Back in his office, Xu Zhengyang rested for a while, made himself a cup of tea, lit a cigarette, and casually browsed the news online. Seeing that there was nothing particularly noteworthy, he logged into QQ.
There are only a few people on QQ, including Xu Rouyue, Ouyang Ying, Diao Yishi, and Dong Wenqi.
Even so, as soon as you log in to QQ, there's a series of random beeping sounds and your avatar starts flashing randomly.
Xu Zhengyang opened and read through each message. Ouyang Ying and Xu Rouyue's messages were unremarkable, just questions like "Are you online?", "What are you busy with?", "Why aren't you online?", and "You're a newbie..." Diao Yishi left a message complaining that she'd been in Beijing for so long without even telling him, urging him not to forget his brother. Dong Wenqi's message was one of gratitude, thanking Xu Zhengyang for letting her work at Jinghui Logistics Company and arranging a driver job for her father there. She hoped Xu Zhengyang would visit her home again sometime, or at least take her out for a meal. She knew he was busy, so she didn't want to bother him by phone...
Xu Zhengyang smiled and politely replied with a few words to each of them.
During the last month in Beijing, Jinghui Logistics Company urgently needed to hire more employees, and there was a shortage of drivers. Xu Zhengyang thought of Dong Yuebu and called to inquire. Dong Yuebu agreed without hesitation, without even asking about the salary. Later, out of politeness, Xu Zhengyang casually asked if Dong Wenqi was feeling better and how she was doing. Dong Yuebu said she was much better, basically no different from a normal person, except that she felt a little sore and tired after walking for a while. However, being a persistent person, she was still sending out resumes and going to interviews every day to look for a job.
Hearing the implication in Dong Yuebu's words, Xu Zhengyang had no choice but to suggest that Wenqi also work at Jinghui Logistics. After all, once Dong Yuebu started working at Jinghui Logistics, he would definitely find it incredibly busy, overwhelmed, and short-staffed. If he didn't suggest that Dong Wenqi work there now, it would be a real loss of face. He had thought that Dong Yuebu or Dong Wenqi might politely decline the job at the logistics company for some reason, but to his surprise, Dong Yuebu agreed immediately and even asked his daughter over the phone. Xu Zhengyang heard clearly that Dong Wenqi said, "Xu Zhengyang's company? Great, I'll go!"
Well, Xu Zhengyang had no choice but to tell Dong Yuebu that he could just take his daughter to Jinghui Logistics headquarters to report to Deng Wenjing.
Thinking about this, Xu Zhengyang was truly moved. The judge had kindly made a mark on the judgment book, exerting a bit of divine power, which actually helped Dong Wenqi find a job after recovering from her illness... Could it be that his journey through the capital was also related to that mark he made as a judge back then? What a coincidence!
The problem is, they initially promised to find her someone she could entrust her life to, but...
Thank goodness, I didn't initially set my sights on the person who would arrange a job for her, otherwise this joke would have gone too far.
Xu Zhengyang pursed his lips. After waiting a while and receiving no reply, he figured no one was online. So, he switched his QQ account to invisible, opened his browser, and searched for information or stories related to "religious beliefs," starting to look them up. The information he was looking for online was something his sister had taught him back in Beijing.
While he was browsing through relevant records and accounts in his office, Li Bingjie had already taken a car back to the courtyard house in the western suburbs of Fuhe City.
The Audi A8 stopped at the gate of the courtyard. Li Bingjie got out of the car and walked into the courtyard, while Li Chengzong drove the car along the path that ran around the wall to the garage at the back of the courtyard.
It was a little past 11 a.m. The old nanny, Wu Ma, sat in the courtyard picking vegetables, nagging the new nanny about what she should pay attention to, what everyone in the family liked to eat, and how to arrange the meals nutritionally… Seeing Li Bingjie, dressed in a light-colored dress, walk in through the gate, Wu Ma, as always, gave her a kind and gentle smile, simply nodding without saying a word. She knew it was pointless to speak; at these moments, Wu Ma would always sigh softly, saying nothing aloud, but inwardly muttering, “What a mess!”
Li Bingjie walked towards the main room of the courtyard. When she reached the middle of the courtyard, she stopped and tilted her head to look curiously at Wu Ma and the new nanny.
Wu Ma, who had already turned her head to continue picking vegetables, caught a glimpse of Li Bingjie stopping out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head again, smiled at Li Bingjie, and nodded.
