Chapter 119 Extra 3
Due to high-altitude restrictions, there are very few houses in Luozhou that are more than ten meters high. Most of the bars, cafes and exhibition halls located on the riverside are only two or three stories high, which makes people feel more relaxed and liberated than skyscrapers.
On this long and narrow island in the river, Huangtian Bar is located at the end. The pure white modern building is like the most beautiful pearl falling on the white phoenix tail, gently wrapped by the surrounding small forests, flower beds and continuous open-air tents.
Eleven o'clock is when the nightlife begins.
The boss Qiao Chu, carrying a bag of craft beer, walked lazily up to the second floor. There were so many drunks that he began to think about his mistake in not building a passenger elevator. The upper and lower floors of Huangtian are over a thousand square meters. The first floor is a disco with dazzling lights and many dancing fairies. Thanks to it, the nearest Sheraton Hotel has the most same-sex room booking business in the city. The top suite of the Sheraton was booked for a long time, but then it suddenly became vacant. Two years have passed, and the hotel manager’s circle of friends has said "avaible" every now and then. It was only recently that it welcomed a long-term owner again.
Qiao Chu pushed open the soundproof door leading to the second floor and saw Chen Youhan still sitting in his original position.
The second floor of Huangtian is really different. There is a British rock band, the lighting is ambiguous and high-end, the indoor flowers are fragrant, and the outdoor terrace is lazy and casual. In short, the first floor is suitable for hooking up, and the second floor is probably more suitable for dating.
A glass curtain wall runs from north to south, dividing the space into four parts. In the reflected light, people's shadows are moving up and down, but Chen Youhan has never moved. The hand on the back of the chair is holding a whiskey glass from the rim, and the cigarette at the fingertips is almost burning. He doesn't smoke or drink, and his eyes are not sure where to fall. Perhaps the cigarette burned his hand, and he was brought back to his senses by the burn.
Qiao Chu looked at it carefully for a while, took a deep breath, and put on a smile.
"Brother." He put his arm around Chen Youhan's shoulder and sat down beside him, clinking the beer bottle against the glass in front of him.
The table in front of him was filled with bottles of whiskey, craft beer, and brandy. Some were empty, and some were half full. The ice bucket was empty, and Qiao Chu snapped his fingers, asking the waiter to get some ice cubes, and then said, "Don't mix them. You'll get drunk."
"Not drunk." Chen Youhan replied.
Qiao Chu looked at him calmly. He had a good alcohol tolerance, and it was difficult for him to get drunk. He had to drink more alcohol than ordinary people.
Qiao Chu rarely smiled bitterly and teased stiffly: "How about asking someone to come up and accompany you?"
More and more rich people came to this circle to seek novelty. Chen Youhan hadn't come for a long time, and everyone guessed that he was getting married. Until they almost forgot about him, he suddenly came every day, and the circle became lively again, and the past stories of extravagance and decadence were talked about again. People came and went in the circle, the old ones retired, and the new ones joined. The dormant ambitions were ready to move, and they were all eager to conquer him.
Chen Youhan pinched his brows, which were sore from staying up all night, and smiled indifferently: "Don't joke."
Qiao Chu also smoked and said, "I'm not kidding. I can't stand it if it continues like this. Come here, see it, this corridor," Qiao Chu pointed to the spacious passage with light strips, "If you just wave your hand, it will be full in a minute."
The waiter leaned over to clear the table and jokingly responded, "Yes."
Qiao Chu glanced at him, slapped him on the butt, and drove him away before continuing, "If the old doesn't go, the new won't come. Falling in love and sacrificing half of your life - excuse me, it's not worth it."
Chen Youhan dusted off his cigarette ashes, still maintaining his elegance despite his slovenly demeanor, and nodded, "That makes sense."
Qiao Chu knew that he had once again made himself look bad, so he took a sip of wine and asked, "You're not from the same circle, right?"
"no."
Chen Youhan simply answered like that, without any sign of going deeper. Qiao Chu laughed at himself, "It's fine that you were so protective when we were dating, but you're still hiding it after we broke up? Let me take a look, let me see what kind of god could hurt you like this?"
