Even his own biological brother was still running around trying to earn money to buy an engagement ring himself.
Jiang Mian didn’t feel a sense of disparity over this. He just marveled that Chen Gu was truly superior to many peers.
Belonging to the same world as his older brother, Rong Xun.
——
With Chen Gu “attending” to him, Jiang Mian put down his chopsticks first for this meal: “I can’t eat anymore. So full.”
After confirming he wasn’t eating anymore, Chen Gu started clearing the table of the remaining nearly two-thirds of the food: “Want to walk around the mall later to digest?”
They were eating in a restaurant inside the mall.
Jiang Mian didn’t refuse.
Besides, when they came in, although they’d taken the direct elevator, Jiang Mian had noticed that the main lobby seemed to be holding some event.
He was a bit curious.
After Chen Gu finished eating, when paying the bill, Jiang Mian subconsciously asked: “Shall I split it with you?”
Chen Gu paused momentarily, raised an eyebrow, but didn’t refuse. He just reminded Jiang Mian of something, lest he grumble about it internally later: “I still owe you a meal.”
Jiang Mian was somewhat puzzled: “Those deliveries don’t count?”
“Jiang Mian.” Chen Gu’s sophistry was completely straight-faced: “It was to make up for my birthday, but I wasn’t even together with you. How does that count as making up for it?”
Jiang Mian: “…”
He really shouldn’t underestimate Chen Gu’s mouth.
Seeing Jiang Mian silent, Chen Gu “magnanimously” gave him another chance: “Still wanna split?”
If they split, that meal would still be owed, and Chen Gu could keep using that reason to ask Jiang Mian out to eat.
When smart people spar, there’s no need to spell this out. Both parties understood clearly.
However, Jiang Mian didn’t retract his phone.
He still opened the DingDong app. Under Chen Gu’s gaze, his eyes lowered, he said flatly and quietly: “Split.”
As if sensing Chen Gu was about to press for confirmation again like those previous times, Jiang Mian added: “If it’s owed, it’s owed.”
He was willing to give Chen Gu this opportunity.
