Chapter 22
Zhang Xingyan could never understand the relationship between Tang Chengting and Chen Huanong. One trusted her unconditionally, while the other refused to let go. So, why did they get divorced? He also couldn't understand Tang Chengting's persistent indifference. How could anyone endure a marriage without warmth?
"Look at Mo Yiyan. Before he married that little bastard, he was a 24k pure titanium man. What about him now? Sometimes I wonder if her limbs will atrophy if she continues like this. She has the nerve to let a man eight years her junior spoil her like this!" Seeing that Tang Chengting had no reaction, Zhang Xingyan had to continue, "Every woman needs to be spoiled and coaxed. Even if Chen Huanong is a man in the sociological sense, he is still a woman biologically after all! Do you have any misunderstandings about her?"
"I don't know how to coax people or show tenderness, so I can only let her go free and give her more choices. This is my reason for divorce."
Zhang Xingyan was a bit confused. The Tang Chengting he knew was a sophisticated egoist. He ostensibly cared about others, but in reality, it was all about his own interests. "What I'm saying is that you're filing for divorce for Chen Huanong's sake? Why do I find that so unbelievable? When have you ever considered others? If you said you were tired of Chen Huanong, I'd think it would be more believable."
Tired of Chen Huanong? What was the reason? Tired of her five years of playing the role of a good wife? Tired of her five years of independence and self-reliance, no longer needing support from others? Or tired of her five years of stubbornly clinging to him, never thinking of letting go?
Hearing from Zhang Xingyan about the grievances Chen Huanong had suffered, Chen Huanong lying in his arms, casually saying "harsh words," he thought back to all the years they had been together. Didn't he feel heartbroken? Didn't he? Didn't he feel heartbroken!
But what can he do? No one has taught him what love is, and no one has taught him how to love someone. He is even uneasy about accepting other people's kindness. This is an insecurity in his bones, a sequelae of lack of security since childhood. How can a person like him give Chen Huanong anything? What can he do for Chen Huanong? He doesn't even know the simplest comfort. After making a cross-border call for more than three hours under the influence of alcohol, he couldn't even say "I'm sorry", couldn't even ask "How are you", and couldn't even open his mouth to ask a normal question like "When will you be back". He could hear Chen Huanong's anxiety and worry on the other end of the phone. The more open and honest Chen Huanong was, the more despicable he felt he was.
"Lawyer Chen, there's an incoming call. It's an emergency and needs to be addressed immediately."
Chen Huanong pulled her phone from her bag, only to find the screen completely flooded with WeChat messages and missed calls. She had to immediately end the video conference with her senior. The African factory had originally been managed by Zhao Liangguo's people. Because the core technology license for machinery production was issued in the name of Zhao Liangguo's factory, Zhao Liangqi had handed the matter over to Zhao Liangguo. Later, Zhao Liangguo's factory went bankrupt, leaving no one in charge.
"Customs is now holding all the construction materials at the port, saying the clearance procedures are incomplete. Zhao Liangguo hasn't answered my phone calls."
"I understand. You review these contracts. I'll call Qin Huai."
At around 10 PM local time, Qin Huai received a call from Chen Huanong. Chen Huanong explained the entire situation to Qin Huai in detail and urged him to go to Zhao's Group the next morning to gather all the necessary documents. "It will take two months to ship this batch of building materials. If we delay any further and the machinery can't be manufactured, we might be held liable for breach of contract. When you arrive in Shanghai, please contact my senior brother directly. I'll send you his WeChat."
"But it will take at least half a month to send the information over!"
"I'm flying back the day after tomorrow. I can't leave these two days because I've already scheduled meetings with four partners. Every day is packed. As soon as I finish the day after tomorrow, I'll go to the airport, pick up the materials, and return."
"How can you handle such a high intensity? I'll ask Chi Buyu to send it to you."
"Bu Yu didn't get a visa, but I can handle it. I've gotten through worse times before. I still remember when the criminal investigation team was first established, the two of us went on business trips at 4 a.m. to visit detention centers in other places. We visited three neighboring cities in one day, and when we came back we were so exhausted we fell asleep in the office."
