Chapter 91 Running

Jiang Xia let out a sob. He was feeling sleepy and thirsty after drinking the wine. After a while, he poked his head out to reach for his water glass again.

He was half-confused. He had just drunk water, and the water in his cup was gone. He struggled to get up and wanted to go to the "kitchen" to get some more water.

I have absolutely no recollection of being in a hotel.

As soon as he got out of bed, the cold air outside seeped into his body and he obediently retreated back in.

The next moment, someone gently stroked his neck, guiding him to tilt his head back and drink water.

Wu Zhou controlled the flow rate to prevent him from choking.

After finishing the drink, Jiang Xia fell headfirst, thinking he would fall onto the pillow, but instead fell into someone else's arms.

Zhan Lintian was startled, but seeing that the person wasn't hurt, he smiled and patted him gently: "Go to sleep, you're exhausted."

Zhan Lintian's tone was satisfied. Thinking of Jiang Xia's sobbing earlier, he tried to get up but was held by the waist and prevented from leaving.

With a little guidance, he listened attentively and did as instructed, even though he seemed confused, for fear of not doing it well.

Zhan Lintian's throat was itchy.

Jiang Xia's reaction was too clumsy; he was completely unfamiliar with this kind of behavior, something he would never even consider doing under normal circumstances... But when he was drunk, he became obedient and willing to learn...

He would also call out his own name from time to time...

If Wu Zhou hadn't been so vigilant and arrived so quickly, he could have spent more time with Jiang Xia.

Zhan Lintian looked down. Jiang Xia's shirt was disheveled, with only two buttons fastened, revealing his rounded shoulders.

This was his masterpiece. He had intended to button Jiang Xia's clothes up again, but the marks on her exposed skin were too conspicuous. Besides the kiss marks he had left, there were also some fresh marks.

"No," Jiang Xia mumbled groggily.

Zhan Lintian went along with him: "Fine, I won't touch you."

Wu Zhou put down his water glass and looked coldly at Zhan Lintian: "Aren't you afraid he'll resent you after he wakes up?"

"He has a good temper and will understand me. Besides, he cares about me." Zhan Lintian's eyes were arrogant.

He looked directly at Wu Zhou and said, "You came a little too fast. If you had come any slower, you would have had time to wait for the hotel to bring up your pajamas."

Wu Zhou did not want to answer.

At this moment, Jiang Xia wrapped her arms around Zhan Lintian's waist and buried her face in his.

Wu Zhou grabbed Jiang Xia's groping hand, gently squeezed his fingertips, and pulled him away.

Jiang Xia did not resist and shrank back under the covers, only revealing half of her face and her messy hair.

After a short while, he poked his head out again because of the stuffiness, peeking out a little bit of his nose to breathe.

Jiangxia breathes very shallowly and doesn't cause trouble even after drinking.

This was the first time Zhan Lintian had ever seen such a well-behaved drunkard. After holding his breath for a while, he cautiously reached out to check Jiang Xia's breath, afraid that he might have stopped breathing.

Wu Zhou looked at him speechlessly: "What are you doing?"

Zhan Lintian breathed a sigh of relief when he felt Jiang Xia's breathing: "I was worried about him."

Wu Zhou also looked at the river gorge by the lamplight, his eyes softening considerably.

But as soon as he spoke to Zhan Lintian, his voice turned cold again: "Why did you come? You know Jiang Xia cried on the high-speed train?"

Zhan Lintian gently stroked Jiang Xia's hair, gazing at his slightly flushed cheeks for a long time before raising his eyes to stare at Wu Zhou.

“I knew, that’s why I came.”

"It's just not as quick as Mr. Wu's. But you and Wu Ming look somewhat alike. I'm worried that Jiang Xia will be reminded of your brother when he sees you," Zhan Lintian said with a barb.

Wu Zhou gritted his teeth: "No need for you to worry about it."

Zhan Lintian shrugged and interrupted him: "Has your brother's marriage been settled?"

He pinpointed the biggest problem for both of them.

Wu Zhou paused for a moment, then answered softly, "He still refuses to marry Xie Xingzhang and is threatening suicide to force it."

Zhan Lintian scoffed: "Then give him a different partner. There will always be someone willing to go along with him for money."

Wu Zhou frowned: "He's not stupid."

Zhan Lintian clicked his tongue.

The two didn't speak, but it was a tacit agreement.

It's annoying. The more Jiang Xia softens his heart for them, the more likely he is to soften his heart for Wu Ming.

Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance...

The two looked at each other and saw the ferocity in each other's eyes.

If you use force to vote your opponent out of the game, then "Wu Ming" will be your last resort.

Both sides were wary of the other's unwillingness to lose, and the possibility of luring Wu Ming back to the country, even at the cost of Jiang Xia's injury, in order to strike a blow against themselves.

