I Want You to Join

Zhou Qiang's chopsticks paused when he heard that.

He turned to glance at Kong Xiuyun.

Kong Xiuyun looked at him too.

"What's past..." Zhou Qiang set down his chopsticks, lifted his glass, and took a sip. "Let it stay in the past."

Wang Xiaoliang hadn't gotten the answer he wanted.

He waited a few seconds, finished the half bowl of soup in front of him, and wiped his mouth with a tissue.

"All right, then let's talk about the future."

Zhou Qiang looked at him.

"I've been setting up a media company lately." Wang Xiaoliang crumpled the tissue into a ball and held it in his hand. "I want you to join."

Zhou Qiang glanced at Kong Xiuyun again.

Kong Xiuyun lowered her head to drink her soup without looking at him.

"No, thanks." Zhou Qiang shook his head. "I'm doing pretty well as I am."

Wang Xiaoliang wanted to say more, but Huang Xueli spoke first.

"Then can we let Lanxiang know we're in touch?"

Zhou Qiang didn't hesitate. "Better not."

"Why?"

"She's suspicious." Zhou Qiang looked straight at Huang Xueli without averting his eyes. "If she finds out I'm in touch with you two again, she'll think I've broken the promise I made back then. At best, she'll stop me from seeing Guoguo. At worst..."

He didn't finish.

"At worst, what?"

"At worst, she might disappear. Take Guoguo and disappear. She's capable of it."

Huang Xueli thumped his glass down on the table.

"Then take her to court! Fight for visitation rights, or even custody. The law's right there. What right does she have to keep you from seeing your child?"

"I don't want Guoguo growing up watching Mom and Dad fight."

He picked up the bottle, poured himself a glass, and downed it.

"Whatever went wrong, it