Chapter 29

Jian Fanyu, having a sense of decency, didn't keep Ruan Miao outside for too long. Since it was around mealtime, he took Ruan Miao out for lunch. This was Ruan Miao's first time riding in Jian Fanyu's car.

Although Ruan Miao didn't know much about cars, he could tell that this one was more luxurious than the ones in the He family. As expected, the Jian family was indeed the most distinguished among all the families, while the He family was still a bit lacking.

"What are you thinking about?" Jian Fanyu didn't take off the gloves even in the car. Noticing that Ruan Miao seemed lost in thought, he asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Ruan Miao shook his head and, feeling a bit embarrassed, said, "No, I just think your car seems really nice."

"You like it?" Jian Fanyu asked again.

"I don't know much about cars, so I can't say I like it," Ruan Miao replied with a smile. "It just feels very comfortable to ride in."

Jian Fanyu smiled slightly and, while looking at his WeChat, changed Ruan Miao's contact name to "Little Rabbit." He then slowly put his phone away, looking in a better mood than before.

Since Jian Fanyu often treated him to meals, Ruan Miao felt he should reciprocate. He had the car stopped in front of a hot pot restaurant and eagerly turned to Jian Fanyu, saying, "How about we have hot pot together? It's on me!"

Jian Fanyu typically didn't eat hot pot, preferring cold dishes like sushi. But seeing Ruan Miao's eager expression, he didn't hesitate to agree. Ruan Miao happily led him into the hot pot restaurant, continuously telling him, "Hot pot is perfect for winter—warm and filling. Plus, this place is reasonably priced, and the ingredients are very fresh."

"Do you come here often?" Jian Fanyu asked with curiosity.

Ruan Miao followed the waitress into a small, elegantly decorated private room. It was quiet and antique-looking, and he guessed that Jian Fanyu probably wouldn't like eating in the noisy main hall. He casually replied, "Not very often. I just came here once after a tutoring session a few days ago. I really like hot pot!"

After they were seated, Ruan Miao eagerly handed the menu to Jian Fanyu and said warmly, "You should order something. I'm treating, so don't hold back."

Jian Fanyu looked over the menu, flipping through it repeatedly, then pushed it back to Ruan Miao. "You choose. I don't know what's good."

Ruan Miao figured that Jian Fanyu might not have tried hot pot before, so he carefully ordered a spicy and non-spicy hot pot base. He also ordered a variety of items he thought were delicious, including lamb slices, beef slices, and beef tripe, along with two bottles of soda. He waited happily for the food to arrive.

"This place has really good flavors. You'll know once you try it," Ruan Miao continued to promote the restaurant. "I even brought He Shanglu here last time, and he liked it too. We spent over two hundred yuan for the two of us."

Jian Fanyu drank his barley tea and listened to Ruan Miao's chatter. He wasn't sure when Ruan Miao stopped being so afraid of him. Despite Ruan Miao's enthusiastic conversation, Jian Fanyu could still sense a hint of nervousness he couldn't completely hide. Even though Ruan Miao seemed friendly, Jian Fanyu wondered if he was still regarded as a stranger in his eyes.

The food arrived quickly. When the door to the private room opened, several beautiful waitresses brought in the hot pot and ingredients. Ruan Miao opened a pair of disposable chopsticks for Jian Fanyu and then carefully washed all the bowls, plates, and cups with hot water, taking great care. When he was quiet, he still looked like a handsome young man.

Jian Fanyu watched him in silence, leaning his head on his hand. The previous Ruan Miao had a calculating look, skinny and weak as if he could be blown away by the wind, which was why Yan Yang had been so concerned for him.

Now, however, Ruan Miao had gained weight, with a baby-fat face and shiny skin, looking much healthier. He appeared as if he was made of porcelain, round and smooth. Jian Fanyu thought that if he gained a little more weight, he'd look even more like a little rabbit.

Ruan Miao, however, was oblivious to Jian Fanyu's thoughts. His mind was full of thoughts about shrimp balls, beef slices, tripe, and brain matter. He was eagerly placing a slice of tripe into the pot, his attitude as respectful as a scientist handling chemicals in a lab. After counting to seven in his mind, he fished out the tripe and put it into Jian Fanyu's bowl.

"Try it. If it's not good, you can have my head!"

Jian Fanyu couldn't help but smile. "What would I do with your head?" He picked up his chopsticks and stared at the black tripe with strange bumps in the bowl. It looked potentially inedible. Being someone who never ate organ meats, he was internally conflicted.

"Why aren't you eating?" Ruan Miao stared at him with burning eyes. "Don't you like it?"

Jian Fanyu looked up, feeling a bit reluctant to disappoint Ruan Miao's expectations. He smiled and put the black tripe into his mouth. Ruan Miao then placed a dish of sesame sauce in front of him, saying, "It tastes better with dipping sauce."

