Chapter 4 The Airport at Dawn
The wind, carrying rain, slanted down onto the face of Jiang Xia, who was calmly leaving.
He tried to compose himself, but behind him, Wu Ming shouted, "Let's meet again next time!"
"Jiang Xia, let me know when you get back from your business trip, and I'll definitely pick you up at the airport."
Jiang Xia stopped, lowered the brim of his umbrella, and turned to look back.
He waved and watched as his friends dragged Wu Ming inside to cut the cake.
Jiang Xia took a deep breath and composed himself.
Perhaps my feelings for Wu Ming... are not love, but just dependence.
Wu Ming comes from a well-off family, is optimistic, and has been by my side for over a decade.
Lacking family, friends, and love, she still hoped that Wu Ming would become her multifaceted remedy.
He needed to try to figure things out, stop being confused, and not cause trouble for Wu Ming, since Wu Ming was straight and had just started dating a girlfriend.
Jiang Xia was lost in thought. When he looked back, he noticed several men sitting under parasols in the outdoor garden to the left of the restaurant.
Wu Ming booked the entire venue tonight; they are friends.
The river gorge was unclear, and I didn't recognize it.
Just then, the car arrived. Jiang Xia smiled instinctively, closed his umbrella, got into the car, and left the bustling scene.
The taillights disappeared under the parasol.
My friend chuckled, "We've run into Jiangxia again."
Zhan Lintian looked away, his long, slender fingers holding a cigarette, his voice slightly lowered by the smoke: "Wu Ming's birthday party, he never used to come?"
He reasoned that, given Wu Ming's personality, he could probably kidnap Jiang Xia.
A friend said while eating, "It's always like this; Wu Ming never brings him to crowded places."
Someone chimed in, "His own brother didn't come either. Maybe Jiang Xia didn't want to come because there's nothing to talk about."
It is common knowledge that the Wu brothers have an illogical relationship.
Zhan Lintian met Wu Zhou through his overseas business dealings, and they had dinner together a few times.
He took a drag of his cigarette and explained, "Wu Zhou went to the Fog Country to look at projects and can't come."
He recalled the joyful look on Wu Ming's face as he held the gift from Jiangxia.
The gift box was very large; Wu Ming needed both hands to hold it, and even with his arms straining, the contents inside were clearly quite heavy.
Zhan Lintian asked curiously, "What do you think he gave me?"
Everyone guessed: "A bag?"
"Go away, Wu Ming doesn't need the bag."
"ceramics?"
Zhan Lintian remained calm as he slowly stood up: "Let's go, before we leave, let's see him unwrap his gift."
Upon hearing this, several people got up and followed him inside.
They didn't come specifically to attend Wu Ming's birthday party.
A young Wu Ershao who has no real power doesn't have that much influence.
Most people stopped by on their way to see what their younger relatives were doing. They met Zhan Lintian along the way, and the group gathered together to have a pot of tea and chat.
Normally, it's impossible to get an appointment with Mr. Zhan.
Zhan Lintian seems to be interested in the Wu family.
*
The young people inside were having a great time, and the door to the private room was open.
Someone came and invited them in.
Zhan Lintian gestured for them to make themselves at home, and said he would just look around.
In high spirits, Wu Ming first opened Jiang Xia's gift.
Inside the perfectly square acrylic enclosure, a snow-white wax snake coils up, every scale lifelike, coated with clear varnish, its eyes like two diamonds.
Wu Ming exclaimed excitedly, "Ah—!"
Handmade white wax sculptures, as a specialty of the surrounding areas of Duliang... can hardly be considered a specialty, as almost no one makes them anymore.
This white wax is not the kind commonly used for burning candles; it is called insect wax and was once a local tribute in ancient times.
When Wu Ming was in high school, he saw a white wax rooster figurine in a store. He wanted to buy a white wax snake statue, but no one made them.
He exclaimed "Wow!" and his eyes lit up. He immediately called Jiang Xia.
The wind blew through the rear window, and Jiang Xia answered the phone immediately, looking out the window.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Wu Ming exclaimed with delight, "Jiang Xia, I love you so much, baby! I saw the gift!"
The word "baby" was uttered.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Xia paused for a moment, then smiled knowingly.
"I'm glad you like it."
For Wu Ming, love is something that can be freely expressed.
But for Jiang Xia, who is not good with words, love must be expressed to the person she loves most.
He and Wu Ming disagreed on many issues.
He wasn't used to it, but he kept telling himself he would get used to it.
