Chu Shichen was dragged away by Xiang Mingzhang.
After getting in the car, Chu Shichen looked towards Tiananmen Square reluctantly. When he got on the plane at the airport, he looked out the window eagerly as it took off.
The sea of clouds in the sky was surging, just like his restless emotions. Everything he witnessed in Tiananmen Square would be unforgettable for him for the rest of his life.
Xiang Mingzhang didn't expect Chu Shichen to have such a strong reaction, and asked, "Are you still excited?"
Chu Shichen felt that any attempt to hide it would be blasphemy, so he replied, "Yeah, I was very excited."
Xiang Mingzhang’s mind flashed the dawn on Tiananmen Square, the rising sun, and Chu Shichen crying in the morning glow and autumn breeze.
That look, that expression, a mixture of sincerity and sadness, was not like the emptiness after losing memory, but more like thousands of threads coming together, silently collapsing in the mortal body.
He doesn't look like one of the many tourists, but rather like a returnee who has seen thousands of ships.
Xiang Mingzhang suddenly remembered the mumbling... It wasn't Chu Shichen.
Then he realized that this was ridiculous, so he ordered his brain to "terminate the program" and took out the poetry collection he had not finished reading and started reading it.
Chu Shichen stared at the misty clouds for a long time until his neck became sore. He suddenly remembered that he had not thanked Xiang Mingzhang yet. He turned his head and saw Xiang Mingzhang nodding his head and falling asleep with his eyes closed. A collection of poems was spread out on the small table with one hand pressing on the middle of the page.
The flight was too early and everyone in the cabin was sleeping in some deep or light sleep. Chu Shichen gently grabbed Xiang Mingzhang's wrist, lifted it up, and then took the poetry collection on the table.
Suddenly, Xiang Mingzhang grabbed him with his backhand, still alert in his sleep.
Chu Shichen was in a dilemma. On the other side of the aisle, Director Meng moved and looked over here. Chu Shichen reflexively pulled his hand back.
Xiang Mingzhang's arms fell down, and he woke up, and asked sleepily, "What's wrong?"
Chu Shichen took the book and said, "It's okay... lend it to me."
With more than an hour left on the return journey, Chu Shichen was reading quietly. He felt like he was floating thousands of feet in the sky, accompanied by some real and imaginary lyrical sentences, which created a unique artistic conception.
When he was almost done reading, he fished out a few notes from his coat pocket. He always carried them with him when he went out, and he preferred to write things down with a pen rather than using a mobile phone memo.
The flight attendant reminded that the plane was preparing to land.
Xiang Mingzhang took a nap to regain his energy and asked, "Have you finished reading it?"
"Well." Chu Shichen said, "Just put it in the bag."
The plane landed safely. When we came out of the terminal, it was cloudy and the air was much more humid than in Beijing.
There was no need to rush to the company today, so everyone went home to rest and adjust. Xiang Mingzhang glanced at the street and said, "Meng Tao, you can take a taxi first."
Director Meng waved for a taxi and said, "Mr. Xiang, Secretary Chu, I'll be back first."
There was a Rolls-Royce with a Geely license plate parked on the street. It was the car from the Xiang family mansion in Jingpu. The driver had been waiting for a long time and said, "Mr. Xiang, the general manager sent me to take you to the hospital."
The general manager is Xiang Huan. When the car door opened, Xiang Mingzhang asked Chu Shichen, "Are you tired?"
Chu Shichen shook his head and got into the car with Xiang Mingzhang.
Xiang Xingzhao was staying in a high-end private hospital. There was no other patient in the entire floor of the ward. Several directors came to visit him and drank tea in the reception room next to the ward.
The assistant came to inform: "Vice President Xiang is back from his business trip."
Everyone was waiting in the corridor. Xiang Mingzhang appeared with Chu Shichen without saying hello to anyone. It was unclear whether he was speechless because he was in the wrong or he was so arrogant that he didn't need to explain to anyone.
Xiang Mingzhang went straight into the ward. Xiang Kun and Xiang Huan were in the living room. Xiang Ruxu was carrying a bag, probably because he had taken a leave from the company.
Chu Shichen closed the door.
Xiang Mingzhang called out, "Aunt, Uncle."
Xiang Huan wore light makeup, but it couldn't hide her gloomy face. She asked, "Did you just get off the plane?"
"Yes." Xiang Mingzhang said, "I'll go see grandpa first."
