Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Isn't it offensive to call me brother-in-law?
Back at the Ruan family, Ruan Xiangyi stood in the living room facing several elders, as if she had done many wrong things.
"Xiangyi, was that really what Zhao Qingshi wanted you to say just now?" Ruan Fu spoke.
Just now she returned to the box and heard them looking for Zhao Qingshi, so she repeated Zhao Qingshi's original words to them. Ruan Fu's face turned ugly on the spot. Because of the people in the Zhao family, she couldn't get angry yet. Now that she was home, some of her anger naturally fell on Ruan Xiangyi.
"Xiangyi, how could you not consider your sister? Don't you know what day it is today? Zhao Qingshi left your sister alone, leaving her there embarrassed. Don't you see how much grievances your sister will have to endure if she marries him in the future?" Ruan Fu said angrily, "Why didn't you stop him?"
He looked gloomy.
Recently, the company's overseas business has run into problems and it is in urgent need of funds. Fortunately, the previous generation arranged a marriage for the Ruan and Zhao families, and the Zhao family also acknowledged that this marriage could solve his urgent needs. Originally, the two families were going to sit together to discuss a date today, but the person left. How could he not be anxious?
"Ruan Xiangyi, you said that the clothes you are wearing were given to you by Qingshi?" Ruan Lingyu leaned on Grandma Ruan, her eyes staring at the coat in her hands, as if she wanted to tear her apart.
"Dad, he does seem very anxious. I'm afraid that if I delay his work, he'll hate me in the future." Ruan Xiangyi sensibly put herself in Ruan Lingyu's shoes and finished her words. Then she looked at Ruan Lingyu and said, "Sister, he's willing to lend me his clothes because I'm your sister."
She changed the subject and kicked the words back. Ruan Fu couldn't do anything to her, so he shook his sleeves and went upstairs.
Ruan Lingyu was left staring at her relentlessly, her eyes bright, "Are you telling the truth?"
Ruan Xiangyi nodded: "Sister, I will return the clothes to you after I wash them. You can give them to me...brother then."
Of course she understood that the word "brother-in-law" would please Ruan Lingyu better, but when the words came to her lips, she thought of some things that made her choke up and couldn't say it. It would be right to call him brother.
Ruan Lingyu was pleased with the word "still". Her status became clear at once and she felt much happier. She stopped making things difficult for her and went upstairs with Grandma Ruan, twisting her waist.
Only Ruan Xiangyi and Lin Man, mother and daughter, were left in the living room.
Lin Manshu spoke up at this time: "Xiangyi, how did your clothes get wet? Is it serious?"
Ruan Xiangyi felt the corners of her mouth stiffen a little. Looking at her biological mother, she didn't know what to say in response to her concern. In this family, she had never been her support.
"Mom, don't worry, I'm fine." She forced a smile, physically and mentally exhausted. "I'll go upstairs first. I have to go back to school tomorrow morning."
*
Zhao family.
Zhao Qingshi came back first.
"Is the matter settled?" Zhao Wen asked.
"Um."
"What do you think about the marriage with the Ruan family?" Zhao Wen did not pursue the matter of his sudden departure.
"It's up to you to decide." Zhao Qingshi didn't care.
Zhao Wen looked at his wife and frowned.
Zhao Qingshi saw the glances between the couple and understood: "Do you have other plans?"
"Your Uncle Li's daughter will be back from abroad in a few days. You can go pick her up and our two families can have a meal together," said Zhao Wen.
"Okay." Zhao Qingshi didn't have much objection.
"Do you know the youngest daughter of the Ruan family?" Zhou Xunyin asked again. Although she didn't say it explicitly just now, she recognized that the clothes on the girl were his.
"I don't know him, we just happened to meet." Zhao Qingshi said with a cold expression.
"What's wrong with the wound on your wrist?" Zhou Xunyin exclaimed, noticing his wrist.
Zhao Qingshi lowered his eyes. The teeth marks on his wrist had not yet disappeared. The girl had bitten him very deeply, and it would probably take two days for them to completely disappear.
"I was bitten." He was very frank.
Zhao Wen and Zhou Xunyin looked at each other, both of them were a little surprised.
At Zhou Xunyin's urging, Zhao Wen asked, "Was he bitten by a girl?"
