Zhou Hanzhang glanced at Meng Jixue.
At that moment, the young woman was looking at him with a bright smile, without showing the slightest hint of any other emotion.
She was only eighteen, yet every word she said was so flawless that there was hardly any room to find fault with it. She had grown completely different from the little girl he remembered.
Meng Jixue had always been exceptionally beautiful since childhood, but now her features were even more delicate and striking. Combined with her temperament, she looked almost as though she had stepped straight out of a painting. Only then did Zhou Hanzhang realize that she had already grown into a young woman.
No wonder his nephew was so taken with her.
He had originally meant well. Zhou Zhishu had come to him and said that he liked Meng Jixue. Now that her family had fallen on hard times, he really wanted to help her, but he didn’t know how to win a girl’s heart.
Zhou Hanzhang had thought that, with something having happened to the Meng family, Meng Jixue was now alone in the capital. If she was going to choose a husband, she definitely needed someone who genuinely liked her and cared about her. Since his nephew had feelings for her, Zhou Hanzhang had brought up the movie tickets.
When Zhou Zhishu heard about the tickets, he asked what movie it was. Once he found out, he happily said that it was a movie Meng Jixue had always wanted to watch again.
Since that was the case, Zhou Hanzhang had simply given the tickets to him. It also gave him a convenient excuse to turn down the blind date arranged by his sister-in-law.
Who would have thought that, after all this back and forth, he would somehow cause this young girl to misunderstand?
However, Zhou Hanzhang could also tell that Meng Jixue did not like Zhou Zhishu. If he continued doing this, he would only end up getting in the girl’s way.
The whole matter had started because of him.
If he said anything else to refuse, this young girl might very well end up resenting him.
He was her elder, after all. There was no reason for him to make things difficult for Meng Jixue.
Zhou Hanzhang pressed his lips together and said calmly, “Then we’ll do as Jixue says. I’ll go get two more tickets.”
Zhong Youyi was very satisfied with this outcome.
She smiled and said, “Then it’s settled. Hanzhang, don’t think your sister-in-law is being a nuisance. Xiao Zheng is actually quite an outstanding girl. Although her family background is ordinary, she graduated from an Industrial and Agricultural Soldiers University. After joining the publicity department at our workplace, she’s been very serious about her work. She’s a good comrade.”
Originally, Zhong Youyi had never considered arranging a blind date between Zheng Yanyan and Zhou Hanzhang. The difference between their family backgrounds was simply too great, and Zheng Yanyan’s family was far too ordinary. But Zhou Hanzhang had not succeeded in a single blind date over the past two years, so she had gradually begun to place more importance on the person’s character instead.
During this period, Zheng Yanyan had been working in the publicity department and had shown that she was extremely hardworking and willing to endure hardship. Once, Zhong Youyi happened to see Zheng Yanyan being scolded by her supervisor. Yet Zheng Yanyan did not get angry at all. She calmly admitted her mistake and then worked hard to do better. When it came to emotional intelligence and handling social relationships, she was excellent.
Because of this, Zhong Youyi had observed Zheng Yanyan for quite some time before deciding to arrange a blind date between her and Zhou Hanzhang.
The young woman herself was very serious about the blind date and had shown great enthusiasm. Zhong Youyi had even told Zheng Yanyan all of Zhou Hanzhang’s requirements so that she could be mentally prepared.
Zheng Yanyan had said earnestly, “Leader, that’s exactly what a good man should be like. Everything he does is for the country, and that’s only right. Without people like them, we wouldn’t have the good life we have today. I don’t think Comrade Zhou’s requirements are unreasonable. I’ll do my best to meet them too.”
Afterward, she even asked Zhong Youyi for some military books, intending to prepare herself in advance.
This made Zhong Youyi’s favorable impression of Zheng Yanyan rise sharply.
She felt that a young woman who was hardworking and willing to endure hardship like this would surely make the blind date a success.
Thinking of this, Zhong Youyi smiled at Meng Jixue again and said, “Jixue, with you around, I’m sure your uncle won’t dare be too cold toward a young woman. Now your eldest aunt can finally relax.”
And so, the matter was settled.
When Meng Jixue heard Zhong Youyi call her “Xiao Zheng” and mention that she worked in the publicity department at their workplace, her memories were immediately pulled back to her previous life.
The person Zhong Youyi was talking about should be Zheng Yanyan.
Among Zhou Hanzhang’s many blind dates, Zheng Yanyan was the only one Meng Jixue remembered particularly well.
It wasn’t because the two of them had ever dated. Rather, Zheng Yanyan had been truly astonishing.
She had set her sights on Zhou Hanzhang’s abilities and status. She knew that if she wanted to rise to a higher social class, the only way was through marriage, and Zhou Hanzhang was the best and most perfect candidate she could possibly reach.
Meng Jixue didn’t think there was anything wrong with that.
Everyone wanted to climb higher, and people naturally sought better lives. She could completely understand Zheng Yanyan’s thoughts.
It was just that her methods were far too extreme.
At first, under Zheng Yanyan’s aggressive pursuit, Zhou Hanzhang agreed to meet her once or twice because of his relationship with Zhong Youyi. Zheng Yanyan’s performance was actually quite good, and Zhou Hanzhang’s cold attitude toward her did not bother her in the slightest. Whenever Zhou Hanzhang was away, she would frequently go to the old residence and make her presence known in front of the Zhou family.
Then, when Zhou Hanzhang eventually returned to the old residence, Zheng Yanyan somehow managed to get her hands on some drugs. She actually thought of drugging Zhou Hanzhang, believing that if they slept together and she became pregnant, the matter would have to be settled.
After Zhou Hanzhang discovered what she was planning, he coldly ordered his orderly to send her away.
Originally, because she was a young woman and the matter was hardly something to be proud of, Zhou Hanzhang had not wanted to make a big issue out of it. He also did not want to ruin the woman’s entire life.
But Zheng Yanyan refused to give up. She actually went to the military district and reported Zhou Hanzhang, accusing him of playing with her feelings and making other allegations.
Her intention was to force Zhou Hanzhang to give in and marry her.
Unexpectedly, the matter caused a huge stir within the military district. Zhou Hanzhang was at a critical stage in his career and was also the youngest leader in that group. Quite a few people were looking for an opportunity to find fault with him.
Zheng Yanyan’s accusation gave them the perfect opportunity to make an issue out of it.
In the end, the whole affair caused Zhou Hanzhang considerable trouble. The turmoil only died down after Zheng Yanyan was sent to prison.
Even so, Zhou Hanzhang had been dragged into a scandal, and the impact on him was anything but small.
After that, Zhong Youyi no longer dared to introduce anyone to Zhou Hanzhang. If a blind date really ended up ruining the Zhou family’s most promising man, her responsibility would have been far too great.
Remembering all of this, Meng Jixue couldn’t help looking at Zhou Hanzhang.
She felt a little guilty.
Originally, he would not have encountered Zheng Yanyan so soon. But now, because of her interference, their meeting was going to happen earlier.
Then she thought about it again. Perhaps this was actually a good opportunity. If she could help Zhou Hanzhang avoid Zheng Yanyan ahead of time, none of the later events would happen.
By then, Zhou Hanzhang would even have to thank her.
Meng Jixue managed to convince herself of this quite smoothly.
…
It wasn’t until after dinner that Zhou Hanzhang finally stood up and looked at Meng Jixue and Zhou Zhishu.
“Let’s go.”