Chapter 38 Happy New Year.
What was supposed to be a memorable night was ruined by the fear that welled up inside her.
Zhu Xu tossed and turned in bed, and eventually, his anxiety reached its limit, and he became fearless.
We live in a society governed by the rule of law. I don't believe he would dare to challenge the law. Besides, she is no longer alone and should have more confidence to face any problems.
The next day, she got up with dark circles under her eyes, got ready, went out, inspected a few sites, lingered at the flower shop for a while, and returned to the company at noon.
Zhao Siqiao wasn't there, so he called to invite her to dinner that evening.
There was quite a bit of work accumulated over the past three days. After finishing it, Zhu Xu checked the time and it was already past 3 p.m.
They found a Sichuan restaurant nearby and waited for a while before Zhao Siqiao finally arrived. She wore a taro-colored oversized coat and white trousers, her curly hair cascading over her shoulders, and her makeup was fresh and radiant. She walked in with a serene smile, her whole being seeming to radiate an early spring glow, making her a striking sight.
She went over and gave Zhu Xu a big hug. Because of his sitting posture, Zhu Xu raised his neck high and almost choked on it.
"Have you ordered yet?" Zhao Siqiao returned to her seat.
Zhu Xu handed her the menu: "Two dishes and a soup, see if there's anything else you'd like to eat."
"That's enough." She took it and placed it aside without opening it.
It wasn't dinner time yet, and there were only two or three tables of diners in the restaurant. It was very quiet, and you could clearly hear a classic old song playing in the background.
Let's talk about work first. Zhao Siqiao asked, "Good news or bad news, which do you want to hear first?"
"Good news."
"We received several feedback forms. Some were from people who were satisfied with the landscaping results and ordered a second one. Others were from people who felt the service was excellent in all aspects and referred new clients." Zhao Siqiao couldn't help but praise, "Zhu Xu, you're amazing!"
Zhu Xu was also very happy and said to her, "Although it sounds like we're just flattering each other, I still want to say that your contributions far exceed mine. And I'm very fortunate to have met you and to be able to get along with you so well."
"Is this considered a confession?" Zhao Siqiao covered her mouth with both hands, her tone exaggerated: "What should I do? I'm going to cry."
"Your acting is terrible." Zhu Xu laughed. "And the bad news?"
"It's not exactly bad news," she said. "The new batch of soil is of average quality, with low organic matter content and a tendency to compact easily."
"Actually, it can be used. Just add some perlite later to improve the air permeability," Zhu Xu said. "I'll contact other suppliers to see what their soil quality is like."
Zhao Siqiao nodded. "Then what about the Henghuan Building case? All of the dozen or so maple trees have black edges, as if they've been burned."
"I went to check this morning. Actually, pruning the leaves with black spots and spraying some fungicide and root-nourishing fertilizer can save the situation." But Zhu Xu suggested, "Replace them all. There are too many black spots, and even if you prune them, they won't look very nice in the short term."
"We have suffered some losses."
"Well, there's no other way. Honesty is the foundation. In the rental industry, besides creativity, after-sales maintenance is also very important. If there are problems with the product and it's not updated, it will probably hurt your reputation."
Zhao Siqiao had no objections and listened to her completely.
The waiter came to serve the dishes: one was braised mandarin fish, which Zhu Xu liked; another was spicy chicken, which Zhao Siqiao loved; and there was also a pig's trotter soup.
Zhu Xu hadn't eaten lunch and was starving, so he ate heartily. Only after he was half full did he have time to examine the woman across from him, whose face was as beautiful as a peach blossom.
She ladled out a bowl of soup and handed it to him, then suddenly asked, "Are you in a relationship?"
Zhao Siqiao almost bit her tongue: "No." But an uncontrollable smile appeared on her lips.
Zhu Xu became even more certain that this person was involved. Zhao Siqiao was easygoing and very straightforward, unable to hide her emotions at all. Before he could ask anything more, she confessed herself: "I know someone, but we're not dating yet, we're more in the getting to know each other. Our relationship is quite complicated, it can't be explained in a few words."
For some reason, Zhu Xu suddenly thought of the bodyguard. "Do you like him?"
She mumbled, "It's alright."
Zhu Xu didn't ask any more questions. He had always felt that the two of them had experienced similar ups and downs in their relationships, so he relayed Jiang Rao's words to Zhao Siqiao: "Then get to know each other better. In the future, let things take their course and don't make things too difficult for yourself. Be truly clear-headed, pretend to be confused, keep some things to yourself, and be good to yourself."