Wu Ming talked on and on, saying a lot, but considering his other friends, he reluctantly hung up the phone.
Jiang Xia smiled, it seemed Wu Ming really liked his gift.
He was very satisfied with his craftsmanship; he had made the white wax piece by piece and even added metal joints inside.
If he can't make it in Mengcheng, he might go back to Duliang and open a handicrafts store to see if there are other sales channels.
As a minor incident during his business trip, Wu Ming's extravagant lifestyle did not cause any ripples in Jiangxia's life.
He rushed to the airport late at night and successfully met up with his female colleague, Qiao Ciyou.
He handed her a piece of bread: "Have something to eat. The airport meals will take a long time to arrive."
It was her first time going abroad, and she was a little nervous.
"Team Leader Jiang, have you ever been abroad?"
"I've been on several business trips," Jiang Xia replied.
The other party was then relieved.
Shortly after, a red and white plane emerged from the storm, breaking through the thick clouds drawn by Typhoon Nangga, and flew into the sky outside the airport.
It was still daylight when he arrived abroad.
Both of them felt somewhat uneasy in the unfamiliar environment.
Despite his nervousness, Jiang Xia quickly adjusted his mindset and carried his luggage to his accommodation as planned.
After he settled in and made up the bed in the apartment, Wu Ming, who was still drunk, was taken to Haicheng by his older brother on his birthday and didn't wake up until noon.
He made an international call to Jiangxia as soon as he woke up.
"No way, is my brother crazy? Does he have menopause at thirty? He actually sent someone to Haicheng during the typhoon so that Xingzhang and I could have our 'honeymoon' ahead of schedule?!" Wu Ming collapsed in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of the seaside villa.
"My brother wants me to get married even more than my grandfather does. He doesn't even have a girlfriend himself, how can he have the nerve to urge me to get married!"
Mr. Wu doesn't tolerate him, so Wu Ming can't leave even if he wants to.
Typhoon Nangka made landfall, causing all flights and ships to cease operations in Haicheng, and the cross-sea bridge to be closed.
If he's so capable, let him swim over here.
Wu Ming's suicide attempt had no audience in Haicheng, so it had to be stopped.
After things calmed down, Wu Ming ate with great relish.
For example, if you cross Linjiang Road from the island, there are restaurants on both sides. Then, after driving for about ten minutes along a muddy road, you'll find a delicious coconut chicken restaurant.
It was a remote place, but every seat was taken.
The food in Haicheng suited his taste, and Wu Ming, who didn't like chicken, recommended Jiangxia for several days in a row.
Unfortunately, Jiang Xia is abroad and won't be able to return for another two weeks.
Wu Ming: "Are you eating well? Don't starve yourself."
When Jiang Xia received the call, he was making breakfast, spreading butter on his bread.
He couldn't accept desserts as a main course, but most of them were sweet, so he forced himself to fill his stomach.
There are no Chinese supermarkets nearby.
Wu Ming muttered to himself, then realized, "Speaking of which, my older brother went to the Fog Kingdom a few days ago. What a coincidence, we're both in the same place. If you have any inconveniences, I can talk to them."
Jiang Xia asked instinctively, "Them?"
Wu Ming replied: "Zhan Lintian, he and my brother have an overseas project that is still in the cooperation period."
Jiang Xia looked at the unfamiliar name. He knew Boss Wu, but who was Zhan Lintian?
He had a piece of bread in his mouth, copied his name, and then searched on Qichacha (a Chinese business information platform). He saw a series of company names under his name.
Jiangxia:......
Does the big boss have time to bother with his own trivial matters?
Moreover, my food, clothing, housing, and transportation expenses are all reimbursed, so there's nothing to worry about.
Jiang Xia and Qiao Ciyou, two novices, learned from their mistakes abroad and are doing alright.
They lived in the suburbs and took the subway every day to meet the author, to learn about his life and creative process.
The elderly man was old and had no children, so he naturally welcomed the two young men.
Business trips are a rare occurrence.
After the typhoon passed through China, Wu Ming was released from quarantine. Tired of staying in China, he quickly bought a plane ticket to fly abroad. He landed in Wushi at three in the morning, just like a raging typhoon breaking the calm sky over the Yangtze River Gorge.
It was past midnight, and the subway had long since stopped running, so Jiang Xia rented a car to pick him up.
Zhan Lintian also took the first flight to the UK.
Two assistants went to push the luggage, while another assistant stayed by his side to arrange the rest of the itinerary.
As I got off the plane, a loud and boisterous young man darted past me. Coincidentally, it was Wu Ming.
