Chapter 37. Don't think you're still blaming Chenzhoudu?
"Hey! Bro!" Guan Bohan immediately smiled in that direction, "You rock!"
There was a pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a smile, and the voice said, "You've gone back to China?"
"Hmm." Guan Bohan hummed mysteriously, "Guess where I am?"
“I guess,” he paused deliberately for two seconds to build suspense, “you’re in a hotel in Asia Ocean.”
"Bingo!" Guan Bohan snapped his fingers in celebration and shouted, "No one understands me better than—Sunken Boat Crossing!"
Chen Zhoudu couldn't help but laugh silently and shake his head.
Guan Bohan and Shen Zhoudu have known each other for twenty years. Their two families have been partners since they were young. Guan Bohan's family has been in the imported furniture business for a long time and has been cooperating with Asia Pacific.
However, when he was young, Chen Zhoudu was always a shadow over Guan Bohan, and for a time Guan Bohan even hated him very much.
Because he was so outstanding, so upright, and had excellent grades, he seemed to excel at everything he did, and was regarded by everyone in his circle as "someone else's child".
Guan Bohan, however, was another extreme of polarization. He disliked studying, was undisciplined, and acted in his own way, which worried his parents so much that they repeatedly wished they could just hand him over to Shen Jinghai and pay him hundreds of millions to replace him.
Later, Guan Bohan entered the entertainment industry as if it were just a hobby, and his first role became a huge hit.
He thought he could finally hold his head high in front of Guan's parents and Shen Zhoudu, but instead, Guan's parents grabbed his ear and scolded him for not doing his job properly.
Guan Bohan originally thought he would live in Shen Zhoudu's shadow forever. But he never expected that Shen Zhoudu, who had been well-behaved for twenty years, would still cause Shen Jinghai to have a big surprise. Shen Zhoudu secretly entered the circle behind everyone's back, which directly silenced Guan's parents. In the end, they sighed, "Indeed, one is influenced by one's surroundings..." and resigned themselves to their fate.
Now they are like brothers in misfortune, their similar circumstances allowing them to forgive and forget the past and become close again.
Chen Zhoudu chuckled, "You're someone who has a home in Shanghai, why do you stay at my hotel every day?"
"I was just thinking of adding to Comrade Guan's efforts and giving your dad some encouragement, wasn't I?" Guan Bohan said leisurely, crossing his legs.
"You'd better take it easy," Chen Zhoudu said. "Look at how many negative trending topics you've been getting lately."
"Keep it down! Keep it down!" Guan Bohan was actually quite pleased with this. "When Lao Guan can't stand it anymore, he'll finally know how to write the word 'respect.' I'm a grown man, and he's still pulling this stunt on me... Anyway, this isn't over until he gives in."
Guan Bohan's father, Guan Yuntian, disliked Guan Bohan's involvement in the entertainment industry, but Guan Bohan was adamant. Helpless, he communicated with Guan Bohan's management company to replace everyone around him with his own people.
Nowadays, all of Guan Bohan's bodyguards and assistants are hired by his father, and his every move is reported to Guan Yuntian immediately.
Guan Bohan was furious about this and never went home again from that moment on. He also tried his best to drive these people away from every angle and in every way, until Guan Yuntian would admit his mistake.
He also had a particular fondness for hotels in Asia, ostensibly to avenge the sinking of the boat.
Chenzhoudu disagreed with this view.
"It's mainly your bizarre demands. If your dad and my dad were to do them themselves, I would be happy to see it. The key is that the people around you are all working-class people, and the employees of my hotel are even more so. No matter how much you cause trouble, Uncle Guan and Shen Jinghai won't lose a hair. I don't know who you're really taking revenge on."
"Well, who told them to be so stubborn? I already said I'd pay double whatever Guan Yuntian offers." Guan Bohan was initially reluctant, but before he could speak again, she conceded, "Alright, alright, I promise I won't go too far this time, just a tiny little bit, okay?"
Chen Zhoudu remained silent for a moment, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Guan Bohan, however, changed the subject with a smile, "Hey, what about that thing I told you about last time? What have you thought about? That An Yiran..."
