Volume One, Chapter Four: Brother Three-Inch

Jiang Ning didn't think too much of it. These days, the era of pretty boys from Japan and Korea was over; short hair gave off a sharper, more energetic vibe—nothing surprising about that. With looks like his, he could easily keep Han Fang in check in public, and privately, if nothing else, he would make a pleasing ornament at home.

She curved her lips into a radiant smile. "Sit."

Her smile seemed to dazzle him for a moment; he looked away, sat down, and took a sip of water.

Jiang Ning had always been well aware of her own beauty, and her smile deepened.

Aunt Tian cheerfully introduced them. "This is the young man I told you about, Lu Cheng. Xiao Lu, this is Ning Ning, Jiang Ning."

The two exchanged polite smiles and nodded across the table.

Aunt Tian picked up the menu and bustled about. "Come on, let's order. Ladies first, Ning Ning, you go ahead."

Jiang Ning didn't stand on ceremony and ordered one main dish and one vegetable dish. She handed the menu back to Aunt Tian, who then passed it to Lu Cheng. He shook his head and didn't take it. "I'm not picky. Anything's fine."

At that, a hazy but still fresh memory surfaced for Jiang Ning, and her smile froze noticeably.

That voice...

It couldn't be, could it? Jiangcheng wasn't a major metropolis, but it still had over three million residents. What were the odds?

Yet in the next instant...

Lu Cheng leaned forward slightly, his hands naturally placed on the table, and she immediately caught sight of the black silver entwined floral ring on his left index finger.

The last bit of hope in her heart died completely.

He really was the unscrupulous merchant who'd sold her that outrageously priced "toy" at the adult shop!

Nine hundred and eighty!

Jiang Ning bit her lip gently and looked at Lu Cheng again, her expression no longer as natural as before.

Lu Cheng had clearly recognized her from the start; there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.

Aunt Tian, quick to sense the change in atmosphere, glanced between the two, puzzled. "What is it—have you met before?"

Jiang Ning crossed her arms and said nothing, staring at Lu Cheng to see what he would say.

Lu Cheng's face remained unchanged. "We've met once, briefly."

Jiang Ning rolled up her sleeves, her eyes narrowing in warning.

If he dared to mention her purchase at the adult shop that night, she would... bite him!

She'd only had one rabies shot so far—if they died, they'd die together.

Lu Cheng twisted the ring on his finger and suddenly smiled. "Your next shot is tomorrow, right? Want me to go with you?"

Jiang Ning was slow to catch on, stunned for a moment before realizing what he meant. "That was your dog?"

The world was just too small!

Lu Cheng smiled and replied, "It was a stray I found on the street. Looked so pitiful, I took it in. A tiny puppy—if no one cared for it, it wouldn't have lasted long."

Aunt Tian beamed beside them. "See? What a kindhearted young man."

Jiang Ning gave a dry laugh.

If she hadn't been bitten by the dog, she might have agreed.

Lu Cheng picked up the teapot and topped up her water. "Seems we're quite fated."

Jiang Ning didn't answer, pulling out her phone to scroll through her Moments. "Separate finances, no sharing a room, no wedding, no public announcement—if you can accept that, we can... Oh, the Civil Affairs Bureau is closed now. Let's do it tomorrow, then—get the marriage certificate."

If this had been their first meeting, no matter how attractive he was, Jiang Ning would have treated it seriously, respecting both herself and the other person.

But it wasn't.

Setting aside the dog bite, their first encounter was such an awkward scene—how could this relationship go anywhere?

Just as she spoke, Aunt Tian was sipping her tea and nearly choked to death.

Aunt Tian, well into her fifties, almost sixty, had been a matchmaker for over twenty years. She'd brought together at least three hundred, if not five hundred, couples, and set up countless blind dates. She'd heard all sorts of irresponsible nonsense, even worse things, but never from a woman. And in public, to mention "no sharing a room" so brazenly, without even blushing!

And they hadn’t even had a proper conversation—how had it jumped straight to getting a marriage certificate?

It took her a full thirty seconds of coughing to recover, elbowing Jiang Ning while smiling apologetically at Lu Cheng.

"She’s only joking. She’s a good girl, just... a little unconventional."

What happened to seizing the opportunity? What was she playing at?

With looks like this, did she still think he wasn’t good enough?

Of course, given Jiang Ning’s own appearance, she did have the right to be picky. Honestly, they were a perfect match.

Lu Cheng raised his brow slightly, his dark eyes glinting with amusement. "So eager—you must be a marriage fanatic."

Jiang Ning smiled sweetly, leaning forward with a hint of provocation. "That’s right, I’m in a hurry!"

Aunt Tian beside them coughed violently, unable to hide her reaction, shaking Jiang Ning so hard she looked like she had Parkinson’s.

There was a proper process to matchmaking—who dove straight into talk of marriage certificates like this?

They were neighbors in the same building; for the sake of her late grandparents, she couldn’t let this girl make a scene.

Lu Cheng studied Jiang Ning carefully.

She looked nothing like the sultry, mature woman from that night, nor the frail figure lying in the hospital yesterday. Today, she wore a beige knitted dress with a Peter Pan collar—a dignified look with a playful touch.

She was slim, her collarbones clearly defined.

Around her neck was a delicate necklace with a tiny, gleaming fishtail pendant—simple, but it suited her.

Her long hair, waist-length, hung loose with a natural wave.

She radiated an effortless, innate laziness; her voice was soft, but her tone bristled like a hedgehog. Coupled with her striking face, the contrast was both jarring and oddly harmonious.

Lu Cheng fixed his gaze on her, teasing, "With requirements like that, Miss Jiang, you’re more like looking for a roommate."

Jiang Ning turned her attention back to her phone, liking posts as if reviewing memorials to the throne. "To be precise, a comrade-in-arms."

Lu Cheng withdrew his gaze and nodded. "Understood."

Aunt Tian looked from Jiang Ning to Lu Cheng, her cloudy old eyes suddenly clear.

Understood? Understood what?

What had they even said? How could he already understand?

Jiang Ning reached for her bag, ready to leave.

Out of all the men in Jiangcheng, why did she have to run into him?

If she were in Lu Cheng's shoes, she’d probably think this woman was not only improper, but also came with the safety hazard of being bitten by a stray dog.

Jiang Ning stood up, and Aunt Tian instinctively pulled her back. "What’s wrong?"

Before Jiang Ning could answer, Lu Cheng spoke first. "Miss Jiang just remembered something urgent, right? No worries, you go ahead. Let’s add each other on WeChat and talk later."

He stood as well, handing over his phone.

The screen displayed a QR code.

Jiang Ning hesitated, her gaze falling on Lu Cheng’s hand.

Perhaps Han Fang’s betrayal had shaken her more deeply than she realized, because for a split second, she imagined those hands roaming over her body.

Aunt Tian tugged at her sleeve, making faces. "Add him, add him. Chat a bit more when you have time, get to know each other."

There weren’t many men this handsome still on the market—let an opportunity slip, and it wouldn’t come again.

Her ears burning, Jiang Ning scanned his code and added him on WeChat.

In the notes field, she typed: "Unscrupulous merchant," then thought better of it, deleted it, and wrote: "Three-Inch Guy."

The buzzcut from the adult shop, the dog owner’s buzzcut, and today’s blind date buzzcut—three buzzcuts in one.

Three inches... Her thoughts wandered, and Jiang Ning stifled a laugh.

That would be far too short.

Just as she walked out of the restaurant, Three-Inch Guy messaged her: "I’ll go with you for your shot tomorrow!"