September and October are the peak season for weddings. Invitation cards flutter around the office every few days. After attending three wedding banquets in two weeks, Qing Gang looked at the celebratory touch of red that appeared on his desk for the Nth time one morning. He asked enviously, “How is it that others find finding a wife so easy?”
Yi Ke glanced at him, then at Zhong Mu next to him, who was concentrating on eating a chocolate bun. He then shifted his gaze back to Qing Gang, interpreting this as an implicit urge for him to get married. But Qing Gang evidently didn’t think that way, because as it happened, Zhong Mu had just been struck by a fit of kindness this week and introduced him to a blind date. So, he naturally took Yi Ke’s wandering gaze as a sign that the other party already knew about this. He pushed off his chair, slid “whoosh” in front of Yi Ke, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of shyness, “Keep it a secret, don’t tell anyone!”
Yi Ke nodded and added encouragingly, “I think Sister Zhong is really great.”
Qing Gang agreed repeatedly. Who says she isn’t? Not only does she not covet his VIP membership for short dramas, but she also introduces him to dates.
After work, Yi Ke told Zhuang Ningyu about this. While chopping vegetables, Zhuang Ningyu asked, “It’s just dating, what’s there to hide?”
“Maybe he wants to get married suddenly and give everyone a shock in one step.” Zhuang Ningyu leaned against the kitchen doorway, eating a crisp apple, chatting with Yi Ke, and watching Xiao Qian on the living room TV accepting interviews about trivial matters. Managing three things at once, he was very busy.
The sunset glow outside the window was brilliant. Without the obstruction of super-tall buildings, one could see the recently replaced sea of crepe myrtle flowers in Little Fish Park at a glance. It was a completely different view from the city skyline of Guanxing Tower. The new residential area was called Blue Ocean East. Although Yi Ke didn’t choose the name, he liked it very much because both Xiao Yu (Islet) and Little Fish could stay comfortably in the ocean.
Zhuang Ningyu was indeed very comfortable. After the sun completely set, there was always a cool breeze carrying the scent of flowers blowing in through the living room screen window, much more natural than the fresh air system and air conditioning. After dinner, Yi Ke cut another fruit platter. With one cut, the room was filled with the sweet smell of fruit. The watermelon was a summer relief gift from the property management, along with two boat tickets for Little Fish Park, valid until Sunday.
“Want to go rowing?” Yi Ke asked.
“Sure.” Zhuang Ningyu stretched his muscles and bones, treating it as nostalgia.
Little Fish Park on Saturday was bustling. At the entrance, there were carts selling various snacks and balloon toys. There were also drink stalls in the park. Although it was September, the summer heat still hadn’t completely subsided. Zhuang Ningyu got the chance to eat an old-fashioned popsicle openly. He strolled over, shared one with Yi Ke, and asked casually, “What are you looking at?”
Yi Ke pointed into the distance, unable to believe his eyes: “Is that Qing Gang?”
Zhuang Ningyu looked in the direction he pointed. The lake surface, a small white boat, a man and a woman. The man was indeed Qing Gang, but the other person was obviously not Zhong Mu, but a girl wearing a pink top, with long hair over her shoulders, very thin and very fair.
“Uh,” Zhuang Ningyu tried to rationalize this, “is it possible they are discussing work with someone involved in a case?”
Yi Ke also wanted to convince himself of this, but looking at Qing Gang’s worthless smiling face, it really didn’t look like it. Especially since, as the two-person boat rowed along, due to the unequal strength of the man and woman, the boat started spinning in place in the middle of the lake. The girl seemed startled. Qing Gang quickly took the oar from her hand and rowed on both sides alone. From a distance, it looked like the two were hugging… What “looked like”? They were indeed hugging!
The popsicle melted on Zhuang Ningyu’s hand. After a long while, he said, “I still think Qing Gang isn’t that kind of person.”
Yi Ke hummed in agreement. A person who could cry rivers while watching short dramas, how bad could he be? Then there was only one last explanation left for the scene before them: “Could he have already broken up with Sister Zhong?” Breaking up, then meeting and getting to know other people, would be very reasonable.
Zhuang Ningyu breathed a sigh of relief: “That’s also possible.”
He bit the remaining bit of the popsicle into his mouth and rummaged in his bag for wet wipes with his other hand. As a result, he heard Yi Ke say shockingly again: “Sister Zhong?”
Zhuang Ningyu bent over: “Cough cough cough cough cough!”
An old-fashioned popsicle, only one bite taken, half of the rest melted, and the other half choked him. Yi Ke reached out to pat Zhuang Ningyu’s back, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and then picked him up and turned him to the other side: “Over there.”
