77. Meeting on a narrow road
After seeing Chen Yunsheng off, Jiang Nan hummed a song as she went upstairs. As soon as she entered the room, she was met with two pairs of sparkling and inquiring eyes.
"Nannan, tell me the truth, what's going on with Xiao Chen?" Hong Qiuping pulled her daughter to sit on the sofa, her tone anxious but filled with suppressed satisfaction. "I think he's not bad. He's steady, polite, and speaks sincerely. But I always feel like... there's something hidden."
"I asked him to tone it down a bit," Jiang Nan said tentatively, "I was afraid he would act like a subordinate."
Hong Qiuping was skeptical. Jiang Youhua, sitting on her other side, nodded silently. "He has a really good temperament, not as impetuous as some young people. He also has depth in conversation, not just empty talk."
Jiang Nan saw that her parents were skeptical, but generally accepted it. She felt a little elated, but remained reserved. "It's okay. He said he was just a company executive, and his family runs a small business."
"I don't think it's that simple," Hong Qiuping narrowed her eyes. "No ordinary family can raise someone as dignified as him. But as long as he treats you well and is a decent person, and his family doesn't object, we won't stop him."
"Mom, don't worry," Jiang Nan hugged Hong Qiuping's arm, "He's really fine. Let's go out for dinner together tomorrow night. Can you guys observe him carefully?"
"Why go out to eat? It's so much better to eat at home. It's clean and affordable." Hong Qiuping's first reaction was to refuse.
"Oh, Mom, he's already had a meal at our house. And I've already booked a place," Jiang Nan shook her mother's arm. "Wuguzhai, the environment is nice, and the dishes are light, which suits his appetite."
In fact, Jiang Nan had not yet decided on a seat, she just wanted to push her parents to agree.
"Wuguzhai?" Jiang Youhua was a little surprised. "That place is not cheap."
Wuguzhai is a famous private restaurant in Jichuan, famous for its environment and exquisite dishes, so the prices are naturally not low.
"It's okay. I've got a promotion and a raise now, so I can still afford to treat your daughter to a luxurious meal once in a while." Jiang Nan said quickly, showing a very confident expression.
Hong Qiuping and Jiang Youhua looked at each other and ultimately gave up their objection. They were actually happy that their daughter was both capable and willing to spend money.
After making arrangements for the next day, the family of three enthusiastically discussed what to wear the next day, and did not return to their rooms until late at night.
As soon as Jiang Nan returned to the room, he immediately called Wuguzhai to confirm the dishes. During the holidays, Wuguzhai's seats were very tight, but after they made arrangements to return to Jichuan for the National Day, Chen Yunsheng selected several private restaurants in Jichuan and reserved seats. He also asked Wei Yan to compile the characteristics of several restaurants into a book and send it to Jiang Nan.
She decided on Wuguzhai right away - the dishes there were not as heavy as those in the other restaurants, and would be more suitable for Chen Yunsheng.
In other words, after she made her decision, she only needed to tell the store his name.
She felt both guilty and somewhat hopeful about this. She felt guilty because she was treating, but she still relied on Chen Yunsheng's influence. She was looking forward to tomorrow's meeting being in a more formal setting, which gave her a sense of overt affirmation and excitement.
After the dishes were confirmed, Jiang Nan immediately sent a WeChat message to Chen Yunsheng:
Report! Parents have approved the preliminary review.
We would like to commend Chen Yunsheng for his excellent performance.
Chen Yunsheng quickly replied to her:
The hero is classmate Jiang.
Thanks to your preliminary work.
Jiang Nan looked at the screen and smiled foolishly, then typed again:
Tomorrow evening at 6:00, Wuguzhai. I've already ordered the dishes. Are you going there straight after work?
Chen Yunsheng:
Okay. Do you want me to pick you up?
Jiang Nan:
No need, I'll pick you up in my dad's car.
Let you experience the enthusiasm of our Jichuan people~~
Chen Yunsheng sent an emoticon package of a cartoon character with starry eyes.
Jiang Nan smiled at the familiar emoji, then exchanged a few more banter before saying goodnight. Then, she tossed her phone aside and excitedly began choosing her outfit for tomorrow. Tomorrow's meeting was quite important, so she couldn't dress as casually as she did today.
——
The next afternoon, Chen Yunsheng concluded his initial investigation of the new energy company. The situation was more complicated than he'd anticipated. His second uncle, Chen Minghui, had a much more ulterior motive than he'd imagined. The company's equity structure was riddled with doubts, practically a trap constructed by Chen Minghui.
But he pretended to know nothing, showed his willingness to continue communicating, and then returned to the hotel with Wei Yan, who had just arrived in Jichuan today.
After returning to his room, Chen Yunsheng showered and changed into a more casual light blue shirt and black trousers. He then checked the time and saw it was only twenty minutes to six. He informed Wei Yan and the driver that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, they would be free to move about for the next few days.
After saying that, he went downstairs early and waited quietly for Jiang Nan and his family at the hotel entrance.
The evening wind was a little chilly, but the smell of the wind was very fresh, like the scent of damp grass and trees.
Chen Yunsheng had rarely experienced standing idly by the roadside waiting for someone. He felt a sense of novelty and a strange anticipation, much like the distant past when he sat at the table waiting for his grandmother to prepare osmanthus honey for him.
Excitement, happiness, and a heavy sweetness filling my chest.
Not long after, a semi-new black car slowly stopped in front of him. Then, the passenger window slowly lowered, revealing Jiang Nan's bright and smiling face: "Student Chen, get in!"
