Movies and TV: Neighbor Qiao Yingzi, Crazy Pursuit of Song Qian and Wen Jie

Chapter 27: Fang Yifan: “Su Bai, Take Care of My Mum!”

Just as Fang Yifan was about to step forward, Qiao Yingzi grabbed his sleeve.

“Fang Yifan, do you even know why your mum is treating Su Bai to dinner?”

“No idea.”

“It’s because she wants your family to move to Shuxiang Yayuan. Su Bai owns a house there, and your mum wants to talk to him about renting it.”

Fang Yifan’s disgruntled expression instantly morphed into a grin. Though he didn’t understand why Su Bai had a house in Shuxiang Yayuan, that detail no longer mattered.

The key point was that his mother’s initiative could help fulfill his simple dream: walking to and from school with his crush every day.

Glancing over at Huang Zitao, his mood instantly lifted.

Turning toward Su Bai, he said earnestly, “Su Bai, I’m counting on you to take care of my mum.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Su Bai retorted, incredulous.

At the school gate, Fang Yifan’s words could easily cause misunderstandings, especially with parents milling around. Even Tong Wenjie herself looked momentarily puzzled.

But Fang Yifan wasn’t fazed. The thought of walking to school daily with his dream girl put him in a cheerful mood.

Once Su Bai got into Tong Wenjie’s car, Fang Yifan exclaimed, “Leier, tonight we’re celebrating your second-place rank with a feast. Name the place!”

“Cousin, I don’t mind where we eat. I need to study; I’m still far behind Su Bai,” Lin Leier replied, unfazed by Fang Yifan’s enthusiasm.

Fang Yifan then turned to Qiao Yingzi and Huang Zitao.

“Yingzi, Zitao, how about joining us for dinner?”

“I’ll pass. My dad’s waiting at home,” Qiao Yingzi declined.

“Me too. I prefer my mum’s cooking,” Huang Zitao added.

With that, the girls headed toward Shuxiang Yayuan, leaving Fang Yifan staring wistfully after them.

“Wait for me, goddess. Soon, we’ll be walking home together every day,” Fang Yifan muttered as he and Lin Leier walked away. Tonight’s celebrations could wait—he’d deal with the consequences of his grades when he got home.

’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’

“I’ll just call you Xiaobai, like Song Qian does. Xiaobai, feel free to order anything you like. Tonight’s bill is on me,” Tong Wenjie said warmly.

She had chosen a high-end Japanese restaurant for their dinner and even reserved a private room. Now, only she and Su Bai sat at the table.

Although Su Bai wasn’t particularly fond of Japanese cuisine, he appreciated Tong Wenjie’s gesture and ordered a few cooked dishes.

Once their orders were placed, Tong Wenjie sat down across from him in a traditional kneeling posture.

“Since I’ll be driving later, we won’t drink tonight. Does that work for you?”

“Of course,” Su Bai agreed.

Though he didn’t mind drinking, he knew it could lead to unnecessary complications. He recalled the trouble caused when Song Qian had one too many drinks after he first arrived in this world.

Initially, the atmosphere between them was a bit awkward. However, Tong Wenjie, a seasoned PR professional, soon broke the silence.

“Song Qian probably mentioned this already, but I’d like to rent your unit 501 at Shuxiang Yayuan. What do you think?”

“Sure, no problem. I bought the property specifically for renting out, and I’d feel more at ease renting it to you,” Su Bai replied candidly.

“And what about the rent?”

“You can decide, Aunt Wenjie. I know it’s not easy for you, so whatever you think is fair is fine with me.”

Tong Wenjie was deeply moved by Su Bai’s understanding. Recently, she had faced mounting pressures—from her in-laws’ criticism about accommodating Lin Leier to her son’s poor grades, not to mention professional challenges at work.

Hearing Su Bai’s considerate words, she felt a sudden release of pent-up emotions.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Without hesitation, she called for a bottle of sake.

“Bring the sake. Tonight, I need to let loose.”

[Sake (清酒, Qīngjiǔ): A Japanese alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice. Traditionally served warm or at room temperature, it is often consumed during formal or celebratory meals.]

Moments later, a large bottle of sake was brought in.

Ignoring Su Bai’s startled expression, Tong Wenjie poured herself a glass and drank it in one go.

“Ah, that’s what I needed,” she said, pouring herself another.

By the time she’d consumed half the bottle, Su Bai could only watch in stunned silence.

“Wenjie Jie, maybe we should eat something first. Drinking on an empty stomach isn’t good,” he suggested, offering her some food.

Since Fang Yifan had entrusted his mum to Su Bai, he felt it his responsibility to keep things under control.

Although sake wasn’t particularly strong, drinking so much on an empty stomach was clearly affecting her.

“Su Bai, you’re such a good boy. If only I had a son like you, I’d be content for life,” she murmured, her tone slightly slurred.

Not knowing how to respond, Su Bai could only continue eating, quietly hoping to get through the evening without further incident.