On the other side of the lake was a long corridor with tea tables and mahjong tables. Zhong Mu sat in the position closest to the water, wearing a baseball cap and oversized sunglasses, dressed in a plain black T-shirt, without much makeup, expressionless and motionless. What a textbook heartbroken person.
Zhuang Ningyu: “…”
Yi Ke: “…”
The boat in the middle of the lake had steadied. Qing Gang started holding up his phone to find angles to take photos of the girl. After taking them, the two leaned together to look, talking and laughing harmoniously. What work? Can’t deceive oneself anymore, this is a couple! Looking at Zhong Mu by the lake again, she still maintained the posture and expression from just now, heart dead as ash, heart dead as ash.
Zhuang Ningyu and Yi Ke put their heads together and had a brief discussion on “whether to go comfort her or not.” In the end, the two unanimously decided not to for the time being. First, since Zhong Mu had never made this relationship public, it meant she didn’t want others to know. Second, regardless of whether Qing Gang was cheating or dating someone else after breaking up, judging by Zhong Mu’s current reaction, nine out of ten chances she hadn’t let go yet. Yi Ke analyzed rigorously: “It’s inconvenient for two grown men like us to intrude into a lady’s wretched mental world at such a time.”
“But ignoring it completely won’t do either,” Zhuang Ningyu thought for a moment.
“Captain Ye introducing a blind date, obviously he was also unaware.” Yi Ke took out his phone, “Don’t worry, I have a way.”
Jing Lan was woken up by the phone on the bed. Sitting up with a bird’s nest hairstyle, he asked blankly, “What did you say?”
“Twenty minutes, come to Little Fish Park quickly.”
Jing Lan, Xiao Yi’s number one fair-weather friend, super… trained in long-term international trade, and most importantly, very handsome, 1.87 meters tall. Standing there, he naturally attracts attention. He lived near Little Fish Park. It didn’t take twenty minutes; he dutifully rushed over in about ten minutes. Others wore T-shirts, shorts, and flip-flops to the park; he wore a… hair combed meticulously, nose… glasses, wearing a Vacheron Constantin on his wrist. At a glance, a wealthy playboy.
Zhuang Ningyu was unsure: “Are you sure this will work?”
Yi Ke put his arm around his shoulder: “I’m sure.”
At a time like this, nothing could make Sister Zhong win this round better than a handsome guy. Business in the lakeside corridor was good, so Jing Lan stood beside Zhong Mu as a matter of course and asked politely, “Mind sharing the table?”
Zhong Mu took off her sunglasses, revealing eyes bloodshot from working overnight: “Sorry, someone’s sitting here.”
Jing Lan ignored her refusal, pulled over a chair himself, and sat down on his own. Zhong Mu frowned slightly. The man in front of her was dressed appropriately and didn’t look like he was mentally ill and couldn’t understand human language, nor did he look like he wanted to provoke her. Picking her up was even less likely. Zhong Mu felt she could smash this pretty boy overflowing with perfume into the lake with one punch. Combined with where his gaze landed… she had an epiphany. This man was here for Bai Qiang!
Bai Qiang was Qing Gang’s blind date. She was a friend of a distant relative of Zhong Mu, a relationship eight poles away. This time, hearing her aunt mention it, Zhong Mu took on the job of matchmaker. Her understanding of Bai Qiang was limited to the fact that she was law-abiding, and her job, appearance, and personality matched Qing Gang. As for any ex-boyfriends, emotional disputes, or other suitors, she really knew nothing. And now that a party related to the incident had actively come to the door, as the initiator of this blind date, she had the responsibility to resolve the matter before it happened.
Jing Lan suddenly spoke: “What do you think of them?”
Here it comes! Zhong Mu put her sunglasses aside and ordered two iced coffees: “No matter how they look to outsiders, as long as they are satisfied themselves.”
Jing Lan praised sincerely: “Open-minded.”
Zhong Mu pushed a cup of iced coffee in front of him: “My treat.”
Jing Lan did not refuse: “Thank you.”
Taking a sip of coffee, he took out two boat tickets stamped with the Blue Ocean East property management seal from his pocket and actively invited: “Want to go down and row a lap too? Seeing you sweating all over, the wind on the lake should be very cool now.”
Zhong Mu refused: “They will see us.”
Jing Lan laughed: “It doesn’t matter.”
Zhong Mu pointedly said: “No matter what story happened before, since you broke up, you should let go.”
Jing Lan looked at her sleep-deprived panda eyes, his voice becoming gentler, simply like a life mentor: “Although that’s the principle, chasing all the way here shows you haven’t completely let go. Actually, sometimes facing the problem directly is the only way to solve it.”
But you can’t face it directly while they are on a blind date. Why didn’t you go face it directly all that time before? Zhong Mu pointed at him and warned: “Sit there, don’t move, drink your coffee properly.”
