Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Jiang Shixu Comes to See Her Every Year Perhaps Jiang Shixu could tell that Chu Tang felt a bit awkward with him here, so he said, "Take a look around first and tell me what you're missing. I'll go upstairs and take a shower." "Wait a moment." Jiang Shixu stopped in his tracks and turned his head to look at her. "What's wrong?" Chu Tang opened her backpack, pulled out a bottle of milk, and handed it to him. "Brother Shixu, could you help me contact a testing agency? This milk might have a problem." Jiang Shixu's gaze sharpened. "Is someone trying to harm you?" Ruan Chutang nodded with a grave expression. "Probably, but I'm not sure. Better to be cautious." "Alright, leave this to me." Jiang Shixu took out his phone and made a call. "Come over here. I have something for you to do." Jiang Shixu walked away while on the phone, his figure disappearing around the corner of the building. Ruan Chutang let out a breath, her body relaxing. Just now, when she had handed the milk to Jiang Shixu, she had unexpectedly met his deep, dark eyes, and for that instant, Chu Tang felt her heart stop. His eyes were beautiful. No—not just his eyes. His face was the finest work of art from Nüwa herself. Meeting his gaze made her heartbeat unconsciously quicken. After Jiang Shixu left, Ruan Chutang looked around the suite. The traces of habitation here were obvious. She noticed personal items placed in several spots in the living room, as if someone had been living here long-term. It was a bit strange. It didn't seem like Jiang Shixu had booked this suite temporarily—rather, it seemed like he came here often. But hadn't he always been in Jiangcheng? Ruan Chutang didn't dwell on it. It wasn't any of her business anyway. She put her luggage in the bedroom and only then remembered that her suitcase only contained some changes of clothes and skincare products—no slippers for bathing. Just as she was wondering whether to mention it to Jiang Shixu, the doorbell rang. Ruan Chutang walked over and opened the door. A hotel staff member in uniform stood there, holding a tray in one hand and a bag in the other. "Hello, I'm here to deliver something for Mr. Jiang." Ruan Chutang took the milk on the tray and the bag the staff member handed over. "Thank you." "You're welcome." After closing the door, Ruan Chutang looked at the warm milk in her hand, puzzled. Did Jiang Shixu also have the habit of drinking warm milk before bed? What a coincidence. She set the milk on the table and opened the bag to look inside. There was a new pair of women's slippers, two unopened towels, and some toiletries. They should all be for her. Ruan Chutang felt a warmth in her heart—Jiang Shixu was quite thoughtful. "Did everything get delivered?" Jiang Shixu appeared at the top of the stairs. "Yes, it arrived. Thank you, Brother Shixu." Ruan Chutang looked up, and her gaze met Jiang Shixu's in mid-air. Her mood was a bit complicated. Now he wasn't just her neighbor's older brother—he was also her fiancé. As he spoke, Jiang Shixu had already come down the stairs and walked to her side. "The milk was ordered for you." "Huh?" Chu Tang looked up in surprise. "I thought you wanted to drink it." "I don't have that habit. You drink it." With that, Jiang Shixu went to open the door. At some point, the assistant she had seen in the lobby downstairs was already standing by the door. "Take this bottle of milk for testing." "Understood, Mr. Jiang." After closing the door and turning around, Jiang Shixu found Ruan Chutang looking at him. The girl's eyes were clear and bright, full of curiosity, just like some kind of adorable little animal. It felt as if a soft feather had landed on the tip of Jiang Shixu's heart, tickling it. He walked over and couldn't help but reach out to ruffle her hair, gentle and doting, just like when they were kids. "Get some rest early tonight. What time are you getting up tomorrow? I'll wake you." "I'll get up at ten in the morning." Ruan Chutang sat on the sofa, looking up at him. A trace of milky white milk clung to the girl's lips, and the image was strikingly vivid. Jiang Shixu's eyes darkened a shade. His Adam's apple moved slightly as he averted his gaze uncomfortably. "Sleep early. Good night." Without waiting for Ruan Chutang's reply, he walked straight toward the stairs. Ruan Chutang was completely unaware of his inner turmoil. She withdrew her gaze and continued sipping her milk slowly. ... The next day, Jiang Shixu knocked on Ruan Chutang's door before the alarm went off. "Tangtang, time to get up." Ruan Chutang opened her eyes, fished her phone out from under the pillow, and glanced at the time—9:59. Perfect timing. After Ruan Chutang finished washing up and came out, breakfast was already set on the table. It was a bowl of wontons that looked perfectly ordinary. Ruan Chutang sat down, tore open the disposable utensil pack, picked up the spoon, and took a sip of the soup first. Her eyes suddenly lit up. "How does this taste exactly the same as the place near our law firm?" Jiang Shixu, sitting across from her, didn't look up and gave a noncommittal "Mm." Ruan Chutang wasn't sure what to make of it. What did that "Mm" mean? She took another bite of wonton—the flavor really was the same as the place she frequented. Ruan Chutang glanced up at the man across from her, a hint of suspicion in her eyes. "Did you buy this from that shop behind our law firm?" "Mm." Jiang Shixu responded with a blank expression. Ruan Chutang was inwardly astonished. "How do you know about that shop?" That place was quite far from this hotel—at least ten kilometers away. Why would Jiang Shixu go all the way out there just to buy breakfast? Seeing that he couldn't keep it a secret any longer, Jiang Shixu finally confessed honestly: "I came to Haicheng before... to see you." Ruan Chutang was stunned. Jiang Shixu had come to Haicheng to see her? How did she not know about this? "Cough, cough, cough—" She was so shocked that she accidentally choked. Jiang Shixu quickly handed her a tissue. "Take it slow." "When did you come? Why didn't I know?" "I came in the first year after you left, the second year, and this year too." Jiang Shixu's expression was calm and composed. Ruan Chutang's heart trembled, and she felt like the blood was about to stop flowing to her brain. Jiang Shixu had actually come to Haicheng to see her every year—and secretly at that. No wonder she'd noticed last night that this apartment showed such obvious signs of habitation. It seemed he came quite frequently. Something was on the verge of surfacing, and Ruan Chutang's heart suddenly raced. She didn't dare think too deeply about it and quickly changed the subject. "Thank you, Brother Shixu. This place's wontons are really delicious." Jiang Shixu noticed the girl's ears turning so red they looked like they might drip blood, and a smile curled at the corners of his lips. He didn't call her out on it and casually said, "By the way, I know a highly skilled Restorer. She was once invited to the Forbidden City to restore cultural relics. Maybe she can help." "Really?" Ruan Chutang suddenly looked up, her eyes full of surprise and anticipation. Jiang Shixu nodded. "Mm. Once we're back in Jiangcheng, I'll take you to meet her." "Okay." Jiang Shixu's words were like a dose of good medicine, and the heart that had been aching all night seemed healed at that moment. She couldn't quite explain why, but she just trusted Jiang Shixu deeply. Since he said that Restorer was highly skilled, then her porcelain doll could definitely be fixed. It was only early morning, and Chu Tang's mood had already done a complete one-eighty. Jiang Shixu had given her too many "surprises" today, and she suddenly found herself curious—what else about Jiang Shixu did she not know?