He had blocked Lu Jinsheng behind An Yubei's back last night, and Lu Jinsheng had exposed him today.
Too fast. He hadn't even been given time to forget about it.
Feeling a little guilty, Ji Shang began changing the subject.
"Xiao Bei, why don't you order first? Let's get the order in."
The mention of food diverted An Yubei's attention. "Oh, right. Let's order first."
After checking off a few dishes, An Yubei looked up and asked, "Lu Jinsheng, have you eaten? Want to join us?"
Ji Shang inwardly cursed. Their time alone was about to be ruined. He eyed Lu Jinsheng coldly, looking as if he were warning him to leave immediately because he wasn't welcome here.
Lu Jinsheng merely glanced at him before looking at An Yubei as though he hadn't noticed. "Not yet."
"Would I be intruding? I should just go home to eat!"
He looked aggrieved and timid, like a pitiful stray dog.
The sight made Ji Shang's teeth itch. He thought that Lu Jinsheng really was no pushover, playing the green tea and acting weak. How scheming.
Sure enough, when An Yubei heard that Lu Jinsheng hadn't eaten, he asked him to stay.
"Hot pot is livelier with more people, right, big brother?"
An Yubei looked over with a smile. Ji Shang swept a cold gaze over Lu Jinsheng, then curled his lips. "Yes, it's livelier with more people. Stay and eat with us!"
Lu Jinsheng could still recognize such obvious hostility.
He smiled back and sat down right beside An Yubei.
"Thank you, Xiao Bei. Thank you, President Ji. I'll gladly join you, then."
Then perhaps you shouldn't be so glad!
Ji Shang's expression chilled as he stared at Lu Jinsheng, who was looking at him too.
Their eyes met, the flames of battle hidden in the silent air.
An Yubei was busy choosing his favorite ingredients and didn't notice anything unusual between them.
Ji Shang said, "Xiao Bei, come sit over here."
It bothered him no matter how he looked at it. Why should his Xiao Bei sit with Lu Jinsheng?
An Yubei raised his eyes. "Big brother, it's the same wherever I sit. You two order."
Ji Shang showed little interest. "Anything's fine."
He had never eaten hot pot before, so he didn't know what tasted good.
The conversation shifted to Lu Jinsheng, who said, "Let's get some duck intestines. They go better with spicy broth."
"You like spicy food too?" An Yubei seemed to have found a kindred spirit.
"Of course."
The two chatted and laughed about hot pot while Ji Shang felt like an outsider, completely unable to join in.
Hot pot was his weak point. He couldn't get a word in.
He secretly searched Baidu for information about hot pot on his phone, but the results were all check-in posts and Baidu Baike entries, without any descriptions of what tasted good and what didn't.
He was utterly defeated.
Their favorite ingredients went into the steaming hot pot. Ji Shang had little enthusiasm. He had just tried the spicy broth, but it was too spicy for him to handle. He could only eat from the clear broth.
Watching them eat so happily left Ji Shang with an unpleasant feeling.
Soon, he saw An Yubei pick up a piece of duck intestine for Lu Jinsheng. "The duck intestines are ready. Try some."
Ji Shang felt unhappy. Xiao Bei hadn't even picked up any food for him yet.
With that thought, Ji Shang asked, "What about me?"
"I want some too."
An Yubei gave a puzzled "Huh?" before saying, "Big brother, the duck intestines are too spicy. You can't handle them."
Ji Shang refused to concede. "I can."
So An Yubei picked up a piece of duck intestine for Ji Shang too.
Ji Shang put it in his mouth, then quickly spat it out from the heat. It was too spicy.
He coughed from the heat, and even hastily drinking water couldn't ease the burning sensation.
"Big brother, are you all right?" An Yubei came over and sat beside Ji Shang, his face full of concern.
Ji Shang had meant to say he was fine, but after receiving An Yubei's concern, he swallowed those words.
Imitating Lu Jinsheng, Ji Shang said with a hint of grievance, "It's so spicy. It's killing me."
"Quick, have something to drink to cool it down."
Now An Yubei was fussing over Ji Shang, his attention no longer on Lu Jinsheng.
Lu Jinsheng watched coldly, thinking Ji Shang was a scheming fellow too. He was actually copying him. How unoriginal.
