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“Tangtang, has your friend’s issue been resolved?” Grandpa Tan asked with concern.
Xu En’tang: “It has been resolved.”
Grandpa Tan: “If you need any help, just let me know.”
Grandpa Lu chimed in: “You can tell me too.”
Grandpa Tan glanced at him.
Grandpa Lu snorted lightly: “What’s something you can solve that I can’t?”
Xu En’tang laughed and said, “Her parents suddenly got divorced, and I just went to keep her company. She has already returned to school.”
Tonight’s dinner included Grandpa Lu, Grandma Lu, Lu Jin, Grandpa Tan, Tan Jili, and Xu En’tang, making a total of six people.
Most of the time, it was the elders who were speaking.
Since the topic revolved around Xu En’tang, she chimed in occasionally.
Tan Jili and Lu Jin were merely supporting characters, each quieter than the other.
The two grandfathers also had a small drink.
With a little alcohol in them, they reminisced about the past.
Grandpa Tan said: “Tangtang, you really don’t need to be so polite with us. My relationship with your grandfather is very good. I don’t know if your grandfather has mentioned it, but I once stepped into a hunting trap, and if it weren’t for your grandfather, my left foot would have been ruined.”
Xu En’tang was surprised: “That really happened?”
Grandpa Lu added: “Tangtang, my relationship with your grandfather is even better. If it weren’t for your grandfather back then, I would have starved to death.”
Grandpa Tan snorted coldly, “Wasn’t it because you, the young master, were being picky about what to eat?”
Grandpa Lu raised his eyebrows high, retaliating: “And how about you? How did you step into a hunting trap?”
Grandpa Tan was momentarily speechless.
Grandpa Lu, usually not very talkative, was quite chatty tonight.
He said: “Wasn’t it because you didn’t want to work and sneaked off, leading to you stepping into it?”
Both of them had come down from Beicheng as young masters, with rebellious tempers, and they rarely met each other.
The only reason they became friends was because of the gentle and good-tempered Xu La’er, who acted as a glue between them.
In their words from back then, they would only acknowledge each other because of Xu La’er.
Grandpa Tan: “Tangtang, tell me, who does your grandfather mention more, me or him?”
Grandpa Lu: “Definitely me.”
Grandpa Tan: “Let Tangtang decide.”
“…”
Xu En’tang had often heard her grandfather mention the two grandfathers from the Lu and Tan families but had never seen them interact.
She didn’t expect their relationship to be like this, neither giving in to the other.
“Both of you mention each other quite a bit.”
In this situation, she had to keep things equal.
in reality the frequency of mentions was indeed about the same.
Grandma Lu nudged Grandpa Lu and said, “Alright, let’s keep it down a bit. You two always get like this when you’re together.”
Grandpa Lu opened his mouth but held back from saying anything more.
He put down his glass and sighed: “If only they were still around.”
Grandpa Tan sighed in response.
Thinking of her grandparents, Xu En’tang felt a bit emotional as well.
Grandpa Lu: “Tangtang, we’re really uneasy about you going back alone this time. If there’s another time, have Lu Jin accompany you.”
Grandpa Tan wouldn’t back down: “Call Tan Jili; he’s free anyway. If you need anything, just look for him, whether at school or outside.”
Grandpa Lu wasn’t pleased: “Why do you want to argue with me over this?”
Xu En’tang: “…”
After dinner, everyone went to the nearby tea room to continue chatting.
Before they knew it, it was already 8:30.
Seeing that Grandpa Tan and Tan Jili were about to leave, Xu En’tang got up to fetch Tan Jili’s jacket from her room.
After they got off the car together, she first returned to her room to put down her luggage and also placed Tan Jili’s jacket there.
Exiting the tea room and walking up the corridor, Xu En’tang saw Lu Jin leaning against a pillar, talking on the phone.
At that moment, Lu Jin had just finished his call.
He lowered his hand holding the phone and looked up to see Xu En’tang approaching.
As she got closer, Xu En’tang slightly nodded to him as a greeting.
“Wait a moment.”
Lu Jin called out to her, his tone lazy.
Xu En’tang stopped in her tracks.
Lu Jin: “On Friday, when I went to ask for leave for you, I ran into Xue Ang from your class. He asked me to return your headphones.”
He took out a pair of headphones from his pocket, which were indeed the ones Xu En’tang had lent Xue Ang on Thursday noon.
Xue Ang sat right in front of her.
She had only remembered to ask for the headphones back after deciding to go to Licheng on Thursday night.
So she used another pair while in Licheng.
Xu En’tang reached out her hand.
Lu Jin placed the headphones in her palm.
Xu En’tang closed her fingers around the headphones and lowered her gaze, saying, “Thank you.”
Her voice was soft and light.
Lu Jin smirked slightly, “Thank you?”
Xu En’tang looked at him in confusion.
What else would she say?
Lu Jin: “I thought you spoke like this to everyone.”
Xu En’tang: “I’ve always spoken like this.”
Lu Jin: “Really? I didn’t notice.”
“…”
After two or three seconds, Xu En’tang said, “Thanks for helping me ask for leave.”
While saying “thank you,” her attitude remained distant.
Lu Jin lightly mocked her: “When you say that, shouldn’t your expression match a bit more?”
Xu En’tang squeezed the headphones in her hand, just about to say, “This is my normal expression,” when Lu Jin suddenly leaned in closer to her.
He sized her up and asked half-jokingly, “You don’t have a crush on me, do you?”
Xu En’tang stiffened, like a cat stepped on its tail, her breathing quickening.
“What’s there to like about you?”
Her mind went blank for a moment, and the words that came out were simple and pale.
Lu Jin straightened up, “That’s for the best. It saves you from getting hurt, and your grandparents wouldn’t have to come teach me a lesson.”
Xu En’tang felt a sharp pain in her heart.
Lu Jin was just teasing her, but when he saw her face tense and serious, looking like she was about to cry, he realized he might have gone too far.
He frowned, about to speak, when he noticed Tan Jili walking over.
Xu En’tang also saw Tan Jili and quickly adjusted her emotions.
Tan Jili glanced at the two of them, seemingly unaware of the atmosphere. His gaze fell on Xu En’tang, and he spoke lazily, “I’m here for the jacket.”
Xu En’tang, who had originally come to get the jacket, had momentarily forgotten about it.
Feeling a bit embarrassed, she said, “I was just about to get it. Second Brother, why don’t you come with me?”
Lu Jin glanced at her.
Xu En’tang hadn’t yet gotten used to calling Tan Jili by his name, and the term “Second Brother” slipped out unconsciously in this situation.
Only after saying it did she realize.
Tan Jili didn’t comment, merely responded with an “mm” and followed her to get the clothing.
As they walked through the corridor, they stepped onto the patterned cobblestone path.
Xu En’tang walked ahead, her slender figure looking quite delicate.
When they reached the door of Xu En’tang’s room, Tan Jili stopped.
“I’ll wait outside.”
Xu En’tang nodded.
She quickly came out holding his jacket, saying, “Thank you.”
After speaking, she recalled that Tan Jili had teased her about her catchphrases being “thank you” and “sorry for the trouble.”
Tan Jili took the jacket from her and lifted his thin eyelids, examining her as he spoke, “You seem very—”
He slightly stretched out the tone of his words, the small red mole on his nose catching attention under the light at the door.
Xu En’tang looked at him in confusion, her eyes reflecting the light as if they held water, with a hint of lingering red.
Very what?
Tan Jili: “Very respectful of me.”
Xu En’tang: “…”
That was indeed true.
Tan Jili asked again, “Are you like this with Lu Jin too?”