Chapter 19
Chen Shu had been observing Han Zhan’s reaction.
After seeing the lady, Han Zhan’s gaze was clear but unchanged. Chen Shu then knew that Han Zhan wasn’t interested in this lady.
However, thinking that Han Zhan was already over thirty-years-old and still did not have a girlfriend, Chen Shu was anxious for him.
As an elder, he somehow felt that for a young and capable man, it was still better for him to find an intimate partner to spend life with—someone to remind him to put on more clothing when it was cold and to bring him hot food when he was hungry.
If Chen Shu remained silent, it was going to be awkward.
“Zhanzhan, do you still remember her?” Chen Shu asked.
That lady put down the ladle in her hand, looked up at Han Zhan, and tenderly said, “Brother Zhan.”
Han Zhan stared at that lady’s face, thought for a moment, and found the young girl’s face in the depths of his memory. Although unsure, he asked, “It’s Miaomiao?”
2
The lady was thrilled. “Brother Zhan, you still remember me!”
Just then, Mrs. Chen walked out of the kitchen. Hearing their conversation, Mrs. Chen said to Han Zhan, “Zhanzhan, you still remember Miaomiao? When she was slightly over a year old, you’d always pushed her around in her stroller.”
1
Han Zhan was five years older than Chen Miaomiao. He remembered that after he graduated from high school, Miaomiao was a little kid who had just finished elementary school.
1
The young girl had grown up beautifully.
Han Zhan knew what Mrs. Chen was trying to do. Seeing how Miaomiao was blushing, he knew that she was interested in him. However, Han Zhan wasn’t looking for romance.
He went silent for a while before speaking. “Miaomiao should have graduated long ago and started working?”
Chen Miaomiao acknowledged and mumbled, “I’ve graduated for a few years already and am now working at an advertisement company as a strategist.”
Han Zhan acknowledged her words. Just when Chen Miaomiao mustered up the courage to say something to him, Han Zhan suddenly spoke. “You’re so pretty and should already have a boyfriend? When are you getting married? When that happens, tell me. Brother Zhan will give you a huge red packet.”
8
Chen Miaomiao’s smiling face froze.
The light pink color on her cheeks instantly turned to red, and her pair of black eyes moistened. However, she controlled her emotions and shook her head awkwardly. She held her tears back as she answered, “It’s still early.”
After hearing Han Zhan’s words, Mrs. Chen knew that Han Zhan was uninterested in Chen Miaomiao.
Chen Miaomiao made an excuse to get chopsticks from the kitchen. Han Zhan knew that she went to wipe her tears secretly.
2
When she came out, Chen Miaomiao had a pair of chopsticks in her left hand and held a phone right against her ear with the other. In a surprised tone of voice, she said to the person on the other line, “Father, I’m at Grandpa Chen’s. Oh? Brother is back? Okay, I’ll go back now.”
1
After she hung up, Chen Miaomiao said sheepishly to Old Chen and Mrs. Chen, “Grandpa Chen, Grandma Chen, my brother is back so I have to go home. Brother Zhan, spend more time with Grandpa Chen before leaving.” The young lady hung her head. Her eyes were visibly wet.
“Mmm. Okay.”
After sending Chen Miaomiao off, Mrs. Chen hit Han Zhan’s shoulder hard and reprimanded him. “Zhanzhan, why are you still so heartless? If you’re not interested in Miaomiao, you can just reject her tactfully. Was that even necessary?”
7
She saw that the lady had even tried to put up an act to avoid Han Zhan, but she didn’t notice that the screen of her phone was black.
Han Zhan smiled helplessly and said to Mrs. Chen, “If I leave her hanging there when I’m uninterested, won’t I be a Casanova?”
“You…”
There was nothing wrong with Han Zhan’s statement. Mrs. Chen stared at Han Zhan before going silent.
Only after having dinner and some drinks with Old Chen did Han Zhan get up and bid goodbye.
On the way back to the hotel, Li Li said to Han Zhan, “Just now, I saw a lady running out of Old Chen’s house while wiping her tears. Who was that?”
Han Zhan said, “A little girl from my childhood.”
Li Li guessed what had happened and asked carefully, “You don’t like her?”
It annoyed Han Zhan. “Must I like any girl?”
1
Li Li thought to himself, ‘You’re not attracted to the peerlessly beautiful Miss Song, and you also don’t like the tender girl from your childhood. What kind of girl do you like then?’
A thought that had been buried in Li Li’s heart for a long time sneaked out once again—
“Mr. Han, you… don’t like dicks, right?” After those words got out of his mouth, Li Li noticed a sudden stunned look on Mr. Han’s face, and he felt like slapping himself.
17
Even someone who was extremely calm would feel like hitting anyone upon hearing such a question. But Han Zhan sized Li Li up and then smiled gently instead. He then said, “Yup. Someone like you is my cup of tea.”
8
Li Li instantly felt like opening the car door to escape.
Just then, he heard Han Zhan say, “Even if I was desperate, you’ll be safe.” Did he not have an estimate of his standards?
Hearing this, Li Li didn’t know if he should be happy or sad.
1
It was 9:30 P.M., a time when nightlife peaked. Their car was stuck on the streets of Shunchen City.
Since the day’s work was over, Han Zhan wasn’t in a hurry and started looking at the sights outside the window with interest. This city had become extremely unfamiliar to him, a complete contrast to the city in his memory.
Han Zhan saw an old person selling smelly tofu. He wound down the window to let the smell of the smelly tofu in. When he was studying back then, Han Zhan always bought a bowl of smelly tofu every Wednesday after school, and he often topped his smelly tofu with parsley.
The smell was tempting, and Han Zhan wanted to get off the car for a bowl of smelly tofu.
1
But when he looked up, he saw Song Ci.
Song Ci had changed into another attire again.
The white translucent blouse revealed a slender waist, while a pair of super short, black pants hugged her sexy hips quite tightly. Shunchen City was so hot, and yet she still let down her seductive black hair, making men steal glances as they walked past her.
As Han Zhan stared at Song Ci’s exquisite and peerlessly beautiful face, his right index finger casually started tapping on his thigh.
Song Ci was really like porcelain, so fair that she glowed. Han Zhan suddenly recalled that double-dragon-handled porcelain vase in his Grandpa’s storeroom. Grandpa said that the finest porcelain should be kept and taken good care of.
2
Song Ci didn’t know that someone was monitoring her movements.
She bought a bowl of smelly tofu. But upon seeing that there was parsley in it, her sharp nose scrunched up and she looked off.
Han Zhan’s tapping of his thigh halted.
1
Parsley was so delicious, but it disgusted her?
Song Ci used disposable chopsticks to sweep all the parsley aside. With the smelly tofu in her hand, she took a selfie with it. She then ate a piece of smelly tofu but realized she couldn’t stand the taste. When the man selling the smelly tofu wasn’t looking, she sneakily threw it into the dustbin.
1
Han Zhan, who saw this scene, looked increasingly displeased.
Still wasting food!
4
It was the second time in a day that Han Zhan saw Song Ci waste food.
Regardless of how good-looking she was, it wasn’t right to waste food at will.
4
Song Ci opened a piece of chewing gum and chewed on it. As she took a step with her right leg to cross the road, a familiar male voice suddenly rang by her ear. “If a jaywalking pedestrian is knocked over, the pedestrian holds 70% responsibility.”
It stunned Song Ci.
This voice…
She looked up and met a pair of gray-blue eyes.