Any Closer and I'll Lose Control - Chapter 53

The hotel corridor was carpeted, muffling the footsteps of every passerby, yet their gazes seemed to carry a palpable weight.

Meng Tang pointed at Wei Chuan. “Come in.”

Wei Chuan nearly burst into laughter right then and there. Once inside, he pressed his luck further, asking Meng Tang, “Why did you pick me?”

Because the old man had forbidden her from getting too close to Li Hanjin.

Seeing Wei Chuan’s smug expression, Meng Tang deliberately replied, “First come, first served.”

“First come, first served?” Wei Chuan immediately frowned. “So, if he had arrived first, you’d have left me standing outside?”

Meng Tang didn’t entertain hypotheticals. She brushed him off with a perfunctory appeasement: “And who exactly is the one standing outside right now?”

Noticing the edge in her tone, Wei Chuan wisely backed off, flashing a grin before unpacking all the takeout on the round wooden table.

The rich aroma of cheese reached Meng Tang, and she leaned in. “What did you get?”

Wei Chuan said, “I was going to order durian pizza, but I was worried the smell would linger and make it awkward when you meet people later. So, I got a half-and-half instead, along with squid ink seafood risotto, pasta, and a sushi platter. I also grabbed some desserts and drinks.”

The portions weren’t huge, so he’d made up for it with variety.

The sofa was a bit low, so Meng Tang motioned for Wei Chuan to sit there while she pulled over a chair, settling across from him.

The table wasn’t large, and it was now crowded with food. Meng Tang gestured at the spread. “This is a lot. Can you finish it all?”

“Of course.” Wei Chuan handed her the seafood risotto. “You eat first.”

Meng Tang blinked. “You want me to finish it before you?”

Wei Chuan scratched his head. “There aren’t any extra containers, and I’m not sharing your spoon. It’s fine, I don’t mind.”

Was that the issue here?

Meng Tang glanced at the table, then grabbed a lid and scooped a small portion of risotto onto it. “This much is enough.”

She wanted to sample everything, so she only took a palm-sized serving.

Wei Chuan slid a crème brûlée toward her. “Try this. It’s from the same place as the cake I gave you last time.”

“You only ordered one?” Meng Tang scanned the table.

Wei Chuan shook his head. “I’m not having any.”

He didn’t seem like the type to deny himself, so after a brief pause, Meng Tang accepted it graciously.

She scooped a spoonful and brought it to her mouth. The rich custard flavor made her eyes flutter shut for a moment.

“How is it?” Wei Chuan tilted his head slightly, waiting for her verdict. Had she said it was bad, he would’ve immediately told Wei Siyuan to shut down her dessert shop.

Too busy savoring the taste to speak, Meng Tang gave him a thumbs-up and nodded.

Sweet, but not cloying.

Wei Chuan grinned. “Actually, this shop belongs to my third sister. If you ever want more, just let me know, I’ll get you a 50% discount.”

Meng Tang: “…With business practices like yours, no shop would survive.”

“You’re not eating it every day,” Wei Chuan countered reasonably. “Wei Siyuan might not be much of an actress, but she’s got a generous personality.”

“Your sister’s an actress?” Meng Tang took a sip of her lychee black tea latte and looked at Wei Chuan in surprise. “What dramas has she been in?”

Wei Chuan finished chewing his mouthful before answering. “Just minor roles. She’s never played a lead.”

After a slice of pizza, Meng Tang was about 70-80% full. She leaned back in her chair to catch her breath. “A well-acted supporting role can still shine, you know.”

Wei Chuan chuckled. “The problem is, she’s not good at acting. Right now, she’s taking lessons to improve.”

“At least she’s putting in the effort,” Meng Tang said. “As family, you should encourage her.”

On the surface, Wei Chuan nodded, but inwardly he found it amusing, Wei Siyuan hardly needed any encouragement.

Her thought process was so uniquely bizarre that she could cheer herself up without any help.

Dinner wrapped up around seven. Meng Tang cleared the table while Wei Chuan grabbed the trash, saying he’d take it out.

After rinsing her mouth and freshening up, Meng Tang changed clothes, picked up her phone and room key, and headed out.

A few steps to the left brought her to the elevator, where she ran into Wei Chuan returning. Seeing him step into the elevator as well, Meng Tang paused in surprise. “Where are you going?”

Wei Chuan pointed upward. “I’ll go up with you.”

