Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Don't let me catch you
Chapter 14
Ruan Yan politely responded, "Hello, Manager Zhuo."
"Going home?"
"Um."
Zhuo Zhongsen leaned on the edge of the car window with one hand: "Come on up, I'll take you home on the way."
Ruan Yan decisively refused: "No, I can take the subway for a few stops, it's very convenient."
Zhuo Zhongsen asked again: "Didn't your boyfriend come to pick you up after get off work?"
Ruan Yan knew what he meant by the question and smiled: "My boyfriend gets off work later than me."
Zhuo Zhongsen said "oh" and smiled: "Okay, then I'll go first, you go slowly."
"Okay, goodbye, Manager Zhuo."
Ruan Yan breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the white Volvo merge into the traffic ahead.
*
"What did you say? Ruan Yan went to Zhuo Lu Construction?" After hearing Jia Yanyuan's words, Qiao Qianqian on the opposite side was stunned for a moment. The red wine glass she was holding tilted, and the liquid spilled onto the white tablecloth, forming a circle of eye-catching wine stains.
There were several exquisite dishes on the table, all cooked by Qiao Qianqian herself.
Today she called Jia Yanyuan and asked him to come to her house for dinner in the evening.
She specially changed into her newly bought skirt, took a light bath in advance, and lit the scented candles that Jia Yanyuan liked by the table.
When Jia Yanyuan arrived and saw her charming and sexy appearance, his eyes instantly became fixed on her.
"I've been waiting for you for a long time, come in." Qiao Qianqian smiled tenderly.
The light in the living room was soft, and Jia Yanyuan smelled a rich and sweet rose scent, which was his favorite smell.
"You're so thoughtful," he put his arm around Qiao Qianqian's shoulders. "I've been busy at the company lately, so I've been a little bit neglecting you."
Qiao Qianqian shook her head and said caringly, "How could that be? The busier you are, the more your career is prospering. I'm happy for you."
Jia Yanyuan smiled brightly after hearing these words: "You are still so sensible."
"Okay, let's eat first," Qiao Qianqian hooked his arm and pulled him to the dining table, "These are all your favorite dishes."
Jia Yanyuan took off his coat and loosened his tie: "I haven't tasted your cooking for a long time. I miss it."
The two of them ate and talked, with red wine and delicious food, and gradually became tipsy, and the topic was gradually and intentionally led in one direction.
"My dad told me to train at Junfa Technology for two more years and then transfer me to Hongsheng when the time is right. Haha, he said it was training, but in fact, he didn't trust my ability."
Jia Yanyuan's eyes flashed with resentment: "Just wait, I will let them see that my work ability is no worse than Yan Hong's."
The Jia Yanhong he was talking about was his elder brother, the eldest son who the Jia family had high hopes for. He had grown up with a sense of inferiority under the dazzling brilliance of Jia Yanhong.
It's like this when you're a kid, and it's the same when you grow up.
Seeing that the atmosphere was almost set, Qiao Qianqian put down her chopsticks.
"Ayan, you are certainly no worse than Brother Yanhong. You just missed a few important opportunities."
Qiao Qianqian's gentle comfort calmed Jia Yanyuan down a little.
She continued, "Isn't the opportunity right here?"
Jia Yanyuan looked puzzled.
"Ruan Yan, isn't she close to Lu Peishi now?" Qiao Qianqian suggested. "Let her act as a matchmaker and get Lu Peishi to have dinner with us so we can get to know each other. If you can establish such a connection, even Uncle Jia will definitely look up to you in the future. By then, will you still be afraid of not being able to compare to Brother Yanhong?"
Jia Yanyuan frowned. He had naturally thought of the same idea as Qiao Qianqian, and he had even mentioned it to Ruan Yan some time ago.
Ruan Yan's reaction was very positive, and she agreed immediately: "Okay, okay, I'll tell Brother Pei Shi as soon as I get a chance. Don't worry, I'll take care of it!"
Jia Yanyuan waited happily for a few days, but what he got was Ruan Yan's discouraging news.
