CH 16

To keep an eye on Tang Xu, Lu Chengwei had to give up his date and convince a young celebrity to wait with him at the entrance. The young star was obediently playing with the sound system and listening to music. Lu Chengwei had spent a lot of money on his new car, and the surround sound effect was indeed impressive. It felt like every note could strike you from all directions like an axe.

After a while, Tang Xu appeared in Lu Chengwei’s sight. Lu Chengwei was puzzled and asked, leaning out of the car window, “Where’s your car?”

Tang Xu didn’t look very good, looking like he was about to fight with someone.

“He knows my car; I’m afraid he’ll see it, so I left it aside.”

Tang Xu opened the car door and got in. After he got in, his face looked even worse. A man was screaming at the top of his lungs to the heavy metal drumbeat, as if he wanted to lift the car hood with his roar. Tang Xu was covered in goosebumps from the screaming.

“Can we change the song?”

Knowing that he didn’t like that kind of music, Lu Chengwei quickly gave up his axe music and played a few songs. After Xiao Mingxing got in the car with Tang Xu, he became very nervous and didn’t dare to speak up. Unlike Lu Chengwei’s tall and slender figure, always with a slight smile on his face, his is a typical image of a wealthy young man, or, more accurately, a playboy image. Tang Xu was stronger than Lu Chengwei, and when he kept a straight face without speaking, he gave off a sense of intimidation that created some distance between him and others. This may have something to do with his family’s inheritance of prestige, but the two were different in that Tang Xu’s father was a righteous and imposing figure, while Tang Xu had a bit of a gangster vibe.

The young star watched as Lu Chengwei failed to pick a good song for half the time and voluntarily extended his hand, saying, “Let me choose.”

Tang Xu only noticed the person in the passenger seat after matching him with the “little star” mentioned by Lu Chengwei. His eyebrows twitched, and he cursed in his heart, damn it, Lu Chengwei, this jerk didn’t even let go of men.

All the songs in Lu Chengwei’s car are rock music. After trying for a while, the little star finally found a sentimental pop song. The prelude played, and the little star turned around and asked, “Is this okay?”

Tang Xu has actually heard this song before, “One Naked Person” by Eason Chan.

He nodded and said, “Thank you for the trouble.”

Lu Chengwei looked at the song title and laughed in a strange tone, “So you’re into this kind of music.”

Tang Xu couldn’t be bothered with him and focused on looking at the opposite side. The little star moved his finger and set the song to repeat, and the slender fingers made the pervert next to him itch.

“Don’t stare. We just got here, and we can’t leave yet. This kind of psychological counselling and therapy is a hassle.” Lu Chengwei took out a cigarette and lit it, then threw the cigarette box and lighter to Tang Xu. It was only then that Tang Xu realised he had only taken a bunch of keys when he came out and hadn’t even grabbed his coat, let alone cigarettes.

He was indeed addicted to smoking. Cigarettes were something that, once you started smoking, you couldn’t stop. They were almost the most merciless whip against a person’s self-control.

They waited for an hour before Tang Cuo came out. There were several steps in front of the clinic’s entrance, and Tang Cuo directly leaped from the top step. After landing, he adjusted his backpack and slowly walked forward while kicking stones along the way.”

Lu Chengwei looked at the road and asked, “Not going down?”

After a pause, Tang Xu replied in a low voice, “He doesn’t want me to know.”

Lu Chengwei was surprised and said, “No, then why did you come? We’ve been waiting here for so long just to see the kid off?”

Tang Xu leaned back in his chair and made a vague response, “Mhm.”

“…Damn.”

Watching Tang enter the subway station next to him, Tang Xu then opened the car door and said, “You guys go ahead. I’ll go talk to that doctor.”

“Hey!” Lu Chengwei wanted to stop him, but Tang Xu had already bumped into the car door and strode across the road. Lu Chengwei was amazed. “What’s wrong with him…”

As a song playing on repeat reached its final line, the young star looked at Tang Xu, who was crossing the road, and said, “Your friend is kind of handsome.”

Lucheng Wei stopped in his tracks and turned his head. “You deserve someone even more handsome, right next to you. Also, my friend is straight, so you don’t stand a chance.

The little star found it funny and asked, “But aren’t you straight?”

Lucheng Wei had already turned onto the road and smirked, using lines straight out of a romance novel. “Whether I’m straight or not depends on who it is. For you, I can’t be straight.”

Tang Xu entered the clinic and was surprised to be stopped by a little girl on the first floor.

“Excuse me, sir, do you have an appointment?”

Tang Xu shook his head, “My family members are here for psychological counseling. If possible, I need to know about their situation.”

The young girl nodded and took out a notebook, saying, “Please register your personal information, and I will contact Dr. Wen to see if he is available now.”

Tang Xu wrote his name and phone number on the guest registration book, and the girl took a look and said, “Please wait a moment,” then picked up the phone and made a call.

“Dr. Wen, there is a Mr. Tang who wants to talk to you about a client’s situation. Are you available now?”

In order to make the atmosphere of the psychological clinic more relaxing, the girl didn’t use words like “patient.” After talking on the phone, the girl looked at the notebook and added, “Mr. Tang Xu.”

