After watching Yan Sisi get into the car, Meng Ruochao's gaze fell on the box of osmanthus cakes on the table.
The light - brown box bore the delicate logo of an established brand, and there was a faint osmanthus fragrance lingering around the edges.
A sudden flicker of doubt crossed her mind. Was the osmanthus cake from this shop really that famous?
The last time Qin Mu came, he also brought pastries from this shop.
Why did they both think of buying this for her?
She reached out, picked up the box, and gently opened a corner.
The golden osmanthus cakes were neatly arranged inside, wrapped in a layer of transparent oil paper. The rich, sweet aroma instantly wafted out.
However, this doubt only flashed by. She thought it might just be a coincidence, or perhaps the osmanthus cakes were truly well - known, so she didn't dwell on it.
"Seriously, Miss Yan looked quite cute just now," Xu Lin leaned over, looking at the box of osmanthus cakes and smiling.
"I used to think she was one of those high - and - mighty young ladies who was hard to get along with."
"Unexpectedly, she's so straightforward and not at all coy."
Ai Gao nodded repeatedly in agreement.
"Yeah, yeah. When she blushed and anxiously tried to explain just now, she didn't seem like a spoiled young lady at all. Instead, she looked like a little girl afraid of being rejected."
"Ruochao, it's good that you can be friends with her. Not only do you gain a new connection, but at least you'll have one less potential 'enemy'."
The two of them chatted back and forth, completely oblivious to the fact that Pei Jiangmu's face had darkened slightly.
He had barely said a word throughout. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the thread he had picked up while organizing the fabrics, and his heart was filled with unease.
Yan Sisi's appearance really annoyed him. What on earth were the Yan siblings up to?
Previously, Yan Qiubai had pestered him non - stop. After he fended him off, now it was Yan Sisi's turn?
Were they trying to "save the situation indirectly", getting Yan Sisi to befriend Meng Ruochao first and then speak well for Yan Qiubai to get close to Ruochao again?
As soon as this thought popped up, the controlling urge deep in Pei Jiangmu's bones welled up involuntarily.
He instinctively wanted to speak up, to remind Meng Ruochao to stay away from Yan Sisi and to stop their further contact.
But the words got stuck in his throat and were swallowed back.
They had just "had a conflict" because of Qin Mu. If he caused another scene because of Yan Sisi now, would Ruochao find him annoying?
Just as Pei Jiangmu was struggling internally, Meng Ruochao suddenly said in a relaxed tone.
"Actually, I've always thought Yan Sisi is not a bad person. The first time I met her, I thought she was just a bit cold - tempered and not very good at dealing with people."
"After seeing her today, she's really quite cute. She's honest and direct. It seems nice to be friends with her."
"Gao Gao is right. It's better to have a friend than an enemy. Maybe we can help each other in the future."
As she spoke, her eyes sparkled with anticipation for her new friend, and her tone was full of sincerity.
Looking at her, the unease and possessive urge in Pei Jiangmu's heart were instantly soothed.
He took a deep breath and tried hard to restrain his impulse to interfere.
Forget it. Ruochao is right. It's always good to have more friends.
Moreover, he also wanted to see what tricks the Yan siblings were going to play.
Pei Jiangmu slowly loosened his clenched fingers. A gentle smile reappeared on his face as he continued organizing.
After chatting for a while, Meng Ruochao turned to look at Pei Jiangmu.
She found that while they were chatting, he had already organized most of the fabric samples.
The originally messy fabrics were now neatly classified and arranged according to color and texture, with even the edges smoothed out.
The light in the store shone on him, gilding the smooth lines of his forearms with a faint golden glow, making him look extremely good - looking.
"Stop organizing. Take a break," Meng Ruochao walked over and casually picked up a tissue from the side and handed it to him, her voice full of concern.
He hadn't eaten much during the meal, and after that, he had been tidying up non - stop without even catching his breath.
Pei Jiangmu took the tissue and wiped the thin layer of sweat from his forehead. He looked up at Meng Ruochao, and the tenderness in his peach - blossom eyes was almost overwhelming.
"It's okay. I'll finish soon. It'll be more convenient for you to find fabrics next time once it's all organized."
As he spoke, he reached out to put the last stack of fabrics into the cabinet. After carefully closing the cabinet door, he straightened up and went to do something else.
As he passed by Meng Ruochao, he even reached out and stroked her face.
Xu Lin and Ai Gao saw this scene, exchanged a smile, and started whispering and teasing again.
"Look at them. They're so sweet. They might as well just ignore us," Xu Lin nudged Ai Gao with his elbow and whispered.
Ai Gao nodded with a smile.
"Exactly. Young Master Pei is so considerate of Ruochao. He's so meticulous when organizing things. He's afraid of causing her any trouble."
"We can only enjoy watching others' romances."
Their whispers didn't escape Pei Jiangmu's ears.
His ears turned slightly red, but instead of pretending to be shy like before, he calmly responded.
"I'm just doing what I should."
Meeting his intense gaze, Meng Ruochao felt her cheeks flush. She whispered,
"I'm not that busy. You don't have to always worry about me. You're busy yourself."
He had been going out early and coming back late these days. He was quite busy too.
"I'm willing," Pei Jiangmu's voice was deep and firm. He looked into Meng Ruochao's eyes and said seriously,
"As long as I can be by your side, doing these things is a relaxation for me."
This was the truth.
Meng Ruochao couldn't help but reach out and touch his face. The tenderness on her face was uncontrollable.
Pei Jiangmu always said that being by her side was relaxation.
Wasn't it the same for her?
As long as he was around, she would feel inexplicably at ease.
Seeing this, Xu Lin and Ai Gao were quite sensible and stopped teasing. They each went to do their own things.
The store fell silent for a moment, with only the slight rustling of the fabrics and the occasional sound of cars from outside.
Before they could say much, Meng Ruochao's phone rang.
It was a long - time client from the studio, saying that they wanted to customize a new evening dress and needed it next week.
After answering the phone, a look of slight distress appeared on Meng Ruochao's face.
Next week was a bit tight on time, and the client's requirements were rather special. They needed a rare silk fabric.
But the client had supported her since she opened the studio. She definitely couldn't refuse.
Pei Jiangmu saw what was on her mind and gently patted the back of her hand.
"Don't worry. We'll figure it out together."
"Do you remember the store that specializes in silk fabrics we saw in the fabric market last time when I accompanied you?"
"I'll go with you again tomorrow. Maybe they have it."
Meng Ruochao's eyes lit up. She had actually forgotten about this.
Last time, Pei Jiangmu accompanied her to the fabric market, and there was a new store that specialized in silk.
"Oh, right. How could I forget about this!"
The distress on her face instantly vanished, replaced by surprise.
"Then we'll go together tomorrow. Do you have time?"
"Of course," Pei Jiangmu nodded with a smile. "I don't have classes tomorrow. I can accompany you."