"I'm sorry, Brother Ayan, I couldn't help you," Ruan Yan lowered her head. "Brother Pei Shi said he didn't want to have dinner with people he didn't know well. I begged him a few more times, but he seemed angry and now he doesn't even answer my calls."
"This..." Jia Yanyuan felt very disappointed, but seeing Ruan Yan's self-blaming expression, he still felt a little soft-hearted. "It's okay, take your time. Don't feel guilty. There's still a long way to go."
The Ruan family and Lu Peishi have a very good relationship, so his fiancée will naturally do everything she can to pave the way for him. He will have plenty of opportunities to get close to Lu Peishi in the future, so there is no need to rush.
"Brother Ayan, you are not angry with me, right?" Ruan Yan looked at him nervously.
Her obedience greatly inflated his self-esteem. After they got married, it would be easy for him to control her, and it might even be a matter of time before he could control Ruan.
He looked forward to the future with a sense of elation in his heart.
…
On the other side, after listening to Qiao Qianqian's story, Jia Yanyuan spoke out his thoughts: "Xiaoyan has long been trying to find a way to help me mediate, but Lu Peishi is a bit difficult to deal with... Xiaoyan just recently joined Zhuo Lu, and she's quite busy, so I won't..."
"What? Ruan Yan joined Zhuolu Construction?" Qiao Qianqian's hand trembled as she held the wine glass. Disbelief filled her face. "How did she get in?"
How could she get in?
Jia Yanyuan replied nonchalantly, "From what she said, she probably isn't a designer. I think she's working as a secretary or an administrator."
So what, is there any difference?
Qiao Qianqian couldn't help but frown. "It's obvious she got in through connections. She's just lucky. She doesn't have to pay anything. She only needs to casually say something, and someone will pave the way for her."
Thinking of her previous elimination by Zhuo Lu, Jia Yanyuan knew that she was feeling unbalanced, so he comforted her: "You are not bad either. You can join a big company like Wanlai. I don't know how many people envy you. No matter how great Zhuo Lu is, he is still far behind Wanlai."
Qiao Qianqian snorted and said nothing.
Jia Yanyuan added, "Now that Xiaoyan's work is settled, it's our turn next. Make good use of her relationship with Lu Peishi. It will be helpful not only to me but also to you in Wanlai."
Qiao Qianqian sneered, "Really? She has the energy to build connections to get into Zhuo Lu, but she doesn't have the time to arrange a meal for you and Lu Peishi. Is it because she really can't do it, or is she simply unwilling to do it?"
Jia Yanyuan didn't understand what she was saying: "Why would Xiaoyan not want to do this? I'm her boyfriend. Of course she'll do her best to help my career."
Qiao Qianqian reminded coldly, "Don't forget, before she lost her memory, you had a huge fight, basically falling out."
"But she doesn't remember it now..." Jia Yanyuan was surprised. "You mean, she might have recovered her memory?"
Then he denied it, "No, if Xiaoyan really remembered something, why would she have been pretending until now? She always shows her emotions and has never been a scheming person. Otherwise, we wouldn't have..."
"What do you mean? Do you think I'm that scheming?" Qiao Qianqian couldn't contain her anger. "If you think she's so good, then why did you come to me?"
Jia Yanyuan also frowned. "Qianqian, you're going too far! I didn't say anything because of your mood. You've been showing obvious hostility towards Xiaoyan lately, and yet you've been praising me in front of me! Why are you so full of complaints now? Where's the gentle and kind Qianqian gone?"
Qiao Qianqian was stunned and realized that she had lost her composure.
She was definitely not like this before. She should be able to plan and strategize, remain calm in the face of adversity, and always be the one who can achieve great results with little effort.
She hated the feeling that everything was out of her control.
"Ayan, you misunderstood me. I was just worried about you and worried you might misinterpret my intentions, so... I spoke without thinking." Qiao Qianqian showed her usual delicate expression and said weakly, "Please don't be angry, okay?"
"I'm not angry, I just... forget it."
Jia Yanyuan drank the wine in the glass in one gulp and instantly lost all interest.
