Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Qian Jiaming's Doubts
After having goodnight, Lin Anran and Aunt Li finished cleaning up together. She was a little hesitant about whether to call Zhou Yunxue now. She really wanted to know how Zhou Yunxue's college entrance examination results were, but when she thought of Zhou Heyuan, she had a rare moment of hesitation. How about postponing the call until tomorrow?
Uncle Wang suddenly appeared: "Xiao Lin, Miss Zhou is calling for you."
Lin Anran was stunned for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Uncle Wang, I'll be right there."
Zhou Yunxue's voice was full of energy, not a trace of the disappointment and frustration of failing the Gaokao. She even told Lin Anran casually, "I knew the result a long time ago, and now I've adjusted myself. I've been studying as planned all day, and it hasn't affected me at all. Failing the Gaokao won't disrupt my study plans. Yun Shanshan did get in, but she didn't get into her first choice, Peking University. Haha, she cried her heart out, and my parents were busy comforting her. She seemed to say she wanted to repeat the year and apply to Peking University."
When Lin Anran heard that Zhou Yunxue's parents ignored her and instead went to comfort Yun Shanshan, who had been admitted to university, he was at a loss for words. Who was the biological child? No wonder Zhou Yunxue suspected she was picked up from a garbage can and raised.
"Your score in this college entrance examination is much higher than your previous scores." Lin Anran remembered what Zhou Yunxue had said to her.
Zhou Yunxue was immediately diverted and said excitedly, "Yes, Sister Anran, my college entrance examination score this time was several tens of points higher than my total score on all the previous exams. It seems that as long as I'm willing to work hard, improving my grades won't be difficult at all. I got the highest score in English. After I work hard for a year, my scores in all subjects will definitely be even higher next year! Getting into university won't be a problem at all."
After talking about the college entrance exam, Zhou Yunxue chattered to Lin Anran about the funny things she had encountered. She also said, "Just before dinner, I found that Fifth Brother was drunk. It was so surprising! This is the first time I've seen Fifth Brother drunk! Sister Anran, Fifth Brother said that you called me before and he answered the phone. Did you notice that he was drunk?"
Lin Anran was instantly shocked. It turned out that Zhou Heyuan was drunk! But when she was talking to him on the phone just now, Zhou Heyuan spoke normally. Oh no, the content of his conversation was not normal.
Lin Anran tried to speak as naturally as possible: "Mr. Zhou is drunk? I didn't notice."
"Haha, right? If my grandma hadn't confirmed it, I wouldn't have thought that Fifth Brother was really drunk. I was curious, so I observed him carefully and found that the drunk Fifth Brother was even quieter than usual. He didn't act crazy and didn't look like a drunk at all." Zhou Yunxue laughed.
Lin Anran touched his eyebrows with his fingers, tugged them, and asked casually, "Will Mr. Zhou forget things when he's drunk?"
Zhou Yunxue: "No, Fifth Brother has an excellent memory. He remembers everything from his childhood clearly."
Lin Anran's eyebrows unconsciously drooped. Zhou Heyuan wanted to give her a book, and he even said that to her, but Zhou Heyuan's meaning was not clear because she interrupted him.
It would be best if Zhou Heyuan forgot, or even pretended to forget. It was true that Lin Anran was attracted by Zhou Heyuan's looks, but that didn't mean she wanted to date him. Zhou Heyuan was her boss, and she was just an employee. What would happen if they really started dating?
Lin Anran did not forget her most important plan at the moment - making money. Money is more important than men.
Maybe Zhou Heyuan simply wanted to give her this book as a reward for her hard work as a boss, like Uncle Wang. Even though this reason was far-fetched, Lin Anran could use it to comfort herself.
Yes, that's it.
"If I had the memory like my fifth brother, I would be able to study twice as well with half the effort." Zhou Yunxue was still envious.
Lin Anran came back to his senses: "So, Yunxue, you're going to have to study intensively for the entire next year?"
Zhou Yunxue: "Yes, I have to endure not going out to play for a year and concentrate on reviewing. Repeating a grade once is fine, but I don't think I can repeat it a second time. I can't bear it."
Zhou Yunxue herself is not a person who likes studying very much, but in order to go to college, she has to push herself.
The two chatted for a while before Lin Anran hung up the phone. She decided to just pretend nothing happened.
