After eating lunch, Wen Xian reluctantly sent off Shen Lingge. Shen Lingge did not let her follow to the airport. Wen Xian could only hold Wen Xianxian and stand in front of the car, waving claw claw to say goodbye to him.
Shen Lingge stretched out his hand from the window to hold her hand, instructing: “When going home, must pay attention to safety. Whether getting off work or going to paint, no matter when, must not stay alone by yourself, understand?”
Wen Xian nodded: “Understood, there is Duoduo and Uncle Driver.”
The two talked for a while before Shen Lingge left. Wen Xian stared without blinking as Shen Lingge’s car drove farther away. The Wen Xianxian in her arms also howled a few times toward the car going away.
After Shen Lingge left not long, Wen Xian also carried small bag preparing to go to work. She also had Duoduo pack a big pile of gifts, all prepared to give to the colleagues in the office.
But except for Zhuo Xiangshuang’s gift, the rest were all prepared by Xiao Song under Shen Lingge’s instruction.
When Wen Xian arrived at the company, the colleagues in the office were all taking noon nap. There were also some still burying head in work. She quietly placed all the gifts on their desks. Colleagues who were still working were somewhat surprised and thanked her.
Wen Xian bent her eyebrows and eyes slightly. The colleague paused looking at her and then slowly moved their gaze away.
After sending all the gifts, Wen Xian then entered the office. Zhuo Xiangshuang’s seat was empty. She went to touch the coffee cup—it was warm. Wen Xian placed the perfume and earrings on Zhuo Xiangshuang’s desk and then began to turn on the computer to check emails.
Inside the inbox were two unopened emails. On the desk there were also several documents.
Wen Xian poured herself a glass of water and then started working. After learning painting she still had to work overtime at home. They needed these translation materials by tomorrow.
Afternoon two o’clock.
Zhuo Xiangshuang opened the door from the break room yawning. When she saw Wen Xian she paused for a moment, then casually ran over, pleasantly surprised: “Xian Xian, you’re back! When you weren’t here I was so bored alone.”
Wen Xian smiled: “Haven’t been back long, I brought you a gift.”
Hearing there was a gift, Zhuo Xiangshuang immediately turned her head to look at her own desk. She smiled squinting eyes and thanked Wen Xian before going back to open the gift. The perfume and earrings Wen Xian chose, she liked both very much.
Zhuo Xiangshuang patted her own head: “Xian Xian, tonight I’ll treat you to dinner, I haven’t eaten with you for several days.”
Wen Xian thought for a moment and agreed. She sent a message to Duoduo saying she wouldn’t go back for dinner tonight and told Duoduo to bring her painting bag when going out.
Duoduo’s reply message came very quickly: Miss, you’d better not eat random things, otherwise Young Master will get angry again.
Wen Xian: “……”
After work, Wen Xian and Zhuo Xiangshuang discussed and went to a Japanese restaurant to eat. Wen Xian very consciously avoided those raw and cold seafood, did not touch even a sip of sake or dessert.
During the meal, she just propped her chin listening to Zhuo Xiangshuang ramble about things that happened at the company these past two days and gossip.
Zhuo Xiangshuang drank a little sake, her cheeks slightly flushed. Suddenly she leaned closer to Wen Xian and lowered her voice saying: “Xian Xian, do you remember at the end of last month our company held a banquet, that night General Manager Shen appeared, he was holding a woman in his arms.”
She took another sip of wine and continued: “No one dared to take photos, but everyone was asking who that woman was. I heard them say this person seems to be working in our company. I suspect…”
Wen Xian swallowed her saliva, a little nervous looking at Zhuo Xiangshuang: “You suspect what?”
Zhuo Xiangshuang’s eyes slightly narrowed: “I suspect it’s that white lotus in the secretary office! When I just joined the company I heard she has background, many people couldn’t find out her origins. And last month the dress she wore was also black.”
Wen Xian quietly let out a breath of relief. She asked: “What about her? Did she bully you?”
