In the afternoon, Jiang Nan finished work early and called Zeng Yu out. Under the envious gazes of the employees, Zeng Yu grabbed his bag and followed her.
“Next time, just text me. Now that everyone has seen it, it doesn’t look good,” Zeng Yu reminded her.
Jiang Nan tilted her head and asked, “You’re also a shareholder, so what’s there to worry about?”
“It’s best if the employees don’t know I’m a shareholder. This company has only one boss, and that’s you.” Zeng Yu replied seriously.
Jiang Nan smiled as she looked back at him. Her good mood made her look radiant, causing Zeng Yu’s heart to flutter, and he couldn’t bring himself to look directly at her.
After Yuan Lei left that afternoon, Jiang Nan made up her mind. If she liked him, she’d tell him, because she really enjoyed being with him. The thought of gaining Zeng Yu’s parents’ approval made her feel like she was on cloud nine.
As they walked downstairs, Jiang Nan headed towards the parking lot, but Zeng Yu had to stop when he saw Xiao Xiao standing in front of him. The smile on his face disappeared.
Jiang Nan had already walked a few meters ahead but sensed something was wrong. She turned around and was also surprised.
“I want to talk to you.” Xiao Xiao said, taking the initiative. Since she had come this far, she wasn’t planning on backing down.
Zeng Yu shook his head, “Let’s arrange another time. I’m really in a hurry today.”
Xiao Xiao didn’t move, remembering that she had never lost a standoff with Zeng Yu before. “Just give me half an hour, please.”
Xiao Xiao’s pitiful look did make Zeng Yu’s heart waver a bit, but he couldn’t forget what had happened at the nightclub. Xiao Xiao’s coldness that night had left a deep scar in his heart.
“Sorry, my colleague is waiting for me. We can talk another time.”
As Zeng Yu declined, Jiang Nan felt relieved. She walked over with a smile, “Zeng Yu, what’s up? Do you want me to go ahead and meet your parents while you stay here and talk with her?”
Xiao Xiao’s expression changed. They’re already meeting his parents?
Zeng Yu wasn’t used to lying, so he explained without thinking, “My dad is here for a medical check-up, and I need to go see him. Sorry, I have to go.”
Zeng Yu said as he walked towards Jiang Nan, leaving Xiao Xiao standing there with an unwilling smile on her lips. Her despairing thoughts revived.
In her mind, Xiao Xiao told herself that if she wanted to, this man would come crawling back to her.
“Tomorrow, I’ll accompany your parents to the hospital,” Jiang Nan said.
Zeng Yu was still lost in thought, “What did you say?” Jiang Nan’s heart twinged slightly. Xiao Xiao’s appearance had easily unsettled Zeng Yu.
“I made the arrangements with the doctor, so of course, I need to go. You stay at the company and take care of things.” Jiang Nan repeated.
Zeng Yu shook his head, “Isn’t that a bit too much? Why should you go?”
“I know the doctor there. I have to go.” Jiang Nan patiently explained.
Dinner was at a place Jiang Nan had chosen, a Cantonese-style seafood hotpot restaurant. Jiang Nan led the way to a private room. The manager was clearly familiar with Jiang Nan and warmly greeted her, “Here again, what would you like today?”
Jiang Nan smiled, “Today’s guests are my boyfriend and his parents. You decide.”
The female manager showed a hint of surprise but quickly returned to normal, smiling, “Got it, I’ll make sure everything is perfect.”
“Zeng Yu, this place isn’t cheap, is it?” Fu Yu asked.
“I’ve never been here either.” Zeng Yu explained in a low voice.
Fu Yu quickly said to Jiang Nan, “Jiang Nan, why don’t we go somewhere else?”
Jiang Nan smiled and held Fu Yu’s hand, “Uncle and Auntie are here for the first time. I want to show my appreciation, so please give me some face.”
Zeng Zhanhao was calm, “She’s already said so much, so let’s not make a fuss. Zeng Yu hasn’t said anything, after all.”
Zeng Yu thought to himself, “What could I say? I don’t know what’s going on either.”
The last time he and Jiang Nan had dinner at a Western restaurant, he didn’t see the bill, but he knew Jiang Nan had spent a lot. He wanted to change the location too, but since Jiang Nan had already decided, there was no point in arguing. Doing so would only make things awkward for her.
They enjoyed abalone, shellfish slices in the hotpot to preserve their original flavors, prawns skewered on bamboo sticks and cooked in the hotpot, and fish fin porridge.
Despite the delicious food, Zeng Yu seemed distracted and ate without much appetite. Jiang Nan noticed this, as did Fu Yu. Jiang Nan pretended not to see, warmly chatting with Fu Yu and Zeng Zhanhao.
