Chapter 87 Regret
After Jiang Xia finished speaking, the two men in front of him did not make a move, but the atmosphere of open and covert struggle was already very obvious.
Jiang Xia stood in the middle, not daring to speak loudly, for fear of overturning the vinegar jar.
He cut the apples on the plate very evenly, all the same size, so that each person got two pieces, which was very fair.
Jiang Xia dared not show any favoritism and treated everyone equally.
Jiang Xia ate two pieces of apple first and reminded the other two, "If an apple is cut open for too long, the surface will oxidize and it won't taste fresh."
He forced a smile and said, "Eat."
Wu Zhou and Zhan Lintian then each picked up the remaining apples and ate them.
Jiang Xia took the opportunity to move to the kitchen to prepare lunch.
Chef Zhan Lintian came over midway through to help him control the heat.
Jiang Xia nodded, accepting everything without question: "Okay."
Looking at his serious profile, Zhan Lintian noticed beads of sweat on his nose and his eyelashes trembling with tension. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head: "That was close, Wu Ming almost got to enjoy the good life."
As he waited, he saw Jiang Xia take a small spoon to test the saltiness.
Zhan Lintian waited on the side: "Feed me a bite too."
Jiang Xia changed to a new spoon, scooped out a small spoonful and fed it to him. Zhan Lintian tasted it with dissatisfaction and muttered, "Why change the spoon?"
How many times have I forced myself to kiss my lips? How many times have I licked my tongue until it's wet?
Thinking of this, Zhan Lintian's Adam's apple bobbed.
I can't think about it anymore.
Jiangxia's lips are very soft, like cotton when you kiss them... and they taste very sweet when your tongue touches them.
As he pondered, his eyes grew deep and thoughtful.
When Jiang Xia is kissed, she will hum softly, a sound that is both suggestive and intimate, as if she is being kissed uncomfortably and is whimpering, but it sounds beautiful...
Like a small brush, gently brushing against my heart.
Zhan Lintian leaned closer and pressed his face against Jiang Xia's.
He wanted to take two big bites of Jiang Xia right now, it smelled so good... If Wu Zhou hadn't been there, Zhan Lintian really wanted to coax Jiang Xia to drink some low-alcohol beverages that night, and coax him to help him in bed.
Just consider Jiangxia as a bodhisattva, helping me out.
If you beg, Jiangxia might just agree.
Then she begged him to take responsibility, saying it was her first time and he had to take responsibility!
Zhan Lintian felt a burning sensation in his nose, and whenever he thought of Jiangxia, he was filled with inappropriate and erotic thoughts.
Jiang Xia's exposed wrist showed fair skin with faint blue veins visible.
The skin is very thin.
Jiang Xia didn't see it and was still thinking about the cup she wanted to give to Wenwen, so she said softly, "Could you please deliver the rabbit cup I bought?"
Just as Zhan Lintian was about to refuse to deliver it personally, Jiang Xia said, "I just heard you talking to your aunt on the phone. Wenwen said she wants it today. The little one is impatient, so please?"
Jiang Xia tilted his head to look at him.
Zhan Lintian looked at Jiang Xia, who was tilting his head, and gave a soft "hmm," which Jiang Xia took as his agreement.
Jiang Xia smiled and said, "Thank you. Let's have lunch first."
Jiang Xia started serving dishes back and forth, while Zhan Lintian looked longingly at Jiang Xia's hands, which still retained her warmth...
After lunch, Jiang Xia wanted to take a nap and find some peace and quiet.
He sat on the sofa feeling sleepy, thinking that he would rest in the master bedroom after Zhan Lintian returned.
Wu Zhou was busy working on the sofa, so no one bothered each other.
Unexpectedly, Zhan Lintian simply sat down to the side, instantly encircling Jiangxia from both sides with Wu Zhou.
Jiang Xia sat up straight, cramped. To his left was Zhan Lintian, and to his right was Wu Zhou.
Zhan Lintian leaned in, put his arm around his waist, and held his left hand with one hand: "What's wrong? Are you sleepy?"
Wu Zhou, who was standing next to him, brushed aside the strands of hair on his forehead so that it wouldn't cover his forehead, making him more comfortable: "Go to sleep."
