[Urban] Summer (Complete) - 13-15

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

23

felt a sense of security as he half-stood behind her, a feeling of solidity. It was strange how age could influence one's impulses so much. If it were ten years earlier, or even five, Helan would probably have been driven to moaning by his angry thrusts in this state. But now, she could remain calm.

"How do you know I didn't say it? I already did."

Helan was a little nervous, staining the sofa with her body, and desperately pulled her large shirt down to her buttocks.

"Even if you did say it, there's definitely a problem with your sincerity,"

he said.

"Besides, you two don't have much time to talk. You've spent your limited time on 'hehe'."

Helan wanted to retaliate, but her lower body was tingling and she couldn't control herself. Her body went limp against his chest, letting him touch her. Her nipples trembled and itched unbearably, but the hateful Yi Wen didn't seem to care about this sensitive area. Unable to resist, she pretended to tug at her clothes, taking the opportunity to rub her chest a few times.

"Are you afraid that once the boy is ensnared by that female PhD, you'll never have another chance?"

He whispered teasingly behind her.

"You're crazy...get lost."

"Is that right?"

he pressed.

"Um...yes." "

No...I promise. Just like before, just like now."

"Oh..."

she gasped, "I don't believe you...how could that be?"

"I said I would, and I meant it."

He bit her earlobe and blew hard into her ear, a trick she always feared, one that usually drove her wild. Sure enough, she soon collapsed limply against him. Even

as an old married couple, this kind of play had a unique charm. Helan couldn't resist reaching behind him to grab and squeeze his penis, but Yi Wen remained unmoved, even though it was as hard as an iron rod.

This behavior was undoubtedly torture for Helan. After all, she had been abandoned halfway downstairs, and Yiwen's attitude of lifting her up into the air and then ignoring her was appalling. She decided to save herself...

Yiwen, of course, was happy to accept being served. When he saw Helan, her face flushed, getting up to pull off his elastic-waisted pajama bottoms, he readily cooperated. But just as he pulled them down to her knees, he heard a loud bang of a door slamming shut upstairs—it was that brat coming down.

Liang, lying upstairs, felt uncomfortable. Since they started this relationship, she had never left him there halfway through. There must be a reason for this today. He was a man who was rough but also meticulous. He felt uncomfortable being upstairs alone and was worried that something might be wrong downstairs, so he got up to check what was going on.

Hearing the sound, Helan quickly hid on the sofa, picked up the remote, and turned on the TV. She acted as if nothing had happened, leaving Yiwen to awkwardly pull up his pants, grumbling with a mix of laughter and tears.

"What kind of world is this? A perfectly legitimate couple is acting like they're having an affair."

She turned her head and chuckled to herself.

"Hey kid, what are you doing jumping around like that? This is a Standing Committee meeting, it's not appropriate for you to participate."

Yi Wen, who had finally straightened his pants before Liang came into view, was both amused and slightly annoyed.

Liang also seemed to have tidied himself up, his underwear was relatively neat and tidy, slightly better than Yi Wen's disheveled appearance. The situation below wasn't too bad, and Liang couldn't guess what had happened from He Lan's suppressed laughter on the sofa.

"Hehe, is it possible to hold a Standing Committee meeting in your underwear?"

What party is he from? The Naked Party?

He mustered his courage to banter with Yi Wen. He plopped down on the sofa opposite He Lan and took out a cigarette.

"Being left all alone up there feels a bit like a cuckoo taking over the nest, it's better to take it down,"

he continued.

"You, you, you...you brat, you're getting more and more talkative! Ask her, the elders are discussing your issues, and you're acting all wronged, aren't you, girl?"

Unexpectedly, Yi Wen suddenly threw this embarrassing question at her, and He Lan suddenly tensed up. More than tense, she felt embarrassed. She turned her face away, speechless, frowning and staring at him fiercely. Now that he had spoken, she knew what he was going to say, but she just didn't know how he would say it.

"Get lost! Who's the elder? You're making my teeth fall out!"

"Hehe."

Yi Wen looked at her bewildered expression and chuckled. Actually, he wasn't burdened at all, because what he was about to say had already been rehearsed with He Lan earlier. It was essentially the same thing, but it still felt a little awkward to say it in front of her.

"You."

He pointed at Helan, "You tell me."

"Pah. What should I say? Ugh, ridiculous, I can't be bothered with your nonsense."

Helan didn't expect him to suddenly pull such a move. Her face flushed, she stood up, clutching her underwear in her hand, worried about accidentally exposing herself under her shirt. She awkwardly fled to the guest room downstairs.

"What's the matter? So serious?"

Liang took a deep drag. He smoked for fun, unlike Yi Wen who would only exhale after a while. He took a deep drag and exhaled forcefully.

"It's all because of you. I just don't want you to run away with your PhD wife."

"Cough, you guys are really taking this seriously? It's like the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuchs are."

"Yes, yes, all your eunuchs have nothing to do. But it would be best if your female eunuch didn't visit my office anymore, or I'd have to go to the streets to work."

"Hahaha."

The brat laughed as if nothing had happened, which annoyed Yi Wen. He was filled with malice and wanted to kick him under the coffee table.

The young man stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, still unable to stop laughing.

"Okay, I'll handle my sister's matter, but you Standing Committee members shouldn't be discussing these trivial matters all night anymore, okay? The people will feel sorry for you working so hard."

"You rascal! Seriously, I'm talking to you."

"Okay, okay, serious. You don't even know if what lies ahead of me is a blessing or a pit of fire before you push me in. That's so irresponsible!" "

Don't stir up trouble. Xiaoya already said she's beautiful and has a good temper. So many eyes are on her, like light bulbs. Who would want to be mistreated by a divorced man like you? Besides, whether there's a connection or not, you only know after spending time together. You've only met her two or three times, and after just a few hours you're being sarcastic and silent. That's not like you."

"Sigh, I don't know who's stirring things up."

The young man retorted stubbornly.

"To be honest, don't you think things are good as they are? Actually, I don't object to living like a family, but don't forget, we don't live in a vacuum. There are many unrealistic things."

Yi Wen said.

Helan wasn't present, so he figured since they were on the topic, he might as well be frank and clear things up, lest the brat pretend not to understand and keep trying to take advantage. He took out a cigarette and tossed it to him. They lit it together. This kind of scene often happened before, but it was usually about business.

"I know you're good at charming women. I saw that sculpture Helan secretly kept in the room. She went to great lengths, huh? If she had focused on other girls earlier, maybe she would have found a stepmother for her son long ago."

The words were a bit malicious, and Liang was both amused and exasperated. He gave an awkward, forced smile.

"Let's not get carried away. To put it simply, I also think the current candidate is good. You should put in some effort these next few days, meet up with her again, and have a good talk. You only know if the shoe fits after trying it on; you can't tell just by taking a quick look. Actually, I was just talking to her about you, and she also thinks you need to put in more effort."

"To put it bluntly, isn't it enough that this girl's room is always open to you? You don't really want to lure her into your own stinky place, do you? If that's what you're thinking, I'd better step aside and go to Shenzhen this time."

"Nonsense, what nonsense are you talking about?"

Liang, unusually, blurted out He Lan's favorite catchphrase when she was speechless because of something.

"Oh, you don't have that idea? Then leave your wife for me and go find someone yourself."

Yi Wen felt he had made himself clear enough, and there was no need to say more. On this matter, he thought the kid was being a bit confused and stubborn. He really hadn't expected him to put so much thought into He Lan.

"Actually, I think she's more like your sister than your sister, right?"

"Hehe."

He laughed.

"I know what you mean."

He said.

"Of course we have to know, or we'll be like blockheads."

Yi Wen chuckled and stood up, going to the guest room to find He Lan. He Lan was watching TV inside, her ears seemingly perked up, listening to the conversation outside.

"Now that's settled, you brat, it's your job now."

He Lan's eyes were full of affection as she pouted and muttered a curse, feigning complete ignorance.

Yi Wen mischievously flipped her onto the bed, teasingly looking at the spot where she had just sat. He looked down carefully, and He Lan was initially confused, but when she realized what was happening, she screamed and pounced on him, ready to beat him up.

There was a small, faint stain on the sheet, left by He Lan sitting there.

She pushed him away, her scream drawing Liang's attention. She leaped back and sat down in her original spot, covering the mark...

The bed in the guest room, though a double bed, was only 1.5 meters wide, nothing compared to the two-meter-wide bed upstairs. Yi Wen, sitting on the other side of the bed, easily pulled her over. Caught off guard, she lost her balance and fell back onto the bed with her legs raised high.

"What are you doing? You're so annoying!"

she scolded, but he held her down, preventing her from turning over.

Standing to the side, Liang watched the two white legs kicking and then shyly pressing them together, leaning to one side. He felt a ticklish urge, wanting to reach out, but his pride prevented him from doing so. He knew Yi Wen was teasing him, trying to ignite a passionate climax, but he was still embarrassed by Yi Wen's words, his mind elsewhere, and he couldn't concentrate on the sight before him.

Despite all these years, Liang was still somewhat reserved and uneasy around Helan in front of Yi Wen. He chuckled sheepishly and half-carried her towards Yi Wen, then sat down on the edge of the bed. Feeling cramped, he shifted and finally settled on the small sofa next to the bed.

Yi Wen's antics went largely unnoticed, becoming a bit dull. After a while, he yawned several times, muttering,

"Going to sleep, girl. You should give him another pep talk, tell him not to be so arrogant, to stop trying to have his cake and eat it too." "

Pah... watermelon and sesame, my foot!"

Helan scolded, trying to get up and go upstairs with him, but Yi Wen held her down, grimacing and gesturing towards Liang, who was pretending to be engrossed in the screen.

It was like giving Helan a way out, a legitimate reason to at least linger a little longer.

People are actually quite hypocritical; they clearly have something on their mind, yet they try to be so subtle about it.

He had just hidden downstairs from upstairs, and now that he was down, he was going to hide upstairs again. He Lan laughed at him, saying he was crazy, but she felt a little grateful inside. She was naturally eager, but honestly, it wasn't because of lust anymore. Her desire had been completely dissipated by all this back and forth. She genuinely wanted to have a good talk with Liang.

He went out, and before leaving, he asked, "Wife, do you want me to leave the door open for you?"

She reached for a pillow to hit him, but he chuckled and ran away, closing the door behind him.

The two of them were left. He Lan looked at him intently, but Liang's gaze remained fixed on the television. She grabbed the pillow she had just intended to give to Yi Wen and threw it at him. Only then did he snap out of it, grinning.

"You like Korean movies too? Aren't South Korean men all effeminate?"

He got up and leaned closer. "But South Korean women are beautiful."

She tried to dodge, but he easily pulled her into his arms.

"Hehe..."

"A wicked smile,"

she said.

"I'm just smiling..."

she tried to explain.

"I know what you're laughing at,"

she said.

"Heh."

"A sly laugh,"

she cursed.

"No, I just feel bad,"

he said, his expression becoming very sincere.

"Oh, then go upstairs and keep him company,"

she said.

"Heh, then what are you doing here?"

He was already very relaxed in her presence, and his hands began to wander as he spoke. When he kicked off his slippers, he casually turned off the light, leaving only the faint glow of the television.

That's what he said, but when he took off his shirt, he was completely cooperative, no longer hesitant.

Their naked skin touched, no longer with impatience, but with tenderness. She lay down quietly, his arms comfortably and firmly against her.

"You want me to take the blame for you,"

she said.

"What? What blame? I didn't."

"Yi Wen, he..."

The words she was about to say made He Lan feel self-conscious, and she suddenly didn't want to say them anymore.

He pinched her body and forced her...

"Say it's because of me that you did that..."

"You two are really going to never stop,"

he sighed with a wry smile.

"So...it's none of my business?"

She turned to face him, her eyes fixed on him intently.

He couldn't resist her gaze, so he pressed his face against hers, his breath landing on her lips. "What do you think?"

"How should I know? What would you think if I said he was right?"

"Go away, don't believe me...who would believe me?"

She suddenly slid down, burying her head in his armpit.

But he picked her up, changed position, and lay on his side, pressing his body against hers. He liked this position; their bodies were in close contact, and his hands could move freely.

He reached forward and lifted her breasts, the nipples nestled together, quietly half-lying in his palm. Then, he freed one hand and groped between her legs...

slid himself deep into her smooth passage, and gently nibbled her earlobe behind her ear.

"You little vixen, you knew perfectly well..."

She trembled slightly… her whole body started shaking, that uncontrollable tremor before a pleasurable climax. She had wanted to hear those words for a long time, but she was also afraid to hear them.

“Why are you doing this…”

her voice tinged with a hint of resentment.

“I don’t know… I really don’t know.”

Her body, distracted by his words, relaxed during intercourse. He pressed closer, squeezing her body in deeply…

“Mmm…”

she murmured softly, pulling away slightly…

“Let me do it,”

she comforted.

She slid down on him, skillfully reaching his center… taking his body, and all its tantalizing scent, into her mouth…

she murmured for a long time before releasing, gently teasing his testicles. In the fluorescent light filtering through the curtains, she looked up and saw his eyes, instantly becoming shy, too embarrassed to look at him. Looking down at his now erect penis, she whispered, “I like it.”

The simple, seductive words instantly painted the room with an erotic glow, as if all the darkness had vanished, replaced by a passionate intensity.

He sat up and mounted her… but she continued to evade him… until they reached a comfortable distance… Good heavens, this… He dared not be presumptuous with the woman beneath him, trying to move her towards the pillow under her armpits, but she refused. Her softness engulfed him, turning them into a conventional position in an unconventional one… Her lips were passionate, her tongue greedy; he would rather ascend to heaven and die at this moment…

She used every seductive trick in the book, her verbal skills almost making him faint. Her busy hands tightly embraced her firm buttocks, her fingertips lightly playing beautiful notes between her buttocks. The woman was also surprised by herself, but she couldn't help but offer herself, just because the man had said those few words?

The woman was foolish; just because the man revealed a little secret of her heart, she was overcome with passion. It wasn't that Helan had been waiting for Liang to make such a confession. Over the years, they had had countless physical pleasures, but there was still a barrier between their words. At most, it was simple teasing, and the rest was only conveyed through unspoken glances and expressions.

Perhaps Liang was driven to desperation by Yi Wen today, and He Lan, who was usually so devoid of emotion, responded so strongly.

Their bodies were racing, swaying, but Liang couldn't bear her sudden, somewhat self-destructive, carnal feast. He almost struggled to break free, managing to assume a 69 position with her and share half his pleasure with her…

She began to float in pleasure, but her body and mind started to separate. Strangely, her mind was surprisingly clear. She

began to fear what she discerned in her mind: on the surface, it seemed she was shuttling between two men, but her emotional destination seemed like that of a wanderer, without a clear end. The things a woman desires flickered in the void, the whispers of love were almost gone, except for the occasional flirtatious banter that briefly touched her heart before her soul sank into the abyss, her days filled with constant anxiety.

