Chapter 227 Taking a Walk
This was the first time Zhou Pingchuan had spoken to Xia Mian in a pleading tone.
Xia Mian was initially a little unaccustomed to it, but then her heart softened more and more, until it almost melted away, until she didn't even want to dwell on what happened last night.
Yes, why should he care? He finally found someone he loves, so he should cherish every minute and every second he spends with Zhou Pingchuan.
Xia Mian clenched her fingers, her two hands, one big and one small, tightly intertwined, as if nothing in the world could separate them.
The meeting ended just as it was time to leave work. One of the executives who attended the meeting gestured for Zhou Pingchuan to speak to him privately, so Zhou Pingchuan told Xia Mian to go and rest in the car first.
When we finished talking and went outside, the boy was leaning against the wall at the end of the corridor, still standing there.
Today isn't photogenic, so the guys are dressed casually, in oversized denim jackets and loose cargo pants, looking like supermodels who just stepped out of a photo studio—lazy yet handsome.
Zhou Pingchuan stood there, silently admiring the model he had "hired" at a high price, then walked over and asked, "Why didn't you come downstairs to wait for me?"
"Our lives basically revolve around the office and home, and we've never even gone for a walk together. I just had a sudden idea: how about we walk to the subway station together and then take the subway home?"
"Are you sure you can do it?" Zhou Pingchuan asked.
"A man can't say no!"
"I mean, your profession."
Xia Mian knew what he meant, took out her mask and shook it in front of him, then put on her hat and sunglasses—because of the injury on the corner of her mouth, she was fully equipped today.
Zhou Pingchuan chuckled and grabbed the boy's arm: "Okay, let's go."
As one of the most concentrated areas for office workers, there is a subway station entrance just 400 meters away from Kepler, which can meet the needs of summer hibernation without putting a burden on Zhou Pingchuan's injured leg.
Like any ordinary couple, they walked hand in hand out of Kepler, strolling along the roadside towards the subway station as the sun set.
In the bustling crowd, they seemed like two oddballs who had strayed into the mundane world. Passersby often turned to look at them, but they didn't care and chatted quietly about their own things.
"Who was that balding old man who came to see you alone?" Xia Mian scoffed. "He's a seasoned PUA veteran. He contradicted everything everyone else said in the meeting, thinking he was right the only one. I hate these 'know-it-alls' the most!"
“He was a key member of my father’s team. I heard that he often beats his wife and children after drinking. He’s a very bad person.”
"Oh my!" Xia Mian exclaimed in shock, "The chairman of Kepler actually enjoys gossiping and talking behind people's backs!"
“Besides work, I also need to be concerned about the family situations of my employees to prevent them from committing job-related crimes. As for gossip,” Zhou Pingchuan raised an eyebrow, “I think I just chat with my wife about interesting things that happened at work after get off work.”
Xia Mian was speechless; it was the first time she had ever seen someone speak gossip in such a refreshing and unconventional way.
But it must be admitted that Zhou Pingchuan's "lover" did indeed make him happy.
"Fine, I can chew on this kind of tongue root more often, I like hearing it. But you all know he has a bad character, why do you still continue to use him?"
Zhou Pingchuan: "A bad character does not mean a bad work ability. Besides, I transferred him to South Africa a few years ago. Although it cannot completely eliminate domestic violence, the farther away from home, the lower the probability of domestic violence."
"So he contacted you just now to beg for permission to return to China?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Zhou Pingchuan said calmly. "He was diagnosed with cancer before the new year and wants to go back to China for treatment."
"So what did you say?"
“We can’t just watch our veterans die far from home. I told him to submit his application according to the procedure. If it’s approved, I’ll send him a formal paper letter.”
In large companies like this, the flow of personnel is extremely slow without connections. By the time the official documents are issued, they've already been sent to South Africa. Even an early-stage cancer can be delayed until it reaches a late stage. The old man with the receding hairline knew this, which is why he approached Zhou Pingchuan privately to plead for him.
Xia Mian listened with a clear mind, and didn't forget to point out Zhou Pingchuan: "See? Domestic violence will be punished by heaven. I can promise not to hit you, and you are not allowed to hit me in the future either."
"I won't hit you, I will only..." Zhou Pingchuan whispered something in Xia Mian's ear.
