novelInterlude A Hodgepodge of People of All Sorts 3
| ← Ch.516 | Ch.518 → |
Ruan Zeer took notice of the time. The two little ones had finished eating their meat and he reminded them to return to the banquet hall, otherwise, the adults would be worried if they could not find them.
Qi Youxuan held up a pair of greasy hands and looked up at Chang Jingwan."Auntie, what do I do about my hands?"
"Give me a minute!" Chang Jingwan took out a pack of paper towels, a pack of wet wipes, and a small bottle of hand sanitizer from her bag.
While taking the last bite out of her chicken drumstick, Qi Youning said with her eyes shining, "Auntie, you're just like Doraemon!"
Chang Jingwan, "..."
'Can I not be compared to that blue fatty?'
'That body figure just causes me anxiety!' she thought.
"You can make so many things appear at once. Your bag has everything!" said an impressed Qi Youning.
Chang Jingwan smiled and said, "These are just the essentials. Don't exaggerate."
Firstly, Chang Jingwan wiped the grease off Qi Youxuan's hands with a paper towel and then wiped them again with wet wipes. After that, she squirted some hand sanitizer on his palms to get rid of the remaining grease and wiped them again with paper towels. Qi Youxuan's hands were now clean and fragrant.
Little Youning's hands were not dirty from the start—they were still fair, tender, and clean. However, Wen Xu, while feeding Little Youning, had grease all over his hands.
Although Wen Xu was usually cold, as her niece's boyfriend, Chang Jingwan also treated Wen Xu as one of her own nephews and nieces. She did not take notice that Wen Xu was already in junior high and was almost an adult.
Therefore, she subconsciously wanted to grab Wen Xu's hands and wipe down Wen Xu's hands just like she did for Qi Youxuan.
Before her fingers could touch Wen Xu's hands, she was blocked by Ruan Zeer. Ruan Zeer quickly shoved the paper towels, wet wipes, and hand sanitizer into Wen Xu's hands. Chang Jingwan did not even notice when Ruan Zeer took them.
"Hurry and clean up, " said Ruan Zeer.
Wen Xu obediently wiped his hands, picked up Qi Youning, and walked ahead with Qi Youxuan following closely behind.
Chang Jingwan took up the rear. She was a little startled. When Ruan Zeer blocked her a moment ago, he accidentally brushed across her fingertips. They only touched accidentally, but Chang Jingwan felt as if there was a small electrical current tingling across her fingertips as they touched.
She lowered her head to look at her fingers where he touched her. They were not tingling anymore but there remained a faint warmth.
Chang Jingwan's ears suddenly turned red, and a numbness started to spread from her scalp to her ears and down to her neck.
"Why are you spacing out? Let's go, " a clear voice suddenly said from above her head.
Chang Jingwan lifted her head in surprise and looked right into Ruan Zeer's smiling face.
Not sure if she was being amorous, or because the strange emotions that she was feeling caused her to think too much, but she felt that Ruan Zeer was standing a little too close. She looked up and saw his face was within easy reach, looking gentle and comfortable like his voice.
As for Chang Jingwan, her mouth hung open nervously and her breathing was frantic. Her face flushed red and she unconsciously took a half-step backward. Due to her nervousness, she was a little unstable.
Ruan Zeer gently held her elbow for just for a moment—barely a second—and then let go. Chang Jingwan felt that her elbow was warm.
She could not even speak for she feared that she would stutter and only uttered a soft "hmm".
Ruan Zeer walked ahead, opened the door, and waited for her. Chang Jingwan reached out to hold the door but was careful to place her hand slightly further away from his. Somehow, when Ruan Zeer let go, he brushed her hand again.
She was not paying attention just now, but once she did, Chang Jingwan became more and more sensitive. A mere touch caused her to shiver.
Ruan Zeer looked down, the corner of his mouth curled slightly. He then pretended to not know anything and walked forward.
Chang Jingwan followed behind with her head lowered and her face flushed.
Her heart was anxious. Even without looking into a mirror, she knew that her face blushed crimson as she could feel it burning. She was afraid that Ruan Zeer turned and saw her like this—she would rather die.
She and Ruan Zeer were both at University A. She was a senior in year four and was preparing for her postgraduate examinations. Ruan Zeer had already graduated. While studying for his Master's degree and Doctorate, he joined Ruan Keshan's Mathematics Research Group and doubled as a teaching assistant at A University.
Rumor had it that he was preparing to take over Ruan Keshan's classes at the University once he obtained the title of Professor. Soon, he would also enter the Chinese Academy of Sciences and join Grandfather Ruan and Ruan Keshan.
She, however, knew that Ruan Zeer did not intend to focus on research as he had told her in private. While serving as a teaching assistant at the university, he also set up a company with Li Yiming in private to develop online games.
Li Yiming returned home after graduating from university. Much like Ruan Zeer, his family was rather well off. So, it was not difficult to fork out the money to set-up a company for both of them.
After Ruan Danchen found out about Ruan Zeer's idea, Ruan Danchen did not doubt her brother's ability and gave him a check to support his entrepreneurship. It was partly due to Ruan Danchen's support that Ruan Zeer and Li Yiming averted many difficulties at the start of their entrepreneurship journey.
Li Yiming studied computer programming and Ruan Zeer was responsible for the huge calculation processes in the game.
Both of them were tactful. Although they had big ambitions, they never took on anything beyond their ability. During the setting up of their company, they did not choose to develop games that required a large amount of manpower, materials, or financial resources, but instead chose to develop mobile games that were now flourishing.
