Chapter 17: Dramatic Scene - My Mom Goes to a Party with Handsome Guys, and My Dad Caught Us...
He Zongqin was displeased. "Your sister-in-law never lets me come out this late. I have to kneel on a washboard when I get back to keep you company! I've sacrificed so much for you! And you don't even acknowledge me."
Liang Huaixu curled the corner of his mouth, "Does your sister-in-law know that you're talking about her like that outside? She even made you kneel on a washboard."
This usually taciturn man finally spoke up, and He Zongqin said with a smile, "What do you know? Didn't you feel that I was showing off my love?"
Liang Huaixu: "..."
Knowing how to manage relationships is also an art. He Zongqin is usually a bit unconventional, but he is very reliable in critical moments and has a keen eye for people.
Liang Huaixu thought it wouldn't hurt to let He Zongqin analyze it for him, so he lowered his voice and said, "I have a friend who has been acting strangely lately."
This opening… He Zongqin narrowed his eyes with interest. “How is it abnormal? Has he become unlike himself?”
Liang Huaixu paused for a moment, then nodded.
He Zongqin's smile widened, and he continued to ask, "Is your friend currently in a relationship? Or about to start one?"
Liang Huaixu looked at He Zongqin with a more serious expression.
Seeing him nod, He Zongqin said, "That's normal, that's how people in love are..."
He spoke at length, making it sound plausible.
But Zhuang Fuyao has been acting strangely lately. Not only has her personality changed and her preferences changed, but she also seems to have forgotten some things.
That day, Zhuang Fuyao asked him if Liang Chaoluo was in a relationship. At first, he thought she wanted him to play the bad cop, which made sense.
But the lack of follow-up is rather strange. And then there was her unfamiliarity with Deng Qifeng at the police station last time…
“It’s not that she doesn’t look like her at all,” Liang Huaixu said after thinking for a moment. “It’s just that, in comparison, she looks more like her from many years ago.”
He Zongqin was quite surprised. He had previously thought that Liang Huaixu and Teacher Shen were a good match, but now he realized that it was more than just a good match; they were deeply in love. "This means that your friend has met his soulmate. People only become childish and like their past selves when they encounter happiness."
Liang Huaixu frowned, stopped talking, ordered a drink, and resumed his previous silence.
He Zongqin's nonchalant smile froze, and he stopped him, "A little wine is good for the soul, but drinking like this is bad for your health. Don't you know your own body's limits?"
"Leave me alone." Liang Huaixu blocked the way with his elbow.
He Zongqin knew Liang Huaixu's personality, and it was already unprecedented for him to talk to him about so many emotional issues.
He sighed helplessly and could only offer silent words of comfort, "You've been single for so many years, it's time to find someone. Life is only a few decades long, the most important thing is to live happily. What do other people's opinions matter? No matter how many burdens you carry, in the end it will all be for nothing."
After being reminded by He Zongqin that day, Liang Huaixu had actually considered it. But whenever he thought that the person wasn't Zhuang Fuyao, he felt very uncomfortable and his train of thought was instantly cut off.
He will never be able to start a new relationship in his life.
After some encouragement, He Zongqin, feeling parched, stopped drinking and ordered a glass of lemonade.
After I finished half a glass, my wife called.
He went to a quiet place to answer the phone and came back, feeling somewhat conflicted.
On the other end of the phone, his wife was scolding him for not coming home so late, saying that if he kept going like this, he might really be kneeling on a washboard when he got back.
So, should you simply follow your brotherhood and get drunk with Liang Huaixu, or go back to be his perfect husband?
While he was struggling with his decision, a thought suddenly struck him. He opened the chat window with Shen Lian and asked: "Teacher Shen, are you free right now?"
A reply came after a while: 【What's wrong?】
He Zongqin: [Professor Shen, I'm having drinks with Professor Liang right now. Professor Liang has had quite a bit to drink, but I have something urgent to attend to and have to go back first. I remember you said your home is nearby, would it be convenient for you to come and look after him?]
After sending the message, he felt a sudden panic. Although his original intention was to matchmake Lao Liang and Teacher Shen, it was still inappropriate to do it so late at night. Lao Liang would come and punish him after he sobered up.
He Zongqin: [No need, Professor Shen. I didn't think about it that much just now, but now I realize it might not be very convenient. I'll just contact his assistant.]
