38 Chapter Thirty-Seven (Two chapters combined)
◎Yu Jinyang has gone astray outside. ◎
Li Yingqiao hated Yu Jinyang terribly when she was a child. In her eyes, he was a traitor among the children, an enemy of the people. Because he was always so obedient, like an oddball, and he treated the words of teachers and elders as gospel. He even wanted to figure out the exact ingredients of a teacher's fart.
The problem was that he was always shorter than her, with a thin, frail build like a skinny monkey. How could she possibly like someone like that? She even considered making more unconventional friends to teach this public enemy a lesson.
After all, given this young master's meticulously planned life, his future was so clear it was almost boring: either he'd be working for the government or he'd be dressed in a suit and at the negotiating table.
Even in high school, Li Yingqiao and Zheng Miaojia firmly believed that they would rather have a blond-haired boyfriend than an enemy of the people.
However, Yu Jinyang was very low-key in high school, focusing on his studies and no longer obeying his teachers and parents. In his senior year, he even entered a rebellious phase, arguing with everyone and everything at the slightest disagreement. Yu Renjie and Tang Xiang couldn't do anything about him.
Li Yingqiao had even overheard him arguing with Yu Renjie several times. She had never seen Yu Jinyang so fierce, nor Yu Renjie so angry that he kept jumping up and down. The atmosphere between the father and son was so tense that it felt suffocating to outsiders. Back then, Tang Xiang always went to the parent-teacher conferences for the senior year of high school; Yu Renjie never showed up.
In fact, few people at the school knew that Yu Jinyang was the son of the "King of Timber in Fengtan". He had never danced Popping in public, and he always practiced alone in the dance studio. In addition, the learning atmosphere at Fengtan High School was indeed intense, and even a carefree person like Li Yingqiao would unconsciously become tense at Fengtan High School.
There have never been any prominent figures in Tanzhong; only the sweltering heat of the June college entrance examination can truly reveal their abilities.
Looking at him now, it's hard to believe that Yu Jinyang was ignored in high school. Having passed through that rebellious and turbulent period, compared to before, he now shows a more restrained flamboyance. It's not in his words and actions, but rather that he clearly knows how to present himself well now. You can even imagine his broad shoulders and narrow waist under his loose T-shirt, making him a walking clothes hanger.
His demeanor is actually more relaxed and unrestrained than when he was young, and it is precisely because of this sense of propriety that his inherent sharpness and restraint are highlighted.
It wasn't too surprising that Li Yingqiao later fell in love with him. At that time, she was getting tutoring at Liang Mei's house almost every week. Amidst various frictions, their feelings for each other deepened, but they also got to know each other better. Yu Jinyang knew that as soon as Li Yingqiao reached out her hand, she would know whether she wanted a book, a pen, an eraser, or a massage.
Li Yingqiao's possessiveness towards him also erupted at that time. One weekend, her former boss from Xiancheng No. 2 Middle School came to Tanzhong to visit her—the same boss who frequently changed boyfriends and made bets to win people over, allowing her to earn two thousand yuan.
The two went to the Tanzhong basketball court to watch the boys play. Clearly, this woman was there to pick out her prey. But her taste was outrageous. She immediately spotted Yu Jinyang, who wasn't very tall or had a great physique at the time, and even boasted that she would definitely win him over within two weeks.
She asked Li Yingqiao with great interest how much she planned to bet this time.
For the first time ever, Li Yingqiao hesitated—the gang leader was stunningly beautiful, with striking features and an equally impressive bone structure, a perfect example of using beauty to her advantage. Not only did she know how to groom herself, but she also had a complete grasp on the psychology of male high school students; she had never failed in Xianjian 2. If she made a move, Yu Jinyang would definitely be unable to withstand it. However, faced with the readily available gambling winnings, Li Yingqiao's mouth moved faster than her brain, and without thinking, she blurted out, "No, you're not allowed to pursue him."
The boss lady felt it was a waste if she couldn't understand why she'd been around all this time, and she shook her head with a tsk. But her pity wasn't for Yu Jinyang, but for Li Yingqiao, who was just beginning to experience love, and who had ended up with such a greenhorn. She herself simply wanted a change of pace; after eating too much rich food, she occasionally needed something refreshing to cleanse her palate. She left with a meaningful remark: "...Qiaoqiao, you haven't seen enough."
Li Yingqiao quickly realized where her subtle emotions came from. Standing outside the court, her gaze followed the slender figure sprinting under the basket, her shoulders so thin she wondered if she could even lift her. She couldn't help but ask herself again and again: What was it about her that attracted her?
