Chapter Seven, Difficulties in Meeting Again

"Strike tonight," he commanded

The duration of the call between the two was quite long, to the point that Qi Yan felt a bit drowsy from the noise, and it was only after Wen Xingyuan reluctantly ended the call that it came to a close. After hanging up, he took a hot spring bath, and noticing that it was still early, he walked towards the bar.

"Wen Xingyuan?" Qi Yan's voice was cheerful, her mood lifted by the laughter shared with Ruo Ning along the way, unlike the earlier gloom, and she even forgot that the person had called her in the morning

"My colleagues are gossiping behind my back. It's best if you don't come looking for me, or else others might misunderstand." She lowered her head under his glare, mumbling somewhat hesitantly.

"If Ruoning sends me back, I just left." As Qiyan went upstairs, she spoke on the phone with Wen Xingyuan, "Hey, Wen Xingyuan, Ruoning's husband is exceptionally handsome." Qiyan suddenly recalled that someone often claimed to be so handsome that it made others jealous, and she intentionally teased him.

"Have you had dinner yet?" Feeling her ease, Wen Xingyuan was clearly taken aback for a moment, deeply afraid that his impulsive behavior in the morning would cause the young lady to refuse to answer his calls, and all the words he had prepared were swallowed back.

"Don't, isn't that forcing me to death? Even if I don't commit suicide, your girlfriend will still come at me with a knife," Xi Yan laughed heartily on the other end of the phone, easily imagining the person's gritted teeth.

"When will you come back?" Ignoring her mockery, he asked impulsively. She was no longer here, and he felt no trace of the beauty of the ancient town, only a sense of loneliness.

Ask

"What are you doing together?" If Ruo Ning can no longer contain her anger, she will turn hostile on the spot and stand up abruptly.

Is that so? I really didn't expect that there are still people more handsome than me in this day and age. The man sighed with a hint of self-mockery, as if he were quite serious about it

"Alright, I will visit my aunt tomorrow." Xi Yan stood in front of the car, watching her get in, and politely nodded to Tang Yifan.

Of course it is you. Just because I made such a small mistake, are you really going to divorce me? Ruoning, at this moment, you cannot tell me that the groom the day after tomorrow is not me. Xu Yan saw his handsome face scrunched up in a frown and couldn't help but laugh, almost spraying the drink she had halfway through all over the books.

The car headed straight for Dezhong by the river, a specialty restaurant that Qiyan and Ruoning used to frequent.

"Ruoning, you have truly found a treasure," Xi Yan said, covering her chest as she coughed and laughed. Tang Yifan's appearance suddenly reminded her of a certain gentleman's playful handsome face.

"Come, my dear, I apologize here on behalf of my husband. It is all my fault. Being angry is not conducive to digestion, so after you have eaten your fill, you can deal with me however you wish. Be good now." Tang Yifan was quite adept at reading the room; seeing her tone soften, he playfully feigned grievance at the right moment, repeatedly showing her kindness, and even personally picked up a piece of food to offer to her mouth.

"I hate it." Ruoning pushed him with her hand, her face turning even redder

Not yet, I will call after Ruoning's wedding is over, anyway he is not at home, he went to Lincheng for a meeting. Xu Yan opened the door and casually threw her handbag aside, leaning awkwardly on the sofa

Hello! Xie Yuandong smiled faintly, her voice very soft, and there was not a trace of suspicion on her beautiful face

"Not trying." The person seemed somewhat frustrated, took a deep breath, and casually threw over two words, which made her chuckle lightly

Why do you think that even national second-level athletes can be hunchbacked

He did not turn back, and his tone was somewhat harsh

"No need, I have made a reservation on the second floor. I have something to discuss with you tomorrow, we can talk more at your company then." He was silent for a few seconds, seemingly hesitating, before he continued, "Yan Yan, let's arrange another time to meet up." After saying this, he nodded slightly to Tang Yifan, turned around, and left, walking side by side with Xie Yuanyan.

"Is there a reservation? Would you like to join?" Although he knew it would upset Ruo Ning, Tang Yifan had to ask politely, as he had frequent work interactions with Han Nuo, and such formalities were unavoidable.

Have you called Xi He

"I am afraid that if you drink too much, no one will take care of you, and you might die drunk back in your hometown." He scratched his head in frustration, took out a cigarette with one hand, lit it, squinted his eyes, and took a deep drag.