Chen Youhan didn't say anything.
Qiao Chu provoked him: "I am not worthy?"
Chen Youhan didn't take the bait.
Qiao Chu smiled and wiped his face. Just then, another waiter came back with an ice bucket. He threw a piece into his mouth, chewed it and pondered, and suddenly asked - in a declarative sentence: "...Is it from your circle?"
Chen Youhan's eyes moved, but he did not deny it in the end.
"Young master of Ning City's wealthy circle, no wonder you kept it a secret." Qiao Chu laughed, but there was no smile in his eyes, and his laughter was bleak. After laughing for a while, he fell silent.
The band sang softly, the music floating above the moonlight.
After a while, Qiao Chu sighed deeply, "Chen Youhan..."
The phone was handed to him.
On the screen, there was a photo. It was a banquet of some kind, but in the middle of the picture was a couple dancing the waltz, a perfect match, very pleasing to the eyes. Qiao Chu took the phone and looked at the man carefully. Because of the distance, he couldn't tell his age, but he felt that the man had a superior figure and outstanding temperament under the suit, and a three-dimensional face like a sculpture, with a particularly delicate curve from the tip of the nose to the chin.
"We were drinking at the top bar of the Marriott on Xilin Road. He invited me to dance, but lied to me that I couldn't dance and stepped on me 17 or 18 times. It wasn't until the birthday party that I realized it was all fake."
At the 18th birthday party, Ye Kai rehearsed more than a dozen dances, and all the rich and powerful daughters of the right age danced. The magnificent crystal chandelier cast starlight, and everyone looked at him. At that time, Qu Jia put his palms together and rested his chin, his eyes full of longing. What kind of girl will Ye Kai be with in the future? I can't think of it, but it will always be the best.
Qiao Chu listened and smiled unconsciously.
"He has called me Brother Youhan since he was a kid. He has called me that for so many years, and it has become easier for him to say that, but my heart beats faster and faster. At that time, I told you that I had a crush on him, but later I found out that it was not the case," Chen Youhan lowered his eyes and smiled, "In fact, he has liked me for a long time."
That smile still contains the excitement of a heart that has already expired.
Qiao Chu had a bad feeling in his heart, and asked tentatively: "Much younger than you?"
"Teenage."
After finishing his cigarette, Chen Youhan lowered his head to light it. He put the cigarette in his mouth, and the tiny flame from the lighter instantly illuminated his lowered face. He had no expression, and his eyebrows were indifferent, so much so that Qiao Chu thought the pain he saw in his eyes was just an illusion. He couldn't describe the pain, it was like a pool of black mud, just sinking in Chen Youhan's eyes with absolute silence, without even the desire to struggle.
The fire went out, the cigarette butt lit up, and Chen Youhan's face sank back into the night.
"I lived a romantic life for ten years and never regretted it. It was not until I broke up with him that I finally couldn't help thinking, if from the beginning to the end -" He paused and confessed calmly: "If I were a good person, maybe his family wouldn't object so strongly."
When Chen Youhan said the word "good man", Qiao Chu's heart sank, and his eyes were slightly widened. He couldn't help but hold the other's hand very hard: "Chen Youhan - what the hell are you talking about?!"
Chen Youhan's hands are cold.
"Your separation has nothing to do with these things. You know it better than me. What's his family background? What's your family background? Today..." Qiao Chu took a breath uncomfortably, "Even if you, Chen Youhan, are a fucking 25-year-old pure fucking virgin, you can't have a future!"
Chen Youhan laughed: "You really know how to comfort people."
Qiao Chu was used to hanging out in the entertainment world and had developed a pair of cold eyes. However, at this moment, he still couldn't help but feel upset: "You said you didn't want to hang out with people in the same circle. Why are you asking for trouble?"
Chen Youhan hummed and said calmly, "It's my fault."
The screen lit up again, and there was a message coming in. He clicked on it and saw the financial summary of last month sent by Shen Rou from the Finance Department.
