Jiang Mo glanced at Gu Ye sitting beside her, her eyes silently asking, "What's going on?"
Gu Ye had obviously heard Cui Tiantian's remark too, and in an instant, his face flushed red all the way to the tips of his ears.
Luckily, the dim lighting inside the car masked his embarrassment from the others.
He didn’t dare to look at Jiang Mo.
Quickly changing the subject, he said, "Well, since the show’s wrapped up, I’ll treat everyone to a late-night snack later. What do you all feel like eating?"
The mention of food instantly piqued Cui Tiantian’s interest. Without hesitation, she cheered, "Thanks, boss!"
She leaned forward, gripping the back of the front seat, and asked eagerly, "Jiang Mo, what do you want to eat?"
"How about barbecue?" Jiang Mo’s mouth watered at the thought—it had been ages since she’d eaten out.
Since Gu Ye was treating, she saw no reason to hold back.
"Great minds think alike! I was craving barbecue too."
Gu Ye had no objections. Huang Ling, however, was on a diet and hadn’t even touched her dinner box, let alone indulged in barbecue.
Huang Ling left midway to hail a cab back to the hotel. "Don’t stay out too late. I’m heading back first."
Gu Ye took the two to a renowned yakitori spot in Hangzhou, assuring them to eat to their hearts’ content.
The food was decent, but the prices were anything but reasonable.
"‘Mentaiko white melon’? Isn’t this just zucchini?"
Nice try—change the name, but I still know what you are!
Fifteen bucks for two measly slices?
Highway robbery!
Between bites, Jiang Mo grumbled, "What’s the difference between this and regular barbecue? Just slap on a fancy name, and suddenly it’s worth ten times more."
Cui Tiantian nodded vigorously as she chewed. "Tell me about it."
"Don’t hold back. I said I’d treat you, so don’t worry about the bill," Gu Ye said, digging in hungrily.
Poor guy—he must have been starving after the show’s taping.
Jiang Mo nibbled on a chicken skewer and asked, "Was Bai Yu’s cooking really that bad?"
Or was the young master just being picky?
"It was genuinely awful," Gu Ye groaned, unable to hold back.
Huang Ling had warned him beforehand that Bai Yu’s culinary skills weren’t as impressive as the hype suggested, but for the sake of the show, he’d played along.
He’d assumed it couldn’t be that bad—but it was truly beyond words.
The only edible dishes were the tomato egg fried rice and stir-fried vegetables, which were passable. Naturally, everyone at the table had swarmed those two plates, leaving them empty in no time.
Still hungry, Gu Ye had chugged two bottles of the show’s sponsored milk to fill his stomach.
He’d hoped dinner would bring some pleasant surprises.
Alas, fate had other plans.
Jiang Mo couldn’t help but burst into laughter. "Pfft—"
Those showbiz folks really knew how to keep a straight face.
"Poor boss! Here, have some more," Cui Tiantian said, playing along.
Jiang Mo stifled her giggles. "You’ve had a rough day, young master. Eat up!"
After the meal, the group returned to the hotel.
Since the two old classmates might want to catch up, Cui Tiantian tactfully excused herself, leaving Jiang Mo and Gu Ye alone.
They headed back to Room 803.
"I’ve got an ad shoot and a fan meet in Hangzhou for the next two days… Do you want to stay and hang out?" Gu Ye asked, rubbing his nose.
"Nah, I’m planning to head back tomorrow," Jiang Mo replied bluntly.
"Hmph! Heartless woman!" Gu Ye scoffed.
Jiang Mo grinned. "We’re close enough—we can meet anytime, anywhere. Even back home."
Gu Ye didn’t press further. "Fine. Just message me when you get back safely."
"Got it. Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head to my room. You should rest early too."
"Wait—"
Jiang Mo’s hand was already on the doorknob when she turned back. "Yeah? Something else?"
"I told them you came to watch the show because…"
"I get it, no worries," Jiang Mo said, flashing an OK sign.
Celebrities and their pride—she understood.
Gu Ye: …What exactly did she "get"? What did she "understand"?
He wasn’t even sure himself.
Jiang Mo’s train was scheduled for the afternoon, so she spent the morning sightseeing at West Lake and picking up local souvenirs to bring back for everyone.
When Su Yunjin spotted her in the living room, she asked, "Jiang Mo, you’re back already? Why didn’t you stay longer?"
"I had three full days of fun!" Jiang Mo replied, brewing coffee for her. "Madam, did you pull another all-nighter?"
Su Yunjin lounged on the sofa. "How could you tell?"
