CH 57

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Editor: SleepyMango123

Proofreader: meowmiao

Ji Ran was awoken by the sound of the doorbell the next morning.

Opening his eyes, he saw Qin Man get up from beside him. “I’ll go.”

Yue Wen Wen rushed in. On such a hot day, he didn’t bother to put on makeup and wore something normal.

“Ran Ran, aren’t you hungry?” Yue Wen Wen followed Qin Man in after greeting the other and sat on the bed.

From inside the blanket, Ji Ran looked sleepily at him. “Didn’t I say I’m not eating breakfast?”

“How is it still breakfast?” Yue Wen Wen exclaimed, “It’s almost one, even lunch is almost over!”

“I called your phone, but it was switched off.”

Qin Man lightly explained, “He doesn’t like to be disturbed, so I switched off my phone when sleeping.”

Ji Ran was still tired after exercising and soaking last night. Right now, his entire body still felt a little limp.

He reached out to grab his phone, only to find that it did not respond.

“It’s probably dead…” He murmured.

After turning it on, the battery displayed 85%.

He frowned, thinking it was strange, when his phone began to vibrate.

3 missed calls, 4 messages, all from the same number.

[Let’s have breakfast together tomorrow morning?]

[Are you awake?]

[I’m at the restaurant. Let me know when you’re here.]

[I didn’t see you, so I went to record my variety show. Let’s meet up at night.]

He sat up and asked the person sitting at the table. “Did you hear my phone ring this morning?”

“No.” Qin Man’s expression did not change. “What’s wrong?”

“My phone switched off for no reason.”

“Could it be that you switched it off last night? Or is there something wrong with your phone?”

“Forget it.” Ji Ran was too lazy to pursue this matter. He threw his phone aside and told Yue Wen Wen, “Go back first. I’ll call you guys once I’m done washing up.”

Yue Wen Wen had also heard the notifications. “Aren’t you going to reply?”

“What’s there to reply to?” Ji Ran asked.

“Alright. I know a popular farmhouse nearby. Shall we go there to eat?”

“Up to you.” Ji Ran got off the bed and pulled out a few clothes from his luggage on the way. “Where’s Cheng Peng?”

“There’s a problem with his room card. He said he’ll wait for us in the lobby, you were the only one left …” Yue Wen Wen paused for a moment, “Don’t your clothes look a bit big?”

Ji Ran took a glance. It was the same colour as a T-shirt he brought, but the pattern was really different.

The size was great; a little big on him but very comfortable.

Qin Man said, “It’s mine.”

“…” Ji Ran swiftly took it off and picked up his own shirt before entering the bathroom.

Yue Wen Wen said a few more words before returning to his room. When Ji Ran came out, Qin Man had already shut down the computer and changed into a new set of clothes.

He had taken off his pyjamas, and changed into the shirt Ji Ran had taken off earlier.

As soon as they arrived at the hotel lobby, they saw Cheng Peng and Chen An standing face to face. The atmosphere between them was strange.

“I already said, no.”

When they approached, they heard Cheng Peng’s cold voice.

“No to what?” Yue Wen Wen glanced at Chen An and saw that the corners of Chen An’s eyes were red. “What are you talking about, why are you crying?”

“No, nothing.” Chen An quickly forced his tears back.

Cheng Peng seemed impatient. He turned around and walked towards the parking lot.

Ji Ran glanced at Chen An.

He had not met Chen An many times before. Chen An appeared to be tender and delicate, the kind he could not get along with because he was afraid that he would make the other cry with a few words.

Fortunately, Qin Man was not such a person, otherwise…

Qin Man felt his gaze and chuckled, “Peeking at me?”

Ji Ran looked back expressionlessly and followed Cheng Peng.

Otherwise, he would let Qin Man cry ten times a day.

Due to the large expanse of land, the hotel was located in a ravine of the mountain. After leaving the hotel, it was either the mountain or sea, nothing else. Even the restaurants on the roadside were just small farm shops similar to food stalls.

