Ji Ran drove the most conservative and stable Land Rover in the garage today.
Because Qin Man got up late, they bought fritters and soy milk casually on the road and sat in the car to eat.
The airport is a bit far from the city, and when it finally arrived, Ji Ran stood still in the driver's seat: "Go... I'll wait for you in the car."
It would be a pity to leave the clothes carefully chosen by the younger brother in the car.
"Let's go together, the plane still has ten minutes, and we have to wait for the check-in. It's boring for me to wait alone."
"... How old are you? You need someone to accompany you to pick up the plane."
Ji Ran got out of the car with him carrying the soy milk.
The weather was fine today, the plane was on time, it landed three minutes early, and the flight information showed that it had arrived.
Ji Ran stood for a while: "... I'll wait for you in the car."
"Don't." Qin Man led him, "Wait a minute, it will be here soon."
When Qin's father and Qin's mother came out, what they saw was the scene of their son dragging others away.
Ji Ran wanted to say something, but when he saw the two people standing at the exit, he stopped immediately.
He knew Qin Man's mother and had met him at the school's parent-teacher meeting. At that time, the other party was wearing a light blue cheongsam with his hair held in his arms. He looked gentle, virtuous, noble and dignified.
Today, although the family has changed, the woman's temperament has not changed. She wears a simple shirt, trousers, and a straw hat, looking extremely easy-going.
Qin's mother instantly recognized her son's back: "Xiaoman?"
Qin Man turned his head when he heard the words, and then said, "Mom, Dad."
The family of three had not seen each other for a long time, and the two couples hugged their son excitedly.
Qin Man was calm, and when the hug was over, he raised his hand and held Ji Ran's wrist.
"This is my junior, Ji Ran. I've been staying at his house for a while."
Ji Ran greeted very unnaturally: "... Uncle and aunt."
The two couples looked at him with some doubts in their eyes.
Ji Ran would refuse to come to pick up the plane before, but there are other reasons.
His relationship with the Ji family is not a secret in Mancheng, and Qin's father and Qin's mother 80% have heard of his gossip and trivia.
"Ah." Qin's mother gave him two more eyes, and then seemed to remember something, "I remember you."
Ji Ran suddenly felt dry in his throat and became more and more uncomfortable.
"Have we met?" Mother Qin smiled.
Ji Ran raised his eyes: "... what?"
"You are Xiaoman's junior, and you should have been a student of Mangao before, right?" Qin's mother reminded him, "When Xiaoman was in his third year of high school, I went to help him hold a parent-teacher meeting. At that time... were you on the basketball court?"
She smiled with crooked brows and eyes, and although the corners of her eyes were wrinkled, it did not hinder her beauty, "I was almost hit by a basketball at that time, and it was all thanks to you to help me block it. But you went too fast, and I never thanked you. Now you have helped Xiaoman again, thank you."
"… "
Ji Ran licked his lips, feeling even more nervous.
At that parent-teacher meeting, Ji Ran went to the top class and secretly glanced at the people in Qin Man's seat.
Later, before the meeting was over, he was chased away by Shi Tai. When playing basketball, a player almost threw the basketball in someone's face, but Ji Ran stopped it.
Taking a closer look, it was the person who almost got recruited who came to hold a parent-teacher meeting for Qin Man.
Just after peeping at the other party, Ji Ran felt a little guilty, turned his head and left before the other party could speak.
After so many years, he almost forgot about it...
Before he said anything, Qin Man raised his eyebrows first: "Although I haven't heard of this, but it's been so long, how do you remember?"
"I might not remember it for other things, but Xiao Ran looks so good." Qin's mother covered her mouth and smiled, "For some reason, I have never forgotten it."
Father Qin's expression stopped, he clenched his hand into a fist and put it in front of his mouth, and coughed twice.
Ji Ran came back to his senses and said, "...it's easy."
The couple did not plan to stay long when they returned to China this time, and they only brought a large suitcase with them. Qin Man picked it up easily and said, "Get in the car first."
As soon as they got in the car, Qin's mother said, "you can pick us up by yourself. Why do you have to ask Xiao Ran to do it? You're going to disturb others."
"Don't disturb." Qin Man fastened his seat belt, "I have a good relationship with my younger brother, he doesn't mind."
Feeling the sight from the back seat of the car, Ji Ran said, "... In general, I happened to be fine today."
"It's normal to live in one place?" Qin Man smiled.
Ji Ran: "That's better than normal."
"A hundred times better."
The conversation between the two was overheard by the people in the back seat, and the two couples exchanged glances in surprise.
They had never seen Qin Man chatting with anyone like this.
Even Qin Man's friends who had a good time were talking about stock prices and house prices. There is no one who quarrels and makes fun of it.
Just as Ji Ran wanted to start the car, he remembered something: "Auntie... Have you booked a hotel? Or do you have another place to stay?"
Just as Father Qin was about to speak, his wife pinched his thigh: "We have booked a hotel, but it's not time to check in yet."
She glanced at the soy milk cup in the front seat, "Please come to pick us up so early, you probably didn't eat much breakfast, and we didn't eat much on the plane... Otherwise, let's go eat some more?"
