When Fu Chen hung up the phone and returned, a waiter in the private room was pouring tea while another was introducing their restaurantâs signature dishes to Qiao Aiyun.
âThird Master, Iâm done ordering. Do you want to take a look?â Qiao Aiyun handed the menu to Fu Chen.
âYouâre too polite. Just call me Fu Chen.â Fu Chen glanced at the menu. âAdd a ginseng black chicken soup. The weather is dry in the autumn, so itâs suitable to drink more soup.â
Qiao Aiyun smiled and sized Fu Chen up. He obviously ordered this soup for her and her daughter.?Heâs not picky about food, and heâs exceptionally considerate. Thatâs rare.
After Fu Chen ordered, he reached out his hand and seemingly unintentionally wiped his forehead.
Song Fengwanâs face turned red, and she hurriedly lowered her head.
âWanwan, why is your face suddenly so red? Are you alright?â Qiao Aiyun was a mother, so she naturally immediately noticed her daughterâs abnormality.
âIâm fine. Maybe itâs because the private room is a little hot.â Song Fengwan smiled awkwardly.
Fu Chen said slowly, âThe capital hasnât warmed up yet. The wind caused a drop in temperature, so the highest temperature today is only five degrees Celsius.â
Song Fengwan wanted to cry.?Can you not expose me?
âLook at how dry your lips are. Iâve told you to drink more water.â Qiao Aiyun poured a glass of water and handed it to her. âYour lips are starting to peel.â
âReally?â Song Fengwan licked her lips and didnât dare to raise her head to look at Fu Chen.
Before serving the dishes, the waiter had already served the drinks. Qiao Aiyun had only ordered a cup of fruit juice and Longjing tea, but the waiter served an additional bottle of wine. âWe couldnât finish the grapes from our vineyard, so weâre giving you a bottle of the wine we made to have a taste.â
Since it was a free gift, everyone naturally didnât say anything.
After all, hotels and restaurants often promoted food and drinks like this. If the taste was good, everyone would naturally be willing to spend money to buy it the next time.
âItâs free?â Fu Chen rubbed his thermos and sized up the waiter.
âYes. Itâs freshly made, and even children can try it. The alcohol content is very low, and everyone who has drunk it says that itâs good.â The waiter felt his scalp tingle and hurriedly left.
Qiao Aiyun took the bottle of wine and smelled it. âI havenât drunk self-made wine before. It smells alright.â
Her mind was full of troubles at home, and she was not in the mood to talk with Fu Chen. She wished she could get drunk.
âGo ahead and have a taste.â Fu Chen understood from her expression that she must have cried in the hotel. Qiao Aiyun looked like a strong woman, but she did have her weak side.
âAre you not going to drink any?â Qiao Aiyun motioned with the wine bottle toward him.
âI donât drink alcohol.â Fu Chen declined.
Qiao Aiyun didnât force him and poured herself a glass. The thick smell of grapes filled the entire room.
âMom, I want some too.â The aroma made Song Fengwan crave a taste.
âYouâre still a kid. You shouldnât drink alcohol.â
âJust a little. I just want to try the taste.â
Qiao Aiyun couldnât persuade her not to drink and poured her a small glass of the wine. Song Wanwan narrowed her eyes and licked the wine like a lazy cat.
âThirdâ¦â Qiao Aiyun was about to say Third Master when she changed her mind. âFu Chen, Iâll have to trouble you to take care of Wanwan these few days. With the things happening at home, I might not be able to take care of her, so Iâll have to trouble you for the time being.â
Qiao Aiyun originally planned to bring Song Fengwan to live somewhere else outside, but the family was in a mess. Furthermore, she and Song Jingren would definitely be quarreling over some things, and she didnât want Song Fengwan to get involved in these dirty matters.
âItâs not troublesome. Sheâs very obedient.â
âThank you for your help today too.â
âIt was the Fu family who let you down. Itâs what I should doâ¦â
The two of them chatted about a lot of different topics, ranging from the newly-introduced news policies to Qiao Aiyunâs work.
Qiao Aiyun sold stone carvings and jade jewelry, so she had inherited some of her family business in a way. Although the Qiao family had men, they were all artisans, so someone had to take care of the business.
If you werenât a professional, you wouldnât know much about these things. But Fu Chen knew even the slightest details about jade and stones. If he wasnât an expert, he wouldnât know these things.
âI just heard my father talk about them by chance. I donât know much, so how could I dare to show it off in front of you?â Fu Chenâs tone became even more humble.
Qiao Aiyun liked Fu Chen more and more in her heart. Nowadays, many young people raised their heads high up in the sky when they knew just a little about the industry. It was rare for someone to be so humble and low-key.
Fu Chen glanced at Song Fengwan, who was still licking her wine, and the corners of his lips curled up slightly.
This wineâ¦
Is it that delicious?
***
When they almost finished eating, Qiao Aiyunâs phone vibrated a few times. She immediately hung up, and her expression changed slightly. âExcuse me. Iâm going to the restroom.â
Fu Chen nodded. He guessed that it was Song Jingren. Jiang Fengyaâs matter was cast in stone, so he might be a little anxious.
Qiao Aiyun was in the restroom for a long time. Song Fengwan frowned. âWhy isnât she back yet? Iâll go look for her.â She was already a little drunk, so her walking posture was a little unsteady.
Qiao Aiyun didnât go to the restroom and had actually left to make a call. But Song Fengwan couldnât even hear the implied meaning. She was indeed drunk.
Fu Chen got up and chased after her.
His phone vibrated, and he answered the call as he walked.
âThird Fu, although you donât treat me very well, as your best friend, I canât not help you. I donât give away this wine so easily.â
âI knew it. When did you start giving free wine here?â Fu Chen narrowed his eyes.
âDidnât I do it for you? How was it? Did she drink it? Let me tell you, itâs easier to do things after drinking. Hahaâ¦â
âSheâs out alone now. Youâll be responsible if anything happens.â
âStop pretending! Itâs not like you donât know about that wine. The alcohol content isnât low, yet you didnât stop her from drinking it. You want me to be responsible for what happens? Why are you pretending to be virtuous now!â
Fu Chen snorted and hung up.
When he reached the restroom, Song Fengwan was leaning against the wall with a confused expression. After hearing footsteps, she raised her head and looked at Fu Chen. âUh, my mom isnât here.â
Her voice was soft and tender.
And there was even a hint of her acting cute.
âOkay, letâs go back.â His smile was affectionate.
âOkay.â Song Fengwan was very obedient. But after taking a few steps, she stumbled and almost fell. Fu Chen hurriedly held her arm and didnât dare to move forward.
âUhmâ¦â Song Fengwan looked up at him. âIâm sorry. I feel a little dizzy.â
âOh,â Fu Chen replied. He finally couldnât help lowering his head to touch her foreheadâ¦
âThird Masterâ¦â
âHuh?â
âYouâre so tall. I canât even reach you.â She gestured with her hand while smiling a little foolishly. She was obviously a little nonsensical from drinking too much, and her words were incoherent.
Fu Chen smiled and bent down.
âCan you reach me now?â
For herâ¦
⦠I can lower my head.