Chapter 27
Jiang Chaochao’s balcony had a recliner. This recliner was carefully chosen after trying out many in several malls to find one that suited his height. It was extremely comfortable.
He was sitting while drawing earlier, but now, talking to Xiang Ye on the phone, he was lying down.
The rain was still pattering against the glass, a gentle rhythm, the air cool enough that he didn’t need to turn on the air conditioning. Xiang Ye, on the phone, said, “Yes, what did you do?”
Jiang Chaochao swayed gently in the recliner, his heart a chaotic mess.
“Then…” Jiang Chaochao touched the hem of his shirt, “What do you want to eat?”
Xiang Ye asked: “Are you hungry?”
Jiang Chaochao: “No.”
Xiang Ye thought for a moment: “There’s an alley to the right of the south gate of Fuzhong, and in the alley, there’s a…”
“Bingting (Hong Kong-style cafe)?” Jiang Chaochao followed Xiang Ye’s words into the alley and answered directly.
Xiang Ye said: “Yes.”
Jiang Chaochao: “I really like that place, you like it too?”
Xiang Ye: “Yes.”
Jiang Chaochao felt even happier because of this shared preference, and immediately said, “I went to Fuzhong for high school.”
Xiang Ye: “I know.”
Jiang Chaochao calmed down a little: “Oh,” he wanted to laugh, “Otherwise how would I be Shici’s xuechang?”
Xiang Ye chuckled: “That’s true.”
The way Xiang Ye said these “ma” and “ne” was really soft and pleasant.
Not coquettish at all, but very endearing.
“I picked Shici up a few times when she was in high school,” Xiang Ye said to Jiang Chaochao. “She treated me.”
Jiang Chaochao: “And you fell in love with it.”
Xiang Ye gave an “mm-hmm”: “Secretly went there many times behind her back.”
Jiang Chaochao burst out laughing.
He was really doomed. He found that as long as Xiang Ye showed a little humor, he would easily be amused.
He was beyond saving, was there anyone who could save him?
“Then,” Jiang Chaochao glanced at the rain outside, which seemed to have lessened, “Shall we go?”
Xiang Ye: “Let’s go.”
Xiang Ye told Jiang Chaochao to change his clothes first, and he would let him know when he reached the last traffic light, then Jiang Chaochao could come down.
Jiang Chaochao was already in his room. He replied with an “okay,” then asked Xiang Ye: “What color are you wearing?”
Xiang Ye seemed to chuckle: “Black.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Okay.”
Xiang Ye didn’t ask why Jiang Chaochao was asking, nor did he ask what Jiang Chaochao was planning to do. He simply said bye-bye and hung up the phone.
Putting away his phone, Jiang Chaochao looked at the open wardrobe and started thinking.
Black.
Jiang Chaochao scanned his clothes, finally settling on a black t-shirt with a small dinosaur on the front, and a pair of light brown shorts.
He then chose a little duck with an umbrella brooch and pinned it to the upper right corner of his shirt.
Jiang Chaochao loved his little ducks even more now. He found that this set of brooches was perfect for recently.
Also perfect for them.
After pinning on the brooch, he stared at his eyes in the mirror, should he…
Ding dong…
A notification sound came from his phone.
It was a message from Xiang Ye.
He said: “Can laoshi wear glasses?”
Jiang Chaochao smiled.
Smiling at their umpteenth telepathic connection today.
Also smiling that his heart could still flutter because of this.
Jiang Chaochao naturally had to ask: “Why?”
XY said: “They look good.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Then okay.”
XY: “Thank you, Jiang laoshi.”
Jiang Chaochao: “You’re welcome.”
XY: “Almost there, come down.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Okay.”
So, putting on his glasses, Jiang Chaochao went downstairs.
He thought he was already very fast, but when he reached B1, he still saw Xiang Ye’s car parked there.
Jiang Chaochao quickened his pace, opened the car door, and got in.
“Hello, you’re early,” Jiang Chaochao said while fastening his seatbelt.
Xiang Ye said: “Waited for one minute and thirty-three seconds.”
Click.
The seatbelt clicked into place, and Jiang Chaochao turned to Xiang Ye: “What do you mean? What do you want?”
There was a visible smile on Xiang Ye’s lips, but he didn’t speak, only shook his head.
This topic could have ended here, but just as they were pulling out of the parking space, his smile deepened.
Jiang Chaochao noticed it in his peripheral vision. Feeling something was amiss, he turned to look at Xiang Ye, and indeed, he wasn’t mistaken.
