Chapter 55 The first sword strike after landing: slay the one I desire...

A green greenhouse covered the ground floor of the three-story villa, with a round, high-brightness incandescent light hanging at intervals inside. The white light cast shadows over the crowd of people, making each person's hair glow.

Before the Qin family arrived, the noise reached outside the shed. As soon as the five people appeared, they froze for a moment. Countless eyes were fixed on them, half of which were on Chen Jiashu's face.

The man was indescribably handsome, and possessed a refined air that seemed out of place here, but most importantly, he was blind.

Of these, 80% recognized Chen Jiashu; he was Qin Qiao's ex-husband, a successful businessman, and a blind entrepreneur featured on CCTV... Each person's gaze carries a different meaning. The remaining 20% ​​were simply middle-aged or elderly people with limited access to information; their gazes were curious, given the rarity of blind people.

When the noise resumed, Qin Qiao had already led Chen Jiashu to their seats, the family table, the innermost one, where everyone sitting with them was of the same generation.

There were ten people at the table, and their family occupied four seats: three from the eldest cousin's family and three from the eldest cousin's family. The table was full.

Looking around, all I see are relatives I see often, cousins, some nearly fifty, some just over twenty.

The grandparents were sitting at one table. Qin Qiao saw her aunt, whom she was quite close to, and went over to greet her. She was then pulled aside by her great-uncle's family, and they chatted for quite a while.

Old Song stood respectfully behind Chen Jiashu, keeping a distance of twenty centimeters. Before the meal started, he would politely let passersby pass by. After the meal started, he was also responsible for transferring the dishes brought by the neighbors to the glass turntable.

During the clinking and clattering of the meal, Lao Song acted like a well-trained hotel waiter, frequently placing dishes on Chen Jiashu's plate and whispering the name of each dish in his ear.

The children were also taken care of by a nanny, and Qin Qiao just focused on eating, occasionally answering questions from her older cousins, mostly casual chatter.

A rough, phlegmy sound came from behind:

"Big bosses are different; they even have someone feed them."

The person who said this was an elderly man around eighty years old who was diagonally opposite, constantly turning his body to look at Chen Jiashu, and he was speaking in the local dialect.

Qin Qiao couldn't remember the exact address; it might be a distant relative from her mother's side, or a relative from her aunt's side.

They say children speak without thinking, and the words of the elderly shouldn't be taken seriously either. Qin Qiao glanced at Chen Jiashu, who calmly picked up a piece of mutton and chewed it.

At home, the language spoken was not much different from Mandarin. Back when his grandmother and great-aunt were still alive, they communicated with Chen Jiashu using a local dialect and Mandarin, and Chen Jiashu could understand both.

The man next to him, presumably the old man's son, put a piece of pork hock into the old man's bowl and called out:

"Dad, dinner's ready!"

The old man reluctantly turned back, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat.

In some people's eyes, Chen Jiashu is showing off his wealth... There are quite a few elderly people like this, and some young people will stand up to educate them: "Our factory boss is not unable to drive, he has two drivers."

"Grandma! This is called time management. Rich people's time is very precious!"

Do you guys even understand?

The elders, after being lectured by the younger generation, pouted and remained speechless.

During the meal, my uncle came over and offered everyone orange juice instead of wine.

My uncle had just left when my fourth cousin and her family of three warmly surrounded us.

Yang Shuhua's family is quite large. Qin Qiao also has a fourth aunt who was sent away when she was young due to family poverty. Her fourth cousin is the daughter of her fourth aunt.

Yang Shuhua, who was at the next table, looked over. She and her fourth aunt had never gotten along, and the two families rarely interacted.

My fourth cousin beamed with joy: "Qiaoqiao! I recognized you from afar!"

My cousin's husband eagerly grasped Chen Jiashu's hand and shook it vigorously: "Jiashu! I'm Qiaoqiao's fourth brother-in-law. We met at your wedding!"

Chen Jiashu raised the corners of his lips slightly and nodded politely.

Qin Qiao looked at Xiao Dong, who had been pushed to the front, and was about to introduce him to Chen Jiashu when her cousin-in-law urged, "Xiao Dong, quickly call him aunt and uncle!"

