Chapter 91 The Troubled Summer Solstice
Renting the Haotang old house went more smoothly than Xia Wu had expected.
Among the seven or eight old houses, Xia Wu only rented three that were connected together. Because these old houses were not protected historical sites, construction could begin. However, in order to preserve their characteristics, Xia Wu decided to find a designer to help her complete the design.
Chinese-style homestays have both natural and humanistic elements, and of course, they are inseparable from modern conveniences.
When it comes to designers she knows, Xia Wu thinks of Ma Fangzhou first. They are professionally compatible, and Ma Fangzhou has helped her before. Of course, she will continue to look for Ma Fangzhou if there is something good happening.
Opening the private chat window, Xia Wu sent a message: "Do you have time recently? I rented a few old houses and plan to turn them into B&Bs. I need a designer to transform them into B&Bs. I wonder if you can take on this job~"
Today is not a weekend, so Ma Fangzhou is probably still at work. Xia Wu was about to put down his phone when he received a reply.
"Oh my god, boss, did you know I was unemployed and you came to bring me food? Thank you so much! I have time, I must have time. How do you want to change? Can we have a face-to-face meeting?"
"Why did you suddenly lose your job?"
"You have no idea how competitive this industry is right now. I'm not unemployed, I just don't want to do this anymore, so I'm planning to open a studio with some friends and start my own business. This is our first order."
"Haha, that's great. Come on over. I'll pay for the travel expenses, food and accommodation. The sooner the better."
"Since you've said that, I won't be polite. It just so happens that there's a great guy in our studio who just returned from studying abroad. He's the best at space transformation. I'll bring him over."
After making an appointment with Ma Fangzhou to meet, Xia Wu told Ji Yunzhou the good news.
Ji Yunzhou admired Xia Wu's ability to act and asked where he planned to arrange Ma Fangzhou. Xia Wu had already thought about it. He wanted them to live in a small courtyard with a well. It just so happened that Xia Wu could move out of the house under the pretext of work.
"You want to live in the mountains?" Ji Yunzhou frowned slightly.
"Yeah, I've always wanted to move to the mountains. The main thing is to keep a bed so I can stay overnight if something happens."
Just like a child who always wants to leave her safe haven and experience living alone, Xia Wu is very comfortable living at home. When she doesn't want to get up in the morning, her parents will bring her breakfast to her bedside. She just wants to experience what it's like to live in the mountains.
Her parents felt that she was a girl and it would be lonely and unsafe for her to be alone in the mountains.
"Let them stay here," Ji Yunzhou advised calmly, "I have plenty of rooms here, and it's convenient for food and accommodation. It's also not far from Haotang Village. I remember there's no internet connection on the mountain yet, so if they want to work, it probably won't be convenient."
This was the first time he had sent Xia Wu a message with so many words, and Xia Wu was flattered.
"Can you get used to living over there?"
"Yes, don't worry."
Since Ji Yunzhou said so, Xia Wu agreed.
Two days later, Ma Fangzhou and his partners arrived as scheduled, and Xia Wu drove to pick them up personally.
"It's you?!!"
When Xia Wu saw Ma Fangzhou's partner, she exclaimed in surprise. She never expected that Ma Fangzhou would bring someone she knew.
Xia Zhi pushed his black-framed glasses, stretched out his hand to her, and said with a smile: "Cousin, I didn't expect to see you here."
Xia Wu sulked and reluctantly slapped his hand away, "Why is it you?"
Ma Fangzhou looked at Xia Wu, then at Xia Zhi beside him.
"You two know each other?"
"More than just knowing each other, I forgot to tell you, according to blood relationship, I should call her cousin."
Xia Wu's expression grew increasingly grim, and he said stiffly, "We are no longer related by blood."
Ma Fangzhou was confused, looked left and right, suppressed his curiosity, and kept his mouth shut while eating melon.
"There's no need to be so heartless. Even if we're not related by blood, the feelings we've had for so many years are still there, don't you think?"
Xia Zhi smiled harmlessly. He had long hair tied into a low ponytail. For a man, his face was a little too delicate. Everyone in the Xia family had good looks.
However, Xia Wu didn't quite agree with his statement that the two of them had any family ties in the past.
Xia Zhi is the illegitimate child of the Xia family. His mother was the third child. She died of breast cancer when he was in middle school. Xia Zhi had no one to take care of him, so his uncle took him in.
His identity as an illegitimate child was known to everyone. The Xia family could provide him with a better life than ordinary people, but Xia Zhi still felt out of place in the Xia family.
Before Xia Wu's identity as a fake daughter was exposed, she was the arrogant princess in the family, and she didn't have much friendship with Xia Zhi, a shameful illegitimate child.
