On the way home, Wen Nuan kept trying to reach for the snacks in the back seat. Han Qian frowned and reminded her they'd be having dinner soon. She declared she could eat three full bowls, but he still forbade her from snacking. While they were chatting idly, Lao Wen's call came through. Wen Nuan put it on speaker and cheerfully told him they were on their way back. At that, Lao Wen exclaimed:
"What? Xiao Qian wants to have a drink with me? What's gotten into the kid, drinking without a holiday or occasion? But since he's so sincere, I, as the father-in-law, can't very well turn him down—alright, we'll share a few glasses."
Han Qian stared blankly at the road—when had he ever said he wanted a drink? Wen Nuan, scowling darkly, gritted her teeth and muttered:
"Han Qian doesn't drink."
Lao Wen continued on, undeterred. "You two are together now? Xiao Qian, don't bother buying alcohol! Jinhe still has some left, right? He said he wants to have a drink with me and make things lively. If there's none, I'll go downstairs and buy some. No need for you two kids to run around."
Wen Nuan ended the call abruptly, clearly fuming. Han Qian drew a deep breath, feeling a bit of pity for Lao Wen—he must have been craving a drink so badly that he orchestrated this entire dinner.
When they arrived at Xingjia Palace, it was barely five o'clock. Lao Wen was already waiting at the door, throwing exaggerated winks at them, silently begging them not to expose him. Wen Nuan, unimpressed by his shameless antics, went to her room to change and brought out a new set of clothes for Han Qian—ones Lao Wen hadn't worn yet.
Father-in-law and son-in-law slipped stealthily into the kitchen. Lao Wen washed and chopped vegetables while Han Qian manned the stove. Suddenly, Lao Wen slid the kitchen door shut, loudly claiming it was to keep the smoke in, and leaned in to ask if Han Qian had brought the cigarettes.
Han Qian shook his head and called out:
"Wen Nuan, can you pass me my jacket?"
The door slid open. Wen Nuan didn't bother with the jacket—instead, she tossed him the pack of cigarettes directly, her expression full of reluctant resignation, then shut the door with a bang. Lao Wen, thoroughly impressed, gave Han Qian a thumbs up.
"In all my life, I've never dared to be that assertive with your mother. Wen Nuan's my daughter, yes, but next time, buy the good stuff. If money's tight, just ask your old man."
Han Qian lit a cigarette for him, grinning.
"Oh? Hiding a little private stash, are we? If I told Mom, she might reward me with even more cigarettes."
Lao Wen dismissed him with a wave.
"Talk less, smoke more. These moments are hard-won."
At the dinner table, Lao Wen finally got his wish: a glass of liquor. Naturally, Han Qian wasn't spared either. He wasn't good with strong spirits, but still poured himself half a glass, braving it for his father-in-law. Wen Nuan, meanwhile, finally got to eat the crabs she'd been craving—courtesy of Li Jinhe.
Sipping his drink with relish, Lao Wen squinted and asked:
"Han Qian, Wen Nuan was rambling this afternoon about you stirring things up at Rongyao? That President Yan seems to think quite highly of you?"
Han Qian scratched his head and laughed awkwardly.
"Not at all, sir. Don't believe her nonsense."
Before he could change the subject, Wen Nuan handed him a crab and said:
"Don't let him fool you, Lao Wen. When I picked him up around three, we ran into Gao Lüxing. He told Han Qian he could leave work early. That's no small gesture."
Han Qian didn't eat crab, but he knew Wen Nuan was only giving it to him for form's sake. He cracked it open and handed it back to her, then raised his glass, hoping to redirect the conversation. It didn't work. After a deep sip, Lao Wen, his cheeks flushed, picked up a rib and placed it in Han Qian's bowl.
"You really don't eat seafood, huh? And don't try to downplay your ability in front of me. If you were just some nobody, your mother and I wouldn't have entrusted our Wen Nuan to you. Divorce or not, what the law says doesn't mean anything. If I say you're still my son-in-law, then that's that."
"Well… about the divorce…"
"Drink. Enough babbling. Sure, Wen Nuan has her flaws, but she's kindhearted. I've endured your mom's temper for thirty years, haven't I? I'm just saying—if it really doesn't work out, I won't force you two. But I'm getting old, and I ramble. Let's talk about your work at Rongyao instead."
After hearing the gist of it, Lao Wen's mood visibly dimmed. He drained his glass, patted Wen Nuan's shoulder, and quietly retreated to his room. The matter was over; he didn't want to say more. Li Jinhe noticed his gloom and quickly followed him.
At the table, Han Qian looked at Wen Nuan. She looked back, then handed him another crab and whispered:
"Qian-ge, help me crack this one. Lao Wen seems really down."
Han Qian broke the crab open, downed the last of his drink, and said nothing.
In the bedroom, Lao Wen sat on the bed smoking, troubled. Strangely, Li Jinhe didn't snatch the cigarette from him this time. She just asked gently, "Is it serious?"
Lao Wen shook his head.
"Not quite, but not light either. Yan Qingqing will firmly secure her role at Rongyao—and she beat everyone to the punch. I was thinking… if we had given that proposal to Wen Nuan instead, she might've finally gained her footing in the company. Sigh. No surprise, this whole thing with Xiao Qian and Yan Qingqing—it's probably about money. When the plan succeeded and the upper management took notice… The kid must've needed cash. Why didn't he just say so? If I didn't give the money to Wen Nuan, I would've given it to him."
"What are you talking about?" Li Jinhe frowned. "You know Han Qian better than that. When has he ever asked for anything? You should've just offered the money. The fact that he didn't ask is exactly why he's Han Qian."
"Alright, alright. It's in the past now. Go prepare the guest room—have the kids stay the night."
Lao Wen had a bitterness he couldn't put into words. He'd lost the watermelon and missed the sesame seed. A few minutes later, a furious yell exploded from the living room:
"You ungrateful little brats!"
Han Qian and Wen Nuan had made their escape. Before leaving, Han Qian had stealthily packed up the leftover crab for Wen Nuan, and Wen Nuan had raided the TV cabinet and taken two cartons of Li Jinhe's cigarettes. The plan had been to keep the little rascals overnight—but alas!
Wen Nuan drove, laughing wildly, entirely unbothered that Han Qian had given the proposal to Yan Qingqing. On the contrary, the thrill of stealing from home with him was exhilarating. Han Qian, unable to hold his liquor, was already tipsy from just one glass.
Once home, Han Qian stumbled into bed without even changing. Wen Nuan glanced at him, her lips curled slightly.
Another weekend of post-divorce life was about to begin.