"I'm hanging up," Chen Zhoudu said immediately.
"Hey, hey, wait! Don't hang up yet..." Guan Bohan quickly called him back, then sighed helplessly, "You know, you're really something..."
An Yiran is the female lead in Guan Bohan's last drama, which she just finished filming, and is also a highly popular aspiring actress in the entertainment industry.
During their last collaboration, she had subtly expressed to Guan Bohan that she liked Chenzhoudu and hoped he could introduce her to someone.
Although Guan Bohan doesn't usually play matchmaker, he really enjoys trying to set up Chen Zhoudu. He's also curious to see what it's like for this perpetually single man to be flirted with, so he sent the girl his WeChat early on and said a lot of nice things about her.
Chen Zhoudu's tone had been indifferent, but now his attitude seemed to have turned serious. "If you keep messing around like this, I'll delete you too."
"Hey no! Hey...okay..." Guan Bohan wanted to say something but ultimately gave up, and said strangely, "Hey bro, what are you doing all day long? You don't date, and you're not really into your work. What are you doing? What kind of girl do you like? Do you even like girls? You don't actually like guys, do you? You probably like me!"
Chen Zhoudu scoffed, "Then I'll really be desperate for anything."
“You %#@￥**!…” Guan Bohan muttered a few complaints about him, still curious.
"Seriously, Chen Zhoudu, what kind of girl do you like? Even if I don't play matchmaker for you... I should at least know your type, right? You know, there are so many girls in this circle who have pursued you, so why don't you like any of them? I'm really curious..."
Chen Zhoudu originally wanted to make up some excuse, but when his gaze fell on the blue guitar in the corner, he suddenly fell silent and unconsciously got up and walked to the glass cabinet.
The blue guitar was sealed in a specially made glass corner cabinet, preserved in pristine condition, with a card still attached to the guitar strings that had faded slightly.
He pressed his fingertips against the glass involuntarily in silence.
After a moment, he murmured to himself, "I like... something that can be kicked to pieces."
?
Guan Bohan almost thought he had tinnitus. "Are you sick?"
-
Xia Chan handed over her shift to her colleagues on the night shift and walked to the subway station alone.
The subway during rush hour is like a sealed quicksand can, noisy and stifling. It meandered for several stops before finally stopping in front of a station in an old town area.
After exiting the subway, Xia Chan swiped her card to use a shared bicycle and rode it towards Taoyuan Lane.
This is an old-fashioned alleyway, where old two-story villas and old bungalows are interspersed. The bluestone pavement is worn smooth and reflects the neon lights at night.
Sections of bamboo poles stretched horizontally between the houses, and several children were playing in the alley. Occasionally, the sounds of cooking could be heard from the houses along the way.
At the end of Taoyuan Lane stands a two-story old Western-style house. In front of the house, an auntie was hanging clothes on a bamboo pole. I greeted her with a smile.
"Nongwei is here!"
"Mm." Xia Chan smiled and nodded at her, locked her bicycle, went up the open-air stairs to the second floor, and then stopped in front of a room on the second floor to get the key and open the door.
As soon as the door opened, the rich aroma of food wafted out, and there was the sizzling sound of oil popping in the kitchen.
Xia Chan put her bag down at the door and changed her shoes. "I'm back."
A figure immediately emerged from the kitchen, spatula in hand—tall and thin, with messy, unkempt hair, and wearing his yellow delivery uniform under his apron—it was Huang Mao. Seeing her, he grinned broadly, "Sis, you're back!"
"Hmm." Xia Chan nodded and looked around. "Where are they? Why are you all alone?"
"Lala is still live streaming in the room! Siyi felt a bit tired after her check-up today, so I didn't let her move; Panghu... said he has to work overtime again today."
Xia Chan nodded knowingly, then glanced at the injury on his elbow and asked, "What happened?"