Of course, after all, we are all under the same roof, so we will see each other sooner or later.
Later, Xia Zhi was sent abroad, and the two met less and less.
"Don't say those things. You know my situation. I have nothing to do with that family anymore." Xia Wu frowned. She didn't want to have anything to do with Xia Zhi. She looked at Ma Fangzhou awkwardly and was hesitating about how to speak when Xia Zhi stopped her. "Do you want us to go back the same way we came?"
Ma Fangzhou and his men were dumbfounded. No!
"I don't want to have anything to do with you guys."
Xia Wu said it frankly.
"That's not necessary. I'm not the same as them. You know I'm just an illegitimate child."
Xia Zhi is even more calm than him.
Ma Fangzhou, standing by, was speechless after hearing all this explosive information. What family, what illegitimate child...
He vaguely knew that his partner came from a big family, but he never asked in detail. After all, work is work and life is life.
Xia Zhi and Xia Wu, both of their names contain the word "Xia", and he thought it was a coincidence, because aren't Xia Wu's parents surnamed Yang?
How did you get to know Xia Zhi again?
Ma Fangzhou's head was already dizzy.
I can only listen silently and be invisible.
What Xia Zhi said is true. No normal person would want to go back after suffering domestic violence for many years.
At least that's how it would be from the perspective of the summer solstice.
"Please, don't distrust me so much. I've invested a lot in the studio. You won't just stand us up on our first order, right?" Xia Zhi said in a pleading tone, but his face didn't show how humble he was.
Xia Wu sighed and said, "For Lao Ma's sake, I'll give you a chance. Don't mess around. I've invested a lot of money."
Xia Zhi raised the corners of his mouth, and a smile flickered in his peach blossom eyes.
He knew it was Xia Wu before he came, but he never told Ma Fangzhou that he knew Xia Wu. He wanted to see how Xia Wu would react when she saw him.
Well, it’s not much different from what he guessed.
When he was abroad, he heard about Xia Wu's affairs. At that time, he thought that the little princess of the Xia family must be crying bitterly. After all, how could a fairy accept the fact that she fell from heaven to earth?
Xia Zhi just didn't expect that the little princess would accept life on earth so quickly, and resolutely abandon her original life and live a fulfilling life on earth.
It's really puzzling. What on earth was she thinking?
"Get in the car, you two can sit in the back."
Xia Wu opened the car door and asked the two grown men to put the luggage on the passenger seat.
Xia Zhi was a little surprised, "You're driving this car?"
Xia Wu was a little impatient: "Will you sit down? If not, then walk."
"Sit down," Xia Zhi said with a smile in his voice, "I'm here to help you after all. Isn't it inappropriate to talk to me like this?"
Xia Wu was in a bad mood and stepped on the accelerator harder than usual. He glanced at Ma Fangzhou, who looked like a quail, in the rearview mirror and sighed helplessly.
Ma Fangzhou's crime does not deserve the death penalty.
"Okay, sorry, I shouldn't bring personal emotions into work."
"I thought you wouldn't mind at all."
Xia Wu really didn't care anymore, but based on her understanding of Xia Zhi, this guy was a pure fun-loving person. She didn't believe that Xia Zhi would work honestly and not do anything else.
But Xia Wu just remained silent.
"So what? Not going to your village?"
Seeing Xia Wu turning the corner and not being on a familiar road, Ma Fangzhou broke the silence in the car and asked.
"There's no place in the village to arrange suitable accommodation for you. I happen to have a partner who has enough rooms. You can stay there while you're working."
No matter whether Xia Wu was driving or talking, Xia Zhi was always staring at her, as if he was admiring some work of art.
"Xiao Wu, do you still need a partner?"
Xia Wu immediately refused, "No need."
"You rejected it so quickly, aren't you short of money?"
Even if you are a fairy, you still need money when you come to the human world.
"Mr. Xia, you're worrying too much," Xia Wu slowed down the car and gradually stopped. "We're here."
The car stopped in front of the white building. Looking at the magnificent building in front of him, Ma Fangzhou was a little surprised. "Are we going to live in here?"
After learning that there was only one person living in the entire building, Ma Fangzhou: "..."
Why transform it into a B&B? Isn't this suitable for being a hotel?
After getting off the car, Xia Wu sent a message to Ji Yunzhou, "I've picked up someone. There's someone I know, but I don't like him very much."
Without waiting for Ji Yunzhou's reply, she put her phone in her pocket and helped Ma Fangzhou with his luggage.
"Xia Xia, no need. I can do it myself."
"No, you're a guest, and besides, it's not important. Don't underestimate me."
