Zhang Jingzhi smiled, stood up, and taking advantage of Wang Yuhan's carelessness, pulled him down onto the sofa. She then rushed to the door, opened it, and said loudly and seriously, "President Wang, please don't scold me. I know I was wrong. I'll send you the analysis report this afternoon!"
After saying that, he made a face at Wang Yuhan and then strode away. Wang Yuhan lay on the sofa in anger, gritting his teeth.
No sooner had Zhang Jingzhi left Wang Yuhan's office than Bai Jie's inside line reached Wang Yuhan. Bai Jie glanced at Zhang Jingzhi, who was leaving with her head down, and chuckled, "Senior brother, how was it? Don't forget my contribution! I first eliminated your potential rival, and then kicked your darling to your side!"
Only then did Wang Yuhan realize that Zhang Jingzhi's brave charge in had resulted in a kick to the butt from Bai Jie. He found it both infuriating and amusing, thinking that the girl had actually helped him out, but if Zhang Jingzhi came to her senses later, there would be no shortage of trouble. He could only laugh and say, "Don't mention this again, you're just causing me trouble!"
"Hey? Senior brother! You can't do this! You're just kicking me away after I've served my purpose!"
"No, no, I'll move right now and give you a new place, okay?"
Bai Jie laughed: "No need for that! Hehe, just remember it! Don't worry, even if my senior brother leaves, I will take good care of my future sister-in-law!"
Ever since leaving Wang Yuhan's office, Zhang Jingzhi understood what it meant to feel guilty. She wanted to scrutinize every expression on her colleagues' faces to see if anyone had noticed her. After stealing a few glances, she found that not only did no one pay attention to her, but even Xiao Wang across from her kept his head down and didn't even lift his eyelids at her.
Zhang Jingzhi's heart gradually calmed down, but then she started to feel itchy again. She hadn't expected that she and Wang Yuhan would make such rapid progress. She felt as if the sky, which had been gloomy for several days, had suddenly cleared up, and every face she saw looked more beautiful than usual.
Not only was my heart itching, but my hands were itching too. I picked up my phone several times to send Xiao Xiao a text message, but I kept picking it up and putting it down again. I cursed myself for being so impatient. What a big deal! Did I have to report it to Xiao Xiao right away?
To be honest, Xiao Xiao really didn't have the mind to chat with Zhang Jingzhi right now. She had something more important bothering her. This matter had to start with the cooperation with Wan Chang. The negotiations with Wan Chang had been going smoothly for a while, but for some reason, Wan Chang's attitude had changed significantly recently. To put it simply, they were dragging their feet, neither saying yes nor no, and always finding a small point to ramble on for a long time.
Fang Yi noticed the problem, and Xiao Xiao also felt something was wrong.
On Wan Chang's side, Ah Song is in charge of this case. Xiao Xiao and he are old acquaintances. She tried to get information out of him several times, but the old fox was tight-lipped. In the end, he couldn't stand Xiao Xiao's nagging and finally let slip a little information. He said that he had received a rumor that someone was going to investigate the Fang family, so they had no choice but to wait and see how things developed.
It seems someone is trying to sabotage the Fang family. This matter shouldn't have much to do with Xiao Xiao. She's always been the kind of person who only does what she's paid for and rarely worries about things that don't concern her. But she heard from Ah Song that the person causing trouble behind the scenes is surnamed He. For some reason, as soon as she heard the surname He, Xiao Xiao thought of the man who was harassing Chu Yang.
Xiao Xiao didn't need to remind Fang Yi. Since Ah Song was able to get the news, someone else would naturally inform the Fang family. Xiao Xiao's dilemma was whether or not to tell Chu Yang about this.
Chu Yang
H University campus.
When Chu Yang found He Yiyang, he was in the laboratory. The large laboratory was almost empty, and He Yiyang was surprised to see Chu Yang enter. He stood up somewhat flusteredly and asked with his head down, "Why are you here? Why didn't you call ahead?"
