Chapter 39

He Shangye looked at Jian Fanyu and then said to Ruan Miao, "It's been a while. Aren't you coming back with me?"

"Oh… okay."

Ruan Miao instinctively walked over to He Shangye. He Shangye seemed satisfied with his obedience, lightly patted his head, and said to Jian Fanyu coldly, "I'll take my brother back first. Young master Jian can continue to enjoy the scenery."

With that, he didn't bother looking at Jian Fanyu's expression and led Ruan Miao back. Ruan Miao glanced back at Jian Fanyu and saw him still watching them from the railing. Their eyes met, and Jian Fanyu gave him a gentle smile.

Seeing that Jian Fanyu wasn't angry, Ruan Miao felt relieved and followed He Shangye back to the main hall.

"Big Brother, did you come specifically to find me?" Ruan Miao finally had the chance to ask, "How did you know I was on the rooftop?"

He Shangye took him to a quiet corner, ordered two steaks, and then replied, "Shanglu told me."

"Second Brother?" Ruan Miao asked, somewhat puzzled.

He Shangye, seeing his troubled expression, lightly tapped his forehead and said with a smile, "If you have something to say, just say it."

"I don't quite understand why Second Brother and Second Sister are so opposed to Jian Fanyu," Ruan Miao said, puzzled. "He hasn't done anything bad. Is there some kind of feud between our families?"

For someone like Jian Fanyu, even if they didn't like him, they shouldn't have such strong animosity.

He Shangye seemed to have anticipated his confusion and explained, "There's no feud. Our He family and theirs aren't in the same field; it's just a nodding acquaintance. Shanglu is just that kind of person—he doesn't get along with Jian's style, so it's normal for him to not like him."

"As for Shangzhi, I'm not quite sure about her thoughts."

Ruan Miao sighed heavily, "I just feel that Jian Fanyu is so lonely. It seems like no one understands him."

"Do you pity him?" He Shangye asked calmly, "Is that what you mean?"

Ruan Miao thought about it and shook his head, "Not really. If it were just pity, I wouldn't be so focused on him."

He Shangye pondered for a while and then said, "I don't intend to interfere with your friendships. Although I don't know Jian Fanyu very well, I do know enough about him. He's not inherently bad, but he's difficult to read because of his youth. Just be cautious when interacting with him."

Ruan Miao felt warmed by He Shangye's kind reminder, "I understand."

He Shangye wasn't one for many words. Once the steaks arrived, they ate in silence. Ruan Miao was quite hungry and ate heartily, finishing almost everything.

The party lasted until 9:30 in the evening. After eating his fill, Ruan Miao collapsed into the car, so stuffed he could barely move. He Shanglu complained, "Have you not eaten in 800 years? You're going to turn yourself into a pig!"

"The snacks were just too good," Ruan Miao mumbled, already falling asleep in the car.

In fact, he did fall asleep, but the next day he woke up in his bedroom bed, not knowing who had carried him up. It probably wasn't He Shanglu.

On the second day of the New Year, He Shangye was already dealing with a mountain of documents. Ruan Miao didn't dare disturb him. After breakfast, he planned to go out for a walk. Jian Fanyu had just sent him a message, inviting him to do homework together.

With a top-notch tutor, he couldn't miss out! Anyone would be foolish to turn that down!

Moreover, with He Shangye's approval, Ruan Miao felt much more at ease about interacting with Jian Fanyu. After all, his brother said that someone with good character wouldn't harm him, and he indeed enjoyed spending time with Jian Fanyu.

Ruan Miao arrived at the café in the city center as agreed, and sure enough, Jian Fanyu was already waiting on the second floor.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Ruan Miao said, panting slightly from his run. His face was flushed as he walked up with his backpack. "You haven't been waiting long, have you?"

Jian Fanyu smiled and shook his head. "No, I just arrived too."

Ruan Miao breathed a sigh of relief and, once seated, Jian Fanyu asked if he wanted coffee. "What flavor do you like?"

"I don't really like coffee," Ruan Miao admitted, a bit embarrassed. "Just order whatever you like for me."

Jian Fanyu glanced around and signaled for the waiter. The café they were in was a high-end establishment, much more elegant and quiet than the fast-food places outside. The tables were spaced far apart, so conversations from other tables were not audible, and soft, unfamiliar music played in the background.

Ruan Miao took out his stack of homework from his backpack, a thick pile of papers. "I brought everything."

Jian Fanyu looked up and saw the high stack of papers, and after a moment of silent contemplation, his mouth twitched slightly. He hadn't expected Ruan Miao to be so serious about the homework.

