Chapter 80
Tonight is destined to be sleepless.
When Qi Qi returned from buying late-night snacks, she saw Jiang Li holding his phone and laughed, saying, "Playing dead again?" before throwing the phone away.
A moment of silence.
They exchanged knowing glances, ate a late-night snack to appease their stomachs, and then went back to creating.
In the past, according to usual practice, when the team was creating, almost no one would look at their phone, and it could even be said that they didn't need to use their phones at all.
After all, all the people he needed to contact were around, so it could be considered a period of seclusion.
However, after a certain incident, the leader took the lead in breaking the rules, and then completely abolished the rules, allowing everyone to contact people while in seclusion, and all messages and phone calls were to be read back and answered.
I still vaguely remember Jiang Li's flustered appearance that time.
The team's pillar, backbone, and boss—this was the first time they'd ever shown such an expression.
Although no one knew what had happened, an audio clip appeared on the trending topics list within two days, and it was unclear whether it was a secretly recorded audio clip or an interview audio clip.
Jiang Li's inability to let go of his "ex-girlfriend" has become common knowledge.
This incident also helped Guan Nan, who was in the eye of the storm, escape the predicament and divert a lot of attention.
Guan Nan still keeps that recording on her phone.
She took out her earphones, turned on the audio, and increased the volume by two notches.
The background is completely black, the frequency fluctuates, and there are light clinking and tapping of wine glasses nearby, adding a touch of realism to this audio.
Amidst the cacophony of conversations, the most unforgettable topic was first love.
"
Encouraged, someone seized the opportunity to ask, "Brother Jiang, besides your ex-girlfriend, have you dated anyone else?"
The atmosphere suddenly became very quiet.
Just when everyone thought he wouldn't answer, perhaps under the influence of alcohol, his voice was dry and bitter: "No."
The man suggested, "Let's try someone else. Feelings can change. My first love was like that too. It hurt so much that I almost couldn't get over it."
“I can’t do it,” Jiang Li said.
"And what about her? Has she looked for him again?" someone else asked.
Some people didn't care: "Who cares if she's found someone or not? Someone like Brother Jiang is good-looking, has a great figure, and has achieved so much in his career. He could find any girlfriend he wants. Why would he care about this?"
As soon as he finished speaking, seeing that he did not answer, a series of clinking glasses began.
It appears to be a heart-to-heart talk where people can open up about their true feelings.
A moment later.
"Of course I care, how could I not care?" Perhaps he was truly drunk, and amidst the chatter, he let down his guard and whispered, "She's so good, she deserves better."
"But the thought that no one she meets in the future will be as good as me makes my heart ache."
"Perhaps, the people I've met are all better than me, hundreds or thousands of times better."
"What can I do? I just feel..."
"Nobody is as good as me."
"No one loves her more than I do."
A profound silence fell over the air.
He continued speaking quietly to himself, as if lamenting, "But I'm so terrible."
"I met such a good person, but before I could cherish her and learn to let go, she had already left without saying a word or leaving me anything."
The man then asked, "Did you look for her again afterward?"
Jiang Li: "I've looked for it."
"You saw her? What did she say?" The voice sounded a lot like Xie Shuwan.
“She might,” Jiang Li said vacantly, like a soulless rag doll, “not want to see me either.”
Taking advantage of his current vulnerable state, Jiang Li is an extremely rare sight. Now, the brief and concise revelation of his "ex-girlfriend" has attracted everyone's attention.
"So, all these years..." the man asked.
Jiang Li's voice was hoarse as he said, "I still can't let her go."
"
The audio abruptly stopped.
Guan Nan has listened to this audio countless times.
She didn't know what kind of person the other person was that could make Jiang Li fall so deeply in love.
Even in front of him, Jiang Li, who was so proud, so carefree, and so wonderful, actually felt such inferiority. Just like she felt when she was with him.
Outsiders may not know how many girlfriends he's had, but his first love is clearly etched in his life.
Everyone knows that Jiang Li has an ex-girlfriend whom he loved to the core.
He was so open about it that he let everyone know he had an ex-girlfriend.
He showed endless favoritism even to his ex-girlfriends.
The affection was so deep it was almost pathetic.
Guan Nan fell asleep without realizing it, accompanied by the audio playing on repeat in her ears.
······
The Qixi Festival video was released at 6 PM the day before, finally bringing the festival to an end.
On the eve of the festival, Guan Nan unexpectedly received an invitation from Qiyang.
Qi Yang: [Do you have plans for tomorrow?]
Guan Nan: [No.]
Qi Yang: [Then come over for dinner!]
Guan Nan assumed that it was Zhen Jie's suggestion to come to her house for dinner and agreed without thinking. However, the next day, Qi Yang took her to the market early in the morning.
At the morning market in Fuling, people of all ages and genders, there are more tourists than people genuinely buying vegetables.
With Qi Yang's guidance, Guan Nan made a great purchase after her walk around. Just before leaving, she saw a hawthorn vendor, took a half-beat forward, and then stepped back.
