Chapter 29
"You mean, on the day I came to Dubai?" Zheng Juyong sat in a swivel chair beside the desk, keeping his distance from Jiawei on the sofa. Hearing the absurdity, he couldn't help but ask back, "Hey, Sister Jiawei, you didn't say that on purpose to prevent me from telling Guan Ying, did you?"
The coffee table was pushed aside, and Xiao Weiyan lay on the carpet at Jiawei's feet, turning over with difficulty. Without Zheng Juyong's help, Jiawei could only temporarily place him like this.
"Now that I've said that, why should I lie to you..." Jiawei lowered her head and paid attention to Xiao Weiyan's movements. Worried that he would bump into something again, she pushed the coffee table outward again. "Back then, Guan Guan was called back to the country because of you. He knew about your existence and what Juyongguan was..."
At this point, Jiawei glanced up cautiously at Zheng Juyong. She'd originally been talking about her own mistakes, but that night coincided with Zheng Juyong's arrival in Dubai, which made him think she was shirking responsibility. She had no choice but to shift her focus to an earlier time, but it still seemed to tie Zheng Juyong to her, so she became uneasy mid-sentence.
Zheng Juyong was about to continue his rebuttal, but upon hearing this, his anger instantly faltered. If Guan Ying hadn't returned to China and entrusted the matter of Sabur and Manager Xu's shipment to Jia Wei and Xiao Weiyan, things might not have reached this point. In that case, he did bear some responsibility.
Seeing that Zheng Juyong didn't lose his temper, Jiawei continued speaking haltingly while considering the situation. "At first, Brother Yan said he didn't care. I think he was telling the truth. Otherwise, how could he let Guanguan go back alone? I was happy for Guanguan; finally, someone wouldn't die at Juyong Pass... But the day you came, he suddenly got nervous. I think you saw it that day. He actually went to the airport for you. I lied to you when I said he went because he was worried about me... That night, he was even more off after he got home. He drank a lot and asked me a lot about you, but I don't know much about you, and I don't understand why he suddenly cared so much... Later, he told me that the first time he saw you, he reminded him of Daniel... As you know, Daniel was Guanguan's ex and his senior at the law firm, so it's impossible for him not to mind at all... I could only try to comfort him. Later, he got drunk..."
Thinking of Xiao Weiyan's sudden U-turn at the traffic light, and his willingness to violate traffic rules to challenge him, as well as his almost driving-away words outside the Hermes store, the hostility between the men was actually very obvious.
"Daniel is Canadian, and I'm Chinese. Maybe there's something wrong with his eyes..." Zheng Juyong glanced sideways at Xiao Weiyan, unable to understand the source of his hostility. Although he'd felt an inexplicable fondness for Daniel upon first meeting him, that was because Daniel's manners were so easygoing and refined, unlike Xiao Weiyan's instant show-off. If there was any similarity, it was probably the pair of glasses on his nose, but with so many glasses in the world, there were plenty of similar styles!
Jiawei said timidly, "I've never met Daniel in person, but I saw a photo of him and Guan Guan a few years ago. You two do look quite similar... Maybe it's your temperament? I can't really put it into words, but you have a relaxed, unhurried air, like you don't need to put too much effort into anything... Anyway, when you first came to Dubai, I recognized you instantly in the crowd. You weren't like those busy people."
Zheng Juyong guessed she was trying to say that she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and that she was completely different from Xiao Weiyan, who had fought her way to the top with nothing. Just like when Xiao Weiyan suddenly heard about Daniel's powerful background, he couldn't help but feel that Guan Ying should stay away from people like Daniel. While not hostile, she didn't want to have any contact with him. Perhaps this is what it means: wealth and status are original sin.
"If he really thought Daniel and I were the same kind of people, I don't understand why he still urged me to bring Guan Ying back to China."
"He wants you to bring Guan Guan back to China? When?"
"Just the day before yesterday, he suddenly called me using Guan Ying's phone and told me what happened at the police station. By then, Guan Ying had already been detained for over 48 hours. He's really patient!"
