Chapter 36 So he was a dog's stand-in? ...
In those few seconds of pause, Jiang Hai sent his next voice message: "Sister, sister, you still haven't told me if you're coming back for National Day!"
The sound is consistently crisp and lively, like a bell.
But Jiang Shan, upon hearing this, could no longer be as carefree and joyful as before.
Jiang Hai generally doesn't ask about her whereabouts.
Rather than asking her indirectly, "Sister, are you coming back for National Day?", Jiang Hai preferred to say domineeringly, "Sister, you have to come back to be with me for National Day, or I'll get angry! How long has it been since you came back!"
Was Jiang Hai's sudden question at Chen Yuan's behest?
After all, Jiang Hai may seem domineering, but he has the softest heart.
"Sorry, Xiaohai, I'm busy with work and might not have time to go back. We'll talk about it later." Jiang Shan only sent this message hurriedly before quickly locking her phone, not wanting to, and not daring to, look at any more messages.
"Knock knock," a warm female voice rang out just outside the bedroom door: "Miss Jiang, the master asked me to bring you a change of clothes. Is it convenient for me to come in now?"
Jiang Shan quickly adjusted his state, just like when the dormitory supervisor inspected the cleanliness of his room during his student days.
She first loosened the hair tie, re-tied her hair, and then straightened her collar. Only when she felt that she looked presentable did she call out to the door.
"Enter."
"Okay, miss, I'll come in now."
A kind and gentle face appeared in Jiang Shan's eyes as the bedroom door creaked open: "My surname is Liu, Miss, you can just call me Aunt Liu."
Aunt Liu had more than a dozen sets of clothes, stacked into a thick pile, including skirts and pants, all in a variety of colors.
Jiang Shan was a little dumbfounded.
Is Zhu Meng treating her like a miracle, a powerful figure?
This skirt is quite pretty, well-made, and made of good material. It must be expensive, right? The top and pants look a bit ordinary, but I'll stick with the top and pants; they're more practical for movement.
"Do you need me to help you change it?" Aunt Liu asked with a smile.
Jiang Shan instinctively felt that having someone help her change clothes was no different from going to a public bathhouse in the north and taking a bath naked in front of everyone. As a native southerner, she waved her hands repeatedly: "No need, no need, I can do it myself!"
Aunt Liu didn't insist and nodded obediently, "Okay, I'll go to the restroom to leave for a bit. Just call me if you need anything."
Jiang Shan was slightly amazed as soon as he put on the clothes. Could the fabric really be so silky smooth?
It was completely different from the polyester fabric she wore before.
Aunt Liu seemed to have served others for most of her life. Almost as soon as Jiang Shan finished dressing and admired herself for two seconds, she knocked on the bathroom door. Her control over time was as precise as an alarm clock.
"Miss, are you ready? If you are, let me help you wash up."
Everyone says that working people shouldn't bully other working people, but Jiang Shan's mind was still a bit foggy, yet he already shouted in response, "Okay!"
She didn't understand, could someone really serve her when she washed her face and brushed her teeth?
The next ten minutes or so greatly shocked her.
She had lived for twenty-two years and had only ever used an electric toothbrush to free her hands while brushing her teeth. As for washing her face, ... this was the first time she had ever known that someone else could help her wash her face.
Applying the essence and massaging it in feels incredibly soothing.
Unfortunately, Jiangshan's stomach disagreed, and "Gugu" protested her decision to sleep until noon.
Aunt Liu smiled so much that the crow's feet around her eyes appeared: "The master said that Miss must be hungry by now. If you are hungry, you can go downstairs to eat."
Jiang Shan was completely bewildered once again.
Huh? This one bedroom is bigger than her entire rented apartment! And this place, which takes up one large bedroom, has several floors? In Shanghai, where land is incredibly expensive, to have a multi-story apartment...
Jiangshan always stumbles when he's thinking.
It is said that humans are animals that seek advantage and avoid harm. If you make a mistake in this matter, you will not dare to do it again, for fear of encountering the same failure.
But Jiangshan has learned from his mistakes time and time again, and he still hasn't learned his lesson in this matter.
By the time she realized what was happening, she had already stepped into thin air.
Oh no, this is bad.
The familiar feeling of falling washed over him, and Jiang Shan tried to adjust his landing posture for a fraction of a second, but instead landed in a warm embrace.
"Be careful."
Jiang Shan raised his head and met Zhu Meng's dark pupils.
Like ink that has solidified into a lump, it cannot be dissolved.
...Hmm, why does he always look so lifeless? He's only thirty-two, in the prime of his life.
Or is this the standard icy demeanor of a domineering CEO?
After Jiang Shan steadied himself by supporting Zhu Meng's strong forearm, he quickly let go without pausing for a second and politely thanked him, saying, "Thank you."
Zhu Meng remained silent, simply staring at her.
Jiang Shan's doubts surged like waves.
