At the dining table, Shi Jin and Lian Jun were eating and chatting intimately, while Rong Zhouzhong sat on the side, unable to eat. When he decided to come and freeload a meal, what Rong Zhouzhong was really trying to do was to use the relaxing act of eating to ease the tension between him and Shi Jin. But he foolishly overlooked one thing - there was also Lian Jun by Shi Jin's side.

This meal was not food, it was depression.

Once you have a lover, you forget about your little brother.

Rong Zhouzhong grumbled inwardly, but dared not show it on his face. He understood that his position in Shi Jin's heart, as a brother who had made mistakes, was much lower than that of the "sickly" leader of the violent organization.

He was so unwilling.

As Shi Jin scooped soup for Lian Jun, he suddenly turned his head and looked at Rong Zhouzhong, asking, "Why aren't you eating? Is it not to your taste? And this fish dish, you used to love this kind of fish, did I remember wrong?"

As Rong Zhouzhong looked at the squirrel fish in front of him, his frustration dissipated a bit. He picked up his chopsticks and said, "No, I just had too many snacks this afternoon, so I'm not very hungry now."

But Shi Jin's expression suddenly turned disapproving. "Are you still in elementary school? How can you eat so many snacks that you can't even eat your meal? Junk food is not good for you, and I think you've gotten fatter recently."

Fatter?

Thud.

Rong Zhouzhong's chopsticks pierced the fish's eye as he turned to look at Shi Jin. With a fake smile, he said, "You must be mistaken. I weigh myself every day, and I definitely haven't gained weight."

"Maybe your scale is broken?" Shi Jin furrowed his brow, pretending to be serious. "People tend to gain weight easily in middle age. As someone who relies on their looks for a living, you must pay special attention to this. You wouldn't want me to call you a fatso in the future, would you?"

Middle age... relying on looks for a living... fatso...

After being stabbed three times in a row, Rong Zhouzhong felt a mouthful of old blood rush to his throat. He swallowed it down forcefully and looked at Shi Jin's foolishly concerned face, feeling aggrieved as he said, "You will never have the chance to call me a fatso."

"Yes, I won't, absolutely won't. I believe in you." Shi Jin put on a face of "kindness" with a clear conscience to comfort him.

Rong Zhouzhong closed his eyes tightly and took a deep breath, deciding not to seek trouble for himself anymore. He ate a big bowl of rice as if venting his anger, and even finished the fish on his plate. Then he pushed his chair back, held his injured heart and bloated stomach, and left, secretly deciding never to come back to this place to eat again.

Shi Jin smirked.

Lian Jun reached out and tapped him, helplessly asking, "Why do you always provoke him?"

"Because he hit me on the head last time," Shi Jin found an excuse for his mischievous behavior, sipping the seafood soup with satisfaction. "Life is good!" he said.

Lian Jun rubbed his head again, his lips curling up slightly. The next day, Rong Zhouzhong appeared at the villa's dining table on time, despite his own self-disgust for being indecisive. When Shi Jin saw him, he naturally reached out and patted him, saying, "Go and bring out the tableware and the soup."

Rong Zhouzhong hesitated for a moment, glanced at him, then obediently stood up and went to the kitchen to find the tableware. He awkwardly arranged them one by one and then turned back to the kitchen. He put on the heat-resistant gloves handed to him by the kitchen aunt and carried the soup out.

As he left the kitchen, he heard Shi Jin chatting with the kitchen aunt about cooking tips. He stopped for a moment, eavesdropped for a while, and then walked out to the dining table. His gaze fell on two dishes that had already been served, and his expression softened.

So Shi Jin could cook...how impressive.

......

Not long after lunch, the director of the crew found Shi Jin and announced that they had finished filming and needed to move to the next location. He thanked Shi Jin for lending them the space and invited him to join them for a meal when he had time.

Shi Jin was stunned and looked over at the crew members who had already started packing up and cleaning the beach. He asked, "What about Rong Zhouzhong? Is he leaving too?"

The director didn't know what he was imagining and looked at him sympathetically, saying, "He's not going with the crew, but he should be leaving too. I saw him packing his bags... Well, Mr. Shi, being a fan is good, but you should also be moderate. He's staying here for so long just because he accidentally cut his lip and is afraid of being photographed by paparazzi outside. Don't think too much... Be optimistic, life is still long."

"What a mess," thought Shi Jin as he surveyed the chaotic scene. After exchanging a few polite words with the director, whose thoughts seemed to be on a different wavelength, he saw him off with courtesy.

