Chapter 237 It's just a meal!
When Li Chen saw Yan Xi put down her phone, his first reaction wasn't nervousness.
It's a question.
Yan Zhen wants to see him?
He had seen this person before.
I've seen it in teahouses, at home, and at the dinner table.
He almost called him "future father-in-law" to his face, a potentially dangerous term.
Logically speaking, if Yan Zhen really wanted to cause him trouble, he wouldn't have waited until now.
Li Chen looked at Yan Xi. "Now?"
"Tomorrow night," Yan Xi said.
Li Chen nodded. "Location?"
Yan Xi looked at him for two seconds. "Aren't you going to ask why?"
"I won't ask."
"Actually, I don't know either," Yan Xi said.
Li Chen then paused for a moment.
This is interesting.
Yan Xi didn't know.
This indicates that Yan Zhen did not relay the message through her, nor did he explain his purpose to her beforehand.
Li Chen took his hand out of his pocket, his fingertips still carrying the warmth of his hand from when he had just held hers.
"He contacted you directly?"
"Um."
Yan Xi handed him her phone and showed it to him.
Yan Zhen's message was very brief.
If you're free tomorrow night, have Li Chen come over for dinner.
There is one more sentence below.
You don't need to accompany me.
Li Chen stared at the last four words for three seconds.
You don't need to accompany me.
These four words are far more dangerous than the previous phrase "have a meal".
It's not because Yan Zhen is planning to do anything.
It was because Yan Zhen actually excluded Yan Xi.
Li Chen quickly went through the recent events in his mind.
Take Yan Xi back to the capital.
The Li family parents gave a red envelope.
Li Qingcang teaches boxing.
Yan Xi was cooking fish at the Li family's house.
Return to school.
Wang Qiang entrusted his relationship to someone else.
Project registration.
There was no reason why Yan Zhen would suddenly ask him out alone.
unless--
Li Chen looked up. "Does your dad know I brought you home for the New Year?"
Yan Xi: "I know."
"To what extent do you know?"
"He knows everything my mom knows."
Li Chen remained silent.
That would cover a much larger area.
Luo Yun knows quite a lot.
Yan Xi looked at him. "Afraid?"
Li Chen smiled. "I'm not afraid."
That's the truth.
When he first met Yan Zhen, he was still mentally calculating whether the other party would spill a cup of tea on him.
Things are different now.
He had seen Yan Zhen's demeanor in front of Luo Yun, and he had also seen Yan Zhen's reaction when Yan Xi was mentioned.
That wasn't just simple authority.
He is a father.
Moreover, he's an incredibly stubborn father.
Li Chen looked down at Yan Xi. "But I need to confirm one thing."
"explain."
What should I wear tomorrow?
Yan Xi's originally calm face almost broke down.
She looked at him for two seconds, her tone indifferent. "Didn't you just say you weren't afraid?"
"Being unafraid and wearing the wrong clothes are two different things." Li Chen said confidently, "You can be fearless when meeting your father, but you can't be undignified."
Yan Xi put her phone away. "Dark color."
"Suit?"
"No need," she said. "He invited you to dinner, not a meeting."
Li Chen felt a little relieved.
It's not a meeting.
That was at least not a formal trial.
Yan Xi added, "And don't dress too casually either."
Li Chen nodded. "Understood, semi-formal."
"Tomorrow night at 6:30," Yan Xi said. "I'll send you the address."
"You really won't go with me?"
Yan Xi looked at him. "My dad said it's not necessary."
"You're going to listen to him?"
"It depends."
Li Chen smiled.
That's right.
If Yan Xi truly listened to Yan Zhen completely, then Yan Zhen wouldn't have dared to send someone to secretly film her without daring to ask openly.
Yan Xi reached out and smoothed out his scarf. "Don't overthink it."
"I wasn't thinking anything," Li Chen said. "I was just wondering whether I should bring anything tomorrow."
Don't bring it.
"Empty handed?"
He doesn't lack anything.
"A matter of politeness."
Yan Xi paused for a moment. "Bring tea."
Li Chen immediately understood.
Yan Zhen has plenty of things, but it's really inappropriate to go to a meal with his elders empty-handed.
