Everything that should be done has been done. The final decision on success or failure is not in Wen Liang's hands, but he is sure that Xu Fuyan will not refuse outright. As long as he is willing to consider it, there is a possibility of success.
Putting all the intrigues behind him for the time being, Wen Liang slept comfortably. Although he seldom dreamed, he actually had a very long dream. In the dream, there seemed to be a girl hiding in the fog in the distance. His face could not be seen clearly, and his voice could not be heard. Only a corner of her bright yellow skirt was vaguely swaying lightly in the wind.
After taking a few steps forward, the girl would take a few steps back, always keeping a distance that was just out of reach. They walked like this all night, as if they had walked a lifetime!
The next morning, Wen Liang stared at himself in the mirror for a long time while washing his face. Then he buried his head in the cold water. The water line flowed over his neck and over the hazy images in his dream. Between the ripples of water, the girl's figure became fainter and fainter, but the hem of her skirt became brighter and brighter, as bright as the strong light emitted by an atomic bomb explosion, blinding, shocking, and sad!
He jogged all the way to Courtyard No. 1. Aunt Zhang opened the door, saw Wen Liang with a kind smile, and led him into the living room. Wen Liang thought Xu Yao and Ning Xiaoning should have gotten up, but he didn't expect that Xu Fuyan was the only one eating breakfast in the restaurant.
He thought for a moment, walked over, stood with his hands behind his back, and said respectfully, "Uncle Xu, good morning!"
Xu Fuyan put down the cup in his hand, with no sign of abnormality on his face. He pointed to the opposite side and said with a smile: "Sit down, will you eat something with me?"
If you don't see it with your own eyes, it would be hard for outsiders to imagine that Xu Fuyan, a senior city official who is in charge of the livelihoods of millions of people in Qingzhou, has such a simple breakfast: a bowl of millet porridge, two pancakes, and a small plate of shredded mustard greens. It's so homely and even a bit shabby.
Wen Liang looked at the table which was almost finished, and sat down without being tactful. He said, "I had already eaten when I came here, so I won't bother you."
Xu Fuyan nodded and stood up to clean up the dishes. Wen Liang didn't expect that he didn't leave such trivial matters to the nanny, but actually did it himself. He was slightly shocked and hurried over to help carry a plate.
Xu Fuyan smiled and did not stop him. The two of them took the dishes to the kitchen one after the other. Zhang Ma was obviously not surprised by this kind of thing, and her hands were still busy. Wen Liang took a look and saw two fried eggs, ham and two cups of milk - this should be the breakfast for Xu Yao and Ning Xiaoning.
No wonder the two girls didn't come down. It seemed that they didn't want to accompany Xu Fuyan to eat pickles. Wen Liang tried hard to hold back his laughter. Xu Fuyan saw it and didn't know what he was thinking. He shook his head and sighed, "Laugh if you want to. I can't do anything to my daughter."
Wen Liang smiled and said, "In fact, milk and eggs may not be as nutritious as whole grains, but girls like sweet food. In their opinion, milk not only tastes good, but at least it sells much better than millet porridge."
Xu Fuyan laughed and pointed at Wen Liang and said, "You have a really good mouth."
Wen Liang didn't know if his words had some other meaning. Logically, Wen Huaiming should not have told Xu Fuyan about last night's conversation, but facing someone like Xu Fuyan, who dared to say that they could see through him
As soon as they walked back to the living room, they saw Xu Yao poking his head at the second-floor staircase and secretly looking in the direction of the restaurant. Wen Liang coughed softly, and Xu Yao turned around and said with a grin, "Dad, are you done eating?"
Xu Fuyan had no choice but to say, "I have to hurry to the Municipal Party Committee. You go back to Guanshan today. Remember..."
"Alright, alright. Go to work quickly. I'll go to the bus station by myself later. Have a safe trip. Don't worry about it."
Xu Fuyan was a man of extreme self-discipline. His family would generally not send a bus to pick him up unless it was an emergency. But today he had to receive an inspection team from a neighboring province, so he really didn't even have time to send his precious daughter to the station. With a look of kindness on his face, he took out five hundred yuan from his wallet and asked Xu Yao to take it.
If it were any other child, they might have lost their temper, but Xu Yao was used to being left alone, and didn't think it was a big deal. She took the money and counted it, then snatched the wallet, counted out five more bills, and stuffed a thousand yuan into her pocket. Money is courage, and she seemed to be much taller. She said complacently, "Comrade Xu, I'll go home and help you find the way forward. If mom is dissatisfied with you, I can easily resolve it for you. This five hundred is just a reward for your hard work."
Xu Fuyan has been walking on thin ice for more than a year since he came to Guanshan. He only goes back to his home in Guanshan once every one or two months. It would be strange if his wife didn't complain. Xu Yao was able to understand this. They are worthy of praise for the close relationship between father and daughter.
