On Monday morning, Zhong Peng and Mo Yang went to Luo Jingyu's house to work. Luo Jingyu told them that there would be no work in the afternoon and she needed their help with other work.
The two children agreed, but they didn't know what to do. It wasn't until the afternoon when people started delivering goods to their door and they saw the big boxes that they finally figured it out.
Luo Jingyu went to the express collection point twice and brought the large express parcels home. The two children observed him quietly and found that Brother Luo was in a good mood. After arriving home and opening the outer packaging, he directed the two children to start working.
The three of them worked hard for the whole afternoon, and Luo Jingyu paid them double their daily wages. The two children left work happily.
After a simple dinner, Luo Jingyu opened the last big box, took out everything, sat cross-legged on the floor, and carefully installed it while looking at the instructions.
He specifically scheduled the delivery of all the items on this day because he wanted to give Huanhuan a surprise.
He couldn't answer the phone, and it took a lot of effort to communicate. He sent text messages again and again to explain to people that he was deaf and could only communicate through text messages. He begged the other party not to refuse to deliver the goods just because he couldn't get through on the phone. He waited at home all day.
Fortunately, everything was delivered on time and was installed and put in its proper place with the help of Zhong Peng and Mo Yang.
Tomorrow night, Huanhuan will come to his house. I wonder what his reaction will be
Luo Jingyu connected the solid wooden pillar in her hand to a round wooden board and screwed it in. As she thought about it, she smiled silently to herself.
—
This is the last working week before the Chinese New Year. The long Spring Festival holiday will begin in a few days. Many colleagues whose hometowns are away from home are eager to go home, but Zhan Xi does not want to go home so much.
Because her company has a factory and a large number of workers, the holiday period is relatively long, a full twelve days. Therefore, the last working week was very busy in the department, and many things had to be settled before the New Year.
On Tuesday evening, it was past the end of the workday, and seeing that everyone was working overtime, Zhan Xi was very anxious. At 6 o'clock, Xiaoyu sent her a WeChat message, so she had no choice but to bite the bullet and go to Wenqin, saying that she wanted to leave first because she had something to do in the evening.
Wenqin looked up at her and asked a question that Zhanxi had never expected.
"Are you going to class?" she asked.
Zhan Xi was extremely surprised: "No! What class are you taking?"
"Your mother called me." Wenqin said coldly, "She said you were preparing for the provincial exam at the end of February, right?"
Zhan Xi was terrified. Although Wenqin was her distant cousin, she was also a middle-level manager of the company and her leader! No leader would be happy if they knew that their subordinates were not satisfied with their jobs and were thinking about leaving the company to take the civil service exam.
Zhanxi had never told anyone in the company about the exam, thinking that his mother would have this common sense. But she actually called Wenqin. Why? Was it because she was the elder
"Let's talk." Wenqin asked Zhanxi to close the door and sit down, then she said slowly, "Zhanxi, in terms of seniority, your mother is my aunt and you are my cousin. At the beginning, your mother asked me to introduce you to a job. I read your resume and it was pretty good, so I hired you directly. You have only been working for more than half a year, and you are very smart and have good work performance. I plan to arrange for you to be in charge of training later, but it is not the right time yet. So, I was really surprised to receive your mother's call."
Zhan Xi's face turned red. During this period, she was repeatedly pressured by her mother. She also learned from Ji Hongzhe that Chi Guilan had done something excessive to his parents. She felt very upset. Facing Wen Qin's questioning, she was speechless and felt that no matter what she said, it would be futile.
"Are you dissatisfied with your work content? Or are you dissatisfied with your salary? Or are there conflicts among your colleagues? Zhanxi, you can talk to me about anything. It's okay." Wenqin has the unique affinity of a woman who has been working in human resources for a long time. She is not aggressive at all.
Zhan Xi hesitated for a long time and told the truth: "Manager Wen, it was my mother who asked me to take the exam, not my own wish."
She didn't even dare to call her Sister Wen. Wen Qin seemed to be thinking: "What if you pass the exam? Will you go?"
Zhan Xi couldn't answer and stammered, "I think the chances of passing the exam are low."
"You have been working for more than half a year, you are not an intern anymore." Wenqin said, "I was not familiar with your family before. My father and your mother are cousins. I have heard my father talk about your mother before. Your mother's personality is... very strong-willed and stubborn. But no matter what, she is my elder, and I can't say anything about her in front of you. Zhanxi, I am more than ten years older than you, I just want to advise you that you have to learn to think and decide for yourself on some things."
