Chapter 12

Zhao Shuming lowered his eyelashes and laughed silently. Unfortunately, all he could do was be jealous, and his remaining sanity told him that he couldn’t intervene in Jiang Yimiao’s life to artificially change her choices.

Jiang Yimiao was fully focused on eating the large chicken leg in her hand, completely unaware of the strange look that flashed across Zhao Shuming’s face for a moment.

It wasn’t until she had gnawed all the meat from the bone cleanly that Jiang Yimiao realized the silence that the two had maintained for a long time.

She licked the gravy that remained at the corner of her mouth, somewhat unfulfilled, and when Jiang Yimiao raised her head, she saw Zhao Shuming looking at her. She pursed her lips again, worried that she had gotten something on her lips and wouldn’t be laughed at by Zhao Shuming.

The expression on Zhao Shuming’s face returned to what it looked like when it was normal, that serious yet gentle.

“There’s another chicken leg, eat more.” Zhao Shuming put another chicken leg into her bowl.

At banquets, the adults always loved to stuff the meaty and tender chicken legs to the little kids, but most little kids were a bit rebellious, and they didn’t want what the adults tried their best to give them.

However, Jiang Yimiao had been smart since she was a child, because chicken legs were the most delicious to her, so she was never ashamed to accept the chicken legs handed to her from adults.

A chicken with two legs, one for her and one for Zhao Shuming was just right, but because she liked chicken legs so much, Zhao Shuming gave her his own every time.

Even after growing up, he still did this.

Jiang Yimiao picked up the bowl to catch the chicken drumstick, cheerfully said “Thank you”, and lowered her head to continue eating.

“Take your time about finding a house, if there’s anything you need my help with, don’t be afraid to trouble me.” Zhao Shuming pulled up the corners of his mouth, revealing that trademark gentle smile of his.

With meat stuffed in her mouth, Jiang Yimiao raised her head to raise a smile at her and stammered out another hmmm.

The weather on Friday was generally as good as the day before, and there were already bursts of cicadas in the southern city in June. Just out of the company cafeteria, the two crooked neck trees on the roadside were filled with the sound of roaring cicadas, making people a little irritated.

Jiang Yimiao was ready to go with Cheng Wenyao this evening to look at the two houses she had favored.

Out of the air conditioning indoors, Jiang Yimiao was a little uncomfortable from the heat, and when she saw Cheng Wenyao’s car she quickly got into it, huffing and puffing from the heat.

“Fasten your seatbelt, I might be driving a little slow, you’re not allowed to dislike me.” Cheng Wen Yao lowered her head and input the address Jiang Yimiao gave her on her cell phone, and started to drive after the navigation.

“Drive slowly, there’s no rush.”

Jiang Yimiao was usually actually the type of person who wanted to complete a task quickly in a limited amount of time.

She wasn’t considered acute, but she definitely wasn’t a chronic person either. But when she subconsciously said these words, she suddenly felt that it was a bit of déjà vu, and it seemed like Zhao Shuming had said similar words to her many times.

Near Zhu is red, near ink is black, she felt like she was going to be infected by Zhao Shuming’s unhurried attitude.

Thinking of Zhao Shuming, Jiang Yimiao took out her cell phone from her bag and sent a message with him.

[I ate my fill at the company, now I’m going to look at houses with Yao Yao.]

Zhao Shuming sent her a received emoticon back.

[When will you be back home also let me know in advance.] He said back again.

Jiang Yimiao was used to Zhao Shuming being as meticulous as her mom, so she didn’t feel strange and quickly replied back to him with a ‘yes’.

“Chatting with someone?” Cheng Wenyao’s remaining light caught her green WeChat chat box.

“Oh, talking to Zhao Shuming to say I’m going to look at houses now and will be back later.”

“This all needs to be reported.” She joked.

“What report ah, just afraid that he will worry. You are not unaware that before I went to your house and came home late he was anxious.” Jiang Yimiao exited WeChat’s page and opened the novel she had just read halfway through during dinner and hadn’t finished yet.

Cheng Wenyao just smiled when she heard her say this, and didn’t reply to her words, and then focused on driving.

Friday’s evening rush hour was a bit scary, and the route on the navigation was all red.

Fortunately, the destination is not very far from the company, and when they arrived, the sky was still bright, so they were able to take a look at the lighting situation of the house.

The two houses that Jiang Yimiao looked at were both apartment houses, both on the same street. It’s not far from Zhao Shuming’s house, about two kilometers away.

One is on the sixth floor and the other on the ninth floor, both have elevators, one is closer to the subway station, and one is closer to the bus station.

The rent and area are also similar, both are one bedroom, one hall, one bathroom and one kitchen. Jiang Yimiao and Cheng Wenyao both felt that there was no difference between the two houses.

