Chapter 47
After being interrupted by Lin Qinhe, Tao Xi felt that all the restlessness in his heart seemed to disappear.
At this time, Lin Qinhe's cell phone vibrated. Tao Xi reached into Lin Qinhe's coat pocket, took out the cell phone and gave it to Lin Qinhe.
Lin Qinhe glanced at the screen of his mobile phone. It was a call from Luo Zhengyin, so he answered it.
"Qinhe, I'm on my way to pick up Lele. I'll be there soon. You should be back from grandpa's house. I want to take you and Lele out to eat something. Is it convenient for you to come over now?"
Lin Qinhe didn't hesitate and said bluntly: "Tao Xi and I are outside. We will take him back to school later."
The private room was very quiet. Even without the speakerphone on, Tao Xi could still hear Luo Zhengyin's voice.
Luo Zhengyin seemed to hesitate for a moment, then said, "Is Taoxi here too? Then I'll treat you two to a meal together. It's rare that you have a friend you like, and I've always wanted to meet this kid."
When Tao Xi heard the word "like", he looked up at Lin Qinhe with a smile on his face.
Lin Qinhe frowned, he knew what Luo Zhengyin's intention was. Yang Duole had been in an abnormal mood recently, causing unrest in the family. He had exhausted his patience in coaxing Yang Duole, and the two of them became much more distant than before. Luo Zhengyin had been looking for an opportunity to ease their relationship.
Lin Qinhe knew that Tao Xi was bothered by Yang Duole, and was ready to find a reason to reject Luo Zhengyin, but then he heard Luo Zhengyin say in a pleading tone:
"Qin He, can you ask Tao Xi for your mother?"
Lin Qinhe looked at Tao Xi, thinking that Tao Xi would shake her head and refuse, but Tao Xi said calmly: "Tell Auntie that I can do it."
Lin Qinhe looked into Tao Xi's eyes for two seconds, and after making sure that there was no reluctance on his face, he agreed to Luo Zhengyin's request and asked about the restaurant Luo Zhengyin had booked.
After answering the phone, Lin Qinhe asked Tao Xi: "You really don't mind?"
He knew very well how much Tao Xi didn't want to see Yang Duole. He had noticed it since the first time they met at the beginning of the school year.
Tao Xi put his hands in his pockets and said in a relaxed tone:
"I don't mind."
But what would Yang Duole's reaction be when he saw him?
Luo Zhengyin parked the car in the parking lot of the grand club and called Yang Duole. Perhaps because his classmates had a good time at the birthday party, Yang Duole seemed to be in a much better mood tonight.
Soon Yang Duole got into the car and called out "Mom Luo". Although he still didn't talk much, he would answer a few words whenever Luo Zhengyin asked.
Luo Zhengyin casually asked a few questions about the party, then drove to a nearby Western restaurant she had booked. Yang Duole really liked the desserts there, and on the way she hesitated and didn't mention that Lin Qinhe and Tao Xi were also coming.
Adults always think that children's conflicts can be resolved by talking them over. Luo Zhengyin originally wanted Lin Qinhe and Yang Duole to ease their relationship, but Tao Xi happened to be there. She guessed that her two children had a conflict because of Tao Xi, and thought that she could take this rare opportunity to let them sit down and have a heart-to-heart talk.
At the table for four in the western restaurant, Yang Duole lowered his head and ate the expensive dessert with a fork. Luo Zhengyin, who was sitting opposite him, sent a WeChat message to Lin Qinhe to ask where he was, and then asked Yang Duole:
"LeLe, let's go visit your mother's grave together this weekend?"
In the past, Luo Zhengyin would take Yang Duole to visit Fang Sui's grave every once in a while. Yang Duole would carefully pick out a bunch of his mother's favorite white roses from the flower shop, and then give them to his mother in front of the grave and talk to her for a while.
But now Luo Zhengyin saw that Yang Duole stopped the fork in his hand, pursed his lips tightly and said nothing, obviously unwilling to agree to visit Fang Sui's grave.
