Huang Xueli set down his glass and wiped the corner of his mouth with a tissue.
"So when you saw us just now and said, 'What took you so long?'-you were blaming us?"
Zhou Qiang blinked and curled up the corner of his mouth.
"Yeah. What else?"
"You're too slow."
He held out a finger and jabbed twice at the air.
"I left so many clues, and you two only found your way here today."
Wang Xiaoliang swallowed his drink and smiled.
Yes, this was the Zhou Qiang he knew.
Ever since they had walked in, that sense of unfamiliarity had weighed on him. With those words, it finally loosened a little.
He set his glass down firmly on the table.
"So now you've got a son and a daughter, and you're living pretty comfortably?"
"Of course." Zhou Qiang patted his belly. "My son takes after me, and my daughter takes after her mother-"
"Enough. Now you're showing off!" Wang Xiaoliang cut him off.
Zhou Qiang burst out laughing.
Shaking his head, Huang Xueli picked up the bottle and refilled all three glasses.
After pouring, he didn't drink. He traced the rim of his glass twice with a finger, then looked up.
"Was Lanxiang the one who asked for a divorce?"
Zhou Qiang's smile faded, and he nodded.
"How did you know?"
"A husband can't file for divorce before the baby turns one. That's the law."
Zhou Qiang gave him a thumbs-up.
"Dahuang, you're still damn impressive."
"Get lost. Flattery won't work."
"She was probably afraid I'd change my mind. I'd given her everything, but we were still husband and wife in name, and that left her uneasy. Only after the divorce would the property be completely separated."
Huang Xueli nodded.
"Don't dodge the real issue," Wang Xiaoliang said.
Zhou