Chapter 33. Mundane Matters. (Two chapters combined...)

Xia Qingwan nestled on the living room sofa, drinking water from a cup while occasionally glancing at Ye Peixiu in front of the floor-to-ceiling window.

The French windows were half-open, and Ye Peixiu stood there half-turned, smoking.

He was wearing a gunmetal gray shirt, the hem neatly tucked into his trousers, so that his entire body was clearly visible, including that area.

There are no signs of it diminishing yet.

Her ears felt hot again, and she couldn't help but raise her hand to touch them.

Only ten minutes had passed, but of course she still remembered the horrifyingly hot feeling.

Ye Peixiu glanced at her, and their eyes met. She felt her face burning again, and tried to look away, but couldn't. Ye Peixiu's eyes were deep. He took a drag of his cigarette, the hand holding it hanging at his side, one hand in his pocket, and said with a half-smile, "Who's the bad guy here?"

Just now at the entrance, she cursed him in a low voice, and now, he returned it to her intact.

Or was it her fault?

It was clearly his own fault for not taking control and letting the situation become increasingly stalemate...

Xia Qingwan pouted in dissatisfaction.

After finishing her water, she got up and poured herself another glass at the kitchen island, slowly sipping it while holding onto the edge of the island with one hand.

She had never seen this kind of water anywhere else.

After finishing her drink, she went back to the living room.

Ye Peixiu was sitting on the sofa talking on the phone, and he had lit another cigarette, the cigarette only burning an inch between his fingers.

She didn't disturb them, but sat down on the sofa diagonally opposite and picked up a magazine from the coffee table to look through. After flipping through a few pages, she realized that this booklet was an internal publication of his group company.

There were a few pages of information about a project, accompanied by a photo. In the photo, Ye Peixiu was speaking at the podium, his hands resting on the table, looking down at the audience.

This was the first time she saw him at work. He wore a badge on his collar, his eyes were calm and sharp, without any trace of casualness, completely different from how he usually looked to her.

She couldn't help but look up at him.

Ye Peixiu dusted off his cigarette, his expression somewhat nonchalant. He listened silently for a few seconds, then said calmly, "I know my own business. Don't worry about it. If the old man has anything to say, he'll naturally come to me. It's more important for you to take care of Meizhu."

Xia Qingwan realized that the person on the phone should be his mother.

When I think of this person, the first thing that comes to mind is the look she gave me from across a few tables.

A distant, scrutinizing gaze.

Ye Peixiu looked at her distractedly and noticed that she looked a little bored, so he beckoned her to come over.

She shook her head.

He spoke on the phone for another two or three minutes.

After he hung up the phone, Xia Qingwan had already stood up and said, "I have to go."

Ye Peixiu seemed a little surprised, raising his wrist to check the time; it was only ten o'clock.

She explained, "I have something else to do when I get back."

He studied her expression carefully and said with a smile, "Are you angry? Are you blaming me for talking on the phone for too long?"

"No."

Ye Peixiu looked at her for a while, then stood up and said, "I'll take you there."

-

In December, Xia Qingwan began to prepare for the final exams.

She had to submit term papers for three courses and find her own advisor. She made three trips to Professor Zhang's office before she finally managed to catch a glimpse of him.

Professor Zhang readily agreed, then asked, "Are you planning to take the postgraduate entrance exam?"

"yes."

"If you apply to be my graduate student," Professor Zhang said half-jokingly, "I'll take care of your term papers and annual papers for the next two years, saving you the trouble of looking for an advisor. How about that?"

Professor Zhang studies Chinese dialects within the field of Chinese linguistics and philology, but she wants to pursue advanced studies in ancient literature. Since it's not her area of ​​expertise, there's nothing she can do.

However, Professor Zhang's words reminded Xia Qingwan that she had to start preparing now.

There are three professors of ancient literature in the department who supervise graduate students. Among them, Professor Zhao is eccentric and demanding. Very few students apply to him each year, and even fewer pass his screening.

But Professor Zhao's professional level is extremely high, and Xia Qingwan had already made up her mind to apply for him.

She immediately began to prepare, planning to take a course taught by Professor Zhao next semester.

