After Transmigrating for the Third Time, the Real Young Master Decides to Slouch - Chapter 2

When Jiang Zao came back from the restroom, the two of them were still there, chatting and laughing, completely free of the worried expressions they had worn before. It seemed that during the time he had been gone, the person had already been coaxed back into a good mood.

As Jiang Zao approached, he overheard their conversation again.

Lin Tang said with a smile, “Brother, I almost forgot to congratulate you on getting into the Lansheng Orchestra. You’re one step closer to your dream.”

At the mention of this, Lin Ran revealed a happy smile. “Yes. Getting into the Lansheng Orchestra has always been my dream. This is the best birthday present I could ask for.”

Lin Tang raised his index finger and shook it. “No, no, no. That’s not the dream I’m talking about.”

Lin Ran’s face instantly turned red.

“Hehe.” Lin Tang smiled slyly. “Once you’re in the Lansheng Orchestra, you’ll have the chance to perform with Rong Jingcheng. And then you’ll have the chance to take things one step further with him.”

Jiang Zao’s foot slipped. The sole of his shoe scraped against the smooth floor, producing a piercing sound that interrupted the brothers’ conversation.

Lin Tang turned his head unhappily, glaring at him with raised brows. “You were eavesdropping on us!”

Jiang Zao pointed across from them. “I was just returning to my seat. Also—”

He shrugged helplessly. “With the volume of your conversation, I could hear it even without eavesdropping.”

“You!” Lin Tang flew into a rage.

Lin Ran hurriedly grabbed him, then turned his head and said, “Jiang Zao, sorry for disturbing you. We’ll leave first.”

After saying that, he pulled Lin Tang away with a red face.

With no one else bothering him, Jiang Zao sat back down and picked up his teacup. The water inside swayed chaotically, unable to settle for a long time.

Jiang Zao looked at the tea leaves floating on the surface, his gaze shifting slightly.

Rong Jingcheng…

It had really been a long time since he last heard that name.

He tilted his head back and drank the tea in one gulp. Whatever. They had not been in contact for a long time anyway. That person had probably already forgotten about him, this junior schoolmate of his.

The Lin couple arrived late. Once they got there, the birthday party finally began.

Jiang Zao rubbed his stomach. If they had arrived any later, he really would have filled himself up on tea.

Jiang Zao and Lin Ran stood together in front of the Lin couple. Madam Lin, who was well-maintained and looked only a little over thirty, smiled warmly and gave Lin Ran a hug. After letting go, she handed him a gift. “Xiao Ran, happy twenty-fifth birthday. You will always be Mom’s pride.”

“Thank you, Mom,” Lin Ran said with a smile. “And thank you, Dad.”

The Lin couple looked at this adopted son who had never made them worry, their smiles both gratified and proud.

Then their gazes fell on the other child whose birthday was also today.

Madam Lin’s smile faded by quite a lot, but it still remained within the bounds of social courtesy. She also hugged Jiang Zao, though her movements were clearly much more perfunctory than when she had hugged Lin Ran. It was almost just a touch before they separated. She handed over an exquisitely wrapped gift. “Jiang Zao, happy birthday to you too.”

Jiang Zao accepted the gift, nodded, and said faintly, “Thank you.”

The Lin couple exchanged a glance. Both of them saw disappointment in each other’s eyes.

After gathering her mood, Madam Lin raised her voice and announced, “Thank you, everyone, for coming to attend my two children’s birthday party. We’ve kept you waiting. Now, let’s have the cake brought out.”

The lights dimmed. Accompanied by music, the servants pushed out a luxurious three-tier cake. The warm candlelight seemed to bring blessings with it.

“Xiao Ran, Jiang Zao, make a wish,” Madam Lin said with a smile.

“Mm!” Lin Ran nodded hard, closed his eyes, and clasped his hands together.

With all the guests watching, Jiang Zao also closed his eyes, but he thought of nothing. He did not believe in this sort of thing.

When he heard Lin Ran say, “I’m done making my wish,” Jiang Zao opened his eyes.

