Try Again chapter 30

Look at Him Now

After finishing his cigarette, Ji Minglun returned to his room. He entered the bathroom, and as soon as the door closed, he heard someone knocking outside.

Jiang Lin stood up, put down his tablet, and was about to go open the door when Ji Minglun stepped out first and looked through the peephole.

Deng Yi was looking down at her phone screen, and soon raised her hand to knock again, calling out, “Minglun, it’s about time. We should go.”

Ji Minglun had anticipated this situation before letting Jiang Lin sleep in his room. He secured the safety chain and opened the door a crack, saying, “I’m about to take a shower; you go down first, and I’ll be there soon.”

“Okay,” Deng Yi replied. “Then hurry up; I’ll head down first.”

After closing the door again, Ji Minglun turned to Jiang Lin and said, “You go down first; I’ll shower quickly.”

Jiang Lin hesitated and asked, “Shen Ran didn’t say anything just now, did he?”

“It’s fine; he knows when to be serious and won’t talk nonsense,” Ji Minglun explained.

Jiang Lin felt relieved and waited a moment before taking his chest bag and going downstairs. Ji Minglun quickly took a shower, and by the time he reached the lobby, the others were already seated in the lounge area on the right, quietly chatting while occupying a couch.

Ji Minglun first spotted Jiang Lin, who was nestled in the corner of the couch. Deng Feng was saying something to him that made him laugh, and then he noticed Ji Minglun.

Shen Ran also saw Ji Minglun and stood up, saying, “Senior is here; let’s go.”

Deng Yi adjusted the waistband and hem of her Hanfu, linking her arm with Shi Xiaomin’s as they walked ahead. The others also got up, with Deng Feng and Jiang Lin trailing behind. As Ji Minglun turned around, he saw Deng Feng still talking to Jiang Lin.

Shen Ran draped an arm over his shoulder from the other side, saying, “Quickly hide your infatuated gaze. If you keep staring, Deng Yi jie will notice.”

After receiving a glance from him, Shen Ran thought Ji Minglun would retort, but he was surprised when Ji Minglun simply pressed his lips together and walked outside.

As they exited the hotel’s revolving door, a wave of heat hit them. Deng Feng said, “Let’s go eat at Huimin Street first; it’s just a short walk from here, and it’s very lively inside.”

Everyone had no objections, so they walked toward Huimin Street together. As they crossed the street, the sunlight slanted onto the roofs of the ancient buildings along West Street, like a layer of golden gauze. Deng Yi took out her DSLR, framed a few shots, and called Ji Minglun over to take pictures.

Ji Minglun had decent photography skills. Jiang Lin watched as he took the camera, adjusted it slightly, and snapped a few shots before returning it to Deng Yi.

Deng Yi reviewed the photos, joyfully praising him for his skills in backlighting and asking why he hadn’t brought his camera this time.

Jiang Lin walked behind them, his gaze landing on the tall figure ahead. He didn’t even notice when Deng Feng said something next to him. It wasn’t until Shen Ran beside Ji Minglun suddenly turned to look at him that he took a sip from his bottled water.

Entering Beiyuanmen Street, Shi Xiaomin’s boyfriend, Wang Shi, looked at the countless shops on both sides and was the first to ask, “What are we eating?”

Deng Feng had made a plan, originally intending to take everyone to a well-known small shop for Shaanxi specialty snacks. However, upon entering, they found that the maze-like alleys were filled with inconspicuous but crowded small shops. After wandering for nearly half an hour without finding their target, Deng Yi stuffed a Zhen cake into Shi Xiaomin’s hand, stepping forward to stop Deng Feng, who was still browsing.

“Ge, just pick a random shop to eat at; if we go any further, I’ll be full from all this snacking.”

Deng Feng glanced back; not only was Shi Xiaomin holding food, but her boyfriend Wang Shi, as well as Jiang Lin and Shen Ran, all had snacks in hand.