The young man, wearing headphones, reluctantly called out, "Aunt and Uncle."

Qin Qiao and Chen Jiashu both smiled in unison.

My cousin's husband rubbed his hands together and got straight to the point: "Jiashu, Xiaodong is a senior at Dongyu Trade College this year, majoring in logistics management. I heard that your group's new South China region is recruiting a warehouse manager?"

Dongyu Trade College is a junior college, and its logistics program is its flagship program.

Qin Qiao looked at Chen Jiashu, who looked up at Xiao Dong.

“The supervisory position requires three years of practical experience.” He wasn’t oblivious to the young man’s arrogance, but his tone remained calm. “However, recent graduates can apply for management trainee positions. Xiao Dong, have you used the WMS system during your internship?”

The couple sensed a chance and their faces lit up with joy, but their son scoffed, "Everything's smart now, your company isn't still using this old-fashioned system, is it?"

"Xiao Dong!" Fourth cousin scolded in a low voice.

Chen Jiashu didn't seem to care much and said casually, "You can send your resume to the group's official website and note 'Recommended by Secretary Tian.' The HR department will give you priority in arranging interviews."

My cousin's husband's eyes lit up, and he was about to thank him.

Xiao Dong, who thought he could get the job right away, ripped off his headphones: "Mom, why are you begging him? Can he even see my resume?"

"Xiao Dong!" Fourth cousin slapped him on the back.

Qin Qiao's eyes turned cold, and she was about to speak up to reprimand him when Chen Jiashu grabbed her arm and gently pressed her down.

He chuckled softly, his tone remaining unhurried:

"It's a good thing for young people to be proud."

Xiao Dong was about to argue when his mother covered his mouth.

Chen Jiashu's expression grew cold:

“Our group just reached a school-enterprise cooperation agreement with Dongmao College last month. Your department head, Professor Wang, is now the chief consultant for our new South District warehouse.”

"Should I ask Professor Wang to retrieve your conduct record from school?"

Xiao Dong froze instantly, and his fourth cousin's face turned pale.

The fourth brother-in-law quickly apologized on behalf of the child: "Jiashu, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't take it to heart. I will definitely discipline him strictly when I get back."

Ignoring her fourth cousin's pleading look, Qin Qiao sternly told the young man, "Xiao Dong, ability determines the lower limit, and character determines the upper limit. Go back and think about it carefully."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the family of three slunk away.

The meal lasted for more than an hour, and the uncle and aunt personally escorted the family to the intersection.

Yang Shuhua held Xixi, who had just fallen while playing with her friends. The little girl clung to her grandmother's neck, her eyes still red from crying.

Unlike when Yang Shuhua came in her aunt's car, she rode in the same car with them on the way back. The seven-seater car was just the right size with the driver.

The car door slowly closed, and Yang Shuhua's voice rang out:

"Jiashu, where are you staying tonight?" The tone was very casual.

Chen Jiashu, who was in the passenger seat, turned around to look at the back and replied, "The hotel is booked; it's at Baixing International."

Baixing International Hotel is a five-star hotel located less than a kilometer away from their residential area, just two turns away.

Yang Shuhua didn't say anything more. She looked down at the sleepy Xixi, picked her up and put her on her lap, letting her sleep in her arms.

The stars twinkled. Chen Jiashu first dropped them off at their apartment building. After they went upstairs, he turned and got into his car. Their destination was Baixing International.

After taking a shower, he received a voice message from Qin Qiao.

Chen Jiashu sat on the edge of the bed, listening to Qin Qiao's words, "Let's go stroll around the old street together at six o'clock tomorrow morning," over and over again.

*

It rained last night, and the bluestone pavement appeared even darker in color because it was soaked in water.

The roads are narrow, a characteristic of the ancient town, with rows of small shops with red doors and white walls on both sides. Every door is open inward, and the shopkeepers are busy inside.

The honking of electric scooters, the shouts of shopkeepers along the way, and the sounds of passersby arguing all contributed to the cacophony of the morning mist.

The area was crowded, making it difficult for Chen Jiashu to walk. Qin Qiao offered to take his arm.

“I’m holding you.” Chen Jiashu put away his white cane and half-grabbed her upper arm with his hand. With each step he took, the white cane on his wrist would sway.

