Extra 5
Shan Yu’s guess was ridiculous, but in the face of his father’s somewhat unexpected reaction, Chen Jian, on the one hand, felt that it was impossible. His father had never laid a hand on anyone in his life, and the words were already very clear. On the other hand, he also felt that it wasn’t entirely impossible…
As he drove silently towards the small town, he even had the illusion that he had brought someone to beat up Shan Yu.
His father, however, was very peaceful and loving. Although he didn’t say anything, he kept looking at today’s shopping receipts. He had even looked at the receipt from the teahouse many times and was sending WeChat messages to Old Zhong.
“Ask your son to take you there. The food is very good,” his father sent a voice message.
“Dad, you…” Chen Jian glanced at him. “Are you deliberately trying to annoy him?”
“No,” his father said. “Old Zhong is a very practical person. He even asked me to take a picture of today’s receipt and send it to him so he can show it to his son.”
“Why would he show that to his son?” Chen Jian asked.
“To say that someone treated him to a meal,” his father started laughing. “His son has been staying at home since he graduated from technical secondary school. He doesn’t want to work and just lies in bed playing games all day. He’s about to die of anger.”
“His son is younger than me, right?” Chen Jian asked.
“They’re the same age,” his father said. “But Old Zhong also said that there aren’t many kids like you.”
Chen Jian smiled. “You should also hold back a little. I see that Uncle Zhong is a very nice person, and you two have a good relationship. Don’t ruin it by showing off your son.”
“I know, I’ll just show off for these two days. It’ll be fine after that,” his father said with a smile.
“Mhm,” Chen Jian nodded.
His father was probably still very tired. He fell asleep not long after getting in the car.
He had just heard such a big thing about his son, and less than an hour later, he had actually fallen asleep. This showed that he was indeed very tired.
Chen Jian felt that if they got their old family house back, he should think about whether he could let his father go home. It had been too hard for him to be outside for these ten years.
His father was still asleep when they arrived at Da Yin.
Shan Yu, for once, was waiting at the door. He came over as soon as the car stopped.
And he stood by the passenger door. Without even making eye contact with Chen Jian, he directly pulled open the car door.
His father was not awake yet.
Shan Yu was stunned for a moment, then looked over at Chen Jian.
“He’s been asleep the whole way,” Chen Jian whispered.
“His mentality is good,” Shan Yu also whispered.
Chen Jian smiled.
To be honest, if the situation were reversed, Chen Jian felt that he would not have the courage to go over and open the car door for Shan Yu’s parents.
If he hadn’t had a smooth conversation with his father before, and Shan Yu had taken over the matter like this, it would have given him absolutely strong support.
He was indeed not like Shan Yu.
“Dad,” Chen Jian pushed his father. “We’re here.”
“…Hey!” his father squinted for a couple of seconds and woke up. When he turned his head and saw Shan Yu standing next to him, he immediately sat up straight. “I was dreaming.”
“Have you been working hard recently, Uncle Chen?” Shan Yu smiled and moved away from the door.
“There have been a lot of orders recently,” his father said as he got out of the car. “Today is a day off to rest.”
“Did you go out for a big meal with Chen Jian?” Shan Yu asked.
“Yes,” his father nodded. “I haven’t had such good food in a long time.”
“Uncle!” Hu Pan ran over. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it? You look great!”
“You too,” his father smiled and looked at Hu Pan. “Did you get a haircut?”
“Mhm,” Hu Pan said, grabbing her hair and turning to run back into the house. “I cut it myself. It was too long… Uncle, please come in.”
“Okay,” his father smiled and followed her for two steps, then turned his head to look at Shan Yu again. “Boss Shan, thank you so much for this time…”
“Uncle,” Shan Yu said. “Just call me Shan Yu, or Xiao Yu. My parents both call me that.”
“Hey, okay,” his father nodded and walked towards the house.
Chen Jian followed behind his father and glanced at Shan Yu.
“How was it on the way?” Shan Yu asked in a low voice.
“It was good,” Chen Jian’s voice was also very low.
“Mhm,” Shan Yu responded, quickened his pace, and followed. “Uncle, let’s go to my office first. Sun Nana will be here soon. I’ll have her explain the details to you again.”
Chen Jian went over and pressed the elevator button. After they entered the elevator, the small space was left with only the three of them, and the atmosphere suddenly became a little awkward.
The three of them didn’t speak. Chen Jian looked at Shan Yu, and Shan Yu also looked at him.
Then he suddenly smiled.
Chen Jian was stunned.
What are you laughing at.
Say something, Boss-brother.
Say anything to break the frozen atmosphere.
Isn’t that your strong suit?
Oh, it’s not.
Your strong suit is creating awkwardness and being at ease with it.
I have to rely on myself.
