Even though it was obvious that the other party had gone so far as to hire thugs, there was no need to be polite about it. From the moment Lin Zongheng stepped into the private room, Li Jinhe's face had darkened, and now, hearing his son-in-law's strong words, she couldn't help but beam with delight—Han Qian looked more and more pleasing in her eyes.
Lin Zongheng's expression did not change; he merely cast a sidelong glance at Han Qian before dismissing him and turning his attention back to Wen Nuan. "Xiao Nuan, you didn't go to the office today. I was worried and tried to call you, but you didn't answer."
Clearly, the scoundrel had already realized that the two elderly people in the room were Han Qian's parents—this was his way of needling them, making sure that even if he couldn't win, he'd still make Han Qian's life miserable. Wen Nuan opened her mouth, then chose silence, stepping behind Lao Wen and the old man to pour drinks for the elders.
Li Jinhe, seated at the head of the table, could bear it no longer. Supporting her cheek in one hand, she gave Lin Zongheng a sidelong glance and said softly, "Xiao Lin, don't embarrass yourself. I've already given you enough face today. Don't make me have you thrown out the window. Go wherever you need to go—my daughter already has her husband to care for her, and you, as a childhood friend, would do well to remember your place."
Lin Zongheng leaned forward on the back of a chair, his smile forced. "Auntie Li, you're being unfair. Xiao Nuan and I grew up together—"
"My words, right or wrong, aren't for a junior like you to quibble over," Li Jinhe snapped, her voice icy. "I've given you enough courtesy today. Ask your father, Lin Mengde, if he'd dare raise a finger in front of me. Here's my final word: don't force me to call a few of my old comrades to take you in hand."
Lin Zongheng dared not utter another word. Though Li Jinhe had retired from service, her ties ran deep—half the women she trained with had married soldiers, and at their age, those still serving held no ordinary status. If she called for help, there would be nowhere to lodge a complaint. Besides, Wen Nuan's eldest uncle was still in uniform.
As he passed Han Qian, Lin Zongheng gave a low, mocking laugh. "Enjoy these last days of walking on your own two feet."
Han Qian gave a scornful snort. "That's it? I thought you had more tricks up your sleeve. Ten grand down the drain and not a ripple to show for it—Lin Zongheng, you really are just a greenhorn."
Lin Zongheng let out a cold grunt and strode away, unwilling to waste further words. Han Qian watched him go, flicked his cigarette butt out the door, and stepped back inside.
Dinner itself was unaffected by Lin Zongheng's intrusion. In fact, the manager came up to apologize to Wen Nuan, offering a few complimentary dishes. Wen Nuan refused, only asking him not to blame the waitress—everyone was just trying to get by.
Li Jinhe and Han Qian's mother chatted happily, their conversation revolving around the two young people. Li Jinhe quickly realized that Han Qian's mother didn't know the couple had divorced, and she chose to keep the secret, determined to bring them back together. Han Qian looked more and more like a gem to her, while Lin Zongheng was nothing but an eyesore.
Lao Wen and the old man said little to each other—they simply drank. Lao Wen was overjoyed to finally have an excuse to indulge. Meanwhile, Han Qian and Wen Nuan were unusually quiet. Wen Nuan picked at her food, ignoring the crab on the table, her mind stuck on the way Han Qian had yelled at her earlier. She felt no anger—just a dull ache.
A perfectly cracked crab claw appeared before her. Wen Nuan looked up to see Han Qian turning his head away, as if to say he had done nothing wrong. She gently pushed the crab away. "I don't have an appetite," she murmured.
"Oh."
She thought he might insist, but to her surprise, he didn't. Furious, she picked up some cilantro—her most hated food—and dropped it on his plate. Han Qian didn't hesitate; he ate it without complaint and added a slice of carrot, making Wen Nuan shudder so much she quickly took a bite of crab to chase the feeling away.
Then Han Qian placed a stalk of celery on her plate. Wen Nuan turned mechanically to him, startled by this rare display of childish playfulness. She forced the celery down, then scooped up a spoonful of crab roe and held it to Han Qian's lips.
She knew perfectly well he couldn't stand crab.
Han Qian's eyes widened in alarm. He absolutely couldn't eat crab, but a glance at the elders—Li Jinhe smiling, the old man giving him a silent, menacing glare—told him there was no way out.
In their parents' eyes, this was just a sweet, loving game. In reality, it was a mutual declaration of war.
With no choice, Han Qian closed his eyes and forced the crab down, washing it away with a gulp of juice. But Wen Nuan wasn't finished. She leaned in, her eyes glinting mischievously. "Husband, how does it taste?"
Han Qian nearly broke out in hives, but he forced himself to nod. That was a mistake. Wen Nuan spooned some rice into a crab shell, mixing it carefully before offering it to him with a gentle smile. "If it's so good, you should have more."
"Fine," he muttered, resigned.
Since she had decided to play, he would join the game. Han Qian scooped up all the garlic shoots and carrots he could find and heaped them onto Wen Nuan's plate, claiming they were packed with vitamins. Wen Nuan retaliated with sea cucumbers, crab, and sea snails.
Playful as it was, when Lao Wen and the old man called for Han Qian to have a beer, Wen Nuan turned on them sharply, eyes flashing. "He's eaten so much seafood—if he drinks beer, he'll get gout! He'll have juice."
Han Qian didn't want to embarrass Lao Wen. "It's fine—just a little—"
"No!"
Her tone was fierce. Li Jinhe scolded Lao Wen for pushing too far, while the mothers took small sips of beer, leaving the two of them to their silent duel.
When talk turned to Han Qian's mother's plans to leave the next morning, Li Jinhe reached out and took her hand. "Auntie, stay a few more days. Let's go shopping, chat—don't leave so soon."
"I would love to, but the chickens, ducks, and dog at home can't fend for themselves for long. Let Xiao Nuan come home for New Year—by then, the chickens will be plump, and I'll have your brother-in-law gather some wild mushrooms to stew them up for her," she said with a warm smile.
Li Jinhe shot Wen Nuan a dismissive glance. "Does that girl even look like she deserves those mushrooms? They're one hundred fifty a pound!"
Han Qian's mother laughed softly. "She likes them, so I'll make sure she has them. She's my daughter-in-law—I won't let her go back to her parents' home for the New Year feeling slighted. As for Han Qian—he's your son-in-law, you should keep a firmer hand on him."
"I can't bear to scold my son-in-law," Li Jinhe shot back. "But you'd best keep an eye on your daughter-in-law—she's no help at all when it comes to work or to the table."
"And your son-in-law? He's reckless."
"A man should be—it's the girl who's got nothing but a pretty face."
"A pretty face is still an advantage."
"An advantage, maybe—but a daughter-in-law should be kind and capable."
"Xiao Nuan is both—she's clever and she cares. But as for my son-in-law, he needs a little more discipline. Don't let him bully your daughter."
"My son-in-law is the best."
Han Qian and Wen Nuan both wanted to find a hole to hide in, but they had to admit—being praised like this felt oddly comforting.