"Your grandpa is sleeping." Xiang Kun sat on the sofa, his brows were dark, "Your grandpa won't keep his eyes open waiting for you. If you can't wait any longer, you can leave."
Xiang Mingzhang stood tall and said, "I'll wait for Grandpa to wake up."
Xiang Kun said, "You've worked so hard. It's not easy for you to run a company independently. You're so busy that you don't have time to take care of anything. You don't have time to answer the phone or cancel a business trip. Maybe one day you won't even care about your grandfather's life."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "Uncle, isn't this too serious?"
Xiang Huan asked: "Your grandfather is lying in there, don't you think it's serious?"
Xiang Kun stood up from the sofa at once: "How old is the old man? He has suffered from a stroke and brain dementia, and relies on both Chinese and Western medicines to take care of him every day. The minor illnesses and disasters that you don't take seriously are all risks that he may not be able to survive."
Xiang Ruxu has always been a peacemaker, but he didn't help this time. He said, "Mingzhang, if something happens to grandpa, even if you get a huge project, you will regret it for the rest of your life."
Xiang Kun asked: "Xiang Mingzhang, will you regret it?"
Xiang Mingzhang did not give a direct answer, saying: "I won't let anything happen to Grandpa."
Xiang Kun sneered: "Your grandfather is sleeping and can't hear your nice words. Since you claim to be filial, you should pretend to be a filial grandson. Don't pretend to be a good grandson in front of others and then show your true colors behind others!"
"That's enough." Xiang Huan said, "If you're wrong, just admit it and stop arguing!"
Xiang Mingzhang said: "That depends on whether uncle is willing or not."
"Do you still remember that I'm your uncle?" Xiang Kun said angrily, "You are my nephew. I don't bother to argue with you if you are arrogant. This is not a company, not a place where you can use your power to talk. If you call me uncle, I will discipline you for them!"
Xiang Mingzhang raised his chin slightly: "Who are they?"
Xiang Kun said: "Your parents."
Chu Shichen watched coldly. It was not uncommon for wealthy families to have conflicts. Xiang Mingzhang was steady and mature, so there was no need for outsiders to worry about how he should deal with it.
But at this moment, Xiang Mingzhang's face darkened, veins on his forehead throbbed, as if all the muscles in his body were tense.
Xiang Xingzhao was in the treatment room across the glass door, and the directors were in the corridor on the other side of the wall. It was a fact that Xiang Mingzhang was late, and if he couldn't control himself and started arguing with his elders, it would only make everyone else feel more guilty.
Chu Shichen took a step forward, raised his hand and pressed it on Xiang Mingzhang's back, and said, "Director Xiang seems to have woken up."
Xiang Mingzhang changed his expression and said, "I'll go see grandpa."
Xiang Xingzhao lay flat on the hospital bed, breathing heavily from his nose. He slept for a long time every day, but his sleep was restless and he would be easily awakened by being startled.
Xiang Xingzhao opened his cloudy eyes. They were not as empty as usual. Instead, they were extremely focused and looked at Xiang Mingzhang intently.
"Grandpa." Xiang Mingzhang bent down and called out again, "Grandpa, I'm here."
Xiang Xingzhao stared at him for a long time, and uttered hoarsely "Ah... Ah..." He raised one hand with great effort. Xiang Mingzhang held it with both hands and asked, "Grandpa, what's wrong with you?"
Xiang Xingzhao couldn't explain: "Mingzhang, come back, come back."
Xiang Mingzhang said gently: "I'm back. I'll stay in the hospital with you tonight."
Chu Shichen couldn't explain how he felt. Some of Xiang Kun's words were right, and Xiang Mingzhang was indeed heartless behind his back. But at this moment, the love between the grandfather and grandson was so deep that it was hard to tell which one was real and which one was fake.
Xiang Xingzhao fell asleep again soon. Everyone left the treatment room. Xiang Huan said, "The old man needs more rest. Uncle Qi and the nurses are taking care of him in the ward. Let's go back first."
Xiang Ruxu was worried that they would quarrel again, so he said, "Dad, are you going to the company? I'll take you there."
Although Xiang Kun had a tantrum, he did not mention Xiang Mingzhang's lie about getting on the plane. It is estimated that Xiang Ruxu concealed it. As soon as Xiang Kun left, the directors outside also left.
The sky is gray and it's about to rain.
Coming out of the hospital, Chu Shichen waved for a taxi. The hospital was far from the Chu family, so he said to Xiang Mingzhang, "Let me take you first."
