Everyone laughed.
Luo Jing was especially delighted: "Personal behavior, don't attribute it to the organization, it's all because of the quotas!"
She happily pledged, "Don't worry, Sister Yun, I will definitely find the person for you!"
"Never mind," Bai Yun waved her hand. "It's okay if I can't find him. He looks like a pretty young boy. I didn't really want to do anything. It's just that young men are too tempting. I just took a few more glances and found it a bit interesting."
"No, please," Luo Jing advised her, "Why not give it a try? Young boys these days are quite interesting."
"Hiss, you sound quite experienced," Lu Sining immediately seized on the key point, walked over and hooked her arm around Luo Jing's shoulder, "Tell me honestly, is there something going on?"
Luo Jing rolled her eyes. "Come on, I do have some ideas, but I'm so busy every day, I don't have the time."
Lu Sining felt a pang of sympathy, her heart filled with bitterness: "That's true. With the end of the year approaching, the company has been holding meetings all day long for a whole week..."
While they were talking about work, Xu Xingyan excused herself to go to the restroom and went downstairs to the kitchen.
Xu Xingyan gently knocked on the kitchen door and smiled, "Hello, I'd like to add an egg custard to room 1088, with a little salt and soy sauce, but no MSG or chopped green onions. Please make it as an express delivery, thank you."
A slightly overweight middle-aged male chef responded, "Okay... 1088, you're Candy's friend, right? Wait a moment, I'll make room for you on the stove."
Xu Xingyan didn't leave either; she stood at the kitchen doorway, holding her phone, looking like she was busy.
"I knew you were here." After a while, Baiyun came looking for her.
With an air of mature elegance, she tossed her hair, glanced at the scene in the kitchen, and shook her head, saying, "Xiao Jing is still the same. Ji Heng is too capricious in his actions."
Xu Xingyan smiled but didn't speak. Bai Yun then asked, "What's your relationship with the girl you brought today?"
"My friend."
Bai Yun reached out and touched her hair, sighed, and reminded her, "You've had a habit since you were little: when you laugh, you like to lean on familiar people."
The subtext is—if that's the case, why didn't you lean towards Luo Jing on the left when you laughed, but instead leaned towards Lin Shengmiao on the right? Do you feel closer to her than your cousin Luo Jing?
Xu Xingyan took a deep breath, looked up again, and smiled as before: "We are still friends for now."
"I knew there was something wrong," Bai Yun muttered under her breath, then asked with a headache, "Does Auntie, General Manager Xu... and Secretary Fang know about this?"
Xu Xingyan: "Luo Jing knows."
That's something no one else knows. Baiyun gave her a very dismayed look.
Xu Xingyan smiled and said, "Now you know, Sister Yun. Remember to take care of Miaomiao later."
"You need to get past your family's objections first," Bai Yun said worriedly. "Let's make this clear: if things fall apart, I'll only provide financial assistance secretly, while outwardly I'll resolutely follow Secretary Fang's lead. My bureau has several projects waiting for approval next year, so we absolutely can't let them fall through!"
Ms. Fang Yuan has a serious expression all year round and is a well-known iron lady. She has fought her way up to the position of the head of Jinning Province and in recent years she has even shown signs of moving further to the central government. The children who grew up in the compound have always respected and feared her and kept their distance from her, especially those who have also entered government departments.
"..." Xu Xingyan sighed, "Sister Yun, I remember you used to be super cool and arrogant."
“There’s no other way, I have to make a living,” Baiyun sighed. “I have a bunch of little ones under my care who are crying for food, so I have to think about them.”
"Don't worry," Xu Xingyan said confidently, "My aunt won't care too much about these things."
Ms. Fang Yuan has a very generous heart. She dedicated most of it to the career she has worked hard for all her life, a small part to her younger sister Fang Yi whom she raised herself, and the rest to her husband, children, niece, and other people and things...
"I hope so," Bai Yun said, feeling both admiration and awe for Secretary Fang. He couldn't help but worry, and was genuinely concerned for his little sister, Xu Xingyan.
"By the way, hasn't President Xu returned to China yet? I heard that Director Zhao has a good project he'd like to discuss with him."
“I’m staying in a quarantine hotel. I won’t be released for another three days,” Xu Xingyan shrugged.
The two chatted slowly.
“An elder relative of a friend of mine is a fan of Auntie’s paintings. He asked me to act as a go-between, wanting to request a flower and bird painting by Auntie as a birthday gift. The price is negotiable.”