The pleasure radiated from her body, murmuring outwards, yet it couldn't dispel the clear pulse in her mind. Her imagination raced, like when she was learning a musical instrument; the teacher always taught her to multitask. She could never learn it before, but now she used it with mastery. Her mind raced, her body reveled…

She questioned herself, what was happening? Occasional, simple sexual pleasure, even a one-night stand, would be one thing, but this karmic entanglement that had lasted for so many years was inexplicable. Now, she felt a yearning, an impulse to completely entrust her soul and body to him.

Such a bizarre thought couldn't be entirely blamed on Yi Wen. Had she lost love for her understanding husband? The answer was clearly no. But why was she so unable to let go of the man entwined before her?

She felt shameless once more, yet her physical desires and her acts of deference became a contradiction.

He suddenly pushed her away urgently, probably afraid of climaxing in her mouth. She wanted to resist, hoping to wholeheartedly welcome him, in any way, as long as it brought him to the peak of pleasure, to see him smile at her from that peak, she was willing to do anything.

But he had already jumped up and knelt in front of her. The light was a bit dim, but she could imagine the cuteness of his childlike embarrassment. She smiled and lay down, spread her legs, took his arm, and uttered two unexpected words.

"Fuck me..."

Liang felt like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, also tormented by the new stimulation, his slippery, fully exposed body ready to receive. He pounced on her, and before he could move, she had already led him into the secret passage...

Helan fainted again...

and began to think about the question from before: What about the man on top of her? Was it also love? The pause seemed not to have severed their sexual pleasure; the change in stimulation and position quickly reignited the surging tide. Before she could think further, he began his final, desperate thrust… She had to temporarily set aside her thoughts and concentrate on enduring and accepting him; the storm was fast approaching…

He roared as he ejaculated his nectar, a torrent surging into her depths. Helan, who had been convulsing and preparing to rest, suddenly experienced a violent climax with the ejaculation; an uncontrollable frenzy overwhelmed her. She, too, gasped heavily with his roar, struggling against him at their point of contact, reaching her peak in madness. Just before it ended, she cried out.

"I love you!"

Startled by her own words, she bit his shoulder tightly…

In the bathroom, Helan poured nearly ice-cold water over herself, trying to cool her feverish body. At first, she almost shivered, but quickly adjusted to the temperature. Her emotions seemed to be spiraling out of control; her vision blurred, and tears welled up, only to be washed away by the showerhead. She wept

for her earlier recklessness and for her infidelity to Yi Wen, feeling betrayed—she had always considered it a game, never feeling such remorse even during her passionate revelry with Liang on the Sangke Grassland in Gannan.

Liang entered, rushing into the water to receive the icy spray. She turned her back to him, embarrassed. She felt guilty

for her earlier indulgence.

He was moved, understanding her feelings. At some point, he had almost regarded her as Nuwa, a totem in his heart, hoping to watch over her from afar. But heaven—no, Yi Wen—had given him the opportunity to approach her. He had always held her in awe, never expecting anything more.

He had drawn a circle around himself, a circle he could never cross, because Yi Wen was a brother closer than blood relatives; he couldn't be unjust, he couldn't push his luck.

Today, in Helan's madness, her open emotions moved him. Although moved and even grateful, he would interpret Helan's frenzied words as having multiple meanings unique to Chinese characters. Foreigners have a clear line between liking and love; Helan's love, in his view, could only be understood as liking.

But how could he repay her feelings? She certainly wouldn't have uttered those words so simply.

Sliding down the water droplets, he knelt down, embraced her legs from behind, pressed his cheek against her full buttocks, and Helan immediately felt the warmth of his skin in the cool waterfall. Her body involuntarily turned around, unsteady on her feet, and leaned against the wall, turning down the tap, stopping the water flow instantly.

His face was right in the middle of her body, where the thick bush, now smoothed by the water, clung obediently to her full, rounded mons pubis. He pressed against her, instantly messing up that smoothness...

Women are like water; water touched by water becomes a spirit. Just minutes before, she was immersed in self-reproach, but desire ignited in an instant, and self-reproach became another kind of desire. At this moment, the woman's body was full of vitality, and the washing of the water droplets carried away all her previous fatigue.

The man's tongue, the man's breath, melted the woman; after all, a woman must submit to the mighty…

Helan was pressed down on the sink table, the man's attack was frantic and unrestrained, unlike the gentle flow of water before. The woman endured it with unbridled pleasure, and because of the smoothness, her body even slipped away several times. The woman's graceful, snow-white neck, her expression dazed, wantonly placed one beautiful leg on the table…

When the male tentatively approached again, the female mischievously blocked her private parts with her slender fingers…

After a brief moment of confusion, it turned into surprise—another round of revelry descended… Beyond the private parts, there was another world…

The passion finally ended, and sorrow resurfaced in her heart.

After tidying up, Helan looked like a pear blossom in the rain, delicate and tender… She was determined not to spend the night with him; her true love was suffering upstairs, and she couldn't indulge in her passion.

"Keep your word, treat him well,"

she said.

"Understood," he replied

, sounding unusually impatient.

"Hehe, I'm exhausted, just lie down!"

Their fingers were still intertwined, but ultimately, they separated.

Helan gently opened the door and floated out, like a beautiful elf, leaving only a sense of melancholy…

Upon entering the room, Helan frowned. The room was filled with smoke. Yi Wen probably hadn't expected her to return. He quickly jumped out of bed, busily opening the windows and doors to disperse the smoke. Normally, she would have complained about him smoking in the room; he never lit a cigarette in the bedroom. But today, she understood him, and a surge of joy welled up inside her. Seeing him comically running around in his underwear, she couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, alright, even if you tear down the wall, it'll still be a cloud of smoke for a while."

"What's wrong? You made the room like this in just a short time?"

she asked knowingly.

"Hehe, I'm just afraid my wife will be snatched away by someone else, then I'll be a bachelor. But thankfully, although I'm not exactly a diamond bachelor, I'm still a silver bachelor."

He was surprisingly frank, not hiding his emotions at all.

"Ugh, always so smooth-talking."

she laughed and scolded.

"Why are you still standing there? Please get on the bed."

He said, standing by the window.

"Okay, close the window, it's like a sauna in here."

It was the dog days of summer, and the heat outside was intense even at night.

"Alright, just keep the bathroom exhaust fan on, the outhouse won't smell so bad after a while."

he said with a smile.

They got into bed, and he hugged her.

"Tell me honestly, why were you smoking in the room? Did some girl try to seduce you and you couldn't get away with it, so you're feeling frustrated?"

Helan asked with a chuckle.

"You!"

Yi Wen was so angry he couldn't speak, looking incredibly aggrieved, and slammed his hand on the edge of the bed.

"Cough, the most poisonous heart is a woman's, that's right, that's you."

"Ugh!"

She pinched him.

"Actually, I really had two plans today."

He suddenly became serious.

"You're so annoying."

"Really."

She turned to look at him seriously, and seeing how serious he was, she felt a little flustered. Her husband was actually very shrewd, and now that he was saying this, it seemed like he had seen through everything she had done today. A flush rose to her face.

"Stop joking. I just talked to him and he agreed to start dating someone wholeheartedly starting tomorrow."

"Really? Really?"

"You're crazy..."

she cursed.

"Hehe, the mother of the child is settled, and the mistress of the house is settled too..."

He chuckled, his smile relaxed and genuine.

Suddenly he rolled over and moved over her.

According to their habit, he slept on this side.

But she was a little worried… Sure enough, he began to grope her…

He had a ridiculous flaw… When they were in a side-lying position… it was never right to start their marital relations from the other side. They usually slept wherever they pleased, but whenever he suddenly moved to her side, it became a symbolic announcement: it was time for their intimate encounter.

Her pants were quickly pulled down, and Helan inwardly cried out that this was going to never end…

He skillfully entered her… then suddenly stopped.

He waited until she squirmed and asked.

“You brat…”

he suddenly started cursing.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Look...look..."

"What?"

"Look what you've done to my thing!"

"It's practically a toothpick now that it's inside!"

"Ugh..."

She tried to push him away, but he immediately held her tightly, unable to move, and her body was instantly filled...

This was almost the most passionate night the couple had had in a long time, as if they had returned to many years ago. In fact, since their son was born, the couple had become like different people. He Lan was busy with the child, and Yi Wen was receiving second-tier training at his workplace until his boss died in a car accident. Seeing his promising career being replaced by someone else, he was depressed for a time.

Their marital life almost collapsed until Liang persuaded them to go south, and things improved as their child grew older.

Despite this, their relationship was not affected. They used to be like siblings, and even when Yi Wen was having trouble at work, he never argued with He Lan. Of course, this was also related to He Lan's wisdom and understanding.

A second encounter is rare, but today he was fiercely passionate, and as he collapsed beside her for the last time, he sighed, "Wife, if you hadn't come back, I wouldn't have had a sleepless night."

He Lan also felt exhausted, but her mood was joyful. She was covered in sweat; normally, she would have rushed to the bathroom, but today they remained entwined...

The bedside lamp had been turned on at some point, and He Lan's eyes were half-closed. It was already midnight, but she still didn't seem sleepy. She wrapped herself completely in the blanket, pushed Yi Wen away, and looked at him.

"Don't worry about it anymore. Once they've settled down and gotten married, there won't be any more messy things. He'll need someone to keep an eye on him."

"You think it's messy? You seem to be enjoying it,"

Yi Wen said dismissively.

"Ugh, I don't want to talk to you. Say whatever you want,"

she said lazily.

He hugged her through the blanket: "You little brat, how naive you are. You think you're safe now? You don't understand men at all. Do you think this brat will let you go so easily? One minute it's a watch, the next it's fashion, and now he's even touching statues."

Helan smiled as she listened to Yiwen's grumbling, remembering the jade carving he had commissioned from Guizhou.

"Jealous?"

she teased.

"Of course not. If I don't come back, I worry; if I do, I worry about what to do when you're in heat."

"Ugh... what do you suggest?"

"The best way is to have your cake and eat it too."

She was somewhat tempted, giggling as she leaned closer, resting her face on his shoulder: "How can I have both? Tell me your secrets?"

He was angry, pushing her away: "Look at your frivolous appearance. If you were on the street right now, the city management would definitely arrest you. You're just a cute sex worker."

"Pah! Where do you find someone so righteous? In a uniform, you'd look like someone who arrests those kinds of people."

He pulled the blanket off her, still enthusiastically grabbing and kneading her breasts. She let him do as he pleased. She had accomplished something important today—the boy's problem was solved, and she felt much lighter.

He

Lan went to bed late, but woke up early. Beside her, Yi Wen was fast asleep, staring blankly at the ceiling, reflecting on her recent feelings. The ceiling was exquisitely decorated, with neat edges and elegant shapes—a testament to the couple's thoughtful design and the meticulous work of the decorating company; the colors and style were perfectly coordinated. "

This is our home," she told herself, glancing at the soundly sleeping man with a wave of contentment and longing. She wanted to hug him, but refrained, afraid of waking him.

After processing her feelings, she realized she had been somewhat lost in her recent life. Yi Wen was like a father and brother to her, but she had somewhat failed to appreciate his doting affection.

Just like when her child was first born, she neglected him, focusing all her attention on that chubby little thing. There had been a moment of guilt, but the favoritism of a new mother was far more convincing than the confusion she felt during this time. After a period of self-reflection, she realized that if things had harmed Yi Wen, he should be held responsible. After all, Liang couldn't be said to have willingly entered this game. "

You're wrong too. It was all your fault, you bad influence. What woman is bold enough to dare to try something like this?" He Lan thought quietly to herself, staring at his usually composed face, offering a slight defense of herself.

She struggled to sit up, her bones feeling like they were falling apart. In a daze, she couldn't remember how she had ended up like this, but immediately, she remembered the frenzied night before, and a warm blush rose to her face. "

Get up and get them something," she thought.

Meanwhile, the self-reproach from before continued. To be honest, in recent years, she had rarely made breakfast for Yiwen and the children. It wasn't that she got up late; it was mainly because they were used to going out for morning tea. The habits Yiwen brought back from there had also influenced the children. Unless they were staying with their grandparents, Qiangqiang was always taken to a teahouse for breakfast by Yiwen.

Liang hadn't had a chance to eat breakfast he made himself these past few days, and he couldn't help but think of him. A tremor ran through him, and he rushed into the bathroom to wash up, trying to stop his overthinking. "

It smells so good!" Helan heard Yiwen's voice and felt a little embarrassed.

"Don't laugh at me. There's not much to prepare for breakfast at home."

There were a few poached eggs and a small plate of bread slices on the table. The most appetizing thing was the small pot of noodles, with a few crisp, juicy green vegetable leaves floating on top.

"It's good. I'm tired of eating out. Homemade is always the best."

"Why didn't you say so earlier?"

She served him a bowl and complained.

"Hehe, I didn't dare say it. My wife is already suffering enough as a housewife, how could I possibly treat her like a maid?"

"Ugh, you're so sarcastic, just making veiled accusations."

She playfully punched him on the shoulder.

No one knows a wife better than her husband, and Yi Wen certainly knew He Lan's feelings. Her actions made him feel a little heartache. He had always spoiled her like this, and whenever she showed a acquiescent or apologetic expression, Yi Wen himself would feel a little hurt, like a child who had suddenly become surprisingly sensible, losing their childlike innocence.

Her rare unbridled behavior allowed him to experience this kind of brotherly and paternal love.

"Delicious."

He swallowed hard.

"Slow down, it's hot."

She reminded him.

"Oh dear, the cafeteria is open today! Oh no, I overslept, all the good stuff is probably gone."

Liang suddenly burst out of the inner room and rushed into the dining room.

"I saved it for you, you little rascal."

He Lan stood up and smiled as she went to get him a bowl, her face inexplicably burning again.

"How about..."

Helan suddenly said while chewing on her bread.

"What?"

Yiwen asked.

"How about we invite her back for dinner tonight?"

"Who?"

Yiwen asked, puzzled.

"His...girlfriend."

"This...isn't that a bit inappropriate? We're not even close yet, we haven't even met in person. What would that look like? We might scare her away,"

Yiwen said.

"How could that be? If she knew he was a complete homeless person, at least she'd know he has stable friends like us, which would earn her some points,"

Helan seemed to be solidifying her good idea.

"What do you think?"

Yiwen asked her.

Liang looked a little surprised, expressionless, and only came to her senses when Yiwen asked: "Never mind, we might not be able to get her."

"Making excuses,"

she muttered.

"I also think it's not a good idea,"

Yiwen said.

"Is it that serious? I can't think of anything that complicated. If it doesn't work out, forget it."

