Looking at Shan Yu on the screen, Chen Jian took a long moment before saying, “I can tell you’re in a good mood after going home.”
“Am I?” Shan Yu hooked the corner of his mouth into a smile.
“You had a pretty pleasant dinner with Yue Lang tonight, didn’t you?” Chen Jian pulled the pair of pants out of his closet.
“Not calling him Brother Lang anymore, huh?” Shan Yu asked.
“You’re always so sweet calling him Brother Lang, Brother Lang,” Chen Jian said. “I won’t join in.”
Shan Yu didn’t speak. He leaned back in his chair, propped his feet on the nearby desk, and gently rocked his chair. After a moment, he asked with a smile, “It’s a little hard to tell if you’re jealous or not.”
“What am I jealous of?” Chen Jian placed the pants on the bed. “I’d rather be jealous of your gecko than him.”
“Huh?” Shan Yu was taken aback.
“He said you used to be in a relationship with your gecko,” Chen Jian said, suppressing a laugh.
“…Fuck,” Shan Yu suddenly burst out laughing after a few seconds of silence. “I’m usually way too lenient with him.”
Chen Jian smiled without a word, pointing his phone’s camera at the mirror and hooking his fingers onto the waistband of his pants.
“Are you really changing?” Shan Yu stopped rocking his chair.
Chen Jian was wearing a pair of sweatpants today. He hooked his fingers into the waistband and pulled them down.
“Yo?” Shan Yu was a little surprised and retracted his legs.
Chen Jian tugged them down a little further.
Just as Shan Yu’s face leaned closer to the phone, he ended the video call.
Then he put the phone on the bed and pulled his pants back up, laughing.
Shan Yu’s video call came through again immediately.
“Hello,” Chen Jian answered.
“Spill it,” Shan Yu pointed a water gun at him through the screen. “Where did you learn such a dirty trick?”
“You learn these things after spending too much time with a psycho. Don’t shoot, boss.” Chen Jian raised his hands.
“I’ve never been that crazy,” Shan Yu said.
Chen Jian walked out of the bedroom laughing and sat back down at the desk. Shan Yu’s computer was still on, displaying the ice-breaking travel presentation that he had already seen over three thousand times.
“You’re only wearing sweatpants?” Shan Yu asked.
“And underwear,” Chen Jian said.
“You’re pretty resistant to the cold,” Shan Yu said.
“You usually only wear one thick pair of pants too,” Chen Jian said.
“That’s when I’m not going out. I add layers when I go out,” Shan Yu said. “And you’re constantly in and out, and even learning to drive.”
“I just got out of the shower so I didn’t put on more,” Chen Jian said with a laugh. “I’ll do one last patrol and then go to sleep.”
“Mm,” Shan Yu was still leaning back in his chair. Only a single desk lamp was on beside him, its soft, warm light illuminating half his face, making him look relaxed and comfortable.
Chen Jian stared at him for a while, feeling himself getting a little drowsy along with him.
“Just now…” he hesitated, “It’s not that I’m unwilling… it’s just that I…”
“I know,” Shan Yu started laughing. “I wasn’t trying to do anything either. I know you’re nervous.”
Chen Jian smiled, resting his chin on his hand and glancing between Shan Yu and the computer.
“Is Nana going with you tomorrow?” Shan Yu asked.
“Yeah,” Chen Jian replied.
“It won’t be as nerve-wracking with someone accompanying you, right?” Shan Yu smiled.
“A little better, but not by much,” Chen Jian said. “I’m still looking at what you wrote.”
“It’s a meeting, not an exam,” Shan Yu said. “Think about it, there are a lot of people, like Big Li. None of them are panicking, so what are you panicking about?”
“I know, actually. If I were going with you, I definitely wouldn’t be panicking, because no matter what, you’d have my back,” Chen Jian said. “But now I’m the one who’s supposed to have others’ backs. It’s different.”
“You’ve been supporting your dad since you were a teenager,” Shan Yu said. “Is there anything you can’t handle?”
