Taking my mom to a handsome-guys gathering and getting caught by my dad…
He Zongqin was unhappy. “Your sister-in-law never lets me come out this late. To come keep you company, I’ll still have to kneel on the washboard when I get back later! I’ve made such a huge sacrifice for you, and you don’t even bother responding to me.”
Liang Huaixu lifted the corner of his mouth slightly. “Does sister-in-law know you talk about her like this outside? Kneeling on the washboard.”
This taciturn gourd was finally provoked into speaking. He Zongqin laughed and said, “What do you know? Can’t you tell I’m showing off my affection?”
Liang Huaixu: “……”
Knowing how to manage a relationship was also a kind of skill. He Zongqin was usually a bit unserious, but at critical moments, he was still very reliable, and he saw people quite clearly.
Liang Huaixu felt that letting He Zongqin analyze things for him was not a bad idea. He lowered his voice. “I have a friend. Recently, they’ve become a bit abnormal.”
This opening… He Zongqin narrowed his eyes with interest. “What kind of abnormal? Has he become unlike himself?”
Liang Huaixu paused, then nodded.
The smile on He Zongqin’s face grew wider as he continued asking, “Is your friend in love? Or about to fall in love?”
Liang Huaixu looked at He Zongqin with a bit more seriousness.
Seeing him nod, He Zongqin said, “That’s normal. People who fall in love are just like that…”
He went on at length, sounding quite convincing.
But there were really too many abnormal things about Zhuang Fuyao lately. Not only had her personality changed and her preferences changed, but she also seemed to have forgotten some things.
That day, when Zhuang Fuyao asked him whether Liang Chaoluo was in a relationship, he initially thought she wanted him to play the bad cop. That could still be explained.
But afterward, there was no follow-up at all, which was rather strange. And then there was her unfamiliarity when she faced Deng Qifeng at the police station last time…
“It’s not that she’s completely unlike herself,” Liang Huaixu thought for a moment and said. “It’s just that, by comparison, she’s more like how she was many years ago.”
He Zongqin was quite surprised. Earlier, he had only felt that Liang Huaixu and Teacher Shen were a good match. Now that he heard this, this was far more than just a match. It was clearly a deep-rooted affection. “This shows that your friend has met his destined match. People only become childish, like their past selves, when they encounter happiness.”
Liang Huaixu frowned slightly and did not continue the conversation. He ordered another drink and returned to his earlier silent state.
The casual smile on He Zongqin’s face froze. He reached out to stop him. “A little drink lifts the mood. Drinking like you do is damaging your health. Don’t you have any sense of how much your body can handle?”
“Don’t mind me.” Liang Huaixu blocked him with his elbow.
He Zongqin knew Liang Huaixu’s temperament. Being able to talk to him about emotional matters this much was already unprecedented.
He sighed helplessly and could only continue advising him quietly from the side. “You’ve been single for so many years. It’s time you found someone. Life is only a few short decades. Living happily by yourself is what matters most. Other people’s opinions aren’t that important. No matter how many burdens you carry, in the end it all comes to nothing.”
After being prompted by He Zongqin that day, Liang Huaixu did give it some thought. But as soon as he imagined that the person was not Zhuang Fuyao, he felt extremely uncomfortable and repelled, and the train of thought was immediately cut off.
In this lifetime, he was unable to start a new relationship.
After talking for quite a while, He Zongqin’s mouth was dry. He did not continue drinking and ordered a glass of lemon water instead.
After finishing half the glass, his wife called.
He went to a quiet place to answer the call, then came back, looking a bit conflicted.
On the phone, his wife was scolding him for not coming home so late. If this kept up, he might really end up kneeling on the washboard when he got back.
So should he uphold brotherly loyalty and accompany Liang Huaixu until they were completely drunk, or go back and be his model husband?
While hesitating, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration and opened his chat window with Shen Lian: [Teacher Shen, are you free right now?]
After a while, the other side replied: [What’s wrong?]
He Zongqin: [Teacher Shen, I’m drinking with Professor Liang right now. Professor Liang has had a bit too much to drink, but I suddenly have something to deal with and need to head back first. I remember you saying your home is nearby. Would it be convenient for you to come and look after him?]
After sending it, he inexplicably felt a bit flustered. Although his original intention was to try to match Old Liang with Teacher Shen, asking this in the middle of the night was still somewhat inappropriate. After Old Liang sobered up, he would come settle accounts with him.
He Zongqin: [Never mind, Teacher Shen. I didn’t think it through just now. Now that I think about it, it doesn’t seem very convenient either. I’ll just contact his assistant.]
The other side was typing…
After a while.
