Chapter 7
After Jiang Chaochao’s teacher and friends finished their performances, he exchanged greetings and a few words with them, then left with Xu Hengzhi.
However, Xu Hengzhi was very quiet.
It was one thing for him to be quiet when others were around, but now that it was just the two of them, he was still exceptionally quiet.
Quiet in a very strange way, quiet enough that Jiang Chaochao felt like he was up to no good.
Sure enough, as soon as they got into the car, Xu Hengzhi said, “Were the grapes good?”
Jiang Chaochao: “You ate some too.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Were they sweet?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Didn’t you eat any?”
Xu Hengzhi suddenly burst out laughing.
It made Jiang Chaochao want to laugh too: “You’re crazy.”
Xu Hengzhi laughed even harder.
It wasn’t until the car started and pulled out of the parking space that Xu Hengzhi calmed down a little. He asked Jiang Chaochao, “When did you become so close with Xiang Ye?”
Jiang Chaochao: “We’re not that close.”
Xu Hengzhi: “You even ate his grapes.”
Jiang Chaochao again: “Didn’t you eat any?”
Xu Hengzhi: “That’s different.”
Jiang Chaochao: “What’s different? It’s just that he gave them to me first, then to you.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Then why did he give them to you first?”
Jiang Chaochao: “I was closer to him.”
Xu Hengzhi: “…”
Xu Hengzhi tsked: “Jiang Chaochao, why can I never win an argument against you?”
Jiang Chaochao: “I’m stating facts, of course you can’t win.”
Xu Hengzhi remembered what he wanted to say: “Fine, you ate grapes, so what’s with the underlying tension?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Underlying tension my ass.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Hahahahaha, you’re getting defensive.”
Jiang Chaochao didn’t want to pay attention to him.
But it didn’t stop Xu Hengzhi from pestering him.
Xu Hengzhi: “What’s going on between you and Xiang Ye?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Nothing’s going on.”
Xu Hengzhi said in a strange tone: “Really?”
Jiang Chaochao: “If you speak to me properly, I’ll tell you.”
Xu Hengzhi became excited: “There really is something going on?!”
Jiang Chaochao fell silent.
Xu Hengzhi made a zipping motion across his lips: “Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.”
Jiang Chaochao said helplessly, “We met in the lounge before his niece’s performance. He had just left not long before you arrived. Satisfied?”
Xu Hengzhi sighed: “Fine.”
But two seconds later.
Xu Hengzhi: “Really just that?”
Jiang Chaochao: “We shared a passionate kiss.”
Xu Hengzhi: “HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, okay, okay, I won’t ask anymore.”
Jiang Chaochao gave a light “heh.”
Xu Hengzhi stopped talking, focusing on the road and driving.
Jiang Chaochao also sank back into his seat.
That was all there was to it.
What else was there to say…
But before Jiang Chaochao could zone out for even ten seconds, Xu Hengzhi spoke again.
“What are we eating?” Xu Hengzhi asked.
Jiang Chaochao exhaled inexplicably: “Didn’t you say hot pot?”
Xu Hengzhi: “Yes, I mean which restaurant?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Chunxi, then.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Okay.”
After saying “okay,” Xu Hengzhi asked, “Did you add each other on WeChat?”
Caught off guard, Jiang Chaochao froze: “Uh, huh?”
Xu Hengzhi: “The two of you, you and Xiang Ye.”
Jiang Chaochao said casually: “Added.”
Unexpectedly getting an answer from a casual question, Xu Hengzhi was surprised: “Huh? Really? You two added each other on WeChat? Huh? Really?”
A faint smile quickly flickered across Jiang Chaochao’s lips: “Mm-hmm.”
Xu Hengzhi: “But… didn’t you just bump into each other? How did you even add each other on WeChat?”
This was easy to explain.
Jiang Chaochao said, “His niece also likes little ducks, like this brooch of mine.”
Speaking of which, Jiang Chaochao subconsciously touched his chest, but…
“Hey!” Jiang Chaochao sat up and looked down at his chest. “Where’s my brooch?”
Xu Hengzhi turned his head and looked: “Your brooch fell off?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Yeah.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Where did it fall off?”
Jiang Chaochao: “I don’t know.”
Xu Hengzhi thought for a moment: “I think you were wearing it when I saw you tonight.”
Jiang Chaochao stared at Xu Hengzhi, or maybe he wasn’t staring at Xu Hengzhi, he was just thinking.
Jiang Chaochao had no memory of it, he could only be sure that he was wearing it when he was talking to Xiang Ye alone.
Half a minute later, Jiang Chaochao sank back into his seat: “Forget it.”
Xu Hengzhi complained: “Your brooch falls off too easily. It fell off a few days ago too.”
Jiang Chaochao nodded in agreement: “It does.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Is it important?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Not really, I can buy another one.”
Xu Hengzhi: “That’s good.”
It’s just that, this brooch…
Forget it.
“So?” Xu Hengzhi brought the topic back. “How did you two add each other on WeChat?”
Jiang Chaochao also brought back what he wanted to say earlier: “I told him the brooch was from World City, but I forgot which store.”
“And then you asked for his WeChat, saying you’d go back and check the box to tell him,” Xu Hengzhi said in a very pleased tone. “Not bad, Jiang Chaochao, very smooth!”
Jiang Chaochao felt a little proud for some reason: “Oh, no, no,” he said, “He asked for my WeChat…”
Wait.