Chen Jian was thinking of what to say.
After a while, the elevator doors opened, and he finally found something to say: “We’re here.”
His father walked out of the elevator, Shan Yu followed closely, and Chen Jian walked last.
Just as they walked into Shan Yu’s office, Shan Yu said, “Go to the dorm and see if Sun Nana is back.”
So fierce?
A one-on-one?
“Uncle, please sit down for a while,” he said. “Would you like some tea?”
“Okay, but regular tea is fine. I don’t really know how to drink it. Good tea is fine too,” he nodded and sat down on the sofa.
“It’s not very high-end tea. It’s just new green tea,” Shan Yu said, taking a cup. “It was a gift from someone. I can’t tell if it’s good or bad either.”
Chen’s father chuckled and didn’t speak.
“This office will mainly be used by Chen Jian in the future,” Shan Yu said, placing the brewed tea in front of him and sitting down on the sofa next to him. “It’s the Dayinmanager’s office.”
“Such a nice office,” Chen’s father turned his head to look around. “Are you not using it anymore?”
“Mhm, the company and the guesthouse are calculated separately,” Shan Yu smiled.
“Oh…” Chen’s father responded with some emotion.
Chen Jian had said that his father didn’t have any particular reaction. Now it seemed that it was true. Although Chen’s father looked a little constrained, he was indeed not obviously angry or unhappy.
Very strange.
“Uncle,” Shan Yu didn’t beat around the bush any longer. He clasped his hands and went straight to the point. “Chen Jian told you, right? About him and me.”
“Yes,” Chen’s father picked up the teacup, blew on it, and put it down again. “I… actually don’t have any thoughts. You don’t have to feel pressured.”
“Thank you for your understanding, Uncle,” Shan Yu said. “It’s indeed… quite unexpected.”
“Your parents… when they first found out about you…” Chen’s father spoke with some difficulty, as if he didn’t know how to phrase it. “It was probably… about the same, right?”
“Mhm,” Shan Yu smiled. “They don’t interfere much with my private affairs.”
“I thought it would be like that. They are very open-minded parents,” Chen’s father nodded. “And they are both cultured and knowledgeable people, so… I won’t make it difficult for Chen Jian either…”
Shan Yu didn’t speak. He was a little moved at that moment.
Chen’s father didn’t seem to have too many complicated thoughts. He approved of President Liu and Professor Shan, and he also wanted his own son to have such freedom without interference.
It was very simple, and also not easy.
“I’ve been around for all these years. Although I haven’t done anything big and haven’t met any amazing people,” Chen’s father said slowly, “I’ve also seen a lot of people and gone through a lot of things. There are some truths that I can’t explain, but I understand them in my heart.”
“Thank you, Uncle,” Shan Yu said. “Really, thank you.”
“I should be thanking you,” Chen’s father looked at him and said sincerely. “You are Chen Jian’s benefactor. You’ve helped him a lot, and you’ve also helped our family a lot…”
“I should, Uncle,” Shan Yu said, then thought for a moment and added, “Even without this relationship, I would still have helped. Chen Jian is very important to Da Yin.”
“I know,” Chen’s father nodded. “I know…”
There was a knock on the office door. It sounded like Sun Nana.
“Come in,” Shan Yu responded.
The door was pushed open, and Sun Nana walked in with a folder. Chen Jian followed behind her.
The first thing he did when he came in was to look at Shan Yu.
Shan Yu stood up and gave the seat to Sun Nana.
“Uncle,” Sun Nana sat down on the sofa and placed the folder on the coffee table. “Let me tell you about the house. We’ll go over some details first, so we have a bottom line when we sign the agreement with Chen Dashan this afternoon.”
“Okay, okay,” Chen’s father responded. “Thank you for your hard work.”
“It’s no trouble,” Sun Nana said. “This is my job.”
Shan Yu took a bottle of Coke from the fridge and handed it to Chen Jian. He looked very relaxed, so it seemed the chat had gone well.
As expected of President Shan.
Chen Jian took the Coke. From the moment he had finished talking to his father, his nerves had been on edge. Now they were so tight that he didn’t even have the appetite for Coke.
It was only when he heard his father calmly start talking to Sun Nana that he twisted open the bottle cap and took a sip.
The refreshing and spicy feeling from his throat to his stomach invigorated him.
“There’s something I need you to contact someone about later,” Shan Yu tilted his head and walked towards the desk, leading him away from the source of his tension.
“Mhm,” Chen Jian followed him to the desk.
“Sit down,” Shan Yu said in a low voice, looking at the chair.
Chen Jian hesitated for a second and sat down behind the desk.
His father looked up in this direction.
Chen Jian smiled at him.
His father gave him a subtle nod, a small gesture that clearly carried pride and encouragement.
