How do you eat when you all sit so close together?
Yi Wanyue didn’t tease Qiu Baiyu again.
Teasing too much and provoking Qiu Baiyu to anger would not be good.
She released Qiu Baiyu’s hand: “Try playing by yourself, just as if you’re playing casually.”
Qiu Baiyu, without speaking a word, casually played some notes.
Without a mirror, she didn’t know how red her face was.
Around them, only the scattered, untuned sounds of the piano echoed, highlighting the silence between them.
She didn’t like this, so she started to find a topic: “Has Miss Lan come to find you since yesterday?”
Yi Wanyue’s hand also rested on the piano keys, pressing them one by one casually, then stopped speaking: “No, she might need time to think properly, I believe she can understand.”
Lan Xin is very smart, and her family background is also good, rich with integrity.
She was just led astray by the plot and had to become the vicious female supporting character.
If she were to choose for herself, if she must compete, she wouldn’t necessarily refuse an open and honest competition.
Acting behind someone’s back is the conduct of a petty person; how could her family cultivate a child into such a petty person?
Qiu Baiyu raised her hand, and the surroundings quieted: “I also believe.”
If Qiu Zimin can be changed, why can’t Lan Xin?
Since the system allows for accidents to exist, it must allow for countless accidents to happen.
This isn’t exploiting a loophole; this is reasonable development.
“What are your plans next?” Qiu Baiyu asked.
“Still waiting for the next competition, no other plans. You?” Yi Wanyue looked at her.
“I do have some plans.”
Qiu Baiyu withdrew her hand, straightened her body, and her gaze went past the piano to the world outside the window.
Tall buildings are filled with prosperity and novelty.
To her, this is a completely new, unfamiliar world waiting for her to explore.
“I want to walk all over this city, eat delicious food, have fun, and try all novel things once.”
That’s what experiencing life is called.
Yi Wanyue said: “Let’s go together, I’ve been away from home too long and need to re-familiarize myself here.”
She said: “And I also like novel things.”
Because she likes novel things, she accepts the system’s existence and is willing to change the fate of the vicious female supporting characters.
Also because she likes novel things, she has the opportunity to become friends with Qiu Baiyu.
Their Baiyu is very interesting and very likable!
Qiu Baiyu decisively agreed.
Having friends to accompany is the best!
“I’ll go back tonight and make a plan.”
Qiu Baiyu kept her word, and by Monday, she started inviting Yi Wanyue to go out and play.
She made a very detailed itinerary, enough to keep them entertained for a long time.
If they came across places familiar to Yi Wanyue in the itinerary, she naturally switched to being the guide, leading Qiu Baiyu to get to know the city.
They played happily, like a carefree tour, going wherever they wanted without any disturbing plot, just them, freely enjoying themselves.
Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, and in the following days, it began to change.
Gloomy clouds accompanied by continuous drizzle, sometimes even pouring down a heavy rain.
When the drizzle stopped, the air was filled with a stuffy heat.
Qiu Baiyu and Yi Wanyue sat in a coffee shop, watching the light rain outside, with their shopping bags at their feet.
Inside the shop, the air conditioning was on, cool and comfortable.
They decided to enjoy some coffee there, waiting for the rain to stop before leaving.
The two of them chatted comfortably, with topics that seemed endless.
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Qiu Baiyu put down her coffee: “Has Miss Lan still been looking for you these past few days?”
As they share the same vicious female supporting character setting, she still has some concern for Lan Xin.
First, she hopes Lan Xin can truly change; second, she’s afraid that if Lan Xin finds it hard to change, she might continue to target Yi Wanyue.
If it’s the latter, she can make early precautions to prevent anyone from harming Yi Wanyue.
Yi Wanyue nodded.
“The day before yesterday, she called me, and we had a good chat. During the conversation, she seemed to have opened up about everything. She even invited me to go out for a meal and practice piano together when we’re free.”
“I feel that she has truly let go and will no longer like Jiang Shen.”
