Marriage Seduction Addiction

Ji Yan's words were a clear rejection.

She didn't want to get close to Jiang Beiheng, her biological father, nor did she intend to contact or get to know him.

Between Yan Shiyu and her so-called biological father, she chose the former without hesitation, leaving no room for discussion or change.

Jiang Beiheng probably didn't expect her to answer like that. After a moment of silence, he finally smiled slightly again, "It's okay, there's plenty of time in the future, no need to rush."

Ji Yan lowered her eyes slightly and did not respond.

As Ji Yan was about to leave after dinner, she went to the restroom. Jiang Beiheng stood there watching her back, his expression inevitably revealing a sense of melancholy.

Tang Xu wanted to say something, but felt that nothing she said would be appropriate, so she could only stand awkwardly to the side, waiting for Ji Yan to return.

Jiang Beiheng seemed to sense something and turned to look at her. "You have something to say?"

Tang Xu pursed her lips gently. "It's nothing more than the same old words. You have so much life experience, why would you need me to comfort you? Besides, the more I comfort you, the more hypocritical I seem."

Jiang Beiheng glanced at her and said, "You must have been very happy to hear her say that she only wanted to live with her brother, right?"

Tang Xu said, "If I told you I was unhappy, that would be a lie. After all, I saw with my own eyes how long he had been waiting for this day."

Jiang Beiheng said, "No wonder you two are good friends. You once said that you would stand firmly on Yan Shiyu's side, and now she has made the same choice as you."

“But you haven’t lost anything because of this,” Tang Xu said. “You are still the elder I respect most, and you are still her blood father. These things will never change.”

Jiang Beiheng raised his hand and tapped her on the forehead. "You little brat, are you indirectly criticizing me for not fulfilling my responsibilities and obligations as a father?"

Tang Xu said, feeling wronged, "Would I dare to be so sarcastic with you?"

Jiang Beiheng remained silent for a moment, then finally sighed and said, "Even though this choice isn't what I wanted, I can tell she's very happy. Much happier than before."

“Yes,” Tang Xu said, “isn’t this the result we all wanted to see?”

Jiang Beiheng remained silent for a moment.

When Ji Yan returned to the two of them and looked at Tang Xu, she said, "Let's go."

Tang Xu nodded, and Ji Yan then looked at Jiang Beiheng again. After hesitating for a moment, she finally said, "Goodbye, Mr. Jiang."

Jiang Beiheng's gaze fell on her face, and finally, he smiled slightly and said, "Take good care of yourself. If anything happens, you can call me anytime."

"Thank you," Ji Yan said softly, then quickly left with Tang Xu.

Only after getting into the car did Tang Xu turn to look at her and ask, "How are you feeling? Are you uncomfortable? Are you feeling awkward?"

"I didn't feel anything. It was just a meeting and a few words. What could I possibly feel?" Ji Yan retorted.

"I was just worried that you might be upset. If you are, your brother will blame me for arranging your meeting."

"Don't give me that." Ji Yan glanced at her and said, "It would be a miracle if my brother were to blame you."

“If I really made you uncomfortable, I’ll blame myself,” Tang Xu said. “So you have to tell me the truth.”

Ji Yan turned to look at her and said helplessly, "It's really nothing. To me, he's really a stranger. How much would it feel to meet a stranger? It was just a normal meal. We cleared things up, and I actually felt relieved. Isn't that good?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Xu suddenly couldn't help but reach out and hug her.

"You might not believe it, but since you woke up, there have been times when I still feel like I'm dreaming..."

"It can't be a dream," Ji Yan gently patted her. "I like my life now, and I don't want you to wake up one day to find that we're back to the way things were before."

Tang Xu chuckled and hugged her even tighter, but then he suddenly thought of Lu Xingyan and felt a little down. However, he couldn't bring it up abruptly, so he could only suppress it for the time being.

Unexpectedly, when the two of them returned home that afternoon, they happened to see Lu Xingyan walking his dog outside the residential area.

