Chapter 41.1 – Luosa Tree (3)
The theme restaurant was really meant for couples. The idea of ordering a meal for two by oneself was tactfully denied by the staff, prompting Jiang Yujin to try summoning a temporary dining companion.
The gossiping companion was still at work, and Shi Bu, this foolish chatterbox, only disrupted his work. Jiang Yujin didn’t consider this person at all. He first made a call to the barbershop owner, who patiently listened to him until, upon hearing the name of the restaurant, abruptly hung up without a trace of mercy.
What a wonderful friendship. Jiang Yujin sincerely wished the person would smoke an extra cigarette and anticipate a one-day advance on their funeral.
Angrily setting down the phone, he resolved to pull out a similarly solitary passerby who wanted to dine at the theme restaurant from the crowd. However, the people passing by were in pairs, making it difficult to pick.
He looked around at the door, and saw someone looking at him. After a while, they probably finally made up their mind and walked out of the crowd and approached him, asking: “Are you alone?”
The voice sounded quite nervous.
Suddenly a stranger appeared next to him. Jiang Yujin was just about to answer truthfully. Then he saw a man in black clothes in the crowd and said, “Not anymore.”
He spotted Xu Tonggui and his familiar colleague at a distance, and his mind instantly started working.
Xu Tonggui and Hu Li were watching as the person approached briskly, his hair swaying with each step, his smile shining brightly in the light.
It was evident he was scheming something.
As the person got closer, there was a sudden cool sensation on Xu Tonggui’s wrist, a strange touch.
Gripping the person’s wrist, Jiang Yujin gestured to Hu Li, “I’m borrowing him for a moment, just two minutes.”
Xu Tonggui was indeed borrowed. The person was taken away silently, surprisingly without any resistance, with long legs effortlessly keeping pace with the other.
Hu Li raised an eyebrow, watching the two leave, then realized and waved with a smile.
Great, the workaholic had left; it was time for lunch break.
Xu Tonggui wasn’t a workaholic but rather a versatile tool exclusive to the group. Someone by his side grabbed his wrist and successfully blended into the theme restaurant, sitting not far from Curly Hair and his partner.
After sitting down and casually ordering a dish from the menu, Citizen Jiang kept his gaze fixed on Curly Hair and his partner. When he snapped out of it, he noticed his companion across hadn’t left yet. Just as he was about to signal that he could go, his companion’s phone rang.
It was a call from the earlier colleague, Hu Li, mentioning that the Luosa branch was suffering due to the scorching midday weather, almost lifeless, and temporarily disconnected from the mother tree. Hu Li advised not rushing back, suggesting to eat a few bites first and then return to work after a while.
The suggestion to ‘eat a few bites’ meant the person had taken the chance to order an enormous deluxe seafood meal. He wouldn’t resume work until he finished it, staunchly defending his lunch break to the end.
This person had been searching for a tree all day, becoming increasingly impatient. Now, finally finding a moment, he swiftly began his break, teetering on the edge of passive resistance.
Though the phone call wasn’t loud, in the quiet space, it sounded crystal clear. Jiang Yujin, who had something to say, held his tongue and decided to continue observing Curly Hair and his other girlfriend.
Xu Tonggui simply looked at him quietly, his iron-grey pupils slightly dilated.
Midway through the observation, as the food arrived, Jiang Yujin retracted his gaze, coincidentally meeting the eyes of the person across. He said, “Do you want to ask something?”
He accurately guessed what was on the other person’s mind.
Xu Tonggui replied, “I saw you on the phone just now.”
Jiang Yujin simply nodded. No further explanation about the call or who it was to.
Xu Tonggui lowered his gaze.
Thinking he was looking at the food, Jiang Yujin casually said, “Eat first, whatever you want.”
He needed to gather decisive evidence, securing the moral high ground in case of a future parting with his employer.
Jiang Yujin was sometimes quite understanding, but most of the time, his thought process was unconventional.
While they conversed, the other girlfriend of Curly Hair noticed him and waved excitedly.
This other girlfriend, named Xiao Li, was pretty and outgoing. Meeting the similarly outgoing Citizen Jiang, they hit it off immediately. Two tables became one, a date turned into a dinner.
With Citizen Jiang’s charm in play, although his companion didn’t seem like one to mess with, Xiao Li wasn’t particularly worried. She smiled, “So, this is your boyfriend.”
It was an odd pairing, to say the least.
Before Xu Tonggui could say anything, Jiang Yujin smiled and nodded first, “Yes, that’s right.”
Xu Tonggui glanced at the hand someone beside him quietly pinched, choosing to maintain his silence.
There were four people at the table. Jiang Yujin was chatting away, hardly eating much but drinking water instead. Whenever his glass emptied, he’d push it towards Xu Tonggui, his temporary boyfriend, successfully initiating an exchange and receiving a full glass of water in return.
He kindly helped Curly Hair and Xiao Li take plenty of sweet photos, both sides smiling and sharing laughter.
The other party got sweet photos, and he got sweet evidence. They both had a beautiful future ahead.
Before they could finish the meal, Xu Tonggui’s phone rang. After taking the call and temporarily leaving, when he returned, he leaned down towards Citizen Jiang, who was taking a mid-meal break by drinking water, and said, “There’s a task.”
Understanding Xu Tonggui’s meaning, Jiang Yujin casually patted his head, “You should go ahead.”
As Jiang Yujin’s hand touched Xu Tonggui’s head, there was a slightly cool sensation. Xu Tonggui paused for a moment before straightening up and heading towards the door. With his long legs, he walked swiftly and vanished from sight in moments.
Xiao Li curiously asked, “Task?”
Jiang Yujin shrugged, launching into another train of thought, “He works at the small animal shelter. Every time he goes to tend to animals, he calls it a task.”
Both across the table nodded, somewhat surprised. They hadn’t expected this person, who appeared this way, to actually be so caring.
After finishing the meal, everyone accomplished their goals. Curly Hair and Xiao Li went to the parking lot to get the car, while Jiang Yujin fetched his electric scooter. They parted ways.
Work completed, everyone fed, things were going smoothly until the moment Jiang Yujin noticed the helmet missing from his electric scooter.
Jiang Yujin: “…”
The eyelids of a certain citizen surnamed Jiang lifted slowly.
*
The call Xu Tonggui answered was from Hu Li. Hu had finished the seafood feast, his voice oozing satisfaction. Additionally, with the help of the store’s air conditioning, the almost lifeless branch had revived and started indicating directions again.
Following the indicated direction, Hu Li narrowed his eyes, “That’s the entrance to the underground parking lot.”
Things were about to get complicated.