“What is it?” Chen Jian collected his thoughts and asked Shan Yu.
Shan Yu leaned on the desk and placed his phone in front of him. “Take down this number. This is the number of the outdoor team that President He and the others are cooperating with.”
“Mhm,” Chen Jian looked at the screen. Shan Yu’s phone was showing a chat record with President He. President He had sent a phone number. He took out his phone and saved the number. “Is this Mr. Huo the person in charge?”
“He’s the captain,” Shan Yu said. “Take a look at what President He said and cooperate.”
Chen Jian scrolled up through the chat record. It was roughly about this being a relatively professional outdoor team, with activities like hiking and cycling. This Captain Huo was invited by President He to create a hiking route book.
“What’s a hiking route book?” Chen Jian asked.
“It’s the route trajectory,” Shan Yu opened an outdoor app on his phone. “It’s like a detailed route with a starting and ending point, traffic conditions, necessary equipment, and also understanding the terrain, whether it’s flat ground, mountain roads, the distance of each type of terrain, suggested speed, and so on. Anyway, there’s a lot…”
“Oh,” Chen Jian nodded. “I understand. We’re in charge of reception and giving him an introduction to the situation, so he has a general understanding when he goes to explore the routes.”
“Right,” Shan Yu nodded.
“Then I’ll…” Chen Jian glanced at his father’s side.
“Go ahead,” Shan Yu said. “They’ll be a while here.”
Chen Jian went back to the front desk on the first floor and took out his small notebook. It had some of the mountain routes he had jotted down before. Some he had walked himself, and many were provided by Sanbing. After all, their group had spent much more time running around the mountains than he had.
He dialed the number while flipping through the notebook.
The other end quickly picked up the phone. “Hello, who is this?”
“Hello, may I ask if this is Captain Huo Ran?” Chen Jian asked.
“Yes,” the other end answered.
“Hello, Captain Huo. I’m the manager of DayinGuesthouse in Hongye Town, Chen Jian,” Chen Jian said. “It was President He…”
“Oh, I see,” Captain Huo said. “Thank you for your trouble. President He said that your guesthouse has more locals, so you’re more familiar with the situation.”
“Mhm, if Captain Huo needs to know anything, you can ask me,” Chen Jian said.
“We can talk in detail when we meet. I’m out right now,” Captain Huo spoke very directly and without much pleasantry. “If it’s convenient, I’d like to first understand…”
“What’s this thing?” a man’s voice suddenly came from Captain Huo’s side. “Is it this? It’s quite fun.”
“A gas lamp,” Captain Huo said. “I’d like to first understand the current local villagers…”
“A lamp? It looks like a hot pot…” the man muttered to himself.
“It’s a retro style,” Captain Huo said. “How many routes do the local villagers usually take up the mountain…”
Captain Huo suddenly lowered his voice halfway through his sentence. “Not this one! Put it back.”
“Don’t we need a lamp?” the man asked.
“If you bring this, you might as well just carry a hot pot up,” Captain Huo said, and from the sound of it, he had walked to the side. “I’m sorry, I’m with a friend at a shop.”
The captain of a professional team and his connected friend.
“It’s okay,” Chen Jian said. “When you’re free…”
“It’s convenient now for a few words,” Captain Huo said. “I’d like to first understand the routes the local villagers usually take up the mountain. About how many are there? So I can plan in advance.”
“There are four that are used frequently,” Chen Jian said, looking at his notebook. “There are also some that are not used as often, usually for fetching water or looking for mushrooms. There are quite a few of those.”
“Okay, I understand,” Captain Huo said. “Thank you. I’ll probably bring five people over, for three days from Friday to Sunday.”
“Mhm, how many rooms should I book for you?” Chen Jian asked.
“Three standard rooms will do,” Captain Huo said. “We don’t need a view room, and we have no special requests. You can arrange it as you see fit.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian jotted it down in his notebook. “If you need anything else, you can just call this number and ask for me.”
“Manager Chen, right?” Captain Huo asked.
“Yes, my name is Chen Jian, the ‘jian’ in ‘shanjian’ (mountain stream),” Chen Jian said.
“That’s a nice name,” Captain Huo said. “See you on Friday then.”
“See you on Friday,” Chen Jian smiled.
Sanbing leaned against the front desk and asked, “Is an expedition team coming?”
“What expedition team? What is there to explore here?” Chen Jian said.
“Boss Shan said so,” Sanbing said.
“You just believe everything he says?” Chen Jian glanced at him. “Don’t lean on the table.”
“Oh,” Sanbing stood up straight, then thought for a moment and propped his elbows on the front desk. “By the way, Panpan said your dad is here?”
“Twenty yuan will be deducted this month,” Chen Jian said, looking at his elbows.
“…Fine, fine,” Sanbing was stunned for a moment, then stood up straight again. “The manager is awesome.”
