Fall out
The answer was too unexpected. Mr. Xu's gaze kept moving back and forth between the two of them. Even though he knew that Jiang Xiao would not joke about such an important matter, he still couldn't help but hold a glimmer of hope in his heart.
Jiang Xiao is not very old, so if she finds a partner, she needs to date and observe him for at least a year or two. It won’t be too late to talk about marriage then. But he could never have imagined that these two people are action-oriented and their flash marriage caught everyone off guard.
This time, the look in his eyes when he looked at Zhou Qishen no longer had the kindness he used to look at his students. Instead, it was replaced by a bit of vigilance and resentment.
After all, no one can immediately accept the fact that their precious granddaughter was abducted quietly.
Jiang Xiao sensed the hidden anger between her grandfather's brows, especially the fact that he didn't say a word, which was really intimidating. She sighed secretly in her heart and prepared to bow her head and admit her mistake.
However, someone was one step faster than her: "It's my fault for acting first and asking for permission later, but I really like Xiaoxiao so much, and she is the only one I want in my life, so I couldn't help but propose to her. Please don't blame me, teacher."
Jiang Xiao blinked her eyelashes, and a hint of surprise flashed across her clear eyes. Zhou Qishen's words were very convincing, and his eyes were firm, as if he really chose to get the marriage certificate with her because he liked her, and not just agreeing to get married to please his family.
But after a short pause, Jiang Xiao immediately responded, "Qi Shen is right. I agreed to get the marriage certificate with him because I like him so much."
As she spoke, she pulled Mr. Xu's sleeve and shook it gently, just like when she was a child, "Grandpa, please don't be angry..."
Old Mr. Xu was so annoyed by her that the wrinkles on his brows suddenly smoothed out. He glanced at her from the corner of his eyes and snorted heavily from his nose: "You two are singing the same tune, how dare I get angry? Can I still let you two get divorced?"
Hearing this, Jiang Xiao knew that this hurdle was over. Grandpa loved her so much that no matter what happened, he would not be willing to scold her, so she stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "Then we will definitely not get divorced. Hehe, I know that grandpa is the best."
Mr. Xu shook his head helplessly, "Okay, okay, why don't you go put the luggage away."
"I'll go clean up a room." Aunt Huang, who had been silent on the side, was about to leave to help, but suddenly received an unfriendly look from Mr. Xu. She immediately changed her words with tact: "Two rooms."
"I'll go put the luggage away." Zhou Qishen followed Aunt Huang towards the stairs.
Seeing this, Jiang Xiao quickly said, "I'll help make the bed."
Mr. Xu had no intention of letting her leave, and stopped her: "Just stay here and talk to me. I have something to ask you."
"Then I'll go get something from the trunk and come down soon."
Hearing this, Mr. Xu had no choice but to let her go, waving his hand: "Okay, go ahead."
This three-story building was built during the Republic of China. Although it has been renovated, there is no elevator installed and one needs to climb stairs to go up and down the stairs. Zhou Qishen walked briskly with a suitcase in each hand, looking effortless.
Jiang Xiao followed him, and when passing between the first and second floors, her eyes couldn't help but fall outside the half-open window.
Looking around, there are white walls and black tiles all around, exuding an ancient charm. The backyard is an independent rest area with lush flowers and plants, but the most eye-catching thing is the towering camphor tree in the backyard.
Countless tree trunks support a huge crown, with leaves gathered together and crystal water droplets sliding down the leaves, revealing the greenery and vitality of summer.
"Xiaoxiao, what are you looking at?" Aunt Huang turned her head and saw Jiang Xiao standing there motionless, so she asked curiously.
Jiang Xiao came back to her senses and stepped onto the stairs: "Nothing, I just thought that the camphor tree was blooming pretty well."
"Thanks to it, there are few mosquitoes this summer." Aunt Huang said with a smile.
Jiang Xiao followed Zhou Qishen's steps and whispered, "Please help me put my luggage in my room first."
Zhou Qishen nodded.
Aunt Huang noticed the two people whispering, realized something, rolled her eyes, and said, "I'll go clean up the other room first."
When they arrived at the door of Jiang Xiao's room, after watching Aunt Huang continue to walk forward, Jiang Xiao took the lead and pushed the door open and walked in. Zhou Qishen followed closely with the luggage and closed the door of the room.
The room is not big and still maintains the decoration style of Jiang Xiao when she was in high school. At that time, she loved sky blue, so Mr. Xu specially asked someone to paint the walls a light sky blue. When the weather is good, it is the same color as the blue sky outside. It is beautiful, comfortable and relaxing.
Even in such gloomy weather as today, the whole room seems bright and warm.
Jiang Xiao said nothing, crossed her chest and walked quickly to the window. Then she watched Zhou Qishen put the suitcase next to the closet and asked expressionlessly, "You are my grandfather's student. Why haven't I heard you mention this before?"