She couldn't understand it then, and she still can't understand it now. Yu Jinyang is practically flawless now; his face, which has never been lacking in beauty since childhood, appears even more profound and handsome against his broad shoulders and back. He's completely different from Pan Xiaoliang—like two bricks laid side-by-side, making the wall look even more ordinary. Yet, she felt little interest; her feelings had faded, and she was less attracted to the conventional, unassuming young man she used to be.
So she kept thinking about a question: what was it that didn't attract her?
The conclusion was simple: she was a common person; once she had it, the allure faded. Besides, his kissing was truly awful; he didn't even know how to use his tongue. Li Yingqiao thought, "He was already in high school back then; even if he hadn't eaten pork, hadn't he seen pigs run?" Miao Jia was right; Miao was indeed conventional, conservative, and boring.
***
After dropping the girls off at their hotel, Gao Dian and Yu Jinyang, Zhong Su, and the others went out for a second round of drinks at a wonton shop near Yu Jinyang's apartment complex. The owner was a familiar face to them; Yu Jinyang and Gao Dian sometimes ate wonton noodles there after playing basketball before heading home. Today, they had a new friend, and the owner generously gave them some duck feet as a thank you for Yu Jinyang's help in recovering his WeChat data, otherwise he would have almost been a victim of a WeChat clone scam.
Gao Dian accepted the duck feet from the boss, said thank you, and then turned to analyze the situation with the two of them: "I think they're both doing something outside. Jiajia is obviously involved; being an idol, she's better at hiding it, but I can still sense it."
Yu Jinyang didn't say anything, and just ate the wontons from the bowl. Zhong Su sent a few amusement park design drawings he had found online to Yu Jinyang's phone, picked up his chopsticks and said, "If they don't want to talk about it, don't ask. If they could talk about it, they would have already told you. If they don't want to talk about it, it's probably just the same old stuff."
Gao Dian, puzzled, exclaimed, "What's wrong?"
Zhong Su, without looking up, ate heartily and said, "It's either work-related stuff or stuff between men and women. What's new under the sun?"
"Stop making wild guesses," Yu Jinyang said, picking up his phone to scan the QR code on the table to pay. "Both of you are still unmarried young women. If they hear you saying these things, aren't you afraid your idol will beat you up?"
Gao Dian chuckled, "That's not necessarily true. Qiaoqiao is much gentler now."
“That’s true.” Yu Jinyang agreed with this point.
Zhong Su then looked up from the wontons, glancing at his brother half-heartedly, and asked, "How was Jiajia before?"
Gao Dian suddenly turned his head, his eyes piercing like knives: "Jia what? You think you can call me Jia Jia?"
Zhong Su curled his lip dismissively: "I'm part of the Little Painting City Ape Team now, so what? Qiaoqiao has no objections, why are you in such a hurry? Do you like Jiajia?"
Gao Dian spat, "Is that all you think about, men and women? How disgusting. If you don't believe me, ask Miao. Miao and I have always treated them like little sisters. But Qiaoqiao saved both of our lives. So Qiaoqiao is our master, and we plan to be her dogs for life. I am the right protector, and she is the left protector."
The right hand is considered superior to the left in Chinese dining etiquette, a principle generally accepted in most international business settings, though a few still adhere to the left-hand tradition. However, Yu Renjie's early business dealings overseas exposed him to many international friends, leading him to adopt the right-hand standard. Consequently, his children, influenced by him, all believed that the right hand was superior to the left.
Zhong Su glanced at Yu Jinyang and pointed to his temple: "Brother, is there... something wrong here?"
"Ignore him." Yu Jinyang also turned his face away, unable to bear looking directly at Gao Dian's loyal face, afraid that he would see a trace of his own past.
"..."
“But I am the Right Protector,” Yu Jinyang reminded Gao Dian as he walked out of the wonton shop.
Gaodian: "..."
Zhong Su: "…………"
***
Three days later, the first episode of the Ape Man Conference was simultaneously released on all official accounts of Xiaohuacheng. However, the filming of the subsequent episodes was still in full swing. Li Yingqiao rarely appeared on set anymore. Xiaohuacheng had too much follow-up work. Including her and Zhao Pingnan, who was an unofficial ape, there were only four people in the scenic area. They were already stretched thin with their work, so they didn't have time to go to the filming location every day to keep track of the progress. The script work had been handed over to Zheng Miaojia.