“Don’t talk nonsense,” Chen Jian smiled. “My dad is here to see about our family’s house…”
“Then is Uncle Chen coming back?” Sanbing immediately asked.
“I don’t know yet,” Chen Jian said.
“If he can come back, let him come back,” Sanbing said. “You’re awesome now too. He shouldn’t be struggling in the city anymore. Even my grandma wants my dad to come back. The old lady even knows that our area will be profitable in the future.”
“Mhm,” Chen Jian looked at him. “Aren’t you thinking of leaving?”
“I’ll stay here for now,” Sanbing said. “No matter where I go, I have to be able to stand on my own two feet and make a living. Look at Lao Wu. As soon as Tingting left, it was like he woke up. He’s been working hard, and he’s even thinking of becoming a small-town internet celebrity, the Dayinmovie king.”
Chen Jian started laughing.
Sun Nana walked out of the elevator, still holding the folder.
“Are you done talking?” Chen Jian asked.
“Mhm,” Sun Nana nodded. “Basically, there are no more problems. I’m going to Old Ding’s place.”
“Are you coming back for dinner?” Lao Si came in from the backyard and asked out of the blue.
“Yes, I’ll be back in half an hour. I still have to go to the village with Uncle Chen,” Sun Nana said. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, I just heard you say you were going to the village,” Lao Si said. “I haven’t seen you much recently. You’re gone for several days every time you go out.”
“You miss me?” Sun Nana asked with a smile.
“It’s just a feeling,” Lao Si said, leaning on the front desk, his gaze fixed on a virtual distance. “I’m used to having all these people around. When someone is not here, there’s an indescribable feeling of… missing? Longing?”
“Twenty yuan!” Sanbing pointed at Lao Si’s hand and looked at Chen Jian. “Twenty yuan! Shouldn’t that be twenty yuan, manager?”
“I’ll give you a warning first. No leaning on the front desk,” Chen Jian said as he walked towards the elevator. His father and Shan Yu were left alone in the office upstairs. He had to hurry up.
“What leaning?” Lao Si asked, leaning on the table. “Who’s leaning?”
“Don’t lean on the table,” Chen Jian said as he walked.
“Lean on my chest!” Lao Si slapped his chest, not knowing whose line it was from their script.
“Twenty yuan!” Sanbing shouted.
“Deduct twenty,” Chen Jian entered the elevator.
As the elevator doors closed, he heard Sanbing’s happy laughter and Lao Si’s dawning argument.
The office door was ajar, and he could hear his father’s voice from inside.
Chen Jian raised his hand but didn’t knock. He leaned against the door to listen.
“Chen Jian is reliable. I’m not just bragging about my own son,” his father said. “This kid has been reliable since he was a child…”
Still not bragging?
He’s been bragging all the way.
After bragging to Old Zhong, he’s now bragging to Shan Yu.
“I can see that,” Shan Yu said.
Quite cooperative.
“Now that he’s like this…” his father said, “I have no more regrets. None. I’m at ease for the rest of my life…”
“Don’t say that, Uncle,” Shan Yu said. “It sounds like…”
Shut up!
Chen Jian pushed the door open.
It did sound like a last will, but you couldn’t just say it out loud, boss!
“Dad,” Chen Jian called out. “You…”
“Weren’t you busy?” his father asked.
“Mhm,” Chen Jian responded. “I just made a phone call.”
“I’ll go to your dorm for a while,” his father said. “Manager Sun said we’ll go to the village together later.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian nodded. “If you can fall asleep, you should take a nap. You look very tired.”
“Alright,” his father said, walking out of the office.
Chen Jian watched from the crack in the door until his father had walked into the dorm. He then went over and gently closed the door, then turned to look at Shan Yu.
“What?” Shan Yu asked, leaning against the desk and also looking at him.
Twenty yuan.
“How do you feel?” Chen Jian asked.
“My feeling?” Shan Yu asked.
“Mhm,” Chen Jian nodded.
“Very… happy,” Shan Yu said. “Very comfortable. What about you?”
“I don’t know,” Chen Jian said. “I haven’t come back to my senses yet. I’m very excited right now, very nervous…”
“Still nervous?” Shan Yu asked.
“Mhm,” Chen Jian looked back at the door. “And I feel a little awkward seeing my dad.”
“Come here,” Shan Yu opened his arms. “Let me hug the awkward-ball.”
Chen Jian smiled and walked over, hugging Shan Yu.
Shan Yu hugged him tight and gently patted him on the back. “I’m also very surprised.”
“Mhm,” Chen Jian nodded. “This is as it should be.”
“And I love you very much,” Shan Yu said softly.
“You should do that too,” Chen Jian continued to nod. “But I’m the same. I love you very much.”
