“Xiao Zhao’s friends are from the same generation as her, and probably eight or ten years younger than you.” Gu Heping raised an eyebrow. “You two have been dating for so long, don’t you feel any sense of crisis? Haven’t you thought about giving Xiao Zhao a proper status?”
Old Cheng was truly helpless. "It's not that I don't want to give it to her, it's that she simply doesn't want to. If she agreed, I would immediately close the shop and take her to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get the birth permit at the same time."
Gu Heping said, "You need to hurry up with this. Look at this table full of young, handsome men. Are you scared yet?"
“If she’s willing, even ten Jackson Yees couldn’t pull her away; if she’s not willing, not even chains could hold her back.” Old Cheng exudes a very reliable sense of security, and his confidence is just as dependable. “I’ll accompany her for a while, and I’ll make her happy for this part of the journey. I don’t want anything else.”
Gu Heping felt a pang of jealousy and shuddered. He glanced upstairs again and said, "He's still not awake."
Old Cheng hummed in agreement, "I just went up to check, he's asleep. Don't disturb him, he's had enough on his plate these past few days."
Gu Heping lowered his voice, "How many people come knocking on our door?"
“There are many, but none of them are reliable,” Lao Cheng said. “Have you ever seen him give up? We’ve known each other for fifteen years. He’s put in so much effort and manpower. He’s practically posted missing person notices all over the country.”
Gu Heping also sighed, "Zhou Kedou is looking for his mother. To be honest, I feel quite sorry for him."
Old Cheng chuckled, "He doesn't care about your pity. If someone else comes along, Zhou Kedou will recover in no time."
As they were talking, Zhao Zhao ran over and hugged Lao Cheng from behind, peeking her little head out from his side with her beautiful eyes looking up at him. "Is my tea ready yet?"
Old Cheng freed one hand and touched her face. "Go ahead, I'll bring it to you later."
Zhao Zhao skipped away again, and Old Cheng, with the heart of a father, said, "Slow down, don't fall."
After seeing her classmate off, the teahouse closed.
Zhou Qishen came downstairs and slept for two hours, feeling quite refreshed.
Old Cheng brewed him a cup of Houkui tea, "to wake him up."
Zhou Qishen sat on a high stool, pinched his brow hard, and shook his head.
"So, how many of them meet the requirements?" Gu Heping asked.
“I saw all three this morning.” Zhou Qishen took a deep breath. “That’s all.”
Old Cheng: "Didn't you say it was in the Northwest? Now that we've narrowed it down, it's not that hard to find. Don't worry too much. While it's true that things can be done by human effort, fate also plays a part."
Zhou Qishen nodded, poured out a cigarette, lit it, and said, "I know."
After a moment of silence, Zhou Qishen, who had smoked half a cigarette, turned his head to look at Gu Heping. "You usually talk the most nonsense, why are you so quiet now?"
Gu Heping scrolled through his phone, and indeed, he didn't change his posture for a long time.
He looked up, his eyes flickered, and suddenly asked, "Brother Zhou, have you added Meng Weixi on WeChat?"
Zhou Qishen's gaze was straight as a sword, filled with murderous intent, his refined demeanor completely gone, revealing his unspeakable roughness.
Gu Heping understood, so it must have happened.
“Let me tell you something, just take it as a joke—a friend of mine sent me a screenshot of Meng Weixi’s posts before he blocked his WeChat Moments. For the past two or three months, he hasn’t posted anything on Moments, he just likes to repost articles.”
Zhou Qishen stopped smoking and held the cigarette between his fingers, the wisps of smoke slowly flowing over his smooth, even knuckles.
Gu Heping said, "I'll just read you a random title: 'A Righteous Man Goes to Jail for His Brother, His Girlfriend Becomes His Brother's Wife After His Release,' 'Beware of the Wolves Around You, They'll Scum You Without Mercy,' 'Drive the Biggest Excavator and Pry Off the Most Beautiful Wall.'"
