Half drunk and half awake
The two younger generations stayed at home until the sixth day of the New Year.
Early in the morning on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, people got into the car with lots of bags and small luggage. This time Xu Zhiyuan sat in the passenger seat, while Jinnan insisted on trying to see if he could drive back without navigation.
He wasn't prone to driving sickness, so he tuned in for a crosstalk performance the entire way, leaving Xu Zhiyuan no time to get a word in. Jin Nan didn't want to talk to him, or perhaps he wasn't used to being alone.
The window paper was poked, but not broken.
Old Master Xu said Xu Zhiyuan was a loner, but in reality, it was Jinnan who was truly lonely. When he first returned to the Jin family, Jinnan didn't have a cell phone, and he didn't have a single friend to contact.
For him, studying means just staying in a place sheltered from the wind and rain for a day. He doesn't understand socializing with friends and interpersonal relationships.
He learned to speak in order to make money and survive. Outside, he learned the vulgar language of the market, and when he came back, he learned Jin Licheng's official language. He was so good at speaking, mixing human and nonsense. If Xu Zhiyuan had not come earlier, he would probably have been one of the countless people who could not understand Jin Nan's true heart.
Xu Zhiyuan could even guess where Jinnan would throw his business card.
Don't expect such a person to suddenly become smart and charming. He can refuse your advances purely because he follows social etiquette, not because he feels the distance between people.
If Xu Zhiyuan kissed him, he would probably say: Brothers shouldn't do this.
It doesn't mean that he doesn't like Xu Zhiyuan.
Can Jinnan feel whether he likes someone or not? Xu Zhiyuan was very curious.
He knew where Jinnan's stubborn temper came from, so he showed a little more patience towards him. After all, Xu Zhiyuan had never pursued anyone before, so he was a complete novice in this field.
Send flowers every day? Jin Nan has no shortage of them, and he probably doesn't like them either. Jin Nan has a strong resistance to Jin Licheng's ladies.
Giving intimate gifts was too explicit, and if Jin Nan didn't understand, he was afraid she would say "I don't know." Xu Zhiyuan was really scared.
After racking his brains and thinking hard, Xu Zhiyuan raised his hands in surrender.
He is not an expert, so he still needs to ask someone with experience for advice.
Jinnan was stared at by Xu Zhiyuan all the way.
On the way, he was still wondering if Xu Zhiyuan had an eye cramp that was causing him to stare in one direction. Only when he got home did he realize that he had missed a great date opportunity because of his nervousness.
However, the car had already stopped, so Xu Zhiyuan walked in and asked someone to come and get his things.
Jinnan returned to Yunting to live permanently. The new housekeepers were given instructions. They were told to just call Jinnan "Young Master" and to call Xu Zhiyuan "Mr. Xu" just like the housekeeper Mr. Guo.
Work starts on the eighth day of the Lunar New Year, and there is still one more day to go tomorrow. This day is their special Lunar New Year festival.
There was still half a day left before they got home. Jinnan called Li Hongfang to ask for details. When he came out, he saw Xu Zhiyuan sorting out his belongings himself. The things Jinnan had bought and his grandparents had insisted on bringing were spread all over the floor. There were even two gold earrings that his grandma had made for him at the jewelry store.
"Jinnan, do you want to take your things upstairs?" Xu Zhiyuan glanced at him and asked from a distance.
Jin Nan squatted over and helped him collect the things. It took a long time to clear the way. The refrigerator at home was already full, and there were many storage cabinets, but they were not full. However, Jin Nan always felt that everything in this family was related to Xu Zhiyuan.
"Xu Zhiyuan, are you free tonight?" Jin Nan asked.
"Yes, what's wrong?" Xu Zhiyuan looked up, and his handsome face made Jinnan's heart move slightly.
His voice was a little low: "Didn't you say in Hangzhou that you wanted to drink with me? I'll take you out to play tonight and have a drink."
