Cheng Du had already rehearsed his lines while sitting alone on the sofa, but when he finally came face-to-face with Qi Tongwei, his mind went blank. Two voices warred in his head. One said, "This is the son-in-law of the Provincial Party Committee Secretary, a member of the Jingzhou City Standing Committee, the youngest and most powerful bureau-level official in Handong, and a legendary alumnus of Handa University. You had better start sucking up to him." *What are you hesitating for?* The other voice countered, "Big shots like Qi Tongwei surely value character above all else; if you appear too servile, you’ll likely end up doing more harm than good." *Bullshit, if you don’t do anything, why even come here?* *You’re the one talking bullshit; be reserved.*
Cheng Du stared down at the pork ribs in his bowl, lost in thought, looking—for all intents and purposes—like a fool. The root of his anxiety was that he cared too much; he couldn't take things in stride. Qi Tongwei didn't urge him on, simply eating his meal as usual. A short while later, Cheng Du regained some composure, picked up a rib, took a bite, and praised the food. That was it. The rest of the meal was neither impressive nor flawed—strictly conventional.
But as the saying goes, when a person decides to accept you, you don't really need to put on a show. After the meal, as Qi Tongwei saw Cheng Du off, he said, "Come over and hang out whenever you have time. Minmin and Jingjing are actually quite fond of you."
Chapter 650