Chapter 40 Got It Handled

Chapter 40: Having the Upper Hand

A delicate silence fell inside the car.

Lu Nanzhou's fingers tapped lightly on his knee, making a nearly inaudible sound.

He turned his head, his gaze settling on Jiang Jiang's face.

"Keep our distance?" Lu Nanzhou repeated the phrase. "I remember saying those exact words to you."

Jiang Jiang hadn't expected Lu Nanzhou to bring this up. He scratched his cheek. "Well, it's like they say, 'stating the obvious.' I think you were right, brother. We really should maintain an appropriate distance."

As he said this, his eyes unconsciously drifted toward the car window.

"Back then, I said perhaps we should maintain an appropriate distance," Lu Nanzhou said, his gaze not shifting away. "Because I mistakenly thought your approach had ulterior motives."

Jiang Jiang's heart gave a sudden jolt, his fingertips instinctively digging into the edge of the seat.

Seeing him like this, Lu Nanzhou suddenly let out a soft chuckle.

The laugh was light, but it made Jiang Jiang whip his head around, his almond-shaped eyes wide open.

"What are you laughing at?" Jiang Jiang asked warily.

"Nothing," Lu Nanzhou said, reining in his smile, but his eyes were much softer than before. "It's just that some words don't feel like much when you say them yourself, but hearing them echoed back is quite interesting."

Jiang Jiang didn't grasp the deeper meaning in his words, blinking his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Instead of answering directly, Lu Nanzhou asked, "So, why do you think we need to keep our distance? Has my approach been bothering you?"

"Because..." Jiang Jiang faltered.

"Because I've been pretty busy lately," Jiang Jiang scrambled for a reason. "School started, lots of classes, and I have experiments to do. No time... and, it's not that it's bothering me, it just feels a bit... weird."

"Weird?"

"Yeah, I don't know why, it just feels weird." Jiang Jiang said this without much conviction, yet with a bold front.

He just felt it was a bit strange, so what?

Lu Nanzhou watched him quietly.

Jiang Jiang, lacking conviction but putting on a bold front.

Jiang Jiang, lacking conviction but putting on a... front that was starting to crumble.

He stole a glance at Lu Nanzhou, then quickly averted his eyes.

Damn it.

Why was he looking at him like that?

That look was on par with his eldest brother's.

"Jiang Jiang," Lu Nanzhou suddenly spoke, his voice low and serious. "If I said I don't want to keep our distance?"

Jiang Jiang was stunned.

He stared blankly at Lu Nanzhou, not immediately grasping what those words meant.

Doesn't want to keep their distance?

What did that mean?

"I..." Jiang Jiang opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.

His heartbeat inexplicably quickened, and his cheeks felt a little warm.

This feeling was strange, as if something was gently tickling inside his chest, itchy and a bit flustered.

Jiang Jiang turned his back to look out the window, rubbing his cheeks before speaking. "As the ancients said, 'A gentleman's word is as good as his bond.'"

Lu Nanzhou looked at his fluffy head and narrowed his eyes.

Alright.

This little liar has turned into a cultured person today.

Wants to keep his distance, does he?

He changed the subject. "Are you free tonight?"

"Huh?" Jiang Jiang was thrown off by this sudden invitation, turning back to look at Lu Nanzhou.

"I've booked a table at a newly opened private kitchen. They have many signature dishes, and their desserts are quite good too," Lu Nanzhou said casually, as if it were just a passing remark. "Want to go try it together?"

Jiang Jiang's eyes instantly lit up.

A newly opened private kitchen! Signature dishes! Desserts are quite good!

These keywords hit his preferences with pinpoint accuracy.

He almost blurted out, "Sure, sure!" but the words reached his lips and were forcefully swallowed back.

No, no, he had just said they should keep their distance. How could he agree to go eat with Lu Nanzhou so quickly?

Wasn't that slapping his own face?

But... that private kitchen really did sound delicious...

Jiang Jiang's inner conflict raged, his facial expressions shifting accordingly—frowning one moment, pursing his lips the next, eyes sparkling, then shoulders slumping.

Lu Nanzhou watched his internal struggle play out on his face, not rushing him, just waiting patiently.

After a long while.

Lu Nanzhou saw Jiang Jiang's eyes light up, then look at him with a conflicted expression, as if wanting to speak but hesitating.

"Made up your mind?"

"Which restaurant is it?" Jiang Jiang probed.

If he knew the name, he could go eat there himself.

"Want to know?" A smirk played on Lu Nanzhou's lips.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jiang Jiang said happily. "Can you tell me?"

"Come closer."

Jiang Jiang leaned in, closing the distance until their heads were less than a fist apart. He patted the other's shoulder and declared heartily, "Go ahead, I'm listening."

Lu Nanzhou turned his head, his breath brushing against Jiang Jiang's ear.

Jiang Jiang gave a start, then heard two merciless words.

"Can't."

Jiang Jiang deflated.

He jerked back his body.

Hmph.

Fine, don't tell me.

I don't want to know that much anyway.

Five minutes later.

"Well, have you decided? It's a newly opened, really delicious private kitchen. Sure you don't want to go?" Lu Nanzhou's tone was flat, but his words subtly hinted at how good the restaurant was.

Jiang Jiang swallowed hard.

He really wanted to taste how delicious it was.

In the end, his craving for good food triumphed over reason.

"Well... then let's go try it," Jiang Jiang said softly.

He pursed his lips, trying to justify his actions, "As they say, food is the paramount necessity of the people."

