novelz
Chapter 88 - 88 Encounter at the Banquet
Chapter 88 - 88 Encounter at the Banquet
?Chapter 88: Encounter at the Banquet Chapter 88: Encounter at the Banquet Rong Huaishen: “Making trouble out of nothing.”
Meng Fan raised her voice: “What did you say?”
Rong Huaishen couldn’t be bothered to pay her any attention.
Meng Fan took the opportunity to change the subject, deliberately picking a fight with Rong Huaishen: “Give you another chance to speak up, do I really make trouble out of nothing?”
Rong Huaishen easily saw through Meng Fan’s little tricks and played along: “Obviously.”
Meng Fan choked on her own words: “Rong Huaishen!”
Rong Huaishen: “Your hearing is fine; no need to yell that loudly.”
Wen Zhi watched in bewilderment from across the table, knowing that Meng Fan and Rong Huaishen didn’t get along well, but she didn’t expect they could start arguing anywhere, anytime.
She picked up the cup of warm water, took a silent sip, trying to minimize her presence as much as possible.
And at that moment, the chair beside her was pulled out, and someone sat down.
Wen Zhi was about to see who this friend of Meng Fan’s who was late might be, and if she knew him.
Turning her head, she saw Liang Yin.
Wen Zhi surprised: “How come it’s you?”
Liang Yin smiled slightly: “What a coincidence.”
Wen Zhi wasn’t stupid and quickly figured out the reason, looking towards Meng Fan across the table.
Meng Fan laughed awkwardly, then waving her hand towards Liang Yin said: “It was him who forced me to do this; I didn’t want to, honestly.”
Rong Huaishen, sitting beside her, just quietly watched Meng Fan’s performance.
Wen Zhi calmly asked: “How did he force you?”
Meng Fan: “Uh…”
Such a nonsensical lie might pass muster if Meng Fan and Wen Zhi weren’t familiar, but unfortunately for her, they knew each other very well.
Wen Zhi knew Meng Fan too well: “You never submit to threats.”
Meng Fan giggled: “You know me best.”
Liang Yin continued: “Actually, it’s more like asking Meng Fan for a favor.”
Meng Fan immediately went with Liang Yin’s narrative: “That’s right, that’s right! He begged me! I’m too soft-hearted, so I agreed.”
Wen Zhi sighed and looked at Liang Yin: “So, you asked Meng Fan to bring me out just to treat me to a meal?”
Liang Yin asked her: “Would you do me the honor?”
Wen Zhi laughed helplessly: “Even if I wanted to firmly get up and leave, I can’t bring myself to do that; food is paramount, let’s eat.”
Liang Yin’s face was undisguisedly happy.
The dinner was quite enjoyable, featuring local specialties, and they even ordered extra dishes. There was a dish of fragrant wine-soaked shrimp that Meng Fan particularly liked, but peeling the shrimp was troublesome, so she had Rong Huaishen peel them for her.
Rong Huaishen glanced at her sideways and asked: “What do you take me for?”
Meng Fan assertively retorted: “I’m your wife; isn’t it only right for a husband to peel shrimp for his wife?”
“That’s not what ‘right and proper’ means.” After that, Rong Huaishen got up and went to the smoking area.
Meng Fan pouted, suddenly losing her appetite.
Wen Zhi noticed and peeled three shrimp for Meng Fan in one go.
Meng Fan picked up the shrimp, eyes drifting towards Liang Yin sitting diagonally across: “Don’t learn from my husband’s attitude, you got that?”
Liang Yin placed peeled shrimp in front of Wen Zhi’s small plate, casually saying: “He doesn’t love you, that’s obvious.”
“Oh, so are you saying you love our Zhizhi?” Meng Fan teased with a smile.
Wen Zhi coughed lightly, reminding Meng Fan: “Don’t joke around.”
Liang Yin replied: “It’s fine.”
Wen Zhi gave Liang Yin a look, her expression turning weird: “What do you mean by that?”
Liang Yin hesitated: “…”
Truthfully, Liang Yin wanted to be straightforward, but he dared not be too direct for fear of making Wen Zhi resent him. Moreover, Meng Fan had warned him that being overeager could backfire.
