Contractual Marriage: We’re Meant to Be Together

247. An Unexpected Visit From Song Huaiqi

Translator: yimin

Yan Chuyang did not expect Song Huaiqi would pay a visit to him at school.

He felt genuinely embarrassed at the sight of Song Huaiqi standing outside his building.

He thought they both unanimously agreed that they wouldn’t see each other anymore after what happened that night.

That night when Song Huaiqi tried to coerce him… It would only make things worse if they continued to see each other after that night.

But out of Yan Chuyang’s expectation, Song Huaiqi showed up in his school again.

Yan Chuyang took a deep breath, then went downstairs to talk to Song Huaiqi.

“Chuyang,” Song Huaiqi called his name as Chuyang went down.

“Hi,” Yan Chuyang said awkwardly, taking a two-step distance away from Song Huaiqi. He didn’t even look at Song Huaiqi in the eyes when he continued, “What brings you here today?”

Song Huaiqi forced a bitter smile, “I thought you wouldn’t want to see me after…”

“Like I said before, I will always think of you as my friend, as long as you feel the same way about me too.” Yan Chuyang said with genuine sincerity.

“But I can’t think of you as only a friend.” thought Song Huaiqi.

“Can I treat you to a glass of wine?”

“Well…” Yan Chuyang took a quick look at his watch, “Better not now. It is about lunchtime. I may have to…”

“You may have to go home and lunch with Wei Qing, right?” Song Huaiqi interrupted him.

“Nah.” Yan Chuyang shook his head and denied, “I just think drinking at this hour may affect our appetites. ”

“Then I’ll treat you to lunch.”

“Senior, you don’t have to…”

“Didn’t you just say we are friends?” Song Huaiqi raised his eyebrows and challenged Yan Chuyang with his own words, “In what way are we friends if you don’t want to have lunch with me?”

Yan Chuyang gave in. He signed and hesitated for a while before he agreed, “Fine then.”

Song Huaiqi seemed delighted at this answer and quickly helped Yan Chuyang to carry his backpack. “Come on, get in. I’ll drive.”

They stopped at a restaurant.

Song Huaiqi ordered enough food to feed an elephant, but Yan Chuyang had no appetite at all. He lowered his head and stirred a glass of drink with a spoon, inattentively.

“Come on, try something ,” Song Huaiqi put a piece of pork rib to the dish tray in front of Yan Chuyang, “It is your favorite, roasted pork ribs with chili peppers.”

“Senior,” Yan Chuyang looked at Song Huaiqi. “Tell me what happened. You know I am a straight-forward person. Don’t beat around the bush with me.”

Song Huaiqi’s hands stopped halfway. He then put down the chopsticks, “Can’t I just have lunch with my friend now?” He seemed a little frustrated at Yan Chuyang’s refusal.

“That’s not what I mean,” Yan Chuyang explained, “Your sudden visit makes me worry. We haven’t seen each other for two mouths. I thought we were done forever, but you showed up out of nowhere. If it is not an emergency, you won’t do such a thing. Besides, you don’t act like yourself today. ”

Song Huaiqi never visited him without asking first. He would send Yan Chuyang a text massage before visiting, to see if Yan Chuyang was at school or it was a convenient time for Yan Chuyang.

He was a cautious person. He was out of his character today.

Song Huaiqi replied with a bitter smile. He sipped the wine from a glass then said with a husky voice, “I thought you didn’t care about me. Turns out you know me quite well.”

“How come, ” Yan Chuyang frowned in disagreement,  “Senior, you and Wei Yuan are my best friends. If not for you guys, my college life wouldn’t be that easy. You are always here for me. I appreciate your caring and love. It is just I don’t know how to repay you, besides respecting you.”

“Respect me?” Song Huaiqi said with a bitter smile, “That’s the least thing I want from you.”

Huaiqi’s reply was heart-wrenchin, so that Yan Chuyang quickly changed the subject, “Now that you know you are my buddy. Can you please tell me what happened? I will see what I can do.”

“I am here to borrow money.” Song Huaiqi looked at Yan Chuyang and asked directly.

Yan Chuyang was stunned by his answer, “From me?”

“Listen, I am gonna be honest with you.” Song Huaiqi said, “My company was prosecuted for tax evasion. I was ordered to pay the taxes that I was liable to pay, but I am in short of money. ”

Yan Chuyang frowned at this answer, then asked after a moment of thinking, “How much do you need?”

“Well, roughly four million yuan.”

The number rendered Yan Chuyang to frown again. He hesitated, “You know I don’t have that much.”

“I know that you were awarded with three million yuan for wining an painting competition on a comic show earlier on. If you can lend me the three million, and together with my own funding, that will do it. ”

“But…” What Song Huaiqi didn’t know was that Chuyang already gave that three million yuan to Wei Qing.

Song Huaiqi’s heart sank when he saw Yan Chuyang’s hesitation, “If you don’t want to do so, then forget about it. ”

“Wait!” Yan Chuyang interrupted him, ” I will. Tell me when you need the money and I will transfer it to your business account by that time. ”

Song Huaiqi thought, “Is there any chance you can do it by tonight?”

Song Huaiqi’s request rendered Yan Chuyang even more anxious,”Senior, is there anything else happening to your company besides tax-evasion prosecution?”

The fact that Song Huaiqi would ask him for three million yuan and wanted it so soon made Yan Chuyang worry about Song Huaiqi’s company. Were it not a desperate situation, Song Huaiqi wouldn’t turn to him for help.

Song Huaiqi denied, although he was obviously trying to avoid this question. He inattentively stirred a cup of coffee, “Nothing. It is just a shortfall in cash flow.”

“Just a shortfall? Don’t try to foul me, Senior. If it is just a shortfall in cash flow, you won’t come to me for help. Besides, since when does your company can’t afford four million yuan of taxes?”

Yan Chuyang’s question struck Song Huaiqi wordless and pale.

Song Huaiqi’s silence made Yan Chuyang’s heart sink. So, his guess was right.

No wonder Song Huaiqi looked low-spirited when he showed up. Even though he forced a smile, Yan Chuyang could still “detect” the fatigue and depression behind his smile.