By the time we got back to the villa, it was already half past five. Ms. Qin had just returned from grocery shopping, and when she saw Lu Shishu standing at the door as well, she was even more delighted. She quickly invited us in. Originally, Jiang Baizhou was planning to leave, but Ms. Qin pulled him in too, saying she was going to cook a big meal for us.
"Shi Shu, it’s been so long since you last came over. Have you been particularly busy lately? You look like you’ve lost a lot of weight." Ms. Qin poured two glasses of iced fruit juice for Lu Shishu and Jiang Baizhou from the kitchen and asked with concern as she looked at Lu Shishu’s beautifully gaunt face.
"It seems I’ve lost some weight. That’s why I’m missing Aunt Qin’s sweet and sour ribs and carp soup, isn’t it?" Lu Shishu shed the world-weary and indifferent demeanor from her face, replacing it with the cheerful and lively spirit from her school days, and replied sweetly.
"Oh, you and that sweet tongue of yours! Always saying what I love to hear. You know, I actually bought crucian carp today, so I’ll make that soup for you later."
"Thank you, Aunt Qin." During her school days, Lu Shishu often came over to Cen Jin’s house to eat and stay over. At that time, she was lively and open-hearted, and in Qin Xuesu’s eyes, Lu Shishu was practically like her daughter.
Cen Jin sat on the side, watching their perfectly natural and affectionate greetings. Until Ms. Qin and Jiang Baizhou laughed and returned to the kitchen to bustle about, she glanced around and pouted, complaining, "Why do I feel like you two are Ms. Qin’s biological children and I’m the one adopted for a phone recharge promotion?"
Lu Shishu burst into laughter and gave her a meaningful look, her gaze sliding towards Jiang Baizhou beside her. "Tsk! You’re even jealous of Aunt Qin’s affection? At this rate, you should forget about being a wedding dress designer and just start a vinegar factory! That way, you’ll have endless vinegar to consume and could ’sour’ your way across Asia."
"Stop your sarcastic jokes." Cen Jin gave her an exasperated glare, sensing something in her words, "What do you mean there will be endless vinegar for me to consume in the future?"
Lu Shishu raised an eyebrow and took a subtle glance at Jiang Baizhou, chuckling lightly, "Who knows! I was just talking nonsense. Don’t take it so seriously!"
Jiang Baizhou squinted his eyes, naturally understanding the hidden meaning in Lu Shishu’s words, but he remained unfazed, showing no sign of panic. Although he didn’t know everything about Lu Shishu, at the very least, he knew a bit about her temperament from all these years.
He just gave Cen Jin a deep look, lightly pressing his thin lips together. There was a kind of torment built up over many seasons, which he had forgotten. Her reserved and serene demeanor made it difficult for him to grasp her feelings and increasingly stirred his originally steady and calm heart, filling him with unease and even a sense of defeat.
Cen Jin turned her head and met his gaze, her heart skipped a beat, but she asked calmly, "Why are you looking at me?"
"Hey, I say, how about this! If by the time you both turn thirty and neither of you is married, you might as well pair up!" Lu Shishu suggested casually, as if by accident, pushing them a little as she watched their gaze.
At Lu Shishu’s words, Cen Jin’s pupils widened slightly. She instinctively checked Jiang Baizhou’s expression and, seeing his calm demeanor, glared at Lu Shishu, "What nonsense are you spouting? Rather than that, you should worry about yourself!"
As her words fell, Cen Jin seemed to realize she might have misspoken. She glanced again at Jiang Baizhou, but he remained unchanged, still so indifferent, and a sudden inexplicable discomfort rose in her heart.