"Have you figured out how to explain this?"
As soon as Lu Keran got home, he headed straight for the study, slammed his hand on the desk, and stared at the man before him.
Gold-rimmed glasses sat on Lu Xuanran's handsome face. He leaned back, tilted his head, pushed up his glasses, and watched Lu Keran with the corner of his mouth lifted.
"What do you want to know?"
"Don't play dumb. You know perfectly well!" Lu Keran said disdainfully, curling his lip.
"You want to know about that minor celebrity."
"Hmph!" Lu Keran's lips curved slightly into a sneer.
"He has nothing to do with me." Lu Xuanran's tone was frank, his gaze clear.
But...
"Guess whether I believe you." Lu Keran's face practically said, Do you take me for an idiot?
"I'm not guessing."
Lu Keran: "...Try barking one more word."
Lu Xuanran rubbed between his brows and said hoarsely, "Come here."
"No."
"Be good. Come here and I'll tell you."
Lu Keran walked over suspiciously, only for Lu Xuanran to pull him straight into his arms.
He patted Lu Keran's back gently, resting his chin on one of his shoulders. "Stop moving."
Lu Keran immediately went still, but his mouth kept running. "Then talk. You'll be sorry if you don't."
A muffled chuckle suddenly rose from Lu Xuanran's throat. The sound slipped into his ear, making him squirm in discomfort, only to be pressed firmly back down and fall quiet as a mouse.
"He has nothing to do with me. He's Xia Wang's little lover."
Lu Keran's voice was full of suspicion. "Xia Wang? Then why does everyone say he's yours?"
The voice beside his ear continued, "He doesn't dare let his mother find out. After all, his mother hates people like him most. If she found out, it'd probably cause a huge uproar."
Lu Keran was only half convinced. "But you don't look like him. Jiang Yu specifically said it was you. If you've never met him, how could he be sure it was you?"
"I've certainly never met him, and of course, he's never seen me either."
"What about Xia Wang, then?"
"He's never seen Xia Wang either. He's always blindfolded."
"Really? You're not lying to me?" Lu Keran asked uncertainly.
"If you don't believe me, here."
As he spoke, Lu Xuanran shoved his phone straight into his hand.
Lu Keran entered the passcode, unlocked the phone, and found the chat history with Xia Wang. Lu Xuanran's earlier message telling him to watch himself was still there, along with a whole string of messages from Xia Wang.
Lu Keran sneered and promptly sent two words: "Ha ha."
A question mark immediately came back from the other end.
'Xia Wang: ?'
'Lu Xuanran: Psycho.'
"Xia Wang: You're Lu Keran. He told you?"
'Lu Xuanran: I'm your daddy. You'd better watch yourself, brat.'
'Xia Wang: ...'
Ignoring Xia Wang, Lu Keran tossed the phone aside. A dull thud sounded from the floor. He dropped his head heavily onto the shoulder of the man before him and said nothing, his feelings a tangled mess.
A flicker of panic crossed Lu Xuanran's eyes as he soothed him gently. "I was wrong. It won't happen again."
When no answer came, Lu Xuanran's eyelid twitched. He cupped his face, brushed lightly against his lips, and coaxed him in a humble voice, "I really was wrong. Forgive me, okay?"
Lu Keran thought, Hah. So you know you were wrong, yet you still kept it from me. Are you sick in the head? I'm not forgiving you that easily. Let you stew.
Lu Xuanran suddenly rubbed his face against his neck. The cold touch of his gold-rimmed glasses made Lu Keran shiver involuntarily, and he hurriedly pushed him away and stood.
"That depends on how you behave. Don't go nuts." With that, he turned and left.
Lu Xuanran watched his retreating figure with a dark gaze, picked up the phone from the floor, and sent Xia Wang a message.
'Lu Xuanran: Smile.ipg'
'Xia Wang: Are you sick?'