"In the eyes of many people, work is something they have to do to support their families, but have you ever thought that most people work for at least 30 years in their lifetime, and it is an indispensable part of our lives. As HR, an important part of our job is to help employees clarify their career plans and career directions, and know whether they are suitable for this position and this industry. We need to let employees learn from their work, keep up with the times, and constantly enrich themselves, so that they can make breakthroughs in their work, not only get paid, but also realize their self-worth."
"You are an HR, so you should understand this principle even more. Taking the civil service exam is a good choice. Everyone knows that jobs in the system are stable and respectable, and it is not easy to be eliminated. If nothing goes wrong, you can work until retirement. So if you really want to take the exam, I have nothing to say, but you tell me that it was your mother who asked you to take the exam and it was not your intention, then I will find it very strange. This is your job, your life, you are an independent person, and your mother will... eventually leave, so are you living for her or for yourself? Are you working for her or for yourself?"
Wenqin paused to give Zhanxi time to digest the information before continuing, "If it was someone else, no matter which department in the company, who told me that he/she wanted to take the civil service exam and might leave, do you know what I would do? I would immediately notify his/her direct supervisor to arrange an interview and confirm that he/she wants to take the exam. It's okay, no problem! From then on, no important work will be assigned to him/her. He/she will be directly sidelined, with no possibility of promotion, no training opportunities, no projects and no bonuses. I will just wait for him/her to leave on his/her own accord."
"So, think about it carefully. After all, we are relatives. I will let you off the hook. I won't tell other colleagues about this matter, and I hope you won't spread it around. Regardless of whether you pass the exam or not, we should talk about this behind closed doors. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for me to handle it. Do you understand?"
Zhan Xi was filled with shame and nodded, "I understand."
Wenqin waved her hand and said, "Okay, then you can leave work first. Think about it carefully during the New Year. If you really want to take the civil service exam, I suggest you quit your job, study hard, and pass it in one fell swoop. If you just want to take the exam casually, to be honest, if you can pass it, you are really lucky."
—
After leaving the company, Zhan Xi walked home with his head down and dragging his bag.
These past few days have been really frustrating. Ji Hongzhe asked her to think about it carefully, and Wenqin also asked her to think about it carefully. Well, she thought about it and thought a lot. Was it any use
Zhan Xi had a plan for work. She would know in April or May whether there were any pitfalls in the planning department. She had looked at the recruitment records of previous years and knew there was a high probability that there were. But she was not in a position to tell Wenqin about this. Although it was an internal transfer within the company, for Wenqin, it was no different from a job hopping.
As for the little fish... this is really a problem that bothers her greatly.
She fell in love with a man who had nothing in common with her mother's standards for a son-in-law, and faced a bumpy road with no future in sight.
However, the human heart is so mysterious. Even though we understand the truth and can anticipate the difficulties and obstacles, we still can't help wanting to get close to him.
Ji Hongzhe said, don't tease him if there is no result. Zhan Xi felt wronged, why did she tease him? Wasn't it Xiaoyu who teased her
And they say Xiaoyu is simple, but how can she be simple? He is so smart! He even knows how to pick her up with a car, and personally delivers her a cake. He has even delivered five ducks, and even snatched her cat!
It was because of her mother, so what should she do? Should she break off the mother-daughter relationship with her mother
Tell her that I have fallen in love with a deaf-mute man. Except for his inability to hear and speak, he is good in other aspects. He has a house, a career, and he is tall and handsome. He is very nice to me. Can I develop a relationship with him
Zhan Xi sighed dejectedly.
Even open-minded mothers like Yao Ying and Zhao Qingqing would not agree!
Besides, Xiaoyu hadn't told her anything, so maybe she was just being too enthusiastic.
While walking and thinking, Zhan Xi entered Qingque Jiayuan and went to the express collection point first.
She bought a birthday present for Xiaoyu and had it sent by SF Express. It only arrived that day. She didn't have time to inspect the goods, pack them, or write a greeting card, so she just carried the box home.
Xiaoyu asked her to take the kitten with her, and Zhanxi did so. It was almost 7 o'clock before she rang the doorbell of Xiaoyu's house.
Luo Jingyu came to open the door. As soon as the door opened, Zhan Xi saw his smiling face. Before she could say "Happy Birthday", her eyes passed over him and fell to the living room, and then she opened her eyes wide in surprise.
It was like a dream. After just two days of not being here, Xiaoyu's living room had undergone tremendous changes!
