Chapter 73 Snow

He didn't ask Jiang Xia's opinion, but instead assumed that he was going to celebrate his birthday with Jiang Xia.

After testing Jiang Xia's bottom line, Zhan Lintian wanted to take it a step further. He stared intently at Jiang Xia, making Jiang Xia feel embarrassed.

Jiang Xia sighed and explained in a low voice, "I'm not planning to celebrate my birthday this year..."

Each birthday reminds me that I've gotten another year older.

For me, the more lively and important the day, the lonelier I feel.

Besides, Wu Ming went abroad again this year... Even if he hadn't gone abroad, I wouldn't want to see him again. It's really no fun celebrating my birthday alone.

Zhan Lintian squinted, smiled, and tilted the umbrella in his hand to shield them from the wind and snow: "It's okay, I'll celebrate your birthday, so can you tell me now what day it is?"

Jiang Xia's eyes were gentle. She tilted her head at him and suddenly asked, "Don't you already know?"

"What?" Zhan Lintian pretended not to understand.

Amidst the clamor of the crowd, Jiang Xia smiled gently at him, her eyes crinkling.

If Mr. Zhan really didn't know, he wouldn't have said he wanted to celebrate his birthday with him just now, but would have asked if he had missed his birthday this year.

The sounds of the river gorge and the wind along the riverbank mingled together and reached Zhan Lintian's ears.

"The 21st day of the 12th month of the lunar calendar, ten days before the Lunar New Year."

Zhan Lintian replied softly, "Okay."

The drone show lasted for nearly an hour, attracting many people to watch.

Several buildings across the river also started their light shows—Zhan Lintian either has investments in or friends who own these buildings.

So, besides Jiang Xia and Wenwen, quite a few other people knew that Zhan Lintian had arranged this performance.

After the light show ended, Wenwen was exhausted and fell asleep on Jiang Xia's shoulder. She slept all the way to the bottom of Jiang Xia's building before waking up in a daze.

Afraid that his back would hurt, Zhan Lintian thought of taking his arm. Wenwen hugged Jiang Xia's neck tightly and said in a childish voice, "I want Uncle Jiang to hold me."

Zhan Lintian deliberately put on a fierce expression and scolded, "Uncle Jiang is going home. Your uncle will take you home to sleep. Come here, I'll carry you. Aren't you afraid Uncle Jiang's back will hurt?"

Wenwen disliked the smell of cigarettes on him and muttered to herself. After being scolded by her uncle, she buried her head in Jiang Xia's neck in grievance.

Zhan Lintian looked helplessly at Jiang Xia, waiting for his answer.

Jiang Xia gently patted Wenwen's back and looked at President Zhan: "Don't scold the child."

The little boy was so sleepy that he rubbed against Jiang Xia's neck and whimpered softly when he heard this. Jiang Xia's heart softened.

He vaguely knew about Wenwen's parents' situation and felt sorry for them. He looked up and met the man's eyes again: "If it's convenient, you can stay with me for one night. Don't worry about the room. I arranged for a professional cleaner to thoroughly clean the second bedroom a few days ago. Everything that needed to be replaced was replaced, and everything that could be thrown away was thrown away."

Zhan Lintian's eyes lit up. Without hesitation, he quickly opened the door and said, "Okay, let's go. Wenwen, get out of the car. We'll stay at Uncle Jiang's house tonight."

The snow outside was getting heavier. Zhan Lintian got out of the car with an umbrella and instructed the driver and nanny to find a hotel nearby so they could contact him if needed.

Jiang Xia carried the child upstairs and asked, "If the nanny doesn't come with us, how will Wenwen wash up?"

Zhan Lintian moved closer and whispered, "I already gave her a bath and changed her into a new dress before we left. She's also wearing warm clothes underneath. She can lie down after we take off her winter dress. The weather has been dry lately, and if we wash her again, her skin will easily crack. Besides, I didn't bring any children's cream tonight."

Jiang Xia nodded, glanced at him, and said softly, "Everything is ready."

Zhan Lintian coughed awkwardly.

Jiang Xia realized that Zhan Lintian had arranged it on purpose.