Deng Feng was sweating profusely, realizing this wouldn’t work, so he randomly chose a place that served oily spicy noodles and lamb soup. Initially worried the food might be subpar, they were pleasantly surprised; the lamb soup was fresh without being gamey, the vermicelli was crisp but not mushy, and the golden bread soaked up the soup’s flavor. One bite was incredibly satisfying.

Jiang Lin, who already liked lamb, finished one bowl and ordered another. Ji Minglun, sitting two seats away from him, watched him eat and worried he might feel uncomfortable later if he overindulged, so he leaned closer to Shen Ran and whispered a few words.

After taking a bite of the noodles, Shen Ran swallowed and said to Jiang Lin, “I also want to try the lamb soup; how about you share half with me? I can’t finish a whole bowl.”

Before Jiang Lin could refuse, Deng Feng interjected, “I’ll share a bowl with you; I want to try it too, but I can’t finish it.”

Shen Ran bit down on his chopsticks, reluctantly agreeing, then shot Ji Minglun a glare when no one was looking.

After the meal, everyone continued to browse. Deng Yi was attracted to a small shop selling glutinous rice cakes, pulling Shi Xiaomin over with her. Soon, Deng Feng and Shen Ran also drifted over to watch the shopkeeper draw cartoon patterns on the glutinous rice cakes.

Jiang Lin stood in the middle of the stone-paved street, looking at those around him who also didn’t like the crowd: “It’s so lively here.”

“Yeah,” Ji Minglun pulled him aside a bit, “Didn’t you eat too much earlier?”

“No,” Jiang Lin avoided a tourist who was chatting excitedly while holding a candied hawthorn, “I didn’t put in much bread; mainly, the lamb soup was delicious.”

Ji Minglun nodded. Jiang Lin then asked, “Was that bowl of oily noodles good?”

“Pretty good.”

“Then I’ll try it tomorrow morning.”

Ji Minglun nodded toward the front. “Do you want to grab a drink?”

Jiang Lin followed his gaze to a beautifully decorated milk tea shop. Having just eaten something savory, they were in the mood for something sweet, so he headed over with Ji Minglun to order two cups of osmanthus brew.

The staff asked them to wait a moment, and when Ji Minglun took the receipt and turned around, he found Jiang Lin standing at the entrance of a nearby shop selling ethnic silver jewelry, looking down at the silver ornaments casually displayed in a colorful bamboo basket.

Ji Minglun walked over and, upon reaching him, saw Jiang Lin looking up at him. “Do you still have the bracelet I gave you two years ago?”

That bracelet had been on Ji Minglun’s wrist until Jiang Lin went to Los Angeles, and when Jiang Lin returned this time, he didn’t see him wearing it. The reason was obvious without asking. However, now seeing other bracelets, he couldn’t help but want to ask.

Maybe Ji Minglun just put it away; he probably wouldn’t have lost it.

Thinking this, Jiang Lin’s gaze towards Ji Minglun carried a different emotion. Ji Minglun really wanted to say he had already thrown it away, but the words turned around on his tongue and became, “I put it away.”

Jiang Lin pursed his lips and smiled, his slender eyes curving beautifully, more appealing than the new moon on the distant rooftop. Ji Minglun silently watched him, seeing him bend down to choose from a basket, saying, “I missed your birthday this year; let me make it up to you with a gift.”

As he bent down, the neckline of his T-shirt revealed a patch of fair skin. Ji Minglun took a step to the side to block the angle towards passersby.

Jiang Lin didn’t notice the implication in Ji Minglun’s movement and continued to look at him, waiting for a response.

Unnaturally averting his gaze, Ji Minglun looked at another basket of silver jewelry and said, “You’re picking something so casual for a make-up gift?”

Jiang Lin paused slightly, straightened up, and said, “No, I’m definitely choosing seriously. Or if you want something specific, just tell me.”

