Chapter 52: Mr. Xie and Mr. Huang (Part 1)

Huang Mark got up early the next day and drove himself to the Lin Mansion with a shuttle bus, waiting outside. He was the epitome of a good Chinese son-in-law. Chu Wang didn't have much to pack, and since he went to bed early, he also got up early. As the group was eating wonton soup, the doorbell rang. The maid said, "Two people have arrived."

"Which two?" Lin Yu asked.

"One said he was a driver who came to pick up the Third Miss, and the other was a servant of the Si family, sent by Young Master Si. He was holding a big bear and said it was for the Third Miss."

As he was speaking, in full view of the crowd, a teddy bear doll that was more than half a person's height was carried by someone and moved with difficulty into the slightly narrow entrance of the Lin Mansion.

Everyone in the Lin family held their bowls and chopsticks, unsure how to greet this uninvited guest: "..."

Chu Wang had no choice but to scratch his head and look up at the sky.

Lin Yu coughed twice. "Isn't San Yatou's ship only a quarter of an hour late? Why did they come to pick me up so early?"

The maid said, "They said a young man named Xie was coming to pick her up on Mrs. Ge's behalf. He got up early, so he came extra early. He told Miss Third to take her time eating and that there was no rush. He said she could wait a little longer."

Lin Zitong asked, "Which Mr. Xie? Is it Xie Zeyi?"

The maid said, "That's right."

Mrs. Qiao glanced at Qiao Maling, and both mother and daughter kept silent.

Huang Mark was delighted: "Is it Xie Zeyi, the honorary outstanding graduate of the Phibetakappa Society among this year's graduates studying in the United States?"

"An outstanding Chinese graduate? That's unusual." Lin Yu asked curiously, "Who are his family members?"

Lin Zitong thought for a moment and then told Mrs. Qiao, "His father, Xie Xun, seems to have made his fortune in the silk stocking soap business in Shanghai. He supported the film industry for a few years and later went to Hong Kong. It's said that he's doing very well in Hong Kong and is well-connected among Chinese and British people."

Lin Yu looked at Mrs. Qiao and asked, "Do you know Sir Xie too?"

Mrs. Qiao snorted and laughed, "Just an acquaintance."

"Why would his son come to pick someone up on her behalf?"

Qiao Ma Ling smiled and said, "Sir Xie is the most supportive of my aunt in Hong Kong..."

Mrs. Joe glared at her. "What's the point of saying flattery? But Sir Xie, when he was still a lowly person, he got to know her by hanging around in her equally lowly circle, and they became familiar with each other. Now he still has some feelings for her and treats her as a favorite."

"So this Sir Xie isn't a serious person after all?"

Lin Zitong laughed and said, "Father, you're wrong. Nowadays, celebrities always need a few beautiful women around them to add to their luster. It's just that the ones father associates with are just old-fashioned scholars."

Lin Yu sighed, "But the Lins and Sis families are more serious. Those other old men must have a few mistresses outside." Then he looked at Chu Wang and said, "Don't make them wait too long."

Lin Zitong stood up and said with a smile, "Third sister, eat slowly. I'll go talk to him first."

Huang Mark also stood up and went out with Lin Zitong to meet this valuable honorary member of Feibeda.

The three young men were chatting outside the house about something. Inside, Qiao Maling and Mrs. Qiao, mother and daughter, exchanged glances, their four eyes seemingly strung together like a string, moving back and forth like a shadow play, which was quite amusing.

After a while, Qiao Maling finally couldn't sit still anymore and sat down next to Chu Wang, saying with an apologetic smile, "Third sister, you've been busy all morning picking up and seeing off guests. Look, your brother and brother-in-law haven't even had two bites of breakfast. Besides, it wouldn't be nice to keep Master Xie waiting for too long, right?"

"I had thought that since my father and sister were leaving, I would stay with them for a while longer." Chu Wang sighed, pretending to feel regretful for a while before finally saying goodbye reluctantly, "Father, Second Sister, I'll go to the dock first."