Shen Lian: [It’s fine. I happen to be taking a walk nearby. I’ll go over in a bit.]
He Zongqin worried that she was just being polite and was about to say again that it was unnecessary, when the other side sent another message: [He’s my senior brother. There’s nothing inconvenient about it.]
He Zongqin pressed his lips together. Things had already come to this, so it could only be left that way.
He patted Liang Huaixu on the shoulder. “Old Liang, your sister-in-law is urging me to go back, so I’ll head off first. I’ve called someone over to keep an eye on you.”
Liang Huaixu dragged his palm down over his face, sobering himself up a little, and waved his hand. “Hurry back. Don’t make sister-in-law worry.”
…
After Shen Lian arrived, her gaze swept over the man with a cold, stern bearing sitting in the booth.
“Senior Brother.” Seeing Liang Huaixu looking different from his usual self, her heart skipped a beat. She did not rush to send him home. Instead, she ordered a drink and sat down beside him.
Liang Huaixu did not notice anyone sitting next to him at all. He lowered his gaze to look at the wine in his glass, tilted his head back, his Adam’s apple rolling, and took another large gulp.
This was a newly changed drink. The taste was very strong. Caught off guard, it burned his throat, and he coughed several times.
Shen Lian thoughtfully reached out and patted his back.
“Who?” Liang Huaixu’s body stiffened, and his cold gaze swept over.
“It’s me, Senior Brother…” Shen Lian had never seen such an aggressive side of him before. Her voice trembled slightly at the end. “I heard from Professor He that you drank too much. I just happened to be taking a walk nearby, so I came over to check on you.”
Seeing that it was someone familiar, Liang Huaixu restrained his aura a little and stood up. “I’m going to the restroom.”
He was actually somewhat displeased. Could He Zongqin have done this on purpose? He had originally thought he could drink freely tonight, but now that there was a woman present, he could not allow himself to drink like that anymore.
After washing his face, he was much clearer-headed. Liang Huaixu’s face felt warm. He subconsciously wanted to loosen his collar, but when he remembered Shen Lian was outside, his movement paused. Not only did he not loosen it, he even fastened the button he had previously undone, buttoning it straight up to his Adam’s apple.
Outside, Shen Lian recalled how her senior brother had restrained his presence the moment he saw her. In a good mood, she took a few sips of wine.
When she was in university, Liang Huaixu was already teaching at Jiang University. He happened to be teaching her roommate’s class. Once, when she went to look for her roommate, she almost bumped into him. She looked up in a fluster and met his deep, wise eyes. He gently asked her, “I didn’t bump into you, did I?”
That fluttering moment of a racing heart stayed in Shen Lian’s memory for many years.
Later, when she was pursuing her master’s degree, she happened to be accepted by Elder Yu as his final closed-door disciple. By a twist of fate, she became Liang Huaixu’s junior sister.
In the past, she had been timid and never dared to casually reveal her admiration. She had hidden it away for so many years. Now she was already twenty-six, with a stable job, at a suitable age for marriage, and she finally had the courage to try for it.
She gently swirled her glass. Under the influence of the rich, heady atmosphere of wine, her heartbeat sped up uncontrollably.
“Senior Brother…”
When Liang Huaixu came back, he heard Shen Lian reminiscing about the past. He listened for a while. The alcohol had made his emotions less stable than usual, and he was already growing impatient, just about to find an excuse to leave.
That was when Shen Lian reached the crucial point. “I’ve really liked you for a very, very long time. Can you consider me?”
Liang Huaixu froze and looked at Shen Lian in surprise. Emotions shifted endlessly in his eyes, all of them eventually turning into a headache.
He said calmly, “Shen Lian, you might have misunderstood something. Toward you, I…”
“I didn’t misunderstand.” Shen Lian interrupted him, her eyes slightly hot. “I know Senior Brother doesn’t have that kind of intention toward me, but you’re already thirty-eight this year, and I’m single too. If you don’t dislike me, couldn’t we try?”
She looked at him stubbornly. “Senior Brother, you just need to tell me whether you agree or not.”
This was already the greatest extent to which she could put aside her pride.
Although she could not compare to her senior brother, among her peers, she was still outstanding, with no shortage of admirers around her. For her to go this far today, aside from the alcohol, He Zongqin was also a factor.
At the university, her senior brother had the best relationship with He Zongqin. He Zongqin would not have said those things to her without reason. Shen Lian clung to a sliver of hope. Could it be that her senior brother also had other feelings toward her, and He Zongqin knew about it?
It was even possible that He Zongqin had called her over on her senior brother’s instructions.
On the way over, Shen Lian had already let her imagination run wild.