The other person wasn't paying attention to me.
Wu Ming, carrying a backpack, rushed into the crowd of people waiting to greet them, shouted, and ran towards Jiangxia with open arms.
In the bustling airport, Jiang Xia was holding up his boarding pass when Wu Ming suddenly rushed into his arms.
Wu Ming and his buddy walked out arm in arm: "Where do you live? I'll live with you."
Jiang Xia coughed once: "There is also a female colleague living in the apartment."
"That's not very convenient," Wu Ming sighed.
He said excitedly, "I saw your birthday present, thank you!"
But then he changed the subject, mentioning that his older brother was considering his marriage to Miss Xie.
Wu Ming scratched his head: "It's not that I don't want to get married, I just feel that I'm still young and there's no need to rush."
Jiang Xia was already used to his unconventional thinking. She nodded. This rich young man, only twenty-five years old, didn't seem like someone in a hurry to get married.
Guided by staff, Jiang Xia and Wu Ming proceeded to the parking lot via a designated passage.
Secluded and safe.
Jiang Xia drove here herself. Before she even reached the parking lot, just as she exited the passage, Wu Ming received a phone call, and then a car stopped in front of them.
The Wu family's driver arrived.
"Second Young Master, Mr. Wu said he has arranged accommodation for you."
Wu Ming could only get into the car first, waving angrily and saying, "See you tomorrow, I'm going to take a nap to adjust to the time difference."
After the car drove away, the brief meeting ended. In Jiang Xia's view, this kind of meeting was just like the nodding acquaintances between high-ranking officials in the business world, where they would meet briefly and then the meeting would be over.
Wu Ming has too many friends; he can't spare many for himself.
He was already used to it.
He sighed deeply, took a sip of hot coffee, and felt the damp air in the foggy country as the wind blew against his face.
Jiang Xia didn't rush to the parking lot. Instead, he stood under the airport corridor, half-closing his eyes to check the weather forecast for tomorrow.
As Zhan Lintian walked out of the passage, he saw a young man standing at the end of the passage. He was tall and thin, wearing a brown mid-length coat. The crisp and stylish fabric could not hide his rather thin figure. He stood straight and upright.
He couldn't help but take a few more glances at his typical Asian physique.
Perhaps because it was a bit cold, the other person lowered their head and began to gently kick the air.
Kick a few times with your left foot, then switch to your right foot and kick a few times.
The other person suddenly stopped and turned around to look in the direction from which the sound came from.
The passage was dark, and the river gorge was not very visible.
Four people actually came out from there; it was clearly three assistants following the boss.
The man in the lead was tall and had his hair styled back with hair gel. He wore a dark gray suit and had a clean and stylish look.
The sound of leather shoes hitting the ground, footsteps clearly audible in the dead of night, and the two people's eyes met.
Zhan Lintian narrowed his eyes. Jiang Xia held a cup of hot coffee in his right hand and carried a backpack on one shoulder. He was very cold, and his face looked even paler in the darkness. Except when he pursed his lips, they would have a slight redness.
Jiang Xia didn't recognize him, so she looked away, quickly went down the steps, and drove to the parking lot to leave.
They're obviously rich; I can't associate with them.
On his drive back to his apartment, Wu Ming called him.
He told Wu Ming about it, and at the time he overheard those people exchanging a few words, speaking Mandarin with a Mengcheng accent.
“Do you recognize him? He seems to know me.” Jiang Xia slowed down the vehicle. The man had indeed been looking at him, not out of curiosity about a stranger.
Wu Ming was dazed for a moment, then said, "Is it Zhan Lintian?"
Jiang Xia repeated: "Zhan Lintian?"
Wu Ming yawned: "Hey, I actually caught a glimpse of him on the plane, but I was too embarrassed to say hello, so I pretended not to see him. He invested in my company's project, and he's probably here to inspect the progress of the second phase."
"Is he and your brother close?" Jiang Xia asked, a little curious.
"You could call them business partners; everyone in that group has some kind of financial relationship with each other."
I still don't have much of an impression of Jiangxia.
It doesn't matter if I don't remember them, since those people have nothing to do with me anyway.
He returned to his lodgings and tiptoed upstairs. The room was partitioned with thin wooden boards, offering absolutely no privacy.
He couldn't sleep, so he started reading the poet's works.
I read from the first page to the last, and by the time I closed the book, it was already broad daylight. My eyelids were heavy with sleep, but my mind refused to rest.
Qiao Ciyou knocked on the door, smiling, and asked him if he wanted to go to the riverside square. Jiang Xia then realized what was happening.
