Chapter 11 - Triple

Amidst laughter and joy in the private room.

Shen Xingzhuo found it hard to swallow his food.

He didn't know why he kept thinking of Lu Ran in such gatherings. Just a few days ago, he was just like the others, often forgetting about Lu Ran and feeling annoyed whenever they crossed paths.

Yet now, as he observed his family's harmonious scene,

he couldn't help but recall the forgotten yellow plastic bucket tucked away in a corner.

Shen Xingran was ecstatic.

With his sweet tongue, he managed to make Madam Shen burst into uncontrollable laughter.

Shen Xingzhuo watched him picking at the small cakes on his plate with intermittent interest.

She tasted a few bites but soon lost interest, pushing the plate aside.

The same was true for the other dishes on her plate.

Shen Xingzhuo gazed at the small cake for a moment before abruptly asking, "Not eating this anymore?"

"Hmm?" Shen Xingran was unsure why he was asking, so she simply replied, "I'm chatting with Mom now. I'll eat it later."

Shen Xingzhuo understood that 'later' was just an excuse.

She wouldn't touch anything on that plate again.

That was the norm.

It was somewhat abnormal for him to be fixated on that cake.

After all, it was just a cake. If she didn't want it, she could discard it.

As for the other foods, there was no need to worry. They'd always be available if she changed her mind.

No one would pay attention to such trivial matters.

No matter how close Shen Xingzhuo was to Shen Xingran, he would only share a plate with him but never consume what was left behind by Shen Xingran.

It was simply unnecessary.

He often discarded his own leftovers as well.

But now...

The cake before Shen Xingzhuo didn't quite suit his taste.

He finished it with a furrowed brow, bit by bit.

With each mouthful, the image of Lu Ran flashing a smile while nibbling on a fry at the store would appear in his mind.

Ordinary junk food could make him look like a blissfully contented kitten.

Finishing the cake, Shen Xingzhuo lifted his head to survey the others around the table.

First was Shen Hongyuan, maintaining his dignity while occasionally guiding Shen Xingran with pointers and issuing commands to the attendants.

Then there was Mrs. Shen, immersed in the joy of the celebration, her laughter and cheerful chatter filling the air.

And by her side, Shen Xingran was holding onto her arm, happily chatting away.

Shen Xingzhuo knew it wasn't the right time. But his fearless and stubborn nature suddenly took over, and he blurted out, "Isn't it appropriate to invite Lu Ran today?"

The conversation at the table abruptly ceased.

The three of them froze, their expressions turning ghastly.

Looking at their reactions, Shen Xingzhuo's emotions were conflicted. He imagined himself in their shoes, yet at the same time, a strange sense of satisfaction welled up inside him due to their unpleasant expressions.

"You bring him up for what!" The shadow of the past still loomed over Shen Hongyuan; he had no desire to hear the name Lu Ran mentioned during dinner.

Madam Shen was not far behind in her enthusiasm.

Shen Xingzhuo lost his appetite.

Leaning back in his chair, he toyed with the dinner knife in his hand, casually remarking, "Won't he be angry if he finds out?"

Upon this statement, both Shen Hongyuan and Madam Shen wore grim expressions.

Madam Shen fretted, "W-Won't he cause another commotion? "

Only Shen Xingran gazed thoughtfully at Shen Xingzhuo.

He said, "If no one told him, how would he know? He should… not remember Mother's birthday, right?"

Madam Shen's lips twitched.

She could choose not to invite Lu Ran to her birthday celebration.

But if Lu Ran didn't remember, it would be heartless of him.

Shen Xingzhuo grew weary of the situation and left after a short while.

Shen Xingran hurried out to follow him.

"Brother! Why are you leaving now? Mom will be upset," he said, tugging at Shen Xingzhuo's arm.

Leaning against the car window, Shen Xingzhuo gazed down at Shen Xingran, observing him intently.

Suddenly, he realized that Shen Xingran was not the same child from his dreams.

There was too much hidden in Shen Xingran's eyes, and his thoughts were far too intricate.

