“If someone saw this,” Shan Yu smiled, “it would be even more exaggerated than holding a concert in the car.”
“That’s different,” Chen Jian said, rubbing his thumb on his lips. “And as long as it’s not President Liu, I’m fine.”
Shan Yu glanced at the coffee and the opened snacks in the car. “Your afternoon tea is quite rich.”
“Afternoon coffee,” Chen Jian said as he packed things up in a plastic bag. “The coffee in the city is too expensive. A crappy latte costs twenty-eight yuan, and it’s nothing special. Da Yin’s coffee just doesn’t put on airs. Otherwise, it could also sell for over twenty…”
“We’ll make a fancy one in the future,” Shan Yu said.
“Huh?” Chen Jian immediately turned his head to look at him. “Where?”
“If we can get the road from the old village to Shitoubao,” Shan Yu said, tapping a few times on the navigation and driving the car out of the parking lot, “there are a lot of things we can do…”
“That road is so narrow. What can we do there? We can only walk, right?” Chen Jian said. “If we want to widen it, the cost will be very high. And isn’t there a risk of damaging resources?”
“Whoa,” Shan Yu glanced at him. “You can even think of these things?”
“It’s not what I thought of,” Chen Jian smiled. “Those who wanted to build guesthouses on the mountain before have all had disputes with the village.”
“We’ll take these into consideration,” Shan Yu said. “The road doesn’t need to be widened towards the mountain. We can widen it towards the cliff.”
“Huh?” Chen Jian looked at him.
“There’s a cliff below, and you can see the river,” Shan Yu said. “A cliffside restaurant, a cliffside cafe…”
“A hanging temple?” Chen Jian asked.
“Yes,” Shan Yu said. “Built for you.”
“There’s no ‘temple’ in the name,” Chen Jian laughed for a long time. “It’s hanging?”
“Yes,” Shan Yu nodded.
“That’s interesting,” Chen Jian leaned back against the seat, propped his head on his hands, and looked at the road ahead. “I can’t quite imagine what it would be like if there were restaurants, cafes, and shops there.”
“Then think of something else first,” Shan Yu said.
“What?” Chen Jian asked.
“The company’s name hasn’t been decided yet,” Shan Yu said. “Sun Nana needs it when she submits the materials tomorrow. We have to think of one today.”
“Ah…” Chen Jian was stunned.
He had no concept of company matters and hadn’t even thought that a company needed a name.
But this name…
A bunch of company names full of middle-aged temperament floated in his mind.
“I can’t think of one,” he answered honestly.
Shan Yu started laughing. “I can’t either.”
“What about something like President Liu’s company?” Chen Jian asked. “The ‘Yu’ in Yuxing, is that you?”
“Mhm,” Shan Yu nodded. “So I was thinking of using your name…”
“Hey! No, no, no, no, no!” Chen Jian shouted. “This is much more embarrassing than holding a concert! This is going to be on the sign, and it’s going to be written in the contract! Director Lu and the others will see it when we cooperate in the future!”
“My god,” Shan Yu glanced at him. “That reaction of yours.”
“The small town has mountains and water, which is quite suitable. ‘Jian’ means water flowing between mountains,” Shan Yu said. “Who gave you the name ‘Jian’?”
“My mom,” Chen Jian said. “She said she looked it up in the dictionary.”
“‘Cassia flowers fall in the quiet of the night, spring mountains are empty’,” Shan Yu tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. “‘The moon rises, startling the mountain birds, which sing from time to time in the spring stream’.”
Chen Jian didn’t speak, just looked at him.
“What’s wrong?” Shan Yu asked.
Chen Jian still looked at him.
The light turned red. Shan Yu stopped the car and turned to look at him. “Birdsong Stream, Tang Dynasty, Wang Wei. You should have learned it in elementary school.”
“Fuck,” Chen Jian was stunned. “Really? How come I don’t remember?”
“It’s fine,” Shan Yu’s lips curved up. “If you ask Sanbing and the others, they probably don’t remember either.”
“I’m a manager! Comparing me to Sanbing…” Chen Jian started laughing halfway through. “Damn.”
The green light came on. The car turned left. The navigation prompted that there was a school ahead.
“My alma mater,” Shan Yu said.
“High school?” Chen Jian looked at the navigation.
“Mhm,” Shan Yu nodded.
“You and Yao Yi both went to high school here, right?” Chen Jian asked.