He could have had the driver take Wenwen home first, and then had the driver take him home after the uncle and niece got home, but he insisted on arranging for the driver to take him home first.

This way, Wenwen will fall asleep on the way because she is too sleepy.

Jiang Xia had thought of this matter on the way back, but Zhan Lintian still took the initiative.

If I hadn't suggested that they stay, Zhan Lintian would probably have just taken away the sleepy Wenwen.

He had a precise grasp of his own personality.

After returning home, Jiang Xia made the bed and helped Wenwen fall asleep before quietly closing the door to the second bedroom.

He had helped his grandparents take care of his younger cousins ​​since he was a child. Although he hadn't done it for many years and was a little rusty, he was still quite adept at it.

The door closed, and Zhan Lintian carried two bowls of noodles out of the kitchen, topped with fried eggs and bok choy: "Let's have some late-night snacks first."

"There's nothing else in the fridge, so I can only cook this." He was truly helpless without the means to cook.

Jiangxia's home was very clean, and the refrigerator was also very clean.

Jiang Xia blushed: "Should we wake Wenwen up and get her something to eat?"

"No need, she's had indigestion from eating too much. Shall we go for a walk downstairs after we finish eating?"

Jiang Xia sat down and said "okay".

Mr. Zhan's cooking skills are excellent. Even though it was just clear soup noodles, Jiang Xia ate it with great relish.

Besides, he himself really likes noodles.

After Jiang Xia finished eating, he went to clean up the kitchen, with Zhan Lintian following behind him like a little tail.

Just as Jiang Xia finished tidying up, Zhan Lintian suddenly leaned over and gently kissed his cheek.

It was a very gentle kiss, like a piece of goose down falling on the skin.

Jiang Xia's heart skipped a beat. He mechanically and slowly turned his head, and their eyes met...

Then, before going to sleep, Zhan Lintian saw Jiang Xia take out a thick quilt and put it in his arms: "Hey, why?"

Jiang Xia suggested that he should make do with the discomfort of sleeping on the sofa tonight.

Holding the blanket, Zhan Lintian followed behind Jiang Xia, verbally apologizing, but his feet kept moving towards Jiang Xia's room: "I'll sleep in the living room, it'll be inconvenient for you to get up at night, I'll sleep with you..."

Jiang Xia stood at the door, closed it, leaving only a small crack, and said with a smile, "If Wenwen needs to get up at night, it will be convenient for her to find her uncle."

Zhan Lintian couldn't squeeze in.

Jiang Xia looked into his eyes and whispered, "Goodnight."

The door closed, and Zhan Lintian clicked his tongue. He shouldn't have been so greedy as to kiss her one more time, which made Jiang Xia realize his wolfish ambitions prematurely.

I should have sneaked in early, stayed in the bedroom, said some nice things, helped make the bed, and then lay down on it. Maybe Jiang Xia wouldn't have chased me away.

It was truly a case of losing more than one gains, but at least he managed to kiss her. Zhan Lintian lay on the sofa, comforting himself with a sense of satisfaction.

In the room, Jiang Xia lay on the bed, his face flushed red. Just moments ago he had been calm, but now he was completely blushing. The moment Zhan Lintian kissed him, all he could think about was whether he should just agree and let it become a beautiful memory in his future life...

Jiang Xia covered his head with the blanket. He had been praying to God to make a decision for him for the past few days, but fate was in his own hands, and he didn't know what to do.

He took out his phone; before tomorrow even arrived, tonight's lavish drone show had already become a trending topic in the city.

There are countless people in Montreal who can afford to spend millions, and even middle-class families can grit their teeth and make the expense without considering their assets. But the light show on those buildings across the river is special.

In particular, the person behind this incident has the letter "Z" in their name.

In addition, the exterior lights of those buildings are not open to the public on a regular basis; they are only adjusted according to policy during national holidays.

Therefore, the person who arranged this performance was not only generous but also had extraordinary connections.

The zigzag shape instantly narrowed down the area, and the first family to be noticed was the Wu family, who were related to Jiangxia.

Jiang Xia murmured, "Wu Zhou's Zhou?"

He knew, of course, that the performance was Zhan Lintian's idea, but he also noticed that among the buildings participating in the light show on the other side of the river was the headquarters of Jiusi Technology.

