He didn’t speak. Glancing at the girl’s radiant smile, Su Yichen chuckled softly and simply picked up the last steamed dumpling, putting it into his mouth.
This… was the most correct answer.
Su Yichen knew that in Shen Ran’s heart at this very moment, his position was more important than Jiang Jingjie’s.
Ever since Shen Ran came downstairs to wait for him this morning, Su Yichen had been suspicious, so he had just used the chopsticks to give her a little test…
As expected.
So, on this issue, if he told her that after this matter was finished, they would have no further connection, it would easily lead to a very awkward situation.
This was the biggest problem with this type of girl; their affection could easily shift.
“Then… Su Yichen.”
“What?”
“Nothing, it’s nothing.”
Shen Ran’s evasive gaze revealed she definitely had something to say, but couldn’t quite say it.
Su Yichen didn’t press further.
For him, he just wanted to help this girl who was so much like his past self. Mo Qingqiu putting Shen Ran and Luo Yueli together was undoubtedly just to watch their love triangle unfold.
If that dogblood plot happened, the one who’d suffer would most likely be Shen Ran.
It wasn’t that he didn’t care, but rather he felt it wouldn’t cause any real harm. As long as he could prevent her from becoming the tragic victim, that would be saving her.
As for whether Shen Ran and Jiang Jingjie could end up together, Su Yichen really wasn’t that concerned.
But, to be fair, after these two encounters…
Shen Ran was actually quite suitable to be a good opposite-sex friend.
He didn’t want to look for a lover anymore; he was completely numb to dating.
But pure friendship between a man and a woman seemed quite nice.
They could develop as friends.
Su Yichen made his judgment about Shen Ran.
“Su Yichen, there’s something I want to tell you.”
Su Yichen raised an eyebrow. “Go ahead. As long as it’s not telling me you like me, anything’s fine. We’re friends, good sisters. If I can help, I’ll definitely help you.”
Shen Ran opened her mouth, feeling the grievance of being forcefully handed a “good person card.”
But she still said, “It’s just… in a few days, I’m meeting up with two classmates from high school… they… they both have boyfriends. I didn’t make many friends in high school, so I’m only close with them.”
“Continue, and then?”
Su Yichen picked up the half-eaten meat bun and stuffed it into his mouth in one bite.
“I also want…”
Shen Ran’s hands twisted together, her index fingers bumping against each other.
With his mouth full, Su Yichen’s words were a bit muffled: “You want me to help you speed things up, right?”
Shen Ran’s head swayed like a duck’s before dropping onto the table.
“I get it. You want to advance your flirting skills.”
“No, no, no, it doesn’t have to be that rushed. What I mean is…”
“The 27th night?”
“That’s not impossible either. When is it? There’s still time, still time. I was just planning to give you special training today—”
“Um, Su Yichen, because you… actually…”
“You could also come with me.”
“Me come with you?!”
The bun was a bit big; Su Yichen was having real trouble swallowing it.
Seeing this, Shen Ran hurriedly unscrewed the mineral water bottle and handed it to Su Yichen.
“That’s not impossible either. Being a boyfriend is my specialty. I’ve done the rental boyfriend thing before, I guarantee your good sis—”
As he spoke, Su Yichen noticed the light in Shen Ran’s eyes gradually brightening.
What had she just said?
No, no, what had he just said…
Wait a minute?
What did you say?
Su Yichen decided to ask again. He suspected Shen Ran had secretly fed him a stupidity-reducing breakfast.
“It’s just… Su Yichen, I think… actually, you could come with me too.”
“Holy shit?”
Su Yichen stared blankly at Shen Ran.
“Did I hear that right?”
“You didn’t, Teacher Su.”
“Impressive.”
Thud.
The mineral water bottle in Su Yichen’s hand fell to the floor. He was stunned.
So this was how friends were supposed to be used.
Alright, Shen Ran.
Alright, Shen Ran.
***
On the rooftop of the College of Liberal Arts teaching building, Su Yichen leaned against the guardrail, a cigarette held between his fingertips, his expression somewhat melancholy.
He glanced back and saw Shen Ran standing behind him, looking very well-behaved.
Su Yichen couldn’t remember the last time he had uttered an exclamation like “Holy shit.”
And over a woman, at that.
Something even Mo Qingqiu hadn’t managed to accomplish, Shen Ran had done.
“Shen Ran.”
“I… I’m here.”
Shen Ran answered obediently.
Su Yichen pushed hard at the marginal glasses on the bridge of his nose, as if trying to see this woman more clearly.
But he really had already seen through her completely; all the pieces fit.
So how could there still be such an operation?
“Let’s sort this out. Give me your phone.”
Su Yichen held out a hand toward Shen Ran.
“Here.”
Shen Ran was being unbelievably obedient, handing over something like her phone that contained almost all her personal privacy without a second thought.
“Let me see, according to your chat history.”
“You agreed during a high school summer break that after entering university, you’d find boyfriends. Once two out of the three of you had found one, you could arrange a get-together.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes,” Shen Ran confirmed.
“So the single one gets awkwardly stuck, huh? What kind of sisterhood deep bond mutual pitfall scene is this…”
“No, it’s not like that. We’d help the single sister figure something out.”
Shen Ran explained: “I don’t want to be the single one either.”
“… But are you really good sisters?”
“So you wanted to grab Jiang Shao as a stand-in?”
“Not really.”
Shen Ran scratched her head. “I did feel a bit of attraction to him at first glance, during that self-introduction session.”
“Then why did it become me? Why invite me?”
“Getting along with you is pleasant.”
“Here’s the question, Shen Ran. Do you actually want to fall in love, or do you just want a tool to help you?”
“I… I think having both at the same time is best. Actually, I do want to find a boyfriend.”
“If you had to choose one?”
Shen Ran took only a few seconds before saying, “I’d still rather ask you.”
She didn’t answer directly, but the meaning was already clear.
The girl felt that the boy in front of her would definitely understand what she meant.
Su Yichen stroked his chin. After finishing the cigarette, he had also sorted out the situation.
The plot was changing fast, but it wasn’t so confusing he couldn’t understand.
“Student Shen Ran, I never imagined it would only take one day for you to abandon Jiang Jingjie.”
“After what happened yesterday, I realized I don’t really like that way of interacting with him.”
Shen Ran’s words sounded sincere. “If finding a boyfriend requires acting like that… it’s both restrictive and not free. It’s still more enjoyable talking with you.”
“Then forget it.”
As she spoke, she lowered her head again.
“A girl like me, who has no… no sense of romance, shouldn’t hold others back. Even if you helped me catch him… we probably still wouldn’t get along.”