Wei Zhiqian’s eyebrows squeezed together into an enormous frown after watching them talking.
Wen Nuanxin commented, “Looks like he was waiting for this girl. She’s a very good-looking girl.”
Suddenly, she noticed Wei Zhiqian’s grim expression.
Wen Nuanxin thought to herself, it looks like my assumption was right on the money.
So he swings that way, does he?
Then why does he even go on blind dates? Is he just doing it to cover up?
Tan Mo had never spent any time with upperclassman Cheng alone before.
They would usually only see each other in the laboratory. So, naturally, there were many people around them.
There were ongoing conversations in the lab. Hence, it was always lively over there, never a single moment of silence.
Besides, they spent most of their time there doing research and studies.
So Tan Mo and upperclassman Cheng seldom spoke to one another about anything but their studies.
Awkwardness filled the atmosphere as their brief conversation ended. They didn’t know what to say to one another.
“I’m going to text and ask where Yeqing and Muye are,” Tan Mo said.
Although knowing that the two were most likely going to flake out on them, he nodded. “All right.”
With that, Tan Mo hurriedly sent a text message to the trio’s WeChat group: “Where are you two? Upperclassman Cheng and I are waiting for you.”
Qin Muye: “We’re on our way there. The traffic here is bumper to bumper. So, we can’t confirm our ETA.”
Tan Mo: “We? You’re coming together?”
Qin Muye had gone home, while Ming Yeqing had worked as Professor Yue’s assistant at a lecture.
Why did the two of them, who were so far from each other, rendezvous to travel to the restaurant together?
Ming Yeqing: “Sorry, my bad. I left first thing after Professor Yue’s lecture. But who would’ve thought that so many people would turn up? So after it ended, everyone called for a cab. The queue was ridiculously long. After booking a ride, my waiting number was over 400. So by the time I would have gotten in the car, you would’ve finished eating already. So, I asked Muye to pick me up.”
Tan Mo: “…”
She did not give them an earful as the situation was obviously beyond their control.
At that, Qin Muye immediately sent a sincere apology emoji.
To which, Ming Yeqing also followed up with the same one.
Upon seeing that, Tan Mo was at a loss for words.
Are you two showing off your romance to me?
Ming Yeqing: “Have you ordered food? Why don’t you go ahead and eat? Don’t wait for us with an empty stomach.”
Tan Mo: “Jeez! Make sure you arrive before we finish our food.”
In her mind, Qin Muye thought that they could possibly fail to show up before the two finished eating.
Needless to say, they were really on their journey to the restaurant. Otherwise, Tan Mo would be upset if they stood her up.
However, they were deliberately making the driver take several detours before heading toward the restaurant because they wanted to arrive late deliberately.
Ming Yeqing: “I have no idea. I can’t promise you anything. We just hope that the remaining route will be a smooth one.”
Qin Muye: “I’m actually using the GPS right now. So there are traffic notifications on the map, right? I think we’re stuck in standstill traffic as I’m seeing red lines all over.”
Tan Mo: “Okay. Then we’ll order food now.”
Although she would not mind waiting, she could not keep upperclassman Cheng starving.
Qin Muye: “All right. Go ahead. Don’t wait for us while you’re hungry.”
With that, Tan Mo turned her head to upperclassman Cheng and explained, “Upperclassman Cheng, they’re stuck in standstill traffic. They can’t estimate how long it will take them to arrive. So we shall order food for ourselves and eat first. Seeing that the servers are getting restless already.”
Several servers had been staring in their direction, as if they were anxious to take their order.
“Okay.” Upperclassman Cheng nodded. “We shall order more food when they get here.”
Tan Mo shook her head in agreement..
Right as upperclassman Cheng was about to summon a server, he noticed a silhouette standing beside him from the corner of his eyes.
Upperclassman Cheng did not raise his head as he thought it was the server.
Then he proceeded to order dishes from the menu.
“There’s no need to order more dishes. I’ve already ordered a lot. Let’s eat together,” a familiar voice said.
Startled, Tan Mo lifted her head and met Wei Zhiqian’s gaze, “Uncle…?”
Then she remained silent.
If it had been in the past she would have gotten all excited upon seeing him and have launched herself into his embrace. But he had been avoiding her for a long time.
Wei Zhiqian had prepared himself to catch her. He had expected to see her put on an enthusiastic and surprised smile on her face.
After stretching his arms out, nothing happened.
Wei Zhiqian was taken aback.
“Mr. Wei…” Upperclassman Cheng was shocked to see Wei Zhiqian standing before him. Deep inside, he knew that his date was officially over.
Upperclassman Cheng was overcome with dejection.
Who would have expected Wei Zhiqian to show up in the same restaurant?
“Uncle, what are you doing here?” Tan Mo asked in a monotonous tone.
At that, Wei Zhiqian was starting to feel extremely flustered.
Was she upset because her date had been interrupted?
Or was she embarrassed to be seen with her uncle since she was trying to act as a grownup?
“I’m having dinner here with someone as well,” Wei Zhiqian answered.
Tan Mo raised her eyebrows. “With a client?”
HUMPH!
She had deliberately phrased her question that way.
Wei Zhiqian had been lying to her, saying that he was busy with work. But, in fact, he had been going on blind dates.
Tan Mo could not comprehend his need to hide it from her.
Furthermore, she knew that his recent Fridays and weekends were spent on blind dates.
Perhaps he was here on his blind date that night too.
As the thought crossed her mind, Tan Mo looked behind Wei Zhiqian.
Most of the diners at the other tables were in groups of twos or threes. All of them had dining companions, except a table that was a short distance from Tan Mo. At that table was seated a pretty young woman, who was peering in their direction as well.
As a result, Tan Mo’s gaze met with Wen Nuanxin’s.
Wen Nuanxin was thinking, did I guess it wrong?
She was stunned after hearing the way Tan Mo addressed Wei Zhiqian.
It had never crossed her mind that the young man had been waiting for Wei Zhiqian’s niece.
Speaking of which, Wei Zhiqian did have a niece, who was Wei Zhigong’s daughter. But there was clearly an age gap between Tan Mo and her.
By any chance, could it be that Tan Mo and Wei Zhiqian’s infatuation were acquaintances?
Were the uncle and the niece actually love rivals?
Wen Nuanxin had never considered the possibility that Wei Zhiqian was trying to stop the young man from pursuing Tan Mo.
The way Wei Zhiqian had spoken earlier had caused her to misunderstand.
It had led her to believe that Wei Zhiqian had raised his guard against Tan Mo.
Seeing that Tan Mo had noticed her, Wen Nuanxin got up and strode toward the table.
Since Wei Zhiqian was a homosexual, she had stopped having any interest in him.
Regardless of his status as the next Wei family Patriarch, she did not plan to marry him anymore, though his biography was tempting: a man of any woman’s dreams.
After all, she had to consider her happiness in a particular area after marriage.
“Hi, I’m Wen Nuanxin.” Wen Nuanxin came up to them with a warm smile. “You may call me Sister Wen or Sister Nuan. Just don’t call me Sister Nuanxin as it sounds like the host’s name of a talk show on TV.”
“Hello there. I’m Tan Mo.” Tan Mo replied as a courtesy while standing. Then she asked with curiosity, “I call him Uncle. Shouldn’t I call you Aunt instead?”
Wen Nuanxin was rendered speechless.
She couldn’t accept a niece of Tan Mo’s age.
“Oh, by the way, I wasn’t referring to your age,” Tan Mo explained hastily, knowing her question could lead Wen Nuanxin to a misunderstanding.