She was confused and was about to ask when she saw Lin Qinhe walking in with a boy not far away. She naturally knew the boy, it was Tao Xi.
Tao Xi pointed at the vacant black grand piano in the middle of the restaurant, tilted his head and said something to Lin Qinhe. Lin Qinhe glanced at the piano and gave Tao Xi a faint smile.
Luo Zhengyin was stunned for a moment, with a strange feeling in her heart. She stood up from her seat and said to the two people who were walking towards her with a smile: "Qin He, Tao Xi."
"Hello, Auntie." Tao Xi greeted Luo Zhengyin politely, then glanced at Yang Duole who was sitting with his back to him eating.
There was a "bang", the sound of metal falling to the ground. Luo Zhengyin looked down and found that the fork in Yang Duole's hand had fallen to the ground. The waiter next to him quickly came over and replaced the tableware for Yang Duole.
Yang Duole's back was stiff, and he kept his head down. He held the newly replaced fork tightly in his hand, shaking slightly.
Luo Zhengyin didn't see Yang Duole's expression, and said to him: "Lele, I didn't tell you just now that Qin He and Tao Xi are here too. You are all classmates, so it's a good opportunity for you to sit together and chat."
Lin Qinhe glanced at Yang Duole's hand holding the fork, pulled out a chair and let Tao Xi sit next to Luo Zhengyin, while he sat opposite Tao Xi.
Luo Zhengyin also sat down and finally noticed the abnormality of Yang Duole opposite him. Fine cold sweat broke out on his forehead, his lips turned pale, and he clenched the fork tightly, staring at the unfinished berry pudding in front of him.
She was worried that Yang Duole was not feeling well, so she asked hurriedly, "Lele, what's wrong?"
Tao Xi took the menu from Lin Qinhe, glanced at Yang Duole across from him, and lowered his head to look at the menu.
Yang Duole glanced at Tao Xi who was looking at the menu, shook his head at Luo Zhengyin, and said in a mosquito-like voice: "I'm fine." Then he continued to eat the dessert with his fork intermittently without looking up at anyone.
Luo Zhengyin wondered if she had done something wrong on her own initiative. Yang Duole seemed very resistant to Tao Xi, but he did not suggest leaving and just ate in silence.
She suppressed her doubts, turned to Tao Xi and said kindly: "Tao Xi, order whatever you want. Auntie will treat you today."
Tao Xi said obediently: "Okay, thank you Auntie."
He lowered his head and continued to look at the menu. The prices on it were so expensive that he was shocked. After hesitating for a while and not knowing how to choose, he pushed the menu in front of Lin Qinhe and poked the back of Lin Qinhe's hand when Luo Zhengyin wasn't paying attention.
Lin Qinhe understood what he meant and took the menu, then ordered a few desserts and drinks from the waiter.
The meal came quickly. Luo Zhengyin saw Lin Qinhe cut off a piece of the peach dessert tart and put it naturally on Taoxi's plate. Taoxi smiled at Lin Qinhe, as if she was used to Lin Qinhe's behavior.
Luo Zhengyin was slightly surprised and looked at his son again.
The music in the western restaurant was soothing, but the atmosphere at the table was a little stagnant. Luo Zhengyin took the initiative to bring up topics several times to get the children talking, but only Tao Xi responded to her seriously, Lin Qinhe occasionally responded with a few words, and Yang Duole didn't say a word from beginning to end.
As a parent, Luo Zhengyin could only talk about her children's study and hobbies. When she heard Tao Xi say that he liked painting, she looked at the boy with some surprise and asked again: "Do you like painting too?"
I didn’t realize that the word “也” was a bit strange.
Lin Qinhe sat next to Yang Duole and lowered his eyes to glance at Yang Duole's left hand, which was tightly clutching the tablecloth under the table. The knuckles of that hand were white, and it seemed that he was extremely nervous about something.
Tao Xi nodded and said, "Yes, I am now learning oil painting from Grandpa Qiao Henian."
