Chapter 19 - Is this Zuo Qian interested in you?

“Nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you, President Fu.” Zuo Qian immediately stood up and reciprocated.

“I should be the one saying that.” The corners of Fu Yu’s mouth raised as he carried on complimenting Zuo Qian. “The one and only widely accepted best host in the entertainment industry. It was all thanks to you that Changqing was looked after all these years.”

Zuo Qian was momentarily stunned as Fu Yu thanked him in a tone akin to how an elder would speak to someone from a younger generation. And while he was still in a daze, Fu Yu continued to speak. “Changqing and I grew up together as kids, so we could be considered childhood friends.”

Innocent and young childhood friends, both of them always together, never separated for even a moment.

That was the thought that entered Changqing’s mind as she lowered her head and smiled bitterly.

Zuo Qian felt mixed feelings in his heart as well upon hearing about the relationship between Changqing and Fu Yu. The idea of Fu Yu and Changqing knowing each other since their childhood had never crossed his mind in the slightest. From Fu Yu’s point of view, it was evident there was a tenderness seemingly flashing deep between them. He realized Changqing must occupy a rather significant spot in Fu Yu’s heart if she could make a man like him, who shook the business world, show these kinds of emotions. He always thought the distance between Changqing and him was just inches apart, but now, he suddenly felt they were miles apart.

He even lost quite a bit of confidence in the success rate of his confession that he was about to give to Changqing just a short while ago.

“It’s rare that we’re meeting here. How about we have dinner together on the account that this must be a fated encounter?” Fu Yu said while he pulled up a chair to sit down with them.

His subordinate hastened to call the waiter over to the table to order from the menu again when he saw his president’s actions.

Changqing acted calm on the outside and asked, “Brother Fu, what made you want to visit this restaurant like us?”

“The food here tastes good, and I frequently visited this restaurant before too. I didn’t want to cook alone, so I came straight here after office hours.” Fu Yu answered Changqing with a constant smile on his face. “I wanted to contact you these past few days at first, but I was away from the country on a business trip. I was thinking of calling you tonight to arrange a meetup. Little did I expect that I’d see you when I came here for dinner.”

“Right.” Changqing pursed her lips while she tried to come up with topics to carry on the conversation. “Are you living alone? Where’s Uncle and Auntie?”

“My dad’s in Hongkong. My mom’s staying at the hospital. Her health isn’t looking good.”

“What happened to Auntie? Wasn’t she in good health back then? ”

“Brain tumor,” Fu Yu replied while the luster of his dark, gloomy pupils dimmed. “She’s currently preparing for an operation. My mom likes you a lot. Go visit her at the hospital if you have time. She feels bored with only nurses by her side.”

“Sure.” Changqing nodded her head. Fu Yu’s mother treated her very well in the past.

——-

During dinner, Fu Yu chatted with Zuo Qian occasionally. With the three of them present, the dinner didn’t feel too awkward, and they never ran out of things to talk about.

It was almost 8 o’clock when the dinner ended. Fu Yu’s subordinate scrambled to pay for the bill.

“Changqing, I’ll take you back home,” Fu Yu said as he took out his cigarette case. A familiar smell of tobacco floated in the air as it permeated the surroundings.

Just before Zuo Qian could open his mouth, Changqing nodded her head hurriedly. “Sure thing. Teacher Zuo, I’ll see you at the TV station tomorrow.”

She was truly afraid Zuo Qian would lay his cards on the table if she accepted a ride back home in his car and that would be detrimental to their current relationship. Given an option between the two, she favored Fu Yu’s offer to take her back more.

After Fu Yu and Changqing sat inside Fu Yu’s imported Porsche, Fu Yu spotted Zuo Qian still lingering under a streetlight and looking over in their direction from the car’s rear view mirror.

Squinting his eyes, Fu Yu asked, “Is this Zuo Qian interested in you?”

Changqing was so frightened by Fu Yu’s stare that her eyelids quivered.

“I recall he’s around thirty three years old, no? He’s twelve years older than you. You shouldn’t consider dating him.” Fu Yu casually expressed his opinion while he peered at her with eyes similar to a silent abyss.

Darting a glance at Fu Yu, Changqing complained, “Didn’t you tell me I should get a boyfriend who’s older than me?”

“It’s okay if he’s older than you by around four to five years. Twelve years is too much.” Fu Yu smirked with a pair of smiley eyes.

Changqing’s heart skipped a beat. Fu Yu was precisely four years older than her.

Just when her mind began to wander around wildly, the mobile phone Fu Yu placed on top of the dashboard rang, and Changqing caught a glimpse of two words flashing on the phone screen: “Guan Ying.”

She pinched her thighs and looked out the window. You’re already a married woman; it’s time you wake up from this.

Besides, she felt she mustn’t be someone who snatched a friend’s boyfriend away.

Seeing Changqing’s response, the luster from Fu Yu’s eyes dimmed then he pressed the “reject call” button and switched off his mobile phone.