Chapter 95: No Need to Be So Polite with Brother

At the table, warm yellow light spilled lightly; Su Ruoyun was biting a bright‑red, tender duck steak, the fresh fragrant taste spreading on her tongue.

She was eating with gusto, and inadvertently caught Su Mingyan leaning over, his long arm raised, his clearly jointed large hand reaching toward the steaming clay pot to ladle the rich, aromatic old chicken soup.

She suddenly remembered something, stopped gnawing the duck steak, stuck her chopsticks in the bowl and said, "Brother, I went to Xiangshan Yayuan looking for you last night; why weren't you home?"

At the International Tea Party the day before yesterday, the organizers handed out very distinctive fridge magnets on site.

A set of six fridge magnets, each printed with Shencheng's iconic architecture, surrounded by a ring of various tea‑leaf shapes; each leaf looked vivid, as if carrying a faint tea scent, arranged in countless graceful poses, looking extremely aesthetic.

She knew Su Mingyan liked collecting fridge magnets, so the previous night she drove to Xiangshan Yayuan especially to deliver the whole intricately designed set to him.

But she didn't expect Su Mingyan to be away from home; Su Ruoyun first thought he had an engagement that night, and after asking the villa's servant learned that Su Mingyan hadn't returned to live there for several days.

When this was said, besides the parties involved, Su Bu and Ming Nüshi at the table also turned to look at Su Mingyan.

He remained calm, his movements still orderly, attentively continuing to scoop chicken soup from the pot, the steaming broth flowing down the ladle into the white porcelain bowl.

After placing the white porcelain bowl steadily on the table before him, Su Mingyan finally lifted his eyes, released his right hand from the ladle back into the pot, his gaze very tranquil, showing no hint of the guilt that had been exposed; his voice low and steady, he gave a brief explanation, "I've been busy these days, staying at the company."

Speaking, he took up the soup spoon, dipped it into the scalding bowl, scooped a spoonful of chicken soup, smoothly brought the spoon to his lips, lightly parting his thin lips, took a small sip, swallowed, then asked, "You came all the way to find me; what's the matter?"

Su Ruoyun picked up a chopstickful of vegetables, placed it in the bowl nonchalantly and replied, "Oh, I brought back a few special fridge magnets from Shencheng and delivered them to you last night; you said you liked these the most."

Hearing that, Su Mingyan's deep eyes flickered slightly; he set down his chopsticks, voluntarily took the communal chopsticks, and offered Su Ruoyun a piece of meat.

Su Ruoyun looked at the glossy fatty meat floating in midair, felt a little resistance in her heart, but could only smile outwardly and politely said, "No need, Brother, you eat it yourself."

Su Mingyan: "You don't have to be so polite with me, Brother."

"But, Brother, the piece you picked is fatty meat." Su Ruoyun frowned slightly, looking at the greasy fatty meat with some difficulty, kindly reminding.

Silence spread through the air, the atmosphere becoming a bit awkward.

"……" Su Mingyan.

……

Not long after the meal, Su Mingyan left quickly, politely saying: he needed to go back to check the fridge magnets Su Ruoyun had given him.

Tonight, the moon was bright and the stars sparse; the clear moonlight gently passed through the swaying treetops, reflecting on the ground, a few shadows wandering and flickering in the mottled light.

Su Ruoyun stood on the steps, leaning against the wall beside her, watching Su Mingyan sit in the back seat of a Maybach; the driver started the engine, the Maybach soon drove out of the parking spot, and in an instant vanished behind the locust trees at the road's end, leaving only a wisp of exhaust.

She furrowed her brows in confusion, her mind full of doubts; fridge magnets have no legs and can't run away, seeing them a bit earlier or later makes no difference, and she didn't understand why Su Mingyan was in such a hurry to go back.

Ming Nüshi also stood on the steps, right beside Su Ruoyun, her gaze thoughtful as she stared at the blooming roses in the courtyard, the petals unfolding layer by layer.

After retiring, she loved tending these flowers and plants; the whole courtyard was filled with blossoms.

After seeing Su Mingyan off and returning to the living room, Su Ruoyun lazily flopped onto the sofa, sprawled, her two slender long legs draped over the armrest; she heard Ming Nüshi ask, "How are your brother and that Miss Jiang from last time?"

The topic came rather suddenly, leaving Su Ruoyun momentarily at a loss, not knowing how to answer.

On one hand, she truly didn't know the progress between the two of them; on the other hand, at the last art‑center auction, she seemed to have seen Su Mingyan and Jiang Xihan cuddling closely, their movements very intimate.

However……

She hesitated, ultimately suppressing the second reason; after all, she had seen Miss Jiang looking rather unwilling at the time, so she only said the three words "I don't know."

Seeing Ming Nüshi frown slightly and then exhale deeply, Su Ruoyun proactively offered to go ask Su Mingyan for her.

Before Su Ruoyun could react, Ming Nüshi already gulped down, "Alright, then it's all yours; if you complete the task, Mom will make you braised pork."

She smiled like a fox, her eyes full of cunning.

"……" Su Ruoyun.

After a moment, Su Ruoyun realized she had been deeply deceived by Ming Nüshi, but the words were already spoken and couldn't be taken back, so she could only resign herself to the fact: Jiang is still sharp when old.

Seeing this, Su Bu, who was sitting on the single armchair reading the newspaper, shook his head helplessly and smiled.

When Su Ruoyun left the Family Courtyard it was already 9:30 p. m.; when she got back to the apartment it was 10:15.

Taking the elevator up, she entered the code on the screen; "Panda" heard the faint sound and was already waiting at the door; accompanied by a burst of electronic tone, she pushed the door open, and the kitten greeted her.

Su Ruoyun slipped on indoor slippers, the single shoes left crooked in the shoe cabinet at the door; she bent down, picked up the kitten on the floor, shuffled her slippers, and walked toward the living room.

"Panda" obediently nestled on Su Ruoyun's arm, its fluffy head motionless, resting on her forearm.

Li Ayi had already fed it cat food when she came in at night.

Su Ruoyun cradled the kitten, sat cross‑legged on the sofa, petting it while pondering whether to call Su Mingyan now, to ask, but she thought Su Mingyan wouldn't tell her such things, yet she had already promised Ming Nüshi…

In the end, after much thought she still called Su Mingyan.

If he doesn't tell, he won't; she called first as a courtesy.

On the handset, the busy tone "du du du" rang nonstop; Su Ruoyun thought perhaps he was busy with company matters again at night; after the ringtone persisted stubbornly for three or four minutes, just as she was about to hang up and give up, the call was finally answered.

A soft, melodious female voice floated gently from the other end of the handset.

"Hello, this is…"

?? Request for a follow‑up. mua