"Hello, Grandma Wu." Li Bingjie suddenly said. She remembered that besides her grandmother, this Aunt Wu was the one who held her the most when she was little.
Wu Ma's body trembled violently. She stared at Li Bingjie, speechless, her mouth slightly agape, wanting to agree, but unable to utter a word. She wondered if she was dreaming, or if she had misheard… Miss. Why was Bingjie greeting her?
After a few seconds of stunned silence, Li Bingjie smiled at Wu Ma with a hint of apology and shyness, then turned and walked towards the main room.
"Bingjie, oh no, Miss... are you... are you talking to me?" Aunt Wu suddenly stood up.
The guards on duty outside the gate and inside the compound also looked at this side with surprised expressions.
“Ah, Grandma Wu.” Li Bingjie smiled and turned her head to look at Wu Ma.
Tears welled up in Wu Ma's eyes with excitement. She nodded repeatedly and stammered, "Yes, yes, I'm fine. I've been waiting for this for so many years... Bingjie, you've finally said something."
Hearing the voices in the courtyard, the bamboo curtain at the entrance of the main room was lifted, and the elderly Old Li walked out steadily, looking quite spry. He stared in disbelief at Li Bingjie, who was smiling at Wu Ma, and softly called out, "Bingjie, are you... feeling better?"
"Grandpa, I'm fine." Li Bingjie turned her head and nodded in response, though she was still slightly shy.
In any case, her aloofness and solitude over the years had become ingrained in her bones and a habit, so she was still a little unaccustomed to it now that she had just opened her mind.
A joyful smile spread across Old Li's deeply lined face. He happily walked down the steps to Li Bingjie's side, embraced his beloved granddaughter, and whispered, "Bingjie, you're finally getting better..."
"Grandpa, I want to go out again this afternoon," Li Bingjie said, her head down.
"Alright, go wherever you want." Old Li agreed without hesitation. Given his current mood, if his granddaughter wanted the moon, he'd probably try to get her a moonstone to play with. However, after the initial excitement, Old Li fell into deep thought. Xu Zhengyang's abilities were too great, ridiculously so!
Volume 4, City God Chapter 173: This matter speaks louder than words.
The sun shines brightly, and a gentle breeze caresses the skin.
The large poplar trees on both sides of the riverbank are covered with lush green leaves. They sway gently in the breeze, making a soft rustling sound; the grass on both sides of the embankment is green, with occasional wildflowers blooming, dotting the landscape, red, white, purple... more beautiful and more natural than the flowers planted in the yard when they bloom.
Xu Zhengyang and Li Bingjie walked side by side on the riverbank where the Mangniu River and the Fu River meet. The dense canopy of trees blocked out the sky above the riverbank, and occasionally birds chirped among the branches, fluttering their wings happily from one branch to another among the leaves, seemingly without end. Sunlight filtered through the dense foliage, casting countless dark spots on the yellowish-brown pavement. As they walked, a gentle breeze caressed their faces, making them feel refreshed and comfortable.
Li Bingjie wore a coffee-colored casual suit, with a vest-like top and a collared hood over a white long-sleeved T-shirt; her neat trousers revealed small, delicate brown-yellow high heels; she looked even taller and more beautiful, fashionable yet unpretentious.
Xu Zhengyang wore a white shirt, collar open, sleeves rolled up, hem tucked into black trousers, and a black belt. His shoes were black and shiny; simple and ordinary.
As he walked slowly, Xu Zhengyang turned his head and smiled, his expression pure as he feasted on the beauty.
Li Bingjie's long, black hair swayed gently in the breeze, and occasionally she would raise her right hand, adorned with a jade bracelet, to lightly brush away the strands of hair that fell across her cheek.
Perhaps sensing that Xu Zhengyang was constantly looking her up and down, Li Bingjie lowered her head slightly with a hint of shyness, glancing to her right, a faint blush spreading across her jade-like cheeks. This subtle movement, however, only made her profile appear even more beautiful; her long eyelashes playfully curved upwards, and her large eyes sparkled like stars.
Xu Zhengyang thought to himself, "My parents really made a killing in the village this time..."