The phone call came to Gu Xiu: "Notify marketing and finance to have a meeting in half an hour." After hanging up the phone, he stood up. He drank so much but his body didn't seem to be unsteady. Or maybe he was just suppressing it with some indescribable willpower.
The lights on the sixty-fifth floor, where the GC president's office was located, were on until late at night.
It was already two in the morning when he appeared in Huangtian again. This time, the willpower to work no longer worked. Chen Youhan seemed to have unloaded all the burdens and got drunk after one drink. If you get drunk to that extent, there will only be hallucinations and pain. Qiao Chu closed the shop, and when he approached him, he only heard two words repeatedly, "baby". The waiter stood aside with his hands and feet tied. Qiao Chu, holding a cigarette in his mouth, carried the person on each side with him.
When going downstairs, Qiao Chu regretted not installing a vertical elevator. He walked step by step, gritting his teeth and saying, "Chen Youhan, Chen Youhan, please walk steadily, don't fall down."
The waiter felt that he had something else in mind, but didn't dare to say anything.
The car was waiting at the door. The driver was holding the steering wheel and yawning. When he looked out the window towards the exit, he did not notice that there was another figure waiting next to him.
"Mr. Chen, are you going to the Sheraton or going home?" asked the waiter.
Before Qiao Chu could answer, Chen Youhan said something in a low and vague voice. Qiao Chu put his ear close to him, "Hmm... OK, OK..." He said repeatedly in a coaxing tone, "Yes, yes, I know he is waiting for you at home, and you can't stay in a hotel... Understood, obey my ancestor."
After he finished speaking, when he looked up again, he saw someone waiting at the door.
It had been a long time since I last saw him. Qiao Chu had to see thousands of faces every day, and it took him a while to react. But he still slowed down his pace, and after a while, he asked hesitantly, "...Xiao Jiu?"
The person in front of me was more mature than he was a few years ago. His eyes still retained that innocent purity, but his face seemed very tired.
"I heard he was here recently."
News in the circle spreads faster than RMB. Qiao Chu nodded casually and reminded him: "Let go."
Wu Sijiu turned aside and watched Qiao Chu help the man to the front of the car. At the moment of passing by, Chen Youhan, who was drunk and unconscious, suddenly raised his head. He was confused at first, then stunned, and then seemed to be hit by a huge surprise. Although he could not make any expression, his eyes quickly lit up.
Wu Sijiu faced the light that was lit up by him, his heart pounding wildly, and he unconsciously took a step forward. But before he could respond with a long-awaited reunion, the light went out.
Qiao Chu heard Chen Youhan's self-deprecating laughter.
"How could he be here?" Chen Youhan whispered, "...He can't be here."
The sound was not vague, Qiao Chu heard it, the waiter heard it, and Wu Sijiu heard it too. His face turned snow-white in an instant, paler than the white wall illuminated by the incandescent lamp, and the heavy paleness was like white paint, instantly brushing him from head to toe.
Qiao Chu took the cigarette from the corner of his mouth: "You're heartbroken, don't come to him."
"Broken...heart?" Wu Sijiu murmured, his eyes shifting to Chen Youhan.
He never loses his temper, and he doesn't love anyone. Even if he falls in love - even if he really falls in love with Ye Kai, Ye Kai is just a person who can be sad enough to get sick by his words. A relationship has a power structure. Ye Kai looks up to Chen Youhan, that's it, that's it. Even if he really falls in love with Ye Kai, it should be Ye Kai who will worry about gains and losses, get hurt, and be jealous of those lovers and have no peace all day.
...It can’t be Chen Youhan.
Qiao Chu stuffed the man into the car, took two more puffs of his cigarette, threw it down at his feet and stomped it out, "Did you come here just for him?"
Wu Sijiu's eyes were still on Chen Youhan. Even though he had already gotten into the car, he was still looking at him through the dark window glass.
Qiao Chu smiled and said, "Don't be so infatuated. How about going to college?"
