Chapter 67: Something

Shen Siyuan sized up the girl before him and smiled, “No problem, I just got here too.”

He didn’t know if it was Dou Dou’s doing, but it gave him a sense of familiarity.

“My name is Jiang Taozhi—you can call me Taozi…”

As Jiang Taozhi spoke, she plopped down beside them; Aunt Su hurriedly rose and moved to the other side, or she would have been sitting on her.

After Shen Siyuan introduced himself, Jiang Taozhi said, “To apologize, I’ll treat you to cake.”

“Sure,” Shen Siyuan replied with a smile.

Shen Siyuan’s answer left Jiang Taozhi stunned—she’d only said it politely, never expecting him to actually accept.

But this only increased her fondness for him; she found him straightforward and unpretentious, unlike other boys who put on a facade in front of her, saying one thing while thinking another, appearing fake.

Though Jiang Taozhi often appeared simple and clueless, the fact that she got into Qiantang University, ranked among the top three nationally, proved she wasn’t stupid—she’d simply been overprotected, with everything arranged for her without needing her to think.

But this also shaped her slow, passive personality; she disliked competing, and such a trait would put her at a disadvantage in society, which was why she became friends with Ruan Hongzhuang.

Ruan Hongzhuang’s personality was the exact opposite—strong-willed and capable; under her protection, anyone wanting to harm Jiang Taozhi would have to get past Ruan Hongzhuang first.

“Here’s your cheese cake.”

Jiang Taozhi opened the bag and first handed Ruan Hongzhuang the cake she’d bought for her.

Ruan Hongzhuang reached out to take it, and only then did Jiang Taozhi seem to remember, adding, “I haven’t introduced you yet—this is my old…”

“Old friends—we met in college,” Ruan Hongzhuang interrupted.

Jiang Taozhi glanced at her in surprise, but one look from Ruan Hongzhuang silenced her; she immediately went along: “Right, my old friend Ruan Hongzhuang—I’ve known her since college, we’ve always been best friends.”

Jiang Taozhi glanced at her in surprise, but one look from Ruan Hongzhuang silenced her instantly; she immediately went along with her words: “Yes, my old friend Ruan Hongzhuang—I’ve known her since college, we’ve always been best friends.”

Both knew Shen Siyuan meant the implication that she’d brought her along on a date.

But neither explained further; instead, Jiang Taozhi had already opened the tiramisu in her hand.

She looked slightly embarrassed—the tiramisu had a corner missing, clearly already bitten into.

“Sorry, I just tasted a little bit.”

Jiang Taozhi made a rude Korean gesture.

Beside her, Ruan Hongzhuang chuckled softly and handed her a tissue. “Wipe your lips.”

Only then did Jiang Taozhi realize, her cheeks flushing red. “You’re only telling me now?”

“Who told you to sneak a bite?”

“It was just so delicious, and I only had one bite,” Jiang Taozhi said with childish innocence.

“If you say that, then I really have to try this cake today—would be a shame to miss it.”

Jiang Taozhi nodded eagerly. “I’m telling you, it’s really good. Your office isn’t far from here—they probably deliver.”

Shen Siyuan’s words eased Jiang Taozhi’s embarrassment.

Jiang Taozhi stood up, asked a coffee shop server for a clean spoon, then split the cake in half with it.

She placed her half on the lid of the box and pushed the other half toward Shen Siyuan.

“Try it—it’s really delicious.”

Her subtle gesture deepened Shen Siyuan’s impression; she was a girl who truly understood how to consider others’ feelings.

Shen Siyuan didn’t refuse—he took the spoon, took a small bite, and the flavor was indeed excellent.

Shen Siyuan didn’t refuse; he took the spoon, took a small taste, and the flavor was indeed excellent.

Jiang Taozhi, watching him closely, beamed with quiet pride, as if the praise were her own.

“It’s truly delicious—it reminds me of another cake shop in Binhai.”

“You don’t mean Lu Xian Cao, do you?” Jiang Taozhi asked.

“You know it?” Shen Siyuan asked, surprised.