"I still have some work to do, so I'll go back first."
With a "bang", the door was closed neither lightly nor heavily.
Qiao Qianqian sat on the sofa in the living room with her eyes drooping and her mouth pouting.
Men are indeed the most ruthless species.
He said she had changed, but wasn't he still the same?
She took out a pack of cigarettes from under the coffee table, pulled out one, lit it, and took a deep puff.
Ruan Yan...
Don't let me catch you.
*
"Sister Xiaoyan--" Xiao Wen came down from the study on the second floor, followed by Lu Yanli.
Ruan Yan, who was sitting in the living room, was bored and scrolling through her phone. When she saw them, she smiled and said, "Have you finished your homework?"
"Yes." Xiao Wen walked to her side.
"Sister Xiaoyan, dinner is about to start. You two should stay and eat with us." Lu Yanli glanced at Xiao Wen. "The aunt at home is a great cook, really."
Ruan Yan had been smelling a faint aroma from time to time, something like Kung Pao Chicken and Salt and Pepper Prawns. She swallowed silently, "Is this... convenient?"
Lu Yanli quickly said, "Of course it's convenient! Xiao Wen, how about it?"
Xiao Wen hesitated: "But I don't know if my mother has cooked the meal..."
Ruan Yan seemed to have heard the Kung Pao Chicken and Mantis Shrimp calling her, and immediately said, "It's okay, it's still early. I'll call Aunt Wang and tell her."
While waiting for dinner to be served, they sat on the sofa and chatted.
Lu Yanli is warm, polite and considerate to others, just like a little gentleman.
Ruan Yan wondered, is this really Lu Peishi's biological brother? The contrast was too great.
"You and your brother are really different."
Lu Yanli nodded: "Yes, compared to my brother, I am still far behind."
Ruan Yan pondered the meaning of his words and felt something was wrong: "Not even close?"
"Yeah, my brother is so outstanding. I can't compare to him at all," Lu Yanli said seriously. "Ever since I was a kid, I've hoped to be like him when I grow up."
Ruan Yan laughed dryly: "You really admire your brother."
Lu Yanli said proudly: "Yeah! My brother is really awesome, very handsome, and very smart. A lot of people like him..."
Ruan Yan's gossipy heart couldn't help but surge: "He is so handsome, does he have many girlfriends?"
"Well, it seems not. I have never seen him have a girlfriend." Lu Yanli said.
Ruan Yan deliberately raised her eyebrows: "Could it be that you just don't know?"
"If he had, he would have brought it home a long time ago, but his family has always been worried about his personal problems."
Children are children after all, they just say whatever they want.
"Is that so... maybe it's because his temper is too weird," Ruan Yan analyzed in a serious manner, "all the girls who like him are scared away."
"That's not the case. My brother is just... just..." Lu Yanli thought for a long time and scratched his ears, "He's just too cool."
Perhaps it was because she was facing an innocent child that Ruan Yan couldn't help but speak out her true feelings.
"Really? Why do I feel like he's overly narcissistic? You know what Narcissus syndrome is? It's that narcissistic guy in ancient Greek mythology who looked down on everyone and didn't care about anyone, and in the end he fell in love with his own shadow. Your brother feels a bit like that."
Ruan Yan grabbed the juice on the table and took a sip. "But then again, your brother is so handsome, he does have the capital to be narcissistic and aloof. After all, handsome men are a scarce resource. Moreover, your brother is successful in his career and keeps himself clean. What woman wouldn't be crazy about him at first sight?"
When he heard her praising Lu Pei, Lu Yanli smiled: "Yes, yes, my brother is so outstanding, he must find a girlfriend who matches him in every aspect."
As he was speaking, he caught a glimpse of a figure slowly walking in from the door, and suddenly jumped up from the sofa happily: "Brother, you're back!"
Ruan Yan still maintained her flawless smile, turned her head very naturally, and said with just the right tone: "Ah, Brother Pei Shi, when did you come back? I didn't even notice."
It was a close call. Fortunately, I discovered it in advance and finally managed to make a big turn and get back on track.
