Xie Qian would never put food into someone else’s bowl!
Peng Guoqing remembered clearly that there was once a girl in their circle who really liked Xie Qian. On her birthday, everyone gathered to celebrate. When she was about to blow out the candles, someone asked what wish she had made. At that moment, the housekeeper brought in dessert. The girl, with shyness and anticipation, said she wished for Xie Qian to personally serve her a bowl of soup.
The girl was very pretty. As soon as she said that, several boys, including Peng Guoqing, were eager to seize the chance to show their attentiveness.
Everyone knew the girl liked Xie Qian.
But even if they weren’t as handsome as Xie Qian, nor had grades as good as his, they still had their own merits.
However, the girl didn’t want to bother with Peng Guoqing and the others. She just kept looking at Xie Qian. The other girls at the gathering joined in, coaxing Xie Qian to fulfil the birthday girl’s wish.
It wasn’t as though the girl wanted the stars in the sky. It was a wish that Xie Qian could easily grant with just a simple gesture.
So what did Xie Qian do?
Even now, when Peng Guoqing thought about it, he felt that if anyone else had said what Xie Qian said back then, the birthday girl’s friends would have torn him to shreds on the spot. In the birthday girl’s hopeful gaze and the crowd’s coaxing, most people would find it difficult to refuse. But Xie Qian, calm as ever, told the girl, “If you say your birthday wish out loud, it won’t come true!”
That response was sharp, and so very Xie Qian!
The girl’s eyes brimmed with tears. Everyone present thought Xie Qian was stone-hearted.
He wasn’t willing then, so why was he now voluntarily putting food into a girl’s bowl?
Peng Guoqing, barely managing to keep hold of his chopsticks, looked seriously at Wen Ying for the first time.
After entering Wu Chunqin’s home, he had been so nervous that he hadn’t paid any attention to Wen Ying or Wang Shuang, who were complete strangers to him.
Now, on closer look, Wen Ying was indeed a very pretty girl.
Her round eyes resembled… what was it… ah, a little deer. She looked full of life and spirit.
But was she prettier than the girl who had once wished for soup from Xie Qian? Not exactly. That girl’s features were even more delicate, her skin porcelain-white like a doll, making one instinctively want to protect her.
So, Xie Qian wasn’t into doll-like girls, he preferred this type instead?
A storm swept through Peng Guoqing’s mind. He felt as though he had uncovered a huge secret about Xie Qian!
Peng Guoqing’s shock showed on his face, but Xie Tang was more restrained.
Having just broken up earlier that day, Xie Tang didn’t bring his emotions into Wu Chunqin’s home. As he chatted with Professor Shen, he also kept an eye on Wen Ying and Wang Shuang.
These two were both good friends of Xie Qian. Their presence at the table today was thanks to Wen Ying.
At first, Xie Tang thought nothing of it.
Wen Ying and Wang Shuang had different personalities, but both had clear, sincere eyes. Xie Tang trusted his cousin’s judgement in friends, so he wasn’t foolish enough to question Xie Qian’s choice.
Because the occasion wasn’t right, Xie Tang planned to properly chat with Wen Ying and Wang Shuang after leaving Wu Chunqin’s house, to become closer with his cousin’s friends. But he hadn’t expected Xie Qian to take the initiative to put food into Wen Ying’s bowl.
What was going on?
Xie Tang raised an eyebrow, glancing at Xie Qian for explanation. Xie Qian looked calm.
It was only putting food in her bowl, what was the big deal?
Only Wang Shuang wasn’t surprised.
So what if he put food in her bowl?
Could it possibly be more intimate than when the almighty Xie once took off his coat and draped it over Wen Ying’s shoulders?
That might be so, but even little Shen Huan sensed the strange atmosphere. Just a while ago, Shen Huan had been pestering Wang Shuang about why Sister Xiaomeng hadn’t come. Now he was silent.