The tea is not heavy, not overly ingratiating, but not too aloof either.
Yan Xi took out her phone and typed, "I'll send you a picture of what he's been drinking lately."
As Li Chen watched her typing with her eyes down, his doubts suddenly faded.
Regardless of what Yan Zhen wants to say tomorrow, Yan Xi is already on his side.
She didn't test Yan Zhen on his behalf, nor did she worry excessively about him.
She simply handed him the details she could prepare, as usual.
This is more effective than simply saying "Don't be afraid".
My phone vibrated.
Yan Xi sent a message.
Don't buy anything too expensive.
Li Chen raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"It's too expensive; he'll think you're wasting money."
"Isn't it too cheap?"
"He can tell the difference."
Li Chen: "..."
This is more difficult than applying for a project.
Yan Xi added, "I will help you with the screening."
"Then I'll be responsible for making the payment?"
"Um."
Li Chen breathed a sigh of relief. "This division of labor is reasonable."
There was a faint smile in Yan Xi's eyes.
Just as Li Chen was about to speak again, his phone vibrated.
Group 302.
Wang Qiang: [Brother Chen, Lin Duo asked me if I memorized vocabulary today.]
Zhao Zixuan: [Have you memorized it?]
Wang Qiang: [I memorized eight.]
Chen Mo: [Yan Xi requested ten. You owe two.]
Wang Qiang: [I'll add it now.]
Li Chen handed the screen to Yan Xi to look at.
Yan Xi glanced at it and started typing.
[Fill it out first, then reply.]
Wang Qiang replied instantly.
【receive. 】
Zhao Zixuan: [My sister-in-law's authority level is stable.]
Chen Mo: [The current group management structure is normal.]
Li Chen suppressed a laugh and put his phone away.
Yan Xi looked at him. "Before you see my dad tomorrow, don't worry too much about Wang Qiang."
Why?
"You'll get distracted."
Li Chen wanted to say no.
But after thinking about it, he realized that tomorrow was indeed not a good day to meet Yan Zhen while dealing with the chat crisis between Wang Qiang and Lin Duo.
If Yan Zhen were to ask him, "How are things going with Yan Xi lately?" and Wang Qiang were to suddenly reply, "Is she angry because she put a period at the end?", the scene would be too absurd.
Li Chen nodded. "Please silence your phone during dinner time tomorrow."
Yan Xi was satisfied.
"Go back," she said.
Li Chen didn't move.
Yan Xi looked up. "Is there anything else?"
Li Chen looked at her. "Aren't you worried?"
Yan Xi did not answer immediately.
She reached out and tucked his scarf in even deeper.
"My dad won't make things difficult for you."
"Are you so sure?"
"He couldn't bear to upset me."
Li Chen smiled. "That's a very strong reason."
Yan Xi looked at him, her voice lowered slightly. "And you won't make things difficult for me."
Li Chen's Adam's apple bobbed.
This sentence carries more weight than "I believe in you".
He stopped joking and simply squeezed her hand gently.
"Um."
Yan Xi withdrew her hand and turned to enter the dormitory building.
As she reached the door, she suddenly turned back.
"Li Chen".
"Um?"
"If he says something unpleasant tomorrow, don't have to put up with it."
Li Chen was taken aback.
Yan Xi said, "You can argue back."
After saying that, she went into the building.
Li Chen stood there for several seconds before lowering his head and chuckling.
You can push it back.
If Yan Zhen heard this, he would probably be heartbroken again.
When Li Chen returned to 302, Wang Qiang was sitting at the table memorizing vocabulary words, looking pained as he recited them.
Zhao Zixuan was lying on a chair playing on his phone.
Chen Mo was typing a spreadsheet on his computer.
As soon as Li Chen entered the room, all three of them looked up at the same time.
Wang Qiang spoke first. "Brother Chen, what did your wife say? I've finished reviewing those two words, can I go back now?"
Li Chen hung up his coat. "Wait a minute."
Wang Qiang covered his face in anguish. "Why does my love have to go through so many approval processes?"
Zhao Zixuan chuckled. "Because you used to be a high-risk user."