Hearing this, Zhao Qingshi put on a complicated expression: "Or?"
Zhao Wenqing coughed twice and said, "In that case, before he comes back, you should quickly cut off ties with him in the next two days."
"It's been a long time since I last saw it." Zhao Qingshi said calmly, frankly and not at all like a scumbag. He finished the tea in front of him, stood up and said goodbye, "I'm going back first. You guys should get some rest early."
*
Ruan Xiangyi returned to school early the next morning. She had a cat in her dormitory, and when she entered, she saw her cat lying on her bed, licking its fur. The cat immediately jumped out of bed when she saw her return.
Meow~
It rubbed against her feet. Ruan Xiangyi squatted down and picked it up: "Cake is so good, did you miss your mother~"
Cake touched her face with its soft paws: "Meow~"
After a while, my roommate came back.
Guo Wen put the oranges she bought on the table and happened to see the snacks Ruan Xiangyi brought her. She laughed and said, "Xiangyi, it's just feeding the cat. You don't have to come back to bring me snacks every time."
"By the way." Ruan Xiangyi smiled, "I thought it was delicious, so I brought some for you."
Guo Wen looked at the big bag and thought it was just a small amount.
"I just ran into my senior in the cafeteria. He asked me when you'd be back." Guo Wen joked, "Xiangyi, my senior missed you so much."
Ruan Xiangyi smiled and didn't respond. She opened a bag of cat strips and fed them to Cake.
"Wenwen, how's your internship search going?"
"Almost done. I'll be able to report in two days."
The cake was devoured, and the opening of the cat strips was covered with several teeth marks. When the cat strips were squeezed, they came out of the small openings. Ruan Xiangyi stared at the cake thoughtfully, "I also want to find an internship."
Hearing her words, Guo Wen turned around and looked at her, surprised: "Aren't you going to take the postgraduate entrance examination to be with your senior brother? Why are you looking for an internship now? Are you having a conflict with your senior brother?"
"No, I want to start working early and move out of home." Ruan Xiangyi lowered her eyes. "I'll explain the postgraduate entrance exam to my senior brother later."
She thought about it all night and realized that if she didn't have her own financial ability, she would never be able to leave that home.
The next afternoon, when Ruan Xiangyi went to the library, she met Shen Huaimeng. He was wearing a black sweatshirt and sweatpants, which matched the white one she was wearing.
"Xiangyi, did you come back this morning?" Shen Huaimeng brought her some warm milk.
"Thank you, senior brother. I don't really feel like drinking milk today." Ruan Xiangyi declined.
Shen Huaimeng paused for a moment, then took the milk back and said with a smile: "It's okay, I'll bring it to you tomorrow."
"Brother." Ruan Xiangyi stopped writing and looked up at him, "I have something I want to tell you."
"you say."
"I might not come to the library tomorrow." Ruan Xiangyi held the pen, her nails digging into her flesh. "I'm looking for an internship recently."
Shen Huaimeng was very surprised. "Why did you suddenly go for an internship? Are you planning to prepare for the exam while doing the internship? Will that be too hard?"
"No." She shook her head. "I don't plan to take the postgraduate entrance exam. I want to start working early."
"Why, did something happen?" Shen Huaimeng thought for a moment, "Did your mother force you to do something?"
"Brother, don't ask. This is my own choice. It has nothing to do with her."
Shen Huaimeng was silent for two seconds: "Okay, I won't ask. I support you in whatever you do."
Hearing this, she felt as if she had been hit by a stick, and the pain made her want to cry.
"Brother, I have something else to do. I'll leave first." She hurriedly stuffed the book into her schoolbag and quickly ran away from him.
Half a month later, Ruan Xiangyi got an interview opportunity at Yitong No. 1 TV Station, a place where outstanding graduates from major universities strive to get in. When the HR asked her to go back and wait for the result, she probably knew that she would not be selected. What she didn't expect was that the HR told her the next day that she could go to work next Monday.
Ruan Xiangyi was a little dumbfounded when she received this message. She had interviewed many companies recently, but none of them got the job, which made her doubt whether she had seen it wrong.
Guo Wen accidentally glanced at the text message, and before she could even close her mouth, she was still comforting her about her internship, when she suddenly blurted out, "F*ck!" "Xiangyi, you got the interview at Yitong TV Station!"