Fu Yu, however, couldn’t stand it, but sitting opposite Jiang Nan, she could only glare at Zeng Yu.
Finally, she couldn’t hold it in any longer and said, “What’s wrong with you? Jiang Nan spent money and effort to treat us, and you’re sitting there all distracted. Have you lost your soul?”
Zeng Yu had no response. He was indeed a bit absent-minded.
Seeing this, Jiang Nan immediately laughed, “Auntie, you misunderstood. There was a bit of trouble at the company today, and Zeng Yu has been stressing about it. I’m too lazy to think, so I had to make him use his brain.”
Hearing this, Zeng Yu felt a mix of emotions. This was Jiang Nan—beautiful, wise, and understanding. Even though their hearts were growing closer, Zeng Yu was still resisting deep down.
Fu Yu let it go but still had a stern look on her face. Zeng Zhanhao, not feeling well, returned home after the meal.
When they arrived at the community, Fu Yu said, “We’ll head up on our own. No need for you two to come with us.”
It was clear she was giving them space.
Jiang Nan smiled, “Alright, I’ll pick you up first thing in the morning.”
Zeng Yu hesitated.
Jiang Nan tossed him the car keys, “You drive. I don’t know the way to your place.”
Zeng Yu shook his head, “No need. I’m not in a hurry to go back. I want to walk around a bit.”
Jiang Nan’s heart sank. She forced a smile, “Don’t you want me to come along?”
Zeng Yu shook his head and turned away. Jiang Nan watched him walk off, feeling terrible. This guy was avoiding her. For the first time, she didn’t know how to move forward.
Jiang Nan drove around for a while, eventually arriving at Blue Charm Bar.
Yuan Lei happened to be there. Seeing Jiang Nan come in, she came out from behind the bar, “Why are you alone?”
Jiang Nan shook her head, “I’m in trouble.”
Yuan Lei remained calm, “Tell me about it.”
They found a small booth, ordered some beer, and Jiang Nan poured out her worries.
“I can tell he has feelings for me, but I don’t know how to deal with his situation with Xiao Xiao.”
“How he handles things with Xiao Xiao is his problem,” Yuan Lei said matter-of-factly.
Jiang Nan nodded, “Yeah, if he can’t resolve it, I’ll have to let go. But I don’t want to!”
Yuan Lei smiled slightly, “I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing. Relationships have always been between two people. Now there are three of you, so just be patient and wait. If Zeng Yu can’t handle his relationship with Xiao Xiao, consider it a lesson and move on.”
“Hey, we’re friends, right? Is that the best advice you can give me?” Jiang Nan raised her voice, fueled by the alcohol.
Yuan Lei sighed, “Tell me, how did you fall for him?”
Jiang Nan scratched her head, staring at her glass, thinking for a moment, “I’m not sure when it started. Probably here, at your place. That day, two customers got drunk and insisted on dragging me to dance. I struggled a bit but couldn’t break free and started to panic. Zeng Yu showed up at that moment, standing in front of me. One of the customers took a swing at him, and he dodged a few times before taking two punches. I thought it was just an accident, but I couldn’t help feeling guilty. Later, I saw him again at the graduation ceremony. Who would have thought, the guy had changed his number. From then on, I couldn’t get him out of my mind. Eventually, it became an obsession. After spending more time with him, I discovered many of his good qualities. You know I’ve never had a boyfriend before, and before I knew it, I fell for him. Sometimes, it doesn’t make sense, but I just fell for him.”
Just like in a movie line, “Do you need a reason to like someone?” There is no answer.
“When Xiao Xiao showed up, Zeng Yu started to waver, and you felt bad?” Yuan Lei asked calmly.
Jiang Nan nodded, “Yeah, seeing that woman standing in front of Zeng Yu, I felt awful.”
“I see. You’d better head home now. I’ll say it again: it’s up to Zeng Yu to decide.”
Jiang Nan nodded, “If he can’t handle it, I’ll let go. But I won’t give up without a fight.”
Yuan Lei smiled slightly, “I’m not saying you should give up, but you should be prepared. If it doesn’t work out, you can walk away with no regrets.”
Jiang Nan nodded in agreement, “You’re right. I’ll give him some time.”
That night, Wang Zheng had a bit too much to drink while closing a business deal. Feeling tipsy, he thought of Zeng Yu and pulled out his phone, sending Zeng Yu an address. After that, he sat down on the steps of a nearby shop and dozed off.
Zeng Yu was still wandering aimlessly when he received Wang Zheng’s message.
Xiao Xiao’s appearance had left him confused. How could he easily let go of a relationship that had lasted over two years? The wound from the breakup hadn’t healed. As for Jiang Nan’s feelings for him, how could Zeng Yu not know? But he felt he didn’t deserve Jiang Nan. The confident Zeng Yu always hid a bit of insecurity deep down when it came to Jiang Nan.