Not only Lu Xingyan, but also a bright and beautiful girl in sportswear, walking a dog.

Two dogs were playing happily in front of the two people. Lu Xingyan was watching the two dogs, while the girl was slightly raising her face and talking to Lu Xingyan, her eyes sparkling.

The car passed by the two of them, and Tang Xu finally looked away, turning to Ji Yan: "Did you see Lu Xingyan?"

Ji Yan calmly replied, "I saw it."

Who is that girl? Have you seen her before?

"I met her once when I was walking my dog. She was also a resident of the community. I think her surname was Qin. She was pretty and had a very lively personality."

Tang Xu couldn't help but glance at her again, then quickly looked away and tried to speak, "Could it be that Lu Xingyan is planning a pet romance? What do you think?"

Ji Yan chuckled softly and said, "Isn't that great?"

Tang Xu's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't say anything more.

When Tang Xu got home, he didn't close the front door. He sat on the sofa playing on his phone while listening to the sounds outside.

So when Lu Xingyan and Kimi's elevator arrived at their floor, Tang Xu heard the noise immediately and called out to Lu Xingyan as he passed by the door.

As Lu Xingyan entered, Ji Yan came out of the room. The moment their eyes met, Lu Xingyan's previously gloomy expression softened considerably. "You two went out again today?"

Ji Yan nodded slightly. Tang Xu lay on the sofa watching him. "Didn't you just go out too? How did your chat with Miss Qin go?"

Lu Xingyan's expression, which had just eased, instantly darkened again. She looked at Tang Xu with some suspicion, "How do you know Miss Qin?"

Tang Xu pointed directly at Ji Yan, "I don't know her, but she does."

Lu Xingyan immediately turned to look at Ji Yan, her expression slightly complicated.

"I didn't mean to gossip," Ji Yan quickly said. "I just happened to see you chatting and remembered that I had met Miss Qin last time, so I mentioned it. But who knows, it might actually come true?"

"What come true?" Lu Xingyan's expression immediately changed.

“You and Miss Qin,” Ji Yan said, “look, you live in the same neighborhood, you both have dogs, you're about the same age, and you're both handsome and beautiful… so there’s a good chance it could really happen, isn’t there?”

She spoke sincerely and earnestly, but Tang Xu's heart suddenly jumped into her throat.

Because she keenly sensed that someone was gradually releasing resentment and a low-pressure atmosphere, slowly eroding the entire room.

But Ji Yan seemed oblivious to everything and continued, "If there's ever good news, don't forget to let us know so we can share in your joy."

Lu Xingyan seemed genuinely angry, and actually nodded, saying, "Don't worry, we're neighbors after all, I'll definitely let you know if there's any good news."

After saying this, he didn't linger. He turned around and walked out, slamming the door shut as he returned to his residence.

Ji Yan and Tang Xu looked at each other for a moment before slowly asking, "Did I say something wrong?"

Tang Xu sat there stiffly for a moment before smiling and saying, "He's probably just in a bad mood. What does it have to do with us?"

Ji Yan pondered for a moment, shrugged, and quickly smiled again, "Then let's talk when he's in a better mood."

……

That evening, while Tang Xuchen and Ji Yan were taking a shower, Tang Xuchen went out and arrived at Lu Xingyan's door. He skillfully entered the password and opened the door.

The sky had completely darkened, but the lights in the room were not on. Lu Xingyan sat alone on the sofa in front of the French windows, the neon lights of the city outside illuminating only a figure that was extremely lonely.

Tang Xu turned on the floor lamp next to him, and frowned as she looked at the wine bottles and glasses in front of him. "You just had a hangover yesterday, and you're drinking again today? Are you trying to kill yourself!"

Lu Xingyan remained seated there, offering no response.

Seeing his expression, Tang Xu reached out and gently nudged him. "Don't be angry. She probably just said it casually, without thinking..."

“Words spoken without thinking are more representative of one’s true feelings, aren’t they?” Lu Xingyan said, picking up the wine glass in front of him again and tilting his head back to drink the wine in one gulp.

