Chapter 234: Chapter 234

Huangfu Huazhang and Tang Yanqing looked like they were having a lively conversation.

To outsiders, it seemed perfectly normal, after all, they were distant relatives; even the Tang family would find it reasonable since the two were colleagues at Kangchuan University.

Only the two of them knew how much deeper meaning was hidden in those seemingly ordinary words of their smiling talk.

By this time, the guests were starting to leave, but a few people were just arriving at the door. Tang Yanqing glanced back and smiled, raising a hand to greet them.

At the door were two people: Tang Yanxi and An Cheng.

An Cheng walked over to Tang Yanqing.

Although tonight was to welcome Tang Yansheng back, given her relationship with Tang Yansheng, there was no need for formalities; Tang Yansheng also understood that she was currently busy with a case, so he had told her not to come, saying he would visit An Cheng in person another day.

But An Cheng had received a text from Tang Yanqing, containing just one sentence: "If you want to see Huangfu Huazhang, then come quickly."

Upon seeing this, An Cheng rushed over with Tang Yanxi, discarding everything in her hands.

Tang Yanqing smiled and lifted his head: "An Cheng, come over. Let me introduce our newly recognized distant relative: Huangfu Huazhang; also known as William Ford."

An Cheng’s eyes were like daggers, directly targeting Huangfu Huazhang: "Mr. Huangfu. I never expected to meet you here, after so much effort searching."

Tang Yanqing smiled "kindly": "Big cousin, let me introduce you: An Cheng, Assistant Prosecutor." ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ novel~fire~net

Having said that, he made an accomplished exit, waving with a smile: "You two talk, I won’t disturb you."

Leaving Huangfu Huazhang to An Cheng, Tang Yanqing smirked and stepped into the night.

Even if Huangfu Huazhang could be perfectly composed in front of him, he didn’t believe Huangfu Huazhang could withstand a prolonged confrontation. He would rest first and let An Cheng take another round.

Tang Yanxi walked through the night to intercept Tang Yanqing: "Young master, you may be helping An Cheng, but don’t think I can’t see that you’re using An Cheng as a tool."

Tang Yanqing chuckled, leaning on Tang Yanxi’s shoulder: "The crucial thing is whether An Cheng is willing. Brother, what can I do? I’m just so charming that An Cheng is willing... Do you want to learn from me?"

Tang Yanxi’s expression remained unchanged, but he suddenly punched secretly, aiming at Tang Yanqing’s ribs.

Tang Yanqing laughed exaggeratedly, and the two brothers became a bundle of laughter and frolic.

An Cheng fixed her gaze on Huangfu Huazhang: "Mr. Huangfu, since you saved Nana, it proves you’re a person of justice. Moreover, as the Chairman of Fude Group and the director of Kangchuan University, if you testify in court, you could greatly enhance the positive image of both institutions. Why not?"

Huangfu Huazhang smiled faintly: "I did not expect the assistant prosecutor to be such a beautiful woman, my apologies."

An Cheng was unimpressed: "When discussing official matters, even if someone compliments my appearance, if the purpose is to divert the topic, it’s equally disrespectful to me."

An Cheng’s sharpness caused Huangfu Huazhang to shrug slightly, feeling a bit awkward: "I understand both the district attorney and the police are trying to contact me to have me testify as a prosecution witness. As a law-abiding citizen, I am willing to cooperate to the best of my ability, so I have authorized my lawyer to provide a written testimony, signed personally. I believe the written document can serve as evidence in court."

"As for myself..." He shook the wine glass in hand and looked at An Cheng, whose beauty was almost piercing: "Is the prosecutor’s progress still slower than the police? The police have already discovered my relationship with the suspect, Mark, yet hasn’t the prosecutor’s office?"

...Was that moment just now a "polite" ridicule from Huangfu Huazhang?

An Cheng frowned: "You and Mark, have a connection?"

"Uh-huh," Huangfu Huazhang hummed softly, slowly raising his head to drink, his posture elegantly ingrained.

Putting down the glass, he stared at An Cheng’s eyes and said, "Mark and I are cousins. I believe such a relationship allows me to invoke the court’s recusal system, doesn’t it?"

An Cheng was surprised as well but quickly shook her head: "Although the recusal system can be applied, there’s no significant conflict of interest between you two. As long as you’re willing to swear in court, your testimony can still be accepted by the court and the jury."

"Oh," Huangfu Huazhang lightly shook his head, "but I’m sorry, while I have a civic duty, I also have an obligation to protect my family’s interests. Since I’ve already provided a written testimony, I have the right to avoid appearing in court to testify."

"Is there really no room for negotiation?" An Cheng was unyielding.

Huangfu Huazhang thought for a moment: "Not entirely. Since Mark and Nana are both also students at Kangchuan University, as the director of Kangchuan University, I don’t wish for any student to be harmed."

