The island cottage.
Xu Jinsi had gone on a date with the new female guest.
Although the guests at the cottage hadn’t managed to enjoy a candlelit dinner, they still got to eat Chef Cen’s seafood egg fried rice.
“Here’s to Chef Cen,” Ji Mingtian said, raising his glass.
“Here’s to Chef Cen!”
The other guests raised their glasses one after another.
The meal wasn’t exactly luxurious, but it was still quite abundant: a large serving of seafood egg fried rice, along with a big bowl of vegetable salad and freshly cut fruit.
Outside, night had gradually fallen.
Zhang Weiyi suddenly started a conversation with the several male guests who had remained in the cottage.
“Are you guys looking forward to it?”
Ji Mingtian didn’t understand. “Looking forward to what?”
Wang Aitian put down her glass and said, “The new female guest, of course.”
Ji Mingtian cast a somewhat bashful glance at Liu Qingye, who was sitting diagonally across from him, and said softly, “It’s nice to have a new friend join the cottage.”
He was actually making it clear that he wasn’t interested in the new guest. After all, he had already said they could just be friends.
“What about Cen Yu?” Zhang Weiyi asked again.
Chef Cen had finally managed to sit down and was busy eating when he heard the question. He couldn’t help lifting his head.
“Huh?”
“I’m asking you.”
“Why are you asking me? I’m not going on a date with her.”
Wang Aitian sat beside him. As she listened to him, the corners of her lips rose uncontrollably.
She looked over instinctively.
Cen Yu happened to look over at the same time. Both their faces flushed, and they turned away in unison.
They were surprisingly innocent.
As an observer, Ji Liuyue silently took in every one of their reactions.
At that moment, Lu Nanxun suddenly asked, “Would you like some milk sago?”
Ji Liuyue froze, puzzled. “Did Cen Yu make dessert too?”
A faint smile touched Lu Nanxun’s lips as he said gently, “I made it. I thought you might want something sweet tonight. Shall I get you a bowl?”
“Okay.”
Ji Xizhou, who was sitting beside Dr. Lu, heard the entire exchange.
He couldn’t help looking frustrated.
Damn it! How had he not thought of going to the kitchen to make something delicious for Yueyue?
But now he had learned his lesson.
Although the breakfast he had prepared with love had ended up being eaten by Liu Qingye by mistake, he could still make her some dessert.
The others hadn’t heard what the two of them had said. They only saw Dr. Lu sitting there before suddenly getting to his feet and heading toward the kitchen. One by one, they lifted their heads to watch him go.
Ji Mingtian, whose voice was especially loud, even asked, “Old Lu, where are you going?”
Lu Nanxun didn’t answer right away. He first brought the bowl of milk sago he had prepared and placed it in front of Ji Liuyue.
Only then did he slowly turn his gaze toward Ji Mingtian.
“I made something for Yueyue to drink.”
Favoritism!
This was blatant favoritism!
In full view of everyone, he had announced that he had specially made it for Ji Liuyue and had even carried it right to her. He hadn’t held back in the slightest.
He was leaving himself no room to retreat.
Wang Aitian was both surprised and impressed. She silently gave him a thumbs-up.
Zhang Weiyi watched them with an auntie-like smile.
Only Liu Qingye knitted her brows slightly, utterly confused.
How was it that wherever Ji Liuyue went, there was always some lovesick man fawning over her?
Xu Jinsi had just left, and now Dr. Lu had appeared.
The key was that both of them were male guests who had gone on dates with her. Just what kind of charm did she possess to make so many men turn their attention toward her?
Strange!
That afternoon, Liu Qingye had still been sympathizing with Ji Liuyue for being abandoned by Xu Jinsi, who had supposedly turned to the new female guest instead—that was Liu Qingye’s interpretation of the situation.
Yet that very evening, Dr. Lu had come over like a devoted, attentive puppy.
It made her feel both envious and jealous.
Were Ji Liuyue’s tricks really that impressive?
She was curious. Should she ask her?