Chen Huanong rarely spoke of the past; she was more often than not rushing forward. Qin Huai asked her what was so urgent, but she couldn't articulate the reason. She simply knew she was more impatient than others, so she had no time to reminisce about the past. Today, she suddenly found the past somewhat amusing. "Back then, we were young. Staying up late was the norm, and occasionally pulling an all-nighter wasn't a big deal. Unlike now, I'm still jet-lagged after arriving here."
"Now? Is everything going well?"
"Of course it went smoothly. Don't you think about who I am? What did my master say? I'm someone who can survive even if thrown into the wilderness. What's more, everything is fine here."
Qin Huai felt that something was wrong with Chen Huanong recently, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. It was just that they had known each other for many years and had a certain tacit understanding. "Don't try to handle everything alone. If you have any problems, please contact me immediately. If I can't handle it, the director and others will cover it. Don't always try to be stubborn."
"I see. You've become so nagging as you get older. You're almost as nagging as Director Tang." Chen Huanong sighed softly as she casually mentioned Tang Chengting again. Whenever she left his side, she'd always think of him for no reason. She'd think of him when she saw a beautiful view, when she ate delicious food, when she attended a stranger's wedding, and when she encountered a difficult problem. Even though he wasn't around, even though she knew she'd have to solve all the problems herself, even though she knew it was all wishful thinking.
"Have you contacted Tang Chengting?"
"Well, he called me the day he arrived and we talked for a while."
"I heard you moved back home?"
"Well, I've been busy since I moved back last time, and my parents happened to be here, so the separation ended inexplicably. But now we're together less and apart more, it's no different from being separated."
"Are you deliberately avoiding Tang Chengting? The same thing happened with the trip to Kenya. In fact, if you were in China, it would be the same if I accompanied you."
"Why should I run away from him? When have you ever seen me run away?"
Chen Huanong did not give a direct answer. Qin Huai probably knew what was going on and did not ask any more questions. Qin Huai had said everything he wanted to say about Tang Chengting and her many times years ago. Now he was too lazy to say more. This kind of thing was just Zhou Yu fighting Huang Gai. He was still a bystander after all. He did not know what kind of bond there was between Tang Chengting and her. Even if he did not like Tang Chengting, as long as Chen Huanong did not let go, they were still a legitimate husband and wife. Thinking about what Zhang Xingyan said, there would be retribution for destroying other people's marriages. Qin Huai felt that it was best for him to keep silent on this matter. The two of them finally confirmed the materials and procedures required for customs clearance again. They started with official business and ended with official business.
Zhao Liangqi arrived at the resort the night before the negotiations. Chen Huanong and the intern were halfway through their meal when Zhao Liangqi's secretary came over to inform them that there was a video conference with the group's top management at 7 p.m. The intern wiped his mouth and was about to go back to his room to prepare materials when Chen Huanong grabbed him and said, "Eating is more important. Take your time."
The intern glanced at his phone, seeing the time read 6:37 PM, and suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed. Chen Huanong glanced at the young woman in front of him, who was in her early twenties, and couldn't help but chuckle. She was clearly anxious about the meeting, but she didn't want to offend him. This dilemma was something she hadn't seen in a long time.
"If a student who doesn't have a driver's license gets into an accident while training on the road, who is responsible?"
The intern didn't understand what Chen Huanong meant by asking about the Road Traffic Law out of the blue. He was stunned for a few seconds before speaking, "Coach."
"So don't panic, the master is ahead." Chen Huanong patted the intern's shoulder, "Eat slowly, come over slowly, don't choke, I'll go upstairs first. After you finish eating, take a photo for verification and let me know before you come up."
Over the past few years, Chen Huanong has received more than one offer from other law firms, offering better pay than Shensong, but she politely declined each one. During her early twenties, when she was feeling flustered, her seemingly unruly mentor, Zheng Fengnian, would often advise her: "Don't panic, I'm here for you." Throughout those six years, Zheng Fengnian's unruly ways were more frequent, teaching her tricky angles on cases and how to trick opposing lawyers. But subtly, what Zheng Fengnian truly taught her was this: Whether it's kindness or warmth, you can only give to others after you've received it.
