Su Ran finally reacted and squatted down, picking things up in a flustered manner.
“Sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Jiang Nanshu: “…”
[How unworthy I am to have the female lead apologizing to me, the vicious supporting character. This plot is too heartbreaking; I’ve even run away to the countryside to be tormented by their chance meeting one more time, such malicious, melodramatic writing…]
“How come you are here?” Lu Qingyan asked in a flat tone, indiscernible emotions in his voice.
Su Ran paused in her movements, her grip on the edge of the basin tightening before she finally looked up at Lu Qingyan. “Camping with friends.”
That gaze harbored endurance and yet was tinged with heartache.
[It’s really heartbreaking, if it’s too much, I’ll kick him to you when I’m done.]
A tight grip around her waist made Jiang Nanshu inhale sharply and glare at the person who caused it. “Why are you pinching me!”
Lu Qingyan smiled and his fingers gently rubbed the spot on Jiang Nanshu. “My hand slipped, let me massage it for you.”
Jiang Nanshu: “…”
[You’re definitely doing it on purpose, flirting with me here. Look at how you’ve hurt Bai Yueguang.]
“Ranran, why haven’t you…”
Cheng An’s voice, surprised.
Jiang Nanshu looked over to see Cheng An leaning on a crutch, his injured leg not touching the ground, relying entirely on his other leg for support.
The moment he saw Jiang Nanshu and Lu Qingyan.
Cheng An’s brows furrowed deeply, and he limped over to Su Ran’s side. “Why are your eyes red again? Did Jiang Nanshu say something to you?”
Jiang Nanshu carrying a large pot on her back: “???”
She laughed in exasperation. “What did I say to her? Su Ran, from the moment you showed up, I haven’t said a word. You better explain things to Cheng An clearly, so not every grievance seems like my fault.”
Su Ran pressed her lips tightly together, trying to force a smile. “Anzi, it’s not Jiang Nanshu’s fault, don’t blame her.”
Upon hearing this, Cheng An’s gaze seemed to spell out “It’s definitely you.”
Jiang Nanshu: “… Heh, you might as well have not explained.”
[Looks like he doesn’t care about his leg at all, I really don’t know how he managed to convince Madam Cheng to let him come camping.]
Only then did Lu Qingyan notice Cheng An’s leg, still wrapped in bandages, a condition that should have kept him in the hospital. He wondered why Cheng An had come to Mingyue Town with Su Ran.
“Ranran, let’s go. Every time you meet this woman, you get bullied. Luckily, I arrived in time.” Cheng An picked up the basin with one hand, urging Su Ran to leave quickly.
Jiang Nanshu crossed her arms and looked at Cheng An with a smile. “Is your leg healed? So you’re back to hopping around again.”
Cheng An’s face darkened and he took a deep breath.
Jiang Nanshu was going to have a miserable end in just two years.
He was too lazy to deal with this fool.
He sneered, “What’s it to you? If it weren’t for you, would I be like this? You’re a menace.”
Jiang Nanshu’s expression was full of grievance as she clutched Lu Qingyan’s hand. “Brother Qingyan, look at him, I’m not as evil as he says. If others hear this, they’ll think I have a bad character.”
Lu Qingyan’s eyes smiled as he reassured her softly, “Just treat it like a dog barking, why bother?”
Jiang Nanshu: “!!!”
[Tsk tsk, former good brothers have now turned against each other. Aren’t you afraid that he’ll truly become evil and betray you?]
For a moment, there was sadness in Cheng An’s eyes; he truly regarded Lu Qingyan as a good brother.
Thinking back to the dreams where he and Su Ran had been on-again, off-again until they’d finally struggled to be together.
Although he didn’t want to admit it, in the future of that dream, they were meant to be a couple.
He turned his head, speaking defiantly. “Brother Yan, I’m advising you, if you don’t want to regret it later, stay away from Jiang Nanshu. She only has a heart that wants to harm others at any time!”
Lu Qingyan’s expression cooled. “What she’s like, I can see for myself. You don’t need to lecture me. Cheng An, we can’t be brothers anymore. In the future, when we’re outside, act like strangers.”
“You!”
Cheng An was genuinely infuriated.
His hand shaking, he pointed at Jiang Nanshu, “For such a person, you’re willing to give up even your brother? You can’t see your own heart clearly, and you’ll regret it when it’s too late!”
[He’s speaking the truth, I swear.]
[But for now, you can only be mine, hehe.]
Jiang Nanshu reached out to interlock his fingers with Lu Qingyan’s, tracing the beautiful bones, and lifted his head to smile at him, “Your hands are really nice.”
Lu Qingyan’s fingers closed, his palm soft as cotton, his eyes tender, “Your hands are nice too.”
Ignored, Cheng An: “…”
Fuck, he was waiting for the day when Lu Qingyan would chase his wife!
Su Ran’s eyes were somewhat lost.
So this…
This was what her lover looked like.
It seemed like the person in front of her was a treasure.
“Why did you two take so long?” Another familiar voice rang out.
[No way! Su Ran actually took both bootlickers out together, and they didn’t fight?]
The newcomer was Liang Ciqiu.
He too saw Lu Qingyan and Jiang Nanshu.
Seeing their intertwined fingers, his heart unconsciously skipped a beat.
Something was spreading in his heart, not quite clear what it was, but definitely not wanting to witness this scene.
His gaze unconsciously sought Su Ran.
That night, she got drunk again.
And mistook him for Lu Qingyan, dragging him to a hotel.
At the last moment, he still didn’t touch her.
Some mistakes were enough with just once, he didn’t want Su Ran to feel pain when she sobered up.
Liang Ciqiu’s gaze turned sharp, mockingly looking at Lu Qingyan, “What a coincidence, little brother, to run into you in such a remote place.”
Lu Qingyan remained calm, Liang Ciqiu had to call him “little brother” every time they met, just to provoke him.
Too bad.
He didn’t love his own parents, so even if Father Lu had a hundred illegitimate children, he wouldn’t be moved inside.
“Unfortunate, encountering you is rather unlucky,” he said indifferently, as if he were talking about some random cat or dog.
[Hahaha, with such a venomous tongue, are you afraid Liang Ciqiu doesn’t hate you enough? You’re going to have trouble taking the company in the future.]
Liang Ciqiu let out a cold laugh, disgustingly retracting his gaze.
“Oh, Nanshu? Qingyan, what brings you to Mingyue Town?”
Jiang Nanshu looked up and saw Chu Muxi also there, dressed in a fresh blue and white checkered dress.
Huang Ruanting was following her too.
They were all graduates of the same class.
So, they kept in touch somewhat.
Huang Ruanting didn’t dare to look at Jiang Nanshu; the day she saw Cheng An get beaten up in the classroom had indeed intimidated her.
Her body stiff, she help Su Ran pick up items, whispering urgently, “Let’s head over, the fire’s ready, and we’re only waiting for you to start the barbecue.”
Cheng An, supporting himself with a crutch, “Let’s go, let’s go, wasting time with them here makes me hungry.”
Su Ran silently turned and left.
Cheng An seized the chance to whisper to her, “Ranran, don’t be sad, everything you want will come true, you are the darling of this world.”
Su Ran’s mouth curled into a bitter smile.
Her dreams were lying to her, and so was Cheng An.
If she were the darling, why did Jiang Leyi still manage to get into the crew, making Director Wen willing to risk investors pulling out just to keep her?