Wu Zhou is the big boss of Jiusi Technology...

Jiang Xia hesitated for a moment, then finally edited the text and sent it to Wu Zhou: "The light show was beautiful, thank you."

Wu Zhou replied instantly: "I'm glad you like it. I'll come see you tomorrow."

Jiang Xia typed, wanting to say no, but Wu Zhou sent another message: "Good night, get some rest."

This is not an inquiry, it is a notification.

Jiang Xia put down her phone, lay flat on the bed, looked at the ceiling in the light from the window, blinked, and silently closed her eyes.

She dared not send a message to thank Zhan Lintian, knowing he would be so happy to see it that he would come knocking on her door and then slip into her bed...

Jiang Xia murmured, "Go to sleep first."

The next day, early in the morning, he got up, washed up, and ordered takeout.

Zhan Lintian didn't sleep well. Although the sofa was long and tall, it was a bit narrow, so he couldn't sleep soundly and was still groggy the next morning.

When he woke up, Jiang Xia had already changed his clothes and was bending down to put on his leather shoes.

After Wenwen finished dressing, she also finished brushing her teeth. Jiang Xia got up and used a washcloth to wipe the child's face, and then tied the bow on the back of her skirt.

Jiang Xia carried her to the dining table and sat her down: "Uncle Jiang made you millet porridge and fried egg pancakes. Try them and see if you like them?"

Jiang Xia noticed he was awake, walked to the sofa, and seeing his pale face, said, "I'm sorry."

"What?" Zhan Lintian lay on the sofa, looking up at Jiang Xia.

Jiang Xia lowered her eyes: "You don't look well. I shouldn't have let you sleep on the sofa last night."

Zhan Lintian reached out and gently grasped his right hand. He didn't say anything, but just gently squeezed his fingers to show that he didn't mind.

After a while, his voice was hoarse: "Then can you stop avoiding me?"

Jiang Xia avoided his gaze, her tone firm: "I need to think about it carefully."

Neither side would back down. Jiang Xia had his own plans, but Zhan Lintian wouldn't listen.

Hearing their voices, Wenwen looked over curiously. Jiang Xia, sitting on the sofa, smiled at her and asked, "Is it delicious?"

Wenwen, holding a spoon, shouted happily, "Delicious!"

The smile in Jiang Xia's eyes grew even stronger.

How wonderful... They don't have to face the gossip of the world. Money and power will make their later years happy and joyful, and they will have lovely younger generations by their side.

Jiang Xia clenched his fist and smiled at Zhan Lintian.

With the commute to work too tight, Zhan Lintian arranged for another car to take Jiang Xia to work, while he took Wenwen to kindergarten first.

Jiang Xia sat at his workstation, calmly handling all the tasks. After lunch, he looked out the window in the stairwell.

The snow was very heavy this year.

He has his own ideas and principles, and he will not be easily swayed by emotions. If he were indecisive, he would not have liked Wu Ming for so many years. If he lacked his own opinions, he would not have decisively let go and blocked Wu Ming when he learned that Wu Ming had completely fallen apart.

If Zhan Lintian and Wu Zhou were younger than him...

Jiang Xia smiled, perhaps he would act like a mature adult and rationally tell them, "You are still young and immature, but I cannot be ignorant."

But they were older.

In the afternoon, his apprentice Zhao Hui came over with some materials and asked him, "Master, why is this sentence translated like this? The literal meaning is clearly not like that."

Jiang Xia glanced at it; it was the male lead's confession to the female lead.

The original text describes how good he was to the female lead, how many things he did for her, and how all his words boiled down to one sentence: "I love you."

However, Jiang Xia translated it as: Don't I love you?

Jiang Xia recalled this incident and said, "He was being insincere and saying the opposite of what he meant. I had spoken with the original author at the time, and he preferred the current translation."

Whether someone is loved or not is hard to say for sure; only those who have experienced love truly understand.

After Jiang Xia finished replying to Zhao Hui, he continued typing. Suddenly, a thought flashed through his mind, and he stopped abruptly.

Wait a minute... So no matter how much he refuses, he is essentially confessing to Wu Zhou and Zhan Lintian, constantly sending a signal.

