Wang Xiaoming, Guo Fan, and Zhong Shan sat before a tea table.
Guo Fan was unusually warm, showing off his skills as he prepared to brew a pot of fine tea for the rare visit from Professor Wang. Though his heart was pounding and he had no idea why Wang Xiaoming had specifically come looking for him today, the proper courtesies still had to be observed.
What if Wang Xiaoming held a grudge over poor hospitality?
Yet several minutes had passed since the three of them sat down, and not one of them had said a word.
The atmosphere was exceedingly awkward.
"Did Professor Wang come here for something special?" Zhong Shan could not help asking, breaking the awkward silence.
Wang Xiaoming's gaze shifted to Guo Fan. "You failed during the last ghost-luring operation. Because of your failure, the Ghost Painting Incident began appearing in the city. You don't think that once the matter passed, it had nothing to do with you anymore, do you?"
Guo Fan's hand holding the kettle stiffened slightly. Then he said, "Professor Wang, that isn't fair. I risked my life to complete the mission too. What could I do if something went wrong? Who could guarantee that every supernatural incident would be resolved perfectly? Besides, my mistake wasn't intentional. I nearly died there myself. It's already good enough that I'm still alive."
"Professor Wang, are you here to hold him accountable?" Zhong Shan hurriedly added. "His mistake was serious, but there were understandable reasons for it."
"No, I'm not here to hold anyone accountable," Wang Xiaoming said. "I arranged the plan and the personnel. If there was a mistake, then I bear some responsibility as well."
"Then what did Professor Wang mean by that?" Guo Fan's expression relaxed slightly before he asked.
Wang Xiaoming looked