Chen Jian thought about it and smiled.
“Now that I’ve said that, you feel more at ease, don’t you?” Shan Yu said.
“I’d feel at ease no matter what you said,” Chen Jian said.
“Since you’re at ease, go to bed a little earlier,” Shan Yu said. “It doesn’t really matter how your speech at the meeting goes. What would be really bad is if you fell asleep while the leader is speaking.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian chuckled, then leaned closer to the screen and said in a low voice, “Hey, they’re providing a meal. We’re eating in their cafeteria at noon.”
“The meeting is at ten-thirty, so it’ll be noon when it’s over. That’s normal,” Shan Yu laughed. “What’s so great about a crappy cafeteria? You should take Nana out for some good food.”
“Neither of us has eaten in a cafeteria like that before,” Chen Jian said. “We want to try it, and it’s quick. We have to help others buy some things in the afternoon… Hu Pan actually wants to buy yarn to knit a scarf.”
“Who’s she knitting it for?” Shan Yu asked.
“Herself, who else would she knit it for,” Chen Jian said.
“I thought she was knitting it for you,” Shan Yu said. “You two have such a good relationship.”
“Then you knit one for me. Isn’t our relationship even better?” Chen Jian said.
“Yo?” Shan Yu raised an eyebrow. “Getting pretty bold now, are we?”
Chen Jian smiled and didn’t reply.
“I actually know how,” Shan Yu said. “But only crocheting with yarn.”
Chen Jian froze, feeling like he didn’t understand that sentence.
“Did the connection freeze?” Shan Yu whistled.
“You know how to do needlework?” Chen Jian asked in complete shock.
“Some simple stuff,” Shan Yu said. “Hats, scarves, things like that.”
“No, wait,” Chen Jian was still finding it hard to connect this skill with Shan Yu. “What kind of fateful coincidence led you to learn how to crochet hats and scarves?”
“My great-aunt taught me,” Shan Yu said. “She said I couldn’t sit still and it would teach me patience.”
“That proves the idea that needlework teaches patience is a rumor.” Chen Jian stared at Shan Yu for a while, then came to his senses and leaned over the desk, close to the phone. “Are you free anytime soon?”
“For what?” Shan Yu smiled.
“Crochet me a scarf,” Chen Jian said.
“Don’t you always lose them? You don’t usually wear one anyway,” Shan Yu said.
“I definitely won’t lose one you give me. Besides, I don’t work odd jobs anymore. I’m a manager,” Chen Jian said. “Manager Chen of Dayin, the Manager Chen who’s going to the city for a meeting tomorrow.”
Shan Yu laughed for a long time. “How about a hat?”
“What kind?” Chen Jian immediately asked. “A baseball cap?”
“Get lost,” Shan Yu said. “You’re already ordering from a menu. You only get the simplest kind.”
“Deal,” Chen Jian nodded with a smile.
“Go to sleep,” Shan Yu glanced at the time. “I have to get up early tomorrow, need to try and get some sleep.”
“Where are you going so early?” Chen Jian asked.
“To take care of something. I’ll tell you when it’s done,” Shan Yu said.
“Okay,” Chen Jian stood up with his phone. “Then let’s go to sleep.”
“Good night,” Shan Yu said.
“Good night, babe,” Chen Jian said.
Shan Yu paused for two seconds, then laughed. “Good night, babe.”
Chen Jian slept quite soundly that night. Although he thought he’d be sleepless, not only did he fall asleep, but he didn’t even hear the notification for the message Shan Yu sent at a little after six.
[Fa Dan Ke Chen]: Morning, babe
[Chen Yu Luo Yan]: ??
[Chen Yu Luo Yan]: I just got up, why are you up so early
But Shan Yu was probably busy and didn’t reply.
[Chen Yu Luo Yan]: I’m heading to the city with Nana soon. I’ll call you after the meeting.
Sun Nana looked very beautiful today, a capable kind of beautiful. Her hair was tied up, she wore a short woolen coat, and the high heels on her feet were replaced with low, square-toed ankle boots.