Zhuo Xiangshuang said with worry: “What she’s best at is whispering in people’s ears. One time an intern girl from another department went to the restroom and happened to hear her making a phone call. When she came out she immediately said without another word that she was deliberately not making a sound, was she eavesdropping, and even forcibly checked the person’s phone to see if there was recording. The intern girl was almost scared to cry.”
“The key point is afterwards, every person in that department had one thousand yuan deducted from their salary, then no one spoke to that girl again. The internship didn’t even last one month before she resigned.”
Wen Xian pursed her lips: “No one went to file a complaint?”
Zhuo Xiangshuang shook her head: “Everyone’s just trying to make a living, not easy. Shen Corporation’s benefits can already rank in the top five in Licheng. Everyone knows she has background, no one dares to provoke her. You weren’t here these past two days, heard she’s been talking about you behind your back.”
Wen Xian blanked out for a moment, she didn’t even know that secretary: “Talking about me, what?”
Zhuo Xiangshuang filled her wine cup: “Saying you have a driver sending you to work, saying every piece of clothing you wear is limited edition, she suspects you’re a parachuted-in person from headquarters.”
Wen Xian spoke in a small voice: “I am my boyfriend’s parachute.”
Hearing this, Zhuo Xiangshuang’s eyes lit up, immediately throwing that woman to the back of her mind. She leaned her head over excitedly: “Xian Xian, you have a boyfriend? Last time you said it was someone you liked? You got together?”
Wen Xian curved her lips: “Mm, just these past two days.”
Zhuo Xiangshuang immediately became lively: “When shall we have a meal together?”
Wen Xian hesitated for a moment, said: “He recently doesn’t have time for now, wait until he’s free later, I’ll ask him.”
Zhuo Xiangshuang curiously asked: “Xian Xian, what does your boyfriend do? Tsk tsk, what kind of man can capture our little fairy’s heart?”
Wen Xian was silent for a moment, she slightly avoided Zhuo Xiangshuang’s gaze and lightly coughed once: “He… he’s just doing business, recently always on business trips outside, he’s very impressive.”
Zhuo Xiangshuang suddenly smiled at her ambiguously: “Is he handsome? That aspect, how is it? Can or cannot?”
Wen Xian: “…I’m not too clear.”
Zhuo Xiangshuang couldn’t hold back and laughed out loud. She leaned close to Wen Xian and whispered a few sentences to her. The more Wen Xian listened the redder her face became. After Zhuo Xiangshuang finished speaking, she pulled back a bit from her: “Remembered?”
Wen Xian nodded: “Remembered.”
When the two went out, Duoduo and the driver were already waiting at the entrance. They first sent Zhuo Xiangshuang home and then sent Wen Xian to class. After Zhuo Xiangshuang got in the car, she touched the leather seat underneath with an envious face. She sighed: “Xian Xian, you must be careful in the future, I always feel that white lotus wants to stir up trouble.”
Wen Xian comforted: “Don’t be afraid, if she bullies you in the future tell me, I… I’ll go report to Mr. Shen!”
Zhuo Xiangshuang froze for a moment: “Mr. Shen is so busy, he wouldn’t care about these things, right?”
Wen Xian’s gaze flickered a bit: “My work from before was directly assigned by Mr. Shen. From communicating with him, I feel he’s quite a good person, don’t worry.”
The alcohol made Zhuo Xiangshuang’s brain a little dull. She looked at Wen Xian suspiciously once, but immediately after she was attracted by the car’s built-in wine cabinet, completely forgetting about this matter.
After sending Zhuo Xiangshuang off, Duoduo slightly sighed: “Miss, your level of lying is too bad. If not for Miss Zhuo being drunk, anyone could see you have a relationship with Young Master.”
Wen Xian puffed her cheeks: “…I already tried my best.”
Duoduo had just heard their conversation, so naturally also noticed the white lotus Zhuo Xiangshuang mentioned. She asked without showing expression: “Miss, just now the person Miss Zhuo mentioned, who is it?”
Wen Xian shook her head: “I don’t know either, just know she’s from the secretary office.”
Seeing that she didn’t know, Duoduo didn’t ask further. The car turned and went to the painting studio.
