Chapter 19. Zhu Meng, looking up at her, issued...
Zhu Meng paused in typing.
Although Jiang Shan was standing outside on the balcony while he was sitting on the sofa in the living room, and the two of them looked far apart, the house was actually only about forty or fifty square meters.
Although Jiang Shan didn't turn on the speakerphone, he couldn't hear what the person on the other end was saying, but Jiang Shan's voice didn't quiet down.
He could hear what she said.
When Zhu Meng heard the words "co-renting," his eyes were still fixed on the laptop screen, but his ears perked up involuntarily, and his attention drifted toward Jiang Shan.
When he was discussing the rental with the landlord, he made a point of finding out that the upstairs apartment had indeed been empty before.
He was the only one sharing the apartment with Jiang Shan.
Jiang Shan was talking about him with her family... well, what was he talking about?
Zhu Meng was on edge, his anticipation building up like a mountain with each tick of the clock in the living room. But when Jiang Shan uttered the muffled words, "a colleague," his swollen heart deflated like a package being emptied by a vacuum pump.
He... was indeed just Jiang Shan's colleague.
Even though it was a fact, and Zhu Meng himself was a pragmatic person who didn't like living in fantasy, he still felt a tightness in his chest when he heard Jiang Shan admit it.
...This was not the answer he wanted.
This repeated, subtle setbacks should, in theory, have made him, who had always had a smooth life, furious and embarrassed.
But hearing Jiang Shan say that, he couldn't get angry.
She was simply stating a fact, though honest advice is hard to hear, and he just didn't want to hear it.
It wasn't her fault.
Jiang Shan didn't notice the fleeting self-deprecating smile on Zhu Meng's lips. He picked up the kettle, made himself a cup of warm water, and slowly swallowed it while listening to his mother's nagging.
“Even if she’s a colleague, you can’t be careless. You can’t see into someone’s heart. We’re not family. Who knows if she’s a monster in disguise? Xiaoshan, listen to your mother. Move out and live on your own. Your mother won’t hurt you…”
Jiang Shan listened to his mother's endless chatter, but the main point was her nagging, and he actually felt a sense of pleasure.
Mom finally turned her attention to her.
Jiang Shan was so caught up in his own world that he didn't even realize when his mother said, "Then it's settled." It wasn't until the phone hung up with a "beep" that he snapped out of his daze and broke out in a cold sweat.
When did she become such a twisted person? ...Wait, what did she just promise?
Oh no, is Chen Feng really going to come and stay here?
"Knock knock".
Jiang Shan was still holding his phone on the balcony, quickly reviewing his conversation with his mother in the afterglow of the setting sun. Suddenly, behind the transparent glass door of the balcony, he saw Zhu Meng's slightly furrowed brows.
"Are you done chatting? It's chilly tonight, let's go inside."
His voice was a little muffled, perhaps because of the glass barrier.
Jiang Shan belatedly realized what was happening and shuddered.
Zhu Meng pushed open the glass door with a "whoosh," took a step behind Jiang Shan, and naturally stood upwind to shield her from the evening breeze.
"What would you like for dinner? Chinese food, Western food? Or...? Do you have any dietary restrictions?"
Jiang Shan squeezed into the room through the crack in the door and waved his hand.
"I'm fine with anything, as long as it's not spicy."
She hesitated about how to bring up her cousin's matter with Zhu Meng, not noticing that Zhu Meng quietly closed the balcony door, put on an insulated cover, and gently placed the electric hot water bottle, which he had somehow managed to fill during his busy schedule, into her hand.
"Okay, I understand."
Zhu Meng opened the refrigerator cabinet with a "pop," picked through the air-freighted ingredients, and finally selected a large ribbonfish and a bag of fresh beef.
He picked up Jiang Shan's pitifully narrow pink bear apron, and was about to tie the straps on his back himself when he suddenly remembered that it belonged to Jiang Shan, so he reservedly untied it: "May I use this apron?"