The steaming buns from the steaming bun shop wafted out; the bakery's various affordable and delicious cakes smelled sweet and fragrant; but my favorite was still that one-of-a-kind zongzi shop, where zongzi soaked in a large round iron pot, with a wide variety of types: large meat zongzi, red bean paste zongzi, red date zongzi...

The best-selling item is naturally the large meat-filled rice dumpling. The grandfathers and grandmothers queuing up are all there to buy it. From their conversations, we can tell that most of them are buying it to take home for the younger generation who can't get up in the morning, as older people don't eat much glutinous rice food.

As soon as the pot lid is lifted, the sweet and savory aroma of the zongzi wafts far and wide, tempting people's taste buds.

Qin Qiao bought ten large meat dumplings, paid, and the shopkeeper swiped the bag containing the dumplings onto Chen Jiashu's outstretched hand, then quickly glanced at Chen Jiashu's face.

A hint of confusion flickered in his eyes...

Perhaps they feel they look familiar, after all, he is quite famous, or maybe it's the first time they've seen someone who is blind, or simply because Chen Jiashu is young, tall, and handsome.

The third rooster crowed, and Qin Qiao and Chen Jiashu happened to have reached the end of the street.

"Qiaoqiao...would you like some wontons?" Chen Jiashu smelled the aroma of wontons; they must be nearby.

“Okay,” Qin Qiao glanced around and sure enough, spotted a wonton shop: “Over there.”

It's the fifth shop from the right, next to the fresh noodle shop.

A large pot of steam was placed at the entrance, and the shop owner stood behind it, stirring the soup slowly with a strainer in his hand. When he saw them standing at the door, he warmly invited them to come in and sit down.

The small shop had three tables on each side against the narrow wall, leaving only a narrow aisle for one person to pass through. The customers inside were all elderly people, slowly swallowing the wontons in their bowls.

Qin Qiao and Chen Jiashu attracted everyone's attention as they entered the store, with all eyes fixed on them. Even those who had their backs turned turned to look at them.

In small towns, it's rare for disabled people to go out, let alone visually impaired people; the old man's gaze was full of scrutiny.

Qin Qiao smiled slightly, took Chen Jiashu's hand tightly, and led him to a relatively spacious place to avoid obstructing others' passage.

"The young man is blind."

"My wife is pretty, though."

"The young man is also good-looking."

...

Qin Qiao looked up at Chen Jiashu. His expression was relaxed, and his eyes were calm. He even smiled slightly when he noticed her peeking at him.

The guests at the innermost table left.

In the narrow passageway, Qin Qiao walked ahead, leading Chen Jiashu through.

The proprietress cleared away the two bowls of wonton soup and wiped the table with a rag.

Two bowls of wontons were quickly served, with a soup spoon in each bowl, and placed in front of them.

Chen Jiashang ran his fingers halfway around the rim of the bowl before gripping the ceramic spoon.

The ceramic pieces clinked softly. Qin Qiao scooped up a wonton, brought it close to her lips, and blew on it.

The heat blew across to the other side, and through it, Qin Qiao saw Chen Jiashu bite off a quarter of the wonton, his cheeks slightly bulging as he slowly chewed.

Qin Qiao didn't wait any longer. She took a small bite, and the delicious soup first stimulated her taste buds. The smooth skin mixed with the meat filling that was three parts fat and seven parts lean melted in her mouth.

The wontons slid into my stomach, driving away the chill and warming my entire body.

After eating two wontons, the feeling of extreme hunger was dispelled. Qin Qiao slowed her chewing pace, gently raising her eyes to watch Chen Jiashu eat in silence.

His eyelashes were long and thick, each one casting a clear shadow, fluttering from time to time.

"It was a snowy night, and you treated me to a bowl of wontons."

Qin Qiao recalled that scene and smiled, "As a return gift."

Chen Jiashu looked up, his hand holding the spoon frozen in mid-air: "I still remember."

“Of course, it will be unforgettable,” she said softly.

His features were somewhat blurred by the white mist, but his eyes were exceptionally bright. Suddenly, he asked softly, "Why did you give me a thermos?"

Qin Qiao immediately chimed in, "I just thought it was Christmas today, and this orange cup would be very warm to use in winter..."

