Chapter Eighty-Eight: After This Meal, They Would Part Ways

She sat outside the hospital ward through the whole night, waiting for the morning staff to come on duty. After much pleading, they finally let her in to see her father. She fetched hot water and washed his face, then sat quietly with him, speaking soul to soul. For four years, whenever she had to make an important decision, she had grown used to spending a long time beside her father in silence. She believed that even if she said nothing, he would still understand.

"About last night, you and President Lin..." He Li began, then stopped, his expression suggestive.

She seemed to think of something. "Do you remember that wedding we went to last time?"

"How could I forget? I spent a small fortune on the gift money," He Li said, still annoyed at the memory.

"At the time I did not pay much attention. I only knew the bride was one of the company's clients. What sort of man was the groom?"

He Li answered without the slightest hesitation. "The second young master of Shundu. Since the bride asked us to show up and lend our support, how could we not put in a bit more cash?"

She froze. So everyone knew. It had been her own carelessness; no wonder others had been able to seize the chance.

"I cannot be bothered to mention him," He Li said, noticing her oddness and teasing, "but you look awful. Last night, did you... never mind. If you are embarrassed, I will not force you to say it. But one thing: if you marry into some wealthy family later, do not send me an invitation. I do not have money to spare for wedding gifts."

At such a time, how could she still have room for office gossip? She clutched her handbag tightly. Last night, Lin Shuo had left in a hurry, and she had crouched on the floor picking up the photographs one by one. If they could make Lin Shuo lose his temper, then they still had some value and must not fall into anyone else's hands.

After thinking it over, she had a courier send the photos to Shenghua after lunch and hand them to Xi Mintang. It was time to hear his explanation. It would be far too awkward to go straight to him unannounced; she would rather he organize his words before coming to her.

Sure enough, before work ended, she received a call from Xi Mintang. His tone was as cordial as ever, and he invited her to dinner that evening. She agreed readily.

Xi Mintang drove himself to the company to pick her up. Under the meaningful gazes of the crowd, she left with him. He seemed to be in an excellent mood, which made her wonder whether he had received the photos at all.

"Where to?" he asked.

"Golden Horse Lane," she replied.

When they arrived at Golden Horse Lane, she led him on foot into the alley behind the main street. The narrow lane was packed with diners drawn by its reputation. Xi Mintang found it novel. "So many people!"

"Do you like Thai food?"

He nodded, and she went on, "If you can eat Thai food, then you can eat Dai cuisine too. This place has a good reputation in Kunming. On weekends, it is even harder to get a table."

By the time they were seated, night had nearly fallen. The entire restaurant was decorated chiefly with bamboo. Not only were the chairs made of bamboo, even the ceiling and walls were covered in it. The paintings on the walls depicted Dai scenery, and the waitstaff moved among the tables in Dai dress, lending the place the feeling of being in Xishuangbanna.

The table was loaded with Dai-style sa, bamboo-baked enoki mushrooms, ghost chicken, lemon fish salad, pineapple rice, charcoal-grilled tofu, and fire-roasted dried beef. She lifted the green banana leaf wrapping from the enoki mushrooms with her chopsticks, and at once the fragrance of mushrooms mingled with the scent of greenery rushed into her nose.

"Try this," she said, placing some of the mushrooms into his bowl. He took a bite, and the freshness was so striking it seemed his eyebrows might fall off.

She smiled at him. "I told you long ago I would bring you to try real local food. This time, I actually meant what I said."

Xi Mintang went still. Usually, when someone said that, it meant there would be no next meal after this one, that the debts of the past would be cleared and they would part ways. He forced down the tide of emotion surging within him and gave her a gentle, warm smile. "Let's finish eating first."

"All right," she said softly.