The car drove along a winding road. Ji Ran held his chin and watched the tree branches slapping against the window, then asked lazily, “Who are you planning to kidnap?”

“Who can I tie up with my soft and weak body?” Yue Wen Wen praised himself flawlessly and held up his mobile phone, “This is the way according to the GPS!”

“I see it.” Cheng Peng looked at the cars in the distance

After passing through the small road, there was an open field where several large cars were parked and there seemed to be many guests.

Yue Wen Wen, “Don’t worry, I booked a private room.”

After parking the car, they walked into the restaurant together.

The restaurant was run by a family and the waiter was also the owner. He came up and enthusiastically greeted them, “Hello, how are you? Have you made a reservation? What name is your reservation under?”

Yue Wen Wen replied, “Miss Yue.”

Ji Ran, “…”

The boss assumed the person who made the reservation was absent and nodded, “Miss Yue…there it is. Your seats are ready, are you going to order now? Do you need a drink?”

No one wanted to drink alcohol in the afternoon.

Ji Ran shook his head. When he first woke up, he didn’t feel anything but he was really hungry now. “Just serve the food.”

The private room was not big, just an ordinary small house remodelled with a big round table in the middle, but it was already a luxurious private room.

Ji Ran casually found a chair to sit down on and turned to see that Qin Man was standing beside him. He first looked left and right before slowly sitting on the chair, his legs curled up uncomfortably.

“Why, is the prince not used to it?” Ji Ran sneered.

Qin Man returned with a question, “Do you often come to this kind of place?”

Yue Wen Wen put his hands on the edge of the chair. “Yeah, we often come to rural farmhouses to eat. Don’t look at how rundown it is, these are all things of nature that grew up eating and drinking amongst the mountains and seas, unlike in the city, where poultry are all full of hormones.”

Ji Ran didn’t speak. He sat for a while before he suddenly stood up. “I’m going out for a smoke.”

Qin Man got up and followed after him.

Ji Ran walked all the way to the edge of the mountain, ahead was a small cliff. From this angle, he could see the sea behind. Although the broken fishing nets on the shore were unsightly, it was still worth seeing as a whole.

He took out a pack of cigarettes and handed one to Qin Man.

Qin Man shook his head. “I don’t smoke.”

“… Why did you come out then?”

Ji Ran glanced at a tree next to him and felt his heart move. “Come here.”

Qin Man stepped forward.

“Bend over.”

Qin Man looked up and immediately understood when he saw the thick branch. “You want to go up?”

“En.” Ji Ran raised an eyebrow. “Hold your hand out, let me step on it.”

Qin Man didn’t make a sound but he also did not bend down.

“You aren’t willing?”

Before he could finish, Qin Man had leaned forward. Ji Ran thought he had agreed and was intending to raise a foot, only to find an arm wrapping around his calves.

“What are you doing?” He was startled.

Qin Man easily lifted him up all the way to the branch. “It wouldn’t be steady. Hold on tight and go up slowly.”

Ji Ran sat on the tree branch.

He didn’t know what was up with this tree. It wasn’t tall, yet its branches were thick and easily supported a full-grown man. When the sea breeze blew, it felt extremely comfortable.

Ji Ran watched the sea for a while before he suddenly spoke up. “Do you still remember the sea behind our school, with several large trees?”

He paused for a moment. “Oh, I forgot that was an area out of bounds to others. How could a nerd like you know about it.”

Qin Man raised an eyebrow.

He naturally knew about it. That was his little school bully’s favourite place to go whenever he played truant. Every time he went, he would stay for an entire afternoon.

If it weren’t for him, the little school bully would have been marked as absent over 800 times.

The little bully was unaware, swinging his legs carelessly. “Go back first, I’ll sit here for a bit.”

Ji Ran suddenly heard a click, like the sound of a camera’s shutter.

Turning back, he saw the person behind holding up his phone.

He froze. “You shot me?”

“I didn’t.” Qin Man set the photo as his screensaver with a calm face. “I shot the sea.”