The two chuckled softly, then Qin Qiao put down her soup spoon and placed her hands on the table, folded over each other. "Boss Chen, my thermos cost 239 yuan. You treated me to 6 yuan worth of wontons. Let me do the math. A thermos that cost 239 yuan fifteen years ago, at a 3% annual compound interest rate, is now worth..." She took out her phone, swiped to the calculator, and actually started calculating the cost for him. "372 yuan. That's enough to buy more than thirty bowls of wontons."

Chen Jiashu raised an eyebrow: "I used that cup for 4,745 days, averaging only 4.7 cents per day. In terms of commercial value, it witnessed the group's listing and participated in the second round of financing negotiations... Its value is immeasurable, but the most valuable thing is that Accountant Qin still remembers this account."

A wisp of white mist brushed against her face, making it flush: "The cup is still here?"

Chen Jiashu nodded and said very seriously, "It was collected by 'Qiaoshu Collection' two years ago. As a core asset, it is revalued every year."

Qin Qiao blinked her slightly moist eyes, stopped talking, lowered her head, and ate her wontons in small bites.

*

That night.

Light snow was falling in Lanchuan, and a New Year's Day music and song concert was being held at Wanhai Park.

People gathered around the stage with colorful umbrellas, craning their necks to watch the not-so-famous star sing a familiar song, "Sailor."

My life now feels like I'm acting.

Speaking insincerely and wearing a mask of hypocrisy.

...

The instrumental accompaniment was deafening, and the singer screamed at the top of his lungs.

He said, what's a little pain in the face of wind and rain?

Wipe away your tears and don't ask why!

The sound was clearly transmitted to room 1020 on the tenth floor of the thirty-story star-rated hotel in the distance.

The window was half open, and a large male hand gripped the edge of the window, his knuckles tightening almost imperceptibly.

The man was wearing a hotel bathrobe with the collar wide open. Snowflakes were blown by the wind onto his bare skin, but he seemed not to feel cold as he listened to three songs.

Then a charming, soft female voice called from behind, "Zhu Ao, come and see!"

Zhu Ao's robe belt was loose, and he walked out into the outer room while tying a knot.

Yao Man raised her hand to rub the back of her neck. The screen of the laptop on the table was lit up. When she saw him come in, she immediately stood up and offered him her office chair.

How about the title, "The First Strike Upon Reaching the Shore: Slay the One You Desire"?

Zhu Ao sat down and stared at the dense text in the Word document on the computer screen.

Yao Man leaned down, wrapped her arms around his neck, and watched with him.

"I will never forget that woman he emptied his savings to support!"

When Zhu Aomo read this passage, he frowned and shook his head. "It's too emotionally charged. I'm an observer, and I need to be objective and rational while also feeling a little sorry for my friend."

"There's a second and third edition, scroll down." Yao Man smiled charmingly, "Your intuition is even better than mine as a media professional."

Zhu Ao scrolled down to the second page, slowed his reading pace, and read it from beginning to end. Then he returned to one particular sentence and read it softly: "With the path paved for her by C, and stepping on the steps he built through self-sacrifice, her career soared to new heights..."

He nodded a few times: "This version is acceptable."

Yao Man placed a kiss on his cheek and adjusted his glasses. Zhu Ao raised his hand, took her hand, pulled her close, and kissed the back of her hand.

He squeezed her soft, boneless fingers and said half-jokingly, "Prepare some ointment for bruises and sprains for me tomorrow."

Yao Man chuckled: "You won't run away if you get hit? Can he catch you?"

Zhu Ao softly uttered three words: "Give him a beating."

"Really? What are you afraid of if he's blind?"

Unexpectedly, a sharp pain shot through her wrist, causing Yao Man to turn pale.

She looked down at the violent hand gripping her wrist.

The veins on the back of his hand were bulging.

She tried to pull her hand away, but the harder she struggled, the more it hurt. The usually gentle and refined man was now like... a madman.

"Don't let me hear those two words again," Zhu Ao said, his tone clearly warning.

He only let go after he finished speaking.

Yao Man dodged backward, bumping into the solid wood bookshelf with a thud, her eyes brimming with tears as she clutched her bright red wrist.