Chapter 19: Hello, Jiang Cheng

"Mm, with a friend."

Jiang Yu introduced his good friend Si Yan to him, and Jiang Cheng leaned in to shake his hand, "Hello, I'm Jiang Cheng."

"I remember, Si Yan." Back when his little sister was in school, Si Yan would go every week; this boy was always staying not far from his little sister.

His intentions were as clear as day.

Back then, he even thought this boy would become his brother-in-law.

From a man's perspective, this Jiang Cheng was clearly much better than Shen Lan.

Shen Lan was just a pretty boy, with incredibly high aspirations but abysmal ability.

Yet, his little sister liked him.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Jiang Cheng left straight away.

Shen Lan watched the man's back, unable to help but recall the night before he established his relationship with Si Rong.

This man was a mad dog.

Drunk, he had dragged him with one hand from his dormitory bed out into the freezing snow, warning him that if he ever dared to treat Si Rong poorly in the future, he would beat him to death.

He was merely a man who loved Si Rong but could not have her.

But because of this man's outstanding conditions in every aspect, Shen Lan had secretly kept an eye on him over these years.

He had joined the army after graduating from university, rising all the way from a Company Commander to his current rank of Division Commander.

Although he was very capable.

Shen Lan believed it had to do with the Jiang Family's background, unlike himself, where his ability played a large part in him being able to sit in his current position.

Later, he didn't know if he had married or not, but in any case, upon returning to Huaiyang this time, a daughter had inexplicably appeared by his side.

Shen Lan had finally managed to remove this invisible love rival from his sight with great difficulty, but he hadn't expected another one, Jiang Yu, to pop up and enter the government department to work against him.

He really was born to be at odds with the Jiang Family.

However, Si Rong was his, and the position of County Magistrate could only be his.

The things these two brothers cared about most could only be in his hands.

After entering the private room, everyone took their seats.

Zuiyun Pavilion was a new restaurant that opened in Huaiyang this year, and Si Yan also held shares in it.

Today, he had ordered a full seafood banquet.

A king crab the size of half a round table was placed in the center, and the mantis shrimp, abalone, and leopard coral grouper arranged around it were simply dazzling.

When everyone started using their chopsticks, Li Xuan didn't even know how to eat these things.

Over these years, she could be considered to have seen some scenes while following Shen Lan, but she had never eaten such a seafood banquet.

The first time she ate seafood was also with Si Rong; at that time, the Si Family parents came to the school to see Si Rong and invited her and Ming Zi to go eat with them.

She looked at the shelled crab on the table, not knowing how to eat it, feeling extremely awkward.

Si Rong was not curious, nor did she ask anything; she simply peeled a crab for her and Ming Zi each with her own hands.

By today, she was already skilled at eating crab.

Li Xuan felt that she was no worse than Si Rong.

It was just that she didn't have Si Rong's good family background; if she had, she would naturally have seen many grand scenes as well.

Before she had even moved her chopsticks, Ming Zi, who was sitting beside her, said, "Li Xuan, do you still remember the first time the two of us ate crab?"

At that time, having grown up in a remote mountain valley, it was also her first time entering a seafood restaurant.

She didn't know how to eat such a large crab.

Si Rong hadn't looked down on them, and she still remembered the gentleness with which she handed her the crab after peeling it.

Ming Zi didn't think she was some kind of good person; she just felt that if one person had taken advantage of another's kindness, even if they didn't intend to repay the favor, they shouldn't return evil for good, right?

Seeing her bring up the past, Li Xuan's expression wasn't very good, and she said flatly, "I remember."

"I thought you didn't remember."

Ming Zi just felt sad, sad for Si Rong.

Li Xuan's hand holding the chopsticks paused; with so many people here today, did Ming Zi have to bring up their unsightly past right now?

Was she mocking her for being an ungrateful person?

But, the things Si Rong gave them were all things she was accustomed to.

Si Rong hadn't been willing to take out the things she truly liked to give to them, had she?

What right did she have to expect gratitude from them?

Heaven was inherently unfair; some people were born with beauty and wealth, while others could only live ordinary lives.

Since it was unfair, then she could only seize it with her own hands.

"Rongrong, drink some soup," her second brother Si Han served a bowl of the sweet fermented rice with osmanthus that Si Rong had always liked and placed it in front of her.

Shen Lan hurriedly half-rose, "Second Brother, I'll take care of Rongrong."

But Si Han had already turned away and started chatting with Jiang Yu again.

Shen Lan clenched his fist secretly; was Si Han intentionally making him lose face?

This was already the how-many-eth time today!

He was a Deputy County Magistrate now, no longer that little Section Chief who had no confidence in front of the Si Family.

How could Si Han still dare to treat him like this?

Did he think he had no dignity?

Shen Lan maintained a proper smile and told Si Rong that he was going to the restroom.

If it were in the past, Si Rong would definitely have chased after him to comfort him if she noticed he was in a bad mood.

But today, Si Rong remained seated at the table, eating and chatting with her brothers and good friend.

"I'm going to the restroom."

In the end, Li Xuan still couldn't hold back; she stood up and whispered to Si Rong.

"Go ahead!"

Si Rong smiled, but there wasn't a shred of warmth in her eyes.

Is having an affair addictive?

Can these two not even restrain themselves right under her nose?

Si Han's hand tightened slightly on his water glass, and then he downed the white liquor in one gulp.

He loosened the tie around his neck with one hand.

Very good indeed!

To think they would bully his sister right under his very nose.

"I'll go with you!" Ming Zi stood up and trotted two steps to catch up with Li Xuan.

Li Xuan was secretly annoyed that Ming Zi was so thick-skinned; their few meetings recently hadn't been very pleasant, yet she still had the nerve to chase after her to go to the restroom together.

Just now, Si Rong's brother had given Shen Lan a hard time, so Shen Lan must be feeling terrible right now and urgently needed her comfort.

So she said to Ming Zi, "I suddenly feel a bit unwell in my stomach; you don't need to wait for me when you come out, just go back and eat first!"

"It's fine, we came out together, what would it look like if I went back by myself? Others might think we had a falling out!"

Ming Zi knew what she wanted to do, but with her here today, Li Xuan could forget about getting a word in with Shen Lan.

Li Xuan huffed as she entered the restroom.

This Ming Zi was truly annoying.

She deliberately stayed in the restroom for quite a while, wanting to wait until Ming Zi lost patience, staying in there until her legs were sore.

As a result, the moment she stepped out, she saw Ming Zi's face, which was blooming with a smile.

"Oh! Teacher Li is finally willing to come out; if you hadn't come out any sooner, I would have thought you'd fallen into the latrine!"