Chapter 45 Part 2

After eating for a while, Miao Jiayan finally noticed that no one was talking. He looked up to find the others were all looking at him and stared at them blankly. “Huh?”

“Just eat,” Jiang Xun said.

Disgusted by the seafood smell from their eating, Chen Chao kept backing away until he ran out of room for his legs.

Ding Wentao looked around the room and sighed, “I haven't been here in so long. This place feels so familiar.”

Miao Jiayan took off his gloves, stood up, and gathered the plastic sheet to carry everything away. Chen Chao could finally stretch his legs. Miao Jiayan asked, “Want some fruit?”

“I don't want any, ask those two,” Chen Chao said.

“He wasn't asking you in the first place, can't you figure out your place?” Ding Wentao said again. “He was asking Brother Xun.”

Chen Chao: “...”

Jiang Xun was cracking up beside them. He said to Miao Jiayan, “I don't want any either.”

“I'll have some, Miao'er.” Ding Wentao raised his hand. “I ate too much salty food. Just get me anything juicy.”

“If you want some, get it yourself. Don't order my Miao'er around.” Jiang Xun said to Miao Jiayan, “Let's not get him any.”

Miao Jiayan, holding a pile of trash, put on his shoes and went downstairs. Jiang Xun said, “He's a minor internet celebrity, you know. Who are you to order him around?”

“He was the one who asked just now,” Ding Wentao said.

“He wasn't asking you.” Jiang Xun leaned back, resting his elbows on the bed in the same posture as Chen Chao.

“Well, I looked out for him for three years, you know,” Ding Wentao thought for a moment and added. “I guess I looked out for him in middle school too. Back then, I was with Brother Chao every day. The three of us did everything together.”

Once Ding Wentao started reminiscing, there was no end to it. He began to sigh about how time flies, making himself thoroughly melancholic.

Miao Jiayan came up with two cucumbers and gave them to Ding Wentao.

Ding Wentao's hands were still oily from the sea snails, so he stood up to wash them. Miao Jiayan took the opportunity to sit down, this time next to Chen Chao.

Chen Chao was looking down at his phone. Miao Jiayan's eyes met Jiang Xun's, and Jiang Xun raised his eyebrows at him. Miao Jiayan pursed his lips. Chen Chao put down his phone and looked up just in time to see the two of them exchanging glances.

Because Miao Jiayan wasn't as open and confident, he often didn't dare to speak.

In Chen Chao's eyes, this came across as a different kind of awkwardness.

Chen Chao didn't seem very happy that day. Although it didn't show on his face, those who were familiar with him could sense it.

Sitting next to him, Miao Jiayan was closer and was also the one who understood him best, so he could feel it more clearly.

While Ding Wentao and Jiang Xun were talking, Miao Jiayan would glance at Chen Chao from time to time. Chen Chao sometimes met his gaze, and once asked expressionlessly, “What are you looking at me for?”

Miao Jiayan shook his head and turned back.

“Are you planning to start a company in the future?” Ding Wentao asked Jiang Xun.

“I have plans to,” Jiang Xun said.

Ding Wentao moved closer to him. “Then take me with you, we can do it together.”

“Nope,” Jiang Xun gave him no face at all. “Ugly, rejected.”

“Your company hires based on looks? Can't I just work behind the scenes?” Ding Wentao asked.

“Sometimes you might appear on a livestream. Look, if I accidentally show my face during Miao'er's stream, people can still ship the CP.” Jiang Xun looked at Ding Wentao's large face. “But if the camera tilts and shows you, people will unfollow Miao'er. Their illusions will be completely shattered.”

Ding Wentao glared at him. “If I lose some weight, I'm very handsome, okay?”

Miao Jiayan's phone rang, and he picked it up to look.

Chen Chao didn't mean to look at his phone; it was just a subconscious reaction to the sound. But before Chen Chao could react and look away, Miao Jiayan had already slightly tilted his hand, subtly blocking the screen.

Chen Chao stood up. Ding Wentao looked up at him and asked, “Where are you going?”