She squatted down in front of the basket, unable to resist the owner's kindness, and tried one.
Before leaving, I bought a small half bag, which only cost five yuan.
Looking at the flow of people coming and going at the morning market, Guan Nan felt that the prices in Fuling were very reasonable. The people carrying baskets to make a living were not only honest and hardworking, but their faces also showed their sincerity.
During the brief moment while waiting for Qi Yang, she began to let her mind wander.
It would be great if someone were willing to make a down-to-earth promotional video for the farmers' market. This would allow people to experience the warmth of the people of Fuling, the affordable prices, and bring more income to those who make a living by carrying baskets on their backs.
But when Guan Nan spotted one of the more well-known bloggers holding a portable video camera...
She subconsciously looked down and searched for a mask.
A hand reached out to him, and a black mask lay in his palm. Guan Nan looked up and saw Qi Yang carrying a large bag of things. For some reason, she felt a little disappointed.
With Qi Yang providing cover, she put it on and followed quietly behind him, head down, out of the market without a word.
Qi Yang was an insider. Although he didn't know the whole story, he didn't ask her anything. He calmly told her what vegetables he had bought, and that the vegetables were still very fresh and covered with dew.
"What time does Sister Zhen get off work?" Guan Nan asked as she helped prepare the dishes in the kitchen.
Qi Yang sharpened his knife with a bowl, preparing to kill the chicken: "If Sister Zhen isn't coming back, just bring food down to my dad's house later."
A quiet moment.
In the small kitchen, only the sound of knives scraping against the bottom of bowls remained.
Then, Qi Yang put down the bowl.
He picked up the chicken from the ground, instructed Guan Nan to pour the boiling water into the basin, and with swift movements, slashed the chicken's neck, drawing out a pool of blood.
The chicken was scalded in hot water, and Qiyang plucked its feathers.
"Just the two of us?" Guan Nan's words sounded a bit strange, since they hadn't eaten yet. After all, they rarely ate at the same table together, and the awkwardness only grew as they got older.
"Hmm," Qi Yang said without even looking up, "How do you want it cooked, stir-fried or steamed?"
Guan Nan lowered her head and picked at the vegetables: "Anything is fine."
“Then let’s stir-fry it,” Qi Yang said. “Go downstairs and bring up a bottle of wine. There’s also some cola in the fridge. I’ll make you some cola chicken wings too.”
Seeing that she couldn't refuse, Guan Nan nodded vaguely.
After preparing the ingredients and washing the pot, she felt uncomfortable standing still, so she found something else to do.
He heated the oil in the wok, picked up the spatula, and glanced at her sideways: "Why don't you ask where I've been all this time?"
Guan Nan, who works long hours and goes to get off work every day, hadn't paid any attention to this matter. When he first heard him mention it, she went along with it and said, "Is it about studying? It seems like it's been going on for quite a while."
"I guess so," Qi Yang said, skillfully tossing in ginger and garlic, then adding two spoonfuls of fermented bean paste. "There was a spot in the community for an exchange and learning opportunity, to learn from similar internet-famous cities that have transformed and upgraded into cultural heritage IPs. Someone strongly recommended me, and I couldn't refuse their kind offer."
They said it was hard to refuse such hospitality, but somehow...
Guan Nan could hear the disdain in his words for the other party's low-level tricks, which he felt he could only suffer in silence.
"Really?" After the chicken had been briefly cooked in the pot, Guan Nan, with her keen eye, handed him the bowl and replied in the same tone, "That's fine too."
Upon hearing this, Qi Yang scoffed and said nothing more.
He learned cooking from Uncle Qi, and his cooking style is the standard Fuling style. The narrow kitchen is spicy and pungent, and the range hood is of little use.
Guan Nan would occasionally raise her hand to cover her nose, coughing muffledly from the choking. But Qi Yang remained silent, and she didn't dare suggest going out.
Sitting at the dining table, Guan Nan sat facing him, eating silently, but barely managing to eat a few bites.
Qi Yang glanced across the table, put down his bowl, and got down to business, his tone casual: "What have you thought about what we discussed last time?"
"What did you say?" Guan Nan was a little confused.
Qi Yang then asked, "Have you thought about marriage?"
As soon as the conversation started, Guan Nan's eyelids twitched.
Without waiting for her to answer, Qi Yang sat up even straighter, his eyes fixed on her: "Once May is over, you'll be 25 this year, not young anymore, aren't you going to consider marriage?"
Guan Nan felt like she was sitting on pins and needles: "I—"
“Sister Zhen has been urging me for a long time,” Qi Yang looked at her seriously. “If you don’t have anyone you’re interested in getting married, how about we get together? After all, I believe that if Aunt Ranran were here, she wouldn’t refuse a marriage between relatives.”
"······"
The words she originally wanted to say to him, however, stuck in her throat after she finally managed to say them.
Guan Nan said with difficulty, "Brother Qiyang, I..."
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