Xie Tang did not need Xie Qian to comfort her, she had already figured things out on her own.
Even if she had wanted comfort, Xie Qian would not have known where to start. Handling relationship issues was not his area of expertise. If he could solve emotional disputes for Xie Tang, then why would he be avoiding Wen Ying today?
Xie Tang asked if Xie Qian had plans that evening and offered to treat him to dinner. Xie Qian shook his head.
“I already have an engagement.”
Considering her current state, he added, “I’m going with some classmates to a university professor’s home for dinner. Do you want to come? They’re all good people, you’ll like them.”
Xie Tang really had nowhere to go.
A girl who had just gone through a breakup was bound to have mood swings if left alone. Going back to her place by herself would make her look lonely and pitiful.
After a moment’s thought, she decided to tag along with Xie Qian thick-skinned.
As the siblings left the café, something bright green flashed ahead.
“Peng Guoqing, what are you hiding for!”
Peng Guoqing came trotting over with his tail between his legs. “I wasn’t hiding, I was just afraid Tang-jie would find me an eyesore.”
“If I found you an eyesore, would that mean you shouldn’t show up at all?”
Xie Tang was so annoyed she laughed.
Saying this only now was far too late.
Peng Guoqing gave an awkward smile, looking meek and subdued, nothing like the arrogant troublemaker he had been in front of Yan Yuchuan.
Xie Qian would never hit anyone, but Xie Tang would, and Peng Guoqing was scared of a beating. Still, compared with her lost and dazed state earlier, the Xie Tang who might hit him actually felt more familiar.
“Where’s Tai Wu?”
The sudden question made Peng Guoqing’s neck shrink. “Tai Xiaowu? He’s at the airport now, about to catch the first flight back to the capital.”
Tai Wu always acted on impulse, only to be scared afterwards.
Peng Guoqing had tried to persuade him to come back honestly and admit fault, but Tai Wu said he was already boarding.
As if running away would help.
From Shanghai to the capital was just a plane ticket away. Unless Tai Wu fled into outer space, he would be found sooner or later.
Sure enough, Xie Tang gave a cold hum.
“Let him run. He might escape for now, but he can’t hide forever.”
The hidden tension between Xie Tang and Yan Yuchuan had already been there. Even if Tai Wu had not set it off today, it would have exploded eventually.
But since Tai Wu had to stir up trouble, ruining any chance of a peaceful solution, of course Xie Tang would not let him off. Peng Guoqing might defend Tai Wu in front of Xie Qian, but in front of Xie Tang he was eager to step on Tai Wu as well. Whatever she said, he would agree.
When the siblings left the mall to take a car, Peng Guoqing shamelessly asked if he could join them for dinner.
Both Xie Tang and Xie Qian turned their eyes on him, making his heart flutter nervously.
“C-can’t I?”
He explained he only wanted to make amends and hoped they would give him a chance to treat them.
Xie Qian was about to dismiss him, but Xie Tang thought it amusing. “I’m just going along with Xie Qian to eat at someone else’s place. If you want to come, fine, but don’t regret it.”
So she was freeloading off Xie Qian’s dinner?
All the more reason Peng Guoqing did not want to miss out.
Xie Qian was no longer often in the capital, no longer hanging out with their circle, but within that circle he was still a legend.
“Xie Two Hundred Million” was his legend.
Peng Guoqing had even asked his family about the Xie family’s current situation. It was rumoured that Xie Qian was locked in a bitter struggle with his father Xie Jinghu. The Peng family told him not to concern himself with such things, just to seize any chance to strengthen ties with Xie Qian. The Xie family’s affairs were theirs alone. No matter how many illegitimate children Xie Jinghu might have, the only heir acknowledged by the Xie family was Xie Qian.
Besides, Xie Qian was outstanding in his own right.
Being friends with such a young man could only be to one’s advantage.
Since his cousin seemed to be in the mood to tease Peng Guoqing, Xie Qian no longer objected.
On the way, he called Wen Ying to ask if two more people could be added.
“Ah?” Wen Ying was surprised. “It should be fine. I’ll tell Aunt Wu. Wang Shuang and I are already here, Meng Jiao can’t come yet because her scenes aren’t done. How long will you be?”
“Almost there, already on the way.”
After a short exchange, Wen Ying later texted him: Aunt Wu said it was fine, the more the merrier.
All the way there, Peng Guoqing kept wondering who Xie Qian was dining with that made him so serious.
Was it some big shot in Shanghai?
Pfft.
Big shot or not, they still had just two eyes and one mouth.
What he never expected was that the siblings brought him to a university campus.
If it was a big shot, he would not be nervous. But a university professor made him feel extremely uneasy.
Xie Tang’s eyes curved into a smile.
Peng Guoqing had never liked studying and had been beaten for it more than once when he was young.
A beating was only painful for a few days. But making him come to a university residential building for dinner would leave him depressed for months.
Wu Chunqin’s home was not large.
In 2006, most living rooms had a television, and the family’s warmest activity was gathering around it. Wu Chunqin’s living room had no television. Instead, the space where a TV cabinet would normally be was taken up by a full wall of bookshelves.
There was a long table in the living room, big enough for more than ten people to dine at once.
This table was both dining table and work desk. Professor Shen used it to prepare lectures, Wu Chunqin for her work, and Shen Huan for his homework.
Every detail of their home reflected the cultured aesthetic of the couple.
Peng Guoqing, with his green hair flying in the breeze, was utterly out of place here. Nobody despised him, for Wu Chunqin and Professor Shen were very tolerant, but he felt deeply uncomfortable himself.
Wu Chunqin was delighted that Xie Qian had brought his cousin and friend to dinner.
Professor Shen chatted with Xie Tang. She had plenty of knowledge herself and could keep up with him easily. Poor Peng Guoqing could not get a word in, terrified of saying something wrong.
Good professors were not only experts in their own fields but also knowledgeable in others.
Hearing that Xie Tang was already interning in Shanghai, Professor Shen sighed.
“There’s no need to rush into work. You should continue your studies.”
Xie Tang considered this seriously. “You’re right, I’ll reconsider.”
Xie Qian glanced at her.
She had taken a job early because of Yan Yuchuan. Now that she was thinking of postgraduate study again, it looked like she did not intend to reconcile with him.
That was fine.
It was not as if the Xie family’s daughters lacked suitors. Yan Yuchuan had spoken the words of breakup, and once said, they were like water thrown on the ground. Was Xie Tang supposed to lower herself to win him back?
Someone else just as awkward as Peng Guoqing was Wen Ying.
She had not expected Xie Qian to bring his cousin along.
Although she had once helped him choose a place and had long known of “Xie Tang,” knowing was one thing, but meeting suddenly in person left her uneasy.
In her life, Wen Ying had known Xie Qian’s mother, had even seen his unreliable father from a distance, and now she was meeting his cousin too. Her ties with Xie Qian were truly growing, just as she had hoped. No wonder she was so distracted, as dazed as green-haired Peng Guoqing.
“Focus on eating.”
A piece of meat was placed in Wen Ying’s bowl. Xie Qian naturally put down the shared chopsticks. Xie Tang, who had been chatting with Professor Shen, turned to look, and Peng Guoqing nearly dropped his own chopsticks in shock.
Xie Qian, serving food to someone?
Heavens, was that a UFO flying by!