Zhan Lintian thought to himself that even if he lost, he wouldn't hold a grudge, but who knew if Wu Zhou would be narrow-minded?!

Wu Zhou felt the same way.

They didn't turn off the lights.

Jiang Xia frowned and murmured, "Go to sleep..."

Jiang Xia pressed her face against Zhan Lintian's right hand, resting it on it. The soft flesh of her cheeks squeezed together, making one's heart soften at the sight.

Mr. Zhan's eyes were full of smiles; he had gained a little weight, but he looked even better.

Jiang Xia vaguely heard someone gently reply, "Okay, I'll turn off the lights and go to sleep."

That night, he drank water several times in a daze, and finally fell into a deep sleep in the second half of the night. He didn't know who was next to him, but he wrapped his arms around the other person's waist and leaned on him affectionately.

At 7:30 a.m., Jiangxia's preset alarm clock went off.

Zhan Lintian, who was being held around the waist, wanted to take a look, but Wu Zhou beat him to it, catching a glimpse of it out of the corner of his eye.

Wu Zhou stood by the bedside, scrolling through his phone screen. From 7:30 to 9:30, he set an alarm every twenty minutes until the 9:30 alarm was marked as: 11:00 high-speed train.

This is because they are afraid they won't wake up and will miss their trip. With the end of the year approaching and travel being tight, they really need to be more careful.

He canceled all the alarms and, as Jiang Xia was about to wake up, said to Zhan Lintian, "Let him sleep first, and we'll wake him up later."

Zhan Lintian also agreed with his view.

They even wanted to change Jiang Xia's clothes so they could carry her over.

Despite all the precautions, the factory's receptionist, after failing to get through to the phone at 9:00, sneaked over to the hotel at 9:30.

He rang the doorbell and called out softly twice, waking Jiang Xia.

Before the banquet last night, Jiang Xia made an appointment with the reception staff to come and wake him up this morning and take him to the high-speed rail station.

Unexpectedly, when the receptionist went to look for him, the hotel front desk said they hadn't seen Mr. Jiang return.

The phone went unanswered, so the receptionist had no choice but to try their luck at the restaurant.

The hotel cannot disclose guest information at will, but the reception staff are considered regular guests, and the front desk staff know them well.

Jiang Xia had spoken with him at the front desk before dinner last night.

The front desk staff reviewed the chat history with Jiang Xia and, considering that Jiang Xia had been drunk the night before and could not be reached at 9:30, worried that something might happen to the guest due to his intoxication, they called the internal phone in the room.

The ringing of the phone and the doorbell woke Jiang Xia.

He sat on the edge of the bed, eyes closed, still dozing off.

Wu Zhou answered the phone first and said a few words.

Jiang Xia was still not fully conscious when Zhan Lintian was half-squatting down to change his clothes and button his shirt.

This was just delivered by my assistant; it's a little late.

This isn't Mengcheng; neither of Zhan Lintian's two personal assistants are here. He only brought other assistants.

Fortunately, Jiang Xia gave them enough time; although the assistant was not yet familiar with the new business, they were not overwhelmed.

As requested by General Manager Zhan, he bought a light pink shirt, put on a white V-neck sweater, and carefully matched it with a dark pink and white checkered tie.

Zhan Lintian specially chose the color scheme based on an outfit Jiang Xia had worn before.

This way you can't go wrong.

It was all pink and tender... the color was lovely, and that's what Zhan Lintian thought too, but when Jiang Xia wore it, it created a sense of contrast.

Jiang Xia's features were too exquisite; her eyes, slightly narrowed with drowsiness, darted around...

The pink color on him actually added a touch of... allure.

Zhan Lintian imagined what it would have been like if Jiang Xia had been wearing a light pink shirt and sitting on him last night...

He swallowed hard and felt a tightness in his waist and abdomen whenever he thought about it.

He craved Jiangxia so much... Even if he only indulged in it in his dreams, it affected him in reality.

Last night, under my guidance, Jiang Xia kissed me. Her tongue shyly and awkwardly circled around, and her mouth was moist and warm...

Outside the door, the receptionist called out inappropriately, "Mr. Jiang? I've come to pick you up and take you to the high-speed rail station."

He was waiting for the gate of Jiangxia to open, but to his surprise, it was Wu Zhou who opened it.

The receptionist was surprised: "Mr. Wu?"

He snapped out of his daze and laughed heartily, "Did I disturb you?"

"No."

He hurriedly explained, "Mr. Jiang asked me to take him to the high-speed rail station today so as not to delay his subsequent travel plans."

Wu Zhou opened the door, revealing the scene inside, and allowed him to enter.

Inside the room, Jiang Xia looked down at Zhan Lintian, who was half-squatting in front of him, putting on his shoes.

The man in front of her wanted to grab her ankle.

