Striving for Science C65

When Shen Chang'an pushed open the door, he found Dao Nian and Cai Ran sitting quietly, neither of them speaking. Realizing that neither of them were the type to initiate conversation, he cleared his throat and began to look for a topic to break the ice.

After Shen Chang'an entered, the atmosphere quickly returned to normal, as if the awkward silence just now never existed.

With this thought in mind, Cai Ran could see the difference in their interactions whenever she looked at Shen Chang'an and his friend.

Usually carefree and boisterous, Shen Chang'an would pick fish bones out for his friend. Although he used public chopsticks, sometimes his friend would take the food directly from Shen Chang'an's hand and eat it, a gesture of intimacy that straight male friends wouldn't do.

Even though it was a dinner for three, she was practically invisible. No matter how beautiful the environment or how delicious the food, it couldn't compare to the power of PDAs.

Forget the food, just watching them two show off their love is enough.

"Ranran, although Cao Jin can't do anything to you openly now, I'm afraid he might resort to underhanded tactics, so you still need to be careful." Shen Chang'an looked at Cai Ran, "But you're so beautiful and talented, you're bound to have extraordinary good luck. When you bring glory to the country and become famous worldwide, remember to let me hold your leg. When I chat with others in the future, if they mention you, I'll say, 'Cai Ran? I know her well, we've been good friends for years.'"

"You're really ambitious, why can't it be me holding your leg in the future?" Cai Ran laughed, "But thanks for the good wishes, if I really become famous, I'll post a special message on Weibo saying you're my friend, okay?"

"Of course, you have to keep your word." Shen Chang'an happily slapped the table, "If you don't post on Weibo, you're a puppy."

When have I ever gone back on my word?" Cai Ran sneered, "It's a certain someone who said they would continue their postgraduate studies, but…"

...ended up running off to some unknown place to date other men.

Heh, men, they're just big pig hooves*.

TN: a meme that got famous with Yanxi Palace drama. Basically men that are lustful for beauty and don't keep promises etc.

Shen Chang'an awkwardly smiled, "Well, plans don't always go as expected."

"Have some soup." Dao Nian placed a bowl of soup in front of Shen Chang'an, "You don't eat properly at noon, and then you eat more than anyone else at night. You young people nowadays, your eating habits are terrible."

Shen Chang'an picked up the soup and whispered in Dao Nian's ear, "My friend is here, give me some face."

Dao Nian glanced at Cai Ran and slowly lowered his eyelids.

It's only right to save face for family in front of outsiders.

Cai Ran felt that Shen Chang'an's friend was looking at her with a strange expression. As a highly intelligent and skilled professional, her rationality reminded her not to delve too deep.

"Don't you want to stay in the capital?" Cai Ran couldn't help but ask, "Chang'an, you've been in the capital for so many years, are you really willing to leave and not come back?"

"The capital is vast, bustling, and prosperous, everyone is rushing about for their dreams." Shen Chang'an put down his chopsticks, "Wuming City is different, the streets aren't as wide, the clothes people wear aren't as fashionable, and the alleys are filled with 20-30 yuan all-you-can-eat buffets. When I walk down the street, residents often greet me, and our conversations are simple, either about what we've eaten or where we're going."

"But I like it there." Shen Chang'an smiled, "In that city, I'm needed."

Cai Ran suddenly understood, Shen Chang'an didn't like the city itself, but the warmth of being liked and needed.

She knew Chang'an's parents had passed away, but he never mentioned it to his friends. He always smiled, the bright boy in everyone's eyes, as if by not mentioning it, it wouldn't exist.

But how could something that already exists simply disappear because it wasn't spoken about?

In the end, it was their friends who were used to Shen Chang'an's smile and didn't care enough about him.

She turned her head to look at Shen Chang'an's friend, put down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth, "Chang'an, are you happy now?"

Shen Chang'an nodded.

"These days, aside from not earning enough money and always mooching off Dao Nian for meals, life was practically perfect.

That's good." Cai Ran smiled. "I was thinking of inviting you to visit the school, but you're with…"

What was Shen Chang'an's friend's name again?

"You and your friend might have other things to do, so I won't waste your time. Maybe next time." Cai Ran's tone became slightly subdued. "When will you be back in the capital?"

"I'll be back every year." Shen Chang'an smiled. "There are some elders who took care of me in the capital."

"That's good." Cai Ran's tone brightened. "I was afraid that after I achieve fame and fortune, I'd want you to be my 'leg-hanger' and come cling to my success, but I wouldn't be able to find you."

"Don't even think about it. Once you achieve fame and fortune, even if you don't want to see me, I'll climb through your window to cling to your success." Shen Chang'an chuckled. "A leg without a hanger is an imperfect leg."

"Chang'an." Dao Nian placed his hand on Shen Chang'an's shoulder. "You and your friend chat, I'll be right back."

Shen Chang'an looked up to see Shen Tu standing at the door, and nodded reassuringly. "Okay, hurry back. Did you bring your phone?"

"Mhm." Dao Nian nodded.

Shen Tu walked into the private room, smiled and nodded at Cai Ran, before pushing Dao Nian out.

