binnovel Chapter 266 Did the neighbors come over for dinner today? 4
Chapter 266 Did the neighbors come over for dinner today? 4
And so, coming over for dinner every night seemed to become their unspoken way of getting along.
As they spent more time together, Lu Yan seemed to begin to reveal his sharp-tongued side.
Like one day, Jiang Shuwan stood at the door holding two cucumbers, smiling like a little squirrel showing off its treasure:
"Lu Yan! Look what I bought! Cucumbers so fresh they're practically dripping with juice! Let's make some cucumber salad tonight!"
Lu Yan looked at the two cucumbers, his brows furrowing: "Miss Jiang, do you feel you've gained weight recently and need to 'scrape' some fat?"
"How can it be!"
She squeezed through the door, put the cucumber in the kitchen, and said, "I was just worried you'd get tired of eating meat all the time. A balanced diet of meat and vegetables is healthier! Watch me show you how to cook!"
Lu Yan curled his lip in disgust: "How delicious can smashed cucumber be!"
As a result, that night, Lu Yan ate more of the cucumber salad that was served extra on the table than anyone else.
Another day, she brought over a carton of eggs with a "buy one get one free" label on it.
"The supermarket was having a discount on eggs today, so I grabbed two cartons. I'll share one with you!"
Lu Yan leaned against the door and took the eggs, examining the labels. His eyebrows were raised high. "Miss Jiang, you really know how to do business. So, which one are you giving me: the one you 'bought' or the one you 'gave away'?"
"Oh, they're all the same! Do you want it or not? If not, give it back to me!" she said, reaching for the box.
Lu Yan easily lifted the box to a height that Jiang Shuwan couldn't reach: "What's given away shouldn't be returned."
He lowered his eyes slightly, watching her jump twice in vain in front of him, and his hand involuntarily tapped her head lightly, the movement quick and gentle.
Taking advantage of Jiang Shuwan's inattention, he calmly turned around, but secretly curled the corner of his mouth: "Alright, dinner is ready."
Until Jiang Shuwan ran out of money for the month, she stood at the door, her shoulders drooping like a little dog soaked by the rain, her voice trembling with dejection: "Um, I didn't buy anything today, all my money for the month is gone..."
She looked up at Lu Yan, a sly glint in her eyes: "But I can take care of washing the dishes, mopping the floor, and wiping the table! I'll do all the cleaning in exchange for one meal. How about that? Isn't that a great deal?"
Lu Yan leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, and looked at her: "Miss Jiang, are you planning to come to my house for 'odd jobs'? Do you want me to calculate your hourly wage?"
"That works!" She nodded immediately, her eyes lighting up. "We'll do it at market price: washing the dishes once is equivalent to a meal of ribs, and mopping the floor once is equivalent to two bowls of rice. How about that?"
"not so good."
Lu Yan turned and walked inside, his tone impatient, but as she followed him in, he casually picked up a new pair of slippers from the entryway cabinet and placed them beside her feet. "I made braised pork today, if you dawdle any longer I'll eat it all."
Jiang Shuwan cheered, her movements as she took off her shoes filled with joy, completely forgetting that she had just said she wanted to "do odd jobs".
……
The autumn sun slanted across the river, turning the shimmering waves into gold leaf. The wind, carrying the dampness of the river, drifted into the open-air roller skating rink, bringing a touch of coolness.
Jiang Shuwan clung to the railing, watching the roller skaters weave through the arena like fish, their toes unconsciously rubbing against the ground.
She doesn't roller skate and wasn't planning on coming anyway.
But he couldn't resist the warm invitation from his childhood friend.
(Su Qiao: Would I, your sister, possibly trick you? Good news, come quick!)
Never mind, I'll just show my face briefly and then leave.
"Wanwan! Over here!"
A clear female voice came.
Su Qiao, on her roller skates, made a beautiful turn and came to a stop right in front of her, her movements as smooth as a nimble swallow.