However, these words in front of Wen Liang still made him very unhappy, so Wen Liang said at the right time: "I'll go upstairs and ask Xiao Ning to come down for dinner."
Xu Fuyan looked at Wen Liang's back as he went upstairs. There was admiration and praise in his eyes, but also an inexplicable feeling. His expression was very complicated.
Xu Yao's dark eyes swirled between the two of them, and she frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"
Xu Fuyan didn't respond to her words, and said with a smile: "Behave yourself when you go home. I'm busy here and don't have time to take care of you. Your mother is not as easy to talk to as I am."
Xu Yao wrinkled her nose cutely and said, "Got it!"
Wen Liang knocked on the door and after opening it, he found Ning Xiaoning helping Xu Yao pack her luggage. A small bag contained common items such as a mirror and a comb, and a large bag contained neatly stacked daily clothes.
"Coach, should I call you a babysitter?"
Ning Xiaoning put away the last piece of clothing, stood up and stretched. Her figure, which could be said to have instantly crushed all the girls in her entire high school, was immediately revealed. Her long legs, soft waist, and especially her fair skin that was faintly visible under the hem of her top, would make anyone who saw her dazzled, let alone Uncle Wen himself.
Ning Xiaoning, with her back to Wen Liang, raised the corners of her lips slightly, turned around suddenly, and threw the big and small bags into the air, one in each hand.
Wen Liang was startled, but fortunately he was very skilled and was only appreciating the beautiful scenery without being obsessed with it. He lowered his waist and dismounted from his horse, exhaled and shouted, then stretched out his hands like lightning. Although he was a little embarrassed, he still caught it.
Ning Xiaoning walked past him without looking away and said coldly: "A nanny is better than a laborer!"
Wen Liang stayed where he was, wanting to cry but without the tears. The heaviness in his hands told him that Ning Xiaoning was right. Lifting this thing was indeed not much better than doing hard labor.
After a moment of hesitation, Wen Liang chased after him with the bag in his hand, shouting, "The bag is so heavy, how did you throw it four or five meters away with one hand
Downstairs, Xu Fuyan gave Xu Yao some instructions, and then the first secretary Zhang Fang came in and said, "Secretary Xu, it's almost time..."
Xu Fuyan looked at his watch and smiled at Wen Liang and Ning Xiaoning, "I have something else to do. I'll ask you to take Xu Yao to the station."
Wen Ning and the other two naturally agreed without hesitation. Xu Yao said disdainfully, "I have been going to school alone since I was six years old. I won't be lost without them."
The pride in these words may not be happiness. Xu Fuyan felt a little sour in his heart, but he saw that Xu Yao's eyes never left the boy from the Wen family when she spoke. Thinking of what Wen Huaiming reported last night, he sighed silently.
Everyone walked outside the door to see Xu Fuyan off to the car. When the car started, Wen Liang took two steps back and lowered the window. Xu Fuyan smiled and gestured for him to come over.
"Uncle Xu, do you have any other instructions?"
Xu Fuyan said softly: "Tell your friend that anything can be discussed. As long as it is beneficial to the people of Qingzhou, I will always support it unconditionally."
Wen Liang finally confirmed that Xu Fuyan already knew the content of the conversation last night. It must be that Wen Huaiming felt that the matter was serious and reported it to him overnight. But something went wrong. According to the plan, Ji Zheng could not meet He Xihua until today. The news from the province would not come until tomorrow at the earliest. There was no reason for Xu Fuyan to make up his mind now.
But these are not the main points. The main point is that Xu Fuyan agreed to his request. Although there was still room for negotiation and the proportion of shares could be bargained, that was within Wen Liang's expectations. 5% was originally an exorbitant price, and it gave Xu Fuyan a way to pay back the money on the spot.
He was delighted, and the dust settled, and said, "I understand!"
The car drove away, Xu Yao and Ning Xiaoning went back to eat, and Wen Liang was still standing outside the door. Although he always said that he did not respect Xu Fuyan too much, he actually did not dislike him in his heart. The main reason was that this man was not completely corrupt, and when the time came, his responsibility and decisiveness were worthy of the black sand above his head and the throne under his feet.
Qingzhou Long-distance Bus Terminal.
It was the busiest time of the year, and the station was crowded with people. Xu Yao looked at the long queue in front of her and shouted, "There are so many people!"
Wen Liang joked: "I told you to find a car to take you home, but you were so arrogant..."
