My Aloof Husband Can't Stop His Devoted Affection-Chapter 255 - 251: Thistle

Chapter 255: 251: Thistle
After Nie Cenjin finished her internal monologue, a slight smile appeared on her face, concealing the awkwardness in her eyes. She slowly stood up, looking at her graciously and elegantly, pretending to think seriously for a moment. In fact, they had only met once, still during the last time in Milan. They hadn’t exchanged many words, so it was understandable to take a moment, given that they were strangers. She only knew her name, while she didn’t even know her own name.
"Ah, you are... Jiang Baizhou’s senior sister?" Cen Jin exclaimed in sudden realization after thinking for a while.
Zhu Qinghan didn’t feel awkward or ashamed due to Cen Jin’s hesitation. She smiled slightly, nodded, and walked over: "Yes! I didn’t expect to meet you here, it’s such a coincidence."
"Yes! When did you come back?" Cen Jin smiled; she didn’t expect it either! It was too coincidental, just like a TV show wouldn’t dare to portray it!
"I just came back a few days ago, and immediately encountered the heavy rain in Nancheng which is much colder than in Milan." Zhu Qinghan replied with a kind smile, her eyes scanning, noticing that at the table where she sat there was only her and another very gentle and pretty girl. She asked with a smile: "Hmm? Why didn’t I see Jiang Baizhou?"
"He has classes at school today, so he didn’t come. This is my friend and partner."
Ye Lingran, seeing Cen Jin mention her, got up with a smile and nodded slightly, not speaking.
"I see."
"Is Senior Sister Zhu here for a meal?" Cen Jin smiled and asked.
"Yes! Came for a meal only to find it crowded, haven’t been back to Nancheng for years, it’s changed so much, I’m not familiar with this area, and with the rain, finding a place to eat is quite troublesome." Zhu Qinghan sighed helplessly, then paused, suddenly remembering something, and hurriedly introduced the handsome figure beside her: "Oh, right, I forgot to introduce you, this is also Bai Zhou’s senior, or you could say, Senior Brother. They were trained by the same teacher, Zhu Chen, this is the one I mentioned to you last time, Bai Zhou’s wife. Oh, speaking of which, I forgot to ask your name last time!"
"Hello, last time when Qinghan mentioned it, I didn’t believe it! Now that I’ve met you today, I think Bai Zhou getting married must have been expected." Zhu Chen’s appearance could be described as gentle, but it was quite different from Yun Qi’s inherent elegance, carrying a unique scholarly vibe.
"Hello, Senior Brother Zhu is really flattering me, I don’t deserve it. My name is Nie Cenjin, if Senior Sister Zhu doesn’t mind, you can just call me Cen Jin." Seeing Zhu Chen offer his hand in greeting, inadvertently praising her, Cen Jin felt a bit embarrassed but responded particularly gracefully and warmly.
"Nie Cenjin, Cenjin, that’s a nice name, it sounds like ’used to be’ and seems like it has a lot of stories." Zhu Qinghan murmured softly, smiling and nodding as she savored the name.
"The way Senior Sister Zhu says it, I’m a bit embarrassed." Cen Jin raised her hand awkwardly to touch her nose, smiling and said: "If Senior Sister Zhu and Senior Brother Zhu don’t mind, you can join us at our table!"
"Ah, will that disturb you?"
"No, meals are more lively with more people!" Ye Lingran replied with a gentle smile.
Zhu Qinghan and Zhu Chen exchanged a glance, smiled and said: "Then we won’t stand on ceremony."
Cen Jin moved her coat aside to make room between herself and Ye Lingran, allowing them to sit down, then called over the waiter to bring the menu so they could order more dishes. After all, she and Ye Lingran had only ordered enough for two, which wasn’t enough for the four of them.
After Zhu Qinghan and Zhu Chen ordered, and after the waiter brought up the dishes, they began to reminisce about their school days. Zhu Qinghan smiled and said: "Speaking of which, in college, so many girls chased after Bai Zhou, but Bai Zhou always acted indifferent. We often joked that with Bai Zhou’s cold nature, he’d never find a girlfriend! Who knew he would be the first among us to get married."
The smile on Cen Jin’s face froze slightly; she wasn’t sure if she was overthinking it or if there was more to the words. Hearing this, she felt somewhat uncomfortable inside.
But seeing Zhu Qinghan still with her harmless smiling face, she appeared to have unknowingly caused offense. Cen Jin wasn’t one to be petty, so she didn’t plan on dwelling on it, intending just to smile and brush it off.
"But, time flies indeed. In the blink of an eye, four or five years have passed."
"Yes! Time does fly by quickly. Cen Jin, you and Jiang Baizhou have known each other for about twenty years, right?" Ye Lingran said naturally while eating a piece of grilled meat, her pretty face showing a hint of curiosity.
Cen Jin was slightly stunned, gently fluttering her eyelashes. Ye Lingran was aware of how long she had known Jiang Baizhou. Her question could only mean she did it on purpose, having also picked up on Zhu Qinghan’s undertone earlier, so she deliberately said it for her to hear.
"Yes! You forgot I’ve known him since we were in the womb." Understanding Ye Lingran’s implication, Cen Jin also replied with a smile, showing no signs of pretense, instead wearing a particularly sweet and happy expression.
"Cen Jin, you and Bai Zhou are childhood sweethearts?" Zhu Qinghan asked in surprise, her eyes widening at Cen Jin.
Cen Jin smiled and nodded: "Yes, our families have been neighbors since we were kids."
Zhu Qinghan paused for a moment, then expressed admiration with a face full of envy: "That’s wonderful, you really went from school uniforms to wedding dresses! I’m so envious, I always wondered what kind of girl could attract Bai Zhou, turns out it’s a childhood sweetheart, two little ones with no guesses, ahh, it makes an older single woman like me truly envious!"
Looking at Zhu Qinghan’s face full of envy and smiling expression, a strange feeling rose again in Cen Jin’s heart, but her face remained full of joy. She deliberately feigned surprise and said: "Senior Sister Zhu is so beautiful, surely many people must be pursuing you! It can’t be that you’re still single, right?"
Zhu Qinghan sighed lightly in response: "Ah, despite this fact of being single, after graduation, I’ve been quite busy with work and haven’t had time for love, and now that I want to date, I realize I’m already at this age."
"Then I’ll toast you with tea instead of wine, wishing Senior Sister Zhu to find her ideal partner soon. I think it won’t be long, considering that you’re so beautiful and have such a good personality."
Zhu Qinghan glanced at her, raised an eyebrow, put down her chopsticks, and also lifted a cup of tea, lightly clinking it with hers: "Then I will take your words as auspicious."