Typing is in progress over there...
After a while.
Chen Lian: [It's alright, I was just taking a walk nearby, I'll go there in a bit.]
He Zongqin was worried that the other party was just being polite and was about to say again that it wasn't necessary when a new message came in: "[He's my senior brother, there's nothing inconvenient about it.]"
He Zongqin pursed his lips. Since things had come to this, this was the only way.
He patted Liang Huaixu on the shoulder, "Old Liang, your sister-in-law is urging me to go back, so I'm leaving first. I've asked someone to come and keep an eye on you."
Liang Huaixu wiped his face from top to bottom with his palms to clear his mind, then waved his hand, "Go back quickly, don't let your sister-in-law worry about you."
...
After Shen Lian arrived, she immediately spotted the aloof man in the booth.
"Senior brother." Seeing Liang Huaixu's unusual demeanor, her heart skipped a beat. Instead of rushing to take him back, she ordered a drink and sat down next to him.
Liang Huaixu didn't even notice the person sitting next to him. He looked down at the wine in his glass, tilted his head back, his Adam's apple bobbed, and took another big gulp.
This was a newly brewed drink, and it was very spicy. He was caught off guard and choked, coughing several times.
Shen Lian patted his back considerately.
"Who?" Liang Huaixu froze, his icy gaze sweeping over.
“It’s me, senior brother…” Shen Lian’s voice trembled slightly as she saw her senior brother being so aggressive for the first time. “I heard from Professor He that you were drunk, and I happened to be taking a walk nearby, so I came to check on you.”
Upon seeing that it was an acquaintance, Liang Huaixu's imposing manner subsided, and he stood up, saying, "I'm going to the restroom."
He was actually a little displeased. He wondered if He Zongqin was doing it on purpose. He had originally thought he could have a good drink tonight, but now that there was a woman present, he couldn't let himself drink like that.
After washing his face, he became more awake. Liang Huaixu was a little flustered and subconsciously wanted to loosen his collar, but when he remembered that Chen Lian was outside, he paused. Not only did he not loosen it, but he also tucked back the button he had previously unbuttoned, sealing his Adam's apple.
Outside, Shen Lian recalled how her senior brother had restrained his aura when he saw her, and happily drank a few sips of wine.
When she was in college, Liang Huaixu already had a position at Jiang University, teaching the same class as her roommate. Once, when she went to find her roommate, she almost bumped into him. She looked up in a fluster and met his deep, wise eyes. He asked her gently, "Did I bump into you?"
That moment of butterflies in her stomach remained etched in Chen Lian's memory for many years.
Later, when she was pursuing her master's degree, she happened to be accepted as Professor Yu's last disciple, and by a twist of fate, she became his junior sister.
She used to be timid and never dared to express her admiration, keeping it hidden for so many years. Now she is twenty-six years old, has a stable job, and is at the right age for marriage, so she has the courage to fight for it.
She swirled her glass, and under the influence of the rich, spring-like atmosphere, her heart began to beat faster uncontrollably.
"Senior brother..."
When Liang Huaixu returned, he heard Shen Lian reminiscing about the past. After listening for a while, the alcohol made him less stable than usual, and he was getting impatient. He was about to find an excuse to leave.
Shen Lian got to the crucial point: "I've really liked you for a very, very long time. Could you consider me?"
Liang Huaixu was taken aback and looked at Chen Lian with surprise. His eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions, all of which turned into a headache.
He said calmly, "Chen Lian, you may have misunderstood something. My feelings for you..."
“I don’t misunderstand. I know that I don’t have those feelings for you, but you’re thirty-eight years old this year, and I’m single. If you don’t dislike me, can we give it a try?” Chen Lian interrupted him, her eyes getting a little hot. “Senior brother, you just need to tell me whether you agree or not.”
This is the extent to which she can be shameless.
Although she couldn't compare to her senior, she was still an outstanding person among her peers, and she had many suitors. The reason she was so reckless today was not only because of the alcohol, but also because of He Zongqin.
At school, her senior brother and He Zongqin were the closest, so He Zongqin wouldn't have said those things to her for no reason. Shen Lian clung to a sliver of hope, wondering if her senior brother had other feelings for her. Then He Zongqin found out.
It's even possible that... He Zongqin calling her over was actually an instruction from his senior brother?
