Chapter 154: Camping

Having witnessed so many romantic entanglements and grievances, Jiang Zao had grown somewhat numb to such matters.

"Whatever the case, as long as President Meng is happy, that's what matters most."

Meng Qiaoyuan didn't elaborate further. When it came to Meng Qiaochong, she and Jiang Zao were completely united. No matter how things turned out, it had nothing to do with her. Their parents couldn't control him, their eldest sister couldn't control him, and as the younger sister, she certainly couldn't either.

All the ingredients were provided by the venue. Meng Qiaoyuan had organized a gathering here once before, and after Sister Hui arrived, she had made numerous adjustments down to the smallest details.

Just as everyone was busy with their own tasks and enjoying their leisure time in the vibrant spring sunshine, the management welcomed another group of guests.

Dou Chengyun was, after all, a traffic celebrity. In today's dominant fandom culture, he still tried to keep as low a profile as possible when going out.

Right now, following closely behind Zhao Luoyi and Li Shuan, he felt a constant, nervous fear of being recognized within such an open camping ground.

The mere thought that this person had once tried to climb into Zhou Lichuan's bed gave Li Shuan a visceral sense of disgust. She did not know Lin Rui's true sexual orientation; using this person to provoke Lin Rui earlier was simply meant to nauseate him.

If she ever found out that Dou Chengyun hadn't climbed into Zhou Lichuan's bed, but rather Lin Rui's, one could only wonder what her reaction would be.

Zhao Luoyi smiled faintly and said, "Everything was already arranged before we came. You don't need to be this nervous."

Dou Chengyun couldn't understand it at all. "Why did I have to come? I can see that everything here is prepared in advance. Even if I could cook by myself, it wouldn't necessarily turn out better than what the venue provides."

Zhao Luoyi lowered her eyes, guiltily raising the beverage in front of her to take a sip.

Li Shuan let out a cold hum and said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "You were told to come, so you came. Just treat it as relaxing, why ask so many questions?"

Their area was very quiet. Aside from the sound of the wind and water boiling in the kettle, hardly anyone spoke.

Across a small stream, not far away, was the campsite Meng Qiaoyuan had booked. Sounds of laughter and cheerful chatter drifted over from time to time, sounding deeply ironic.

...

Meng Qiaochong had arrived as well. He didn't come empty-handed; he brought a whole trunk full of fishing rods.

"I heard there are plenty of fish in this little stream. It's been a long time since I went fishing, and my hands are really itching. If Mr. and Mrs. Zhou don't mind, I won't be polite."

Jiang Zao certainly didn't mind. She sensed a deep weariness hidden beneath Meng Qiaochong's smile. Perhaps a relaxing activity like fishing could bring him a little happiness.

Zhou Lichuan took a sip of the fruit tea from Jiang Zao's cup and watched with a kind smile as Meng Qiaochong walked toward the nearby stream.

"Is President Meng in low spirits?"

Meng Qiaoyuan repeated expressionlessly, "He went to pick out wedding dresses this morning, and he's feeling quite depressed about it right now."

Zhou Lichuan chuckled softly and said nothing.

As men, he understood Meng Qiaochong's state of mind, as well as the unspoken helplessness behind so many of his actions.

Family responsibility came second; what truly broke his heart was Tan Wenyi's merciless departure.

People like them, who had grown up free of material worries and pampered like stars, possessed immense pride. Meng Qiaochong had maintained the submissive posture of a devoted follower throughout that relationship, only to be discarded anyway—the first to be abandoned when trouble struck. It was hard not to feel disheartened.

Jiang Zao tugged at the corner of his sleeve. "Zhou Lichuan, do you have an unforgettable white moonlight?"

Li Baixiu happened to be walking over with a plate of shrimp and completely forgot to put down the tray upon hearing this, staring straight at Zhou Lichuan while waiting for his answer.

Zhou Lichuan laughed. "Of course I do. My white moonlight is amazing—she peed on me the very first time we met."

"A dog?" Li Baixiu put down the plate and asked curiously.