“The bathroom,” Chen Chao said.

Ding Wentao was definitely going to stay at Chen Chao's place that night. He wanted to sleep on the floor of Chen Chao's room, saying it would help him find his memories.

Miao Jiayan was going back to his own home. He asked Jiang Xun, “Brother Xun, where are you staying? Coming back with me or staying here?”

Jiang Xun said, “I'm not squeezing in with him.”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, still making excuses,” Ding Wentao said with an all-knowing look. “Hurry up and go.”

Jiang Xun didn't bother to explain. He had always been shrewd. With a half-smile, he put on his shoes and left with Miao Jiayan.

The livestream that Miao Jiayan had promised his young fans was scheduled for the next evening.

It had rained a little during the day, but the weather was nice in the evening. Xiao Kai and the others were setting up tents to go camping, saying they wanted to stay on the meadow. Boys of this age were the most restless and didn't mind mosquito bites.

Jiang Xun also wanted to join in on the fun. Miao Jiayan started his livestream while walking.

“They're going to set up tents to stay the night, we're just tagging along.” Miao Jiayan held his phone on a gimbal and talked to the people in the stream. “What did I eat tonight... I ate the big steamed buns my grandma made.”

“I only ate one. The bun was very, very big. Girls with smaller appetites probably couldn't even finish one.

“Why am I not selling flowers... Because my flowers haven't grown well yet. If you want flowers, you can buy them from Fangfang. She always has them.

“The flowers were wilted when they arrived... When you receive flowers, you have to revive them. Revive them in deep water, and then change the water every one or two days, and they'll bloom for a long time.

“Tomorrow is your birthday... Happy birthday, you're a year older. Be happy and joyful.

“Did you get a haircut... No, I didn't. Maybe you can't see clearly because it's dark. I didn't get one.”

Miao Jiayan chattered on endlessly. The boy who had previously video-chatted with his girlfriend alongside Miao Jiayan turned around and said, “My wife is also watching the stream.”

“Who's talking... A friend. I know you're going to ask to see them. If you ask to see everyone who shows up tonight, you won't be able to see them all. There are a lot of people here right now.

“Brother Xun? Brother Xun is here tonight, he came over to hang out.

“Stop looking, they're all setting up tents.

“When will you be in the same frame as Brother Xun again... What same frame?

“The rose field first love was amazing... Is that the 'same frame' you're talking about?”

“Livestreaming is pretty hard on the throat, huh?” Ding Wentao said to Jiang Xun. “He just keeps talking and talking.”

“What do you think,” Jiang Xun glanced back.

Because he was livestreaming, Miao Jiayan couldn't walk too fast, so he fell to the back. The person closest to him was Chen Chao, who would turn back to look at him from time to time. At one point, the public chat asked to see the surroundings. While saying it was too dark to see clearly, Miao Jiayan turned his phone to show them. When he started walking again, he noticed Chen Chao was also standing not far away.

“What's wrong?” Chen Chao asked loudly when he saw him stop moving.

“Nothing!” Miao Jiayan quickly took a few steps.

This time, the two of them walked together. A small part of Chen Chao's shoulder was visible in Miao Jiayan's camera shot.

The public chat started flooding with “Hello, Brother Xun.”

Miao Jiayan shook his head at them and said, “It's not him.”

The young girls were quick to catch on and immediately started scrolling new messages.

—Hello, Brother Chao!

—Hello, Uncle Chen!

—Hello, Sea Bream!

Miao Jiayan was amused by them and said, “Sea Bream is a bit much.”

It had just rained during the day, so the meadow wasn't that easy to walk on. It was possible to accidentally step into a small puddle.

Miao Jiayan stepped into one and cried, “Wah!”

Chen Chao reached out to steady his arm and said with a frown, “Watch where you're going.”

“Okay,” Miao Jiayan replied, then added, “Good thing I'm wearing slippers.”

Chen Chao was in long sleeves and long pants, covered from head to toe. Miao Jiayan wasn't as attractive to mosquitoes as he was, and he had also sprayed repellent, so he came out in shorts and flip-flops.