Romance
Here he comes again. This wanton and seductive look, is he still drunk?
Ye Yuanyin looked up and caught a glimpse of Ji Quan's distressed expression in the rearview mirror. If she were truly his wife, perhaps she would naturally do something intimate. Even though she knew Ji Quan had feelings for her, she wouldn't take these subtle feelings, which only women understand, to heart, because she was certain where his heart lay.
But now they are not real husband and wife, everyone has the right to pursue him. So she understands Ji Quan's sadness and helplessness, and disdains to take advantage of the convenience of her status, which is despicable.
Ye Yuanyin turned sideways and stuffed the peeled candy into Hua Mei's mouth, saying calmly, "He doesn't like sweets."
Face is the most important thing in the world. Hua Mei immediately frowned and pushed her hand away angrily.
The sudden force caused her back to crash firmly into Chen Yan'an's arms, and the man's hand on the backrest subconsciously hugged her.
The wound, still not fully healed, ached slightly, and she frowned. Sediment noticed, reaching out and grabbing a soft pillow from the trunk.
Ye Yuanyin lowered his shoulders, took off his hand, sat up straight, and thanked him politely.
Chen Jing'an knew clearly in her heart that it was probably because she was not worthy - not worthy for her to abandon the order and principles that had been rooted in her heart since childhood.
He felt unprecedented loss for a piece of candy he didn't like.
…
After driving for more than an hour, the highway intersection was right in front of us.
Lin Huamei, who had remained silent for the rest of the journey, stopped Ye Yuanyin who was about to get off the car with her. "If you want to go somewhere, just ask your husband to take you there! Why are you always following me?"
“Huamei…” Ye Yuanyin wanted to explain, but Lin Huamei simply rejected her, “I don’t want to hear it! Let’s go.”
Chen Di'an came to the rescue: "Let's wait in the car. It's a bit cold outside."
"No need." Lin Huamei dismissed them with a clear distinction between love and hate: "You guys go ahead, my Ah Fu will be here soon."
Ye Yuanyin was worried and reminded him again, "Then call me anytime."
Huamei pouted and didn't answer.
The driver dropped her off and started the car again.
Because the seat was empty, she sat on the other side. The temperature beside him suddenly dropped, and he looked at the distance between them and asked casually, "What time will you finish?"
"I don't know either, it should be soon."
"I'll pick you up after the meeting."
"knew."
*
Ye Yuanyin got off the bus at the gate of the county's Fourth High School, and Zhou You was already waiting there.
She got out of the car and walked towards the man.
Sediment watched from behind the car window, unable to discern his emotions for a moment. The driver didn't dare move, waiting for his instructions.
He lowered his eyes and said, "Let's go."
"Okay, Mr. Shen."
Zhou You looked at the black luxury car going away, wondering who in the village had such strength. He couldn't help but ask, "Whose car did you take here?"
"……boss."
"You found a job?!"
"Um."
Zhou You was even more puzzled. "How did you find it? Why have I never heard you talk about it before?"
She thought about her current situation and said honestly, "I'm a temporary worker and I could be fired at any time."
Zhou You stopped asking questions, looked at the time, and took her to a restaurant in the county for dinner, just like they used to do.
"I still remember when I was in my first year of high school, Teacher Ye always brought me here for dinner. After evening study, we'd order a bowl of fish in sour soup, a plate of spicy chicken, and a spoonful of bracken and fried pork, and the owner would only charge me 45. It was all thanks to Teacher Ye's support that I was able to finish high school." Time flies like an arrow, and Zhou You finds it incredible. "You were only in junior high back then, right? I can't believe so many years have passed in the blink of an eye."
The father, a scholar with a strong will, was determined to improve the situation of impoverished children in the mountain village. He resolutely resigned from his job at the county and returned to Jiutao Village. Unfortunately, his ambitions were always defeated by reality. Frustrated, he returned to the county and resumed teaching, switching from math to Chinese.
Zhou You was very emotional when he mentioned Ye Wenqing. He stretched out his palm and compared it to half his arm height above the table. "I was only this tall back then. If it weren't for Teacher Ye, I would have starved to death by now, let alone going out to study."
Ye Yuanyin listened quietly. She liked to piece together different images of her father from other people's words.
"I came back to my hometown this time mainly to tell you about a job opportunity," Zhou You looked at her with a burning gaze, "Come back to Ancheng with me."
She was silent, and after struggling for a while, she shook her head and said, "I promised them that my work here is not over yet."
Zhou You disagreed: "It's just a part-time job, why are you so stubborn? A central enterprise in Ancheng has just opened a psychological counseling room, and it doesn't say it has to limit the qualifications of fresh graduates. Such a good opportunity, how can you bear to give it up?"
Ye Yuanyin hesitated for a long time, but still said, "No."
Zhou You stared at this dull and foolish man and suddenly laughed, "In this day and age, do you still believe in the nonsense that 'a gentleman's promise is worth a thousand gold'?"
She smiled along.
Zhou You sighed softly, and it was hard to tell whether his words were meant to be a compliment or criticism. "Why do you look so much like your father?"
The boss brought the dishes over. Zhou You ordered two bottles of beer, poured her a glass and pushed it in front of her, "Have a drink."
Ye Yuanyin did not refuse.
"How is Master's wife? How is your health?"
"Better than before, but I still have a cough."
"We still need to take him to Ancheng for a look," Zhou You said again, "Just let me know if you need my help."
Ye Yuanyin didn't respond. Given his limited financial situation, how could she have the nerve to ask such a question? After arriving in Ancheng, she had been wandering in poverty. She used to be a carefree person at home, but now she had become particularly good at reading other people's faces.
