Seeing the confusion and a mix of emotions in Zhang Rong’s eyes, Fang Junjie had an inkling of what was going on. He softly introduced, “Brother Ten, this is Fu Xiaotang.” Fu Xiaotang had seen Zhang Rong once before at the opening ceremony of the dance competition, but from a distance. This time, up close, she noticed how much Zhang Rong resembled his sister, Zhang Yingdi, in facial features. However, there was a weary, lonely nobility in his expression. His gaze upon her was filled with both immense joy and deep sorrow, causing Fu Xiaotang’s heart to ache. She softly called, “Brother Ten.”
Zhang Rong snapped back to reality, quickly averting his gaze from Fu Xiaotang. He gave Fang Junjie a suspicious glance but quickly regained his composure, only saying, “A-Zun, good choice. Please, have a seat.”
Fu Xiaotang sat next to Fang Junjie, to the right of Zhang Rong, her eyes scanning the familiar faces around the table. Ji Shan winked at her and glanced at Liu Yi. Fu Xiaotang’s lips curved slightly in acknowledgment. Song Li stared at her for a moment before casually withdrawing his gaze. Only Cheng Yu couldn’t help but look at Fu Xiaotang with concern, blurting out, “You vomited for no reason last time, didn’t you go to the hospital to check?”
This seemingly out-of-context question made those unaware of the situation look at Fu Xiaotang with curiosity. Fu Xiaotang blushed slightly, glaring at Cheng Yu, half-explaining to everyone, half-responding to him, “It’s nothing, just a headache.”
Liu Yi gently nudged Song Li’s arm and, in a voice audible to everyone, chuckled, “Look at them, who would’ve thought Yu would care so much about Xiao Fu!” Her words seemed like playful teasing, her tone affectionate and natural, suggesting an intimacy with Song Li.
Song Li, momentarily ignoring Liu Yi’s intentions, felt a slight burn in his chest. Turning to Cheng Yu, he asked, “When did you two get together, and how did you know she was sick?”
Fang Junjie, hearing the jealousy-laden question, couldn’t help but be both amused and annoyed, saying, “Li Shao, Cheng Yu, do you take me for dead? Xiaotang is with me now, no need for your inquiries!”