Li Yingqiao herself is currently coordinating with travel agencies to lead tours, but Xiaohuacheng is indeed quite remote, and it is not close to any of the popular attractions in Nanlai City. Even if the travel agencies are willing, other scenic spots are not willing to be a burden, as it would not only increase the cost of materials in all aspects, but also significantly reduce the tourist experience.
The product manager of the largest travel agency in Fengtan was quite blunt: "You're still young. Xiaohuacheng is like an appendix right now. As long as it doesn't get sick, nobody will make a special trip to the hospital for a checkup for an organ that doesn't really serve any purpose, right? It's understandable that other scenic spots don't want to offer package deals; they also need to consider their annual KPIs. Adding your route would increase costs, wouldn't it? If the tour price goes up, tourists will definitely consider other tours with better value for money at the same price. Besides, the current economic climate is bad. Actually, you could try those 0kb tours; maybe some people will come. Large travel agencies like ours can't offer you those kinds of routes. You could consider other smaller travel agencies."
"Of course." Li Yingqiao knew the other person's words were sincere, though harsh, but since she needed their help, she quickly glanced at the photo the other person had displayed prominently on their desk, then placed the business card on the table and pushed it towards her with a smile, saying, "I understand what you mean, and I completely agree. It's alright, at least today's trip wasn't in vain, thank you Manager Liu. I'll have the scenic area register you for a year's worth of free tickets later, so you can bring your children to the scenic area on weekends. We're planning to hold a wooden toy exhibition soon."
Li Yingqiao maintained a straight back throughout, even though the other party displayed an arrogant attitude from the beginning. She remained composed, occasionally nodding in understanding and offering a few words with a smile. After she finished speaking, the other party momentarily felt that she might have been too overbearing. But so what? It's human nature to fawn over the powerful and belittle the weak.
"Tsk tsk, tsk tsk." Li Yingqiao teased a stray cat in the alley for a while. It was a calico cat that had followed her all the way since she got out of the car. She thought the cat had run away when she went inside to find Manager Liu, but it was still squatting at the door when she came out. She exclaimed "Oh!" in surprise and couldn't help but squat down. Even though she was as strong as a tank, she started to raise her voice and say, "Why are you still here? Were you waiting for me?"
Just as she was about to reach out and pick up the cat, two soft honks sounded from not far away. Li Yingqiao subconsciously looked up and saw a flamboyant, untamed, and aloof black Jeep Wrangler parked quietly at the entrance of the industrial park. The car door was open, and someone got out of the driver's seat and gently honked the horn twice at her.
Li Yingqiao remained squatting there, facing off against Sanhua, then looked up and waved at him with a smile: "Meow! What are you doing here too?"
Yu Jinyang took a small bag of cat food from the trunk, walked over to her in a few steps, squatted down next to her with his trouser leg up, and said to her as he opened the bag, "Why didn't you answer your phone?"
Li Yingqiao then reached into her bag for her phone and glanced at it. Sure enough, there were several missed voice messages: "It's muted. What's wrong? Did you need something?"
Yu Jinyang poured the cat food on the ground, then stood up, dusted off the cat food powder on his hands, and said slowly and deliberately, "Didn't you want to see Uncle Zhang? He's going to Guangdong tomorrow for a month-long management training. I'm afraid you might suddenly remember and desperately want to see him. Don't blame me for not taking your matter to heart then, so I've arranged for you to have dinner with Uncle Zhang tonight. Do you have time? If not, it'll have to be a month from now."
Yes, it definitely exists. "Then this cat—"
Yu Jinyang raised many stray cats and dogs during high school, and Yu Renjie even built a stray cat and dog shelter in Fengtan, which is still open to this day. Since his father's accident, they have not adopted any small animals. In addition, Tian Tong is too young now, and it is not suitable for the family to adopt cats and dogs. They still send them to the shelter, and there are people in charge of finding homes for them.
Li Yingqiao was surprised to find that the stray cat and dog shelter was still open. She knew that Yu Jinyang liked to feed cats and dogs when he had nothing to do, so Brother Siyi specially spent a lot of money to open a stray animal shelter for him, which was named Meow Meow Station.
During their high school years, they didn't have many places to go. One was Liang Mei's house, and the other was Meow Meow Station. After handing the calico cat over to the staff, Yu Jinyang gave the administrator a few more instructions before getting into the car with Li Yingqiao. Li Yingqiao couldn't help but look out the window and sigh, "I didn't expect that Brother Siyi would still be running this homeless shelter. Didn't you ever think about closing it down during the most difficult years?"