Hearing this, Qiu Baiyu happily raised the corner of her lips: “That’s good, as long as she can stay away from the scumbag and not harm you.”
Unexpectedly, just as they spoke of Cao Cao, Cao Cao’s message arrived. (Similar to “Speak of the devil and he shall appear”.)
Yi Wanyue picked up her phone and saw that Jiang Shen had sent her a message.
Qiu Baiyu had just taken a sip of coffee when she heard the person beside her say: “Jiang Shen invited me to meet for dinner tonight.”
Qiu Baiyu asked: “He’s always been looking for you, right?”
Yi Wanyue nodded, her fingertips already unlocking the screen, opening the news interface to casually browse, just not in a hurry to reply: “I’ve used being busy as an excuse to refuse him several times.”
Qiu Baiyu: “Then this time…?”
Yi Wanyue put down her phone and suddenly smiled: “This time I’ll go, as a friend.”
“Can you accompany me?” Yi Wanyue added another sentence.
Qiu Baiyu pointed at herself: “?”
After thinking for a moment, she responded: “Okay, I’ll accompany you.”
Jiang Shen certainly wouldn’t want to see her, nor want a third person present.
Then she definitely cannot let Jiang Shen have his way, she must accompany Yi Wanyue, so that Yi Wanyue will have someone to look after her.
Qiu Baiyu took out her phone from the bag: “I’ll first discuss with the aunt, let her finish dinner today and conveniently stay to accompany Xiao Min.”
“As for Xiao Min, I’ll talk to her after she finishes school.”
Yi Wanyue agreed, and also replied to Jiang Shen’s message, agreeing to the appointment and indicating she would bring a friend.
That she agreed to meet Jiang Shen made him very happy, so bringing a friend naturally wasn’t an issue.
He readily agreed.
Yi Wanyue said no more, placing her phone on the table, and looked up at the gray sky, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.
“It won’t thunder, right…”
Her voice was soft.
At seven o’clock in the evening, Jiang Shen was already waiting in the restaurant.
On the chair beside him was a bouquet of passionate roses.
He wanted to give them to Yi Wanyue, openly and fearlessly expressing his love.
Very soon, Yi Wanyue arrived.
She was still dressed in casual clothes, without any special dressing up.
Outside, it was raining, and she had come with an umbrella, then put it away on the umbrella stand at the door.
Jiang Shen didn’t care; as long as it was her, she looked good no matter what.
The joy and excitement of seeing his beloved surged on his face, but in the next second, it suddenly cooled down.
He saw the person following behind Yi Wanyue.
Qiu Baiyu… how could it be Qiu Baiyu?
Jiang Shen momentarily froze in his position, his mind racing.
Since the divorce, he hadn’t seen Qiu Baiyu again.
Actually, that’s not correct, he had seen her.
After the child changed from “Jiang Zimin” to “Qiu Zimin,” Qiu Baiyu came with the documents related to the name change to find him, asking him to change all assets to Qiu Zimin’s name, to ensure Qiu Zimin would not lose what was rightfully hers after the name change.
He didn’t care what that child’s surname was and waved his hand to let his assistant take Qiu Baiyu to handle these matters, having little interaction with her.
Since then, he hadn’t seen her again.
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Until today, when Yi Wanyue brought her.
He never expected this was Yi Wanyue’s friend…
“Sorry, we’re late,” Yi Wanyue and Qiu Baiyu sat down together, she smiled politely at Jiang Shen, “There was a bit of traffic on the way.”
Jiang Shen glanced at the calmly seated Qiu Baiyu, then looked at Yi Wanyue: “This is the friend you mentioned?”
Yi Wanyue smiled: “That’s right.”
Qiu Baiyu immediately added: “Thank you, Mr. Jiang, for the meal. I’ll have two more bowls, and if I can’t finish, I’ll take it to go, so you won’t waste your money.”
Yi Wanyue smiled even more happily.
— Really cute.