Chu Yang waved his phone and said, "My phone died, and I thought you might be here, so I came to check on you."
He Yiyang, head down, tidied the equipment on the lab bench and said quickly, "Oh, you came to ask about going abroad? Everything is going smoothly. I've already contacted Professor Tang in the UK, and he's very happy—Chu Yang?"
He stepped back to avoid Chu Yang's hand, but Chu Yang still grabbed his arm and pulled him over. He Yiyang dodged, refusing to let Chu Yang see his left cheek.
Chu Yang had already noticed the bruise on the corner of his mouth.
"What happened to your mouth?" Chu Yang asked coldly.
He Yiyang pulled his hand away from Chu Yang's and said softly, "It's nothing, I bumped into him by accident!"
Chu Yang remained silent, still staring intently at him. Seeing that he couldn't avoid it, He Yiyang could only give a wry smile and say, "I ran into the boss when I went home for dinner last night. I didn't like him, so I got into a fight with him."
Chu Yang remained silent for a long time before saying softly, "Why bother? I don't want you to get involved in this. After all, he's still your brother."
He Yiyang said angrily, "But he told me that you gave him your phone number yourself!"
Chu Yang nodded. "That's right, it's me."
He Yiyang was stunned, and for a moment he didn't know what to say. He just stared blankly at Chu Yang.
Chu Yang let out a barely audible sigh, a strange smile on his face, and asked, "He Yiyang, I'm very selfish, aren't I? I know you can't possibly step back to the position of friend so quickly, but I still make you do this and that for me, just like when we were kids, always bullying you and never considering your feelings, right?"
He Yiyang was clearly not expected Chu Yang to say such a thing. He was a little stunned and stammered, "I, I don't mind."
Chu Yang smiled. "Whether you mind or not, I still did it. I used you." She clicked her tongue and nodded, her voice lowering. "That's right, I used you because I had no other choice. I could only use you, use someone who was good to me, to get revenge on someone who hurt me..."
She suddenly looked up and smiled brightly at He Yiyang, "I'm sorry! But who told you to do it? Right? Okay! It's alright, I'm going back now, you keep studying!"
"What about Fang Yi?" He Yiyang suddenly asked.
Chu Yang was stunned.
"Is it exploitation or revenge?"
Chu Yang closed his eyes and thought for a long time, as if he also wanted a definite answer.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know,” she said.
Springtime in this city isn't particularly rainy, but when it does rain, it has a lingering, southern feel, and can drizzle for days without sunshine.
As Chu Yang and Fan Xiaojuan emerged from the library, they were greeted by the earthy smell in the air even before reaching the entrance. Fan Xiaojuan looked up at the gloomy sky outside, her mouth involuntarily agape as she complained, "Goodness, look at this sky! It's really not going to clear up. If the sun doesn't come out soon, not only will my few poor clothes be ruined, but I'll be covered in mold!"
Chu Yang looked at the sky outside and was also a little annoyed, but he had no interest in arguing with her. He simply said, "Are you coming or not? If you're not coming, go inside and continue reading. If you are, hurry up and run back to your dorm before your clothes get wet."
Neither of them could be described as diligent; even though they knew it was drizzling, they were still too lazy to bring an umbrella.
Fan Xiaojuan asked, "Did you run back to my dorm to eat instant noodles?"
While the two were still hesitating, a silver-gray car pulled up in front of the library. He Yiqian rolled down the window and shouted, "Get in!"
Fan Xiaojuan was stunned. She looked around several times before she could confirm that the handsome man was calling them. She reached out and patted Chu Yang on the back, asking in a low voice, "Do you know him?"
Chu Yang didn't answer, staring blankly at He Yiqian.
"Get in the car!" He Yiqian shouted again.
Chu Yang then came to his senses and, ignoring Fan Xiaojuan's questions, pulled her into the car.
“He Yiyang’s older brother, He Yiqian,” Chu Yang said. “My friend, Fan Xiaojuan.”
