Chapter Text
Yanfei has Hu Tao's hand firmly gripped in her own all the way until they reach their table, where she unlinks them to pull out a chair for her. It's only when Yanfei lets go does Hu Tao realise how cold her hand feels without the others' holding it.
Man, she really misses holding hands with her lawyer. Hu Tao takes a second to process the thought that just crossed her mind before she shakes her head incredulously. Snap out of it Tao!
She thanks Yanfei and sits down, watching as the other takes a seat opposite her and pulls out two menus, handing one to her.
"So.. what would you like to order? It'll be my treat!" Yanfei asks the lawyer. That question was just for show. Yanfei knew well enough what Hu Tao was going to order. It was her favourite dish from here. Steamed fish wish a side of prawn dumplings. How could she ever forget?
"Hmm.." Yanfei bit back her smile as Hu Tao brought a hand to her chin, seemingly deep in thought as she browsed through the menu. She felt her chest warming as she watched the other. Stop it Yanfei. She chided to herself. This is not your Tao, not yet anyways. But even so, she can't help but think about how they're both so alike.
"I'll try some Mapo Tofu with rice!" Hu Tao announced and Yanfei almost felt her heart drop to her feet. Hu Tao quickly continued, as if reading her mind and sensing her worry.
"Ah.. it's lunchtime now. I was originally going to order steamed fish but that did not seem appropriate for lunch, being a more dinnertime dish and all." Hu Tao waved her hands dismissively and winked, "Besides, I couldn't possibly allow my dearest lawyer to treat me to something so expensive."
Yanfei felt her face heat up. Partially from embarrassment of assuming and partially from.. did Hu Tao just flirt with her?
"Right.. Of course! Thats a great choice, Ms Hu, I was going to order the same thing as well, actually." Yanfei ducked behind her menu to hide her face, scanning it quickly and realising that she actually was, in fact, about to order just that. Hu Tao chuckled lightly in response.
"Looks like we had the same thought then, Ms Yanfei-"
"Miss Yanfei! It's been awhile since we've last seen you here." A server's voice came up from behind Hu Tao. "Are you ready to order?"
"Ah, yes Licai, we'll have two Mapo Tofus and two bowls of white rice please! As for the drinks.." Yanfei looked over at Hu Tao questioningly, "Is Jasmine tea alright with you, Ms Hu?"
"Yes, please!"
"Wonderful!" Licai claps her hands together. "I'll get right on with your orders, it's really so nice to see you here again, Ms Yanfei, and with a date no less!"
Yanfei felt her face heat up again and as she glanced over at Hu Tao, she could see the other's eyes had widened and her face was lightly dusted in pink as well. She had to save this.
"No, no Licai this isn't a date. We're simply on a business meeting!"
"Oh, Is that so? I could've sworn.." Licai trailed off, upon meeting Yanfei's flustered but hard gaze. "Ah, I must've been mistaken, I'm so sorry Ms Yanfei."
The waitress bowed and scurried off, leaving the two to sit in silence. Hu Tao did not like silences, she found herself fiddling with her thumbs as she thought back to what the waitress had said. A date? This was their second time meeting officially, surely people don't mistake them to be dating already? Well, they did come in holding hands and she did pull a chair out for her. Ah, stop it Tao-ah you're thinking too much again! She had to find a way to break the silence. She could see the lawyer at the other side of the table looking as if she'd just implode from embarrassment, although she did find that very cute.
"So, a date huh?"
Hu Tao wiggles her eyebrows teasingly and bursts into laughter as Yanfei shoots her a glare. Although her gaze softens in an instant.
"I apologise for that, Licai only meant well, it seems that I don't get out as often as I thought I did."
"No worries, Ms Yanfei, I don't judge. Work takes up most of my life too, you know, being the Head Funeral Consultant and next in line for CEO and all that.." Hu Tao waved a hand dismissively. "Aish, work and all that.. such a boring topic amirite?"
