Chapter 72 Exposed

Seeing him so distraught, Feng Ran was speechless.

Feng Ran always offered help to almost everyone around him, and this time, as usual, he agreed, treating it as an extra assignment. But he

didn't mention it to Shen Zhi. He didn't want to cause trouble.

Early on a weekend morning, Shen Zhi opened the door sleepily: "Why so early?" It was just after seven o'clock. In the past, Feng Ran didn't come until eleven or twelve in the afternoon.

Feng Ran said, "Come to see."

He had worked overtime too late yesterday and didn't come. Today, he had to go out for dinner and might not be back tonight. Two days in a row would definitely make Shen Zhi suspicious.

As expected, Shen Zhi thought of this and asked, "What's going on today?"

"I have an appointment today." Feng Ran opened the refrigerator. There wasn't much, just the ones he had packed for Shen Zhi earlier: wontons, dehydrated vegetables, and rice balls, all prepared according to the doctor's advice to prevent Shen Zhi from eating only instant noodles while he was away.

The rest seemed to be untouched by Shen Zhi recently.

Feng Ran said, "This is enough for two days. Why haven't you finished it yet?"

Shen Zhi didn't want to mention that Feng Ran wasn't there yesterday, so he could only sleep soundly at home. He woke up way past dinnertime, and when he saw that he couldn't come, all his mood disappeared, let alone his appetite.

"I ate something else. Is Chen Shuze going too?"

"Yes." Feng Ran tossed the near-expiry food into the trash.

Shen Zhi's sleepiness faded, and he studied Feng Ran's back. He was wearing a formal suit, well-cut and professional, but he didn't wear a tie, and his hair was casually done. He glanced at the entrance, where he saw a pair of casual sneakers.

"What client? I didn't hear you mention it before. Are you the only ones going?"

"Yes, I got a last-minute notice." Feng Ran gave an address: an upscale restaurant on the outskirts of the city.

"It's not close. Are you driving?" Shen Zhi said. "The car is downstairs."

He was referring to the car Shen Zhi had given him. Needless to say, Feng Ran had seen it the first time he came over.

"Forget it. I'll take a taxi."

"Why didn't Chen Shuze ask the driver to pick you up?" Shen Zhi said, "That's unreliable."

Feng Ran didn't respond. He stayed for a while, got a call, and left in a hurry.

When he arrived at the restaurant, Chen Shuze was already waiting at the door. His eyes lit up and he said, "You look good today..."

"Just casual wear." Feng Ran thought that he would never look bad in his clothes. Everything he could keep in his wardrobe was a masterpiece.

Chen Shuze didn't say anything, just smiled. Feng Ran said again, "Where are your parents?"

"They'll be there soon. There's a little traffic on the road." Chen Shuze said, "You go into the private room and sit down first."

Feng Ran and others chatted with Shen Zhi. Shen Zhi said that he was sleepy and couldn't sleep, then he said he was bored and hungry. In short, he didn't feel comfortable at all. Feng Ran knew that this was his unique way of acting coquettish, and responded without getting tired of it.

Chen Zhi suddenly asked, "Has your client not arrived yet?" Feng

Ran replied, "He's stuck in traffic." Chen

Zhi then asked, "Are you really going to be working late?"

Chen Shuze arranged to take the couple to the park and the office that afternoon, and then rest in his large apartment after dinner. Afterward, Chen Shuze promised to treat him to a bar, where they would indulge in alcohol and sex, but it was unclear when they would leave.

Feng Ran replied, "Maybe." Chen

Zhi paused for a long time before sending a message, "You're not lying, are you?"

Just then, the door to the private room opened, and Chen's parents entered. Feng Ran had no choice but to put away his phone and stand to greet the two elders.

During the meal, he was peppered with questions about his family, work, and his imprisonment. Feng Ran handled them all with ease. Chen Shuze had informed him in advance, and the two of them became friends after a long separation, unexpectedly discovering they were similar people, and slowly developing feelings for each other. The timing and details stood up to scrutiny.

It was clear that Chen Shuze's parents were quite pleased with him. They kept calling him "Feng" and asking him to take good care of his and Feng Qing's lives. Chen Shuze always lied without thinking, and he was even more arrogant in front of his parents. Feng Ran was amused by his boasting and quietly turned on the recorder under the table to record a few sentences.

