Chapter 38 Every cloud is unique and extraordinary.
Jiang Meng said in a magnanimous tone, "It's okay, she's just a kid, she doesn't say anything out of the ordinary."
Wang Runying nodded knowingly, repeating herself: "It's alright, he's just a kid, children say the darndest things."
Chen Jizhou originally wanted to teach her to change her way of addressing him, but seeing that the person involved seemed indifferent, he glanced at Wang Runying, suppressed his temper, and said, "Whatever you want."
He took a few steps forward while holding the child.
Wang Runying changed her position, leaning on his shoulder, eating an ice cream cone while staring at the "auntie" behind her with her round eyes.
Chen Jizhou seemed to realize that someone was following him. He turned around and asked her, "Did you come alone?"
“I got a ride with my colleague,” Jiang Meng said. “But they didn’t want to take this small boat; they went straight to see the performance.”
She only realized after she finished speaking that the deeper meaning behind his question was: Did you come alone? Were you planning to come with us?
Jiang Meng didn't answer his implied meaning. She gave a knowing smile and continued to follow him step by step.
Chen Jizhou didn't seem to intend to explain the background of bringing the child to play, so Jiang Meng took the initiative to ask.
Wang Runying is still in kindergarten and has never been to the beach before, but she is interested. Her family asked Chen Jizhou to pick her up for a couple of days, since Yunzhou is almost in its peak tourist season and the sea view is very beautiful.
Unlike Jiang Meng's colleague, Chen Jizhou said that the children had already been to the aquarium and wanted to take a boat ride today.
Jiang Meng smiled with delight: "That's such a coincidence, me too."
While Chen Jizhou was still skeptical, Jiang Meng had already hooked her finger with the little girl's and become good friends with her. When she looked at Chen Jizhou again, her eyes showed the smugness of having successfully won her over.
He tacitly approved of Jiang Meng's joining.
The sailboats are small, and six people make a team.
Chen Jizhou sat to one side, with two girls opposite him. To get a better view, he took off his sunglasses and clipped them to Wang Runying's Lingna Belle backpack. He held a guava in his hand, rested his elbow on his lap, and peeled it in half, giving half to each of them. Wang Runying was still holding an ice cream cone and didn't have a hand to take it, so she gave the two halves to Jiang Meng. The wet, pink juice dripped down, from his fingers into her palm.
A fellow passenger asked Chen Jizhou with a tone of lament about his young marriage, "Are you her father?"
Chen Jizhou chuckled and said, "No."
He sat with his legs slightly apart, leaning forward with his back hunched, calmly wiping the fruit juice off his fingers. With a smile, he looked at the child opposite him and teased in a low voice, "You got the better deal again, didn't you? Your dad isn't even as handsome as one of my fingers."
Wang Runying was surprised for a moment, then pouted and said, "You're talking nonsense. My dad is the most handsome man in the world."
Chen Jizhou laughed: "Are you blind or have they fooled you? Be careful not to get cheated on by men in the future."
Wang Runying flared her nostrils twice in anger, "I hate you."
He retorted sharply, "Hate me? Even if he hates me, he's not as handsome as me."
The boy was getting impatient. Without saying a word, he took two steps up to Chen Jizhou and punched him hard on the shoulder.
Chen Jizhou was overjoyed. When she hit him, he leaned back, his chest heaving with laughter. He glanced at Jiang Meng across from him, who had a pained expression on her face. She had just taken a bite of guava, so it probably didn't mean she didn't like it. He handed her a tissue and told her to spit the seeds onto it.
He could tell what was bothering her just by looking at her face.
Jiang Meng was still in surprise when Chen Jizhou had already looked away, glancing at the ice cream cone in Wang Runying's hand with a hint of disdain. "Can't you finish it properly? You're just licking your own saliva at the end."
"Mind your own business!"
Wang Runying clenched her fist again, but this time Chen Jizhou was able to nimbly dodge it. Seeing her angry expression, he smiled triumphantly.
Jiang Meng sighed, saying that he had just said that he had the temperament of a father—but he didn't seem like a father at all, more like an older brother who would bully his little sister.
She spoke up for Wang Runying: "She's about to cry because of you."
"She won't, she looks very old."
Chen Jizhou received his third punch.
Jiang Meng smiled as she ate the sweet fruit, bathed in the setting sun.
It turns out that he can still smile brightly, he can still joke and tease people. This is how he is in front of those close to him. He doesn't put on an indifferent act or use words sparingly. He is still lively and happy.
After the boat set sail, the sails fluttered overhead, and the cool sea breeze swept away the remaining heat from our bodies.
The boat makes a round trip, circling the shallow waters for sightseeing without stopping at any islands, and the round trip takes about twenty minutes.
However, it seemed that some kind of event was taking place in another bay, quite far from them.
Jiang Meng didn't notice because she was sitting with her back to that side, but Chen Jizhou stood up and stood there holding onto the railing for a while, looking quite interested, so she turned around to look as well.
She needed to look into the distance to roughly determine that there were people surfing over there.
As the sailboat docked, Chen Jizhou carried Wang Runying ashore.