Are you angry? I was just afraid that others might misunderstand you, nothing more." She explained timidly. He was her best friend, and seeing such an outstanding woman interested in him, she did not want to hold him back because of her own changes

If Ruo Ning suddenly became spirited, her heart alarmed, she hurriedly grabbed her hand, after all, Xie Yuandong was present, and it would not be good to make Han Nuo and the others feel awkward

Wen Xingyuan often goes to the company to pick her up after work, and every night he sends her back to the dormitory. The exposure rate is indeed too high, inevitably attracting gossip, which makes Miss Xi somewhat irritated

"It is still because of talking to you short ones." He shot her a glance and struck back without courtesy

Where Xu Yan had no appetite, she did not want to cause any unpleasantness between Tang Yifan and Ruo Ning due to her departure, so she could only sit quietly and eat.

Although the two did not engage in any intimate actions, seeing them appear together before her caused a tightening pain in Qi Yan's heart. At the moment he turned around, Qi Yan suddenly displayed her vulnerability, nearly collapsing to the ground. When Ruo Ning held her hand, her palm was already drenched in cold sweat

If Ruo Ning finally calmed down, Qi Yan also made an effort to cast aside her troubling thoughts. Tang Yifan humorously and wittily alleviated the gloom, and the three of them managed to have a meal together in peace, with the atmosphere being quite pleasant.

Walking on the clean bluestone pavement, with both hands tucked into the pockets of casual pants, the figure appears somewhat lonely

Tang Yifan instructed the serving of dishes. When he caught sight of the figures at the door, he experienced a brief moment of astonishment. He then graciously stood up and smiled as he greeted Han Nuo, who was approaching him, saying, "What a coincidence?"

"Thank you for the compliment, Yan Yan. This term 'treasure' truly belongs to my family member Ruo Ning, doesn't it, my dear?" Tang Yifan affectionately wrapped his arm around her slender waist, his gaze as gentle as a pool of water

"Give it a try?" She raised an eyebrow, her face full of defiance

"Where do I have it?" Ruo Ning murmured softly with her head lowered, ultimately not directing her anger at him again

Hang up the phone, I will call right now! She bit her lip, but heard the person immediately growl, "Do you dare."

"Wait a moment, Wen Xingyuan." Qi Yan saw that Ruo Ning also got out of the car, and hurriedly turned around to speak to her, "Would you like to come up and sit for a while"

Get lost! she scolded him, her feet restlessly kicking at his shins, daring to say she was short, she would make him pay for it

"I did not drink alcohol," Qi Yan retorted, aware that he still had lingering fears regarding her drunkenness

"Isn't it foolish to think that a bridesmaid can avoid drinking?"

If Ji Ruoning has always been sensible and polite, she would lose her composure only when it comes to her matters with Han Nuo. If she hadn't taken the initiative to call her three months after disappearing, cursing Han Nuo, Qi Yan might never have known that the usually gentle and graceful Ji Ruoning could become so unstoppable when she gets angry.

"No, it's too late. My mother is urging me to go home. You should rest early." Ruoning stepped forward and hugged her

Wen Xingyuan, I have a question for you

"Stop messing around, does she deserve to be bullied by you?" Xi Yan snatched her small bowl and pushed it to Tang Yifan's side, giving him a nod with her lips.

"Wen Xingyuan?" Seeing him stride away, she hurriedly called out his name

Tang Yifan had heard some things about the relationship between Han Nuo and Qi Yan from Ruo Ning, but he did not know much. He was not particularly interested in others' romantic affairs, but from Qi Yan's reaction when she met Han Nuo at the airport yesterday, as well as Han Nuo's subsequent phone call asking for Qi Yan's phone number, he speculated that as long as these two met, life would definitely not be peaceful. However, he did not expect them to meet again so soon. Especially seeing Ruo Ning, who was usually gentle and compliant, react so strongly, he suddenly felt a bit worried. He had 'tricked' Ruo Ning into giving him Qi Yan's phone number last night, and he wondered if it would bring about a 'fatal' disaster. He had already begun to silently pray for himself.

"I hate it, who is your wife?" Ruo Ning felt a bit embarrassed upon hearing this, and following his gesture, she opened her mouth to eat the food he had handed to her, a faint blush appearing on her face

"Steal from you." Wen Xingyuan gritted his teeth in frustration. That dead girl, accusing him of being unfaithful. If he truly had such intentions, he wouldn't be so busy calling her as soon as he woke up. He was so hungry that he felt dizzy, yet she couldn't even show a little concern? He began to doubt whether she was even human.

