After a while, the students take the initiative to leave.
Before leaving, a girl adds Zhou Ji'an's WeChat and says she wants to ask about the recipe of biscuits.
When Zhou Ji'an is sending her the tutorial in the kitchen, she hears the doorbell ring several times.
Qian's father, who should be in his study, didn't open the door.
Then Qian's mother says, "Old Qian went to the study again. His ears are getting more and more deaf. Zhou Zhou, could you go and open the door?"
When Zhou Ji'an just walks out of the kitchen door, Qian's mother pokes her head out and smiles at Qian's father, who also pokes his head out of the study.
Zhou Ji'an hurriedly opens the door: "Sorry, I kept you waiting for a long time, please..." The smile on her face freezes when she sees the person coming.
Lu Zhining is also absent-minded for a moment, but soon adjusts his expression, as if he is meeting the person for the first time: "Hello, my name is Lu Zhining."
Zhou Ji'an stares blankly at this cold face that would be very eye-catching in the crowd.
The messy, curly hair does not suppress the coldness of the whole body. The bold and wanton eyebrows and the introverted and calm eyes are integrated without any disobedience.
The nose bridge is like a marble sculpture, the lips are evenly thick, and the familiar little mole under the corner of the mouth seems to be jumping in front of her eyes.
The faint patchouli floats on the tip of the nose, and the low voice seems to vibrate in her heart, and her chest is noisy.
The two stand face-to-face for a long time until Qian's mother comes behind her and calls her. She comes back to her senses: "I am... Zhou Jianan."
There is still some inquiry and a vague timidity in her eyes that she herself is not aware of.
She suddenly purses her lower lip, lowers her thin pink upper eyelids, and then retracts her raised head, but the violent shaking in her eye sockets could not be faked.
Lu Zhining doesn't even open his mouth; his vocal cords vibrate and he utters a "hmm" from his throat: "Excuse me, please?"
Zhou Ji'an hurriedly makes way for him. If the mooncakes at the entrance are still there, she will definitely kick them three or five times by accident, and she might even trip over them.
She says in a a flurry, "Sorry."
Lu Zhining smiles at her and the cold and fierce aura on his face dissipates like smoke and then condenses again as the arc of his lips returns to straightness.
The cloth on his arm rubs against her shoulder and passes by her.
Zhou Ji'an pinches the wound that is no longer bleeding and closes the door.
Every frame just now is replayed in her mind like a movie. She finally realizes what it feels like to keep Lu Zhining at a distance, as described by others many years ago.
He has never treated her like this before, so much so that she almost feels that the person in front of her is not an acquaintance but just a stranger with the same face and name.
Her nails keep scratching the wound, and she sighs secretly.
If she has to find out the reason, it is her fault first. From a friend's perspective, he has done nothing to let her down.
The voice of Qian's mother brings her back to the real world again: "Zhou Zhou, come and help serve the dishes, please."
Zhou Ji'an looks back at Lu Zhining, who is chatting and laughing with Qian's father, stops her memories in time, and goes to the kitchen in an orderly manner.
She doesn't notice that the next moment she turns her head, Lu Zhining glances at her hand inconspicuously.
She steps out of the kitchen door with the dishes and almost bumps into the newcomer. When she is about to say something, Lu Zhining turns around and leaves with his answer.
She is at a loss and stiffens in place.
When he comes to her again, she even finds it a little difficult to face his indifference. She doesn't dare to look up and makes way for him to go to the kitchen.
But he takes the dishes from her and stuffs a Band-Aid into her palm: "Stay aside."
Zhou Ji'an looks at the things in her hand and then at his back. The clouds on her face are swept away, and she can't suppress her smile.
The dishes soon fill the table.
Qian's father and mother look at them with joy. Zhou Ji'an inexplicably feels like she is on a blind date. She turns her head and exchanges a glance with Lu Zhining, and then uneasily looks to each side.
In the end, it is Qian's mother who breaks the awkward situation: "Sorry. I forget to introduce you two. This is my daughter, A Yu's good friend, our goddaughter, Zhou Ji'an."
"Zhou Zhou, this is Lao Qian's most proud student, Lu Zhining."
The two look at each other politely at the same time, turn their eyes away at the same time, and nod at the same time.
This damn synchronization makes the atmosphere of the blind date even stronger...
Qian's mother almost laughs out loud and raises her eyebrows at Qian's father: See, are they a good match!
Qian's father receives the signal: You are right!
"Why are you still standing there? You two should pick up your chopsticks. Do you think the dishes I cooked are not delicious?"
Zhou Ji'an makes a gesture to Qian's father and mother, "You go first," and receives four glares from them...
Lu Zhining waits until Qian's father and mother start eating before he picks up a dish with chopsticks: "Mrs Qian is joking again. I haven't eaten well these days, just thinking about your meal."
Zhou Ji'an directly picks up a large piece of beef in her mouth, and the sound of "hmm" she made is hooked, using practical actions to show how satisfied she is with Qian's mother's cooking, but what she is thinking about is Lu Zhining's words just now.