Secretary Xu followed him into the office, reporting along the way: "Are you going to see Minister Li tomorrow?"
"What time is it?"
"The banquet starts at 5:30, so you need to leave at 4:30."
Zhou Qishen asked, "Are there any more plans after this?"
"there is none left."
He nodded. "Go."
After reporting a few more items, the two went to the office. As Zhou Qishen walked towards his desk, he suddenly paused. It was a very obvious movement, and even Secretary Xu stopped, asking in surprise, "Mr. Zhou? Is there something you need?"
Zhou Qishen shook his head very lightly, then returned to normal, walked around the table and sat down in the leather chair, "Continue."
With business concluded, Secretary Xu asked with a smile, "President Zhou, where will you be spending the New Year this year?"
"What's wrong?"
"My family runs a farm in the suburbs. If you are in Beijing, I would like to invite you to visit."
Zhou Qishen asked, "Your house was demolished again?"
Secretary Xu wiped her sweat, "No, no, no."
Looking up at him, Zhou Qishen understood.
Xu Jin had been with him for almost ten years, and their bond was no less than that of Gu Heping and Lao Cheng. What was most admirable about him was his ability to maintain his proper position and fulfill the duties of a secretary. However, his concern for Zhou Qishen was always on his mind. He knew about Zhou Qishen's troubled family background and how he had been living a lonely life for the past two years after his divorce from Zhao Xiyin. He didn't get to celebrate the New Year with his family; in fact, he didn't feel like he was celebrating at home. The year before last, Zhou Qishen even stayed at the company to work overtime on New Year's Eve.
Xu Jin was simply using a different phrasing to indirectly comfort the elderly man living alone.
Zhou Qishen nodded and smiled slightly, "No need, thank you."
Seeing that her boss was in a good mood, Secretary Xu dared to pry into gossip, "Is it possible that President Zhou and Xiao Zhao are getting married soon?"
Zhou Qishen readily admitted, "Yes."
Are you having a wedding this time?
Zhou Qishen was genuinely taken aback for a moment, then nodded after thinking it over. "I'll do it. Otherwise, I'll be letting her father down."
Secretary Xu thought to himself, "I must write this down in my little notebook. It's the most important task for next year, and I must complete it perfectly."
“Oh, right,” Zhou Qishen said, “help me make an appointment with Dr. Lin.”
Secretary Xu frowned. "President Zhou, is it you again?"
"No, I just need to ask her about something," Zhou Qishen replied calmly.
——
Su Ying had an allergic reaction and stayed in the hospital for a week. She has a peculiar constitution; she's sensitive, has strong reactions, and the reactions last a long time. The troupe's rehearsals were delayed again. If it were anyone else, they would probably have been cursed at for eighteen generations, but the production team not only didn't complain, but also sent high-ranking officials to visit and offer their condolences several times. Zhao Xiyin heard all this from people in the troupe.
Feeling guilty, Zhao Xiyin still went to the hospital to visit Su Ying again that night.
She hadn't contacted anyone beforehand; she stood quietly by the ward door. Later, a nurse came in, opening the door and asking, "Who are you looking for?"
The door opened a crack, and Su Ying heard the sound, saw the figure, and called out to her, "Come in."
Zhao Xiyin didn't move, but put her hands behind her back, only poked her head in, and asked cautiously, "Teacher Su, you're not allergic to lilies, are you?"
Su Ying was stunned.
Zhao Xiyin smiled and said, "I bought you a bouquet of lilies."
Su Ying's lips curved into a clear smile, and her expression softened. "It's alright."
Zhao Xiyin happily pushed open the door, only to see that there was another man in the ward.
Around forty years old, tall and upright, his age was evident, but so was his refined air. Zhao Xiyin had always felt that the most valuable quality in a middle-aged man was his lack of greasiness and pretentiousness. This man before her was undoubtedly one of them. He wore only a dark turtleneck cashmere sweater, with a low-key brown vintage-style watch on his left wrist, which accentuated his extraordinary demeanor.
He looked at Zhao Xiyin, nodded, and smiled.
Su Ying said calmly, "My husband is Qiao Shinan."
Zhao Xiyin immediately shook hands nervously, "Hello, Teacher Qiao."
The man chuckled, "I really don't deserve it. Don't be so polite, just call me Uncle Qiao."
Zhao Xiyin said, "You're not that old."
The man's face lit up with pleasure; he seemed to have a very good impression of her.
Unlike her usual aloof and beautiful self, Su Ying was now tender and affectionate, her gaze softening as she looked at her husband. She said to Zhao Xiyin, "Sit down."
Qiao Shinan accepted the flowers and left the ward without hesitation.
Zhao Xiyin and Su Ying exchanged glances, their apologies evident in their eyes. With a low voice and a humble demeanor, they said, "I'm sorry, Teacher Su."
Su Ying hummed in agreement, "You don't need to worry about it too much."
Zhao Xiyin touched the tip of her nose and honestly admitted her mistake, "I have corrected it."
"What?"
"I opened a Weibo account and follow a lot of entertainment and magazine accounts, including yours." Under Su Ying's gaze, Zhao Xiyin's voice gradually faded.
Su Ying scoffed and chuckled, "Starting to cram in gossip now?"