Jing Lan put the boat tickets back, nodding: “Okay, no boating. But honestly, I think that gentleman looks very ordinary.”
Facing this blatant belittlement, it was impossible for Zhong Mu to let Qing Gang lose. She immediately said seriously: “Qing Gang is not average at all. He is very good. He is an outstanding employee in our department every year. His job is stable, benefits are generous, he successfully quit smoking, rarely drinks, doesn’t spend money recklessly, cares for his family, knows how to take care of people, has good physical fitness, a good personality, a happy family, simple social relationships, and is loyal to friends. He is very suitable to be a good husband. Sir, you don’t know him, please don’t make comments casually.”
Jing Lan was stunned by this string of praises: Love him that much?
At the drink stall.
Yi Ke: “He said Sister Zhong is praising Qing Gang in fancy ways, not allowing him to say a single bad word, and said Qing Gang will definitely be a good husband.”
Zhuang Ningyu sucked in a breath of cold air, Love him that much?
Jing Lan: “But no matter how good he is, he is in the past tense.”
Zhong Mu: “Then why follow here?” Hurry up and leave, bro.
Jing Lan: “Because I can’t let go.” I understand you.
Zhong Mu speechlessly gulped down coffee. Seeing the two people rowing were about to return, she simply grabbed Jing Lan and walked out of the corridor. Whether letting go or not was another matter, but since I set up this date, don’t even think about causing trouble. Jing Lan was dragged stumbling by her, still professionally trying to persuade her while walking: “I think we can go meet them openly and honestly. Maybe after meeting, you can let go.”
Zhong Mu: “Shut up! Do you think I’ll believe that?”
On the other side, Qing Gang and Bai Qiang walked straight to the lakeside corridor while talking, naturally sitting in the seat Zhong Mu had just occupied. Bai Qiang dragged over the storage basket for putting things, took out Zhong Mu’s shoulder bag first, then took out her own shoulder bag, took out a small mirror to touch up her makeup, and turned her head to look around after touching up, as if looking for someone.
Zhuang Ningyu felt something seemed wrong: “Wait a minute.”
Yi Ke reacted faster than him, already frantically searching for his phone in his pocket.
Jing Lan: “Avoidance is not the way to solve problems.”
Zhong Mu: “Don’t think I can’t tell, you’re here to cause trouble!”
Jing Lan: “Wait a moment, I’ll take a call. Hello… What?”
The questions on the exam paper changed. Jing Lan, having hung up the phone, took a deep breath, turned around, and squeezed out a sunny smile: “Can I know your relationship with that gentleman?”
Zhong Mu was on full alert: “I am his colleague. I introduced this blind date. I understand you might still have a story, but before I fully understand the ins and outs, don’t think about causing trouble.”
“No, no story.” Jing Lan took a step back, “Sister, I have something to do at home, I’ll leave first!”
How could Zhong Mu let this man who was obviously suspicious leave? She grabbed his wrist and reached for her handcuffs with one hand.
There were many people around. If she really handcuffed him and it got posted online, her own father would lose all face! Jing Lan grabbed her hand: “Yi Ke asked me to come!”
Zhong Mu: “?”
Five minutes later, Zhong Mu stood in front of the drink stall with her arms crossed, expressionless. Zhuang Ningyu stood by the lake looking into the distance like a poet. Yi Ke held the wrapper of the old-fashioned popsicle, repeatedly studying it: Acesulfame potassium, Sodium saccharin, High fructose corn syrup, Essence. What a pure additive, no nature. Here, Sister Zhong, have one.
Zhong Mu was still immersed in this earth-shattering misunderstanding and couldn’t extricate herself. Her hand shook as she took the popsicle. Yi Ke knew he was in the wrong, so without a second word, he drove her to the beauty salon Ms. Deng frequented and paid for a supreme luxury relaxation SPA for her. The beautician arrived as promised holding another Himalayan divine bowl, said to be the store’s number one relaxation master. Yi Ke watched her go up to the second floor before going back to the garage as if relieved of a heavy burden.
Zhuang Ningyu sat in the passenger seat, silent, reflecting. Reflecting on why he casually believed Yi Ke, actually never thought to verify and preserve evidence later. Does love really make one blind to this extent?
But what he didn’t know was that last year, Zhong Mu also reflected similarly in the same passenger seat. So it can be seen that this kind of thing actually has nothing to do with love or not, because a pure colleague relationship didn’t prevent being deceived either.
Yi Ke couldn’t figure it out: “Then tell me, they were so close and guilty at that time, what exactly were they discussing?”
Discussing why there were photos of Captain Zhuang wearing pajamas in Xiao Yi’s phone.
But to get this answer, the two of them wouldn’t know in a short time.