Jiangxia was too lazy to move.
He really had no other tricks up his sleeve. He was neither good at pleasing both sides nor at being adept at social maneuvering, and he didn't know how to navigate relationships between two people with ease.
The more he refused, the more they liked each other.
Jiang Xia has a good temper and can't bring himself to make a scene or show his teeth.
If he had been ruthless, what was just divided into six pieces wouldn't have been an apple, but Wu Zhou and Zhan Lintian!
Jiang Xia drifted off to sleep.
Once Zhan Lintian was sure he was asleep, he quickly got up and went home to pick up his niece, Wenwen.
Since he had promised to let Wenwen accept Jiang Xia's gift, and he couldn't let Jiang Xia down, he brought his niece over directly.
For my uncle's happiness, let's ask her for a few days off first.
Zhan Lintian at least has a little niece who can help him, while Wu Zhou can only think about the troublesome Wu Ming...
His expression instantly turned cold. Luckily, that guy was abroad and not around, otherwise...
On the sofa, Wu Zhou pulled Jiang Xia closer to him and let him rest his head on his shoulder.
After a while, he felt that Jiang Xia was not comfortable, so he carried her horizontally to the master bedroom, put her on the bed, and covered her with a blanket.
Wu Zhou then moved his laptop and reports inside.
The reports are kept on the bedside table for easy access.
He sat against the headboard, working on his laptop on his lap, while Jiang Xia slept beside him.
Wu Zhou would often look at Jiang Xia, and occasionally reach out to touch Jiang Xia's face.
This is a scene he has been dreaming about for many years...
However, Jiang Xia didn't sleep for long. When she woke up, Zhan Lintian was carrying Wenwen downstairs.
Mr. Zhan once again reminded his niece, "Do you remember what your uncle said?"
Wenwen answered loudly, "I know! Uncle wants Uncle Jiang to be happy!"
Zhan Lintian handed her a cheese stick: "Very good, this is your reward."
Wenwen took it and said in a clear voice, "Thank you, Uncle."
"Remember, speak well of your uncle to Uncle Jiang later," Zhan Lintian added.
After waking up, Jiang Xia went to the kitchen to pour himself some cold water. He was startled by a small figure as he reached the door.
Wenwen was wearing a bright yellow lantern dress with a big bow tied at the back, and a fluffy white hat with a pair of big rabbit ears.
Holding the rabbit-shaped cup that Jiang Xia had bought, she skipped and hopped around, calling out, "Uncle Jiang!"
Jiang Xia realized what was happening, squatted down to look at the little girl, and gently ruffled her hair.
So small—I was probably this small and this tall when my parents had their accident.
Why is Wenwen here?
Wenwen exclaimed loudly, "I miss Uncle Jiang so much! Of course... Uncle misses you too!"
Jiang Xia coughed lightly, feeling embarrassed, his cheeks slightly flushed.
Wenwen talked to Jiangxia for a long time, and in the evening she happily made the bed with Jiangxia.
She is young, but very sensible.
I heard that Jiangxia speaks a foreign language, so I tried to communicate with him in a foreign language that I wasn't very fluent in.
Jiang Xia was pleasantly surprised. Zhan Lintian explained, "Her parents are currently living abroad, and considering the future, we are cultivating her bilingual abilities in advance."
To avoid my crazy brother and sister-in-law suddenly wanting to take the child abroad.
Children are at the age when their language abilities are at their strongest.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xia praised Wenwen, saying, "That's wonderful."
Wenwen proudly raised her head and slightly tilted her chin: "It was all taught to me by my uncle."
Jiang Xia could tell that the uncle and nephew were flattering each other.
However, Wenwen is smart and sensible. Today, she moved to a new place and didn't need adults to tell her stories to lull her to sleep.
When night falls, she changes into her pajamas on her own, lies down obediently in bed, and says goodnight to Jiangxia in a sweet, childlike voice.
Jiang Xia stood at the door, watching the other person close their eyes, and couldn't help but chuckle softly.
He didn't object to Zhan Lintian bringing Wenwen over, and he didn't even hate someone forcibly entering his life.
The old woman was right; he was too lonely and longed for friends to be with him.
Jiang Xia welcomes "little guests" like Wenwen who are simply visiting.
