Gu Xun raised an eyebrow and glanced at Gu Ye, shaking his head in disbelief—it was truly a sight he couldn't bear to watch.
The dishes they had ordered gradually filled the table until Jiang Mo thought it could hold no more.
Puzzled, she asked Gu Ye, "Just how many dishes did we order? Are there still more coming?"
"There are only four of us. We can't possibly finish all this, can we?"
Gu Ye replied, "The portions aren't that big. We'll eat as much as we can and focus on what we like. Anyway, big brother is paying."
After saying this, he served Jiang Mo a bowl of rice and placed it by her hand. "The soup is a bit hot. Let it cool down before you drink it."
Huo Nanyin observed his actions and teased, "I never realized you were so good at taking care of others."
"Of course. I'm much better at it than my brother," Gu Ye said, then refilled Jiang Mo's teacup. "Grandpa Gu always says that guys should have some awareness when it comes to their girlfriends."
Jiang Mo, who was eating seafood, turned her head and shot him a glare. Who exactly are you hinting at here? Don't forget whose treat we're enjoying right now.
This was getting way too bold.
"I think Grandpa Gu is absolutely right. What do you say, Young Master Gu?" Jiang Mo mumbled through a mouthful of food.
Gu Xun: "..."
Gu Xun was beginning to understand—these two were here to annoy him, weren't they?
"You like this dish. I ordered it specially for you. Give it a try," Gu Xun said, addressing Huo Nanyin.
Huo Nanyin nodded. "Okay."
"Nanyin, don't you think my brother is such a poser?" Gu Ye clicked his tongue.
"No, that's just his personality," Huo Nanyin explained, glancing at Gu Xun.
Jiang Mo, eager for some gossip and seeing that both parties were present in a suitable atmosphere, asked, "Nanyin, you mentioned before that you were the one who pursued Young Master Gu, and then you went abroad to study. Did you break up because you were leaving the country?"
Gu Ye was also curious, his gaze fixed on the pair across the table.
Huo Nanyin's chopsticks paused in her hand. "That was one of the reasons, yes."
"Then what were the other reasons? Did you dump me back then?" Gu Xun's tone seemed laced with confusion as well.
"But when I brought up breaking up, you agreed, didn't you?" Huo Nanyin pressed her lips together, not understanding why he held onto this issue every time it came up.
Gu Xun frowned. "When did I ever agree?"
Oh, there seems to be a misunderstanding here, Jiang Mo thought silently, pricking up her ears.
Gu Ye wanted to whisper something to Jiang Mo, but noticing she was listening with rapt attention, he swallowed his words.
Huo Nanyin said, "Before I went abroad, I sent you a breakup message on my phone, and you agreed."
"My memory is excellent. I'm certain I never received any message from you about breaking up."
It went without saying—someone must have used his phone back then to reply to the message and then deleted it.
Huo Nanyin hadn't expected this to be the case. She smiled self-deprecatingly. "Forget it. It's all in the past. It doesn't matter much now."
But Gu Xun insisted, "So then, what was the reason you wanted to break up with me back then?"
Huo Nanyin was silent for a moment before speaking quietly, "Love needs reciprocation. Maybe I was just tired back then."
On top of that, she had discovered the vast disparity between Gu Xun's true social status and her own, coupled with the impending long-distance separation due to her studies.
Under all these factors, she had proposed the breakup to Gu Xun.
"I'm sorry," Gu Xun's voice was low.
"It's fine. Like Gu Ye said, if we can't be lovers, being friends is good too," Huo Nanyin said, taking a sip of juice and pretending nothing had happened.
"But there's one thing I haven't said yet: after a breakup, you can always get back together," Gu Ye suddenly chimed in, feeling rather clever.
Jiang Mo stifled a laugh and leaned over. "I never knew you were so quick with your words."
Gu Ye grinned. "Heh, I learned it all from you."
After praising him, Jiang Mo couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion. All this over such a small matter, and these two had been in the dark for so long.
Thank goodness for her and Gu Ye, who knows how long this misunderstanding would have lasted otherwise.
No wonder in those CEO romance novels, a single misunderstanding between the leads can drag on for hundreds of chapters—it turns out they all just lacked the ability to communicate.
Jiang Mo tried to lighten the mood. "In relationships, misunderstandings are normal. The important thing is to talk them out."
"Earlier, I almost thought it was like those TV dramas, where the wife shows up with a check, slaps down a few million, and tells you to leave Young Master Gu."
"It wouldn't have been that little."
Gu Ye joked, "Jiang Mo, if my mom ever asks you to leave me, just demand a hefty sum—ask for a few hundred million. Then you run off with the money, and I'll follow right after. That way, we can live the good life with that cash."
"You're not worth that much," Gu Xun said coldly. "I'll inform our parents to be vigilant against online scams."
"Talk about kicking down the bridge after crossing the river—not even a cut of the profits," Gu Ye grumbled. "Jiang Mo, how about some dessert later?"
Dessert? Jiang Mo nodded. "Sure."
Huo Nanyin smiled gently, thinking how happy these two seemed in their relationship.
Indeed, love is best experienced by those who are truly invested in it.
Sensing the gaze from beside her, she didn't respond, simply lowering her head to eat.
Jiang Mo was thoroughly satisfied with the meal. As they were leaving, Gu Ye even packed a few desserts to go.
"You said these were delicious earlier. Take them back for tomorrow."
Carrying the desserts in one hand and holding Jiang Mo's hand with the other, he said, "Well, Jiang Mo and I will be heading back now."
