Ni Jiu (Intoxicated) - Chap 76

When Shen Tingwei woke up his nose was a little stuffed, maybe he caught a cold while sleeping on the sofa last night.
He sat up from the bed. The itch in his throat caused him to cough involuntarily. Lian Jue quickly brought a glass of water over.
“Why are your eyes red?”
It should have been a while since Lian Jue got up. He changed his clothes and looked ready to go out.
Shen Tingwei cared about his cough. He didn’t answer his question. He took the glass handed by Lian Jue, took a sip of warm water to moistened his throat. Then, looked up at him: “Are you going to the company?”
“On a business trip.” Lian Jue replied casually while standing by the bed looking at his swollen eyes, “Are you okay?”
Shen Tingwei didn’t want to continue the topic. He avoided his gaze, lowered his head and drank water. After a while, he suddenly raised his head again and his eyes widened slightly. He said in surprise, “You are going on a business trip, are you leaving now?”
“Flight at ten o’clock. I’m going to Jiangcheng.” Lian Jue briefly explained to him about returning home last night. The conversation at the dinner went very smoothly. Today, he has to fly over to sign a contract. Lian said that he will finalize the specific details and explain to Shen Tingwei. That he also doesn’t need to wait for him after it’s too late.

Shen Tingwei replied obediently that he would not. While listening to him, he glanced at the time. It was almost seven o’clock. He calculated the time it would take to get from here to the airport during the morning rush hour and hurriedly lifted the quilt to get ready: “Why didn’t you tell me yesterday? Have you packed your luggage? Breakfast isn’t ready yet…”
“Seeing that you are very sleepy, I didn’t have time to talk.”
Lian Jue held his hand, as if he wasn’t the one who was in a hurry. He didn’t need to worry. He said that Lin Chen had already brought breakfast, so there was no need to prepare it. He sat down beside the bed, picked up the watch that he had left on the bedside table last night and put it on himself casually: “What dream did you have, why are you crying?”
Shen Tingwei bit his lip and casually said that he couldn’t remember. He looked at Lian Jue’s awkward movement of wearing a watch with one hand and reached out to help. Lian Jue raised his wrist and let him do it for him.
How long will you be gone?” Shen Tingwei lowered his head, perhaps his voice was muffled due to nasal congestion, “Kang Tong’s monthly exam is going to have a parent-teacher meeting, don’t you want to attend? He looked quite happy when he came back yesterday. He should have done well.”
Lian Jue looked down at Shen Tingwei’s long bangs. In fact, his original plan was for a week but the return flight had not yet been booked because Shen Tingwei seemed to be reluctant to bear him being long gone. Also Shen Tingwei’s hair was really long. Now, he changed the plan with authorization, thinking that the work could be done in three or four days.
So Lian Jue said: “Three or four days. I might be late for the parent meeting but I will try to come back as soon as possible.”
Shen Tingwei helped him fasten his watch, raised his eyes and said yes. He said, “Then, remember to praise him when you come back. Children can’t always be hit but they should also be praised appropriately.”
Lian Jue said he knew, raised his hand and stroked Shen Tingwei’s bangs to the side revealing his slender eyes: “The hair has grown.”
Shen Ting said “en” for a moment. He also pulled his hair but did not ask Lian Jue to ask someone to cut his hair for him, he only said: “It will be cut in a few months.”
Lian Jue asked his opinion in a somewhat flat tone: “Can you wait for me to come back and cut it for you?”
Shen Tingwei finally laughed and didn’t question the fact that he would still cut his hair. With a happy tone, he said, “Okay.”
Lian Jue’s cell phone rang. He took it over and glanced at the caller, then quickly looked at Shen Tingwei.
Shen Tingwei noticed his gaze and asked him to go. He picked up his phone and stood up. Seeing that Shen Tingwei was about to get up, he seemed to find something to do for him and said, “Help me pack some clothes.”
Shen Tingwei didn’t answer. Lian Jue took the phone and went out to answer the call.
After the bedroom door was closed, the gentleness on Lian Jue’s face in front of Shen Tingwei disappeared. He answered the phone and asked in a deep voice, “How’s it going?”
“Mr. Lian, good morning.” The other party’s voice was muffled. Even the greetings sounded without any personal feelings like a flesh-and-blood machine making a sparse and ordinary conversation according to the written program, “Chen Xu’s actions are still under our surveillance. The cruise ship to Hong Kong will be at sea for six days. He is very involved in this activity. There can be no other actions in recent days. Everything is going well.”
After he finished his words, he continued his purpose directly without waiting for Lian Jue’s reply: “Mr. Lian, you must have known when you found us that we are only doing things for money. I do not understand the way of businessmen. I hope you won’t blame me for being abrupt. Please deliver the remaining money as soon as possible. After I receive it, someone will send the surveillance video to your private email.”

