Chapter 94 Compromise
Zhan Lintian began listing his treasured collection, starting with wines from abroad and then moving on to those from China.
“If you don’t like it,” he leaned closer to Jiang Xia and rubbed his nose against Jiang Xia’s, “I remember a domestic wine that’s smooth and sweet, more like a beverage, which you’ll definitely be able to accept.”
Jiang Xia's eyelids twitched slightly. He had already listed more than a dozen different kinds of alcohol, and they had all been opened. There was simply no way he could finish them all.
Jiang Xia refused, offering the reason: "Don't waste it."
Zhan Lintian didn't care about any of that. He patted the man's shoulder and coaxed him, "No one's going to drink all that wine I have stored away. It won't be a waste if you drink it. Besides, each kind of wine has its own flavor. You can savor the taste of the top, middle, and bottom notes."
Jiang Xia looked up and placed her hand between the two of them, blocking the man's kiss that was about to come down on her.
Disappointed, Zhan Lintian followed Jiang Xia's gaze and said seriously, "You have to try many things. Being stuck in your ways is not a compliment at this time."
He gently took Jiang Xia's hand, squeezed Jiang Xia's fingertips, and said, "Take one of the bottles of wine for example. My friend said that the aftertaste has the fragrance of a clear morning after rain, a damp, sweet, and cool feeling. Would you... like to try it?"
Jiang Xia lowered his eyes, unable to imagine what it would taste like.
Zhan Lintian's voice softened further as he continued to tempt her: "How about we celebrate your successful completion of the Huaihai mission? A victory celebration?"
He naturally changed the subject: "So, there's one last meeting left tomorrow?"
Jiang Xia hummed in agreement.
Zhan Lintian didn't say anything more, but just stroked Jiang Xia's hair.
He wouldn't let go, and Jiang Xia couldn't leave either. He sat on the other's lap, pondering what he had just said.
Perhaps I should try something new.
After adulthood and graduation, the years repeat themselves day after day, the same life, in endless cycles.
He can no longer distinguish between last year, this year, and next year.
For someone whose heart has already settled down, the word "new" is too tempting.
Jiang Xia buried his face in the other person's shoulder, somewhat dejected and resigned.
Zhan Lintian smiled and shook him.
Jiang Xia pursed her lips. This person was shameless. If she refused, he would use his "denial" skills to find all sorts of reasons to block her "refusal".
All I could do was change the thick blanket on the bed before going to sleep tonight!
In the evening, Jiang Xia brought over a thin quilt, and Zhan Lintian helped change the quilt cover.
Jiang Xia knelt down beside the bed, smoothing out the wrinkles on the blanket with both hands. After doing all this, he said, "It's too hot to sleep here. We have to change it."
Zhan Lintian chuckled and leaned over to offer a suggestion: "Why don't you let Wu Zhou go sleep next door?"
He talks badly about people behind their backs.
Jiang Xia sighed helplessly and gave a bitter laugh.
I'm afraid Mr. Wu also hopes that Zhan Lintian will get lost.
Instead of that, it would be better to switch to a thinner blanket.
Zhan Lintian didn't ask any further questions. He thought that if he changed the blankets, Jiang Xia wouldn't keep pushing him away because he was too hot.
At least I can sleep with Jiang Xia in my arms.
Mr. Zhan's favorite time now is at night, when he can sleep with Jiang Xia in his arms.
Especially in the darkness, with Jiang Xia resting her head on his shoulder, the fragrance of her hair reached his nose and permeated every cell of his body.
Waking up in the morning, in the dimly lit room, with a warm bed and a sleeping lover, brings not only physical pleasure but also spiritual satisfaction.
Jiang Xia always likes to cover his head when he sleeps.
As he fell asleep, he would burrow deeper into the covers.
Wu Zhou went to bed late tonight. He had just finished a task and didn't return to the master bedroom until 10:30.
Wu Zhou didn't turn on the main light, but walked to the bedside using the bedside lamp.
I didn't see the river gorge, I only saw the blankets puffing up.
Wu Zhou gently lifted the blanket and saw the warm light of the bedside lamp falling on Jiang Xia's nose. Jiang Xia was lying on her side, fast asleep, her eyelashes fluttering with her shallow breaths.
Wu Zhou couldn't resist gently touching Jiang Xia's cheek. Jiang Xia turned her face away, pressing her cheek against his fingertips.
Wu Zhou poked Jiang Xia's little mole on his face; he looked both pitiful and adorable.
Zhan Lintian said coldly from the side, "If you keep poking him, he'll wake up soon. He slept for a while during the day and finally managed to fall asleep tonight."
Wu Zhou then stopped and lay down next to Jiang Xia.
Everything was perfect, if only there wasn't Zhan Lintian eyeing things so covetously.