He picked up another shrimp, peeling it as he spoke: “What I mean is, the dispassionate facade between Meng Fan and her husband is quite meaningless.”
Meng Fan put down her chopsticks, crossing her arms with utter disdain: “I’m in an arranged marriage with Rong Huaishen; there were never any feelings to begin with. What you call a dispassionate facade started from the day we registered our marriage.”
Liang Yin asked her, “Do you plan to live like this for the rest of your life?”
“Impossible!” Meng Fan declared, her chin held high, “My exciting life is just beginning. Just you watch, I’ll be divorced before you know it.”
“Divorced?”
The voice of Rong Huaishen came from the side.
Liang Yin caught a faint whiff of smoke and felt a craving. He borrowed a cigarette from Rong Huaishen and headed to the smoking area.
Wen Zhi called out to him, “Wait, I’m going to get some fresh air.”
Liang Yin raised an eyebrow, snapped the cigarette in his hand, and said, “I’ll accompany you.”
Wen Zhi nodded, and they went out first together.
Once the two of them left, only Meng Fan and the just-returned Rong Huaishen were left.
Seeing Rong Huaishen return after finishing his cigarette, Meng Fan stiffened but quickly relaxed, not pleased, “Yes, we’re bound to divorce sooner or later.”
Rong Huaishen didn’t care about her demeanor, so his mood was unaffected, and he asked indifferently, “There’s a dog outside?”
Meng Fan: “Yes, a little puppy.”
Rong Huaishen: “You like puppies?”
Meng Fan lifted her chin even higher: “Puppies are sweet, and they listen, they’ll go east when told not to go west, who wouldn’t like such obedient creatures!”
Rong Huaishen said, “Bring it home.”
Meng Fan turned to look at him, excitement on her face: “The one I liked outside, can I really bring it home?”
Rong Huaishen took a sip from a drink on the table, nodded, his tone still casual, “Bring it home, I’ll do it myself, break its legs.”
Meng Fan: “You wouldn’t dare!”
Rong Huaishen glanced at her, his eyes as deep as a cold pool: “Want to try?”
Meng Fan shivered.
His words seemed to say—try and you die.
–
After lunch, the four of them toured West Lake together.
Liang Yin rented a boat to create a private world for himself and Wen Zhi. Meng Fan, not reassured, insisted on following.
Rong Huaishen stopped Meng Fan, “There’s no need for you to join the crowd.”
Meng Fan: “I’m going.”
Rong Huaishen asked, “Aren’t you trying to set them up?”
Meng Fan was surprised, “How did you know?”
Rong Huaishen: “I could see it.”
Meng Fan pouted, “Oh, you’re quite the observer, huh?”
Rong Huaishen ignored her, but in the blink of an eye, Meng Fan slipped onto the boat, so Rong Huaishen had no choice but to follow.
The most speechless one was Liang Yin.
He glanced at the chattering Meng Fan and then at Rong Huaishen standing by, annoyed.
“You said, you’re going to Tan Zhongyao’s birthday celebration tonight?” Wen Zhi asked Meng Fan.
Meng Fan had just been complaining to her about having to accompany Rong Huaishen to Tan Zhongyao’s birthday party that evening. She didn’t want to go at all, but Rong Huaishen wouldn’t allow it.
“Yeah, that Mr. Tan, the one who retired from the foreign service,” whispered Meng Fan to Wen Zhi, “Mr. Tan is Rong Huaishen’s uncle.”
Wen Zhi was only now discovering this connection.
Liang Yin, who had overheard, chimed in, “You’re going to Tan Zhongyao’s tonight?”
Meng Fan asked, “You’re not going too, are you?”
Liang Yin: “Obviously.”
Meng Fan suddenly remembered, “Your dad and Mr. Tan are old friends.”
Liang Yin nodded, “That’s right, and since my dad knew I was in Lin City, he specifically called to make sure I’d go to Mr. Tan’s birthday party to deliver the gift.”
The conversation reached that point.
Suddenly, Liang Yin asked Wen Zhi, “How about you come with me tonight?”