"The day before yesterday..." Jiawei was stunned. The night before, she had told Xiao Weiyan that she planned to return home, and he hadn't allowed her to make her own decision. Contrary to his usual behavior, he'd asked her to wait for him, to give him some time. And then he'd just send Guan Ying away? Why? He'd clearly ignored her for a long time after getting drunk. He'd wanted to avoid her, to pretend nothing had happened. He'd always chosen Guan Ying, so why had he suddenly chosen her? This was so abnormal, so illogical.
It had to be that night. What had she done that night? Jiawei struggled to recall, until she saw several luxury goods packaging tucked under the coffee table... That's it! She'd wasted a lot of time at the hospital locker that night, and during all that time, he hadn't pressed her again. On the way back, he remained silent... He must have known! That's why he wanted her to go to Vancouver with him. He didn't need any friends at all; he wanted this child!
Jiawei held her head and shook it gently, her face pale.
"What's wrong?" Zheng Juyong had been staring at her. He sensed something was amiss and quickly brought a glass of water to her. "I'm not that scary. I'm not a judge... I just think you shouldn't have run off with him in such an unclear way. You should at least meet Guan Ying. She cares about you very much."
"Elope? You think this is elopement?" Jiawei was surprised that this behavior was seen as elopement in the eyes of others.
Perhaps because Jiawei was in such a bad state, Zheng Juyong finally couldn't bring himself to do it. "I've warned Guan Ying before, but she didn't believe me and didn't allow me to talk about you behind your back. She also said that if she had to choose between you and Xiao Weiyan one day, she would choose you... Forget it, since Guan Ying broke up with him a long time ago, there's no need for me to say anything more. Sister Jiawei, take care of yourself."
Before leaving, Zheng Juyong lifted Xiao Weiyan, who was lying on the carpet, onto the sofa and blocked him with the coffee table to prevent him from falling again tonight.
Jiawei didn't care and walked into the room silently with the glass of water.
As he walked downstairs, Qiao Qi still hadn't returned his call. Zheng Juyong sniffed his own scent; besides the alcohol, there was also the scent of Jiawei's Dior perfume. Forget it. He'd accidentally caught a man and woman in their absurd ways. His mind and heart were in turmoil, and he was clutching a police notice in his hand... How could he, the culprit, feel at peace?
......
The next afternoon.
Zheng Juyong ran around the police station and finally completed the procedures for Guan Ying.
After being detained for a full 120 hours, Guan Ying smelled the odor on her body, touched her tangled hair, and exhaled. It was really sour, but after five days of peace, her mind felt refreshed.
She said to Zheng Juyong as usual: "I heard that my phone is with you? Have you gotten into any trouble?"
Zheng Juyong returned the phone to her: "You're the one who got into trouble! You should learn this lesson and stop doing this. This is Dubai, not China. Bah! Even in China, this is not allowed. We live in a society ruled by law!"
Guan Ying nodded: "Well, without Xiao Weiyan in the future, I think it is necessary to study law on my own."
Zheng Juyong frowned, feeling that her ideas were completely contrary to his own.
"By the way, why haven't you left yet? When will you return home?"
So when she said that day: [You go first], she really wanted him to return home!
Guan Ying walked quickly ahead and arrived at the parking lot, but couldn't find her pickup truck. "Hey? Where's my car?"
Qiao Qi drove the car away, and he didn't know where it was parked. Zheng Juyong couldn't come up with a perfect lie, so he said in disgust, "Why drive a car? You stink all over now. I've booked a hotel nearby. Go over there and wash off your bad luck! And change your clothes."
"Oh, why are you so thoughtful all of a sudden? It's okay, I'm in a hurry. Just tell me where the car is parked, give me the car keys, and you can leave! By the way, you haven't told me when you will return to China?" Guan Ying spoke rapidly, looking like he was in a hurry.
Zheng Juyong dragged her away without saying a word: "Take a shower and change clothes first!"
After not seeing him for a few days, Zheng Juyong seemed like a different person, with both strength and determination! He was tall and big, and if he pulled her hard, she couldn't get away and could only passively keep up.