“It’ll get into your account later.” Lian Jue said.
The other party was obviously satisfied with his response and hung up the phone after saying goodbye.
Almost at the same time the remittance was completed, he received an unsigned email with two videos in his mailbox.
Without even looking at it, he put the phone away.
Whether in business or not, Lian Jue has never been a person who just sits and waits. He has always been good at preemptive strikes. He is used to taking control of everything and watching things develop according to his own pre-suppositions, so as to ensure a firm chance of winning in the confrontation with others.
Although Chen Xu has not caused any bad impact on their lives, Lian Jue does not intend to take any risks on Shen Tingwei. He sent people to monitor Chen Xu. However, in order to return to their original peaceful lives he must hide it. The threat was isolated from Shen Tingwei’s side.
Of course, he still has some leeway for Chen Xu. The things in his hand can’t completely kill him but it won’t let him live too well.
Shen Tingwei helped Lian Jue pack his luggage. When he followed Lian Jue downstairs, Kang Tong had already finished his breakfast and was ready to go to school with his schoolbag in his arms.
Shen Tingwei sent him to the door. The driver asked Lian Jue if he still needed to come back to pick up Shen Tingwei for his maternity check-ups.
Lian Jue originally planned to push it for a few days and accompany Shen Tingwei in person when he came back but seeing that Shen Tingwwi was standing at the door coughing due to the cool wind, he decided to let him go to the hospital today.
After all, all of Chen Xu’s movements are under his surveillance. It is unlikely that something goes wrong at this juncture.

Before leaving, he said to Shen Tingwei, “Send me the inspection report.”
“Yeah.” Shen Tingwei’s eyes became even redder due to the choking cough and his voice was a little hoarse. He said to him, “Have a smooth journey.”
Lian Jue said yes and left with Lin Chen.
Shen Tingwei closed the door. Looking at the barren living room his heart was a little empty for a while.
He don’t know if it’s because he is used to Lian Jue accompanying him to the hospital no matter how busy he is or because Lian Jue still hasn’t said goodbye to him.
…
Today’s morning rush hour road conditions were exceptionally smooth. The car hardly slowed down and drove all the way to the airport.
Since last night was Mr. Shen’s birthday, Lin Chen deliberately didn’t bother Lian Jue, so he didn’t send the work arrangement to Lian Jue one night in advance as usual. The distance from the city to the airport is not close, so he took the time to confirm the schedule with Lian Jue in the car but Lian Jue uncharacteristically interrupted him from time to time, asking him to shorten the his explanations and proposed to cancel unnecessary arrangements.

Lin Chen took out the computer in time to change it. He accidentally brought something out of the computer bag. He glanced at it and whispered “huh”.
Only then did Lin Chen realize the reason why he felt like he had forgotten something today.
He hurriedly bent down and picked up the things that fell from the gap of the seat then turned on the computer to finish work. After confirming it to Lian Jue, he handed the safety talisman in his hand to Lian Jue and said embarrassedly: ” Mr. Lian, I left in a hurry in the morning I forgot to give this to Mr. Shen, can you please pass it on to me when you come back?”
Lian Jue took the fringed embroidered prayer bag, glanced at it and asked, “What is this?”
“Peace Talisman.” Lin Chen said, “I think Mr. Shen is definitely not short of anything. I don’t know what gift to give. I happened to have dinner at the restaurant on the top of the mountain yesterday, so I went to the temple and asked for a peace talisman back.”
Seeing Lian Jue’s puzzled expression, he guessed that Lian Jue should not believe this, so he explained: “I don’t know if you believe this or not but when I was born in the year of my life, my mother told me that wearing a peace talisman can bring good luck and block evil spirits…actually, it’s mainly to seek psychological comfort. Don’t they all say that people will not go well in the year of birth?”
Lian Jue was stunned for a while, then raised his head from the peace talisman: “Benming Year?”
Lin Chen looked at the dazed look on Lian Jue’s face that didn’t quite fit him. There was a moment of dazedness in his eyes but after a few seconds, a thought flashed through his heart which made his heart skip a beat.
Lin Chen was half nervous,bhalf guessing and asked uncertainly, “Mr. Lian, you know that…yesterday was Mr. Shen’s birthday, right?

