Hearing this, Tang Li momentarily lost her focus.
Because she remembered what Song Baiyan said last night in the private room.
His implied meaning had interpreted her dependence on him, the kind of adoration a younger might have for an elder, as a woman’s infatuation for a man.
Now, she couldn’t help thinking, was it that she hadn’t sorted out her feelings, or did Song Baiyan see everything too clearly?
"My uncle is at least a normal man, both mentally and physically I see no problems. Tell me, if he really hasn’t found women in secret, how would he alleviate his desires in daily life?"
Tang Li had already recollected her thoughts.
Hearing Fu Si speak , she inadvertently thought of that night in Shangbu, when Song Baiyan stood behind her reaching for the cups in the cabinet.
She felt the warmth as the man’s body drew close.
A man at thirty stands firm not only in more thoughtful and careful actions but also physically—they’re no longer as frail as guys in their twenties, nor do they seem incapable of lifting or carrying.
"The best knives won’t endure if kept hidden; they’ll rust over time." Fu Si shook his leg casually, slightly nonchalant: "The matter of my uncle getting married is pressing."
Tang Li turned off the tap: "Speaking ill of elders behind their backs, if your family knew, they might break more than just one leg."
"What do you mean by speaking ill of elders? Didn’t you ask me? I was just kindly explaining to you."
Ignoring his defense, Tang Li issued another order for him to leave.
Reluctantly, Fu Si walked out of the kitchen.
But he didn’t leave; instead, he plopped down at the desk.
Then he started rifling through the drawers.
Tang Li came out of the kitchen and saw Fu Si pulling out the Peninsula Iron Box from the drawer; it was too late to stop him: "Who allowed you to go through my things?"
At that moment, her heart beat slightly faster.
Fu Si had already opened the box.
Suddenly hearing a rather stern question, he jumped.
As Tang Li approached, Fu Si froze in his chair.
Just when Tang Li was about to take the Peninsula Iron Box, a faint voice came from Fu Si: "Didn’t expect it, eh, even a good student smokes."
"..." Tang Li paused in the act of closing the box.
She turned around to look at Fu Si.
Fu Si was holding a cigarette butt.
This cigarette butt, too, was the reason for her nervousness just now.
Fu Si’s strange gaze was already on Tang Li: "These luxury-brand cigarettes aren’t cheap, usually reserved for politicians or business elites, like my uncle, he smokes these. Tsk tsk, you, a poor student, can afford these cigarettes?"
Tang Li extended her hand: "Give me back the cigarette butt."
"I’ll take a closer look first." Fu Si refused to hand it over, eyeing the cigarette butt: "There are bite marks on the filter, didn’t see that coming, turns out you’re a regular smoker."
He looked up at Tang Li again: "Where do you hide your cigarettes?"
"I’ve never smoked in my whole life, don’t hog the good stuff, take it out and share."
"I don’t have any cigarettes here."
Saying this, Tang Li reached for the cigarette butt: "You give that to me first."
Fu Si immediately raised his hand high: "Trying to destroy the evidence? My uncle has these cigarettes where he lives; I’ll steal a couple of boxes next time. But I need to keep this one, this way, even if my uncle catches me, I can argue a bit. Even our school’s top student smokes, it won’t be weird if I try it."
Hearing he wanted to tell Song Baiyan, Tang Li could not allow him to take away the cigarette butt.
"It’s just a cigarette butt, are you not worried it will mold?"
Fu Si eyed her suspiciously.