On the way here, Chen Lian had already had a daydream.
But now her senior brother looked tired and impatient, and showed no interest in romance. She had a premonition of what was going on, but subconsciously avoided it.
Liang Huaixu's gaze was heavy, and he already regretted calling He Zongqin out for drinks today. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and said, "Chen Lian, I have never had any romantic feelings for you. Relationships are not something you can just try casually."
Shen Lian took a deep breath, tears welling up in her eyes. She stubbornly wiped her eyes away. "Then I'm sorry to have bothered you."
After she left, Liang Huaixu let out a sigh of frustration, preparing to go to the restroom again before heading back.
The men's restroom was nearly empty. Besides him, there were only two other boys a few urinals away.
"Brother Luo called us over to cheer up that woman, but I felt like she was in a pretty good mood."
"I've also been wondering what kind of troubles a beautiful and rich woman might have."
"Huh?" the boy gossiped. "Brother Luo wouldn't mean that, would he?"
"Are you crazy?" another person retorted. "We're legitimate beauty bloggers, okay? Brother Luo called us over just to please the eye. Besides, Brother Luo isn't that kind of person."
"What I mean is," the boy smiled, "I really like that older woman. Do you think I have a chance?"
"Get lost, the other party was brought by Brother Luo, let's not even think about people from that circle." He thought of something, and his expression became a little subtle. "But have you noticed Zhao Zilin's unusual behavior today? He has the most fans among us, and he's also the most outspoken, but he's actually been talking more today."
"Who knows?"
The two men were beside Liang Huaixu when he washed his hands. By the time he finished washing them slowly, they had already left.
"What are you two doing in the bathroom, taking up so much time?" Liang Chaoluo raised his chin.
Guo Zhixi chuckled, "It's because Zanzi urinates a lot."
"Get lost!" The two quickly started playfully fighting.
Zhuang Fuyao was infected by this youthful and chuckled.
She had just returned from Zou City when Liang Chaoluo picked her up here. The snotty-nosed boy from before had grown into a handsome young man. He looked very refreshing and dashing in a white t-shirt and jeans. He hadn't grown into the mischievous monkey she had imagined. His behavior was more mature than his age.
Liang Chaoluo told her that he had a friend's party and wanted to take her along.
Although she was tired from the journey, Zhuang Fuyao wanted to talk to him more after sixteen years, so she agreed.
When she arrived at the scene, she was a little surprised.
Everyone there except her was a man, and all of them were handsome men, impeccably dressed and made up. From their conversation, she learned that these people were all internet celebrities, some with tens of millions of followers, and the least with hundreds of thousands—people who truly made a living based on their looks.
It's a pity that Song Qing and Bagel weren't there for this scene.
She sent a message to the group chat: 【ddd, is anyone free?】
Song Qing: [Having dinner with my team.]
Bagel: [Singing with my college roommate [kiss]]
Zhuang Fuyao said regretfully, "There's a gathering here, all handsome guys. It's such a pity you didn't come."
Song Qing: [Sister, why didn't you say so sooner?! I hate that I'm not in Jiang City. Is it too late for me to rush back? [crying]]
……
In the bathroom, Liang Huaixu wiped his hands with a tissue, then opened one hand and pressed his temple. It was just past one in the morning; he could still get a few hours of sleep when he got back.
When he contacted Mr. Peng to pick him up, his gaze paused as he noticed an ID card lying on the ground.
If it were anything else, Liang Huaixu would never have bothered with it. But an ID card is indeed a very important document. And it's very likely that it was dropped by those two people just now.
This is a quiet bar, not very busy, but there are plenty of empty seats at this time, so finding someone shouldn't be difficult.
He hesitated for a moment, then picked it up and went to walk around the lobby. Just then, He Zongqin called.
When asked how it went, he sneered, "What do you think?"
Liang Huaixu felt that Shen Lian's confession to him was her privacy, so he didn't tell He Zongqin. He only analyzed the inappropriateness of He Zongqin bringing someone over late at night, a man and a woman alone together.
After being criticized by him, He Zongqin's voice sounded somewhat weak, "It was my fault for not doing this well."
While I was on the phone with He Zongqin, a burst of laughter suddenly came from the booth behind me.
The voice sounded familiar. Liang Huaixu turned around and his face darkened completely.
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