Chapter 71 Heart-to-Heart Talk
Wu Ming thought he wouldn't make another move, so he excitedly said, "Although Jiang Xia doesn't like people touching his thighs, he really likes people touching his hands, like petting a cat..."
Wu Zhou asked, "Is it because there's no snow, or because you don't want to take him?"
As soon as the words were spoken, Wu Ming asked in confusion, "What?"
Wu Zhou lowered his head, completely blocking the light above him, and his voice was frighteningly low: "Didn't you accompany someone abroad to see snow this summer?"
The next moment, Wu Zhou threw a punch, his fist stained with blood, and Wu Ming lay on the ground, no longer daring to move.
Wu Zhou kicked away the wine bottle at his feet and instructed his assistant behind him, "Have someone clean up this. I'll take care of things back in China."
The last sentence was addressed to his younger brother. Wu Zhou's voice was hoarse: "Wu Ming, however you play, it's your own decision, but don't provoke people who don't want to play. You've already wronged Jiang Xia, so don't wrong Xie Xingzhang as well."
"Do not return to China before the Chinese New Year."
Before he left, Wu Ming asked again, unwilling to give up, "So... you promised to keep an eye on Zhan Lintian for me?"
Wu Zhou paused for a moment, then hummed in agreement.
This time, Wu Ming suffered a broken nose and his face was swollen beyond recognition after being treated at the hospital.
He wanted to take a picture and send it to Jiang Xia to elicit sympathy, but a big red exclamation mark popped up on the screen instead.
I wanted to cry, but then I remembered the doctor's advice: I couldn't cry, otherwise the wound would get infected and cause more trouble.
He couldn't return to China, but fortunately, his elder brother, in order to reassure himself and Xie Xingzhang, and also for the sake of the Wu family's stock, would definitely keep his promise...
Jiang Xia has blocked me, so be it. I'd better not bother him for now and let him calm down...
Actually, that's not the case. Jiang Xia doesn't have time to think about his affairs right now.
Late at night in Mengcheng, under a certain lamplight, Zhan Lintian trapped Jiang Xia on the sofa.
Like a cunning fox, Zhan Lintian wrapped his arms around Jiang Xia's upper body and pressed his legs down on his lower body.
Jiang Xia kicked in protest, but his slippers were rubbed off, and his left sock was also rubbed off, forcing him to rub his feet against Jiang Xia's.
"Let go, Zhan Lintian, you shameless person!" Jiang Xia pushed his shoulder, his whole body burning up.
Given Zhan Lintian's qualities, if he were to agree, there would definitely be many people who would be interested in his money, his looks and physique, or simply want a romantic encounter.
Jiang Xia asked, "Did you always pester people like this before?"
Jiang Xia regretted it as soon as he finished speaking. His words didn't sound like a refusal; rather, they seemed to be asking for Zhan Lintian's assurance.
It's as if if the other person just says no, she can readily accept their affection and establish a relationship with them.
But Jiang Xia wasn't rejecting Zhan Lintian as a person; rather, she was afraid of an uncertain future.
Zhan Lintian replied, "I just want to pester you."
His voice was hoarse, tinged with relief.
"Jiang Xia, God brought me to you. This is my reward for remaining chaste for thirty years."
“That’s not what God said,” Jiang Xia retorted.
Zhan Lintian chuckled: "Then let God come out and be our witness, and see if God has said it or not."
As he spoke, he rubbed off his socks and deliberately pinched Jiang Xia's foot between his own, flirting with her.
He didn't say anything, but just raised his eyebrows and couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from curving upwards.
Jiang Xia was porcelain white all over, like an ice cream, and he really wanted to take a bite to cool down.
For the past two days, he has been indulging in unbridled daydreams about the Yangtze River Gorge.
In the most disturbing dream, Jiang Xia's marks were visible on his stomach, appearing and disappearing with his movements.
The commotion clearly told Zhan Lintian that he had taken possession of his lover.
He also dreamt that Jiang Xia woke up groggily, instinctively getting dressed, grabbing a shirt and trousers from the messy clothes on the floor and putting them on...
It wasn't until I took a couple of steps that I realized my underwear seemed a little too big...
Zhan Lintian wanted to dress his wife in his own private clothes, but he didn't know if this was a perverted thing to do.
But he knew that a gentleman judges by actions, not intentions; it was just a thought.
In the chaos, Zhan Lintian lowered his head and kissed Jiang Xia's eyes, never letting go.
Time seemed to stand still. Jiang Xia closed his eyes, afraid to open them, only the sound of his heartbeat filling the entire space...
"Jiang Xia, if one day you kiss me or Wu Zhou first, then I will take it as your answer."
"What you can't say, you can show through your actions."