"Your complexion gives it away." Jiang Mo recognized the drained look—she’d been there herself.
She handed Su Yunjin the coffee and unwrapped an elegantly boxed pastry. "I brought this back from Hangzhou—a famous local delicacy. It’s not too sweet. Try it with the coffee."
"Really? Let’s see." Su Yunjin took a bite, savoring the subtle jasmine fragrance and just-right sweetness.
"So, how was Gu Ye’s work on the show?"
Of her three sons, the eldest, Gu Xun, was steady and reliable. The second, Gu Ye, lived up to his name—a bit wild. The youngest… Well, let’s just say that one seemed like a lost cause.
She never worried much about Gu Xun, but Gu Ye’s unpredictable career in entertainment was another story.
She’d caught glimpses of his variety shows and dramas but never watched closely—partly because his acting still needed work, and partly because watching her own son on screen was just plain awkward.
"Second Young Master worked really hard! For this show, he even did farm labor!"
"Farm labor?" Su Yunjin frowned. "What kind of show makes him do that? He’s never even swept the floor at home—how did he manage?"
Jiang Mo explained, "It’s a countryside-themed variety show. The tasks weren’t too intense—just plowing, fertilizing, and planting peanuts."
"He did all that?" Su Yunjin was stunned. "Well, color me impressed. I’ve never done any of those things myself."
Jiang Mo: …
Su Yunjin asked her to note the show’s air date so she could watch Gu Ye’s farming debut.
Among the gifts Jiang Mo brought back were treats for Chef Li, Liu Guochuan, Zhong Xiaoqin, and others.
When she dropped off Liu Guochuan’s share, she found the elderly trio engrossed in a game of mahjong.
They immediately tried to rope her into joining.
"Grandpa, Grandma, you go ahead. I just came to deliver your presents."
Zhong Xiaoqin beamed. "Such a thoughtful girl! Even on a trip, you remember us old folks."
"More filial than my own grandsons," Pan Weidong remarked dryly.
Jiang Mo chuckled nervously—that was a minefield she wasn’t stepping into.
"Last time my cat went missing, Jiang Mo found him in half a day. Who knows if I’d have gotten Doudou back without her help?"
"Age catches up to us all. The young ones have all the energy now," Liu Guochuan said. "Since you’re here, why not join us for a round? We won’t play for money."
Seeing the way the others were trying to persuade her to stay, Jiang Mo had no choice but to sit down and play mahjong with them.
Just for the sake of killing time, Jiang Mo didn't show her true skills. At the mahjong table, Grandma Zhong won the most times.
After playing for a while, Liu Guochuan said he needed to go to the toilet and asked the nanny at home to take his place for a while.
Once in the toilet, Liu Guochuan made a phone call.
As soon as the call was connected, he directly gave an order to the other side, "Put aside what you're doing and come back right away."
Liu Chen said helplessly, "Grandpa, what's the matter? I'm busy. Can I come back to see you later?"
"Busy? What on earth are you so busy with?" Liu Guochuan started scolding right away. "You've been busy all the time, but I haven't seen you achieve anything."
Hearing this, Liu Chen felt embarrassed. "Grandpa, who has made you angry again?"
"Who else could it be? It's you, you brat," Liu Guochuan pretended. "Oh, you unfilial descendant. I'm not feeling well. I just asked you to come back and see this old man, but you're not even willing to do that."
Judging from his full - throated voice, he didn't seem to have any health problems at all.
But since things had come to this point, Liu Chen thought that if he didn't go back, it would be hard to appease the old man later.
"Okay, okay. If you're not feeling well, go lie in bed and rest first. I'll come back right away."
Liu Guochuan said, "Hurry up and don't dawdle."
Liu Chen still wanted to say a few more words, but the phone was hung up with a click.
Liu Chen: "..."
The man sitting opposite Liu Chen timely asked, "Do you have something urgent?"
"An old family member is having some issues. I have to go back and check on them. I'm really sorry, Young Master Gu," Liu Chen said very apologetically.
Gu Xun showed his understanding. "It's okay. We've talked quite a lot today. Later, our side will finalize the plan and then we can move on to the next step."
"Okay, let's talk later," Liu Chen stood up. "Young Master Gu, please stay. I'll take my leave first."
After saying goodbye to Gu Xun, Liu Chen drove towards Long Island.
He turned off the car engine. As soon as he reached the living - room door, he heard the laughter and the sound of mahjong tiles being shuffled inside.
"Grandpa, Grandpa Pan, Grandma Zhong," Liu Chen entered the room and started greeting the familiar people one by one.