“Yes,” Shan Yu said. “This is the old campus. I heard from Yao Yi that the new campus is very large. I’ve never been there.”
“Do you want to… go and see it?” Chen Jian asked again.
“No,” Shan Yu answered crisply. “I don’t really miss the old campus either.”
“Why?” Chen Jian asked.
Are there any bad memories?
Have I crossed the line?
If there are, then I’ve probably crossed the line.
It’s been so long since I’ve crossed the line that I can’t even get a good grasp on it anymore.
“Because I didn’t really spend much time at school,” Shan Yu said. “I don’t even recognize all my high school classmates.”
Oh, it seems I haven’t crossed the line.
“Yao Yi was a good student, right?” Chen Jian was a bit curious.
“Of course,” Shan Yu said.
“Then why did she hang out with you?” Chen Jian asked. “You were the troublemaker type of student in school, right?”
Shan Yu clicked his tongue and glanced at him.
“Hm?” Chen Jian looked at him.
“You’re going too far, manager,” Shan Yu said.
“I’m just curious,” Chen Jian smiled.
“Because I have a brain,” Shan Yu said.
“…I thought you were going to say because you’re handsome,” Chen Jian said.
“I am handsome, but Yao Yi wasn’t with me because of that,” Shan Yu said. “Otherwise, she wouldn’t have married Yue Lang later.”
“Hey?” Chen Jian smiled. “Yue Lang’s image is not bad either…”
“Not as handsome as me,” Shan Yu said. “What, you think he’s quite handsome?”
“Hey!” Chen Jian shouted. “Don’t talk nonsense! I just…”
“I’m not listening,” Shan Yu interrupted him.
“Damn,” Chen Jian came back to his senses. “That’s right. In your eyes, he’s definitely not as handsome as Lu Jun.”
“…We’re almost at the restaurant, two intersections ahead,” Shan Yu quickly ended the topic.
Chen Jian leaned back in his seat and laughed.
But after laughing for a while, the navigation prompted that the destination was almost there.
The thought of having to eat with President Liu and Professor Shan made him unable to laugh anymore, especially after President Liu had just watched his concert.
“Why aren’t you laughing anymore?” Shan Yu asked.
Chen Jian sighed. “I’m feeling the pressure.”
“I have a surprise for you,” Shan Yu said.
“Are we not going anymore?” Chen Jian immediately asked.
After asking, he felt a wave of guilt.
Those are Shan Yu’s parents. What’s your attitude, Chen Jian…
“I called Liu Wu,” Shan Yu said.
“Huh?” Chen Jian was taken aback, then indeed felt a sense of relief. “That’s right, he hasn’t gone back to school yet.”
“How about it?” Shan Yu said. “It’s usually annoying when he’s around, but at times like this, it’s much more comfortable with him here.”
“Yes,” Chen Jian started laughing.
It was true. Liu Wu was talkative and friendly. With him around, the pressure was really gone.
“I can’t believe you even thought of calling him over,” Chen Jian said.
“I’m not comfortable either,” Shan Yu said.
“Hm?” Chen Jian looked at him. “Eating with your parents? You’re not comfortable either?”
“Yes,” Shan Yu said as he pulled the car over to the side of the road and drove to the entrance of the restaurant. An attendant gestured for them to park in a space.
Chen Jian hadn’t originally noticed it. The conversation between Shan Yu and President Liu and Professor Shan was very relaxed and casual, and he spoke very freely.
But now that Shan Yu had suddenly said it, he wasn’t surprised either.
He could relate.
His and Shan Yu’s upbringings were completely different, but they had both spent little time with their parents. He would also have that feeling of both wanting to be close and being afraid of spending time together when he was with his dad.
Even if Shan Yu could come to terms with the past and let it go, it didn’t mean that they could immediately become a close-knit, comfortable family of three.
Chen Jian looked in the rearview mirror at the attendant who was gesturing for Shan Yu to continue backing up. The next second, the happy bean Liu Wu appeared next to the attendant.
“He’s already here?” Chen Jian turned his head and indeed saw Liu Wu standing at the back of the car.
“Good!” Liu Wu patted the trunk door.
Shan Yu turned off the engine. When he opened the car door, Liu Wu was already outside the driver’s side door.
“I just arrived too!” he said, still with his arms open as always.
Shan Yu got out of the car and hugged him. “Did you take a taxi here?”
“Mhm,” Liu Wu nodded, walked around the front of the car, and then came over to hug Chen Jian. “Long time no see, Chen Jian!”
