Huo Linsheng had just led Ling Nuan into the bar.
Xu Shichen had a lot of friends, and there were far more people in the bar than last time.
It was the first time for this group of people to see Ling Nuan, and they were all extremely excited. As soon as the two entered the door, everyone started calling their friends to join the fun.
Suddenly, it became quiet around Huo Qishu.
So much so that she couldn't even pretend not to hear.
"Sister Meng..." The smile on Huo Qishu's face became stiff and awkward. "My little uncle has indeed got a girlfriend, but things about dating are hard to say. It's just..."
She couldn't go on.
She thought that her little uncle was quite serious about Ling Nuan and didn't seem to be just playing around.
But could she say, "Sister Meng, there's no hope for you and my little uncle. Don't think about it"?
Huo Qishu was embarrassed, but there was still a smile on Meng Shuluo's face. "He's old enough. It's time for him to date."
Seeing Meng Shuluo looking so relaxed, Huo Qishu let out a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Yes, my little uncle is an old man!"
"An old man?" Huo Linsheng's voice suddenly sounded behind Huo Qishu.
Huo Qishu felt that she must have offended Tai Sui recently. Otherwise, how could things always be so coincidental?
She met Huo Linsheng's gaze, then looked at Ling Nuan beside him and Meng Shuluo on the video call. Nervously, she hung up the video call directly.
"Little uncle." Huo Qishu stood up, lowered her head and said nothing, waiting for Huo Linsheng to scold her.
Seeing this, Xu Shichen immediately started to smooth things over. "Qishu is right. Aren't you an old man? If you don't believe it, ask Ling Nuan."
Huo Linsheng wouldn't care about such things.
He glanced at Xu Shichen, let out a soft snort, and led Ling Nuan to sit down on one side.
Huo Qishu didn't expect to get away with it so easily. After letting out a sigh of relief, she quickly sent a message to Meng Shuluo to explain.
"Sister Meng, my little uncle caught me saying bad things. I was so nervous that I hung up the video call. Wuwuwu. I have to go and listen to a lecture now. I'll talk to you next time."
After sending the message, Huo Qishu silently said in her heart, "These are all white lies."
Meng Shuluo quickly replied, saying it was okay.
Huo Qishu felt that she had passed this hurdle easily.
On the other side, Meng Shuluo was holding her phone in deep thought.
When Huo Linsheng arrived just now, the camera of Huo Qishu's phone had swept over and captured Ling Nuan's face, but it flashed by the next second.
Meng Shuluo didn't see clearly.
But that face vaguely gave a familiar feeling.
That kind of familiarity...
"Why are you in a daze?" Mother Meng came over with a smile and took Meng Shuluo's hand.
Meng Shuluo came back to her senses. How could there be such a coincidence in the world? Seeing her adoptive mother coming, she put away other thoughts.
She smiled at Mother Meng. "I was just chatting with Huo Qishu. I heard from her that Huo Linsheng is in a relationship. I guess she was afraid I would be angry, so she hung up the video call directly."
Hearing this, Mother Meng asked her, "Huo Linsheng is indeed a good choice for a marriage alliance. What do you think?"
Meng Shuluo smiled. "No matter how good Huo Linsheng is, he's not from Shanghai. That alone won't do."
Mother Meng was very pleased. "It's good that you understand this principle."
Meng Shuluo didn't take the fact that Huo Linsheng was in a relationship to heart, nor did she pay attention to who his girlfriend was.
Ling Nuan, however, found an opportunity to sound out Huo Qishu.
She first chatted a lot of random things, and then suddenly said, "Who were you on a video call with just now?"
Huo Qishu blurted out, "Sister Meng."
After saying that, Huo Qishu was instantly stunned on the spot. She looked at Ling Nuan in disbelief. "Auntie, you deliberately tricked me?"
Ling Nuan smiled. "Just chatting casually."
Huo Qishu: "..."
She felt that the world was going to be a mess.
Ling Nuan coaxed her patiently. "Since you've already said it, do you want to tell me more?"
Huo Qishu looked at Ling Nuan expressionlessly and replied, "Auntie, you know you look just like my little uncle right now. It feels like you're going to send me to my death."
"It's not that bad. I'm not as sinister as your little uncle," Ling Nuan replied.
Not as sinister, but still a bit sinister.
Huo Qishu was in despair.
But she still chose to give up struggling. "Auntie, just ask whatever you want."
"What's the deal between her and your little uncle?" Ling Nuan asked directly.
Huo Qishu was shocked. "You're not even being euphemistic. Aren't you afraid I won't tell you or just perfunctory you?"
Ling Nuan didn't say a word. She just looked at her gently, but Huo Qishu felt that look was full of confidence.
Huo Qishu suddenly felt that she was just a little white rabbit who couldn't outwit anyone and had to help Ling Nuan solve her doubts.
"Actually, there's nothing between them. They don't see each other much in a year. But our family has a good relationship with the Meng family, and we have contacts every year. The elders in the family also like to joke. Auntie, you know, my little uncle doesn't have any opposite - sex friends around him. He just has a relatively good relationship with Sister Meng..."
Ling Nuan was speechless.
The look in her eyes clearly said, "Is that all?"
Huo Qishu felt guilty but still struggled. "But a handsome guy and a beautiful girl standing together are really pleasing to the eye. I just accidentally thought they were a good match."
Ling Nuan understood.
This was the wild imagination and celebration of a CP fan.
"Before you came, my little uncle was really special to her!" Huo Qishu struggled and listed the special treatment Huo Linsheng gave to Meng Shuluo.
"There are so many well - connected families. Except for Sister Meng, my little uncle has never given gifts to anyone every year. Also, even for family members, my little uncle always asks Fang Chao to arrange the gifts, but for Sister Meng, he always goes to the auction himself to buy them back!"
Special?
It was too special!
No wonder Huo Qishu was confused. Didn't Ling Nuan also feel confused when she saw the greeting card written by Huo Linsheng with his own hands?
Huo Qishu looked extremely innocent. "My little uncle doesn't usually get close to women. He was so special to Sister Meng. Can you blame me for having wild thoughts?"
Ling Nuan deeply agreed. "It's not your fault! It's all your little uncle's fault!"
"Exactly!" Huo Qishu grabbed Ling Nuan's hand, regarding her as a bosom friend, and showed her sincerity. "Auntie, believe me. After seeing you, I think no matter how special my little uncle is to Sister Meng, it has nothing to do with love. You're the only one for my little uncle!"
Was Huo Linsheng special to Meng Shuluo?
Yes, it was obvious.
But if you said it was love, what kind of love was this kind of interaction?
Giving gifts? Was it just a platonic relationship?
When Ling Nuan realized what she was thinking randomly, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. When she saw Huo Qishu who was now trying hard to show her sincerity, calling her "Auntie" one after another, she even wanted to bury herself underground.
She... was actually jealous.
Help.
Fortunately, Huo Linsheng didn't know.
...
The next day, Ling Nuan returned to normal work.
Huo Linsheng issued two instructions.
For the new French technology project, Zhao Ran and Ling Nuan would participate together and become permanent members of this project team.
This was what Huo Linsheng taught Ling Nuan, to lure the snake out of its hole.
Secondly, Ling Nuan would take over the cooperation case of Qingnuan Technology completely.
Execute immediately.