Chapter 116: 116 Okay, let treat you.
Chen Xu formally announced his resignation, and his work was nearly completed. He had no intention of staying for overti. Anyway, by tomorrow, when the process started, those well-inford colleagues would imdiately find out.
He ran ho, took a shower, and then prepared to drive Yang Jinxia’s car back to her. Before leaving, he sent her a WeChat ssage.
She replied quickly, “I’m out, co pick up here.” Then she sent the address.
He saw that it wasn’t far from her house—it was a coffee shop—so he texted back, “Okay.”
Yang Jinxia’s place was roughly a forty-minute drive, but it was rush hour, and the traffic lights caused a lot of delays. It took almost an hour to reach the coffee shop.
After parking the car, he sent a ssage, “I’ve arrived, sorry for the delay, there was so traffic. Are you still there?”
Her reply ca almost instantly, “I’m here, co in.”
He got out of the car and walked into the coffee shop. A quick glance around and he spotted Yang Jinxia by the window, with a man sitting across from her.
“Chen Xu.”
Before he could speak, she rose from her seat and ca over to him, took his hand before he could react, and said, “Let introduce you. This is the head of the marketing departnt at my company, Zhang Chaolin. My boyfriend, Chen Xu.”
Although Chen Xu was surprised by her action, he had been through a couple of dreams by now and his ntal resilience had improved. He caught on quickly, glanced at her, and didn’t expose her.
He sized up the man nad Zhang Chaolin—about thirty, in a smart suit with neatly combed hair. He had to admit, the man looked pretty good.
At that mont, Zhang Chaolin seed a bit taken aback, though he quickly regained his composure, his face still looked sowhat unnatural as he asked, “How co you never ntioned him before?”
“It’s my personal matter, there’s no need to tell everyone,” Yang Jinxia replied without any change in tone. “Alright, let’s discuss these work matters tomorrow at the office. I’m leaving now.” With that, she grabbed her bag with her other hand, still holding onto Chen Xu, and left.
Zhang Chaolin’s face changed, watching them leave the coffee shop with a hint of unwillingness.
Once outside, Yang Jinxia said, “That guy is really annoying, always using work as an excuse to pester . If he weren’t in a higher position than , I would have chased him off long ago. Thankfully, you ca, or I don’t know how long he would’ve troubled .”
Chen Xu asked her, “Why didn’t you make things clear to him earlier?”
Yang Jinxia smiled playfully, “I was waiting for a certain soone to co and be my knight in shining armor.”
Chen Xu looked at her, then withdrew his hand, saying, “Okay, he probably can’t see us here.” He handed her the car keys, “I have to go back, I’ve got other things to do.”
Yang Jinxia didn’t take them, hands behind her back, she said, “Didn’t I say last ti? If we t again, I’d give you a chance to invite to dinner. You can invite now.”
Chen Xu looked at her radiant face and said, “I really do have sothing.”
Yang Jinxia glared at him and walked on.
Chen Xu glanced at the car keys in his hand and had no choice but to follow, saying, “This…”
“Forget it.”
She walked a few steps, then stopped, turned, and said, “In that case, I’m inviting you. That should be fine, right?”
After finishing, she muttered softly, “You really don’t get it.”
“I…”
“Don’t you dare refuse ,” Yang Jinxia turned around, blocking his response, “Otherwise, I’ll cry for you to see.”
Knowing she was joking, Chen Xu still found it sowhat bittersweet.
At the sa ti, he felt even more clearlyhow greatly different she was from the Yang Jinxia in his dreams. The Yang Jinxia of his dreams would never have said sothing so childish.
By now, it was hard to utter a word of refusal.
Actually, he didn’t have anything particular to do; he simply didn’t want to get too close to her.
Before, he was wary of her, not daring to interact too much with her in reality.
Now, the reasons were even more complicated.
He asked, “Where to?”
At that mont, he saw a radiant smile spread across her face, “Let’s go for hotpot.”
After entering the hotpot restaurant, Chen Xu was still thinking about that smile of hers, a thought flashing through his mind.
Is she really that happy with ?
Yang Jinxia finished ordering the food and turned around to see him staring at her. She asked, “What are you looking at? Do I have sothing on my face?”
Chen Xu earnestly asked, “I was thinking, you’re so beautiful, there must be many outstanding n around you; why insist on dragging out to dinner?”
“Chen Xu.”
She stretched out her hand, placed it on his, gripping it tightly, looking into his eyes, she said, “You could be more confident, you know. Actually, you’re no less than anyone else.”
Chen Xu felt a mont of dizziness, a strong sense of unreality.
From a young age, no one had ever said anything like that to him. His father was sowhat old-fashioned, not very talkative, and always strict with him; as far as he could rember, his father had never once praised him.
His mother was a bit naggy and had high expectations for him, always talking about how hard other kids worked, how many points soone else’s child scored on their exams; it seed like he could never match up to other people’s children.
Never had anyone looked at him with such eyes and said those words to him.
Warmth seed to flow in his chest, slowly spreading through his body, a tingling sensation. His throat felt as if it was suddenly constricted.
After a while, he took a deep breath and said, “Thank you.”
Yang Jinxia didn’t speak, just looked at him, her hand still clasped with his.
Soon, the waiter ca over with a serving cart, bringing the food.
Only then did Yang Jinxia let go of his hand and asked, “Want so alcohol?”
“No, I actually have things to do tonight; a soft drink will do,” Chen Xu had regained his composure.
“Then orange juice it is.” She asked the waiter to bring a bottle, twisted it open, and poured two glasses.
The hotpot in the middle was already bubbling vigorously, steam rising up in waves.
They lifted their glasses and clinked them together.
Yang Jinxia whispered softly, “I’m glad to have t you.”
Hearing her gentle voice, Chen Xu felt sothing softening inside him and downed the orange juice in one go.
“Drop off here will be fine.”
As the white Volvo was about to turn into the entrance of the urban village, Chen Xu asked Yang Jinxia to stop the car.
She looked curiously at the buildings outside and asked, “You live here?”
“Yeah, a single room with a bathroom and a small balcony, twenty square ters,” said Chen Xu, unbuckling his seat belt.
“I’d like to have a look; is that okay?”
Chen Xu was in a hurry to go to the noodle shop and declined, “Maybe next ti.”
“The New Year is coming, and it’s going to be busy soon. Next ti you want to have dinner with , it’ll have to wait until after the New Year.”
She said this and then complained, “Also, our company has a project launching out of town, and I’ve been chosen to go on a business trip. I’ll leave on the 20th, and this year I’ll be spending New Year’s away.”
“Then, let’s et after the New Year,” Chen Xu felt a bit disappointed, yet also sowhat relieved, unsure what the feeling was.
PS: Monday, asking for recomndation tickets.
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