Tang Xu didn't stop him, but sat down beside him and said, "It hasn't been that long, and you've already lost your patience again. We've endured almost ten years, so why are you so impatient now? Didn't we agree to give her time and take it slow?"

"Isn't that slow enough? How slow have I been?" Lu Xingyan said. "Being aggressive won't work, and neither will slowing down or calming down... I finally understand. I've seriously overestimated myself. Maybe I'm just not her type at all... Maybe from the very beginning, since high school, it was all just wishful thinking on my part. I thought we were just one step away, I thought I just hadn't received her answer yet... But in reality, even if she had answered me back then, the answer would probably have been the same. She simply doesn't like me, from the beginning until now, no matter what stage of her life she's in, she'll never like me... right?"

Upon hearing his words, Tang Xu was momentarily at a loss for words.

Because during high school, although there were many times when the three of them went together, Tang Xu didn't really focus her energy on the two of them. As a result, she didn't know when Lu Xingyan fell in love with Ji Yan, what kind of experiences they had together, how things developed, how Lu Xingyan confessed his feelings, or how Ji Yan felt about his confession.

To be honest, she's really not qualified to be a friend.

Now, Ji Yan has lost her past memories, and even if she is willing to share all her emotions with her now, Tang Xu has no way of knowing the answer from back then.

So now, when Lu Xingyan says these self-deprecating words, she doesn't know how to comfort him.

In the end, all she could do was reach out and give Lu Xingyan a hug.

“Although I really hope you can get what you want, the truth is, we also care about her feelings. None of us want to, and cannot, force her.” Tang Xu leaned on his shoulder and said, “If this relationship is really causing you so much pain, if you no longer feel joy or happiness when you see her, then why continue to torture yourself like this?”

"You mean, you want me to give up, right?"

Tang Xu certainly knew how easy it was to say the word "give up," but how difficult it was to actually do it.

If it were truly so easy to give up, Lu Xingyan would have already done so during the years after her tragic death.

Now she's back. After more than ten years of perseverance and waiting, just when happiness seemed within reach, she's plunged into such pain—

You cannot proceed forward.

Giving up is hard to accept, I'm unwilling, and I'm resentful.

“Even if I told you to give up, you wouldn’t,” Tang Xu said. “I just want you to relax a little… Lu Xingyan, give yourself some breathing space. If this continues, you’ll drive yourself crazy.”

……

The next day, Lu Xingyan left Huai City.

Ji Yan learned of this news that evening.

She met a stranger in the elevator, and they went up to the same floor.

There were only two households on this floor to begin with: them and Lu Xingyan. Ji Yan couldn't help but be wary.

She stood in the elevator and watched as the person got out first, walked straight to Lu Xingyan's door, entered the password with a few clicks, and went inside.

How could a complete stranger know Lu Xingyan's home access code?
Ji Yan couldn't help but stand at the door and look over there again and again. Tang Xu, who was inside the house, noticed her movements and couldn't help but ask, "What are you standing there looking at?"

“I saw someone go into that house over there,” Ji Yan said. “I don’t know who it was.”

Tang Xu heard this and came over to take a look, only to see the person leading Kimi out.

As soon as Kimi saw Ji Yan, it ran enthusiastically towards her. Ji Yan bent down and gently stroked its head before looking up at the person in front of her.

But then Tang Xu asked, "Are you here to help Mr. Lu take care of Kimi?"

"Yes," the other person replied. "Mr. Lu instructed me to come twice a day to take Kimi for a walk."

That was considered a greeting. After saying goodbye, the man quickly led Kimi into the elevator.

Ji Yan then turned to Tang Xu, "Why is someone suddenly here to help take care of Kimi? Where is Lu Xingyan?"

He left this morning, didn't I tell you?

Ji Yan gently shook her head.

"He said he was going away for a while," Tang Xu said. "I don't know what he's busy with, or how long he'll be gone. He just left without saying anything."

