Any Closer and I'll Lose Control - Chapter 22

Meng Yuchun leisurely brewed a pot of tea, Pu’er, a gift from Wei Chuan.

From nine to eleven in the morning, the spleen meridian is most active, and raw tea helps refresh the mind.

Casually, he asked, “Kid, you seem quite concerned about my Xiao Tang.”

“We’re friends. What decent person gets married right after graduation? Especially a girl, marriage is such a big deal. How could you let her rush into it so carelessly?”

The old man nodded thoughtfully and let out a deliberate “Hmm.” “So, you think she shouldn’t get married and have children?”

“Marriage and children aren’t about ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’, it’s about whether she wants to,” Wei Chuan retorted, his tone sharp. “When she told me, she sounded as casual as if she were talking about what to eat for dinner. Clearly, you’ve been drilling this ‘go home and have babies’ nonsense into her head.”

Meng Yuchun threw his head back and laughed heartily. “If marriage and children aren’t important, how did your family end up with you?”

Wei Chuan frowned, exasperated. “My birth was something my mother actively wanted; I won’t argue that. But you raised your granddaughter so well, just to push her into marriage and motherhood?”

Meng Yuchun pondered. “What do your three older sisters do?”

“Didn’t I just say? My eldest sister works at the company and is set to take over Dad’s role. My second sister is in the military, I barely see her all year. And my third sister? Don’t even get me started. She changed her name and became an entertainer.”

“And you?”

“I play basketball. Most likely, I’ll stay in the sports industry.” Wei Chuan answered without hesitation.

The old man nodded approvingly. “Not bad.”

Wei Chuan quickly steered the conversation back. “Wait, how did this turn into talking about me? Weren’t we discussing Meng Tang?”

Meng Yuchun said, “She studied the arts. Serving and passing them on is her duty, it’s her fate. She’s accepted it just fine. Why are you so worked up?”

“I-” Wei Chuan choked on his words. “I’m just worried she’s jumping into a pit of fire.”

Meng Yuchun took a sip of tea. “How do you know it’s a pit of fire? My old friend’s grandson likes her quite a bit. He even said their first child could take the Meng surname.”

Wei Chuan raised his voice. “…And that’s enough to sway you? You’ve lived over seventy years, seen all kinds of storms, how are you so easily tempted?”

Meng Yuchun shot him another indifferent glance. “He also said he’d be willing to marry into her family.”

Wei Chuan: “…I-I-”

Meng Yuchun studied him. “What? Are you saying you’d be willing to marry into our family too?”

“What-no! That’s not what I meant.” Wei Chuan felt a suffocating frustration in his chest. “Do you even know Meng Tang has someone she likes at school?”

“Hmm, this tea is good.” Meng Yuchun nodded. “You really spared no expense.”

Wei Chuan: “…Old man, are you even listening?”

“Seems like the emperor isn’t anxious, but the eunuch is.” Meng Yuchun teased him. “Putting that aside, what does her marriage have to do with you?”

Wei Chuan was completely stumped. Right, what did Meng Tang’s marriage have to do with him?

But didn’t Meng Tang like Xu Heqing? In a way, that made it his business, didn’t it?

“Sit here if you want. I’ve got work to do.” The old man finished his tea, then headed to the backyard in his traditional robe and cloth shoes.

Wei Chuan scratched his head, restless. He couldn’t just let Meng Tang be brainwashed, how could he stand by and watch his friend march into the tomb of marriage?

What kind of girl gets married at 22?

The only solution was to use Xu Heqing to anchor her, make her confess her feelings.

The power of love is great. Perhaps Xu Heqing would be willing to marry into the family, or Meng Tang might stay in Z City.

With her mind weighed down by thoughts, she had little appetite at lunch and only managed two bowls of rice.

After the meal, she followed Meng Tang to rest under the shade of a tree.

“I changed my ticket. I’ll head straight to the station later.”

Meng Tang responded with an “Oh,” then said, “Then I won’t see you off. Have a safe trip.”