It's not that I don't love you, I'm just afraid you'll get hurt.

If I don't dare to take that first step, could you be a little more proactive? It didn't sound like a rejection, it sounded like... blatant seduction.

It's as if it's saying that if you take a little more initiative and break down the barrier in my heart, the chances of us being together will be much greater...

Jiang Xia sighed, realizing that everything seemed to be in a dead end.

That's really not what I meant...

As Zhao Hui was asking questions, he noticed Jiang Xia covering her face: "Master, are you feeling unwell?"

Jiang Xia's face felt a little hot, and he said in a low voice, "A little."

He strongly suspected that this was the case, but he couldn't ask directly.

Zhao Hui, being a very considerate apprentice, ordered him a hot drink upon seeing his condition, thinking he was just too tired from overworking his brain. After the tea arrived, he served it to Jiang Xia in the stairwell.

"Master, there's no extra sugar. Here, please take a good rest."

Jiang Xia accepted it: "Thank you."

Zhao Hui smacked his lips, wanting to smoke, but Jiang Xia noticed and said, "Go ahead and smoke, I don't mind."

Jiang Xia doesn't smoke, but he doesn't care whether others smoke or not; he just stays away. Many people have bad habits, but he doesn't have a penchant for lecturing.

Because doing so would only invite trouble for no reason.

There are many things and many people that we should simply distance ourselves from without changing them.

Zhao Hui chuckled, scratched his head, and sighed, "I'd better not smoke anymore, Master."

Jiang Xia paused for a moment and said, "I have a friend who smokes occasionally."

Zhao Hui was surprised: "I really can't tell. I've never smelled smoke on my master."

"Because he doesn't smoke around me." Jiang Xia knew that Wu Zhou and Zhan Lintian smoked, but neither of them had ever smoked in front of him.

I did happen to bump into them, but they quickly twisted off their cigarettes.

Zhao Hui said, "Then Master's friends must care a lot about Master's feelings."

Jiang Xia hummed in agreement.

Most of them do care, except when it comes to pursuing you, which can be a bit relentless.

Jiang Xia worked overtime today, and didn't finish until 8 o'clock.

This job is good. Although it is mentally taxing, there is still plenty of time. In the words of Editor-in-Chief Sun, "The words I write when my mind is not clear are a waste of electricity to type out. It is better to rest properly."

Everyone else in the company had gone off work to rest, but Jiang Xia stayed at the company to organize documents and print materials, planning to take them home tonight.

Jiang Xia put on his coat, grabbed his umbrella, and went downstairs. He planned to have dinner nearby before going home.

Then, at the entrance, he looked up and saw Wu Zhou and Zhan Lintian's cars parked in the parking lot across the building. They were easy to spot. Zhan Lintian parked his car in a parking space he wasn't using recently, while Wu Zhou parked next to him.

Jiang Xia opened his umbrella to shield his face and quickly walked along the road on the right towards the restaurant street not far away.

The ground was icy, and Jiangxia regretted not bringing a pair of non-slip boots; walking on snowy roads with leather soles required extreme caution...

With snow falling and an umbrella in hand, those two people probably didn't even see me.

Jiang Xia walked forward with his head down when suddenly General Manager Zhan shouted from behind, "Jiang Xia!"

Jiang Xia paused, then reassured himself that he must have misheard, and he didn't turn around.

"Jiang Xia!" This time it was Wu Zhou who shouted, not as loudly, but Jiang Xia heard it clearly; he was already very close.

The next moment, Zhan Lintian grabbed Jiang Xia's wrist, bent down behind him and crawled under the umbrella, asking in a low voice, "Why are you running?"

Zhan Lintian tried to pull Jiang Xia into his arms, but Wu Zhou had already walked up to Jiang Xia and, seeing this, hooked his hand around Jiang Xia's waist.

Wu Zhou said coldly, "Don't drag him."

A note from the author:

Zhan Lintian: If you let me go, I'll let you go.

Wu Zhou: You should release it first.

Thank you everyone for the nutrient solution you sent these past few days! [Rabbit head with upright ears] At this rate, I'll have to start writing new bonus chapters right away!