Yu Wei spoke softly, so the people walking ahead didn’t hear him.

The waiter was momentarily stunned seeing such a large group walking in together, but Jiang She explained, “They’re my family; they’re with me.”

Song Mian widened her eyes in surprise and subtly poked Chu Jiangmin with her hand, signaling him to take note of Jiang She’s words.

Chu Jiangmin leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “He’s from that kind of family. He seems much more mature than our kids.”

Song Mian nodded in agreement. From the moment they met Jiang She, every word he spoke was thoughtful, hitting just the right note—resolving situations without making anyone feel awkward.

Chu Tao, however, deliberately kept his distance from Jiang She and walked alongside Chu Xingning instead.

Without needing to ask, Chu Tao already knew Chu Xingning had figured out his relationship with Jiang She. In a low voice, Chu Tao said, “Brother, I didn’t know how to bring it up before, so I didn’t mention it.”

Chu Xingning didn’t seem to mind. Instead, he gestured towards Song Mian and whispered, “It’s fine. Look at Mom. After all these years, she’s still so easily swayed—always agreeing with whatever people say.”

Jiang She, with his way of winning Song Mian over, almost seemed to be feeding her words she wanted to hear. Meanwhile, her own son, Chu Tao, still hadn’t learned how to make her happy after all these years.

Chu Tao nodded seriously and looked at Jiang She’s back with a faintly discernible admiration. “He really is exceptional—except for not caring about his studies.”

The more time Chu Tao spent with Jiang She, the more he noticed his strengths. These qualities weren’t tied to how many problems he could solve academically but to an inherent charisma that drew people to him.

Chu Xingning chuckled, “He cares about you, so he’s willing to make the effort to behave. Otherwise, someone as arrogant as him wouldn’t bother reading the room.”

When they arrived at the tatami-style private room, Jiang She slid open the door. Fortunately, the room was spacious enough to seat seven people, even though it was originally designed for fewer.

Everyone arranged their shoes neatly at the entrance. Jiang She stepped in and stood to the side, gesturing to Song Mian and Chu Jiangmin. “Uncle, Auntie, please have a seat first.”

Song Mian’s eyes fell on the birthday cake on the table. Though the frosting was a bit smudged and the writing was illegible, it was clear that the cake was meant for a birthday celebration. Knowing her son’s birthday, she quickly turned to Jiang She and asked, “You…”

Jiang She replied casually, “Oh, today happens to be my birthday.”

Everything that had happened so far that day felt like a coincidence. Song Mian didn’t even have the energy to dwell on the unusualness of Chu Tao and Jiang She celebrating a birthday together. All she felt was a growing sense of guilt—they had taken Jiang She’s reserved room and disrupted his birthday.

Song Mian, who always disliked owing others, became visibly uneasy. Normally, if she borrowed even a small amount of money, she’d return it immediately with interest. Now, they owed Jiang She a much larger favor.

“Oh dear, Auntie didn’t know! I don’t have a gift for you,” she fretted, patting her skirt as if looking for something. Her skirt didn’t even have pockets, so there wasn’t any way to offer a monetary gift either, making the situation all the more awkward.

Chu Jiangmin was also embarrassed. “Sorry for interrupting your birthday.”

Jiang She chuckled lightly. “It’s fine, Auntie. Chu Tao bought the cake for me. Honestly, I haven’t celebrated my birthday in years. My parents are always busy.”

Song Mian and Chu Jiangmin exchanged a look, their thoughts turning to Jiang She’s family. Knowing his background, they even felt a twinge of sympathy for him. Having such successful parents likely left him with little attention from them.

As parents themselves, wholly dedicated to their children, they couldn’t help but feel sorry for Jiang She. His image in their minds seemed to glow brighter, now almost like a picture of tragic perfection.

Chu Tao nudged Chu Jiangmin’s waist. “Dad, have a seat.”

But Chu Jiangmin turned around to call out to Yu Xinrong instead. “Old Yu, come pick your spot first.”

He habitually deferred to Yu Xinrong, partly out of politeness and partly because Yu Xinrong was used to being in a leadership role, while Chu Jiangmin had never held such a position himself. This lack of confidence showed.

Chu Tao frowned slightly. His parents’ deference to Yu Xinrong unsettled him. Since they were meeting as classmates, there was no need to behave so submissively; normal interactions would suffice.

Chu Xingning had been feeling this way all along, especially with Yu Wei constantly finding chances to tease him, which only made him increasingly annoyed.