Jiang Xia still didn't open his eyes, and gave a soft "hmm". The next moment, Zhan Lintian kissed him forcefully.
"Hmm..."
Jiang Xia gently pushed him away. Zhan Lintian kissed the corner of his mouth one last time before reluctantly letting go and getting up.
Zhan Lintian had no choice but to leave first, fearing that he might not be able to resist forcing Jiang Xia to help him with his hands.
As soon as they went downstairs, the two realized that it was snowing lightly.
Montreal got cold early this year, so the snowfall was to be expected.
The cold outside had barely suppressed his anger. He hugged Jiang Xia tightly, breathing in his scent, before reluctantly getting into the car.
After returning home, he lay on the bed and closed his eyes to rest, but when he thought of what he had just seen, he suddenly jumped up again.
He used to think that there was no difference between finding someone else to handle such matters and handling it himself; both were enjoyable experiences, and if he handled it himself, he wouldn't get any embarrassment.
But now it's a completely different story.
It was a joy that brought both body and mind together, and the other person's behavior was unexpected. Not only did he have to take care of himself, but he also wanted to make the other person feel comfortable and happy. The sound of Jiang Xia humming was like a reward for his spirit.
Panting, Zhan Lintian leaned against the wall, the steamy bathroom air... Jiang Xia's name lingered on his lips.
"Jiangxia..."
...
In the dead of night, Zhan Lintian stood in front of the French windows, a cigarette dangling from his lips, watching the snowflakes fall through the mist and deep in thought.
I always felt that Jiangxia would really like snow, but what would he like to do?
I need to find a way to ask him out, otherwise Wu Zhou will probably have to go back to China...
Zhan Lintian took a drag of his cigarette.
No, the weather is bad, so Wu Zhou probably won't be back so soon. Many flights to and from Mengcheng have been suspended recently.
Most airlines that have recently been operating to and from Montreal have suspended operations, with only a few still operating normally.
Therefore, Wu Zhou changed trains several times in order to return to Mengcheng as soon as possible.
He only stayed in the country for two days, spending most of his time on the plane back home.
On his way back to China, he was looking through his memos on the plane.
As the plane's wings sliced through the clouds, his gaze remained fixed on the screen despite the turbulence.
More than a decade ago, WeChat was not a mainstream communication software; among students, QQ was the most popular choice.
Wu Ming used the space to record many things, and now I've taken over his account.
Wu Zhou has saved many photos and videos of the Yangtze River Gorges that he has never seen before in his QQ space.
He rested his chin on his hand: "So he was... this young back then."
When Wu Ming and Jiang Xia were young, they experienced a heavy snowfall. The teacher arranged for the students to shovel snow. Wu Ming brought his camera into the school and took a picture of Jiang Xia wearing a school uniform, holding a broom, and vigorously shoveling snow.
The small Jiangxia stood beside a large pile of snow, looking obedient and sensible.
Wu Ming was pampered and cared for growing up. Even when he went to study in Duliang, his mother accompanied him, and his maternal grandparents doted on him. The school arranged a teacher's dormitory for him and allowed him to bring a camera to take pictures.
He takes what he wants and throws away what he doesn't.
But the gorge was not his personal property...
Wu Zhou relied on these photos to get through the nearly ten agonizing hours on the plane.
With two hours to go before arriving in Montreal, he took advantage of the still good signal to send a message to Jiang Xia: "The plane is about to arrive. I miss you."
When Jiang Xia saw the news, he turned to look out the window, rubbed his temples, and saw dark clouds gathering, with what seemed like turbulent winds swirling within them.
He took a sip of hot tea, but couldn't suppress his inner worry.
When I went on a business trip to the Misty Country, the weather was bad, and the journey was bumpy and nerve-wracking. Why is Wu Zhou now choosing bad weather and recklessly coming back?
Another message came: "Can you come pick me up from the airport? If you're busy, I'd like to visit you at your place first before heading back."
Jiang Xia held his teacup and pondered for a long time before sending a message: "More than ten hours is too tiring. You should go home and rest first."
The other party's network seems to be bad; they didn't reply.
In the end, Jiang Xia still went to pick him up at the airport, because Wu Zhou's words would not change.
Rather than making him go through all that trouble, it's better to meet him at the airport.
Otherwise, if we wait until Wu and Zhou land, then drive to their homes to meet, and then drive back to Wu's home, it will be too late, the temperature will be low at night, the roads may be icy, and it will be unsafe to drive.
This time, he didn't go into the waiting area, but waited at the entrance.
Jiang Xia stood empty-handed, while people around him held flowers or welcome signs.
He touched his nose, feeling that he didn't seem to be suited to holding flowers, but in the bustling crowd, he saw Wu Zhou holding a small bouquet of roses.