Several people went to a Cantonese breakfast restaurant.
The only difference between Mother Qin and Ji Ran's imagination is that her words... are surprisingly many.
It's not the kind of elder-style inquiry, but like a friend, asking him what kind of fried dumplings he likes to eat, whether he likes sweet bean brain or salty bean brain.
Ji Ran was overwhelmed by the other party's enthusiasm. At the end of the breakfast, he let out a long sigh.
Immediately after, Mother Qin sent them a dinner invitation with a smile.
Ji Ran's breath was blocked again.
After sending the person away, Ji Gas said, "Why didn't you refuse just now?!"
Qin Man raised his eyebrows and asked innocently, "It's just a meal. Anyway, we don't have any other arrangements for dinner. Why, you don't want to go?"
It's not that Ji Ran doesn't want to go, he is... really can't handle it.
Qin Man took out his mobile phone: "Then I'll tell her that you have something to do temporarily, and I'll help you push it."
Ji Ran hurriedly stopped him: "Don't, you said that you have something to do temporarily and you can't go." He had already agreed to it just now, and it would be bad to go back and think about it.
Qin Man tutted softly: "Little brother, it's not good to lie."
Ji Ran: "..."
In the end, the two of them went.
Qin's mother made an appointment at a high-end western restaurant that needed to be reserved two weeks in advance.
Ji Ran changed into a suit, and as soon as he walked into the private room, he was greeted by Qin's mother's warm and friendly gaze.
She looked around and asked Qin Man, "Just the two of you?"
Qin Man asked, "Otherwise?"
She glared at Qin Man lightly: "Okay, sit down."
Although it is a private room, in fact, the size of the table is the same as the outside, and it can only seat four people.
The two big men on the opposite side are well-developed, and their shoulders are wider in suits. They are both taller than normal men, and they sit side by side but do not violate the harmony.
Mother Qin glanced at Ji Ran more. He held a knife and fork in both hands and slowly cut the steak under the knife, looking uncomfortable.
After a few words of conversation, Qin Man got up: "I'm going to the toilet."
There were only three people left in the box. Qin's father lowered his head to eat silently, and Qin's mother's eyes hung on Ji Ran from time to time. Ji Ran was full, and there was nothing to touch in front of him, so he sat upright.
Embarrassing scene, nothing more than this.
Two minutes later, he silently bowed his head and sent Qin Man a message.
Dad Ji: Did you fall into the pit? How long did it take you to go to the toilet
q: When you meet a friend, go back after a few chats.
Dad Ji: No.
Dad Ji: Let's talk next time... Come back soon.
Ji Ran swiped the screen with a threatening emoji.
"Xiao Ran." Qin's mother said suddenly, "Did Auntie make you uncomfortable?"
Ji Ran was startled, and quickly put down the phone.
People who have been accustomed to talking back to their teachers and elders since childhood, even stammered at the moment: "Ah, no, I... I'm just."
He hesitated for a moment and decided to tell the truth, "I'm not very good at getting along with elders."
Qin's mother paused, and suddenly chuckled: "That's good, then. I'm still worried... Actually, you are the first friend Xiaoman introduced to us. Before I wanted to meet his friends, I had to wait until the parents' meeting to rush. Let's talk a little bit."
"I'm sorry if it makes you feel uncomfortable," she said sincerely.
Ji Ran quickly waved his hand: "No, it's my problem."
If this scene is seen by others, the style of painting may be-
[The elders of the Ji family and the head teacher of the junior high school were kicked out of the group chat because of their extreme words.]
"But I'm also very happy to see that Xiaoman has such a good friend as you." Qin's mother smiled, "Can we exchange contact information?"
Ji Ran confusedly added WeChat to Qin Man's mother.
"That's right." Mother Qin held her chin with one hand and slowly cut to the point, "Xiao Ran, Auntie has something to ask you."
"You say."
"Why didn't Xiaoman bring his girlfriend here today?"
Ji Ran pursed his lips and blinked a little faster, trying not to make his tone seem strange: "Girlfriend?"
"Yes, I don't think he has mentioned it recently... Did the two quarrel?"
Ji Ran paused: "Did he tell you that?"
"Yes." Qin's mother raised her eyebrows, "You have such a good relationship, haven't you met his girlfriend?"
"I see." Ji Ran responded without hesitation, but when he got to the back, he didn't know what to say, "It should be... I didn't quarrel, I don't know."
The cliché was successful, and Mother Qin was full of joy: "Has Xiaoman really caught up?"
Ji Ran: "... what?"
"He just told me before that he has a girl he likes and is chasing after him." Qin's mother smiled, "Can you tell me what kind of girl? So curious…”
Father Qin, who had been silent for a while, suddenly said, "Why do you ask others about this?"
Mother Qin said, "because Xiaoman has always been reluctant to tell me."
Ji Ran didn't speak for a long time.
He knew very well in his heart that the person Qin Man said was chasing was probably himself.
But... why call him a girl
If you feel that his gender is not suitable for telling your parents, then you don't need to mention this in front of Qin's mother.
