Chapter 34 Window Paper
There were eleven people present today, including family members, most of whom were classmates who knew Jin Zhao well from before. Besides Lu Jingyue, Luo Heng, and Si Tian, Cao Bo and Zhao Yu were also there. Everyone had become the person they wanted to be during their student days. Luo Heng is a top lawyer, Si Tian is a doctor, Cao Bo is still pursuing his doctorate, and Zhao Yu didn't follow the art student path but went on to graduate school normally, majoring in journalism. Now she's a radio host and often sees celebrities.
When former classmates reunite and talk about the people and things from the past, the long nine years seem to fade away, and Jin Zhao is inexplicably moved by the still-warm passion in his heart.
Feng Chi brought over some homemade rice wine from the villagers down the mountain, saying it had no alcohol content and even children could drink it. Jin Zhao smelled it; it smelled very good. Meng Yanxi, sitting beside her, saw her eager expression and leaned over to remind her, "Don't believe it."
Jin Zhao tasted it; it was sweet but not cloying, and her tongue seemed to be immersed in the aroma of the wine. She completely ignored Meng Yanxi's words and inevitably drank too much.
The rice wine tasted like a beverage, but had a strong aftereffect. Si Tian sat on her other side, and the two girls drank together until they were dizzy, their cheeks flushed.
Some busybodies, emboldened by the alcohol, brought up Jin Zhao's performance of "The Goddess of the Luo River" back then, a stunning dance that made her the object of many people's affections. Zhao Yu laughed heartily and said, "It's alright, just an object of affection. If she hadn't broken her leg back then, she might have debuted right there and now be a big star."
Everyone burst into laughter, scolding her for being such a beautiful woman and having such a thick skin.
Jin Zhao also tilted his head and smiled.
Cao Bo seized the opportunity to stir things up, urging the big star and the white moonlight to dance together.
At the call, everyone responded immediately, some banging their glasses, others giving directions, all shouting together: "Dance! Dance!"
Jin Zhao was dizzy from the alcohol, and the warm light reflected tears in her eyes. She watched them tease her with a smile until she met Meng Yanxi's ambiguous gaze. Only then did she realize that they were teasing her.
Jin Zhao, caught in the crossfire of gossip, hurriedly waved his hand and said, "No, I haven't danced in almost ten years, I've completely forgotten!"
In other words, high school classmates are the group most likely to prank each other. They know each other's secrets and love to tease each other the most. Someone's eyes rolled over to Meng Yanxi next to her, and they deliberately said, "Then find someone to jump for you!"
"That's right! Find someone to replace you!"
"Yes! Go find the person you have the closest relationship with!"
In love, the atmosphere is crucial for breaking through that barrier. These people, just like in their youth, are dedicated to creating that atmosphere that fosters feelings. Even the most reserved person, now seemingly oblivious, will find their heart racing uncontrollably.
Her cheeks flushed, and she glanced quickly at Meng Yanxi, who was also looking at her. Amidst the surrounding commotion, his eyes remained calm, and he suddenly chuckled softly, "I told you not to drink."
Jin Zhao didn't know how this could be blamed on her drinking.
Si Tian was just as loyal as ever. She was already a little tipsy, but she stood up on the spot with a look of righteous indignation: "I'll dance for her!"
"Come on, Zhao Yu!" Si Tian said magnanimously, rolling up her sleeves.
Zhao Yu's eyes darted between Meng Yanxi and Jin Zhao, and she covered her mouth with a laugh, saying, "Si Tian, are you a blockhead?"
Luo Heng, who was sitting on her other side, couldn't bear to watch and pulled her down to sit: "Sit down, Dr. Ku, nobody wants you!"
This group's intentions were clearly ulterior motives; even a blockhead like Jin Zhao could see through them. She hadn't expected that simply getting out of Meng Yanxi's car would cause such a huge misunderstanding, with the person in question sitting right next to her. Embarrassed, she frantically explained, her face flushed, "No, you've misunderstood..."
"I don't know either."
Almost at the same time, or a beat later, Meng Yanxi spoke up, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, perfectly masking her "clarification".
Like cold water being poured into a hot oil pan, the scene erupted into chaos. Someone, seemingly starting a mocking remark, said, "Nobody's asking you, Brother Yan!"
"Hahahaha, what's that Chinese idiom again? 'No silver buried here'..."
"This is a classic case of protesting too much!"