Xu Zhiyuan stared at him with a puzzled expression.
"Are you really drinking with your brother?"
Jinnan stared back, frowning for a long moment: "You are not my brother."
He thought Xu Zhiyuan would be angry, but Xu Zhiyuan smiled.
"OK."
That evening, Xu Zhiyuan specially hired a designated driver and set off with Jinnan at 8:00 PM, looking for nightlife. Jinnan was more familiar with entertainment venues like the Lido Bar, so he selected one on the navigation system. Xu Zhiyuan followed the navigation, heading downtown, and got stuck at a red light intersection near the CBD.
Jinnan leaned against the car window to enjoy the cool breeze, looking out casually: "Why are there so many people here during the New Year?"
"Work is about to start." Xu Zhiyuan said, "There seems to be a fireworks show tonight, nearby."
"Really? Then we should be able to see it too," Jinnan said.
The towering city buildings made everyone look small. Even though he was wealthy now, Jin Nan still felt lonely sometimes. Like right now.
It was as if he was still the fifteen-year-old orphan who could barely get enough to eat, finally growing up and living a life that was neither happy nor unhappy. A meal costing ten yuan or ten thousand yuan was enough to fill his stomach. Xu Zhiyuan thought he was mistaken.
Even if Jin Nan hadn't returned to the Jin family, he wouldn't have fallen. He wouldn't have left school in a huff like he had left the Jin family. He would have used the money he had saved to buy another set of textbooks. When Jin Nan returned from school that day, he was also filled with revenge.
He has a way to make those kids who burned his textbooks pay the price.
He would finish school, even if his grades weren't great, get an average bachelor's degree or college, and then go out to work, just like the many people walking outside the car at this moment, living a mediocre life.
He would never have the chance to sit in the passenger seat of Xu Zhiyuan, nor would he have the chance to drink with Xu Zhiyuan or watch fireworks in Lucerne Bay.
He probably won't come to Lido. Liancheng is big enough for Jinnan. They have no chance of meeting each other. Jinnan will never know that she likes Xu Zhiyuan and likes men.
He probably won't get married either.
The experiences along the way made Jinnan feel that he was not worthy of a good life.
But everything was turned upside down like the world after the rain. No matter how he lamented to himself, the world appeared colorfully before his eyes. Xu Zhiyuan sat beside him and took him to the next paradise.
Jinnan had never been a big fan of alcohol, but starting today, he decided to give it a try. He hoped he could sit in Xu Zhiyuan's passenger seat like he had these days.
"Xu Zhiyuan, I've never asked you before, what type do you like?" Jin Nan suddenly asked.
Xu Zhiyuan was stunned by the question. He didn't react for two seconds after the green light came on. It was not until the car behind him honked that he stepped on the accelerator and continued on his way.
"Type... well-behaved, pretty, and lovable." Xu Zhiyuan said casually, and Jinnan listened absent-mindedly.
These are all superficial efforts. In fact, both of them have a string on their minds. One imitates the other, and the other compares one by one.
Good? Jin Nan is not good. Since returning home, Jin Nan has been making things difficult for Xu Zhiyuan. Pretty, thanks to Jin Licheng, this is not bad. Love to stretch out his claws? What is this, a cat?
Love? Jin Nan didn't understand. What kind of love was love? A gambling dad, a sick mom, a sister in school, a broken man? What a coincidence, Jin Nan had none of them.
It barely meets one of the requirements. If he directly seduces Xu Zhiyuan, will he succeed?
Jinnan's mind wandered as he arrived at the Lido Center, swiping his card to open the high-speed elevator, which took him straight to the 103rd floor. Xu Zhiyuan stood beside him, dressed quite casually today, not even removing the glasses he wore for school.
Jinnan led the man into a bar and sat him down by the window. Without asking Xu Zhiyuan's opinion, he ordered two or three drinks. Xu Zhiyuan sat across from him, his wrist gleaming slightly in the dim light.