I bought her yogurt this morning, and it'll come in handy tonight, which is great...
As Jiang Xia washed up, she looked at herself in the mirror and suddenly felt a sense of disorientation—it had been a long time since she had thought of Wu Ming.
She doesn't care whether he's doing well or not abroad, and she no longer needs to waste her energy on a relationship that ended long ago.
Jiang Xia wiped his face with a towel, the steam making his cheeks slightly red. After a long sigh, he put down the towel and tiptoed out.
He lay obediently in the middle of the bed, sandwiched between Zhan Lintian and Wu Zhou.
In the darkness, Zhan Lintian reached out and offered his hand.
Wu Zhou asked softly, "Is tomorrow another day off?"
“Yes,” Jiang Xia nodded.
"And the day after tomorrow?"
Jiang Xia hesitated, then finally whispered, "I'm going to another city the day after tomorrow..."
Zhan Lintian replied, "What time is it the day after tomorrow morning? I'll take you."
Jiang Xia knew he would definitely press for details, so he answered truthfully: "East Station, 10:30 AM train."
Zhan Lintian was satisfied and asked again, "Is it really necessary to go on a business trip? When will you be back?"
Jiang Xia sighed softly, "We'll see."
He was reluctant to discuss the issue because he might... not want to come back.
He didn't know what to say; it seemed like nothing he said would be appropriate...
The next day, it snowed again in Mengcheng. The sky was foggy, and Jiang Xia took Wenwen downstairs to play in the snow.
He was initially worried that the child would get sick, but Zhan Lintian said that Wenwen had just caught a cold a while ago, and her immunity was good now, so playing around would be fine...
Jiang Xia joined Wenwen in rolling snowballs.
Ying Hua learned that Zhan Lintian was also there, and happened to come over with gifts when he saw this scene.
"Jiangxia! Hey, Wenwen?" Yinghua thought he was seeing things.
Jiang Xia got up and welcomed him upstairs.
The house, which was not spacious to begin with, now felt even more cramped.
When Ying Hua went in, she saw Wu Zhou and was immediately overwhelmed. Oh no, she could only prepare a gift for President Zhan.
After exchanging a few polite words and putting down the gift, he quickly hooked his arm around Jiang Xia's neck and led him into the stairwell: "Wow... you're really something, getting along so well with Zhan Lintian? If I could work with him, it would be much more promising than inheriting my family's publishing house."
Jiang Xia knew he was joking and said softly, "President Zhan is very easy to talk to."
"So, he's bewitched you? Making you so easy to talk to?" Ying Hua's lips twitched. Zhan Lintian had been incredibly shrewd since childhood, and his eyes would dart around with new ideas.
Zhan Lintian's attitude toward Jiangxia is unusual; the light show he put on last time is still talked about in the industry.
Friends in the circle are saying that Zhan Lintian and Wu Ming had a falling out, so he deliberately arranged that light show to poach Wu Ming's longtime friend and spite Wu Ming.
As for what kind of conflict the two had, Yinghua had no idea.
Ying Hua changed the subject: "Since he's so easy to talk to, why don't you follow him? I heard from your apprentice that you're planning to develop your career elsewhere? Our industry is already declining; there are still some opportunities in Mengcheng, but if we go somewhere else..."
Jiang Xia knew he couldn't hide it any longer.
During this period, several people he knows in Montreal have asked him about his plans for next year on WeChat.
Jiang Xia's polite refusal or excuses subtly indicated that he would not continue to stay in Mengcheng, leaving them to find someone else.
Yinghua's publishing house still had a few jobs at the beginning of the year, and they asked if he was available a couple of days ago, but Jiang Xia declined again.
Jiang Xia only said two words: "Tired..."
Ying Hua sighed: "Zhan Lintian is a man of integrity. If you're worried about your job prospects, just tell him, and he'll definitely help. Otherwise, I can ask around for you privately."
Jiang Xia just smiled and didn't agree.
Ying Hua was a "benevolent and righteous" person. Although he was not very willing to deal with Zhan Lintian, he still helped him inquire.
They are very proactive.
Jiang Xia didn't know how he found out.