In the beginning, they had to work very hard and were very busy. They slept at the office and ate instant ramen for every meal. They slowly got on track and launched their first mobile game on the App Store, which garnered a good response. The game was free to download but had in-app purchases for additional equipment. You could play it however you liked but of course, you needed to purchase the additional equipment to get a better experience of the game.
Because the graphics, game settings, as well as the gameplay were good, it was very popular and attracted some advertisers and investors.
The two of them also gradually relieved themselves from their busy schedules, recruited a few employees, and began to get the company on track.
They planned to develop a few more mobile games. After that, they would try their hand in developing online games. This would test their skills even more, and made them even more eager to try it.
She was the last to enter the elevator. She kept her head lowered to prevent Ruan Zeer from seeing her blushed face.
However, she did not realize that even her neck was red. With her head lowered, her fair and exposed neck was especially red.
Ruan Zeer chuckled silently. He waited for Chang Jingwan to enter, then released the 'door open' button and pressed the 'door close' button.
The five of them reentered the banquet hall. The two little ones were full and all the guests had almost arrived. Everyone took their seats. As well educated children, it was natural that they did not run about during the banquet.
Wen Xu went back to the Wen family table. Qi Youxuan and Qi Youning obediently returned to the Qi family table.
As soon as Qi Youxuan sat down, he heard Qi Youjin sighing beside him. He looked a little further aside, Qi Chengzi's mouth twitched and Song Yu had her hand brought to her forehead.
"Little brother, what happened to you?"
Qi Youjin looked at him sadly, and then looked at Qi Youning."You guys, didn't you know that I broke up? You keep parading in couples in front of me. Where's the love?"
"..." Qi Youxuan was speechless.
This fella was only a year older than Youning. What was there to break up?
"I'll introduce you to someone new!" Qi Youxuan consoled.
Qi Youjing looked at Qi Youxuan resentfully.
"Elder brother, I'm not a casual person. I can't just change the object of my affections just like that. This is blasphemous of my love!"
"..." Qi Youxuan was dumbstruck.
"Moreover, I have to wait for my girlfriend. Before she returns, I must be celibate like jade!" said Qi Youjin clenching his fist.
"..." Qi Youxuan continued listening.
"Then what were you sad about!" said Qi Youxuan angrily.
"There's no one to accompany me, no love. You guys went to go play and left me here alone, " said Qi Youjin resentfully."Brother, Ningning, Er Cheng, do you guys think that I'm in the way?"
"..." All three of them, Qi Youxuan, Qi Youning, and Cheng Xicheng were at a loss of words.
It was obvious that Qi Youjin did not feel hurt but was just faking it to throw a tantrum. However, as good brothers and sisters, the three of them could not bear it.
"No, no!" Qi Youning said immediately."Elder brother, we're always with you!"
Cheng Xicheng nodded vigorously and said, "Elder brother, you don't have to be in love. Just getting to know more female friends will be good for you!"
"..." Song Yu was speechless listening to all that.
If by chance Qi Youjin grew up to be a womanizer, then it would be traced back to this point and Cheng Xicheng's reasoning.
To avoid this, Song Yu decided to have a good talk with her son when she got home.
What made Song Yu give a huge sigh of relief was that Qi Youjin did not pay attention to what was said. He was distracted long ago.
He leaned towards Qi Youxuan, stuck out his nose and sniffed."Elder brother, you ate meat!"
Busted!
Qi Youxuan quickly covered his mouth, but it was too late, Qi Chenglin already heard it.
"Meat?" Qi Chenglin raised his eyebrows.
Chang Jingwan, who was sitting at the table next to them, retracted her neck and looked away into the distance, pretending not to hear anything.
Qi Chenglin knew that Chang Jingwan and Ruan Zeer had been sneaking food to the siblings. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and he said, "You and Youning will have your weight taken when you return home."
"..." Qi Youxuan and Qi Youning had nothing to say.
"Both of you, when I have no meat to eat and become skinny, I'll have no energy and won't have the strength to play with you. You can continue being heartbroken, sad, and lonely!" sulked Qi Youning. These two elder brothers of hers were really peas in a pod.
Qi Youxuan also leaned weakly onto Qi Youning's body."I'm hungry, and I don't have any meat to eat. I'm flustered and short of breath. I'm not in the mood to play!"
"..." Qi Youjin covered his mouth and blinked his eyes. He realized that he had implicated his brother and sister. He then tried to make up for it."I'll bring meat to school for you guys!"
"Youjin, you have to whisper softer than that, " said Qi Chenglin trying not to smile.
"..." Qi Youjin stayed quiet.
Qi Chengzi was vexed. He was such a wise person, but his son was so innocent and cute.
He could not help but glance at Song Yu.
"What kind of look is that?" said Song Yu annoyed.
Qi Chengzi laughed lightly and stroked her hair.
"I have quite a high IQ!" Song Yu proclaimed.
"Hehe. Right you are." Qi Chengzi patted her head.
That made Song Yu speechless.
They cannot even have a decent conversation!
......
Jixia Academy's sports day was segregated between the elementary, junior high, and high school sessions respectively.
Due to the different events and intensity of the sports, it was unreasonable for elementary school students to compete with high school students in the one thousand five hundred meter race. They also cannot withstand an entire day of sporting events.
Little Youning's sports day was only for half a day. The school was closed for the second half of the day as the children were tired from the morning's activities. The children were allowed to go home.
Qi Youxuan and Wen Xu's junior high sports day was to be held on the second day. When Little Youning was resting at home, they were still in class.
| ← Ch. 516 | Ch. 518 → |