He Yiqian smiled faintly at Fan Xiaojuan in the rearview mirror, which was considered a greeting. Fan Xiaojuan's heart trembled, and she hurriedly grinned at him. She kept blaming Chu Yang for not being fair. He clearly knew this handsome guy, but he pretended not to know him that night.
"Where to?" He Yiqian asked.
Fan Xiaojuan looked at Chu Yang and said, "I'll go back to the dormitory, Room 29, um, turn right ahead."
He Yiqian smiled and said, "I know, I went to school here."
"Oh? You're the senior brother!" Fan Xiaojuan was a little excited, but when she caught a glimpse of Chu Yang's indifferent expression, she quickly quieted down and swallowed the rest of her words. She wasn't stupid; she could tell that there was something wrong with the magnetic field between He Yiqian and Chu Yang.
The library was some distance from Dormitory 29, and since it was on campus, the car was driving rather slowly. The three of them fell silent, and for a moment, the car was awkwardly quiet.
Just as Fan Xiaojuan was feeling a bit stifled, she suddenly heard Chu Yang ask, "He Yiqian, do you have something to do at school?"
He Yiqian chuckled and shook his head.
Chu Yang said, "Then treat us to a meal. In this weather, if you don't treat us to a meal, we'll just have to go back to the dorm and eat instant noodles!"
“Okay!” He Yiqian readily agreed.
"No need," Fan Xiaojuan said, her smile somewhat forced, sensing something was off about the two of them. "Why don't you two go ahead? I'll go back to my dorm first; I have things to do tonight!"
"Why are you making such a fuss!" Chu Yang said. "I finally managed to get you to have a nice meal, so don't dawdle. Don't be shy, just consider it my treat, so you won't keep saying I'm stingy."
He Yiqian smiled and tried to persuade Fan Xiaojuan, but Fan Xiaojuan was still a little hesitant. Chu Yang made the decision for her, and the car drove straight out of the school without stopping at Dormitory 29. Fan Xiaojuan wasn't a shy girl, and seeing that they were both willing to give in to her, she stopped refusing and started chatting with He Yiqian openly. She then learned that He Yiqian had studied at H University for a year before going abroad, and that he was even in the same college as Fan Xiaojuan.
"Hey, does that mean I have to call you senior brother?" Fan Xiaojuan chuckled.
He Yiqian smiled and nodded, "Yes, you should call him senior brother. Don't be like Chu Yang, who is so disrespectful and keeps calling me He Yiqian all the time."
Chu Yang smiled faintly and said nothing.
As the car drove out of the school, Fan Xiaojuan suddenly exclaimed, "Oh dear, I forgot to call He Yiyang. Should we call him or not?"
He Yiqian smiled somewhat helplessly, unconsciously reaching out to touch his cheek. He had just had a fight with his younger brother a few days ago, and the bruises on his face had only just faded.
Chu Yang shook his head, "No need, I called him this afternoon, he flew to Shanghai with his advisor."
Fan Xiaojuan clicked her tongue in disappointment, then smiled and asked He Yiqian, "Senior, how did you know Chu Yang was in the library? I was with Chu Yang the whole time, and I didn't see her answer the phone!"
He Yiqian looked dazed for a moment, remained silent for a while, and then chuckled softly, "Just a guess."
He looked at Chu Yang in the rearview mirror. Chu Yang was intently watching the pedestrians with umbrellas on the road. He Yiqian couldn't help but smile bitterly. How could he be guessing? He just remembered what she said, and she was just following what she said.
It was shortly after he entered the university. One morning, while he was studying in the library, he received her call. He rushed out, and before he even reached the top of the high steps in front of the library, he saw her, sweating profusely, riding her bicycle and grinning at him. He was both annoyed and heartbroken, scolding her for being a silly girl, riding all this way without even knowing she could have taken a bus! She grinned, unceremoniously chugging down the iced cola he had bought for her, then pointed at the school library with her empty can and declared with great ambition: "When I get into H University, I'll live here every day and devour all the books here before I graduate!" At the time, he laughed at her silliness; if she really had to devour all the books here before graduating, she might as well study for the rest of her life!