Lin Anran didn't have time to think about random things. She had a job every day and a part-time job outside. She also had to study and grow orchids. Her daily schedule was fully scheduled and she had no time to think about people who were not in front of her.
It wasn't until a few days later that Uncle Wang handed her a brand new, unopened English original book. She was shocked and didn't reach out to take it immediately.
Uncle Wang smiled normally and spoke in a kind tone, "Xiaolin, take the book Mr. Zhou sent you and study it well."
Lin Anran clasped his hands together and pinched his fingers together: "Uncle Wang, I think I should return this book to Mr. Zhou."
Uncle Wang said, "Xiao Lin, if you want to return the book to Mr. Zhou, you can call and tell him. I can't make the decision on this matter."
Lin Anran raised her head slightly, and seeing Uncle Wang's expression as gentle and encouraging as usual, she bit her cheek lightly, reached out her hand, and took the book: "Okay."
Lin Anran thought about it and decided that she couldn't make a phone call. She would accept the book but not open it. She would return it to Zhou Heyuan when she met him again. She could continue to be an ostrich and make money from Boss Zhou.
She was working honestly and earning the money she deserved, so she could be confident and hold her head high. Thinking of this, Lin Anran felt refreshed and not entangled at all. It wasn't like she liked Zhou Heyuan, so what was there for her to be entangled about?
She is awesome!
Uncle Wang looked at Lin Anran, who was thinking for a while with a frown on his face. Then he seemed to suddenly figure something out. His brows relaxed and he turned away happily. He couldn't help but think of Mr. Zhou who was far away in Beijing, and his smile deepened.
Uncle Wang was the person closest to Zhou Heyuan and the bystander who saw everything most clearly. Lin Anran always kept her head slightly lowered when she worked and didn't look around, so she didn't know that whenever she appeared, Zhou Heyuan's eyes would involuntarily fall on her. Zhou Heyuan himself might not have paid much attention to this, but Uncle Wang had seen it from the beginning and had been paying attention silently.
Uncle Wang has worked for Zhou Heyuan for several years and is very familiar with his habits and behavior.
Zhou Heyuan would mention Lin Anran on her day off, which had never happened before, because Zhou Heyuan trusted Uncle Wang's work arrangements for the villa employees and would not suddenly ask why the employees were not there. Also, Zhou Heyuan suddenly disrupted his schedule and accompanied Zhou Yunxue and Lin Anran to night college classes. Maybe others thought that Zhou Heyuan was accompanying his sister Zhou Yunxue, but Uncle Wang thought not, Zhou Heyuan was accompanying another person.
It's not that Zhou Heyuan doesn't care about his sister Zhou Yunxue, but the relationship between Zhou Heyuan and Zhou Yunxue is indeed not that close. Before Zhou Yunxue secretly came to Shenzhen, the relationship between the two siblings could be described as distant. Zhou Heyuan could have more ways to help Zhou Yunxue. According to his previous habits, Zhou Heyuan would arrange for someone to accompany Zhou Yunxue to night school. Zhou Heyuan went there in person, which was the most unusual behavior.
Uncle Wang had recently bought Zhou Heyuan a lot of books and magazines on plants, especially those about orchids. Zhou Heyuan hadn't paid much attention to plant-related information before, and he had no interest in orchids. Even though he had a Clivia that Guo Shuyan had given him, he had never read the orchid books Guo Shuyan had recommended. His sudden purchase of these books was an unusual move, and it couldn't be explained by a whim, let alone Guo Shuyan. There were also more subtle actions...
It’s just that Zhou Heyuan is too introverted and emotionally stable, so it’s difficult for ordinary people to notice his unusualness through his little-changed movements.
But Uncle Wang is actually a very dedicated and careful housekeeper.
"I've always been the most considerate of my friends, but I really wish I could be a careless fool sometimes!"
Upon hearing this, Guo Shuyan quickly removed the teacup from his lips and placed it on the coffee table. He turned to look at Qian Jiaming, who had suddenly started babbling nonsense, puzzled. "What's wrong with you? You have dark circles under your eyes. Did Auntie try to arrange a date for you again? If you can't handle it, you can use the excuse of going to work in Shenzhen to hide for a while."
"Shenzhen Stock Exchange? No, no, no!" Qian Jiaming shook his head frantically.
Guo Shuyan recalled something and said, "That's right. Last time, someone chased you all the way to Shenzhen. Even if you hid there, you couldn't escape the blind date your aunt arranged for you."
