Tea-flavored Romance

Just as Master Ning was about to speak, the owner of the home-style restaurant brought out a steaming pot of boiled fish. The Sichuan peppercorns sizzled as they were poured over the boiling oil, and the bright red and tender white colors swirled in the dish. The fish meat, nestled among the emerald green bean sprouts, continuously emitted an extremely tempting aroma... This scene seemed to interrupt what he was about to say. He glanced at Jiang Manyue and made a suggestion.

"Why don't we eat our fill first and then talk?"

Chapter Thirty-Five: Lord Jiang, save me!

Jiang Manyue glanced at the boiled fish on the table and took the clean chopsticks that Ning Yuan handed her.

"Are you sure the two of us can finish this fish?" She frowned slightly. "How much does it weigh?"

"It's okay, you can pack up the leftovers," Ning Yuan reassured him. "These days, everyone needs to eat... By the way, Jiang, aren't you on a diet?"

"No reduction... You seem to be looking at something you shouldn't be looking at."

"Oh, I just saw a drop of oil splattered on your collar... I didn't expect you, Jiang, not to be on a diet. I thought all girls were either dieting or on the verge of dieting." Ning Yuan lied without batting an eye, turning his gaze away without changing his expression. He thought to himself that if Jiang, the campus belle, lost any more weight, she'd probably be as flat as Xiao Ling'er. It's better if she doesn't diet...

At least it still has some curvature.

"Most girls lose weight to look good, so why should I?" The girl tossed her hair back and tied it into a neat ponytail with a purple hair tie that came with her, revealing her slender, fair neck and her delicate, lovely earlobes.

"Oh right, I was planning to take this opportunity to return the hair tie to you, but it looks like I'll have to borrow it again."

"That doesn't matter... Does Jiang mean you're not an ordinary girl?"

"No." Jiang Manyue said calmly, "I'm already beautiful enough, why would I need to become more beautiful?"

Master Ning couldn't help but laugh. The beautiful young lady in front of him was truly vibrant and charming. Every move and every word she made exuded cuteness. Even her slightly arrogant question at the end added to her realism.

Gu Guanxue's assessment of Jiang Manyue was that this girl always seemed distant, perhaps precisely because of her human-observational mindset. Ning Yuan thought Jiang Manyue must be a very interesting girl, but she preferred to stay in the library reading Zhang Wuji's "The Sea King Chronicles" rather than bother with interacting with ordinary people.

Compared to her, Gu Guanxue seemed much gentler, a fact evident from the sheer number of suitors each had. Even Ning Yuan's initial impressions of Jiang Manyue and Gu Guanxue were completely different.

If we could properly develop the ginger flower, I imagine it would be incredibly rewarding.

"Staring at other people's faces while eating is not a good habit," Jiang Manyue reminded him without even lifting her eyelids. "Let me remind you again, you're supposed to shoot down Gu Guanxue... not Ning, your wingman."

"I know, I know, I was just worried you wouldn't be able to handle spicy food... Would you like me to get you a bottle of yogurt? Don't be shy!"

"I'll be paying the bill for this meal," Jiang Manyue said with a smile, "but thank you for your concern anyway."

"Of course, after all, we're all in the same boat."

"Could you use a different analogy?" the girl replied calmly. "I don't think I'm like a grasshopper."

"I already said it was a metaphor, but Jiang still has no sense of humor as always~"

"..."

"What you just said...aren't you going to explain it?"

"What's the matter? Is it about the short film?"

“It’s about Gu Guanxue wanting to participate in your movie,” Jiang Manyue added. “I already know your dream is low-level and boring…we can skip that controversial part.”

"???"

"No need to be so shocked." Jiang, the most beautiful girl in the department, seemed to have regained some ground and chuckled, "Didn't you say I was your wingman? What bad intentions could a wingman have?"

"But you just insulted my dream!"

"Then I owe your dream an apology again." Jiang Manyue, the apology fanatic, nodded nonchalantly: "Did something happen between you and Gu Guanxue?"

Nothing happened.

"Really?"

“Really.” Master Ning held up his finger: “She just had a meal at my house, and then we went back to school together…”

Jiang Manyue pulled out a tissue to wipe her mouth, folded it neatly instead of crumpling it into a ball, and said politely, "Mr. Ning, I think we have no room for further cooperation..."

"Eh... Miss Jiang? Miss Jiang Manyue? I haven't finished speaking yet... Okay, okay, you pay the bill first... oh no, you sit down first... I'll be honest from now on, I absolutely promise to be honest, okay..."

"After we met, she gave me a 'nice guy' card."

Jiang Manyue tilted her head slightly.

"That's it?"

"Receiving a 'friend zone' card isn't something to be proud of, so of course I'd instinctively hide it!" Ning Yuan feigned embarrassment and annoyance, saying, "You're reopening my still-healing emotional wounds... This meal needs extra food..."

“What’s so strange about receiving a ‘good person’ card from Gu Guanxue?” Jiang Xihua said nonchalantly. “She’s given out hundreds, if not thousands, of ‘good person’ cards since she was a child.”

Master Ning: ?

No wonder Gu Guanxue is easy to get as a "good guy" but extremely difficult to win over... Turns out she's a seasoned card-giver!

"However, it seems quite rare to be rejected as soon as you meet someone like this."

"Master Jiang, save me!" Master Ning hurriedly grabbed the girl's sleeve, exclaiming in alarm, "Does this mean I'll never have another chance?"

Jiang Manyue subtly pulled her sleeve out and slowly said, "I just said it's rare... not that there's no chance..."

"And...you were clearly rejected by her when you first met her...why are you still so enthusiastic and asking me to help you out?"