After turning off the lights, Wu Zhou kissed Jiang Xia's cheek in the dark and said softly, "Goodnight."
*
The next day, after changing to a thinner blanket, Jiang Xia was finally able to get a good night's sleep.
He woke up early and made breakfast: fried eggs, whole wheat bread slices, and clear soup noodles.
He wanted to make a proper breakfast, but when he opened the refrigerator, there was a bunch of basic ingredients that he didn't know how to cook.
For example, flour, glutinous rice flour, freshly cut steak, and seafood that someone just delivered.
He was afraid that mixing the ingredients randomly would upset his stomach.
He's getting older and can't handle the stress anymore.
To be honest, among the group, only Wu Ming is a picky eater.
Jiang Xia's cooking skills were mediocre, and after a busy day, he had no energy to cook for Wu Ming.
Jiang Xia held the spatula, staring blankly at the bubbling water in the pot. In fact, she would prepare and cook according to Wu Ming's taste at first, but Wu Ming would always leave for various reasons.
All that remained were the river gorge, a table of barely touched food, and countless disappointments.
As Jiang Xia was making noodles, his shoulder slumped as Zhan Lintian placed his hands on his stomach and said, "It smells so good."
The tall, burly man was still half asleep, bending over and burying his face in Jiang Xia's shoulder.
"What time do you get off work tonight? I'll come pick you up." Zhan Lintian's face was buried, and his voice was muffled.
Jiang Xia sighed, and finally said helplessly, "Seven o'clock."
Zhan Lintian gently rubbed Jiang Xia's waist and abdomen one last time, hoping, "You can get a little fatter."
Jiang Xia's face flushed, and she did not answer his question.
Fortunately, I still have a job and can go out, instead of being held by him all day.
After arriving at his work location, Jiang Xia made a point of drinking some coffee to stay alert before the meeting began.
The meeting was divided into morning and afternoon sessions. After it ended, Jiang Xia finally snapped and curled up on the sofa in the lounge to clear his mind.
Several translators also sat down to rest.
One person asked Jiang Xia, "There's another gathering tonight, a seafood feast. How can we not eat here when we're in Huaihai?"
Jiang Xia squinted wearily and said, "Hmm."
Someone reminded him, "The meeting went smoothly, and the client will be giving a thank-you dinner tonight; a major client will also be there."
The other party blinked, and Jiang Xia understood. It seemed that with the Chinese New Year approaching, the client was going to give out red envelopes or prepare gifts.
Jiang Xia smiled and nodded: "I understand."
I can skip last night's working lunch, but since the overseas clients are attending tonight, I have to accompany them for dinner and translate as well.
The female translator from last night, with her legs crossed, picked up the conversation, preventing it from falling to the ground: "Translator Jiang is so young, why is she so lifeless?"
Jiang Xia straightened up: "I'm getting old, and my ambition isn't as high as it used to be when I was young."
He is already twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old.
One person joked, "Wow, I can't believe it, you're still so young."
Jiang Xia's lips maintain a slight curve; does she look young? She's already at the age where she might doze off while watching TV. During her physical exam this year, the doctor even said she could take calcium and vitamin D supplements, probably because she works at a desk for too long and rarely sees sunlight.
For a while, the doctor told him to eat less takeout food because it wasn't very nutritious.
Jiang Xia found it difficult to talk about, but during that time he was worried that takeout was unhealthy, so he specially cooked for himself.
But he also found cooking troublesome and ate clear soup noodles every day.
After a brief chat, Jiang Xia sent text messages to Zhan Lintian and Wu Zhou, telling them that he would be home a little late.
So that they wouldn't think I'd run away and rush back to find me.
The food at tonight's dinner party was quite good. The client prepared a gift bag for us. When Jiang Xia was picking out the gift bag, he noticed a red envelope in the box.
Hmm, this banquet is quite nice.
At the end of the party, the host specially prepared local specialties from Huaihai. The owner came over in person and said that he had personally caught the spring fish in the deep mountains and forests. He said that the fish tasted delicious. After drinking some wine, he even boasted that it could prolong life and was comparable to a magic elixir.
The claim was so exaggerated that Jiang Xia felt he should start ecological farming next year.
Jiang Xia looked down and saw small fish, no bigger than a palm, being kept warm in a bowl. Golden oil floated on top of them, and some Chinese medicinal herbs were also added. Hmm... indeed very healthy.
Eating it should only have benefits and no harm.
Perhaps it was from talking about age with her colleagues that Jiang Xia realized that people do get old.
At that moment, he didn't like eating fish, but he was still attracted by its freshness and thought it must be pretty good. He suddenly wanted to pack it up and take it back for Zhan Lintian and Wu Zhou to try.
