comminicate

As soon as Shen Anxia said this, everyone burst into laughter. Only then did Shen Anxia realize what she had said and immediately became embarrassed.

"Quickly, let your sister sit down, Pikachu!" the fat man laughed.

Yang Zheng laughed, ignoring the group of people behind him, and invited Zhao Ping and her daughter to sit on a two-seater sofa opposite: "Auntie, please sit here."

Meanwhile, several people across from them childishly grabbed seats and sat down, leaving only two skinny guys. One of them squeezed next to the two fat guys on the armrest, while the other, Yang Zheng, was pushed by the fat guy C: "We're full here, you should go stand over to your sister! Your main job is to pour tea and water."

Yang Zheng looked at Shen Anxia with an apologetic and somewhat embarrassed expression, and stopped the fat man C from continuing to joke: "I'll tell my sister-in-law later that you came to ruin things, be careful she doesn't beat you up when she gets home."

"Stop bringing up your sister-in-law! Who are you trying to scare?" the fat man said, his voice sharp but his tone weak. "Do you really think I..."

Yang Zheng took out his phone and waved it in front of Pang Bing: "I recorded it."

The chubby guy immediately put on a terrified look, pouted pitifully, and changed the subject so abruptly: "You really think I'm not scared!"

One kill.

Shen Anxia looked at the chubby, henpecked man in front of her and smiled.

The other men burst into laughter, and the skinny man added fuel to the fire: "It has to be Third Brother, he can handle Big Brother with ease."

The fat man, referred to as the eldest brother, said: "Fifth brother, let me tell you, your sister-in-law may believe the third brother, but she may not believe you. Once your aunt and sister leave, see what I do to you."

The skinny fifth man fell silent.

Second kill.

During the brief pause in their conversation, Yang Zheng had already sat down on the armrest furthest from Shen Anxia. Seeing that he had sat down, Xu Qingjing brought a high stool from the side room and sat down next to the coffee table.

"Fourth brother, why didn't you bring out a tall stool for me to sit on earlier? Where are your eyes when you see a grown man like me?" Yang Zheng asked in surprise.

"Third brother, you're in charge of taking care of Aunt and sister today. Just stand there. You need to know how many girls upstairs are chasing after you. If you don't perform well, they won't even look at you," Xu Qingjing laughed.

Yang Zheng fell silent.

Triple kill.

At this point, the atmosphere suddenly quieted down. Everyone looked at Yang Zheng and then at Shen Anxia, ​​as if they would die if they didn't get to know the gossip. Shen Anxia, ​​being looked at from all sides, wore a fake smile and stared at the fruit on the plate, not daring to look at Yang Zheng at all.

Xu Qingjing laughed: "Auntie, look, my third brother can talk to us, but he becomes speechless when he sees a woman. He has been single since high school, but there's really nothing wrong with him."

Upon hearing this, Yang Zheng shoved Xu Qingjing, saying, "You're the one who's crazy."

“Even Lao Wu is married and you’re still not looking for someone. You don’t even go on blind dates. Uncle Yang is so worried. Third Brother, if you don’t find someone soon, it won’t just be rumors that you have something wrong with yourself. People will start speculating about your sexual orientation. It’s too dangerous for the brothers.” Xu Qingjing said worriedly.

Quadra kill.

Seemingly realizing the seriousness of Xu Qingjing's words once again, Yang Zheng mustered up his courage and said to Zhao Ping, "Auntie, please have some water."

Everyone lay down: "..."

The entire team was wiped out.

Zhao Ping, who had been silently observing since entering the room, picked up his paper cup, took a sip, and smiled, "Yang Zheng, right? Da Jing said you work at the Land Bureau?"

“Yes, Auntie,” Yang Zheng replied.

"Da Jing said you have a good character, but you don't talk much, which is somewhat similar to our An Xia. An Xia also has a good character and a quiet personality. She spends most of her time at home practicing dance and studying. It's because our family has only moved here a few years ago, and she has only come back during winter and summer vacations. She doesn't have many friends here, and her department is almost entirely girls with very few boys. She is focused on practicing dance and taking exams, which is very hard, so she has never had a boyfriend."

After a pause, Zhao Ping continued, "Actually, your Uncle Chen is really worried about her being alone outside and doesn't want her to go back to Xinfeng. That's why he's been trying to find her a boyfriend through the neighbors, hoping to keep her at home."

When Shen Anxia heard Zhao Ping say these words, she maintained the same posture as when she was looking at the fruit plate, but the smile on her lips faded, and the focus of her gaze changed.