Jian Fanyu followed the suggestion.

How should he put it... The taste was acceptable, and the texture wasn't as unpleasant as he'd imagined. Ignoring the fact that it was animal innards, it was actually not unbearable.

"How is it?" Ruan Miao asked eagerly. "Is it good?"

Jian Fanyu chewed slowly, swallowed, and took a sip of barley tea before nodding. "Not bad."

Hearing this, Ruan Miao's face lit up with relief. He emptied all the other dishes into the pot and said cheerfully, "I was worried you might not like hot pot and that you might find it unpleasant."

"Why?" Jian Fanyu looked at him. "Do you think I wouldn't like it?"

Ruan Miao relaxed a bit and explained, "Because you seem so out of touch with reality sometimes. Sometimes I feel like you're not quite human, like a deity who doesn't partake in the mundane."

"You think so?" Jian Fanyu smiled, his eyes warming. "Then why did you still bring me here?"

Ruan Miao, focused on not overcooking the ingredients, replied casually, "I wanted you to experience a bit of the ordinary life. Even deities get tired of being deities."

Jian Fanyu was momentarily stunned.

'My Ah Yu should be like this, aloof and divine.'

Yan Yang had once said that he admired Jian Fanyu's ethereal qualities the most, wishing he would always stay in his high tower and remain a deity beyond reach.

But Ruan Miao thought he should taste the mundane, as even gods could get tired.

Ruan Miao believed the ingredients were almost cooked. He used the public chopsticks to carefully scoop out the cooked items from the clear soup and put them into Jian Fanyu's plate before starting on his own portion. He attentively took care of Jian Fanyu, as he thought Jian Fanyu might not be familiar with hot pot and needed some extra attention. This was his ingrained manner of hospitality.

Jian Fanyu silently mimicked Ruan Miao's method of eating—dipping a bite, savoring the sesame sauce, and feeling as if his world had come alive again.

So this is what the taste of ordinary life is like.

"Do you want to try some soda?" Ruan Miao asked as Jian Fanyu finished his hot pot. "Having a drink with hot pot is nice. He Shanglu loves cola."

Jian Fanyu looked up at him. "Why do you always talk about He Shanglu?"

Ruan Miao chewed on a piece of lamb and thought for a while before realizing the issue. "I suppose that's true... but among the people I'm close to, he's the one I get along with the best."

"Fang Zhi is cute too, but he's not good with food. And as for Xi You, he's always so scattered and never says anything serious."

"Compared to them, even though He Shanglu likes to tease me a lot, I seem to have become closer to him. Maybe it's just a fateful bond."

Ruan Miao sighed.

Jian Fanyu smiled and continued eating. He had a small appetite and set his chopsticks down after a short while, while Ruan Miao continued to fish out food from the pot with enthusiasm. Jian Fanyu observed him, noting how Ruan Miao's cheeks were puffed out as he chewed.

Ruan Miao's eating habits were quite refined. He chewed each bite slowly and attentively, never speaking with food in his mouth. His movements were delicate and quiet, ensuring no splashes of soup. His white apron remained spotless.

Watching Ruan Miao eat was pleasant, and Jian Fanyu felt a bit hungrier himself. If Ruan Miao became a food blogger, he'd probably have great success.

"Why aren't you eating anymore?" Ruan Miao looked up and noticed Jian Fanyu had put down his chopsticks and was watching him. "Did you get full?"

Jian Fanyu nodded. "Yes, I'm full."

Ruan Miao looked incredulous. "You're so tall and you ate so little?"

"Height isn't determined by how much you eat," Jian Fanyu said, glancing at Ruan Miao meaningfully. "Besides, everyone grows differently. Some people just tend to gain width rather than height."

Ruan Miao was taken aback. He felt slightly offended.

Ruan Miao often heard similar comments from He Shangye and He Shanglu, who joked about how he gained weight in his stomach and face but didn't grow taller. Even the tailor who measured him said his height hadn't changed in two years, likely due to previous dieting affecting his growth.

But Ruan Miao was optimistic. He planned to take some nutritional supplements after his intense study period to see if it could help him grow.

After they finished eating, it was already afternoon. Ruan Miao received a call from He Shanglu urging him to come home. Jian Fanyu promptly offered to give him a ride. After getting out of the car, Ruan Miao politely thanked the driver and waved goodbye to Jian Fanyu.

Jian Fanyu watched him run away with a thoughtful look, his eyes reflecting some emotion.

He still wore the mismatched gloves, with no intention of returning them to their owner.

As Ruan Miao jogged home, he was promptly scolded by He Shanglu for not coming back for dinner. Sitting on the couch, he realized he forgot to retrieve his gloves.

Should he message Jian Fanyu to get them back? Ruan Miao hesitated, feeling a bit reluctant since they cost fifteen yuan.