"It's OK." The art student was spending a lot of money. His mother's condition worsened and he had to hire someone to take care of her all the time. Money was spent like water. Fortunately, G Mei had a good reputation, so he took private jobs outside as a part-time worker.
"When you broke up, Chen Youhan mentioned you to me and asked me not to bring you into the circle again."
Wu Sijiu lowered his head in embarrassment, "Really?"
Qiao Chu looked at his expression and asked casually, "Do you really like him so much that you still miss him?"
"No..." Wu Sijiu was a little incoherent. It was obvious that he didn't even have the confidence to convince himself. He could only nod and say, "Yeah."
"Don't like him anymore." Qiao Chu put his hands in his trouser pockets, raised his head and sighed, "The fate between people is destined. You don't understand him. When he likes someone, it's not the same as when he's with you. He's been dating his boyfriend for almost a year, and he's never brought him to me. Do you understand?"
Wu Sijiu smiled bleakly: "He used to hire a tutor for me, gave me gifts, went shopping and dated with me, and picked me up from the studio after class. I thought he liked me to some extent."
"As for the tutor, we just need to ask the assistants. Chen Youhan has five assistants, so even his chief assistant won't be needed for this matter. Giving gifts, shopping, and picking up and dropping off are all done by hand. He is like that with everyone. He is willing to spend some harmless time and effort, just to play the game better, but no matter how good the game is, it is still a game. Do you know why he usually does not date for more than three months? If it's longer than that, if the other party really has some naive thoughts, it will not end well."
Qiao Chu raised his wrist to check the time. It was 4:25 in the morning. He was the one who brought Wu Sijiu to Chen Youhan. He had no interest in being a good person, but he did have some responsibility.
It's really annoying. Staying up all night always makes people a little impulsive and emotional.
Qiao Chu sighed in his heart, took out a cigarette box from his trouser pocket, lit it and said: "Chen Youhan's body and heart have always been separated, just like the 38th parallel drawn by a fucking line, you know this very well. To be honest, it's not like he hasn't liked others before, but this time is different." He exhaled a puff of smoke and squinted his eyes and said: "He cut off all the outside relationships while I was still pursuing him. God basically doesn't come to visit. If we weren't still in contact, I would have thought he had broken up with me."
Wu Sijiu's heart sank, then he grinned.
He told Ye Kai at that time that if Chen Youhan didn't have him, she would have many other lovers, sex partners and bed partners.
It turned out that he was just self-righteous.
The time is almost up. "It's unlikely that he will take advantage of someone's weakness. You should just look forward." Qiao Chu said finally.
"It's Ye Kai, right?"
"What?"
"The person he was dating, who broke up with him and made him become like this, must be Ye Kai."
Qiao Chu's eyes turned from confusion to shock. Wu Sijiu smiled and said, "It turns out that he didn't even mention it to you."
There is only one family with the surname Ye among the wealthy people in Ning City.
A dozen years younger.
The only heir to a top wealthy family.
Old friend.
Qiao Chu wiped his face. The truth was so shocking that even his fingers felt numb.
"I know he is asking for trouble, I didn't expect..." He was speechless for a long time, then gritted his teeth and said, "This is not asking for trouble, this is looking for death."
He raised his head suddenly, his eyes fixed on Wu Sijiu: "You'd better be smart."
Wu Sijiu raised his lips expressionlessly: "I won't say anything nonsense. You are right, the fate between people is destined. If I can't get him, Ye Kai can't get him either." He took a step back, looked at Chen Youhan who had fallen asleep in the car again, and murmured: "...The world is fair."
·
I can’t remember how many times I met Ye Jin on Siyuan Road.
Sometimes, the steering wheel is in my hand, and the action is completely subconscious. Go straight at the intersection ahead, turn right at the traffic light... Go up the elevated road, be careful not to drive in the right lane... Go straight around the roundabout ahead... Drive uphill, look to the left ahead, be careful not to turn left, and enter Siyuan Road.
Voice navigation sounds silently in my heart.