As Jiang Xia was leaving, he noticed that no one seemed to be packing up their leftovers. He hesitated for a moment, then waited until the waiter brought out the fruit platter. He whispered to the manager, "Could you please pack up this fish dish for me later? Also, could you please pack the two fish inside separately into two small bowls?"
The manager smiled and nodded: "Yes, sir."
After the banquet ended, the translators stayed until the very end. The staff asked them how they were getting back to the hotel and whether they needed any assistance.
Jiang Xia refused, and went back after everyone left, where he saw several waiters tidying up the private room.
The unfinished wine at the banquet was packed away, presumably for someone to take away. Jiang Xia was used to this; having money was a business for bosses. As an employee, sometimes it was better to ask for more and put aside so-called pride to live a better life.
The steward handed him Jiangxia's fish bowl: "Sir, there's an insulated bag and a hand warmer inside."
Jiang Xia chuckled, "Thank you, you're too kind."
The manager explained with a smile, "The taste will change when it gets cold, so we pay extra attention to keeping it warm, which is also our restaurant's consistent service standard."
Jiang Xia thanked them again.
As soon as Jiang Xia stepped out of the gate, Zhan Lintian parked his car at the entrance of the restaurant, and a waiter came forward to help open the door.
Jiang Xia sat in the passenger seat and pointed to the bag: "I... brought some food, things I haven't eaten before, not leftovers."
Zhan Lintian grinned and said happily, "Leftovers are fine too, we'll eat them when we get back."
Jiang Xia added, "It's really not leftovers, it's still warm. Luckily, the bag can keep it warm."
Zhan Lintian started the car, looked ahead, and retorted, "Actually, it doesn't matter if it's cold. We can go home and warm up."
Once the car was on the main road and the steering wheel was straightened, Zhan Lintian took the opportunity to stroke his hand back and forth, much like a wealthy man flirting with his new girlfriend while driving a luxury car, exuding a playboy vibe.
Zhan Lintian added, "Jiang Xia, whatever it may be, it's your intention that matters."
When you care about someone, you'll always be thinking about how they are doing, and you'll try your best to take care of them within your means.
Zhan Lintian also recalled that at a dinner party, his friend's wife made cheese sticks for the children, and all the children present received some.
Wenwen was too young to attend the gathering, so Zhan Lintian took the initiative to ask for a few.
Wenwen may not like to eat it, but she will be happy.
The affection her parents didn't give her was something her uncle was trying his best to make up for. Now... Zhan Lintian thought to himself that he couldn't worry about Wenwen for the time being; his uncle needed to win over his wife first.
I'm sure Wenwen will understand.
Zhan Lintian held Jiang Xia's hand tightly, refusing to let go.
Jiang Xia tried to pull his hand away, but found he couldn't. Fearing it would affect his driving, he stopped struggling.
Jiang Xia recalled that not long ago, Wu Ming was also going to a dinner party. He said that the food he brought back would not taste good if it got cold, so he left in a hurry.
Whether it's delicacies from the mountains or seafood, Jiang Xia doesn't care. Regardless of whether it's hot or cold, as long as Wu Ming cares about him or can sense his discomfort, Jiang Xia can let it go.
But Wu Ming couldn't tell.
It would be too sentimental to express the restless thoughts in Jiang Xia's heart.
A thousand words turned into silence.
Now, Zhan Lintian has seen through it all and spoken it out directly.
Jiang Xia turned his head to look at his silhouette.
Zhan Lintian was driving when the streetlights outside the window swept across his face, their light flickering in and out, mirroring the rapid beating of Jiang Xia's heart.
Jiang Xia's fingers twitched slightly, mimicking Zhan Lintian's action, and she gently tightened her grip on his fingertips...
Zhan Lintian's lips curled up, and then he gripped him tightly.
Is he silently being affectionate?
*
After returning to the villa.
Zhan Lintian and Wu Zhou stood in front of the dining table and saw the fish bowls in the bag, which had been divided into two portions.
Jiang Xia touched the outside of the porcelain; it was still warm. He breathed a sigh of relief: "Give it a try? President Su raved about his fish, but it must be very healthy."
Jiang Xia lowered his eyes: "Well, maintaining good health is a good thing."
Zhan Lintian noticed this and exchanged a glance with Wu Zhou; Jiang Xia was quite impartial.
Jiang Xia tilted his head and looked at them.
Jiang Xia watched them enjoy the food with anticipation, and suddenly understood why his parents always brought him food home when he was a child.
Now I've gone from being a child who needed to be taken care of to living a good life, and I've become an adult who can bring food to others.
Zhan Lintian chuckled. These specially prepared private dishes are definitely meant for one person each, so they were specially divided into two portions.
Wu Zhou glanced coldly at Zhan Lintian.
But when he looked at the river gorge, his expression softened instantly: "Hmm, I'll try it now."