Jiang Xia pursed her lips. Last night, the man in front of her held her foot like this, preventing her from pulling away.

Zhan Lintian reacted quickly, coaxing her while forcibly grabbing her: "Put your shoes and socks on first."

Jiang Xia hesitated, then stopped himself. The wine from last night had a strong aftereffect; he'd been careless…

In his memory, the alcohol content of the wines was generally low, but out of caution, he didn't drink much.

I never expected the second boss to get his hands on some high-proof red wine; I wonder where he found it...

Jiang Xia rubbed his forehead, knowing that no matter how drunk he got, he would never black out, so the events of last night were still vivid in his mind.

Mr. Zhan's body temperature was frighteningly high, and the sounds of his lips and tongue sucking filled the quiet room with an ambiguous murmur of water.

She even kissed him first without thinking, their lips and tongues intertwined, she didn't dislike him... she even instinctively moved closer to him, adjusting her movements as Zhan told her to, so as not to hurt him.

Jiang Xia felt a burning sensation all over his body whenever he thought of those blurry images; the heat was unbearable.

That's shameless! Where did Mr. Zhan come up with such a wicked idea?!

Fortunately, a staff member came in to greet him, shattering Jiang Xia's illusions: "Mr. Jiang, I've arranged a car for you. Shall we go to the high-speed rail station now?"

"Your luggage has been packed."

Jiang Xia packed his luggage yesterday afternoon and left it at the front desk of his hotel for his trip today.

Jiang Xia stood up and said thank you.

The staff glanced around and noticed a third person in the room. He seemed familiar, and judging from Zhan Lintian's clothes, he looked wealthy.

I guess it's some kind of boss.

With outsiders present, Wu Zhou and Zhan Lintian didn't say much, but simply followed him quietly.

The staff member was filled with doubt, but dared not ask.

The staff arranged a seven-seater van, and as soon as Jiang Xia got in, Zhan Lintian skillfully climbed in as well.

Wu Zhou also went up.

When they arrived at the high-speed rail station, Wu Zhou helped Jiang Xia with his suitcase and said, "I'll go with you."

Jiang Xia saw Zhan Lintian standing at the door, unable to come in.

Zhan Lintian's assistant whispered to Jiang Xia, "He asked me to buy a train ticket to Huaihai at seven o'clock this morning, but I couldn't get one and I'm still on the waiting list."

That's putting him in a really difficult position.

Before Jiang Xia entered the station, he glanced back. In that one glance, Zhan Lintian approached him and said, "You go in first. If I can't get a ticket, I'll take the train over."

Jiang Xia hesitated, unable to utter a single word.

He was determined to come along.

No matter what he says or does, he never gives up.

Last night, I vaguely heard Zhan Lintian kissing me while saying that I should take responsibility.

Jiang Xia dared not think about it further, nor could he ask, for he had not yet made up his mind.

The main problem is that this is something that can't be considered. Jiang Xia, who has been living a law-abiding life for more than 20 years, has never thought about this issue.

In the business class waiting area, Wu Zhou sat next to Jiang Xia.

Jiang Xia said softly, "I don't know what to do?"

He had already clearly refused, but it was no use.

Jiang Xia wanted to say that she hated their persistent pestering, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Actually... he doesn't dislike it at all when others take the initiative to approach him.

Jiang Xia has never told a big lie in all these years, so if others press him for an explanation, he will be speechless and unable to justify himself.

Wu Ming always says that he is bookish and doesn't know how to be flexible. While others flatter and climb the ladder, he doesn't fawn over others but quietly helps them.

Then Wu Ming would change the subject and say that he would help him.

When Jiang Xia first graduated, she did indeed face difficulties at work because of her poor communication skills.

But later he changed jobs and met many helpful people. Some people said that the reason they helped him was because of his sincerity and thoughtfulness.

Jiang Xia thought that there was nothing wrong with being sincere and kind; at least he wouldn't suffer.

The high-speed train is about to depart, and staff members come over to remind it.

Just then, Jiang Xia's phone rang. He took it out and saw that Zhan Lintian had sent three messages in a row: "I got a ticket on the waiting list!"

"Get in the car first, I'll be right there!"

"Jiang Xia, what's your seat number? I'm here to find you."

He then added another picture, which was his train ticket.

Jiang Xia looked around and saw that the other person was in the next carriage.

However, Zhan Lintian might not be able to catch up...

Wu Zhou had just changed seats and was sitting next to Jiang Xia. Looking at his face, he asked, "Are you very worried about him?"

Jiang Xia murmured, "He didn't need to do this..."

He silently closed his eyes, unsure of what to say.

At first, Zhan Lintian only wanted to be his friend and help him ascertain Wu Zhou's feelings. He hadn't even known him for very long...

Jiang Xia felt that there was nothing about him that was worth liking; he was indecisive and not honest enough.