But now, fatigue and impatience showed clearly on her senior brother’s face. There was no trace of any interest in romance at all. She already sensed what the outcome would be, yet subconsciously tried to avoid facing it.
Liang Huaixu’s gaze darkened. He already regretted asking He Zongqin out for drinks today. He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Shen Lian, I’ve never had that kind of thought about you. Feelings aren’t something you can just try out casually.”
Shen Lian quietly took a breath. Tears swirled in her eyes. She stubbornly wiped at them. “Then I’ve disturbed you.”
After she left, Liang Huaixu irritably let out a heavy breath. He planned to use the restroom once more and then head home.
There were not many people in the men’s restroom. Aside from him, there were only two young men standing a few urinals away.
“Brother Luo called us over to cheer that older sister up, but why do I feel like that older sister’s in a pretty good mood?”
“I was thinking the same. What worries could an older sister who’s pretty and rich even have?”
“Huh?” One of the young men gossiped. “Brother Luo wouldn’t have that kind of intention, would he?”
“You’re crazy.” The other person cursed back. “We’re proper appearance-based content creators, okay? Brother Luo called us over at most to play a pleasant-to-look-at role. Besides, Brother Luo isn’t that kind of person.”
“What I mean is…” The boy smiled. “I quite like that older sister. Do you think I have a chance?”
“Get lost. She was brought by Brother Luo. That kind of social circle isn’t something we should even think about.” He thought of something and his expression turned a little subtle. “But did you notice Zhao Zilin acting strangely today? Among us, he has the most followers and usually puts on the biggest airs. Yet today he was unusually talkative.”
“Who knows.”
When Liang Huaixu was washing his hands, those two were still beside him. By the time he finished washing at an unhurried pace, they had already left.
“What were you two doing in the restroom? You took so long.” Liang Chaoluo lifted his chin.
Guo Zhixi laughed. “Zanzi pees a lot.”
“Get lost!” The two of them immediately started fooling around together.
Zhuang Fuyao was infected by that youthful, slightly chuunibyou energy and could not help but laugh.
After she had just returned from Zou City, Liang Chaoluo had brought her here. The little snot-nosed kid from back then had already grown into a refined young man. A white T-shirt paired with jeans made him look fresh and handsome. He had not grown into the kind of mischievous little monkey she had imagined, either. His behavior and bearing were steadier than what his age would suggest.
Liang Chaoluo told her that there was a gathering with friends and wanted to bring her along to have some fun.
Although the trip had been a bit tiring, after not seeing him for sixteen years, Zhuang Fuyao also wanted to talk with him more, so she agreed.
When she arrived at the venue, she was a little surprised.
Aside from her, everyone here was male, and all of them were handsome men who were carefully styled and wearing makeup. From their conversation, she learned that this group was all internet celebrities. Those with the highest followings had tens of millions of fans, and even the lowest had hundreds of thousands. They truly made a living off their looks.
It was just a pity that in a scene like this, Song Qing and Beiguo were not present.
She sent a message to the group chat: [ddd, who’s free?]
Song Qing: [Having dinner with the team.]
Beiguo: [Singing with my university roommates [kiss]]
Zhuang Fuyao expressed regret: [There’s a gathering here, wall-to-wall handsome guys. It’s such a pity you didn’t come.]
Song Qing: [Sister, why didn’t you say so earlier!! I hate that I’m not in Jiang City. If I rush back now, would I still make it? [crying]]
…
In the restroom, after Liang Huaixu wiped his hands with a paper towel, he spread one hand and pressed his temples. It was just past one in the morning now. If he went back, he could still sleep for a few hours.
When he contacted Driver Peng to come pick him up, his gaze paused, and he spotted an ID card lying on the floor.
If it had been something else, Liang Huaixu definitely would not have bothered. But an ID card was indeed an important document. And it was very likely dropped by those two men just now.
This was a quiet bar. Business was not particularly booming, and at this hour, there were still many empty seats. Finding the person should not be difficult.
He hesitated for a moment, then still picked it up and took a turn around the main hall. Just then, He Zongqin called.
The person on the other end asked how things were going. He gave a cold laugh. “What do you think?”
Liang Huaixu felt that Shen Lian’s confession to him was her private matter, so he did not tell He Zongqin about it. He only analyzed how inappropriate it was for He Zongqin to summon someone over late at night, creating a situation of a lone man and a lone woman.
After being criticized by him like this, He Zongqin sounded less confident. “This was my fault.”
While Liang Huaixu was on the phone with He Zongqin, a burst of laughter suddenly came from the booth behind him.
The voice sounded very familiar. Liang Huaixu turned around to look, and his expression sank completely.