“Isn’t the executive floor restricted for regular guests?”

She had only been able to go up because of Su Mian’s invitation.

Wei Chuan pulled out a room key. “It’s not like I didn’t book a room.”

Meng Tang thought he was utterly ridiculous, and way too good at burning money, leaving her momentarily speechless.

Just as she was about to say something, the elevator dinged at the 38th floor.

The moment the doors opened, even the air seemed to carry a different fragrance compared to the standard floors.

Li Hanjin happened to be walking down the hallway from the far end, accompanied by another man. He ignored Wei Chuan entirely and introduced Meng Tang instead.

“This is Mr. Fu Hansong, vice president of the Woodcarving Association. Mr. Fu, this is my junior colleague, Meng Tang.”

Meng Tang gave a slight bow in greeting.

Fu Hansong responded warmly before his gaze shifted to Wei Chuan. “And this is…?”

Li Hanjin, who had deliberately snubbed Wei Chuan, stiffened slightly at the question. Wei Chuan shot him a sidelong glance before smiling. “I’m Meng Tang’s classmate.”

Fu Hansong clicked his tongue. “You look awfully familiar. What’s your surname?”

Wei Chuan’s eyes flickered, there might actually be some connection here. “Wei. Wei Chuan.”

“What’s your relation to Wei Shize?”

So, they really did know each other. Wei Chuan studied Fu Hansong before answering, “He was my grandfather.”

Though he had passed away years ago.

Fu Hansong let out an exclamation. “Well, I’ll be! I had some dealings with your grandfather. Last time I saw you, you were just a kid. Never imagined you’d grow this tall.”

Wei Chuan smirked. He didn’t remember at all, the last time they’d probably met was at his grandfather’s funeral.

Maintaining a polite smile, he excused himself to avoid interrupting their business. Turning to Meng Tang, he said, “I’ll grab a drink. Call me when you’re done.”

Meng Tang nodded, watching as he headed toward the executive lounge.

Li Hanjin led Fu Hansong and Meng Tang to Su Mian’s suite.

Meng Tang had seen Su Mian on TV before, her features carried the delicate grace of the Jiangnan region.

After introductions, Meng Tang bowed again, her expression slightly nervous.

Su Mian chuckled. “Why so tense? I’ve heard plenty about you already.”

Meng Tang’s eyes widened. “You know me?”

“Chen Xunli and I have been friends for years,” Su Mian said with a laugh. “He secretly showed me some of your work.”

“Really?” Meng Tang was surprised. What was the dean doing, sneaking around like that?

“Of course. I was one of the judges for the competition you entered. I also know about the ‘Blind Monk Listening to the Qin’ piece you restored. I have to say, you’ve got real talent.”

Flattered, Meng Tang sat down as Su Mian invited everyone to chat.

With so many industry leaders gathered, the conversation flowed endlessly, from carving styles and wood properties to market trends and heritage policies. They talked for over four hours.

By the time Meng Tang stepped out, she was still buzzing with excitement.

Everyone present today was a veteran in the woodcarving field, and their words alone revealed glimpses of their philosophies and approaches. Meng Tang felt she had gained invaluable insights.

Fu Hansong and Li Hanjin were still lingering at the door, caught in a drawn-out farewell, while Meng Tang and Su Mian’s assistant gave a slight nod and stepped out first.

Entering the hallway, Meng Tang’s gaze inadvertently strayed to a figure sprawled asleep on the sofa at the far end.

It was Wei Chuan!

She glanced at her phone, just a few minutes shy of midnight. Had he really been waiting here for over four hours?

Meng Tang walked over and found him deep in sleep.

She sized him up, tall and broad-shouldered, far too heavy for her to move. The only option was to wake him.

Pressing a hand to Wei Chuan’s shoulder, she gave him a gentle shake. “Wei Chuan, wake up.”

He frowned and mumbled something incoherent but didn’t stir.

“Get up,” Meng Tang pushed harder. “Don’t sleep here. Wei Chuan? Wake up…”

“It’s you again,” Wei Chuan muttered groggily. As Meng Tang’s long hair brushed against his face, he mistook it for his Maltese dog climbing onto the bed. His large hand reached out, pulling her close, ruffling her hair before wrapping her in his arms.

Unaware of his own strength, Wei Chuan held her tight, to Meng Tang, it felt like crashing into a brick wall.