Qian Jiaming looked at Guo Shuyan, who knew nothing, with envy on his face. Unlike him, he accidentally discovered such a big secret of Zhou Heyuan and kept it to himself for more than a month without telling anyone. Who could be as miserable as him?
"You don't have to envy me. My family has been trying to get my bearings lately, asking if I want a girlfriend," Guo Shuyan said, pushing up his glasses and patting Qian Jiaming with a friendly look. "I kind of understand your dilemma now. I shouldn't have laughed at you before, and now I'm suffering the consequences. At 25, in the eyes of my parents, I'm no longer a child; I'm an adult who should start a family."
Qian Jiaming slapped Guo Shuyan's hand away and said angrily, "Who told you about the blind date?"
"No? Then why are you so worried?" Guo Shuyan was surprised. "Wait, you just said you wanted to be a fool? Which friend of ours did you discover a secret?"
Qian Jiaming: "You said it was a secret, how could I tell anyone?"
Guo Shuyan shrugged without asking any further questions. He picked up the teacup and continued to sip his tea: "Then you can continue to worry about it. Why hasn't Heyuan come yet? Heyuan got drunk at the last party, and Grandma Zhou was very distressed and didn't let us take Heyuan out for drinks. Today, we can drink tea instead. It should be fine. This tea tastes mellow, bitter at first but sweet later. We can come here more often to taste it in the future."
When he heard about drinking, Qian Jiaming immediately asked Guo Shuyan to pour him a cup of tea with a headache. He drank it in one gulp and smacked his lips, which finally calmed him down a little.
Guo Shuyan shook his head and sighed: "What a waste."
"Another cup." Qian Jiaming put the teacup over and raised his chin to indicate that he wanted to pour the tea.
Guo Shuyan: “…”
Zhou Heyuan happened to walk in at this time. Guo Shuyan decisively pushed Qian Jiaming's teacup away, took a clean teacup and poured a cup of tea for Zhou Heyuan: "Heyuan, sit down."
Qian Jiaming had no choice but to do it himself and then drank a bellyful of tea.
Finally, Guo Shuyan refused Qian Jiaming's offer to pour tea for him, and finally stopped him from wasting tea.
In the middle of the meal, the waiter came in to invite Guo Shuyan. When Guo Shuyan heard that it was his mother and friends who came for tea, he left immediately.
Qian Jiaming drank too much tea and went to the toilet. He came back feeling relaxed, but when he saw Zhou Heyuan, he remembered his conversation with Guo Shuyan just now. He felt so uncomfortable that his stomach hurt. Damn it, he wanted to go to the toilet again.
"What do you want to say?" Zhou Heyuan looked at him indifferently.
Qian Jiaming's expression twisted instantly, but he had been holding it in for more than a month, which was too long and he absolutely couldn't hold it in any longer. He didn't intend to tell anyone else about Zhou Heyuan's private affairs. Who else could he talk to except Zhou Heyuan, the person involved?
"Heyuan, do you like Xiaolin? If you really like Xiaolin, why don't you pursue her? I really didn't expect that you would get drunk for love." Qian Jiaming said this in one breath without taking a breath.
Zhou Heyuan: "Like? I don't like Xiaolin. I didn't get drunk for love. I just wanted to have a drink that day."
Qian Jiaming was shocked: "So you were in Shenzhen before?"
"I have a good impression of her, but it's far from the level of liking her." Zhou Heyuan analyzed his feelings calmly, as if he was not talking about himself, but an unrelated stranger.
Qian Jiaming was puzzled: "Doesn't having a good impression mean liking someone?"
But Qian Jiaming immediately realized that the person sitting in front of him was Zhou Heyuan, and no one else. Zhou Heyuan was an emotionally indifferent person.
Qian Jiaming had never seen anyone who could make Zhou Heyuan feel that kind of affection. Lin Anran was the first one, which was very special.
Qian Jiaming knew that Zhou Heyuan had a special experience. Outsiders thought Zhou Heyuan was a winner in life, with a bright future and a smooth life. But as a good friend, he knew more. In that turbulent era, the Zhou family was demoted, and Zhou Heyuan was born in that special period. What kind of good life could he have after he was born?