"Yes! Brother Yan, let's have Jin Zhao choose someone with the closest relationship to dance for her. You're in such a hurry to say it, what do you mean by that?"
"It's so hard to guess, hahaha!"
...
The group chattered and made a ruckus, their laughter and jeers mingling together, as if they had turned the private room into a high school classroom, determined to blow the roof off with their madness.
The two people at the center of the storm reacted very differently.
Jin Zhao blushed as red as a ripe shrimp, her toes practically digging out a luxury villa for her. She was already twenty-six years old, but due to her lack of experience, she still acted like a nagging young girl, flustered and confused at the critical moment when her secret was about to be exposed.
Her heart pounded in her ears, louder than the cheers of her classmates, and her eyes were wet, as if they had been washed. She nervously looked at the person she cared about, afraid that confronting him would leave a lifelong shadow, forcing her to avoid the embarrassment by never thinking of him again. But she saw Meng Yanxi sitting there calmly, her long fingers holding a wine glass, serenely swirling it amidst the cheers.
Amidst the bustling noise, he turned his head to look at her, the wine-red liquid undulating suggestively along the transparent glass.
With a "thump," it felt as if fireworks had exploded in Jin Zhao's chest.
She stared at him with her eyes wide open, unblinking, as if she were looking at someone from a dream, or perhaps reflecting on whether this whole thing was just a dream.
Suddenly, her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and she quickly looked away, whispering, "I'm going to the restroom."
Perhaps it was the strong aftereffects of the alcohol, or perhaps she stood up too quickly, but her legs went weak, she lost her balance, and her body swayed. At the same time, Meng Yanxi stood up and firmly supported her waist with his strong hand.
Jin Zhao bumped her head into his chest. The man's chest muscles were strong, and the heat of his palms penetrated through the thin fabric and reached her body.
For a moment, as if in a daze, she remained frozen in that position. Time seemed to stand still, the jeers ceased, and everything came to a standstill. After a slight delay, she quickly recovered, hurriedly pushed him away, and left, never daring to look up at him the entire time.
Jin Zhao turned on the tap in the bathroom, and the icy water gushed out. She wanted to wash her face with cold water to calm herself down and not be misled by the crazy, romantic atmosphere created by her classmates, so that she wouldn't lose her mind and mistake it for real love. However, when she saw her own subtle yet carefully applied plain makeup in the mirror, she immediately dismissed the idea.
Never mind, I can't let my makeup run.
Back in the private room, the jeering had stopped; these people were quite serious when they weren't acting crazy. As Jin Zhao pushed open the door, she overheard a classmate's boyfriend asking Meng Yanxi about investment matters.
I have several million yuan in spare cash and I'm wondering whether I should buy a house or invest in something else. I'd appreciate some advice from experts.
His posture was so humble that someone took out their phone and recorded it on the spot, and everyone else laughed. Meng Yanxi sat in the seat of honor, his face expressionless, as always, which made Jin Zhao even more convinced that the very faint laugh he had just given her when he was teased was her hallucination.
Compared to him, Lu Jingyue, who was not easy to get along with to begin with, seemed approachable. He smiled and smoothed things over, saying, "Investments have profits and losses. Meng Yanxi isn't a god. Who will be responsible if we lose money?"
This was a way of giving each other a graceful way out, and the other party understood and didn't press the matter further.
Jin Zhao returned to his seat, his face appearing relatively calm, but his heart was filled with longing for millions of spare cash.
She longed to have the same predicament, to have millions of spare cash and ask a powerful figure for guidance, but Meng Yanxi completely ignored her. —Let her suffer this kind of hardship!
Meng Yanxi glanced at her and suddenly said, "Buy gold."
Even Lu Jingyue, who knew him best, didn't expect him to agree and looked at him.
Meng Yanxi's eyes were cold and distant as she glanced at Jin Zhao.
The other party clearly hadn't expected that their gamble would actually yield an answer from a top figure like Meng Yanxi. After a moment's hesitation, they greedily asked, "All in?"
That was a bit too much. Even his girlfriend couldn't stand it and glared at him fiercely.
Meng Yanxi indeed ignored him.
Jin Zhao silently made a mental note: as soon as her settlement allowance arrived after the holiday, she would buy gold—buy it immediately!
There were two groups of people at the scene. One group, like Jin Zhao, was oblivious and secretly made notes, trying to get rich by following the big boss. The other group was more perceptive, like Zhao Yu. Sensing that the atmosphere was a bit awkward, Zhao Yu smiled and changed the subject: "By the way, I heard some interesting gossip yesterday."
