Chapter 14: The Butterfly Lovers
In the afternoon, the car that was supposed to deliver the things to Zhou Mingshi finally arrived. They didn't stay there long; they unloaded the things from the car, carried them into the house, and then went home.
Zhou Mingshi was working in his room, Lin Yi'an was reading a book in a rocking chair, and Liu Zhengying was packing up the things they had brought with her, along with her assistant Chen and Ye Lingzhi.
After finishing her work, Ye Lingzhi washed some fruit and brought it up. She handed one plate to Assistant Chen and placed the other on the round tea table next to Lin Yi'an, saying, "Sister Yi'an, have some fruit."
Lin Yi'an nodded and asked, "Did you give it to Zhou Mingshi?"
Ye Lingzhi: "Have Assistant Chen take it in."
Assistant Chen brought fruit into the room: "Mr. Zhou, have some fruit and rest for a while?"
Zhou Mingshi leaned back in his chair and shut down the computer: "Take it outside, I'm going out to rest."
Assistant Chen smiled and said, "That's true. Miss Lin is outside. It would be more interesting to sit with her, eat fruit, drink tea, and chat privately."
Zhou Mingshi closed his laptop: "You know so much?"
Assistant Chen said, "I have naturally high emotional intelligence."
"So knowledgeable and still single?" Zhou Mingshi stood up, threw down a sentence, and strode out.
"..." Assistant Chen followed behind him: "I, I just hadn't met my true love yet."
Zhou Mingshi: "If you haven't met your true love by the age of 28, how can you be sure you will in the future?"
Assistant Chen: "Maybe my marriage is just a matter of time?"
Zhou Mingshi: "That's a reason."
Assistant Chen chuckled twice.
Zhou Mingshi sat down on the sofa next to Lin Yi'an. Lin Yi'an looked at him and asked, "Are you done with your work?"
Zhou Mingshi: "Hmm."
Ye Lingzhi poured him a glass of water: "Mr. Zhou, you are drinking Chinese medicine, you can't drink tea."
Zhou Mingshi: "Plain water is fine too."
Lin Yi'an pointed to the fruit plate: "After you finish your water, have some fruit."
Zhou Mingshi nodded, holding a water glass.
Assistant Chen walked over: "Miss Lin, I saw an erhu over there?"
Lin Yi'an smiled and said, "That's my dad's erhu. He used to learn the erhu from an old master in a folk opera troupe."
Assistant Chen said, "President Zhou can also play the erhu."
When Lin Yi'an looked at Zhou Ming, Ye Lingzhi couldn't help but widen her eyes, finding it hard to imagine someone like President Zhou playing the erhu.
Zhou Mingshi put down his water glass and said to Lin Yi'an, "My maternal grandmother was an erhu player, and I studied with her."
Assistant Chen suggested with a smile, "Mr. Zhou, why don't you play a piece on the erhu for Miss Lin?"
The day after tomorrow, they will be returning to the capital. Since they have some free time, they should make sure that President Zhou tries to win over Miss Lin and cultivate their relationship. Otherwise, once they get back, they will both be busy and forget about each other again.
He was extremely worried about his boss's marriage.
Zhou Mingshi asked Lin Yi'an, "Do you want to hear it?"
Lin Yi'an said with interest, "I'd like to hear it."
Zhou Mingshi sat up straight: "Okay."
As soon as he finished speaking, Assistant Chen scurried off to get him a chair and an erhu.
Zhou Mingshi got up and sat down in a chair, put down his erhu, and asked Lin Yi'an, "What would you like to hear?"
Assistant Chen said from behind, "Of course it's 'The Butterfly Lovers.' I heard Miss Lin play it before; she definitely likes this music."
Lin Yi'an: "......"
Zhou Mingshi ignored him and looked at Ye Lingzhi: "Assistant Ye."
Ye Lingzhi: "Mr. Zhou, is there something you need?"
Zhou Mingshi said politely, "Please ask this Assistant Chen to go downstairs."
Assistant Chen looked bewildered. Ye Lingzhi looked at him and said, "Assistant Chen, please!"
Assistant Chen glanced at Zhou Mingshi, then reluctantly followed Ye Lingzhi downstairs.
Lin Yi'an smiled as she watched their retreating figures.
Once downstairs, Assistant Chen said meaningfully, "President Zhou definitely doesn't want us to disturb him and Miss Lin upstairs."