"Alright then," Jian Fanyu said, spreading out the tablecloth. "Are there any specific problems you're struggling with?"

Ruan Miao eagerly handed over the physics worksheets he didn't understand. "Teacher Yu assigned this homework, but there are many parts I don't get."

"Yu Wenyan?" Jian Fanyu raised an eyebrow. "How's his tutoring been for you?"

Ruan Miao recalled their ambiguous relationship in the original story and nodded quickly. "Teacher Yu is very good. My physics score improved by fifty points compared to when I first came!"

"That's good," Jian Fanyu said, nodding and focusing on the problems.

Ruan Miao leaned in closely as well. They were very close while reviewing the problems together. Jian Fanyu had a pleasant scent that Ruan Miao didn't recognize but found very appealing. He couldn't help but take a few extra sniffs.

"What's wrong?" Jian Fanyu asked, noticing Ruan Miao's movements as he was drawing a diagram.

The distance between them was very close, and when Jian Fanyu suddenly turned his head, it almost brushed against Ruan Miao's lips. Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

After a few seconds, Ruan Miao suddenly snapped back to reality, covering his mouth with his hand and pulling away. His face turned bright red. "Sorry, sorry!"

Compared to his flustered state, Jian Fanyu was much calmer. He wiped his own mouth lightly and, whether he was reluctant or indifferent, comforted Ruan Miao. "It's okay; it didn't actually touch."

"Yeah…" Ruan Miao responded, unsure how to face Jian Fanyu. He felt like he had somehow desecrated someone.

Jian Fanyu noticed his guilt and gently pinched Ruan Miao's cheek. "I don't mind, so why should you? Besides… you like girls, right?"

"Y-yes," Ruan Miao nodded vigorously.

Jian Fanyu nodded casually and then, almost as if casually, asked, "Do you have a type you like? Last night you said you didn't have anyone you liked, but do you have a type?"

Boys often discuss similar topics privately, and Ruan Miao had occasionally talked with classmates about who the prettiest girl was or who had the best temperament. So, he answered without hesitation, "I don't know, but if I could choose, I'd like someone like Rei Ayanami."

Jian Fanyu didn't know who Rei Ayanami was but didn't hesitate to look her up.

A minute later, Jian Fanyu looked up and showed his phone to Ruan Miao, asking quietly, "You like this type, with a big chest?"

Ruan Miao's face turned even redder. He quickly waved his hands and hurried to explain, "No, no! I like her not because of… her chest! I just like her personality!"

"Oh…" Jian Fanyu calmly put away his phone. "So it's really not because of her figure?"

Ruan Miao buried his face in his arms, embarrassed and wishing he could disappear into the ground.

"Don't be so openly critical about it…" he said, very shy and somewhat awkward, "You shouldn't disrespect my idol."

Jian Fanyu looked at Ruan Miao, who was hiding his face and showing just one red ear, and felt particularly pleased.

The analysis from last night was just a test to uncover Ruan Miao's guard. Jian Fanyu had thought that if Ruan Miao found him unpleasant last night, he would end things there. However, Ruan Miao suggested that he could find someone better.

Having been completely betrayed in his previous life, Jian Fanyu wasn't planning to look for another option, but he was indeed attracted to the warmth Ruan Miao conveyed. He felt that if he just sat back and did nothing, he might regret it later.

Jian Fanyu flicked Ruan Miao's ear lightly and smiled, "Okay, I won't tease your… idol."

"We're both guys, so it's fine to discuss different topics occasionally, right?"

"If you feel I've offended you, I apologize."

Ruan Miao squinted at him, and Jian Fanyu appeared genuinely apologetic, making Ruan Miao feel a bit overreactive. He slowly straightened up, still blushing, and said, "You didn't do anything wrong. I was just being too sensitive."

"Do you like anime a lot?" Jian Fanyu changed the topic. "She seems to be an animated character."

Ruan Miao nodded. "I do like it a lot. When I was sick and couldn't go to school, I read a lot of manga. My favorite is the big three shonen manga!"

"What's shonen manga?" Jian Fanyu asked curiously. He was trying to understand Ruan Miao better, an area he hadn't explored before. He was patient and thorough.

To attract a naive rabbit into his trap, Jian Fanyu needed to understand his behavior and psychology thoroughly to avoid missteps or scaring him away.

As Ruan Miao delved into this topic, he forgot about his homework and focused on explaining the world of anime to Jian Fanyu. He even drew out character relationship diagrams, showcasing his academic prowess.

Jian Fanyu listened to Ruan Miao's explanations with a puzzled expression but persisted in pretending he understood.

Naruto and Sasuke are a pair.