They watched Zhao Ming drive off.

Qin Zhiwei scratched his head. He didn’t get it. “Xu Ye, is this Zhao Ming actually dumber than me?”

“The onlooker sees clearest. Right now love’s gone to his head. Don’t call him dumb — put you in his position and you’d do worse.”

“But this Zhang Ruowei is too good at it, isn’t she? Has she been in a lot of relationships before?”

“That I don’t know.”

Xu Ye shrugged. “But this kind of thing comes down to talent. Some people are dumb in every relationship they ever have. Others can do whatever they like the first time out.”

“You’re talking about yourself.”

Xu Ye smiled and let it go.

Back at the hotel.

Zhang Ruowei called him without being prompted, and he could hear the smile on her. “Boss Xu, how was my performance today?”

Xu Ye laughed in spite of himself. “What, now you want a critique out of me?”

“I’m only worried I got something wrong.”

“Not bad. On the whole, I’d give your performance today a 90.”

That set her off immediately.

“A 90?” she pressed. “Why not 100? Where did I go wrong?”

“In the car just now — did you say something about the smoking?”

“I did. Why?”

“What did you say.”

“Just that I could smell smoke in the car. He played dumb, so I went along with it and said I hate men who smoke. What’s wrong with that?”

Xu Ye laughed. “You shouldn’t have said you hate men who smoke. You should have said it to him straight — ‘Could you quit? Smoking’s bad for you.'”

Then he added one more thing. “A man can turn down a woman who lights his cigarette for him. He can’t turn down the one who takes it out of his hand because she’s worried about him.”

The words were barely out of his mouth.

The whole dorm room on the other end erupted, Zhang Ruowei’s voice loudest of all, appalled. “Xu Ye, you are too good at this! God! How does someone like you exist? It’s terrifying!”

“Qingqing, keep an eye on your boyfriend. Don’t let him go around teaching people how to date.”

Xu Ye jumped in. “Don’t go blackening my name. I’m an innocent male undergraduate, and you’ve nearly got me down as a player.”

“Blegh~”

“I’m going to be sick. I mean it.”

Room 205 was having a wonderful time. Xu Ye didn’t feel like listening to them carry on, and hung up.

The next day was Saturday.

Qin Zhiwei was already gone when Xu Ye got up. He fished his phone out from under his pillow and found a message Chen Qingqing had sent twenty minutes earlier:

“Dumb pig, are you up?”

Xu Ye sent a voice message straight back. “Just got up. I’ll come find you as soon as I’ve washed up.”

Then he plugged the phone into the charger and hurried into the bathroom.

Fifteen minutes later.

Xu Ye and Chen Qingqing walked into the Shanghai Conservatory of Music cafeteria.

There weren’t many people in it.

No line at the serving window either.

“Auntie, four pork buns, two fried dough sticks and two bowls of congee.”

The cafeteria auntie bagged the breakfast and handed it over. Xu Ye took it and turned to go, and she called after him quickly. “Hey, student — you haven’t paid yet.”

Xu Ye pointed at Chen Qingqing. “My girlfriend’s got it.”

Chen Qingqing hurried up and swiped her card, then went after him.

“I had a bottle of milk in the dorm this morning. I can’t eat this much.”

“Then have one pork bun and a bowl of congee.”

“Okay.”

Xu Ye talked around a mouthful of bun. “I got on the phone with Boss last night. Her company’s scaling up — should be finished around the end of the month. I want to go back over National Day and take a look. Come back with me. I’ll buy the tickets in advance.”

“Why not drive back?”

If Qin Zhiwei wasn’t going, driving meant she and Xu Ye would have the car to themselves. Set against a noisy high-speed train, of course she would rather drive.

But Xu Ye had his answer ready. “The expressway is guaranteed to jam over National Day. If we’re lucky it’s a few hours; going as far as we are, it could easily be most of a day. The train’s less trouble. I’ll ask Qin Zhiwei tonight — if he’s not going back, I’ll have him drive us to the station and leave him the car, so he can take Shen Xinyi out somewhere.”

Chen Qingqing gave a small, obedient “okay.”

They ate their breakfast unhurriedly, and it was then that the phone in Chen Qingqing’s bag started jangling.

She put her spoon down and dug it out, and Xu Ye looked up. “Who is it?”

“My mom.”

Chen Qingqing answered and put it to her ear…

On the other end, Jiang Meilin had only just reached the office. She spun a pen between her fingers as she talked, smiling. “Qingqing, what are you doing right now?”

“We’re having breakfast.”

“Xiao Xu’s next to you, isn’t he?”

“Mm.”

“Good timing, then.”

Jiang Meilin was still smiling. “Mom wants to tell you something. Do you remember your Auntie Yang Lin?”

“I do. Why?”

“I was on the phone with your Auntie Yang Lin yesterday and I happened to mention you. I told her you’re at university in Shanghai now, and once she heard, she absolutely insisted I give her your number. She wants to have you over. It’s the weekend anyway, and Xiao Xu has a car — why not have him drive you out there?”

“Is it far?”

“Not far. Jing’an District. Half an hour from your school at the most.”

Chen Qingqing couldn’t quite make up her mind, so she handed the phone to Xu Ye. He took it, got the general picture and agreed to it quickly, though he did remember to ask, “Is it all right to turn up empty-handed? Should we pick something up?”

Jiang Meilin laughed at once. “No need. You’re both still students. There’s no call for any of that.”

“Then I’ll take Qingqing over as soon as we’ve eaten.”

“Good, we’ll leave it there. Let me know once you get there.”

“Will do.”

Xu Ye handed the phone back, and his brows drew together. “Is this Auntie Yang Lin close with your mom?”

Chen Qingqing nodded. “Auntie Yang Lin was at university with my mom, and right after they graduated the two of them interned at the same company for a while. They both moved on to other jobs later, but they’ve kept in touch ever since. She’s about the closest friend my mom has.”

“When did you last see her?”

“My last year of high school. Her company sent her to the head office overseas, and she didn’t come back for several years, so I haven’t seen her since.”

Xu Ye nodded and left it there. He finished his food and was up out of his seat before she was. “Let’s head straight over, then.”

“Wipe your mouth~”

Chen Qingqing pulled a tissue out of her pocket and held it out to him. Xu Ye didn’t reach for it. He puckered his lips and leaned in instead. She looked left, then right, and only once she was sure nobody was paying them any attention did she quickly wipe his mouth for him.

Xu Ye made her a little heart with his fingers on the spot.

Chen Qingqing, embarrassed, grabbed her bag and pushed him out of the cafeteria with a hand on his back.

(End of Chapter 303)