Chapter 227

Chapter 227: I Just Came Because I Heard You'd Be Here The two were chatting and joking merrily when Lu Shuci knocked and entered. "Chutang, are you free tonight?" Lu Shuci looked at Ruan Chutang. Chutang raised her eyes to him and replied, "What's the matter? Is something going on?" Lu Shuci smiled. "Tian Tian hasn't seen you in a long time. She said she misses you and asked me to check if you're free to have dinner together tonight?" Chutang paused. She could sense that Lu Shuci had feelings for her. Previously, Lu Shuci had brought Tian Tian to her home to help treat Ruan Jiaojiao's illness. Now that Jiaojiao was better, he'd treated her to meals and given her gifts—everything that should be done had been done. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but it seemed like Lu Shuci was using Tian Tian as an excuse to date her. Thinking that way was a bit narcissistic, but looking back at recent times, Lu Shuci had indeed used Tian Tian's name to meet her outside of work hours many times. Sometimes at her place, sometimes outside. If this continued, they would cross the line beyond ordinary friendship. For some reason, at that moment, the image of a cool, aloof figure standing under the eaves on that morning, and that warm, reassuring embrace, suddenly surfaced in Chutang's mind. Chutang lowered her eyes. "I have plans tonight. Please tell Tian Tian I'm sorry." Lu Shuci was slightly taken aback, as if he hadn't expected her to refuse. He quietly looked at Chutang for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Okay." After Lu Shuci left, Shu Mingyue looked at Chutang with a knowing smile. "Did you turn him down because of A Xu?" Chutang buried herself in her work without denying it. Seeing her tacit confirmation, Shu Mingyue felt a knot in her chest, and the smile on her face faded. She let out a sigh, her heart heavy with frustration. Jiang Shixu was the man she had loved for seven years. Ruan Chutang was her lifesaver. How was she supposed to choose? Give up Jiang Shixu? She couldn't do it. Betray her lifesaver and scheme unscrupulously to steal her man? Shu Mingyue was no ingrate who would forget a kindness. There was no way out. Shu Mingyue shook her head helplessly. "I'll head back first." Chutang raised her eyes and gave her a meaningful look. "Take care." ... That evening, Chutang was on a video call in a small group chat with her best friends Chen Yuanyuan and Zhou Xueluo. Chen Yuanyuan, who was usually loud and full of laughter, was unusually quiet tonight. Chutang asked, "Yuanyuan, what's wrong? You're really quiet tonight." Zhou Xueluo also noticed Chen Yuanyuan's unusual behavior. "Yeah, something on your mind?" Chen Yuanyuan pouted and let out a sigh. "Why the sighing? What happened?" Chutang asked. Chen Yuanyuan's face fell as she said in a muffled voice, "You know Zhang Yuewei, right?" Zhou Xueluo nodded. "Third daughter of the Zhang family. I ran into her at the mall a few days ago. What about her?" Chen Yuanyuan dropped a bombshell: "She likes Qin Yan." "Huh?" Ruan Chutang and Zhou Xueluo said in unison. "I only found out yesterday." Chen Yuanyuan said gloomily. "She suddenly came to me yesterday and asked if Qin Yan was home and what he'd been up to lately. After I asked around, I found out she's been secretly in love with him for over a year." Zhou Xueluo: "I wouldn't have guessed. Zhang Yuewei doesn't seem like the type to have a secret crush. Hasn't she dated several boyfriends already?" Chen Yuanyuan: "According to her, she only dated them to make Qin Yan jealous." Chutang and Zhou Xueluo exchanged a look across the screen. It sounded like Qin Yan was supposed to have feelings for Zhang Yuewei—what made her think dating other guys would make Qin Yan angry or jealous? Yuanyuan must be really hurt hearing that. Sure enough, the next second, Chen Yuanyuan spoke up: "I went to confront Qin Yan and asked if he had feelings for Zhang Yuewei. He denied it, but I was still furious. We had a huge fight." "Zhang Yuewei even tried to get close to Qin Yan through me—she gave me an LV bag as a bribe." Chen Yuanyuan sneered. "Hah, like I can't afford a bag myself. I don't want her crappy bag." Zhou Xueluo comforted her: "Brother Qin Yan probably doesn't have any feelings for Zhang Yuewei. If he did, they'd have gotten together long ago. And I think Brother Qin Yan is serious about you. You two should talk it out properly instead of letting an outsider ruin your mood." Chutang added: "I agree with Xueluo. You can feel how Brother Qin Yan treats you on a daily basis, right?" Chen Yuanyuan snorted. "Men's mouths are full of lies—anyone can sweet-talk. As for treating me well, how do I know if it's genuine or just an act? Look at Brother Zhengan—wasn't he also good to that college girl he was dating? And it turned out he was just playing around." Zhou Xueluo pressed her lips together. Her brother really was a scumbag. He'd been dating that college girl for over half a year and hadn't even introduced her to the family. That meant he had no intention of bringing her into his social circle—in short, it was just casual fun, nothing serious. With Chen Yuanyuan putting it that way, Zhou Xueluo didn't know what to say. Chu Tang tried to persuade her, "Qin Yan is different from Zhengan, and you're not the same as Zhengan's girlfriend either. Qin Yan has only ever dated you, right? At least from what I know, Qin Yan isn't some frivolous playboy. Besides, you're from the same circle as us—it's not like you're some ordinary college girl with no family background. How can you compare yourself to her?" "Ugh." Chen Yuanyuan sighed. "I had a fight with Qin Yan. I feel like he's not being sincere with me, and he thinks I don't trust him. We argued endlessly, and after the fight, we've been giving each other the cold shoulder. It's been almost twenty-four hours since we last spoke." Zhou Xueluo suggested, "Why not find a chance to have a proper talk with him?" Chen Yuanyuan said gloomily, "I can't bring myself to be the one to reach out first." Zhou Xueluo said, "The amusement park project our family invested in officially opened a few days ago. How about we all go have some fun this weekend? I'll help you get Qin Yan to come out, so it won't count as you making the first move, right?" Chen Yuanyuan thought it over for a moment, then nodded. "Tangtang, you should come along too!" Zhou Xueluo said. "You've been busy with work lately—you deserve a good break." Chu Tang smiled. "Alright." ...... Weekend, at the amusement park. Chu Tang arrived at the entrance and spotted a familiar figure. Her steps slowed. Why is Jiang Shixu here too? He was dressed in a light gray casual outfit today—a short-sleeved top paired with trousers. Standing around 1.9 meters tall, with striking features and a slightly tousled layered haircut, he drew the attention of many passersby just by standing there. Chu Tang noticed someone even pulling out their phone to take a photo of Jiang Shixu. She walked over and silently swept her gaze toward Zhou Xueluo. Zhou Xueluo beamed. "It just so happened that Shixu had some free time, so I invited him to come along too." Chu Tang asked Jiang Shixu with a half-smile, "I never would've guessed you enjoy these kinds of amusement rides." "Not interested," the man said, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I just came because I heard you'd be here."