IHTIAP Chapter 18

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Chapter 18: This is my phone number

Yu Qing walked forward on her black high-heels and approached. When she saw the person who was talking to Yu Nian, she was surprised for a moment, and immediately greeted them with a decent smile, “Mr. Xie, Mr. Qu, what a coincidence!”

Qu Xiaoran’s heart thumped, and he restrained himself from looking at Xie You’s expression. He held his breath and asked tentatively, “You… Come to eat together?”

He asked while praying in his, hoping that there would also be others! Hoping that it’s dinner with friends! Hoping it’s the program group’s celebration! However, the gods and Buddhas in the sky ignored him, and he heard Yu Qing reply, “Yes, Nian Nian won first place, so we came here to eat. I didn’t expect it to be such a coincidence.”

She was standing close to Yu Nian, no matter the tone of voice or expression, there was a familiar sense of intimacy.

Qu Xiaoran only felt a cold air spread from Xie You’s direction, making him shiver. After struggling for two seconds, Qu Xiaoran uttered an invitation, “Since there are no other people, how about we share a table? The two of you, and the two of us, eating together will be lively!”

Yu Qing thought that although Qu Xiaoran didn’t manage him, he was still Yu Nian’s immediate boss. Not to mention Xie You, how many people lined up to have a meal with him and didn’t get the chance. There is nothing important today, and it won’t be bad for Yu Nian to have a meal and chat with them.

But she didn’t make a decision directly and looked at Yu Nian inquiringly.

When Yu Nian saw Yu Qing looking over, he replied with a smile, “Of course, we can. Then we have to trouble you.”

Qu Xiaoran consciously accomplished something and was in a good mood, “It’s not troublesome at all. It’ll be lively with so many people!”

Four people entered the box, which was very spacious. Xie You had just arrived and ordered, but the food hadn’t been served yet.

After sitting down, Yu Qing picked up the teapot and poured a cup of hot tea, habitually handed it to Yu Nian first, and whispered, “Be careful, it’s hot.”

Qu Xiaoran sat opposite her, looking at the scene in front of him his teeth hurt.

He is in this circle and knows Yu Qing. Although her background is unclear, she has a bad temper with a strong personality. It is said that she had a boyfriend before, but because she found out that the other party was cheating on her, she directly broke his legs.

Such a brilliant woman is now actually helping Yu Nian to pour tea so gently, and also carefully instructing him to be careful and not to get burnt.

This looks problematic at first glance!

He suddenly regretted the decision he just made. He felt like he was inserting a knife into his brother’s heart.

But Qu Xiaoran couldn’t sit silently, so tried hard to find a topic, “Just now, I saw the scene of your cooperation, and your tactic understanding was very good! Anyone with eyes will know who deserves first place!”

Yu Qing was very happy because of the praise. She stroked her hair and smiled brightly, “Yes, I had quite a lot of fun while dancing! Mr. Qu is also watching this show?”

“I watched almost every episode.” He gave Xie You a stiff look, “Yu Nian’s every performance was very good. Meng Yuan has indeed found a treasure this time!”

Qu Xiaoran pretended to be curious again, “You two should also be friends in private, right?”

Yu Qing smiled, “Yes, we have known each other since childhood.”

Qu Xiaoran couldn’t help but glance at Xie You — it’s over, they’re childhood sweethearts!

At this time, the ordered dishes arrived. Xie You’s eyes fell on a plate of lotus flower cake, and he quietly placed it in front of Yu Nian.

Yu Nian’s chopsticks paused and he smiled at Xie You with his eyes bent.

This lotus flower cake was the food that Uncle Shen used to make before, and he has always liked to eat it, but how did Xie You know? There were also pastries that he gave him during the last rehearsal, which also happened to be his favourite.

Maybe it’s just a coincidence?

Yu Qing and Qu Xiaoran had met several times on various occasions, and both of them were communication experts and could talk. Yu Nian didn’t talk much while eating, but he also added a couple of sentences at the right time. It was only Xie You, who ate quietly throughout the whole process, and hardly spoke a word.

After another half an hour, Yu Nian’s dishes were also served.

Taking a small blue and white bowl, Yu Nian gave a bowl of soup to Yu Qing, “Haven’t you been talking about this soup when we were on the road?”

Yu Qing took the small bowl with both hands, and took a sip with satisfaction, “Yes, yes, yes, this is the taste! I haven’t tasted it for a long time!”

Qu Xiaoran estimates that if a piece of pH test paper were pasted on Xie You’s body now, the colour would definitely be dark red, extremely sour!

At this time, Yu Nian’s mobile phone on the tabletop rang, the screen lit up, and the words “Xia Mingxi” were displayed.

He said apologetically, “I’ll go outside to take the call.”

Yu Nian opened the door and went out, and from time to time, there was a faint voice coming in.

“Yeah…I saw it, really?… Yes, yes, thank you Mingxi…”

Xie You felt that the food in his mouth lost its taste, so he put down his chopsticks.

Qu Xiaoran was chatting happily with Yu Qing, seeing Xie You putting down his chopsticks, he wondered, “Is it not up to your taste?”

Xie You shook his head.

Qu Xiaoran remembered the name that popped up on the screen of Yu Nian’s mobile phone and thought that he must be in a bad mood. He reached out and patted Xie You on the shoulder, sighing in his heart, Oh, my poor brother!