He left the table to go to the bathroom before he had time to reply to Chen Zhi. He hadn't replied to the original message for nearly two hours, and surprisingly, the other party only sent a questioning expression.

Feng Ran stared at the word "liar" and would be a lie to say that he didn't feel guilty. He carefully chose his words and replied, "I'd lie to you."

As soon as the message was sent, Shen Zhi called.

Feng Ran said, "I'm in the bathroom. I'll be there soon.

" "How is the client? Is the negotiation going well?

" "Not bad," Feng Ran said. "What did you eat?"

"I missed you so much that I couldn't eat," Shen Zhi said softly.

Feng Ran's heart moved, and a slight itch spread from his chest to the tip of his lips. He wanted to say something, but swallowed it back. He didn't understand why he always felt inexplicably satisfied when he heard Shen Zhi's corny love words.

"What kind of talk is that? It's time to eat. What if it goes bad and is no longer fresh? You have to throw it away. All the things I worked so hard to make are wasted." Although he said so, there was no dissatisfaction in his tone.

Shen Zhi smiled and said, "No, I will eat the things you make for me even if they are spoiled."

"Stop joking and eat your food obediently."

Feng Ran returned to the table.

Chen Shuze was drinking with his father when Feng Ran came in and was pulled in. This was his specialty. As he filled one glass after another and drank clinking glasses, he felt more and more that it was no different from a social event.

When the dishes were all clean, Chen Shuze gave the key to his parents. The two left early, saying that they would wait for them in the car, leaving Chen Shuze and Feng Ran to pay the bill.

Feng Ran sat on a chair to rest while Chen Shuze ordered the dishes and prices and paid the bill.

"Take a break," Feng Ran said, rubbing his forehead. "You drank that wine too quickly."

"Because you didn't eat," Chen Shuze said. "I saw you barely touched your chopsticks. What's wrong? Is it not to your taste?"

"Not bad." Feng Ran pulled out his phone. Chen Zhi hadn't sent another message.

Instead, He Chuan asked if he had fed the cat before leaving. He said no. He Chuan sent pictures of strips of colorful plastic bags, bitten to pieces, hidden behind the sofa, their crime clearly exposed.

Feng Ran clutched his phone and laughed. Chen Shuze saw this and thought he was chatting with Shen Zhi. He said, "Are you and Shen Zhi planning to reconcile? He's already been discharged from the hospital, and you're still going to his house every day."

"No,"

Chen Shuze raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

"Why?"

Feng Ran shook his head. "We broke up, why would we reconcile? I never go back."

"But he's been very good to you." "He's been very good

to me"—Feng Ran sighed inwardly. If Chen Shuze knew about his past with Shen Zhi, he probably wouldn't say that.

Chen Zhi's attitude has indeed improved a lot, but... he doesn't want to think about what will happen next. Right now, he just wants Chen Zhi to get better as soon as possible and live a healthy life.

Chen Shuze saw that his expression was different and asked, "Isn't it?"

"No." Feng Ran didn't intend to defend himself. Suddenly, he remembered something, "Oh, remember to tell your family later-"

"What?" Chen Shuze had been quite content, but he hadn't expected such a response. He suddenly interrupted him, angrily, "You haven't even completed your mission today, and you're already thinking of distancing yourself from me?"

Feng Ran was startled. "What's wrong with you?"

Chen Shuze tugged at his arm, uttering a long, drawn-out sentence: "If you don't stay with him, who will you stay with?"

Feng Ran was amused. "Who knows? It won't be you."

His casual yet truthful tone pierced Chen Shuze's heart like a thorn. He suddenly found it difficult to breathe, his whole body frozen like ice. It

felt as if every breath would provoke the pain that had lingered for years. Feng Ran, perceptive, patted his shoulder. "What are you thinking about?"

Chen Shuze, like a bucket of cold water, sobered up, his chest tight. Feng Ran frowned and pushed him away. Determined to vent his anger, he cupped Feng Ran's cheek and kissed him forcefully.

But Feng Ran quickly covered his mouth, and the kiss landed firmly on the back of her hand. Their eyes

met, their eyes meeting.

Then there was a soft click from the door, the sound of the door lock opening.

It was like a heavy stone hitting the water, causing a thousand-foot wave to surge. The two of them were startled and suddenly separated.

Standing at the door was an incredible person.