Help from friends comes in many forms. Some are financially strapped and can only offer sympathy verbally; others, generous with material gifts, crave praise and recognition, and so love to publicize it. She remembers all of this clearly and repays the favor as needed, to the best of her ability. Only Dian Dian, unconcerned with fame or money, perhaps sees himself as needing help in every way.
"Ayin, didn't you tell You Jing that you were in your hometown?"
Ye Yuanyin was stunned for a moment, then asked calmly, "Did he ask you to come?"
"I shouldn't get involved between you, but..."
"Then don't get involved." Ye Yuanyin took a deep breath, raised his head, and said with a look of worry, "Brother, don't you know everything about what happened between him and me? If you understand everything, why are you still helping him?"
Zhou You quickly explained, "Because I understand you, how can I bear to see you become like this? Teacher Ye hopes that you will become a useful person. Are you satisfied with your current situation?"
"Will I become a better person if I stay with him? Will I become a useful person?"
"At least there won't be so many difficulties."
"Isn't he the cause of all the difficulties?"
"Ayin, I really don't understand! He's so good to you, what on earth are you dissatisfied with?"
Why do others always arbitrarily define their own feelings? She is not a plaything, and she can't just please men because they like her. Don't poor people have the right to live according to their own wishes?
"Of course he helped me a lot, and I'm very grateful. If I need to repay you, please let him tell me in person. I don't want you to be his lobbyist."
Ye Yuanyin stood up, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Brother, is it because he's helping you find a job and expand your network, and I'm of no use to you, that even you have to side with him? Do you really have to force me to sell myself in my father's favorite restaurant?"
"Ayin! What nonsense are you talking about!"
She couldn't face the man in front of her anymore, so she picked up the canvas bag beside her and stood up, "I'm leaving first."
She hadn't taken two steps when she heard the crisp sound of cups and plates hitting the ground. She turned around and saw You Jing's expression, as gloomy as before a summer rainstorm.
It turned out that he had come too, sitting not far from them with his back turned.
Under the black baseball cap lies a tough face that looks like it was carved by a knife, with the artist's unique crazy expression and melancholy temperament.
She had seen him smile, his thin lips curled up in a cynical sneer, as if everything in the world was legitimately suspect. Unfortunately, happiness is always fleeting, and now she rarely saw that smile on his face.
The teacup that was swept off the table was still spinning on the ground, and the rim of the cup hit the ground with a clinking sound, which also hurt her heart.
You Jing walked over, a scornful smile on his lips, and with a bewitching beauty, he said, "I'm here to discuss the terms of repayment with you." He slightly opened his lips and spoke with a strong emphasis, "In person."
There was chaos in the small restaurant, people were pointing and talking, and quickly gathered around to watch.
It was like this again, and again. As long as she was with him, she, the person who least wanted to be noticed, would become the target of public criticism. Ye Yuanyin pursed her lips tightly, and a layer of mist formed in her eyes.
"What conditions? You tell me."
"I'm afraid I'll get my mouth dirty telling you this. Do you have the wherewithal?!" You Jing looked at her calmly and arrogantly, saying heartlessly, "If I ask you to pay me back, do you have the money? If I ask you to do hard labor, are you willing to give up your petty intellectual, poor, and stinking airs? All you have left is this skin and flesh! And yet, you still dare to tell Zhou You you're selling yourself?"
You Jing stretched out his finger, tapped her chest, and taunted her, "Ye Yuanyin, check your conscience and ask it carefully. Have I ever touched you in the past six years? There are many better women around me. Who do you think you are?!"
Having said that, it seems there is nothing more to say.
All the good times in life, all the amazing people we meet, are like fleeting clouds and shattered glass, unable to withstand even the slightest scrutiny. A life filled with suffering is the only thing that endures and lasts forever. Meeting some people exhausts all our energy. He doesn't understand her, and neither does she.
Zhou You watched from the side, feeling helpless and powerless.
In 2009, when he was in the first year of high school, he heard Rene Liu singing "So You Are Here Too". Later he learned that the lyricist got the inspiration from Eileen Chang's novel "Love".
He thought You Jing was like the woman in the novel. The man she liked never made a promise to her, but she spent half her life with only a vague love in her heart.
During the six months or so she had been away, this ancestor had been constantly checking his phone. Even though he knew the calls wouldn't go through, he still kept sending messages and calling. They, the outsiders, could all see how much he missed her, but the girl acted as if she had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Now that they finally met, it would have been nice if she could have said a few soft words to comfort him, but she was still furious.
Zhou You was still trying to reconcile, "You two should both stop talking."
You Jing was completely enraged. He reached out and grabbed her thin arm, gritting his teeth and saying, "You said I forced you to sell your body, and I don't want to bear this bad reputation in vain! Sleep with me once, and we'll be even. I'll never bother you again!"
Zhou You's face changed drastically, and he stopped him and said angrily: "Stop talking nonsense, are you crazy?"
"Get out of here!"
You Jing pushed him away forcefully, ignoring her hateful struggle, and swept her away like a hurricane.
*
After meeting with the county leader in charge of the project, Dian Dian had originally arranged to have lunch with Secretary Lin, but he declined.
Ji Quan knew what he was thinking about, and couldn't help but persuade him: "There are still many areas in the future project that need Secretary Lin's support, right..."
"That's not necessary," he said, always speaking succinctly. He tilted his head and said, "Tell the driver to drive the car over here. I'll go say goodbye to Secretary Lin."
Ji Quan watched him walk away, picked up his cell phone, and dialed Liu Ying's number with an expressionless face.
Liu Ying was meeting with Chairman Shen Wentian at the time. She went out to pick up the phone and asked quietly, "What's going on?"
"I need your help with something."
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