Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Together Forever
Just when Tao Ning wanted to give Xiao Meng a few more words of advice, the door was suddenly pushed open.
The man walked in with a nonchalant gait, his face returning to that half-smile.
He threw a black plastic bag onto Tao Ning's desk, and the bag happened to hit the math test questions.
A corner of the cover of those "secret books" was revealed - it was a picture of two hands holding together. Judging from the size and shape of the hands, it was clear that they were not a man and a woman.
Zhao Jingqun's eyes fixed, and he became even more curious. What on earth was this idiot looking at?
But Tao Ning didn't realize that his secret was about to be exposed, as his attention was completely attracted by the black plastic bag.
Xiao Meng quickly forgot what he said. She ran to the desk, opened the plastic bag, and exclaimed, "Uncle! There are so many clothes in there!"
Tao Ning was a little surprised and looked at Zhao Jingqun, who was standing at the door against the light. The latter's eyes flickered slightly, showing no emotion. He smiled faintly and said, "It's for the accommodation fee."
Tao Ning understood, and with a "rustle", Xiao Meng had already taken out one piece of clothing after another.
The clothes were all wrapped in intact transparent plastic bags, with brands and logos printed on the outside that Tao Ning had never heard of, but he had seen them in shopping malls.
The clothes he wears most often are short-sleeved shirts and pants bought on the roadside in a small county town for a few dozen yuan each. Although the quality is not very good and he sometimes has some allergies, Tao Ning can usually wear them for a long time.
This was almost the first time he received clothes in a plastic bag with exquisite logos on them. They looked very expensive. Xiao Meng also took out a few plasters and presented them to him like treasures.
"Uncle, there's medicine in here!"
Tao Ning didn't know how much money the secretary would give him after the guide mission was completed, but the things Zhao Jingqun bought for him must be very expensive.
Wouldn't that be an advance on salary?
Tao Ning was happy that she had earned some money again. She looked over with moist eyes and said, "Thank you. You are such a good person."
Seeing him say that, Xiao Meng pouted and said, "Brother Jingqun, thank you."
The two bright eyes, one big and one small, looked at him obediently, and the ice in Zhao Jingqun's heart suddenly melted a little, and the tiredness of rushing to get things early in the morning also dissipated.
The corners of his mouth curled up a little, but when the words came to his lips, he said, "The other two have already bought it, don't think too much."
Tao Ning was a little confused by his words. Was he overthinking this? But she nodded obediently. After a moment, she asked softly, "Then next time... can you just exchange it for cash?"
Hearing this, Zhao Jingqun's smile faded. This idiot was pushing it even further? Was this the attitude of pursuing someone?
The room fell into an eerie silence. Tao Ning was a little confused. "If not, then... can you offset some of the debt I owe?" Unexpectedly, the smile on the man's face became even colder.
Tao Ning became even more confused and felt more frustrated. She thought she was not suitable for anything other than math problems. She was not good at speaking and didn't know what to say to please others.
Just as the strange silence was gradually spreading, Secretary Liu hurried over, called Tao Ning to lead them, and repeatedly instructed them to entertain the guests who had come from afar well.
Tao Ning nodded seriously. Because the wound on his knee was a bit scary, he changed into long pants this time. His means of transportation was still the old electric tricycle.
But this time, Zhao Jingqun went to the back seat silently, and Tao Ning brought some things from home and sat in the front driving alone.
He drove steadily and picked up Zhao Jingsui, He Niannian and He Yan along the way.
As soon as He Niannian got in the car, she started complaining: "The conditions in their village are too bad. I can't even sleep well. Look at my dark circles. Suisui, let's not come next time."
Zhao Jingsui looked at her gently and said, "Okay, I won't come next time."
He Yan rolled his eyes. "You have dark circles? I'm afraid you slept like a pig. I called you four or five times last night, but you didn't answer." After saying that, he carefully glanced at the man sitting next to him and muttered, "I think Brother Zhao really didn't sleep well..."
The timid boy from yesterday was driving in front of them, and the man was sitting on his left. There was obvious black spots under the corners of his eyes. His head was tilted straight ahead, and his eyes seemed to be focused on the front, but he looked a little careless.
Feeling the inquiring gaze of the person on his right, Zhao Jingqun glanced at him slowly, raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, there are a lot of mosquitoes. I didn't sleep well."
He Yan smiled awkwardly a few times, and the atmosphere fell into silence until Tao Ning stopped the car, and the atmosphere became lively again.
He Niannian pulled Zhao Jingsui out of the car, held her hand and exclaimed: "Look, Suisui, this place is not bad. I didn't expect there is such a beautiful place in this small valley."
Looking around, standing on the mountain, without the obstruction of trees, the scenery in front of you suddenly becomes clear, a weaving of green scenery and blue sky, as well as spectacular, seemingly endless terraces and lemon groves.
Interspersed deep in the mountains, there are occasionally a few houses, which gives it a flavor of "homes among small hills and flowing water", and under their feet is a lake like emerald.
He Yan sighed, "No wonder so many people come here to collect folk songs..."
Zhao Jingqun looked for a while, then turned his eyes to Tao Ning who was standing silently beside them. A gentle breeze blew up his white shirt, revealing his narrow waist and snow-white skin under the corners of his clothes.
He looked away and heard the young man's soft voice say again, "The mountain we're standing on is called Qiao Girl Mountain. Legend has it that during the Ming Dynasty, a woman named Qiao Gu got lost in this mountain and was saved by a monster named Xuan."
"The two became bound together and pledged their lives to each other. However, human lifespan is short. Fifty years later, Qiaogu passed away and was buried in this mountain. Xuan, unable to accept her departure, transformed his body into this lake and the terraced fields beyond. He hoped to protect this mountain in this way and be with Qiaogu for eternity."
"So we in Huangmeng Village also have a custom," the young man paused and chuckled. "If we meet someone we love, we bring them to this mountain to swear an oath. We tie red silk around a tree and vow to be with them forever."
It was the first time I heard the boy talk so much, without any pause, and without his usual shyness, as if he could do anything and know everything as long as he knew the knowledge.
Everyone stared at him in amazement, until He Niannian took Zhao Jingsui's hand and said coquettishly, "Sui Sui, after you finish your painting, let's go take the oath. Hey, you, you surnamed Tao, did you bring the red cloth?"
After she finished speaking, she saw someone giving her a strange look, and He Niannian immediately became angry: "What are you stinky men thinking?! Sui Sui and I are good friends! Good friends, do you know? Good friends are meant to be together for life!"
Zhao Jingsui couldn't help laughing, "Okay, we'll go later."
At this moment, Zhao Jingqun's gaze returned to Tao Ning again. Thinking of the story he had just told, he couldn't help but be distracted.
An oath? Interesting.
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