I didn't dare drive directly to the door of Ye's house, for fear of being recognized by the security guards, afraid of being seen by Ye's family, and afraid that I would not be able to resist breaking the contract and meet him.
The car was parked on the ramp, almost where the Chen family used to be. In the distance, he could see the huge century-old banyan tree with a lush crown. He just sat in the car, looking at the tree, quietly lit a cigarette, then turned the steering wheel and returned to GC.
The GC's work was so intense that there was no time for distraction. He spent more than eighteen hours a day on official duties, and then went to Huangtian to drink, getting himself drunk, and then greeted the monotonous and bleak second day in the dark.
He was used to dealing with loneliness and stress. His bedmates for many years were only responsible for killing his physical boredom, while his inner loneliness remained in a corner. Stress had been with him since the year he graduated from high school. These two things were like wild beasts he kept in captivity. He thought he had tamed them, but he never expected that one day they would come knocking on his door together.
When he felt out of breath, he would drive to Siyuan Road.
When a cigarette was about to burn out, Ye Jin ran down the hillside. She was wearing a quick-drying sportswear and a towel around her neck. When she saw Chen Youhan's car, she slowed down her running speed and gradually stopped, taking off her Bluetooth headset. It was around four o'clock in the afternoon, and she was going to go out for the banquet after running.
"Why are you here?"
Chen Youhan opened the car door and got out, holding a cigarette.
If it was the old Chen Youhan, he would probably nonchalantly say "I miss you". But now he just leaned against the door frame, lowered his head and smiled without any emotion: "I don't know, and by the time I realized it, I was already here."
“He’s in Vancouver.”
Chen Youhan paused, surprised but then felt it made sense, "Is that so?" He then asked, "Is Grandpa okay?"
"He's in good health and has a good appetite... Yuyan... played badminton with me last night." Ye Jin stretched out his arms and said, "He's not suspicious, you don't have to worry."
Chen Youhan curled his lips, as if he was also happy about the news. After a while, he asked, "Where's he?"
Ye Jin froze in the middle of her move: "It's not great, but it's not that bad either."
If I say it's very good, Chen Youhan will definitely not believe it. If I tell the truth, he might go crazy. Ye Jin chose a compromise statement. Partial facts are still facts, and the whitewashed gradual recovery is still gradual recovery. Ye Kai will get better in the end.
Chen Youhan didn't say anything, just looked at her, as if... waiting for her to say more.
Under such gaze, Ye Jin couldn't help but slowly let out a heavy breath, "He cried every day at first, but now he doesn't cry anymore. He is a little thinner, but you don't need to worry about him. We will take good care of him. You have seen the results of the college entrance examination, which is more or less a happy event. Since the things have been packed and returned to you, it is enough to show his determination."
Chen Youhan nodded, speechless, and finally just said "OK".
"It will pass." Ye Jin pulled the towel at both ends, tightening her grip, but her face remained calm. "He is only nineteen years old. There is nothing he can't get over, and there is nothing he can't forget. Maybe you can't figure it out now, but after a while, you will feel that it's no big deal. He has a new life in college, and when you see him next time, he may have a new partner."
Chen Youhan smiled and curled his fingers holding the cigarette slightly.
Ye Jin put on her headphones again, and before leaving, she seemed to suddenly remember something and said to him, "Happy birthday."
The hand holding the car door suddenly tightened. Chen Youhan stood there quietly for a while, waiting for the sudden pain that swept through his limbs to slowly dissipate before he sat back in the car.
Gu Xiu's phone came in: "The team from the SIA International Marine Breeding Center has arrived. The aquarium and the animal management department are all here."
Chen Youhan put on the AirPods and before he could even breathe, his voice sounded steady: "You guys start first, help me connect the voice."
·
Gu Xiu didn't know that Chen Youhan had deleted Ye Kai's WeChat account until that day in the tea room, when Bai Zhong chatted with him and said, "Do you know the ski resort in France where Ye Kai is? It looks great."
Ren Jia chimed in: "Are you skiing too?"
