Jiang Shiyan paced back and forth in the room, hands on his hips.
Feng Weiran watched him holding back his anger, looking like he might explode at any moment, and understood about seventy to eighty percent of what was going on.
He weakly explained, “Yanan and I argued over something about Chengcheng. She heard from Qin Jiao that her daughter could speak three languages in primary school, so she wants to hire a teacher for Chengcheng to learn German. She doesn’t want Chengcheng to fall behind at the starting line. I think the child is still young and can play for a couple more years.”
Jiang Shiyan took a deep breath: “So Yanan kicked you out?”
Feng Weiran shrank his neck, feeling a bit wrong: “She said she didn’t want to see me—”
Jiang Shiyan couldn’t hold back his anger: “You’re a full-grown man of seven… no, five feet tall. When Yanan tells you to go east, you go east; when she tells you to go west, you go west; when she tells you to come here, you just roll over,” Jiang Shiyan grew angrier as he spoke, “Don’t you have any dignity or face as a man!”
The brother-in-law gave him a thorough scolding.
Feng Weiran said softly, “You know Yanan’s temper…”
Jiang Shiyan couldn’t be bothered to waste words with Feng Weiran. He sat down opposite him and started to fiddle with the pizza, rustling as he put on plastic gloves.
The pizza box was made of aluminum foil, excellent for keeping the food warm.
Almost as soon as Jiang Shiyan lifted the lid, the aroma of bacon, shrimp, and cheese mixed with the heat and wafted out.
Jiang Shiyan’s fingers were long and fair. As he pressed down on the edge of the pizza and tore off a piece, the warm, golden, fragrant cheese stretched out in long, soft strands.
Feng Weiran swallowed.
Jiang Shiyan put that piece of pizza in his mouth, using food to calm his anger.
Watching him eat, Feng Weiran swallowed again: “Brother Yan… I’m a bit hungry.”
Jiang Shiyan took a sip of red wine: “Then stay hungry.”
Feng Weiran reached out to take a pizza, but Jiang Shiyan imperceptibly turned the box to the left.
Feng Weiran followed the direction he was holding it and reached out again, but Jiang Shiyan turned the box to the right.
Feng Weiran hadn’t eaten enough for dinner and was tempted, but no matter how he tried to grab it, Jiang Shiyan would turn it in the opposite direction.
“Brother Yan,” Feng Weiran called.
The person being called pretended not to hear.
Feng Weiran had no choice but to reach for the other glass of red wine.
But Jiang Shiyan’s hand moved, taking the red wine away too, just not giving it to him.
Feng Weiran couldn’t stand it anymore and stood up: “Fine, fine, fine. You have your manly dignity and face, why are you giving me the cold shoulder? If you’ve got the guts, go downstairs and call Sister Yang, tell her ‘Tang Yang, switch back with Feng Weiran,’ ‘Tang Yang, I, Jiang Shiyan, like you,’ ‘Tang Yang, I, Jiang Shiyan, want to sleep with you.’ I’ll sleep in the trash can without a second word if you do.”
Jiang Shiyan’s movements froze in place.
Feng Weiran pointed at the door and sneered: “Go on, why don’t you go?”
This time, it was Mr. Jiang’s turn to fall silent.
The next day’s plan was a barbecue on the lawn.
Everyone looked at the weather: “It’s so overcast, will it rain?”
“If it rains, we’ll just put up a big tent. Youran’s grilled rabbit legs and sausages are unbeatable,” Cheng Siran said as he organized everyone to prepare.
On the bustling lawn, some people were setting up frames, others were picking vegetables. Feng Weiran was trying to reconcile with Jiang Yanan, who said she didn’t want to talk to him, but her expression had softened a bit.
Tang Yang, adept at reading the room, abandoned Jiang Yanan. As she went to get food, she passed by a certain someone and saw Jiang Shiyan standing at the edge counting ants, his face gloomier than the overcast sky.
“Everyone else has started picking things, why aren’t you going?” Tang Yang nimbly bounced in front of him from the side, “What’s wrong? You look like you’re in a bad mood.”
Jiang Shiyan was startled by the sudden movement and stepped back a bit.
Realizing who it was, a fleeting unnaturalness crossed his face: “Didn’t sleep enough.”
“Do you want to go take a nap then?” Tang Yang shook the basket in her hand, “I can pick food for you and bring it over when it’s grilled.”
Jiang Shiyan coughed: “No need.”
She was a culinary black hole. If he ate what she grilled, he’d be in trouble.
Tang Yang didn’t push him. She walked a couple of steps forward, then thought of something and turned back. She tucked the basket under her arm and started rummaging in her pants pocket.
Jiang Shiyan watched her concentrated face, thinking she was about to pull out some treasure.
After fumbling for a while, Tang Yang looked up at him with a smile: “Hold out your hand.”
Jiang Shiyan prepared himself to receive a diamond.
Tang Yang’s hand was clenched in a fist, suspended over his palm.