Chen Huanong was wearing a sharp light blue suit today, making her look tall and slender. Her long hair was tied in a casual ponytail, and her silver high heels made a crisp sound on the marble floor. She exuded an aura of keeping strangers away. The intern looked at Chen Huanong's back, her eyes slowly moistening. Since she joined Shensong, she had almost always followed Qin Huai. When Chi Buyu showed up, everyone else in the institute said she was just a figurehead under Chen Huanong and that Chi Buyu was Chen Huanong's true successor. She knew the principle of first come, first served, and didn't think it was a big deal, just a little regretful. However, hearing Chen Huanong say this today, she seemed to understand why Chi Buyu, despite being scolded every day, still insisted on following Chen Huanong. This woman called Chen Huanong always made people feel at ease.
The video conference took place in Zhao Liangqi's office. When the intern entered, Chen Huanong was already giving a detailed presentation. The presentation covered dozens of pages of PowerPoint, from maximizing profits to mitigating corporate risks. Chen Huanong barely glanced at it, even while answering questions from the group's top management. It was a truly flawless presentation. The intern was puzzled. They had arrived in Kenya together, dealt with the jet lag together, and reviewed the contract together. How could Chen Huanong achieve such perfection?
Buyu is a handsome guy: Your master is a pervert, don't pay attention to her.
Shen Song Qinhuai: When the Zhao Group was liquidating Zhao Liangguo's factory, it mentioned this matter to Chen Lu. The information should have been prepared at that time.
The intern thought back to that period. Chen Huanong had to handle dozens of debt disputes as the agent of Zhao Liangguo's factory, while also having to deal with the online farce. In private, he was also preparing for cooperation matters with foreign factories. Well, it was indeed like Chi Buyu said, a pervert.
"What's wrong with me? It's my habit to never fight a battle unprepared. Chi Buyu really hasn't been repaired in a few days, and he's about to tear the tiles off the roof." Chen Huanong saw the group message two days later. At that time, Chen Huanong had just finished a meeting with a partner and was dragging his suitcase through the international airport. The intern followed closely behind, unable to understand why she, who was wearing flat shoes, couldn't outrun someone in high heels. Originally, the intern didn't need to go back, but Chen Huanong was gone for two days, and she had nothing to do here alone, so she simply accompanied Chen Huanong back.
"Master, there's still some time before boarding. Do you want to pick out a gift for Master?"
Looking around, Chen Huanong saw nothing but luxury duty-free shops. He then decisively led his interns into the cosmetics sections of each duty-free shop. Adhering to the principle that nothing is a loss, Chen Huanong successfully grabbed two large bags of skincare and makeup and boarded the plane back home. Even before takeoff, Chen Huanong was still marveling at the sheer cheapness of African lipstick. "I think we should switch to purchasing on behalf of others. Not only are they cheaper here, but there's a wide variety of shades. We don't have to worry about them being out of stock."
"Master, smuggling is illegal. We cannot break the law knowingly."
Chen Huanong spread out his palms and said with a forced smile, "Give me back the lipstick box I gave you!"
"Once the gift is made, the ownership is transferred, so you can't force me to return the lipstick."
"There's no evidence of a verbal gift, and I still have the receipt. I can sue you for embezzlement."
"Master, you still haven't chosen a gift for your master." Seeing that he couldn't win the argument with Chen Huanong, the intern immediately changed the direction of the conversation.
"We're going back in a hurry this time. We'll go directly to Shanghai, get the information and return directly. We shouldn't go back. Let's wait until everything in Kenya is over." Qin Huai was right. She was deliberately avoiding Tang Chengting. Ever since Tang Chengting filed for divorce, she was inexplicably afraid to be alone with Tang Chengting. Maybe she was afraid that Tang Chengting would say more vicious words, maybe she was afraid that she would be persuaded by him, or maybe she was afraid that she would become more and more reluctant to let go.
Tang Chengting arrived home at around ten o'clock in the evening. As usual, it was pitch black. The voice-controlled lights lit up with his steps. He sat in the living room for a while. After a while, he clicked on the first item in the WeChat list. A few seconds after the video call was broadcast, a familiar ringtone came from the bedroom.
He pushed open the half-closed bedroom door, and the sensor light immediately cast a circle of primrose-colored light and shadow. In the middle of the light and shadow lay Chen Huanong, sleeping in a terrible posture. The unhappiness of the past few days disappeared without a trace the moment he saw this scene. The emotions he couldn't express in words, the emotions that even drinking with Zhang Xingyan couldn't calm, the emotions that kept recurring like a long rainy season, were easily resolved.
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