Lin Tang asked excitedly, “What did you wish for? Hehe, was it that you could perform with—mmph mmph mmph!”

Lin Tang’s mouth was covered by the blushing Lin Ran. Lin Ran shook his head hard. “No. My wish was that I hope everyone can find happiness!”

Only after he finished speaking did he react, and his face turned even redder. Embarrassed, he asked, “Is that too childish?”

“No, no!” the guests immediately said. “Xiao Ran only made such a wish because he’s too gentle. Then we’ll borrow your auspicious words. We’ll definitely be happy, hahaha!”

The atmosphere, which had already been quite good, became even livelier because of this little interlude. Some of the guests praised him sincerely, while others teased him with smiles. Jiang Zao’s hearing was rather good, so he even caught the whispers.

“Lin Ran really is excellent. Beautiful and kind-hearted too. Look at that Jiang Zao again. So stiff and wooden, not even a smile. And his eyes aren’t showing, either. He looks gloomy to death. No wonder no one likes him.”

“Exactly. It’s not without reason that Madam Lin likes Lin Ran. If my biological son were like that, I’d also have to find myself an obedient, well-behaved adopted son to cherish.”

Jiang Zao rubbed his ear.

They entered the next segment: cutting the cake.

Lin Ran took the cake knife from a servant and said to Jiang Zao, “Shall we cut it together?”

“Sure.” Jiang Zao held the empty part of the knife handle.

For a moment, Lin Ran did not move. He was dazed. According to what he had expected, Jiang Zao had always disliked this kind of formalism. Even if he invited him, Jiang Zao would most likely refuse. Today was rather strange. He was actually cooperating.

“Mm?” Jiang Zao tilted his head to look at him.

This posture caused his bangs to slide aside slightly, and Lin Ran unexpectedly met his gaze just like that. His heart suddenly jolted in shock.

Those were a pair of eyes that were difficult to describe. Beauty came second; they were deep and reserved, as if another world were hidden inside them. Anyone who looked into them would be deeply drawn in, unable to extricate themselves.

For some reason, Lin Ran felt a sense of danger.

“Xiao Ran?” Madam Lin noticed that something was wrong with him. As she called out, she quietly glanced Jiang Zao over. What was going on? Had Jiang Zao done something to him?

Jiang Zao pretended not to notice that probing gaze.

Lin Ran came back to himself and smiled. “It’s nothing. Let’s cut the cake.”

The two of them lifted the cake knife together and cut down into the cake.

This cut was clean and decisive, severing everything in one stroke.

Jiang Zao walked out of the Lin family mansion empty-handed. He stretched deeply, then rubbed his sore neck. It was finally over.

After accompanying them in their performance for an entire night, he could be considered to have done more than enough. This could count as a peaceful breakup, right?

Although it was a decision he had made unilaterally, under normal circumstances, the Lin family probably would not take the initiative to contact him either. Mm, then that meant they had broken up. From now on, there was no need to have anything to do with each other.

After getting into the ride-hailing car he had called, the driver confirmed with him, “Heading to A University’s family residential compound, right?”

Jiang Zao had just been about to say yes when the words changed at his lips. “Can I change the destination?”

The driver looked at him suspiciously, then nodded. “You can. Just change it on your phone.”

Jiang Zao changed the destination. After the driver received the update, he started the car.

Jiang Zao leaned back in the rear seat and closed his eyes to rest.

The moment the car stopped, Jiang Zao opened his eyes as well. After paying the fare and getting out, he walked into this rather old apartment building.

This was the home of the original owner’s adoptive parents. After the original owner was recognized by the Lin family, he moved out of here, but he had not lived in the Lin family home for long either. He had lived on campus in high school, lived on campus in university, lived on campus during graduate school, and after graduating from graduate school, in order to prepare better for exams, he had rented an apartment near the university.