She shouldered her small bag, hugged a huge bear, and took a quick look before leaving: the four people in the room, some were smiling but not really, some were grateful, some were crying hypocritically, and some were relieved. The small Lin Mansion was filled with all kinds of ugly people, all kinds of ugly people.

Chu Wang found it very funny and stepped out of the door, feeling instantly relieved.

——

As soon as I walked outside, I saw Huang Mark and Lin Zitong standing under the eaves, chatting and laughing with another tall man. Mr. Huang's smile was as warm as the breeze, and Mr. Xie was happy and contented, without any trace of the smoke of war between rivals.

Huang Mark saw her first and waved at her, "Third sister, Mr. Xie has been waiting for you for a long time."

Chu Wang looked at Xie Zeyi and said with a polite smile, "If I had known Mr. Xie would come so early, I would have gotten up even earlier."

"Mrs. Ge wanted to come pick you up in person, but she had to stay up too late last night. I wanted her to get some more rest, so I asked her to come pick you up myself."

Chu Wang smiled and said, "Then just send the driver to pick me up. Why bother Mr. Xie to come in person?"

"That depends on who I'm picking up," Xie Zeyi shook his head seriously. "If it were anyone else, I wouldn't even bother sending a driver. How dare I neglect Mrs. Ge's niece, who's so dear to my heart?"

Chu Wang looked up to see the expressions of her brother-in-law and brother—only to see that they were still smiling, as if they hadn't noticed Xie Zeyi's ridiculous pronunciation. Lin Zitong patted her head and said, "Okay, get in the car. See you in Hong Kong. Mr. Xie, we'll talk again in Shanghai."

Xie Zeyi walked around the car, intending to take Chu Wang's luggage, but he saw she was carrying only a Cambridge bag and struggling to hold a large teddy bear, moving slowly through the open door and into the car. Xie Zeyi paused as he reached for the bear's head, then withdrew his hand and turned to open the driver's door.

The car started slowly, Xie Zeyi rolled down the window, smiled at the two people outside the Lin Mansion and said, "See you later."

After driving for a while, Chu Wang put Daxiong in the right position and sat next to him in the back seat, looking out the window at the tall buildings on Second Road.

"Are you reluctant to leave Shanghai?" Xie Zeyi looked back through the rearview mirror in the car and could only see the big bear in the back seat.

"No."

"Then why are you looking so closely?"

Chu Wang snorted and laughed, "Look how ridiculous it is."

"Ridiculous? This is the first financial center in the Far East."

"People outside the concession were bleeding, while inside, there was singing and dancing. There's a poem that goes, 'A merchant woman knows no sorrow for her country's demise,' and it's exactly what Shanghai is all about—a distorted prosperity."

"Hmm. If that's the case, I can understand why you didn't go abroad to study. Why did you choose to go to Hong Kong? Hong Kong is a British place."

"Hong Kong is just a loan. It's only a matter of time before it's returned."

Xie Zeyi smiled diligently, "So why not go study abroad?"

Chu Wang glanced at him, remained silent for a moment, and asked, "Mr. Xie knew that Sister Ma Ling was married, but he insisted on going to Mr. Huang to cause trouble. Why?"

"Oh? So it's that Mr. Huang?" Xie Zeyi replied thoughtfully, "She gave up on me after weighing the pros and cons between me and Ma Ling. So I have nothing to feel guilty about, and neither does she. Why would you bother me?"

"Then why do you think I don't study abroad?"

"'Learn the advanced technology of the foreigners in order to defeat them.'"

"I decided not to study abroad after weighing all the options. I have no regrets about not studying abroad. What is there for Mr. Xie to lament for me?"

Xie Zeyi chuckled softly, "It's just a small talk."

"Chatting and practicing Chinese?"

"My Chinese is very poor?"

Chu Wang suddenly had an idea. "Why did you say I am the apple of my aunt's eye?"

"I'm really hungry, the one on top." He repeated without changing his expression.

Chu Wang laughed for a while.

Xie Zeyi sighed, "This is too difficult to learn."