“Good morning, boss,” Chen Jian said.
“Little Chen is up,” Sun Nana said, sipping her coffee. “Hurry up, eat something and let’s go. We’re not familiar with the place, we’ll have to find it when we get there.”
“Okay,” Chen Jian nodded.
Auntie Zhao had made griddle cakes today, and they were very fragrant. He was almost full after two, but the thought of not being able to eat Auntie Zhao’s cooking for the next few days of the holiday made Chen Jian grab another one.
“These cakes are huge, you’re eating three?” Hu Pan said, drinking soy milk.
“My dad’s cooking is really not as good as Auntie Zhao’s,” Chen Jian said. “Might as well eat more while I can.”
Hu Pan laughed. “I have a little tattletale notebook here. I’ve already written down several things about you in the last two days.”
Chen Jian, with a cake in his mouth, turned his head as he walked out and made a finger gun at her.
At the moment he “pulled the trigger,” Sanbing rushed between them, taking the bullet for Hu Pan.
“Ah!” he clutched his chest. “Panpan, I…”
“I was aiming for the head,” Chen Jian said, taking the cake out of his mouth.
“I…” Sanbing didn’t give up, clinging to the front desk and struggling. “Panpan…”
“Bang bang bang!” Chen Jian fired three more shots. Before Sanbing could continue his struggle, he added, “Boom! I threw a grenade too.”
“Damn you, Chen Jian!” Sanbing cursed.
Chen Erhu laughed nearby. “You too. You said ‘Panpan Panpan,’ that’s four syllables. You could have said a whole useful sentence with that, but you managed to say nothing useful. A wasted death.”
Chen Jian laughed and walked to the door. Sun Nana had already driven the car over.
“Do we need to pick up Lao Ding?” she asked.
“No, Lao Ding’s family is in the city. He went home for the weekend,” Chen Jian said. “He was supposed to come back to pick me up yesterday, but since we’re driving ourselves, he’s just going straight to the meeting place.”
“Then let’s set off,” Sun Nana slapped the steering wheel. “Yeehaw—”
“Hey,” Chen Jian was startled by her. Seeing her step on the gas and rush out of the courtyard, he quickly reminded her, “We’re going to a meeting, not a race.”
“I know,” Sun Nana smiled. “I’m just happy.”
“Happy to go into the city?” Chen Jian asked.
“The kind of happy where you can go wherever you want,” Sun Nana said.
“That guy, Zhang,” Chen Jian said, “is he still harassing you?”
“Not recently,” Sun Nana said. “I’ve contacted a lawyer. I’ll get the divorce finalized after the New Year.”
“Let us know when you go to see him,” Chen Jian said. “We’ll go with you for support.”
“Manager Chen,” Sun Nana turned to look at him.
“Hmm?” Chen Jian responded.
“Thank you,” Sun Nana said.
“…I was wondering what you were going to say,” Chen Jian laughed.
“I’m being very serious,” Sun Nana said.
“Then I will accept it very seriously,” Chen Jian said with a smile.
The meeting was at the Culture and Tourism Bureau. Chen Jian had never been to this part of the bureau before. There were quite a few government agencies in this area, giving it a… it was hard to describe, a solemn or majestic feel. But at the same time, these agencies were surrounded by bustling commercial streets, interwoven harmoniously.
A small, uniquely decorated shop slid past the window. Chen Jian glanced at the shop’s name and immediately pressed his face against the window.
“What’s wrong?” Sun Nana asked. “I didn’t take a wrong turn, did I? It should be right ahead.”
“No wrong turn, I’m just looking,” Chen Jian saw clearly that it was a reptile pet shop.
“We can just wander around here after the meeting. We can get everything we need,” Sun Nana said.
“Yeah,” Chen Jian nodded.
Lao Ding arrived around the same time they did, and they met in the parking lot. The other representatives from Red Leaf Town were already there.
