Chapter 147: Provocation

What did she notice? Lu Wenchuan followed Sang Yijia’s gaze. His dark eyes reflected Lan Qing’s pale face. Then he looked toward Shen Jing and the other man, and quickly understood.

“When did you figure it out?” Lu Wenchuan asked.

Sang Yijia hummed. “I guessed.”

“Lan Qing treated Shen Jin very well earlier. She probably learned the name of the Shen family’s young master from somewhere.” Sang Yijia explained herself. “I don’t know whether I’m right.”

Lu Wenchuan was silent for a moment. “Shen Jing did spend several years working as an extra in the entertainment industry.”

“Why did he stop?” Sang Yijia had not expected there to be such a story behind it. “Did his family forbid him to continue?”

“That was more or less the reason.” Lu Wenchuan noticed that she had not eaten the green pepper he had placed in her bowl. After a pause, he asked, “You don’t like green peppers?”

“Mm. I don’t like carrots either.” Sang Yijia did not seem startled by the sudden change of subject and answered calmly. “What about you?”

“Is there anything you avoid?”

Lu Wenchuan thought for a moment, then shook his head. “No.”

“I’m not a picky eater.”

“Are you sure?” Sang Yijia was not entirely convinced. Looking around the table, she spotted some cilantro and unceremoniously placed a whole chopstickful into Lu Wenchuan’s bowl. “Try some?”

“I could finish all of it without a problem.” Lu Wenchuan smiled. “The only issue is whether you mind me speaking with the smell of cilantro on my breath.”

“…”

Sang Yijia frowned. “Do you still have the mint candies I gave you last time?”

“I finished them.”

The box was still in his apartment, locked inside the safe. Lu Wenchuan thought that he absolutely could not let Sang Yijia know. Next time, he would have to put the safe somewhere more hidden.

That still did not feel secure enough. He needed to change the password too.

But what should he change it to?

If only they had a wedding anniversary. Lu Wenchuan sighed regretfully, then decided that he would change the password to their birthdays instead.

“That really is a problem.” Sang Yijia pondered it. “Eating only one or two bites wouldn’t prove anything.”

“Then forget it.” Sang Yijia tried to pick the cilantro back out, but Lu Wenchuan stopped her.

“If you gave it to me, then it’s mine. How could you take it back?” As he said this, Lu Wenchuan cast Shen Jing a meaningful glance.

Sang Yijia caught a hint of his meaning, though she did not fully understand it. After blinking, she gave a soft “Oh” and withdrew her hand.

Yan Ningsi happened to see this. Thinking Sang Yijia wanted the cilantro in Lu Wenchuan’s bowl, she took advantage of the serving dish being within reach and placed a generous amount into Sang Yijia’s bowl.

“Jiajia, you like this?” Yan Ningsi asked, believing herself to be exceptionally friendly and courteous. “It’s delicious mixed with shredded chicken. I didn’t know you liked it too.”

The way Yan Ningsi smiled, her eyes and brows bright with pure kindness, made her seem so harmless that Sang Yijia had no idea how to refuse.

She stared at the cilantro in her bowl, her brows drawing tightly together.

“I’m the one who likes it.” Lu Wenchuan’s voice was cool and indifferent as he spoke. He then picked all the cilantro out of Sang Yijia’s bowl.

Yan Ningsi tilted her head.

Bian He laughed. “So they really are together. Brother Lu is incredibly gentle.”

“I’m gentle too.” Shen Jing did not forget to advertise himself at a moment like this. “Jiajia, do you want to change boyfriends?”

That was an unmistakable provocation.

Lu Wenchuan lifted his eyes. His dark gaze was deep, like a clear pool whose bottom could not be seen. There was no way to tell what he was thinking.

Shen Jing suddenly felt uneasy. He touched the tip of his nose and stubbornly answered as though he did not care, “What’s the fun in dating only one person?”

“You have to date several before you know who suits you best.”

“I know all about that.” Yan Ningsi looked happily at Shen Jing. “I was even thinking about whether I should date a few awful men.”

Bian He: “???”

Sang Yijia coughed and ignored Lu Wenchuan’s stare. “I have no such plans for now.”

“Then you can have them later.” Shen Jing pointed at himself. “Remember to come find me.”

“…”

Sang Yijia really did not want to answer.

Hearing this, Lu Wenchuan reached out and took her hand, his voice tender and lingering. “I won’t give you the chance.”

“You’re the same.”

When Lu Wenchuan raised his eyes to look at Shen Jing, there was not the slightest trace of tenderness or warmth in them. Only the cold severity he reserved for an enemy remained.

Shen Jing hissed through his teeth. “All right, all right.”

More than half of the episode had been filmed, which was just about enough to call it a wrap. The entire production crew had gathered by then. Director Chen sensed a faint smell of gunpowder in the air, especially around Shen Jing, another guest who had been forced into the program.

Whenever he thought about the steady stream of guests being imposed on him, Director Chen’s head began to ache. Yet he had no choice but to listen, so he could only swallow his frustration.

“Hello, everyone.” Seeing that the meal was nearly over, Director Chen finally stepped beside the cameras. “Good evening, everyone.”

“I imagine the little accident earlier caused the program to pause for a few days. Now, filming is continuing.”

“And this time, we welcome two new guests. Let’s give them a round of applause.”

Sang Yijia and the others clapped politely, but the applause was loud mainly because of the surrounding staff.

“This is Shen Jing. He is twenty-four years old and a graduate of A University. He previously worked as an actor for several years, and is currently…”

Director Chen fell silent for a moment as he looked at the information card.

“It isn’t a mistake,” Shen Jing said with a beaming smile, pointing at the card in Director Chen’s hand. “I’m currently a professional stay-at-home.”

“…”

Director Chen gave a small cough. “He is currently self-employed.” That sounded much better than unemployed.

“Twenty-four?” Sang Yijia exclaimed. “Didn’t you say he was two years older than me?”

He should have been twenty-two at most.

Lu Wenchuan explained, “He lived in G City until he was fifteen. The pace of schooling there is different from here.”

More precisely, after transferring here, Shen Jing spent two years in his final year of high school. The year he repeated happened to be the year he transferred to the high school Sang Yijia attended.

It was perfectly understandable that Sang Yijia had no strong impression of Shen Jing. City No. 1 High School was extremely strict with students preparing for their entrance examinations.

Lu Wenchuan was also grateful for the school’s regulations. Otherwise, Sang Yijia might truly have ended up with Shen Jing.

“I see.” Sang Yijia understood, but she still could not recall that period of her life. Somewhere in the hazy depths of her memory, she sensed a vague outline, though it remained indistinct.

She did not want to keep dwelling on it. If she had forgotten it, then so be it.

Her life now was perfectly good.

After introducing Shen Jing, Director Chen moved on to Xu Wei, which was much simpler. Xu Wei was a popular streamer from a small video-sharing website, trained in vocal music and capable of performing traditional opera.

As for why she had come to participate in a dating reality show, Director Chen did not know either. Now that she was here and the sponsorship had arrived, he had no reason to object.

As long as nobody caused trouble, everything would be fine once filming ended and the program aired.

Director Chen: Don’t cause trouble. Whatever you do, don’t cause trouble!!!!

Green Green: Not causing trouble is impossible~~~~~~~

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Thank you, thank you, thank you~~~ (づ￣3￣)づ╭～

End of chapter.