Chapter 15 (Part 1)
The durian Cheng Zhao bought had only made a fleeting appearance in the bookstore, but the scent was so overpowering that even after Gan Ling had opened the doors and windows for more than twenty minutes to ventilate, a lingering aroma still lingered. A customer came in to order some tea, sniffed, and asked Han Xi, "Are you selling durian here?" Gan Ling understood Cheng Zhao's subtle thoughts and, while she honestly thought he was childish, he sat beside her, wanting to ask questions but not daring to, which softened her heart. After closing time, Gan Ling got in Cheng Zhao's car and waited for him to drive a distance before she said, "I called Song Yiping at noon." The car paused noticeably as Cheng Zhao's foot eased off the accelerator. Without waiting for a question, Gan Ling continued, "We broke up." Cheng Zhao couldn't hold back, a smile breaking across his face. "What did you tell him?" "Not suitable." Cheng Zhao thought to himself, these three words are like a panacea, applicable everywhere. Fortunately, this time, they were used on a rival, and it felt quite satisfying. "You didn't mention me?" He asked with a bit of a sly tone. "Why bother with me?" "Yeah, huh...are you busy today?" "Not busy." "Did you miss me?" "Yeah." "Me too. I've been feeling dizzy all day, like I was dreaming." "Dizzy? Did you not get enough sleep? You'll wake up if you sleep more." "Then I'd rather not sleep. I've been dreaming for so many years, I don't want to wake up and have it all gone." Cheng Zhao's hand on the steering wheel was suddenly gently covered by Gan Ling's hand. His heart warmed up, and just as he was about to grab her, the hand had already retracted. "Drive well." They had agreed to go to the north of the city for Vietnamese food. Halfway through the drive, Cheng Zhao received a call. He pressed the hands-free button to answer it. It was Lao Fan, who had collaborated with him on a project, who had organized a dinner party and cordially invited Cheng Zhao to join in. Cheng Zhao declined politely, "Not tonight, I have an appointment with a friend..." "Then why don't you cancel it! Meet your friend for dinner later. Let me tell you, Gao Ke will be here today too. He is in charge of several companies in the Xinchuang Park. If you don't show up, this good opportunity will be snatched away by someone else..." After much persuasion, Lao Fan still refused to give up. Cheng Zhao was feeling embarrassed. Gan Ling tugged at his shirt sleeve. He turned to look at her. Gan Ling mouthed to him: Go ahead! Cheng Zhao said to Lao Fan: "I'm driving! I'll call you back when I park." "Don't call back, hurry up! I'll wait for you at the door!" After hanging up the phone, Cheng Zhao sighed, "I really don't want to go." Gan Ling said: "People have talked about it to that extent, it's better for you to go and take a look...
Although the durian Cheng Zhao bought only made a fleeting appearance in the bookstore, its scent was so overpowering that even after Gan Ling had opened the doors and windows for more than twenty minutes, a faint lingering aroma still lingered. A customer came in to order tea, sniffed intensely, and asked Han Xi, "Are you selling durian here now?"
Gan Ling actually understood all of Cheng Zhao's little thoughts and thought he was childish, but the way he sat beside her and hesitated several times to ask questions made her feel soft-hearted.
After closing time, Gan Ling sat in Cheng Zhao's car and waited for him to drive away for a while before she said, "I called Song Yiping at noon."
The car paused noticeably because Cheng Zhao's foot on the accelerator had loosened.
Gan Ling didn't wait for him to ask and continued, "We broke up."
Cheng Zhao couldn't hold it in anymore and smiled, "What did you tell him?"
“Not appropriate.”
Cheng Zhao thought to himself, these three words are like a panacea, they can be used anywhere. Fortunately, this time they are used on the rival in love, and the feeling is quite satisfying.
"You didn't mention me?" He asked this with a bit of a mean tone.
"Why bother?"
"Yeah, hehe...Are you busy today?"
"not busy."
"Did you think of me?"
"Um."
"Me too. I've been feeling dizzy all day, like I'm dreaming."
"Are you feeling dizzy? Didn't you get enough sleep? You'll wake up if you get more sleep."