At 10 a.m. on Monday, Yinghua assumed that Jiangxia had arrived at the company and sat down, and would have time to check the news.
He sent a text message. Jiang Xia read it carefully.
[Yinghua]: I asked for you. Zhan Lintian's general idea is to respect your decision and prioritize your thoughts. If you bring it up or have this intention, he'll help you; otherwise, he won't force you to stay. As for Jiang Xia, his meaning is clear: if the industry has no future, just switch; you don't need to leave. Isn't Wu Zhou Wu Ming's older brother? He can definitely help you too.
As an outsider, Ying Hua could only glean this meaning.
Jiang Xia understood perfectly well that General Manager Zhan meant to leave everything to him to decide.
At this moment, Jiang Xia is sitting in Zhan Lintian's car, about to arrive at the high-speed rail station.
He turned his head to look at the man in the driver's seat—Zhan Lintian had personally driven him to the East High-Speed Railway Station.
Jiang Xia looked out the window again. The choice was in his own hands, so the outcome was already decided...
At the train station drop-off point: Jiang Xia got off the train, holding her suitcase, looked at him, and waved: "Goodbye, I'll drop you off here."
Zhan Lintian stared at him, the words he was about to say stuck in his throat.
He originally planned to lie to Jiang Xia, saying that he and Wu Zhou had both given up and that he respected his decision... He wanted to test Jiang Xia's thoughts, and if he could detect even a hint of regret, he would force Jiang Xia to stay.
But he couldn't bring himself to say it, not even if it was just to lie to him.
Zhan Lintian could only treat this separation as a prelude to not seeing each other for several days.
They will meet again.
Jiang Xia has legs to run, and so do I.
Behind Jiang Xia's back, Zhan Lintian said, "Jiang Xia, if Wu Zhou says he respects your decision and gives up, will you feel relieved or sad?"
Jiang Xia stopped, tilted his head, and said with a smile, "It's fine."
At this moment, Jiang Xia turned around, his shoes stepping on the paving stones. He disliked this parting scene. Just two days ago, they were all happy and harmonious, but now there was only a chilling cold.
His separation anxiety was so severe that he felt somewhat uncomfortable every time he left his workstation after get off work.
Zhang Hui said that his master might have lost his mind from working too much.
Therefore, the hardest thing for Jiang Xia to do than taking action was to convince himself to leave Wu Ming.
He was so cold he couldn't stand it, so he waved his hand and turned to leave.
If I delay any longer, I'll miss my high-speed train. Tickets are in high demand lately... I won't even have a chance to reschedule.
Jiang Xia walked into the high-speed rail station alone.
He tilted his head back slightly and let out a long sigh.
Life always seems to be like this... ruined by our own unfounded worries.
Jiang Xia squinted at the lights above, recalling something from long ago.
When I went hiking with Wu Ming, he insisted on taking pictures at the edge of the cliff, and I scolded him angrily before we even got there.
Wu Ming said angrily, "Jiang Xia, why do you always have to anticipate the worst outcome?"
Jiang Xia's lips trembled.
Fate doesn't grant the best ending just because you're optimistic and bold.
I had no chance to try and make mistakes.
Previously, Editor-in-Chief Sun introduced him to a potential partner, saying that the woman was very good, and that her appearance, education, and emotional intelligence were a perfect match for him.
But Jiang Xia felt they were not a good match at all. Even when he was dressed in a smart suit, his heart was still sensitive and suspicious, too meticulous, and too internally conflicted.
Most importantly... I don't have a possessive nature.
Always hoping that others can find happiness, I can only choose to keep giving in...
It seems that the people I like are always outstanding, and their family backgrounds are better than mine, so I'm not the best choice.
I don't want to hold others back.
As I got on the bus and sat down, the scenery in the gorge seemed to move and recede into view.
The carriage was quiet, and as we moved further away from Montreal, the surrounding scenery gradually changed from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a more pastoral atmosphere.
Jiang Xia propped her face up with one hand and wiped away the tears welling up in her eyes with her fingers.
Tears can't wash away the sadness; they just make him feel a little better inside...
He quickly composed himself, and upon getting off the train, he smiled and successfully met with the factory liaison personnel waiting outside the high-speed rail station.
The other party offered to help carry the suitcase: "Mr. Jiang, the hotel is booked, let's go there now."
