However, the moment this thought appeared, Lin Yanwan firmly rejected it.

No matter what, now was not the time for romantic entanglements. The top priority was figuring out how to make money from this new trend.

Besides, what’s past is past. One has to look forward in life.

This temporary emotional turmoil would surely fade with time.

She, Lin Yanwan, was destined to become a powerhouse who succeeded in both her family and her career!

"It’s obvious he still has feelings for you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so concerned."

"Maybe this is his way of trying to win you back."

Shen Ying glanced at her, suddenly feeling that she knew far too little about her best friend.

’No wonder rumors about them dating only just started spreading. They’d already had a secret relationship and broken up.’

Lin Yanwan: "?"

"Yingying, I told you, he’s just a friend. It has nothing to do with me."

"Mhm, mhm, I know."

Shen Ying secretly added in her head, ’A boyfriend is a type of friend, after all.’

"Haven’t you ever been in a relationship? How do you know so much?" Lin Yanwan cleverly changed the subject.

"I may not have eaten the pork, but I’ve seen the pig run! It’s always the same old story between men and women. Besides, all those romance novels I’ve read weren’t for nothing. This is how the main characters always get back together."

As she spoke, she tilted her little head up, inexplicably proud.

’This silly girl who’s actually been in a relationship doesn’t see things as clearly as I do.’

"..."

Lin Yanwan was speechless. She really wanted to say that a real marriage wasn’t like what you see in dramas, where all you need is to be sweet and in love. There were also all sorts of trivial, everyday matters to deal with.

Sometimes, 1+1 doesn’t equal 2; it can even be less than 1.

She silently brooded, occasionally taking a sip of her ginger and red date water to soothe her insides, and for the moment, pushed all thoughts of Jiang Xia to the back of her mind.

* * *

Before he knew it, the last class of the afternoon was over. Jiang Xia got his food and found Wang Ming in the jam-packed cafeteria.

He handed a bowl to his bro and saw him place his phone on the seat next to him.

"Who are you saving a seat for?"

"Guess?" Wang Ming had a mysterious look on his face. His gaze shifted to the side. "Hey, they’re here."

Jiang Xia turned around and saw Lin Yanwan walking over with her best friend. His face darkened. ’This guy has to be doing this on purpose.’

’If Lü Ziqiao had a wingman like this, he’d probably have a new girlfriend every day.’

"Old Jiang, what’s with that look? It’s so crowded right now. I had to work hard to save a spot for your girlfriend."

"Wow, thanks so much."

"That’s more like it."

Wang Ming was satisfied for a moment, but then he thought about it. ’Why does his tone sound so weird?’

He immediately waved the two over. Shen Ying tactfully moved aside, secretly giving him a thumbs-up.

Lin Yanwan, resigned, had no choice but to sit down in front of Jiang Xia, her heart slightly hesitant.

The four of them said nothing, just shoveling food from their bowls. The atmosphere was inexplicably awkward.

Perhaps feeling like a blindingly obvious third wheel, Shen Ying gently kicked Wang Ming under the table.

"What class did you guys have last period?"

"Math."

"And the period before that?"

"English."

"And the one before that?"

"PE."

"What a coincidence, so did we."

Listening to their emotionless, awkward small talk, Jiang Xia couldn’t take it anymore. He began to speak softly, "Your foot..."

Before he could finish, the other two immediately fell silent, their four ears perked up, their eyes hungry for gossip.

Jiang Xia turned to look at them, his fists clenching.

"Ahem, you two go on and chat. Why are you looking at me? Don’t mind us, just pretend we don’t exist," Wang Ming said with a sheepish grin.

Shen Ying nodded vigorously. "Please, have mercy. Give us some PDA to chew on. This child is starving."

"Just eat your food!"

"Just eat your food!"

This time, the two spoke in perfect, uncanny unison.

"Fine, we’ll eat. What’s so great about a married couple ganging up on people?" Wang Ming pouted. "See this braised pork? I’m just going to shovel it down."

Shen Ying couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Xia fought the urge to beat the guy to a pulp right then and there. He decided to just ignore the pair of clowns.

’Whatever, let them do what they want.’

’Was a thirty-something soul like him really going to let a couple of high schoolers make a fool out of him?’

"Is your foot still hurting?"

"It still hurts a little. I have to walk on the ball of my foot, but it’s not a big deal."

"Okay. Don’t soak your foot tonight. It should be fine in another two days."

"Okay."

Lin Yanwan nodded lightly, and as she ate, she used her spoon to push the slices of meat and beans she didn’t want to one side.

Jiang Xia pushed his bowl over, so she moved the meat slices and beans into his bowl, not forgetting to scoop a large helping of her rice in as well.

Jiang Xia: "?"

"It’s too much rice. I can’t finish it," she said with righteous confidence.

"Waaaah, I’m so full from all this PDA! I’m stuffed," Shen Ying suddenly cried, picking up her bowl to leave. Before she left, she made sure to kick Wang Ming one last time.

He shoveled down two more mouthfuls of rice, licked his lips as if wanting more, and said, "Ah... I’m suddenly full too. Can’t eat another bite, can’t eat another bite. HIC~"

"Are you really full?" Jiang Xia was highly skeptical. The food in the cafeteria was pretty good today and right up his alley.

"So full, so full," he said, hastily shoveling down two more bites of rice.

Watching their retreating backs, Jiang Xia’s lips twitched. "You think there’s something wrong with those two?"

Lin Yanwan nodded in complete agreement.

"Is it possible they’ve suddenly taken a liking to each other, and setting us up is just a cover?" he suddenly proposed.

Lin Yanwan was completely stunned. ’What kind of bizarre angle is that? You can look at it that way?’

"I don’t think so... Yingying hasn’t asked me anything about Wang Ming," she said uncertainly.

Jiang Xia shrugged. "Don’t take it seriously. I’m just spitballing."

With the two huge third wheels gone, the awkward atmosphere suddenly eased up a lot.

"By the way, do you think there’s any chance for those two?"

In his past life, Wang Ming’s girlfriend was just a pretty face. After graduating from college, not only did she not get a job, but she was also a huge spender.

Jiang Xia had tried to persuade him countless times, but he wouldn’t listen. Later, when his studio went bankrupt, the trophy girlfriend broke up with him without a second thought, shamelessly claiming that Wang Ming couldn’t give her the life she wanted.

The poor, pure-hearted, reserved guy had been so thoroughly duped by a bad woman in his first-ever relationship. The night they broke up, he got drunk and cried his eyes out in front of Jiang Xia.

If he wanted to change his friend’s tragic fate, this might be a good opportunity.

Lin Yanwan, of course, knew about Wang Ming’s car accident. She thought about it seriously. She hadn’t had much chance to talk with Shen Ying after college, but from her social media, she gathered that she’d gone into real estate sales and had never heard anything about her having a boyfriend.

"How about we try to set them up? What if they hit it off?"