Cai Ran quickly returned the smile. Once Shen Tu and Dao Nian were gone, her straight posture instantly slumped. All traces of elegance and scholarly demeanor vanished. "Shen Chang'an, your friend, he seems very wealthy?"

"He doesn't just seem wealthy, he really is." Shen Chang'an shared some anecdotes about his time with Dao Nian. "So, he might look cold, but he's actually a really good person."

"I know he's a good person, you already emphasized that yesterday on the phone. No need to emphasize it again." Cai Ran took out a lipstick from her bag and reapplied her makeup. "Shen Chang'an, you're such a... sometimes smart, sometimes dumb, really…"

"Huh?" Shen Chang'an looked at Cai Ran with confusion.

"Nothing." Cai Ran shook her head with a smile, slowly closing the lipstick cap, and also closing off her own insignificant, fleeting feelings for Shen Chang'an.

She thought he was a straight-laced, simpleton who hadn't figured out love. Now she realized that there was no one who couldn't understand love, they just hadn't met the right person.

"Alright, I should go." Cai Ran stood up. "I have an experiment waiting for its data."

A pig's trotter she couldn't eat wasn't worth wasting her precious research time on.

"I'll walk you back." Shen Chang'an stood up as well.

"No need, I drove here." Cai Ran glanced back at Shen Chang'an. "Besides, if you walk me back, what about your friend?"

"It's fine, I can walk you back with him." Shen Chang'an took the coat hanging on the rack and held it in his arms, following Cai Ran out of the private room.

Dao Nian, who had finished paying the bill, returned to see Shen Chang'an and Cai Ran walking out of the private room one after the other. He asked, "Did you eat well?"

"Mhm." Shen Chang'an handed the coat to Shen Tu, then walked behind Dao Nian and pushed him. "The weather's nice today, want to go for a walk somewhere?"

Dao Nian turned his head to look at Cai Ran: "Together?"

"Not together." Cai Ran quickly said, "I'm going back to the lab soon."

Although you have a blank expression, I still saw suspicion and sourness in your eyes. She's a beautiful woman with a high IQ, she doesn't want to be a third wheel for this pair of dog-like men.

"Okay, I'll walk around." Dao Nian retracted his gaze and nodded.

Cai Ran: "..."

Heh, if she said she'd go together, she'd say she doesn't have time and wouldn't go, right?

Tsk tsk tsk, men.

When they left the store, Cai Ran noticed that Shen Chang'an hadn't paid, he just pushed his friend out.

When Shen Chang'an carried Dao Nian into the car and turned around to send her to the car, Cai Ran couldn't help but say, "Did your friend pay for our meal?"

"Yes." Shen Chang'an nodded, "He also helped me book the place, otherwise I wouldn't be able to afford to bring you here."

"I never thought." Cai Ran shook her head in amazement, looking at Shen Chang'an with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, she didn't expect him to be so comfortable living off his friend.

"What didn't you expect?"

"Nothing." Cai Ran opened the car door, glanced back, Shen Chang'an's friend was sitting in the car, with the window open, looking at them from afar.

She didn't want to be the villainous female supporting character in someone else's love story, so she took a step back, directly getting into the car, creating distance between her and Shen Chang'an. "Chang'an, take good care of yourself."

"I will." Shen Chang'an nodded, "You don't have to worry about me."

Cai Ran smiled, "Although this path might be difficult, I believe you're not the kind of person who would give up because of rumors. If you encounter difficulties, you can talk to us old friends. Even if others don't understand you, we'll be behind you."

Shen Chang'an: "..."

These words were very touching, but... something seemed off? He was just going to work in a small city, it wasn't like he was going to be condemned by everyone, right?

"Your friend, he's pretty good." Cai Ran smiled, "You two take care."

Shen Chang'an nodded.

"Chang'an..." Cai Ran gazed deeply into Shen Chang'an's eyes, "I wish you happiness."

"Thanks?" Shen Chang'an felt that Cai Ran wasn't talking about the same thing as him. But no matter what she misunderstood, he understood her intentions.

"I wish you happiness and success soon." Shen Chang'an smiled, "See you next time."

"Go, go." Cai Ran waved, "Your friend is still waiting for you in the car."

"Be careful on the road." Shen Chang'an said goodbye to Cai Ran and trotted away. Cai Ran saw that the moment Shen Chang'an ran towards his friend, his friend's expression softened.

She smiled and rolled up the car window.

Cai Ran opened a song and hummed along softly.

***

"Where do you want to go this afternoon?" Shen Chang'an settled into the car and fastened his seatbelt. He was in a good mood after seeing a friend he hadn't seen in a long time, and a smile lingered on his face.

"I want to see the places you used to go."

"Then go to my high school?" Shen Chang'an smiled triumphantly, "There's still a picture of me on the bulletin board of our school."

"Your high school..." Dao Nian recalled the girl in the photo of Shen Chang'an's high school days, "Okay."

"Then wait for me." Shen Chang'an ran to a nearby store and bought a bunch of gifts, "Since we're going that way anyway, I'll buy some gifts for the teachers too."

"Do you have any high school classmates you're particularly close to?" Dao Nian asked.

"I think I got along well with everyone." Shen Chang'an thought back to some past events, the smile on his face faded a little, "But there's no one I'm particularly close to."