Wen Ying stared at the food in her bowl, feeling the weight of everyone’s gazes and suddenly feeling guilty for no reason.
Without thinking too deeply about why, she remembered that Xie Qian’s cousin was still at the table. She quickly put a piece of meat into Xie Qian’s bowl in return. That was called mutual courtesy.
“Why have you all stopped eating?”
Wen Ying’s question was like a soul-piercing challenge.
Eat what you want, stop staring at her. The pressure was too much!
Peng Guoqing almost couldn’t bear to look.
Not only did Xie Qian never put food into anyone else’s bowl, he also never accepted food from others, even when public chopsticks were used. Peng Guoqing had eaten with him many times, and this detail was firmly imprinted in his memory.
He didn’t know how meals went in the Xie family, but there had been several times when friends had placed food in Xie Qian’s bowl, and it would sit there untouched from beginning to end. Some had even whispered behind his back that Xie Qian was arrogant and looked down on people. Peng Guoqing didn’t think that was the case. He believed it was a mix of fastidiousness and strong personal preference.
Xie Qian didn’t want to eat food put there by others. He had his own ideas about what to eat and what not to eat.
He wasn’t swayed by peer pressure. No wonder he could do something as bold as secretly taking two hundred million from his father to buy land. Just when Peng Guoqing thought it impossible for Xie Qian to make an exception for Wen Ying twice, Xie Qian ate the food Wen Ying had put in his bowl.
He… ate it?
Clatter!
Peng Guoqing’s chopsticks finally slipped from his hand and fell to the floor.
Wang Shuang calmly picked up a piece of braised pork.
This green-haired boy from the capital really hadn’t seen the world. Couldn’t even hold his chopsticks properly, tsk tsk.
It was only putting food into each other’s bowls, what was the big deal? At school, clingy couples even fed each other in the cafeteria. Compared with that, Xie Qian and Wen Ying were being extremely restrained.
Xie Tang finally confirmed it. This girl wasn’t just his cousin’s good friend, she was the one Xie Qian liked!
Wow, the iron tree that had grown on Tianshan was finally blooming?
Xie Tang thought it had been worth shamelessly tagging along for the meal today.
“Oh dear, why aren’t you all eating? Is my cooking that bad?”
Wu Chunqin, having seen the undercurrent at the table, stifled a laugh and smoothed things over for Wen Ying and Xie Qian.
Since the paper window hadn’t been pierced yet, things could remain pleasantly ambiguous.
If the two young people were forced to declare their feelings outright, even Wu Chunqin would struggle to explain things to her old friend Chen Ru.
So Wu Chunqin handed Peng Guoqing a clean pair of chopsticks, then used the serving chopsticks to give each guest a large piece of braised pork.
Wang Shuang praised Wu Chunqin’s cooking, “Not greasy at all, soft and full of flavour, delicious!”
“Then have more.”
Peng Guoqing was still too shocked. His hand shook as he tried to pick up the braised pork. Xie Tang gave him a fierce glare, warning him not to overreact.
At that, Peng Guoqing finally steadied his chopsticks.
That Xie Qian had a girl he liked was big news indeed, but Peng Guoqing was already a “sinner with unpaid debts”. If he ignored Xie Tang’s warning, he really would be beaten!
Wu Chunqin’s cooking was excellent, but Peng Guoqing could hardly taste a thing.
Gradually, excitement welled up in him again.
Xie Qian was willing to bring him here for dinner, and even openly showed his fondness for Wen Ying. That meant Xie Qian didn’t treat him as an outsider!
Peng Guoqing swore on his green hair, he was the first one in their circle in the capital to know Xie Qian’s secret.
So exciting!
After the meal, Professor Shen took everyone to tour the campus. Peng Guoqing wasn’t moved by the cultural atmosphere of the university. He was burning with gossip, sticking to Xie Qian’s side and swearing his loyalty.
“My lips are sealed. I won’t tell Xiaonan and the others!