"Ugh! Don't even mention it. I had a fare today, and that alley was so difficult to navigate that I slipped and fell." The blond-haired guy scratched his now-dye-black hair. "But luckily I didn't go overtime! The guy was really nice; he even gave me a twenty-dollar tip!"
Xia Chan didn't seem as happy as him. She took out a large band-aid from her bag and handed it to him. "Don't pick up passengers from remote areas next time. Safety is the most important thing. If you get seriously injured, the cost of treatment alone will be more than twenty yuan."
"Okay, I got it, sis!"
Although he said he understood, Xia Chan knew perfectly well that he would do the same again next time. Watching him return to the kitchen to cook, she couldn't help but shake her head.
This is an old house of about 60 square meters, but it has been partitioned into four rooms, one facing north and three facing south. Only a small area of about ten square meters has been left in the middle of the house to place a dining table, which serves as a shared space for the group.
Xia Chan returned to her room to change her clothes, and then walked to a room and knocked very lightly.
There was no response from inside, but Xia Chan could faintly hear some noises coming from the doorway:
"Thank you, Xuexue baby, for the rocket! Thank you~!"
"If this gets over 8,000 likes, the streamer will sing another song for everyone! ...Looking like this, how can someone do a live stream? Yeah, I look like this and I still do live streams, isn't that infuriating! ...Everyone, ignore him, just spam the chat with what you want to hear..."
Xia Chan quietly peeked through a crack in the door and saw Lala dressed in an adorable Lolita outfit with cute bunny ears on her head, making a heart shape with her hands in front of the screen.
She saw Xia Chan in the mirror, and Xia Chan silently signaled to her to eat quickly.
She nodded very slightly, and Xia Chan tiptoed back to close the door.
As I closed the door, I could still hear them talking inside:
"Thank you for the flowers, Orange Baby! Let's all be friendly and not argue! Thank you everyone..."
Xia Chan then walked to the room on the north side. The room shared by Huang Mao and Pang Hu was not as cozy and exquisite as the girls' room.
The room, which was less than ten square meters, was littered with all sorts of socks, shirts, coats, and even the bedding on the floor hadn't been put away.
The blankets on the bed were still rolled up haphazardly, and the sheets were torn.
Xia Chan quickly picked up a few pieces of clothing and put them in the laundry basket, intending to throw them in the washing machine. When she thought about picking up socks, she hesitated, then withdrew her hand in disgust. Finally, she covered her nose and kicked them to a corner to let them dispose of themselves.
She finally walked to the only room with solid walls on the south side and was about to knock on the door.
A slight noise from inside the door reached Xia Chan's ears.
"Currently, the W·S cotton fabric incident has become the hottest topic, and the young Chinese singer Shen Zhoudu..."
She paused for a moment, then simply opened the door and went inside. Siyi, inside, hurriedly and flusteredly put her hands away and looked at her with alarm, as if facing a formidable enemy.
She probably meant to lock her phone, but pressed the wrong button, making the news even louder. It seems some media outlets interviewed fans who were shouting.
"Boycott W.S.! Support Chenzhoudu!"
"The sunken boat crosses the river! We love you!"
Siyi: "..."
"What are you doing?" Xia Chan asked, a teasing smile playing on her lips as if she'd caught them red-handed.
"Sister..." Siyi immediately tried to ingratiate herself, "I was just looking around..."
"Look if you want." Xia Chan didn't blame her at all. Instead, she walked in and took out her phone, which she had hidden behind her back, and placed it on the table. She sat down next to her as if to watch it with her.
Siyi felt as if she were being tortured, her back stiffening as she cautiously glanced at her. Fortunately, the news quickly scrolled past and changed to something else, and she silently breathed a sigh of relief, observing her expression.
Xia Chan couldn't help but chuckle at her appearance and gently brushed her bangs aside. "It's almost time to eat. Get ready to come out and eat."
"Hey sis!"
She was about to leave when Siyi called her back.
She bit her lip, as if pondering for a moment, thinking that since things had already come to this, she might as well take another chance, and tentatively asked, "Have you... heard about this news?"
Xia Chan paused for a fraction of a second, realizing she was referring to W.S., and couldn't help but chuckle, "I'm not a caveman."