Zhan Xi changed his shoes and went into the house, putting the box on the ground. The gift could not wait to be thrown to Luo Jingyu, and he held it comfortably in his arms.
Luo Jingyu hugged the kitten with one hand, pulled Zhan Xi's sleeve with her right hand, and pointed to the living room, the smile on her face never disappearing.
Zhan Xi slowly walked forward a few steps, carefully looking at this familiar yet unfamiliar living room.
The place where the folding dining table was originally placed at the entrance is now replaced by a set of natural wood-colored four-seater dining table and chairs against the wall. It has a simple style. There is a small ceramic vase on the table with a few white lilies in it. They look very fresh, but Zhan Xi knows that they are permed flowers.
The workbench was still there, but it had been moved a lot closer to the entrance. Of the two sets of cabinets that were originally against the wall, only one set remained, and it was also moved, leaving a space by the glass sliding door.
That space now has a three-seater leather sofa in off-white color, with three cushions on it, all with irregular patterns in warm colors. Under the sofa is a square gray carpet, and on the carpet is a rustic wooden coffee table.
There is still no TV cabinet or TV opposite the sofa, but there is a set of particularly luxurious cat climbing frames, and next to it there are brand new litter boxes, cat toys, and some other miscellaneous items for kittens.
With this layout of the living room, the original empty feeling disappears, and it becomes colorful, lively, less crowded, and warmer.
Zhan Xi withdrew his gaze and looked at Luo Jingyu. He had been smiling at her with his eyes sparkling, as if he was seeking credit and waiting for her praise.
He took Zhan Xi's sleeve and led her to the cat climbing frame, and put the gift on the ground. The kitten was overwhelmed by the huge new toy, and after a while, he tried to climb up to the second floor from the slope. It was still too small to jump too high, so it squatted on the round wooden board on the second floor, licked its fur, and meowed twice.
Seeing that Zhan Xi hadn’t said anything, as if she was stupid, Luo Jingyu could only type to her: Huanhuan, I bought a sofa, do you like it
—Do you like it
Zhan Xi stared at Luo Jingyu blankly, thinking of the conversation he had with him. He asked her if she liked the sofa, and she said yes. At that time, he just blinked and looked at her.
My heart felt like it was hit suddenly and tightened suddenly.
She suddenly realized that she was not just being one-sided.
Luo Jingyu also likes her.
It’s just that he won’t say it, can’t say it, doesn’t want to say it, and doesn’t dare to say it.
He would only carefully and cautiously remember every word she said, and then express his feelings to her clumsily and sincerely.
"I like it." Zhan Xi replied.
Before she finished her words, a tear fell from the corner of her eye.
Seeing her red eyes, Luo Jingyu was really scared and panicked. He didn't know what to do. He couldn't speak and was so anxious that he used sign language: What's wrong with you? Are you feeling uncomfortable
Zhan Xi could understand the first sentence, but not the second. He shook his head repeatedly and said, "I'm fine, I'm fine, really fine..."
But even though she was comforting him, or comforting herself, her tears could not stop falling. Luo Jingyu's breathing almost stopped. She turned around and took out a few tissues from the coffee table and handed them to Zhan Xi. Zhan Xi took them and wiped his eyes. As he wiped, he was overwhelmed with grief and cried even harder. He sobbed with his mouth open, and his shoulders trembled violently.
Luo Jingyu was going crazy. He didn't know what was wrong with her. He wanted to ask her, but he couldn't. She couldn't understand his expression! He wanted to listen to her, but she refused to look up. He only saw her eyes and nose getting redder and redder, and the tears that couldn't be wiped away even with tissues.
He couldn't bear it any longer, so he took a step forward, put his right hand behind Zhan Xi's head, and gently pushed her towards him.
Her cheek rested on his left shoulder. He couldn't hear her crying, but he could feel her body shaking. He raised his left hand twice, then put it down again, and only gently hugged her lower back for the third time.
She hadn't taken off her down jacket yet, and her whole body was puffy. Seeing that she didn't resist, Luo Jingyu gritted her teeth, bravely exerted force in her arms, and finally held her tightly in her arms.
Zhan Xi didn't know when she raised her hands. When she reacted, she had already hugged the man tightly.
He was wearing a sweater, and she was rubbing his back with her hands, hiding her cheek in the hollow of his shoulder, crying loudly and wildly.
This was the closest they had ever been since they had met. He had a familiar scent on him, so familiar that she could tell it was him approaching just by using her nose.
The man's body was tall and straight, and his embrace was warm and powerful, which could make Zhan Xi forget everything and rely on him at this moment. She hugged him tightly, letting her tears wet his shoulders, greedily absorbing his silent, sea-like tenderness.