But as his brother whom he had doted on for over a decade, Shen Xingzhuo spoke softly, "It's fine. She's been angry with me for quite some time."

Shen Xingran tried to persuade him further.

Fixing his gaze on Shen Xingzhuo, he abruptly asked, "Second Brother, why did you suddenly bring up Lu Ran today?"

Shen Xingzhuo kept his eyelids half-lowered, maintaining his nonchalant demeanor as he looked at Shen Xingran.

Usually, when he had something on his mind, he would try to talk to Shen Xingran.

But at this moment, Shen Xingzhuo had no desire for conversation.

He didn't elaborate and simply said, "I'm just in a bad mood."

Hearing this, Shen Xingran felt relieved instead.

Shen Xingzhuo didn't have the most harmonious relationship with his family.

He also had a notorious temper.

Probably because he was in a foul mood, he couldn't bear to see others happy, so he deliberately brought up Lu Ran to upset people.

"Brother, don't overwork yourself lately. If it's really not working out, just come back home... It's okay if the studio doesn't open."

As soon as she finished speaking, Shen Xingran realized she had said the wrong thing and regretted it slightly.

But this time, Shen Xingzhuo didn't get angry.

Lost in thought, he nodded absentmindedly and got into the car.

Shen Xingran's expression shifted slightly. Uncertain if Shen Xingzhuo was preoccupied or truly intended to return to the family company, she watched him.

Shen Xingzhuo failed to notice Shen Xingran's reaction.

He drove around the streets for a while.

It was getting late, and most shops were closed.

Only one dessert store remained open.

Shen Xingzhuo stepped out of the car and stood outside the shop, gazing intently at the cakes displayed in the glass counter.

After a long moment, an employee inside asked, "Can I assist you with anything?"

Only then did Shen Xingzhuo snap back to reality. He rubbed his forehead, unsure why he had been standing there.

By midday the following day.

Shen Xingzhuo found himself back at that fast-food restaurant.

It was still that lull between breakfast and lunch when there were fewer customers.

Having just finished a flurry of activity, Lu Ran was busy filling out delivery orders.

Spotting someone at the counter, he automatically said, "Welcome! Can I help you with anything?"

But there was no immediate response.

Lu Ran looked up to see Shen Xingzhuo standing there with a grim expression.

"Welcome," he had said.

Those simple four words seemed to irk Shen Xingzhuo all over again.

"You…"

He wanted to ask, Why are you telling me this?

Then he remembered that Lu Ran was working here.

He probably said the same thing to every customer who walked in.

That unease deepened just a bit.

He almost asked, Didn't you recognize me?

But what difference would it make if Shen Xingzhuo had? His relationship with Lu Ran was no better than that of strangers.

At least strangers wouldn't have killed Lu Ran's dog.

Shen Xingzhuo immediately fell silent.

He spoke in a low voice, "I'm here to eat."

"Oh, go ahead and order," Lu Ran said, pointing to the menu.

He was utterly clueless about Shen Xingzhuo's thoughts and cared even less.

His daily routine consisted of earning his wage through labor.

The real terror was having no work to do.

Still, he hadn't anticipated Shen Xingzhuo's consecutive visits.

It was unclear what the purpose of his visits was; he didn't seem particularly astute.

Lu Ran's wariness towards the Shen family remained unchanged.

However, after enjoying that free lunch, he now associated Shen Xingzhuo with being an easy target for exploitation.

Shen Xingzhuo studied the menu, unsure of what to order.

He had no interest in this kind of fast food at all.

When dining out, he typically frequented chain restaurants or upscale clubs.

After hesitating for a long while, he only ordered a serving of fries.

Lu Ran glanced at him for a moment before suddenly pointing at the sign above their heads. "That chicken cutlet is quite delicious."

- Or so he had heard.

The reason being that it was exorbitantly priced.

"Oh, then let's get one," Shen Xingzhuo said.

Lu Ran gave him a look and then pointed at the most expensive steak burger on the menu. "This one is also tasty."