Upon hearing this, Ji Yan simply gave a soft "oh" and said nothing more before heading towards the bathroom.

Tang Xu sat on the sofa, watching her figure, and couldn't help but sigh softly.

Her words were half true and half false. The false part was that she actually knew Lu Xingyan had gone to Rong City, ostensibly to manage his business there, but in reality, it was also to give herself some time and space to think things through.

She really didn't know how long Lu Xingyan would be gone.

After all, Ji Yan's words had such a huge impact on him that he might need to stay there for ten days or half a month to calm down.

Unsurprisingly, Ji Yan didn't pay much attention to it. It was as if she listened and then said nothing more.

Two days later, in the early morning, Lu Xingyan returned to Huai City.

As he dragged his somewhat weary body to another door, he inevitably stopped and paused for a moment at the entrance.

At that moment, my subconscious still wanted to see the people inside, even if it was just for a glimpse—

However, whether the person he wanted to see went or returned had absolutely no impact on her.

Why bother them at a time like this?

In the end, Lu Xingyan went straight to her residence.

The moment the door opened, warm light poured out of the room.

Lu Xingyan was stunned for a moment.

The smart lights in the room were supposed to gradually turn on, but the lights were clearly already on the moment he opened the door—

Is someone inside?
Before he could react, Kimi heard the noise and rushed over, excitedly pouncing on him.

Lu Xingyan's heart, which had just experienced a slight fluctuation, instantly returned to its original state.

It's probably a dog walker who left the light on specifically for Kimi.

Lu Xingyan gently patted Kimi's head and was about to change her shoes when she looked down and suddenly saw a pair of light gray women's slippers in the entryway.

Immediately afterwards, a figure he couldn't let go of appeared out of the corner of his eye.

Lu Xingyan turned around abruptly and saw Ji Yan standing barefoot in the room.

Their eyes met, and they remained silent.

Lu Xingyan only snapped out of his daze when Kimi couldn't resist nuzzling him with its head. At the same time, Ji Yan gave an awkward smile. "I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep tonight, and I was worried about Kimi being home alone, so I came to check on it. I apologize for coming in without permission; I should have told you... I'll be going now."

She walked over with her head down, and was about to bend down to get her shoes when she suddenly heard Lu Xingyan say, "I've given you the password, so you can come over anytime without having to apologize."

"But it's really not appropriate to come in like this. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." Ji Yan genuinely felt embarrassed.

Sneaking into someone's house in the middle of the night is already wrong, but to be caught by the homeowner when they suddenly return is just too embarrassing.

She really didn't want to stay a moment longer and just wanted to escape quickly. After putting on her shoes, she prepared to leave, but unexpectedly, Lu Xingyan was still standing there, blocking the door.

Ji Yan had no choice but to look up at him again and say, "You must be very tired to come back at this time. Get some rest."

After hearing this, most people would have let her leave.

But Lu Xingyan just stood there motionless.

“Meeting you at this time, you don’t even ask me where I came from,” Lu Xingyan suddenly said.

"Huh?" Ji Yan seemed to only then realize what was happening. "Then...where did you come from?"

Lu Xingyan was unsure whether she should laugh.

It's rather funny to be reminded and asked questions like this.

What's even funnier is that he couldn't stop thinking about her for the two days he was away. In her heart, he wasn't as important as Kimi.

When she couldn't sleep at night, she would think of Kimi and secretly run over to see him while he was home alone, but when she saw him, she wouldn't say a single extra word.

Lu Xingyan couldn't laugh out loud, nor did he answer her question. After a moment of silence, he suddenly asked, "Are you interested in raising Kimi?"

Ji Yan was taken aback. "What do you mean?"

“I’m going back to the US in a couple of days,” Lu Xingyan said. “I could have boarded Kimi as usual, but since you like him so much, I was thinking, maybe you’d like to keep him?”

Ji Yan's gaze froze for a moment before she said, "You're giving Kimi to me to raise, but what about you? You...aren't you coming back?"