Because of her work, Zhao Yu often comes into contact with people in the entertainment industry. Gossip always seems to come in droves there, and it's hard for outsiders to know the truth. So she's even more eager to find out something from "insiders".
Cao Bo immediately asked, "What gossip?"
Luo Heng also asked, "How fresh is it?"
Zhao Yu suddenly looked at Luo Heng and said after a moment's thought, "Speaking of which, you should know Lawyer Luo as well."
"You mean it has something to do with me?" Luo Heng pointed to himself.
"It has nothing to do with you, but your circle should know about it."
Luo Heng was quick-witted. Zhao Yu's few words of prompting him made him realize immediately: "You mean the Wu family matter?"
Zhao Yu: "That's right, it's the statement from the Wu family severing their father-daughter relationship. I noticed the seal on it isn't from your law firm, but I guess you probably know about it too."
Luo Heng twitched his lips and said, "Wu Liang did contact me, but I didn't answer. I don't need that kind of ill-gotten money."
Jin Zhao's eyelids twitched slightly when he heard the name "Wu Liang".
The others present immediately began asking questions: "What statement about severing ties with your daughter? Explain!"
"These days, does anyone still sever ties with their father? This isn't the Republic of China era."
"Who is Wu Liang? Could he be from the Wu family in the east of the city? They're incredibly wealthy!"
"Is there any female celebrity with the surname Wu? I've never heard of her!"
"You know what, I actually thought of someone, Wu Nian! She's not exactly a female celebrity, just an ordinary artist. She came out of a singing talent show many years ago. I was a fan of her looks back then, but later I found that her appearance and personality weren't very distinctive, so I quickly became indifferent. I heard that she later played a few nameless supporting roles, more like extras. If that counts as a female celebrity."
"Have Wu Nian and Wu Liang... severed their father-daughter relationship?"
This last question was asked by Jin Zhao.
She looked at Zhao Yu, and even though Zhao Yu hadn't given a final answer yet, she was already certain that they were talking about Wu Nian.
Even though it's already riddled with holes, is it really necessary to tear down even the last shred of dignity?
Across from her, Zhao Yu nodded and then corrected the order: "It was Wu Liang and Wu Nian who severed their father-daughter relationship."
"Why?" Jin Zhao asked softly, "Why did it come to this?"
Zhao Yu didn't know the relationship between Jin Zhao and Wu Nian, nor did she know Wu Nian. This was just a piece of gossip she suddenly thought of to change the subject. It was already public knowledge, so it wasn't a secret. It was just that Wu Nian was so obscure that nobody cared about her, so no one knew about it.
Judging from Jin Zhao's reaction, she must know Wu Nian. Zhao Yu felt apologetic for gossiping about her classmate's friend. Faced with Jin Zhao's doubts, she could only honestly say, "I don't know the specific reason, but when my colleagues talked about it, they all looked down on Wu Liang, thinking that this guy was too cruel and too scummy."
Si Tianjiu had drunk more than Jin Zhao and was trying to sober up while listening to everyone gossip. She didn't know Wu Liang and curiously interjected, "How much of a jerk is he?"
Beside her, Luo Heng gave a cold laugh: "You probably don't watch much TV and haven't heard of him, but Old Wu is quite famous on television. It's an older man and a younger woman couple; Mrs. Wu is twenty years younger than Old Wu, and they're known for their true love. Their love is even publicized on TV. They say Mrs. Wu doesn't care about money or power, she just loves Old Wu for his affection. Old Wu is the same; he doesn't care about her youth or beauty, he just loves her kindness. The couple has two sons and a daughter, all of whom graduated from prestigious universities and are outstanding. When Old Wu talks about them outside, no one can interrupt him; he can boast about it all day long. What a loving couple, a virtuous wife and filial children, envied by everyone."
Si Tian blinked, bewildered: "Isn't this great? How can it be called 'scumbag'?"
Luo Heng: "It's really good not to look at it from the perspective of the daughter of the first wife."
"The daughter of the first wife?"
"That's Wu Nian, the female lead whose father-daughter relationship was severed. It's a classic trope of a doting wife spoiling her young daughter to death. The daughter that the original wife risked her life to give birth to was raised into a little delinquent by the doting wife. Old Wu never wants to mention it in public. When others mention it, he feels utterly ashamed... And now, it has finally come to the point of severing the father-daughter relationship."
