Chapter 44: You really like him...
Xie Tang smiled and walked towards the balcony.
"Brother Song, the weather's nice today, how about... we go out for some exercise together?"
Chu Song closed the book and looked up.
The bright afternoon light outlined her expectant smile, her clear eyes sparkling.
Seemingly infected by this energy, the corners of his lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly: "Okay. Where to?"
"tennis court."
In the afternoon, the tennis court was warm and cozy under the sun.
The sky was clear and blue, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of grass and earth.
The crisp, powerful sound of the ball hitting the ground broke the silence.
Xie Tang made a beautiful swing, and the tennis ball flew straight towards the other side with a whoosh.
Chu Song seemed to have anticipated this, and accurately hit the ball back.
After several rounds, Chu Song took the lead and won the first game.
"Beautiful!" A loud whistle rang out, accompanied by applause.
Tang Zhi walked over, swinging her racket, her gaze sweeping over Chu Song without any attempt to hide it, before winking at Xie Tang.
Behind her followed a man dressed in well-fitting sportswear, tall and handsome with an elegant demeanor.
Xie Tang was slightly surprised when she saw who it was; she had seen him before at Tang Yunsong's villa.
A look of surprise flashed across Zhou Ziheng's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and smiled, nodding politely to her.
Xie Tang led Chu Song forward.
Tang Zhi casually took the arm of the person next to her: "Zhou Ziheng. I was afraid your friend would be bored, so I asked him to come and keep you company."
Xie Tang gave a brief introduction to Chu Song.
Zhou Ziheng looked at Chu Song, then smiled and extended his hand to Xie Tang: "Sister-in-law, we meet again."
"Sister-in-law? Again?" Tang Zhi's eyes widened. She glanced at Xie Tang and then at Zhou Ziheng, raising her voice, "You know?"
Zhou Ziheng smiled and nodded.
Tang Zhi pulled Xie Tang to the edge of the field, her voice filled with annoyance and urgency at being kept in the dark: "No! We've only been apart for four months! You got married without telling me? Why didn't you tell me something so important?"
Xie Tang almost laughed at her barrage of questions, but there was no embarrassment at being exposed, nor did she get angry at the questioning.
“It’s not just you,” she patted Tang Zhi’s hand to comfort her, “I didn’t have time to tell the others either.”
Tang Zhi looked at her suspiciously, "Gu Chang and Yin Xi don't know either?"
"Well, I didn't specifically say so," Xie Tang explained. "But Gu Chang knows that he is Chu Song's cousin."
"Okay, I feel a bit better now." Tang Zhi pouted, but her curiosity only grew stronger. "Tell me! How long have you known each other? Did you get married in a flash? Is he reliable? He's really handsome... no doubt about it..."
“We…were in a marriage of convenience,” Xie Tang paused, then, seeing Tang Zhi’s eyes widen again, added, “We signed a prenuptial agreement…”
"An agreement?" Tang Zhi's voice suddenly rose another octave, filled with deep worry. "A-Tang! What... what were you thinking?"
She subconsciously felt that her friend had been taken advantage of.
"I know exactly what I'm doing," Xie Tang said calmly and confidently, his gaze fixed on the court.
Chu Song and Zhou Ziheng were exchanging blows, Chu Song's posture relaxed yet still exuding a sense of control.
She withdrew her gaze and briefly explained the background of the marriage, including the Xie and Qin families, to Tang Zhi.
After listening, Tang Zhi understood Xie Tang's situation and predicament, but as her best friend, she was more concerned about her friend's feelings.
“But Ah Tang,” she noticed the undisguised tenderness in Xie Tang’s eyes when she looked at Chu Song, “you’ve really fallen for him, haven’t you?”
Xie Tang did not shy away, and met her friend's gaze frankly: "Yes, I like him."
"And what about him?" Tang Zhi pressed, her brows furrowing slightly. "His relationship with you... was it just a contract? Just what you called 'very good'?"
"He really is very good to me," Xie Tang repeated, her tone carrying a complex emotion that she herself couldn't quite explain.
"Is that all he considers 'good'?" Tang Zhi's temper flared up again. "How high are his standards? You're such a wonderful girl, beautiful, with a great figure, and you're so capable at work. What's wrong with you? You don't even deserve him? I think you..."
"Easy for you to say." Xie Tang smiled helplessly, put her arm around her friend's shoulder and shook her gently. "Okay, I know you're worried about me. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
Tang Zhi looked at the stubbornness and clarity in her friend's eyes and knew she couldn't persuade her otherwise, so she could only sigh, still feeling worried.
Love is the most tormenting thing; even the most clear-headed and rational person will inevitably get hurt if they fall into it.
"Forget it, I can't persuade you. Tell me about me, I'm in dire straits!"
Both worked in the judicial system, but they were always so busy that they could only squeeze out time to meet once every few months or even half a year.
"I'm swamped! I totally regret ever jumping into this mess!" Tang Zhi sighed dramatically. "Low pay, lots of work, and heavy responsibilities—I'm like a spinning top that never stops!"
Before Xie Tang could ask any further questions, she gestured with her chin toward Zhou Ziheng, "Well, my parents are really pressuring me to go on this blind date. My sister-in-law has turned the house upside down. The old folks are staying with me now, and they keep an eye on me whenever they have a spare moment. So, after dating for a few months, they think... he's alright, right? I brought him here today so you can take a look and give me your opinion?"
She leaned closer to Xie Tang, her eyes sparkling with anticipation: "So? Tell me your first impression!"
Xie Tang smiled and pushed her head away a little: "Your own feelings are the most important. I just think... he seems quite mature."
She understood Tang Zhi; she had always had a sharp eye and was adept at handling relationships. She admired this maturity and rationality.