After hanging up the phone, the girl looked apologetically at Tang Xu and said, “I’m very sorry, Mr. Tang. Dr. Wen is preparing to receive the next patient and won’t be able to see you today. Here’s Dr. Wen’s contact information on this card, and she said you can contact her in advance to arrange another meeting.”

Tang Xu took the small business card and examined it closely.

Wen Ying.

“Okay,” Tang Xu politely nodded in thanks, “thank you.”

After Tang Xu left, the young girl took her notebook and went upstairs.

“Is he gone?”

The young girl nodded and handed the visitor registration book to Wen Ying, saying, “As you instructed, I gave him your business card.”

Wen Ying flipped to the latest page in her notebook, and this was the first time she had come across this name anywhere other than from Tang Xu’s mouth. Tang Xu had arrived earlier than she had expected. Wen Ying let out a gentle sigh, jotted down the phone number, and handed the notebook back to the young girl.

The young girl did not leave immediately, holding the notebook and asking, “Is Tang Cuò not doing well recently? He’s been coming here a lot more often.”

Wen Ying rubbed her temples. “Yes, that’s right. So I also need to meet with his family.”

The young girl nodded in agreement, saying, “If family and friends cooperate with the psychological treatment, the effect is indeed much better.”

Tang Xu returned to his car and called Tang Cuo.

“Where are you?”

In the earpiece, Tang Cuo hesitated for a moment before saying, “I’m on the subway.”

“Oh,” Tang Xu flicked away the accumulated cigarette ash, “What are you doing there?”

“I went to the supermarket to buy some things.” Tang Cuo, who was still unaware that he had been caught, lied calmly, making Tang Xu even more helpless.

“Well, okay, just come back slowly.”

Tang Cuo felt that this phone call was somewhat inexplicable. It had been such a long time, and Tang Xu had never called him for no reason like this before.

The subway stopped at a station, and several people got on, including a mother with a little girl. Tang Cuo immediately stood up and said to the mother, “Please take this seat.”

The mother immediately thanked him repeatedly and even pulled the little girl’s hand and said, “The big brother gave you the seat; quickly thank the big brother.”

The little girl took a lollipop from her mouth and looked at Tang Cuo with big eyes. When she smiled, two small dimples appeared, and her mouth was as sweet as the candy. “Big brother, you’re so kind! Thank you, big brother!”

Tang Cuo hurriedly waved his hand, feeling somewhat awkward, and said, “No need to thank me.”

After being held by her mother on her lap, the little girl continued to eat the lollipop, her eyes always fixed on Tang Cuo.

More and more people got on the subway, and Tang Cuo looked at the little girl who was still eating the candy. He pursed his lips and said to the mother, “Uh… sister, it’s better not to let her eat lollipops. There are a lot of people on the subway, and it’s inevitable that they will bump into each other when squeezing. And sometimes the brakes are not very stable, so if someone bumps into her or something, the little girl might poke herself in the mouth.” As he spoke, Tang Cuo even poked his own mouth, as shown in the picture.

The mother, who was called “Sister,” quickly smiled and said, “Oh, I didn’t think about that. Thank you.” After speaking, she touched the little girl’s hand and spoke to her in a tone of consultation, “Did you understand? Brother said it’s dangerous to eat lollipops on the subway. How about eating it outside?”

The little girl seemed to hesitate for a moment before opening her mouth and holding the lollipop in her hand like a little adult, saying, “Okay.”

“Do you have any more lollipops? Give one to Brother.”

Tang Cuo, who was standing aside, was flattered and said, “No need, no need. You can eat it!”

But the little girl immediately rummaged through her pocket, took out a new lollipop, and held it up to him, saying, “Brother, take it!”

“Keep it; she likes you so much that she is so proactive in giving it to you. Thank you so much today.”

The little girl smiled with her eyes curved, emphasising her inner thoughts: “Yes, I like my big brother.”

Tang Cuo was at a loss for a moment, blushed, and took it, saying, “Thank you.”

The little girl didn’t say anything else, nor did she say you’re welcome. She sat there, staring at him.

“Big brother, you’re blushing.”

Tang Cuo was made even hotter by the child’s innocent words. The little girl, however, was relentless and continued sweet-talking him, “Big brother, you’re so handsome.”

Two girls beside them burst out laughing, which startled Tang Cuo. He blinked and looked at them. The two girls saw they were caught and turned their heads awkwardly, their mouths contorted from holding back their laughter.

As a result, Tang Cuo got off the train in a panic at the next stop. He stood on the unfamiliar platform and watched the subway leave, holding a lollipop in his hand.

The most noble hymn of praise one can hear in this world is the murmuring of the human soul spoken by a child’s mouth. As the subway rushed away, Tang Cuo suddenly remembered this sentence, which seemed to be spoken by Hugo.

However, such unintentional praise left him at a loss.

Tang Cuo lowered his head, and in the lively crowd around him, his figure appeared weak and lonely. He moved the lollipop into the smallest compartment of his backpack, carefully zipped it up, and silently waited for the next train to arrive.