His aura was so unfamiliar that Guan Ying muttered unwillingly from behind: "Hey, do I stink that badly? I admit that I smell a little sour..."
The hotel is average, but it is very close to the police station.
Zheng Juyong took many turns and was very familiar with the route, as if he had been here many times.
"Where did you find such a hotel? Have you been staying here these days? What does it smell like in here? Curry? Is there an Indian restaurant nearby?" Guan Ying hadn't talked to anyone for a long time. Once he was free, he talked more.
After opening the door, Zheng Juyong pushed her into the bathroom, then threw the bathrobe and slippers from the cabinet outside into the room through the crack in the frosted glass door. "Hurry up and wash. I'll give you half an hour!"
"Hey!" Guan Ying tried to push the door, but found him outside the glass door. She had no choice but to pick up the slipper that was thrown on the toilet. "Half an hour? That's inexplicable!"
Although it was strange, she couldn't get out, so she had to take a shower. Half an hour was neither too long nor too short, just enough for her to wash away the bad luck of the past few days.
"Hey, where's the hair dryer!" she called him through the glass door.
"Outside!" He walked away from the glass door.
Guan Ying, wearing a headscarf, a bathrobe, and slippers, walked out to look for the hair dryer: "Where is it?"
Zheng Juyong pointed to a phone beside the bed and said, "That!"
Guan Ying sat down on the bed and said, "Can't pull it out?"
"Please use more force." Zheng Juyong watched from afar, keeping a delicate distance.
"Nonsense, of course I used force! What a crappy hotel, it's just a decoration!" She and Qiao Qi both disliked this hotel, saying it was so difficult to serve.
Zheng Juyong had no choice but to walk over, gently lifted it up, and took the phone out of the buckle: "Here!"
Guan Ying curled her lips: "Hanging so high..." She pulled off her headscarf, shook her long hair, and blew hot air.
Zheng Juyong stood in front of the window with his back turned, not knowing what he was looking at outside.
"Where are the clothes?" She stopped after blowing them half dry.
"In the closet." He still had his back turned.
"Oh... did you buy this outfit?" She was changing in the closet, not being picky. "Hey? How did you know my size? It fits me pretty well, and the color is nice, too. Okay! That's thoughtful of you, thank you!" Just as she finished speaking, she looked up and saw a box of lace underwear lying on the hanger. He was so thoughtful...
"Ahem! As long as it's suitable..." He stood in front of the window and coughed a few times seriously.
Guan Ying smiled. He was so attentive and caring, most likely because he had been trained by Qiao Qi. She believed he wouldn't dare turn around, and with the wardrobe door blocking the way, she simply changed her underwear openly.
"I say, didn't you take any medicine? I remember Aunt Lin stuffed your usual medicine in the gap of the suitcase. Didn't you check it? You've been coughing for days! Don't be careless just because it's hot here. It's cold everywhere..."
Zheng Juyong wanted to turn around, but turned back uncertainly: "Don't worry, my mother won't blame you."
"Tsk! Aunt Zheng won't blame me, but Uncle Zheng might! I was little back then, too. I wanted to go to Harbin Ice and Snow World with my dad, but who knew you'd insist on coming along? We were having the same fun, so why did you get bronchitis when you got home? Uncle Zheng must be blaming me for bringing trouble to his precious son!"
"My dad doesn't know that I have a cold yet." Zheng Juyong scratched his head nervously.
Every winter, when he got a bad cough at home, Old Zheng would mutter, "Quick, bring Guan Guan home! Let Guan Guan Guan, let him take care of it!" He wouldn't cough once he heard Guan Ying was coming. He could hold back four or five of his ten coughs, and Old Zheng, convinced it was magic, kept repeating the refrain even more. Even after Guan Ying was moved to the Zhengs' house for winter break, Old Zheng would still chant, "Let Guan Guan Guan, let him take care of it," whenever he had a bad cough, regardless of whether Guan Ying was around or not. Over time, Guan Ying came to listen.
Hearing that he had kept it a secret from Uncle Zheng, Guan Ying raised her eyebrows and muttered softly through the wardrobe door, "That would be great."
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