Jiang Zao rolled her eyes, and the pistachio shell in her hand hit Li Baixiu squarely on his handsome face. "Scram, a kid like you prying into everything."

"Ah?" Li Baixiu was struck dumbfounded, glancing at Meng Qiaoyuan next to him for a joke, but getting no answer. He turned his pleading gaze toward Sister Hui. Sister Hui suppressed a smile and pointed at Jiang Zao's slightly reddened ear tips, causing Li Baixiu to experience a sudden moment of epiphany.

"Older Sister?"

"Pfft—Hahaha!"

Meng Qiaoyuan failed to hold it in and burst into laughter.

Jiang Zao vented all her frustration on Zhou Lichuan, pressing her back hard against the chair for leverage and kicking out at him.

"There are so many people here, and you say whatever comes to your mind!"

Zhou Lichuan hurriedly steadied Jiang Zao's body, completely ignoring the footprint left on him by the kick. "Alright, alright, my mistake. Make smaller movements, watching you do that makes me nervous."

Shen Mushi brought over a plate of chicken wings. "The last dish is ready, we can eat now."

Everyone took off their aprons and sat down. Shen Mushi stretched his neck to look at his brother-in-law fishing by the stream in the distance, then turned back to ask Meng Qiaoyuan, "Don't we need to call Brother Chong over?"

Meng Qiaoyuan waved her hand. "He's trying to lose weight, calling him won't make him come."

"Why lose weight? President Meng doesn't look fat at all." Li Baixiu's timely innocence only seemed adorable in the eyes of Jiang Zao and Meng Qiaoyuan.

"For whom does he grow haggard and thin," Jiang Zao remarked. "You're still young, you'll understand when you grow up."

Li Baixiu pouted.

He was only two years younger than Jiang Zao anyway.

Fine. Whatever Older Sister says goes.

Everyone raised their glasses, and Zhou Lichuan, relying on his seniority, announced that the meal had begun.

The atmosphere during the meal was lively. Both Shen Mushi and Li Baixiu drank quite a bit of alcohol; the more they drank, the more spirited they became, eventually starting to play finger-guessing games and rolling dice.

Jiang Zao was surprised that the two of them had become so familiar with each other. Not only did she find their liveliness amusing, but she was also secretly observing the subtle, tacit interactions between Meng Qiaoyuan and Shen Mushi.

Meng Qiaoyuan hadn't given Shen Mushi a definitive answer yet. She was simply indulging in Shen Mushi's pursuit.

Shen Mushi made no secret of his actions either, expressing his affection whenever he had a spare moment. It frequently made outsiders blush and feel embarrassed for the two of them.

Meng Qiaoyuan asked for sparkling water. Shen Mushi retrieved a bottle from the nearest beverage box, naturally unscrewed the cap, screwed it back on just a fraction, and then handed it to Meng Qiaoyuan.

And Meng Qiaoyuan took it as if out of habit, seeing nothing abrupt about the gesture at all.

Having finished watching this little drama, Jiang Zao pushed her empty bowl toward Zhou Lichuan. "I want to eat shrimp."

Zhou Lichuan hurriedly put down his chopsticks and began peeling shrimp for his esteemed wife.

"I remember hearing someone say once that loving someone means peeling shrimp for them for the rest of your life," Meng Qiaoyuan suddenly noted.

Jiang Zao let out a flat, emotionless laugh. "What, does that mean without Zhou Lichuan I wouldn't even be able to eat shrimp for the rest of my life?"

Shen Mushi also peeled a shrimp and placed it in Meng Qiaoyuan's bowl. "Jiang Zao and my brother-in-law have that kind of playful banter. That friend of yours used actions to emotionally blackmail people, not a very good person—stay away from him."

Meng Qiaoyuan picked up her wine glass. "I think both of you are right, seeing as he ended up divorced."

Thinking about it that way, he certainly wasn't an exemplary role model.

Meng Qiaoyuan returned with two fish he had caught, neither of which was small.

Feeling hungry and catching the scent of the barbecue, he planned to trade the fish for some meat to eat.