If, in the past, when Li Bingjie visited their homes, the villagers might have noticed something slightly off about the girl, or perhaps her ethereal气质 (qi zhi, a kind of refined elegance or aloofness) made them hesitant to consider her as a potential daughter-in-law of the Xu family, the current sight of Li Bingjie and Xu Zhengyang walking through the village evoked far more complex reactions. However, one thing was certain: most of the villagers were thinking: "Look at her, only a girl like her is worthy of Zhengyang from our village, worthy of being the Xu family's daughter-in-law."
The simple villagers didn't have many profound thoughts in their hearts; in short, it all boiled down to one sentence: "It's good to be rich."
"what's on your mind?"
Noticing a hint of smugness in Xu Zhengyang's smile, Li Bingjie asked with slight confusion.
"Oh, I'm waiting for you to speak first."
"Why?"
Xu Zhengyang paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "That's rare."
So Li Bingjie turned her head away shyly and said softly, "I don't know what to say."
"It'll get better slowly." Xu Zhengyang looked down at Li Bingjie's left hand, which hung naturally at her sides. It was as smooth as jade, white with a rosy tint, and his index finger immediately twitched, wanting to pull it up and hold it in his hand. However, thinking of Li Chengzong, that clueless guy who was following not far behind, Xu Zhengyang finally restrained himself because he was too shy.
What are you thinking about now?
Xu Zhengyang scratched his head and laughed, "I was thinking... about sparring with Li Chengzong."
"Why?"
"It's necessary for him to know that with me by your side, you don't need him to follow you around as a bodyguard all the time!" Xu Zhengyang said this through gritted teeth.
"Why?"
"Hmm..." Xu Zhengyang turned his head to look at Li Chengzong, who seemed casual but was actually paying attention to them at all times, not far behind him, and said in a low voice with a thick skin, "Bingjie, do you know what a third wheel is?"
"I know."
"Silly girl!" Xu Zhengyang sighed helplessly, feeling deflated. This girl's mind was even purer than his.
"Huh?" Li Bingjie suddenly realized, becoming even more shy. She pouted and muttered, "What do you want to do?"
Xu Zhengyang chuckled and said, "What else could I be thinking? I'm not that bad. I was just thinking that between the two of us, well, holding hands is okay, right?"
"Oh." Li Bingjie was very honest and kind, and reached out to take Xu Zhengyang's hand.
Feeling his hand being held by her cool, smooth, and soft little hand, Xu Zhengyang felt a pang of self-reproach. "I'm so shameless, so despicable! Didn't I just take advantage of Li Bingjie's naivety?" he thought. But...it really felt good. Xu Zhengyang was puzzled and envious of the young couples he'd seen hugging and kissing in the streets of Fuhe City and even Beijing. A thought began to form in his mind: if Li Chengzong weren't here, could he also be with Li Bingjie...?
Xu Zhengyang blushed instantly. Well, they were taking advantage of his kindness.
Feeling a little guilty, Xu Zhengyang glanced back. Li Chengzong, who was following not far behind, looked away, seemingly ignoring him. Occasionally, when his gaze turned in Xu Zhengyang's direction, he noticed Xu Zhengyang's slightly embarrassed look and smiled slightly.
Hmm, so she didn't care at all; I was just too overthinking and too shy. Xu Zhengyang unconsciously shrugged. Yes, he was too naive. What era are we living in? Perhaps there was another reason: even now, his relationship with Li Bingjie was still very delicate and unclear. You could say they were dating, but neither of them had ever directly said anything embarrassing like "I love you" or "Do you love me?" It was more of a declaration of love, an expression of affection. You could say they were friends, but that didn't quite fit either. Could friends be that close? Back then, Xu Zhengyang even shamelessly joked about wanting to marry her…
Should I tell her, "I love you"?
Xu Zhengyang shook his head. "Dude, stay calm. Silence speaks louder than words."
"What are you thinking about?" Li Bingjie asked again. Her current mindset was somewhat like that of a little girl who loves to ask a hundred thousand questions.
"I'm thinking..."
"What?"
"It's nothing," Xu Zhengyang said awkwardly, smiling to brush it off.
The two of them strolled hand in hand along the riverbank.
For the past few days, Li Bingjie would come to find Xu Zhengyang after breakfast, whether he was in Fuhe City or Shuanghe Village. She had to find him and return by evening, rain or shine. She would also eat lunch with him, either at a simple restaurant in Fuhe City or at Xu Zhengyang's home in Shuanghe Village. Although Li Bingjie was a little embarrassed, she really wanted to be with Xu Zhengyang, so she stayed there, blushing.