"I guess the chances of him coming back are slim," Lu Xingyan said. "If the timing isn't right, he might really not come back."

After saying this, Ji Yan fell silent, as if she didn't know what to say.

Lu Xingyan waited quietly for a moment, then finally asked again, "So, are you willing to raise Kimi?"

"Oh," Ji Yan responded softly, then looked at him again and said, "If you feel comfortable entrusting it to me, then I am definitely willing."

Lu Xingyan nodded slowly, then looked down at Kimi at her feet and said, "Finding it a good home before I leave is the best I can do for it."

Ji Yan pursed her lips gently, seemingly pondering for a long time, before finally finding a question to ask him: "When will you leave?"

"The day after tomorrow, or the day after that," Lu Xingyan said. "Don't worry, I'll give it to you before I leave."

"I mean, before you leave, let me treat you to a meal," Ji Yan said. "Thank you for taking care of me before."

Lu Xingyan couldn't help but look at her face again and again.

In fact, he knew what he wanted to see.

He just wanted to see even the slightest hint of reluctance in her eyes...

But in the end, it was just a fantasy.

Her eyes were so calm, so calm that there wasn't a ripple in them.

It was so calm, like saying goodbye to an ordinary person.

Oh, he's just an ordinary person.

That's it.

"It was nothing, and besides, I have a good relationship with your brother and Tang Xu, so it's only right that I take care of you. If anyone's going to treat me to a meal, it'll be them, not you."

After he finished speaking, Ji Yan couldn't help but look up and meet his gaze. She seemed surprised by his answer, and a hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes.

With just that one glance, Lu Xingyan instantly felt as if she had said something very harsh and hurtful. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Anyway, there are still two days left. Let's talk about it then."

Ji Yan nodded slightly in response.

Lu Xingyan glanced at her again, and finally turned slightly to let her pass.

Ignoring Kimi's attempts to stop her, Ji Yan quickly passed in front of him and walked away without pausing.

Lu Xingyan stood at the door, watching her open the door and go in, and then hearing the door close. After a long while, he finally turned around and closed his own door, but he was too lazy to take another step forward. He leaned back and sat down on the floor, looking at Kimi beside him, without moving for a long time.

……

The next morning, Lu Xingyan was still in a hazy sleep when he was suddenly pulled out of bed.

He opened his eyes and saw Tang Xu sitting by his bedside, staring at him with wide eyes. "What's wrong with you? Didn't you go to Rong City to relax? Why did you come back in the middle of the night yesterday? What do you mean by suddenly saying you want to go back to America?"

Lu Xingyan, who was still somewhat drowsy, suddenly woke up when she heard Tang Xu's words.

There was no other reason than that he had hoped to hear these words from Ji Yan, even just one sentence.

But she couldn't bear to say a single word more to him.

He sat there with his eyes downcast, and after a long while, he answered weakly, "I just want to go back, what's the point?"

"Why?" Tang Xu asked. "Did something happen?"

"It's nothing, it's just that my mom gave me an ultimatum, saying that if I don't go back, she won't acknowledge me as her son." Lu Xingyan rubbed his face vigorously. "Yeah, I'm already this age, and I still don't have anything productive to do all day long. I'm just drifting around aimlessly, not knowing what I'm doing. It's really a mess, isn't it?"

Tang Xu was momentarily at a loss for words, and after a pause, she asked, "And what about her?"

"Isn't she quite happy? With you and Mr. Yan... As for me, what difference does it make whether I'm here or not?"

"And what about you? Are you happy?"

"Since I'm not going to be happy anyway, I might as well do what you said and give myself some time and space. Maybe... I'll gradually forget about it."

Tang Xu stared at him for a moment before saying, "I've never seen you forget those years before... Why lie to yourself?"

“It’s different.” Lu Xingyan sighed softly. “It really is different now. Before, I was resentful, feeling that she owed me an answer, but I could never get that answer, so I always held a grudge. But now, she’s back, and her attitude clearly tells me that the answer was never what I expected in the first place… So, I should give up.”