Yanfei stifled a giggle, thankful to the other for breaking the tension. "Actually, we're supposed to discuss your lawsuit.." And the lawyer almost laughed again as she watched the young consultant's shoulders visibly slump at her reminder.
"Ah, you're right, we should get on with it then."
"..and then she grabbed my hand and she pulled a chair out for me and then she still treated me to lunch!" Xingqiu looked up from his book and peered over his glasses as he watched his roommate pace back and forth, rambling of her encounter from earlier in the day. It was quite a comical site to behold. Hu Tao, dressed in her home wear of an oversized red panda t-shirt with shorts, mismatched socks and a toothbrush in her mouth as she brushed her teeth (although it would be taken out when she needed to animate her words) as she paced about in front of her small audience of the two boys.
"What is she talking about..?" Chongyun had come out of the kitchen, two mugs filled with tea in hand and a still-wrapped popsicle held between his right pinky and ring finger. He handed Hu Tao a mug and walked round to the back of the sofa, leaning over to hand his boyfriend a mug and kiss him on the cheek. The sound of Hu Tao gagging and a soft "Archons, get a room." could be heard in the background.
"Ah, Tao met up with that pretty lawyer lady that she's been ranting non-stop and went on a date with her today." Xingqiu ignored the girl's comment and faced his boyfriend, taking the mug and nodding in thanks.
"It wasn't a date, Qiu!" Hu Tao almost yelled, her face flushing. From the adrenaline from rambling so much or from embarrassment, she did not know.
"Sure, sure." Xingqiu hummed and looked back down to his book. The light blue-haired boy raised an eyebrow and pointed his popsicle at the girl. "If it wasn't a date then why do u keep describing it so romantically?"
"It wasn't- It's not- I don't know!" Hu Tao covered her hands in her face and groaned, going down to a squatting position. She didn't know anymore, she was not used to thinking so hard on small interactions such as this with clients, her own legal advisers no less.
"So you met up with the pretty lawyer lady - Yanfei, was it? - and you guys had a lunch together and talked about finances. What's romantic about that?"
"So you'd hold hands with your lawyer too?" Hu Tao countered back, although the words came out more half-hearted than defensive.
"Hey, that's not what I'm saying. I'm sure you guys are romantical or whatever." Chongyun put his hands up in surrender. He glanced at Xingqiu for help but was met with the other reading intently, tuning their conversation out. He heaved a sigh as he rounded the couch and put his free hand on the girl's back, awkwardly patting it. "I'm just saying, maybe don't think too hard on it just yet."
Hu Tao sighed, her eyes fixed to the floor. He was right, of course. There was no need to think too hard on the topic just yet. The brunette was not even sure what her next step would be even if it turned out to be a date. It was only their second time officially meeting, after all.
"I don't know, Chongyun. I just have this nagging feeling in me that I absolutely cannot fuck this up." She almost whispered the last part. She sulked and went back to brushing her teeth.
"Ah..I see.." Chongyun scratched his nape awkwardly, once again glancing back to Xingqiu for help. Feelings were not his strong suit. Thankfully Xingqiu noticed the change in atmosphere and stood up, walking over to the other two.
"Tao-ah, don't worry so much. I'm sure you won't mess this up. It's a bit too early to mess anything up anyways. After all, you both are just client and consulter aren't you? Focus on the lawsuit for now."
"Mmm, I guess you're right." Hu Tao allowed her shoulders to deflate as she relaxed her tense muscles. When did she get so tense?
"That's good. Now clean up all the toothpaste off the floor! Archons, you dripped it everywhere with all your rambling!" The brunette felt a light slap across her head and looked up to see Xingqiu's stern gaze looking back down on her. She looked around to realise that she did, in fact, drip toothpaste everywhere. She looked back to her companions and they had already left her alone in the living room to clean everything up.
She groaned as she got up went back into the toilet to clean herself up and get the towel. She was going to be in so much trouble with the landlord if it sticks.