It's easy to say this to others, and Zhu Xu is also working hard to learn, but it would be difficult for him to do so if he met someone like He Yanzhou.
I was afraid of giving it my all and losing all my cards, but I also worried that holding back would be unfair to him.
It was a huge gamble, she knew that from the night she mustered the courage to hold his hand.
Zhao Siqiao was silent for a while, then reacted similarly to her, nodding seriously with her lips pursed.
The two smiled at each other, finished their meal, and returned to the company together to complete the remaining work.
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed. He Yanzhou returned as promised, but it seemed that he only wanted to see her once. After staying for two days, he rushed to Lincheng again.
He has a lot to do at the end of the year, and these two short days are probably pieced together from many fragmented moments.
Although we are in different places, I still feel that we are in a very comfortable relationship.
We are not each other's everything; we each have our own work to do. Only the brief intimacy before sleep can bring the whole day to a perfect end.
Sometimes they video chat, sometimes they talk on the phone, sharing work and trivial things in their lives, or expressing their longing and desire directly. He Yanzhou was absolutely right; Zhu Xu was only honest on the surface. In private, she had quite a few little schemes. Every time he was teased by her, his heart would flutter. He had said some harsh words, but when he looked at the woman with a mischievous smile on her lips on the screen, he was helpless.
At the end of the year, He Yanzhou gave Zhu Xu a car.
He considered it repeatedly for a long time, and finally kept the total price around 200,000 yuan. The car, in terms of both appearance and performance, is quite friendly to women and is sufficient for daily commuting.
Zheng Zhi didn't quite understand: "You have several cars in your underground garage that you've never driven. Wouldn't it be more respectable to send them over there?"
"She'll feel uneasy if it's too expensive."
Zheng Zhi, a bit dim-witted, laughed: "How could that be? Isn't it only by giving the other person the best that you can show how much you value them?"
He Yanzhou glanced at him and said, "This one is fine. Go and order it."
"Okay." Zheng Zhi picked up his tablet and prepared to leave, but paused at the door and suggested, "How about we have some kind of ceremony? I saw it online, you can use a trailer to bring it over, put some roses and balloons inside, and add a couple of lines of blessings..."
“Fine.” He Yanzhou interrupted him: “While you’re at it, dig a crack in the ground.”
"What are you doing?"
"So she doesn't have to dig it herself."
Zheng Zhi scratched his head.
He Yanzhou frowned and waved his hand to shoo him away: "If I tell you to deliver it, then just deliver it quietly. Stop talking nonsense and don't try anything funny."
Zheng Zhi felt that his boss was not romantic enough and did not like to listen to advice. He thought to himself, "Fine, it doesn't concern me much after all." So he respectfully said, "I'll go right away."
Two weeks later, Zhu Xu received the large gift: a black Hongqi H5. Her first reaction was surprise, wondering if He Yanzhou possessed some kind of mind-reading ability, knowing that she had recently been looking at cars.
Her company and residence are located diagonally opposite each other. Although her daily routine is simple, it still takes a lot of time and energy. So she plans to take 100,000 yuan from the proceeds of selling the house to buy a car.
Zheng Zhi hadn't left yet; he was explaining the car's performance and the purpose of all the buttons to her in detail. As a specialist, he handled the car like a big toy.
Zhu Xu listened attentively at first, but became somewhat distracted later on. After everyone left, she immediately checked the official website and found that the price of the gift was within her acceptable range.
After all, given their relationship and his wealth, the fact that he didn't give her an expensive luxury car already eased her worries and burdens considerably.
Once you realize this, you'll find the car in front of you more and more pleasing to the eye.
That evening, He Yanzhou sent a video: "Did you test drive it? How did it feel?"
“It’s naturally very comfortable.” She had been lying on the bed, but suddenly threw off the covers and knelt up, holding her phone up to the side and making a big heart shape with her hands: “Thank you, Mr. He.”
Her voice was soft and alluring. She must have just taken a shower; her wet hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders, and her cheeks were clear and fair as she smiled quietly at the camera.
He Yanzhou could almost smell the scent of her usual shower gel. He smiled helplessly, looked at the screen, and after a while said, "Of course."