Zhan Lintian ate, but his mind was completely focused on Jiang Xia, so he didn't taste anything.
After finishing his meal, he watched Wu Zhou go to the kitchen, then secretly kissed Jiang Xia, his fingers brushing across Jiang Xia's lips, and as Jiang Xia was about to speak, his tongue slipped inside.
He sucked on Jiang Xia's tongue; Jiang Xia's lips and tongue were warm and soft, becoming wet with just a slight lick...
The ambiguous sound of water mingled between their lips.
Zhan Lintian resisted the urge to pick the person up and take it a step further. After letting go, he asked, "Is it fresh?"
As he spoke, he wiped the water droplets from the corner of Jiang Xia's mouth.
Jiang Xia's cheeks flushed slightly.
Just as Wu Zhou came out of the kitchen, he heard Zhan Lintian say, "By the way, you don't have any work scheduled for the next two or three days, right? Otherwise, I'll teach you how to swim tonight. I've turned up the room temperature, so you won't get cold."
Jiang Xia hesitated.
Zhan Lintian feigned sympathy: "I have a multinational video conference tomorrow, Jiang Xia..."
Both of them could swim. Jiang Xia waved his hand, took a step back, and said with unwavering resolve, "Let's go in the summer."
Zhan Lintian hooked his arm around his waist and said with a smile, "What are you afraid of? I'm not going to eat you. Consider this an early birthday present for you."
Jiang Xia declined again, looking out the window: "I want to see the sea and take a walk tomorrow."
Although Mengcheng is located near the estuary, the main urban area is only served by three major rivers, and it is still quite a distance from the estuary.
During my time at Jiangxia University, I often went for walks on the beach with Wu Ming.
Later... when he went there alone again, his mindset had changed. His impression of the sea had gone from being fun to just being so-so.
The waves are still waves, the sound of the waves is deafening, and apart from the sweltering heat of summer, there is only the damp cold of winter.
The more lively the beach is, the deeper the parent-child bond, and the more lonely one feels.
Upon hearing this, Zhan Lintian moved closer and said, "Then I'll accompany you for a walk."
Jiang Xia thought for a moment and then asked, "I remember you said there was a video conference tomorrow?"
Zhan Lintian clicked his tongue, realizing he had shot himself in the foot.
Wu Zhou was standing to the side, about to speak.
Jiang Xia smiled and looked at him. Wu Zhou was much busier than Zhan Lintian: "I want to take a walk by myself."
Wu Zhou ultimately didn't want to put him in a difficult position, and nodded: "Be careful, don't catch a cold."
*
The next day.
As Jiangxia walked along the beach, he left a trail of footprints.
The wind was strong at the seaside. Before leaving, Zhan Lintian tied a large wool scarf around his neck, and Wu Zhou took out a pair of leather gloves and helped him put on a royal blue woolen hat.
Now, Jiang Xia shrank his neck, with only his eyes showing.
He wasn't cold at all; as he strolled along the beach, he was pondering a question.
In fact, Wu Zhou and Zhan Lintian were waiting for their answer, but no matter what they chose, they would not give up.
If I choose Wu Zhou, Zhan Lintian says no; if I choose Zhan Lintian, Wu Zhou says no; if I give up, they both say no even more.
It seems like we've hit a dead end; no matter what we choose, it won't work...
Jiang Xia put his hands behind his back and sighed.
At this moment, Zhan Lintian and Wu Zhou followed behind, keeping a great distance so that Jiang Xia would not notice them.
Wu Zhou replied coldly, "Don't you have a video conference?"
Zhan Lintian said casually, "I declined. Aren't you very busy with work?"
Wu Zhou didn't answer him, but snorted coldly and asked in a low voice, "What do you think... he's thinking?"
Zhan Lintian looked at Jiang Xia's lonely figure and wanted to follow him and take a walk with him.
He held back, afraid of frightening Jiang Xia.
Finally, the two exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing both hostility and compromise.
A note from the author:
At this moment, Jiang Xia was still struggling with his decision.
(ー`′ー) He never even thought of the "all" option.
Jiangxia: Thinking [Chin resting on hand]
Zhan Lintian: I've already thought it through for you. (Feeds you a drink)
Wu Zhou: (Silent, feeding them together)
*
When Jiang Xia gets drunk, he doesn't act crazy. Instead, he becomes very clingy, his legs give way, and he leans limply against someone's chest.
Mr. Zhan wanted to coax people to sit on it and sway back and forth to find a comfortable spot.
Jiang Xia would often move a couple of times, then lie in his arms, clutching her slightly swollen belly, and sob, saying, "I...I have no strength left."
*
General Manager Zhan wanted to teach Jiang Xia how to swim; he wanted to teach her, but he also wanted to seduce her.
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