Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Jiang Songen stood at You Nan's doorstep, a flicker of nervousness finally stirring within him as he prepared to knock.

He took two deep breaths. Just as he raised his hand, the door clicked open from the inside. There stood You Nan, whom he hadn't seen all day, gazing at him from a mere thirty centimeters away.

You Nan was dressed casually at home—a white long-sleeved shirt, loose plaid pants, and slippers.

Water droplets still clung to his face, undried, tracing the contours of his cheeks as they trickled down.

Unaware of Jiang Songen's imminent arrival, You Nan had been tidying up. He had just finished washing his face in the bathroom when 007 suddenly burst in, chattering incessantly.

It was shouting things like, "You Nan, hurry up! Jiang Songen is at the door, open it quickly and surprise him!" while using its small body to "nudge" him.

You Nan, nudged by its fluffy little body, was practically "pushed" out by the "mighty" little cat.

Sure enough, as soon as he opened the door, he met Jiang Songen's surprised gaze.

Jiang Songen quickly regained his composure.

His eyes skimmed over You Nan's water-beaded, fresh-faced before darting aside, only to land on You Nan's clothes, damp and darkened by the water droplets.

Jiang Songen cleared his throat, the familiar smile still on his face. "I was just about to knock when you opened the door. We really are good friends, so in tune."

You Nan stepped aside, his eyes crinkling into a smile as he handed Jiang Songen a clean pair of slippers. "Yeah. Come on in and have a seat."

"I didn’t know you’d come today, so the place is a bit messy. Hope you don’t mind."

The little crouched form of 007 at You Nan's feet puffed up its chest, looking quite pleased with itself.

It had known from its internal system the moment Jiang Songen came upstairs! Jiang Songen’s attempt to surprise You Nan couldn’t be hidden from it!

Unaware of 007's thoughts, Jiang Songen found the small cat’s delicate appearance and oddly expressive face amusing.

He placed the food he’d brought on the table and immediately opened a small can of kitten milk for 007.

"Of course I don’t mind," Jiang Songen said to You Nan while feeding the cat. "If anything, I’m the one intruding by showing up unannounced."

It had been a while since 007 last tasted this, and it immediately buried its round little head in the can, gobbling it down with purrs and meows, completely ignoring the conversation between the two humans.

It looked adorable, so small it was barely the size of two cans put together. But its eating style was as fierce as a large, formidable cat.

Jiang Songen was amused by the kitten’s bossy eating style and asked You Nan, "Can I pet him?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he remembered he had just come from outside and his hands were likely germy. He didn’t want the cat to lick any bacteria off later. "Maybe later, I should wash my hands first."

You Nan pointed him to the bathroom. This was the first time he’d seen Jiang Songen act so restrained, and it felt quite novel. "Just make yourself at home, no need to be nervous."

Jiang Songen answered from the bathroom, the sound of running water echoing.

You Ruan stayed by his brother’s side, quietly observing the new friend his brother had made.

Seizing the opportunity while Jiang Songen was in the bathroom and couldn’t hear them, he leaned close to his brother’s ear and whispered.

"This brother is really good-looking."

You Ruan said earnestly. "And he seems really close with you, too."

You Nan agreed. "Go to the kitchen and bring the bowls and chopsticks."

You Ruan obediently did so.

Jiang Songen came out of the bathroom and sat next to You Nan, who was clearing the table.

The faint, pleasant scent of laundry detergent clung to You Nan, and Jiang Songen’s senses were almost entirely filled with that fragrance.

Unconsciously, he sniffed a few more times, though he didn’t realize how strange he was acting.

You Ruan brought bowls and chopsticks for three, and Jiang Songen thanked the boy.

Praised, You Ruan shyly scooted to sit on the other side of his brother, though his eyes kept stealing glances at Jiang Songen.

You Nan noticed his brother’s little actions and couldn’t help but marvel at how irresistibly charming Jiang Songen was.

You Ruan was usually highly wary of strangers—even the slightest noise in the stairwell would send him running to the kitchen, ready to grab a knife.

But faced with the friendly and cheerful Jiang Songen, that wariness seemed to vanish completely, forgotten in an instant.

Especially after Jiang Songen served You Nan some food and then kindly served the boy some food too, the little one started following him around, calling him "Brother Jiang."

The meal was thoroughly enjoyable, and both You Nan and You Ruan ended up with full stomachs.

Looking at half the food left on the table, You Nan realized that Jiang Songen’s earlier reason on the phone might have been a lie.

These dishes were likely something Jiang Songen had ordered himself.

In the storyline, Jiang Songen had always been this generous to others—helping wholeheartedly from the very first meeting.

Somehow, You Nan found himself thinking of Yao Xianqing.

Back when Qi Yuwen was being bullied in high school, Yao Xianqing had rescued him. When Qi Yuwen shared his troubles, Yao Xianqing didn’t hesitate to give him money.

Now that he thought about it, Jiang Songen and Yao Xianqing were really similar in this way.

Lost in thought, You Nan’s gaze on Jiang Songen unconsciously intensified.

Jiang Songen looked up and met his eyes, his smile tightened slightly.

Was You Nan looking at him, or seeing someone else in him?