It means, how could I not know about such a massive amount of news?
Siyi's eyes lit up immediately. "Sister, what do you think?"
"I'll check Weibo." Xia Chan winked mischievously.
She choked, almost annoyed by her dry humor, and couldn't help but pat her lightly. Xia Chan laughed even harder, "Come out and eat."
"Sister... are you still blaming Brother Zhoudu?" Siyi suddenly asked, lost in thought.
Xia Chan paused slightly, and the curve of her lips pursed slightly.
Xia Chan had severed ties with Shen Zhoudu so decisively back then, even ordering them to cut ties with him as well. She checked their phones one by one and commanded, "Delete him."
Siyi initially refused and even made a fuss, but Xia Chan eventually took her phone and deleted all of Shen Zhoudu's contact information, instructing them not to reply even if he came back looking for her.
She always keeps her word, and when she gets serious, no one dares to disobey her.
She also instructed Uncle Chao, Aunt Chao, and the familiar neighbors in Shanfeng Lane that if they saw Chen Zhoudu return, they must not tell him where she was or what her current contact information was. Otherwise, she would disappear from Shanfeng Lane forever.
Aunt Chao knew that she meant what she said, and she felt immense pressure.
In previous years, Chenzhoudu would go back to Shanfeng Lane almost every year to inquire. Aunt Chao couldn't stand it anymore and kept calling Lala and Panghu to relay the message to Xia Chan. Xia Chan always said the same thing, "Let him go."
Later, Chen Zhoudu became a big star, and probably because his schedule became busier, he returned home less often.
With Shanfeng Lane also being demolished three years ago, the distance between them and him has grown ever wider.
Xia Chan was silent for a moment, then sat down next to her and smiled, saying, "I never blamed him anyway."
"Then why—" Siyi couldn't help but get anxious and wanted to ask. But when she met her clear gaze, she couldn't help but back down, pursed her lips, and then suddenly blurted out, "Sister, why don't you join the entertainment industry too!"
Xia Chan's expression turned strange for a moment as she smoothed her hair, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Really, I'm serious!" Siyi nodded vigorously. "Look at you, you're beautiful, even more beautiful than many actors! A couple of days ago you accidentally appeared in Lala's live stream, and her fans were flooding the screen saying they wanted to see you. If you were a star, you'd be even more popular than some of the stars right now! Sis, seriously, you should join the industry! Then you could be with Brother Zhoudu..."
Siyi didn't know what had happened between Xia Chan and Shen Zhoudu, and Xia Chan never told them either.
But Si Yi remembered that when Chen Zhoudu was still in Shanfeng Lane, Chen Jinghai had once looked for Xia Chan alone.
His contempt and indifference towards them were obvious. Xia Chan was someone who would never allow herself to be wronged, and she treated everyone equally. If she felt there was inequality, she would rather sever ties than compromise, and Si Yi guessed that this was why she broke off her friendship with Shen Zhoudu.
“That’s a game for the upper class.” Xia Chan still smiled and gently tucked her hair behind her ear. “It’s not that simple.”
"Besides, every circle requires ability. I don't know anything, and I'm not worthy of my position. Sooner or later, disaster will strike."
"Sister... are you really planning to never see Brother Zhoudu again?" Siyi was at a loss for words, anxious and helpless. Finally, she frowned and showed sadness. "Even if he's still looking for you and remembers your words..."
She fell silent, for a very long time, before finally looking at her calmly and smiling gently, and said, "Siyi."
"Never think about things that are more distant than tomorrow's dinner."
-
That night, Fatty Tiger, who was working overtime, did not return until the group went to sleep. Xia Chan left Fatty Tiger some food and a note and told the others to go to sleep first.
Xia Chan was awakened in the middle of the night by the urgent ringing of her cell phone. When she answered the phone, she was still in a daze.
"Hello."
"Manager Xia, please come quickly..." The voice on the other end of the phone belonged to a front office employee, trembling with emotion, "Guan Bohan, he..."
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