Chapter Twenty-One: Shipping Couples

In the car, Tang Zhi Chu sat in the passenger seat.

Jiang Lan drove with remarkable steadiness, always careful to maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. The moment she saw the brake lights flash, she immediately slowed down.

Neither of them spoke. It was as if they were the quietest people in the villa.

This silence did not feel awkward to Tang Zhi Chu. In his previous life, he had a driver, and he would sit quietly in the car, lost in thought.

Jiang Lan, too, was comfortable with the quiet. She enjoyed peace, and her favorite moments were those spent driving alone.

Tang Zhi Chu’s attire was simple: faded, loose jeans, a crisp white shirt, and a short jacket on top.

It was simple and comfortable.

Jiang Lan recalled that Chen Si Yang had worn something similar before.

Judging by appearance alone, Jiang Lan felt the two had a certain couple-like aura.

Having been in business for four years, Jiang Lan had met countless employees and clients. She had developed her own methods of reading people.

Take men’s clothing styles, for example—there were generally two main categories. One was paired with makeup, the other was not.

These two categories could be further divided. If someone wore makeup and their overall look fit well, with a strong presence, Jiang Lan found such people difficult to handle.

If they wore makeup appropriately but lacked presence, they tended to be sensitive—good for friendship, but unsuited for greater responsibilities.

Those without makeup but dressed appropriately were the most normal and easiest to get along with. Most likely, if you respected them, they would respect you even more.

Of course, all this depended on conversation and demeanor; after meeting enough people, one developed a rough sense of judgment.

But what about those whose style seemed entirely unsuitable? Usually, they were what the locals called street urchins or rebellious youth—people Jiang Lan’s circle seldom encountered.

In Jiang Lan’s eyes, Tang Zhi Chu belonged to another type. His style was not only appropriate and comfortable, but also accentuated his physique. The loose fit suited his height, cleverly hiding his slender build and adding a touch of maturity and harmony.

Judging by appearance, Jiang Lan thought it natural that Tang Zhi Chu could attract Chen Si Yang.

Jiang Lan perhaps did not realize she was starting to ship them a little.

"Chicken feet, crawfish, fish and chicken, plus a couple of side dishes, should be enough, right?" Jiang Lan suddenly remembered the main purpose and spoke.

Tang Zhi Chu returned from his thoughts. "Mm, would you like to make two side dishes?"

Jiang Lan considered it. She really should prepare a couple. On the first day, Zhou Yun had made seafood and steak, Chen Si Yang had cooked Sichuan dishes, and now it was her turn; not cooking anything would be unthinkable.

"I’ll do a vegetable dish and a pork rib soup," she said.

"Sounds good."

"Let’s go straight to the supermarket then."

Half an hour later, Jiang Lan and Tang Zhi Chu arrived at a large supermarket not far from the villa.

Jiang Lan seldom cooked for herself, especially since starting her business.

Stepping into the huge supermarket, she found everything fascinating.

Tang Zhi Chu pushed the cart, following behind her. Passing through the snack section, he called out, "Let’s get some snacks."

Jiang Lan nodded. "Alright."

The snack area had shelves full of colorful choices.

Tang Zhi Chu picked some, and Jiang Lan did too, though she purposely avoided one section, while Tang Zhi Chu lingered exactly there.

Five minutes later, Jiang Lan watched as Tang Zhi Chu dumped an armful of snacks into the cart.

"You... bought so much?" There was surprise in her voice.

Tang Zhi Chu smiled. "These are my favorites, and they're all local brands."

"Thank you."

Tang Zhi Chu shook his head, indicating it was unnecessary, and then pushed the cart toward the vegetable and meat section.

Among the pile of snacks, half came from a single brand: Golden Friend.

That brand belonged to Jiang Lan. They were meat-based snacks—like dried meat, chicken feet, duck necks—which were their best sellers.

Jiang Lan, owner of Golden Friend Foods, had acquired the company, formerly known as Golden Excellence Foods, a long-established brand in Yuzhou.

This information was easy to find.

At the supermarket, picking up something from someone you know was simply a matter of courtesy, Tang Zhi Chu thought.

Behind him, Jiang Lan nodded slightly. This man really had some substance.

"Carrot pork rib soup? Or white radish pork rib soup?" In the vegetable section, Jiang Lan asked.

"Get both. The colors together look nice."

"What about the vegetable stir-fry?"

"If you’re stir-frying, you can do vinegar cabbage, garlic water spinach, or just plain stir-fried bok choy. Or you could blanch it, like blanched lettuce."

Jiang Lan was amazed. "A pro really is different! Let’s do two dishes then. I probably... can manage plain stir-fried bok choy. For vinegar cabbage, do I just add vinegar? And how do you do blanched lettuce?"

"Buy bok choy and lettuce. They’re easy. I’ll tell you how to cook them later."

"Okay!"

...

After touring the supermarket, Jiang Lan felt she could understand why Chen Si Yang had chosen Tang Zhi Chu.

Tang Zhi Chu, though young, possessed maturity and decisiveness beyond his years.

He didn’t force conversation, nor did he pretend to be overly friendly. Everything he said was meaningful.

Even in the supermarket, it seemed as if he knew exactly what to buy, as if it was all mapped out in his mind. This sort of person might not attract young girls, since he seemed rather dull.

But Chen Si Yang was in a unique phase, a time of uncertainty—something Jiang Lan could see.

For someone in Chen Si Yang’s shoes, a mature man with a hint of youthfulness was hard to beat.

Jiang Lan compared Huang Ze Jun to Tang Zhi Chu, and finally shook her head.

So far, she’d interacted more with Huang Ze Jun.

Huang Ze Jun was already showing signs of the common, greasy type—overly assertive, for instance. When they went out, Jiang Lan felt a certain place wasn’t good for photos, but he insisted he was the expert, that the spot was perfect, and she should trust his taste.

It was as though he wasn’t pursuing someone, but conquering them.

Jiang Lan eventually agreed, and the photos were fine, but she was left unhappy.

The location was good, but were there other factors? Maybe they took too many photos, or people started to stare, or maybe the timing was off?

None of these seemed to cross his mind.

Still, she dealt with it and kept her feelings to herself.

...

Back in the car, Jiang Lan suddenly turned to Tang Zhi Chu and said, "Good luck."

Tang Zhi Chu was puzzled. "Good luck?"

Jiang Lan simply smiled and said nothing more.

Tang Zhi Chu shrugged, thinking women could be inexplicably mysterious at times.

For Jiang Lan, the encouragement was spontaneous—meant for both him and Chen Si Yang.

Chen Si Yang was not someone just anyone could have.

So, good luck, young man!

By the time they returned to the small villa, it was six thirty—just the right time to start cooking.

As they opened the door, they heard a sound. Tang Zhi Chu glanced over; it was Zhou Yun.

She was running in the gym area. When Tang Zhi Chu set the snacks on the table, he glanced again.

She was wearing yoga pants—the kind that perfectly showcased her legs. Looking up, there was a shapely figure, slender waist, fair skin.