007, still small, couldn’t finish a can half its size all at once.

A kitten’s appetite is tiny, after all.

Reluctantly, 007 rubbed its fluffy cheeks against the slightly scratched can, marking it with its scent, planning to finish it later when its stomach was empty again.

It turned around to check on You Nan and the protagonist, only to see the two of them locked in a deep gaze.

Feeling a sense of déjà vu, 007: "???"

Huh???

Wait a minute! Not now! You two can’t start this until the plot is finished!

Worried they might fall for each other too soon, 007 took a deep breath and marched over purposefully toward You Nan. Then, it stomped all over You Nan’s slippers—the very ones he had just washed yesterday and sun-dried today.

The soft, warm sensation on his feet startled You Nan. He looked down and saw the little cat trying to get his attention.

You Nan picked up the cat. Jiang Songen, who had been staring at You Nan, blinked and snapped out of it.

He glanced at the time—it was already 2 p.m. He pressed his lips together, not wanting to leave just yet, and asked, "Have you finished your homework yet?"

You Nan’s eyes lit up immediately. "Not yet. I'm stuck on some parts. Have you finished yours?"

Jiang Songen said he had already finished his.

Picking up on You Nan's hint and following his own impulse, he offered, "If there’s anything you don’t understand, I can take a look for you."

You Nan agreed right away.

You Ruan rested his little chin in his hands, looking at his brother on the left, then at his brother on the right.

Both of his brothers were so good-looking and got along so well together—he felt overjoyed today.

While You Nan worked on his homework, You Ruan tagged along, even though he had already finished his homework the day before. He just wanted to stay with his two brothers.

Both brothers happily agreed.

You Nan was considerate of his younger brother, while Jiang Songen noticed that little You Ruan had taken a liking to him and began to see him as his own younger brother as well.

However, after lunch, the little one fell into a food coma, especially since the two brothers kept their voices low to avoid disturbing his previewing new material—it was downright hypnotic.

You Nan and Jiang Songen heard a soft *plop* as Xiao Youruan buried his face in his textbook.

You Nan stifled a laugh, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

Jiang Songen was equally amused.

You Nan carried the little one to bed, then he and Jiang Songen went to the living room so Jiang Songen could keep tutoring him.

Meanwhile, 007, who had been meant to monitor them for any boundary-crossing, was already lying on the floor, its round, furry belly exposed, fast asleep.

Once the two were alone, the vibe changed noticeably.

You Nan was fine—he had no particular feelings for Jiang Songen. If anything, knowing Jiang Songen’s difficult backstory in the storyline made him feel sorry for him, so he treated Jiang Songen with even more gentleness and consideration.

Jiang Songen, on the other hand, was used to rough-and-tumble friendships with his male friends and had never been cared for so attentively before.

You Nan plumped a cushion behind his back for comfort, got him a drink so he wouldn't get thirsty, and even shared snacks that his younger brother liked with Jiang Songen.

Whenever Jiang Songen paused even slightly, You Nan would immediately show concern, ask if anything was wrong, and look for ways to help out.

If 007 had been awake, it would have probably remarked that You Nan was acting exactly like Yao Xianqing from the previous world—the same way Yao Xianqing had taken care of You Nan back then. You Nan seemed to have picked up all his habits.

You Nan didn’t think much of it—after all, he was used to being treated this way himself. But Jiang Songen felt differently.

His face grew warm, his ears turned red, and he got fidgety.

Yet, he enjoyed it immensely, and his smile kept growing.

By the time they finished wrapping up the study session, the sun had already set.

You Nan glanced at the dark sky and suggested to Jiang Songen, "Why don't you stay for dinner before you go back?"

Jiang Songen met his gaze, his heart pounding, and nodded eagerly.

You Nan turned on the TV for Jiang Songen and headed to the kitchen to prepare the meal.

You Nan was a decent cook, and the delicious aroma soon roused the still-sleeping You Ruan.

Jiang Songen sat on the sofa for a while but soon got up to help You Nan in the kitchen.

You Nan was surprised to see him come in. "You really didn't have to come in."

After all, Jiang Songen was a rich kid—could he even cook?

Jiang Songen insisted he was fine but was quickly stuck with the simple tasks of peeling garlic and washing vegetables.

At one point, Jiang Songen rubbed his nose without thinking, forgetting he had just handled chili peppers. The burn made his eyes water.

*This won’t do*, he thought. *I need to take some cooking lessons when I get back. You Nan hosted me this time—next time, I’ll host him!*

Jiang Songen made a mental note.

For dinner, You Nan prepared all new dishes, saving the leftovers from lunch for the next day to share with his brother.

Jiang Songen was excellent at giving compliments—he praised You Nan’s cooking with elaborate praise with every bite, as if You Nan had prepared a royal feast rather than simple home-cooked dishes.

You Nan grew so embarrassed that he kept serving Jiang Songen with the communal chopsticks just to keep his mouth occupied.

Meanwhile, 007, eating under the table with a milk mustache, let out a cold snort.

*Look at Jiang Songen now—he’s exactly like Yao Xianqing from the last world!*

*This protagonist is done for!*

*He’s fallen head over heels—there’s no saving him now!*