Xia Mian's ears instantly turned bright red, and she quickly pushed the person away. There happened to be a small stall in front of them, so he went over and ordered a fried starch sausage, a serving of Northeast-style grilled cold noodles with two eggs, and a cup of roasted pear with white fungus.
"I haven't had anything with a strong flavor in so long, I'm craving it so much!" With three kinds of food in his hands, Xia Mian couldn't manage them all, so he shoved the grilled cold noodles into Zhou Pingchuan's hands. "You eat this first, you've never had it before, have you? It's really good!"
Zhou Pingchuan couldn't help but chuckle at his nonsensical Northeastern accent. Under Xia Mian's insistence, he tried the grilled cold noodles. They were sour, sweet, and spicy, with a flavor that perfectly matched the stereotype of junk food.
Xia Mian was taking big bites of starch sausage when she saw Zhou Pingchuan eating with relish. She then stuffed the starch sausage into Zhou Pingchuan's hand, snatched back the grilled cold noodles, and chewed, saying, "Let's take turns eating for a while."
Zhou Pingchuan never eats other people's leftovers.
If you've already eaten at roadside stalls, why worry about being a germaphobe?
What's more, this is his closest person.
Zhou Pingchuan didn't say anything, but took a bite of the starch sausage, using Xia Mian's small tooth mark as a guide.
The roadside stalls didn't suit Zhou Pingchuan's taste, so he only took a small bite. Xia Mian had a strong palate, and his daily diet, which he had been strictly controlling, had made him incredibly hungry. Before they even reached the subway station, he and Zhou Pingchuan had already finished all the food.
The capital city is great in this respect; it's open and inclusive, and everyone has their own things to do. Although Zhou Pingchuan's antler staff, his obviously expensive suit, and his outstanding appearance made him frequently attract attention, no one whispered about them. They just thought it was quite strange for such a group to appear in the subway station.
However, once on the subway, the closer proximity between people led to some minor issues.
Two girls kept whispering to Xia Mian and even took out their phones, pointing the cameras at them, seemingly taking pictures of her secretly.
“Hey,” he nudged Zhou Pingchuan with his elbow, “I think I’ve been recognized.”
The subway during rush hour is like a fill-in-the-blank game, everyone crammed together, every gap filled. Xia Mian was also squeezed together with Zhou Pingchuan. Hearing this, Zhou Pingchuan naturally pulled Xia Mian into his arms: "What are you planning to do?"
Zhou Pingchuan held her tightly, the two pressed close together. Xia Mian could feel the distinct texture of his muscles and his body temperature, and inappropriately, she felt a little distracted.
"...When we arrive at the station, we'll get off and squeeze into the crowd to go upstairs and exit the station together."
Zhou Pingchuan nudged him with his injured leg: "I can't do it myself, I'm counting on you."
With that nudge, Xia Mian felt even hotter inside, and licked her lips: "Mmm."
When the station doors opened, the two got off the train as planned and squeezed into the large crowd of people exiting the station.
The two girls realized what was happening, got off the bus with them, and chased after them relentlessly, holding up their phones.
Seeing this, Xia Mian pulled Zhou Pingchuan to speed up, and the two sped off. Just as they exited the station, they saw Lao Wang waiting by the roadside in his car.
He quickly pulled Zhou Pingchuan into the car, and the two of them looked at each other's clothes, which were wrinkled and messy as if they had just escaped a great escape, and they both burst out laughing.
Zhou Pingchuan asked Xia Mian, "Will we be posted online tomorrow, Xia, the big star?"
"I've already thought of the title: 'Summer Dream Shattered in a Wealthy Family, a Humble Trip with a Bankrupt Billionaire CEO'"
"This is a rumor."
"It's okay, do whatever you want, just don't go too far. If we pursued every single one of them, the company's legal department wouldn't have anything else to do. Besides, the rumors I spread myself are much more powerful than theirs."
Zhou Pingchuan asked curiously, "Did you spread rumors yourself?"
"Hmph, today Wei asked me what happened to the corner of my mouth, and I said we had a fight, and I lost to him." Xia Mian snorted.
"It's my fault, it's all my fault," Zhou Pingchuan pulled the man close, tidying his messy hair as he asked, "So, do you want to... fight back?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com