Ji Minglun shot him a glance: “How can you ask for a birthday gift? It should be something the giver wants to give.”

Jiang Lin nodded seriously: “Then I’ll think about it carefully.”

At that moment, the nearby milk tea shop called out their order. Ji Minglun went to get it; they both ordered the same level of sweetness in osmanthus tea. Jiang Lin took a sip after receiving it: “This tastes good; it’s not greasy at all.”

After working at Chaka for a while, he had gained some understanding of tea and coffee, but Ji Minglun said, “It’s still a bit bitter.”

Jiang Lin took another sip, wanting to ask Ji Minglun how he could taste it, but just as he turned to speak, he saw a figure running towards Ji Minglun from behind, holding two pieces of glutinous rice cake skewered with bamboo sticks.

Jiang Lin bit down on his straw, watching as Deng Yi stood excitedly next to Ji Minglun: “This is the freshly drawn Doraemon; how beautiful is it?”

Without waiting for Ji Minglun to respond, Deng Yi handed a piece to him: “This is for you; try it.”

Ji Minglun held the milk tea cup in his right hand, with his left hand still in his pocket, showing no intention of taking it: “I’m full; you eat it.”

“Just have a bite,” Deng Yi nudged him with her arm, “I specially bought it for you, and the drawing on it was just finished by the boss.”

While Deng Yi was persuading Ji Minglun to eat, Deng Feng also approached Jiang Lin with two pieces of glutinous rice cake: “Do you want to try? This is a local specialty; this one is rose-flavored and this one is blueberry.”

Jiang Lin glanced at what Deng Feng brought: “You eat it; I have milk tea. Eating this will make me too full.”

Deng Feng smiled: “I can’t eat anymore either; let’s just put it aside. Whoever gets hungry later can have it.”

Shen Ran stood behind Deng Feng, chewing a piece of osmanthus-flavored glutinous rice cake, suddenly unable to hold back a laugh. Deng Feng asked him what was funny, and he pointed at Deng Yi with his chin: “Deng Yi’s glutinous rice cake is going to be unsold. Feng Ge, why don’t you help her out?”

Deng Feng turned his head to look and saw Ji Minglun adamantly refusing to eat the glutinous rice cake. Deng Yi looked at the slightly melted Doraemon on the cake, feeling frustrated, and bit into it herself.

Deng Feng wanted to laugh too but, since it was his own sister, he had to smooth things over: “Deng Yi, don’t eat too much; be careful not to get too full later.”

Shi Xiaomin was also nearby persuading Deng Yi, while Ji Minglun took the lead and walked forward, and everyone followed suit. After walking for a while, Ji Minglun stopped in front of a small shop selling specialty items.

In front of this shop was a rectangular mirror frame stage, with a piece of rice paper pasted around it as a background. Two little girls, about six or seven years old, were holding shadow puppets and performing behind the light, having a great time. Ji Minglun watched for a moment, then turned to look for Jiang Lin, only to find Deng Feng had walked over to Jiang Lin again, the two whispering to each other.

Shen Ran walked up next to Ji Minglun and turned to look back with him. Seeing Ji Minglun’s expression had turned serious, he worried that someone might notice and reminded him, “They’re talking about milk tea. Feng Ge asked Jiang Lin how it tasted, and Jiang Lin said you tasted the bitterness of the tea, but he couldn’t.”

Ji Minglun continued walking forward. Taking advantage of the people behind not hearing, Shen Ran continued, “Senior, why bother? If you really can’t let go, just try again to win him over. It’s better than constantly worrying about someone else stealing him away.”

“He doesn’t like guys.” Ji Minglun said in a low voice.

“That was when you confessed before, right?”

Shen Ran turned and walked backward. He noticed that Jiang Lin was talking to Deng Feng but was looking in their direction, so he nudged Ji Minglun’s arm to get him to look back: “Look at how he is looking at you now. Are you still sure?”