Chapter 107 Does She Know You Are Such a Tea Tree?

She took two quick steps with the plate in hand, but before she reached them, Tong Zhongyuan slowly squatted down and picked up Tang Zhixu's shoelaces.

Song Suiyang's brain froze, and he cried out, "Ouch!" He took a step back, bumping into Chen Yun's plate. Chen Yun was also in a state of shock. The plate fell to the ground with a clang, spilling food everywhere. The noise was so loud that it attracted the attention of the entire restaurant.

Only Tang Zhixu and Tong Zhongyuan ignored him. Tang Zhixu stared down at him expressionlessly, while Tong Zhongyuan knelt on one knee, intently tying his shoelaces. He recognized these shoes; they were the first gift Qin Tian had given him in London. She had said a friend had asked her to bring them back home. That friend was him. He tightened the laces, but without standing up, he simply said, "Switch feet."

Tang Zhixu didn't move, either because he didn't hear or didn't want to hear. Tong Zhongyuan curled his lips, knelt forward as if nothing had happened, untied the laces of his other shoe, and then tied them again.

Song Suiyang was stunned. Not only her, but everyone looking in that direction didn't turn their heads back. The entire restaurant staff was watching Tong Zhongyuan tie Tang Zhixu's shoelaces. The once-bustling restaurant fell silent.

Qin Tian was a bit confused. What was Tong Zhongyuan doing? Was he tying Tang Zhixu's shoelaces? When...when had these two become so close?

Tong Zhongyuan finished tying his shoelaces and stood up. He picked up the plate that Tang Zhixu had placed on the table and handed it back to him. He said in a low voice, "Do you want me to help you return the plate?"

Tang Zhixu reached out to take the plate. His expression was calm. "Thanks. I can return the plate myself, but I don't have anyone to feed me next time. Come over when you have time."

Tang Zhixu, wearing a neck brace and holding his head high, walked to the plate return point under everyone's gaze, put down his plate, and walked out. Everyone turned their attention back to Tong Zhongyuan.

Tong Zhongyuan lowered his head and asked Qin Tian: "Are you still eating?"

Qin Tian shook his head subconsciously before he could come to his senses. Tong Zhongyuan smiled and said, "Then you should have a good rest at noon. I'll go get some food."

Everyone watched him walk to the food window before gradually withdrawing their gazes. The buzzing sound gradually grew louder and louder, and the cafeteria returned to its former bustle.

The most significant event at the Shanghai Museum in the second half of this year was no longer the return of the Chunhua Ge Tie (a Chinese calligraphy collection), but rather a scene in the staff cafeteria. A conservator from the British Museum, who had been stationed at the museum for over three months, a handsome British man known to everyone but never fortunate enough to get to know, brazenly engaged in a gesture of intimacy in a public institution like the Shanghai Museum. It was both daring and touching. He was from Britain, after all.

The female employees were distracted from work all afternoon, spreading the story. Chen Yun was asked three times by someone in the data room if she had witnessed the incident.

What could she say? She saw it all. At noon, Song Suiyang didn't dare sit at the same table with Tong Zhongyuan, so he pulled her to the farthest corner to eat.

"It wasn't Teacher Tong who took the initiative!" She explained ruefully, "It was Tang Zhixu who made the first advance. Blame me for being so slow. I should have realized earlier that he had feelings for Teacher Tong."

She told her the whole story of Tang Zhixu's gift of the painting: "He even put a wax seal on it, afraid I'd see it. I don't know what was in the painting, but it made Teacher Tong fall in love with it."

Chen Yunzhen hadn't expected that. Last time at the restaurant, she'd clearly felt Tang Zhixu was pursuing Qin Tian, ​​but she'd never imagined it was just a smokescreen. Could it be that he was pursuing Qin Tian just to make Tong Zhongyuan jealous? Sure enough, today, Tong Zhongyuan had knelt in public to tie his shoelaces, effectively confessing his love for him.

No wonder, no wonder Tong Zhongyuan was so cold and distant towards girls. No one had been able to talk to him in three months. No wonder Tang Zhixu and Qin Tian hadn't been able to get together in all these years. So... that's how it was. If it weren't for Tong Zhongyuan, he wouldn't have dared to take this step. After all, in an institution like the Shanghai Museum, the pressure of having a unique sexual orientation was immense.