Zhou Heyuan almost died of illness when he was young. In particular, Zhou Heyuan's intelligence and memory have far exceeded those of ordinary people since he was a child. His childhood experiences made Zhou Heyuan taste the ups and downs of life early on, so Zhou Heyuan is emotionally indifferent. Except for his family and friends he recognizes, no one can be looked down upon by him.
Qian Jiaming once thought that Zhou Heyuan was insulated from love, but then Lin Anran appeared, who could have thought?
Zhou Heyuan's answer was clear: "For me, having a crush on someone doesn't mean liking them. If you like someone, you'll miss them all the time. I just remember Xiaolin occasionally."
Hearing this explanation, Qian Jiaming's mind went blank for a moment. He wondered why he was standing there, and why he had to ask! He could hardly tell the difference between a good impression and love!
"Then let me ask a question. Why do you have a good impression of Xiaolin?" Qian Jiaming raised his hand and asked.
Zhou Heyuan asked in return: "Does this require a reason?"
Qian Jiaming shook his head: "Like, no, you don't need a reason to like someone. I'm just curious. It's okay if you don't answer."
Zhou Heyuan didn't answer, but the pair of black eyes that were always full of energy emerged in his mind. She was very special, different from everyone else. He could always see her first...
Qian Jiaming still had many questions to ask, such as why Zhou Heyuan had a crush on Xiaolin, who looked dark and old. But then he realized that beauty was the least of Zhou Heyuan's concerns. What Zhou Heyuan cared about was often different from what ordinary people like him cared about. In Guo Shuyan's words, Zhou Heyuan was more focused on spiritual resonance.
In fact, if you think about it carefully, Lin Anran is not ugly. Qian Jiaming had observed Lin Anran's face before. Lin Anran has good-looking facial features, which are very harmonious together. His face is dark but still attractive. His words and deeds are generous and confident. He has a special affinity and is particularly easy to like.
Just like he and Guo Shuyan both like Lin Anran, this is not a romantic liking, but just a pure emotion of liking.
Qian Jiaming gave up thinking about all that mess and asked, "Heyuan, you have a crush on Xiaolin. Are you going to pursue her?"
Zhou Heyuan lowered his eyes to look at the teacup in his hand, and briefly recounted the phone call between him and Lin Anran, and then specifically explained: "...It's not a pursuit, I just gave her a book she needed, hoping that she can make progress in her studies." He really hadn't thought about anything further, he just happened to hear Uncle Wang mention it, and then he wanted to give her the book, so he gave it to her.
Qian Jiaming burst out laughing after hearing this: "Hahaha, Heyuan, I didn't expect you to be so embarrassed. Did you drink before you dared to call Xiaolin? Don't quibble, this is pursuit! Would you just give a woman a book?"
Zhou Heyuan drank his tea in silence. Qian Jiaming seized the opportunity to laugh loudly: "No, you wouldn't, Heyuan. It turns out you can be so naive sometimes, haha!"
"Who? He Yuan is simple?" Guo Shuyan, who had returned, was full of questions. "Who would believe this? People in the circle either praise He Yuan for his wisdom or scold him for his cunning. Simple? Jiaming, are you kidding?"
Qian Jiaming couldn't stop laughing and explained vaguely, "I'm talking about new areas that He Yuan has never set foot in before. He doesn't have a good grasp of those boundaries. However, He Yuan doesn't need to follow worldly customs to do what he wants to do. It all depends on whether the other person accepts it, hahaha!"
The more Guo Shuyan listened, the more confused he became. He stared at the two of them suspiciously, "What are you two hiding from me?"
Qian Jiaming imitated Guo Shuyan's previous practice of patting him, patting him and playing the role of riddle man: "When the time comes, you will naturally know. Don't worry, but you can continue to worry."
Guo Shuyan: “…”
So what did he miss?
*
Two weeks passed, enough time for Lin Anran to save Lao He's Clivia from the brink of death. She removed the dead leaves at the bottom of the Clivia and gently touched the other yellow and wrinkled leaves. A small, cute new leaf grew in the center of the Clivia, which made people smile. "Uncle He, I have made a small change to the maintenance steps. Remember to read it."
Old He's eyes were glued to Clivia, and without even looking up, he said, "I know, Xiaolin, I will definitely not forget it, don't worry."
"Xiao Lin, you actually saved this Clivia. Amazing!" Old Man Zhu came specially to check on the situation today. He didn't expect Lin Anran to actually succeed. He was so happy for Lao He. "Lao He, you have to prepare the final payment to Xiao Lin now. In two weeks, your Clivia will definitely be able to have a complete new life."