She opened her hand, and in Jiang Shiyan’s palm appeared… a White Rabbit milk candy.
“There’s no doughnut, so have this instead.” Tang Yang comforted him, her voice soft.
Jiang Shiyan met her earnest gaze and couldn’t help but laugh: “Do you think I’m you?”
“Then give it back to me.” Tang Yang made a move to grab it.
Jiang Shiyan quickly unwrapped the candy and popped it into his mouth, then slowed down, leisurely folding the small rectangular blue wrapper three times and placing it in his shirt pocket. Then, he gave Tang Yang a smug smile that said, “I won’t give it back, what are you going to do now?”
How old was this guy?
Tang Yang was both annoyed and amused. She gave him a push.
Jiang Shiyan casually picked up a bag from the table and, with a hint of a smile, went with her to the inner hall to pick up food.
At seven or eight in the morning, there were still clouds on the horizon.
By noon, the clouds had dispersed, and the warm early spring sunshine filtered through the gaps in the leaves.
Dozens of men and women sat in a circle, with several chefs in the middle continuously grilling food and placing it on the rotating table.
Some people chatted, some played cards, all laughing and talking, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Tang Yang sat next to Jiang Shiyan, playing games with Jiang Yanan and others, while Jiang Shiyan was playing Fight the Landlord with Cheng Siran and the others.
A plate of grilled sausages came around on the table. Cheng Siran shouted for “Sister Yang to try some,” telling Jiang Shiyan to pass it to Tang Yang.
“Pair of twos.” Jiang Shiyan’s grass stems in his mouth quivered as he played two cards.
Tang Yang’s game had just ended, and she was about to reach for the sausages when she saw Jiang Shiyan place the plate in front of himself. He used a toothpick to pick out all the Sichuan peppercorns one by one. After cleaning it thoroughly, he casually pushed the plate to Tang Yang and continued playing cards.
Throughout the whole process, Jiang Shiyan was talking to others and never once looked at Tang Yang.
Doing these things was like breathing, or perhaps instinct, so natural that even Cheng Siran didn’t notice and tease them.
At that moment, it seemed as if everything had slowed down.
Tang Yang took the plate, seeing the black Sichuan peppercorns piled on one side and the sausages on the other.
Tang Yang picked up a slice. It had a smoky flavor, and a wine aroma, and her nose seemed to catch a faint trace of woody fragrance.
Jiang Shiyan’s laughter and chatter came through her ears one sentence at a time, “Ace, Siran you dog, you’re trash,” “Feng Weiran is so bad I don’t even want to comment,” “I told you each to their expertise. Last time you guys bullied daddy at Staring Game, this time daddy’s paying you back in full”…
The responses and clamor of others faded away, leaving only the sound of the wind, rustling.
Tang Yang ate the sausage slice cleaned of Sichuan peppercorns, watching Jiang Shiyan’s gestures. He seemed to turn towards her for a moment.
Tang Yang quickly looked away, her ears already burning red.
Her heart was pounding “thump thump thump,” one beat after another. She could hear it very clearly.
She had told herself countless times that Yan Dog was just a buddy… but how could she escape this small matter of falling for him?
Tang Yang’s thoughts drifted, and she let out a soft sigh.
After the barbecue, Jiang Shiyan wanted to ask Tang Yang if she wanted to switch rooms back, but before he could speak, Jiang Yanan had already linked arms with Tang Yang and walked away.
Jiang Shiyan wanted to retort, but seeing Tang Yang smiling as she was led away by Jiang Yanan, he could only return to the room with Feng Weiran, both looking at each other with disdain.
Earlier, Jiang Shiyan had told Tang Yang they would return on Sunday afternoon.
The group had become so close that they ended up staying until after dinner on Sunday evening before preparing to leave.
Tang Yang was packing clothes in the room when she suddenly received a call from her mother.
Tang Yang’s mother had originally planned to see how miserably her daughter was living but found she wasn’t at home.
Tang Yang: “I’ve been playing at Youran Resort for two days.”
Tang Yang’s mother was displeased: “Earlier when I asked you to go on a blind date, you said after the New Year. After the New Year, you said you were busy. It’s already March, and you have time to go play but no time for blind dates.”
In the past, Tang Yang would have casually agreed to another time and that would have been it.
But now, with someone in her heart, she couldn’t bring herself to agree no matter what.
“Mom,” Tang Yang said with a smile, though also somewhat helplessly, “Tell me, I’m almost 30 and still fantasizing about love,” Tang Yang paused, “Doesn’t that seem very foolish?”
The other end was silent for a while.
“Is it Gan Yiming?” Tang Yang’s mother asked.
Tang Yang didn’t have time to answer.
Tang Yang’s mother spoke frankly: “That Director Gan of yours doesn’t look like a good person at first glance, not to mention he has a wife. Tang Yang, let me tell you, if you like Gan Yiming, I’ll rush over with a pair of scissors right now and cut you into a bald Tang! Do you believe me or not!”