Zhu Xu lay back down, tossed and turned on the bed a few times before finding a more comfortable position: "I was looking at cars recently, with a budget of 100,000 yuan." She said, "Now that money is useless."
"Keep it in your hands. Money gives you confidence, no matter what."
Zhu Xu's heart stirred; this was the most practical and genuinely considerate suggestion she had ever heard.
She blinked twice: "Your silence is what gives me confidence?"
"So you have double."
Zhu Xu was laughing hysterically under the covers when she glanced at the camera and saw the person opposite her with a slight smile, watching her antics with quiet and tolerant eyes. She fell silent for a moment, realizing for the first time that even without doing anything, a person's eyes could convey tenderness.
Zhu Xu unconsciously burrowed deeper into the blankets, leaving only his eyes visible, silently meeting his gaze. He seemed to have just returned from outside, still wearing his suit, and was leaning casually against the sofa, his hand supporting his forehead.
"Just got back?" Her voice softened.
"Um."
She urged, "Go take a shower, it's getting late."
"Go blow-dry your hair."
Zhu Xu reacted a little slowly, letting out an "oh." She noticed the barely concealed fatigue in his eyes, but before hanging up, she couldn't resist teasing him: "I changed my shampoo today. It smells similar to the one you have at home, but it seems a bit sweeter." She sat up, tilted her head, fiddled with her wet hair a few times, and looked at the camera: "Want to smell it when you get back?"
He Yanzhou pursed his lips and gave him a warning look.
Zhu Xu smiled silently, "Just kidding, bye-bye." Before he could say anything, she decisively ended the call. Her longing hadn't been relieved, and she collapsed onto the bed, rolling around a couple of times.
On the other end, He Yanzhou stared at the suddenly disappeared video screen, feeling uneasy. After a long while, he raised his hand and patted his chest. See? One little show after another.
"I might as well kill her," He Yanzhou thought.
In the days that followed, the two continued to live apart.
With less than a week until the New Year, He Yanzhou was busy preparing for the local television station's fireworks show. Zhu Xu had some free time in the days leading up to the New Year, and didn't have many worries about Lincheng. One day, while shopping with Zhao Siqiao, he saw some clothes in a men's clothing store that suited Zhu Luan, so he picked out a few pieces and sent them back to Lincheng when he had time.
Zhao Siqiao didn't have any relatives in Beidao, so the two of them happened to be together on the Spring Festival, which was a way of keeping each other company.
Early in the morning, Zhu Xu hung a "Ten Thousand Blessings" lantern on the balcony. He remembered that when he was a child, his mother would prepare the lanterns in advance for every Spring Festival. After she passed away, Zhu Xu bought and hung the lanterns himself. Over the years, this had become a habit, like a ritual to commemorate his mother.
She stepped off the chair, looked up, and saw a festive red patch of light reflected on the wall under the sunlight.
Zhao Siqiao leaned against the wall while brushing her teeth, and watched for a while, then shook her head in disgust: "So tacky."
Zhu Xu ignored her.
She went back to the bathroom to rinse her mouth. Zhu Xu closed her open suitcase and pushed it into the bedroom. With her there today, she wasn't alone on this special day.
After breakfast, the two went to the supermarket to shop.
Zhao Siqiao, carrying a bunch of snacks and fruits, watched Zhu Xu put minced meat into the shopping cart and asked, "What are you buying this for?"
"Make dumplings."
She declared beforehand, "Don't make me do these things, I can't do anything."
Zhu Xu was in a great mood today and was very lenient with her: "I'll wrap them, you just wait to eat."
Zhao Siqiao put his arm around her shoulder with satisfaction and went to pay the bill. She was a rather oblivious person, having grown up in an ordinary family and later living abroad for her studies and marriage, so she was no longer so sensitive to this kind of Chinese festival that symbolized family reunion.
As Zhao Siqiao walked out of the supermarket, she remembered, "Isn't the girl from your flower shop coming over too?"
"You mean Xiao Zhou?" Zhu Xu put the things in the trunk. "I'll call and ask, and pick her up while I'm at it." The girl's home is in the south. She had bought her train ticket in advance, but she vaguely remembered the wrong time, and her phone happened to get wet and was taken for repair, so she didn't even receive a reminder text message. When she realized it, two days had passed, and she felt like the sky had fallen, and she burst into tears.
Zhu Xu was both amused and exasperated. He had wanted to buy her a plane ticket, but she refused, saying that she wanted to punish herself for being careless and decided to stay for the Spring Festival.