She thought he was so nice! Such a nice person, the one she liked, the one she was attracted to, the one she wanted to be with, but she had no way, no way, no way to be with him!
She hated her own stupidity, her own selfishness, and her own cowardice!
She hated herself for being a vulgar person, for not having the courage to fight for him, for not having the confidence to resist rumors for him. What she hated most was that she had no way to guarantee that he would not be hurt because of her.
Luo Jingyu rubbed the back of Zhan Xi's head and looked at the gift.
Liwu is only two months old and is a very timid cat, probably because both of his owners are very quiet people, especially Luo Jingyu.
He remembered that when the gift stayed at his house, if he moved a chair or took something and bumped into it, the gift would be scared and hide under the bed or table.
At this moment, the kitten had already hidden in the small grid on the first layer of the cat climbing frame, without even showing its head. Luo Jingyu knew that Huanhuan must be crying very loudly.
He felt so distressed. No matter what she was crying for, he felt bad.
There was still a vague feeling of uneasiness in his heart—Huanhuan was crying because of him.
Why
Zhan Xi had not cried like a child like this for a long, long time. He cried for more than ten minutes before he stopped and left Luo Jingyu's arms.
She saw his wet left shoulder, sniffed and said, "I'm sorry."
Luo Jingyu shook her hand, rubbed her head, bent down to look at her face, and the concern in her eyes was almost overflowing.
Zhan Xi smiled at him, knowing that his swollen eyes must be ugly, and said, "I'm hungry, what are you going to eat tonight?"
Luo Jingyu grabbed her arm and asked her to sit on the sofa. Then she pointed to the kitchen and made a sign for "wait a moment". Zhan Xi could understand and nodded at him.
He went to the kitchen to cook, and Zhan Xi lay on the sofa, feeling exhausted all over.
This sofa was really comfortable, much more comfortable than her two-seater fabric sofa, but Zhan Xi almost cried again when she thought about the first and last time she would sit on it.
Luo Jingyu's dishes were half prepared and came out of the pot quickly. Soon, the new dining table was beautifully arranged and smelled delicious.
In addition to the dishes, he also baked a small cake, squeezed fresh milk on it, put strawberries on it, and placed it on the dining table.
Zhan Xi sat down face to face with him, looking lost. Luo Jingyu poured hot coconut milk for him. After they clinked their glasses, they ate the food in silence. When they were almost done, Zhan Xi said, "Let's eat the cake. Have you prepared the candles?"
Luo Jingyu nodded, found a thin candle and lit it. Zhan Xi turned off the lights in the restaurant. He was about to close his eyes and make a wish, but Zhan Xi stopped him and said, "We haven't sung the birthday song yet!"
She regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth. Luo Jingyu stared at her blankly. She blamed herself and covered her face with her hands, muttering, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
Luo Jingyu smiled and took out her phone to type something for her: No one has ever sung to me, Huanhuan, sing and I can hear you.
Zhan Xi looked up at him. Luo Jingyu pointed to her left chest, made a heart shape with her hands, then pointed to her ears, and finally nodded vigorously at her with a hint of expectation in her eyes.
Zhan Xi said, "Okay, I'll sing it for you."
In the flickering candlelight, she clapped her hands and sang a birthday song: "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you... Happy birthday, Xiaoyu."
Luo Jingyu kept staring at her face, but she was not happy at all because Zhan Xi was crying again.
He quickly closed his eyes and made a wish, the simplest wish: Huanhuan, don't cry.
After opening his eyes, he blew out the candle.
Luo Jingyu stood up and turned on the light, then walked over to Zhan Xi and squatted down, holding her hand and looking up at her, her eyes as gentle as water, and she kept reaching out to wipe away her tears.
It was wiped away, but it flowed out again. Zhan Xi had given up and cried whenever she wanted. Facing Luo Jingyu, she didn't want to hide her helplessness and sadness, as well as her sadness and reluctance. The moment she saw Xiaoyu's new living room, she knew that she couldn't go on.
Zhan Xi's emotions fluctuated greatly that night, like a child whose toy was taken away, and his crying broke Luo Jingyu's heart.
During the meal, she ate a lot of dishes and cakes, stuffing them into her mouth in big mouthfuls, choking as she did so. Luo Jingyu was very nervous, fearing that she might eat something that got into her trachea.
After finally finishing the meal, Zhan Xi didn't stay long and said he was leaving, holding the gift.