A faint smile played at the corner of Lu Nanzhou's mouth.

Success.

The car drove smoothly into the city, heading toward the neighborhood where Jiang Jiang lived.

"We're here." The car stopped at the entrance of the apartment complex. Lu Nanzhou unbuckled his seatbelt, "Shall I walk you up?"

"No, no need!" Jiang Jiang quickly waved his hands, "I can go up by myself! You go back and get busy, see you tonight!"

With that, as if afraid Lu Nanzhou would change his mind, he quickly opened the door and dashed into the complex in a flash.

Lu Nanzhou watched his retreating figure disappear into the building entrance before finally withdrawing his gaze.

......

As soon as Jiang Jiang entered his apartment, he threw himself onto the sofa, burying his face in a cushion.

"404! How did this happen!"

"What's wrong?" 404's voice sounded somewhat distracted.

"I just agreed to have dinner with Lu Nanzhou!" Jiang Jiang sat up, ruffling his hair, "Right after I said I needed to keep my distance from him, I agreed to eat with him."

"I've become a person who doesn't keep his word, boo hoo hoo."

"..." 404 was silent for a few seconds, "Men die for wealth, birds die for food. You caved for a meal."

Jiang Jiang was speechless.

"He's got you wrapped around his finger," 404 summarized.

Jiang Jiang froze, then slowly slumped back onto the sofa, melting into a gingerbread-like puddle.

How could he be so easily manipulated?

But that private kitchen... it really did sound delicious!

Hmm, it's all Lu Nanzhou's fault.

404 asked curiously, "So why exactly do you want to keep your distance?"

Jiang Jiang was confused.

He wasn't entirely clear himself.

He didn't actually dislike Lu Nanzhou; in fact, he quite enjoyed spending time with him.

Although Lu Nanzhou sometimes seemed aloof, he was actually very good to him. He remembered what Jiang Jiang liked to eat, accompanied him in doing things that might seem a bit childish, and even helped clean up the messes Jiang Jiang made.

But ever since Lu Nanzhou ate the half-eaten strawberry from him at the dessert exhibition last time, things had started to feel strange.

"If you can't figure it out, don't force it. Just go with the flow," 404 comforted him, seeing his troubled expression.

"You're right!" Jiang Jiang scrambled up from the sofa, "By the way, 404, do you know when the next task will be released?"

"I'm not sure either," 404 pulled up the task interface, "but there's no new task for now."

"That's good!" Jiang Jiang breathed a sigh of relief.

As he spoke, he got up from the sofa and headed toward the kitchen, intending to find something to snack on.

Although he had eaten quite a bit at the factory canteen earlier, after all that excitement, he was feeling a bit hungry again.

Opening the refrigerator, he found it empty.

Only then did Jiang Jiang remember: he hadn't gone home this weekend, and the food prepared by Aunt Wang had long been finished.

Sending a distant thought to Aunt Wang.

Aunt Wang: Achoo! Achoo!

Just then, the doorbell suddenly rang.

Jiang Jiang was taken aback. Who could it be at this time?

He walked to the door and looked through the peephole, only to see an unexpected person.

Lu Nanzhou was standing outside, holding an elegant paper bag.

Jiang Jiang quickly opened the door, "How did you know I live here?"

"You sent me a screenshot of your food delivery order before, remember?" Lu Nanzhou handed him the paper bag, "I passed by Liang Ji on the way and remembered you said you liked their mille-feuille cake, so I bought one and brought it up."

Jiang Jiang took the bag and indeed caught the familiar sweet aroma.

"Thank you," Jiang Jiang said softly.

"You're welcome." Lu Nanzhou glanced past him into the apartment, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"

Jiang Jiang glanced at the layer cake in his hand, hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside to let Lu Nanzhou in.

His apartment wasn’t exactly messy, but it wasn’t particularly tidy either—a few clothes were tossed on the sofa, and snack wrappers were scattered across the coffee table...

Lu Nanzhou walked into the living room, his gaze sweeping around, but he didn’t show any sign of disdain. Instead, he naturally took a seat on the sofa.

“It’s very cozy,” he remarked.

“It’s okay,” Jiang Jiang replied, quickly gathering the clothes from the sofa and tossing them into the bedroom before hurriedly tidying up the coffee table. “Let me get you some water!”

“No need,” Lu Nanzhou stopped him. “Sit down and rest for a bit. You must be tired after touring the factory.”

With that pull, Jiang Jiang sat down at the other end of the sofa, keeping some distance between them.

For a moment, neither spoke, and the atmosphere grew slightly awkward.

“Ding, a new task has been released. Please check it in the system space promptly.”

“Mission Brief: You’ve noticed that Lu Xingye and Jiang Heyao seem to be at odds over some trivial matters lately—a perfect opportunity for you to make your move. You decide to invite Lu Xingye to a candlelit dinner.”

“Please invite Lu Xingye to a candlelit dinner tonight and deliver the line: [Name], don’t be too hard on him. I can tell Brother Jiang is just like that. If it were me, I’d never let you [blank].”

“Task countdown: 4 hours, 24 minutes, 17 seconds.”

At the same time, a task notification echoed in Lu Nanzhou’s mind.

“Please invite [Name] to a candlelit dinner tonight and deliver the line: Brother, don’t [blank] him anymore. I can tell [Name] is just like that. If it were me, I’d never let you be sad for so long.”

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Author’s Note: Oops, cooking took longer tonight, so I didn’t make it in time [pitiful].