Chapter 21 Fountain
◎Has anything happened recently that has touched your heart?◎
Zhao Yan grabbed her hand and led her downstairs.
"Zhao Yan?!" Jiang Siyue was still in shock. She hadn't grasped her shawl and had no idea where it had drifted off to in the half-light. Zhao Yan led her forward, his high heels clacking against the ground, making a clattering sound that gradually matched her heartbeat.
The fountain rose high. Zhao Yan held her hand and followed the last child as they walked through. The mist fell on their bodies one after another, but they didn't feel cold at all.
After running a lap, the two stopped at the end, surrounded by the continuous sound of water and cheerful music. Holding hands tightly, Jiang Siyue gasped for breath and tilted her head to look at Zhao Yan's profile.
The interweaving of mist and neon lights softened the hardness on his face. He opened his lips slightly and said, "It's that simple."
The missing part of her heart seemed to be being filled, an itchy feeling that was a precursor to healing. Jiang Siyue smiled softly, broke free from his hand, and rushed into the splashing water.
Jiang Siyue hadn't felt so happy for a long time. She was in the fountain with a group of children, her smile bright, warm and dazzling.
"Sister, the fountain seems to be turning off soon." The child grabbed her skirt and reminded her. Jiang Siyue nodded and thanked the child softly.
As the music intertwined, the fountains crisscrossed one after another, and Zhao Yan's figure was clear at times and blurred at times.
"As soon as he touched you, he melted away."
With a thought, her feet moved like the wind, and she flew quickly through the water curtains, opened her arms, and threw herself straight into Zhao Yan's arms. Her pink fishtail skirt was like a rose, blooming freely in the night.
The sound of water disappeared, the fountain ended, and was replaced by the teasing voices of children. Jiang Siyue came back to her senses and let go of him with a red face, "Let's go in."
There was something wrong with the atmosphere of the dinner party. Jiang Siyue felt it as soon as she entered the door. Zhang Sheng and others were not there to socialize. Zhao Yan naturally went up the stairs. Jiang Siyue suppressed the doubts in her heart and followed him.
On the stairs, Jiang Siyue lifted her skirt and trotted forward. She approached him and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"
"Well, it's a small matter." Zhao Yan held her hand and lifted one side of her skirt. Jiang Siyue nodded, tidied the hair around her ears, and followed him into a room.
The people in the room automatically formed a circle, each with a different expression. Most of them were looking forward to the show. No one noticed Zhao Yan and Jiang Siyue who came in quietly. Across the crowd, Zhao Yan and Zhang Jiuan in the front row exchanged glances, and then found an empty seat to stand.
Only then did Jiang Siyue realize that the person kneeling in the middle of the crowd was Zhang Cheng, her face covered in tears and her makeup smudged. Zhang Sheng sat in the first seat, looking extremely pale. Next in line sat two middle-aged men she didn't recognize.
"Mr. Zhang, this scandal has come to my Zhou family. If it is not dealt with, how will my Zhou family survive in Qingchuan in the future?" When the strange middle-aged woman spoke, Zhang Sheng's face became even worse.
Zhang Cheng's mother couldn't help but argue, "You can't say that! Cheng Cheng just made a bad choice of friends. But your son Zhou Bai is photographed every day. Has our family said anything?"
"Yes!" Zhou Bai's mother was no pushover either. She sarcastically said, "Your daughter made friends and gave birth to a child whose father is unknown."
The fig leaf between the two parties seemed to be torn apart, and the two of them started arguing with their hands on their hips like shrews scolding on the street.
Jiang Siyue became increasingly alarmed as she listened, gradually piecing everything together in her mind. Simply put, the proposed marriage partners were playing with each other, and Zhang Cheng had gotten away with it, so Zhou Bai came to her house to demand an explanation.
As for the conflicts of interest behind the melodrama... Jiang Siyue chose to simply watch the show.