Ruan Xiangyi blinked. With the confirmation from the people next to her, she felt a little more confident: "It seems so."
"I'm going to Xiangyi, you're great!" Guo Wen hugged her excitedly.
This feeling of unease did not completely go away until she went to the TV station and signed the internship agreement. The competition for this internship position was so fierce that she remembered that when she came for the interview, the seats outside were full of college students, and there were only two vacancies.
The other one is also a girl, with a generous temperament, a comfortable appearance, and speaks softly. In short, she has an indescribable beauty.
Both of them were assigned to the editing and compiling department.
Ruan Xiangyi's teaching teacher was a man with a dignified appearance. He wore a royal blue plaid suit, a Windsor knot tie, and shiny leather shoes. However, he was serious and the moment he appeared, the air seemed to become much more depressing.
Ruan Xiangyi followed him and listened to him introduce the entire department, and then he led her to an empty seat.
Jiang Junlin: "This is your workstation."
Then, he called a boy sitting next to him, "Zhou Zilang."
The boy stood up.
"This is our new intern, Ruan Xiangyi. Take her with you to familiarize yourself with the interview this afternoon."
The boy pushed his glasses and nodded: "Okay, Minister."
After sitting down, Ruan Xiangyi turned on the computer, and Zhou Zilang suddenly came over and introduced himself.
Ruan Xiangyi replied hello and briefly introduced her name.
"I'll add your contact information." Zhou Zilang pushed the code over to him in a familiar manner. "Come with me this afternoon to do the interview. I'll send you some information first."
Ruan Xiangyi scanned the code and nodded in agreement.
After approval, Zhou Zilang quickly sent the interviewee's information. Ruan Xiangyi clicked on it and her scalp tingled when she saw the three familiar big characters.
How could it be Zhao Qingshi...
…
They got to know each other until three in the afternoon, and then they left the company on time. Zhou Zilang was afraid that Ruan Xiangyi would mess up, so he explained everything to her again in the car.
"Our interviewee this time is Zhao Qingshi. Zhao Qingshi, do you know? Well, it doesn't matter if you don't know. In short, you just need to take notes. You don't need to do anything else, okay?"
Ruan Xiangyi was overjoyed and nodded quickly.
The interview took place at the hotel where Zhao Qingshi lived. The scheduled time was six o'clock, so the two arrived at the hotel lobby early and waited for two hours.
At exactly six o'clock, Zhao Qingshi sat in front of the camera on time, wearing a black suit and with a distant and cold aura. Zhou Zilang's movement holding the camera trembled inexplicably.
Ruan Xiangyi was so nervous that she didn't dare to look at him. She held her little notebook in her hand, not daring to glance at it. However, she guessed that Zhao Qingshi would not notice her either.
The interview begins.
The content of the interview was all about some simple business plans. Zhou Zilang's interviewing ability was still very strong. The atmosphere gradually became harmonious, and he felt like he was having a very pleasant conversation with Zhao Qingshi in front of the camera.
Ten minutes later, Zhou Zilang suddenly screamed "Ah", which scared Ruan Xiangyi so much that she scribbled a heavy stroke on the notebook.
"Mr. Zhao, your collar is crooked, do you need to fix it?"
Zhao Qingshi didn't care and fiddled with it twice, but Zhou Zilang had a bit of obsessive-compulsive disorder. After thinking about it, it seemed inappropriate for him to do it himself, so he called Ruan Xiangyi: "Xiangyi, help Mr. Zhao fix his collar."
Ruan Xiangyi had no choice but to reluctantly put away the notebook and go forward to help him organize it.
Because Zhao Qingshi was facing Zhou Zilang's camera, Ruan Xiangyi stepped forward and blocked the camera completely.
With trembling hands, she helped him carefully straighten his folded collar. When she raised her eyes, they met. Ruan Xiangyi hurriedly looked away and quickly returned to her seat. Seeing that the man did not look up at her, she breathed a sigh of relief.
The interview went very quickly. On the way back in the car, Zhou Zilang finished editing the interview transcript. There was a lot of material to write about today. He smiled with satisfaction: "Zhao Qingshi is not as difficult to deal with as I imagined. On the contrary, he is easier to get along with than the average interview subject."
