Chapter 130 Excuse

She pursed her lips, her voice extremely low.

A slight blush involuntarily rose to her cheeks.

She subconsciously took a half step back, but refused to actually back away.

He leaned down slightly, his eyes crinkling.

"Um...big kid, can I hold your hand for a bit?"

He bent down slightly, closing the distance between them.

Her eyes were slightly upturned at the corners, and her gaze was like water, reflecting the warm light of the streetlights.

Song Zhiwei looked at him, and her heart seemed to be gently stirred.

When Song Zhiwei met his gaze, her chest tightened, and her heart suddenly started beating erratically.

The back of his hand that he touched, along with his entire arm, felt warm.

A gentle night breeze swept by, swirling up scraps of paper and fallen leaves from the street corner.

This old street has long been a famous night market street in Shengjing.

The vendors set up their stalls and hung up their signs early in the morning.

The shouts and calls rose and fell, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

At this moment, Song Zhiwei was standing in the midst of this clamor.

Sheng Tingzhou didn't urge her; he simply opened his palms quietly and waited for her.

Song Zhiwei took a breath and finally placed her finger on it.

In that instant, her entire hand was completely enveloped in his palm.

He tilted his hand slightly, his thumb gently tracing the back of her hand.

But that touch stirred a subtle shiver.

She subconsciously pulled her fingers back.

This was probably the first time she had ever held hands with a man like this.

For so many years, she always walked alone through the streets and alleys of this city.

He took her hand and they walked slowly through the crowd.

Sheng Tingzhou walked on her outside, shielding her from the occasional surge of people.

The streetlights were orange, softly illuminating the profile of his face.

The usual aloofness had faded, and a gentle warmth had emerged.

He tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the stalls on both sides.

At this moment, he didn't seem like the aloof heir of the Sheng family.

He seemed like an ordinary young man, accompanying the girl he liked to stroll through the night market.

The lamb skewers tumbled on the charcoal fire, dripping oil into the flames.

The vendor who sells roasted chestnuts lifted the lid of the pot, and a rich, sweet aroma wafted out.

Couples stood close together in front of the stall, the girl smiling as she tiptoed to look at the skewers, the boy paying for them.

Then the two smiled at each other, took hands, and left.

Those scenes came into Song Zhiwei's view one by one.

Her heart skipped a beat as she suddenly realized that she was experiencing the same situation.

Sheng Tingzhou turned his head to look at her: "What do you want to eat?"

Her eyes lit up, and she pointed to a barbecue stall ahead.

"Um...is that okay?"

He stretched his finger slightly forward, pointing to the stall with the strongest sense of community.

A queue had formed in front of the stall, with several young couples chatting and laughing as they waited.

She gazed at the rising smoke.

Suddenly, I felt that everything tonight seemed different.

Having been back in China for so long, she hasn't had a proper barbecue yet.

I'm busy with work, social engagements, and handling all sorts of trivial matters every day.

And at this moment, I stand in front of this lively little shop on the street corner.

The familiar aroma wafted over, making her stomach clench.

"OK."

He spoke crisply and casually took her wrist.

The store is not small, stretching about ten meters horizontally, and is divided into several areas inside.

Several round tables were placed near the window.

The ground is covered with non-slip tiles, and although many people have walked on it, it remains clean.

Several groups of guests were already seated around the long tables, enjoying their meal.

The air was filled with the aroma of barbecue, mixed with the spiciness of cumin and chili powder.

The proprietress was a woman in her early fifties with ear-length hair tied up with a simple black hair tie.

Upon seeing the two enter, she immediately leaned out from behind the counter, deftly pulled out two menus, and handed them over with a smile.

"What would you two like to eat? Freshly marinated meat, freshly skewered, guaranteed fresh!"

Song Zhiwei took the menu.

In the end, she ordered pork belly, lamb skewers, beef skewers, and two vegetable dishes.

She closed the menu and gently handed it to the man beside her.

Sheng Tingzhou took the menu, glanced at it quickly, and said to the proprietress, "Add two more bottles of ice-cold beer."

After he finished speaking, he returned the menu.

Song Zhiwei felt her throat was a little dry.

She picked up the glass on the table, unscrewed the mineral water bottle she carried with her, slowly poured herself a glass of water, and took two sips.

The water slid down her throat, bringing a touch of coolness that made her feel a little better.

But before she could put the cup down, her phone rang again in her pocket.

Her heart tightened, her fingers paused slightly, and her gaze unconsciously fell on the phone screen.

It's Zhou Huaiqing.

She instinctively didn't want to answer.

But hanging up directly would seem too cold.

So, she silently reached out and gently slid her fingertips across the screen to put her phone into silent mode.

The ringing stopped abruptly, leaving only the caller ID on the screen vibrating slightly.

This scene was caught by Sheng Tingzhou out of the corner of his eye.

He glanced to the side, his expression still indifferent, and asked casually.

"Is it your uncle again? He's keeping a close eye on you."

Song Zhiwei shook her head.

"No, it's Uncle Zhou."

He raised an eyebrow slightly, recalling the matter Zhou Yuze had mentioned in the office earlier that day.

The Song family has recently been preparing a family banquet, seemingly to commemorate some important day.

He roughly understood the situation, so he didn't ask any further questions and simply gave a faint "hmm".

The phone vibrated for a few seconds while in silent mode before finally disconnecting.

Song Zhiwei stared at the now-black screen and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

But this brief period of peace did not last long.

Almost a few seconds later, the phone rang again.

The screen lit up again, showing the same name and the same phone call.

The other party seemed determined to keep calling unless she answered.

Finally, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and reached out to press the answer button.

"Hello, Uncle Zhou."

On the other end of the phone, Zhou Huaiqing's voice was low and deep.

"Why did it take you so long to answer? Are you really that busy? You can't even answer a phone call?"

Song Zhiwei lowered her head, her fingertips unconsciously stroking the rim of the cup.

"I was in a meeting and my phone was on silent, so I didn't hear it ring."

Zhou Huaiqing snorted coldly, his tone suddenly becoming stern.

"A meeting? Today is your mother's birthday, and you, as her own daughter, don't even come home? Do you even care about this family?"

He had already asked Zhou Yuce to call and urge her to come back, and his attitude was quite polite.

But by evening, the banquet had already been set up, and the hall was full of guests.

Relatives, friends, and business partners gathered together, raising their glasses in a lively celebration to wish him a happy birthday.

She was the only one who never showed up.

When outsiders ask, how can he, as the person in charge, explain it?

Where can I put this old face?

Song Zhiwei bit her lip, her voice still soft, but with an added touch of stubbornness.

"I'm on a business trip out of town. My itinerary was set long ago, but I can't leave at the last minute... I really can't go back."

Zhou Huaiqing was unwilling to listen to these explanations at all.

In his view, no matter how important a girl's work is, it can't compare to family matters.

At this age, the family is not short of money and the conditions are good.

She should have participated in more social activities, met some suitable people, and made plans for future marriage.

What's the point of working nine to five every day and earning that little salary?