That evening, the crew left the beach and Rong Zhouzhong didn't show up for dinner. Shi Jin assumed he had left and informed the kitchen not to cook for him the next day. However, to his surprise, Rong Zhouzhong appeared at lunch the next day.

"I thought you left. Are you planning to stay here?" was Shi Jin's immediate thought.

With a scowl, Rong Zhouzhong threw a bag at him and said, "You talk so rudely. Here's your birthday gift. I have a new job and need to go abroad. I probably won't be back in time for your birthday. Bye." With that, he got up and walked to the door, picking up a suitcase from the foyer and leaving without looking back.

Shi Jin was taken aback by his sudden departure. As the door began to close automatically, he hurriedly followed and called out to Rong Zhouzhong, "Aren't you going to eat? Let's have a meal before you go."

Rong Zhouzhong turned back at the sound of his voice and gestured towards a car parked on the street with his assistant waiting outside. "I don't have time. I have to catch a flight to G province," he said before bidding farewell once again and walking briskly to the car, opening the door and getting in.

As Shi Jin watched him leave, he lowered his head and took out a box from the bag in his arms. Inside lay an expensive-looking watch. He furrowed his brows and muttered, "Why can't this guy ever stop wasting money?"

Just as he finished speaking, his phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated. He took it out and saw a transfer message from Rong Zhouzhong. The note read "rental fee for the venue", and the amount transferred was far beyond market price, with many zeros. He was speechless for a few seconds, then suddenly burst out laughing.

What an idiot, always wasting money. That was true in the past, and it's still true now.

......

On the fifth day after the crew left, there was finally progress in the conversation between Tarantula and Snake Fang. Tarantula was the first to loosen up, saying that the definition of malicious competition could be changed, but Snake Fang had to show sincerity.

After considering for a while, Snake Fang accepted this proposal, and the two sides decided to bypass the official channels and negotiate privately.

Zhang Zhuoyuan felt both relieved and frustrated. He had been a punching bag for more than ten days as a middleman, and in the end, he was just discarded like trash by Tarantula and Snake Fang. He felt like he wasn't even seen as a human being.

But with this, the chaos in G Province was finally completely resolved, and Lian Jun and Shi Jin could finally return home.

"How about we go directly to the island? The temperature in B City has already dropped, and you'll be cold," Shi Jin said worriedly as he packed his bags.

"Sorry, you can't go to the island until after you finish your final exams. When you go back to B city, make sure to study hard and don't fail your exams," said Lian Jun cruelly.

Shi Jin felt like he had been struck by lightning and suddenly remembered that he was still a student. He collapsed on the bed in despair.

......

Two days later, the private plane carrying everyone landed at B city airport.

As soon as Shi Jin stepped off the plane, he sneezed from the cold wind blowing in from the north. He finally understood the temperature difference between the north and south. He quickly stepped back and pulled his coat closed, then turned around and carefully added a blanket to Lian Jun's legs.

"Is it very cold?" Lian Jun asked.

"Fortunately, it was just a momentary lapse in my adjustment," replied Shi Jin, though he was thinking something else entirely. It had only been a little over a month since he left, yet the weather in B City had gone from scorching hot to bone-chilling cold. The cold air was truly terrifying.

After settling in at the club arranged by Lian Jun, Shi Jin contacted a certain military official and obtained a copy of his own file.

According to the file, as a new police academy student with mission experience, he received an assignment after completing his military training to participate in a long-term mission on a small island in G Province, where he intervened in a gang war.

After reading through the file, Shi Jin gained a new appreciation for Lian Jun's thoroughness.

"Remember to memorize it well. If anyone at school asks, don't let it slip," cautioned Lian Jun.

Shi Jin obediently nodded. Seeing Lian Jun's furrowed brow and low spirits, he guessed that Lian Jun was reluctant to let him go to school. So, he quickly went over and hugged him, saying, "I'll come back every weekend and call you every day. Don't worry."

Lian Jun held his face and kissed him without saying a word.

"This time, can you take me to school?" Shi Jin asked.

Lian Jun didn't hesitate to agree, "Sure. It's not time for registration yet, so I can take you to the school gate, but I can't go in with you."

"Just drop me off at the entrance, and why don't you go get a check-up while you're at it? It's been several months since your last one, and I want to know how your health is now," Shi Jin continued to suggest, asking carefully.

Lian Jun touched his face, lowered his eyes, and kissed his lips softly, responding in a low voice, "Okay."