Jiang Nan wore a light purple floral tea dress today, with a sweater of the same color on the outside, and some light makeup on. She looked very bright, like wisteria.
Chen Yunsheng bent over to look, smiling and talking to her. He was surprised to find Jiang Youhua and Hong Qiuping sitting in the back seat, both smiling. Hong Qiuping was holding a glass jar of what looked like osmanthus jam. She greeted him warmly, "Xiao Chen, get in the car! It's cold outside. Oh, and here's something else."
She waved the glass jar in her hand: "Your uncle made the osmanthus jam."
Jiang Youhua added modestly, "The osmanthus flowers are blooming beautifully this year, so I made a little more."
Jiang Nan smiled and urged him to get in the car: "Chen Yunsheng, let's go."
Chen Yunsheng watched as the family of three drove all the way to pick him up, even taking into account his taste preferences and preparing sweet-scented osmanthus jam. This scene intensified his sense of novelty. More accurately, this feeling of being warmly cared for and taken care of was both unfamiliar and welcome to him.
Then he opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat. While fastening his seat belt, he turned to the two elders in the back seat and said, "Uncle, aunt, please come and pick me up."
"It's not a bother, it's not a bother," Hong Qiuping said, smiling as she passed the glass jar to the front. "Nannan, drive. We just happened to be out for some fresh air."
Jiang Youhua also laughed and said, "Xiao Chen, you've been waiting for a long time, right? Nan Nan insisted on giving you a surprise and didn't let us call in advance."
Chen Yunsheng took the glass jar and immediately smelled a faint sweet-scented osmanthus fragrance. "I just came downstairs too, so I didn't wait long." He paused slightly and continued, "Thank you, uncle and aunt, for the sweet-scented osmanthus jam."
"Try it first to see if it suits your taste," Jiang Nan said, glancing at him proudly as he started the car. "This is what I saved from my mouth."
"Can you talk?" Hong Qiuping scolded, "I just prepared a few cans for you."
Jiang Nan chuckled and happily admitted his mistake: "Okay, okay. I was wrong. I shared it with him."
After a while, Jiang Nan, concentrating on driving, dropped out of the conversation. But Jiang Youhua and Hong Qiuping, with concern, asked Chen Yunsheng if work had gone well that day and if he was tired, their tones kind and gentle. Chen Yunsheng answered each question with a gentle and polite manner. Jiang Nan, driving, occasionally threw in a witty remark, keeping the atmosphere in the car light and cheerful, neither too serious nor too awkward.
Chen Yunsheng looked at the street scenes outside, which were completely different from the urban order of Jiangcheng and full of life. Listening to the trivial and warm conversation between the girl and her parents beside him, he suddenly felt a very specific sense of happiness, as if tomorrow would come and the sun would always exist, as clear and certain as a theorem.
But this good mood was interrupted when he arrived at the door of Wuguzhai.
As soon as they parked the car, they heard a slightly sharp voice: "Hey, Qiuping, Youhua, what a coincidence? You're eating here too?"
Jiang Nan looked back and cursed in his heart, "Enemies always meet on a narrow road."
It was indeed my aunt Hong Wenzhen's family, and that Fan Zijian. However, Guan Qianqian, who was standing next to Fan Zijian, had a rather unhappy expression.
When Hong Qiuping saw Hong Wenzhen, her smile faded a little, but she still remained polite: "Wenzhen, you are here too."
"Yes, Xiao Fan said the food here is good and insisted on bringing us here to try it." As Hong Wenzhen spoke, her eyes swept over Jiang Nan and finally landed on Chen Yunsheng beside her. Her eyes lit up instantly, with an undisguised look of scrutiny and comparison in their eyes: "Who is this?"
Jiang Nan rolled her eyes inwardly, but she still maintained a proper smile and took the initiative to introduce them: "Aunt, Uncle, Sister Qianqian, Mr. Fan, this is my boyfriend, Chen Yunsheng." Then, she turned to Chen Yunsheng, "Yunsheng, this is my aunt's family."
Chen Yunsheng nodded slightly, his tone calm but polite: "Hello."
He was calm, elegant, and handsome, instantly outshining the somewhat slovenly Fan Zijian next to him. A flicker of resentment flashed in Hong Wenzhen's eyes, but she immediately gave him a warmer expression. "So he's Nan Nan's boyfriend, so handsome! What's his career like?"
Jiang Nan resisted the urge to retort and took the initiative to answer her using the excuse they had agreed on last night: "He's just an ordinary office worker."
Chen Yunsheng cooperated without saying much, just stood quietly beside Jiang Nan, showing his belonging.
Fan Zijian also looked at Chen Yunsheng, his eyes filled with scrutiny and dissatisfaction. He casually said, "Mr. Chen, right? Nice to meet you. I'm Fan Zijian, and my family runs a building materials business."
He deliberately emphasized the family business.
Chen Yunsheng's expression remained unchanged, and he nodded gently: "Mr. Fan, nice to meet you."
Guan Qianqian stood behind Fan Zijian, looking at Jiang Nan and Chen Yunsheng standing together, her eyes complicated, her lips moved, but in the end she said nothing.
Afterwards, the two families walked into Wuguzhai together. Coincidentally, their private rooms were adjacent to each other.
Jiang Nan was annoyed with his aunt's family, but he didn't say anything.
Chen Yunsheng also looked normal, but he paid more attention to Fan Zijian and carefully searched his memory to see if there was anyone with the surname Fan among the beneficiaries of his second uncle Chen Minghui.
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