Free Web NovelChapter 138: Chapter 138: Going to Buy Clothes
Chen San’s gaze fell on his filthy hands. An odd expression crossed his face as he watched the scene unfold.
Though he hadn’t known Shi Lan for long, he could tell she was very particular about cleanliness. She changed her clothes every single day.
And this male had gotten her clothes dirty the moment he arrived.
Perhaps noticing his gaze, Jiang Xia glanced at him, his cherry-pink lips curling into a smug smirk. But when he recognized Chen San as the other male from the photo in Shi Lan’s posts, a flicker of hostility entered his eyes. He hugged Shi Lan a little tighter, displeased.
’Hmph. To think his eye color is so similar to mine.’
Shi Lan felt his grip tighten and patted his hand. Noticing his thin, short-sleeved shirt, she asked with concern, "Why did you come here wearing just this?"
With that, she gave him a gentle push. "Alright now, that’s enough hugging. Let’s go home. It’s cold outside."
She said this naturally and started walking ahead to lead the way.
Jiang Xia had been pouting, but the moment he heard the words "go home," his expression instantly brightened. His eyes sparkling, he nodded. "Mhm, mhm. Home."
However, when he glanced over and saw the dirty mud prints on the back of Shi Lan’s coat, a flicker of guilt crossed his eyes.
He looked down at his hands.
’Oh, crap. I wiped them completely clean... on Lanlan’s clothes.’
He instantly straightened up and trotted obediently after Shi Lan, grabbing the simple bundle wrapped in old clothes that was sitting by the door.
Chen San subconsciously followed them. When he reached Shi Lan’s door, he glanced down and saw the name "Lanlan" scrawled on the ground. Apparently, the other male had been amusing himself earlier.
Chen San nonchalantly stepped over the name and stomped the mud from his feet on the doorstep. Just as he was about to enter, Jiang Xia blocked the way like a guard, staring at him with displeasure. "What do you think you’re doing? Who said you could come in?"
Shi Lan was upstairs finding some clothes for Jiang Xia. Unlike the houses on Capital Star, which had system-wide smart climate control, the rooms on Yaoxing were still a bit chilly.
At that moment, however, she had completely forgotten that Jiang Xia had spent years surviving in the constant low temperatures of Black Ming Star Prison.
Downstairs, the two men faced off.
Chen San frowned. "And who are you? What right do you have to stop me? This is Xiao Lan’s home, not yours."
"Xiao Lan? Calling her so intimately... And what, exactly, are you?"
Jiang Xia didn’t move from his spot, his eyes burning with displeasure.
Chen San scoffed. "Heh. At any rate, I’m closer to her than some stray with no family and no ties."
Jiang Xia thought of that photo again, the one that looked like a family portrait, and his mood soured once more.
He pressed his lips together, and his snow-pale face looked so translucent it seemed fragile. Even though he was the one aggressively blocking the door, to Shi Lan, who was coming downstairs, it looked as if he were the one being bullied.
Fortunately, Shi Lan knew his personality. He wasn’t one to be easily wronged.
She called out, "Lord Jiang, come get dressed."
"Okay~"
At the sound of her voice, the anger on Jiang Xia’s face vanished, and he became meek and obedient.
He walked over to her, and she handed him a brown jacket of hers that she’d never worn.
"I wasn’t paying much attention to the size when I bought this, so it’s a bit big on me. It’s probably the only thing I have that will fit you. Just make do for now, and we’ll go out to buy you some clothes later."
"Okay."
Jiang Xia slipped his arms into the sleeves Shi Lan held open for him. Then, as if he’d discovered something amusing, he held out his arms for her to see. "Lanlan, the sleeves are a bit short! See? They only go a little past my wrists."
He said this while trying to retract his arms, as if trying to pull the exposed parts back into the sleeves. He was acting just like a little kid, turning the simple act of getting dressed into a game.
Shi Lan couldn’t help but smile, her eyes crinkling. "Alright, stop playing. We’ll go buy you new clothes in a bit." freёwebnoѵel.com
"It’s okay, Lanlan. I’m not cold. I can wear this."
Jiang Xia wasn’t afraid of the cold in the slightest. In fact, he found the weather quite comfortable. Coming to Yaoxing was like returning to his natural element.
Hearing that, Shi Lan finally remembered the constant snowfall in his former prison.
Still, having him wear her clothes looked too odd. It was no big deal to buy him a few new outfits.
The two of them chatted back and forth on the staircase, their conversation easy and familiar. For a moment, Chen San, standing by the door, felt like a complete outsider, unable to chime in at all.
After a moment, he cleared his throat and walked straight inside.
Jiang Xia shot him a vicious glare. Shi Lan finally seemed to remember her manners. "Brother San, let me introduce you. This is a good friend from my old job, Jiang Xia."
Then she turned to Jiang Xia. "Lord Jiang, this is Chen San. He’s the son of the aunt who was planning to adopt me when I was little."
’Brother San?’
Jiang Xia mulled over the meaning of those two words, and his hostility toward Chen San reluctantly subsided a little.
They had investigated Shi Lan’s background long ago, so Jiang Xia showed no surprise when she mentioned adoption. He just felt a pang of pity that she had lost her parents at such a young age. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
He couldn’t help but hug Shi Lan again, muttering unhappily, "Lanlan, you don’t work there anymore. Why are you still so formal, calling me ’Lord Jiang’? Just use my name."
’Being called ’Lord’ just feels like it creates an invisible distance between us. It’s too formal.’
Noticing Chen San watching them, Shi Lan belatedly felt a bit embarrassed and pulled away from Jiang Xia. "I get it," she said softly. "Stop being so clingy."
Jiang Xia shot her a mournful look.
The moment Shi Lan said the two words, "Jiang Xia," he immediately dropped his wounded expression, straightened up, and followed her to the door.
Shi Lan said, "Brother San, Jiang Xia didn’t bring any clothes suitable for Yaoxing, so I’m taking him out to buy some."
Chen San glanced at the jacket—clearly Shi Lan’s—that he was wearing, then nodded and started walking ahead. "Let’s go. I’ll take you."
Jiang Xia pouted. "Lanlan, can’t we just go by ourselves?"
Shi Lan shook her head, exasperated. "Let’s listen to Brother San. I’m not that familiar with Yaoxing yet, and he knows his way around."
"Fine."
Hearing this, Jiang Xia dropped the subject. But his gaze unconsciously drifted back to the muddy spots on Shi Lan’s coat.
Shi Lan’s coat was mostly white, so the muddy smudges were very distinct.
Feeling guilty, Jiang Xia reached out to wipe them off, but Shi Lan thought he was about to get clingy again. She sidestepped and shot him a warning look. "What now?"
Jiang Xia’s gaze flickered away. "N-nothing."
Chen San, who just happened to step on the name "Lanlan" scrawled on the ground again, smirked. "Xiao Lan," he said, "you should check the back of your coat."
Jiang Xia’s eyes blazed with fire as he stared at Chen San. But when he saw Shi Lan turning to look, his mouth moved faster than his brain. "I’m sorry, Lanlan! I didn’t mean to get your coat dirty."
Shi Lan followed Chen San’s advice and twisted around to look. She’d thought something was seriously wrong, but it was just a few muddy fingerprints.
They were obvious on the light fabric, but it was just a coat. Nothing to get worked up over.
"It’s fine."
She said gently, seeing the anxious look in Jiang Xia’s eyes. Then she went back to her room to change before they headed out.
When Chen San saw how she handled it, a flicker of disappointment crossed his eyes.