Luo Zhengyin was stunned when she heard the three words "Qiao Henian". She couldn't help but recall that many years ago, Fang Sui, who was sixteen or seventeen years old, was also a student of Qiao Henian. After finishing piano lessons on weekends, she would ride her bicycle to the old villa of the Qiao family to pick up Fang Sui who had just finished painting lessons. Fang Sui would occasionally pick up a piece of sycamore leaf on the ground and give it to her, and then sit on the back seat of the bicycle and talk to her with a smile.
Tao Xi felt that Luo Zhengyin's gaze towards him was a little strange. He felt an indescribable sadness and loss in her eyes, as if she was looking at another person through him. He hesitated and asked:
"You know Grandpa Qiao too?"
Luo Zhengyin came back to her senses. Perhaps because the child looked too much like Fang Hui, every time she faced Tao Xi she would always think of Fang Hui, and feel a mysterious uneasiness.
She smiled and said, "Yes, Uncle Qiao watched me grow up. You will definitely learn a lot from Uncle Qiao. He is a very good painter and a very good teacher."
Tao Xi nodded and said, "Grandpa Qiao really taught me a lot."
Luo Zhengyin recalled another past event: "Qinhe often went to Uncle Qiao's house to play when he was a child, but he has been going less frequently in recent years." She looked at Lin Qinhe and smiled, "Qinhe, go visit Uncle Qiao next time you have a holiday. He once complained to me that you never went to his house after you grew up."
Tao Xi looked at Lin Qinhe and gently touched the tip of Lin Qinhe's shoe with her foot under the table.
Lin Qinhe said calmly, "I'll visit next Sunday." He looked as if he had never been there before.
Luo Zhengyin looked at Yang Duole, whom she had been paying close attention to. Yang Duole still lowered his head and ate without saying a word. She sighed inwardly and had to continue talking to Tao Xi:
"So do you plan to continue studying painting in the future? Have you decided which school to apply to?"
Tao Xi smiled and said, "I plan to apply to art schools in the United States."
He glanced at Yang Duole calmly and continued, "So now I'm preparing my portfolio and participating in some art exhibitions and competitions."
Luo Zhengyin was a little surprised. After thinking for a while, he suggested: "If you want to apply to a foreign school, you really need to prepare early. I know more about art exhibitions and can introduce some to you. As for competitions, I don't know much. You can ask Uncle Qiao."
She really wanted to help this child. She knew Fang Sui quite well because she had often organized art exhibitions for her over the years.
Tao Xi smiled at Luo Zhengyin and said sincerely, "Thank you, Auntie."
Luo Zhengyin was dazed for a moment when she saw Tao Xi's smile. Something flashed through her mind, and she asked abruptly, "I heard from Lele and Qinhe that you are from Qingshui County. Where is your hometown in Qingshui County? I have never been to Qingshui County, but I have seen some landscape paintings there. It is a very beautiful place."
Tao Xi saw from the corner of his eye that Yang Duole stopped the cutlery in his hand. Before he could answer, Yang Duole stood up with his lips tightly pursed, threw down the cutlery and walked out of the restaurant without saying anything.
Luo Zhengyin hurriedly stood up and called "Le Le" several times, but Yang Duole did not stop, so she had to chase him out without even having time to say a word to the other two.
Tao Xi naturally knew why Yang Duole fled in panic. He lowered his eyelashes to hide the mocking look in his eyes.
There were only two people left at the table. Tao Xi noticed that Lin Qinhe had been looking at her, so she asked, "Aren't you going back with your mother?"
During the meal and conversation, he discovered that Luo Zhengyin's attention and concern for Yang Duole seemed to be even greater than for his own son Lin Qinhe, which made him a little unable to understand.
What made him feel even more ironic was that Yang Duole, the elder whom he tried so hard to please, could just throw a tantrum and leave at will.
Lin Qinhe placed his plate of uneaten dessert in front of Tao Xi, seemingly not caring about Luo Zhengyin and Yang Duole leaving, and said calmly:
"I'll take you back after you finish eating."