“What are you smiling about?” Jiang Chaochao was very puzzled.
Xiang Ye dropped the act and laughed out loud.
Jiang Chaochao couldn’t laugh: “What’s so funny?”
For some reason, this sentence amused Xiang Ye even more, and he laughed harder.
Jiang Chaochao remained silent and expressionless, crossing his arms and staring at Xiang Ye.
Only then did Xiang Ye calm down a little.
It was also at this moment that the car whooshed out of the garage.
Why “whooshed”? The rain outside had intensified again, the whooshing sound was the rain hitting the windshield.
So ridiculous, Jiang Chaochao also wanted to laugh.
Xiang Ye gradually stopped laughing: “How can you always find such fitting little ducks?”
Jiang Chaochao looked down at his brooch: “Awesome, right?”
Xiang Ye: “Awesome.”
Jiang Chaochao: “You’re also wearing one.”
Xiang Ye turned slightly: “I am.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Didn’t expect you to remember.”
Xiang Ye asked: “What if I forgot?”
Jiang Chaochao: “If you forgot, then you forgot, what can I do about it?”
Xiang Ye: “Really?”
Xiang Ye’s tone seemed to be expecting Jiang Chaochao to do something about it.
“So,” Jiang Chaochao wouldn’t be diverted, “What were you laughing about just now?”
That smile returned to Xiang Ye’s face.
Then Xiang Ye changed his tone and said politely, “Hello, you’re early.”
He paused for a moment, then switched to an impolite tone, “What do you mean? What do you want?”
Now Jiang Chaochao understood.
Especially when Xiang Ye said in an even more impolite tone, “What’s so funny?”
Jiang Chaochao suppressed a laugh and retorted, louder than Xiang Ye, “What’s so funny!”
Xiang Ye asked: “I really can’t tell if Jiang laoshi is close to me or not.”
Jiang Chaochao made a sound between a “heh” and a “hmph”: “Seems like we’re not that close, Mr. Xiang.”
Mr. Xiang nodded slightly: “Okay.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Not okay.”
So Mr. Xiang shook his head: “Not okay.”
Only then did Jiang Chaochao settle into his seat, sitting quietly.
After driving for a while, Xiang Ye suddenly said, “You look very handsome today too.”
Jiang Chaochao blinked slowly: “Thank you,” he also said, “You too,” he added, “Very handsome.”
Xiang Ye was really impolite, he didn’t even say thank you.
Fuzhong was very close to his place, close enough to walk, so it took less than ten minutes by car.
Although this bingting specialized in cold drinks, it was open all year round. Perhaps because it was located right downstairs from his building, it usually stayed open until midnight.
It was raining today, so there weren’t many customers in the store. Jiang Chaochao and Xiang Ye quickly found a seat and sat down.
“What are we having?” Jiang Chaochao looked up at the large menu and asked Xiang Ye.
Xiang Ye: “Any recommendations?”
Jiang Chaochao smiled: “Your first time here?”
Xiang Ye: “First time with you.”
Jiang Chaochao: “You’re just trying to find out what I like to eat.”
Xiang Ye gave an “ah”: “You caught me.”
See, those were the words Jiang Chaochao wanted to say, but after saying them, he silently felt a flush of heat.
In order to prevent Xiang Ye from noticing that he might be blushing, he slowly raised his hand and pretended to casually rest his cheek against his hand, the side closer to Xiang Ye.
“Then,” Jiang Chaochao continued looking at the menu, “You have the barley soup.”
Xiang Ye: “Okay.”
Jiang Chaochao said: “I’ll have the almond tofu.”
Scanning the QR code to order, Jiang Chaochao ordered these two items, and a slice of cake.
Why was this bingting so famous? Because the soups they made had a sweetness and flavor that couldn’t be found anywhere else, the perfect balance of sweetness and coldness, just the right amount of ice, just the right amount of sweetness, just the right flavor.
In Jiang Chaochao’s eyes, it was second only to double-skin milk.
And how did double-skin milk win? Double-skin milk was still delicious even after a while, but this soup had to be enjoyed fresh in the store, it wasn’t quite the same after a while.
The cakes at this bingting were also delicious, but not uniquely so, so they won’t be elaborated on here.
The food arrived quickly, and soon the two were quietly enjoying their meal.
As they ate, Xiang Ye’s phone rang.
The moment he heard the ringtone, Jiang Chaochao’s eyes shot up.
