Chapter 155: On the way, today especially so

Old Cat was the first to react; he hadn't expected that delivering them a meal would also let him witness this scene.

Old Cat quickly turned away, saying evasively, "Hey, it's mealtime."

"Come in." Lu Chen sat down.

Xie Wantang glared fiercely at Lu Chen, dissatisfied and angry.

He should still properly thank Old Cat; if Old Cat hadn't suddenly come in to deliver food, just now Lu Chen would have gotten a slap from her.

"Eat while it's hot, we can talk after finishing." Seeing the atmosphere still awkward, Old Cat advised.

Got it.

Thanks.

The two spoke in unison.

Seeing how in sync the two were, Old Cat smiled.

"No need to thank me, Miss Xie; if it's not to your taste, tell me—there will be plenty of chances to eat here in the future."

Okay.

When speaking with Old Cat, Xie Wantang was actually generous and not shy.

"I'm leaving." Seeing Lu Chen's warning glance, Old Cat also realized he'd said too much and hurried away.

Xie Wantang sat down; Old Cat's cooking was really good.

Not long after, Xie Wantang's portion was gone.

"Still eating?" Lu Chen asked at the right moment.

"No more." Xie Wantang wiped her mouth.

Her appetite wasn't as big as he thought.

"Then let's continue talking about our daughter's paintings." Lu Chen also put down his chopsticks; his boxed meal still had more than half left.

"... You're only eating that little?" Xie Wantang, who hadn't wanted to meddle, ended up seeming as if she cared about him.

But she couldn't hold back in the end.

In her memory, Lu Chen's appetite couldn't possibly be this small.

"My stomach's injured; I can't eat too much at once now, I need to eat small meals frequently." Lu Chen explained.

Being able to come back alive is already a great fortune.

Having various damages to bodily organs is also quite normal.

Being able to escape the blast center unharmed, without letting himself be blown to pieces, is already the skill of a special forces soldier.

Thanks to the skills trained at the base, none of them have been forgotten.

Otherwise, he really wouldn't have been able to return.

Xie Wantang didn't say anything, she corrected Lu Chen's earlier shout about their daughter: "Team Leader Lu, my daughter is Xie Qingqian; you may call her Qianqian."

Mainly because Qianqian likes being called by her nickname like that, especially by people she likes.

That night, she had been looking forward to Lu Chen, so she simply treated him as someone she liked.

Lu Chen may call her daughter by her nickname, but he may only use the nickname.

She wants him to always remember that this is her daughter, her own daughter, surnamed Xie, with no relation to him.

"Alright, then let's continue talking about Qianqian's paintings, okay?" Lu Chen compromised.

Of course.

The two chatted about Qianqian's two boxes of paintings, and talked another afternoon; when it was time to prepare dinner, Old Cat pushed the door open and asked, "Will you two eat here tonight, or go out to a restaurant?"

Old Cat asked this mainly to create an opportunity for Lu Chen to have some alone time with her.

If they stayed at his place, they could only talk about work, not private matters.

And he hoped they could have time and space to talk about private matters.

"No thanks, I need to go home to eat." Xie Wantang checked the time; she should head home. "Team Leader Lu, let's stop here."

"Mm, I also happen to have an appointment with someone; we'll leave together."

"It's not on the way, is it?" Xie Wantang showed displeasure.

She truly couldn't understand; this guy Lu Chen wouldn't think that because she'd spent nearly a day with him, he could do whatever he wanted.

"It is on the way; today, especially so." Lu Chen sold the mystery.

……

Xie Wantang's doubtful brows knit together.

Nevertheless, Lu Chen had already proactively picked up the two boxes of paintings and walked out, heading straight to the trunk of Xie Wantang's car, waiting for her to open the door so he could put the paintings inside.

Xie Wantang opened the door, just about to get in, when Lu Chen snatched the car keys: "It's almost rush hour; I'll drive."

……

Xie Wantang was speechless, went to open the rear car door.

After she put one foot in, Lu Chen became dissatisfied again: "Xie Wantang, you're being impolite!"

"What's wrong?" Xie Wantang humbly asked for advice.

"You're treating me like a driver?"

"Isn't Team Leader Lu especially willing and skilled at that?" Xie Wantang ignored him, got in, and slammed the door shut.

Lu Chen also knew she was angry.

Back then, Pei Xiao had said, this time Xie Wantang would definitely be the hardest to placate.

If she's hard to appease, no problem; as long as he gives her time and opportunity, no matter how hard, he'll also win her back.

Unless, he dies.

Lu Chen let her have her way, greeted Old Cat, and willingly drove off.

"Xie Wantang, it really has to be you, you understand me so well."

""

Xie Wantang's inner monologue: Really shameless!

Xie Wantang: "Team Leader Lu, can you drive properly? There are so many cars on the road."

"Okay." Lu Chen's tone was indulgent and doting.

Xie Wantang silently decided that no matter what he said, she wouldn't respond to him.

On the road, Lu Chen stopped a total of three times. The first stop was at a fruit shop, where he bought a large box of fruit.

The second stop was at a snack shop, where he bought three snack gift packs each one meter tall.

The third stop was at a children's toy store: two boxes of LEGO, and for Xiao Qianqian he prepared watercolor pens and drawing paper.

Seeing these things, Xie Wantang guessed who they were bought for.

No, he just said it was on the way; turns out he's going to their home?

If that's the case, then it really is on the way.

"Team Leader Lu, you just said it was on the way—are you going to our home today?"

"Yeah, Attorney Qin invited me." Lu Chen didn't beat around the bush.

"My older brother?"

"Yes."

Xie Wantang didn't know what to say; it was her older brother's guest, and if she spoke up to drive him away, it wouldn't be appropriate, since it wasn't her home alone.

Xie Wantang quickly pulled out her phone and sent a WeChat message to her older brother: "Older brother, did you invite Lu Chen to our home today?"

"Yeah, how did you know? Did you run into him?" Qin Muyang was still in the studio, about to get off work.

"Sort of."

Xie Wantang answered vaguely, not telling Qin Muyang that they had basically been together all day.

Although they were talking about Xiao Qianqian's drawing, and Lu Chen had given her a lot of inspiration.

"Since he's not dead, he should come home to give our family an explanation. Tang Bao, don't protect him." Qin Muyang said; he had summoned Lu Chen to the house precisely to confront him.

Of course, he could also look for Lu Chen alone outside.

But Xiao Qianqian so eagerly expects her own father; as her uncle, he truly can't bear to disappoint her.

He was also inviting him on behalf of his niece.

But it's also awkward to bring this up directly with Xie Wantang, after all, they haven't had a chance to discuss what she thinks of Lu Chen.

Qin Muyang could actually wait, but they're in an organization that needs to handle serious matters; who knows what major events they'll face later, so Qin Muyang doesn't want to wait.

"Tang Bao, if you don't want him to come, I'll tell him now to stay away."

"No need, we'll be home soon."

""