Before asking Jiang You to pick him up, Shen Lian bought a jianbing with an extra egg and sausage, along with some chicken strips. Carrying the food, he went to meet Chang Qing at the café they had booked.
Chang Qing had arrived first and chosen a window seat. He was visible as soon as Shen Lian came up the spiral staircase.
The young man wore a white T-shirt and black trousers. As far as Shen Lian could remember, his style had always been simple and casual, aside from the time he had dyed his hair.
After some time apart, even his hair had returned to its original dark brown.
Chang Qing sat with his legs crossed, looking down at his phone, his black mask still on. He was on the slender side, and whatever he wore, there was a subtle delicacy to his frame. He had the quiet grace of green bamboo, drawing people in without even trying.
No wonder Xu Jingge had fallen at first sight.
"Finished your training?" Shen Lian skipped the usual "long time no see" pleasantries. They knew each other too well for that.
Chang Qing looked up, the indifference in his eyes quickly melting into a warm smile. "Finished. What about you? Not busy lately?"
"No matter how busy I am, one call from you and I'll be here." Shen Lian handed over the jianbing. "Here. Compensation for your emotional distress."
Anyone else might have thrown it right back in Shen Lian's face, but Chang Qing had just returned from a place where he had lived on milk and oatmeal every day. This was exactly what he had been craving.
"You really are something." Chang Qing sounded helpless.
"I honestly don't know who exposed you. If I knew, I'd beat him up," Shen Lian