After they had left, Zhou Ji finally walked towards the bookstore, not forgetting to touch his hair and tidy up his hairstyle.
Ning Zhiyu noticed someone approaching beside her and turned her head to take a look. Surprisingly, it was Zhou Ji.
There was no surprised expression on her face, only a calm inquiry, “Looking for me?”
Zhou Ji nodded expressionlessly and said, “I need to discuss something with you.”
Ning Zhiyu replied, “Go ahead.”
“Our team was supposed to have dinner together today, but the other three suddenly had something come up and left,” Zhou Ji paused for a moment and looked at her, “It’s just me, Duan Ye, and his girlfriend now. I don’t want to be a light bulb, and I can’t find anyone else right now.”
Ning Zhiyu understood his intention.
He wanted her to come along so that he wouldn’t be the odd one out.
Ning Zhiyu thought about it seriously.
Zhou Ji watched her without much expression, but his eyes were always paying attention to her.
Finally, Ning Zhiyu nodded, “Sure.”
Zhou Ji: “?”
She agreed so readily? He thought there would be some hesitation! He had even figured out that if she didn’t want to go, he would stay back, and the two of them could… maybe it wouldn’t be impossible…
Who knew she would agree like that?
Zhou Ji lifted the corners of his lips, a hint of a smile on his face.
When Jiang Yumo and Duan Ye came over here and saw Zhou Ji standing with Ning Zhiyu, Jiang Yumo was greatly surprised.
What’s going on here?
Then Zhou Ji casually announced, “The other three just said they had something to do and won’t eat with us.”
Jiang Yumo : “???”
Duan Ye’s expression was calm, as if he had already anticipated it.
“I’ll treat today,” Zhou Ji continued, “Let’s go find a nice restaurant to eat.”
Jiang Yumo : “?”
In the end, the four of them, a strange combination, arrived at a nearby Western restaurant.
Led by the waiter, they arrived at a private booth. Of course, Jiang Yumo wanted to sit with Ning Zhiyu. Duan Ye and Zhou Ji exchanged glances, feeling a bit awkward, quickly looked away, and sat together, scratching their noses.
Zhou Ji cleared his throat and, in a rare display of gentlemanly behavior, handed the menu to Ning Zhiyu. “Order whatever you want, don’t be polite.”
Ning Zhiyu received the menu but handed it to Jiang Yumo with a gentle expression and a soft tone. “Yumo, help me choose. I don’t know what to order, so you can help me decide.”
Jiang Yumo : “Sure!”
Duan Ye didn’t care about what to eat. Every time he went out with Jiang Yumo, she would always help him choose.
She wanted to try too many things, this and that.
Zhou Ji: …I give up.
As it turned out, in the end, Jiang Yumo was the one ordering.
Zhou Ji said impatiently, “Help me order too.”
To his surprise, Duan Ye, who rarely spoke to him, suddenly spoke up in a low and somewhat displeased tone, “No.”
Jiang Yumo immediately responded, “You can order by yourself~”
She could order for Duan Ye, because he was Duan Ye.
She could order for Ning Zhiyu, because Zhiyu was her good friend.
But she definitely wouldn’t order for Zhou Ji.
Zhou Ji is nobody to her.
Zhou Ji : “…”
—Fine! This couple is really irritating.
They ordered a table full of food, and Jiang Yumo ordered a fillet steak for herself. As she looked at the sizzling iron plate, she was worried that the juice might splash and burn her.
“Give it to me,” Duan Ye spoke up.
Jiang Yumo quickly handed him the knife and fork.
With Duan Ye around, there was no need to worry about these things.
Duan Ye took the knife and fork and carefully slid the iron plate closer. With his eyes lowered, he cut the steak into evenly sized pieces for her.
Zhou Ji was successfully enlightened.
Looking at Ning Zhiyu across the table, he awkwardly said, “Shall I help you cut as well?”
Ning Zhiyu looked up at him, and under his gaze, she skillfully cut the steak.
From a very young age, Ning Zhiyu has been self-reliant in terms of life. She has even killed fish, would she worry about such a small steak?