They each continued eating in silence.

"Hey, I've got it!"

Helan, who was usually so composed and elegant, suddenly started chattering like a sparrow.

"Why don't we have Xiaoya invite her? We can tell her we've been talking about her, and we're all determined to get her to come out."

"Heh, never stop, what do you say? Let's see how this schemer's plot works!"

he asked Liang.

He looked at her with a hint of exasperation, glaring at her angrily, "Mind your own business."

She was taken aback; he had never spoken to her like that before, but since he said so, she took it as an agreement. She stood up happily, "I'll go make the call."

"Forget it, if you go through Xiaoya, won't you be inviting her along too?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, nothing much, it's just... that would be four bad guys dragging in a Snow White, wouldn't that be... awkward?"

She knew he was referring to what happened on the mountain a couple of days ago, and blushed.

"There aren't four bad guys! There are only two!"

"If we really have to call someone, let Ah Liang do it. That makes sense; we're leaving in a couple of days, so having a meal together is normal."

"Let's not book yet, let's contact them first,"

he said sullenly.

"Heh, are you being shy?"

Yi Wen teased, "A lecher like you...hehe, afraid of this?"

"Ugh, honey, that's so mean."

He Lan smiled, her lips pursed and face flushed, trying to smooth things over for Liang.

After finishing their meal, they prepared to leave. Yi Wen carried his bag from the inner room to the garage to get the car, while Liang slowly changed his shoes behind the door. He Lan stood beside him, seeing him off as he prepared to close the door.

Seeing Yi Wen enter the garage, he looked at her, then suddenly pulled her close without a word, holding her in his arms. He was panting

heavily...

"Are you in such a hurry to kick me out?"

he asked.

"Get lost, nonsense."

She struggled for a moment, then stopped moving. He was clean and fresh, with a faint smell of tobacco. He Lan suddenly felt a lump in her throat, as if she wanted to cry.

He kissed her fiercely, his movements somewhat abrupt. The horn outside blared; it was Yi Wen urging them on.

He released her, smiled, and said, "I'll definitely bring her back. You'll be busy today."

He turned and left, leaving Helan standing there in a daze...

Watching their car drive away until it disappeared around the bend of the artificial lake, Helan finally came to her senses. Leaning against the door, the warmth of their kiss still seemed to linger on her lips. She felt a mix of anger at his sudden rudeness and a little touched by his firm promise to bring her back that night. With

mixed feelings, she closed the door and casually untied her apron. Suddenly, she noticed a thick stack of papers bulging at the front of the apron.

Something was strange. She opened it; it was Liang's handwriting. It was written to her! That brat! No wonder he was so rude earlier; he'd taken the opportunity to slip this thing here. Her heart suddenly pounded…

************

Sister: Although I'm only a few months older, let's still call you that. I can't think of any other words, haha, don't laugh. Even though I talk a lot of nonsense outside, I really don't know what to say now.

I don't know how to thank you and brother for all these years you've been with me. I can say without any guilt that my marriage with Xiao Li was her fault. This marriage ended like this, and coupled with the business setbacks and being scammed by a Hong Kong guy, the blow to me can be summed up in four words: utterly disheartened.

Back then, I felt like a frozen monster in the snow. It was my brother who saved me. During my time in Shenzhen, it was my brother who constantly comforted and encouraged me. You also offered your comfort during that time. Half of your nightly phone calls with my brother were about comforting words for me. I always felt the comfort of family, which finally allowed me to catch my breath. Men aren't actually stronger than women, but I managed to get through it.

Thinking about what happened seven or eight years ago, Helan's nose suddenly felt a little sore. She pulled out a tissue, blew her nose hard for a while, and then calmed down to continue reading.

To be honest, all I have for you, sister, is respect. It's been like that since school. Later, when you and my brother got together, I was genuinely happy to be able to call you sister-in-law. I've always thought that way. We've always been like family, haven't we?

When we were little, if my brother and I got into trouble and were too scared to go home, we would definitely "take refuge" in another house.

Honestly, my deeper understanding of my sister came from conversations I had with two men struggling far from home in Shenzhen. These conversations, filled with rough banter, were collected from the few times we exchanged during our monotonous lives. Although I gleaned some private details from my brother's casual remarks, and my longing for her grew stronger each day, I only ever considered it a form of entertainment, a way for men to console themselves in their spare time.

All those conversations were merely a strange pastime for two single men exhausted from the day's work; I never dared to dream of them ever coming true.

Until one day, completely enveloped by her gentleness, I couldn't help but treat it as a dream. What had I done to deserve this? Was I blessed by heaven?

I, Liang, am not a shameless scoundrel, but from that day on, I couldn't control my longing for her—all of it. But how could I?

My brother is my own brother. From the time I learned to walk, I was under his care. I feared that my sister's gentleness was just a dream to me, and that my brother's tolerance and generosity were merely fleeting pity. I feared that my recklessness was a desecration of my sister. Back then, I felt like I was walking on thin ice, unsure of how to act or how to be a person.

So many years have passed, and my brother has remained steadfast in his love for me. Sister, you have been so kind to me… I hope that in the past, I, A-Liang, haven't caused you too much displeasure.

My brother is a pillar of strength, and his magnanimity is beyond my comprehension. My sister is a celestial being, and her affection is something I am unworthy of. I

've always thought this way: to have my life flow alongside my brother and sister is my fortune, my good fortune.

All along, my personality has been carefree and irresponsible. How could I not know the thoughts you've been trying so hard to convey?

Indeed, there are countless reasons why I cannot continue like this. My brother is right; life is short, and we cannot live only for ourselves. Even if it's just for our elderly parents, we must show them a complete family so that they can rest in peace.

Besides, I can't keep dragging you down like this. In many ways, I've practically become your second Qiangqiang. No matter what, I need to have my own life.

As for her, I'll try my best. Whether it works out or not depends on fate. To find happiness, you also need to see if the other person finds happiness; otherwise, it's incomplete.

Last night, when I heard my sister say those three words, I felt a mix of emotions. How could A-Liang not want to say it? Actually, whether he said it or not, A-Liang would always be like that.

I feel like I might have been a bit too presumptuous lately, and maybe my brother is a little unhappy. Sister, you need to understand, you're my life. If I really upset him, A-Liang would truly be letting him down.

It's late, time to sleep. I have to go to the bank tomorrow, otherwise my brother might get angry, haha, scary.

A-

Liang 's frankness between the lines brought tears to He Lan's eyes, like a wronged little woman who received some compensation. The subsequent teasing made her laugh through her tears. She pulled out a handful of tissues...

What she didn't expect was that the dinner He Lan proposed this time became impossible.

The reason was that Yi Wen went out for a while, around 10:30, and called home. The situation in Shenzhen had changed, and he had to go there immediately.

The flight was booked, and the car was already downstairs at the company.

"Are you both going?"

"Of course, Liang is in charge of everything. Without him, I'd be completely lost."

He said a few words hastily and hung up.

At this moment, He Lan hadn't fully recovered from the confusion in Liang's words. Her thoughts were scattered as she stood by the window, looking out. In the faint reflection in the windowpane, she saw a woman with a melancholy expression. She was a little irritated, and then her eyes fell on the piece of paper on the coffee table.

The phone rang again; it was her sister calling.

Her brother-in-law was a car enthusiast who liked to drive around in his spare time. This time, he had invited a few like-minded people to go out with their families. Her sister wanted to bring Qiangqiang along and was calling to let her know. She

could hear her son's excited voice on the other end of the line.

"Why are you all so sudden? Yiwen was fine this morning too, and suddenly he's flying to Shenzhen. And you guys are joining in the fun too."

"Hehe, if you're lonely, why don't you come with us?"

"No way, you guys go ahead, let Qiangqiang answer the phone."

She gave her son these instructions over the phone, then hung up, feeling even more dejected. She

no longer felt like staying home. She wanted to go find Xiaoya to cheer herself up, but when she got out, she was too lazy to drive and haphazardly boarded a bus, only to find she was going the wrong way.

Realizing what had happened, she turned her face away, glancing out the car window with a wry smile. She wasn't really bothered; it didn't matter where

she ended up. She didn't get off until the final stop.

It had been a long time since she'd been here. This area used to be a hub for small vendors selling stamps and antiques, but in recent years, the government had guided it into a fairly decent market. She'd inexplicably taken a half-hour bus ride here.

Helan felt a pang of regret. A jade bracelet at home had developed a thin crack. She wished she'd come here to see if it could be repaired. The bracelet was of excellent quality; she'd bought it a few years ago with the help of an acquaintance in Yunnan, spending a considerable sum. She didn't know when she'd noticed the two cracks, or when she'd accidentally gotten it.

She loved jade. Her grandmother had owned many jade pieces since she was a child, mostly fine antique pieces. Helan's mother's family had a distinguished history; their ancestors had been prominent figures, a respectable family. Even Helan's grandmother's generation retained a refined and elegant air, unlike women from ordinary families.

She visited several jade shops, empty-handed, but found the incoherent chatter of the salespeople and owners quite entertaining. Her unassuming appearance and somewhat unconventional taste left the shopkeepers unsure whether she was just browsing or a potential buyer, so they all offered her their services without fully understanding the situation.

Perhaps a tourist like Helan would become their customer—business, after all.

Her arrival was aimless, her browsing haphazard, but unexpectedly, this aimlessness brought her a pleasant surprise. In a newly opened shop filled with flower baskets and a red carpet, she found a delightful find: a milky-white, translucent mandarin duck pendant.

Xiaoya used to tease her for showing her delight at seeing things she liked, resulting in her being ripped off. But the pair of mandarin ducks nestled side-by-side in the display case truly captivated her. Their pure color mirrored the small sculpture Liang had recently given her—clean, flawless, with a soft luster, their expressions as adorable as if they were alive.

"Let me show you. You have a good eye; this was just displayed this morning."

A bright little girl stepped forward, leaning against the cabinet with a beaming smile.

He Lan inwardly surrendered.

Holding it in her hands, the coolness seeped into her palm through her skin.

She simply couldn't resist its charm. She knew that if Xiao Ya were here, her greedy expression would have earned her several slaps on the instep.

The little girl was indeed clever; she could tell from He Lan's expression that the girl's desire had been completely ignited by the two young lovers.

"Madam, you're very lucky. The designer of this pendant is here today. Actually, it's still an unfinished product. The designer has two options for customers to choose from. You can hear the designer's explanation here and then decide which final step to choose." "

Oh, how is that? What's the finishing touch?"

He Lan was even more enamored and couldn't help but follow the little girl to a curved door on the left.

Inside were three people. Two men sat around a classic root-carved tea table. Upon seeing someone enter, the middle man casually covered a stone-like object on the table with a cloth, picked it up, placed it in a small square wooden box, smiled, nodded to Helan, and then withdrew.

At the very back, by the octagonal table, a man was frowning and seemingly oblivious to the intruder.

The young girl stepped forward, unfolded the mandarin duck pendant on the table, and whispered a few words. The silent man seemed to snap out of his reverie, his face immediately lighting up with a bright smile. He took the pendant and sat down with Helan at the tea table.

"Miss, you are truly fortunate. This piece has only been displayed for less than three hours."

The man was very young. Helan wasn't used to being addressed as "Miss" by someone younger than herself. Perhaps it was because Yi Wen and the others had spent too long in the south; there, being called "Miss" wasn't considered a respectful term, especially by such a young man.
**********

...

"First, the common appearance: the delicate edges where the feathers arch on both sides are wrapped with fine gold-inlaid jade edges, with three gold lines added inside and out. Although it's common, it's still quite proper, and no one can criticize its flaws."

He Lan felt awkward upon hearing this, thinking that if it were like this, she might as well leave it as it was, and she was overjoyed.

The other person continued,

"Second, the elegant appearance: the same three feather arches inside and out are polished with crystal polishing techniques to create dozens of different facets that are basically indistinguishable to the naked eye. Although they are not easily distinguishable to the naked eye, under the light, they resemble a rainbow, with colorful patterns like the vibrant feathers of a pair of lovebirds. The overall hazy, misty skeleton and the crystal-clear rainbow are perfectly matched."

He used many ornate words, which stimulated He Lan's imagination, and her face flushed with excitement.

Only then did she give the master who had been talking incessantly a proper look: young, not just young, with the face of a pretty boy, but with strikingly handsome features, and even his long hair, which she wasn't used to, seemed pleasing to the eye here.

"So, according to your second plan, how long will it take to receive the goods?"

"If we follow the procedure, it should be a week, but,"

he stared at her, as if he had read her mind, "if you need it urgently, I'll work overtime tonight, okay?"

"You? You yourself?"

He Lan had only thought it was a business gimmick when the young girl called him a designer, and hearing that he was also doing the processing himself made it even more unbelievable.

"Hehe, you see... our shop is called Jade Workshop. All our goods come from our own workshop; there isn't a single foreign item in the entire shop."

He Lan didn't care if it was true or not, letting him boast. What she really cared about was what the elegant appearance of the second plan she imagined would look like, and then she remembered that she hadn't even asked about the price yet.

"The listed price is 8,800, but I'm offering it to you for 5,800. Don't bother haggling; it's pointless anyway, haha. We admit our prices are higher than others, but we have things you won't find anywhere else, especially these little things—they're one of a kind, haha."

He Lan was too happy to haggle, but a pang of pain lingered in his heart: if this so-called process turned it into a failure, it

would be better to take this half-finished product away now and be at peace. "Actually, I think it's already very beautiful. Even without this process, it would still be a nice piece."

Perhaps it was He Lan's feelings that greatly satisfied his vanity; he stood up, went into the inner room, and came out holding a rendering—the very design of this damned little trinket's supposedly elegant appearance.

It was exactly the breathtaking effect he had described earlier, making He Lan's heart flutter with delight: "Okay, I'll pay a deposit first, is tomorrow afternoon alright?"

"No need for the deposit, I'm not worried you won't come,"

he said.

He was so uncompromising when it came to price, how come he's suddenly so generous? Helan smiled and pondered, her face flushed with excitement.

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Can I see the rendering of your 'common look'?"

she asked.

"Hehe, do you believe that?"

"What's wrong?"

"If someone wants to order a 'common look'? I won't sell!"

he said.

"Is that so?"

"Hehe, you still believe it? Actually, let me tell you, there's no such thing as a 'common look'! Hehe."

"Oh, so that's just a way to entice me?"

Hahaha, so young yet so cunning, he looked quite innocent. Suddenly, the images of those strangely handsome men from Meteor Garden flashed through Helan's mind. "

Young lady killer!"

She suddenly thought of that word, shameless, she secretly laughed and cursed herself.

That evening, alone, she casually cooked a bowl of noodles, but it tasted bland. She received two phone calls, one from her son, and the other from Yiwen. He said there was some trouble, but told her not to worry, explaining that some things were policy-related and there was no use rushing. He just needed to wait for news on the other end, to see if the funds they'd brought in would be used or not. If not, the initial investment would be wasted. He said they'd have to wait and see.

