Chapter 27: Learning to Be Tactful

“No, I can’t,” Bai Jing said. “My husband is here too.”

“Isn’t your husband in Shenzhen?”

“He arrived in Lijiang yesterday at noon.”

“I’m so annoyed. I was thinking of meeting up and having a meal with you before you went back to Shenzhen.”

“I’ll talk to you about it next time I come to Lijiang.”

“Can’t we just meet? I miss you so much.”

Upon hearing this, Bai Jing frowned even more deeply.

After clearing her throat, Bai Jing, her eyes filled with melancholy, said, “Brother Long, it’s not that I don’t want to see you, it’s just that my husband is here too. Otherwise, why would I not want to see you?”

“I wouldn’t mind meeting him and telling him some things that might interest him.”

“Brother Long, are you threatening me?”

“It’s less of a threat and more of the truth.”

“If you tell him, I’m going to be in big trouble. You know that, Brother Long.”

“Because I know this, I think you should agree to meet me.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to see you, it’s just that I really can’t,” Bai Jing said. “Because of the scar on my wrist, my husband suspects I’m cheating, so he’s been watching me like a criminal, practically never leaving my side. Right now he’s helping my mom with some chores, otherwise he would definitely be watching me. Brother Long, how about this? If I can get my husband away in the next couple of days, then I’ll come see you. If I really can’t, then I’ll wait until you go to Shenzhen to see you. I haven’t been working since I became a mother, so I’ll have more free time.”

“What you just said makes me really curious.”

“That’s all for now, my husband seems to be coming to see me.”

“Okay, try to come see me in the next couple of days.”

“I know.”

After saying those four words, Bai Jing hung up.

After hanging up, Bai Jing let out a long sigh.

After deleting the call log, Bai Jing then called her husband.

After the call connected, Bai Jing asked, “Would you like to have lunch together?”

“No, I’ll eat my own food.”

“How about we meet at 3 PM at the place where we first met?”

“More or less.”

“So what are you having for lunch?”

“I’ve already eaten Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles.”

“Where are you now?”

“It’s none of your business.”

Beep…beep…

Hearing the hang-up message, Bai Jing frowned even more deeply.

All she wanted now was to leave Lijiang, this place of trouble, as soon as possible. She had just been about to ask her husband which date they should buy tickets to go back. But because he hung up immediately, Bai Jing didn’t even have a chance to ask. Although Shenzhen was also a depressing place for her, at least it would be better than Lijiang.

After standing there for a while, Bai Jing went to a nearby rice noodle shop to have lunch.

As for Han An, he and Xu Yina had just arrived at the restaurant.

Black goat hot pot, salmon, and cured pork ribs are three very famous dishes in Lijiang.

So when Han An arrived at the Happy Sheep Restaurant, he ordered a black goat hot pot.

Worried that the soup base would be too salty, Han An also ordered two cups of plum juice.

After chatting with Xu Yina for a while, Han An opened a WeChat chat window with Bai Qin.

“Xiaoqin, do you know the name of the travel agency your sister used to work for?”

“Brother-in-law, what exactly are you trying to do?”

“Never mind that, just tell me. The more I know about your sister and Li Fulong’s relationship, the better it will be for you.”

Haotian Travel Agency.

“Have you had lunch yet?”

“I’ve already eaten; it’s still Old Qian’s specialty.”

Upon seeing Bai Qin’s reply, and remembering that Lao Qian had once worked as a waiter in the kitchen, Han An couldn’t help but frown.

He wanted to continue chatting with Bai Qin on WeChat, but he was worried that Lao Qian would see the chat history, so he chose to call her directly.

After the call was connected, Han An said, “Xiao Qin, don’t get too close to Lao Qian.”

“what?”

“Haven’t you heard anything about him?”

“I don’t understand what you mean by that, brother-in-law.”

“I heard he had an affair with one of the waiters.”

“That’s all nonsense,” Bai Qin said on the other end of the phone. “I’ve already asked Lao Qian, and he said he was teaching the waiter how to cut beef. Because he happened to be standing behind that waiter, another waiter misunderstood. As a result, the story got passed around and became that Lao Qian was messing with a waiter in the kitchen.”

Who exactly is being referred to as “a certain waiter”?

“Old Qian didn’t say,” Bai Qin added after a pause, “Old Qian said that the waitress is married, so he can’t reveal her name. Even if he and the waitress are completely innocent, because everyone is gossiping, if this gets to the waitress’s husband’s ears, it will inevitably cause unnecessary trouble.”

“No matter what, you shouldn’t get too close to Lao Qian.”

“Brother-in-law, are you afraid I’ll be taken advantage of by Lao Qian?”

“That’s exactly what I was worried about,” Han An said. “Besides, you don’t even have a boyfriend right now, so you can’t get too close to Lao Qian. If you get a boyfriend one day, and he hears from someone that you and Lao Qian are getting close and might be having an affair, then your relationship is very likely to fall apart.”

“Brother-in-law, are you worried about me?”

“You’re my sister-in-law, of course I care about you.”

“Who I get close to is my business, you don’t need to worry about it, brother-in-law.”

“What if something happens to you?”

“I’m not a child, I’ll take responsibility for myself.”

“Fine, you said it,” Han An said, somewhat annoyed. “If something happens to you one day, don’t blame me for not warning you.”

“Brother-in-law, you’ll avenge me then, right?”

“I’m not going to chat anymore, I’m going to eat.”

“Please give my regards to my sister.”

“I see.”

After hanging up, Han An placed his phone on the dining table.

Looking at Xu Yina, who was resting her chin on her hands, Han An asked, “What’s your impression of Xiaoqin?”

“We haven’t had much contact.”

Tell me about it.

“Her character is fine, she’s just a bit wild,” Xu Yina said. “But she’s still young, so it’s normal for her to be a bit wild. Isn’t it said that everyone is like a starfruit with sharp edges before entering society? But after being tempered by the great furnace of society, the sharp edges are gradually smoothed out, and the starfruit becomes a nectarine, smooth to the touch.”

“That’s because she’s become more tactful, which is part of the art of social interaction,” Han An said. “Xiao Qin is indeed a bit wild, and her temper is completely different from her sister’s, so sometimes I hope she can learn from her sister. Of course, I’m referring to her temper, not lying.”

“Has the landlady ever lied before?”

Even if it exists, I wouldn’t know.

“That’s because you trust your wife too much, right, boss?”

Han An wanted to say something, but since the black goat hotpot was already on the table, he said, “Eat up, don’t be shy.”

“It smells so good!” Xu Yina exclaimed, quickly picking up her chopsticks. “My mouth is watering!”

Seeing Xu Yina’s excited expression, Han An finally smiled.

After eating a piece of black goat meat, Xu Yina licked her lips and asked, “Why don’t we make black goat hot pot?”

“The main problem is still the difficulty in solving the supply of raw materials.”

Are there no black goat farms in Shenzhen or nearby cities?

“Yes, we do, but the meat quality can’t compare to that of the black goats here.”

“Understood.”

“Eat more, you look too thin.”

“That’s called skinny beauty.”

“But you don’t seem to fit the ‘skinny’ look at all.”

Will it?

“Some parts aren’t skeletal enough.”

When Han An said that, Xu Yina couldn’t help but glance at her own chest.