Zhou Ji : “.”
…
Eating Western food together with this group of four is truly a unique experience!
Jiang Yumo is not dense; she has long noticed some hints. She feels that Zhou Ji is overly concerned about Ning Zhiyu.
After thinking it over, she decides to first probe Duan Ye.
Duan Ye now plays basketball with Zhou Ji every day, so he must know something, right?
She hesitates a bit; it’s not appropriate to directly ask Duan Ye now, and she can’t exchange text messages with him in front of Ning Zhiyu and Zhou Ji.
Ning Zhiyu notices that Jiang Yumo has been looking at Duan Ye all the time and guesses that Jiang Yumo wants to talk to him.
Some things Jiang Yumo wants to say to Duan Ye, things that she and Zhou Ji can’t hear.
Ning Zhiyu has always been attentive and considerate, so she takes the initiative to say to Jiang Yumo, “Is there something you need to go out for?”
Jiang Yumo is shocked.
She even suspects that Ning Zhiyu may have activated some kind of ability, like being able to hear her thoughts.
Ning Zhiyu smiled and said, “You and Duan Ye must have something going on, but it’s alright. Go ahead and attend to your matters.”
Jiang Yumo was still somewhat hesitant.
Now she just wanted to figure out what exactly was going on with Zhou Ji.
“It’s just a little something,” she said, “but I’ll be back soon, it won’t take more than ten minutes.”
Ning Zhiyu smiled, “I understand, go ahead.”
Two minutes later, Jiang Yumo and Duan Ye walked out of the Western restaurant, and she hurriedly asked, “Is Zhou Ji pursuing Zhiyu? It must be, right?”
It was strange for those three people to suddenly leave, and then Zhou Ji even said he would treat them to a meal.
And just now, Zhou Ji actually volunteered to help Zhiyu cut the steak!
Duan Ye smiled at the corner of his lips, “I’m not sure.”
Jiang Yumo said, “Why are you like this? You don’t know anything, you’re not sure. Alright then, since you’re a guy too, tell me your thoughts and opinions! Don’t say you don’t know or you’re not sure. I will hit you.”
Duan Ye couldn’t help but open his mouth and said, “As long as the person he likes isn’t you, that’s enough for me. I really don’t care about anything else.”
Jiang Yumo chuckled, “What nonsense are you talking about? How could he possibly like me?”
But after laughing, she carefully pondered Duan Ye’s words and finally caught on.
She suddenly realized, “So, you’re saying he likes Zhiyu, right?”
Without waiting for Duan Ye to confirm or deny, she worriedly continued, “But I feel like Zhou Ji isn’t that great… I heard he’s fierce, and when other girls confess to him, he tells them to get lost. How should I put it… it feels like…”
He’s a little bit unworthy for Zhiyu!
Or rather, it’s not just a little bit, it’s a lot…
But she couldn’t bring herself to say these words.
Little did she know, her furrowed brow and tone of speech were just like she was Ning Zhiyu’s natal family.
Extremely cute.
‘Cute’ was the only word Duan Ye could think of.
In fact, in his world, anything he feels is related to the word ‘cute’ is her.
Jiang Yumo was still thinking about Ning Zhiyu. After clarifying the matter, she quickly pulled Duan Ye back to the restaurant. She specifically glanced at the time; they had been away for seven minutes.
Just now, Jiang Yumo and Duan Ye went out, using the excuse of “buying drinks.”
She said that the drinks at the Western restaurant were not tasty, and she only drinks a certain brand of lemon black tea.
Fortunately, there was a convenience store just across the street.
Ning Zhiyu knew that Jiang Yumo was making an excuse, but Zhou Ji didn’t think much about it. When they returned empty-handed, he asked, “Where are the drinks?”
Jiang Yumo solemnly replied, “Suddenly, I don’t feel like drinking anymore.”
Zhou Ji : “…”
He couldn’t help but raise his head and glanced at Duan Ye, giving him a look— Your woman is really something.
One idea in a moment.
Who can stand it?
Duan Ye casually glanced at him— Do you have a problem?