Little Lu Yanli, why didn't you tell me that your brother would be back for dinner...
At this time, the aunt came out and shouted that it was time to eat.
Lu Yanli and Xiao Wen went to wash their hands first.
Lu Peishi threw his coat on the sofa and said as he passed by Ruan Yan, "Are you so interested in my private life?"
"No, I..." Ruan Yan wanted to quibble, but he didn't give her a chance and went straight towards the restaurant.
Handsome guy... I was crazy at first sight...
Thinking back to what Ruan Yan had just said, Lu Peishi couldn't help but frown.
She already has a boyfriend, but she still says such ambiguous words. What does she want to do?
In the past, there was only the slight sound of bowls and plates clinking on the dining table, and the meal was very quiet. But today, it was really hard for Lu Peishi to ignore the person next to him who was eating with relish.
Although she was immersed in eating, she didn't say much.
Halfway through the meal, Ruan Yan's cell phone rang.
It’s Jia Yanyuan.
Ruan Yan got up and went outside to the living room to answer the phone.
"Brother Ayan, what's wrong?"
Jia Yanyuan first asked a few questions about Lu Peishi's well-being, and then asked him in a roundabout way about asking him out for dinner.
Ruan Yan continued to evade the question calmly, and finally said comfortingly: "Don't worry, I will mention it to him as soon as I get a chance."
After finally hanging up the phone, she felt strange.
Hadn't I already appeased him before? Why did you suddenly call and urge him...
When they returned to the restaurant, Lu Yanli and Xiao Wen had already finished their meal and went to the side room to play games. Lu Peishi was the only one left at the table.
Ruan Yan said sorry.
"It's my boyfriend," she said to Lu Peishi, "He knew I was having dinner here, and he wanted to thank Brother Peishi for taking care of me. By the way, he also wanted to apologize to you."
"Why is he apologizing to me?" Lu Peishi didn't even raise his eyes.
Ruan Yan reminded: "It's... it's the last opening reception..."
"Oh, is that the boyfriend who left you alone at the last opening party?" Lu Peishi said lightly.
"Yeah," Ruan Yan ignored the sarcasm in his tone, "He didn't mean it. I hope you don't get mad at him."
Lu Peishi didn't respond to her.
She continued, "Because our good friend suddenly felt unwell, he was very worried at the time, so he did this regardless of the occasion. He didn't expect that he would accidentally steal the show, not only distracting the attention of the media present, but also triggering subsequent rumors about you and me, blurring the theme of the cocktail party... But he really didn't mean it!"
Lu Peishi: “…”
Is she apologizing on someone else's behalf, or adding fuel to the fire?
Ruan Yan pursed her lips and said, "He feels very guilty about this matter, so he wants to invite you to dinner through me and apologize in person."
Lu Peishi glanced at her and asked slowly, "Do you think I have the time?"
"I know you're very busy," Ruan Yan lowered her eyes, "but he knows I've joined Zhuo Lu and thinks you and I are close. If I can't invite you out, he'll be angry with me..."
She looked up and found Lu Peishi staring at her. The man's eyebrows and eyes looked particularly cold and handsome under the light, and his expression was a little scrutinizing.
"What's wrong, Brother Pei Shi?" she asked.
After a while, he just replied nonchalantly: "That's a matter between you two."
"Okay... I'll explain it to him again." She said in a frustrated and helpless tone.
Lu Peishi sneered and curled the corners of his mouth.
She just came back from the phone, and the first thing she opened her mouth was to comfort her boyfriend. She seemed to be pleading for him, but every word she said hit her own sore spot.
The pitiful expression and tone at the end successfully deepened her bad impression of her boyfriend.
Is she really that stupid, or is she doing it on purpose?
Lu Peishi glanced at her innocent and simple expression. If she did it on purpose, why?
The author has something to say:
----------------------
Lu Peishi: Are you really stupid or just pretending to be stupid?
Ruan Yan: What do you guess?
I had a migraine yesterday and it was so painful that I rolled over. Can you please get out of China if you have migraine? 555555555
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
