Reply to Keats - Chap 43
Chap 43
There is a Firefly
During this visit to Jennifer, Fang Jian gained some theoretical insights, but since he was unable to put the work into practice, he only produced an initial three-dimensional model.
A few days later, the black rain warning was gradually downgraded to red rain, yellow rain, and finally lifted completely. The typhoon holiday ended, the citizens’ work from home time finally came to an end, and the activities of various departments of the Baoli Bay project were restarted.
Due to the previous bad weather, there were a lot of social events and meetings that needed to be arranged.
The Baoli Bay project occupies a very important position in Minglong’s future five-year plan. Zhao Shengge will not appear at ordinary meetings and social events, but when there are relatively high-level officials and important figures present, Zhao Shengge will bring Xu Zhiying and Chen Wan to attend.
Chen Wan and Zhao Shengge haven’t seen each other for a while, but they have had frequent phone calls and video calls during this period, so they don’t feel strange about each other.
However, Chen Wan discovered that the Zhao Shengge in the mobile phone was somewhat different from the Zhao Shengge in reality. The Zhao Shengge in reality was colder, more taciturn, and not so easy to guess. The Zhao Shengge who turned on the computer to work with his hair half dry seemed to be some kind of special supply, or maybe he was just Chen Wan’s imagination.
As soon as the video call ends, that form of Zhao Shengge will disappear.
In the numerous meetings and social events, Chen Wan, as always, behaved considerately but low-key, and was very conscious of treating herself as a tool when resisting the urge to drink.
This kind of thing was too normal for someone like him who started from scratch. It could be said to be taken for granted and even easy for him, so he did not notice the slight frown on Zhao Shengge’s face.
In such an occasion where people seem to be drinking and chatting in public but undercurrents are turbulent, either the east wind will prevail over the west wind or the west wind will prevail over the east wind. Chen Wan would never let Minglong and Zhao Shengge fall at a disadvantage, and certainly would not let a lady block the way for him to drink.
He doesn’t get angry when drinking, and he can drink several glasses of Qinghualang and dry red wine without changing his expression. His eyes are clear, which are the result of his hard work over the years.
When Zhao Shengge came back from talking with the officials, Chen Wan had already ruthlessly knocked down several groups of people like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves.
“…”
Zhao Shengge held him down and said, “Okay.”
Chen Wan sat upright, turned his head to look at him, and nodded with a faint smile, as if he was an AI that received an order and strictly followed it.
“…” Zhao Shengge couldn’t tell whether he was drunk or not, but he still signaled Xu Zhiying to order some sobering soup.
Xu Zhiying whispered to Chen Wan, “You are too honest. Why would you care about them? You don’t know how to bully others by taking advantage of your power.”
Chen Wan: “…”
“Do you feel uncomfortable?”
Chen Wan smiled: “Miss Xu, I’m fine.” Compared to the drinking parties he attended to discuss business, these were nothing.
Among the people accompanying him to the meeting, there was someone who had known Chen Wan before. When they saw that he came with Zhao Shengge, their eyes suddenly changed.
When the social event was about to end, the other party found an opportunity to privately and vaguely ask him if he could help him to get some connections in the various small projects under Baoli Bay, or help him to say a few good words in front of Zhao Shengge to build bridges and make introductions.
Zhao Shengge heard Chen Wan whisper and tactfully say that she was just an insignificant little character in this project plan and had no say.
Moreover, Zhao Shengge was just his boss, and the relationship between them was that of superiors and subordinates, and party A and party B, with very strict hierarchy and order. They had basically no personal friendship on a daily basis, and they were not very familiar with each other, so he had no say and could not help at all.
Of course, Chen Wan’s words were certainly much more beautiful, but to Zhao Shengge, that was probably what they meant.
After the social event, the driver parked the car and Zhao Shengge got in the back seat first. Chen Wan tried to pull the passenger door but failed. The driver lowered the window and said to him respectfully, “Mr. Chen, Mr. Zhao asked you to sit in the back seat.”
Chen Wan didn’t think much about it, she just thought Zhao Shengge probably thought it was easier to talk this way, so she smiled and nodded: “Okay, thank you.”
He walked around to the other side of the back seat and opened the door. Zhao Shengge was leaning against the back of the car, replying to work messages with his head down.
Chen Wan sat in the car, called out “Mr. Zhao”, and then consciously kept a certain distance and did not disturb him again.
The car started and it became dark inside. Zhao Shengge put down his phone, put one hand on the car window and looked out. It was unknown what he was thinking and he didn’t say a word.
Seeing that he was no longer busy, Chen Wan asked, “Mr. Zhao, would you like some hangover soup? I’ll buy one on the way down.”
Zhao Shengge also drank tonight. When Miss Xu asked someone to bring some sobering soup, Chen Wan took one, but he did not see Zhao Shengge take it.
