Chapter 531 - 463: Keeping Company
Chapter 531: Chapter 463: Keeping Company
The two were Bai Junfan and Tang Yaxuan.
A coincidence that seems wondrous and beautiful to those involved can look like pure melodrama to an onlooker—especially one who knows the inside story.
Take, for example, the chance encounter today between the Bai uncle and nephew and the mother-daughter pair, Wu Xiaowen and her daughter.
Wu Xiaowen had been kept in the dark about the exact date of Tang Haocheng’s departure to study abroad. Her son only told her right before he left, catching her completely off guard. She felt the Tang family had gone too far, showing no consideration for her feelings as a mother. That day, she cried and made such a scene that she fainted and was taken to the hospital. The doctors found nothing seriously wrong, but seeing how emotional she was and on the verge of losing control, they decided to keep her for a few days of observation. After Tang Haocheng left, he entrusted his mother’s care to Tang Qingyun, who had no choice but to visit her daily. Wu Xiaowen naturally tried to use this opportunity to mend their relationship and get back together. But Tang Qingyun refused unequivocally: after what had happened, there was no turning back. No matter how much they had loved each other or how deep their bond had been, their destiny as husband and wife was over. He had his limits. Any mistake could be forgiven, but betrayal was the one exception.
Wu Xiaowen’s constant crying and histrionics became too much, so Tang Qingyun simply stopped visiting her in the hospital. Left with no other choice, Wu Xiaowen checked herself out. Today, she had brought Tang Yaxuan to the Tang Mansion to find Tang Qingyun, and she also wanted to see Xiao Man.
A staff member from the Tang Mansion came out and told them that for the past couple of days, the entire family had been going over to the Gu family’s home. They would leave in the morning and not return until late at night. The staff member advised Wu Xiaowen not to wait, as it would be pointless.
Wu Xiaowen asked to go inside and sit for a while, but the staff member politely refused. Angry and unwilling to give up, she and her daughter stubbornly stood at the gate for what felt like half the day, until their backs ached and legs grew weak. Once they were certain the staff member wasn’t lying, they had no choice but to leave.
Just as they reached the main street, the car carrying Tang Qingyun, Grandpa Tang, and Grandma Tang turned into their lane. Wu Xiaowen didn’t notice, but the sharp-eyed Tang Yaxuan, who was looking in another direction, spotted something—or rather, someone—that made her much happier: Uncle Bai and her Brother Junfan!
The Bai uncle and nephew were driving slowly, engrossed in a serious conversation, which allowed Tang Yaxuan to spot them and catch up. Their car pulled over to the side of the road, and the two men got out to exchange a few pleasantries with the mother and daughter. In the end, Bai Lihua drove off with Wu Xiaowen, while a good-natured Bai Junfan agreed to Wu Xiaowen’s request to take Xuanxuan to get something to eat, buy a couple of books from the Xinhua Bookstore, and then see her home.
Bai Junfan found a nearby restaurant and had dinner with Tang Yaxuan. Afterward, they took a stroll to another street where the Xinhua Bookstore was located.
Seeing her handsome and dashing Brother Bai again, Tang Yaxuan was beyond thrilled. Bai Junfan, for his part, was incredibly patient, treating her with warmth, kindness, and attentive care. They got along wonderfully, their time filled with endless conversation and laughter. When they crossed the street, a slightly nervous Tang Yaxuan grabbed his sleeve, and he smoothly took her hand in his. After that, they never let go.
The bookstore was open until nine o’clock, so Bai Junfan and Tang Yaxuan were in no hurry. They ambled to the store, chatting casually all the way. After buying two study guides, Bai Junfan led her by the hand to the No. 2 Department Store across the street.
Tang Yaxuan was bubbling with happiness, a sweet smile gracing her face. She nestled close to Bai Junfan’s side like a delicate bird, careful not to chatter or ask too many questions. ’With such a wonderful Brother Bai spending time with me, I wish time would just stand still,’ she thought. ’It would be perfect if we didn’t have to go home and could just wander the streets happily all night long!’
