Chapter 154: Chapter 153 Forty-nine-level Pagoda_1
Tan Ying arrived earlier than expected.
Although Fu Qian had said it was a trivial matter, this person clearly did not seem to think so.
“I mentioned it to Qin Mingze, but he couldn’t get away,”
Tan Ying spoke as she walked, instantly drawing the attention of those around her, including Xu Meng in front of Fu Qian.
Seeing Tan Ying, Xu Meng’s expression instantly turned uncertain.
His gaze darted back and forth between Fu Qian and her, unable to help but speculate about their relationship.
“What’s going on?”
Tan Ying glanced at Xu Meng briefly before switching her gaze back to Fu Qian’s face.
“Nothing much, President Xu asked me to help find the murderer who harmed his son.”
“Since when did you become a private detective?”
Tan Ying looked puzzled.
“I am the murderer.”
…
“It was just an issue I needed to confirm with Mr. Fu.”
Xu Meng’s face darkened as if it would drip water, and after a long while, he finally spoke.
“Now it seems it was all just a misunderstanding, I have other things to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.”
“What exactly is going on?”
Watching Xu Meng leave, Tan Ying threw her bag onto the table and sat down next to Fu Qian.
“Overwhelmed with grief.”
Fu Qian recounted the situation briefly.
“So it was him, no wonder he looked a bit familiar!”
Tan Ying suddenly understood.
“You know him?”
“I’m aware of him, he has some influence in Lincheng, but I just couldn’t match the face with the name.”
Uh-huh.
Fu Qian nodded.
“He seemed to recognize you, though.”
“Can’t help it, some people just naturally become the center of attention.”
Tan Ying flicked her hair and cast a flirtatious look.
“This man has always had a bad reputation; it’s not surprising he would lash out like this when his son met with trouble out of the blue.”
It was clear that she never actually considered the possibility that Fu Qian might be responsible.
“But you don’t have to worry about it, as long as you have me, your sister, to protect you, he wouldn’t dare lay a finger on you.”
So confident? As Young Master Qin said, Tan Ying’s family background is indeed extraordinary.
“But speaking of which, do I count as saving a life today?”
Tan Ying realized something, propped her chin with her hand, and looked at Fu Qian with a sly expression.
“That’s not incorrect,”
Fu Qian nodded, counting on his fingers.
“Saving a life is better than building a seven-story pagoda, so you have built—”
He remembered the number of people Xu Meng brought with him.
“—a Forty-nine-level Pagoda.”
What?
Tan Ying frowned, obviously not quite understanding Fu Math, but she didn’t delve deeper into it.
“In that case, may I ask you for a favor?”
Tan Ying revealed an ambiguous look in her eyes.
“Go ahead.”
Although he didn’t owe Tan Ying any pagoda, Fu Qian was always clear about debts of gratitude.
Once before, he had asked her to send Pei Yanqing back, so he did owe Miss Tan a favor.
“Are you free the day after tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
Fu Qian thought about it; that would be his last day off.
“It’s my birthday, would you do me the honor of coming?”
Uh?
Fu Qian gave Tan Ying a look, and she winked at him.
“Don’t be doubtful, it’s just a clichéd birthday party, so crowded it’s boring.”
Is she worried that Xu Meng won’t let things go?
Fu Qian suddenly understood her line of thinking.
Xu Meng was clearly aware of Tan Ying’s background, and leaving upon seeing her, unsure of his relationship with her, did not mean he had completely given up hope.
This lady inviting him to take a round at her birthday banquet did have a bit of a protective gesture about it.
All he could say was that she had been quite considerate.
“Sure!”
Fu Qian nodded in agreement.
Such things were no more than a small effort.
After all, he wasn’t some kind of demon.
He believed in being kind to others and not fond of disputes.
…
Three days later.
As the sun set, Fu Qian arrived on time.
Out of respect for the host, he had even made an effort to dress up.
At that moment, despite his casual demeanor, the suit and shoes he donned gave him an air of evil elegance, which made Qin Mingze, his driver, green with envy.
Just as he had predicted, Miss Tan’s family was well-off, and the mansion where the banquet was held was of the highest caliber, teeming with guests in the banquet hall.
Obviously, Tan Ying’s parents had turned her birthday into a social event.
Of course, as a male guest personally invited by Tan Ying, Fu Qian undoubtedly attracted quite a bit of attention.
However, in such a setting, most people kept their composure, merely glancing at him a few times, allowing Fu Qian to leisurely enjoy the food and drinks.
He had intended to just blend in until the end, but it turned out he had thought too highly of Tan Ying.
“Hello, nude artist!”
“Do you really go by Fu Qian? What an interesting name!”
“You really are handsome, Xiao Ying didn’t lie to us…”
Before long, Fu Qian found himself surrounded by a group of Tan Ying’s classmates.
These lively young women in their twenties giggled as they looked at Fu Qian, openly passing comments without any reservation.
Not knowing how Tan Ying had introduced him, but judging from the conversation, it seemed they all knew about the Photoshopping incident.
Tan Ying, the host of the banquet, seemed completely entertained by the situation, watching from the sidelines.
Seeing Fu Qian look her way, she even flashed a provocative smile.
She was clearly still harping on the black dress incident!
Fu Qian thought to himself.
Having been outsmarted by him last time, she obviously couldn’t swallow her pride.
Although she had sought his help this time, she was more than happy to use the opportunity to ridicule him and Young Master Qin, getting revenge with one arrow.
Poor Young Master Qin had been so excited on his way here, looking forward to mingling in the proverbial fish pond.
Fu Qian even spotted Pei Yanqing not far off, covering her mouth to hide her laughter.
Tan Ying had indeed invited her!
Dressed in a simple and elegant long gown, she did not look out of place among the various distinguished and gentle ladies.
Under such intense scrutiny, even the future Litigant Qin Mingze was a bit overwhelmed, managing to hold out for a while before he took off.
Only Fu Qian, with skin as thick as a city wall, casually grabbed various delicacies, eating and responding with ease.
“Besides being an artist, what else do you do in your free time?” a girl asked amid the laughter.
“Oh, there’s quite a lot,” he said.
“Exorcising demons, burglarizing, providing consultancy… I do it all.”
Another bout of raucous laughter followed.
“Do you have any hobbies then?”
Hobbies, huh…
Fu Qian reminisced about his recent experiences.
“Exploring the flesh?”
“…Anything else?”
She seemed persistent.
“Exploring human nature?”
Exploring the flesh and human nature?
The girl, who appeared innocent, was taken aback for a moment and then asked in a soft voice,
“SM?”
All things considered, despite some misunderstandings, Fu Qian’s banquet experience was quite relaxed and enjoyable.
Tan Ying’s classmates were generally older than Fu Qian but were at the prime of their lives.
The natural confidence brought about by their youth and beauty made their every move spirited, making it not at all tiresome to socialize with them.
The only one who felt let down was Tan Ying herself, as Fu Qian’s ease in handling the situation undeniably left Miss Tan a bit dissatisfied, with her aspirations unfulfilled.
But no matter, life is full of disappointments, seven, eight, nine, tenfold, even on one’s birthday.