Chapter 353, Never considered him a friend (first update)

Watching the man bow his head, Ji Mingqian’s sword-like brows furrowed slightly.

Damn, why did it feel like he was the one bullying him?

Truly bizarre.

Just as the atmosphere was about to freeze again, Erbao suddenly ran into the room.

His fluffy and smooth fur was pure white, and he wore a cute little outfit that jingled a crystal bell around his neck as he moved.

Ever since that encounter at Feng Group, Ji Mingqian had not seen the dog.

To his surprise, the goofy Samoyed still remembered him and charged towards him as soon as it entered the room.

It came at him with a ferocious momentum, baring its teeth and paws.

"Erbao, come here," Jiang Yisheng’s gentle voice rose a few notches, fearing his pet might hurt Ji Mingqian.

The normally obedient and gentle Erbao was unusually rebellious, clinging to Ji Mingqian’s feet and scratching at his pant legs.

"Woof, woof, woof..."

Ji Mingqian glanced down at the Samoyed crouching by his feet, his thin lips curving slightly.

He squatted down and reached out to rub its fuzzy head.

Then he picked it up and weighed it, "You’ve put on quite a bit of weight, haven’t you?"

"Woof, woof, woof..."

Erbao howled as if disagreeing with Ji Mingqian’s comment about its weight.

"What, you’re not happy being called fat?" Ji Mingqian was amused by it, his hand stroking the dog’s white and soft fur, reluctant to let go.

Even dogs have tempers.

Erbao jumped out of Ji Mingqian’s arms, and in the blink of an eye, it had already bounded onto Jiang Yisheng’s bed.

"Woof, woof, woof..." It nuzzled Jiang Yisheng with its head, as if complaining to him about Ji Mingqian calling it fat.

Jiang Yisheng looked down at it, a faint smile playing on his lips, warm and gentle like the sun in March.

Ji Mingqian became momentarily absent-minded, his brows deepening.

When he came to visit him, he had been greeted with a sour face, but with the dog’s arrival, he suddenly smiled more brilliantly than anyone else.

"I’ve delivered the medicine, I’ll be leaving first."

Jiang Yisheng’s hands, still petting Erbao, stiffened as he looked up at him, his lips pressing into a line.

"I’ll see you out."

Ji Mingqian glanced at Jiang Yisheng’s bandaged foot, "No need."

With those words, he walked away.

Watching his figure disappear at the doorway, Jiang Yisheng’s throat felt like it was blocked by a lemon, both sour and astringent.

Downstairs, Jiang Hai had instructed the servants to prepare some refreshments. As he came out of the kitchen, he saw Ji Mingqian descending the stairs.

"Uncle Jiang, I won’t disturb you any longer, I’ll take my leave now," Ji Mingqian said politely.

Jiang Hai said, "You’re leaving so soon? It’s almost lunchtime, why not have a meal here before you go?"

Ji Mingqian declined politely, "No need, I have other matters to attend to, maybe next time."

"Then, once Asheng’s leg is better, we should go try the food at that restaurant."

"Sure, we’ll invite Xiaojiu and the others as well."

As the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law returned from shopping, Veya looked up and saw that there were guests in the living room.

"Mrs. Jiang, Auntie," Ji Mingqian greeted first, his humble and polite demeanor immediately won Veya’s favor.

"You must be Mr. Ji, right?"

Ji Mingqian smiled and nodded.

"Veya, who is this?" The elderly Madam Jiang looked at Ji Mingqian with puzzled eyes and asked.

"Mom, this is Xiaojiu and Asheng’s friend, his name is Ji Mingqian," Veya said.

Upon hearing this, a kind smile appeared on Madam Jiang’s face, "I see, please, sit down, don’t be shy."

"Mom, Mr. Ji is here to visit Asheng, and he’s leaving now," Jiang Hai explained.

"Leaving now?" Madam Jiang was surprised, "It’s almost time for lunch, why not stay and eat before you go?"

"It’s really no trouble," Ji Mingqian politely refused again.

Veya put down her purse, walked over with a smile, and said, "What trouble? It’s no trouble at all. You’re here for the first time, so stay and have lunch with us before you go. Asheng has very few friends, we can’t be happier to have a friend over."

He has few friends?

Ji Mingqian chuckled inwardly, Jiang Yisheng never really considered him a friend.

"It’s really not necessary, Auntie, I have things to do, I will visit another day."

"No matter how rushed you are, you need to eat, it’s noon already, it won’t be late to leave after lunch," Madam Jiang warmly insisted.

"Asheng, why did you come down?" Jiang Hai glanced at the slowly moving figure descending the stairs and quickly went to help him.

Ji Mingqian turned around, the man was holding onto the stair railings, limping down, with Erbao following behind him, as if guarding him.

"Dad, my foot is much better now, I don’t need help," Jiang Yisheng said in a warm voice.

Jiang Hai frowned slightly, still holding his arm worriedly, "The doctor said you need to take good care of your foot or there will be sequelae."

Jiang Yisheng fell silent, his gaze shifting until finally, he looked at Veya and spoke in a light tone, "Mom, he has things to do, don’t keep him any longer."

Ji Mingqian looked up at Jiang Yisheng, his deep eyes slightly narrowing, shining with a glimmer of stars.

The corners of his mouth curved into a pleasant arc, "Auntie, then I’ll trouble you, and I will leave after eating."

At his words, Jiang Yisheng’s eyes widened slightly.

He...

Veya’s eyes crinkled with a smile, "It’s no trouble at all, what do you like to eat? I’ll ask the kitchen to make more."

"Anything is fine, I’m not picky." While speaking, Ji Mingqian’s gaze swept toward the person opposite, whose delicate face couldn’t hide his astonishment.

Somehow, the suffocating feeling in his chest dissipated a little.

He was going to mooch a meal just to annoy him.

"Mingqian, right? Come and sit, don’t stand there," Madam Jiang was always hospitable, especially since Jiang Yisheng seldom had friends over, and seriously speaking, Ji Mingqian was the first.

Ji Mingqian walked over and casually chose a sofa to sit down on.

"Take it easy," Jiang Hai said as he helped Jiang Yisheng sit down, coincidentally next to Ji Mingqian.

A flicker of awkwardness crossed Jiang Yisheng’s eyes; it seemed ironic that in his own home, it was he who felt more uncomfortable compared to the man beside him.

"Mingqian, these pastries are made by your aunt, try some," Veya pushed a plate of pastries in front of Ji Mingqian.

Ji Mingqian smiled slightly and seemed quite at ease, not at all reserved, "Thank you, Auntie."

Jiang Yisheng hung his head, pondering over how to dissolve the awkwardness.

"Erbao, come here," Veya saw Erbao lying at Ji Mingqian’s feet and beckoned her over.

To her surprise, Erbao turned her back to her, wagging her tail, her little paws clinging on Ji Mingqian’s leg, scrabbling up.

Ji Mingqian chuckled, leaned forward, and reached out to pick her up.

"Mingqian, looks like your charm is too great, Erbao seldom gets this close to someone who just arrived at our home," Veya said as she watched Erbao willingly cuddled in Ji Mingqian’s arms, unable to hide her surprise.

Petting the dog’s fluffy head, Ji Mingqian laughed and said, "Really?"

"Veya is right, except for family, Erbao allows no one to hold her," Madam Jiang added.

Jiang Yisheng watched from the corner of his eye as Erbao allowed Ji Mingqian to stroke her fur, his brows slightly furrowed, and he reached out his hand, "Erbao, come."

"Woof woof..." Erbao shook her head, her little paws scratching at Ji Mingqian’s arm.