Because he himself wasn't that good, Jiang Xia hoped Zhan Lintian would see things clearly and become more sober.

At this moment, Zhan Lintian is running at high speed.

The assistant standing nearby felt dizzy; he wished that CEO Zhan hadn't gotten a ticket at all! It was a near-perfect split second.

He didn't even get a business class ticket on the waiting list, but a second class seat. The business class lounge at this station is on the first floor, so you can go directly to the platform without going through the turnstiles.

This gives him much more free time.

But there's nothing we can do.

Even if the assistant were completely blind, he could tell that CEO Zhan was going crazy pursuing his wife.

The assistant, carrying the luggage, had to queue for security and was destined to miss this train, so he was waiting for the afternoon train.

He wasn't in a hurry, and stood among the crowd at the security checkpoint on the first floor, watching President Zhan leave.

Instead of taking the escalator, Mr. Zhan strode up the stairs to the second floor.

The assistant silently prayed, "Mr. Zhan, good luck."

The ticket gate is at the very back, it's super far away!

After so many years of smooth sailing, it's time for Mr. Zhan to experience some heartbreak in love.

Fortunately, while waiting for the tickets, Mr. Zhan quietly changed into sneakers.

The assistant felt she had already tried her best to help him with his love life.

But James was unlucky.

The assistant had checked before buying the tickets; the station only allowed entry two hours in advance, but all trains departing within those two hours required a waitlist.

He had just wanted to beg Zhan Lintian to give up, but President Zhan said with a serious face, "How can we not give it a try?"

At this moment, Zhan Linqi was panting heavily as he swiped his card to pass through the gate in the last half minute.

After he boarded the train, he discovered something else: the business class and second class seats were not connected.

Zhan Lintian could only find his seat and sit down first, and then move over later when the shift shifted.

Zhan Lintian gritted his teeth. Wu Zhou had already bought the tickets, but he hadn't said a word last night, and he couldn't get any information out of him.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be in such a sorry state now.

Zhan Lintian ran so hard that his throat tightened and he started coughing.

He took out his phone, ready to take a selfie and send it to Jiang Xia, telling him to take good care of himself.

He wanted to wipe his sweat and drink water, but besides his ID card, all he had was a mobile phone.

Zhan Lintian swallowed hard, coughing even more forcefully. "Cough cough!"

Sweat kept pouring from my forehead. I was so nervous and the temperature was rising, but I was still wearing winter clothes and couldn't dissipate the heat.

A familiar voice came from behind: "Are you alright?"

Jiang Xia approached General Manager Zhan with a bottle of water, followed by General Manager Wu, whose face was full of displeasure.

Jiang Xia saw that Zhan Lintian's hair was soaked with sweat, and sweat dripped down his cheeks and down to the corners of his eyes. Zhan Lintian squinted his eyes in discomfort.

"You..." Jiang Xia's voice was hoarse as she whispered, "You don't need to work so hard. What if you get hurt?"

Zhan Lintian took the water: "Would you feel sorry for me if I got hurt?"

Jiang Xia reminded, "Take small sips, don't choke."

After saying that, he took out a handkerchief from his pocket: "Wipe it off."

Zhan Lintian squinted, tilted his head slightly, and said in a moment, "Jiang Xia, can you wipe my sweat?"

Before Jiang Xia could make a move, Zhan Lintian choked on the water and started coughing violently.

Jiang Xia was startled and quickly patted his back, afraid that he would choke to death: "Are you alright? Are you alright?"

Why bother...

Zhan Lintian waved his hand, shook Jiang Xia's hand, and casually extended his ID card to Wu Zhou's assistant who came over from behind: "Could you please ask if there are any business class seats available for me?"

The assistant looked at Mr. Wu, whose face looked terrible.

Wu Zhou's voice was low and deep, with a hint of gritted teeth: "Help him ascend the throne."

At this moment, Zhan Lintian looked at Jiang Xia with a smile on his face.

Jiang Xia saw that he wanted to drink water but couldn't free his hand, and his right hand was trembling slightly, so she sighed and wiped his sweat.

As Zhan Lintian wiped the sweat from Jiang Xia's brow, a smile crept across his face. He seized the opportunity to say, "Jiang Xia, send me your itinerary. I'm free lately, and I'd like to spend some time with you."

He pleaded softly, "I want to celebrate your birthday with you."

A note from the author:

Zhan Lintian: Look, my hair is all wet.

The river gorge is in dire need of pity.

Wu Zhou: That proves you have kidney deficiency; you sweat profusely after running.

Zhan Lintian: [Angry]

*

Setting up.

Wu Zhou is gentle most of the time, but he likes to hold his wife the most... There's no way around it, Jiang Xia's feet often can't touch the ground, and he can only curl his toes in the air and sway gently.

Besides licking his wife, Boss Zhan also enjoys having sex. [Facepalm peeking]