"Okay, thank you," Jiang Xia said.
It's good to be busy; when you're busy, you don't think about anything else.
After settling into his hotel, Jiangxia began replying to messages one by one.
The landlord asked me a couple of days ago if I wanted to renew the lease next year.
The lease expires in a month. Jiang Xia was still thinking about it a couple of days ago, but now she has a clear answer: "No, I'm not going back to Mengcheng. I won't renew the lease when it expires. I'll have the moving company come to my door when it expires."
After replying to the message, he took off his coat and hung it up.
I'm going to stay here for three days, and then head to the next place.
He booked the hotel's dry cleaning and ironing service. The staff came to collect the clothes from his suitcase and promised to return them the next morning.
Jiang Xia sat cross-legged on the bed looking at the documents. This time, the client was his long-term customer, someone he had worked with since college.
At that time, the other party's business was just starting to take off and they didn't have the money to hire professional staff; while Jiang Xia was also a novice at the time and his business skills were not yet refined.
The two parties' first collaboration turned out to be surprisingly pleasant.
Later, as the client's products continued to upgrade, Jiang Xia became very familiar with the upgrade points of each generation of their machines.
The client invited him to serve as a translator and foreign language salesperson at several important trade fairs they attended each year, to connect with overseas clients.
The remuneration is substantial, and for the client, it's certainly more cost-effective than hiring a full-time employee.
Newcomers need training, but Jiang Xia is a veteran "unofficial employee".
The next morning, the dry cleaners delivered the clothes and hung them in the closet one by one.
Jiang Xia thanked them, and after they left, he changed into a formal suit before going out.
While on the bus, Jiang Xia thought of his car. Should he go back and drive it away when he had some free time, or sell it?
He shook his head, trying to clear his mind of other random thoughts.
After a day of exhibition and sales, Jiang Xia returned to his hotel in the evening, picking up two boxes of tea and a box of local specialties along the way. These were gifts prepared by the factory for its customers, and naturally, he also received one.
Jiang Xia got out of the car carrying the gift box, said thank you, and walked towards the hotel lobby.
He had only taken two steps when he suddenly stopped, feeling as if his vision was playing tricks on him.
Wu Zhou?
There was a very familiar face standing at the front desk. Jiang Xia walked along the riverbank, glancing at the person repeatedly until he reached the side and confirmed it was him!
Is Wu Zhou here?
The other person seemed to have just finished checking in and was about to turn around and walk towards the elevator.
Jiang Xia glanced at the four elevators; none of them were on the first floor, and the closest one was descending from the tenth floor.
He inexplicably hid in the stairwell next door.
Jiang Xia pondered Wu Zhou's reason for coming. Today's trade fair was mainly related to technology and machinery. Wu Zhou's Jiusi Technology... Could it be that his company's products were also on display at this exhibition?
That's possible.
Many high-tech industries prefer to set up factories here because of the convenient logistics and the local government's support policies for the industry.
But he didn't dare to face Wu Zhou, feeling awkward. Both Zhan Lintian and Wu Zhou respected his decision and decided it was best not to meet.
So he waited a while before coming out, but Wu Zhou was no longer in the hall.
Jiang Xia thought to himself that Wu Zhou had gone upstairs, so he entered the elevator. The hotel had booked him the best room on the top floor, and Wu Zhou probably had the same room, but as long as he entered the room first, he shouldn't run into him.
As the elevator ascended and the doors opened, Jiang Xia, who had just stepped out, paused in shock.
Wu Zhou was leaning against the opposite wall, his eyes fixed on the elevator entrance.
As soon as he came out, Wu Zhou strode closer. Jiang Xia instinctively took a step back. The next moment, his body felt light, and he was lifted up by the other party as if he were a sack of potatoes!
"Wu Zhou!"
"How did you get here?" Jiang Xia was upside down, her hands on his shoulders, struggling but to no avail.
Wu walked around asking, "What's the room number?"
Jiang Xia didn't answer: "Put me down!"
Wu Zhou suddenly patted his butt, and Jiang Xia felt a jolt, his face turning bright red instantly.
That's indecent!
Wu Zhou said, "If leaving is a happy thing, why cry?"