“Has it been… that long?” Chen Jian asked.
“It’s been quite a while,” Liu Wu said. “The New Year is almost over.”
“The New Year isn’t even over and we’ve already seen each other twice,” Chen Jian said.
“A day without seeing each other is like three autumns!” Liu Wu said.
“Yes,” Chen Jian nodded.
President Liu had already booked a private room. This was the first time Chen Jian had ever seen a private room with a living room.
The inner room was the dining room, and the outer room was the tea room. It was very luxurious.
As soon as they entered the room, a waiter came in, knelt by the tea table, and started making tea for them.
Chen Jian couldn’t help but look under the waiter’s knees. “Is there something to kneel on?”
“Yes, there is,” the waiter said, moving aside a little. Underneath was a small cushion made of corn husks.
“Oh, that’s fine then,” Chen Jian nodded.
“Thank you,” the waiter smiled.
Shan Yu hung up his coat, turned back to look at him, and reached out to touch his face.
Chen Jian immediately handed the coat he was holding to him.
Liu Wu is here! He still doesn’t know anything!
Don’t be touchy-feely!
Shan Yu clicked his tongue and hung his clothes on the coat rack.
“Brother, help me hang this up,” Liu Wu said, handing his coat over as well.
Shan Yu looked at him.
“My dear cousin,” Liu Wu still held up his coat. “Although I’m not your employee…”
“Wake up,” Shan Yu said, taking his coat. “No boss hangs up clothes for any employee.”
“Then why did you hang up Chen Jian’s?” Liu Wu asked.
Chen Jian instantly became vigilant.
That’s right.
That’s too strange.
“He’s a partner, the manager of Da Yin,” Shan Yu said, hanging up Liu Wu’s coat, sitting down, and taking a sip of tea.
Half an hour later, the other partner, President Liu, arrived with her husband.
The scholar Professor Shan, aka the master fish feeder, was indeed sick and was wearing a mask.
“Uncle,” Chen Jian quickly stood up and greeted him. “You really… have a cold?”
“It’s almost gone,” Professor Shan said.
“Mhm, you can start preparing for the next cold,” President Liu said.
Everyone sat down at the tea table. President Liu took out her own small teacup.
“So particular,” Liu Wu lamented. “Are there any more? I want one too.”
President Liu took a cup from the table and placed it in front of him. “Here.”
“You’re being perfunctory with me,” Liu Wu said.
“So annoying,” President Liu said.
“Xiao Chen,” Professor Shan looked at Chen Jian. “I forgot about this last time. Let’s add each other as friends.”
“Oh, okay!” Chen Jian quickly took out his phone.
“When you have time, can you help me ask Xiao Dou’er’s grandfather,” Professor Shan said, “if he used anything special to treat the corn he uses for bait? I’m planning to learn how to make some.”
“I’ll ask for you,” Chen Jian said. “It probably wasn’t anything special…”
What kind of advanced formula could an old man from the countryside have for his homemade fish bait?
Could it be…
Fate.
“Have you thought of a name for the company?” President Liu asked.
“Not yet,” Shan Yu said.
“Didn’t you say you’d think about it on the way?” President Liu said.
Chen Jian couldn’t help but glance at President Liu. Is President Liu always this efficient?
“What company name?” Liu Wu immediately asked. “I’ll help you think of one.”
“Yes, the cultured man can help us think,” President Liu said. “Your cousin is starting a company to do tourism development in the small town.”
“Do you have any ideas?” Liu Wu asked eagerly, rubbing his hands together and looking at Shan Yu.
“No,” Shan Yu said, picking up his cup and taking a sip of tea, mumbling, “I was thinking of using the character ‘Jian’, which has mountains and water…”
Are you crazy, boss! Why are you so insistent!
“Chen Jian’s ‘Jian’?” Liu Wu instantly fell into thought, and even after saying Chen Jian’s name, he didn’t seem to have a trace of doubt.
On the other hand, President Liu glanced at Shan Yu. “The character ‘Jian’ is indeed quite beautiful.”
“‘Fortunately, I have a promise to dwell in a stream, but I still lament the weight of the rivers and mountains’,” Liu Wu said.
Chen Jian turned his head to look at him.
What the hell?
Another one who can recite a poem at the drop of a hat?
Is this also from an elementary school textbook?
