Chapter 5 Wu Zhou (Revised)
Jiang Xia had a few beads of sweat on the tip of his nose, but his face was rosy and he was radiating a joyful aura.
I'm sorry for suddenly pulling you away earlier.
He was too nervous to look closely.
Jiang Xia looked up slightly and was surprised to see how tall the person in front of him was.
The man had sharp features, thin lips pressed tightly together, and amber eyes fixed on him.
Wearing a dark gray polo shirt with dark trousers, the sleeves casually rolled up to the forearms, revealing well-defined muscles, he looks like someone who exercises regularly.
Jiang Xia thought to himself, "They have money to buy new clothes and time to exercise. Perhaps they are just rich people who come out to relax. They should be able to escape danger even without me."
I wish I hadn't helped.
“You helped me, I should be the one feeling embarrassed,” Zhan Lintian replied in Chinese.
Jiang Xia waved his hand sheepishly, his face burning.
"Please have a seat."
The bus drove through the street, the scenery on both sides receding into the distance, and the two found adjacent seats and sat down.
There was no one on the first floor of the bus, and the only sound could be faintly heard from the second floor. Jiang Xia was not used to such a quiet atmosphere, so he took the initiative to break the awkward silence: "I knew I hadn't misheard."
"Just now, I vaguely heard you speaking Chinese."
When Zhan Lintian was talking to the thugs, he instinctively used Chinese at first, but then switched to English.
Jiang Xia sat by the window, the wind ruffling her hair.
He tilted his head, his black hair brushing against his eyelids. His thick black hair, porcelain-white skin, and khaki coat blended strangely with the exotic scenery.
When Zhan Lintian saw him up close for the first time, he noticed his slightly reddened earlobes.
This person seems to be rather naive when it comes to interpersonal relationships.
"You noticed me just now?" Zhan Lintian was slightly surprised—there were so many people in the square.
Jiang Xia looked at him and softly hummed in agreement: "Because you are also a person."
Just like myself traveling alone.
Thinking of this, Jiang Xia smiled slightly at him.
The bus stopped at the next stop, and the two got off together so they wouldn't stray too far from the square.
Jiang Xia stood by the roadside, bending slightly to look at him: "Are you traveling alone?"
Seeing that the other person didn't recognize him, Zhan Lintian replied frankly, "I was just working and taking a look around."
“Me too.” Jiang Xia smiled.
He took two steps forward, then stopped, turned to the side and waved to Zhan Lintian: "I guess the police have already driven that group away, but it's best not to go back yet. I notified my colleague, and she went back first."
Jiang Xia pointed to a dessert shop by the roadside: "Want a cup of coffee or tea?"
In a foreign land, Jiang Xia met a fellow countryman and even helped him out. He was in a particularly good mood, and the gloom in his heart for the past few days was swept away. He invited the other person to have a drink.
Zhan Lintian ordered coffee, and Jiang Xia ordered tea. The two sat under a parasol.
"Those people tricked me the day before yesterday too. They sold the stuff for too high a price, and you don't look like the kind of person who would buy cartoon dolls." Jiang Xia shook his head as he thought about it.
Zhan Lintian explained, "I bought it for my niece."
Jiang Xia opened her eyes wide and remembered something: "I know that toy store has two stores, a main store and a branch store. The main store has a large customer flow, so it is always out of stock, but the branch store is nearby."
When Zhan Lintian first met Jiang Xia, she was different from his impression of her; she was much more lively.
She thought he recognized her and that's why he took the initiative to contact her, or that he wanted to find out about her job and make friends with her. She never expected that he was just looking for a playmate.
Under Jiang Xia's guidance, Zhan Lintian found the doll his niece needed and then had a shop assistant record a "receiving" video.
The shop assistant explained the doll very carefully and even gave it two freshly fried eggs as a treat.
Seeing that Zhan Lintian was holding up his phone to take pictures and couldn't free his hands, Jiang Xia took the bag from him.
The shop assistant warned him, "Be careful, it's hot."
He carefully accepted the cloth-wrapped fried egg: "Okay, thank you, I'll be careful."
The fried egg looked really hot.
Jiang Xia smiled at the camera and said, "Little Wenwen, please sign for your gift."
"Since you are not here, your uncle will sign for it on your behalf."
Zhan Lintian also wrote his name on the bag to indicate that he had signed for it.
After a ceremony that seemed childish to adults but was considered sacred by children, he finally fulfilled his niece's request.
He looked at Jiang Xia: "Do you need one for your child? If you've chosen one, I'll order it together."
Jiang Xia quickly waved his hand, saying there was no need for help, as he did have a few relatives, but they no longer kept in touch.
The younger generation are scattered all over the country, and he only sees them a few times a year. Moreover, he doesn't have their WeChat or phone numbers.
He couldn't help but feel envious. The man in front of him must have a cute little junior who would act spoiled with the adults and dare to make his own requests.
Jiang Xia paused for a moment and said, "No need, I'm not married yet."