Zhou Qishen walked towards her and stopped one step away from her.
He was wearing a black T-shirt, the hem of which fit perfectly inside his loose black trousers. He had a tall and straight figure, and his short jet-black hair was parted on the side, giving him a refreshing Korean style. His stern face looked restrained and gentle, yet there was a sense of distance to him.
His eyes rested on her slowly, and he reminded her in a deep voice: "I reminded you."
Jiang Xiao was stunned at first when he heard this, and then he remembered the puzzling question he said on the phone that day, "In what capacity will you go?" It turned out that he was referring to whether he came to Suzhou as "grandson-in-law" or as a "student".
But even if that was the case, was he saying that she was slow-witted and couldn't understand the hidden meaning?
Thinking of this, Jiang Xiao puffed up her cheeks angrily and poked the chest of the person in front of her with her fingertips, again and again, with a strong sense of resentment: "Then can't you just say it clearly? You're making me feel really bad."
Zhou Qishen let her vent her anger and waited until she was almost tired. Then he reached out and held her fingers, placed them on his lips and kissed them gently: "Xiaoxiao, it's you who made me feel bad."
Jiang Xiao didn't understand and raised her eyebrows: "What do you mean?"
After hearing this, Zhou Qishen pursed his lips, revealing deep grievance: "Xiaoxiao, you forgot about me."
After hearing his words, Jiang Xiao was confused, with doubts written in her beautiful eyes, "What do you mean I forgot you? That's weird, I didn't know you before, no, I knew you, who in the circle doesn't know you, but we have never met before."
"I've seen it, but you just don't remember it." Zhou Qishen lowered his eyes, his voice was low and drawn out.
Jiang Xiao wished she could search through all the memories in her mind, but she only had so many memories about Zhou Qishen, and they were all stories from the time they met in the parking lot. Before that, she really couldn't figure out when and where they had met.
After thinking for a while, Jiang Xiao came up with nothing. His brows furrowed and he couldn't wait to ask, "Have you seen him? When have you seen him?"
But Zhou Qishen kept the secret and didn't intend to elaborate, "Since you can't remember it, don't worry about it anymore."
"Then tell me, maybe I can remember it then?"
"What's the point of telling me? And if I tell you and you still don't remember, how sad will I be?"
Jiang Xiao choked. What he said made sense. If she put herself in his shoes, if she had been forgotten by others, she would definitely not want to talk about the past. Firstly, it was unnecessary. Secondly, if she talked too much, the other person would not remember it, which would be even more embarrassing.
But the more he didn't say, the more curious Jiang Xiao became. She almost wanted to get into his heart to find out the answer. She pulled his short sleeves and used her usual coquettish tactics, shaking and humming, "Tell me, once you say it, I will definitely remember it. After all, who would forget such a handsome face?"
"Okay, then I'll give you a hint." Zhou Qishen stared at her every move with a smile on his face, sighed helplessly, and finally compromised: "You said this when we first met."
"Did I tell you you were handsome when I first met you?"
Zhou Qishen remained noncommittal.
Jiang Xiao was stunned. She didn't expect it to be like this. But how could she forget Zhou Qishen? Like she said, she never forgets a handsome guy's face.
However, it is also possible that she has seen too many handsome men in the entertainment industry and is visually fatigued.
Just when she wanted to ask for more details, her grandfather's voice came from downstairs, his voice was very strong and powerful: "Xiaoxiao, why haven't you come down yet? Does it take so long to get something?"
Jiang Xiao quickly raised her voice and responded: "Coming, coming."
Before leaving, Jiang Xiao bravely pinched the soft flesh of his jaw and said, "I'm leaving first. I'll leave this place to you to clean up."
Grandpa seemed to still be angry, and he would definitely question her later. She had to concentrate on dealing with it, otherwise it would be bad if he noticed that something was wrong.
Zhou Qishen understood what she meant. He had to stay here. After all, the two of them must have some private conversations. They had to be given space to talk alone. If he followed them, it would be very inconsiderate.
Halfway through the walk, Jiang Xiao stopped, slowly turned around, and promised solemnly: "I will definitely remember it."
Zhou Qi curled his lips and slowly uttered two words: "I hope so."
*
Soon, Aunt Huang, who had finished cleaning another room, came over and asked Zhou Qishen to go downstairs together.
As soon as Zhou Qishen walked down the stairs, he saw Mr. Xu, who had just finished questioning him, sitting upright on the sofa. He gave him a look and said, "Do me a favor and go to the store to get me three boxes of paint. I ordered them earlier and they just arrived this morning."
Zhou Qishen stopped where he was and agreed without hesitation: "Okay, where is it?"
Before Mr. Xu could continue, Jiang Xiao interrupted him: "Grandpa, let me lead the way."