Bai Zhong then smiled sheepishly: "Ye Kai recommended it to me. As soon as winter comes, his circle of friends is full of all kinds of skateboarding."
Mary fantasized while holding her coffee: "So, if I learn how to ski, my chances of finding a rich second-generation guy should be greatly increased?"
Before Gu Xiu could say anything, he saw Chen Youhan push open the glass door and walk in. The atmosphere suddenly became awkward after being caught slacking off by his boss. Chen Youhan smiled and said, "Why are you so nervous? Let's continue chatting." He pressed the button on the coffee machine.
Mary coughed.
“Xiaokai has been skiing since he was five or six years old. It’s a little hard to imagine him reaching that level.” Chen Youhan leaned against the kitchen sink with his arms folded, his smile faint, as if he was not smiling.
Gu Xiu looked at him nervously.
Bai Zhong was surprised: "Five or six years old, he is really fierce."
"Children are not afraid of pain and learn quickly. But they still feel wronged when they fall. Xiaokai has strict parents and doesn't cry easily. He can only hold back his anger and grievances. Tears keep falling, but he dares not make a sound."
Ren Jia was shocked: "This is too strict."
Chen Youhan hummed and lowered his eyes: "He has been given high hopes since he was born."
"Only those who endure the most hardships can become the best. Look at the new video he posted on WeChat Moments. It's obvious that it's not something that can be trained casually, right, Mr. Youhan?"
Mary asked, intending to flatter Ye Kai, but Chen Youhan froze for a moment. After two seconds, he smiled noncommittally and said, "Yes."
The atmosphere became lively again.
Bai Zhong also joked: "In fact, the photographer is the real master."
"I thought they were taken by a professional photographer?" Mary asked in surprise. "The photos and videos are captured very well. I thought rich people would bring their own photography team when they go out."
"Yeah, I especially like the one where he touches the front board in the air, very cool."
"I like the one about pushing the slope. That's what it's called in technical terms, right? Pushing the slope?"
The coffee was not ready yet, so Chen Youhan turned around and waited, supporting himself on the sink with both hands, exerting a little force.
Gu Xiu clapped his hands: "Okay, okay, we've talked enough. If you continue chatting, don't go home tonight."
President Chen indulged, and everyone lamented exaggeratedly: "Help!"
After everyone had left, Chen Youhan turned around. Gu Xiu was stopped by him just as he was about to leave.
"What's wrong?"
His Adam's apple rolled, and Chen Youhan smiled for some reason and asked, "Do you have his circle of friends?"
At that moment, Gu Xiu could not describe his feelings. He seemed to be on a roller coaster, sinking to the bottom at the fastest speed. He had gone to Huangtian to pick up people so many times, and had seen him deceive himself in the middle of the night with hallucinations so many times, but this time he faced Chen Youhan's embarrassment and humility more directly.
"Yes." He replied blankly, then came to his senses and quickly took out his cell phone, opened WeChat and handed it over.
Chen Youhan typed the word "Ye Kai" into the search box, and his account popped up.
The avatar has been changed.
Chen Youhan hesitated for a moment before clicking on the large photo of his head. It was a close-up shot with the corners of his lips raised high. Perhaps it was a snapshot, and the picture was even a little blurry in the twilight. Behind him were bright lights dotted all over the valley, and snow-capped mountains stood in the distance. Ye Kai never knew how to take photos properly, just like he couldn't honestly make himself appear normally in the camera when he was on video.
Chen Youhan raised the corners of his lips towards the screen, his eyes filled with a tenderness wrapped in pain, and he didn't even notice it.
Gu Xiu couldn't bear to watch and looked away.
I clicked into his Moments and saw that he didn't post often. After more than half a year, he only posted three or four posts. The latest one was the one they were discussing just now, a video with four skiing photos. The person holding the camera was really skilled, both in skiing and photography.
In the camera, one can even see the overflowing love for Ye Kai.
He captured Ye Kai's happiness so vividly that a dull pain slowly, very slowly arose in Chen Youhan's heart.
He didn't want to think about it too much and just thought it was Qu Zhongli.