An Cheng slightly squinted her eyes.

Gazing at An Cheng and Huangfu Huazhang in the distance, Tang Yanqing still walked over to Luo Xiansheng and put an arm around his shoulder: "Tonight, you’re the luckiest man. That person is not my sister’s boyfriend, nor could he be considered a candidate of interest to her because he’s a distant relative of our family."

Huangfu Huazhang’s appearance tonight wasn’t exactly good news for this group of people, except for Luo Xiansheng, who wasn’t negatively affected at all.

Luo Xiansheng raised his long eyebrows in surprise: "Really?"

Tang Yanqing bumped fists with him: "Really."

Luo Xiansheng nodded with a smile, then mustered the courage to walk over to Tang Yansheng.

The guests gradually thinned out, and Tang Yansheng, finally free from socializing, stood alone in front of the long table, raising a glass and slowly enjoying a glass of red wine.

Her figure was silhouetted in the night, gently illuminated by the distant lights. Although her demeanor remained strong, traces of loneliness seeped through.

Luo Xiansheng heard a quiet sigh in his heart and collected his composure, moving toward her figure.

Just as he was close enough to call her name, suddenly, two figures sprang from behind the shadows of a nearby tree — one was Tang Yanyu, still wearing a chef’s hat, and the other was Tang Yanjian, just back from night school. The two playfully blocked Luo Xiansheng’s path.

Especially Yanjian, the vibrant young girl whose eyes shone brightly as she stared at Luo Xiansheng, her lips slightly curved upwards: "Little Monk, where are you going? Last time you promised to take us on that ’Screaming Roller Coaster,’ but we’ve been waiting forever, was it on purpose that you stood us up?"

The sounds of the two girls teasing Luo Xiansheng drifted to Tang Yansheng with the night breeze. She turned her gaze, seeing through the two young girls to catch Luo Xiansheng’s eyes and the helpless smile on his face.

Yet, to Tang Yansheng, that smile didn’t clearly show helplessness, only mischief.

Tang Yansheng then withdrew her gaze and walked away.

In that split second, Luo Xiansheng truly felt like losing his temper, even though they were the two girls from the Tang family; he really wanted to shout at them, to make them disappear!

Just one step, just one step, and he could have been at Yansheng’s side, but these two little girls chose this exact moment to appear...why?!

Being a bit older, Yanyu finally noticed the faint frustration flashing in Luo Xiansheng’s eyes, so she lightly tugged Yanjian: "Little Monk seems unhappy."

Yet Yanjian continued to brightly eye Luo Xiansheng: "He’s only getting mad now? I was angry long ago. That theme park has been open for three months, which means someone promised to take us on the first ride, but that was tossed to the back of their mind for a full three months!"

Tang Yanjian is the youngest granddaughter of the Tang family, not yet graduated from university, yet still pursuing a second degree at night. The 22-year-old girl looks like a real-life doll, with an apple-like face that seems touchable, always bearing a cute blush. Tang Yanqing usually loves teasing this little sister, but Yanjian only allows herself to be bullied by Tang Yanqing; with others, she’s the one doing the bullying.

Luo Xiansheng, for example. From childhood to adulthood, the dignified Luo Xiansheng was actually bullied the most by this youngest sister in the Tang family. As long as he came to the Tang family, he’d only see Yanjian like a little swallow, chasing him all over the Tang household. Ultimately, Luo Xiansheng would always fall to Yanjian’s coquettish tactics, even bearing the nickname "Little Monk" for many years.

But maybe it was because Yanyu and Yanjian were too invested in the situation that Tang Yansheng, as the elder sister, deliberately detached herself, gradually distancing herself from Luo Xiansheng.

Unintentionally, the naive ignorance of childhood, not understanding the need to maintain appropriate distance between the opposite sexes, eventually resulted in him and Tang Yansheng growing further apart.

When he finally understood, it wasn’t that Tang Yansheng couldn’t contend with age, wasn’t that she couldn’t get past a four-year age gap; it was that she couldn’t contend with her own sisters...everything had already missed the right moment for reconciliation.

So he gradually dared not visit the Tang family again, dared not face Yanjian’s doll-like eyes flashing bright disappointment.

He furrowed his brows in frustration, "...Sorry, Yanjian, I need to go say a word to Da Sheng first."

"Say what?" Yanjian pouted, "Fine, I’ll say it for you."

Saying so, she turned her head toward Tang Yansheng’s direction and shouted, "Big Sister!"

Tang Yansheng had to stop and look over, "Hmm?"

Yanjian gently and mischievously smiled, "Little Monk seems to have not had the chance to say: Welcome back to Big Sister. I said it for him!"

Tang Yansheng tried her best to smile: "Hmm, received it. Thank you both—two."

[There’s still 5,000 words in the morning~]