Ruan Xiangyi nodded and said yes, not knowing what to say in response. She just hoped that she would not meet him again in the future.
After a while, Zhou Zilang received a call. After hanging up, he told the driver the place name and then said to Ruan Xiangyi, "The minister is inviting you to dinner tonight to welcome you two new people."
The dinner was held in the city center, and there was traffic during rush hour, so the two were more than ten minutes late. According to the usual rules, Zhou Zilang sat down and drank three glasses of wine as a penalty.
She hadn't expected to encounter such a scene on her first day at work. As one of the "protagonists", she had to pick up the wine glass. Just as she was picking up the glass, a hand suddenly appeared beside her. On the wrist was a valuable watch, with distinct knuckles and bulging veins on the fingers.
Everyone looked over.
Ruan Xiangyi was a little embarrassed.
Zhao Qingshi said casually: "I don't like this drinking culture, you guys can do whatever you want."
Jiang Junlin looked at him meaningfully.
Because of Zhao Qingshi's rescue, Ruan Xiangyi didn't have to drink the glass of wine and sat next to him again. The colleagues at the same table looked at each other in surprise.
Zhao Qingshi was talking to Jiang Junlin. Ruan Xiangyi glanced at him secretly. She never thought that as soon as she opened the door, she would see him sitting in the middle.
What was even more unexpected was that Jiang Junlin called her by name to sit in the empty seat next to him.
It seemed like it was reserved for her. Ruan Xiangyi ate the food, thinking that she was thinking too much. This imagination was really scary, so she quickly shook it off.
At this time, another intern, Jiang Ruzhi, came over with a glass of wine in hand: "Minister, I offer you a toast. I look forward to your guidance in the future."
Jiang Ruzhi was new to the workplace and hadn't learned how to drink yet. She almost choked herself after taking a gulp of the drink.
Jiang Junlin smiled and said, "Xiao Jiang, if you can't drink alcohol, just drink some beverages. We don't have such a rule in our department."
Jiang Ruzhi blushed with embarrassment, refilled the empty glass, and looked at Zhao Qingshi: "Boss Zhao, toast to you."
Zhao Qingshi curled his lips, his Adam's apple rolling as he drank it all in one gulp. So sexy, Jiang Ruzhi's face turned even redder.
Zhou Zilang's eyes followed Jiang Ruzhi until she returned to her seat. He poked the wood next to him and said, "Look at them, learn from them."
Ruan Xiangyi hesitated for two seconds and had to pick up the wine glass in front of him and step forward.
"Minister Jiang, I offer a toast to you. Thank you for organizing this dinner for us. I look forward to your continued guidance in the future."
After saying that, he was about to drink it all.
Jiang Junlin stopped her, a little surprised: "Xiao Ruan, can you drink?"
Ruan Xiangyi nodded: "A little bit."
Jiang Junlin handed her a glass of orange juice and said, "I told you that there's no such rule in our department. Have a drink."
ah?
Ruan Xiangyi opened her mouth, not knowing whether to answer or not, and subconsciously looked at the man next to her.
Jiang Junlin raised his eyebrows: "Look at what he is doing."
Zhao Qingshi raised his eyes.
Ruan Xiangyi quickly retracted her gaze the moment he looked over, took the drink and toasted him: "Thank you!"
After toasting Jiang Junlin, Ruan Xiangyi pointed the cup at Zhao Qingshi: "Boss Zhao, I... toast you a glass."
"What's your name?" Zhao Qingshi asked her instead of taking the wine.
Ruan Xiangyi didn't react at first, but when she saw the teasing in his eyes, she realized that this man did it on purpose.
In front of so many people, she gripped the wall of the cup tightly.
"My name is Ruan Xiangyi."
"Ruan Xiangyi?" Zhao Qingshi seemed to listen carefully and asked, "Which three words?"
"Er Dongyuan's Ruan, with heavy or light makeup, always looks good."
"This is a good name, it suits you very well." Zhao Qingshi praised.
He praised someone's beauty in front of them. All those present were veterans who had been in the workplace for many years, and they all heard something else behind the words.
After returning to her seat nervously, Zhou Zilang gave her a thumbs-up and said, "You are my sister."
After three rounds of drinks, the dinner was almost over, and Zhao Qingshi was unable to drive due to drinking.