Xu Yao had known Wen Liang for such a long time, so of course she knew what tsundere meant. She was not annoyed, and gently brushed off the dust from her clothes, smiling calmly as if she were a hermit: "Student Wen Liang, haven't you learned Sima Guang's "Instructions on Frugality and Health"? 'It is easy to go from frugality to luxury, but it is difficult to go from luxury to frugality'. Why should I spend fifty or a hundred yuan to do something I can do with ten yuan?"
Wen Liang looked distressed and said, "Xu Yao, it is better to have no books than to believe in them blindly. Sima Guang's words have long been proven to be wrong. You still use it as a creed to motivate yourself... It is easy to go from frugality to luxury? Look, from ancient times to the present, who wants to get rich without working hard, suffering hardships, twists and turns, and going through hardships, and finally accumulating a little money by chance. It is easy to go from frugality to luxury? I can only laugh!"
Xu Yao didn't understand the complaint about "Hehe", but she understood Sima Guang's complaint instantly. The master demeanor she had just pretended to have disappeared, and she said, "What you said does make sense, but why can't I understand it?"
"Because, you're stupid!"
She opened her eyes wide, glared at Wen Liang for a few seconds, then turned around and threw herself into Ning Xiaoning's arms, saying, "I'm a stupid girl, wuwuwuwu..."
Sima Guang's original intention was certainly not what Wen Liang explained, but stealing concepts is something he is good at. If you don't think carefully, you will be easily fooled. Xu Yao cried twice, and when no one comforted her, she raised her head with a tear, her eyebrows were charming, her lips were smiling, and she pleaded softly, "I can't queue up to buy tickets, so I'll leave it to you, okay?"
The seventeen-year-old girl was beginning to understand the ways of the world, and her every word and smile already had a hint of charm. Wen Liang's heart trembled, and he could no longer say no, so he happily ran to the ticket office.
Xu Yao stared into the distance. The boy's back was as light as water, yet as heavy as a mountain. She chuckled and said, "Sometimes being a fool is actually pretty good, right?"
Ning Xiaoning was silent, he had you in his heart, no matter you were stupid or silly, confused or smart, he would naturally find you extremely cute. But if you were an irrelevant person without sufficient qualifications, it would be difficult to make this seemingly gentle boy, who was actually prouder than anyone else, take a second look at you.
Wen Liang certainly would not stand by and queue up, so he called Zhang Fang and asked him to do something for Xu Fuyan, using this relationship to help him. In less than two minutes, they got the tickets, and the three of them entered the station and found the car. It was time to say goodbye.
"I'm leaving..."
Xu Yao stood in front of Wen Liang, lowered her head and stared at her toes. Her usual pride and agility had all disappeared, replaced by a deep reluctance and a slight melancholy.
Wen Liang rubbed her head and said with a smile: "It's better to go home and be spoiled by your mother than to be scolded by your father every day. Why are you still unhappy?"
This is a typical Ah Q mentality. Although he had expected that Xu Fuyan would force him to spit out the fat in his mouth, it really happened. It would be a lie to say that he didn't mind at all, but he couldn't resist. He could only seize any opportunity to smear him to seek some psychological comfort.
Xu Yao's parting mood was slightly diluted by Wen Liang's deliberate teasing. She rolled her eyes at him and said, "You must be respectful to Comrade Xu. Besides, my mother is the one who is very strict with me. But she is a great cook. When you come to Guanshan, I will ask my mother to cook a feast for you!"
"Okay, I will definitely go hungry for ten days before going, and then eat my fill in one meal."
Xu Yao's eyes drooped suddenly, and she said with a sad face: "Ten days is too long, I want you to go in five days." Wen Liang smiled and said: "I'll listen to you, get in the car!"
After finding seats and putting their luggage away, it was time for the bus to depart. Wen Liang and Ning Xiaoning got off the bus and watched it slowly drive out of the station and then disappear in the direction of Guanshan.
Wen Liang shrugged and said, "Where are you going, coach?"
Ning Xiaoning's face turned cold, and she said, "Why, since Yaoyao isn't here, are you going to chase me away?"
Wen Liang had felt that Ning Xiaoning was a little strange since last night, and said, "You know that's not what I meant. Coach, have you been in a bad mood these past two days? Are things not going well at the company?"
Ning Xiaoning took a deep breath to calm her irritated heart, and whispered: "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have lost my temper with you, I... I'm going to work..."
Wen Liang was stunned for a moment, not knowing what this incoherent apology meant, and hurriedly chased after him, saying, "Let me take you there. I'm going to Qinghe too, so it's cheaper to share a car..."
(I just found out in the group today that the part about the photo actually caused everyone to speculate. I can only say that this book is a good read and the tone will not change. There is someone else who collected the photos, so don’t worry)
(In addition, if you go to the author's investigation page and look at the investigation list, I have put some people on it... So don't be surprised, or I will send you the goddess. Hehe) (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation.) (To be continued)