As Yu Xinrong was about to step forward, Jiang She smoothly guided Song Mian and Chu Jiangmin to seats of honor.
“Uncle, Auntie, please sit here. Chu Tao and I will sit across from you.”

Since it was Jiang She’s private room, no matter how polite Song Mian and Chu Jiangmin wanted to be, it wouldn’t have been appropriate to insist on declining or to ignore Jiang She’s arrangement.
So, they followed his suggestion and sat down, while Jiang She and Chu Tao took seats directly across from them, positions that subtly signified importance.

Chu Tao pulled Chu Xingning over. “Brother, sit next to me.”

After sitting down, Chu Xingning deliberately placed his bag on the seat next to him, occupying the remaining space entirely.

When Yu Xinrong entered and saw the only two seats left, he paused briefly before silently sitting next to Chu Jiangmin. Yu Wei naturally took the seat near his father.

The dishes Jiang She and Chu Tao had ordered were already served, still steaming and filling the room with a mouthwatering aroma.

The birthday cake, however, took up quite a bit of space. Chu Tao glanced at Jiang She and whispered, “Should I have them take it away?”

Jiang She carefully picked up the packaging box and began putting the cake back in it. “No need. Put it next to me. I’ll take it home and eat it—I won’t waste it.”

He didn’t want to say, “Because you bought it,” but Chu Tao understood anyway.

Jiang She pushed the ordering tablet toward Song Mian. “Auntie, here’s the menu. Please order a few more dishes; what we have now isn’t enough.”

Chu Tao, meanwhile, casually pulled over the honey-glazed cherries—a delicate dessert portioned for one, with only a few cherries per serving. Jiang She had specially ordered it for him, and he wasn’t going to share it.
Taking the opportunity, he reminded Song Mian, “Order an extra serving of the honey-glazed cherries for my brother. He likes sweets.”

Under the table, Jiang She secretly hooked Chu Tao’s hand with his finger. The spot where they were sitting was the same place where, just minutes earlier, they had shared an intimate and thrilling moment. Now, they were sitting here eating with Chu Tao’s parents.

The stark contrast in such a short span of time created a strange, subtle excitement.

Chu Tao lowered his head, focusing on the cherries, though his heart was racing. With his eyes downcast, he pretended to be immersed in eating, hiding his nervousness.

Distracted by the reminder, Song Mian focused on looking for the honey-glazed cherries on the menu and momentarily forgot to accommodate Yu Xinrong, letting him order first.

Yu Xinrong immediately felt sidelined, as though the evening was no longer centered around him.

Yu Wei muttered, “That honey glaze is probably just like maple syrup from abroad.”

It was only then that Jiang She noticed Yu Wei in the corner.

Yu Wei was clearly older than the rest, with hair styled using gel and dressed in a suit and shirt. He had a plain appearance, with a youthful look betraying his inexperience—like a regular intern.

Jiang She responded indifferently, “It’s not the same. One is made from honey; the other is the sap of a sugar maple tree.”

Yu Wei paused, then pursed his lips. “Oh. Maple syrup is better, though. When I went to Quebec, I had the most authentic golden amber maple syrup. Honey doesn’t even compare.”

Hearing this, Jiang She gave a faint, almost mocking smile but didn’t bother to reply further. Instead, he turned to Chu Tao and asked, “Want another serving?”

Chu Tao shook his head, quietly tightening his grip on Jiang She’s finger under the table. “No, one is just right,” he murmured.

No one else picked up on Yu Wei’s comment. Song Mian and Chu Jiangmin remained focused on ordering dishes, while Chu Xingning lowered his head to play with his phone. Yu Wei, left hanging, quickly felt out of place.

He thought that someone would eventually show interest and ask about Quebec’s scenery, whether Canada was fun, or the difference between the most authentic maple syrup and the kind served in regular restaurants.

Yu Wei shrugged. “Anyway, people who don’t eat it often wouldn’t understand.” Unhappy with Jiang She ignoring him, he used the opportunity to label others as “not understanding,” implying that anyone who cared about food quality would have engaged in a discussion with him.

Yu Xinrong patted Yu Wei’s head and lectured, “Your younger brothers are still kids. Of course, they haven’t been to as many places as you have. It’s normal if they don’t understand. Take the opportunity to share your experiences with them.”

Yu Wei found some satisfaction in Yu Xinrong’s words, but he still displayed a slightly impatient expression, muttering, “Got it.”