Ye Lingzhi rolled her eyes: "You're really something."
Assistant Chen: Aren't you worried at all?
Ye Lingzhi: "What are you worried about?"
Assistant Chen: "We are Mr. Zhou and Ms. Lin's assistants, so of course we have to worry about their future married life. If they are happy, our lives as their subordinates will be easier. Therefore, we have to try our best to create opportunities for them to spend time together and develop their relationship. In the future, when they are together, we will try our best not to get in their way..."
Ye Lingzhi: "They have their own rhythm, just don't cause trouble."
Assistant Chen said confidently, "Of course I won't cause any trouble."
Upstairs, Zhou Mingshi sat naturally and upright in a chair, and without asking Lin Yi'an any more questions, he simply pulled her up.
As soon as the music started, Lin Yi'an recognized the tune. She closed the book and placed it on her lap.
Lin Yi'an enjoys listening to music, but only to the point of being unfamiliar with various instruments. Even so, she could still tell that Zhou Mingshi's erhu playing skills were quite good.
Zhou Mingshi relaxed in the air-conditioned room, wearing black trousers and a white long shirt. His eyes were lowered, his left hand pressed the strings, his knuckles were distinct, and his fingertips slid slowly along the neck of the instrument; his right hand held the bow, his wrist turned lightly, and the bow brushed against the strings. His eyebrows and eyes were serious and focused.
Seeing this, she couldn't help but calm down and listen attentively.
Downstairs, Assistant Chen listened to the faint music coming from upstairs and said to Ye Lingzhi with a smile, "It's 'The Butterfly Lovers'."
At this point, he felt somewhat gratified. His boss had high emotional intelligence; since he had already made the suggestion, wouldn't it be embarrassing for Miss Lin if he didn't play the piece?
Ye Lingzhi understood, but she didn't think as much as Assistant Chen. It was just a song; she didn't understand what he was so happy about.
Seeing her clueless expression, Assistant Chen lost interest in sharing with her and sat on the sofa, picking up a grape and eating it.
Zhou Mingshi seemed to have gotten into the swing of things; after finishing one piece, he switched to another.
It was a familiar melody again; she had played both songs that morning. Lin Yi'an was surprised and pleased that he knew them both.
After he finished playing a piece, she said, "Shall we take a break?"
Zhou Mingshi put the erhu down and sat down next to her. Lin Yi'an handed him a water glass.
He took it and said, "Thank you!"
Lin Yi-an said, "It sounds wonderful."
Zhou Mingshi smiled and said, "I haven't played the erhu for a long time, so I'm a bit rusty."
Lin Yi'an: "It sounds very nice too."
Just as Zhou Mingshi was about to speak, the phone on the table rang. He picked it up and saw that it was his mother calling. He said, "I'll go answer the phone."
Lin Yi'an: "Mm."
Zhou Mingshi went into the room, answered the phone, and called out, "Mom!"
Tan Qingwen's voice came through the phone: "Your dad just called me."
Zhou Mingshi: "Why is he calling you again?"
Tan Qingwen: "He said you insulted him and hung up on him, and asked me to take care of you."
Zhou Mingshi: "Even if he's in the wrong, he'll still stir things up. Why bother with him?"
Tan Qingwen chuckled: "I know your temper. Why would you scold him for no reason?"
Zhou Mingshi said, "For no reason at all, I couldn't think of him."
Tan Qingwen asked, "What did he do to offend you this time?"
Her main concern was that her son would be upset by his father. As for her son upsetting his father, her son was so good, yet he was still dissatisfied. Wasn't it only right that he was upset?
Zhou Mingshi: "Don't worry, I'm not angry. In all these years, when have I ever been angry with him?"
Tan Qingwen: "You are my son. No matter how old you are, a mother will subconsciously worry about you."
Zhou Mingshi's tone softened: "I know."
Knowing that her son wasn't upset, Tan Qingwen changed the subject and asked, "How are things going with An'an?"
Zhou Mingshi: "It's fine."
Tan Qingwen smiled and tentatively asked, "Is it really good or just pretending?"
Zhou Mingshi: "That's great."
Knowing her son wouldn't lie to her, Tan Qingwen felt relieved: "I have things to do here, you go and keep An'an company."
Zhou Mingshi: "Hmm."
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