"I don't care about that. You go and talk to my mom yourself. It's not like you don't have her contact information."
"Alright, so you're planning to keep that flower shop running? It's easy, but I always feel you should be doing something else. Haven't you made any investments lately...?"
...
"...Sister Yun, Sister Xingyan."
A slightly hesitant voice came from afar, and the two stopped talking. Looking over, they saw Ji Heng's girlfriend, Mi Tang, smiling shyly at them. "I came out to check on you guys since you haven't come back for a long time."
At that moment, the chef in the kitchen called out, "Egg custard number 1088 is ready, bring it in quickly!"
Mi Tang suddenly felt uneasy. "Was it because the dishes we ordered didn't suit our taste?"
“No, all the dishes at your place are good, especially the boiled pork slices. The taste is different from what you get elsewhere; it’s fresher. It must be a modified version,” Xu Xingyan reassured casually. “It’s just that my sister Jing has been working too much overtime lately. She’s been feeling dizzy and has a poor appetite, so I wanted to make her something soft and warm to eat.”
Mi Tang smiled and said with a sigh of relief, "Oh, I see. That explains why Sister Luo Jing didn't eat much... But, Sister Xing Yan, you have a good palate. That boiled pork slices is definitely my dad's specialty. He's modified the recipe several times."
Baiyun interrupted, "Alright, everyone go back and sit down."
Mi Tang exclaimed "Oh!" and seeing that the waiters were having some trouble keeping up, she quickly went to lend a hand. "Sister Yun, you can go back first. I'll be there in a bit."
Xu Xingyan watched her busy figure from behind, "She's a nice girl."
“The girl is nice, but she might not be suitable,” Bai Yun shook his head. “Do you know why Ji Heng came to me just now? That kid asked me to use my connections to get his girlfriend a job at the city library.”
Xu Xingyan glanced sideways. "I thought they were classmates."
Ji Heng is only a junior in college this year and hasn't graduated yet.
“That’s what I asked too,” Bai Yun said, her forehead twitching. “He told me that the girl graduated from a vocational college and started working last year. She’s currently studying for her bachelor’s degree through self-study. Her job is a bit tough, so he wanted to help her find a more relaxed job.”
"When I heard that, I thought that Ji Heng's first love was probably just his first love."
"Leaving aside others, let's talk about your sister-in-law Chen Yue. I can say this clearly: in my heart, someone like Chen Yue is more than a match for Luo Bin. But look at the rumors and gossip that circulated about her during the first few years of her marriage. I still find it annoying to think about it now. And this was with the support of your elders, Luo Bin's protection, and your and Luo Jing's full support..."
Xu Xingyan paused, raised her eyebrows and said, "Everyone should handle their own affairs. How they should proceed in the future, and whether they can continue, are their own business. It's none of our business... But Sister Yun, there seems to be something more to your words than what you're saying."
Bai Yun laughed and whispered, "That's right, I'm pointing this out to you! Your situation isn't much better than his. Think things through before you act; this isn't a joke, and what about your Miaomiao..."
She paused, looking somewhat weary: "I'm keeping my options open for now."
"Whatever..." Xu Xingyan had long since passed the stage of seeking validation from everyone. She smiled calmly, "Anyway, there's still a long road ahead."
...
Box 1088.
Hungry Luo Jing was greeted by her beloved sister and a bowl of soft steamed egg custard.
Xu Xingyan lowered her voice and said with a smile, "Don't worry, I watched the whole thing and didn't add any scallions."
Luo Jing's eyes lit up. She took a small spoonful with demureness, then gave Xu Xingyan a look that said "I love you, sister," and began to eat gracefully and quickly.
Lin Shengmiao looked at her, scoffed lightly, and then smiled at Xu Xingyan, saying, "I was even planning to go out and look for you."
Xu Xingyan's eyes were gentle. "I didn't manage the time well. I'll be more careful next time."
--------------------
Author's Note:
Lin Shengmiao looked at Luo Jing: Evil dragon!
Luo Jing looked at Lin Shengmiao: "You pig that steals cabbages!"
Chapter 17 Warm Embrace
On the way back, Lin Shengmiao asked, "Are you all childhood friends who grew up together?"
Xu Xingyan leaned back in the passenger seat, closed her eyes to rest, and pondered for a while.