Going down, there is a street corner full of flowers in Vancouver, without any caption. He seemed to just pass by here, saw the sunset and the beautiful flowers, and perhaps at that moment, he decided to let go of something, or figured out a painful problem, and recorded the ordinary, but profound and lonely world at that moment.
Chen Youhan scrolled down one by one and stopped at the last one.
His Moments have been visible for half a year, and the last one is about to disappear, but it was still seen before it disappeared.
August 7th.
Happy birthday.
Gu Xiu saw Chen Youhan holding his phone upside down, and his expression could not be seen clearly on his lowered face. Because there was no light, it made people wonder if there was only dullness in his eyes.
·
The night before GC Business Group welcomed its new president, there was a farewell banquet.
Chen Youhan stood on the stage, holding up a glass of wine. One glass to the old employees who had to leave and were invited back, one glass to the employees who stayed and worked overtime day and night, and one glass to the executives who never gave up and were willing to reduce their salaries to stay and stick with us through thick and thin.
After finishing the three cups, Bai Zhong whispered to Gu Xiu, "That's enough. His stomach can't take any more."
Gu Xiu nodded, ready to rush forward to smooth things over if things started to go wrong.
Chen Youhan took the bottle of wine from the etiquette lady, filled it up, paused, looked around, and said, "I would like to toast myself." with a little smile.
The audience was applauding, the executives were cheering, and the waves of applause penetrated the door of the banquet hall.
Gu Xiu stared at Chen Youhan blankly, his eyes a little red for some reason.
Chen Youhan waited for a while, raised his hand slightly to signal silence, and smiled: "It's not easy to be a capitalist. I know, even though you are crying and laughing now as if you can't bear to leave me, in fact, you have scolded me a lot behind my back."
The audience was laughing like crazy. Chen Youhan held up his glass and paused, "The past year was the most important year in my life, but also the most difficult year. When I was young, I didn't have many worries. Even if the sky fell, it would just be because I failed physics and was chased and beaten by your chairman."
Another burst of laughter.
Chen Youhan also curled his lips: "I have been in GC for so many years, from being immature to mature. I have scolded you and been scolded by you. We have stayed up all night together and overturned the table together. I have seen many of you get married and start families, and I have also seen many elderly people resign and retire. I am honored to have you by my side through all the ups and downs. The difficulties of GC have passed. This year, I know that some people even missed their children's full-month banquets for the company, some were broken up by their boyfriends, and some suffered from this disease or that disease——"
The audience kept saying, "Someone is even vomiting blood!"
Chen Youhan couldn't help but smile, and added: "Yes, there are people who vomited blood." It sounded like a joke, but no one laughed. They all restrained their expressions and listened carefully to his last words in office: "GC, the Chen family and I are not ungrateful. I remember all the days we have been through thick and thin together." He paused, "The most difficult days are over. The future is full of mountains and rivers, and it is a splendid road. I wish you all a bright future."
He finished the glass without changing his expression, and the slight frown on his brow disappeared in an instant.
After the banquet, people who wanted to hug him came one after another. No one knew who started it, but many people took the opportunity to confess their feelings half-truthfully. With so many people saying it, and in such an occasion, the real thing became fake, and the fake ones all came up to join in the fun. Chen Youhan laughed and cursed: "I'm still the president until tomorrow, and I'll deduct all my salary when I go back tonight!"
This time no one was offended by his cruelty.
Shen Rou said: "You are single anyway, what if."
Chen Youhan was holding his suit, smiling nonchalantly, "It's too late, there's no chance of that happening."
It is the familiar President Chen.
Handsome, suave, and at ease, he exudes an indescribable gentlemanly demeanor under the brilliant crystal chandelier.
·
The inter-county bus stopped at a small town on the edge of Yunnan and Guizhou. The sky was overcast, with low-hanging clouds that looked as if soaked in gray water. The water under the clouds was also gray, and the wide river flowed eastward at a very fast speed.
A pair of black outdoor boots stepped off the bus.