Lian Jue’s doubts and confusion lingered on his face the moment his words fell. The delicate red peace talisman in his hand seemed to generate heat with Lin Chen’s reminder burning his fingertips that were scorched by the uneven embroidery.
From last night to now, all the wrong things about Shen Tingwei have become traceable.
He lowered his eyes stiffly looked at the embroidered pouch with the words “peace and happiness” pierced in his hand and his heart tightened.
He realized later that Shen Tingwei said with a smile when he was helping him tie his neck tie early yesterday morning: ” I’ll be waiting for you to come back for dinner.”, was not a casual chat but was really waiting for him to come back.
Even from the moment he went out, he waited until half past one in the morning.
Lian Jue still remembered the twinkle in Shen Tingwei’s eyes when he saw him came back last night. He also remembered his anger towards Shen Tingwei and remembered that he blamed him for sleeping late questioning him about the time.

Shen Tingwei dropped his eyes to answer his questin. His voice was mistaken for a low sense of misunderstanding and he said with red eyes that he was not waiting for him but fell asleep accidentally.
Lian Jue has never had the ability to empathize with others but when he recalled Shen Tingwei’s swollen eyes when he woke up in the morning, the eyes that dodged when he told him that he had forgotten the content of his dream. His indifferent tone. He seemed to at this moment suddenly had more negative emotions than in the past 30 years which caused him to fail to adjust the expression on his face for a long time.
“Don’t wait for me when it’s too late,” he said.
Shen Tingwei nodded obediently and said, “Not in the future.”

Lian Jue was blocked by this morning conversation and his chest was dull, as if he wanted to find a suitable reason and an outlet for his sudden emotions, he raised his head.
“…birthday,” Lian Jue asked Lin Chen with an unnatural expression and a strange tone, “Is it important?”

Lian Jue couldn’t fully understand Shen Tingwei’s sadness than when he knew about missing his birthday.
There are several birthdays in Lian Jue’s memory. When Chen Chulian needed a reasonable business dinner, he would hold a banquet in the name of his birthday with great fanfare. He required him to behave generously and prepare lengthy openings. The thank-you speech came to express welcome and thanks to the people who came to the dinner. Then, cut the cake in front of everyone’s attention and accompany Chen Chulian to toast and chat with the industry elites until late at night to send all the guests away.
Lian Jue didn’t have much feeling for these few memories that were not very different. If he insisted on describing his feelings about his birthday, it would only be boring and long.
But Shen Tingwei’s indiscernible disappointment and several times of silence to avoid problems made him feel a strong sense of guilt he had never felt before therefore confusing him.
But Lin Chen didn’t give him an answer, and didn’t even dare to say anything.
Lian Jue’s expression became serious, from the hazy detection just now to the attitude and tone of an important job. He asked him again: “Is birthday a very important day?”

Lin Chen rarely showed a bit of confusion on his face. Although reminding his boss’ family about his birthday was not within his scope of work, he still felt a huge pressure and unease of failure in Lian Jue’s eyes.
He didn’t know how to answer Lian Jue’s question. Then, he finally gave an ambiguous answer in a low voice: “…in the case of the year of life, it should be…it should still be important.”
After listening to his words, Lian Jue was silent for a long time. When Lin Chen’s cold sweat was about to cover his back, Lian Jue made a decision to break his original plan for the second time today and said to the driver, “Turn around.”