After arriving home, Zhu Xu and Xiao Zhou went to the kitchen to prepare ingredients for the New Year's Eve dinner. Zhao Siqiao lay on the sofa, eating snacks and replying to other people's messages. Sometimes she would smile foolishly, and sometimes she would get so angry that she would throw her phone. Her mental state seemed a bit abnormal.
As evening approached, someone called Zhu Xu, saying it was a delivery.
She tried hard to remember, but couldn't recall what she had bought. Opening the door, the delivery person held a cream-colored square box with a silver logo in the center. Zhu Xu recognized it instantly—it was from the dessert shop in Lincheng that she frequented.
Zhu Xu thanked him, "Isn't it New Year's Eve today? Aren't you going to rest?"
The deliveryman was from the merchant's own company: "This year, in Lian City, the delivery was supposed to be made in the morning, but the vehicle broke down halfway, which caused the delay."
Zhu Xu asked the other person to wait a moment, went inside, wrapped a 100-yuan red envelope, and insisted on giving it to the other person: "Happy New Year."
Thank you, and Happy New Year to you too.
Zhu Xu closed the door, carried the box to the dining table, opened it, and saw that it contained a raspberry cake. Besides Jiang Rao, no one else knew about this shop.
She felt a little envious, stared at the cake in silence for a while, then took out her phone and sent a message to Jiang Rao: "I love you so much."
Soon after, Jiang Rao replied with a string of words:
I love you too, baby.
"May the new year be sweet and happy."
"I'm preparing New Year's Eve dinner for three generations of the Liu family. I really want to add some ingredients."
I'll contact you later.
Zhao Siqiao darted past her and stuffed something into her mouth.
Zhu Xu chewed on the orange; it was sweet. She looked up and saw Zhao Siqiao nestled back into the sofa, grinning foolishly at her: "Is it sweet?"
Zhu Xu was filled with a myriad of emotions, but he smiled at her and nodded.
Just then, Xiao Zhou popped her head out in surprise: "Sister Xu! Come help me!"
Seeing her adorable grinning face, Zhu Xu laughed and said, "Coming!" He immediately got up and went to the kitchen.
Actually, this was her first time preparing for the New Year's Eve dinner. She used to celebrate with her father and stepmother, and later married Liang Haiyang. Last year, she only made dumplings for herself, but she didn't expect to be with her friends this year.
By the time we finally gathered all eight dishes, it was already 6 p.m.
Although firecrackers are banned in Beidao, they are secretly set off one after another.
The three sat around the table, raised their glasses, and wished each other a Happy New Year.
No sooner had he finished speaking than someone knocked on the door again.
Xiao Zhou volunteered and ran out. The door clicked shut, and suddenly a burst of excited shouts erupted. Zhu Xu peeked into the corridor and saw Lin Yuan and Xiao Ya.
"Happy New Year, Sister Xu!" the two said in unison.
Zhu Xu was surprised and delighted, and stood up to greet them: "What brings you here?"
"My mom made dumplings and told me to bring them over right away." He held up two large bags in his hand: "We hadn't eaten either, so we thought we'd share with you."
Xiao Zhou took the bag and joked, "Is this enough? There are a lot of us."
"I'm afraid you'll overeat and hurt yourself."
Zhu Xu took slippers from the cabinet and invited them in. He also added two more sets of bowls and chopsticks, and the small square table was crammed with five people.
The small room seemed to be boiling with excitement.
Zhu Xu never expected that one day he would be surrounded by such deep affection.
She suddenly remembered He Yanzhou's words of comfort: "Whether it's fortunate or unfortunate, it's hard to draw a conclusion until the very end." It also seemed that the day her mother spoke of, the day of hitting rock bottom and bouncing back, had already arrived without her realizing it.
She was once desperate, feeling that the world was full of malice and that all misfortune had befallen her. But after overcoming countless obstacles, she discovered that she was not destitute at all, but rather rich, possessing friendship, love, and her mother's eternal love.
Zhu Xu secretly wiped away the tears at the corners of her eyes, turned on her phone, pointed it at herself, and called everyone behind her to look at the camera, capturing this joyful moment as a keepsake.
She loves her smile in this photo; it's warm and comforting.
After thinking for a moment, she clicked on He Yanzhou's profile picture and shared her joy with him.
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