Chapter 63 The song on the restaurant's playlist that day was "Country"...
That day, the restaurant's playlist was country music. Li Li hummed along for a couple of lines, then watched as Tan Yi used a cork cutter to remove the cork completely, placed it flat on the table, and pushed it towards her.
The tacit understanding they had cultivated over the years always worked in perfect harmony, and she instinctively grabbed it into her palm.
For a time, she really enjoyed playing with these random things. She would hold them in her hand while eating and secretly use her fingernails to chip away at the compacted oak wood into tiny crumbs while others were chatting.
She held the bottle stopper for a few seconds, then put it back on the table and asked him, "How's the situation in Hong Kong?"
Tan Yi lowered his eyes and said, "I don't know. I have successfully withdrawn my shares from TICC and have not been involved in matters there since."
He looked up at Li Li's surprised expression and explained, "It wasn't recently, it was August 8th, the night of your birthday. I brought it up with Dad, and he agreed."
Li Li said, "That's pretty lucky, huh?"
She felt embarrassed after she finished speaking. What kind of luck was her father in this situation?
But Tan Yi smiled nonchalantly and said, "Yeah. I always think you're right."
Li Li's fork hovered over the pasta dish that had been served for a few seconds before she finally asked the question she most wanted to know: "So, is Fang Xuan still at TICC?"
Tan Yi said, "I don't know. I don't have the kind of relationship you're thinking of with her. It was my father's idea for her to be hired by TICC."
Since he said in his last phone call that he had never betrayed her, Li Li had probably considered the possibility. She rolled up a piece of spaghetti and put it in her mouth, listening to Tan Yi continue.
“When we were together, I helped Fang Xuan twice in private. The first time was when I was in Macau with my dad and we saw her asking her dad to sign a consent form for her to gamble in isolation. I helped her out.”
"The second time was after I met your mother." Tan Yi raised his glass, took a sip of wine to calm his turbulent emotions.
“At that time, my father hoped we would get married as soon as possible,” he said. “He was probably afraid that if we were in a long-distance relationship for too long, our feelings would change, and he wanted to make a decision before you left.”
Tan Yixiao: "You know the situation back then. We were blocked by Tan Su in our bet with investors on Huisheng's IPO. If we defaulted, we would be burdened with astronomical debts. Your brother also said that I shouldn't have dragged you into this mess. You pitied me more than you loved me."
Li Li looked at him silently.
"In addition, there were some very, very bad things I did before..." He stopped there and said, "At that time, I really had the idea of giving up on this relationship."
"On my last night in S City, Fang Xuan came to me and said that her father's debts had collapsed again and she wanted my help. At that time, I felt like I was already a mess, and I thought I would help as many people as I could, so I made an appointment with her family's lawyer."
“The day you went,” Tan Yi’s voice trembled uncontrollably, “my father had just left that house. We had a huge, really big argument. He forced me to talk to you about marriage, and I said I wasn’t good enough for you. He insisted that I contact you and persuade you. Then, I got hurt and called Fang Xuan over.”
“She was in Hong Kong dealing with debt issues at that time. I asked her to come over and show it to my father,” his voice choked up, “I didn’t expect you to come, really I didn’t.”
"I had just finished arguing, and my mind was a mess. I watched you cry, and my mind was in turmoil. But I really couldn't go on like this. I thought maybe it would be better to stop here, otherwise I would just hurt you again later. Do you understand, Kitty?"
"So what I really need to apologize for is not the infidelity, but the far more egregious behavior behind it. I can't face you, so I can only use a false accusation to cover up even bigger and bigger mistakes."
This way, you can pretend to be at peace with yourself and deceive yourself into thinking you're innocent.
Tan Yi said, "On your birthday that day, you said I contacted you because of my career success. I came here to tell you that's not the case. I finally have the courage to face what happened in the past, and I beg for your forgiveness."
He spoke with difficulty: "Because during the time you advised Tan Su..."
He was interrupted when Li Li said, "Stop talking, I forgive you. The food's getting cold, Tan Yi."
“Let’s keep our memories on the good side,” she said with a smile. “When I went to Hong Kong to see you that time, I really wanted to get married to you.”
Tan Yi's face turned pale in an instant.
But then I heard her say, "Yes, there won't be a next time."
So you don't need to say anything more.
Before coming, Tan Yi thought it wouldn't hurt to be a little shameless. He'd tell her everything, even if he got beaten or scolded; he'd just pitch a tent, buy a sleeping bag, and stay on the lawn outside her house.
Or you could rent a place and become Li Li's neighbor, accompanying her to and from get out of class every day, just like back in Singapore.
He hadn't thought about it.
She didn't want to listen anymore.
Tan Yi forced a smile: "I originally had a lot to say, but now... I don't know what to say."
Li Li felt relieved the moment he clarified things, and said, "Let's clink glasses! Eat quickly, I'm starving."
She downed the drink in one gulp.
After finishing her drink, she cheered up and pulled Tan Yi aside like a long-lost friend, chatting about the recent situations of Sipo's old friends.
Most people have already started working, some are already married, and a small number are still pursuing doctoral degrees. People like Li Li, who have delayed their studies for two years and are still pursuing a master's degree, are quite an exception.