“It has the meaning of living in seclusion,” Liu Wu said. “Living in seclusion in Hongye Town… ‘Xijian’ could also work. It seems to have a bit of a ‘jianghu’ flavor…”
“I’ll write it down,” Shan Yu said, taking out his phone and opening his notepad.
Does that sound like a company name, boss! And you’re writing it down!
President Liu smiled without speaking, just looked at Chen Jian.
Chen Jian poked his forehead with his finger and let out a light sigh.
“Okay,” Liu Wu clapped his hands. “That’s all I can think of. I’m hungry.”
It’s a good thing you’re hungry!
Thank you!
Regardless, Liu Wu was a good kid. Because of him, the atmosphere at this meal became particularly relaxed. Even Chen Jian and Professor Shan could chat enthusiastically.
Although Professor Shan was a scholar, he was full of love for the outdoors. Besides the fish he couldn’t catch, he also asked Chen Jian about his childhood adventures in the mountains for a long time, and even looked up more than ten kinds of mushrooms for Chen Jian to identify which were poisonous and which were not…
“We don’t have these mushrooms where I’m from,” Chen Jian said. “We usually have hazel mushrooms, morels, and the like.”
“Oh,” Professor Shan pushed up his glasses. “These are from Yunnan…”
“You can still be saved if you catch a cold,” President Liu said. “But not necessarily if you eat the wrong mushroom…”
“Hey, Auntie!” Liu Wu quickly interrupted her. “That’s unlucky! Don’t say such things.”
“You’re just as superstitious as your mom,” President Liu clicked her tongue. “Are you full! If you’re full, I’ll send you back.”
“I’ll take a taxi back myself,” Liu Wu said.
“Come on,” President Liu said. “We have two cars here, and you’re going to take a taxi? Your mom will say we’re bullying you again.”
“My cousin bullies me, but I’ve never said you guys bully me,” Liu Wu said with a smile.
“Your cousin wouldn’t dare. I’m the one who bullies you, and that’s more plausible,” President Liu stood up. “Let’s go! Auntie will take you back.”
President Liu probably wouldn’t have sent Liu Wu home on a normal day.
This was clearly to avoid arriving home at the same time as Shan Yu and Chen Jian, to give Chen Jian some time to buffer his awkwardness.
After Chen Jian realized this, he was both grateful and a little bit…
As if the two of them were going to do something when they got home.
Outside was already a sea of lights.
As the car drove through the streets, Chen Jian looked up at the sky. As soon as they left the small town, they could no longer see the vast expanse of stars in the sky. Instead, there were vast expanses of lights.
The same dots of light connected into a patch, but the feeling was completely different.
Shan Yu’s home was near a river, with large green spaces. Compared to the bustling commercial area, it was much quieter, with fewer people and cars on the wide roads.
After the car turned into the community gate, it was even more peaceful.
Unlike what he had imagined, Shan Yu’s family did not live in a villa.
But from the garage to the entrance lobby to the elevator, everything exuded a sense of luxury. He even took out his phone and filmed a short video.
When the elevator doors opened and he saw Shan Yu’s large flat, Chen Jian couldn’t help but exclaim at his still-filming phone, “Fuck, it’s so big.”
“Mhm, it’s quite big,” Shan Yu smiled and got him a pair of slippers.
“This living room is bigger than Da Yin’s lobby,” Chen Jian said as he changed his shoes.
“Get lost,” Shan Yu said. “It’s not that big.”
Chen Jian smiled, put away his phone, walked into the living room, and looked around. “President Liu and the others are usually just the two of them, right? Living in such a big place.”
“Mhm, you have to make an appointment by phone to see them,” Shan Yu said, walking to the bar, taking two bottles of Coke from the fridge, and two glasses. “Do you want some Coke?”
“Yes,” Chen Jian said, walking to the bar and sitting down. “There’s a bar too.”
“It was a popular thing to have one when renovating back then,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian took a glass, took a sip of Coke, and sat at the bar, looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows at the brightly lit street scene outside.
He was a bit mesmerized.
When Shan Yu’s hand wrapped around his waist from behind, he was startled and sat up straight. “Hm?”
“What ‘hm’,” Shan Yu kissed him behind the ear.
“Shan Yu!” Chen Jian turned his head in horror. “What are you doing?”
“I’ll send you to a mental hospital sooner or later to have a look,” Shan Yu looked at him. “What else can I do in this state?”
“No,” Chen Jian immediately glanced towards the door. “President Liu and the others are coming back soon…”
“Then let’s go and visit my room,” Shan Yu said.
