Alone Together

In the east courtyard of the Tang family.

Tang Wan sat by the window in a daze. She had been thinking about how to reject Jiang Jinshang at night. Indeed, she had nothing to do at night, and it seemed too deliberate to stand him up at the last minute. In the end, she had no choice but to call her best friend to explain the situation.

"... You mean, you want me to call you later so that you can take the opportunity to sneak back to your room?"

"Yes."

"I've never met Jiang Jinshang before, but his brother is often in magazines. He's so handsome, so his brother is definitely not bad. His looks are just amazing. What are you afraid of?" The other party laughed.

"Besides, you're a strong lady. What can a sickly man like him do? It's already good enough that you don't touch him."

Tang Wan's mouth twitched. Strong?

"Tang Xiaowan, that's your house. Why are you so cowardly?"

"Anyway, you have to call me later!" Tang Wan's tone was determined.

"Got it. It's almost the end of the year. All the departments are competing for results. My boss is crazy. I'm not going to talk to you anymore. If he catches me lazing around while I'm working, my year-end bonus will be gone."

Before Tang Wan could speak, the phone was hung up. They had a good relationship, so she naturally wouldn't care about these things.

With an excuse to leave, Tang Wan was in a much happier mood.

After dinner, she cleaned up the dishes. Jiang Jinshang accompanied the old man to watch the news broadcast while Tang Wan sat at the side, playing with her phone and scrolling through social media for a while.

"Grandpa Tang, I'll retreat to my room first." Jiang Jinshang immediately got up.

Old Tang nodded. From the corner of his eye, he saw his granddaughter not moving at all. "Wan Wan, why aren't you leaving?"

Tang Wan frowned. Why did she have to follow?

"It's fine. I'll go back first." Jiang Jinshang smiled faintly. They still had to meet up later anyway.

The night was very long..

There was no rush.

Old Master Tang's gaze was already a little strange. She was sitting on the sofa playing with her phone. She had nothing important to do, so why didn't she go back to his room? Tang Wan smiled sheepishly. "I'll go back after I watch this video on my phone."

She just didn't want to be stared at by her grandfather, so she casually found an excuse to brush him off.

She didn't expect Jiang Jinshang to say something like that.

"Then I'll go back to my room and wait for you."

Apart from the commercials that were still on TV, the air in the front hall was so stuffy that it was suffocating.

Old Master Tang's eyes sized up the two of them, and his smile was enigmatic.

"We're just going to talk about Qing history for a while. Fifth Master knows a lot. I need to consult him about my work," Tang Wan explained.

"I didn't say anything. Why are you explaining so much?" The old man laughed.

Tang Wan was speechless.

***

When Tang Wan knocked on Jiang Jinshang's door, there was someone else in the room today.

"Ms. Tang." There were two bodyguards who were arranging the medicine bottles and blood pressure gauges. He had probably just finished taking their medicine.

Tang Wan hugged her book and greeted them.

"Take a seat." Jiang Jinshang had just finished taking his blood pressure and took off his jacket. At this moment, he was wearing a black jacket. With the soft white household clothes inside and appeared even more abstinent and languid.

The clothes were exquisite. They were the simplest clothes, yet he wore them with the feeling of being pampered.

Tang Wan found a chair and sat down. She had just placed the books on the table when Jiang Jinshang sat next to her. Perhaps he had just finished taking the medicine, but there was still a bitter medicinal smell on his body.

"Did you buy all the books I told you about yesterday?"

"Except for one, I ordered it online. I think I'll receive it tomorrow or the day after." Tang Wan placed her phone on the table, afraid that she would miss her best friend's call.

"Then what should we talk about today? Should we talk about the life of the female lead in that Qing dynasty drama?"

"Yes."

Tang Wan had to admit that Jiang Jinshang really knew his stuff. Many of the contents were not visible in the books. She could only borrow a pen from him and draw some notes on the book.

The two of them were sitting quite close to each other. Tang Wan lowered her head and carefully recorded what Jiang Jinshang said. The hair that was originally tucked behind her ear suddenly fell down and swept directly onto Jiang Jinshang's arm.

The bodyguards packed their things and wanted to leave, but the atmosphere between the two of them was just right. They didn't dare to open their mouths and disturb him. They could only stand in front and quietly act as a backdrop.

After Tang Wan finished taking notes, she casually tucked her hair behind her ear. "Fifth Master, there's no problem with what I've recorded..."

She didn't know when the two of them were so close to each other. When the light fell on his pitch-black pupils, it seemed to have turned into a cluster of flames.

She forcefully suppressed her slightly chaotic heartbeat before glancing at her phone. Where was the phone call?

Jiang Jinshang looked at the notes in the book and subconsciously rubbed his fingers. The tickling sensation of her hair scratching his palm disappeared, but he couldn't calm down.

At this moment, Tang Wan's phone suddenly vibrated.

She was overjoyed, but when she saw the caller ID, she frowned slightly.

Why was it Tang Mo..

She hesitated, but still pressed the answer button.

"Hello --"

"Sis, are you busy? Can you come pick me up? I'm at the Mayfly Bar."

"Aren't you at the hospital, why did you run to the bar?" The Mayfly bar was very famous in Pingjiang. It was expensive and classy.

"I snuck out without mom's knowledge. I didn't dare to let her come. Can you come pick me up?"

"I still have something to do..."

"Then I'll wait for you to come. You have to come."

After saying that, she hung up the phone.

Tang Wan stared at her phone with a puzzled expression. Why did she have to pick her up all of a sudden? They weren't that close. 

Meanwhile, inside the Mayfly Bar's private room

The neon lights were flashing, and the decorations were extremely luxurious. The man sitting in the middle only smiled when he saw Tang Mo hang up the phone.

"Tang Mo, don't be nervous. We just want to get to know your sister," one of them said with a smile. "It's Young Master He's birthday today. Everyone's happy. It's just a fun day."

Tang Mo nodded resentfully.

Among this crowd, there were all good-for-nothings. They were wealthy and powerful, and their private lives were a mess. A few of them had been drooling over Tang Wan for long..

She lived a life without any flaws. She didn't have any bad habits, so they couldn't get close to her.

Even if they said they wanted to get to know each other, they weren't stupid. As long as she came tonight, it would be difficult for her to leave this place.