By the time they came down from upstairs there was a golden light hanging in the sky, splitting the air as the sun went down.

“Have you thought about which of the two houses to choose?” Cheng Wen Yao poked Jiang Yimiao’s arm.

Jiang Yimiao skimmed and shook her head, she was already torn, and even more so after looking at it, she felt that either one was quite good.

“I don’t know, I feel as if there is no difference. Why don’t we just order the soldiers and generals to choose which one?” She laughed.

“Didn’t you take some pictures, go back and ask your parents for their opinion, as well as Zhao Shuming.” Cheng Wenyao lowered her head and fastened her seatbelt.

“Also, go back and ask them, choose one depending on their eyes.” This was Jiang Yimiao’s first time to sit in Cheng Wenyao’s new car, she just had something on her mind on the way here, and only now did she start to get a little curious about the car, looking up and down, and touching everywhere.

“This puppy is so cute.”

Jiang Yimiao pointed to the only ornament on Cheng Wenyao’s car, it was a white plush puppy, a small sign was hanging on the puppy, writing Cheng Wenyao’s cell phone number.

“Did you want to pinch it.” Cheng Wen Yao hit the nail on the head.

“Kind of, can I pinch it?” This puppy was cute in Jiang Yimiao’s eyes, but it wasn’t as cute as her doll, so her weird sickness wasn’t very intense, but she still wanted to pinch it.

“Squeeze it, this weird disease of yours, it’s really cute too.” Cheng Wen Yao backed the car out, “Where are we going now, to the nearby mall? I ate too early in the evening, and I didn’t eat enough, I’m hungry now ……”

“Can ah, but I’m not very hungry, I’ll accompany you to eat on the line.”

Jiang Yimiao said while decisively reaching out and squeezing, the surface of the puppy ornament is plush decoration.

But in fact some hard, not expected soft, Jiang Yimiao consciously uninterested put down his hand.

Cheng Wenyao is new to the road, Jiang Yimiao does not dare to talk to her more to distract her attention, so the car is so quiet that you can hear the vibration of the cell phone she put in the bag, buzzing some disturbing, Jiang Yimiao took out her cell phone and found out that it was Zhao Shuming’s phone call.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” She turned her head towards the window, looking at a green tree that sped past in front of her eyes.

“Miao Miao, how’s it looking?” Zhao Shuming asked.

“Finished looking, I feel like they’re all pretty good, I haven’t decided which one to rent yet. Now I’m on my way.” Jiang Yimiao lowered her head and snapped her fingers.

“On your way home now? Yesterday, I heard you suddenly said you wanted to eat a cake, do you want to eat it now, I happen to be free, I can make it for you.”

“Uh, cake?!” Jiang Yimiao lifted her energy, “I want to eat it, I want to eat a chocolate flavored one.”

She turned her head to look at Cheng Wenyao and asked in a low voice, “Yao Yao, do you want to eat cake?”

“I’m fine with both.”

“Then let’s go home, back to my house, my Chef Zhao will make it for you.” Jiang Yimiao raised her chin cheerfully and changed the destination for the navigation.

Cheng Wen Yao had heard from Jiang Yimiao that Zhao Shuming was a good cook, and according to her unclear impression, it seemed that Zhao Shuming cooked for her when Jiang Yimiao was in middle school.

She changed directions without objection and drove to Zhao Shuming’s house.

Jiang Yimiao said into the cell phone receiver again, “I still want to eat ice cream, by the way, I’ll ask Cheng Wenyao to come along, is that okay?”

“Good, my home is your home, no need to be polite about this.” Zhao Shuming did not reveal a smile, after all, his purpose was achieved.

The sun had only completely set when he returned home, the sky wasn’t pitch black, but a deep blue color with a hint of brightness.

If she was going to Jiang Yimiao’s own home, Cheng Wenyao wasn’t that formal, but this was Zhao Shuming’s home, making her a little sociopathic.

She held Jiang Yimiao’s arm and asked, “I didn’t buy anything, isn’t that not good.”

“Buy what you want, Zhao Shuming won’t mind this.”

Jiang Yimiao took out her key and opened the door to her home, and as soon as the door was opened, Zhao Shuming was already standing at the foyer waiting for her.

“You’re Miao Miao’s good friend, aren’t you, hello.” He swept a glance at Cheng Wenyao’s hand holding Jiang Yimiao’s arm and politely said.

Zhao Shuming said as he took Jiang Yimiao’s bag from her hand.

“Hello hello.” Cheng Wen Yao pulled an official smile.

Cheng Wen Yao looked up and saw that fake emotionless smile from Zhao Shuming’s face again.

He seemed to have this kind of expression towards everyone, except for Jiang Yimiao who wasn’t quite the same. Cheng Wenyao subconsciously turned her head to look at Jiang Yimiao.