Jiang Xia didn't hear clearly and asked, somewhat confused, "What?"
Wu Zhou's hand was still on Jiang Xia's buttocks, helping him steady: "My people followed you onto the high-speed train and saw everything. They even took a video of me. I wanted to ask about it yesterday, but I thought it would be better to talk about it in person."
"You sent someone to follow me?" Jiang Xia exclaimed in shock. "You've broken the law!"
Before he could finish speaking, he heard the elevator's upward notification sound, realizing that guests from other rooms were about to arrive, and he was also afraid that people from other rooms might suddenly open their doors.
Jiang Xia panicked instantly: "Don't talk outside."
Wu Zhou stopped and made it clear that he wanted his room number.
Jiang Xia was both anxious and angry, and whispered, "2218! Room number! Don't be outside!"
Wu Zhou quickened his pace, took the room card from Jiang Xia's coat pocket, swiped it, and carried the person inside.
He might have occasionally pretended to be a gentleman, but his inherently strong personality couldn't be hidden when the time came to reveal his true colors.
After entering the room, he still didn't put the person down. Jiang Xia struggled, but due to the height difference and being carried a little higher, his feet couldn't touch the ground.
Wu Zhou deliberately lifted him back a little, and Jiang Xia instinctively thought he was going to fall, so he quickly hugged his head tightly.
Jiang Xia realized what was happening and, her face flushed, yelled at him, "You're being a pervert!"
Wu Zhou placed him on the bed, kissed his neck, untied his tie and threw it on the bed, then unbuttoned his shirt while panting, "I'm a hooligan."
"Zhan Lintian is shameless. He lied to you and said I gave up. How did you respond? You smiled and said it was okay, but you weren't happy about being away from me."
“Jiang Xia, my heart broke when I saw the video.” He expressed his emotions in a way that Jiang Xia preferred.
He held Jiang Xia's hands, leaving marks on her skin: "If you weren't crying and you were happy, I wouldn't have come. Jiang Xia, I held back all day, waiting for you to finish work before coming to the hotel..."
Jiang Xia was about to speak when Wu Zhou kissed him forcefully, their lips and tongues rubbing against each other.
Jiang Xia kicked backward, lunging backward, trying to get away from the man in front of her on the bed.
Wu Zhou bent his knees against the edge of the bed, grabbed Jiang Xia by the waist and dragged him back, taking off his leather shoes in the process, and then raised Jiang Xia's right ankle with his palm.
Jiang Xia's shirt hem was pulled out of his trousers, and Wu Zhou bent down to kiss his abdomen, trying to go a little further down...
The room was dark, the lights were off...
The river gorges are obscured, but other senses are amplified.
Wu Zhou's body temperature, the rubbing of his skin, his heavy breathing...
Jiang Xia felt a sudden tightening in his waist and abdomen, and he grabbed Wu Zhou's hair with both hands, exclaiming in surprise, his toes involuntarily curling up: "Wu Zhou!"
Wu Zhou was grabbed by the hair by Jiang Xia. He raised his head slightly, squinted his eyes, and said in a hoarse voice, "Jiang Xia, don't be shy... You can do it, your body doesn't reject it."
Wu Zhou held him down: "Jiang Xia, you can do it... Let's try together..."
"I used to fantasize about helping you, it was so sweet..."
The Yangtze River Gorge is now more... than I imagined.
Wu Zhou pleaded with him while kissing him, "Jiang Xia, please say yes..."
A note from the author:
Zhan Lintian: If Wu Zhou says he's given up...
Wu Zhou: [Question mark] Who said I gave up? Didn't you say you were going to test the waters yourself?
Zhan Lintian: Did I say that? If you don't believe me, think back.
Wu Zhou: Well, I didn't explicitly say I agreed. Think back if you don't believe me.
Jiang Xia: You two are both cunning and scheming. [Angry]
*
Wu Zhou tried to use his mouth on his wife this time, but of course he failed. Jiang Xia begged him to do something else, and he agreed.
However, he was not one to leave empty-handed. He had aroused both his wife and himself, so of course he would handle it well. He could easily put both his and his wife's things out together with one hand.
Mr. Wu is a very efficient worker. [Covering face and peeking]
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