Xu Zhiyuan looked around and Jinnan stared at him.
Xu Zhiyuan's calm demeanor seemed innate. Although he loved to smile, he always gave people an air of being unapproachable and unpredictable. He liked to lift his wine glass with two fingers, and even when Jinnan ordered a strong alcoholic beverage, Xu Zhiyuan didn't even frown.
"Do you come here often?" Xu Zhiyuan asked. It seemed that Jinnan's elevator card with the logo required a minimum spending of 100,000 yuan.
Spending a hundred thousand on alcohol is different from spending a hundred thousand on shopping.
"I don't come here often." Jin Nan leaned back, gently shaking his wine glass. "I put too much money on my stored-value card all at once. I'm afraid I'll have to drink until my next life."
The resident singer only has a simple piano accompaniment, and the people around him speak in whispers. The aroma of wine mixed with the fragrance of fruit, everything is quiet and leisurely.
Xu Zhiyuan didn't drink much, so Jinnan told him everything he knew about the wine he had in hand. He looked happy, but his heart didn't show it. In the past, when Xu Zhiyuan was explaining a problem to him, Jinnan had imagined a day like this: he would give the lecture and Xu Zhiyuan would listen.
It was as if the years hadn't separated them, as if there was no difference between them, no distinction between high and low, no worldly measure that could measure them. He was on equal footing with Xu Zhiyuan, and he could give Xu Zhiyuan what he needed and desired. He held a heavier weight in people's hearts, even more.
But it was so hard to do. No matter how many gifts he gave or how many flowers he bought, it was no match for a little help in times of need. He had forever missed Xu Zhiyuan's down-and-out youth. No matter how hard he tried to please him, Xu Zhiyuan would never have as many profound memories as he did.
He was just here to add icing on the cake. It was even a zero-sum game between him and Xu Zhiyuan. Every point he gained would mean a point less for Xu Zhiyuan.
"Xu Zhiyuan." Jin Nan finished a glass of wine and waved to the bartender. His slightly tipsy eyes stared at Xu Zhiyuan, but there was no sign of drunkenness in them.
"If I were really your brother, would you still be so kind to me?" Jinnan said, "You're amazing. You're a hero who helps people in times of need. You've done everything so thoughtfully, leaving me no chance at all."
"No." Xu Zhiyuan's voice was hoarse from drinking, and his eyes fell on Jinnan, unable to move away.
"I want to be a hero too, what should I do?" Jin Nan laughed, "How about I get you drunk today and I'll take you home?"
"You are the one coming home with me." Xu Zhiyuan corrected.
"Xu Zhiyuan."
"exist."
Many words are like uncooked red beans, which need to be cooked a little more with the help of alcohol before they can be spoken.
"What do you want?" Jinnan asked, "One of your New Year's wishes will be granted."
Jin Nan never knew what Xu Zhiyuan was thinking or what Xu Zhiyuan wanted, he could only guess.
Guess what kind of dishes he wants to eat, guess whether he is in a good mood today, but Xu Zhiyuan remains calm, so it is difficult to guess.
For a long time, Xu Zhiyuan has only wanted one thing.
"What about you? What do you want?" Xu Zhiyuan threw the question back to him.
Jinnan blinked, and when the new wine arrived, he took a look and said, "I'm drunk."
Xu Zhiyuan smiled and leaned closer: "Are you really drunk? Then look at who I am?"
"Xu Zhiyuan." Jin Nan also smiled.
Such a small cocktail was far from enough to make him drunk, but Jinnan retreated into his shell again, afraid to face the situation.
What he wanted to say was irreversible once he opened his mouth, and what he wanted to do was neither rational nor appropriate. In any case, at this moment, Jin Nan's wish was half fulfilled.
But when people are happy, they tend to be greedy.
Looking at Xu Zhiyuan's half-drunk and half-awake eyes, Jinnan really wanted to ask him directly, do you like me at all?
But he didn't dare, he didn't dare.
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