"No, I don't think so. I was abroad for those years, and it was Brother Si who took care of me." He drove his car down the mountain.
But in fact, after he returned to China, he has been the one funding this fan site, as his father's company has become unsustainable.
Hearing him call him "Brother Siyi," Li Yingqiao couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Why do you call your dad that?"
“Mind your own business,” he said.
Li Yingqiao laughed, "You don't know what's good for you."
Yu Jinyang glanced at her while driving and asked in a low voice, "How am I ungrateful?"
Li Yingqiao looked up at the sky outside the window. It looked like it was going to rain, a gloomy gray sky pressing down on the heavens. But surprisingly, she suddenly felt a sense of relief, as if she had just left the travel agency. She unconsciously started imitating a little person walking on the car window sill with two fingers, and her mood inexplicably lightened up: "Yes, yes, you know best, Master Meow Meow."
It's strange. After all these years, he can still see through her feelings at a glance, without even needing to talk or exchange any extra glances. For example, today when her finger imitated a little person walking, it was light and free, a completely different frequency and rhythm from the little finger she made when she forcefully kissed him on Fengtan Mountain that day. That day, it was an anxious, unconscious movement.
Yu Jinyang's tone also softened: "How can anyone be as discerning as you, King Qiaoqiao? You remember perfectly well who gave you the steamed bun and who gave you the fist. How did the talk go today?"
Li Yingqiao: "Oh no, she's swearing."
"Huh?" Yu Jinyang looked at her, speechless for a moment.
He had asked casually, prepared for her not to answer truthfully, and thought she would still try to smooth things over with him. He hadn't expected her to tell him about what had happened that day so directly, and he was caught off guard. Li Yingqiao's machine-gun-like speech didn't give him a moment to pause; it poured out like beans spilling from a bamboo tube.
It was as if Li Yingqiao were a can of cola. He had picked it up and shaken it repeatedly, but couldn't figure out what was going on inside. He kept his mouth shut tighter than the pull tab. However, he had forgotten how many pressure bubbles had accumulated inside. Suddenly, when he pulled the tab, the cola gushed out like a well, catching him completely off guard.
"Isn't that outrageous? She actually called the appendix of Fengtan a 'little painting city.' She's the appendix, her whole family are appendixes. Just wait, I'm going to make the little painting city the heart of Fengtan! Bang bang bang bang—let's all explode together! She has no idea how good the little painting city is, how wonderful the apes of the little painting city are!"
Yu Jinyang chuckled: "So you helped the apes fight back?"
“No, I even had the nerve to say it,” Li Yingqiao said with a crestfallen face, then forced a smile, “Thank you, Manager Liu. Manager Liu, please bring your child to play next time, because I saw the photo on her desk. I said I’d give you an annual pass to the scenic area, haha, pretty impressive, right? The amazing thing about me is that if someone slaps me, I can still kiss them back.”
After saying that, Li Yingqiao wanted to slap herself. She secretly glanced at him and found that his expression was not different. He was focused on looking ahead, turned the car into the main lane, merged into the traffic, and slowly stepped on the brake to stop at the traffic light intersection under the familiar old camphor tree. He said indifferently, "Is that so? Li Yingqiao, I didn't slap you."
Li Yingqiao suddenly turned to look at him; she felt she might need to get to know him again.
Yu Jinyang brought the car to a steady stop, one hand on the steering wheel and the other on the door. He glanced sideways at Li Yingqiao, whose expression was somewhat strange in the passenger seat. She was stunned, probably knowing that his reserved nature wouldn't bring up the past. Even if they had shared that kiss, he hadn't asked then, and he definitely wouldn't ask again. At least he wouldn't expose it in person. With his foot still on the brake, Yu Jinyang saw her hand starting to fidget with the door and couldn't help but chuckle again. He unconsciously slammed on the brake, and the engine gave way.
He glanced up at the red light countdown; there were still twenty seconds left. He simply let go of his hands, hugged them to his chest, trying to suppress the trembling in his chest, but the more he tried to hold it in, the more he wanted to laugh. In the end, he laughed unrestrainedly, leaning back in the cockpit, his shoulders shaking.
"You've stalled my car," Yu Jinyang said.
With such a nonchalant attitude, and even accusing the other party first, she really needs to re-evaluate him. It seems like he's gone astray outside.
[Author's Note]
A sneaky second update. Hehehe.
See you Friday and Saturday.
Two hundred red envelopes! [Go for it!][Go for it!]
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