Wu Wenyue was the first to shake her head, then said: "You go home and wait for us first. We’ll be back around three or four, and then have hot pot together at six or seven."

Damn it, there’s a complete schedule clash!

Li Peifeng’s mind raced as he slowly picked up his phone, thinking he should pretend to get a call now, then make up some excuse about not being able to come home from afternoon until 8 PM... Wouldn’t that be too fake? They’ll see right through it, won’t they?

"Ring ring~"

Before Li Peifeng could pretend a call was coming in, Wu Wenyue’s phone rang for real. The piercing ringtone erupted from the phone on the table, and upon seeing the caller, her eyes froze slightly. She quickly picked up the phone and answered it.

"Hello?"

"What are you doing?"

It was Huang Tianxuan’s voice!

Xu Manning turned her head to glare at her. Wu Wenyue avoided her gaze, replying while eating, "We’re out shopping."

Huang Tianxuan let out an "oh": "Is he buying you guys Christmas gifts?"

"No, we’re buying presents for his parents." Wu Wenyue pursed her lips and said, "Manning and I are going to his home for winter vacation..."

"Tell her we’re going to meet Li Peifeng’s parents!"

Xu Manning mouthed at Wu Wenyue. Taking advantage of the moment, Li Peifeng picked up his phone, entered ringtone settings, let the phone ring twice, then pretended to answer the call.

"Hello? Ah? Okay, okay, I’m on my way."

After a couple of sentences, Li Peifeng hung up the phone. He didn’t want the call to go on too long for fear someone would see through it. But Wu Wenyue was still chatting with Huang Tianxuan, discussing their Christmas plans.

Li Peifeng could guess without a doubt that the purpose of Huang Tianxuan’s call was likely because staying home alone on Christmas is too boring, so she was looking for company...

"Why don’t the three of you have dinner together?" Li Peifeng chimed in. "The publishing house just called me to discuss the promotion of my books. They want to treat me to a meal, so I can’t join you."

Wu Wenyue frowned slightly, phone in hand: "Yeah, something came up. Sister Xuan, do you have plans this evening?"

"Why invite her?!"

Xu Manning lowered her voice in dissatisfaction, then suspiciously looked at Li Peifeng: "Did someone really call you just now?"

Li Peifeng didn’t blink: "Yes, didn’t you hear the ringtone?"

[Could it be that you’re planning to spend Christmas with Zhao Qingge?!!]

Xu Manning, being such a sensitive person, especially on this special day with Li Peifeng unable to be with them, couldn’t help but have doubts bubbling in her heart. She bluntly asked, "Which hotel is the publishing house taking you to? Can you ask them if you can bring two more friends along?"

"Well..."

Li Peifeng’s eyes wandered: "Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?"

"Alright, that’s settled then." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

Wu Wenyue hung up the phone and turned to Xu Manning: "Around four, Sister Xuan will come find us. Then we’ll go to the supermarket to buy some vegetables and meat to have hot pot at home."

Xu Manning’s face darkened immediately: "You seriously want to drag her into celebrating Christmas with us?"

Wu Wenyue was silent for a moment, then said, "It’s not celebrating Christmas, it’s just... chatting, and at the same time letting her clear up some misunderstandings, so you won’t always think there’s something unsavory between her and me."

"If you’re innocent, what do you need to clarify?"

Xu Manning scoffed sarcastically, then turned to Li Peifeng: "What’s really going on between those two?"

Miss Xu was utterly vexed, no matter how cautious, it’s hard to guard against an inside job. Having one thief inside is hard enough, but two? Two thieving accomplices... How can she possibly guard against this?! Isn’t this just making things difficult for her?!

Li Peifeng hesitated: "Well, this issue... this issue is quite complicated. It might not be easy to explain in a short while..."

Wu Wenyue glared: "Speak, don’t beat around the bush and hem and haw!"

Speak? Speak about what? About how you kissed Huang Tianxuan, about how you shared a bed with her, about how your relationship with her is more intimate than mine with her? You want me to say that? Then you might as well celebrate Bomb Day instead of Christmas.

Li Peifeng chuckled dismissively and said to Xu Manning: "Wait until Tianxuan arrives, you can ask both of them properly. I’m leaving now."

Li Peifeng had spent the entire morning shopping with the two girls and had already on the sly picked out gifts for Zhao Qingge’s parents, almost exactly matching those for Wu Wenyue’s parents. So when he left the restaurant now, he easily returned to the mall to buy one more set.

After buying a mishmash of gifts, it was already four o’clock. Li Peifeng was pondering whether it was too early to head to Zhao Qingge’s house at this time when Old Zhao called him.

"Got everything?"

"Yes, I did. Can I go over now?"

"I’ll drive to pick you up, and we’ll go together."

"..."