She said, "Actually, after those two years of being bound by contracts, I cherish my time in school even more now. It was so simple and happy!"
Looking at her cheerful expression, Tan Yi said, "Yes."
After the meal, Li Li went to the front desk to pay the bill, while Tan Yi picked up the cork from the table and put it in his pocket.
Li Li didn't notice. She stood by the roadside and asked, "Where are you planning to go next?"
Tan Yi let out a breath: "I still want to do what I promised you before but couldn't. I plan to go to San Diego, and then we'll talk about the rest."
He is now only at the age when Tan Su was just beginning to seize power through the covenant, but he has already lost his ambition and calmly accepted reality.
“I now understand my grandfather’s decision. He wanted me to take a different path from Tan Su for the public good and for my own good. I went astray before, so I will not continue down that path.”
Before getting into the car, he suddenly turned around and hugged her tightly: "Cat, if you're ever unhappy, you can always come to me."
"I'm always waiting for you."
——
After that, it rained for several days in a row. After saying goodbye to Tan Yi, Li Li felt a dampness in her heart, as if she was no longer young.
In the family group chat, Li Zhoudu hadn't been active for a long time. He would occasionally call, but they would only exchange a few words.
Wenxi complained that he was very busy now and didn't know why he was working so hard at such a young age if he wasn't going to get married and have children.
Li Li remained silent.
Two or three days later, Tan Su's plane landed amidst wind and rain.
Li Li took off her shoes as she entered the house and saw that he had already taken a shower, hung his clothes out to dry on the balcony, and was checking emails on his computer in the living room. She silently took the oranges she had brought into the kitchen.
The knife sliced through the rough orange peel, leaving a fragrant aroma. Tan Su, wearing a sweater, came from behind, his arms wrapping around her waist, and asked, "Have you seen Tan Yi?"
Li Li rolled her eyes and said, "Oh, so you know that too."
Tan Su said, "Having a good chat?"
Li Li deliberately teased him: "That's quite good. Fine wine and delicious food, one would forget all about home."
Tan Su was silent for a few seconds: "His move is clever. He can take the money and retreat at this critical moment, so at least he won't be wiped out along with Tan Congxu."
Li Li said, "He didn't choose to withdraw because he saw the situation was not good, as you said. He simply didn't want to continue. Tan Su, don't be so pragmatic in judging everything people do. Also, don't have anyone investigate him again."
Tan Su took the sliced orange from her knife, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Li Li shouted from the side, "Tan Su, why aren't you saying anything! Is it true that you'll listen to everything I say?"
"Tan Su! Tan Su! Tan Su!"
She has a really loud voice.
Tan Su asked, "When you're using a knife, can you behave yourself?"
Li Li jumped onto his back without any hesitation, hanging from Tan Su's neck from behind, her legs wrapped around his waist to prevent her from slipping. She stretched her neck and looked at Tan Su's profile, saying, "You came to check up on me, you don't think we've rekindled our old flame, do you?"
Tan Su remained expressionless.
Li Li sarcastically remarked, "You really seem to have a sense of crisis!"
"But he's not like you. You're all talk and no action, always making promises. He, on the other hand, withdrew his investment and started wandering the world for me."
Instead of holding the knife, Tan Su slapped her on the buttocks from behind, saying in a dangerous tone, "You like wandering the world, don't you?"
"Damn it!" Li Li jumped off his back.
Tan Su turned around, grabbed her wrist, and said, "You like drinking, right?"
"Drinking is my right! Tan Su, how dare you lecture me again!"
Her incoherent curses were completely shut down as Tan Su stripped her naked in the kitchen.
Li Li thought this person was truly abnormal! He must be one of those people with high energy levels, not only having the energy to outwit and outmaneuver others in China, but also having the energy to keep tossing and turning after taking a flight of more than twenty hours.
Tan Su didn't get to eat meat often, but each time he did, he made sure to eat his fill, forcing Li Li to change her opinion that he was terrible.
Li Li, of course, couldn't do as Tan Su wished. Annoyed, she took a small apple-peeling knife and pointed it at his chest, asking, "Are you going to set up or not?"
Tan Su neither retreated nor dodged, but instead slashed even deeper into the skin with the blade, startling Li Li so much that she quickly threw the knife away: "Are you crazy?!"
Tan Su was even more aroused by the smell of blood. He pulled her finger along the bloodstain, put it in his lips, and then fed it to her to share the sweet and pungent taste.
I'm going to die.
Li Li closed his eyes and thought, and he really did learn something valuable.
Before she even had dinner, Li Li had already run out of energy. She buried herself in the blankets and fell asleep.
Tan Su kissed her on the forehead, then went out and closed the door behind him.
The kitchen was a complete mess, and Tan Su was cleaning and tidying it up while waiting for the delivery person to arrive.
He thought of the message on his phone, his hands resting on the sink, staring at the gushing water from the faucet, lost in thought.
Li Zhoudu was also well-informed; he set off for Hong Kong on the very day he took his long-haul flight.
Who could it be? he wondered.
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Author's Note: Sorry it's too late today, *kiss*
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