Bai Junfan hadn’t planned to shop for long. He led Tang Yaxuan up to the second floor for a quick look around before they left, but Tang Yaxuan was already more than satisfied. Her Brother Bai had bought her two boxes of cookies and milk toffees. He had patiently accompanied her to the accessories counter, a favorite spot for girls, and waited while she picked out pretty hair clips, a headband, a sheer scarf, and a handkerchief. He had even been planning to take her shopping for clothes, but after checking his watch, he realized there wasn’t enough time, as he still had to take her home.
Tang Yaxuan’s heart swelled with blissful happiness. ’In Brother Bai’s eyes,’ she thought, ’I must be someone truly important and special!’
They took a car to get Tang Yaxuan home, as it was quite a distance. By the time they arrived and got out, it was already after nine o’clock. They walked into the residential compound, went upstairs, and knocked, but the door wouldn’t open. It was only then that they realized something: Wu Xiaowen wasn’t home yet.
Since they had left together, Tang Yaxuan had seen her mother grab her purse, which held her keys and wallet. To save herself the trouble, she hadn’t bothered to bring her own set of keys. And now... she was locked out.
"Brother Bai, what are we going to do?" Tang Yaxuan recalled that whenever Wu Xiaowen went out with Bai Lihua and wasn’t back by this time, it was almost certain she wouldn’t be coming home for the night. The realization left her stunned. ’Am I going to have to huddle in the hallway all night? It’s still cold out! Even if I managed to stay awake, I’d freeze by morning!’
Bai Junfan frowned slightly. He knew his second uncle’s character well enough to guess what was likely happening. ’Those two are completely wrapped up in each other,’ he thought. ’Lost in a passionate rendezvous. We probably can’t expect Aunt Wu back at all tonight.’
He felt like his uncle had just thrown him under the bus. ’But then again,’ he mused, ’I needed to get closer to Tang Yaxuan anyway.’ After a moment’s hesitation, Bai Junfan composed himself and summoned all his patience to comfort and stay with her.
"Xuanxuan, are you cold? There’s a strong draft in this hallway; you’ll catch a cold. I think I overheard Aunt Wu telling my uncle to drive her to visit a friend at their workplace in the suburbs. I’m afraid she’ll be back very late. So how about this: come with me tonight. I have a courtyard house over in South City with plenty of spare rooms. You can pick one to stay in, and I’ll bring you back tomorrow. How does that sound?"
It wasn’t that he couldn’t take Tang Yaxuan back to the Bai Family home. The problem was that he had already made plans with Yang Liu’er over the phone that afternoon: they were going to have dinner together at their small courtyard tonight.
He hadn’t expected Bai Lihua to return from work. The two of them had been ordered by the family patriarch to visit a relative, and on their way out, they had unexpectedly run into Wu Xiaowen and her daughter. Now, Bai Lihua had gone off to have his fun with Wu Xiaowen, and Bai Junfan’s time with Tang Yaxuan wasn’t just a simple waste of an evening, either. ’If I keep Tang Yaxuan happy today,’ he figured, ’it won’t be long before she repays the favor.’
That’s why Bai Junfan wasn’t anxious about breaking his date. Instead, he patiently kept Tang Yaxuan company. He wasn’t afraid of Liu’er getting angry; he knew she wouldn’t hold it against him. ’She’s my woman,’ he thought with confidence. ’Her love for me is carved into her very bones. She can’t live without me!’
Still, he didn’t want to disappoint Liu’er or make her sad. His original plan had been to drop Tang Yaxuan off at home and then hurry to meet her. Who would have thought Yaxuan would be locked out? ’Taking her to the Bai Family home and then going to find Liu’er would be a huge, time-wasting detour,’ he reasoned. ’I might as well just take her back to the small courtyard with me. The courtyard has a main house and two side wings, so there are plenty of rooms. I can just put Tang Yaxuan in one of them and make sure Liu’er doesn’t find out.’
After all, Bai Junfan remembered that Liu’er had once had a strange dream, and ever since, she had disliked Tang Yaxuan.