Although Jiang Zao had never lived here himself, he had a deep impression of this place. At first, his adoptive parents had been afraid he would not be used to the change in environment, so they always told him to come back whenever he had time and made good food for him. The younger brother in his adoptive parents’ family had also tried hard to make him happy. Although all of this had happened a long time ago, Jiang Zao unexpectedly felt rather nostalgic.

Jiang Zao smiled and knocked on the door.

The thin door panel could not block the sounds inside at all. Jiang Zao heard the thud-thud-thud of footsteps, and then the door opened. Behind the door stood a boy of sixteen or seventeen, his features somewhat similar to Lin Ran’s.

Jiang Zao greeted him. “Tongtong.”

“Huh? Brother?” Jiang Tong was pleasantly surprised. He turned his head and shouted into the apartment, “Mom, Brother’s back!”

After a rush of footsteps, a middle-aged woman whose hair had already gone half white came out from inside. When she saw him, she called out joyfully, “Xiao Zao, why are you back?”

“I came to see you.”

Jiang Zao entered the home. The air was filled with the sweet, rich scent of cream. His gaze fell on the cake on the dining table in the living room. “You were eating cake?”

Mother Jiang turned back to look, hesitating without speaking. Jiang Tong said cheerfully, “Yeah. Isn’t today your birthday, Brother? We wanted to celebrate it for you too, so we bought a cake. Brother, since you’re back, let’s eat it together!”

Jiang Zao looked at that cake. It was very small, only enough for two or three people. Its appearance was not delicate either. It could not compare at all to the Lin family’s luxurious three-tier cake.

“Hehe.” Mother Jiang spoke. She smiled and said, “Xiao Zao, don’t listen to Tongtong’s nonsense. We were just joining in the fun. A birthday should definitely be celebrated with your family. We just wanted to share a bit of the joy. We didn’t mean anything else…”

Jiang Zao suddenly said, “Mom, are you trying to eat it all with Tongtong without sharing?”

Mother Jiang froze.

Jiang Zao smiled. “I want to eat cake too.”

“Ah? Good, good!” Mother Jiang reacted and immediately hurried to the dining table. “I’ll cut you a big piece—ah, no, that’s not right. The birthday star should cut the cake.”

Seeing her flustered movements, Jiang Zao walked over. “I’ll cut it.”

Holding the cake knife, Jiang Zao neatly cut off a large piece and handed it to Mother Jiang. “Mom, you eat first.”

Mother Jiang refused. “I can’t eat that much. You eat it, you eat it.”

While the two of them were refusing each other, Jiang Tong leaned over and raised his hand. “I’ll eat it!”

Jiang Zao casually stuffed the cake into his hands. “Here. You have to finish all of it.”

“Thank you, Brother!” Jiang Tong forked up a piece of cake and stuffed it into his mouth, his face full of happiness.

Jiang Zao cut two smaller pieces. One was given to Mother Jiang, and the other he held in his hand. He said, “This one is for Dad.”

He turned and walked to the other side of the living room, placing the cake on the altar. He pressed his palms together. “Dad, have some cake.” Then he took three sticks of incense and lit them. Jiang Zao bowed to Father Jiang’s memorial tablet above, then solemnly inserted the incense.

After doing all of this, he returned to the dining table. Mother Jiang had lowered her head and was wiping her tears.

Jiang Tong handed her a tissue. “Mom, why are you crying? Brother finally came back for once.”

Mother Jiang shook her head while wiping her tears. “Mom is just happy. I’m sorry, Xiao Zao. Mom ruined the mood for you.”

“It’s fine.” Jiang Zao sat down and pushed the cake toward her. “Eat cake.”

The three of them ate cake while chatting off and on. Mother Jiang asked about Jiang Zao’s recent situation, and Jiang Zao answered ambiguously. The core idea was that he was doing very well and there was no need to worry.

Hearing that everything was well with him, Mother Jiang nodded, then asked with concern, “Then how are your exam preparations going? It must be very hard, right? Look at you, you’ve gotten so haggard.”

Only after Jiang Zao swallowed the cloyingly sweet cake in his mouth did he speak.

“I’m not planning to take the exam anymore.”