-

That day, Xia Qingwan finally took time to go home.

As soon as I entered the house, I heard my grandmother's voice. I changed my shoes and turned to the entrance. Xia Mingzhou was lazily lying on the sofa, and his grandmother was scolding him.

Xia Mingzhou remained unmoved, his face expressionless.

"elder brother."

Xia Mingzhou turned his head to look at her and raised his chin as a greeting.

Xia Qingwan looked at Grandma Xi with an inquiring look: What happened?

Grandma Xi pulled her into the kitchen and whispered, "Mingzhou had a fight with his dad, and it seems they almost came to blows. Mingzhou ran back to the old house, and Changping just called and yelled at the old lady."

The father and son had always been at odds. Normally, Xia Mingzhou had to give in to his father to keep things peaceful. Judging from his appearance, Xia Mingzhou had probably been in a bad mood recently.

Xia Qingwan said nothing. Grandma Xi sighed, "Oh, how restless!" She clapped her hands, "It's almost New Year's! And you're still acting so recklessly."

Xia Qingwan couldn't help laughing.

It's only December in the Gregorian calendar, and the Lunar New Year is almost here.

It seems like this is how older people are: they keep looking forward from one day to the next, busy every day, like they're fighting a war.

"I was talking to your grandma yesterday. I wanted to go to Shaoping to celebrate the New Year this year. It would be a lively and lively place with the whole family."

That's not a bad idea.

Away from Beijing and from the troublesome Xia Changping, the two elderly people can finally have a peaceful New Year.

only……

If that happens, I won’t be able to see Ye Peixiu for a month or two.

However, it should be fine.

The end of the year is his busiest time. I mentioned this during a casual chat at his house before; every year, the two months before and after the Lunar New Year are filled with both work and personal matters: a series of inspections and assessments from the group company, social gatherings with relatives and friends, birthday celebrations for elders…

This year is even worse.

-

The Lunar New Year is early this year, and Ye Peixiu was already busy in early December.

He first took the inspection team on a trip south, and then returned to Beijing to prepare for the assessment of the group headquarters.

He and Xia Qingwan haven't seen each other for almost two weeks.

That night, there was a dinner party at the Hutong Club.

The meal was lively, with toasts and laughter. After dinner, we moved to the flower hall to watch a performance.

Ye Peixiu leaned against the sofa by the window and lit a cigarette.

The Cheng school Peking opera on the stage was singing "I'm afraid the years are passing by and the spring is fading away...", he was half listening, just looking out the window, occasionally raising his hand to smoke a cigarette.

A lonely and lazy feeling.

Wang Jingzi helped him with several rounds of toasts and finally got away by answering the phone. After finishing the call, he came over and asked, "The florist called and said the flowers have been delivered to the Beijing University dormitory."

"Um."

Ye Peixiu raised his wrist to check his watch. After waiting for five minutes, Xia Qingwan called as expected.

Thank you for the flowers.

The usual clear and soft voice.

Ye Peixiu had so much to say to her, but the moment he heard her voice, his mind went blank. The words he wanted to say, his recent busy work, his slightly irritable mood... all vanished, leaving only a gentle, lingering peace.

He couldn't help but chuckle, his expression softening considerably, and said, "You're welcome."

She seemed to still be holding the bouquet, fiddling with the flowers. "What beautiful lilies of the valley!"

The flowers, smaller than a fingernail, hang upside down, pure white and dreamy, like the home of an elf.

Perhaps because she received flowers she liked, she became more gentle, and her voice had a touch of innocent charm, even more so than a child's.

Ye Peixiu thought about it carefully and realized that she had never shown such a state in front of him.

When he realized it, he found that he was inexplicably jealous of a bouquet of flowers.

Loosening his tie, he said, "...turn it down carefully."

"Um?"

Xia Qingwan was puzzled. "What, packaging?"

Ye Peixiu laughed, "It wasn't lost in the packaging compartment, was it?"

"On my desk..."

She put down her phone, opened the packaging compartment, took out a card, and asked in confusion, "...What's this?"