After a moment of silence, he added—

"I will give up."

Seeing his condition, Tang Xu had no other choice.

Besides, who can say that this isn't a good ending?
After a pause, Tang Xu added, "She said she wanted to invite you to dinner, but you declined."

Upon hearing this, Lu Xingyan twitched the corner of his mouth before saying, "What difference does it make whether I eat it or not? It's all the same anyway."

"Then Yan Shiyu and I invite you, are you coming? How about we eat at home? We might not have time today, we have to go help out at the senior activity center later. How about tomorrow night?"

"Community canteen?"

"Well, it's quite a coincidence. The day before yesterday, I ran into a former high school classmate who was doing a promotional event around here. She recognized us and told us about the activity center. She felt that she hadn't done anything meaningful since she woke up, so she agreed to volunteer today. She can't break her promise, so today is really impossible. No matter how urgent it is, you have to make time for tomorrow night, understand?"

As Lu Xingyan listened to her words, he lay back down on the bed without answering, and simply closed his eyes as if he had fallen asleep again.

……

Tang Xu and Ji Yan spent the entire morning helping out at the senior activity center.

Because it's a newly established activity center, many things are still not perfect. In addition, the senior community canteen is opening today, making the whole scene even busier and requiring manpower.

Because Ji Yan's hand had not fully recovered and she could not do any heavy work, she was assigned to do some inventory and record-keeping work, while Tang Xu was responsible for some setup and cleaning work.

The two worked separately, each busy with their own tasks, and didn't see each other all morning.

However, as Ji Yan was carefully checking the ingredients that had just been delivered to the warehouse, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind her: "This place is a bit too empty. We need a few more shelves. Have someone send some over later. Rice, flour, and cooking oil can all be placed on them. They'll be clean, moisture-proof, and easy to access."

Ji Yan turned around in a daze, and sure enough, she saw Lu Xingyan.

He was wearing the same volunteer vest and was talking to Gao Yao, who was in charge of the senior activity center, as he placed a large bucket of oil on the ground.

Gao Yao was overjoyed upon hearing this, "Judging from your tone, you can help me make arrangements? Then I will thank you on behalf of the elderly in the community."

Lu Xingyan gave a slight "tsk" before turning her head and seemingly casually meeting Ji Yan's gaze.

Seeing this, Gao Yao immediately said, "Oh, right, this is my high school classmate, Xu Xing... oh no, no, your name is Ji Yan now. Look at my brain, I almost forgot again! Thank you for your hard work! This is Lu Xingyan, she's also from our high school. Do you know her? If not, let's get to know each other now. Thank you all for coming to help."

Ji Yan nodded slightly and said, "I know him."

"It's good that we know each other!" Gao Yao said happily. "I'm so lucky to have met you all here to help. Thank you for your hard work. We'll rest and eat after the cafeteria closes for lunch. Thank you, classmates!"

He finished speaking hastily and turned to attend to other matters.

Ji Yan watched him leave, then looked at Lu Xingyan, who was standing in the warehouse studying the dimensions, and asked, "Why did you come to help too?"

Lu Xingyan turned and looked at her, saying, "My old classmate called, and since I had nothing else to do, I thought I'd come over."

Ji Yan smiled and nodded, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, keep it up."

There was still a lot of stuff waiting for Lu Xingyan to do outside, so he didn't respond to Ji Yan and turned to walk out.

The volunteers only had their lunch and rest time after the cafeteria closed for lunch.

As Ji Yan finished recording a task and walked out of the warehouse, she ran into Gao Yao, who was delivering food to her.

There were chairs nearby, so Gao Yao placed the two boxed meals on them and said, "These are for you and Lu Xingyan. I'll bring them over to you so you don't have to go to the cafeteria. I didn't prepare much today, so please make do with them and don't mind."

As Ji Yan picked up her own lunchbox, she asked him, "Where's Tang Xu?"

