Chapter 165: Chapter 145: The Son Panicked, Startup Terminated?
"You know what I like," Lu Fan said, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, added, "Oh, right. I’m going to grab some drinks at the convenience store across the street. Make sure you order for me, okay?"
With that, Lu Fan slipped away.
Jiang Yixia gritted her teeth in frustration. ’That guy is obviously testing me, trying to see if I still remember things from back then.’
Left with no choice, she said to the stall owner, "I’ll have three beef meatballs, a skewer of enoki mushrooms, some tofu, and some daikon radish."
"You got it. Just one order?"
"Make it two. Both the same."
Meanwhile, Lu Fan had reached the convenience store. He picked out a bottle of vitamin water for Jiang Yixia and grabbed a Coke for himself.
He walked back over to Jiang Yixia and asked probingly, "Yixia, do you still remember what I used to like to eat?"
"I don’t remember. I just ordered whatever," Jiang Yixia said, feigning indifference.
But the stall owner chuckled. Thinking they were a young couple having a little tiff, he chimed in, "Hey, young man, your wife knew exactly what you liked. She ordered it for you right away."
As soon as Jiang Yixia heard this, she quickly tried to cut in, "Sir, we’re not..."
But Lu Fan was even quicker. "Haha, you’ve got a sharp eye, sir. My wife loves me a lot."
Jiang Yixia whipped her head around to face him, her eyes filled with murderous intent.
But Lu Fan, with his naturally thick skin, was completely unfazed.
The owner played along, "You two make a perfect couple. You must have just graduated and started working, right?"
Lu Fan laughed. "Sir, I might not be much younger than you. I’m almost forty."
"What in the world?" The owner’s eyes went wide. "I’m only thirty-nine! And you’re telling me you’re almost forty?"
Jiang Yixia was surprised. She hadn’t expected the owner to be thirty-nine.
After all, his hair was nearly all gone and he was getting a bit of a belly. If he hadn’t mentioned his age, anyone would have guessed he was in his forties or fifties.
After the owner’s comment, Jiang Yixia found herself comparing Lu Fan’s appearance to his.
’This guy has kept himself in good shape,’ she thought.
’At least he doesn’t have the typical middle-aged spread, with a belly that makes him look pregnant.’
But that was exactly the problem. ’A man like that is bound to be a womanizer.’
’Even if he just stands there, women will flock to him.’
’The guy was just born to be a heartbreaker.’
Noticing Jiang Yixia looking at him, Lu Fan immediately leaned in and whispered, "Were you just checking me out and comparing my physique to the owner’s?"
"Shameless," Jiang Yixia said, exasperated.
Lu Fan, of course, paid her no mind, chuckling slyly. "Well, that’s what I’m choosing to believe."
Jiang Yixia couldn’t be bothered to argue with him. All she wanted was to eat her oden and go back to the flower shop.
A short while later, the owner told them, "Alright, it’s ready."
"Thank you, sir."
"Thank you, sir."
Lu Fan was just about to pull out his phone to scan the QR code and pay.
But the owner stopped him. "No need, young man. Your wife already paid."
"Oh, okay. Thanks," Lu Fan said with a grin.
Jiang Yixia had wanted to explain that she wasn’t Lu Fan’s wife.
But that guy Lu Fan was rushing her to leave, giving her no chance to clarify.
In the end, she could only leave with a sigh of resignation.
Seeing his plan succeed, Lu Fan seized the opportunity. "Yixia, it seems everyone thinks we’re a perfect couple, a match made in heaven."
"We were. We’re not anymore." Jiang Yixia didn’t deny that they were both attractive.
Back when they first got together, everyone had complimented them on how good they looked as a couple.
Many people had even said that any baby they had was sure to be gorgeous.
And, of course, the result was just as they’d predicted.
Jiang Silu and Jiang Sifan had been told they were beautiful children ever since they were small.
Even though the villagers didn’t know who the children’s biological father was, they all said the two had inherited their mother’s good genes.
Only Jiang Yixia knew that half the credit for her children’s good looks belonged to that bastard, Lu Fan.
Of course, that was all in the past now.
Now, even walking side-by-side with Lu Fan, Jiang Yixia no longer felt they were a well-matched couple.
After all, their statuses were worlds apart.
She didn’t know exactly how many companies Lu Fan owned now, but her intuition told her that he must have made a lot of money over the years.
He had to be a multi-millionaire, at the very least.
Or, to be more dramatic, he might even be worth over a hundred million.
Given the circumstances, Jiang Yixia naturally wanted to avoid getting too involved with Lu Fan.
She allowed the children to see Lu Fan, but she didn’t want to be part of it herself.
The pain from all those years ago had been too much for Jiang Yixia to bear.
Seeing Jiang Yixia eating her oden in silence, Lu Fan asked, "Yixia, are you thinking about the old days?"
"No. Don’t be so conceited," Jiang Yixia replied coolly.
"By the way, when did you start liking enoki mushrooms? I remember you used to hate them."
"That was because *you* liked enoki mushrooms, so I always gave you mine," she said irritably.
It finally dawned on Lu Fan. He couldn’t help but sigh emotionally. "See? You’re still the one who loves me most."
"Hah."
Jiang Yixia shot back, "Stop trying to fool me with your cheesy lines. Alright, I’ve finished my oden, and I’m going back to the flower shop. Don’t follow me. Go back to your pastry shop."
With that, she walked into the flower shop.
Though her attitude toward Lu Fan was always cold, she was perfectly polite to others.
Jiang Yixia looked at Chen He and said, "Thank you, Chen He, for going out of your way to watch the shop for me."