After Luo Heng finished speaking, everyone sighed. One girl scoffed and remarked, "That's just how men are."
Only Jin Zhao remained silent for a long while before softly asking Zhao Yu, "Will this affect her career?"
Zhao Yu thought Jin Zhao was asking about Wu Liang, and smiled helplessly: "How could it have an impact? This society is always more tolerant of men than you can imagine. In the end, family matters like this are just covered up with a romantic affair."
"No, I mean... Wu Nian."
Zhao Yu paused for a moment, then shook her head: "That doesn't matter. Wu Nian isn't famous, so nobody cares about this."
This is a euphemism. If Zhao Yu hadn't realized that Jin Zhao knew Wu Nian, she would have said directly: Nobody cares about her at all.
*
Cao Bo majored in biology as an undergraduate and is now researching infectious diseases. He has been busy publishing papers lately. Even while out having fun, he was thinking about his lab mice. After lunch, he went back in the afternoon. Two other classmates went with him in the car. The rest of them rarely come to a place like Linyuan, so they all planned to stay overnight and experience the thrill of "clinging to the big boss and enjoying a luxurious life".
Meng Yanxi had asked Jin Zhao to bring clothes in advance, and Jin Zhao and Meng Yanxi stayed here together overnight.
Because Lin Garden was originally a private estate and not open to the public, it had relatively few rooms. Although Feng Chi expanded it after taking over, the newly built rooms were rather generic and felt like a poor imitation.
Of course, what everyone really wants to stay in is the legendary room built in a cave.
Si Tian whispered to Jin Zhao, "I've never seen it either. I heard it from Luo Heng. The room is built in a natural cave and retains the natural texture of the original stone dome. Lying in bed, you can look at the layered mountains and the colorful clouds through the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. It's super cool!"
Jin Zhao asked, "Is it like this in every room?"
Si Tian: "Of course not, it's said there are only two."
Jin Zhao paused for a moment, then said with great self-awareness, "I think it's the same everywhere."
Si Tian chuckled and said, "Zhao Zhao Bao, you're so good at comforting yourself!"
What else? Two rooms. Judging from how much Feng Chi enjoys himself, he'll definitely keep one for himself. That leaves only one room. Looking around, isn't it obvious who's the boss and who's the NPC?
Anyway, she won't get the room.
Even Lu Jingyue didn't get a share.
It's unclear which of the two brothers dislikes the other, but Feng Chi arranged for everyone else to share a room, except for Meng Yanxi and Lu Jingyue, who each had their own room. Lu Jingyue stayed in a small courtyard on the mountain, while Meng Yanxi stayed in a cave where he could lie in bed and watch the opposite mountain waterfall, sunrise, and sea of clouds.
As a result, Luo Heng was unhappy to see that the two were being treated differently, so he also got a separate room.
The young master personally distributed room cards to everyone, and Jin Zhaohe Si Tian was assigned to a room. Feng Chi kept Meng Yanxi's room card for himself and said solicitously, "Brother Yan, I'll take you there."
Luo Heng clicked his tongue and sneered, "lackey."
Feng Chi pretended to kick him, but Luo Heng quickly jumped away, reminding him, "Don't offend me, or you might end up with a few illegitimate children one day, and you'll still have to rely on me to fight for your inheritance!"
The group burst into laughter, and Feng Chi laughed and cursed, "You jinx!"
Luo Heng then looked at Meng Yanxi and asked with a grin, "Brother Yan, how about we switch rooms? I'd like to stay in yours."
Si Tian still loves to argue with Luo Heng after all these years. As soon as she heard that Luo Heng wanted to stay in Meng Yanxi's room, she immediately said, not wanting to be outdone, "No way, Brother Yan, switch with us. Zhao Zhao and I also want to stay in your room!"
Luo Heng chuckled and scolded, "Are you deliberately trying to mess with me? Fine, let's not switch places!"
Just as Luo Heng had just killed eight hundred enemies but lost a thousand of his own, Meng Yanxi walked up to Jin Zhao and extended her hand.
Jin Zhao's heart raced at his sudden approach. She paused for a moment, then stared at him blankly: "Huh?"
The man lowered his peach blossom eyes, glanced at the room key in her hand, and reminded her, "Room key."
Jin Zhao: "?"
Meng Yanxi: "Didn't you want to change rooms?"
Imaizumi was shocked.
Si Tian reacted quickly and ran over, shouting, "Change!"
As he spoke, he snatched the room card from Jin Zhao's hand and placed it in Meng Yanxi's hand, while giving Luo Heng a smug look.