“It’s winter, so buy yourself some new clothes and things you’ll need for the New Year,” he said. “I’ve been busy lately and don’t have time to take you shopping myself, so take good care of yourself.”

Xia Qingwan remained silent for a long while.

Give a bank card.

Her heart was in turmoil. After a moment, she said softly, "...Mr. Ye, I didn't expect you to be such an ordinary person."

She knew, of course, that Ye Peixiu had never treated her as a lover or plaything. However, the meaningful scrutiny from people in their circle, his mother's gaze, Lin Xiangyu's "carefree" attitude towards Mr. Sheng... all pointed to the true nature of her relationship with him.

No matter how tender and affectionate the story may be, it ultimately boils down to a harmless and superficial affair. "Giving a bank card" is an indispensable element of this kind of affair.

So, I felt a deep sadness in my heart and had to get it off my chest.

Ye Peixiu chuckled through his nose and said, "I gave you a gift and you're still scolding me, right?"

Xia Qingwan thought that a young man like him always had a bit of arrogance in his heart, but he was easy-going and didn't show it in daily life. If you really provoke him, you will definitely be in big trouble.

She was definitely doing it on purpose; she hoped to really provoke him and make him take the bank card back.

Then he said, "I am so ungrateful. Please take the gift back."

On the other end of the phone, Ye Peixiu paused for a moment, then softly called her name, "Qingwan."

He said slowly, "I think that when it comes down to it, love is all mundane stuff."

Daily necessities, jealousy, joy, anger, sorrow, and all kinds of lust...

As Zhang Ailing said, in the final analysis, the world is nothing more than food, sex, and love.

People who can live a vibrant and fulfilling life together are hard to find in this world.

Xia Qingwan was stunned for a moment, and without warning, her nose suddenly sore and her eyes hot. She raised her hands to cover her eyes.

Ye Peixiu added, "I don't deny that I'm an ordinary person."

"It's certainly enjoyable to admire the flowers, the rain, and drink tea with you, but it's just me being pretentious, because, after all, it's all for you."

Xia Qingwan felt as if there were a raging wave in the pine forest that was shaking the mountains and the earth.

In a hazy thought, even if we break up and never see each other again, just revisiting his words would be enough to get through the long night.

There was silence on the phone for a long time.

Ye Peixiu asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"

Xia Qingwan smiled silently and wiped her eyes with her fingers. "...I think you're too nice."

Ye Peixiu laughed, "Your attitude has changed far too quickly."

Xia Qingwan pouted, "Can't I just say you're a very good ordinary person?"

“Okay,” Ye Peixiu said with a smile, his voice lowering, “Of course.”

"I want to be an ordinary person like you."

To throw oneself into the mundane and exciting life.

Ye Peixiu pursed his lips with a hint of a smile, "So ambitious?"

“Of course,” Xia Qingwan said, “I’ll follow your example.”

"Then I need to collect the tuition fee."

"How could Mr. Ye, who is so powerful and wealthy, be so stingy?"

"I'd let most people off, but you," he said softly, "I'm going to get every last bit back."

The voice was low and slow, almost flirtatious.

In that case, no matter how you respond, it seems a bit awkward.

Xia Qingwan deliberately asked in a serious tone, "Why?"

“Come find me,” Ye Peixiu said, “and I’ll tell you why.”

His tone was also proper and upright, but the ending clearly revealed an unspeakable undercurrent.

This person.

Xia Qingwan complained in her heart, and immediately said lightly, "Goodbye, Mr. Ye, good night."

Looking at the already disconnected call, Ye Peixiu lazily curled the corners of his lips.

He half lowered his eyes, as if savoring the memory.

Wang Jingzi, who had been smoking nearby, watched as this phone call transformed him from a listless and indifferent man into someone tender and affectionate.

Wang Jingzi couldn't help but feel sad.

Suddenly, the cell phone rang.

After glancing at Lai Xian, he stood up and walked away a little before answering the phone. After a while, he hung up and came back, saying, "Miss Meizhu said she was coming over and she's almost here."

Ye Peixiu glanced at him and scoffed, "What are you so nervous about?"