Jiang Yimiao cheerfully led and changed shoes with her and walked inside the house.

“You guys sit down first, the cake embryo is already done, I’ll fry some fries first, there’s washed fruit in the living room, you can eat it if you want.”

Jiang Yimiao sat her butt on the sofa and stretched, “Yao Yao, aren’t you hungry, eat some fruit.”

She moved the washed raisins in front of Cheng Wenyao, “So sweet.”

“Yeah eh, much sweeter than the ones from the fruit store downstairs in my house.” Cheng Wenyao responded.

“I’ll take some for Zhao Shuming to eat.” Jiang Yimiao pulled out a raisin and left the living room as she said that.

“Do you want to eat the raisins, the raisins that I went to buy this time are so sweet.” Jiang Yimiao held the raisins soaked in salt water and dug into the kitchen.

The cake embryo was already in the microwave waiting for the fire. The range hood hanging on the wall was rumbling, and Zhao Shuming was skillfully frying French fries in hot oil.

Jiang Yimiao had seen Zhao Shuming cooking in the kitchen a while ago when it was too hot and bought a kitchen air conditioning fan, and there was no unexpected heat when she entered the kitchen.

“Hmm?” Zhao Shuming turned to look at her, the range hood was a bit noisy, Zhao Shuming didn’t hear what she just said.

Jiang Yimiao pointed to a bunch of raisins in her hand, her voice was also a bit louder, so loud that Cheng Wenyao sitting outside the living room could hear, “Do you want to eat raisins?”

Zhao Shuming lowered his head and dropped his gaze on the raisins in her hand, his afterglow saw Cheng Wenyao through the glass door of the kitchen, and she subconsciously looked at both of them.

He swallowed back the words he was going to refuse, “Miao Miao, is it convenient to feed me?”

Zhao Shuming looked down at his hand holding the spatula, meaning that it was inconvenient for him.

Jiang Yimiao nodded without hesitation, “I’ll pick you a big one.” She said and really picked the biggest raisin, then twisted it and stuffed it into Zhao Shuming’s mouth.

He slightly bent his body and opened his mouth to bite the raisin she handed him, Zhao Shuming paused for half a second before completely placing the raisin in her hand into his mouth.

“More?” Jiang Yimiao picked two more.

“To, ah…” he still maintained his bent-over position.

Jiang Yimiao fed Zhao Shuming the two raisins together.

“The cake will be ready soon, wait for me to pour the chocolate.”

“Can I have a bite of the chocolate sauce?”

“It’s chocolate dissolved directly, it might be a bit bitter, try it?”

Cheng Wen Yao propped up her head and looked at the two of them, she couldn’t hear their conversation, but she always felt something strange.

Only after seeing Jiang Yimiao come out from the kitchen did Cheng Wenyao avert her gaze.

Cheng Wenyao had heard Jiang Yimiao mention where Zhao Shuming studied, and it perfectly fit her stereotypical impression of foreign students, with excellent cooking skills. Even this kind of dessert and such could be made so beautiful.

The cake was easily satiating, plus Cheng Wenyao had actually already eaten dinner, and after eating another large piece of cake she had already been a bit propped up.

“It was made according to Miao Miao’s taste, I don’t know if you’ll like it.” Zhao Shuming sat beside Jiang Yimiao and politely said.

“Delicious, no wonder Miao Miao keeps praising you.”

Zhao Shuming lowered his head and smiled without saying anything.

Cheng Wenyao didn’t work today because of her shift transfer, but she had to work tomorrow on Saturday, fearing that she would get home too late and delay her time, she didn’t chat with Jiang Yimiao about anything, and was ready to leave after she had eaten her fill.

“Do you want me to walk you to the parking lot?” Jiang Yimiao and Cheng Wenyao walked together to the door of the house.

“No, I can do it myself.”

“Then be careful on your way back, and remember to send me a wechat when you get home.” Jiang Yimiao admonished.

“Okay, got it, I’ll go back first.” Cheng Wenyao waved her hand at Jiang Yimiao and nodded towards Zhao Shuming.

Zhao Shuming stood behind Jiang Yimiao, holding the door frame with one hand, visually it was like he was holding Jiang Yimiao behind him.

When she heard the elevator closing, Jiang Yimiao was ready to turn around, only for her to take a step back, as she almost ran into Zhao Shuming’s body without standing still.

The scent of his body once again filled her nostrils.

She always felt as if her shoulder had hit something, was it his chest?…… Jiang Yimiao only felt hot behind her, Zhao Shuming’s body heat seemed to be wrapping her up.

“Miao Miao, be careful.” He held Jiang Yimiao’s shoulders, and his hand quietly moved downward, covering the part that Cheng Wenyao had just held.