Finally, Old He had seen enough of his beloved treasure. He reluctantly averted his eyes and glared at Old Man Zhu. When he looked at Lin Anran again, his face was full of admiration. He quickly took out a red envelope from his pocket and stuffed it into Lin Anran's hand. "Xiao Lin, take it first. There are 500 yuan in it. Thank you for saving my Clivia. You don't have to wait another two weeks. I know my Clivia will grow better and better. I will give you the final payment in two weeks."
"Uncle He, didn't we agree on this?" Lin Anran was happy to get the money quickly, but he also knew what they had agreed on before, so he didn't accept the red envelope immediately.
Lao He waved his hand and explained, "I gave you the money earlier because I hope you can help me grow orchids more attentively. This is my selfish desire."
Lin Anran agreed after hearing this: "Don't worry, Uncle He, I will do my best for the remaining 400 yuan."
"Xiao Lin, didn't you buy orchids from Xiao Cheng? When you are free, let us appreciate your orchids." Old Man Zhu was very interested.
Old He also remembered: "I want to see the Clivia you raised, Xiaolin. You said before that your Clivia was dying like mine. It should be growing well now, right?"
"Sure," Lin Anran agreed immediately, smiling, "I also want to find someone to show off my orchids to."
When Old He and Old Zhu heard this, they laughed out loud in sympathy. They were all in the same field. If they were good at growing orchids, of course they would show off. If they could get envious glances from others, that feeling would be even more special and wonderful.
Finally, Lao He said, "Wait two weeks, and then I'll bring my Clivia with me so they can see that it's not dead and is doing well. No one can say I don't know how to grow orchids."
Old man Zhu shook his head helplessly. Lin Anran had no objection. She was not in a hurry at all. It was just a good opportunity to let her orchid continue to grow. The longer the orchid grew, the more she believed that she could become rich by making orchids, hehe.
Lin Anran separated from her two orchid friends and rushed to meet Yu Jing. As soon as she arrived at the shop, Yu Jing immediately stood up and pulled her to sit down, saying happily: "Anran, our family made a net profit of 20 yuan yesterday!" Yu Jing lowered her voice at the end.
Lin Anran's face lit up with smiles, and he said sincerely, "Congratulations, and I wish your business will prosper."
"Thank you, Anran." Yu Jing looked at Lin Anran gratefully.
Lin Anran pretended to be overwhelmed and shook his arms: "Alright, alright, count how many times you've said thank you to me in the past two weeks. Friends always say thank you, it's become rusty."
Yu Jing shook her head and insisted: "But our family is very grateful to you. It was you who gave me the idea."
"Then you can say it today, but you are not allowed to say it in the future." Lin Anran took a step back. "I just said it with my mouth. Your family can make money. It's your family's ability."
Yu Jing smiled and said, "Okay, the most capable one is my sister-in-law. The hair ties she makes are very beautiful and sell very well. We all help her. Now my mother listens to her instructions when making hair ties."
"Your sister-in-law..." Lin Anran thought of her current sister-in-law. She'd called the Lin family before, and Mother Lin had said that Sister-in-law was pregnant. She remembered Sister-in-law as a skilled dressmaker, or more accurately, someone who could patch up torn clothes. Mother Lin was also quite skilled at making clothes. Should she contact the Lin family and have them start a small business back home? It would also be good if they could pay off their debts sooner rather than later.
"Yu Jing, how do I buy scraps of cloth?" Lin Anran thought of this and asked immediately.
Yu Jing was puzzled, but quickly elaborated, "An Ran, do you want to make hair ties too? Then you can set up a stall in the snack street. There are more people there."
"If it weren't for me, I wouldn't have the time to do this." Lin Anran briefly mentioned the Lin family.
Yu Jing immediately said, "I can help. Rags are easy to buy, but it might not be convenient for you to send them back to your hometown. The postage is also a lot of money, so the profit will be very low."
Lin Anran patted her head: "That's right, I'll think about it again." Although she thought about it, she had to first make sure whether the Lin family was willing to do it.
"An Ran, I've thought about it. I'm going to take the college entrance examination next year. You're right. I only have this one chance. Time is running out. I have to give it a try." Yu Jing suddenly spoke.
Lin Anran was stunned.
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