“Sure, sure.” Jiang Shan remembered the suit jacket that Zhu Meng had worn once and then discarded, and quickly explained to him that the apron was new. “I bought it a long time ago, but I haven’t worn it yet.”
"Yes, thank you."
Zhu Meng has broad shoulders and a narrow waist, making him a walking clothes hanger. Even when wearing a pink apron that doesn't match his aloof temperament, he's far from ugly.
He washed the fish, meat, and knife, and scrubbed the cutting board again. When he turned around, Jiang Shan was still standing next to him.
The hot water bottle must have dispelled the cold wind that had been blowing on her from the balcony; some color returned to the girl's pale face, but for some reason, she looked a little troubled.
"What's wrong?" Zhu Meng sharpened his broadsword a couple of times.
“Tonight, a relative of mine might be coming over to stay.” Jiang Shan stared at Zhu Meng’s expressionless face, feeling as if he were giving a work report. “He’ll probably be sleeping on the sofa on my floor for one night… Is that alright?”
Zhu Meng lowered his head and used the knife to scrape off the fish scales with a "swish, swish" sound.
"I'll only do the housework for you. As for other things, you just need to agree. You don't need to ask me."
Jiang Shan opened his mouth, vaguely feeling that Zhu Meng's words seemed a bit off. Before he could discuss it with him, Zhu Meng raised his hand, the one not holding the knife, and said, "There's too much smoke in here, you should go out first."
This was clearly a forceful gesture meant to silence someone, but looking at the fish and meat on the cutting board, Jiang Shan inexplicably sensed a touch of tenderness in this tough man.
There really is a man who takes care of her and cooks her dinner! It's not a dream!
A wave of joy swept through, instantly dispelling the gloom that had been hanging over his heart. Jiang Shan nodded, skipped out of the kitchen, and plopped down on the sofa with a "thump" as he pulled out his phone.
That's great! She no longer has to agonize over what to eat tonight on several food delivery apps, and finally has time to relax and scroll through her phone for a bit.
If I do the math, Meng should probably be updated.
Jiang Shan crossed her legs and happily scrolled through her following list. She went through all the thousands of people she followed from beginning to end, but she couldn't find a single user whose name started with "m".
Hey, that's weird. Where's that big "meng" that she marked with a special star in her following list? Where did it go?
Jiang Shan didn't believe in this superstition, so he went to look at the posts and videos he had liked and saved.
Still nothing.
What's going on here?
Jiang Shan was so anxious that he started sweating. He rubbed the hot water bottle on his stomach, which was at just the right temperature, and then rubbed his face to calm himself down. He then patiently went back to his following list to search.
There is indeed one person who is a special starred contact, but... she is the most common "momo" on Little Green Book, not Meng.
Could it be that Meng has changed its name?
After all, she only has one starred follower, meng.
Jiang Shan clicked in with a belly full of doubts. He first glanced at the IP address and confirmed that it was from S City. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but then his eyes caught sight of Momo's latest post, or rather, the only post on his homepage. He abruptly stopped breathing.
"Farewell letter".
Huh? Farewell? What farewell? Is Meng seriously ill and only has a few days left to live? Or did something unexpected happen?
Jiang Shan's hands trembled as he clicked on the link.
The post was brief and to the point. It basically said that he had made progress with the girl Meng liked, and he was now that girl's private property. He could no longer generously share it with netizens, so he simply hid all the videos and photos.
The comments section was full of "Wishing you 99 years" and "When can I find someone like that?"
Jiang Shan opened the text box, wanting to post something, but after hastily typing "Wishing you happiness," he felt that he and the people in the comments section were using the same words, so posting or not posting seemed to make little difference.
Sigh, they've found true love; that's definitely something to celebrate.
But what if she runs out of emotional support?
Previously, she would simply open the videos and posts, silently like and save them, and enjoy them repeatedly in the quiet of the night.
...It's such a shame that I didn't record the screen or take any screenshots.
"country."
Jiang Shan immediately raised his head and almost reflexively replied, "Here."
