Seeing that Jiang Churan was still a bit unsure of what to do with the things Jiang Cheng had brought,
Shen Shuang saw this and hurriedly patted her shoulder. "Oh, stop overthinking it. This little bit of stuff isn't even worth a few bottles of your boyfriend's wine."
Hearing Shen Shuang say this, the conflict in Jiang Churan's heart eased significantly.
After all, she had received gifts worth hundreds of thousands before; by comparison, what Jiang Cheng brought really didn't amount to much.
The dishes began to arrive one after another.
Fresh, tender salmon sashimi was arranged in the shape of a flower, with neatly lined-up surf clams beside it.
Lively kuruma prawns twitched slightly in a bamboo basket.
There were also thick sea cucumbers and springy baby cuttlefish, a dazzling array filling the entire table.
Seeing this table of food that looked, smelled, and tasted exquisite, Shen Shuang and Xu Yan's excitement was palpable.
The two looked at each other and smiled, then stood up gracefully and began taking photos of the dishes.
After taking the photos, Shen Shuang swiped through her phone screen to admire the pictures while casually asking, "Hey, has that Wang Bing who was looking for you the other day contacted you again lately?"
Xu Yan, who was just about to pick up some food from the hot pot in front of her,
froze mid-motion, her chopsticks hovering over a freshly cooked lobster.
Keenly sensing this subtle change, Shen Shuang's gaze immediately fell upon Xu Yan.
Because she noticed that after she asked the question, the first person Xu Yan looked at was actually Jiang Cheng.
This discovery brought a look of intrigue to Shen Shuang's face.
Although Shen Shuang hadn't seen Xu Yan's leg hook onto Jiang Cheng's,
she had seen clearly when Xu Yan accidentally leaned her head against Jiang Cheng's earlier.
Especially Xu Yan's slightly reddened earlobes and panicked gaze—none of these details had escaped Shen Shuang's observation.
That was why Shen Shuang deliberately brought up this question in front of Jiang Cheng and Jiang Churan.
She wanted to test Xu Yan's reaction.
After a brief hesitation, Xu Yan said, "He has. He sent me a bunch of stuff on New Year's Eve, but I ignored him."
Hearing this, Jiang Churan followed up, "Wang Bing really is persistent. He's been chasing you for over a year now, hasn't he?"
Xu Yan's brow furrowed slightly, looking quite annoyed.
"You both know I've told him many times, but he just won't listen. He's always doing all sorts of nonsense, making people think I'm leading him on. But in reality, I think I've made myself clear enough."
Jiang Churan and Shen Shuang agreed on this point.
Jiang Cheng listened from the side without saying a word.
At this moment, the hot pot was bubbling with steam.
Bright red lobster and plump king crab legs tumbled in the milky white broth, giving off an enticing seafood aroma.
A few paper-thin slices of abalone trembled gently on the surface of the boiling soup, translucent and crystalline.
He silently served Jiang Churan a cooked crab leg.
Seeing this, a sweet smile couldn't help but touch the corners of Jiang Churan's mouth.
Then she turned to Xu Yan and said, "Actually, Wang Bing seems like a decent guy. At least he meticulously prepares gifts for you for every occasion, even though you reject him mercilessly every time."
Hearing this, Shen Shuang seemed unable to hold back.
She suddenly interjected, "Don't even start. You know how picky Yan Yan is. She's never liked Wang Bing; her standards are very high."
Hearing this, Xu Yan was somewhat stunned.
Had Shen Shuang eaten gunpowder?
She had no idea why Shen Shuang would suddenly say something like that, especially with such a sharp tone.
Xu Yan responded, confused, "What do you mean my standards are high? I've never had any intention of dating; you guys know that. Besides, I've never tried to lead him on; I've always rejected him clearly. You should know that better than anyone."
Xu Yan's explanation gave Shen Shuang a brief pause, but she quickly pressed the attack again.
"Chu Ran always said she didn't want to date before too, but look at her now. Hey, if you met someone like Jiang Cheng, would you date him or not?"
Seeing Shen Shuang throw out such a 'death trap' question between best friends,
Xu Yan pursed her lips and stared intently at Shen Shuang. The atmosphere between them instantly became a bit strange.
Unlike Xu Yan's tension, Jiang Churan appeared exceptionally calm.
She even stared at Xu Yan with a look of curiosity.
Because she didn't think there was anything wrong with Shen Shuang's question.
On the contrary, it was a very realistic question.
If Jiang Cheng were just an ordinary guy, asking that might seem presumptuous.
But all three of them knew Jiang Cheng was no ordinary person.
For a girl like Xu Yan who wanted to enter the entertainment industry, he was even a major capital mogul.
"I'm curious too, Yan Yan. I know you've always been into idols and want to join the entertainment industry, so you've been afraid to date. If you met someone like Jiang Cheng, would you date him?"
Faced with the double pincer attack from her best friends, Xu Yan was clearly flustered.
She unconsciously swallowed.
Then she quickly turned her head and pointed the spear at Shen Shuang, trying to change the subject. "What about Shuang Shuang then? Weren't you always shouting about how envious you were? Saying things like you wouldn't fight for status and would be willing to be the mistress. What would you do if it were you?"
This move of Xu Yan's indeed worked.
Seeing her usual jokes being brought up by Xu Yan, Shen Shuang's face immediately turned a slight shade of red.
However, she knew that compared to Jiang Churan and Xu Yan, she definitely wasn't Jiang Cheng's type.
Moreover, she was a person with a straightforward personality.
She quickly regained her composure and answered bluntly, "For a man with Jiang Cheng's qualities, I would definitely agree without hesitation, even if I could only be a mistress."
Jiang Cheng had originally intended to remain silent and not get involved in such a sensitive topic.
Seeing Jiang Churan looking at him with great interest,
he simply spread his hands. "I'm really just sitting here minding my own business while trouble drops from the sky! But seriously, Shen Shuang is truly a good person."
With Jiang Cheng saying that, Shen Shuang immediately lost the chance to focus her fire on Xu Yan.
"A 'good person'? What's that supposed to mean?"
Seeing the smile on Jiang Cheng's face, Shen Shuang immediately realized there was more to his words.
Her eyes widened as she pressed him, "Oh, so am I being 'friend-zoned' by you? Seriously, I'm at least a bit of a beauty, right? I occasionally run into some tasteful older men at the school gate who try to pick me up or even offer to keep me as a mistress! And you're just calling me a 'good person'?"
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng solemnly changed the subject. "Such things happen at your school gate?"
Jiang Cheng was, of course, asking something he already knew the answer to.
After all, the three scumbags Wang Zheng, Qi Yuan, and Chen Hao loved nothing more than going to various art schools to place water bottles on cars.
Jiang Cheng only asked this because he didn't want Shen Shuang to throw the topic back onto Xu Yan.
Jiang Cheng could give Shen Shuang a 'good person card,' but it was hard for him to do the same for Xu Yan in good conscience.