He hung up without saying anything else.

Normally, Liang would have answered and teased her, but he didn't. There was no response at all. Maybe he wasn't around, and she didn't ask.

What did it matter? A sense of unease crept into her heart.

She reached for her bag on the coffee table, found a business card, glanced at the number, dialed, but put it down before it connected. She then took out her phone from her bag and dialed again.

"Can't wait? Heh."

A voice came through the receiver.

"How did you know it was me?"

she asked, surprised.

"Hehe, not many people know this number, it's an unknown number, no need to guess. Don't worry, I can definitely get it to you by noon tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Hey, you're probably not in the same industry, right?"

"Why do you say that?"

"Hehe, I think someone who really likes something would want to watch it change little by little, eventually becoming a spiritual object. If you're not in the same industry, I can make an exception and invite you to see it."

My heart leaped with joy, I almost jumped off the sofa, but then my heart tightened, and I cursed myself for being crazy.

My tone calmed down: "No need, I was just asking casually. I was afraid you wouldn't take it seriously, and I'd make another wasted trip tomorrow."

I hung up.

I felt a little unhappy because the other person seemed to know everything about me.

Was I really being too obvious? They could see how eager I was, my joy was written all over my face, I was such a silly old woman.

I fiddled with my phone, the picture on my phone was of the mandarin ducks I took that afternoon again, I was captivated again, I felt happy inside, hopeless, oh well, liking something is liking something, it's not a sin.

The music, on TV, was "Dark Fragrance"—sung by Sha Baoliang, melancholic and ambiguous.

Six years… Helan pondered the past six years, the entangled relationship with Liang, as the music played.

Just now, when Yi Wen called, as was his usual habit, if there was nothing to talk about, he would chatter a bit. Alone at home, hearing his rambling would make her feel a little more fulfilled, her heart softening, but there was no sound from him.

She felt he was right beside her. Liang.

Was he just devoid of emotion?

Perhaps the pressure from this matter was indeed immense for both of them, after all, such a large sum of money wasn't mostly their own.

As was Yi Wen's habit, he would call again before bed.

But later, until she finished washing up, lay in bed, and drifted off to sleep, there was no more phone call. When she

woke up in the morning, her mind cleared, she felt a little empty. It was still early, but she couldn't help but call Yi Wen.

"You naughty husband, I was waiting for your call all night! What mischief did you get up to? Don't you even know the rules?"

The other end was still half asleep.

"Ahem, it's too late, I was afraid of keeping you awake again. What mischief could I have done? You're just talking nonsense. Oh, right, you little rascal did go and did something naughty, hehe. He got back almost at dawn, and now he's snoring like crazy."

"Hmm? What happened?"

"The client here is actually one of your former employees, a real beauty, hehe. She married someone there and she's very good to you. She figured out how hard we worked to get this money, and she's laughing all the way to the bank. It's so unfair! You can't stand being seen through like that. You're so stubborn, you can only talk as loud as you can."

That girl has been quite something these past few years, hehe. She's been involved with high-rise buildings, which means she's gotten involved with those rich kids' latest money-making schemes. It's basically the same as the land speculation a few years ago, now she's all about the financial market. "

What does that have to do with him not returning until dawn? You didn't go?"

"Hehe, it's a bit inconvenient. This is a real mess, so I'll just let him handle it."

"You're so carefree? It's not a big deal, he's so clumsy."

Helan said sarcastically.

"Hehe, you little brat, something's not right with you, hehe."

Helan sensed his ill intent: "Get lost, I don't have time for that. Oh, by the way, I found some treasures at the antique street yesterday."

She recounted her haul in detail.

"Then why didn't you go last night?"

The other end continued to tease...

"You still dare to say that! I really wanted to go, aren't you afraid something might happen to your beautiful wife?"

"Well, that's good, at least I won't have time to argue with my husband first thing in the morning."

"Ugh, I'm not going to argue with you anymore, be careful! I won't bother you anymore, I'm going to sleep some more."

She hung up the phone, still feeling very uncomfortable.

The next day, it drizzled, starting in the morning and continuing until noon when the rain became heavier. This weather made Helan feel uneasy.

She hadn't forgotten what happened at noon, and had been filled with anticipation since morning.

She hadn't felt this way waiting for something in a long time.

She found the business card and dialed the landline number, not the mobile number from last night; that smooth, familiar tone made her hesitant to answer. She simply wanted to know if the jade was ready.

The voice sounded like the young girl from yesterday, bright and clear.

"Yes, it's ready. I came over early this morning. When will you come to pick it up?"

"No rush, I just wanted to confirm. It's good that it's here. I can come anytime I have time."

To be honest, finding that shop yesterday was a bit of a hassle. Frustratingly, when Helan drove in, the narrow street was lined with several trucks. Adjacent to the antique market was a large market, and these trucks, used for hauling goods, were even more cramped and awkwardly parked.

Finally, when the young girl took out a purple wooden box, Helan felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of wonder, like unveiling a statue.

At first glance, it was just sparkling, not much different from last night. But when held up to the light, Helan realized that the unremarkable item from last night had undergone a transformation. If yesterday it was an unpolished gem, now lying silently in the velvet molded box, it was as pure as something from another world.

Very satisfied, Helan closed the box: "Alright, that's enough. Please take me to pay..." The

exit was much smoother than the entry, and her mood, which had been so gloomy with the rainy day, had even brightened.

Reaching the crossroads, she was torn between going to Xiaoya Hospital or going home when her phone rang. She found a parking spot along the driveway, turned off the engine, and picked up her phone…

It was the person from the jade shop.

“Why are you in such a hurry? That girl was so careless; I told her to wait for you to arrive so she could contact me.”

“I’ve already received the item, payment is settled, your deal is done, there shouldn’t be any problem.”

Imagining the other person’s demeanor, Helan joked lightly. The other person’s overly smug attitude yesterday had left Helan feeling a little resentful. She was clearly doing business with him, yet he acted like he’d received some incredible benefit.

“Hehe, it wasn’t really a problem, but because you were so decisive yesterday, I felt it was fate. Isn’t jade all about fate? It’s about this piece of jade. If you’re interested, I’ll wait for you at the teahouse across from the shop.”

Helan was puzzled for a moment, deciding whether to go or not. She was worried that this businessman might have some tricks up his sleeve. Could it be that a new buyer had offered a higher price? Was he trying to back out? "Fine,

I'll go. Even so, the decision is in my hands, and he can't do anything about it." Thinking this, she turned her car around and drove back along the same route...

Perhaps the fate that brought Helan to this couple was due to loneliness. Suddenly, both of them had left, even their son wasn't around, making the house seem empty, which led to this treasure hunt in the antique street.

The teahouse mentioned on the phone was diagonally opposite his shop, easy to find, and unlike the nearby shops, parking was very convenient.

Entering the teahouse, she looked up and saw him sitting on the little train by the wrought iron railing on the second floor, gesturing to her.

She went up, sat down, and smiled slightly: "Should I teach the customers about usage and maintenance?"

He chuckled, his long hair almost covering half his face. Helan felt a little awkward looking at him, even... a little disgusted. It was a perfectly normal man's face—perhaps she had already gotten used to her husband and his neat, short hair.

After laughing, he took out a wad of money from his pocket, placed it on the table, and pushed it in front of her.

"What's this for?"

she asked, somewhat puzzled.

However, it was obvious that this stack of money wasn't all she had paid in the shop; it was much thinner. So, it wasn't as she had suspected on the way there that he was going back on his word.

"Hehe, do you think the pendant you bought wasn't expensive?"

He Lan looked at him strangely without saying a word.

She wondered to herself, had she misjudged him this time? Had she been ripped off? But even so, encountering such a businessman was intriguing.

"You mean, this is a refund?"

"Hehe, you should at least have cut it in half, hehe."

He Lan still found it unbelievable. How much should she get back? This was the first time she'd encountered such a business practice. Why wouldn't he make money?

"A round number, 3000, I'll refund you 1800."

He pushed the money closer to her. "It's not that I'm not making money; I've already made what I should have made, even a little more."

"Gold has a price, but jade is priceless. As long as the customer likes it, this is still a bit confusing,"

she said.

"Perhaps there's something behind it,"

he said with a smile.

"Hmm?"

"When you saw this yesterday, the little girl actually quoted the wrong price. She thought it was unlikely a sale would be made by a woman alone, but you were very decisive. It seems you're someone who appreciates jade. It's not that I didn't want to make money, but rather that I had something to gain. I wanted to do business with you in the future, so I didn't want to be too ruthless this time, haha."

There were people like this? If you really took it literally, Helan found it somewhat amusing. She couldn't help but look up and give the other person a serious look, but seeing the exaggerated ends of her hair, she awkwardly turned her gaze away. "

No merchant is honest," she thought to herself, "but that's going to be rewritten today," while also finding it a little funny.

"Actually, people might not thank you for this, because you'll ruin their feelings. It makes the customer think their judgment is absolutely terrible,"

she said.

"Other things might be different, but jade is different. Actually, in terms of value, this mandarin duck pendant's value lies purely in its design and the way it aptly utilizes the jade's shape. You should know that the value of small pendants mainly lies in this." "

And design is our shop's forte. To be honest, we almost never go out to scavenge jade; we can maintain our business quite well just by using materials from this very street."

Still feeling a bit off, he spoke very seriously, his purpose being to explain that he was returning the money he had received.

"I understand. You mean you make a living through design, you have the Midas touch, and any rough stone can be transformed in your hands?"

That wasn't just a joke; the quality of the material was also paramount.

"Then thank you. Do I really want to put it away?"

She gestured to the stack of banknotes on the coffee table.

"Of course,"

he smiled.

"Okay, I won't take the money now. Since you said you're making money from design, it means you're very confident in your designs. Hmm... I have a piece of yellow jade at home, some left over from before. I'd like it processed into a finished product, maybe a pair of mandarin duck pendants. I can show it to you when I have time. If your ideas are feasible, how about this money is used to offset the labor costs?"

"Oh, is that so? No problem. But the labor costs can be paid later, not now."

"That's settled then. Consider it a deposit, whatever you want. Just consider it a request for you to be more meticulous in your design."

The way the money was returned was strange; Helan almost didn't dare take it back.

"Alright, you can send the jade piece over whenever you want."

"Okay."

She got up and said goodbye.

Back in her car, Helan reluctantly took out the white jade mandarin duck pendant, her feelings complicated and inexplicable. On her way home, she passed by Xiaoya's hospital. Since she had nothing else to do, she turned her car into the hospital.

It was a relatively quiet time at the hospital. When she arrived at their department, she saw Xiaoya sitting leisurely at the door, flipping through a newspaper. She walked over quietly, coughed softly behind her, and Xiaoya looked up and saw her, her face instantly turning red.

"You little brat, playing tricks on me? What brings you to visit me today?"

"Hehe, it's because I missed you!"

"Get lost, you...you still miss me?"

Xiaoya muttered something in a low voice, which Helan didn't understand. She followed her into the director's office.

She drank the water Xiaoya had given her in one gulp and happily took out the pair of white jade mandarin ducks: "Take a look, something strange happened today."

After hearing her explanation, Xiaoya held the items in her hands, turning them over and over for a long time: "I don't understand, maybe that dealer ripped you off too badly and then had a change of heart."

"Hehe, I think so too, but who cares, I like it even if it's just a stone."

"Tch, you're hopeless. Stones have their value, how can you compare them? You're really a show-off."

Xiaoya mocked relentlessly.

Helan knew that she would inevitably be met with sarcasm in this situation, so she just smiled faintly and stopped arguing with her.

Xiaoya saw that she had put the items away and stopped pressing the issue. The silly girl was spending her husband's money, as long as she was happy with it. If she were still working, earning a few thousand yuan a month just like herself, only to have it all flow into a street vendor's pocket like water, it would indeed be a bit unfair.

In that case, she would definitely scold her.

Calming down, the two looked at each other, both feeling a little uncomfortable. They were childhood friends, always laughing and joking, especially Xiaoya, who always considered herself the older sister and spoke with a slightly disciplining tone.

But this time, such a strange thing had happened, completely overturning their long-held principles of conduct. Looking at each other, they both felt something was different, very different, until they both clearly sensed this awkwardness and suddenly burst out laughing.

"Still laughing!"

Xiaoya scolded playfully.

"Hehe, what? Can't I even laugh with you?"

"You brat, I'm too lazy to talk to you. By the way, I'm being serious. I chatted with that PhD student for a while, she's a very well-behaved girl, much better than you!"

"Tsk tsk."

Helan was a little disgusted. In front of Xiaoya, she always seemed to have become younger for no reason...

"Me? I'm always proper wherever I go, being dignified is my synonym."

"Come on, you..."

Xiaoya glanced at the door and lowered her voice: "Being immoral is your synonym."

"Go away... if it's... also a synonym we both share!"

Helan was unwilling to accept such a big label.

After saying that, she laughed, which made Xiaoya finally unable to help but laugh along.

Helan stayed at Xiaoya's place until the end of the workday. After work, she made Xiaoya call home to say that she wouldn't be coming home for dinner. The two of them drove one after the other and found a rather romantic restaurant to eat.

No one mentioned the last trip again. Everyone tacitly understood, and some of their words became more subtle. After drinking some red wine, Helan suddenly felt a little lost. Had their once intimate relationship completely changed because of a chance, misplaced physical contact?

"How's my brother-in-law?"

she asked.

"The same as before, better than before. His problem is that he's like a normal person when the weather is warm, but he's mainly afraid of winter." "

Normal? Hehe, that's good."

"What's wrong with you now, you silly girl? You're so unserious."

"Hehe, what did I say? What did I say?"

she protested.

"Come on, with your few tricks, you think you can get away with this? You didn't smell good just now."

Helan almost spat out what she was saying.

"Fine, fine, I'll let you accuse me."

Although Helan kept laughing and joking, Xiaoya still saw the gloom in her heart, so after dinner, she let her have her way with her persistent requests to go to Two Shores Coffee.

They booked a large private room, just the two of them. In the dim light, they huddled together like two little animals in a corner of the sofa, neither of them speaking at first. Then, Xiaoya got up, saying

she was too full from dinner and needed to use the restroom. When she came back, she couldn't bear to see her still lost in thought, so she plopped down, staring at the crystals hanging from the ceiling without looking at Xiaoya, but of course, she was speaking to her.

"Don't keep that sour face. Do you want to keep him forever? That's impossible. The best outcome right now is for him to finally be with the young doctor. The sooner the better." "

What are you talking about? Who wants to monopolize him? Who's making a sour face?"