Wang Jingzi's face turned pale, as if he had seen a ghost.

"Did she cause you trouble?"

Ye Peixiu was still considerate of his subordinates and asked this question.

It wasn't just causing trouble; Ye Peixiu told her not to call him, so she had no choice but to contact Wang Jingzi every day to help her resolve her questions and solve her problems.

Going to bars to bail people out has become a daily routine for him.

Wang Jingzi didn't dare to say more, "...It's okay."

As she was speaking, Pei Meizhu rushed in aggressively, followed by two waiters trotting behind her, saying repeatedly, "Ms. Pei, Mr. Ye is meeting with guests, please—"

Ye Peixiu raised his eyes and said, "You may leave."

The two waiters, as if granted a pardon, replied, "Yes, yes, yes."

They retreated to the side.

"Cousin, I want to settle the score with you!"

Pei Meizhu plopped down on the sofa opposite him, counting on her fingers, "The first time, you said that as long as I got Qingwan to come out, you would personally take me to see the professor, but!" She pointed at Wang Jingzi, her eyes still fixed on Ye Peixiu, "—you stood me up, and you even let this guy come with me—"

Before he finished speaking, Ye Peixiu looked up at her.

His eyes were cold and sharp. When Pei Meizhu saw him like that, she seemed to lose her temper and her arrogance dropped.

“Wang Jingzi is my executive secretary, equivalent to a vice president in the group. Surely you don’t know that?” Ye Peixiu said. “Why are you behaving like this towards him?”

Pei Meizhu pursed her lips, muttered, and retorted softly, "...I'm not an employee of your group, why should I care what he is."

She had been used to treating all the subordinates of the Pei family as her servants since she was a child.

"Stand up."

She quickly stood up, put her hands behind her back, and turned her face away.

His face was full of resentment.

"Wang Jingzi is your elder, but you don't know how to respect your elders?"

Seeing that she was in the wrong, Pei Meizhu immediately blinked and pretended to cry, saying in a tearful voice, "...Then, then you told my aunt...you went a bit too far, didn't you?"

“I originally assigned Wang Jingzi to take care of you, but he neglected his work at the company because he was busy serving you. What, are you so stubborn? If I don’t tell your aunt, am I supposed to tell your parents?”

When Pei Meizhu heard the words "your parents", her face immediately changed as if she was facing a great enemy. She clasped her hands together and begged, "No, no, cousin, I was wrong."

"What's wrong?"

"I will definitely behave myself from now on and not cause any more trouble for Secretary Wang..."

Ye Peixiu looked at her for a few seconds and said, "Go back."

Pei Meizhu came in arrogantly and left dejectedly.

When passing by Wang Jingzi, he did not forget to give him a secret look.

Wang Jingzi followed her out without saying a word.

When they arrived at the front yard, Pei Meizhu was no longer with Ye Peixiu. She became furious again, walked ahead with her head down, and shouted, "Don't follow me, you traitor!"

Wang Jingzi said, "Miss, I didn't dare say a word."

Pei Meizhu abruptly stopped, turned around, and held up a finger, asking suspiciously, "Really?"

"Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?"

He probably wouldn't dare.

Pei Meizhu snorted, "You're smart."

Wang Jingzi softened his voice and advised, "You weren't very wise today. Mr. Ye is meeting with a guest in a room full of business partners. He'll definitely scold you for barging in like this. Don't be so reckless next time."

"You're talking nonsense. My cousin isn't the kind of man who cares about saving face."

"Even if he has no pride, he can't just listen to you spill all your private secrets, can he?"

Pei Meizhu was stunned for a moment, then she came to her senses a little, but she was still unforgiving. "Humph, he's clearly been protecting you! He's trying to raise your status so that I can respect you."

“That’s only natural,” Wang Jingzi said. “I’ll be responsible for overseeing all the business projects that follow. If even Mr. Ye’s cousin doesn’t respect me, how can I have any weight in front of my business partners? Of course, Mr. Ye has to help me establish my authority.”

The whole room was listening intently.

Pei Meizhu disliked all the intricacies of business dealings, and upon hearing his words, she simply remarked, "My cousin is so cunning."