“Have you had breakfast?” Lao Ding asked.
“We have,” Chen Jian said.
“I brought a few buns, just in case you hadn’t eaten,” Lao Ding smiled.
“Are they homemade?” Chen Jian asked.
“My wife made them. She’s first-class when it comes to making buns,” Lao Ding’s tone was full of pride.
“Then I have to try them,” Chen Jian said.
Lao Ding smiled and took out a sealed food bag from his car. “Here.”
In the roughly one-minute walk from the parking lot to the small conference room on the far left of the main building, Chen Jian ate both of the large buns from the bag.
With every bite he took, Sun Nana would turn her head to glance at him.
After Lao Ding walked into the conference room ahead of them, she whispered in Chen Jian’s ear, “Oh my god, you can really eat…”
“I had nowhere to put them,” Chen Jian whispered back. “Besides, Lao Ding specifically brought them…”
“You’re really something,” Sun Nana remarked.
Many people had already arrived in the conference room. Some who lived far away had come a day early. Chen Jian found the sign that said “Red Leaf Town” and sat down with Sun Nana.
He didn’t know the people next to them, but they looked familiar, like he’d seen them in town.
Lao Ding introduced them: the owner of the Hillside Restaurant, a very thin woman with the surname Xu, and the owner of the rafting and water sports projects, a dark, heavyset man with the surname Yang.
…Everyone else sent their owners!
Big Brother Yang even brought an assistant.
Dayin had also brought an “assistant,” but that was because the one who came was a manager lacking confidence.
Tsk tsk.
But it was indeed a small meeting, with about thirty-some attendees. Looking at the nameplates on the tables, they were mostly from attractions in the Red Leaf Town area. It was only from the nameplates that Chen Jian learned these other places existed nearby.
The meeting didn’t have a host. When the leaders walked in, Chen Jian glanced over and saw it was Lu Yun, along with someone he didn’t recognize.
The unrecognized man introduced himself as Lin something-or-other from the Resource Development Department. He had a bit of an accent, so Chen Jian didn’t catch his full name. Then he got straight to the point and invited Deputy Director Lu Yun of the Resource Development Department to speak.
“It’s been a tough journey for everyone. Thank you for your support of our work,” Lu Yun said. “Let’s not waste any more time…”
Chen Jian took a small notebook out of his inner pocket and, holding a pen, prepared to take notes.
He glanced around and noticed many people had the attitude of attentive students, which made him feel he wasn’t the only one attending such a meeting for the first time.
This discovery instantly made him relax a lot.
“Some time ago, my colleagues and I conducted research and evaluation of the tourism resources in this area… The resources are quite rich, but they are mostly in a state of everyone doing their own thing, lacking a core attraction…” Lu Yun’s speaking pace wasn’t fast, and his voice was steady, very suitable for note-taking.
Chen Jian turned on his phone’s voice recorder while also scribbling furiously in his notebook. He didn’t know which sentences were the key points, but this was his method from his school days—just keep writing to make it look like he was busy.
Sun Nana, on the other hand, elegantly rested her chin on her hand, watching Lu Yun speak and nodding from time to time.
After about twenty minutes, Chen Jian’s notebook was already filled with two pages of messy scrawls. He felt that recording the audio had been the right decision; otherwise, with handwriting like this, he wouldn’t be able to decipher it later, let alone right now.
…His hand was already sore.
He put down his pen, and as he massaged his hand, he saw out of the corner of his eye the door at the back of the conference room being pushed open. The receptionist walked in and seemed to point in their direction.
As Chen Jian turned his head to look, a person walked in from behind the receptionist.
When he saw the person’s face clearly, Chen Jian felt his breath catch.
It was Shan Yu.
Shan Yu hooked his lips into a smile at him, then stooped down and walked over quickly, sitting in an empty seat behind them.
“Why are you here?” Chen Jian asked in a hushed voice, feeling the sound of his own heartbeat was louder than his words.
“Just joining in on the fun,” Shan Yu whispered back.