Chu Wang looked out the window and said, "Bengbu Huashenghou, no bargaining."

"Well, two."

"Tiger Balm, a panacea for children."

"Yeah. Son."

"My dear."

"My dear."

“…”

The car drove onto the Bund from Ermalu. Fishing boats and cruise ships filled the harbor, and rickshaws and black cars arrived at the pier. There were foreigners in suits and ties, broad-chested and muscular, hurrying along, and there were short, stooped rickshaw drivers in dirty, tattered robes. Two American enlisted men were posing for a photo in a rickshaw. The two smiling young men insisted on dragging the sallow, gaunt driver into the picture as well—they were like guest and host, servant and served.

There were also many billboards on the pedestrian street along the river on the left. The car passed by quickly, and Chu Wang could only take in what was going on, accompanied by the sound of Xie Zeyi reading the billboards and practicing Chinese.

"You're so proud... what are you talking about?"

"Open the ointment."

"What milk, suitable for all ages."

"Eagle Brand milk is suitable for all ages."

"I recognize all these words. Luoli Photo Studio... huh? Wasn't that your boyfriend who just came out?"

Xie Zeyi braked, and Chu Wang immediately opened the door and got out. He had already walked quite a distance, and there was a street across. Chu Wang ran for a while, but he thought it was unlikely to catch up.

Xie Zeyi pondered for a moment, then walked slowly beside her and said, "You come up first."

After driving a little further, Xie Zeyi explained, "The cruise terminal to the UK is in the back, and the ferry terminal to Hong Kong is in the front."

"I know... His ship arrives a quarter of an hour earlier. If he turns back when he reaches the dock over there, he won't be able to catch the ship..." Chu Wang gasped for breath exhausted, but his eyes were fixed on the front. "... He's going to find me."

The car continued to slowly follow Chu Wang. Xie Zeyi held the steering wheel, but it seemed as if half of his body was slumped over it, his eyes lazily smiling. Those eyes could speak, and at this moment they should be saying: This person's brain is not working well.

Chu Wang stared at those eyes for a moment before realizing: This was the Republic of China. There were only 20,000 cars in Shanghai, and there weren't even any traffic rules. On the Bund, people were allowed to change lanes, overtake, and make U-turns at any time.

She slapped her forehead and dove into the car. Xie Zeyi smiled, stood up and stepped on the accelerator.

The two men chased after the car and honked their horns twice. Si Yansang turned around and saw the big teddy bear in the back seat through the car window.

When Chu Wang got out of the car, Si Yansang bent over and handed her the spoils of staying up all night: five photos, all of which were frozen with Chu Wang in focus.

"Didn't you sleep last night?"

He nodded: "I wanted to give you the photo before I left, so I could still say goodbye."

"But if I don't see you here, it will be too late for you to go back."

"Really?" He smiled tiredly, "Hasn't this been seen?"

Chu Wang was actually a little angry just now, and his anger was rising, but when he saw his smile, it disappeared on its own, so he had to keep silent.

"Are you angry? Then I'm leaving now."

"Um."

"Am I really leaving?" He turned sideways, but tilted his head to look at Chu Wang's expression.

“…”

The photo was folded into an envelope and placed coldly into Chu Wang's hands. Si Yansang opened the car door for her. "To leave you with a final impression of a gentleman, I'll watch you go."

Chu Wang got into the car, he closed the door for her, rubbed his head, put his hands away, stood upright on the street and smiled.

She rested her chin on the car window, frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "I remember you said you wanted to be a figure like Mr. Gu Weijun."

Si Yansang was stunned for a moment, then nodded, "You still remember."

"Don't forget."

She gave the instructions again, then turned to Xie Zeyi and said, "Mr. Xie, please drive. Sorry for the trouble."

The car window rolled up, and Chu Wang turned his head away, no longer looking at the street. After the car drove a long way, when he looked back, the man was still standing there. He didn't know whether he saw Chu Wang looking back, or recalled something, or just met someone he knew - the white dot took two steps forward.

The car went around a bend and the picture disappeared.