"Okay." The waiter picked up the menu, ticked it with a pen, and left.

After a while, the food came up.

Chen Xu poured the whole plate of watercress into the pot. Suddenly, he felt someone approaching. He looked up and saw Yang Jinxia. He was slightly startled and blurted out, "Something fell?"

Yang Jinxia sat back down in her original seat, looked at the watercress in the steaming pot, and said, "You're quite considerate. In my parallel world, I don't like watercress?"

"I just felt that the dish was not enough, so I added one more." Chen Xu put down his chopsticks and refilled her cup.

Yang Jinxia said, "You have quite a big appetite then."

"I just finished running and I'm quite hungry. I'm sorry to have embarrassed you."

Yang Jinxia picked up her colander, scooped out a piece of bean curd from the pot and put it in the bowl, saying, "It just occurred to me that I haven't asked for your opinion on our cooperation yet. What kind of cooperation do you hope for?"

"Part cash, part shares. The cash can be converted into Zhonghui shares. As for the specific amount, it's up to you."

"I can accept this plan." She nodded, picked up the piece of bean curd with chopsticks, dipped it in the sauce, put it in her mouth, took a bite, and put it back. "However, I have run into some trouble recently. The cooperation may have to be postponed."

"That's such a pity." Chen Xu sighed, "I wonder how long it will be postponed?"

"Aren't you curious about what the trouble is?"

"It's troublesome for you, so what's the point of me asking?"

"You can take a guess."

"I can't guess."

"It's too perfunctory. I won't accept it."

"You are forcing me."

"If you don't guess, our cooperation will be void."

Chen Xu took out everything from the pot, called the waiter, and asked for a new pot base. He said, "Then at least give me some tips."

Yang Jinxia shook her head. "Without any hints, just treat it as a test. Not everyone is qualified to be my partner."

After a while, the waiter came over with a new pot of soup base, replaced it, and left.

Chen Xu turned up the temperature and said, "Then I'll make a bold guess that it's not work-related."

"Um."

"It's probably not about your relationship, so it must be about your health. I noticed that you don't look very well these past two days. There's nothing wrong with your body, but it seems like you haven't gotten enough rest. Is it about your mental health..."

Yang Jinxia didn't say yes or no. She put her hand on the cup but didn't pick it up. After a while, she said, "Sometimes, I really doubt that you are just like me, with sharp insight and careful thinking. You deliberately wove a lie to lure me in."

"I'm glad you think so highly of me."

"Now, I'll give you a chance. As long as you can do this, I can trust you unconditionally in the future."

Chen Xu shook his head and said, "I can't do it."

Yang Jinxia looked at him, waiting for him to give his reason.

Chen Xu said, "Only if you trust me unconditionally can I solve your problems."

Yang Jinxia smiled, "You really have wild ideas."

Chen Xu said, "Her name is Xiaoya, right?"

The smile on Yang Jinxia's face disappeared and her eyes turned cold.

Chen Xu did not avoid her gaze and just kept looking at her.

After a while, she spoke, her voice just as cold, "It's not difficult to find out the name if you put in some effort."

Chen Xu said, "Yes, there are not many real secrets in this world." Then he took out a tissue, wiped his mouth, and said, "I have something else to do, so I'll leave first."

Yang Jinxia didn't move, just sat there. After a long time, he slowly stood up and left the hot pot restaurant.

"Liar, he's a liar."

A sound of gnashing teeth rang out in my ears.

Her lips moved as if she was smiling.

…………

When Chen Xu walked out of the hot pot restaurant, he wondered if she would be angry. Then he thought it was unlikely. They had been together for so many years in real life, and although he still couldn't guess what she was thinking, she knew very well what she needed.

As long as she knows there is a chance to solve her problems, she will never give up such an opportunity.

He had no choice but to do this. Dealing with her was never an easy thing. He couldn't be too active, as that would make him seem to have ulterior motives.

And, as he had just said, if she didn't believe him, there was nothing he could do.

She was not the kind of person who would tell him everything. She had never mentioned Xiaoya's affairs to him. He only learned about it through the playback function of the virtual dream system. In that dream, when he was lying in the cryostasis chamber, she often told him some of the most secret things in her heart.

However, it is impossible to expect someone like her to let down her guard with just a few words.

He scanned a shared electric bike on the side of the road, rode all the way back to his rental house, took a shower, sat in front of the computer, took out his mobile phone as usual, and saw a QQ message.

"This is the cell phone number of my friend. If you are free in a couple of days, please contact her." Looking at the sending time, he sent the message while he was riding his bike back.

He responded, “Okay, thank you.”

"Working overtime on New Year's Day?"

"No, I just had dinner outside."

"We are all the same. On New Year's Day, we still have to eat out. How pitiful."

"You haven't gone home yet?"

"No, at least I have to be busy until after the Lantern Festival."

"It seems that you are much worse off than me. I even have a holiday for the Lantern Festival."

"well."

After a while, she sent another message, "By the way, I met a composer with the same stage name as you."

"Really? That can't be such a coincidence."

"It's true. I listened to a piano performance today. It was so beautiful that I took a look at the program and the composer on it was exactly the same as your stage name."

"Is the performer called Zhang Jinshan?"

"How do you know? Did you also compose those two piano pieces?"

"Yes, it was originally a piece for pottery xun. Zhang Jinshan heard it last time and was very interested in it. She wanted to adapt it for piano, and I agreed."

After a while, "I was so shocked that I didn't know what to say for a moment."

"It's okay, just praise me. Don't worry that I will get proud."

"Um, do you have any unpublished songs?"

"Why, you want it?"

"think."

(End of this chapter)