We nibble on the starters, all a little stiff—Yuyu poking at her food, Zeyan quietly observing, and Jiang… well, he's calmly chewing like nothing just emotionally wrecked the entire table.
By the time the main course arrives, the food seems to do its magic. We're all loosening up, forks moving a bit faster, plates clinking a little more freely.
Zeyan leans back and, with a polite smile that somehow screams "curiosity mode activated," says,
"Oh, Jiang… I heard you work in the same field as us?"
Oh no.
Here it comes.
My brain groans.
"This idiot is about to say something stupid," I think, face-palming internally.
Jiang glances at me, like he can sense my thoughts through some alien Wi-Fi connection, and calmly says,
"Yes, but not as intelligent as you—or qualified to be called a doctor."
Ohhh-kay. Smooth. Real smooth.
I glance at him and think— "Wow, modesty called. She said she wants her ego back, Jiang, can you send it?"
Zeyan nods politely, hiding a smirk, and adds,