Suddenly someone on the beach shouted, "A little child has been swept away by a wave! Does anyone know how to swim?!"
He turned around urgently: "Where?"
The other person pointed in a certain direction on the shore.
Chen Jizhou quickly pulled his phone out of his pocket, tossed it into Jiang Meng's arms, then handed the child to her, whispering, "Check on her."
Jiang Meng hadn't even realized what was happening when she instinctively gripped Wang Runying's hand tightly.
She turned around and saw the receding waves crashing rapidly before her eyes.
The child fell into the water very close by.
At this time, the waves were quite large, surging up in a white mass.
Without hesitation, Chen Jizhou plunged into the sea.
The child struggled fiercely, but fortunately Chen Jizhou was strong enough to choke him and pull him out of the water.
The entire rescue process was quick. The little boy had been underwater for a while and was unconscious when he was brought ashore. His parents rushed over in a panic.
Chen Jizhou knelt down and pressed on his chest twice. Once the water he had choked on came out, he was fine and his breathing returned to normal. Chen Jizhou helped the little boy sit up, but he coughed up a little more water.
His parents were terrified and shoved away all the onlookers. Chen Jizhou was also shoved haphazardly by a strong hand and was pushed to the sidelines.
All I could hear were the child's parents wailing and blaming each other: "Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on him?! Where were your eyes?! Huh?!"
“I just bought him a balloon, and I was gone in the blink of an eye, in just a short while.”
"..."
Jiang Meng was terrified.
His phone was still in her hand, barely warmed up, and in that short time, something earth-shattering happened.
Chen Jizhou approached, already soaking wet, her voice trembling slightly: "Chen Jizhou, how could you possibly do something heroic?"
In the blink of an eye, the two parents were already holding their child and leaving while comforting him.
She was furious and ran over to grab the person, saying, "They risked their lives to save your child, and you didn't even say thank you? Have you no manners?!"
The child's mother was stunned for a moment, "Who saved him? I didn't see him."
"My friend saved me!"
Her wrist was gripped by a cold hand, and Chen Jizhou called out to her in a deep voice, "Jiang Meng."
He said, "I'm fine."
Jiang Meng shook off his hand, tears welling up in her eyes with anger: "What if something happens to him? You're just going to walk away without looking back and not take any responsibility? Don't you have any conscience?"
Pulling at her didn't work, so Chen Jizhou used a little force to pull her into his arms. He held her very lightly; strictly speaking, it wasn't a hug, but rather he let her lean against him so he could comfort her. Chen Jizhou touched her head, his voice calm, and coaxed her gently, "It's alright, I'm fine."
The child's mother calmed down and looked at Chen Jizhou: "Thank you. I was so scared when the child had that accident."
He simply said, "Just keep an eye on it."
Jiang Meng's flushed and hot cheeks pressed against his shirt. The cold seawater cooled his clothes and chest, and the large temperature difference made her tears seem even hotter. Jiang Meng wiped her face with lingering fear and sniffed.
I looked up at him.
Chen Jizhou released his grip, and the support naturally broke.
He didn't care.
He smiled faintly and said, "Now I've become a little moral policeman."
He remained calm, while Jiang Meng seemed particularly petty, as if she were sulking. She pouted and said, "Don't save people like that next time. They're irresponsible to the child, and irresponsible to everyone."
It was very hot, and Chen Jizhou's clothes had already dried off a short while after he came ashore. He smoothed his wet hair, took his phone, and said, "It's my business to save people; whether they thank me or not is their business."
"What if something happens to you?"
"I guess I'm just unlucky."
Seeing her furious expression, Chen Jizhou found it amusing. He curled his lips slightly and said in a nonchalant tone, "And explain to me what you mean by 'Chen Jizhou, how come you're a hero?' —Do I really look that much like a high-class person?"
"No," Jiang Meng wiped her eyes, "I'm just... really sad."
I'm especially afraid of losing you.
Wang Runying was also terrified; she had been hiding behind Jiang Meng and hadn't dared to look. Only now did she peek out to see her brave uncle.
Just as Chen Jizhou was about to take her hand, Jiang Meng said, "It's okay, I'll hold her steady. You tidy yourself up first."
She looked at his wet eyes and eyelashes again and said, "Don't do this again. There are many heartless people in society."
Chen Jizhou smiled and nodded.
Jiang Meng got anxious: "Why won't you agree to my request?"
He said, "I would do what I believe is right even if I had to do it a thousand times over."
"..."
Jiang Meng didn't know what to say.
Feeling uncomfortable from being wet, Chen Jizhou looked around and looked for a place to go outside: "I'm going to change my clothes."
He had originally planned to play ball tonight, and his change of clothes were all in the car, along with his racket, sports shoes, and towel—he had everything he needed.
Jiang Meng waited outside the car for a while with the little girl in her arms.
He changed in the car, and when he got out, his short hair was almost dry, and he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts.
Chen Jizhou waved, and Jiang Meng got into the car.
He sat in the driver's seat, glanced at the navigation, and asked, "Where do you live?"