- Again, according to hearsay.

Lu Ran had never actually tried it.

But to Shen Xingzhuo, the prices of all items on the fast-food menu were essentially the same - insignificant.

In short: it didn't really matter in terms of cost.

Without hesitation, he ordered what Lu Ran had suggested, without inquiring about the reason behind the recommendation.

After placing their order, Shen Xingzhuo remained standing at the counter.

It was Lu Ran who prompted him, "Go find a seat, you're blocking others."

Shen Xingzhuo was momentarily speechless.

For Second Young Master Shen to venture out and not expect others to make way for him was already a considerable improvement.

Never had there been an awareness of obstructing someone else.

He hesitantly chose a seat near the counter.

Seconds and minutes ticked by.

Shen Xingzhuo sat in his seat, his peripheral vision stealing glimpses of the bustling youth behind the counter.

Several more waves of people arrived in succession.

Today being the weekend, there was a surfeit of takeout orders. The young man rested his elbows on the countertop, meticulously tallying each and every penny as he dispensed takeaway paper bags.

Perhaps due to the taxing routine of waking up early and working late into the night, he couldn't help but yawn repeatedly.

The meal was prepared in a short while.

Exhausted to the core, Lu Ran was actually too lethargic to attend to Shen Xingzhuo's needs.

Yet the guard within his mind never dissipated.

Shen Xingzhuo had a temper, for all one knew, he might start causing trouble because of something Lu Ran did.

Perhaps he had come to the store these past two days just to find fault with him and force him to quit.

Shen Xingzhuo noticed the tray placed on the counter.

Recalling how Lu Ran had served him the meal a few days ago, he instinctively stood up and stretched his arm to retrieve it himself.

But Lu Ran was quicker, stepping out from behind the counter with the tray in hand.

Placing the tray before him and neatly folding the napkin, Shen Xingzhuo's discomfort resurfaced.

In his mind, he alternated between the image of Shen Xingran casually enjoying his meal at the table and Lu Ran greeting him with "welcome."

His temper flared up in an instant.

With a hint of anger, Shen Xingzhuo asked, "Do you have to take this part-time job?"

Lu Ran's eyebrows lifted slightly as he lowered his gaze to Shen Xingzhuo sitting by the table.

He had always wondered why the second young master of the Shen family kept coming over; now he knew the reason.

Lu Ran straightened up leisurely and looked at Shen Xingzhuo, asking, "What else? If I don't work, who will give me money?"

"Didn't your mom give you any?" Shen Xingzhuo inquired.

"Yes," Lu Ran smiled. "She still owes me ten billion that she hasn't paid back yet."

"So you're staying here as a waiter? Greeting customers every day and serving dishes on their tables?" Shen Xingzhuo blurted out.

He wasn't sure what he wanted to convey, but he couldn't bear seeing Lu Ran like this.

"Master," Lu Ran remained calm.

"Don't look down on people," he said. "This is what most people do every day. Without us, would the wealthy just sit there waiting for food to magically appear?"

"I didn't mean it that way!" Shen Xingzhuo grew agitated.

Lu Ran simply stared at him silently.

Normally, when Shen Xingzhuo lost his temper, he wouldn't hold back. In his anger, he wouldn't even spare Shen Xingran.

But this time, as he looked into Lu Ran's dark eyes, he suddenly fell silent.

He turned away, took two deep breaths, and deliberately defused his anger. Then, he asked Lu Ran, "How much does the boss here pay you? I'll give you three times that amount. Quit this job."

"Interesting," remarked Lu Ran, intrigued.

In his previous life, the Shen family had never resorted to such tactics when they were chasing him around.

"Alright then," said Lu Ran.

Shen Xingzhuo felt a bit relieved.

"However..."

"What is it?" asked Shen Xingzhuo.

Lu Ran gave him a faint smile. "But you, Second Young Master Shen, don't have much credibility with me. You'll have to advance me my salary so I can quit my current job."

With that, he showed Shen Xingzhuo his Alipay QR code for payment.