“Get out.”
“Well, uh, I’ll first…hey.” General Zeng, upon hearing Zhou Yang’s words, who had been racking his brain to find a reason, immediately grabbed the account book and left after hearing it.
To be honest, in all the time he had been at the Fei Festival, it was the first time he saw Zhou Yang so embarrassed.
This is really…interesting.
He closed the door along the way. The meeting room was suddenly left with only two people. The central air conditioning blew strongly, messing up Su Hao’s hair.
Zhou Yang released Su Hao, but his hands grabbed the armrests of her chair, slightly lifted it, and turned her around.
Su Hao frowned. In a blink, she was facing a chair.
Zhou Yang straightened his shirt sleeves, sat in the chair in front of her, and raised his eyebrows at her.
“Let’s talk.” He said, his brows still showing a little embarrassment.
Su Hao had just told him to get lost. He didn’t leave and insisted on staying, with an awkward feeling in his heart. His jaw was tense, the muscle slightly hard.
Su Hao’s tone was calm: “Talk about what?”
“Talk about you acting on impulse?”
“Talk about you clearly not liking my type, yet still wanting to touch me?”
“I’m telling you, I can’t play around. I always aim for marriage. Binding one man and controlling one man is normal.”
“Do you dare?”
Su Hao leaned back, brushing her falling hair back. She didn’t give Zhou Yang a chance to speak, instead opening her mouth in a chain of words that stunned him for a few seconds.
Zhou Yang instinctively tugged his collar, his narrow eyes slightly squinting.
Su Hao tapped the table with her fingertips, asking, “Do you dare?”
“You observe quite carefully.” After a while, Zhou Yang spoke.
Su Hao smiled slightly. “I have no other skills, so I can only observe.”
“Yes, you impress me.” Zhou Yang’s embarrassment faded. He smirked, propped his knees, leaned forward, his collar open, his breath close. Then his hands grabbed Su Hao’s chair armrests and pulled forward. Su Hao froze for two seconds, and the chair tilted toward him.
Almost hitting his lips, Zhou Yang pressed his forehead against hers, mischievously saying, “If you don’t let me try, how will you know I don’t dare?”
“If you can confront me, why can’t you be with me?” His distinct knuckles touched Su Hao’s ear, gently pushing the hair back.
And simulated an arc.
Su Hao shrank slightly, looking at him, gritting her teeth.
Their noses touched. His nose was high, eyes deep enough to draw people in, handsome, with a strong jawline.
Seeing her shrink, Zhou Yang smiled lightly, tilted his head, and asked, “Hm? Not trying?”
He saw her ear turn red. Fair skin had this advantage: emotions could show on it. Zhou Yang’s tongue touched lightly, moving to where he intended to kiss. At that moment, a finger pushed his face. Su Hao leaned over and whispered in his ear, “Do you dare go get a marriage certificate tomorrow?”
Zhou Yang froze.
The action stopped.
Su Hao smiled, pushed him away, then pulled her chair back a few steps. She closed the account book, held it, picked up a pen, and turned to leave.
Her graceful figure quickly disappeared from the meeting room.
Leaving Zhou Yang sitting alone, the air conditioner blowing a slight breeze. He knew she might be joking.
But he still froze.
A few seconds later, he kicked with his long leg.
“Damn!”
The chair slid backward, hitting another chair before stopping. He knew approaching Su Hao’s type would result in this. What was he doing?
The meeting room was quiet for a while. The man got up from the chair, bent to grab his phone, then walked out to the office to grab his coat and car keys.
Zhou Yang left the office. At that moment, his phone rang. He pulled it out.
Caller ID: Li Xiu
He paused, instinctively pressed the red button, then after a few seconds swiped to the green button.
“Hmm? What…”
His words suddenly stopped.
His narrow eyes fell on the woman standing in the finance office, head down. Sunlight came through the window, slanting across Su Hao. Her black hair hung loose, slender fingers dipped in glue touching receipts, white neck, long straight legs, tiny waist.
Extremely soft.
Zhou Yang glanced a few times.