"Oh, an elderly lady suddenly forgot what she was doing while eating and couldn't remember where she was going. Tang Xu happened to be nearby and helped her get home. Don't worry, I saved some food for her. If necessary, I'll treat her to a meal later!"

Ji Yan smiled and opened the lunchbox.

Although the lunchbox was simple, it contained three dishes, which was a nice comfort for someone who had been busy all morning.

But as he picked up his chopsticks, Ji Yan seemed to suddenly remember something and asked him, "Are all the dishes in the lunchboxes the same?"

"Yes, it's from the cafeteria. We just make do with what's left over, whatever's available. Is there a problem? Is there anything you don't eat?"

"No, no, I eat everything," Ji Yan quickly replied, adding, "I just think the food is pretty good, and this community canteen will definitely grow and thrive."

Gao Yao laughed heartily, then said, "Then you can eat slowly. I still need to go to other places to see if I've missed anyone."

Ji Yan nodded and watched him leave. Her gaze fell on another lunchbox. After a pause, she opened that lunchbox as well.

The two lunch boxes were indeed identical, with rice topped with stir-fried edamame and pork, cold spinach salad, and stir-fried chicken with mushrooms.

Ji Yan picked up her chopsticks and removed all the mushroom and chicken from one of the dishes, then covered the empty space with another dish of stir-fried edamame and pork.

When Lu Xingyan came out of the bathroom with his hair still wet, he saw Ji Yan sitting alone in the distance. He paused for a moment, then walked over to her.

As he walked over, Ji Yan had just put down her chopsticks and covered the boxed lunch in her hand.

"Why are you alone? Where is Tang Xu?" Lu Xingyan asked.

“She took an elderly person home and hasn’t come back yet,” Ji Yan replied, then handed him another boxed meal. “Gao Yao just brought it over. He said there wasn’t much food left, so we should just make do with this.”

Lu Xingyan reached out and took the lunchbox, opened it and glanced at the food filled with stir-fried edamame and pork. Without saying anything, he picked up his chopsticks and began to eat heartily.

Ji Yan sat beside her, quietly sipping her water.

Neither of them spoke, and they remained silent until Lu Xingyan finished her meal. Only then did Ji Yan speak again: "Give it to me, I'll take it to the recycling center later."

"I'll take it," Lu Xingyan said. "Give me your lunchbox."

"No need, you've worked so hard all morning. I only do odd jobs, this is nothing."

Lu Xingyan didn't say anything more after hearing this and handed the lunchbox to her.

Ji Yan picked up two lunchboxes, got up, and headed towards the cafeteria.

Lu Xingyan sat there, staring blankly at her back. Even though he forced himself to look away countless times, he still followed her all the way.

Ji Yan's inventory and record-keeping work was almost finished. After the meal, she took charge of distributing flyers and explaining the promotional work, while Lu Xingyan continued to work in the warehouse. The two did not meet again.

Around 3 p.m., Lu Xingyan finished her work, drenched in sweat.

Gao Yao happened to be carrying a bag of popsicles to offer his condolences. Seeing Lu Xingyan's condition, Gao Yao repeatedly thanked him for his hard work and personally tore off the popsicle wrappers and handed them to him.

"Based on your observations today, do you have any suggestions for us?" Gao Yao asked.

Lu Xingyan took a bite of half an ice pop and then said, "Yes. The food was awful... it tasted like mushrooms."

Gao Yao's face fell. "Young Master, don't judge our senior citizens' canteen by your own taste. We serve the elderly, so of course we have to cater to their tastes—but the mushroom and chicken dish doesn't taste like mushrooms. What flavor would you like?"

"What kind of mushroom and chicken stir-fry?" Lu Xingyan asked.

Gao Yao was taken aback. "The dish for lunch today, the mushroom and chicken stir-fry, didn't you get to eat it? Isn't it normal for the mushroom and chicken stir-fry to taste like mushrooms?"

Lu Xingyan suddenly stopped eating the popsicle.

After a long while, he slowly spoke—

"Hmm. There are no shiitake mushrooms in my lunchbox." (End of Chapter)