Xu Qingjing asked Shen Anxia in surprise, "Anxia, ​​don't you want to stay in Yi'an?"

When Shen Anxia heard Xu Qingjing's question, she looked up at him and shook her head to explain, "It's not that I don't want to stay in Yi'an, it's just that there's a dance troupe in Xinfeng that I've longed to join for a long time. I've already submitted my application. If I go back to Yi'an, I don't know what I'll do after graduation, or rather, I'm afraid I won't be able to dance anymore."

At this point, Zhao Ping sighed: "Actually, she can do many things, but she is only passionate about dancing."

The man who had just been called the fifth brother suddenly had a flash of inspiration: "Sister Anxia likes to dance, so we can have the third brother accompany her. The third brother can play the piano."

The eldest fat brother praised him: "Fifth brother is the best at analysis. Third brother hasn't practiced the piano for a long time. He should practice more. It's perfect that Anxia can be your dance partner."

“With so many of us here, Anxia and Third Brother won’t have a chance to speak. The inner room is a small reception room. If you have any requests, questions, hobbies, or ideas, why don’t you chat for a bit alone?” Xu Qingjing suggested.

"Yes, yes, let's talk about it separately." Everyone agreed.

Shen Anxia and Yang Zheng were alone in the reception room when Shen Anxia discreetly sized up the man. He was very tall and handsome, with a gentle and warm appearance. He had short hair and wore a well-tailored black suit, looking very formal.

Shen Anxia likes boys with buzz cuts, as they look very clean, and black suits also give off a mature vibe—she hates boys wearing white pants, including dance costumes.

In short, a good first impression is a big plus.

Shen Anxia thought that this person was so good-looking and had such a prestigious job, he should have many suitors.

Laughter could be clearly heard coming from the living room outside the small reception room. Zhao Ping was very involved in the laughter, and Shen Anxia felt that everyone was making her very happy.

"Anxia? Is it okay for me to call you that?" Yang Zheng spoke first, his voice gentle. He poured a glass of water and pushed it in front of Shen Anxia.

Shen Anxia gently touched the glass of water and smiled, "Okay."

"Have we met somewhere before?" Yang Zheng asked tentatively.

Shen Anxia wondered, is this some new way of flirting? Coming up right away by saying we look familiar?

But she didn't show it, and politely replied, "Probably not, I rarely go out in the city."

There was a barely perceptible hint of disappointment in Yang Zheng's eyes, but he quickly composed himself and said, "You really love dancing."

It is an affirmative sentence.

"Yes, I like it. You can play the piano?" Shen Anxia looked at her.

"I learned it when I was a child, but I don't play it often now, so I'm a bit rusty. But if you want to hear me play, I can play it for you," Yang Zheng said sincerely.

Shen Anxia: "..."

Wasn't this guy supposed to be bad at talking to girls? He just started flirting? This should count as flirting, right? Playing the piano for a girl he just met? He's good-looking, has a good job, good character, and knows how to flirt. If someone like that doesn't have some kind of problem, how come he's still single?

Could it be a hidden illness?

Shen Anxia felt her thoughts were a bit lewd, so she quickly changed the subject: "Your office looks a bit like a pair of oversized shorts. Which leg do you work on?"

Shen Anxia once passed by their workplace; the shape of the building was somewhat amusing.

Hearing Shen Anxia describe it this way, Yang Zheng also laughed and said, "The Land Bureau and the Construction Bureau are sister units. If you look from south to north, I work in the left leg. If you look from north to south, I work in the right leg."

"Is the other leg the Construction Bureau?"

"Yes, the connecting corridor at the top is a shared staff canteen, dormitory and recreation area for both units."

"That's quite humane," Shen Anxia said enviously. She was about to graduate, and apart from staying in the dance troupe, she hadn't thought about what else she wanted to do, feeling lost as graduation approached.

“That dance troupe in Xinfeng City is very famous. They were invited to our city’s Spring Festival Gala a couple of years ago. Do you want to stay with that troupe?” Yang Zheng asked.

Speaking of the Spring Festival Gala, Shen Anxia smiled broadly: "Yes, I was invited to the Spring Festival Gala that year, and I came back with the dance troupe. We performed at our city's Grand Theater."

Yang Zheng was clearly taken aback.

"What's wrong?" Shen Anxia asked, noticing his strange expression.

Yang Zheng's gaze held a meaning that Shen Anxia couldn't understand: "The company gave us tickets that time, but I gave them to my parents. If only I had known..."

"Hmm?" Shen Anxia felt that he hadn't finished speaking.

Yang Zheng didn't repeat himself. Instead, he tentatively asked, "How about we exchange contact information and add each other on WeChat? I'll definitely come to see any more of your performances in the future."