"Alright!" Zhang Sheng slammed the table, and the scolding stopped immediately. Jiang Siyue was listening intently, and was frightened so much that she couldn't help but tremble. Then she heard Zhao Yan's very light laughter.
Jiang Siyue: “…”
"We're the ones who let it down this time. One-third of the shops in the development zone will go to the Zhou family." Zhang Sheng glanced resentfully at Zhang Cheng lying on the ground, sighed, and said, "As for the marriage proposal, Juyue is not bad. She's a year younger than Chengcheng, and she and Xiaobai are a perfect match. What do you think, Mr. Zhou?"
Zhang Juyue is the youngest daughter of Uncle Zhao Yan. When they were introduced, Jiang Siyue paid special attention to her because of the similar names. She looked at Zhang Juyue through the crowd and found joy in her eyes. She felt that today's "confrontation" was becoming more and more confusing.
There are so many troubles in wealthy families.
After expressing her feelings, Jiang Siyue unconsciously looked at Zhao Yan. He was watching the farce calmly, just like he was in class.
After this happened, the birthday party ended early. The two of them took a car home together. Suddenly, someone called and said that Jiang Siyue's shawl had been found, so Zhao Yan got out of the car to get it.
At the empty banquet hall, Zhao Yan walked straight towards Zhang Jiuan.
"Thank you very much. I was just wondering how to weaken my second uncle's power." Zhang Jiuan handed him the shawl.
Zhao Yan took it but didn't acknowledge his kindness, saying casually, "It's just a suggestion." Zhang Sheng had three sons and one daughter, and the three families were fighting fiercely. Zhao Yan knew it, but he was not interested.
Zhang Jiuan shrugged, and when Zhao Yan turned around, he raised his voice and said, "Zhang Cheng just said a few words, and it's so miserable. You really care about your new wife."
"Isn't this what I should do?" Zhao Yan said to him calmly and turned away.
Zhang Jiuan looked at his back, his smile completely gone, and murmured, "I never thought that one day you would also be associated with the word responsibility."
"You bastard!"
Zhang Jiuan was suddenly bumped into by someone, and he was furious. When he saw it was Zhang Cheng, he cursed without hesitation: "What the hell are you doing!"
"You were the one who told the Zhou family about my miscarriage, right?! I—"
Zhang Jiuan grabbed her hand, his eyes filled with impatience, "Idiot! The order was transferred from a private hospital in Yunjing. How could I have my hands in Yunjing?"
Zhang Cheng's face flashed with confusion and disbelief.
Zhang Jiuan shook off her hand. "Why are you messing with him? Auntie is already semi-retired from Linglong Group. He stays at the university every day teaching. Not only is Linglong not bothered by anyone, but it's also thriving. Do you really think this is God's gift?" Zhang Jiuan looked her up and down, sighed, and said, "Grandpa respects him a little bit, and you're still rushing to cause trouble."
"I..." Zhang Cheng finally got scared, covered her face, and sobbed. Zhang Jiuan didn't bother to look at her and walked away.
Outside the hotel, Zhao Yan opened the car door and was greeted by Jiang Siyue's sleeping face. She leaned back in her chair, her palm-sized face soft and delicate. Her red lipstick had faded, revealing her originally delicate pink lips. Her dark hair cascaded carelessly around her temples.
Zhao Yan's cold eyes softened as he got into the car carefully and signaled the driver to drive.
As the car started moving, Jiang Siyue's head tilted and she fell right into Zhao Yan's arms. She opened her eyes drowsily, sat up straight, and asked, "Did you find it?"
"Yeah. If you're tired, just sleep a little longer."
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Siyue nodded and leaned lightly on his shoulder. After a moment, she found herself becoming more and more energetic, and she no longer forced herself to move away from his shoulder.
"I'm not sleepy anymore." Jiang Siyue explained in a low voice. She stared blankly ahead for a while. She pursed her lips and asked, "You don't seem surprised at all that Zhang Cheng's engagement was broken off."