But he quickly lowered his head again and continued drinking his soup.
Why specifically mention the ringtone? It went back to a few days ago, when he and Xiang Ye were in the car, talking about the music they liked recently.
Yes, the ringtone that was currently playing on Xiang Ye’s phone was the English song that Jiang Chaochao had mentioned, the one he had been listening to on repeat recently.
“Hello,” Xiang Ye answered the call.
“Not at home… at the bingting… What do you care who I’m with…”
Xiang Ye smiled slightly: “Something up?”
“Don’t come, we’re almost done… Whatever… Mm-hmm.”
Xiang Ye hung up the phone and continued drinking his soup.
He continued drinking, but Jiang Chaochao’s mind was wandering.
It wasn’t difficult to fill in the blanks of that phone call.
Might as well ask.
“Is your friend coming over?” After hesitating for a while, Jiang Chaochao asked.
Xiang Ye shook his head: “I don’t know, maybe he was just saying that.”
Jiang Chaochao gave an “oh”: “Someone I’ve met before?”
Xiang Ye: “You haven’t met him.”
Jiang Chaochao said “oh” again: “Who is it?”
Xiang Ye: “A few high school classmates.”
Jiang Chaochao: “A few? Many people?”
Xiang Ye: “Five or six. They’re having drinks tonight. I didn’t go because I was on a business trip.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Are you going over after you finish eating?”
Xiang Ye shook his head: “No.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Did he call to ask you to go over?”
Xiang Ye: “No.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Why aren’t you going?”
This time, Xiang Ye didn’t answer Jiang Chaochao’s question, instead he asked in return, “Do you really want me to go?”
Jiang Chaochao’s mind went blank: “No, not really.”
Indeed not, on the contrary, he didn’t want Xiang Ye to go.
The scene he had envisioned for tonight was just him and Xiang Ye, whether they just had soup and went back, or took a drive after finishing and then went back. There was no one else in his plans.
He didn’t know what he was trying to achieve with his questions.
Might as well not talk.
Thinking this, Jiang Chaochao lowered his head even further as he drank his soup.
The almond tofu wasn’t easy to scoop up with a spoon, so he focused intently on his bowl.
“Ah…”
Suddenly, Xiang Ye pinched the back of Jiang Chaochao’s neck.
The almond tofu he finally managed to scoop up fell off his spoon.
Jiang Chaochao: “What are you doing?!”
Xiang Ye laughed for some reason and let go: “Nothing.”
Jiang Chaochao pouted, looking down at his bowl, “The tofu fell.”
Xiang Ye: “I’ll scoop it up for you.”
He said he would, and he did.
He reached out, took the spoon, calmly scooped up the tofu, and brought it to Jiang Chaochao’s lips.
It was too smooth, too natural. It wasn’t until Jiang Chaochao lowered his head and ate the almond tofu and soup that he realized what had just happened.
Before he could react, Xiang Ye had already put down the spoon and gone back to drinking his own soup.
Mm-hmm… okay.
The scene returned to before Xiang Ye’s phone call, each of them eating their own food.
The almond tofu also became much easier to scoop up.
Jiang Chaochao started daydreaming again.
Thinking back to just now, Xiang Ye’s smile, Jiang Chaochao felt like Xiang Ye enjoyed being scolded by him.
It must be an illusion.
Too scary, he must have been looking at too much NSFW content, his mind filled with who-knew-what all day long.
Not long after, their soups were almost finished, and they had eaten more than half of the cake.
Jiang Chaochao was thinking about how to trick Xiang Ye into feeding him a bite of cake when Xiang Ye suddenly looked up, his gaze towards the entrance.
Jiang Chaochao, thinking it might be Xiang Ye’s friend, turned his head, and saw…
“Jiang Chaochao.”
“Zhang Lingzhi.”
Zhang Lingzhi smiled and walked over: “What a coincidence, didn’t you say you were busy tonight? Why are you here?”
Jiang Chaochao then remembered that he hadn’t replied to Zhang Lingzhi’s message yet.
Zhang Lingzhi didn’t seem to mind, “Your friend?”
Jiang Chaochao nodded: “Yes.”
Zhang Lingzhi: “Mind if I join you?”
Jiang Chaochao gave a soft “uh,” and Zhang Lingzhi had already pulled out the chair next to Jiang Chaochao and sat down.
Then he said, “I knew you’d order almond tofu.”
He then said again, “I’ll have the barley soup then.”