The man was dressed in a suit, with only an overcoat over it, and was holding a dark red rose in his hand.
He stuffed a bouquet of flowers into Jiang Xia's hand, and under the curious gazes of the others, he quickly led Wu Zhou away.
Wu Zhou followed him to the car.
Jiang Xia pursed her lips: "Thank you for the flowers. The weather has been bad lately. Do you still have to travel for work so often?"
"No, safety comes first. I don't want you to worry," Wu Zhou explained.
Jiang Xia didn't know how to respond.
Wu Zhou said softly, "I want to take you somewhere."
He took Jiang Xia to the headquarters building of Jiusi Technology.
Jiang Xia stood at the door without going in, and Wu Zhou turned to look at him: "Trust me."
After a moment's hesitation, Jiang Xia finally followed Wu Zhou's footsteps.
On the rooftop, everything was white.
Wu Zhou said, "I specifically told them not to clear the snow here."
Jiang Xia tilted her head to look at him.
Wu Zhou noticed this and couldn't help but chuckle. Jiang Xia had a little habit: sometimes when listening to people speak, he would unconsciously tilt his head. It was probably a habit he developed while doing simultaneous interpretation. He could hear things more clearly by pointing his ear directly at the sound source.
He could hardly hear it, probably because the wind on the rooftop was too loud.
Wu Zhou led him to sit on a chair under the eaves of the rooftop.
The wind brushed against the cheeks of the river gorge, and sparks from sparklers lit up the snowy night, accompanied by the city lights in front of them.
Jiang Xia did not ask why.
He only told Wu Ming about this.
However, Wu Ming never accompanied him to set off sparklers. Later, Jiang Xia went to buy fireworks and would play with them alone by the river.
Jiang Xia turned his head to look at Wu Zhou's profile; the man's face was somewhat blurry.
He remembered what Zhan Lintian had said.
"Jiang Xia, if one day you kiss me or Wu Zhou first, then I will take it as your answer."
But there's one question Jiang Xia didn't answer: "If I truly love someone, I will consider whether they will be happy if I'm with them."
For Jiang Xia, the emphasis of the three words "I love you" is not "I," but "you."
I want you to have love, not "me".
Jiang Xia held the sparkler and lit it again just as it was about to burn out.
In the firelight, he asked softly, "Wu Zhou, if I meet a really, really good person all these years, and I'm with them, I don't have to worry about anything else, I don't have to care about the world's opinions, we share the same ideals and our personalities match, would you stop me or bless me?"
Wu Zhou answered decisively: "I wish you all the best."
Jiang Xia's eyes softened: "Thank you, that's what I think too. You'll probably meet a wonderful person in the future..."
Wu Zhou looked into his eyes: "I've already met him, and I won't let go."
Jiang Xia protested quietly, trying to reason with him: "That's not what you just said."
Wu Zhou said seriously, "One thing at a time, Jiang Xia, I want you to be my lover, to let me love you, and you're showing signs of relenting now..."
His gaze was piercing as he moved closer to Jiang Xia: "The love I'm talking about is a dual affection, both spiritual and physical. I can't give it up."
“I’ve been imagining things about you, Jiang Xia, do you understand?” Wu Zhou grasped his hand and, mimicking Wu Ming’s words, slowly caressed the soft flesh between Jiang Xia’s fingers.
A note from the author:
Wu Zhou only listens to what he wants to hear.
You want to be in a relationship? Sure.
The person in question isn't me? That won't do.
After listening to Jiang Xia's words.
After discussing it, Zhan Lintian and General Manager Wu decided that it would be more practical to first get Jiang Xia drunk, then force him into a fait accompli, and finally have Jiang Xia take responsibility.
*
In a small theater, just before the Chinese New Year, Wu Ming, who was far away abroad, received two pieces of good news.
The first piece of good news was that he finally broke off his engagement with Xie Xingzhang. It didn't cause much of a stir, either domestically or internationally. Nowadays, young people's feelings come and go quickly, and it's normal for his feelings to have faded after he was abroad for half a year.
If two people part amicably, it will be easier for them to find a suitable partner in the future.
The second piece of good news is that I heard my older brother is in a relationship, and he pursued his girlfriend for a long time before winning her over.
Wu Ming asked his older brother for a long time out of curiosity, but his brother wouldn't tell him who his sister-in-law was.
Wu Ming chuckled: "Big brother, just say it. Do you think I'd fight you for it?"
When Wu Ming finally saw the Yangtze River Gorge from home, he realized what was happening.
He lay on the ground, trying to hug his older brother's leg: "No, I really can't give this to him, waaaaaah..."
When he finally mustered the strength to stand up and argue with his older brother, he saw the dense hickeys on Jiang Xia's neck and the undisguised lust in his eyes, and he fainted again.
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