Wang Jingzi laughed.

"Shall I take you home?"

"Forget it, go back and wait, my cousin must need someone else."

Pei Meizhu raised the car keys in her hand and said, "I'll drive back by myself."

-

After hanging up the phone, Xia Qingwan prepared to go to bed.

At that moment, the phone screen lit up and a message popped up:

"Mr. Ye: Can't help but laugh"

She paused slightly, then looked up at the bouquet of lilies of the valley on the corner of the table.

There was a bank card under the vase.

"Love, when put into practice, is of course all mundane."

These words and actions reveal Mr. Ye's true feelings.

But if she accepted it as she pleased, then this relationship would immediately become vulgar, and she didn't want that. If it was destined to be like the fleeting golden sunset, something to be seen only occasionally and never taken home to embrace forever, then she would rather step back, remain sober and cautious at all times, and make this relationship worth celebrating.

She took out the wooden box she had made by hand a few days ago from the drawer and put all the greeting cards, bank cards, and lily of the valley bouquet into it.

It was shelved and left unattended.

-

This weekend.

Group headquarters.

A large group of executives dressed in suits and red ties escorted Ye Peixiu through the corridor.

Ye Peixiu stood with one hand behind his back, his steps steady and unhurried.

Wang Jingzi and another secretary followed on either side of him, reporting on the progress of their work in hushed tones.

Go to the meeting room.

Ye Peixiu walked onto the stage with the folder and adjusted the microphone.

Next Monday is the mobilization meeting for the year-end assessment, and today is the briefing for senior executives.

Ye Peixiu explained a few key points and then returned to the head seat at the long table.

After listening to Wang Jingzi's speech for a while, he picked up his phone and typed:

"What are you doing?"

She didn't reply to his message last night. In the end, he was the one who couldn't hold back first.

Late Qing Dynasty: Studying at the library.

"Mr. Ye: After a night, what have you thought about? How will the tuition be paid?"

Xia Qingwan replied him with an emoticon that said "I don't want to bother with you idiot."

He laughed.

The executives sitting on either side of him were completely bewildered and broke out in a cold sweat.

Ye Peixiu sent her his location:

"Come find me."

"Qingwan: I need to do my homework."

"Mr. Ye: Isn't my office quieter than the library?"

After waiting a moment, Xia Qingwan replied with an emoji that said "You just wait."

Ye Peixiu was in a good mood, put down his phone and looked up.

-

Xia Qingwan took a taxi to the group's headquarters building and could see Wang Jingzi waiting at the revolving door from afar through the car window.

He came over, opened the car door for her, and took her upstairs.

A dedicated elevator leads directly to the general manager's office on the top floor.

Wang Jingzi knocked on the door and led her inside. Ye Peixiu was talking on the phone on the sofa in the reception room.

He wore only a white shirt, his sleeves casually rolled up twice, and sat comfortably, leaning against the backrest, legs crossed. This was the first time she had seen him in person at work; he was handsome and composed, very much like the young talent you see on TV.

He beckoned her to come closer.

Xia Qingwan put down her bag, took off her coat and hung it on the hanger next to his coat and suit jacket, then walked up to him with a paper bag, took out a cup of iced Americano and handed it to him, meaning: I brought you coffee.

Ye Peixiu glanced at it, then stretched out his hand, palm up. Xia Qingwan, puzzled, placed her hand on his, and he pulled her to sit on his lap.

Xia Qingwan fell down and held his shoulders with her hands.

He slightly raised his chin, and she understood that he wanted to kiss her.

Her eyes darted around, a thousand emotions swirling within them. Xia Qingwan cupped his face, lowered her head and kissed his eyes, then whispered, "...Is it enough to pay the tuition?"

Ye Peixiu paused for a moment.

In that instant, my heart was like the sea reflecting the fiery light of a volcanic eruption, surging and boiling, or like the first thunderclap of early summer, churning in the clouds, and finally, falling a cool and ethereal rain.

In life, there is always a drizzle in the summer evening, soaking every late night.

Xia Qingwan was the rain in his life.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Although it's an update every other day, the word count has been made up for!!