Tang Zhi persisted, rubbing her head against Xie Tang's shoulder again, and asked in a low, mischievous voice, "Hey, tell me the truth, is he more handsome, or is your guy more handsome?"
Xie Tang rolled her eyes at her, annoyed: "Do you even need to ask?"
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Just then, a tennis ball flew out of bounds and rolled to Xie Tang's feet.
Xie Tang gently flicked the ball with his racket and scooped it up.
Zhou Ziheng strode over, a thin layer of sweat on his forehead, his smile hearty: "Finished chatting? How about a doubles match? The loser buys dinner, how about it?"
"Great! I couldn't be happier!" Tang Zhi immediately perked up and pulled Xie Tang toward the court.
Xie Tang subconsciously looked in Chu Song's direction.
Almost simultaneously, Chu Song's gaze swept across most of the stadium and landed on her.
Their gazes suddenly met in mid-air.
Xie Tang's heart skipped a beat, and then a bright smile slowly spread across her lips, carrying a hint of shyness at being looked at, and even more so, pure joy.
Chu Song's eyes lingered on her bright smile for a moment, and the hard lines of his lips softened, returning a faint yet clearly visible smile.
After a thrilling match, all four players were drenched in sweat.
Zhou Ziheng sat on a bench by the field, breathing slightly heavily.
The afternoon sun was scorching hot, but thankfully a gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness, and the rustling of leaves made the place exceptionally peaceful after the hustle and bustle.
He raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, looked at Tang Zhi beside him whose face was also flushed and whose breathing had not yet fully calmed down, and on a whim, he unscrewed a bottle of sports drink and handed it to her naturally.
"Thanks!" Tang Zhi took it, tilted her head back and gulped down a big mouthful, but she drank too fast and choked, bending over and coughing.
"Slow down, don't drink so much right after exercising." Zhou Ziheng chuckled and patted her back a few times.
Once she had calmed down, he looked at the court—Chu Song was relaxing with Xie Tang, the two of them casually passing the ball to each other near the baseline.
“Your friend plays really well,” Zhou Ziheng said with admiration in his eyes. “He didn’t hold back at all in the games we played just now.”
Tang Zhi wiped away the tears she coughed up and looked over as well. Looking at Xie Tang's bright smile in the sunlight and Chu Song's focused figure as he sparred with her, she said with a hint of regret, "Xie Tang is no less than him. What a perfect couple... It's a pity he didn't take a liking to my friend."
Thinking of that cold, hard three-year agreement, if Chu Song remained unmoved, Xie Tang's enthusiasm would likely be in vain.
Zhou Ziheng gazed at the rare, unguarded, relaxed smile on Chu Song's face, his tone slightly playful, "I think...maybe not."
"Hmm?" Tang Zhi immediately perked up her ears, her interest piqued.
“Song Ge is a man who, most of the time, is on edge, like a precision machine. Look closely at his expression right now…”
He paused, then chuckled, “He’s a man whose time and energy are incredibly precious; he only spends them on people and things he truly cares about. If he weren’t completely attentive, he could never have played with your friend so enthusiastically and so… relaxed.”
He added thoughtfully, "I'm not very familiar with him, but I know him a little. He's probably... caught up in something he hasn't fully realized yet."
He glanced at his watch, stood up, and said, "However, some people just need a little... stimulation to truly understand their own hearts."
"For example?" Tang Zhi pressed, standing up as well.
“Perhaps… he needs to taste the bitterness of loss, or feel a real threat?” Zhou Ziheng shrugged and said half-jokingly, “Alright, instead of worrying about others, let’s think about where to eat later. The loser is paying, so we should pick a good one.”
"That makes sense!" Tang Zhi immediately shouted to the crowd, "Ah Tang! You're in charge of choosing the restaurant!"
Ultimately, Xie Tang considered Chu Song's preference for light flavors and Tang Zhi's fondness for Cantonese cuisine, and chose a highly-rated Michelin-starred Hong Kong-style restaurant.
The club lobby was spacious and bright. She looked around but could not see Tang Zhi and Zhou Ziheng. She only saw that Chu Song had changed into casual clothes.
He leaned against the huge floor-to-ceiling window, his long legs casually crossed, his eyes fixed intently on his phone.
The sleek glass reflected the scenery outside the window, as well as his serene profile.
People came and went in the hall, and many women couldn't help but linger their eyes on him for a moment as they passed by.
Several boldly dressed and glamorous women clearly recognized Chu Song and mustered their courage to approach her.
Chu Song did not even raise his head.
Xie Tang sat down on the sofa opposite him.
At that moment, a tall man wearing a flashy shirt walked over.
Someone came to chat up Chu Song?
Xie Tang was secretly marveling at Chu Song's charm that appealed to both men and women when she saw the man turn around and sit down directly next to her.
He first gave Chu Song a casual nod as a greeting, then looked at Xie Tang with a frivolous smile: "Beautiful lady, all alone? Want to be friends?"
Xie Tang's face showed no trace of a smile. "I'm married."
"You can still make friends even after you're married." The man seemed hurt by this blunt rejection. Instead of leaving, he moved even closer, his tone slightly provocative: "What, you think I'm ugly?"
To be fair, he has thick eyebrows and big eyes, and can be considered handsome, but compared to Chu Song's innate noble temperament, he appears rugged and even a bit bandit-like.
Xie Tang didn't want to get entangled any further, so she raised her left hand.
The man glanced at the ring on her ring finger and found Xie Tang's unyielding and aloof attitude particularly irritating.
Chu Song raised her eyes, her icy gaze falling on the man, carrying a silent warning.
He ignored Chu Song's gaze and sneered, "What are you pretending to be, innocent maiden? I've seen plenty of fishermen like you! If you weren't somewhat pretty, do you think I'd even bother with you? I just want to play around with you..."
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