Qin Tian walked towards Ming Yuanxing's office with a heavy heart. Tang Zhixu was right. She shouldn't do the inscription alone. She had to go to the hospital in the afternoon. It would be better to assign it to someone in the department to do a rough translation first, and she would review it at the end. And the restoration of the chimes... She wanted to apply to transfer the chimes to the restoration room. This week, Tong Zhongyuan had to do the finishing work on the Song Dynasty black-glazed rabbit-hair teacup and restore the chimes. She didn't know if he could do it. After that scene, she didn't think there was anything between him and Tang Zhixu. She was sure that Tong Zhongyuan was heterosexual, but it was indeed shocking that Tang Zhixu could make him kneel down to tie his shoelaces.

The door to Ming Yuanxing's office was half-open. Qin Tian was about to knock when he heard Wang Qiqing's voice from inside.

"I don't agree. After all, he's not from the Shanghai Museum. Not only that, but he's on loan. Can you guarantee he doesn't have other motives? How will this benefit the Shanghai Museum? The Shanghai Museum has plenty of influence and status right now. Why would they take on such trouble?"

"There's no problem with Xiaotong's character. I have complete confidence in him. His abilities are outstanding. If he can't do it, then no one in China can."

"No, this isn't Shangbo's property! I'm not saying he'll do something bad on purpose. This one thing alone will do nothing but harm to Shangbo. Even if he can do it, it's his own ability. The honor is his. What does it have to do with Shangbo? Is there anything? Shangbo gets nothing in return except the responsibility! But if, if something goes wrong, Shangbo will be in big trouble!"

"Qi Qing, this isn't really the Shanghai Museum's business; it's the nation's business. If national treasures can be restored, it will be a blessing for the entire nation. I admit you're right. If anything goes wrong, the Shanghai Museum will be held responsible. I'll take that responsibility, all the responsibility."

Qin Tian's hands froze in the air, his heartbeat pounding like a drum. What had he done? Could it be... Could it be...

Tang Zhixu was in his office, holding his neck and kicking his feet left and right, trying to get his shoes off. He'd been struggling for ages, but none of them had come off. He kicked his desk in frustration. Damn, he'd tied it in a tight knot, too. So insidious.

He'd officially declared war on him. This bullshit about going back to England, the last week, was all smoke and mirrors. He'd actually believed it. He didn't know how Qin Tian and him had dinner last week. Mostly not. Yesterday, Qin Tian was clearly not in the mood, yet he'd agreed to go to Henan with him. He guessed this kid had worked so hard for nothing.

The office door knocked twice. He called out impatiently, "Come in."

The door opened, and it was Tong Zhongyuan who came in. He was holding a brocade box. Tang Zhixu knew at a glance that it was the painting he had given away.

Tong Zhongyuan placed the brocade box on his desk and said calmly, "I appreciate your kindness, but I dare not accept such a valuable gift."

Still trying the same trick. Tang Zhixu only regretted that he was wearing a neck brace now, which made him look less imposing. He knocked on the box and said with a fake smile: "You took it and gave it back, so you're not going to pretend anymore?"

"Well, I won't pretend anymore." He admitted frankly.

"Oh, I understand." Tang Zhixu said coldly.

Tong Zhongyuan nodded to him and was about to leave when he saw an A4 photo of a Han Dynasty gilded plate and a stack of documents spread out on his desk and was stunned.

Tang Zhixu wondered why he suddenly stopped moving. He followed his gaze and felt a sinking feeling in his heart. His reaction must have suggested he'd seen this thing before. Did Qin Tian tell him?

"Interested?" He picked up the photo and swung it around. "Want to study it together?"

Tong Zhongyuan came to his senses and said, "No need. We've reached a bottleneck on this matter. It's time to find someone to think differently."

Tang Zhixu was furious and said without thinking: ""

Tong Zhongyuan's gaze slowly shifted from his face to his feet. He said slowly, "You'll have to ask her. By the way, AJ, I tied your shoelaces with a sailor's knot, in case no one can help you if they come undone. If you have trouble untying them, look up a tutorial online."

Tong Zhongyuan finished his words and walked out. Tang Zhixu was stunned for a moment, then laughed in anger. He picked up his brush and ink and wrote the word "tea" in a large letter on the paper. The writing was so powerful that it pierced through the paper, and it was filled with murderous intent. This character was probably his best work this year. But the more he looked at it, the angrier he became. He crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it into the wastebasket in the corner.