Zhan Lintian lowered his eyes, his gaze deep as he looked at the young man before him. Not being married meant being unable to have children; he seemed to adhere particularly strictly to this traditional rule of marriage. Previously, he had assumed that Wu Ming didn't include Jiang Xia in their outings because Jiang Xia was married with a wife and children and needed to take care of his family…
Looking at Jiang Xia in front of him, Zhan Lintian thought that he must be a family man who would take good care of his family and raise his children well.
Bringing his thoughts back to the present, he bought a complete set of twelve colored dolls as a thank-you gift.
Jiangxia accepted it.
By noon, Jiang Xia wasn't very hungry. Qiao Ciyou called him to ask about his trip home. Seeing that it was getting late, he said goodbye and prepared to leave.
"See you next time if there's a chance."
Before leaving, Zhan Lintian gave him a business card: "You can contact me if you need anything."
Jiang Xia had just gotten into the car when he took the business card handed to him from outside the window. Before he could even look at it, he realized that they hadn't added each other on WeChat yet, and it was practically impossible for them to meet again.
Such a brief encounter seems to suggest that "never seeing each other again" was an inevitable outcome.
Actually, he had thought about adding the other person on WeChat several times, but the other person was richer than him. He could not name the specific model of the Rolex watch on his wrist, but he knew it was very expensive, so he swallowed his words.
Making friends without a future is meaningless. On second thought, he had a good time today, and that's enough.
Back at the apartment building, Jiang Xia took out the business card, and upon seeing the name on it, he froze at the door: Zhan Lintian.
"..." Jiang Xia leaned against the wall, no wonder he looked familiar - he had seen him at the airport in the early morning.
Jiang Xia returned to his room, intending to call Wu Ming to tell him about the incident, mentioning that he had met Zhan Lintian that day and spent a pleasant half-day with him.
But what he expected was that after he brought it up, Wu Ming wouldn't follow up on the topic. Instead, he would half-jokingly complain, "Why didn't you take me? Did you forget about me? Do you have a new 'good friend' now?"
He knew Wu Ming was joking, but he couldn't escape the moral cage that bound him. Wu Ming cared a lot about their friendship, and over time, Jiang Xia felt that he had really made a mistake by making friends on his own.
Finally, that evening, Wu Ming called.
Jiangxia only briefly described how he ran into the same people who had ripped him off the day before yesterday.
Wu Ming kept his phone in his hand and replied instantly: "Are you alright?"
Jiang Xia typed: "It's okay, someone almost got scammed."
Upon hearing this, Wu Ming didn't ask why, but changed the subject: "I'll be free next week. My older brother is going back to China next Monday. After I take my travel documents and travel for a few more days, I'll definitely come to see you! What do you want to eat? It'll be my treat!"
"No need, I don't need anything." Jiang Xia replied, put down her phone, and looked at Wu Ming's WeChat Moments.
The latest update is from last week, which is not in line with Wu Ming's personality of sharing.
Wu Ming definitely posted a new message on his WeChat Moments, but blocked himself from seeing it.
Maybe he doesn't want me to see his intimate photos with his girlfriend...
It seems that, with Wu Zhou's matchmaking, their relationship has progressed rapidly and they are about to get married.
Jiang Xia guessed correctly. The next afternoon, Wu Ming started complaining again: "I came all the way to the Fog Country for fun, and my older brother still caught me and asked me whether I wanted my wedding to be held abroad or in China!"
“He was afraid that if I didn’t marry Xie Xingzhang, I would grow old alone.”
"But Grandpa is on the same side as him, ah—I'm going crazy."
After the voice message ended, he added, "Besides, even if I don't get married, I still have you. At worst, I can just pack my bags and run to your house. Jiang Xia, you can take care of me. When we get old, we can live together."
Jiang Xia listened to his description of the future without responding.
Will these two people stay like this for the rest of their lives? Until they're old and gray...?
Desperate for a cure, Wu Ming tried anything, wanting to rebel but unable to find a way.
He was not a spoiled brat who could simply walk away, and he also valued Old Master Wu very much.
Every family has its own troubles, and the old man was still hoping to hold his great-grandson. Unexpectedly, the rigid and serious Wu family was thrown into chaos by Wu Ming's love affair.
After much thought, Wu Ming concluded that it must be his elder brother causing trouble, and he needed to find a mediator to resolve the key issue.
"Jiang Xia, please help me think of a solution."
Jiangxia sent a "?"
Wu Ming sent a voice message filled with righteous indignation: "A business marriage, do you know that a business marriage is about binding the interests of two families? I am the abandoned son of the family."
"Is my brother trying to sideline me and seize all the power?"
Wu Ming's voice messages kept popping up, all expressing his dissatisfaction with the marriage.
Jiang Xia remained silent for a long time before slowly typing: "If you didn't want to marry her, why did you even date her in the first place?"
On Wu Ming's end, it showed: Typing...
After a while, he sent a message: "But dating doesn't necessarily mean you have to get married."
Immediately afterwards, Wu Ming posted another "old-fashioned" emoji.
It is clearly referring to the Yangtze River Gorge.
Jiang Xia covered his eyes; yes, he couldn't understand.