Then, he didn’t speak. On the other end, Li Xiu kept saying: “Zhou Yang, it’s my birthday these days…even if you refuse, come celebrate a little…”
“Last time, okay?”
“No.” The man said and hung up. At that moment, the woman in the finance office slightly turned her body, raising her eyes. Zhou Yang quickened his pace, instinctively leaving the finance office door.
Su Hao, dizzy from the data, vaguely heard a sound at the door. When she looked up, nothing—only tiny dust particles dancing in the sunlight.
After returning to the office, Chen Yu, Lu Mimi, and Zhang Xian had already left, leaving twenty sets of data on the desk for her.
She glanced at the time, estimating she would be busy until seven or eight.
Su Hao sat down, categorized the receipts, making calculations easier later. The entire floor was empty, quiet. She turned on the computer, played some music, and started calculating. Slowly, night fell, sunset descended…
Downstairs.
A black Porsche stopped at the entrance. Smoke filled the car. Zhou Yang clicked on the surveillance video. The finance office curtains were drawn, the light on, shining on the woman’s head.
She probably tied her hair up, annoyed by the mess.
Zhou Yang checked the time.
Almost six.
She hadn’t left work yet.
He bit his cigarette, zoomed the surveillance image, then picked up his phone and ordered a meal on delivery.
In Li City, Su Hao hadn’t ordered delivery yet. She opened her phone, looked for a while, and didn’t know what to eat. She thought she’d eat at home after finishing work when a call came from Li City: “Hello, your delivery has arrived. Should I bring it upstairs or will you come down?”
Su Hao paused: “I didn’t order delivery.”
“It was ordered by a gentleman for you.”
Gentleman?
Who?
Su Hao thought for a few seconds, then guessed.
She said: “What if I don’t take it?”
“Then I’ll eat it.” The delivery guy said.
“Oh, then you eat it. Thanks.”
“Yeah?”
After hanging up, Su Hao decided to cook noodles and fry an egg, since she had ingredients at home. She took a sip of water, set the cup down, and saw her phone light up. Liao Yun sent WeChat messages, lifting the dull work atmosphere. She picked up her phone.
Liao Yun sent many old photos.
She and Liao Yun grew up together, with similar grades and family backgrounds, always close friends. They went to the same university, studying financial management.
Back then, most girls chose finance or education majors.
Liao Yun witnessed Su Hao’s pursuit of Zhou Yang. She cooked for him early in the morning, secretly placing love letters in small baskets. Outwardly calm, inwardly nervous, sometimes playing with him. Zhou Yang acted like he never saw the letters.
He casually took them fishing, to internet cafes. Su Hao never fought for space beside him, always standing behind. Often bought him water; he accepted, but later Aunt Su Xi gave money back to her mother.
Once, after watching a drama, Su Hao impulsively grabbed Zhou Yang’s collar, trying to undo his button.
He caught her wrist, pulled her back, asked with a half-smile: “What? Trying to molest me?”
Then I stepped back. Everyone knew Su Hao liked Zhou Yang and was pursuing him. She later folded wind chimes, roses for him. She made them herself, feeling personal effort was best. That year she also knitted him a sweater.
At that time, he was leaving Li City. After receiving it, he left it on the slope, didn’t take it in the car.
Su Hao was frustrated.
She called him: “I’m getting married.”
“You…aren’t you sad?”
Zhou Yang replied: “Congrats, live well.”
At that time, she decided to obey her parents, stop thinking about him. Besides sadness from his refusal, she had no other emotions. She always believed she tried and worked hard; it was just they weren’t from the same world.
Later she learned Zhou Yang didn’t like her type, understanding why he rejected her.
But those days were important and precious for her. His cold gaze at her emotions back then—arrogant? Coldly watching her struggle? He was impressive.
Su Hao finished looking at old photos. Liao Yun sent ones from her pursuing Zhou Yang that year, happy and silly photos.
In the Porsche, Zhou Yang played with a lighter, flicking it. Outside the building, a delivery guy in yellow arrived, ran up the steps carrying the meal, and talked on the phone. Within minutes he left.