Old Cheng couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Gu Heping didn't dare to say anything more and simply handed over the phone, saying, "See for yourself."
Zhou Qishen's gaze fell to the screen. Meng Weixi had posted a new update that afternoon; the photo showed pink champagne roses on the passenger seat, the warm tones exuding romance. Meng Weixi didn't say anything else, only a line of poetry—
"With the lamp and moon behind me, I seek the shade of flowers; ten years of traces, ten years of heart."
This was a euphemism; those who didn't understand might have thought Meng Weixi was being sentimental. Zhou Qishen, however, understood perfectly. Meng's meaning, translated, was simply this: "So what if I steal your people? I'm officially declaring war on you, Zhou."
Chapter 24 A's Purgatory, B's Paradise (1)
What is A's Purgatory is B's Paradise (1)
There was no real reason for Zhou Qishen and Meng Weixi to keep in touch frequently. It's just that this circle only has so many people, and even superficial acquaintances have to be carefully considered.
Gu Heping was different; he was a true Beijinger, and his knowledge of Meng Weixi was undoubtedly far greater. A pampered child of the Meng family, a man raised in luxury, he possessed a certain arrogance. Meng Weixi had toned it down in recent years, but his inherent pride and self-restraint remained. Back then, Zhou Qishen's feelings for Zhao Xiyin were so well hidden that Meng Weixi hadn't taken him seriously at all. Little did he know that Zhou Qishen was the one lurking behind, cunningly seizing the opportunity and ruthlessly extinguishing all of Meng Weixi's hopes.
Zhou Qishen and Zhao Xiyin's wedding was a low-key affair, without a large banquet. They had a meal with four tables of guests, and the couple went on a two-week trip the next day. Little was known about the wedding, and Meng Weixi had to make numerous inquiries before finally receiving a photo from a friend.
In Zhou Qishen and Zhao Xiyin's wedding photo, the two stand in a row, the bride holding a bouquet, her eyes sparkling with joy.
At that time, Meng Weixi felt that her life was doomed.
Regret and hatred intertwined, almost becoming a morbid obsession. The scar on his wrist was something he had unconsciously cut himself while eating steak. He was so engrossed in cutting that he forgot the pain and the consequences, until the person next to him screamed, bringing him back to his senses.
His self-destructive tendencies led him to see a psychologist for six months. That's how adults are; after getting through the most agonizing period, they let the trauma heal quietly and bury it deep inside.
Meng Weixi's hidden anger and resentment towards Zhou Qishen remained unchanged; her hatred was as deep as the sea.
His post on WeChat Moments basically revealed his completely public attitude. It's such a rare occasion; the hot young master of the family is about to have a good thing happen. It would be a very prestigious event if a socialite or young lady from another family were to marry into the Meng family.
Meng Weixi sent the flowers in a very ostentatious manner, appearing smartly and in a suit downstairs at Zhao Xiyin's house.
On Saturday, Zhao Wenchun had no classes. He bought groceries at the market early in the morning and bumped into Meng Weixi downstairs. Meng Weixi smiled like a young man and said, "Uncle."
Zhao Wenchun was stunned by the roses in his arms. She stammered for a long time before finally managing to utter only a few dry words: "Oh, it's Xiao Meng. Come upstairs and sit down."
Zhao Xiyin, still in her pajamas, spat out a mouthful of milk. Meng Weixi, unfazed and generous, placed the flowers on the table and told her, "Xiao west, I want to pursue you again."
The two stood facing each other, and Zhao Xiyin felt awkward. Teacher Zhao squeezed through the crowd, carrying a rag, choosing to walk between them instead of using the wide aisle beside them. After wiping the table, she smiled and said to Meng Weixi, "The flowers are pretty, but Xiaoxi doesn't want them. You can give them to this old man. I have an empty vase at home, so I can put them in it."