—
Jicheng.
The address Old Wang found of Zhao Chengshan’s parents was already from two years ago. He and Chang Shang went there only to find out they had already moved away. After a whole afternoon of asking around in circles, they finally found their current address.
It was still from asking one of their relatives. At the time that person’s tone when mentioning the Zhao family seemed to carry some disdain: “Who doesn’t know they made a fortune relying on Shan Zi. After Shan Zi died they took a large sum of compensation money. All these years during Qingming [Tomb-Sweeping Festival] never seen them go back to visit Shan Zi. Only the old man guarding an empty grave alone. Back then it was almost the next day after getting the money that they moved houses. Two years ago a woman came to look for them, then not long after they moved house again. I also only found out their address recently. Zhao family’s youngest daughter just took the college entrance exam this year, heard she got into Mingcheng University, so Zhao family invited several tables of relatives to a banquet.”
By the time Old Wang and Chang Shang found Zhao Chengshan’s parents’ residence, it was already close to 7 p.m. They hadn’t had time to eat. When passing by a food street, Old Wang got out of the car to buy some food.
About ten minutes later, Old Wang came back. He handed jianbing guozi [a type of Chinese savory pancake] and huajia fensi [clam and vermicelli noodle soup] to Chang Shang: “Let’s eat before we go. I estimate there won’t be any harvest this trip. Zhao Chengshan’s parents probably won’t answer our questions. We still have to find that woman for things to progress.”
Chang Shang took the things Old Wang handed over. He hadn’t eaten these things before and felt a faint sense of curiosity. Although at first the Chang family’s business wasn’t doing well, the food the family provided for him and Chang Yuan was always the best.
Later, after his aunt married Wen Tianlin, the Chang family’s business rose with the tide. Their family gradually got rid of the small environment from before, and the circle of people they interacted with also changed.
Their life became completely different from before.
Chang Shang silently took a bite of the hot jianbing guozi. The rich flavor suddenly exploded in his mouth. He broke apart the chopsticks and tasted a bite of the spicy clam vermicelli.
Originally he didn’t eat spicy food. This one bite made him choke a little. The numbing spicy sensation danced on the tip of his tongue.
Old Wang hurriedly handed him water: “Can’t eat spicy? Why didn’t you say earlier, I’ll go buy you something else.”
Chang Shang took the water and drank a sip. He pulled Old Wang’s sleeve, lowering his voice: “It’s fine, it tastes good. And… tonight I’m very happy, it’s practically the most relaxed day for me in these recent days.”
Old Wang smiled: “Eat up.”
Under the night, outside the car window was the bustling and lively food street full of fireworks flavor [referring to human worldly atmosphere]. Inside the car window, Chang Shang lowered his head, mouthful after mouthful stuffing vermicelli into his mouth, his eye rims gradually turning red.
It was as if he wanted to use this bowl of clam vermicelli to vent all the suppressed emotions and feelings in his heart.
One month ago, Chang Shang lost his heart. But in this month, he had been slowly finding it back, finding back his own heart and his family’s conscience.
…
Wen Xian came out from the bathroom after drying her hair and immediately sent Shen Lingge a message.
[Wen Xian: Gege, I’m going to bed.]
[Shen Lingge: It’s ten o’clock now, sleep in half an hour.]
[Wen Xian: I still have to work overtime.]
[Shen Lingge: Do it at the company tomorrow.]
[Wen Xian: It’s due at ten o’clock tomorrow, I’m afraid I won’t make it.]
[Shen Lingge: Latest eleven o’clock.]
[Wen Xian: Got it.]
During that period, Shen Lingge didn’t send her any more messages. Wen Xian buried her head in doing translation until eleven o’clock when her phone slightly vibrated. Shen Lingge sent a message urging her to sleep.
After Wen Xian replied to the message, she obediently closed her computer and prepared to sleep. When she turned off the light, her phone sounded again. Wen Xian stretched out her hand and glanced at it—it was a voice message sent by Shen Lingge.
Wen Xian opened it. The man’s low voice came through the receiver into her ear canal.
He said: “Good night, my treasure.”