As soon as Zhu Meng turned his gaze away from her, he walked steadily toward the small square dining table, carrying a steaming plate of stir-fried beef slices and carrot shreds.
Amidst the enticing aroma of food, his voice was soft, like a hazy, gentle mist: "Go wash your hands."
Jiang Shan went to the restroom to wash his hands, and just then Zhu Meng finished serving all the dishes: three dishes, a soup, and two bowls of hot rice, which smelled delicious.
She grabbed her chopsticks and started grabbing food, intending to turn her grief into appetite and make up for the spiritual nourishment she had lost through these dishes. With one bite, the deliciousness reached her palate, and she almost bit off her tongue from the savory taste.
This is much tastier than anything she's eaten in the last twenty-two years!
What kind of chaff and bran did she eat before?!
Jiang Shan silently ate most of a bowl of rice before noticing that the man opposite her had just taken off his pink bear apron and was wiping his sweat with several tissues.
Perhaps it was because he had been in the kitchen for a long time and was a little hot, Zhu Meng picked up the hem of his shirt and shook it. He glanced at Jiang Shan and paused, his hand about to roll up the hem of his shirt. His face was red, whether from the heat or something else, it was hard to tell.
It was unbearably hot, so Zhu Meng turned on the floor fan in the living room, which Jiangshan hadn't used for centuries, and turned it so that the head was pointing directly at him.
He rolled up his cumbersome short-sleeved shirt to his collarbone, perfectly revealing his well-developed biceps, and sat down at the other end of the table, meeting Jiang Shan's inexplicably eager gaze.
Jiang Shan forgot to eat for a moment.
Oh, it's huge!
She was referring to muscles.
"Mr. Zhu, your cooking is excellent!" Jiang Shan chuckled, holding a bowl in his left hand and chopsticks in his right.
Zhu Meng paused, his hand still touching the chopsticks.
A moment later, the corners of his eyes curved slightly.
"Eat more if you like. You're a bit thin and need to replenish your nutrition... But this isn't the company, you can just call me by my name."
Jiang Shan was so embarrassed that he wanted to travel back in time to a minute earlier and pinch his lips shut.
Why is she bringing workplace titles into her personal life? It does seem odd that she addresses Zhu Meng by his first name...
Jiang Shan sits in the office for long periods and lacks exercise, so his spleen and stomach are not very good. Even if he has a big appetite, he only eats two bowls of rice before feeling that his stomach is slightly full, about 80% full.
Thinking that even the seemingly pampered CEO Zhu Meng personally cooked, Jiang Shan picked up the empty plate and headed to the kitchen sink, intending to do his part and take on the responsibility of washing the dishes.
However, he died before he could finish his business, and was gently stopped by Zhu Meng.
"I'll wash it."
Just a second ago, Zhu Meng was using serving chopsticks to pick up the leftover food from Jiang Shan's plate, but now he suddenly stood up.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the piece of pork rib in his mouth, his expression remaining as indifferent as ever: "...You're not in good health, don't touch cold water."
Jiang Shan thought about it and agreed.
She unusually didn't insist: "Okay, thank you. I'll bring you the rest of the plates."
Zhu Meng nodded in agreement and quickly finished the rest of the food. After watching Jiang Shan leave the kitchen, he looked at the sink full of bowls, plates, and chopsticks covered in food stains and looked troubled.
Can this oil be washed off with just water?
Although he often cooked before, there were hundreds of servants in the house who were not just there to do nothing, so it was not his turn to wash the dishes himself.
If all else fails, there's always a dishwasher.
Zhu Meng searched extensively on the Little Green Book, then clumsily squeezed dish soap onto the pots and pans, scrubbing them with a pained expression.
Cooking is easy, but washing dishes is hard.
We need to get Gao Ming to send a dishwasher tomorrow.
Zhu Meng was enthusiastically dealing with pots and pans in the kitchen, while Jiang Shan was comfortably scrolling through his phone on the sofa. He saw a friend request from his cousin Chen Feng, which had been sent to him a few hours earlier. After accepting the request, he politely searched for flights.