The delivery guy sat on the steps, opened the food, and ate.
Click.
Lighter closed.
His thumb tingles.
He opened the car door, walked over, one long leg on the step, propped his knee, looking down at the delivery guy.
“What are you doing?”
The deep voice startled the guy. He froze, looked up at Zhou Yang, imposing.
Zhou Yang’s narrow eyes fell on the food box, slightly dark.
The delivery guy hesitated: “Eating…food.”
“Eating whose?”
Zhou Yang’s tone was calm but oppressive. The guy swallowed, trembling: “Upstairs, finance department client’s. She said she wouldn’t eat it, sent…gave it to me.”
He regained confidence.
Zhou Yang glanced at the bright lobby. The next second, he withdrew his leg, rubbed his lips, returned to the car, grabbed his phone, and called Su Hao.
It rang for a while.
Finally, she answered, voice low and soft: “Hello.”
“Have you eaten?”
“No.”
“Then why not eat the delivery?”
Su Hao realized, sighed: “Ah? Not hungry.”
Zhou Yang laughed angrily, leaning on the car door.
“Are you hoping I’ll feed you?” His tone is playful. Su Hao frowned: “Anything else? No, bye.”
She hung up.
Zhou Yang stared at the dark screen. He had never hit such a dead end. He opened the car door, closed it again, adjusted his collar, took his keys, locked the car, went upstairs, elevator reached the floor, and went straight to the finance office.
He pulled a chair, sat beside Su Hao.
Legs on her desk, hands in pockets, lazily watching her.
Su Hao glanced at him lightly, returned to her work, placed the last data set, summed totals, filled them in, closed the account book. She stood, put her phone in her bag, and went to turn off the lights. Her expression is calm, but the rejection in her aura is obvious.
The warm Su Hao from before was gone. When gentle people turn cold, it’s even more obvious. Zhou Yang stayed seated until the overhead light snapped off.
He quickly stood and followed her.
Su Hao took out her keys.
The hallway light snapped off. She froze, darkness around, only elevator buttons glowing.
She quickened her steps.
Zhou Yang’s voice: “Scared?”
Su Hao didn’t reply.
His arm grabbed her from behind. He pressed close, voice again: “Beg me, I’ll take you downstairs.”
Seconds later, Zhou Yang looked down, in the dark, vaguely saw her hand clutching her skirt. One second later, his hand slid down to hold hers.
Su Hao clenched tight.
Zhou Yang raised an eyebrow: “Afraid of the dark?”
Her knees weakened.
“No wonder the hotel had two bedside lights on.” He exhaled slightly on her neck, warm, mixed with his scent, enveloping her.
In the pitch-dark corridor, Su Hao’s fear made her calm: “You can only force me like this?”
“Zhou Yang, this is all you’ve got?”
The man laughed low, breath closer: “No, I have more. If you hold out two more seconds, will you beg me to hug you?”
By accident, she was afraid of the dark.
Su Hao reached for her phone, Zhou Yang pressed it, hugged tighter, whispered: “In future, do we have to have lights on for…?”
Su Hao gritted her teeth: “You think far ahead.”
He grabbed both her hands from behind, her scent filling his breath, Zhou Yang’s throat hot.
Darkness froze her movements.
Zhou Yang’s words were true—she was afraid of the dark, but only in unfamiliar environments. Next, water droplets fell on his hand, one by one.
Zhou Yang froze, then grabbed Su Hao’s chin, turned her.
In the dark, tears streamed down her face, some into her collar, some on his arm.
Silent crying, heart-wrenching. Zhou Yang’s heart raced, he turned on the hallway light.
Snap.
Light.
“Don’t cry.” Zhou Yang reached to wipe her face.
Su Hao turned her head, burying her face in her arm, sticky and messy, yet impossible to look away. Zhou Yang reluctantly went for tissues.
Looking up, Su Hao was already at the elevator door, silently glanced at him, then closed it.
That glance, still with tears, not truly scared or sad.
Zhou Yang frowned.