Tao Xi accepted the dessert without hesitation, lowered her head and continued eating, but she was still thinking about Lin Qinhe's mother.
He suddenly remembered that Bi Chengfei had told him a long time ago that Lin Qinhe's mother treated Yang Duoleshi as her own son. Now it seemed that this statement was not an exaggeration.
So if the truth comes out, given their more than ten years of mother-son relationship, Lin Qinhe's mother will definitely protect Yang Duole.
How would she view him?
He and Lin Qinhe still have this relationship.
Tao Xi was eating dessert absentmindedly when she suddenly heard Lin Qinhe ask:
"Does Guan Fanyun's visit to you tonight have anything to do with Yang Duole?"
Tao Xi's heart suddenly skipped a beat. The fork in her hand paused. She slowly swallowed the dessert in her mouth without answering.
He found that Lin Qinhe was sometimes so sharp that it frightened him.
Lin Qinhe didn't seem to expect his answer. He looked at him calmly and continued:
"If I hadn't come here at that time, would you have followed Guan Fanyun?"
This sentence has no tone, and the question sounds like an affirmative sentence.
Tao Xi was silent for a while, looking down, like a student being reprimanded by his parents, he put down his fork, put his hands on the table and said:
"President Guan told me that he would introduce me to a friend who would help me apply to schools abroad."
He couldn't tell Lin Qinhe about the conversation he had heard, let alone his previous plan to take advantage of the opportunity to take revenge.
Lin Qinhe frowned slightly and did not believe this. He knew that Tao Xi would not easily accept other people's kindness, let alone someone like Guan Fanyun who was a complete stranger and had a complicated identity.
He also always knew that Tao Xi was hiding something from him, perhaps this was the secret that Tao Xi was about to tell him.
And about this secret, he had an extremely absurd guess, so absurd that he felt he was crazy.
The restaurant's pianist sat back down in front of the grand piano and played a lazy jazz tune. Many diners laughed and applauded.
The two people at this table suddenly fell silent.
Tao Xi had never been looked at like this by Lin Qinhe before, as if the look had weight.
He felt a little flustered for no apparent reason. He didn't know what Lin Qinhe was thinking. He thought he was still bothered by Guan Fanyun's matter. After thinking for a while, he asked directly, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with President Guan?"
Lin Qinhe looked away and put aside the crazy guess in his mind for the time being. He had indeed heard a little about Guan Fanyun, but he was not the kind of person who would talk about others behind their backs. He only said:
"Nothing. If she comes to you alone in the future, it's best to ignore her."
Tao Xi breathed a sigh of relief, nodded, and said, "Okay, I understand."
He began to talk about Jin Jing's birthday party that night, describing vividly how several microphone masters fought over the microphone to sing, how hard it was to describe Bi Chengfei's singing voice, how big Jin Jing's birthday cake was, and how delicious it was...
Lin Qinhe listened quietly and occasionally responded to Tao Xi.
After the pianist finished playing the jazz music, he changed to another song. After playing only a short section, Tao Xi's eyes lit up and he said to Lin Qinhe:
"Listen, it's 'Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence'!"
He propped his cheek with one hand, listened carefully for a while, shook his head and said, "Not as good as you."
Lin Qinhe leaned back in his chair and asked with amusement, "Can you hear it?"
Tao Xi knew that Lin Qinhe was making fun of his music appreciation ability, so he hummed softly, "If I say you play well, then you play well."
Lin Qinhe smiled and began to listen to the song that he had played many times, but he had no intention of listening to who played it better.
He looked out the floor-to-ceiling window. It was already mid-December and many shops on the street had put up Christmas decorations on their windows in advance. A huge Christmas tree had been erected at the entrance of the shopping mall opposite, flashing red and green neon lights.
All it takes is a snowfall to get to Christmas.
The author has something to say:
Everyone has been waiting for a long time. Today the judgment result is finally out, and I am cleared of all charges.
Thank you for your encouragement and waiting TAT, I miss you very much
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