"Not entirely. Si Ning's mother was my maternal grandfather's student. She originally worked in pharmaceutical research and development. Although she later gave up medicine to go into business, they still maintained a close relationship."
"Yao Yan's father is the current director of the Provincial Public Security Department. By blood, he is my grandmother's distant nephew and has a very good personal relationship with my father."
"As for Sister Yun's family, they have been friends with my maternal grandfather's family for generations and have always had a good relationship. Her mother and my mother are best friends, and Sister Yun is also my sister-in-law's college classmate. My brother Luo Bin first met my sister-in-law through Sister Yun's introduction. We didn't get along well from the beginning. We each had our own circles. Later, through the test of time and by chance, we gradually became friends because we got along well."
"But Ji Heng is not included. This kid just clung to me shamelessly. When he was a child, he had some peculiar ideas. He thought that playing with his peers was not classy enough, so he insisted on sticking to people older than him. Back then, no one wanted to take care of their children, but he was so persistent that they couldn't shake him off, so they had no choice but to let him follow them."
Lin Miaosheng quite enjoyed listening to Xu Xingyan talk about these things. The more she learned about things she didn't know before, the closer she felt to her husband. These were things she hadn't consciously sought out at the tender age of eighteen.
It must be admitted that Xu Xingyan at seventeen and Lin Shengmiao at eighteen were both inherently very self-centered. When it came to liking someone, they often indulged in self-pity. In their restless, dreamy fantasies, all they could think about was "I like her so much," rather than "How should I like her?" or "What can I do for her?"
Back then, Xu Xingyan was willful and spoiled, and the whole world had to give way to her joys and sorrows.
At that time, Lin Shengmiao's heart was filled with longing for success and a desire to prove himself.
Later, the two went their separate ways and grew up through various experiences. When they looked back, they both exclaimed in unison: "Thank goodness!"
It was precisely because youth is often impulsive and naive that the two of them restrained themselves and took a step back back then, which was all the more precious and laid the groundwork for their reunion today.
...
"Do you still need me to pick you up tomorrow?" Lin Shengmiao asked as he parked the car downstairs at Xu Xingyan's house once again.
"Although I really want to be a heartless boss and exploit free labor."
Xu Xingyan looked at her and smiled, "But tomorrow is Tuesday, and our flower shop's rule is: we are closed every Tuesday, and the boss and employees take the day off together."
She unbuckled her seatbelt and waited for the driver to open the car door for her. "You can drive the car. I'll be resting at home all Tuesday. I won't socialize or go out. Luo Jing and the others know my habits and won't bother me. You can drive however you like. I just filled up the tank the day before yesterday."
Lin Shengmiao was bewildered by this attitude, which was so different from yesterday, and actually asked, "Then what should I do?"
Xu Xingyan sighed with worry, "Miaomiao, you're such a grown-up now, you should have your own life. Don't you still have many old classmates and friends? You can make plans to have a meal together, catch up, or have coffee... Also, you've been back for several days now, you should at least go see your old high school teachers."
“Or…” Xu Xingyan’s eyes flickered, and she offered another option, “Why don’t you just stay here tonight and spend the night with me, then tomorrow you can cook and read with me at home, and kill time together.”
It was just a joke, but when she actually said it, Xu Xingyan couldn't help but hold her breath, momentarily captivated by the image that had just come out.
They got up together, washed up together, and then exchanged a kiss... it should have smelled of roses, since her toothpaste has been that flavor lately.
Breakfast doesn't have to be red bean cake and crystal shrimp dumplings; a simple sandwich from the fridge can be just as enjoyable. And those original books left by my grandfather no longer have to worry about being forgotten or ignored, because finally someone in the family can understand them.
If this is the life after going through all the steps, then speeding up the pace a little wouldn't be a bad thing, Xu Xingyan even started to look forward to it.
But Lin Shengmiao refused.
"...No, you're right, I really should go back to my alma mater for a visit."
The moment Lin Shengmiao calmly uttered those words, she felt as if she possessed an iron will, strong enough to resist all the temptations of the world.
Whether she was eighteen or twenty-eight, Lin Shengmiao always maintained the same attitude: Xu Xingyan was above all primal impulses and was someone he absolutely could not start a relationship with casually.
If their relationship has progressed to this level of ambiguity, starting a romance would be incredibly easy. All they need to do is walk over and gently place a kiss on the lips of the girl they've had a crush on since childhood, and she'll be confident she won't be pushed away.
But it's not possible yet.