She had just washed her face and looked in the mirror; her face was clean, there was nothing on it.
Feeling quite pleased, Jiang Shan couldn't help but smile. However, after a couple of seconds of eye contact, he gave in and turned away with a chuckle.
“President Zhu,” she turned back to look at the unmoved Zhu Meng, her smile still lingering, “is there something on my face?”
Zhu Meng shook his head.
He pursed his lips, as if he had a thousand words to say, but said nothing.
The aroma of the heated food was incredibly strong, and even Jiang Shan, standing on the stairs, was drooling with envy.
She was used to Zhu Meng's hesitation and pointed downstairs: "If you have nothing else, I'll go downstairs for dinner?"
Zhu Meng nodded, but remained silent.
To avoid falling again, Jiang Shan cautiously walked to the restaurant side and suddenly noticed that the man in the white shirt, black suit, and tuxedo next to the table looked very familiar.
Isn't this the same housekeeper Qi from the mansion she met last time she went to walk her dog?
"Hello," Jiang Shan greeted him first, "We seem to have met before. Are you surnamed Qi?"
"It is my honor to meet Miss again, I..." Butler Qi had seen Jiang Shan long ago, but because of Zhu Meng, he dared not utter a word.
When Jiang Shan recognized him, Butler Qi laughed and was about to say some polite words when he suddenly felt a chill down his spine, as if an air conditioner was blowing directly on him on a snowy day. He instinctively shut his mouth.
Jiang Shan first stuffed a mouthful of steamed bun and two spoonfuls of porridge into his mouth to fill his stomach, and then immediately asked Steward Qi impatiently.
"Butler Qi, may I see Fatty?"
Her eyes were bright, filled with longing to pet the dog.
That Alaskan oil is so smooth and shiny, it feels amazing!
She only went for a walk once, and she still can't stop thinking about it.
Butler Qi looked troubled, then gestured towards Zhu Meng with his mouth: "Well... you might have to ask Fatty's master."
Jiang Shan suddenly realized.
"Mr. Zhu, so Fatty is your pet!"
Zhu Meng gave a soft "hmm".
Jiang Shan asked a question that wasn't exactly flattering, and then eagerly revealed his purpose: "Can I see it? I want to touch it."
Zhu Meng simply replied with a faint "Mm".
He turned his head and instructed Steward Qi, "Bring Fatty over."
The enormous Alaskan Malamute was transported over in just half an hour. Upon smelling the scent of Jiangshan and its owner from afar, it charged forward so fast that even three bodyguards could barely hold it back.
No matter how many times Jiang Shan has seen an Alaskan Malamute, he is still shocked by its size, which is basically as tall as his waist.
"Fatty~ You're so big!"
Upon seeing kittens and puppies, or even big cats and dogs, Jiang Shan unconsciously switched to a lisp and a grin spread across his face.
She first approached Fatty, letting the dog get used to her scent, and only after several seconds did she reach out and stroke Fatty's head.
Fatty was extremely excited and nudged Jiangshan's hand with his head.
Oh, so this is the girl who walked him once and smells like her owner! I love her!
Jiang Shan was terrified by the frenzied attack from the group.
Why is Fatty keeping nudging her hand? Does he not like being touched? Or is it that they haven't seen each other for several days and Fatty doesn't recognize her and wants to bite her?
She took a step back, her steps unsteady.
"Fatty, please, don't bite me!"
Butler Qi chuckled from the side, "Miss Jiang, Fatty isn't trying to bite you, it just likes you so much."
Jiang Shan said "Oh, I see" twice.
Although he understood the situation intellectually, Jiang Shan was still afraid when it came to actually doing it.
Fortunately, Fatty is a very intelligent dog. It discovered that when it enthusiastically nudged Jiangshan, Jiangshan would pull its paws away in fear. After trying twice, it learned its lesson and, in order to let Jiangshan pet it, it would stay still and obediently in place, like a statue.
Jiang Shan laughed so hard his eyes almost disappeared: "Oh my, oh my, why are you so obedient?"
Zhu Meng, standing to the side, was so angry he wanted to sneer.
Jiang Shan used to pat his head like this before.
So he's Fatty, a dog's stand-in?
Oh, he can't really be considered a stand-in, because Fatty can be praised as well-behaved by Jiang Shan, but he can't... wait a minute, Jiang Shan seems to have praised him as well-behaved before? So, in front of Jiang Shan, is he really just a... dog?!
Zhu Meng's mind was in turmoil, but he couldn't come up with a conclusion that would make him happy.
As he watched, he actually felt a bit of hatred.
Even if Jiang Shan treats him like a dog, she at least pats his head.
Now he's touching the chubby guy's head again and keeps praising him.
Could it be that Zhu Meng, a socially recognized successful elite, is not as good as an Alaskan Malamute that only knows how to eat, drink, and defecate?
"Mr. Zhu, I should go back now."