"Tsk, I was just showing off my expression when I came in. There's a mirror by the door. See if I look sweet or bitter." "

Get lost. Besides, where's this young doctor? He's probably just a middle-aged doctor."

"Pah, at least he's younger than you, more tender than you."

Xiaoya deliberately teased her, trying to make her stop being so half-asleep.

"You brat, you've actually earned enough already, hehe. Since 9/11, hehe, you said it yourself, right? Counting it up, it's been a seven-year itch. Even married couples go through a cold spell. Seeing you acting like you're dying, anyone who didn't know better would think Yi Wen dumped you. Who would have thought you'd pull this stunt?"

"Get lost! What's this all about? I dragged you out to clear your head, where did all this nonsense come from?"

"See if I'm right? Why are you trying to clear your head? I think you've just been wasting your time. A teacher, my daughter's been raised by you!" "

Ugh, what are you saying?"

He Lan was speechless, raising her voice and kicking her on the sofa with her high heels.

"Right, at best, just a former teacher."

Xiao Ya persisted.

"Ugh, ugh, I'm in charge of this class, if I want to be second, no one else will be first."

"Bragging doesn't cost anything."

"Alright, cheer up, here's something good for you."

Xiaoya opened her bag and magically pulled out a pack of cigarettes, took one out, and handed it to her.

"Ugh, what's this for?"

She looked like an old witch with the cigarette in her mouth. Although she said that, she still sat up and moved next to Xiaoya. They had both drunk a little alcohol, not much, but they were a little excited.

"When did you start? Are you really smoking?"

Helan leaned over and lit the cigarette on the lighter in Xiaoya's hand, actually taking a big drag like a pro, without coughing endlessly like some movie characters when they first smoke.

"It's a long history, I didn't let you know."

Hehe, Xiaoya lit hers too, glancing at her sideways.

"Hehe, of course you can't hide it from your brother-in-law. Hmm, this man is pretty good, spoiling you so much. If it were our old Yi, he might have kicked you into the river."

"Alright, alright, are you deliberately trying to get others to flatter you? I think you're getting more and more unapproachable, Yi Wenlian..."

Suddenly, Xiaoya didn't know how to continue and stopped herself. After thinking for a moment, she reached out and grabbed her collar...

"He's even opened up to you like this, and you're still not satisfied?"

"Tch... you rascal."

He Lan blushed and continued smoking, finishing the cigarette quickly. She held out her hand, "One more, please."

Suddenly, the two seemed to lose their playful mood and remained silent for a long while.

Finally, Xiao Ya broke the silence.

"Lan, I've actually wanted to have a good talk with you for a while, but work has been busy, and you're not really keen on coming to my place."

She added a piece of candy to each of their bowls, took a small sip, and said

, "I've seen a lot about relationships between men and women. Maybe it's related to my profession, but to be honest, when I heard about you two before, even about what Hai Chuan did to you... I wasn't particularly surprised. And that includes how distracted you've been lately. But I feel sorry for you, and more than that, I'm worried."

She glanced at her, and seeing that her expression had calmed down, she continued.

"Women are all like that, their minds are like sponges. Once water seeps in, they're completely soaked. But silly girl, that's impossible. Besides, you have to consider Yi Wen's feelings. Now you can't even move forward, you can't even maintain the status quo, you have to retreat. You've always been a very rational girl, why are you so clueless this time?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? Annoying."

He Lan pretended to be indifferent.

"Like a few days ago, men and women, given the right environment and a good atmosphere, it's understandable to indulge a little. To be honest, I like it too. The feeling of passion and sexual desire surging, making it hard to breathe, is wonderful. But that's not life, that can only be a dream. You can't live like that in everyday life."

"Is it that serious? Is this never going to end? Want to drink?"

She waved to the waiter and ordered beer.

Xiao Ya was a little annoyed by He Lan's weak attitude. She would never act like this in front of her. When the beer arrived, she poured two full glasses and drank them down in one gulp. Then He Lan did the same.

"Want more?"

She poured her another cup.

"Ha, I'm scared of you, I want to go home."

Helan struggled.

"No matter what, even if we indulged in debauchery like those days in the mountains, when we get home, I'm still me. Even if Haichuan is no good, I'm still his wife, he's the father of my daughter, and we still have to walk hand in hand to the end. You need to wake up, you need to consider this family, and consider Yiwen's feelings."

"What's wrong with me?"

Helan seemed really off tonight, staring blankly at her.

"You think Yiwen and I won't last?"

"Don't be stubborn. Yiwen is a man, but he's not a piece of trash. Who knows, he might just pull out all the stops someday? I'm not saying you two won't last, I just don't want anything to go wrong. Once you start arguing about these things between men and women, no matter how open-minded or magnanimous you are now, you can't guarantee what will happen when you start arguing."

"You're getting more and more absurd, you gossipy old lady. You don't know anything! You've already talked to that guy, Yiwen was there too, and told him to settle down and find your PhD student to settle down and have children. Why are you suddenly telling me all this?" "

And what about you? Why are you so sarcastic and absent-minded all day long? Why didn't you even take your son with you for the whole summer vacation? Can't you take your son out for a walk? Why are you acting like a crazy girl in unrequited love?"

Xiaoya was a little agitated and genuinely angry.

"Okay, okay, I'm crazy, I'm depraved, alright?"

He Lan was indeed in a bad state, her mood was not good, and she actually picked up her glass again and downed the wine in one gulp.

"That's it for today, I'm going home to reflect, hehe, thank you for your teachings, sister. Next time that deadbeat comes back, I'll treat him like a stranger, okay?"

According to He Lan's alcohol tolerance, the little bit of red wine at dinner plus the double amount of beer just now shouldn't have caused this, but her drunken madness made Xiao Ya even more worried, so she picked up her bag and chased after her.

"Girl, don't drive, take a taxi home."

He Lan was surprised at her ability to drive the steering wheel when she felt like she was having difficulty breathing. The fact that there weren't many cars on the way back was also a major reason. She stopped the car in front of her house quickly with almost no trouble. No matter how bold she was, she didn't dare to try to drive the car into the garage. She parked it on the side of the road in front of the house, and she was very clear-headed to see if any cars would block their way. Only when she felt there was no problem did she open the door and go inside.

As soon as she entered, she started undressing in the entryway, tearing herself until she was completely naked. She went straight upstairs to the bathroom, turned on the faucet to fill the bathtub, and then plopped down on the toilet.

The phone rang at an inopportune moment; needless to say, it was Xiaoya calling. Helan lowered her head and let the phone ring incessantly, stop, then ring again, three times in a row.

Feeling much better after getting off the toilet, she called her back…

“Hello…”

“Ugh, I need to pee…”

“You brat, you’re home? That’s good. Everything’s alright, go to sleep early, bye.”

Back in the bathroom, she turned off the light. It was dark inside, with only a dim yellow light filtering in from the bedroom. She stepped into the bathtub, letting her tired body soak in the water…

The darkness made her thoughts drift. She was particularly bold; the water temperature was just right, the dim light tormenting her excited nerves. She wondered why Xiaoya had been so deliberately guiding her tonight. Actually, what Xiaoya had said was what Helan herself had been worried about. She knew she had gone a little too far, a little too far.

Even without Xiaoya saying it, Helan had been warning herself internally. Because she had always played the role of a little girl or younger sister in front of Xiaoya, since Xiaoya spoke so nervously, Helan simply pretended to be a lost little girl. In reality, she felt a warm sense of care and concern from Xiaoya. She

was well aware of her current situation, but sometimes, her heart seemed wild, deliberately not restraining herself, as if trying to test the limits of Yiwen's tolerance. At the same time, she was afraid that once those limits were broken, everything would be beyond repair…

She touched herself, her skin smooth and delicate, feeling as if it were at its best in her memory—the most alluring age for a woman, full and radiant. As the water brushed against her nipples, she couldn't help but shiver. The water temperature was actually quite good, but this unintentional, slight stimulation made her unconsciously turn on the hot water to try and increase the temperature.

Before Liang entered her life, she always believed she would be a good wife and mother forever. Then, after Liang arrived, and after her cunning probing of Yi Wen, she changed her mind, naively believing life would continue beautifully, and she would be a proud and happy princess caught between these two men. But good times are like the ebb and flow of the tide, and the moment of truth arrived.

The beautiful, young face of the female PhD student floated into her mind…

She felt an overwhelming loneliness, like a trapped beast.

In her solitude, in the warm water, she began to deliberately arouse her desire, hoping that relaxing her tension would soothe her mind…

She was already quite skilled at this; she was very familiar with sex, her hands and body easily capturing her needs. Within minutes, she had reached orgasm amidst rapid breathing.

However, she was disappointed… She still couldn't control her thoughts. It's truly tragic for a woman not to know whether she needs love or sex, but knowing yet being unable to is even more frustrating.

So she went to bed, staring at the TV, waiting for the call. She wasn't sleepy at all; the effects of the alcohol had mostly worn off after the shower. Besides, even if she fell asleep now, she'd be woken up by the phone soon enough—it would be Yi Wen's call, of course.

The TV was boring; even Korean dramas didn't interest her. Suddenly, she remembered something, got out of bed, and felt great being naked, her chest bouncing freely. Passing the mirror, she paused for a moment, like a narcissist. Her fair, smooth skin looked good; she seemed to have lost some weight, unlike some women who are overly smug about it.

She rummaged through several cabinets and finally found the jade ingot. Back on bed, she carefully touched and kneaded it, imagining how it would be sculpted.

Just then, the phone rang. It must be Yi Wen.

"Ugh, honey, so annoying! I'd be asleep if I wasn't waiting for the call. Why can't you call earlier?"

"Hehe, I'm just following the established plan. Reporting to work at 10 PM is mandatory, no questions asked. I wouldn't dare change it."

"Tch, smooth talker. How was it? Still holed up in the hotel eating and sleeping?"

"No, I went out today. The guy met up with a few people, and I also met with some old friends and clients. Overall, it was quite relaxing, like a vacation."

"Oh, how are they doing over there?"

She shifted her position, the yellow jade cake falling onto the bed, right against her right nipple, icy cold, making her jolt.

"Everyone has their own story. Some are doing very well, while others have fallen from great heights. You know xxx, guess what he's doing now? He's working as a warehouse keeper for a relative. Who would have thought he'd end up like this? Life is unpredictable. But there are also many who have done well. In short, it's like rowing against the current; if you don't move forward, you'll definitely fall behind."

"Judging from your tone, do you regret leaving there?"

she asked.

"I wouldn't say I regret it. There are opportunities everywhere; it depends on yourself."

She told him about her "adventure" at the jade shop today, but Yi Wen seemed a bit unconvinced.

"You must have been so happy there that the shopkeeper didn't want to scare you away with a knife. They'll definitely keep coming up with new tricks to keep you interested." "

Hehe, Xiao Ya said the same thing. Do you guys think I'm stupid?"

"Hehe, sometimes fools are lucky. Every cloud has a silver lining."

"Sigh, I know that's what you think."

"Okay, okay, girl, you're not stupid, hehe."

"After a short pause, what's he doing? Hasn't he come back yet?"

she finally couldn't help but ask.

"Hehe, taking a dump in there, doesn't it stink? I'm wearing a mask."

he said.

Helan couldn't help but laugh.

"Ugh. You're just talking nonsense. Do you live next to a rural outhouse? It smells so bad!"

Suddenly she heard Liang vaguely howling and singing...

it sounded like, "Don't accuse me anymore, I feel so relaxed and happy...

" "You two are disgusting."

she said.

After a few more words, she hung up the phone.

She turned off the TV and prepared to go to sleep when she suddenly felt something cold under her. It was the jade cake. She reached down, took it out, and placed it on her chest, letting it lie face down in her cleavage. She bought this jade a few years ago when she and Yiwen went to climb Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in Lijiang, Yunnan. She had seen it by chance in a small shop and fell in love with it at first sight.

That tender yellow color is rare in jade. It's called tender, but there's a kind of vibrancy to it. Because it's a flat piece, she doesn't know what it will be made into. She believes that jade is something that brings people together, so she has never deliberately thought about carving it into anything. This time, she suddenly remembered it because of that white jade mandarin duck...

Because of jade, she was reminded of jade. Is this also a kind of fate? She chuckled at her own far-fetched idea. Suddenly, the image of the handsome young jade shop owner with his unsettlingly long hair came to mind… She felt

a little awkward, not wanting to see a man with that messy hair, but because of the white jade mandarin ducks, she couldn't bear to part with the treasure on her chest. As for whether she could get a good design for the carving, Helan had some confidence in it. In any case, she'd leave it to fate. Thinking this,

she felt at ease and slowly drifted off to sleep… The morning was lonely, but the air felt a little stuffy. The air conditioner had been turned off in the middle of the night. These were the hottest days of the year, and her body under the thin blanket was even slightly sweaty. She shifted her body, and with a thud, the jade cake fell onto the bamboo mat. Touching it, it felt warm from her body heat.

After a night of soaking, it became somewhat slippery. Her eyes fell on the small LV leather trunk beside the cabinet door on the wall, half-open. It was the one she had taken out yesterday when she was looking for the jade cake. It was full of Helan's treasures. Through the half-open crack, she saw a hint of crimson. Her heart skipped a beat. She kicked off the thin blanket wrapped between her legs, got out of bed, and carried the trunk to the bed.

The crimson one was the sculpture draped in a thin veil, which Liang had brought back from Guizhou. She hadn't paid any attention to it since giving it to him half a month ago. She carefully unwrapped the velvet and placed it on her pillow. She remembered asking Liang, "It's so beautiful, how is it like me?" He had just chuckled and didn't answer, but that look in his eyes was enough to make her swoon...

She suddenly felt like she had become one of those old men or young masters from ancient times who indulged in frivolous pursuits, spending all day holding and playing with these cold, inanimate objects. It was like narcissism, and endlessly so.

However, she felt quite content. She lay down flat, picked up the small sculpture from beside her cheek, and placed it on her still remarkably flat stomach, tilting her head slightly to look down… Her

flat stomach was something Helan was proud of. Unlike some women whose stomachs rightfully swell after childbirth, hers remained flat, even smoother than before.

In her vision, her fair, almost translucent skin contrasted beautifully with the crimson jade. The jade was also smooth and lustrous, yet a few bold lines in the carving perfectly highlighted the delicate smoothness. "

When will I stop being so childishly obsessed with these things?" she thought to herself, scolding herself. Helan had always had almost no concept of money or possessiveness, but the pursuit of these little trinkets was innate. "

Hehe, why insist? Why restrain myself like this?" She finished laughing, her stomach jiggling as she laughed. The sculpture rolled aside, revealing the triangular patch of downy hair that had been hidden by it…

Every time she looked at her own body, she would initially experience a slight spasm, a kind of innate shyness. She placed the topaz on topaz, but the area of the downy hair was much larger than the topaz, the hair peeking out from the edges of the jade, making it appear even more ambiguous and sensual.