“Of course I do—Lu Xian Cao was Binhai’s first cake shop. I used to eat there all the time as a kid, but it was too small—over the years, there are still barely any left in all of Binhai…”

As the two chatted, Ruan Hongzhuang sipped her coffee quietly, not touching her cheese cake.

Only when their conversation ended did she speak: “Is it really that good?”

“Of course—it’s truly delicious.”

Hearing this, Jiang Taozhi immediately launched into an enthusiastic recommendation.

“Can I try a bite?”

“Of course,” Jiang Taozhi said without hesitation.

Then, to Jiang Taozhi’s stunned gaze, Ruan Hongzhuang calmly took the spoon from Shen Siyuan’s hand, scooped a bite from his half of the tiramisu, and put it in her mouth.

Then, before Jiang Taozhi’s stunned gaze, Ruan Hongzhuang calmly took the spoon from Shen Siyuan’s hand, scooped a bite from the half-eaten tiramisu in front of him, and put it in her mouth.

Ruan Hongzhuang lightly pressed her lips together and returned the spoon to Shen Siyuan.

Although Ruan Hongzhuang ate from Shen Siyuan’s spoon, her lips never touched the spoon’s tip.

“Right?” Shen Siyuan replied with a smile.

He didn’t find Ruan Hongzhuang’s action rude; instead, he thought she was open and straightforward.

Well, mostly because she was beautiful—if she’d been ugly, it would’ve been seen as rude or flirtatious; people are just like that, double-standard.

But Jiang Taozhi was speechless with shock—she looked from her own cake to Shen Siyuan’s, feeling as if she were dreaming.

She knew Ruan Hongzhuang was extremely picky; she’d always looked disgusted at anything she’d touched, yet now she was willingly eating something from a stranger’s hand.

Even though her lips hadn’t touched the spoon, that spoon had just been directly inserted into Shen Siyuan’s mouth.

Jiang Taozhi had questions stuck in her throat, but this wasn’t the time to ask—her heart felt like it was being scratched by a cat.

She didn’t know that beside her was another voice speaking for her.

Aunt Su smiled and said, “Ruan Ruan must really like you—this has never happened before.”

If Ruan Hongzhuang and Jiang Taozhi weren’t here, he’d have at least offered some polite protest.

But Shen Siyuan still gave her a look.

Aunt Su continued: “You might think our Ruan Ruan is already twenty-eight, but she’s never dated anyone—she’s very innocent…”

Aunt Su pushed hard to promote her granddaughter, switching from “my Hongzhuang” to the intimate “Ruan Ruan,” trying to draw closer to Shen Siyuan.

Su APO tried hard to promote her granddaughter, shifting from calling her “my Hongzhuang” to using her nickname “Ruanruan,” striving to draw closer to Shen Siyuan.

Anyone who’s been to Binhai knows—the seafood stalls are everywhere.

Especially along the coastal highway, besides hotels, there are nothing but seafood stalls; at night, they’re packed with tourists.

But locals rarely eat there—the prices are high, and the seafood quality isn’t great.

So the three chose not to go for seafood, but instead opted for hot pot.

“You’re acting weird today—are you into him?”

Jiang Taozhi lagged behind, tugging Ruan Hongzhuang’s sleeve and nodding toward the front.

Ruan Hongzhuang shook her head calmly. “No such thing.”

Jiang Taozhi: →_→

Jiang Taozhi looked skeptical.

Just as Ruan Hongzhuang understood her, she understood Ruan Hongzhuang.

Despite Ruan Hongzhuang’s calm demeanor, Jiang Taozhi saw it as stubborn denial.

“Did you two know each other before?” Jiang Taozhi asked again.

“Didn’t you two know each other before?” Jiang Taozhi asked again.

“Liar—if you didn’t know him, how did he pick Tian Hai Chao, your favorite?”

Ruan Hongzhuang herself found it strange too—when they’d just discussed dinner, Shen Siyuan had immediately suggested Tian Hai Chao.

Could this be soulmate intuition?

Could this be what they call a soul-deep connection?