While Zhu Meng's mind was still wandering, Jiang Shan's words suddenly pierced through like an arrow.
He asked instinctively, "Go back where?"
“My rental property, although it’s nice here, it doesn’t belong to me. There’s no reason for a guest to occupy the property and not pay rent. Besides, even if you offer a 90% discount on the rent in this location, I still can’t afford it.”
Jiang Shan was very sincere. She stroked her chin, thought for a moment, and then added insult to injury.
"Besides, it's too far from the company. It would probably take two or three hours to get there. It's much more convenient to rent a place. It only takes about half an hour."
May your tender heart be like a grassland trampled by a thousand galloping horses, where nothing grows.
Does Jiang Shan think that this is the only property he owns?
What gave her this misconception? Was it his approachable manner? Or...?
Sigh, it's his fault for not explaining things clearly to Jiang Shan.
“If you’d like, the property certificate can be changed to your name.” Zhu Meng’s face was as cold as a mountain frozen for miles and covered in snow. “I don’t have many houses, but I have a few in each location. You can take your time to choose.”
Jiang Shan's eyes nearly popped out of his black-rimmed glasses.
Having several properties in each location—is that what you call "not many houses"? What's the difference between this and treating earning 100 million yuan as a small goal?
As expected, Zhu Meng is a wicked capitalist.
She was deceived by his innocent appearance.
“I appreciate your kindness, but as the saying goes, one should not accept a gift without merit.” Jiang Shan scratched his head. “You are giving me this house of several hundred square meters for no reason. My conscience is not at ease. I’d better not accept it.”
Butler Qi, who had been secretly listening nearby, silently corrected himself in his mind.
Miss Jiang has misunderstood. This apartment isn't just a few hundred square meters; it's several thousand square meters! However, the gentleman looked quite displeased after being rejected…
Jiang Shan wasn't as perceptive as Steward Qi, and couldn't tell that Zhu Meng's "calm as water" face was any different from usual.
She took out her phone from her pocket, instinctively intending to use Dudu Taxi to return to her cramped, rather uncozy little rented room. After glancing at the three-digit fare, she silently looked up at Zhu Meng.
"Mr. Zhu, could you please arrange for someone to take me home? If not, I can take a taxi, although it's a bit expensive to take a taxi back to the city from here, but... oh!"
Jiang Shan's wrist was suddenly enveloped by a broad, thick hand. Before he could react, he was pulled two steps toward the door.
Perhaps sensing the considerable resistance Jiangshan posed, Zhu Meng stopped, turned around, and uttered a single sentence.
"Aren't we going back?"
Jiang Shan shook Zhu Meng's hand, which felt like an iron chain.
It didn't shake off.
Under the indifferent gaze of the instigator, Jiang Shan took a deep breath and exhaled forcefully: "President Zhu, I thank you for being willing to send me back, but you're hurting my hand. Could you please let go of me first?"
A faint smell of gunpowder began to spread between the two.
Jiang Shan spoke out about his aching wrist, unwilling to back down, while Zhu Meng's expression remained unchanged, expressionless.
"Oh, okay, sorry."
He let go of her hand and walked forward with his leather shoes clicking, taking particularly large strides.
Jiang Shan was a little out of breath when he caught up with him.
What's going on? Why is Zhu Meng suddenly acting so strangely? Did he take the wrong medicine?
"I'm flying to B City this weekend." The two of them got into the back seat of the luxury car. Jiang Shan closed his eyes, about to do his familiar and comfortable car nap, when he suddenly heard Zhu Meng say something from his left.
She opened her eyes, nodded in Zhu Meng's direction, then closed them again: "Oh, okay."
Zhu Meng slowly frowned.
He had been cooking for Jiang Shan for almost a week, and when he said he had to leave for a while, Jiang Shan didn't even say a word to try and persuade him to stay. He just gave him a perfunctory three-word reply.
Could it be... that Jiang Shan is hoping he'll leave? Is it because he's too controlling, making Jiang Shan want to escape, but unable to refuse?
So she used this roundabout way to express her happiness at his temporary departure?
...Was he really that disliked by her?
Zhu Meng turned his head and coughed softly.
"It might take two days," he said, unwilling to give up.
Jiang Shan was baffled.
Does Zhu Meng, the president of a listed company, really need to report her every move? And in such detail at that.
It's like she's checking up on me.
But she has no official title or status, so what's the point of checking up on her?
Zhu Meng should... just inform her, right?
If it's a notification, she knows the answer to this question; just saying "received" will suffice.
Jiang Shan lifted his eyelids, grinned, and showed off his standard working-class politeness with eight front teeth in a smile.
“I understand that you’re going home to visit relatives. You can stay for two days or even five days. There’s no need to rush back. It’s fine.”
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Author's Note: I'm currently juggling both reviewing and writing. It's getting cold, everyone please keep warm. My nose got a little runny on my way to the library from the wind. [droopy-eared rabbit head emoji]
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