"Then I'd better not sleep. I've been dreaming for so many years, I don't want it all to be gone when I wake up."
Cheng Zhao's hand on the steering wheel was suddenly gently covered by Gan Ling's hand. His heart warmed and he was about to grab her with his backhand, but the hand had already retracted.
"Drive well."
They agreed to go to the north of the city to eat Vietnamese food. Halfway through the journey, Cheng Zhao received a call. He pressed the speakerphone button to answer it. It was Lao Fan, who had collaborated with him on a project, who had organized a dinner party and cordially invited Cheng Zhao to join in.
Cheng Zhao declined, "Not tonight, I have an appointment with a friend..."
"So you turned it down? Go have dinner with your friends later. Let me tell you, Gao Ke will be here today too. He's in charge of several companies in the New Venture Park. If you don't show up, someone else will grab the good opportunity..."
After much persuasion, Lao Fan still refused to let go. Cheng Zhao was in a dilemma. Gan Ling pulled his shirt sleeve. He turned his head to look at her. Gan Ling said to him with her lips: Go ahead!
Cheng Zhao said to Lao Fan, "I'm driving! I'll call you back when I stop."
"Don't go back, come here quickly! I'll be waiting for you at the door!"
After hanging up the phone, Cheng Zhao sighed, "I really don't want to go."
Gan Ling said, "Since they've talked about it to that extent, you'd better go and take a look. We can have dinner anytime."
"sorry……"
"It's okay. You drop me off in front and I'll go back by myself."
"No, I'll take you back. I can't even afford to eat, and I've left you behind. What am I?"
Cheng Zhao drove Gan Ling to the gate of Changwang New Village. Before Gan Ling got out of the car, he grabbed her hand again and told her like a married couple, "I'll be back soon."
Gan Ling nodded and said, "Drive carefully."
When she got home at seven o'clock, her father and Wu Juan had already had dinner. Wu Juan was washing dishes in the kitchen and was surprised to see her come back.
"So early? Didn't you say you were going out for dinner?"
"My friend had something urgent to do, so I came back."
"You haven't eaten yet, have you?"
"Yeah. Anything to eat? Anything will do."
"Let me make you a bowl of noodles. It has vegetables and pork ribs."
"You do your thing, I'll do it myself!"
Gan Ling boiled some water first, then went to the balcony. Gan Wenkang stood there, carefully examining a pot of Clivia placed on the edge of the railing.
"dad!"
"Xiao Ling? You're back so early!"
Gan Ling explained again, looking up and down at her father with joy in her eyes, "Are you tired of standing?"
"Not bad." Gan Wenkang was also a little proud. "I even went downstairs by myself today. I walked along the escalator railing and walked all the way to the bottom of the building. I sat on a bench for a while and talked nonsense with Lao Chen and the others for half an hour! It just took a little longer to go downstairs, more than ten minutes."
"Keep practicing, and you'll get better. But be careful not to fall."
"Yeah, I'm very careful... Is everything going well between you and that Song thing?"
Gan Ling pursed her lips and said, "It didn't work out. We've already broken up."
Gan Wenkang wasn't surprised. "That's fine. If it's not suitable, forget it. Don't force yourself. Look again. You'll always find someone you like."
"Um... Dad, what's wrong with this Clivia?"
"The core is a little rotten. Look here, isn't it? I suspect there are insects..."
Wu Juan came out and said, "Xiao Ling, the water is boiling."
"Hey, here I come!"
Gan Ling was eating noodles alone at the dining table. Wu Juan came over hesitantly and sat down in front of her without saying a word, looking sad.
"What's wrong, Sister Juan?"
"Eat first, and we'll talk after you finish eating."
"It's okay, go ahead. I have a good appetite!"
"Xiao Ling, I may, may have to go." Wu Juan said, her eyes red and she lowered her head.
Gan Ling was mentally prepared. "Is it because the family issues haven't been resolved yet?"
Wu Juan shook her head dejectedly.
