Scheming
Zhou Jingxing was both furious and overjoyed, his emotions on a rollercoaster ride, and he almost went up to catch them in the act.
no.
If Zhao Xin confronts her now, he might say the girl is just a friend, colleague, or his sister, and that she said purple has a certain charm.
That won't do! We can't let this scumbag get away with it.
Zhou Jingxing and the other man walked past the front desk and emerged from a corner, with the dog following furtively behind. Zhao Xin and the girl seemed to have a good relationship; they chatted and laughed as they walked side by side into a private room.
Zhou Jingxing stood at the corner of the corridor, staring at the door of the private room, wishing he had X-ray vision to see what was happening inside.
The phone rang, and Zhou Jingxing answered it; it was Chen Zhou.
"Jingxing, where are you?"
Zhou Jingxing's mind raced. He said anxiously, "I'm so sorry, Chen Zhou. I wanted to go to the restroom, but I went the wrong way. When I went back to the front desk, I realized my car keys were missing. They probably fell out when I was wandering around. Could you please help me find them?"
"Okay, don't rush, I'm coming over now. Where are you?"
Zhou Jingxing pretended to be directionally challenged and told Shen Zhou the location of Zhao Xin's private room. After hanging up the phone, he quickly walked to the door of Zhao Xin's private room, dropped his car keys and two hundred-yuan bills, and then retreated to the corner of the corridor, pretending to look for his keys.
Two minutes later, Chen Zhou arrived as expected. "Jing Xing, did you find the car keys?"
Zhou Jingxing smiled wryly, "I couldn't find it. The pockets on my pants today are too shallow, making it easy to lose things. I don't know where I lost it."
"Could it be left in the private dining room? Let's go back and look for it."
That won't do!
Zhou Jingxing reacted quickly, shaking his head and saying, "It couldn't be in the private room. I specifically checked when I paid the bill, and the car keys were still in my pocket at that time, so it must have been lost when I took the wrong turn."
"It's okay, don't worry. Let's look around here first, and if we can't find it, we can check the security footage at the front desk."
Zhou Jingxing nodded and headed in the opposite direction from Zhao Xin's private room, while Chen Zhou walked in the direction of Zhao Xin's private room.
While pretending to search anxiously, Zhou Jingxing listened intently to the sounds behind him. Soon, a voice called from Chen Zhou's direction, "Jingxing! Come quick! Is this your car key?"
Zhou Jingxing pretended not to hear, so Chen Zhou raised his voice and called him again, "Jingxing? Zhou Jingxing!"
The lattice door was pushed open, and Zhou Jingxing heard Zhao Xin exclaim in surprise, "Chen Zhou! What are you doing here!"
Zhou Jingxing turned around abruptly. Huh? Something seems off.
That shouldn't be happening!
Why did that scumbag just open the door like that? Shouldn't he be cowering in the private room, trembling with fear, terrified of being caught cheating by Chen Zhou?
According to Zhou Jingxing's plan, Shen Zhou found the car keys and the two bills at the same time. Zhou Jingxing took the car keys and denied that the cash was his. The two of them then went to knock on the door of the private room and asked if the cash was lost by the person in the room.
The door to the private room opened, he was angry and surprised, he questioned and argued, he walked and he chased, and the two parted ways.
This is how the plot should unfold!
Shen Zhou was clearly surprised to see Zhao Xin here. "Zhao Xin? What a coincidence." The door to the private room was wide open, and besides Zhao Xin, there was a man and a woman sitting inside, looking out curiously.
Zhao Xin came out and tried to put his arm around Chen Zhou's shoulder, but Chen Zhou turned to talk to Zhou Jingxing and skillfully avoided him. He said to Zhou Jingxing, who was walking over, "Jingxing, I found a car key. Do you think it's yours?"
Zhao Xin turned around and saw Zhou Jingxing. He smiled at Zhou Jingxing and said, "Jingxing is here too. What a coincidence."
Zhou Jingxing was extremely frustrated by the failure of his plan and didn't want to pay any attention to the scumbag. He took the car keys from Chen Zhou's hand and said, "They're mine. Thank you. You're really amazing; you found the keys as soon as you arrived."
Shen Zhou took the initiative to say to Zhao Xin, "Jing Xing and I will also be having dinner here tonight."