After getting in the car, Xiang Mingzhang gave the address, but it was not the Bomanjia Apartment.
Half an hour later, the taxi stopped by the roadside. A row of lush old trees shaded a group of Western-style buildings. Chu Shichen felt quite familiar with the place. Then he saw a sign, Yunjiao.
It was the bar that Xiang Mingzhang had brought him to.
Chu Shichen didn't point it out. Xiang Mingzhang was in a miserable state today. He was so old but was scolded by his elders and almost lost his composure. He was probably drinking to drown his sorrows.
Before getting off the car, Xiang Mingzhang said, "Thank you for accompanying me to the hospital."
Chu Shichen said: "It's okay, no need to thank me."
Xiang Mingzhang said: "Go home and have a good rest."
Chu Shichen said "hmm", closed the door, and said to the driver, "Let's go."
Xiang Mingzhang entered Yunjiao, where there were a few tables of guests drinking and chatting. He walked to the private booth. After a while, Xu Liao came over with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses and sat down on the long sofa opposite.
Xiang Mingzhang opened his sleeves and looked at his watch, then said, "No more drinking. I still have to sort out documents in the afternoon."
Xu Liao asked: "Have you been to the hospital?"
"Yeah, I came directly from the hospital." Xiang Mingzhang leaned against the cushion, crossed one leg and felt something missing in his trouser pocket. "How is it?"
Xu Liao took out a report and said, "Gastrointestinal problems, not serious."
Xiang Mingzhang unfolded the book, crumpled it and threw it back on the coffee table. He had guessed it at the airport. If Xiang Xingzhao really had a sudden serious illness, the old servant in Jingpu mansion would contact him first. Why would it be Xiang Ruguang's turn to notify him
Xu Liao asked: "Did your uncle take advantage of this issue to make a fuss?"
Xiang Mingzhang didn't care, but he felt a little embarrassed to be scolded by Xiang Kun in front of Chu Shichen.
Grabbing the cold water cup on the table, this time it was mint instead of lime, Xiang Mingzhang took a sip and said, "By the way, how is the thing I asked you to do going?"
Xu Liao said: "You've asked me to do so many things recently, which one are you referring to?"
Xiang Mingzhang said in annoyance: "Xingyu."
Xu Liao had stitches at the end of his right eye. He usually keeps his eyes down and says, "It's done."
Xiang Mingzhang nodded: "That's good, tell him not to meet with Chu Shichen again, and don't have any contact with him anymore."
After he finished speaking, he still felt it was not enough: "Check to see if there are any other people who have had an affair with Chu Shichen. Get rid of all the people who have dated or pursued him, so that they don't show up one day to relive the past with him."
Xu Liao had long been curious and asked, "Who is Chu Shichen?"
Xiang Mingzhang said: "I'm the secretary."
"Your secretary?" Xu Liao asked playfully, "Besides being a secretary, what other relationship do you have?"
Xiang Mingzhang replied: "It doesn't matter at the moment, but those questionable people must not have anything to do with him."
Xu Liao smiled and said, "Are you serious? Do you have any other instructions?"
Xiang Mingzhang drank the mint water in one gulp. People are really contradictory. Plain water is not cool enough, so you have to add ice cubes, but if you soak too much mint, it will feel too cool.
He felt the same way towards Chu Shichen.
The present Chu Shichen is completely different from the past. His abilities, conversation and hobbies have all changed dramatically. Xiang Mingzhang is attracted but also has doubts. Even if a living person loses his memory, can he really be separated from his past and become completely different
He wanted to know more about Chu Shichen, the more the better.
Xiang Mingzhang pondered for a moment and said, "I want to know a few things. Did Chu Shichen like to play with watches, especially pocket watches? What kind of places does he like to travel to and where has he been? He studied abroad and it seems that he studied art. Has he studied other majors, such as economics?"
Xu Liao couldn't help but want to make a teasing remark, he raised his eyes, but his gaze was fixed.
Xiang Mingzhang asked: "What's wrong?"
Xu Liao asked: "Is Secretary Chu a good-looking man?"
Xiang Mingzhang paused and turned his head to follow Xu Liao's gaze.
A few steps behind the booth, Chu Shichen had a frosty face, holding the ID folder that Xiang Mingzhang had dropped in the taxi, and he stood there for an unknown amount of time.
(End of this chapter)