Jiang Mo was sitting with her back to the living - room entrance. When Liu Chen came in, he only saw her back. From the back, she looked like a young girl.
As he got closer, the girl turned her head slightly, and he finally saw her face clearly.
Hearing the strange male voice, Jiang Mo also turned her head.
Grandma Zhong introduced beside them, "This is your Grandpa Liu's grandson, Liu Chen."
"Hello," Jiang Mo nodded.
Liu Chen also nodded in return as a way of greeting.
"Why did you come back at this time? Isn't your company busy? Is it going to go bankrupt?" Pan Weidong threw out a mahjong tile and fired off three questions in a row.
"Grandpa Pan, your mouth is still as sharp as ever," Liu Chen said. "My grandpa said he was not feeling well, so I came back to check on him."
Not feeling well?
Jiang Mo asked, "Grandpa Liu, where do you feel unwell? Why didn't you tell us?"
"Oh, I'm actually not unwell. I just can't eat well. My appetite is off," Liu Guochuan said with a chuckle. "My grandson is so filial. As soon as he heard that, he made a big fuss and rushed back to see me."
Liu Chen: "..."
Grandpa, your face - changing speed is really amazing.
Who was scolding him on the phone just now? And now he had become a filial and obedient grandson.
Seeing Liu Guochuan's happy look, Pan Weidong knew that this kid had been tricked back.
Zhong Xiaoqin greeted, "It's been a while since I last saw you. You look thinner. Is work tiring? Stay with us and take a break and have some fun."
"Okay," Liu Chen pulled out a chair.
"Maybe you can take my place. We were short of people just now, and I was about to leave anyway."
Jiang Mo said to Liu Chen. Since the family member had come back, it wouldn't be appropriate for her to stay any longer.
"No, Xiaomo, you don't have to worry about him," Liu Guochuan quickly stopped her.
"Xiaochen, you're good at playing mahjong, right? Sit next to Xiaomo and help her look at the cards."
Liu Chen paused in the act of pulling the chair. Under the old man's glare, he sat down next to Jiang Mo.
So this girl was Jiang Mo, the young girl his grandpa had been talking about a lot recently.
Unable to leave, Jiang Mo had to continue playing mahjong.
After watching a few rounds, Liu Chen found that this girl was quite good at playing mahjong.
While sipping a sugar - free milk tea, Grandma Zhong started gossiping as she played.
"Xiaochen, do you have a girlfriend? When can we have your wedding wine?"
Liu Chen raised his eyebrows and rubbed his forehead. "Grandma Zhong, if something good happens to me, I'll definitely let you know."
"Look at our boy. He's tall and has a good build. It's just that he's busy with work and sometimes a bit clumsy with words. Do girls not like boys like him?" Liu Guochuan asked Jiang Mo as he spoke.
"Ah?" Jiang Mo, who was being questioned, looked confused. Why was she being asked this? "Actually, it's okay. There should be many girls who like him."
She had just glanced at the guy twice. He was a handsome guy.
Maybe he didn't have a girlfriend because he was too busy.
"Really? That's good. You have good judgment," Liu Guochuan was happy.
"Grandpa!" Liu Chen, after hearing what Liu Guochuan said and considering his series of actions, finally understood. No wonder his grandpa had been so eager to call him back. It turned out that his grandpa was trying to match - make him with this girl.
He just didn't know if the girl was aware of it.
"I'm trying to remind grandpa... to look at the cards in his hand carefully and not give away points," Liu Chen forced a smile at the corner of his mouth.
Liu Guochuan said, "I don't need your reminder! Help Xiaomo."
Jiang Mo waved her hand. "Grandpa, it's okay. I don't need help. Just let... Brother Liu do his own thing."
It was so awkward.
"What's the use of him making so much money? He can't even get a wife."
Jiang Mo thought: This is so full of hidden bragging.
While they were playing mahjong, the nanny saw that the young master had come back and looked at the atmosphere in the living room. Well, it was time to use up some of today's ingredients.
She started bustling around in the kitchen, preparing the meals.
Liu Guochuan thought that since he had finally managed to get the two of them together, he couldn't waste this opportunity.
He was serious about introducing a girlfriend to his grandson.
It was just that his grandson didn't take making friends seriously.
After the mahjong game, Jiang Mo realized it was already too late and she couldn't escape.
Unable to decline the kind invitation, she had to stay for dinner.
A table full of delicious dishes was served. Liu Guochuan greeted everyone to the table.
"Sorry for the poor hospitality. I just casually prepared some dishes. Please have a simple meal."
