Chapter 843 - Lurking Forces (II) (2/2)

“I’m already an adult! I don’t need your discipline!” Gu Nianzhi stood up and sat down on the single seater couch on the other side of the coffee table.

He Zhichu also stood and just as he was about to speak, the doorbell rang. The food had arrived. Opening the door, he had the hotel wait-staff set the table and paid them a tip. He told them to come back in two hours to pick up the cutlery.

“Okay, dinner is here. If you don’t mind my humble abode, please sit down.” He Zhichu was in a pleasant mood and politely invited everyone to have dinner in the dining room.

Huo Shaoheng actually didn’t have any appet.i.te at all, but if he didn’t have dinner now, it would seem like he was throwing a temper tantrum, the same as Gu Nianzhi. He was so much older than her, so if he’d appeared in a foul mood or refused to eat, he would appear too immature. So instead, he calmly walked over.

He Zhichu’s dining table was a long, Western-style one. He had also ordered individual plates for the set menu. He Zhichu sat in the host position at the head of the table, and to his immediate left was Gu Nianzhi. Ma Qiqi sat next to her. Ye Xuan sat across from Gu Nianzhi and Yin s.h.i.+xiong originally sat next to Ma Qiqi, but he couldn’t help standing as soon as he saw Huo Shaoheng walk in. Huo Shaoheng didn’t mind at all as he raised a hand and waved downwards to give Yin s.h.i.+xiong permission to sit. He sat next to Ye Xuan.

Everyone had a dinner plate in front of them and in the middle of the table was a feast of seventeen courses. The food was kept hot using a small alcohol heater underneath, and smelled as fragrant and delicious as if it had just been freshly plated from the pan. Everyone ate as if it was buffet, choosing what they wanted and putting it on their dinner plate.

Although Ma Qiqi had cheerfully watched the drama, she liked eating even more. She was a true foodie. Therefore, when she saw the delivery arrive, she’d immediately started itching to indulge herself. First, she had some sea cuc.u.mber and corn chowder to warm her belly, then she took a charcoal-grilled scallop and chewed it carefully.

Gu Nianzhi didn’t have much of an appet.i.te to begin with, but when she saw Ma Qiqi eat so happily, she also took an oyster to try. As far as seafood went, she only seemed to dislike oysters. She casually ate one, but didn’t touch them again. After, she only ladled a bowl of soup and cradled it in her hands to drink.

Huo Shaoheng didn’t eat anything at all. He only sat at the table and had a gla.s.s of red wine by his hand as he idly chatted with Ye Xuan. His voice was very quiet, so no one else could hear them.

Gu Nianzhi took a bite and glanced across the table like she was still very angry.

He Zhichu stopped eating after having one shrimp. He picked up his red wine gla.s.s and swirled it as he began chatting with Gu Nianzhi. “How’s your paper coming along? And the lawsuit with Gu Yanran?”

Gu Nianzhi had grown up with Huo Shaoheng and originally abided to the principle of “no conversation during meals.” However, when she spied Huo Shaoheng not following this principle himself, she followed his lead. “The paper is still lacking a bit—I only wrote half and need to do some more research. As for the lawsuit…” she looked at Ye Xuan, who was busy talking with Huo Shaoheng, “Ye Xuan is the key witness.”

He Zhichu took another sip of red wine. His expression seemed a bit impatient, but he chose his words carefully and nodded. “It’s good that you have a plan. Just let me know if you need help with anything.”

Gu Nianzhi quickly said, “I’ve already bothered you so much this time around. If it weren’t for you, Ye Xuan wouldn’t have come home alive.”

He Zhichu wasn’t humble, so he beamed at her. “It’s good that you know that.”

On the other side, Huo Shaoheng finally turned his head to glance in Gu Nianzhi and He Zhichu’s direction. He wanted to say something, but when he saw Gu Nianzhi’s stubborn and disgusted expression, he swallowed the words back down.

Ma Qiqi was the only person eating happily at the entire dinner table.

After dinner, Ma Qiqi was so satisfied she could scarcely walk. Yin s.h.i.+xiong pulled her out to the living room to walk in circles and digest, so she wouldn’t interrupt the other conversations.

Huo Shaoheng set down his wine gla.s.s and saw that He Zhichu had already finished eating. “There’s something I’d like to ask Professor He. Would it be possible to speak in private?”

He Zhichu set down his napkin and coldly stared at Huo Shaoheng.

Huo Shaoheng still remained calm and reliable, his emotions unreadable.

“Yes, please come with me.” He Zhichu got up and took Huo Shaoheng to the study.

Gu Nianzhi and Ye Xuan were the only ones left in the dining room, so it was the perfect opportunity to talk. She glanced at Ye Xuan, who kept his head low. “Are you sure that Gu Yanran was really the one responsible?”