She gave me the name of a neighborhood.
It's quite far from here.
Chen Jizhou glanced back at Wang Runying. She looked a little sleepy, yawning repeatedly. He thought for a few seconds and said, "I live nearby. Can I take her home first and then take you?"
Jiang Meng had no objection: "Okay."
She never expected that Chen Jizhou's residence would be a hotel.
As they went upstairs, Jiang Meng couldn't help but ask, "You always stay in hotels?"
He held the sleeping child and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"Don't you own a company here? I thought you would buy a house, or at least rent one."
"Hotels are convenient for me."
Jiang Meng lowered her head, tapped her toes, and whispered, "It's convenient, but I always feel like I'm drifting aimlessly."
"It's a matter of perspective."
Chen Jizhou chuckled softly, still with that nonchalant, cynical attitude. "If I'm open-minded, I can go anywhere; the whole world is my home. If I'm not, I'll be a wanderer no matter where I go. Constantly thinking, 'I must settle down, I must buy a house,' isn't that exhausting?"
He said, "You know, I'm not that kind of person."
Although he had a child with him, there was not much anxiety in his eyes about seeking stability. He did as he pleased, and the world was vast and he could roam freely.
Having heard so much advice about turning thirty and so much pressure to get married, Jiang Meng was somewhat surprised to encounter this viewpoint.
But the person who said this was Chen Jizhou. She knew him best, and of course she knew that he had always been the same as he was at the beginning.
Jiang Meng smiled and said, "That's great, you're still so optimistic."
After their reunion, her touch upon his hazy image resurfaced.
She was pleased; Chen Jizhou hadn't changed at all.
No one paints the clouds in the sky every day, and no one cares about their flowing and changing paths.
In his world, every cloud is extraordinary.
From beginning to end, he remained unique.
He will make the choice he believes is right, not the choice others believe is right.
Chen Jizhou stayed in a suite at the hotel. He put Wang Runying in the room next door, and Jiang Meng waited for him at the door. When he came out, he heard her say, "There is a very effective local temple here. I will take you to burn incense next time. The sooner the better. When something like this happens, you should go there to get rid of bad luck."
Chen Jizhou suddenly noticed several empty wine bottles in the living room. He went over and quickly collected them, stuffing them under the coffee table.
Then I looked at her: "What?"
“I said, go find a place to pray.”
He nodded: "Okay, where is it?"
"Don't just say it to me while secretly laughing at me."
Chen Jizhou said in a low voice, "If we really go, I also think it's bad luck."
The seawater was a bit sticky, and even after changing my clothes, I still couldn't stand it. He said, "Find a place to sit. If you're not in a hurry, I'll go take a shower."
While Chen Jizhou went to take a shower, Jiang Meng walked around the room.
His place is exceptionally clean, like he just moved in, but judging from the time he's been in Yunzhou, it's been at least half a year.
Chen Jizhou didn't have many belongings, probably so he could move easily.
There was a desk by the window, with two books on it: one was "The Politics of the Eastern Jin Dynasty's Aristocratic Clans," and the other was about the plague in Jiangnan during the Qing Dynasty.
The hardcover copy of "Cai Gen Tan" was placed in the cabinet, next to two foreign language works. She searched the authors' names and found that they were both Latin American literature. In addition, there were some more professional books on economics, management and finance.
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms is still the same book I read in high school. It's been stored away in a box for ages. I've read it over and over again, and I can recite the plot by heart. Or perhaps as time goes by, I no longer need to be confined to choosing reading materials from textbooks, so it has naturally sunk into the past.
Chen Jizhou doesn't like watching TV dramas or variety shows; when he's alone, he prefers to read quietly.
This is a pretty good location; it should get plenty of sunshine during the day.
Jiang Meng sat there for a while, opened the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and saw the dense text. The scene that came to mind was that summer, in the hot evening breeze, when he patiently told her about the Battle of Guandu. How many years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Staying in a hotel is fine too, as long as you can find a peaceful place in your heart.
Chen Jizhou was not without the means to settle down, but he was always far removed from tradition and did not deliberately rebel in order to oppose or subvert anything. He had always been implementing his liberalism.
It turns out that not everyone yearns for stability, and not everyone is anxious about turning thirty.
Chen Jizhou was different; he didn't care about anyone's opinions or expectations.
Many people say they don't want to get married, but Jiang Meng wouldn't be surprised at all if Chen Jizhou didn't get married.
Chen Jizhou came out dressed neatly. He closed the bathroom door, dusted off his still-warm hair, and looked at Jiang Meng, who was sitting there reading a book: "Let's go."
As Jiang Meng stood up, she touched her stomach and said, "I'm a little hungry."
For a fleeting moment, I wondered if she was faking it.
Chen Jizhou paused for a moment, pretending to accept it, and then decided: "Let's go eat."
"Isn't Yingying bringing it?"
"You woke her up while she was asleep?"
"Then just the two of us?"
He nodded and said, "Just the two of us."
Jiang Meng smiled happily and quickly followed, her skirt fluttering, leaving a faint green shadow in this elegant wabi-sabi space.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com