Chapter 233: Chapter 233

"If you had discovered it earlier, naturally I wouldn’t have had the chance to cook porridge for her myself."

Xiang Yuan was also slightly taken aback. He lowered his head and asked Shi Nian, "...You didn’t have dinner? Why didn’t you tell me?"

Shi Nian also seemed a bit embarrassed and quickly said to Tang Yanqing, "I didn’t say anything myself. Besides, it’s a common trait among women; nobody wants to show off a little belly while wearing a dress."

She spoke up to defend Xiang Yuan again... Tang Yanqing couldn’t help but flash her a grin with his canine teeth, yet he said nothing, only turned his head to stare at Xiang Yuan: "Why she didn’t eat and why she didn’t tell you, those things aren’t important to me. What’s most important to me now is that I have to watch her finish all this porridge with my own eyes, so she doesn’t stand foolishly in the night wind drinking red wine."

"Brother Xiang Yuan, if you truly care about her, please stop bothering with all those so-called reasons. Just let her eat the porridge quietly and warm herself up first. If you find it annoying the way I am, it doesn’t matter, we have a wrestling room in our house, we can go in anytime and have a match."

He said, lifting his chin proudly, "Of course, the premise is, if you dare to fight me."

"Yanqing!" Xiang Yuan was struck in a sore spot again, unable to say anything in rebuttal.

Tang Yanqing raised his eyes slightly, looking into the distant night, where a tall, slender man was chatting happily with the elder sister. He said slowly, "Xiang Yuan, listen, after she finishes the porridge, you should go immediately to bid farewell to my elder sister. There’s no need to go to my grandpa or my parents, I’ll speak on your behalf, just take Shi Nian and leave directly."

He said as he jumped off the long table, "Send her directly back to Kangchuan University, and don’t try any other plans. I think I don’t need to remind you again, you are now in a legally separated state, she has no further obligations to you."

This demeanor of Tang Yanqing’s, though irritating to some, was irresistible.

Xiang Yuan also looked back at Huangfu Huazhang for a moment, and resolutely nodded, "Alright, let’s do it that way."

Tang Yanqing’s seriousness was rare, and so was Xiang Yuan’s cooperation, even though there was always something peculiar about this situation that couldn’t be quite articulated. Shi Nian nodded as well, agreeing to leave.

Xiang Yuan went to bid farewell to Tang Yansheng first, and Shi Nian took the opportunity to step in front of Tang Yanqing, taking a deep breath: "You don’t want to give up the chance tonight, you want to discuss the case with Huangfu Huazhang, don’t you?"

Tang Yanqing bent slightly, bringing his eyes closer to hers: "Hmm, I want to have a one-on-one with him tonight."

Shi Nian smiled, "A gentleman argues with words, not fists."

His breath suddenly became unsteady, and he whispered in her ear, "...Are you talking about me with you?"

"Mr. Tang!" Shi Nian’s cheeks grew hot, and she couldn’t help but stomp her foot a little.

He laughed happily, "Relax and go to sleep, don’t think about anything else."

She nodded as well, raising her eyes quietly to look at him, "You take care of yourself too."

Xiang Yuan and Shi Nian left, and before leaving, Xiang Yuan made a particular point to bid farewell to Tang Yansheng, which naturally reached the ears of Huangfu Huazhang.

Tang Yanqing watched the backs of Xiang Yuan and Shi Nian depart, then he walked over to Tang Yansheng and Huangfu Huazhang, and smirked mischievously, "Big sister, who is this? Could he be your new boyfriend? Why, so quick to bring him back to meet the family?"

Tang Yansheng’s face turned bright red, and she hurriedly reached out to smack his arm, "Yanqing, what nonsense are you talking? This is Huangfu Huazhang, a new friend of mine, and also a distant relative of the Tang family."

Tang Yansheng then recounted the background of this distant relative, and Tang Yanqing listened with raised eyebrows, "Sounds like a script for ’Gone with the Wind.’"

Tang Yansheng laughed, "Don’t say that, it’s quite fitting."

Tang Yanqing raised his glass to Huangfu Huazhang, "So what should I call you? — Cousin?"

Huangfu Huazhang smiled calmly, "I know that title in China has just become derogatory. So forget it, just call me William, Mr. Tang."

"No," Tang Yanqing laughed slyly, "When I hear William, I only think of the Prince of England. To use a prince’s title for you, I’m afraid it’d feel awkward for both you and me."

The atmosphere tonight was peculiar... Tang Yansheng could only sigh once more in her heart, completely unable to understand why everyone around seemed to harbor an inexplicable hostility towards Huangfu Huazhang. As the host, she could only smooth things over, "Actually, it’s not wrong to call you that. Huangfu has inherited the Earl title from the Ford family."

"An Earl? I like it." Tang Yanqing’s smile was mischievously radiant, "Count Dracula, perhaps?"

Tang Yansheng choked, hurriedly explaining to Huangfu Huazhang, "Although Yanqing is in the police force now, he grew up joking around at home, please don’t mind."

"How could I," Huangfu Huazhang smiled amiably, "I quite appreciate such a personality."

As the night deepened, more guests came to bid farewell to Tang Yansheng. After she escorted them out, Huangfu Huazhang slowly walked to Tang Yanqing’s side, swaying his wine glass, and said softly, "If I didn’t appreciate you, how could I have approved your appointment as a guest professor at Kangchuan University? Yanqing, you must know, that all personnel appointments at Kangchuan University require my signature to come into effect. After all, each professor’s salary also comes from me."

The aroma slowly wafted from the wine glass, glimmering in the night.

"Yanqing, this secret is only known to the three of us: you, me, and Shi Nian. It feels great for the three of us to share a secret together, doesn’t it?"

"Who says it doesn’t?"

Tang Yanqing squinted his eyes slightly, then raised his glass to clink it gently with Huangfu Huazhang’s, "In this vast world, separated by oceans, us three gathering together is really fate."

In the car, Xiang Yuan and Shi Nian seemed preoccupied with their own thoughts.

Shi Nian looked at Xiang Yuan carefully, "Can you tell me, what is your relationship with Huangfu Huazhang? Could it be that he has business dealings with you or Dad?"

Although they were legally separated, Shi Nian referred to Xiang Jingsheng as "Dad" out of politeness.

Xiang Yuan stiffened slightly, his fingers gripping the steering wheel, his knuckles turning a bit white.

Shi Nian couldn’t help but frown—what about this question made Xiang Yuan uneasy?

Sure enough, Xiang Yuan stared at the road ahead and said bluntly, "This question...can I not answer it?"

Shi Nian could only sigh, "Forget it, let’s pretend I didn’t ask."

[Second update, eight thousand words, finished for today, see you tomorrow]

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