Zhao Xin said with a smile, "My colleagues and I are having dinner here today. Come, let me introduce you—"
Shen Zhou quickly interrupted him, "No need, I won't disturb your gathering." He paused, "Let's talk about it another time. It's getting late, we're about to leave. Goodbye." After saying that, he turned and left without another word.
Zhou Jingxing followed closely behind him. He wondered if he was overthinking it, but Shen Zhou seemed a little off. His reaction, his words, and his actions just now didn't seem like someone who had met a lover. It was as if he and Zhao Xin weren't very familiar with each other.
But Shen Zhou trusted Zhao Xin so much, and he also directly rejected other people's advances. Zhou Jingxing wondered to himself, was this just their style of getting along? He looked up at Shen Zhou in front of him. Good, very calm. Zhou Jingxing frowned. It seemed that this plan had completely failed, and Shen Zhou and Zhao Xin's relationship had not been affected.
Once in the car, Zhou Jingxing stole a glance at Chen Zhou's expression and cautiously asked him, "Zhao Xin is really popular, he has so many friends."
Chen Zhou smiled. "He does have quite a few friends."
Zhou Jingxing boldly began to probe him, "Would you feel insecure dating him? After all, he has many friends and many temptations." Shen Zhou didn't look at him directly, answering quickly and firmly, "Of course not, I trust him. Isn't trust the most important thing between lovers?"
Zhou Jingxing felt as if he had bitten off a bitter gall bladder, his heart aching with bitterness and sorrow. He forced a smile, "Ah, yes, you're right."
Chen Zhou didn't let him off the hook, catching up and adding insult to injury, "Zhao Xin is a good person. Doubting him is not only hurting him, but also hurting myself. I thought it through carefully when I decided to start this relationship. Doubting your lover is a betrayal of yourself."
But he really did cheat on me! Zhou Jingxing was speechless, unable to offer any advice. Looking at Shen Zhou, who insisted on believing in the scumbag, he couldn't even bring himself to call him a "love-struck fool," and could only apologize with a pale face: "I'm sorry, I said too much just now."
By the end of the night, Zhou Jingxing was completely heartbroken, devastated, and utterly hopeless. Back home, it took him a long time to calm down before he opened the group chat to review the game with his strategist.
Zhou Jingxing: I think I messed up again.
Sun Qian: ? ? ?
Zhang Jin: If it's not your wife, why aren't you asleep yet?
Zhou Jingxing told them everything that had happened that night.
Sun Qian: ...
Sun Qian: Two of you are hopelessly in love, do you have any clue what to do? [smile]
Zhang Jin: "You don't understand, he's really a good person." His rhetoric sounds so familiar.
Zhang Jin: Didn't your best friend, who's so desperate for that scumbag, say something to @SunQian?
Zhou Jingxing: ...
Sun Qian: [covers face] Do I really have to like him? I want to know what else you fell for at first sight besides his looks.
Zhou Jingxing fell into deep thought as he looked at the sentence.
Undeniably, Zhou Jingxing was initially attracted to Shen Zhou because of his good looks; there's no denying that he's a seasoned "face-value enthusiast."
As Zhou Jingxing's relationship with Shen Zhou grew closer with each encounter, he became increasingly attracted to him. It's no exaggeration to say that Shen Zhou's good looks were his least noteworthy quality.
If you were to ask what exactly is so good about Shen Zhou, Zhou Jingxing could easily rattle off a whole bunch of four-character idioms praising him: erudite, intelligent, capable, upright, gentle, and approachable. But what attracted Zhou Jingxing most was the enthusiasm and vitality that emanated from Shen Zhou.
Although Zhou Jingxing was a fairly good worker, he merely followed universal rules. In reality, he lacked interest in many things and spent his days in a daze. He described himself as having an uncertain mental state but still being able to breathe.
Shen Zhou is different. Whenever you see him, he is full of energy, not the kind of mindless, slogan-like energy like "Go, Lu Xiao Kui." Zhou Jingxing felt that Shen Zhou truly loves his work and his life.
Shen Zhou carefully arranging the exhibition boards in the exhibition hall, Shen Zhou leaving express delivery boxes for the cleaning lady, Shen Zhou teasing stray cats after lunch... Shen Zhou smiling at Zhou Jingxing, together they form the image that Zhou Jingxing likes the most.
Sun Qian: Sigh, it's such a pity that such a good person was deceived by a scumbag.
Zhang Jin: It's still because he's good-looking. I can do all the things you're talking about. We've known each other for so many years, why don't you like me?