He Yiqian's thoughts drifted far away. How good they were back then! But when did the distance between them begin to grow? He didn't understand, and he never would.
Chu Yang
The lavishness of dinner was clearly beyond Fan Xiaojuan's capacity to eat. She felt a little uneasy throughout the meal, and several times she half-jokingly asked He Yiqian, "Senior brother, you're not planning to sell us off after dinner, are you? I've never suffered much hardship growing up. Can you sell me to a richer mountain village?"
He Yiqian always smiled without saying a word, but his eyes were secretly observing Chu Yang's expression.
Chu Yang didn't say much. He was either quietly eating the food in front of him or texting someone on his phone.
Fan Xiaojuan began to regret coming to this meal. She was too lively and couldn't stand the oppressive atmosphere. Moreover, it was exhausting for one person to try to stir up the emotions of three people. It was like she was just making conversation for the sake of it, and not talking was even more uncomfortable. She might as well just kill her!
Fan Xiaojuan turned her head and saw Chu Yang texting again, and asked, "Hey, Chu Yang, what are you always busy with?"
Chu Yang paused, looked at his plate, and said casually, "It's nothing. Fang Yi asked me if I had eaten, and I said I was eating. He said he would come pick me up in a bit."
He Yiqian's smile froze on his face, and he could only lower his head to hide it. After a long while, he raised his head, forced a smile, and said, "You don't need him to come over, right? I'll take you back in a bit."
"No need," Chu Yang smiled, glanced at He Yiqian, and said, "Just take Fan Xiaojuan back later. It's still raining outside, so don't let her get sick. I'll need her in a while!"
Even Fan Xiaojuan was taken aback by what she said, and asked, "Use me for what?"
Chu Yang laughed helplessly, "What's wrong with your memory? Didn't we agree that you would be my bridesmaid?"
He Yiqian's body froze for a moment.
Fan Xiaojuan was also stunned. Looking at He Yiqian's expression and then at Chu Yang, her mind was a complete mess. She felt that if she stayed here any longer, she would definitely be roasted into a dried fish. She had no choice but to flee in a hurry: "You guys eat first, I'm going to the restroom."
Only after Fan Xiaojuan disappeared from sight did He Yiqian look up at Chu Yang and say in a hoarse voice, "Don't do this, okay?"
Chu Yang raised an eyebrow. "He Yiqian, you've crossed the line. As a friend, shouldn't you be giving me your blessings?"
He Yiqian smiled bitterly, slowly poking at the food on his plate with his fork. After a few moments, he threw down the fork, slumped back in his chair, and said with a wry smile, "I thought I was going to go crazy, but now I suddenly realize I don't even have the strength to go crazy."
What right did he have to get angry? He knew she would be ruthless, but he still had to offer her his heart, then hand her a knife and fork, watching his heart bleed under her hands. This was what he owed her.
Fang Yi drove over to pick up Chu Yang. When he saw He Yiqian, he smiled and nodded, saying, "Fifth brother, thank you. I'll treat you another day. Let's invite Huang Fei too. That kid hasn't been seen for a while. I wonder what he's been up to."
He Yiqian smiled and said, "Brother, you're too kind."
Chu Yang had originally planned for He Yiqian to escort Fan Xiaojuan out, but changed her mind at the door, saying that she and Fang Yi would take Fan Xiaojuan back to school first. Although Fan Xiaojuan was talkative, she wasn't stupid. She had already realized that the relationship between the three people in front of her was unusual, so she obediently remained silent and agreed to whatever he said.
He Yiqian did not object. Watching Chu Yang get into Fang Yi's car and leave, the smile on his face could no longer be maintained. His hands trembled as he took out a cigarette from his pocket, but he couldn't light it even after several attempts.
The doorman kindly came over and asked, "Do you need any help, sir?"
"Get out of my way!" He Yiqian said coldly, his eyes devoid of any warmth, chillingly so.