"It's so hard! My husband is still the same, and there's no one to take care of the children. My mother-in-law yells at me whenever she sees me, saying I don't take care of the family and that I'm living in someone else's house to avoid work. She never mentions the money I earn. I really have a miserable life."
"Sister Juan, don't worry. There's always a way to solve the problem. Otherwise, how about I go back with you and talk to your mother-in-law?"
"No! No! My mother-in-law is unreasonable. If she says something unpleasant, I'll be even more sorry for you."
Gan Ling pondered, stuffing a mouthful of noodles into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she asked, "Does your mother-in-law have any objections to you working outside, or to you being a live-in nanny?"
"She blames me for not taking care of my husband, leaving her to take care of him alone. She takes my money without hesitation. She wishes I could find a job closer to the rental house so I can take her place every day after get off work, freeing up time to go back to the countryside... Actually, she's not having a good life either, I know, but what can I do? With this kind of thing happening..."
"What if you don't live at my house and come back and forth every day?"
"The house they rented is in the west of the city, next to the Fifth Hospital. They have to take several buses to get there, and each trip takes over an hour. That's nearly four hours round trip. Half their time every day is spent reversing. It's not worth it."
Gan Ling nodded, "That's right. I still have to find something closer to do."
"I was thinking of going back to Boss Tian to register and then continue working as a cleaner. That way I'll have a lot more time. But I'm so sorry for you and Teacher Gan. You've been so kind to me and paid me well..."
Gan Ling suddenly thought of Kong Yu. The villa where Kong Yu lived was close to the west of the city and quite close to the Fifth Hospital. If Wu Juan could be introduced there, on the one hand, she would earn as much as she does now, and on the other hand, she would be able to visit her husband from time to time and relieve her mother-in-law's resentment.
She patted Wu Juan's arm and said, "Let's think about it again. We'll find a way."
After taking a shower and returning to her room, Gan Ling sent a message to Kong Yu, telling her that she and Song Yiping had broken up. Ten minutes later, Kong Yu called her.
"What's wrong, you two? Weren't you fine just two days ago?"
"I don't have any feelings for him. I guess it will be like this if we continue to get along, so..."
"Actually, I just called Song Yiping. He had a very good impression of you. He said maybe he was too proactive and scared you. Gan Ling, what did he do to you?"
"Nothing... To be honest, Cheng Zhao and I are, well, together."
Kong Yu took a breath and said, "Oh my God! So that's how it is."
"I'm so sorry to have made you work for nothing."
"What's the big deal! You and Song Yiping are just on a blind date, not getting married. But Gan Ling, you've made progress with Cheng Zhao, so it must have something to do with Song Yiping, right?"
“…A little.”
"Haha! Then my efforts were not in vain! I played a catalytic role. As for Song Yiping, it's okay. I'll introduce him later."
Gan Ling laughed, "Why are you so keen on being a matchmaker now?"
"I have so much free time!"
"By the way, have you found a nanny?"
"I've changed several times. Now it's a young girl in her twenties. She's sweet-talking, but has a terrible memory. I always have to tell her three or four times before she changes. Sigh! I'll have to train her slowly. It's not easy to find someone I like."
"My dad's caregiver, Wu Juan, doesn't plan to continue doing this job."
"Why?"
Gan Ling briefly explained the dilemma Wu Juan was facing before getting to the point.
"Kong Yu, this is what I think. Wu Juan lives not far from you. You don't need a live-in nanny anyway. She should be able to handle the two hours of cleaning and cooking dinner every day. Otherwise, how about I let her go to your place and try it out? If you two get along, you can keep her."
Kong Yu was very happy. "Great! I always hear you praise her. She must be a very good person. But, what about your dad?"
"I can only look for someone else. Anyway, I'm close to home and can go back anytime if something happens. As for Wu Juan, I'll talk to her about this later."
"Yeah, okay! Hey, Gan Ling, when did you and Cheng Zhao get together?"
"Just these two days."
"What do you think? Are you happy with him?"
Gan Ling thought about it and smiled, "Happy."
Kong Yu also chuckled, "As long as you're happy. Gan Ling, I'm so happy for you!"
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