Xu Zhengyang's parents, of course, wouldn't show any neglect. Although Yuan Suqin and her husband were delighted and hoped their son would marry Li Bingjie, they still felt a slight unease. If this girl were to marry into their family, it would be like marrying a grandmother! Fortunately, Li Bingjie could at least treat Xu Zhengyang's parents with the politeness expected of an elder, greeting them, smiling, and occasionally showing the shyness a young woman should have.
Coming down from the riverbank on the east side of the village and walking along the path into the village, you can see a brand-new house that is both antique and modern, built on the edge of the village.
The gatehouse wasn't tall, but it had upturned eaves and gleaming green tiles. The tiles above the gate depicted a landscape painting with the five large characters "家和万事兴" (Harmony in the family brings prosperity in all things) in the center. The courtyard-style eaves were adorned with a row of porcelain-coated green tiles and white stone railings. On the exterior walls, the cement was painted with a bluish-green hue, outlining shallow horizontal and vertical grooves, making the walls appear as if they were constructed of blue bricks.
"That's the new house. It's all renovated. We just need to let it air out for a while. After the busy farming season in May, we can move in," Xu Zhengyang said, pointing over there.
"Oh, how beautiful."
Do you like it?
"Um."
...
Xu Zhengyang couldn't help but think, "If I marry you in the future, we'll live here."
But Li Chengzong, oblivious to everyone's tact, quickly walked over and said with a smile, "Miss, there's a phone call from home."
"Oh." Li Bingjie hesitated slightly, took the phone from Li Chengzong, and gently placed it to her ear: "Yes, it's me... Ah? Oh... I don't want to go, oh..."
Li Bingjie handed the phone to Li Chengzong.
Li Chengzong took it, smiled slightly at the two of them, and turned to walk to the side.
While they were on the phone, they didn't stop walking and continued strolling leisurely. Therefore, by the time they finished the call, they had arrived at the front door of Xu Zhengyang's new house.
The house faces south, with a gate three meters wide and extending more than half a meter inward. The vermilion wooden gate is studded with copper nails and has a rotating lock inside. The sloping entrance is made of cement with grooves to prevent slipping. Two cement blocks protrude from the gate, each planted with a weeping willow about the thickness of an arm. Although not lush, the willow branches are green and the leaves are tender, swaying gently in the breeze, which is quite beautiful.
Because the house site was located on an unplanned plot of land in the east of the village, there was only a small open space less than five meters wide in front of the house, which led westward to the main street of the village. This section of road and the area in front of the house were paved with asphalt and black slag at Xu Zhengyang's expense, making them smooth and even.
Xu Zhengyang took out his key, opened the door, pushed it open, and smiled, "Come on, let's go inside and take a look."
"Okay." Li Bingjie responded and followed Xu Zhengyang into the courtyard.
In the courtyard, platforms were built in front of the east and west houses and in front of the main hall directly opposite the courtyard gate, with doorposts and eaves erected to support them. The overall layout was very similar to the courtyard house where Li Bingjie had always lived. Even the same pomegranate trees were planted next to the platforms in the courtyard. The difference was that the walls of this house were covered with imitation stone tiles, which were not smooth and bright, but rather a dark yellowish tone with raised spots, giving the impression that the walls were made of stone. The windows were also not the traditional style. Although they were also wooden doors and windows, they were spacious and bright.
The courtyard is paved with man-made blue marble slabs, speckled with color, with clear lines and no patterns, yet exuding a rich and elegant atmosphere.
In the southwest corner of the courtyard, there is a sturdy grapevine that was transplanted from the old house. Because it was just transplanted, it did not grow lush vines and branches. Only a few green branches with a few green leaves sprouted and climbed up the wire. Above them was a grape trellis hanging from the wire, which divided the sky into pieces.
Walking under the corridor, Xu Zhengyang smiled and said, "I've been thinking about going to the capital these past few days to take my parents there for a visit."
"Hmm?" Li Bingjie looked at Xu Zhengyang with some surprise, then lowered her head and said, "Grandpa just called and said that Mom wants me to go to Beijing."
"Oh, when?"
"tomorrow."
Xu Zhengyang laughed and said, "That's perfect, let's go together."
"My mother wants me to go to school in Beijing..." Li Bingjie said somewhat reluctantly.
"Go to school?" Xu Zhengyang was taken aback for a moment, then laughed and said, "That's good. It's better to learn more than to stay cooped up at home."