Ji Ran didn’t doubt him. He didn’t wait long before his phone rang. It was Yue Wen Wen calling to let him know the food was here.

Just before they returned to the private booth, Ji Ran recalled he had not accomplished the purpose of this trip.

He touched the pack of cigarettes and decided to forget about it.

On the way back, the door of the neighbouring booth abruptly opened.

A man carrying a camera came out first.

Ji Ran was already annoyed by this stuff and simply frowned when he saw another man walking out.

The man was handsome. Ji Ran knew him.

This male star, in Yue Wen Wen’s words, was a “Little Fresh Meat”, and also one of Cheng Peng’s lovers.

“Ah, ge, I really can’t do this…must I really catch a chicken?”

Several staff members came out, looking like they were shooting a reality show.

“Of course, you lost the game, you must accept your punishment!” It was a heavy male voice. “Catch a fat one, that’s our lunch! Suiran too, you lost, so quickly follow along.”

Ji Ran, “…”

He didn’t know if the show would mosaic the passers-by who accidentally entered the frame but he grabbed Qin Man’s hand without thinking, turned and walked towards the private booth while ignoring He Suiran’s burning gaze.

“Go on, what’s the matter?” Seeing He Suiran stop, the male star followed his gaze and only saw only two backs.

“Nothing.” He Suiran turned around and smiled, “Let’s go.”

Ji Ran returned to the private booth, thought for a while and said, “There are some celebrities filming variety shows next door. Be careful not to be shot.”

“Really?” Yue Wen Wen asked in surprise, “What variety show? Is it popular? Is it too late for me to go back and put on makeup?”

“Don’t be so coquettish.” Ji Ran smiled.

“Tell us, who is there?” Yue Wen Wen asked.

“He Suiran.” Ji Ran glanced at Cheng Peng. “And someone we know.”

Qin Man raised an eyebrow. “You also know the other person?”

“I don’t remember his name.” With Chen An around, this matter wasn’t suitable to speak about, so Ji Ran glossed over it.

However, Yue Wen Wen couldn’t contain his curiosity. “Who is it? Do we know anyone in the entertainment circle? I’ll go have a look…”

Before he could finish, there was a knock.

Cheng Peng replied, “Come in.”

The door opened and the cameraman entered.

Followed by that, He Suiran and the male star entered.

When the male star saw Cheng Peng, his expression suddenly changed and his cheeks flushed.

“Excuse the interruption.” He Suiran smiled naturally and explained, “We lost a game and now need to find someone to compare our strength… I wonder if I can trouble you?”

Just as Ji Ran was about to refuse, Cheng Peng suddenly spoke.

He looked at the male star and said, “Okay.”

The male star’s eyes lit up and he hurriedly nodded. He quickly went to Cheng Peng’s side. “Then I will have to trouble you!”

He turned his head, “Excuse me, can you let me through?”

Chen An blinked in confusion and it took him a long time to recover. “Okay.”

Ji Ran was preparing to watch the show when he saw He Suiran walk up to him. “Then, can we compete with each other?”

When He Suiran spoke, he looked at the camera and said to the ‘audience’, “Victory means we will have the eight treasure soup. For the sake of the team, I can only choose someone who I think I will be able to win against.”

Ji Ran didn’t want to originally, but he laughed when he heard this. “Come on then.”

He Suiran smiled internally and immediately sat on the chair with his elbows propped up on the table, the muscles on his arms flexing.

The camera quickly gave a close-up.

Ji Ran was about to stretch out his hand, but someone else took He Suiran’s palm first.

The photographer’s close-up shot was originally intended to highlight the star’s good figure.

Unexpectedly, the arm that had just entered the frame was more eye-catching than He Suiran’s. Not only were his muscles beautiful, each of his fingers could be regarded as a work of art.

The photographer could hardly resist and subconsciously moved the lens over..

The man with exquisite facial features wore a careless smile.

“I’ll do it.” Qin Man smiled and said purposefully, “I really don’t want to let you have any soup.”

T/n: What a petty man