Zhao Yan didn't intend to tell her about those things, and just found an excuse to cover it up. "She has always been a playful person, so I'm not surprised that something like this happened."
Jiang Siyue hesitated to speak. It wasn't just Zhang Cheng. Normally in Yunjing, his mood swings were minimal, almost unpredictable. "It's as if you can take anything unexpected with equanimity. A boss is a boss. Even if Mount Tai collapses before you, you remain unfazed."
Zhao Yan was at a loss for words at this unique comment of hers. "If that time comes, I might change it a bit."
Jiang Siyue was lost in her own emotions. After thinking for a while, she suddenly moved closer to him, placing one hand on his waist. Zhao Yan was almost trapped in a small space with her. Jiang Siyue's eyes sparkled, and her tender pink lips opened and closed:
"Has anything happened recently that made you emotional? It doesn't have to be a big deal, even running a red light and having your heart racing would count."
Zhao Yan's mind flashed back to the moment she ran towards him by the fountain, and the moment he caught her...
His Adam's apple rolled up and down, and he asked back, "Why are you asking this?"
"I..." The reason was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't say it. On the first night she and Zhao Yan started "living together", she had suggested taking it slow, and she was also pushing it forward with her own actions.
"Hmm?" Zhao Yan tilted his head, waiting for her answer seriously. It was her nature to not lie in front of the teacher. Jiang Siyue admitted her weakness and said indirectly, "I just think your emotions are too obscure, and sometimes it's hard to make an accurate judgment."
Zhao Yan's frown deepened. "You don't have to judge my emotions. Just do whatever you want."
This seemed to have deviated to the Pacific Ocean. "No, that's not what I meant..." The more she talked, the more trouble she would cause. Jiang Siyue took a breath and nodded, "Okay, I understand."
Under the dim light, Zhao Yan looked at her, a faint smile on his face. "Do whatever you want, there are no limits." He moved closer to her and lowered his voice. "Even if you want to do something to me, it's legal and compliant."
"That's not what I meant!" Jiang Siyue said in a panic, and the word "no" in her words was not convincing.
"Yeah." Zhao Yan nodded, suppressing his laughter, "I know."
Jiang Siyue sighed dejectedly. A small voice inside her said, "See, the more I explain, the more confusing it gets." It was undeniable that, despite her frustration, she also felt a tinge of elation.
*
After the holiday, Jiang Siyue started a busy life. She had to attend classes, give Xu Wangxing extra lessons, and write papers every day. When she met Meng Zhuqing, she was shocked.
"My dear sister, you look even more haggard than a working person like me." Meng Zhuqing pulled her to sit down, leaned closer mysteriously, and said, "Did you overindulge in sex?"
Jiang Siyue sneered silently, "Only when you are well fed and warm can you think about things. I go to classes and make extra lessons every day, and I only care about money."
Meng Zhuqing's expression changed. "Zhao Yan doesn't give you money?"
Shaking his head, Zhao Yan gave her a secondary card, which Jiang Siyue had never used.
"Feeling sorry for a man will bring him bad luck for the rest of his life, my dear!" Meng Zhuqing began to persuade him, "You're a fool if you don't spend your money. Besides, you don't plan to divorce, do you? You don't have to pay back the money, and you're not short of money anymore."
Jiang Siyue drank a glass of lemonade and said, "I want you to pay me back only if you don't want a divorce."
Meng Zhuqing stared into her eyes and understood what she meant. Jiang Siyue looked easy to bully and suffered from indignation, but when it came to emotions, she was a stubborn person who insisted on her own opinions and took her dignity very seriously.
This money puts her and Zhao Yan in a superior and inferior position in their relationship, which Jiang Siyue cannot tolerate. Since she has made up her mind to be with Zhao Yan, she must pay back the money.
Meng Zhuqing tilted his head and looked at her for a moment before concluding, "Stubborn."
The author has something to say:
I quite like the scene where Siyue throws herself into Teacher Zhao’s arms. What about you?
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