Sun Qian: ...
Sun Qian: What, are you disappointed? [Smiling]
Zhou Jingxing: You're a good person, but I already have someone I like. @Zhang Jin
Zhang Jin: Zhou Jingxing, are you crazy?!
Zhang Jin: Let me explain, honey!
Zhou Jingxing closed his phone and laughed, feeling much of the unease in his heart dissipate. Revisiting his journey of falling for Chen Zhou once more strengthened his resolve.
Ultimately, the most meaningful part of a relationship is that yearning for a better version of yourself.
While Zhou Jingxing regained his original aspirations and returned to tranquility, Chen Zhou's inner world was far from as calm as it appeared. He didn't know if Zhou Jingxing's losing and searching for his keys today was truly a coincidence, but if it was intentional, what was Zhou Jingxing's purpose?
Had he also heard those rumors about Zhao Xin, and therefore misunderstood him? The atmosphere tonight is too strange. If there's only Zhao Xin and a girl in the private room, then my behavior looks exactly like catching someone cheating!
No, no, no. Since he has already broken up with Zhao Xin, there is no need for him to catch her cheating, regardless of whether she agrees or not.
Chen Zhou suddenly remembered something.
Zhou Jingxing had no idea that he had already broken up with Zhao Xin!
So, did he deliberately lead Zhao Xin to dinner with other girls tonight?
Should I tell him that I've already broken up with Zhao Xin?
Shen Zhou hesitated for once, something he had never struggled with before, whether it was when he decided to be with Zhao Xin or when he broke up with him.
Shen Zhou didn't mind Zhou Jingxing's affection for him, but having just ended a relationship that could be described as a failure, he didn't want to rush into a new one anytime soon.
Shen Zhou ultimately decided not to tell Zhou Jingxing for the time being; the breakup was a private matter and there was no need to announce it to the world. Besides, given Zhou Jingxing's personality, who knows how he would react if he found out she was single.
Chenzhou didn't want to watch that stupid little dog play tricks anymore.
As agreed, Zhou Jingxing took a whole week off the following week and went to the studio that Shen Zhou had arranged to focus on restoring the 12 Ding kiln porcelain fragments that were to be used for the restoration of the cultural relics exhibition.
With time running out and the task heavy, Zhou Jingxing had no time for romantic moments with Shen Zhou and immediately threw himself into his work. Shen Zhou brought all the company's staff to assist Zhou Jingxing, who only needed to handle the most crucial and meticulous parts. This meant his pressure was even greater, but fortunately, Zhou Jingxing was experienced, and these Ding kiln porcelain fragments were no challenge for him at all.
The challenge lies in performing the repairs right under Li Weilin's nose.
Li Weilin was the art consultant specially invited by Shen Zhou for this exhibition. Originally, it was thought that he was just a figurehead who would occasionally show up. Unexpectedly, when he heard that Zhou Jingxing was in charge of the restoration work of the porcelain, he actually stayed in the preparation studio all the time!
Li Weilin was Zhou Jingxing's mentor. In his junior year, Li recognized Zhou's talent and selected him from among many students, pressuring him to pursue his graduate studies. After three years of this ordeal, Zhou Jingxing stubbornly refused to continue his studies under Li's tutelage. Upon graduating with his master's degree, he enrolled in the provincial doctoral program on the advice of his classmates and teachers, finally escaping his "torture." Little did he know that he would one day find himself back in this "torture" after graduation.
"It's too thin! What did you grind for this heart-shaped cup? Even a monkey from the zoo would be more evenly ground than this!"
Zhou Jingxing touched the plaster mold on the side of the chicken heart cup he had just polished and retorted in a low voice, "It's quite even, teacher. Are your hands too calloused and you touched the wrong one?"
Li Weilin glared at him. "I told you to study with me for a few more years, but you wouldn't listen! Even after going to the provincial museum, you didn't practice your basic skills properly. Don't tell anyone outside that you're my student!"
Hearing those familiar words made Zhou Jingxing's forehead twitch. Fortunately, his phone rang at that moment, and Zhou Jingxing hurriedly slipped out to answer the call.
However, Zhou Jingxing regretted it immediately after answering the phone; he would have preferred to stay in the room and be scolded by the teacher!
The caller was Zhao Xin. He said to Zhou Jingxing, "Jingxing, I know all the good things you've done. How about we meet up tonight?"
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