The flight is scheduled to take off in half an hour, and even without delays, it won't arrive until 2 a.m.
"Cousin, you land in the early morning, it's too late, you can't take the subway, I don't have a car, and it's inconvenient to go to the airport... So here's what I've called, the license plate number is xxxxx, you can take the car over after you get off the plane, the driver's phone number is xxxxxxxxxxx."
"【OK】【Rose】"
The waiting time always felt long. Several hours passed, and Jiang Shan was getting so sleepy that she could barely stay awake. She tried to stay awake by scrolling through short videos, but her eyelids kept getting heavier and heavier.
The head gradually evolved into a little chick pecking at rice during the 8 a.m. advanced mathematics class.
Zhu Meng glanced at the wall clock where the hour and minute hands met, then fixed her gaze on Jiang Shan, who was struggling to keep his eyelids open and bravely scrolling through his phone.
It's already midnight, and she's still not asleep? Staying up late is bad for your health.
"It's late, go to your bedroom and sleep."
Zhu Meng gently patted her face.
Jiang Shan was still a little dizzy and didn't notice that her face started to turn red again after Zhu Meng made physical contact with her: "...Um, it's okay. I'm waiting for that relative. His plane has landed and he should be here in an hour."
Zhu Meng sighed silently and pinched the bridge of his nose twice.
"That relative, I'll have Gao Ming host her and arrange for her to stay at the XX Hotel... Is that alright?"
Jiang Shan shook his head repeatedly.
Although she had never stayed at this hotel before, she had at least seen it all, even if she hadn't eaten pork. This hotel was very famous on Little Green Book, costing five figures a night!
"No, no, no, this is too much trouble for you! It would be too much trouble for Gao Ming to make the trip in the middle of the night... I've already discussed it with him and he can come over to make do for the night. It's alright, no need to trouble you and Gao Ming."
“…Hmm.” Zhu Meng hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
This person must be a female relative, right? Maybe she's even quite close to Jiang Shan, otherwise why would Jiang Shan agree to let her squeeze into the rented room?
If he performs well, he might get some unexpected benefits.
However, whether Jiang Shan and she have a good relationship is another matter. Is waiting for a relative more important than one's own health?
Set an alarm and take a short nap; it won't waste any time.
Zhu Meng opened his mouth, wanting to express his thoughts, but the words caught in his throat, and he didn't know how to say them.
He is not bad at speaking.
However, having been in a decision-making position for so long, most of the time his words are incisive and even sharper than a needle, capable of making employees cry with just a few words.
Whenever he disagrees with someone, he likes to first break down the other person's proud psychological defenses with a quick, accurate, and ruthless approach, and then press his advantage to achieve his desired goal.
Insults are indeed the fastest way to bring someone to their senses.
But... he didn't want to make the country cry.
He couldn't bear to see her cry.
So every time he faced Jiang Shan, his sharp words became mute, and he didn't even know how to say anything normal, so he could only stop talking.
Everyone's desire to express themselves is like a volcano about to erupt. Just as Yu the Great could only dredge, not block, the desire to express itself must be released in a timely manner to minimize its destructive potential.
Suppressing one's inner feelings often causes this molten lava to erupt exponentially.
Time passed second by second. Zhu Meng looked at Jiang Shan and became drowsy. He was holding a hot water bottle in his arms, not sure if it was still warm. His lips, which were faintly purple, began to turn white. The anxiety in his heart grew wildly like bamboo shoots after a rain.
He paced back and forth around the sofa, his fingernails unconsciously scratching a patch of red blood onto his forearm.
It's almost one o'clock; we can't let this continue.
"Jiangshan, stop looking at your phone, you need to rest."
Zhu Meng knelt on one knee, gently turned off the screen of Jiang Shan's phone, which was scrolling wildly, and made an awkward plea in a slightly upturned posture.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Sorry, sorry, I'm a little late [crying emoji], but it's a short, chubby chapter [droopy-eared bunny emoji]
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com