Luo Jingyu typed and asked her: Can you talk about your personal matters with me
Zhan Xi just shook his head and said, "I'm fine."
When the two said goodbye at the door, Zhan Xi hesitated several times and finally just looked into Luo Jingyu's eyes and said, "Xiao Yu, happy birthday. Please forgive me. Goodbye."
After saying that, she hugged the cat, turned around and left.
Luo Jingyu didn't understand why she said "please forgive me" until half an hour later, he received a WeChat message from Zhan Xi.
Egg Pudding: Xiaoyu, I'm sorry. I can't say these words to you in person, but after thinking about it, I decided to tell you here.
Luo Jingyu sat down on the sofa, holding her cell phone, and read the words sent by the girl.
Egg Pudding: You always say I'm awesome, but I'm just an ordinary person, timid, cowardly, ordinary, and boring. You are really awesome, you know everything, you knew what you wanted and what you wanted to do early on, you are much braver than me.
Egg Pudding: I never told you that my mother had high expectations for me, whether it was study, work, making friends, or choosing a spouse, she had clear requirements. From childhood to adulthood, she had to ask about my affairs, big and small. Although I knew that many of her words and deeds were too extreme, I did not have the courage to resist.
I yearn for freedom very much, but unfortunately I have not yet achieved it.
I was overwhelmed and kept looking for a balance that would free me from the shackles and satisfy her, but I couldn't find it.
Egg Pudding: Xiaoyu, you are a very good person, the cutest boy I have ever met in my life, but I can't promise you anything. I am really happy knowing you for the past two months. Thank you for everything you have done for me, thank you for your care and tolerance for me, but I am sorry, I am really sorry, Teacher Egg is not brave enough, I can't see hope, I can't see the future, Teacher Egg is a coward.
Egg Pudding: I'm really sorry to tell you this on your birthday, but I think you've noticed my misbehavior. Xiaoyu, believe me, it's my problem, not yours. You are good enough and you will definitely meet an excellent girl and have a happy family.
Egg Pudding: I will continue to work hard and never give up. At this stage, my bigger goal is work. I have a very clear plan and need to invest a lot of energy to achieve it. I will put aside the emotional matters for the time being. Xiaoyu, you have to work hard too. I know you love hot stamping and I know that your level is outstanding. I believe that as long as there is a good opportunity, you can seize it and become a master in the hot stamping industry.
Egg Pudding: Xiaoyu, we are still friends, very good friends. You can still send me WeChat messages, and I will teach you grammar. But I can no longer visit your home. If we meet in the elevator, we can still chat. I will always be your egg teacher.
Egg Pudding: The box at the entrance is a birthday present for you. I didn't have time to open it just now. It needs to be installed. I believe it is not difficult for you. I hope you like it.
Egg Pudding: Finally, let me say it again, Xiaoyu, thank you for your company these days. I am really happy to know you. Happy birthday to you and good night.
After reading all the news, Luo Jingyu sat on the sofa with a hunched back, her elbows resting on her knees, her whole body frozen like a statue.
After a long time, he raised his head and looked at the cat climbing frame opposite the sofa, the empty shelf, and the empty litter box next to it.
He looked at the coffee table, carpet in front of him, the sofa under him, and the dining table and chairs not far away.
All of this was painstakingly assembled by him, Zhong Peng, and Mo Yang yesterday.
Looking at it now, it seems like a joke.
Luo Jingyu stood up and walked to the entrance, squatted on the ground and opened the cardboard box, and found that the gift Zhan Xi gave him was a floor lamp.
He sat cross-legged again and quickly installed the lamp. It turned out to be a whale-shaped floor lamp made of solid wood. The lamp pole was curved, and a wooden hollow whale was hanging on the top. It was quite large.
He carried the curved lamp pole to the sofa, plugged in the power, turned off the living room light, and turned on the switch of the whale lamp.
Warm light suddenly poured out from the striped hollow openings on the whale's body, softly filling the entire room and casting an enlarged hollow pattern of light and shadow on the wall.
Luo Jingyu stood in the middle of the living room, turned around, raised her head and looked around blankly.
It was as if a whale swam into the sea of his heart in the dark night, singing lonely songs.
The book says that whales make sounds through sonar, and it is difficult to describe what kind of sound it makes in words.
There wasn't even an onomatopoeia, so Luo Jingyu couldn't imagine it at all.
Just like now, he lowered his head, his Adam's apple rolled, his eyes were sore, his nose was blocked, and his mouth was open, but he would never know what kind of sound he made. :,,.