Qu Chaozong hung up the phone, looked at Zhang Xin sitting opposite him, and asked, "What have you been busy with lately? It’s been so hard to et you once."
Qu Chaozong didn’t ntion that he had looked for Zhang Xin or the harsh words thrown by her father. He just wanted to hear how Zhang Xin planned to bring up the matter to him. In his view, Zhang Xin had been acting strangely recently, likely because her father was putting pressure on her. She was probably worried that Qu Chaozong would be troubled and stressed, so she faced it alone.
Thinking of this made his heart feel like it had been brutally jabbed by sothing, soft and weak.
Zhang Xin wore a beige trench coat, her long curly hair tied at the back of her head, revealing her pale and lean face and slender slightly leaning neck. She wasn’t wearing makeup, showing her bare face, and the eyes originally lined by eyeliner, seductive and mysterious, now appeared clean and clear, making her look considerably younger.
She stared at Qu Chaozong, having not seen him in days, thinking intensely.
Qu Chaozong wore the black sweatshirt she had bought for him before. His hair had grown, though he had promised to cut it but never found the ti. A slight stubble appeared on his chin, and when he spoke, the corners of his mouth habitually turned up, his voice deep and filled with gentle affection: "Why have you lost weight? Aren’t you eating properly? Speak up. Why are you staring at ?"
Zhang Xin suddenly reached out and touched Qu Chaozong’s face, gently stroking it: "Chaozi, I’ve missed you."
A black whirlpool surfaced in Qu Chaozong’s eyes: "You’ve missed , why didn’t you co to find ? I called, and you didn’t answer."
Zhang Xin held his face in both hands, gazed at him, and after a mont said, "Chaozi, will you go with to et my grandfather tonight, okay?"
Qu Chaozong wasn’t hearing about her grandfather from Zhang Xin for the first ti, but it was the first ti he got such details.
Back then, Zhang Xin’s grandfather was a returned overseas Chinese. The elderly man had open-minded ideas, bringing back a large fortune earned from overseas to invest in his hotown. He was considered a sowhat famous figure locally.
Later, after Zhang Xin’s grandmother passed away, the old man did not remarry but instead personally raised his only daughter. After the daughter died, his only solace left was Zhang Xin.
Zhang Xin said, "My grandfather is particularly fond of . I like you, so he’ll definitely like you too. I want him to et you."
Qu Chaozong remained silent, his heart turbulent, emotions surging. After a long while, he squeezed out a sentence: "Why suddenly want him to et ?"
Zhang Xin grinned: "Actually, I’ve wanted you to et for a long ti, just never had the chance."
Zhang Xin asked, "Okay?"
Qu Chaozong rubbed his hands: "Hmm, okay."
Zhang Xin stayed for a while and then left. Qu Chaozong was a bit distracted all day. In the afternoon, he greeted Shi Yang and specifically went ho to change into a set of clothes Zhang Xin had helped choose before: a shirt, dress pants, and he even styled his hair a bit with Wang Tianyu’s hair wax.
Mrs. Qu muttered behind him: "It’s your first visit, you absolutely can’t go empty-handed. Do you know what the old man likes?"
Qu Chaozong ca out of the bathroom, helplessly smiling: "Oh, enough, Mom, don’t make things more complicated."
Despite his words, Qu Chaozong eventually took a taxi to the mall, bought so tea, alcohol typically favored by seniors, and thought to get two packs of soft-pack Chinese cigarettes.
Leaving the mall, Qu Chaozong carefully inspected the items in his hand, felt it was enough, and then took another taxi to the restaurant.
After getting out of the taxi, Qu Chaozong was stunned. The restaurant was across the street from the central hospital, a private cuisine restaurant.
Qu Chaozong took out his phone to call Zhang Xin. Connected, he said, "I’m here."
Zhang Xin said, "Really, so soon? We’re on our way."
Qu Chaozong asked, "Who booked the restaurant?"
Zhang Xin paused: "I did, why?"
Qu Chaozong said, "Why book near a hospital? Does your old man mind?"
Zhang Xin instantly realized that most people don’t like eating near a hospital, mainly because patients sotis co nearby for a bite, and nobody knows what diseases they might have, it’s unsanitary, and easily unsettling.
Zhang Xin chuckled: "No worries, my grandfather isn’t choosy, and it’s mainly convenient. I’ve pre-ordered the dishes; ask them to start preparing."
Qu Chaozong agreed, not thinking why booking near the hospital was convenient, as Zhang Xin’s next words scattered his thoughts. Zhang Xin said, "Chaozi, one more thing I didn’t get to tell you, my father is coming too. He heard we were having dinner and said he wanted to co along... is that alright?"
Qu Chaozong bitterly smiled, since he’s already here, he can’t send him back. Qu Chaozong said, "It’s fine, just didn’t know your father would co, I didn’t bring gifts."
Zhang Xin casually said, "It’s okay, my father decided to co last minute, that doesn’t count as us being disrespectful."
After hanging up, Qu Chaozong carried his things into the restaurant.
The staff told him the location of the room, and Qu Chaozong went there himself, slightly pushing the half-open door, stunned.
He never expected soone to be inside.
Mr. Zhang was sitting next to the main seat, silently smoking. Hearing the noise, he raised his head, his gaze conveyed darkness.
Seeing Mr. Zhang’s expression, Qu Chaozong knew for sure this man had co early on purpose, looking for a chance to have a good "talk."
Qu Chaozong cursed under his breath, then greeted aloud: "Uncle." Not waiting for Mr. Zhang to speak, he moved to the seat opposite and casually placed the things he held beside the chair.
Mr. Zhang wasted no words, directly stared at Qu Chaozong and said, "Chaozi, impressive, you directly contacted our family’s old man? If I hadn’t co today, I’d have been unaware of this matter. You’re quite good, truly resourceful."
Qu Chaozong sat calmly and still, looking at the other coldly.
Examining closely, Mr. Zhang’s brow and eyes looked quite like Zhang Xin’s. However, Zhang Xin’s gaze seed charming and alluring, while Mr. Zhang had a few subtle shrewdness.
Qu Chaozong said, "I didn’t arrange dinner tonight, and it’s not by my initiative that I want to et your family’s old man."
Mr. Zhang’s veins bulged on his temple, sneering: "You don’t need to arrange it on your own. Just hint, and Zhang Xin will do it for you. Trying to win over our family’s old man? I’m telling you, no chance! Do you know why our family’s old man hasn’t liked all these years? The reason is the sa as why I don’t like you! You simply won’t win his favor!"
Qu Chaozong held his anger inside, his expression darkened: "Why your family’s old man doesn’t like you has nothing to do with . I am different from you."
Mr. Zhang laughed, sarcastically: "Different? No matter how you say it, apart from deceiving Zhang Xin, who else can you fool?"
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