After eating, the two parties said goodbye and left. Before leaving, Qu Xiaoran cleverly gave Yu Qing and Yu Nian his business card, and then quietly tugged Xie You’s sleeve, successfully getting him to give out his business card as well.

Seeing that Xie You was still staring in the direction where Yu Nian had just left, Qu Xiaoran whistled, “Xie Xiaoyou came back to your senses. It’s completely dark, you can’t even see his shadow now.”

Soon, the driver drove the car over, and two people sat in the back seat. Qu Xiaoran carefully looked at Xie You’s expression, “Are you… okay?”

“I am.”

That’s weird!

Qu Xiaoran scratched his hair, thinking, “You say, are Yu Qing and Yu Nian together? Or, looking at the rhythm, is Yu Qing chasing Yu Nian?”

Before Xie You could answer, he denied it himself, “It shouldn’t be. I’ve heard before that Yu Qing has a love interest, that is songwriter named Si Ning. You probably don’t know, that the song 《Distant Star》Yu Nian sang when he came on stage for the first time was also written by this man named Si Ning.
Hey, let me put it this way, the songs Yu Nian sang in the first and second episode of the show were all Yu Qing’s songs!”

Feeling the chill beside him, Qu Xiaoran quickly shut his mouth and continued what he said before, “Yu Qing’s last three hit albums were all written by this Si Ning. However, Si Ning never revealed his face to the public and only wrote songs for Yu Qing. There are rumours that Si Ning and Yu Qing are lovers, that’s why he was not moved by money, fame and fortune, and only writes for her wholeheartedly.”

Qu Xiaoran babbled, and after finishing the rant, he took out his phone to play games. Five minutes into the game, he suddenly heard Xie You, who had been silent for a long time, say, “I know a person.”

Qu Xiaoran was excited for a second. He stopped playing games and his eyes brightened, “And then what?”

“I’ve known him for a long time.”

“How long is a long time?”

“Three years.”

Three years? Qu Xiaoran calculated it carefully. It wasn’t long before Xie You should have taken his seat three years ago. Strong enemies were all around, and a group of old foxes all wanted to take a bite out of him.

He remembered that at that time, because the situation was too tight, Xie You couldn’t sleep all night, and he was afraid of being caught for his shortcomings and didn’t even dare to see the doctor when he was sick.

Thinking of Xie You’s hardships during that time, the excitement on Qu Xiaoran’s face faded, “Then what?”

Xie You sat with his back straight as if something had kept him from relaxing. But the light from the street lamps that occasionally came in from the car window reflected the softness in his eyes, “I want to be as close to him as possible.”

This sentence made Qu Xiaoran feel inexplicably sour, “Why are you so pitiful? Do you want me to give you some advice?”

Xie You nodded, “Yes. I’m not familiar with him yet.”

Qu Xiaoran was shocked, “You’ve known him for three years, but you’re still not familiar with him? Xie Xiaoyou, you are too disappointing!”

Xie You did not defend, “Yes, not familiar.”

Qu Xiaoran leaned back on the chair, worried. But remembering that in the past two years Xie You’s aura has become more and more frightening, and his words have become less and less, even his secretaries are afraid of him as if he’s a tiger. Suddenly, he felt like it was normal for him to not be familiar with him even after knowing him for three years.

“Is he afraid of you? Does he dare to talk to you?”

Xie You remembered Yu Nian’s attitude towards himself, shook his head, and affirmed, “He isn’t afraid. He always took the initiative to talk to me.”

“The mental quality is not bad!” Qu Xiaoran became spirited again, “Then why are you still unfamiliar? Is there too little contact?”

“Very little.”

Qu Xiaoran scratched his head, “Why don’t you… create contact opportunities first, meet several times a day or something? Then look for various topics to chat on? Oh yes, does he get bored easily?”

“I met him a few times.” Xie You added, “He has a lot of friends, and he is very popular, so he doesn’t get bored usually.”

Qu Xiaoran patted his thigh, “I know what the problem is!” He spoke quickly and babbled, “The other party has a lot of friends, and you can’t even get more than three sentences out of your mouth. Maybe after encountering them, he doesn’t even remember you. So ah, Xie Xiaoyou, you have to brush up on your presence. Let him notice you, and then meet more by chance, chat more, and gradually become familiar with him!”

On the other side, Yu Qing drove the car to the main road with an unlit slender lady’s cigarette in her mouth. She glanced at the time, “It’s already past midnight, I have to get up early tomorrow to go to the airport. I’ll give you the right to choose whether you stay at my house for one night and sleep in the guest room, or I go to your place and sleep on the bed, and you sleep on the sofa?”

Yu Nian was also a little sleepy, “Let’s go to your place. You still have to pack your luggage or something.”

Yu Qing turned the steering wheel, tilted her head and smiled at Yu Nian, “Not bad. After growing up, you know how to worry about your sister.”

Yu Qing’s house still kept the old clothes that he changed over the years. He took a shower and wiped his hair when he suddenly remembered something. He bent down and pulled out two business cards from his clothes pocket.

The fancy one belonged to Qu Xiaoran, and the other one with a black background and silver text should be a personal business card, with only Xie You’s name and phone number printed on it.

Yu Nian opened the text message page, and tapped the screen with his fingers, “Hello, I’m Yu Nian. This is my mobile phone number.” He thought about it and added one more sentence, “Today was fun, good night.”

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