Actually, Helan wasn't used to sleeping naked before, but these days… it seemed like a fire was burning inside her, a burning heat that made her uncomfortable. Before, she almost always forced Yiwen to turn off the air conditioner before going to bed, but these past few nights, she had left it on at least until midnight or even dawn.

Burning with desire? She shamelessly gave herself this phrase, knowing that if Yiwen knew her feelings these days, he would use the same phrase on her too. No one knows a wife better than her husband, after all .

********** ...

"And how much did you dig up?" she chuckled, unable to resist scolding herself. She even reached for her phone and quickly dialed Yi Wen's number.

"What's wrong, you brat? So early in the morning?"

"Hehe, nothing, what's up? Can't I check up on you in the morning?"

She pouted.

"Alright, alright, I'm perfectly open to checking up on you. By the way, why don't you check up on that brat? He didn't come home last night."

"Tch, why should I check on him? Checking on you is my right."

"Hehe, what is it?"

"Hehe, just asking a question." "

Say it? Why are you being so coy? What haven't you been through?"

Yi Wen could clearly sense that his wife's question was risqué, and his interest was piqued, so he pressed on.

"Um, I'm asking, am I a good woman?"

"Oh my, what a thick skin! You call that? You're not even close. I'd say you're the worst..."

"Ugh, what about before?"

"Before? When was before?"

"Ugh, I'm not talking to you anymore, I'm hanging up."

"Hehe, you mean before you did bad things? Hmm, I guess so."

"Hehe, then let me ask you, is it always men who make women bad?"

"That's a big accusation,"

Yi Wen exclaimed.

"Go ahead and say it. At most, your mask has been ripped off, revealing your true colors." "Ugh, ugh, you

're just making things up! I'm not saying anything more, I'll settle the score with you when I get back!"

"Hmm, by the way, where did he go?"

She couldn't help but ask.

"Oh, it's almost noon. He called back and said he's in Hong Kong and will be back by noon today. He's definitely up to something."

He chuckled.

"Go away. If he's up to something, you'll be the same. Starting tonight, you'll check up on me every hour."

"Okay, old woman. But, to be bothering your husband like this so early in the morning, something's definitely wrong. Be honest, are you perhaps feeling a bit lovesick from being alone at home? Or maybe you've had a romantic encounter or something, are you having an internal struggle?"

The last few sentences made He Lan blush, as if she could see Yi Wen staring at her from afar, knowing everything through the phone line.

"Go! Hang up!"

After hesitating all morning, Helan still couldn't make up her mind. The piece of yellow jade seemed to have become a hot potato; she couldn't take it, and she couldn't put it down. This thing had been sitting there for so many years, and now that it had been brought out, she could

n't decide whether to really change its appearance. Its shape and its spirit had already formed a rough model in her mind. It was just a round, square object; she didn't know what it would become if she really carved it. If it resulted in disappointment, she would feel bad.

She called Xiaoya. It was pitiful; only with her could she talk about unbelievable topics, even though Xiaoya would always think of her first when something happened. Sure enough, after hearing her story, Xiaoya started to pour cold water on her.

"Are you really bored? Can that thing be eaten? Didn't you just mess with one piece and now you're messing with another? You're really bored."

As usual, after saying that, she couldn't resist a few kind words from Helan.

"Okay, come over at 10:40, I'll go with you."

He Lan wanted her to have lunch at her house, which startled Xiao Ya.

"Forget it, forget it, it's just a meal, and if there's traffic,

it'll take at least half an hour round trip. You should just come to the hospital, don't you like the food here?" Thinking about it, it made sense. The hospital was located between He Lan's neighborhood and the antique market. If Xiao Ya came to eat first and then the two of them ran over, they would suffer from the midday traffic. On

the way to the cafeteria on March 3rd, Xiao Ya had a long face, and He Lan teased her,

"Are you feeling particularly unbalanced because I have to treat you to a meal after hiring you as a consultant?"

Xiao Ya glared at her.

"Yes, that's it."

She couldn't help but laugh, saying it a little unhappily.

"The second half of the year's professional title evaluation has started. The notice was sent to the department this morning, and it actually said that all papers published in municipal newspapers and periodicals will not be eligible for bonus points in the evaluation. At least provincial or higher level papers are required."

With this, Xiaoya, who could have easily been at the top of the department with her qualifications, has suddenly fallen behind. There are quite a few people in the hospital in the same situation. Sure enough, this whole morning, these fellow nurses in similar predicaments were just shouting angrily.

"Hehe, luckily we're unemployed now. I heard from my colleagues at the school that it's like this everywhere now. The textbooks change every year, and teachers and students learn and take the exams together, making everyone equally anxious."

"Tch, you're so smug. Too bad others don't have your luck. You sit over there, I'll go get the food."

She handed two bowls of rice to Helan and went to queue.

While waiting for Xiaoya, Helan looked around, not noticing Xiaoya approaching.

"What are you looking at? Looking for your rival?"

Helan blushed.

"Pah, what are you saying? I'm looking at what's in their bowls so I can tell if you're just trying to fool them with some cabbage and radishes."

"Heh, you're absolutely right, there is cabbage and radishes. What else can you expect to eat in a hospital cafeteria? My colleagues all say the staff cafeteria isn't even as good as the patient cafeteria over there. If there's anything wrong there, you can complain, but shouting here won't do any good. Just make do with it. Whether it's good or bad, this is your only meal. Unlike us, we rely on this to fill our stomachs all year round."

"Heh, it's pretty good. It's not as pitiful as you make it

out to be." "It's good because it's new. You'll only know how it is after eating it for three or five days."

"Hehe, maybe."

He Lan ate, but her eyes still couldn't help looking around.

"Stop staring. The hepatobiliary department staff don't eat in this cafeteria. What are you worrying about? If you want to find someone to eat with, I'll go with you."

"Are you crazy? What am I looking at? I haven't eaten in such a lively place in a long time, I'm just not used to it. Besides, I can't just bury my head in my

food and eat like a baby, can I? You'll say I'm a reincarnated starving ghost." "You are a reincarnated starving ghost, always wanting more than you have, and you even hogging the food."

Xiaoya lowered her voice, looking at her with malicious sarcasm as she ate, almost spitting out her rice.

Helan blushed and retorted softly.

"Old woman, you're denying everything after you've done your job. You're just as bad."

After finishing their meal, Xiaoya said goodbye to the doctor downstairs and slipped out to keep Helan company... When they arrived at their destination, they parked the car and went straight into the small shop.

At noon, the whole street was deserted and sweltering. Who would have the leisure to stroll around in a place like this at this time?

Once inside, Xiaoya maintained her usual dismissive attitude, only glancing at the counters Helan pointed to. Actually, the two women were a perfect match; if they were both as eager as Helan to grab anything she even slightly liked, it would be disastrous—like offering their necks for slaughter.

Xiaoya always remained impassive; even the most astute shopkeepers couldn't tell whether she liked or disliked an item. So, whenever the two left laden with purchases, Helan would shower them with praise and admiration. Therefore, Xiaoya, who wasn't particularly interested in shopping, would occasionally accompany Helan on a shopping spree, satisfying Helan's shopping addiction and also subtly showcasing her own composure under pressure.

After quickly circling the shop, Helan finally looked for the young girl from last time. Seeing the two girls huddled around a small tea table in the back room eating, she felt a little worried. Bringing Xiaoya here in such a fuss without even contacting the owner beforehand—what if the owner wasn't there? Wouldn't it be a wasted trip?

Just as she was worrying, the curtain in the innermost room was lifted, and someone came out, startling Helan.

It was indeed the owner.

It wasn't that he seemed to have a spirit, and she was worried he wouldn't be there, but rather that the owner's appearance today was quite surprising to Helan; she almost didn't recognize him. His almost shoulder-length, messy hair was gone, his beard was neatly shaved, and his hair was even shorter than Yi Wen's buzz cut. He wore a simple black crew-neck t-shirt, which made his wheat-colored skin look incredibly dashing.

Now he looked like a man, why did he have to look like that androgynous look from a few days ago? she thought to herself.

"Hello!"

he greeted her.

"Hello, I was worried you weren't here."

Helan's face inexplicably flushed slightly. At this moment, Xiaoya also came over.

After a few pleasantries, she was led to the inner room as usual.

"I'm here today mainly to ask you to take a look at this piece I mentioned, and see if you can give me your opinion."

Helan took out the jade from her bag and placed it, along with the silk wrapping, on the coffee table.

Xiaoya's intelligence often proved remarkable at times like this. Later, when she came out, she told Helan that when the young boss first saw the jade, his gaze froze instantly. From that expression alone, one could deduce that the jade hadn't been swindled back in Yunnan.

As she spoke, Helan felt even more inferior. Normally, Xiaoya hadn't seen this jade before. If it were anyone else, their gaze would have been drawn to the object when Helan took it out and opened it, but Xiaoya had the composure to stare at the young boss's expression.

"This is serious,"

the young boss said, staring at the things on the coffee table.

He stood up, walked to the coffee table, squatted down, and turned the jade over to examine its back and sides, scrutinizing it against the light for a long time.

"This piece is a bit of a disappointment; it's a little thin,"

he said.

"How is it?"

Helan glanced at Xiaoya with a hint of pride and asked him.

"I don't know how to put it. At least right now, finding something similar in any mine is practically a dream come true; even old stock is hard to find."

Xiaoya couldn't stand his mature-beyond-his-years demeanor, pouted at Helan, stood up, and wandered back into the hall.

"It's a pity you just got a pair of mandarin ducks, otherwise..."

"You mean, make this into a mandarin duck pendant too? Hmm, that's what I've always thought of."

Helan's old habit kicked in again, and he became eager and animated.

"Hmm."

As he spoke, he found a caliper and measured the thickness, length, and width of the jade.

"What do you think?"

he asked.

"Actually, when I bought it, I didn't think about what I wanted to make it into. I didn't think about it later either, because it wasn't cheap when I bought it, so I didn't dare to just buy it casually, haha."

"If you're interested now, look."

He took a pencil, found a piece of paper, and quickly scribbled on it, soon creating an outline—a slightly elongated small pendant.

"If you make it round, it might seem a bit mediocre. What do you think of this outline?"

He Lan shook her head, unsure how to answer.

"I can't feel it." "

Hmm, it's certainly hard to imagine like that, but at least judging from the color and hardness of this jade, it definitely needs to embody a more lustrous and rich feel, while being a little less refined. How about this, if you're really interested in having us make it, please give us two days. After two days, we'll show you a basically finished rendering, and then we can decide, okay?" "

Come here."

He Lan called to Xiao Ya, who was staring at a jade fan at the shop entrance.

After explaining the idea, Xiao Ya nodded, indicating that it was feasible.

So they agreed to come back in two days to see the actual design renderings. In the meantime, the shop did more precise measurements and took photos from different angles.

"We'll let you know in two days, and then you can bring the material over, okay?"

"Oh."

Helan was a little surprised. She had initially thought it would just stay there, but thinking about it, it made sense. Since she hadn't seen the design, she couldn't start working on it. Seeing how detailed the arrangements were, her impression of the shop improved. Looking at the material in her hand, she suddenly felt more confident.

With the business concluded, Xiaoya had disappeared again. Helan felt relieved and suddenly couldn't help but stare intently at the small shop owner who had just scribbled something on the paper. Just then, he looked up. Helan was a little embarrassed and smiled, saying,

"I almost didn't recognize you just now."

"Oh, it's…"

he pointed to his almost bald head.

"Hehe, yes, big changes, big contrast."

"Cough, my old-fashioned wife is driving me crazy, she's been watching my head every day. I can't help it, all my hard work of the past two years is gone, hehe."

"Hehe, what old-fashioned wife? She's more energetic now,"

she said. She

somehow managed to continue the conversation.

"No...yes, yes, hehe, my family. To be honest, I've started fighting back these past two days."

"Oh?"

"My little shop has always had pretty good business on this street. When it first opened, it almost took the top spot, but after this makeover, my hair's gone, and business's gone too. Honestly, these past two days I've been complaining to my old-fashioned wife every day, hehe. Thankfully, you brought a glimmer of hope today, hehe." "

Really? You're kidding, right? Is that even possible? So you mean you're trying to claim to be a descendant of immortals with your disheveled hair? People just come for it?"

"Hehe, that's exactly what I thought."

"Hehe."

This person is quite interesting, Helan thought, finding it amusing, unsure if he was telling the truth.

"So, as you say, I should at least support you and have this jade made, right?"

"No, let's wait until it's finished. Just go with your own feeling. If it works, great; if not, see if we can change it. If you really feel the spiritual energy isn't enough, such good material, we might as well leave it for now."

"Oh, hehe."

He spoke sincerely enough. Perhaps this is the way of business. Being so frank and polite makes it hard to refuse.

Seeing Xiaoya swinging over, Helan stood up.

"That's settled then. I'll wait for your news."

As she walked out, Helan noticed that several young girls in the shop were standing there, all looking at the young boss with humble expressions as he saw them off. They politely said goodbye as they passed by, welcoming them to come again. It was obvious that besides professional etiquette, their eyes held a hint of expectation in their humility as they looked at the young boss.

Helan seemed lost in thought. She could understand such feelings, and from the corner of her eye, she sensed his imposing figure standing beside her and Xiaoya. He was definitely middle-class, so it was natural for a young girl to admire him. A slight, subtle smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. She

didn't know why she was getting distracted by such trivial matters. Anyway, she was in a good mood driving back, with the music blasting.

But soon, Xiaoya turned the music off.

"What's wrong?"

Helan retorted.

"You're not that serious, you brat!"

"What's wrong?"

She turned to look at her.

"Watch out!"

Xiaoya shouted.

The light ahead was red, and Helan's view was blocked by a large truck.

They waited at the red light.

"What's wrong now? You... are you really... a sign of impending doom?"

Helan said venomously, pursing her lips.

"Get lost, if you keep going like this, you might be the one who gets doomed first."

"Tch..."

Helan pouted.

They continued driving, their bickering slowing them down. She steered into the slow lane and drove leisurely.

"Haven't you heard that men and women are the same? Their energy, stamina, and emotions are all limited? Like candles, the sooner you burn out, the sooner you're done,"

Xiaoya said.

"Don't tell me you'll stay burning forever if you don't light your candle,"

Helan chuckled, as if she'd gotten a good deal, then burst into laughter.

"Drive carefully!"

she shouted again.

"Actually, I didn't understand what you said, but it didn't sound nice. What do you mean by 'not that serious'?"

Helan said.

"You know it yourself,"

Xiaoya said, squinting at her through her eyes.

"I don't understand,"

she retorted.

"You've got such a small, useless thing. You should have just gotten up and left. Why are you sitting there lingering for so long? Are you deliberately trying to make me late, absent from my post, and get my pay docked?"