Today is a day off.
The author goes to a church in the suburbs every Sunday to pray to his elderly priest friend. Since it is inconvenient for him to accept visits from the two priests, they indirectly get a rest.
Qiao Ciyou wanted to take photos at famous tourist attractions, as she was returning to China in a few days, which might be the last time she would visit the Fog Country in her life.
Compared to memories that gradually fade, photos and videos are the best tools for recording memories!
Jiangxia's initial impressions of the city came from the writings of authors. It seemed that, just like its name, the city's history was as heavy as a fog, pressing down on every citizen.
Today is a bright and sunny day, almost too sunny.
This is the second time Jiang Xia has come to the square with a female colleague.
There were many people. The poet said he once went to this river to gather inspiration and saw all sorts of people.
Jiang Xia watched people of different skin colors come and go, feeling calm.
There were indeed a lot of people.
His female colleague went boating and taking photos on the river, while he found a coffee shop to sit down and watch the tourists and buses passing by.
There were many people on the street selling trinkets, promoting handmade products as local specialties.
The Douyin platform is quite popular in China.
Jiangxia saw many young men and women in the local channel showing off this, especially Miss Xie who collected all twelve colors and even made a vlog about it.
Jiang Xia bought one out of curiosity when he first came here a few days ago, but after getting it, he found that a trendy toy store on the street was selling it. They only sold one color each day. Although it wasn't cheap, it was less than one-fifth the price of the street vendors.
I encountered scalpers even when I was abroad.
What angered him even more was that he specifically compared it with the genuine product and found that the doll he bought was poorly made.
Jiang Xia, who was naive and had little money, was furious afterward.
Today, while he was drinking coffee, he heard a commotion again. Several people were surrounding a tall man, and it seemed that they wouldn't let him leave until he paid.
Judging from the situation, they may have just started arguing.
He tilted his head and looked at him. He recognized him, as if he had seen him somewhere before, but he couldn't quite place him.
Jiang Xia has a slight case of face blindness and finds it difficult to remember someone at first glance, but she is certain that she has seen that person before.
Those people who sell things always cheat out-of-towners with high prices, and they specifically target foreigners, like Jiang Xia. People who can afford to travel are generally not short of money or companions.
But he did not see "the other party's companion" appear.
The other person's shirt was quite expensive. Jiang Xia pricked up his ears and heard the guy quoting the price: one hundred and three.
That translates to several hundred RMB each.
The man frowned noticeably. He had a lot of money, but he wasn't stupid. He clearly didn't want to be taken advantage of.
Jiang Xia nervously rubbed the handle of his teacup, glancing sideways as he saw a bus slowly approaching the nearby stop. Finally, he got up and walked towards the unfortunate man…
now.
Zhan Lintian looked at the teenagers in front of him.
He came here to soak up the sun and, incidentally, to fulfill his niece's request.
The first-grade girl begged him to bring her an ugly-cute little doll this time, and she also wanted to take photos and videos with it, saying that a mysterious witch had chosen her and that's why she was sold it to her.
Otherwise, the classmates wouldn't believe it.
After asking a kind passerby for directions to the doll stall, he arranged for his assistant to go there. While he was admiring the river view, he was surrounded by these people.
He refused when he saw the inferior dolls in their hands, but they kept pushing them on him, and three or four people surrounded him, treating him like a fat sheep to be slaughtered.
Zhan Lintian was about to notify his nearby assistant to come over.
A voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: "Let him go, I've already called the police."
A young man in a light yellow mid-length trench coat looked serious and pointed to his phone. The group of thugs all turned their heads.
Taking advantage of the group's gaze, Jiang Xia quickly walked around them, took his hand, and hurried a few steps: "Get in the car."
Zhan Lintian looked down and saw it was him?
The two people walked through the crowd, deliberately went around to the other side of the bus, then turned a corner and boarded the bus.
The vehicle doors closed just as it started moving.
Jiang Xia, hands on his knees, gasped for breath and laughed, then straightened up and grinned at the man in front of him.
Are you alright?
.
A note from the author:
Jiang Xia: Seeing that the scammers who tried to cheat me didn't get any money, I feel so good! [Sprinkling flowers]
I forgot to set the timer for my drafts, and by the time I realized it it was already 9:40. I'll send a small red envelope to everyone who left a comment as an apology; mainly, the author can't send out red envelopes without comments. [Crying emoji]
The person who most wants Wu Ming to get married right now is actually Wu Zhou.
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