"Is there... something I don't know about?"

“I also felt something was off at the time.” Ning Yuan withdrew his hand and sighed, seemingly lamenting his experience of being rejected: “After all, think about it, the first thing I did when I met her was ask if I was planning to flirt with her… and then she gave me a card. A normal person would definitely be confused, so naturally I wouldn’t pay too much attention to what she said.”

Do you think she's lying to you?

"Pretty much... What decent person would greet someone with a rejection letter right away? I haven't even made a move yet..." Ning Yuan said, picking up a piece of fish and putting it in his mouth to chew.

"Speaking of which, she mentioned you when we met."

"What? You suspect I'm a double agent?" The quick-witted Jiang Xihua read Ning Yuan's thoughts in a second. Of course, Ning Yuan couldn't admit such a thing in front of his wingman, so he denied it righteously and said, "How could that be... I was just thinking... you two really are childhood sweethearts."

"..."

Jiang Manyue did not respond to the question, seemingly acknowledging it, or perhaps disdaining to answer it. She put down her chopsticks and said seriously, "So?"

"Your reaction at the time... was just a look of complete bewilderment and disbelief?"

Master Ning briefly recalled his facial expression management at the time...

Hmm... I almost laughed so hard my mouth twisted... I guess you could call it a completely bewildered look?

Chapter Thirty-Six: Physical Blocking

"More or less." Ning Yuan forced a slightly sad expression: "To be honest, it's still a bit sad..."

"Why do I feel like you're still trying not to laugh?" Jiang Xihua said, slightly speechless, "What exactly was your reaction back then?"

"It's just... a little bit of happiness..."

"A little bit?"

"Yes, a little bit... but I should have hidden it well, and disguised my happiness as a forced smile."

"..."

"Why do you feel happy?" the girl pressed on relentlessly.

Ning Yuan was speechless for a moment, and could only reply in a deep voice: "It's probably like the kind of happiness a domineering CEO feels: 'Heh, woman, you've caught my attention...'"

This seemingly absurd answer was easily accepted by Miss Manyue. She nodded slightly and replied, "I understand. My chuunibyou (middle school syndrome) just happened to coincide with Gu Guanxue giving me a hairpin."

"Wait a minute... why did you so casually accuse me of having a chuunibyou episode? Is being a domineering CEO the same as chuunibyou? I didn't even draw any Netherworld Flame Demon Blade, so why should I be considered a chuunibyou!"

Master Ning was immediately displeased. Although both "domineering CEO" and "chuunibyou" sounded rather silly, the former was clearly a little more mature!

I don't have a chiseled face, I don't have a wicked and arrogant smile, and I'm not worthy of being incredibly wealthy... Are these reasons why I can't be a domineering CEO?

"Anyway, they're all pretty much the same to me."

"No way, I'm going to be a domineering CEO. Let whoever wants to be a chuunibyou can be one. Anyway, they're not going to send me a chuunibyou girlfriend."

"Alright... President Ning, your strange behavior back then must have caught Gu Guanxue's attention."

"Will this get her attention?" Master Ning asked, his face full of doubt.

Who would have thought that Gu Xihua, who seems so easygoing, actually has the heart of a CEO?

A CEO meets another CEO, and they exchange a wicked smile—the image is kind of funny to imagine…

"So, was this a lucky accident or a risky move?" Ning Yuan analyzed, "It must be the same principle as the naive and innocent female lead in romance dramas using her innocent and unpretentious foolish behavior to attract the attention of the domineering CEO!"

"If you want to compare yourself to a naive and innocent female lead, I have no objection." Jiang Xihua pursed her lips: "But President Gu isn't so easily hooked... What did you say when she first rejected me?"

"She said she likes me quite a bit, but doesn't want to date me."

“A standard Gu-style answer.” Jiang Xihua seemed to have guessed the plot development, and her expression was very satisfied: “Congratulations, in this situation, President Gu really won’t date you.”

"Why?!" Master Ning was completely bewildered: "Didn't you just say I could still be saved?"

"Gu Guanxue has always been independent and does things her own way. If she thinks you are a good friend at first glance, then you basically have no chance of breaking through the barrier of friendship."

Master Ning: Elemental Awareness!?

Gu Xihua's mine is amazing, it doesn't collapse!

Where did this angel lady come from...? She must be a newbie perk from God!

"So, I guess I'll just have to be her best friend for the rest of my life?"

"That's not necessarily true."

Jiang Manyue said slowly, "People change. No one can guarantee that the person they were before is the same person they are now."

"The same principle applies to the future."

"..."

Ning Yuan hesitated for a moment, feeling that this young lady in front of him seemed to have Gu Guanxue completely under her thumb. This made him a little scared.

Surely I can't really let Jiang Manyue, my wingman, succeed...? I'm still waiting to mine Gu Xihua's gold mine, then pretend to be heartbroken and transfer my feelings to this guy...

"However, that guy is always only enthusiastic for a short time. Even if she once thought you were interesting, it's unlikely she'll stay that way."

"So you need to be prepared for a long-term battle."

"So...you mean if I keep confessing my feelings to her...I might eventually move her?" Master Ning asked with some worry, "Is this what they call 'a good woman can't resist a persistent suitor'?"

Jiang Xihua glanced at him, seemingly mourning for his shattered view of love for a second, before speaking softly: "Some girls can't be moved. Those girls who are moved by persistent entanglement either don't know what they really want, or they're not strong enough and are easily influenced by others."

"Oh right, that kind of behavior—where someone likes another person but insists on making them spend time and energy pursuing them, enjoying the feeling of being pampered—is not within the scope of our discussion," the girl added. "Girls like that are just bored."