"Hehe, that's right, that's exactly what I meant,"

she said, feigning schadenfreude.

"Stop pretending to be confused. With your pointy head, you think you don't know what I'm talking about? If you don't leave now, those girls in the shop will come and tear you apart."

"Nonsense, you're just making things up. I'm a customer, it's a normal business transaction. Even if it's just a business deal, what's wrong with being a little confident?"

"Keep making things up... fine, keep making things up."

Xiaoya tilted her head back, leaned against the back, and closed her eyes to rest.

She stopped talking and was inexplicably in a good mood.

When they arrived at the hospital, downstairs at the outpatient building, Xiaoya got out of the car. It seemed she really had been dazed for a few minutes earlier. She reached for her watch.

"You brat, you're more than 20 minutes late. I'll deduct your pay and make it up to you."

"Hehe, okay."

She giggled.

"Cough, silly girl, I thought it was strange when you said the shop owner refunded you last time. You really didn't know anything? You got lucky."

"What?"

Helan turned off the engine and pressed for an answer.

"I'm not talking anymore, I'm at work, silly!"

"What's wrong with you?"

she muttered, started the car, and drove home. All the way home, I was genuinely confused by Xiaoya's last few words. I kept thinking about them, but I couldn't make sense of them at all.

When I got home, I threw my shoes in the entryway, plopped down on the sofa, grabbed the phone, and dialed randomly. It connected.

"What were you saying? You were talking nonsense."

"Crazy girl, just as I expected, you called me as soon as you got home. I just finished treating two teeth for a patient, so I came to wait for your call."

"Ugh, hurry up and tell me! What do you mean by 'it's strange to get a refund'? It's so weird."

"Hehe, you don't think I'm joking?"

Xiaoya chuckled on the other end.

"Hey, by the way, didn't Fang Yuhui run into us at the hospital last time? Did she see you?"

"Who? Who?"

"Who? Our hospital's most beautiful girl, she just came back from studying abroad."

"Oh, that...who? Oh, her?"

"Yes, have you seen her?"

"Oh, just that one time, you just greeted her."

She perked up her ears alertly.

"What happened?" "

Yeah, that's her." "What is it

? This is all nonsense, are you going to tell me or not?"

Helan was getting impatient.

"Hehe, it's nothing, why are you in such a hurry? It's none of your business."

Her tone told her she was keeping a big secret.

"Fine, don't tell me then."

Helan suppressed her curiosity. She knew Xiaoya liked to tease her, and the more she pressed for answers, the tighter she would keep it a secret.

Unexpectedly, Xiaoya actually said,

"It's really nothing, I'll take a nap at noon, I have a patient coming, I'll call you again when I have time."

Without waiting for a reply, the phone was hung up.

Now that the suspense was over, Helan was about to scold her, but she couldn't hear anything anymore and had to reluctantly hang up. After putting the phone down, she noticed several incoming calls from Shenzhen.

She dialed back, and it was the hotel front desk, but because the outside line didn't know the extension number, and the staff didn't know which room the phone was from, she had to give up.

So she dialed Yiwen's number.

"What's the rush? I see several calls."

"Oh, the home phone? I didn't call. It must be that brat. I'm outside, it's noisy, I'll hang up now. By the way, ask that brat why he's calling? He's quiet now, I wonder what he did last night, he's still asleep."

It was Liang calling, what a coincidence! She thought.

She was sweating and felt sticky in the air-conditioned room when the phone rang again. It was Xiaoya.

"Did you break a few more teeth?"

she asked sarcastically.

"Get lost! I'm not some wicked old woman. You think I only cause trouble? I'm just fixing a little girl's teeth, adjusting the angle."

"Getting impatient? Just spacing out, aren't you?"

"No, I'm sleeping. If you have nothing else, I'll hang up and not disturb my rest."

Helan knew that the more she acted like this, the more eager she was to speak.

"Heh, actually it's nothing, just something a little strange. You know what I saw?"

"Hmm?"

"At that shopkeeper's place, I saw a photo, framed on the wall in the inner room. It looked like a group photo or something, and one of the girls with braids in it was Fang Yuhui! Isn't that strange? Aren't there strange things in this world?"

"How could that be? You didn't see wrong, did you? You mean the young boss and this PhD student are in the photo?"

"Do I look like someone with failing eyesight?"

she scolded on the phone. Just as Helan was about to ask for details, Xiaoya said,

"I have a patient, I'll talk to you later."

She hung up the phone hastily.

Helan was stunned for a moment. To be honest, she really didn't understand what Xiaoya had just said. Who was connected with whom? How could that be?

Her mind was still on the missed calls she had just seen—Yiwen had said he hadn't made any calls, so the number starting with that area code must have been his.

Had the sun risen in the west today? It seemed like he was in a hurry, making so many calls at once.

She picked up the phone and dialed back directly. Sure enough, it was the hotel's phone number. It was the switchboard, and then it was transferred...

It rang several times before being answered.

"Hello."

"Hello what? Still sleeping? What's wrong with all these calls?"

Helan's voice was low and resentful...

"What is it... um."

Suddenly... the person on the other end really wanted to wake up from a dream.

"Cough, right, did I call you while sleepwalking?"

He remembered dreaming about home. Seemingly more awake, he started joking.

"Nonsense."

Hearing his rambling, Helan was secretly pleased.

"Quick, tell me. What's up?"

"Hehe, nothing, just took a shower this morning and I'm wide awake, not sleepy, so I called."

"Tsk, you could call the hospital, why call my house?"

"Ah..."

"Ah, what do you want to drink?"

"Ah, are you jealous? You guys forced me into this, and now you're talking like this?"

The voice on the other end sounded wronged.

"Yeah, right, I'd rather drink soy sauce!"

she said.

"How did it go?"

she asked.

"It's not too good. If it doesn't work out, I might have to come back. I can't afford to waste time. Your husband's idea is that since he's here, he shouldn't come back empty-handed. This time, I don't know why, but he seems much more impulsive than me."

"Then why don't you try to persuade him?

Don't even think about getting something for nothing." "Hey, you know what, it's because I've heard so many stories about getting something for nothing these past few days that he won't give up." "

I heard you went to the other side and didn't come back until dawn? Was it your pretty former employee who summoned you?"

"That's nonsense. Your husband's mouth seems to be much sharper than it used to be. He clearly sent me there to collect Hong Kong dollars, how did it become me going for a woman?"

"Tch, you're not being wronged at all."

She said sarcastically.

"You don't believe me?" the voice

on the phone said. "I

don't believe you."

she said.

"Then should I send you a MMS?"

"Send what MMS? You can't get through on the phone, and now you think of MMS?"

"It's nothing much, just checking up on you. Besides, I was worried you might be driving and it would be inconvenient for you to answer your phone. Wait..."

Soon, Helan's phone beeped in her bag.

She picked it up, opened it, and took out her phone…

In an instant, Helan almost fainted, her whole body trembling, and she cursed into the phone,

“You pervert, you pervert, you’ve gone this far!”

“Hehe, I was just trying to prove my innocence. If I’d been out partying in Hong Kong all night, would it be so smug?”

The MMS message on the phone screen showed his smug “stick”!

“Ugh, I cut it off!”

Helan threw the phone aside on the sofa as if it were burning her.

“Alright, go back to sleep. I wonder how many bad things you did last night.”

“I’m awake, I’ve had enough sleep. Besides, you saw it yourself, so smug, how could I sleep? I must have been busy with your husband.”

“I still have to hang up, so no one can call me.”

“Hehe, looks like I’ll have to switch careers to selling vinegar. Who, who would call?”

“Crazy!”

she cursed.

“Sigh. I really miss him. He’s been gone for almost a week.”

Helan’s face flushed.

"Oh, so you have trouble even with a week? I wonder how you've managed all these years out there..."

"How have I managed? I've had my five sisters for company."

The phone made an exaggerated slapping sound, like a hand hitting skin.

"How annoying, how did you become like this?"

"Hehe, how are you? How are you? Have you missed us?"

"Tch, I miss my husband."

She said with a giggle.

"So pitiful, I, I don't want to live anymore!"

Liang cried out into the phone.

"You rascal! Look at you, you're all stuck there and don't want to come back."

"Where? How about I come back first?"

"Sigh, whatever. Hehe."

"Sigh, you really don't want to?"

Helan, exasperated, sighed and said softly.

"Yes, okay? You're so annoying!"

"Hehe."

The other end laughed childishly, like a big boy who had just gotten what he wanted.

"Hey, what are you doing? Just got back?"

"Yeah, just went to Xiaoya's. I'm all sticky and about to take a shower when I saw the phone light flashing red."

"Oh, cough, trying to climb over the phone line!"

"Ugh... Come on then!"

She even realized her voice was getting a bit too flirtatious.

"Sigh..."

A long sigh came from the other end.

They chatted on and on, this rambling conversation had Helan feeling flustered and her mouth dry. When her phone suddenly rang, she used this as an excuse to quickly hang up...

The caller ID showed it was from Xiaoya's hospital.

"So fast? You managed to fool another patient?"

Helan picked up her phone; the playful banter with Liang had brightened her mood considerably.

"I'm getting old, so the young people won't say I'm not giving them a chance, haha. A few young guys are handling it right now. Looks like you're the one who's busy; you haven't lent me a phone in ages."

"Yeah, I just got a call, a long distance, about what happened earlier. It's got my head spinning.

" "Don't even mention it, I'm confused too. How could there be her picture there ?"

"What picture? Where is it? I didn't see it. You didn't say anything then."

"Inside, on the bookshelf by the wall of the small meeting room, there's a group photo with three or four people in it, including Fang Yuhui and that young boss."

"You're not seeing things, are you? Really? Is that true?"

"Ugh, I'm too lazy to argue with you. Am I that bored? I don't understand it either. You figure it out yourself, haha." "

Ugh, actually, whether they're relatives or friends, it's not a big deal, it's just a strange coincidence. Oh, and you mean she refunded my money because of that young boss? Why? She doesn't even know me. Besides, even if she did, why would she?" "

Okay, okay, I can't explain it either. All I know is that she's in the photo, but I believe there's no such thing as a free lunch. They've already pocketed the money, why would they take it out and give it back to you? It's inexplicable. I don't believe it even if you beat me to death. Oh, or maybe you, you little brat, were posing in front of that kid and confused him..."

"Pah, you're the one posing!"

"Hehe, never mind. Actually, to figure it out, you'll understand once you go get that broken jade and ask. I just thought it was a bit of a coincidence, so I said it. Don't overthink it. Go to bed and get some rest. I can barely keep my eyes open, but I'm not as lucky as you; you ruined my lunch break today."

She answered several phone calls, rambling on and on about nothing important. He Lan didn't think much of it, just like Xiao Ya said, everything would be clear eventually. Besides, it wasn't like she'd been scammed; she'd made money.

She heard a clatter outside the door—the sound of a mailbox lid. The temperature inside was about ten degrees Celsius different from outside, and a wave of heat hit her when she opened the door.

It was a letter. Seeing the old-fashioned kraft paper envelope, her heart skipped a beat. She immediately remembered that if Yi Wen had been there before, he would have laughed at her again—the debt collectors were here again.

Such envelopes are usually unique to those children in the Northwest. It's not that the children are overly materialistic; Yi Wen is right. Since she's already sponsoring their education, correspondence or reports on academic progress wouldn't be so sensitive under normal circumstances. Often, just a few days before the start of school, she receives these letters. It

inevitably makes one wonder, but every time Yi Wen says this, she smiles tolerantly and scolds him for being petty, though she also feels there's some truth to his words. She

formed a partnership with these children several years ago in Gansu. At that time, she promised that as long as they studied hard, she would cover their tuition until they graduated from university. For several years, she's been sending tuition and stationery before the start of each semester.

At first, her son would write to them, albeit awkwardly, but later, apart from a letter before the start of school, they basically disappeared from her contact list. Sometimes He Lan comforts herself, thinking that perhaps the children genuinely can't afford the few cents for postage.

One day, she suddenly received several miscellaneous packages containing goji berries, black moss, and other things the children had picked in the wilderness during their holidays. Helan felt a pang of guilt, and even Yiwen was speechless for a long time.

The children of that barren land suddenly tugged at her heartstrings, and these were already middle school students. The letters revealed worrying academic performance, or rather, the quality of their education. She could only do what she could.

Another reason was that every time she received such letters, Helan would recall the enchanting scenery of the Sangke Grassland in Gannan, Northwest China. The moments she and Liang had shared on the grassland would replay in her mind like a movie.

She lay lazily for a while, letting her thoughts wander, before going upstairs to find the children's information.

Having received the letter, Helan didn't dare delay and busied herself with the matter that afternoon. The children's matter was a bit troublesome, as she had to go to the post office personally to send the money. As a matter of routine, she also bought some gifts for each child and took them to the post office to complete the transaction. She didn't

receive another call from the young boss until several days later.

About a week later, Helan received his call, saying that the pendant was finished and she should come and see it when she had time.

After so much time had passed, Helan's enthusiasm had actually cooled down, or at least faded considerably. As she left, she secretly questioned herself. Had she suddenly brought out this jade and added so much trouble, just making excuses for herself?

But when she saw the object lying in the velvet-lined porcelain bowl that her younger sister brought out, Helan was amazed and completely stunned. She looked at the young boss, who was looking at her with a slight smirk. It was a handsome face, but with a hint of world-weariness.

Helan suddenly remembered why she had questioned herself before leaving. These past few days, with nothing to do, she had been watching the Korean film "Miss Mermaid" over and over again. The familiar yet indescribable face before her reminded her of Joo Wang from that film, played by South Korean actor Kim Sung-taek.

Feeling embarrassed after being stared at for so long, she carefully picked up the jade piece from the cup, which resembled freshly sprouted leeks. Strictly speaking, the piece was only just beginning to be shaped, but the level of craftsmanship was already superb.

The techniques of chopping, chiseling, marking, notching, carving, punching, rolling, and drilling were skillful and refined. Even without fine finishing, the work possessed a delicate charm. A pair of carefree mandarin ducks in the piece, their eyes naturally filled with affection, were perfectly complemented by the lotus leaves and ripples of water. The ducks' beaks, feathers, and the smiles they exuded seemed to resonate with human emotions.

"Does it need further processing?"

she asked excitedly, almost wanting to take it home immediately.

"Of course."

He smiled, a hint of pride in his expression. With such a work, he had every right to be proud. Helan, preoccupied with her own joy, didn't notice his pride or the mocking smile playing on his lips.

"Here."

His fingertip pointed to the jade piece in Helan's hand.

"These feathers and ripples are stiff right now, lacking curves. They need to be polished. The ripples that create the fence also need to be refined to look more natural, not their current rigid shape. To put it simply, it will stay here for at least another week." "

Oh, I see."