What Ruan Xiangyi didn't expect was that Jiang Junlin took the initiative to ask her: "Do you have a driver's license?"
Ruan Xiangyi nodded without thinking much.
"Then drive Mr. Zhao home."
Ruan Xiangyi couldn't believe it. What?
Zhao Qingshi had already taken his coat and walked out. Ruan Xiangyi stared at his back and was reluctant to move her legs. Finally, Jiang Bo urged her, and she had no choice but to follow him.
They left the parking lot together. Ruan Xiangyi walked behind him, two meters away. She saw that his steps were steady and his body was stable. He didn't look drunk at all.
Seeing him approach a black car from a distance and hearing the sound of the car lock unlocking, Ruan Xiangyi slowed down and hesitated. When he opened the back door, he quickly ran up and blurted out, "Brother-in-law."
The man paused, turned his head and stared at her. He reeked of alcohol, but his eyes were clear. Being stared at by him, Ruan Xiangyi froze for a moment, and finished what she was about to say with a guilty conscience: "I haven't driven since I passed the driving test. For your safety, I'll call a designated driver for you."
He calls me "you" all the time. I don't know if he is really polite or just being insincere.
Zhao Qingshi said nothing. He got in and ruthlessly closed the car door, isolating her from the outside. The windows were lowered, and the lights inside were dim. Ruan Xiangyi could not see his expression, but only heard him say, "Get in the car."
The tone did not allow her to open her mouth and make excuses again.
Ruan Xiangyi had no choice but to sit in the main car.
Looking at the man who was resting with his eyes closed in the rearview mirror, she frowned in embarrassment. When she was hesitating whether to speak, the man behind her spoke.
"What do you think is the purpose of a rookie intern sending his boss home in this situation?"
Ruan Xiangyi didn't understand and thought he was talking about her driving skills, so she whispered back, "You're not that bad, are you?"
Zhao Qingshi opened his eyes and looked at her in the rearview mirror. His eyes were pure and without any impurities.
It was obvious that she didn't understand much about these businesses.
Zhao Qingshi turned his eyes away, feeling a little annoyed.
The reason is simple.
The story goes back to the day when Ruan Xiangyi went to Yitong TV Station for an interview. He was invited to visit and saw her when he passed by the interview hall. He was surprised and stopped for a few seconds.
Seeing him staring at her for a few more seconds, Jiang Junlin took the initiative to introduce her to him: "The girl is Ruan Xiangyi, a student at Yida University."
Zhao Qingshi curled his lips: "You remember it so clearly."
"I've seen her resume." Jiang Junlin said, "She's much prettier in person than in the photo on her resume."
"She is very beautiful." He just said it casually at the time, but Jiang Junlin misunderstood it and thought that he had taken a fancy to Ruan Xiangyi, so he recruited her into the TV station and deliberately sent her close to him.
Zhao Qingshi closed his eyes again: "Get out of the car."
Hearing the words "get off the bus", Ruan Xiangyi's eyebrows lit up with joy, but then she heard him follow it up with, "Come sit in the back."
The head dropped again.
Pretend to be dead and not hear.
It was already uncomfortable to be in the same space with him, and she didn't want to be in the same space with him.
Hearing her silence, Zhao Qingshi knew what she was thinking and said with his eyes closed, "That's the driver's seat."
Only then did Ruan Xiangyi realize that there was a man in a gray suit standing outside.
It turned out that Zhao Qingshi brought his own driver.
Ruan Xiangyi got out of the car quickly and opened the passenger door: "I'm carsick, I'd better sit in the front."
Zhao Qingshi was too lazy to care about her and ordered, "Send her back first."
Ruan Xiangyi whispered a place name to the driver, and after telling him the address, she smiled and called out to him, "Thank you, brother-in-law."
"Ruan Xiangyi." Zhao Qingshi laughed angrily.
Ruan Xiangyi hummed in surprise, noticing his change.
"You keep calling me brother-in-law. Don't you feel uncomfortable?" Zhao Qingshi raised his eyebrows lazily.
“…”
“…”
After his reminder, some unpleasant things seemed to replay like photos. Ruan Xiangyi straightened her back, put her hands on her legs and didn't dare to speak anymore. Her heart was lifted up again.
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