The engine roared, leaving behind a cloud of black, choking exhaust. Amid the exhaust, Chen Youhan walked toward an old Santana commercial vehicle waiting not far away with its hazard lights on.
The two middle-aged men who came to greet him were wearing jackets and smiling as they walked. They had already extended their hands to make a warm gesture for shaking hands, but their eyes could not help but look at him conservatively.
He was a big boss who came to donate money to build a school. There were so many poor mountain villages in Bijie, but he didn't even blink an eye.
But he refused all grand business receptions and meetings with leaders.
And I came here by bus.
Chen Youhan took the cigarettes they handed over, lowered his head and took a deep sip from the other person's lighter.
The cigarette was good, but too strong. He couldn't get used to it and finished off most of the cigarette.
The mayor took him to inspect the village. Along the Wujiang River, there are five or six villages that have not yet escaped poverty. It is said to be a hundred-mile art gallery, but in fact, on a cloudy day, poverty is more shocking than the scenery.
Some mud houses were half collapsed, and people lived with mules in the other half.
The abandoned blue brick wall was covered with vines, and since it was spring, it was already full of small flowers.
There are many farmers raising chickens and ducks. On the narrow narrow paths where people and horses walk together, there are deep footprints in the mud. Chicken, duck, cow and horse manure are mixed together, and the stinky smell floats in the air with drizzling rain.
To get from one village to the next, sometimes you need to walk along the mountain road for nearly an hour, and sometimes you need to take a boat.
After a cast of the rod, the boat drifted leisurely towards the center of the river. The stone cliffs on both sides were carved by knives and axes. In May, the mountains were covered with rhododendrons.
The strategic ability and courage to look for and acquire land in real estate is of little use here. As the boat sailed down, the scenery swept past my eyes and a map took shape in my mind. The township leader was followed by several village directors, who looked up at him while introducing themselves in Mandarin with a strong local accent. He put his right hand in his trouser pocket, holding a cigarette in his left hand, and looked up at the mountains and water without saying a word, with a carefree and calm mind.
He kept in mind the transportation in and out of the villages, the advantages and disadvantages of the terrain, the construction period and the cost difficulty.
Before dinner started, a bowl of potatoes was served on the table.
They are very big, not those small mountain potatoes. After being boiled in water, they can be eaten with salt.
He learned how to break it in the middle, peel off the thin skin, dip it in salt, and take a bite. Everyone was looking at his expression. He smiled, and someone immediately asked, "Is it fragrant? Is it very fragrant?"
Chen Youhan smiled and nodded, then finished the whole thing.
When he came out of the house of the village party secretary of Liucun, it was already dark, the wind was blowing, and it was so cold that he had to zip up his jacket. The whole valley was in darkness. It was pure silence and absolute darkness. If you must pursue it, you can go down along the river reflecting the moonlight to see a few lights in other villages.
The stray yellow dog in the village barked softly at the strange smell that would not appear once in a hundred years.
The village party secretary led the way, taking him to the house where he was staying. The road was bumpy, and he took one deep step and one shallow step. The flashlight went up and down with him, and could only illuminate the weeds within a few inches.
"Mr. Chen, are your family members at ease? They must be worried about you coming to a remote place like ours alone, right?" he started the conversation.
"Yes." Chen Youhan replied.
"Is Mr. Chen married? Does he have any children?"
"I'm married, but I don't have any children yet."
The village party secretary rubbed his hands vigorously and bent his neck to resist the cold. The starlight was so dim and the air was so cold that it seemed to cut one's lungs. He had to chat to distract himself. He said, "You and your wife are both kind people."
Chen Youhan said: "He is kinder than me."
"Mr. Chen's wife must be very beautiful."
"very beautiful."
"Will your wife come when the school is completed?"
Chen Youhan was quiet for a while, "I think so."
The author has something to say:
I have been to several villages in Wujiang before the implementation of targeted poverty alleviation. Now the situation should have improved with poverty alleviation.
How could Ye Jin remember Chen Youhan's birthday? ...It was just Xiao Kai's circle of friends.
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