“Honestly, I really wanted to set you up with Xu Heqing this time. Who knew…” Wei Chuan laughed awkwardly.

Meng Tang shook her head. “It just means we weren’t meant to be.”

“Don’t say that,” Wei Chuan said. “You haven’t even confessed. How do you know there’s no chance?”

“He doesn’t even know you like him. I think you should take the initiative. That day when you identified the wood blindfolded, to be honest, all three of us were stunned.”

“I refuse to believe he didn’t notice anything.”

“You’re outstanding, so outstanding that second place couldn’t even come close. Some things, you’ll never know the outcome unless you try.”

“Could you be a little braver, please?”

Meng Tang suspected Wei Chuan was just looking for a partner in confession.

She nodded perfunctorily. “Got it.”

A phone rang. Wei Chuan glanced at it and said, “My alarm’s going off. I have to leave now. See you back at school.”

Meng Tang stood up. “I’ll walk you out. Did you call a cab?”

Wei Chuan: “Yeah.”

The taxi arrived quickly. Wei Chuan turned around with a casual wave. “Go on back.”

Meng Tang waited until the taxi had turned the corner before heading back into the alley.

Her hands were still injured, so she couldn’t work. She retreated to the study alone to read.

She wasn’t sure how much time had passed when there was a knock on the study door.

Meng Tang glanced at the clock, two hours had already gone by. She looked toward the door and said, “Come in.”

Aunt Fang entered and handed her something. “Xiao Tang, Xiao Wei left his student ID behind.”

“Hmm?” Meng Tang flipped it over. “It really is his.”

At this point, he must already be home, right?

Meng Tang placed the ID on the table, took a photo, and sent it to him.

Wei Chuan had just exited the station when an all-black G-Class SUV pulled up in front of him.

He got into the passenger seat and grinned. “Pretty punctual.”

“Where the hell have you been? You didn’t answer any calls. I asked your third sister, and she didn’t know either. In the end, I went to your place, they said you went out with a classmate. Do you even remember yesterday was my birthday?”

The speaker was Qin Yuan, Wei Chuan’s childhood friend.

Wei Chuan: “Didn’t I celebrate with you right on time? I gave you those sneakers ages ago.”

“Who cares about that? Tell me, where did you go? Were you secretly getting into a relationship behind your bro’s back?”

Wei Chuan said, “Yanqing.”

“Yanqing? What kind of place is that?” Qin Yuan looked utterly confused.

“You should read more,” Wei Chuan quipped sharply. “The hometown of wood carving. Illiterate.”

“Wood carving?”

A sudden phone ring interrupted them. Wei Chuan ignored Qin Yuan’s question and answered Meng Tang’s call. “Yeah?”

“Wei Chuan, you left your student ID here. I messaged you, but you didn’t reply.”

He had mentioned returning to school for training the next day, so Meng Tang called, worried he might need the ID.

Wei Chuan checked his bag, sure enough, the ID was missing. “It really is gone. Just hold onto it for me for now.”

Meng Tang: “Me? Won’t you need it tomorrow?”

Wei Chuan: “It’s fine. I’ll borrow someone else’s for meals. I’ll just go home to sleep at night.”

Meng Tang: “Alright then. I’ll give it back to you later.”

Wei Chuan chuckled. “I thought you called to ask if I got home safely.”

Meng Tang casually asked, “So, did you?”

“Just got out of the station,” Wei Chuan said. “My friend is picking me up.”

Meng Tang gave a vague “Oh.”

Wei Chuan knew she had nothing else to say, so he took the initiative to say, “See you at school,” and hung up.

Qin Yuan, curious, asked, “Who was that?”

Wei Chuan: “A classmate.”

“From your school?”

“Yeah, from the art academy.”

Wei Chuan turned his phone sideways and started playing a game, half-heartedly chatting with Qin Yuan.

“What department?”

“Sculpture.”

“What’s her name?”

“Meng Tang.”

“You like her?”

“…”

The car fell silent for a good ten seconds. In the game, Wei Chuan’s character was killed.

He turned his head and asked Qin Yuan, “What did you just say?”