How could it be that spicy? What an act. If he loved acting so much, why didn't he become an actor?
Lu Jinsheng went to the condiment counter and returned with some complimentary watermelon. "President Ji, have some watermelon to cool your mouth down."
Let's see how you keep pretending after eating this.
Ji Shang fixed his gaze on Lu Jinsheng. "Thank you, but I don't like watermelon."
An Yubei picked up the watermelon and offered it to Ji Shang. "Big brother, have some."
Looking at the watermelon An Yubei offered him, Ji Shang lowered his head and took a bite. "Delicious."
Lu Jinsheng: "...!"
Didn't you say you wouldn't eat it?
Undercurrents swirled between them, but An Yubei didn't notice at all.
He picked up a few ingredients from the clear broth for Ji Shang. "Big brother, does your mouth still burn? Have some meatballs from the clear broth."
"There's shrimp paste too. These ingredients are all especially tasty."
Ji Shang's lips curved into a smile. He glanced at Lu Jinsheng, his eyes full of triumph.
"Thank you, Xiao Bei."
An Yubei lowered his head and was about to eat from his own bowl when a pair of chopsticks reached over. Lu Jinsheng gave him a piece of duck intestine.
"Thank you."
An Yubei ate that piece of duck intestine, and Ji Shang's mood soured again.
Ji Shang picked up a meatball for An Yubei, who said, "Thank you, big brother."
He had only just finished thanking him and hadn't had time to eat when Lu Jinsheng's chopsticks reached over again.
An Yubei blinked, feeling that something was off.
[What's going on?]
[Big brother and Lu Jinsheng seem to be at odds.]
[Do they have a grudge?]
Ji Shang: "...!"
No grudge. I just can't stand him!
With one offering food after the other, the bowl in front of An Yubei filled up. Even his little plate was covered in cooked ingredients.
"That really is enough. You don't need to give me any more."
Ji Shang and Lu Jinsheng said in unison, "Eat up, Xiao Bei!"
An Yubei looked at Ji Shang, then at Lu Jinsheng, feeling that his situation was rather awkward.
[What's wrong with them?]
[Why does this feel like a battlefield over a girlfriend?]
An Yubei had only seen scenes like these in novels-and wasn't this that very novel?
But the female lead had vanished, so what were they fighting over?
An Yubei felt that the plot was falling apart into an increasingly chaotic mess.
Of the thirty-six stratagems, retreat was best.
"Um, you two keep eating. I'm going to the restroom."
As though they shared a telepathic connection, Lu Jinsheng and Ji Shang stood up together. "I'll go with you."
An Yubei: "...!"
There's really no need!
"Never mind. I can go by myself. You two keep eating."
With that, An Yubei fled.
Only Lu Jinsheng and Ji Shang remained at the table. Neither bothered pretending anymore as they eyed each other coldly.
Lu Jinsheng said, "You were the one who blocked me, weren't you, President Ji?"
Yesterday, Lu Jinsheng had carefully studied An Yubei's replies. The tone was very different from his usual one.
Since An Yubei also knew nothing about blocking him, Lu Jinsheng guessed that Ji Shang had done it behind An Yubei's back.
Ji Shang dropped the act too. "Stay away from my little brother."
Lu Jinsheng said, "And if I don't?"
Ji Shang narrowed his eyes slightly and warned, "Don't forget who's funding you. Your mother's medical bills, your tuition, and the rent for the place you're living in now all come out of my pocket."
"Are you sure you want to defy me?"
Lu Jinsheng clenched his fists, glaring at Ji Shang in displeasure.
"Surely you don't really think I'm an idiot, President Ji? Aren't you helping me because my surname is Lu?"
"Your help comes with conditions, so I don't owe you anything!"
"So why should I listen to you, President Ji?"
Ji Shang clenched his back teeth. Lu Jinsheng had turned the tables on him.
The confrontation grew increasingly tense, as though they might start fighting the next second.
Yet when An Yubei returned, the scene suddenly became harmonious.
Lu Jinsheng gave Ji Shang a piece of cabbage, and Ji Shang returned the favor with a piece of watermelon.
An Yubei: "...!"
That scared me to death. I thought they were going to fight.