The phone in his trouser pocket suddenly rang.
Qin Tian felt it, but in the tense atmosphere, he dared not check his phone at all.
Moreover, no matter who sent the message or what it was about, nothing was as important as getting through this current predicament.
Under the sharp gaze of his future father-in-law, Qin Tian's heartstrings were taut, and sweat beaded on his forehead, increasing with every passing moment.
"Alright, Old Xia, why are you glaring at him like that? Let's eat first. We can ask that waitress later, and we'll know," Su Xia said, breaking the silence.
Her words were undoubtedly the most effective with Old Xia.
"Then we'll talk about it later."
Old Xia withdrew his gaze, picked up his cup, and took a gulp. Only after it reached his lips did he realize it was a soft drink.
At this moment, he suddenly regretted not having a drink.
If he had been drinking, and if this kid truly did something to betray his beloved daughter, he could have used the alcohol to fiercely defend his daughter.
However, on second thought, he also felt that there shouldn't be any issues.
The judgment of his family of three couldn't possibly be that poor.
His beloved daughter might be a bit naive in his eyes, but he and his wife were both exceptionally smart.
If this kid were a playboy scumbag, his wife and he would have seen it long ago, and they wouldn't have allowed him and their beloved daughter to reach this point.
Of course, he was still a little upset.
When he and his wife had discussed Qin Tian before, he had said that a handsome man was not necessarily a good thing, as it easily attracted unwanted attention.
His daughter wasn't the assertive type, so she was prone to being taken advantage of.
His wife had dismissed it at the time, thinking he was overthinking.
And now?
"Nuan Nuan's Dad, don't worry. When we find that girl later, I'll have Xiao Tian return this to her and explain things clearly again!" Tang Xiu Xia promised with a serious expression.
Old Xia nodded, seemingly believing her.
Qin Tian cast a helpless glance at Xia Nuan Nuan, only to see a hint of schadenfreude on her pretty face as she playfully winked her big eyes at him.
The two exchanged glances with great understanding, conversing silently.
"Nuan Nuan, don't just watch the fun, help me out!"
"I've explained for you!"
"It's not enough. Old Xia is still holding a grudge, like he's going to eat me. I'm scared!"
"It's alright, don't be afraid!"
...
...
Afterward, Tang Xiu Xia tried multiple times to find conversation topics to shift the subtle atmosphere at the dinner table, but none of her attempts were very effective.
Thus, amidst a rather awkward atmosphere, this dinner, the first formal meeting of both sets of parents, concluded.
There were still quite a few dishes on the table, but none of them had the appetite to eat more, as they were eager to find the waitress.
In the past, Qin Tian would definitely have insisted on the "clean plate" policy, finishing most of the food.
But today, he simply didn't have the mood or the appetite.
Old Xia called the waitress waiting outside the private room. After a brief tussle with Tang Xiu Xia, he paid the bill.
"That waitress who came in with flowers earlier, do you know where she is?"
As they were preparing to leave, Old Xia asked.
"You mean Xiao Chen? She's in charge of the main hall downstairs. She should be down there!"
The female waitress replied with a smile.
"Okay, thank you!"
Old Xia said.
"You're welcome. Have a good day, everyone!"
The waitress said goodbye with a warm smile, her gaze unintentionally lingering on Qin Tian.
Having stood outside earlier, she had overheard some of the conversation in the private room and had a general understanding of the situation, finding it quite amusing.
As they walked out of the private room, Qin Tian suddenly remembered something and took out his phone to check the message.
Seeing that it was from another unfamiliar number, Qin Tian, who hadn't saved Lu Yaoyao's phone number, instinctively panicked. Only after reading the message did he secretly heave a sigh of relief.
"Qin Tian, it's Wang Chao. I'm eating in a private room opposite yours, and Zheng Ji is here too. He went out for a long time just now, possibly to do something."
Qin Tian suddenly understood, and a surge of anger rose within him.
He hadn't taken this person seriously at first, but unexpectedly, he had caused him so much trouble.
More importantly, he had ruined the atmosphere of the family meeting today, which he could not tolerate.
"What's wrong?"
Xia Nuan Nuan asked with concern, noticing his change in expression.
"Look!"
Qin Tian handed her his phone screen.
Xia Nuan Nuan quickly skimmed through the message and whispered in a complex tone, "So that's what happened. I knew it didn't seem like something she would do."
"Wait a moment!"
Qin Tian suddenly turned back and picked up the flowers and gift box from the floor.
The three parents were already ahead, having left the private room, and had not seen this.
"What are you going to do?"
Xia Nuan Nuan asked urgently.
"Throw it in his face."
Qin Tian strode out of the private room and saw the three parents looking back at him.
"What are you doing? Are you going to take it back and collect it?"
Tang Xiu Xia asked indignantly.
"Of course not."
Qin Tian denied it directly, then quickly walked towards the private room opposite them, peering into each one.
Soon, in the third private room, Qin Tian saw Wang Chao and the others still sitting there.
Upon seeing him enter, Wang Chao and the others were dumbfounded.
The three who hadn't met Qin Tian looked bewildered.
Zheng Ji's expression changed slightly. Seeing his aggressive demeanor and recalling the fight at the bar that day, his eyes showed a strong sense of apprehension.
"Hey, was this your prank?"
Qin Tian held up the flowers and asked Zheng Ji directly.
"What?"
Zheng Ji frowned, feigning ignorance and acting calm.
Qin Tian was too lazy to waste words with him and directly hurled the flowers at him forcefully.
The others exclaimed in surprise and scrambled to dodge. The flowers directly hit Zheng Ji's face, scattering the vibrant roses.
Before Zheng Ji could recover, the gift box containing an apple flew towards him again, hitting him precisely on the forehead.
These flowers and the apple gift box were all bought from a fruit shop opposite the restaurant.
He had originally intended them as props to annoy Qin Tian, but now they had become weapons striking him.
The flowers were one thing, but the apple hit him hard, making him cry out in pain and jump up angrily.
"Qin Tian, you son of a bitch, looking for death?"
"Want to fight? Come on. I'm already filled with anger. Anyone willing to help you can come at me together."
Qin Tian provocatively beckoned.
"You..."
Zheng Ji clutched his forehead with his left hand, his face purple with rage, but there was nothing he could do.
He was definitely no match for Qin Tian in a fight, and even if his friends present were willing to join in, they would only be easily defeated by Qin Tian.
While furious, he was also perplexed as to how Qin Tian had found out he was there.
At the entrance of the private room, the three parents witnessed everything. With Xia Nuan Nuan's explanation beside them, they understood what had happened.
"You cowardly wretch, no wonder Lu Yaoyao doesn't like you. Take this to your Lu Yaoyao. Stop bothering me with these tricks. If there's a next time, it won't just be a smack in the face."
Qin Tian uttered a harsh threat, then turned and left.
Zheng Ji's face alternately turned green and purple, his eyes cold.