This was the second time Liu Qingye had found herself wanting to discuss the art of being a heartbreaker with Ji Liuyue.
She figured she wasn’t any worse than Ji Liuyue. So why did she keep suffering crushing defeats whenever Ji Liuyue was involved?
Ji Mingtian was as loud and straightforward as ever. He even raised his voice, clearly trying to play matchmaker.
“Oh! So you made it especially for Yueyue? Can we have some too?”
He deliberately drew out the last syllable, acting like a goofy comedian.
Ji Liuyue shot him a glance.
She really wanted to say, Bro, goofy comedians don’t stand a chance on a dating show.
With you acting like this, how could Yezi ever fall for you? She probably thinks even using you as a backup would be embarrassing.
Lu Nanxun gave him a cool look.
“If you want some, make it yourself. There’s uncooked sago in the refrigerator.”
Ji Mingtian looked both disappointed and deeply wounded. He let out a heavy sigh.
“How tragic. Not only did I miss out on a candlelit dinner tonight, I can’t even have Dr. Lu’s love-filled sago dessert.”
Cen Yu teased from the side, “That’s what you get for not being Dr. Lu’s crush.”
Ji Mingtian put on an exaggerated expression. “I’m surnamed Ji too. How about I fly to Thailand tomorrow?”
Just as he said this, Ji Xizhou, who was sitting across from them, suddenly stood up. Carrying his empty bowl and chopsticks, he headed toward the kitchen.
Ji Mingtian quickly called after him, “Just leave the dishes in the sink. It’s my turn to wash them tonight.”
Ji Xizhou gave a soft “Mm.”
Then he walked out of the kitchen alone.
Everyone silently shifted their gazes to Ji Liuyue and Lu Nanxun.
The atmosphere became somewhat subtle.
Several people knew that Ji Xizhou liked Ji Liuyue. He had probably been unable to bear watching everyone tease her about Dr. Lu, so he had turned and left.
The corners of Liu Qingye’s lips lifted slightly.
Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity?
She was just about to reach for a tissue when Ji Mingtian quickly pulled out several clean ones and handed them to her.
“Yezi, here.”
“Thank you.”
Liu Qingye accepted them with a polite but insincere smile and dabbed elegantly at the corners of her lips.
She was preparing to get up and go outside to find Ji Xizhou.
This was her chance to make her move.
Who would have thought that before she could even stand, Ji Xizhou came rushing back into the dining room. Everyone turned to look at him in unison.
Their eyes widened in shock.
Because he was holding an enormous bouquet of flowers.
The bouquet was a riot of blossoms. Flowers in every bright color had been arranged together, yet they didn’t look chaotic at all. Instead, the composition was so artistic that it resembled a garden by Monet.
It was so large that it nearly covered his entire face, leaving only a pair of long, narrow eyes visible.
Just as everyone was wondering what was going on, Ji Xizhou walked over to Ji Liuyue and handed her the enormous bouquet.
Awkward but sincere, he said, “Yueyue, today isn’t any special occasion, but I wanted to give you a bouquet of flowers.”
Ji Liuyue hesitated for a moment. She could feel the gazes of everyone else upon them.
Ji Xizhou quickly added, “I’m not very good at choosing flowers, and I’m not very good with words either. I just want you to know that, in my world, you’ve always been someone who shines.”
“Whether it was the you from before or the you standing here now.”
Ji Liuyue understood what he meant by that last sentence.
Ji Xizhou was telling her: My feelings for you aren’t merely the affection I had back in our student days, nor are they the beautiful yet regretful feelings of loving someone I couldn’t have and keeping them in my memories.
I’ve thought it through.
The person I like is you—the complete you, including who you were before and who you are now.
She didn’t know when he had ordered the flowers. He had probably planned to give them to her quietly, when the two of them were alone.
But after seeing what Lu Nanxun had done, he had likely been unable to sit still.
He knew that if he didn’t make his feelings clear now, it would be too late.
Cen Yu and Ji Mingtian both flashed looks of admiration. Bro, you've really got guts!