Behind her was a tall, thin boy wearing black-rimmed glasses, who smiled shyly—Zhou Yan from the Computer Science Department, Su Qiao's boyfriend of just half a month.
Zhou Yan was accompanied by several familiar faces, including students from the computer science department and the art academy, totaling about seven or eight people, chatting and laughing in twos and threes.
"You're finally here!"
Su Qiao grabbed her wrist. "Let me tell you, Zhou Yan managed to lure that genius male god from their department here today. He's right there!"
Jiang Shuwan looked in the direction she pointed.
Lu Yan stood at the edge of the crowd, dressed in a simple white T-shirt and black pants, with black roller skates on his feet. He was upright but didn't move much, only occasionally glancing up at the arena, like an incongruous sculpture.
"Lu Yan?" Jiang Shuwan was a little surprised. "He's here too?"
Surprised?
Su Qiao lowered her voice and winked, "Zhou Yan said that it's rare for their project to have a phase report finished today, and Lu Yan also wanted to relax. You didn't see it, he was really good at skating just now."
"He can do this too?" Jiang Shuwan couldn't quite believe it.
“He’s more than just good at it,” Zhou Yan leaned in and revealed with a smile, “He won first place in roller skating speed at our department’s sports meet, but he’s just too lazy to exercise normally.”
As they were talking, Lu Yan seemed to notice their gazes, turned his head and looked over. His gaze lingered on Jiang Shuwan for two seconds before moving away.
"Come on, I'll teach you!" Su Qiao pulled her towards the field.
"No, no, no!" Jiang Shuwan quickly grabbed the railing. "You know I have zero athletic ability, so I won't embarrass myself. I'll just watch you guys play."
"What's the point of that!" Su Qiao persisted. "Everyone has a first time loving someone. Look at those guys over there, aren't they all beginners? Zhou Yan, don't you think so?"
Zhou Yan quickly nodded: "Yes, yes, it's okay, it doesn't hurt even if you fall."
"Don't just stand there, hurry up and change your shoes!" Su Qiao urged, then turned to the others, "Everyone, play by yourselves, I'll help Wanwan get used to it first!"
Jiang Shuwan was forced to sit on a bench by Su Qiao and awkwardly put on those heavy roller skates.
The moment the shoe buckle clicked shut, she felt as if her feet were sealed, heavy and unresponsive.
"Try standing up?" Su Qiao reached out her hand.
Jiang Shuwan, holding onto the back of the chair, carefully and unsteadily stood up.
As the wheels of her roller skates began to slip slightly, she immediately grabbed Su Qiao's arm tightly as if it were a lifeline.
"Relax, relax!" Su Qiao laughed so hard she couldn't straighten up. "Your posture really looks like a little penguin learning to walk for the first time!"
Several classmates around him smiled kindly.
Jiang Shuwan's cheeks burned. She tried to take a small step, but the wheels immediately slid forward, causing her to lose her balance and lean backward.
"what!"
A pair of arms gently supported her shoulders from the side.
Those hands were strong, and the warmth of their palms emanated through the thin fabric.
Jiang Shuwan, still shaken, turned her head and met a pair of calm eyes.
It is Lu Yan.
He glided over without warning, silently, like a shadow.
He stood beside her, his hand lightly supporting her waist to prevent her from leaning back again.
"Th-thank you..." Jiang Shuwan's voice trembled slightly, whether from fright or from his sudden approach, it was hard to tell.
Su Qiao watched from the side with her eyes shining, her mind racing with calculations.
She immediately released Jiang Shuwan's hand, took a step back, clapped her hands, and said in the most natural tone:
"Oh dear, I almost forgot! Zhou Yan said he'd teach me a few new moves! Why don't you teach Wanwan, Lu Shen? You're so skilled, you're definitely better than me, a half-baked amateur!"
After saying that, she didn't give them a chance to refuse. She glided precisely towards Zhou Yan, who was chatting with his classmates not far away, grabbed his arm, and even turned back to give Jiang Shuwan a thumbs-up.