If Wu Ming truly loves Miss Xie and cares about this relationship, then wanting to get married would be normal.
If he doesn't like Miss Xie, why is he dating her?
The two people disagreed on whether "the result is more important" or "the process is more important," and the argument reached no conclusion.
I recall a time when he was talking with Wu Ming, and he expressed his views on love very seriously.
After listening, Wu Ming simply chuckled in bewilderment and fell silent, not responding for a long time.
Jiang Xia admitted that he was old-fashioned, so he could only respect Wu Ming's love story—after all, Wu Ming had never hidden his views on love, and Miss Xie was not willing to talk to him about it.
Wu Ming's current request is not that he doesn't want to get married, but that he doesn't want to rush into it.
Jiang Xia had no right or standing to advise Wu Ming, as she herself secretly loved him.
No matter how you look at it, it seems like you have ulterior motives.
He had tried his best not to think about their relationship, but Wu Ming kept talking about it, and every word he said was like a knife to Jiang Xia's heart.
He never asked what their relationship was, thus maintaining the most ordinary relationship. They could put their arms around each other, chat late at night, and snuggle in the trunk of Wu Ming's SUV, gazing at the stars in the night sky above the observatory.
The relationship is so close that it doesn't need asking.
Once you ask, perhaps there will be no connection at all.
He always adhered to the principle of "friendship bottom line".
Not long after, Wu Ming called him, pleading, "My older brother is also looking at projects in the UK. Could you please ask him to stay or delay things for a few days?"
Jiang Xia gripped his fingers tightly, remaining silent for a long while before saying, "I can't help."
The conversation inevitably turned to wedding dates, and he discussed auspicious dates for the wedding with the Wu family...
It makes one's life seem ridiculous.
After a moment, Jiang Xia looked through Zhan Lintian's white business card with gold lettering and said in a low voice, "Isn't President Wu on good terms with Mr. Zhan? Why don't you ask him to inquire..."
Wu Ming chuckled and said, "They do know each other, but I'm not very familiar with Zhan Lintian. He's from the same generation as my brother and his group. I think my brother is quite polite to you."
Jiang Xia hesitated, looked at the business card on the table, picked it up, and rubbed it between his fingers...
He eventually searched for the phone number and hesitated again when he chose to add it on WeChat.
It's inappropriate...it's really inappropriate.
Wu Ming continued to chatter on the other end of the phone, bringing liveliness to Jiang Xia's quiet little room.
However, he changed the subject too quickly, and Jiang Xia was distracted and couldn't keep up with his train of thought.
"Let me treat you to dinner at that Chinese restaurant by the river tomorrow."
Jiang Xia did not refuse this time. He couldn't cook in the apartment; he had already had enough of white food.
The next morning, as Jiang Xia was leaving the house, Qiao Ciyou suddenly leaned against the door, looking longingly at him as he was about to have a big meal: "Team Leader Jiang."
Jiang Xia took out a takeout box from her backpack, shook it, and went out with a smile: "Don't worry, I'll definitely bring back Mapo Tofu for you."
He had just arrived on the first floor, before the apartment's security door was even open, when he heard the sound of a car engine outside. He jogged over to it.
Today was a private date, so Jiang Xia changed into casual clothes. It was cold and raining, so he wore a thin black scarf and a pair of black-rimmed blue-light glasses.
He doesn't look like a working professional; he looks more like a college student.
He hurriedly opened the car door with his umbrella, sat down with his back to the driver, folded the umbrella and placed it at his feet before sitting up straight.
"Wu Ming, where should we go for dinner?"
Jiang Xia's voice was clear and bright. He turned his head and revealed a bright smile. As he entered, the car was faintly filled with the damp scent of rain, which eased the cold and quiet atmosphere inside the car.
The two looked into each other's eyes, and Jiang Xia slightly widened her eyes, her eyelashes trembling.
In the cramped space, a man who bore a resemblance to Wu Ming but possessed a more composed demeanor was also watching him.
The man's eyes were deep, his gaze falling on his face, from his eyes to his lips.
Jiang Xia's lips were very pale, indicating that he hadn't been doing well lately. He didn't really like the Mengcheng cuisine, which was mainly sweet and original in flavor, and he was even less accustomed to the sweet staple foods of the Fog Kingdom.
Wu Zhou looked at him and asked, "Would you like Chinese food?"
Jiang Xia grabbed the car door, his lips trembled, he shrugged, and whispered an "Mmm".
Thinking back to last night when Wu Ming asked for his help, he tried to gauge his brother's feelings...
He stole a glance at the man beside him. The man had a serious expression, was wearing a black shirt, had unbuttoned two buttons at the collar, and had his cuffs loose, with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms.
The muscles in his arms are smooth and powerful, his hands are gripping the steering wheel tightly, and the veins on the back of his hands are bulging.
If he spoke up for Wu Ming, Wu Zhou would probably punch him in the face and knock him unconscious.
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A note from the author:
Wu Zhou: When I heard that my younger brother was dating, I was so happy that I couldn't sleep all night, afraid that he would break up with his girlfriend.
[OK]
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