'Lu Xuanran: Smile.jpg'
'Xia Wang: Lu Xuanran, are you okay?!'
Looking at that message, Lu Xuanran gripped his phone tightly. He really wasn't okay.
"Come eat, come eat." Gu Wancheng called Chaochao over.
Chaochao came pattering over, grabbed the edge of the table, and stood on tiptoe. When he saw the dishes on it, his mouth formed an O.
"Brother Chu is amazing!"
"Of course! My brother's the best!"
"Mm-hmm!"
"Enough chatter. Eat." Chu Yi'an gave her a light tap on the head.
Tongtong held her head and stared at him in shock.
"Mmm, delicious. So delicious." Jian Yue ate like a reincarnated hungry ghost.
Beside him, Zuozuo wore a look of disgust.
[Brother Jian, you're breaking character!! Meltdown o(≧口≦)o]
[Relax. Aren't personas made to be broken? Lighting a cigarette.jpg]
[Aaaah! Where did my domineering, flashy, cool, badass Brother Jian go?!]
[Maybe the author's gone off the rails. Smile.jpg]
An almost imperceptible curve lifted the corners of Chu Yi'an's mouth.
Jiang Yu had just finished chopping scallions and washed his hands three times, but he still felt as though a faint scallion smell lingered on them.
No matter how these dishes turned out, he wasn't in the mood to eat. He was restless, but he couldn't leave, so he could only suppress his agitation and force himself to stay.
He wasn't in the mood to eat, yet he couldn't help wanting to say something. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gu Wancheng saw him looking as though he'd eaten shit and couldn't help wondering what kind of crazy nonsense he was up to now.
Before he could wonder for even three seconds, the flavor in his mouth stunned him. The moon snail meat was fresh and tender, cooked for just the right amount of time. Perhaps because this was his first time eating moon snails, and because he hadn't eaten well yesterday and the flavors hadn't been rich enough, he felt this meal was the white moonlight and cinnabar mole of his moon snail menu. He would remember it for the rest of his life. Sob, sob, sob.
All in all, it was a thoroughly satisfying meal.
Gu Wancheng narrowed his eyes contentedly. With his hunger and thirst satisfied, he was getting a little sleepy.
Chaochao rubbed his round, full belly in satisfaction. The sight made Gu Wancheng's hand itch, so he reached out and rubbed it. Sure enough, it felt wonderful!
They had just put down their bowls when Chen Liqing came over again with that battered, paint-chipped megaphone of his.
Who knew why he wouldn't replace it? Maybe that megaphone had saved his life. Kitty nodding.jpg
"Everyone's had enough to eat, right?"
"We're full!" the little ones answered with vigor.
Chen Liqing looked at them with gratification. The little ones really were angels. They responded to everything.
"Then how about we play a little game?"
This time, Jian Yue answered him weakly. "How about no?"
Chen Liqing... chose to ignore him outright. "Since everyone agrees, I'll explain."
"We'll randomly select some questions from the viewers, and you'll need to answer them. No lying, of course. The children will take part too."
The little ones: Wow!
The adults: O.o
[Aaaaaah! Pick me!]
[Let me ask!]
[Pick me, quick!]
[Amitabha, Supreme Venerable Sovereign, swiftly enact the decree! Blessings upon the Queen Mother, blessings upon the Jade Emperor. Pretty please, bless me just this once. Crying.jpg]
Chen Liqing gave a crooked smile. "Does anyone have any questions?"
The adults: If we have questions, can we go back to sleep?
Chen Liqing: Smile.jpg
The adults: 9
Chen Liqing: "Since there are no questions, let's draw lots and see who goes first."
With that, a staff member brought over a raffle box and held it before each of them in turn.
Gu Wancheng took out a small ball and looked down. ᓫ(°⌑°)ǃ
"Who's first?"
Gu Wancheng silently raised his hand.
[Ah! It's Chengcheng! Please, please, you have to pick me!]