No.
Jiang Chaochao seemed to understand something.
“Xu Hengzhi, what do you mean?” Jiang Chaochao turned his head. “You seem to be assuming I like him.”
Xu Hengzhi snorted with laughter: “Am I?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Aren’t you?”
Xu Hengzhi dropped the act: “Fine, I guess I was thinking that.”
Jiang Chaochao crossed his arms, staring expressionlessly at Xu Hengzhi’s profile.
Xu Hengzhi laughed sheepishly: “Well, it’s because you…”
Jiang Chaochao: “Because I what?”
Xu Hengzhi: “Whenever you mention him, you act all weird, your words become agitated, stiff, awkward, and shy.”
Jiang Chaochao: “…Do I?”
Xu Hengzhi: “See, that sentence just now proves it.”
Jiang Chaochao: “…”
Seeing that Jiang Chaochao didn’t continue to refute him, Xu Hengzhi sat up straight, emboldened: “Am I right or not?”
Jiang Chaochao: “Of course not.”
Xu Hengzhi sighed: “It’s not a big deal if you like Xiang Ye. I’ve already checked him out for you, no problems. He’s a pretty good guy, and so handsome. And when you two stood together, you have no idea how well you matched. Not to mention your looks, your auras matched too. Your height, tsk,” Xu Hengzhi showed a doting aunt’s smile, “Really good.”
After listening to everything, Jiang Chaochao asked: “You’re shipping us already?”
Xu Hengzhi: “Of course.”
Jiang Chaochao: “Shipping will only lead to disappointment.”
Xu Hengzhi was inexplicably excited: “Let it kill me, let it kill me.”
Jiang Chaochao laughed: “Stop being crazy.”
Xu Hengzhi didn’t bother hiding it, his eyes crinkling with laughter: “I didn’t expect him to be the one to add you on WeChat.”
Jiang Chaochao said speechlessly: “Is it strange for someone to add me on WeChat?”
Xu Hengzhi: “Of course not, you’re amazing!”
Jiang Chaochao: “Heh.”
Xu Hengzhi tsked, very satisfied: “Very good.”
Jiang Chaochao said, “It is very good. I’ll send you the wedding invitation tomorrow.”
Xu Hengzhi: “HAHAHAHAHA.”
However, Jiang Chaochao still wanted to explain: “He added me to find out which store it was.”
Xu Hengzhi: “I know, what else?”
Jiang Chaochao was momentarily speechless.
So rare, Xu Hengzhi actually managed to render Jiang Chaochao speechless. He had to…
Laugh heartily.
Jiang Chaochao: “…”
Jiang Chaochao: “Enough.”
Xu Hengzhi stopped teasing Jiang Chaochao and asked sincerely, “Couldn’t it also be that he’s interested in you?”
Jiang Chaochao: “No, shut up.”
Xu Hengzhi was amused again: “You’re strange, Jiang Chaochao. It’s not the first time I’ve teased you about other men, why are you so sensitive this time?”
Jiang Chaochao: “You’re overthinking it, I’m not.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Ask yourself, are you or aren’t you?”
Jiang Chaochao: “I’m not.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Okay, okay, okay.”
Xu Hengzhi rephrased: “Then let’s just talk about Xiang Ye, shall we? I think it’s quite normal for him to have fallen for you at first sight.”
Jiang Chaochao paused at Xu Hengzhi’s words “fallen for you at first sight.”
He was a bit sensitive to “love at first sight” now.
Although Xu Hengzhi wasn’t talking about Jiang Chaochao, Jiang Chaochao still felt like his secret thoughts had been discovered and shouted out loud.
“Besides,” seeing that Jiang Chaochao didn’t respond immediately, Xu Hengzhi continued, “Didn’t you fall for him at first sight too?”
Jiang Chaochao: “…”
Jiang Chaochao: “…You’re really…”
Xu Hengzhi seemed to have not heard Jiang Chaochao’s words: “No need to hide it from me, bro.”
Jiang Chaochao: “…”
Okay.
Silence speaks volumes.
Xu Hengzhi laughed: “Is that a bit too blunt for you?”
The breath Jiang Chaochao was holding suddenly released, and he gritted his teeth: “Then why did you still say it?”
Xu Hengzhi chuckled: “Okay, then let’s just talk about him falling for you at first sight.”
Jiang Chaochao said helplessly: “…He didn’t fall for me at first sight.”
Xu Hengzhi: “Don’t deny it, I’m a good judge of character.”
Jiang Chaochao sighed again, feeling like everything he said was in vain: “Whatever.”
Xu Hengzhi smiled: “Really whatever?”
Jiang Chaochao was silent for a moment, then asked: “Is he gay?”
This question was too heavy, and Xu Hengzhi immediately shut up.
Jiang Chaochao gave a cold laugh and turned to look out the window.
After a while.
“How about this,” Xu Hengzhi said, “I’ll go find out for you.”
Jiang Chaochao continued to look out the window. He felt like there was no need, but he actually wanted to know, so in the end, he didn’t say anything, just raised his hand and rested his chin on it.
Soon, Xu Hengzhi parked the car at the entrance of Jiang Chaochao’s complex.
Before getting out of the car, Xu Hengzhi made a “leave it to me” gesture with his fist.
Jiang Chaochao: “…”
Jiang Chaochao really wanted to say there was no need.
But suddenly, his throat seemed to be choked by something.
Forget it, better not say anything.