Mr. Xu, who originally wanted to send Zhou Qishen alone, was stunned, but then he remembered that Zhou Qishen didn't know the specific address, and it would be very troublesome to explain.
"Then you go with him and come back quickly."
Jiang Xiao and Zhou Qishen walked out of the door side by side. Not long after they walked out, Zhou Qishen asked, "What did the teacher ask you?"
"Nothing, just like what your mother asked me originally, so I answered truthfully."
"Truthfully?" Zhou Qishen raised his eyebrows in amusement.
Jiang Xiao suppressed her laughter and gestured: "It's mixed with a little bit of lies."
After all, it is impossible to tell the truth, so it can only be called a white lie.
Chen Zhijing’s grocery store is not far away, just a three-minute walk away.
The store is not big, but it has everything and sells everything.
Because Mr. Xu only knows a little about online shopping, the Chen family basically helps him place orders and pick up goods. Today, with the arrival of Zhou Qishen, a "free laborer", he naturally feels embarrassed to trouble the Chen family.
Chen Zhijing helped count the goods, glanced at the three large boxes on the ground, and kindly suggested: "I'll take you back. There are so many, it's not easy for the two of you to carry them."
There are three boxes, just enough for one person, so there is no need to make two trips.
Since they were childhood friends, and he took the initiative to offer to help, Jiang Xiao didn't bother to be polite with him. She smiled and thanked him, "Thank you for your help."
"It's okay, we're just friends." Chen Zhijing laughed brightly, then bent down and picked up one of the boxes that looked the heaviest.
Zhou Qishen stood beside them with his arms folded, watching the two people's familiar conversation. His face darkened a little, but he didn't say anything. He poured most of the paint from one of the remaining two boxes into the other.
Seeing this, Chen Zhijing was too embarrassed to let Jiang Xiao take the remaining box, which could almost be called an empty box, so he took the initiative to say, "Put the rest in mine."
Jiang Xiao glanced at the box piled full in Zhou Qishen's arms, and couldn't help frowning and pursing her lips, but she didn't know what to say. She vaguely realized who he was angry with.
Is it with her? Or with Chen Zhijing? No matter who you are with, you can't get rid of that strong smell of jealousy.
Jiang Xiao suddenly smiled and said to Chen Zhijing, "No need, it's just this little, I can move it, otherwise it will be too uninvolved."
Upon hearing this, Chen Zhijing shifted his gaze from Jiang Xiao to Zhou Qishen. After they separated just now, he thought carefully and soon remembered where he had seen Zhou Qishen.
Chen Zhijing looked at the two people in front of him and couldn't help but sigh: "I didn't expect that after all these twists and turns, you actually ended up marrying your first love."
"First love?" Jiang Xiaogang picked up the box from the ground and looked at him in confusion.
Chen Zhijing was confused by her question: "Yes, isn't your husband your first love?"
"How can he be my first love?" Jiang Xiao found it a little funny. She didn't know what Chen Zhijing was thinking. She was so beautiful, how could she have only had one man like Zhou Qishen?
Hearing this, a trace of confusion and surprise flashed across Chen Zhijing's face. He scratched the back of his head and said, "When I confessed to you before, you said it yourself. Have you forgotten?"
"What do you mean?" Jiang Xiao still couldn't remember, but Chen Zhijing's words aroused her curiosity and combined with Zhou Qishen's previous words.
"Ahem, time to go." Zhou Qishen interrupted their conversation at the right time.
Seeing that he looked unhappy, Chen Zhijing thought he had said something wrong and silently shut up: "Okay, I'll go ahead."
Zhou Qishen leaned over to Jiang Xiao's ear and said, "It's better for me to tell you myself than for anyone else to tell you."
Jiang Xiao glared at him: "What's the difference?"
"Of course there is a difference. You are cheating."
Jiang Xiao pursed her lips, thinking that what he said made sense. She had just said not long ago that she would remember it herself, but...
"But how is that memory related to Chen Zhijing?"
"Tell him later, he'll hear you." Zhou Qishen moved closer to her, almost sticking his whole body to her.
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Zhijing in front was attracted by their voices and suddenly turned his head to look over. His round eyes were innocent and curious.
The slap in the face came too quickly, and Jiang Xiao was so angry that she glared at Zhou Qishen again, blaming him for his bad mouth, but she silently stopped the noisy movements with her hands.
Forget it, forget it. If they continue to argue, it would be bad if Chen Zhijing found out that they were having a quarrel.
Jiang Xiao shrank her neck and subconsciously reached out to push his forehead, "What are you laughing at? Don't push your luck."
After Chen Zhijing turned around the alley first, Jiang Xiao immediately took a half step to the side: "Stay away from me."
This time Zhou Qishen didn't act like a jerk and just stayed away from him.
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