This idea just came up, and was quickly pushed back by Ji Ran.
He thought it was ridiculous that he didn't want Qin Man to come out of the closet, and now he was thinking more about it.
Ji Ran drank a glass of water: "I haven't had any in-depth contact, so I'm not too sure."
"Ah, it doesn't matter, it's me being too abrupt. Xiaoman has grown up so big and has never had a girlfriend, so I'm very happy..." Speaking of which, Mother Qin covered her mouth and smiled, "I've even been investigating major weddings recently. The company's market situation, are you too anxious?"
"..." Ji Ran twitched his lips, "It's a little bit."
As soon as Mother Qin finished speaking, her phone dinged—the WeChat of a wedding company she had added before finally passed her friend request.
So she immediately raised her mobile phone and started flipping through each other's circle of friends with enthusiasm.
Ji Ran can finally play with his mobile phone without any scruples.
Qin Man replied to him two minutes ago.
q: It's a friend I haven't seen for many years. Soon, wait for me.
Ji Ran stared at his avatar frame for a while, then subconsciously turned it up, and their previous chat records all jumped out.
On the opposite side, Mother Qin was still praising those wedding scenes. Listening to her excited tone, Ji Ran felt very ashamed when she thought of her unusual relationship with her son.
Obviously, Qin's mother was easy-going and kind, and she was very enthusiastic about him, but he felt extremely tormented.
When he came back to his senses, he realized that he had opened a certain picture in the chat history.
It was sent to him by Qin Man. Above, the other party's remark to him was "Kiss my little brother".
… really crooked.
Ji Ran was about to turn it off when he glanced down from the corner of the corner, only to find that there was something abrupt under his avatar.
[Grouping: .]
They are all people in the new and new era, and everyone knows what this function is - some posts do not want or just want to be seen by a certain person, and that person will be placed in a special group.
It turns out that a person of Qin Man's character would also use such a small function.
... What group did Qin Man put him in
What did Qin Man want to show him, and what did he not want to show him
He clicked on the other party's Moments, and it was very clean. There was only a picture of "looking for a job" a few months ago and a photo of an American bully posted earlier. If it were someone else, he would even think it was a trumpet.
Even Ji Ran will post some particularly scattered photos when he has nothing to do, sometimes it is the corner of the newly acquired car, sometimes it is the sky with floating clouds.
... So Qin Man didn't like to post on Moments, but blocked him
With this knowledge, the remarks of that "kissing little brother" also became dazzling in an instant.
"Xiao Ran?" Mother Qin's voice called Ji Ran back to God.
Ji Ran subconsciously locked the phone and raised his eyes: "Huh?"
"How old are you this year?"
"24, what's wrong?"
"That's almost the age. Do you have a girlfriend? Ah... Don't get me wrong, auntie isn't going to give you a blind date." Qin's mother held the phone in front of Ji Ran.
On the screen is a very simple and elegant wedding scene. "I saw this scene and think it is very suitable for you. You can consider it later. Can I give you a business card to push? It must be useful."
Ji Ran paused and looked away from the photo.
He was about to speak when the phone rang. It was Cheng Peng who had just returned from Madai.
"Where?" Cheng Peng asked.
"Eating out, what's wrong?"
"I have something to look for you."
Ji Ran smiled: "Are you back with a gift?"
"Well, but it's mainly something else." Cheng Peng looked at the information in his hand and cut to the chase, "I have a document in my hand about Qin Man."
Ji Ran's smile narrowed.
"After I found the Wangxing land, I thought it was Qin Man's trump card." Cheng Peng paused, "I underestimated him."
"The Wangxing area used to belong to Grandpa Qin Man. Later, it was reclaimed, and his grandfather bought the right to use it for the next 50 years at a super low price. Of course, I now suspect that his grandfather left It's not just that."
"So... if Qin Man goes bankrupt, then my company may be a commissary."
Ji Ran listened quietly.
On the opposite side, Mother Qin had already looked at the wedding dress and dress.
"I see." After a while, he said, "Where are those documents now."
"my home."
Ji Ran snorted: "I'll go over now and get a gift by the way."
Seeing that he hung up the phone, Mother Qin said, "Xiao Ran, I have already given you the business card..."
"No." Ji Ran smiled, "I don't need those, Auntie."
Mother Qin was stunned for a while, but didn't respond: "Why can't it be used."
"Because I like men." Ji Ran said calmly, "My partner may not like white carriages or swings at the wedding."
"..." Qin's mother was a little surprised, but she quickly reacted, "Ah, I'm sorry, Xiaoman didn't tell me..."
Speaking of this, she suddenly thought of something, and was startled again.
Ji Ran saw through her thoughts at a glance, and comforted: "Don't worry, Qin Man and I are just ordinary friends."
"No, Auntie didn't mean that." Qin's mother frowned and explained, "I just feel sorry, I have been mentioning this to you just now..."
"It's okay, I don't mind." Ji Ran stood up, "I still have something to do, please tell Qin Man for me, I'll go back first."
"See you next time, Auntie."