Helan felt a pang of regret. As he pointed, his fingertip lightly touched her index finger. For a moment, she felt a little dizzy, her gaze shifting to his fingertip—a hand with a well-defined frame, faint calluses on the sides of his fingers, probably from frequent use with tools.

She blushed slightly, her heart pounding as she tried to put the jade back in the cup, but he opened his hand to take it. Without hesitation, Helan gently placed the treasure into his palm…

"Thank you, it's very nice,"

she said.

She was about to say she loved it, but suddenly changed her mind. She felt that tone didn't suit her at all; she'd almost lost her composure several times already and felt a little embarrassed.

The room wasn't big, and it was quiet. Through the wooden blinds, she could vaguely see what was happening outside, but the inside was relatively secluded. He tilted his head, adjusting the angle against the light for a while, before finally putting the treasure back in the cup.

"Don't worry, I think you'll be satisfied. Hehe, were you thanking me earlier because of the discount I gave you last time?"

"No, no, it's just that it's better than I expected. I can tell you put thought into it.

" "Hehe, praising someone like that doesn't feel like a business transaction. Making customers satisfied is a matter of course."

He said, pouring her a cup of Tieguanyin tea.

He Lan was amused by his words and secretly glanced at him as he poured the tea, inwardly exclaiming that his profile looked more like Jin Chengze. He looked completely different from the long-haired, hippie-like man he'd seen when he first came here.

He suddenly stared at the computer monitor on the desk next to him, spun the screen around, and pointed at it.

"Is this your car?"

Helan saw an image in a small box on the screen, vaguely resembling her own Bora. Not knowing what was going on, she casually hummed in response.

Before the words even finished, he had already stood up and dashed out… The noise outside drew Helan out, and the scene on the small playground outside the shop made her want to scream, but the sound was stuck in her throat.

There, the shop owner was confronting two tall, fierce-looking men. He was already quite tall, but the two men still towered over him. Helan didn't know why this was happening, but since he had pointed at her Bora on the security camera before rushing out, she guessed it was related to the car.

Good heavens! She subconsciously touched her right shoulder—she must have left her bag in the car, and the two thieves had smashed the window?

"—Call the police! Have you called the police?!"

she shouted at the several dazed shop assistants.

Turning back—the situation was a little better. The employees from the neighboring shop also rushed out, surrounding them and shouting at them to put down their weapons.

The thug who had just been menacing suddenly became visibly nervous. The one on the left, wielding a wrench, yelled,

"Make way, friend! I left my things here, make way!"

He shook out a t-shirt, and Helan saw her bag fall to the ground.

Just then, the shopkeeper lunged at him...

The market security guards arrived as well.

Despite being surrounded by so many people, another thug, wielding a nearly two-foot-long watermelon knife, slashed wildly. Since the people on this side were unarmed, he managed to escape.

The one the shopkeeper had tackled was subdued by the crowd, and the security guards randomly handcuffed him.

It was like a movie; everything happened in the blink of an eye...

Helan ran over, supporting the swaying shopkeeper, staring at him in astonishment.

"Are you... mentally unstable? Didn't you see the knife in his hand?"

Blood was trickling from his mouth; he had lunged so hard that his head had hit a car, scraping his cheek and drawing blood.

"The glass is broken..."

he pointed to the passenger window of the Bora.

"So what if it's broken? Did you want it to break too?"

She didn't know why she was angry, and she didn't care that there were so many people around, yelling like a shrew.

"Heh, it's fine, isn't it? Hey, give me that bag."

He shouted at the people.

"Here, your bag."

He Lan angrily snatched it away, her heart trembling, feeling a tightness in her chest. The bag was back, so why was she so angry? Looking at his disheveled appearance, she felt a pang of heartache... It was all her fault for being careless. How could she leave her bag in the car? She often heard people say that they left five or ten yuan in change in their cars, and in the blink of an eye, the window was leaking air. She never thought she would be so careless.

She opened the car door, and there were shards of glass all over the seats. She patted the glass a few times with her bag and took out her keys.

"Get in,"

she said to him.

"What for?"

"To the hospital."

"Are you alright? You're fine, I'm not going."

She ignored him, sat down, and immediately jumped up as if pricked by a needle. The scattered glass shards on the seat weren't cleaned up at all.

She got off angrily, slapping the seat cushion hard with her bag.

"Okay, okay, drive my car."

He took out his keys, pressed the remote, and a Jeep in front beeped and its lights flashed.

She called the company to have a driver come and replace the glass, then handed the car keys to the young girl in the shop.

"Someone will come and give him the keys in a bit, thank you."

He started the car as soon as he got in.

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I said I'm fine, why don't you do it?"

He deliberately challenged her.

Helan laughed, giving him a reproachful glance. Indeed, she wasn't confident she could handle such a big vehicle.

He chuckled and stepped on the gas...

The young girls lined up at the shop entrance had different expressions, but they all watched intently as the Jeep sped away...

He drove recklessly, dancing on the edge of traffic violations according to city traffic rules. He navigated the traffic with absolute ease, his grip on the steering wheel relaxed yet controlled. Helan, sitting beside him, felt somewhat awkward,

her eyes catching his every move out of the corner of her eye. The car stereo was playing a familiar tune, Michael Jackson's "You Are Not Alone," a song she'd listened to often years ago. The feeling was the same as before—a jumbled mess in her heart, as if something was about to burst from her chest.

The car was a manual, supposedly more fun and challenging for men to drive. His right hand barely left the gearshift, holding it constantly, while his left hand skillfully maneuvered the car through the traffic with effortless ease.

A couple of times, the back of his hand brushed against her knee—probably unintentionally, a normal occurrence while driving—but she reacted as if electrocuted, nervously swerving to the other side, squeezing towards the window.

But then his hand left the gearshift… and reached out. His palm landed on her hand resting on her leg, covering it.

Helan took a deep breath…

She didn't flinch; she didn't flinch at all.

So, the touch while shifting gears was purely intentional? This scoundrel, he seems to be no good, she thought to herself, exhaling a deep breath with trembling hands…

Soon, his hand left; he needed to shift gears.

Later, his hand never returned.

Her gaze fell on the rearview mirror, and Helan saw a faint trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth…

She quickly opened her bag, took out a tissue, and leaned over, about to… then suddenly felt embarrassed and pointed to her mouth.

He wiped it, still clutching the tissue, grinning at her with a wry smile.

“Serves you right for showing off,”

she scolded playfully.

He continued grinning, switching the tissue to his left hand, and then his right hand reached out again, grasping her hand as before, this time gently rubbing it…

His palm was rough; was it from cutting and grinding jade? This was the question that swirled in Helan's mind.

The car stopped. Good heavens, it was Xiaoya's hospital! She instinctively pulled her hand back in shock.

He got out of the car, but saw her sitting there hesitantly, lingering. When he looked at her, a blush crept onto her face.

"I know someone at the hospital."

"Oh, I'll just go for a bit. You stay in the car." He

closed the car door and hurried towards the outpatient department. His legs, encased in jeans, were long, and his movements were graceful and agile. Helan watched his retreating figure, even thinking, "If that back view had long hair, it wouldn't be so bad..."

He had an X-ray taken on his shoulder, and after a short while, a nurse was about to put a small gauze pad on it. Fang Nan was a little embarrassed and wanted to refuse. Seeing his expression, the nurse gave him a mocking glance and said with a smile,

"It's fine without a bandage, but don't cause trouble for the hospital if it gets infected." "

I won't, since we're family members of the hospital, aren't we?"

he joked.

"Really? Who in your family works at the hospital? Is it your girlfriend? Which department?"

"Hehe, yes, it's my girlfriend."

He replied. He slapped her on the back, then turned around to see He Lan.

"Didn't I tell you to stay in the car? Why did you get off?"

"Hehe, letting a hero heal himself seems like I'm not a good citizen."

"Hehe, okay, you're fine now, don't take the X-ray."

He swung his arm.

"It doesn't hurt as much as before."

He reached out to put his arm around her shoulder, but she awkwardly dodged away.

"Lying, and saying you're a family member of a hospital employee."

The nurse muttered.

He overheard the nurse's words and teased her back.

"I said family member, but I didn't say my girlfriend works at the hospital. Aren't my dad and mom family members too?"

"Girlfriend?"

The nurse pursed her lips and lowered her eyes, secretly smiling.

"You kid, you have such a bad temper."

He shook off He Lan and leaned close to the nurse, pretending to whisper.

"I'm in a relationship with an older woman, is that okay?"

The nurse pouted, wanting to retort but couldn't think of the right words, and stood there stunned.

He laughed heartily, put his arm around Helan's shoulder, and strode away.

She pulled away, took out her wallet, and pulled out a few bills to hand to him. He stopped, staring at her as if she were a monster, until she felt embarrassed and awkwardly put her wallet away. Only then did he grin, reaching out to put his arm around her again, but Helan quickly ran away…

When they got into the car, she asked,

“What did you say to her? You made her choke like that.”

He smiled without answering, got into the car, closed the door, and said softly,

“Didn’t you notice? I actually described her expression in words.”

“Describe what?”

Helan was getting a little impatient with his cryptic talk.

“Hehe, that girl’s expression clearly said we’re—in a relationship with a younger man! Isn’t that slandering you? We’re not that old!”

“Ugh! What kind of relationship is this!”

Her face flushed, she leaned against the window, moving far away from him, thinking to herself, if that hand dared to reach out again, she’d smash it with her phone.

She was thinking about going home and wanted to ask him to take her, but she didn't want him to know her address, so he didn't ask. She simply leaned back in her seat and pretended to doze off. They

quickly retraced their route, stopping at the antique market. He jumped out without a word and went into a shop. Helan opened her eyes; her car was gone. The driver must have taken it. He was the company's full-time driver, sometimes driving Yiwen or other employees when they needed to leave the city or go long distances. He also usually handled the company's equipment and electrical maintenance, and vehicle upkeep.

The car was still running. Should she get out? She hesitated, regretting not getting out halfway. She could have easily gotten out and taken a taxi home; it seemed like she was lingering in the car, which made her feel awkward and uneasy.

She saw him hurriedly come out, get back into the car, turn around, and the car sped off.

"Put me down at the intersection ahead, I can take a taxi back."

He didn't say anything, but just reached out and held her hand. He Lan hated herself for having lost the courage she initially had to throw her phone at him. She only symbolically pulled her hand away before letting him hold it, occasionally applying a little pressure. It felt extremely ambiguous, and the desire between the adult man and woman traveled up her arm and through her whole body.

She sighed, closed her eyes, and leaned back in her seat, even responding to his touch, eagerly squeezing his broad, slightly rough palm—a gesture that, in the minds of any adult man or woman, would clearly be a sign of agreement or compromise… He

skillfully turned a corner from the side of one of the busiest department stores in the city, into a narrow alleyway. This was a redevelopment and demolition area in the city center; the surrounding area was a mess, and apart from the newly opened department store in front, this section was practically a chaotic wasteland, dotted with construction cranes. Fortunately, the storms of the previous two days had clearly affected the construction progress; the site within the temporary fence was quiet, showing no signs of work.

He navigated the winding roads with ease, finally screeching to a halt and releasing her hand.

“Really skilled,”

she scoffed.

Actually, it could be considered a compliment. He had come all this way, winding and turning, without shifting gears, because he needed to work and held her hand tightly the whole time…

Having lived in this city for so long, she had never known such a scene existed. Before them was a small, independent courtyard with blue bricks and white walls, somewhat out of place in the city center, but viewed alone, its refreshing beauty was intoxicating.

Following him inside, she realized that calling it a courtyard was a complete misrepresentation. The small garden in front of the house alone occupied at least several hundred square meters, and the inner walls, still the same blue bricks and white walls as the outside, made the space feel even more spacious.

“What is this place?”

she asked blankly after he came in and bolted the thick wooden door.

Strangely, once inside, almost all the distant roar of cars and the low honking of horns outside had been silenced; it had become a pure paradise…

He untied the canvas bag slung across his shoulder and took out a box—the same box he had seen in his shop earlier, containing the jade piece he had brought to be processed.

"Want to see it completed right before your eyes?"

"You'll be working here?"

She seemed to understand something.

Following this man, much younger than herself, to this almost idyllic place, it wasn't so much that she was passively or seduced, but rather that Helan herself had actively chosen this place, or perhaps even secretly desired it. This was the first time the two of them had truly been alone together, and in that instant, she was overwhelmed by the feeling of an impending affair, her face burning.

Backing out outside the gate would have been perfectly justifiable, but she hadn't, and now it seemed impossible to back down.

Standing in this room, permeated with the atmosphere of yesterday, she felt lost and helpless, her heart pounding wildly. She wished for a phone call or something to wake her up, to give her a reason to let her legs carry her away from this room, this courtyard.

However, he seemed to have completely set her aside for the time being. There was a table by the window. He pulled a dark blue cloth from the shelf next to it, shook it with his hands, and laid it on the table. From a drawer under the table, he took out a box containing various oddly shaped objects, probably tools.

"If you have the patience, you can take it before dark,"

he said.

He sat down, like a different person, coldly taking out the jade, holding it in his hand, and examining it closely with a large magnifying glass in his right hand.

"You can go for a walk in the yard,"

he said.

His sudden change gradually cooled her uneasy heart, making her feel ashamed. Wasn't this just a pathetic and laughable case of teenage infatuation? It was just normal business. What happened after smashing the car window today was just a simple act of heroism. The subsequent finger or simple skin contact was just a gesture from a young man without any evil intentions. Was it worth her dwelling on it and overthinking so much?

She pretended to wander around the house aimlessly, calming herself down before stepping outside. The courtyard was damp, the air fresh with a faint musty smell—the odor emanating from the damp wooden doors and windows. From the window, she could see him working intently, completely absorbed in his task.

She felt inexplicably annoyed…

Standing by the window, watching him intently grinding the parchment with a fine sander, Helan suddenly lost all interest in the yellowish-brown object in his hand. The jadeite dust that settled on the dark blue cloth seemed as repulsive as dust on an unwashed object.

Until her gaze fell on his face, she realized that his sudden concentration made him seem like a child, making it impossible for her to be angry. Besides, he was trying to close a deal quickly; what reason did she have to get angry for no reason?

She quietly turned and went back the way she came, walking carefully across the cobblestone path, afraid the clatter of her shoes would attract his attention.

Silently, he pulled open the thick bolt, activated his stealth ability, and slipped out…

******************************

URL 1:https://www.sexlove5.com/htmlBlog/16415.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=16415&aspx=1

Last access time:

Previous Page : [Urban] Summer (Complete) - 16-18

Next Page : [Urban] Summer (Complete) - 19-21

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

[Urban] Summer (Complete) - 13-15

comment Open a new window to view comments