Jiang Shen: “…”
Not very keen on treating her to a meal.
Oh well, oh well, they all came.
Just blame himself for not asking clearly in advance.
Jiang Shen didn’t want to bother with Qiu Baiyu anymore and turned to give the roses to Yi Wanyue: “Xiaoyue, these are for you.”
Yi Wanyue, however, did not accept them, politely smiling and declining: “Why give flowers when friends are just having a meal?”
“Accept it, it’s a token of my sincerity,” Jiang Shen said deeply, “and as friends, we can also give each other flowers, can’t we?”
Yi Wanyue: “…”
Qiu Baiyu saw Yi Wanyue didn’t say anything more and reached out to take the flowers.
Then she just placed them on the table and began unwrapping the paper.
Qiu Baiyu: “?”
Yi Wanyue patiently divided the bouquet of roses into three bunches, then tied them nicely with the flower shop’s decorative ribbon and paper, giving one bunch to Qiu Baiyu and another to Jiang Shen.
“Since we are friends, then everyone should have some, very fair.”
Jiang Shen: “?”
He looked at the flowers in his hand, caught off guard by this move.
This small bunch of roses seemed to warn him: they are at most just friends, and there will not be a more special relationship, do not harbor any illusions.
Qiu Baiyu saw Jiang Shen holding the roses, stunned, and couldn’t help but laugh.
Apologies, she just likes to see a scumbag eat humble pie.
It’s even more interesting when the heroine personally makes the scumbag eat humble pie.
Jiang Shen cleared his throat twice, his expression quickly returning to calm.
He will not give up easily.
Yi Wanyue is so outstanding, it’s expected that she’s hard to pursue.
As long as she remains single, he has the right to pursue her and strive to win her heart!
The waiter began serving the dishes.
Yi Wanyue placed the roses slanting in her bag behind her, otherwise, there was no place to put them.
Qiu Baiyu did the same.
She placed the flowers and turned to look at Yi Wanyue, just as a loud thunder suddenly struck outside—
“Rumble!”
She saw Yi Wanyue’s fingers instantly clench the edge of her handbag, her whole body stiffened, motionless.
In a moment, she remembered that the system had provided information: Yi Wanyue was afraid of thunder.
Almost simultaneously, Qiu Baiyu and Jiang Shen both expressed concern for Yi Wanyue.
“Are you okay?”
“Xiaoyue, are you okay?”
Yi Wanyue slowly gathered herself, forcing a smile and shaking her head: “I’m fine, the sudden thunder just caught me off guard.”
She repeatedly said she was fine several times until Jiang Shen sat back in his original position.
She did not want to admit in front of Jiang Shen that she was afraid of thunder.
She didn’t want to expose her weak side in front of Jiang Shen, as if showing weakness to him, she didn’t like that.
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If she had known it would thunder tonight, she wouldn’t have come out for anything, only hoping it wouldn’t thunder again later…
— Endure.
She warned herself in her heart.
At this moment, she saw out of the corner of her eye Qiu Baiyu shifting her position, leaning towards her.
Then her hand placed on her leg was soothingly patted by Qiu Baiyu, and then held by Qiu Baiyu.
That hand was very beautiful, very gentle, and slightly warm, as if telling her: Don’t be afraid, I am here.
She said nothing, but Qiu Baiyu knew everything, as if she also knew she didn’t want to admit her weakness in front of Jiang Shen, so Qiu Baiyu used her way to accompany her and protect her.
— Don’t worry, she is here.
Yes, she is here.
They are all in the room, it’s just thunder, nothing is wrong.
She is still by her side, everything is fine.
Yi Wanyue’s uneasy heart gradually calmed down.
She suddenly felt… having Qiu Baiyu here is really good.
Jiang Shen couldn’t see their actions under the table, only felt that these two people were too close.
“How can you eat sitting so close?”
Qiu Baiyu, with an unchanged expression, simply replied: “Mind your own business when it comes to a beauty’s matters.”