Seconds later, he realized, put down the tissue, and laughed angrily.
All acting?
Coming from the other elevator, Zhou Yang got in the car, lit a cigarette, leaned against the window. Truthfully, he didn’t like this crying, no words, no explanation, just sticky crying. How could he have patience to guess?
Yet, in his mind, her face buried in her arm.
Damn.
At home, Su Hao’s tears dried. She thought of no way to get out of that situation, so used this trick.
She didn’t think Zhou Yang would like this kind of crying.
Compared to Li Xiu, who cried loudly to be comforted, Su Hao’s method was calm. She was focused on marriage, cold, not begging. Zhou Yang wouldn’t bow.
Better to be stable, show the side he disliked.
He would eventually give up.
Being friends was better.
But his cold disregard back then still made her angry.
Noodles cooked, fried an egg, smelled good. Su Hao sat on the sofa, ate, and the phone beeped.
It was Shen He.
Shen He: Hao Hao, free for a video call?
Su Hao: Yes, eating.
Shen He: So late? Let me see what you’re eating.
A video came. Su Hao pressed answer, camera on noodles. Shen He exclaimed: “Looks delicious.”
“Just noodles, fried egg, some vegetables.” Su Hao aimed the camera at herself, hair messy, face bare.
Fair skin, pores invisible. Shen He: “Move it back, I want the full view.”
Su Hao obeyed.
She glanced at him on screen, wearing suit and tie, tie clip, just back from a banquet.
Shen He touched his hair, smiled: “Handsome?”
“Quite handsome.” Su Hao praised.
Shen smiled wider, and asked: “Why eat so late?”
“Overtime.”
“Saturday…why overtime?”
“Busy.”
“Zhou Yang exploiting people, asking for extra pay.”
Su Hao smiled: “Okay.”
Morning pay doubled, thinking of it, she had to call her mother later.
“Attending a banquet?”
“Yes, just back, too noisy.” Shen He scratched head, looked downstairs, smiled: “My sister argued with her husband, he almost cried.”
“Why?”
“Don’t know, they’re still arguing downstairs, he can’t win.” Shen He grinned.
Su Hao smiled: “Your sister’s tough.”
“Yes.”
They chatted a bit, then ended the video. Su Hao finished noodles, some cooled. Checked time, and called her mother. Answered, coughing. Su Hao: “Took medicine?”
“Yes, choked on saliva.” She didn’t believe me, and said: “If you still cough tomorrow, see Dr. Liang.”
“Got it.”
“Also, I got regularized.” Su Hao smiled. Mother: “So fast? Good work, should have started earlier.”
Su Hao: “Not too late now.”
“Right.” Mother coughed. Su Hao let her rest. Mother hung up. Su Hao sat a bit, washed dishes, tidied the kitchen, changed into pajamas, showered, dried hair.
Busy.
After finishing, Su Hao leaned on the sofa, checked phone.
Two WeChat messages.
Both from Zhou Yang.
Zhou Yang: Ate?
Zhou Yang: Hm? Doing what?
Sent an hour ago. She didn’t reply, browsed Moments, and saw Li Xiu’s posts.
Three posts:
Li Xiu’s life is colorful, burning youth, stylish, clothes and shoes matching.
Compared to her life: work, groceries, serious. Su Hao liked all three posts.
Zhou Yang, in black robe, drying hair, checked phone, she hadn’t replied, squinted, clicked her Moments.
She only reposted an article on “Who dominates in the family”.
Zhou Yang: “…”
Then left her Moments, and saw she liked Li Xiu’s three posts. The last one had a familiar person he didn’t recognize.
Returned to chat list. Su Hao still hadn’t replied.
Zhou Yang sent Shen He a message:
Zhou Yang: Did you contact Su Hao tonight?
Shen He: Yes, video for half an hour, noodles. She works late, pays her extra…
Zhou Yang: Shut up.
He threw the phone on the bed.
Author’s Note: This chapter continues 200 red packets, cough. Tomorrow at the same time, I love you all.
Thanks to those voting and sending nutrients from 2020-05-23 22:04 to 202
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