Luo Heng was so angry at Meng Yanxi for prioritizing romance over friendship that he almost laughed. He said indignantly, "Meng Yanxi, did you forget that you're the one who begged me to sell you the house? If you're going to return the favor, you should at least switch places with me!"
Meng Yanxi glanced at Jin Zhao and said in a gentlemanly manner, "Ladies first."
Luo Heng was so angry he was speechless. He thought to himself, "There are so many ladies here, why did you only choose to switch with Jin Zhao?" Unfortunately, the group of people had gone too far with their commotion, and the big capitalist ordered them to behave themselves and stop acting crazy.
Luo Heng had no words to express his suffering, so he could only give him a thumbs up.
You're really something.
In the afternoon, a group of people went to the mountains to pick mushrooms, encouraged by Feng Chi.
After drinking, Showa Tsukasa rested in his room and slept until evening.
I opened my eyes and looked through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the room. I could see the sea of clouds washing over the valley. The rising clouds reflected the orange-red light of the setting sun, creating a magnificent and ever-changing scene.
Jin Zhao lay in bed admiring the magnificent mountain scenery for a while, but Si Tian was still asleep. She was a little thirsty, so she got up to get something to drink.
The restaurant is below. Walking down the cobblestone path, you'll find Meng Yanxi sitting in the courtyard looking at her phone.
In the mountain courtyard, a bamboo fence separates the small bluestone path to the side.
When Jin Zhao looked over, Meng Yanxi also happened to see her. Their eyes met, and Jin Zhao's eyelashes trembled slightly.
He didn't speak. Jin Zhao hesitated for a moment, then walked towards him.
The courtyard gate was ajar, but Meng Yanxi still politely got up and opened the door for her.
Even so, he knew Jin Zhao well enough to easily guess her intention to approach him.
"You want to ask about Wu Nian?"
He gestured for her to sit down, and then sat down opposite her.
Jin Zhao felt a little embarrassed when he saw through her at a glance. She had originally thought of a long opening speech, intending to start by thanking him for his help last time, making a smooth transition so that she wouldn't seem too abrupt.
Feeling a little embarrassed by his words, Jin Zhao could only ask, "Do you know what happened?"
“I don’t know,” Meng Yanxi looked up at her, “but I can probably guess.”
Their eyes met, and Jin Zhao, perhaps feeling guilty, almost dared not look him directly in the eye. Her gaze fell on his high, straight nose, and she asked softly, "What?"
Meng Yanxi: "Old Wu was keeping a woman outside, she was eight months pregnant, it was a son. In the first half of the year, he was in a car accident, a rear-end collision, the baby was lost, and the woman's uterus was also removed."
Jin Zhao took a moment to realize what was going on and found it absurd: "They think Wu Nian did it? But she had no motive at all. She's lost everything all these years. Whether she has children outside or not, Wu Liang never treated her like a daughter. What good would she gain from doing this, besides staining her hands with blood and having a guilty conscience?"
Meng Yanxi remained noncommittal, simply looking at Jin Zhao: "You trust your friend?"
Jin Zhao: "Trust."
Meng Yanxi: "Then let's continue to believe that we will eventually see the end of this grand drama involving the Wu family."
The Wu family is indeed a big show, but she probably won't see it.
She murmured, "Wu Nian never tells me these things, and I don't know any other members of the Wu family."
Meng Yanxi looked at her and said, "I know her."
Jin Zhao paused for a moment, then said, "Okay, then you can update it for me later."
Meng Yanxi suddenly chuckled softly, looked at her, and shook her head: "I can't update it, see for yourself."
It was just six simple words, and at first, she didn't understand. Until one instant, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, Jin Zhao abruptly looked up.
The man stared straight at her, his peach blossom eyes cool and beautiful, with a deep, dark blackness in the depths.
She didn't know the Wu family; he was her only connection to them. So, was clinging to him and staying by his side the only way she could see the ending?
A startled bird suddenly took flight, the flapping sound of its wings echoing through the silent forest and striking my chest.
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Author's Note: Yesterday's chapter was a bit short, but I'm in better form today, so here's an extra chapter! My extra chapters are always two chapters combined!
Just to clarify, I don't have any drafts saved up, but I'll try to write as much as I can whenever I feel like it. Please forgive me if I'm not feeling well, because if I force myself to write something, I'll have to go back and revise it later anyway, so it's better to hold off for now. Mwah~
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