Shen Anxia nodded, and seeing that there was paper and pen on the coffee table, she wrote it down and handed it to him: "My phone is upstairs, and my WeChat number is also this one."

Yang Zheng also picked up a pen and paper and wrote as he spoke: "Actually, Yi'an's cultural and entertainment activities have been quite good in the past two years. The government has strongly advocated for multi-party cooperation to organize entertainment projects for the New Year and Spring Festival. The city's tourism and cultural activities are also in urgent need of development. In less than two years, Yi'an will have its own theater troupe or dance troupe."

"That's great news, I'm looking forward to it."

“So, you can continue dancing when you go back to Yi’an,” Yang Zheng said with a gentle smile.

Shen Anxia tilted her head and looked at Yang Zheng, not quite understanding why Yang Zheng brought up this topic. A strange light flickered in her eyes.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Yang Zheng asked.

"Nothing, what do you like to do when you're resting?" Shen Anxia changed the subject again.

Fortunately, she had been on several blind dates and had prepared topics of conversation in advance.

"I spend most of my time looking after the store, and sometimes I meet up with people from outside."

"Watching the shop?"

“Yes, my parents own several barbecue restaurants. After get off work, I work as a waiter at the one in the Shengshi business district. Sometimes they also help out as waiters… Oh, right, they’re also opening a branch here. Construction should start next spring,” Yang Zheng explained.

"Is the barbecue restaurant in the Shengshi business district... called 'Yanhuo Shangshi'?"

“Yes,” Yang Zheng looked at her with surprise and smiled, “You know?”

Shen Anxia smiled and said, "You had a 40% discount on the day you opened, so I took my brother there. We went again this summer, but there was no discount, and the cashier rounded it down to zero."

Yang Zheng recalled the opening day, which should have been four years ago, right after the college entrance examination, when Shen Anxia graduated from high school and he was a junior in college. He even clearly remembered that Shen Anxia cried all night long that year, breaking his heart. However, he was there on the opening day, so why didn't he see her?

He was busy renovating his new house this summer and didn't go to the store to help much, so he didn't see her either.

“I was there on opening day, and I was serving dishes the whole time,” Yang Zheng said with some regret. “It’s my fault for not seeing you guys then, otherwise I would have given you a discount.”

“We didn’t know each other back then, and even if we met, we would still be strangers. But now that we’re acquainted, you can give me a discount.” Shen Anxia thought to herself that she probably wouldn’t go to that barbecue restaurant again to avoid the awkwardness of seeing the other person.

Yang Zheng generously promised, "If you come again in the future, the meal will be free."

Shen Anxia chuckled and said, "It's not your shop, your parents would beat you up if you did!"

“I own shares and received 80,000 yuan back then, so I have the right to receive dividends and express my opinions. I can give you a free meal.”

Yang Zheng's voice was still as gentle as before, but Shen Anxia could tell he was showing off, so she kindly reminded him, "But you should have been in school at the time! Wasn't this money your parents'? Or was it your New Year's money?"

"Of course, I earned it during my university years. I didn't even get my tuition from my family. Back then, I would teach martial arts classes to primary and secondary school students on weekends, usually about sixteen hours a day," Yang Zheng explained.

Can you even show off?

Who would say so much as soon as they meet someone they're already close to?

Is this considered flirting using one's special skills and self-reliance?

Xu Qingjing is really unreliable. He says he's not good at talking to girls, but that's not true at all.

However, Shen Anxia was indeed a bit shocked.

How could someone so outstanding cause his parents to worry so much about his marriage?

Although she can earn money by participating in commercial performances, it's definitely not as much as 80,000.

If this person doesn't have a hidden illness, then they are definitely too picky.

I'm afraid he doesn't think much of me. In that case, let's stop here and give both sides an explanation.

Thinking of this, Shen Anxia said, "Why don't we go out? They're probably getting anxious."

Yang Zheng laughed: "You still haven't told me what you do when you're resting?"

Shen Anxia couldn't just abandon her responsibilities and leave, so she said, "I've basically had no rest these past few years. Whenever I have free time, I just want to sleep. I'm so tired."

Yang Zheng: "...Why make yourself work so hard?"

"I didn't find it tiring at all; it was quite normal, and I enjoyed doing everything." Shen Anxia said in a single sentence.

Yang Zheng wanted to say something more, but Shen Anxia reminded him again, "Why don't we go out? They must be getting impatient."

Yang Zheng glanced at the water in front of her that she hadn't drunk a drop of, then looked at her again and nodded, saying, "Okay."