Xia Wu picked up Ma Fangzhou's suitcase with one hand and carried it out of the car. It was a hot day today, and she was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and jeans. When she exerted force on her exposed arms, her biceps bulged noticeably, and her muscles were so developed that they made the two big men look pale in comparison.
Xia Zhi still looked like a guest: "I am a guest too."
Xia Wu squinted at him and said, "Trouble."
Even though you say this, you still have to help, otherwise how can you treat everyone equally?
When Ji Yunzhou came out in a wheelchair, he saw Xia Wu walking in front of him, pulling two suitcases, followed by two big men.
He suddenly saw the summer solstice.
It has to be said that Xia Zhi's appearance is very outstanding, with a slender figure as if he walked out of a comic book. The long hair that most men can't have does not look out of place on him. He has a lazy expression, and his playful eyes meet Ji Yunzhou's in mid-air.
After a moment, Xia Zhi looked away, looked Ji Yunzhou up and down, and asked Xia Wu, "Is he your partner?"
The nurse took the suitcase. Xia Wu was relieved and stood beside Ji Yunzhou, putting her hand on his shoulder affectionately. "Yes, let me introduce him to you. He is Ji Yunzhou. Ji Yunzhou, this is Ma Fangzhou, his name is Xia Zhi, he is the designer of the B&B I found."
Ji Yunzhou, Xia Zhi silently repeated this name in his heart. Why did he have a sense of déjà vu?
"Hello, Mr. Ji, just call me Xiao Ma. I'm sorry to bother you during this time."
"Hello, it's me who's bothering you."
"Hello," Xia Zhi extended his hand to him, and Ji Yunzhou also extended his hand, "Hello, Mr. Xia."
For some unknown reason, something seemed to be wrong between the two of them.
However, Ma Fangzhou was a bit careless and didn't notice it. Instead, he showed great enthusiasm for work as soon as he entered the house. After Xia Wu sent him the photos of the old house, he immediately began to determine the design style. Now he had to let Xia Wu review it. Only after the style was determined could they conduct an on-site inspection and carry out the design before the renovation.
An hour later, Ma Fangzhou paused the discussion. Anna promptly brought over some tea. Ma Fangzhou drank it all in one gulp and breathed a sigh of relief. "So, shall we just settle this for now?"
"Okay, you guys are tired too, take a rest first, then I'll take you to see the places."
"Anna, take the two guests to their rooms to rest."
Ji Yunzhou didn't say a word during the whole process. He just listened quietly. Everything was decided by Xia Wu's preferences.
It was indeed a bit tiring for the two of them to take a plane and then transfer to such a remote place. Ma Fangzhou thanked Anna and was led upstairs by Anna. Their luggage had already been brought up.
Ma Fangzhou walked in front, Xia Zhiluo at the end. When he went upstairs, he suddenly asked, "Mr. Ji, have I seen you somewhere before?"
Ji Yunzhou smiled and replied calmly: "Did Mr. Xia recognize the wrong person?"
Xia Zhi's expression remained unchanged as he nodded, "Maybe. I've always had a bad memory."
He went upstairs. Ji Yunzhou and Xia Wu were still downstairs. For some unknown reason, Xia Zhi looked back.
The bright girl reached out to touch the forehead of the man in the wheelchair, her attitude was so intimate that it was very eye-catching.
“Tsk.”
Xia Zhi was placed in a room alone with the door closed. He lay on the bed. After a long time, he took out his mobile phone and looked through the screenshots of Xia Wu in the album.
When he recognized her, he was indeed very happy and had been looking forward to meeting her today.
But he seemed to be late.
"Trouble," Xia Zhi muttered softly, "You don't remember anything at all, do you?"
But how could the proud little princess remember the poor beggar she helped? It was natural that she didn't remember him.
It's fine as long as he remembers it himself.
Fortunately, Xia Zhi was only a little weird when they first met, but after he got into work, his attitude changed Xia Wu's impression of him greatly.
Xia Zhi studied architectural design abroad in recent years. After returning to China, he met Ma Fangzhou through an intermediary. The two hit it off and planned to open their own studio. The first task they took on was to renovate this old house.
It's quite difficult.
Ji Yunzhou was not short of money, and Xia Zhi and Ma Fangzhou had good aesthetic taste. They quickly finalized the design drawings and contacted the engineering team to start construction.
Ma Fangzhou and his colleagues are very responsible in their work. Even though the weather is getting hotter, they still have to stay at the construction site every day and communicate with the construction workers at any time.
So Xia Wu had another task, which was to deliver cool sweet water to the construction workers in Haotang Village every day.
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