For a middle-aged young woman with severe hair loss, this threat was quite scary.
Tang Yang timidly touched the top of her head: “It’s not him.”
“Then,” Tang Yang’s mother pondered for a moment, “Song Jing?”
Tang Yang’s mother recalled Song Jing’s appearance in photos and said, “That young man looked like a fairy even before he was fully grown. Who knows how handsome he must be now? But you should be careful, he must be blind. He liked you when you were so ugly before, and then when you became pretty, you broke up,” Tang Yang’s mother paused for a moment, “If you like him, I have nothing to say, but my intuition is that Song Jing is quite deep, not suitable for a… brainless naive sweetie like you.”
The workplace elite Director Tang: “Meow meow meow?”
Before Director Tang could respond, her mother exclaimed, “Ah! I have a square dancing appointment with Jiang Shiyan’s mother. I have to go now, bye-bye.”
Tang Yang said expressionlessly: “Don’t use vulgar language.”
Tang Yang’s mother grumbled about “not bothering to joke with you” and hung up the phone.
At the same time.
“Knock knock,” two clear knocks on the door.
The door was ajar, and Jiang Shiyan stood at the doorway asking Tang Yang: “Are you packed?”
“Come in, I’m almost done.” Tang Yang pressed her phone and sped up.
Jiang Shiyan entered the room: “Do you need help? Didn’t you come in to pack a long time ago?”
He was standing quite close, and Tang Yang nervously held her breath for a moment: “I was just on the phone with my mom.”
Jiang Shiyan: “Asking why you didn’t go home for the weekend?”
Tang Yang looked at Jiang Shiyan: “Urging me to go on a blind date.”
Jiang Shiyan’s expression immediately changed.
The fire in his chest was more explosive than rocket fuel, but he was afraid of scaring Tang Yang. Jiang Shiyan breathed in and out, trying hard to look calm. He even forced a smile, which to Tang Yang looked like an awkward, insincere grin.
Tang Yang said softly: “I didn’t go.”
The rocket fuel in Jiang Shiyan’s heart finished assembling, shot into the sky, and happily set off fireworks.
He made a sound of acknowledgment, his face still composed.
Tang Yang had nothing more to say.
Jiang Shiyan helped her check if anything was left behind.
After finishing packing, Jiang Shiyan asked: “Yesterday you said you wanted to drive. Are you driving or should I?”
“I’ll drive,” Tang Yang said.
Jiang Shiyan closed the door.
He had always helped her close doors before.
But as Tang Yang watched him close the door now, the two of them came out of the hotel room with the bed still messy, Jiang Shiyan closing the door… Tang Yang’s face grew hot.
With the door closed, Jiang Shiyan gathered both luggage bags in one hand, freeing the other to feel for the keys.
The corridor light fell along his eyelids, silhouetting his eyelashes like fans. His handsome face was hidden in the half-light, half-shadow, with the patterned carpet as a background, inexplicably giving rise to a hint of amorous charm.
“Jiang Shiyan.” Tang Yang’s fingers, hanging at her side, lifted slightly as she called his name softly.
“Hm?” Jiang Shiyan held the car keys in front of her.
Tang Yang bit her lip, her voice soft: “Don’t you want to know why I didn’t go on the blind date?”
Jiang Shiyan looked up, suddenly meeting her eyes brimming with tenderness. She gazed at him, a blush on her cheeks, and a faint pink tinge on her fair ear lobes.
Jiang Shiyan seemed to anticipate something, hardly daring to believe it. Was it because of… himself?
His Adam’s apple moved, but he found it difficult to make a sound.
One second, two seconds, three seconds.
After quite a while.
Jiang Shiyan asked, feigning casualness: “Why… is that?”
In reality, he was extremely nervous, his heart pounding.
Jiang Shiyan’s toes were almost touching hers. Tang Yang’s ears were burning like she had a fever.
Mustering the last of her rationality, she curved her eyes into a smile and sweetly said to him: “Because I’m busy.”
That’s for suddenly telling others you like me the day before yesterday, for letting Cheng Siran say it out loud and catching me off guard, making me look foolish in public.
Having exacted her revenge, Tang Yang stood on tiptoe and lightly tapped Jiang Shiyan’s nose tip. With a beaming smile, she took the car keys from his hand and walked past him.
Her slender figure was light and graceful as she hummed a little tune.
Jiang Shiyan stood dazed for quite a while before coming to his senses.
The image of a certain someone’s smug expression easily floated into his mind. He raised his hand to touch the tip of his nose, feeling a ticklish, tingling sensation.
Jiang Shiyan’s throat felt dry as he shifted, his thoughts intensely yearning to pull that person back into his embrace and give them a good, firm squeeze!
That ungrateful little rascal!
The big bad wolf ground his teeth with a menacing sound, but in the end, he dutifully hid his big tail, following behind the mischievous little rabbit who was bouncing around, utterly delighted after a successful prank, with a look of helpless indulgence on his face.