After glancing at his phone, Zeng Yu shook his head, hailed a cab, and headed to the address Wang Zheng had sent. When he arrived, he found Wang Zheng sitting on the steps, leaning against the wall, fast asleep. A man was hovering around Wang Zheng, and Zeng Yu, alarmed, shouted, “What are you doing?”
The man turned, meeting Zeng Yu’s fierce gaze with a sharp look of his own.
Zeng Yu instinctively took a step back but quickly regained his composure, stepping forward again, “He’s my friend. I’m here to take him home. Move aside.”
The stranger was startled and instinctively stepped aside, but then he blocked Zeng Yu again, “Is his name Wang Zheng? And who are you?”
“Why should I tell you?” Zeng Yu retorted, preparing to fight. As he looked around, he noticed two burly men standing behind him, their eyes unfriendly, clearly seasoned fighters.
Zeng Yu calmly pulled out his phone, “Move, or I’ll call the police.”
His loud voice drew the attention of a few passersby. The stranger looked surprised, then silently stepped aside.
Zeng Yu walked over to Wang Zheng, who was still sound asleep, drooling slightly. Zeng Yu couldn’t help but curse softly, “All you do is drink. Why don’t you drink yourself to death?” Suddenly, a thought struck him. This stranger might know Wang Zheng.
Zeng Yu turned to the man and looked closely at him. The man was standing still, smiling. Zeng Yu realized he looked a bit like Wang Zheng and urgently asked, “Is he Wang Zheng, from Qingshan County? Are you his second uncle?”
“It seems you’re truly Wang Zheng’s good friend; otherwise, he wouldn’t have told you about my existence.” The stranger smiled sincerely.
Zeng Yu glanced at the still-sleeping Wang Zheng and, in his urgency, kicked him lightly, “Wake up! Your second uncle is here!”
Wang Zheng mumbled in his sleep, “Bullshit, my second uncle died in Africa. We even have his memorial tablet at home.”
Hearing this, Zeng Yu felt a bit awkward and glanced at Wang Zheng’s second uncle, who was now in tears.
“Carry him, let’s go.” the second uncle said, and the two burly men stepped forward, lifting Wang Zheng on either side. He was still asleep, oblivious to what was happening.
Zeng Yu hesitated, “Um, second uncle…”
The second uncle raised his hand, cutting him off, “Come along. I have some questions for you.”
Wang Zheng was carried into an Audi Q7, while the second uncle got into a Maybach. Zeng Yu was about to hesitate when the second uncle waved him over, “Get in this car.”
This was the first time Zeng Yu had seen such a car. The back only had two seats, but the vehicle was much longer than a typical sedan.
It was undoubtedly a luxury car. The best car Zeng Yu had ever ridden in was a BMW X3, so he felt a bit out of place.
“Just now, you faced two burly men but still refused to abandon your friend. You’re a good kid!” the second uncle said.
“Ah, it was nothing. Wang Zheng and I are brothers.”
“I believe you, no need to explain. What did Wang Zheng tell you about me?”
“He didn’t say much. Just that his family had a second uncle who insisted on going abroad, got into a fight with the family, and then disappeared. Wang Zheng also said that his second uncle was really good to him, even better than his dad.” Zeng Yu answered truthfully.
“Young and reckless.” the second uncle sighed, leaning back in his seat, lost in thought.
Zeng Yu didn’t know how to respond, so the second uncle smiled, “It’s good that you call me second uncle. Now, tell me, what’s been happening with Wang Zheng? I visited our old home, but I didn’t expect the Wang family to be gone.”
Zeng Yu looked at him, then decided to speak the truth, “The Wang family used to be very wealthy, not just in the county, but also ranked in the city and province. I don’t know why they fell from grace, but when I met Wang Zheng, we were in our third year of high school. The family had already run into trouble. Wang Zheng drank all the time, and I tried to encourage him to pull himself together. Later, he left Qingshan County and came to Shanghai to make a living. Now, he’s a salesperson at a musical instrument store, and his performance is quite good, but he often drinks too much because of the pressure.”
The second uncle could tell that Zeng Yu was downplaying his importance to Wang Zheng, and he couldn’t help but smile. Over the years, he had encountered so much human treachery while surviving abroad. Returning to his home country, he hadn’t expected to see Wang Zheng and meet Zeng Yu in just one glance.
“How do you know he gets drunk?” the second uncle asked, seemingly casually.
Zeng Yu replied, “He sends me his location. Sometimes, when he knows he’s too drunk to get home, he’ll send me a message so I can pick him up.”
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