Xu Yan felt a bit out of control emotionally after unexpectedly meeting Han Nuo yesterday. She felt quite embarrassed about pushing back dinner, so she smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Who bullied him? He brought it upon himself." Ruo Ning pouted, reached out to take the bowl, and poked it vigorously with her chopsticks.

"I have never seen someone so carefree; do you want me to help you?" he lightly scolded, his words laced with an unspoken affection.

Tang Yifan slightly furrowed his brow and reached out to wrap his arm around her shoulder. Ruo Ning made a slight attempt to break free but was unable to, turning her face away in a huff

"Yifan." In response to her indifference, Han Nuo smiled lightly, his gaze fixed on Qi Yan's face, "Yan Yan."

to show off

"You are the idiot, just drink a little less, it’s nothing." She intended to offer some words of comfort, but as soon as she spoke, it took a different turn, "Hey, what are you doing? There’s music playing nearby, you’re not cheating, are you?" On Xu Yan's side, it was very quiet; she vaguely heard a familiar song and couldn’t help but tease him.

He did not dodge, staring at her, "If you have something to say, just say it straightforwardly."

He knows that gourmet food can always bring her joy, far surpassing the allure of handsome men by countless times

Tang Yifan reminded Qi Yan to eat more while attentively serving vegetables to Ruoning. She not only stubbornly avoided his chopsticks but also unceremoniously took the bowl away, which made him somewhat embarrassed. However, he persisted, and after several exchanges like this, Qi Yan couldn't help but smile.

As he stepped out of the campus, Tang Yifan arrived just in time. Dressed in light-colored casual attire, his handsome face bore a gentle smile. He walked over, took Ruoning's hand, and smiled at Qiyan, saying, "Let's go, I have made a reservation for us to have dinner together"

"I have never seen someone so unreasonable as you; do not take your anger out on others." Qi Yan quickly composed herself, not wanting her own disappointment to affect the atmosphere, yet she still couldn't help but softly admonish.

"Who has so much free time to come over?" Deep and penetrating gaze fixed on him, fearing that the furrowed brows and anxious eyes would reveal all his thoughts. After a brief silence, he listened to him proudly say, "Why do I love you so much?"

Long time no see! Qi Yan finally regained her voice, and she feigned calmness as she gave him a perfunctory smile. When she stood up, she politely greeted Xie Yuanteng, who was beside him, saying, "Hello!"

After finishing dinner, Tang Yifan drove Qi Yan home. Just as she was getting out of the car, a call from Wen Xingyuan came in.

What are you doing? I just got home. Don't tell me that you, this stingy boss, regret giving me a day off

"I just finished eating, and nothing beats the food from my hometown. I'm so full that I can hardly walk," Qi Yan candidly confessed, a smile unconsciously spreading across her lips, which also made Wen Xingyuan chuckle on the other end of the line

"Idiot! What nonsense are you talking about?" Wen Xingyuan's tone suddenly became serious; although he was scolding her, he spoke earnestly, and inevitably felt a hint of disappointment in his heart

Thus, after accompanying her for a full year, Wen Xingyuan left Dayan Town just like that. He admitted that he was somewhat resentful at the time, but more importantly, his father was ill and had issued him an ultimatum, threatening to send someone to "invite" him back if he did not return. He could not utter a single word of refusal, as the person his father sent was the same one who had previously pressured him into blind dates. As for her, she believed that he was returning to wait for his long-awaited "girlfriend." Consequently, an unspoken misunderstanding was formed between them, leading her to be misled for several years.

"Who asked you to meddle? I will hit you." Xi Yan retorted immediately, secretly cursing him for being nosy

I am not misunderstanding; I will be going back next month, so take care of yourself!

"This world is truly small, what a coincidence." Ruoning immediately changed her expression, coldly interjecting, and remained seated without moving

"So, honest people deserve to be bullied?" Tang Yifan, seeing that Qian Yan finally spoke and even defended him, smiled gratefully, using his hand to help Ruan Ning pick up food while still complaining.

This scene is completely unexpected, awkward to the extreme, yet appears to be harmonious, as if there is nothing amiss. Qi Yan suppresses the bitterness that quickly rises in her heart, but she no longer dares to look up for even a moment; just a glance seems enough to bring her to her knees.