Su Zhinian did not comment further and entered the bathroom. Song Qingchun sighed with relief internally. It was probably because his mother was there that he did not directly throw her out.
After Su Zhinian washed his hands, he stepped into the dining room where his mother and Song Qingchun were already seated. The two women were chatting among themselves. They were sharing smiles, but Song Qingchun's froze on her face when she saw him enter.
Su Zhinian pulled out a chair to sit in and his mother immediately ladled him a bowl of soup. As she passed it to him, she pointed at two other dishes on the table and said, "This soup and these two dishes are made by Qingchun, here, try them."
Su Zhinian accepted the bowl and set it down on the table without trying it. He picked up his pair of chopsticks and went for a dish that his mother cooked.
On the dining room, Auntie Su conversed alternately with Su Zhinian and Song Qingchun, so the atmosphere was not awkward. However, as the dinner progressed, Song Qingchun realized Su Zhinian did not take a sip of the soup or try her two dishes. He only focused on the two dishes his own mother cooked.
Auntie Su seemed to notice that as well, so she asked him why he didn't try the soup. Noticing his reticence, she took a piece of braised meat Song Qingchun cooked and put it on his plate, saying, "Qingchun cooked this. Try it, it is really not bad."
Su Zhinian nodded slightly and continued eating. However, when he finished, Song Qingchun noticed clearly that the only piece of meat left in his bowl was the piece cooked by her. Su Zhinian caught Song Qingchun looking at him. He tilted his head slightly to make sure she maintained eye contact as he used his chopstick to casually flick that piece of meat into the trash bin.
Then, Su Zhinian stood up and walked out of the dining room wordlessly. Song Qingchun stared at that piece of meat in the trash bin and her hands that grabbed at the corner of her shirt tightened. He'd said that, unless it was her dead body, he did not want to see her in his life again.
Now that she did, he still had a million ways to draw a line from her. Song Qingchun originally thought that after dinner, when Su Zhinian was alone in his bedroom, she could have the business conversation with him. She assumed that, with Auntie Su around, he would be patient and at least listen to what she had to say.
However, Su Zhinian seemed to know what she was planning, because after dinner, he planted himself in the living room to watch the television with his mother.
Time slowly passed and when it was almost nine pm, Song Qingchun knew it was time for her to make herself scarce. However, it was hard for her to finally be in the same room with Su Zhinian and she really did not want to waste such a perfect opportunity.
Song Qingchun struggled for a bit and was going to ask Su Zhinian for a bit of time to have a private conservation with him, when he suddenly took out his phone and walked to the balcony to answer the phone.
Su Zhinian's phone call was exceptionally long; it was already ten thirty pm and he was still on the phone.
Auntie Su was yawning openly. No matter how unwilling Song Qingchun was, she knew she was overstaying her welcome. She had no choice but to bid farewell. Disappointment was plain on her face. "Auntie Su, it is getting late. I think I will go now."
"It is not safe for a girl to go back to the city alone so late at night. Wait for a while longer, Zhinian is also going back, I will have him give you a ride…" Before Auntie Su could finish, Su Zhinian on his phone suddenly turned around, put his hand over the speaker, and declared coldly, "I am not returning to the city tonight."
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