No one knew what Zhao Shengge was thinking. When he turned around after hearing his words, it took him two seconds to fully focus his eyes.
However, he did not answer Chen Wan’s question, but stared at Chen Wan. The street lights flashed by, and the light and shadow flickered. Zhao Shengge’s handsome face seemed to be embedded in some retro movie from the 1990s.
It’s really great… and very exciting. Chen Wan always feels this way no matter how many times he watches it.
His face turned red when Zhao Shengge looked at him, and he thought that he had interrupted Zhao Shengge’s thinking, so he didn’t speak again immediately, but smiled at him with a slightly apologetic look.
Zhao Shengge was indeed thinking, he could not see any intention or purpose in Chen Wan’s eyes.
Zhao Shengge tried many methods to test and induce Chen Wan, but she remained consistent.
Chen Wan’s flattery, enthusiasm and initiative were all too frank.
Only those who have no distractions can be open-minded.
Zhao Shengge had no idea what Chen Wan wanted, what Chen Wan cared about, what Chen Wan was thinking, how many of those tactful refusal were out of modesty due to social etiquette, and how many were Chen Wan’s true intentions.
Chen Wan seems docile, but in fact she comes and goes freely.
Zhao Shengge seemed to have the upper hand, but in fact he failed every time.
He thought he had come a long way in the virtual world these days, but in reality he had remained stagnant, or even regressed, and was labeled as “unfamiliar”.
Zhao Shengge had never been in such a passive position in a wrestling match.
Is his opponent Chen Wan? No, it is Chen Wan’s indifference and lack of desire.
This indifference and lack of desire certainly does not mean that Chen Wan does not care about Zhao Shengge’s emotions and attitude.
On the contrary, he acted like he cared a lot, but did he really want something? Zhao Shengge felt that there was nothing.
The wisest thing is to ask for nothing.
No one spoke, the car kept moving, and the Maybach, as it drove out of Queen’s Road, was like a silent movie, with light and shadows flying by, not enough to illuminate the expressions on anyone’s face.
Zhao Shengge thought a lot for a long time, and finally said: “Chen Wan, this project is ours to do together.”
Chen Wan didn’t quite understand why he suddenly said that, but she was very happy in her heart.
However, Zhao Shengge no longer believed his superficial joy. Chen Wan had too many criminal records. She acted very caring in front of him, but perhaps in the next second she would tell outsiders that she was just a nobody in front of Zhao Shengge.
Zhao Shengge asked: “What do you think?”
Chen Wan nodded seriously with his usual sincere and earnest expression, as if he agreed with what Zhao Shengge said.
Ke Xiang believes that the profit from this project cannot be simply summarized in terms of money. It is more about the platform and influence. Moreover, the collision of ideas between him and Zhao Shengge during work is an incomparable feeling.
Zhao Shengge looked at him attentively and told him, “We are partners.”
Chen Wan nodded in agreement: “Yes.”
“…” Zhao Shengge didn’t know if he really understood, but he didn’t want to and didn’t know how to expose Chen Wan, so he didn’t emphasize it again.
It was just that when the wealthy businessman who wanted to get to know Zhao Shengge through Chen Wan invited him to his holiday villa through someone else, he also brought Chen Wan along.
The moment Chen Wan got out of Zhao Shengge’s Maybach, the other party’s face was full of “Sure enough, all those rejections that day were lies.”
Today is a completely private trip.
When Chen Wan saw the other person, he paused for half a second, but still had an impeccable smile on his face. He shook hands and greeted him calmly and gracefully, making people feel like spring breeze, as if nothing had happened, but he felt very embarrassed.
Zhao Shengge probably didn’t know that not long ago he had sworn in front of this person that they were not familiar with each other, but today he was slapped in the face by the person involved, who saw him getting out of Zhao Shengge’s private car with his own eyes.
Chen Wan didn’t know why Zhao Shengge included her in this social engagement. She guessed that it was probably because she knew the other party before, so it was easier for her to talk to him, so she could play the role of a bridge, mediation and buffer.
Zhao Shengge usually doesn’t accept drinks from others at parties and social events, but today he went and returned the toast, and told the person who toasted him that he came with his partner.
After he said this, everyone understood that Chen Wan was not the nobody he claimed to be.
After the dinner, the host will take the guests to a villa halfway up the mountain and visit the mountain resort along the way. Everyone will stay at the villa for one night and return the next day.
The sightseeing bus takes everyone around the top of the mountain, where there is an abandoned observatory, which was named Kepler by the Queen in the 19th century.
The tour guide said that from the longitude and latitude of the top of Mount Kadoorie, the time you can see Fomalhaut, the fifth brightest star in the constellation Piscis Austrinus, is three to four times longer than from other places.
Therefore, after the mirage returned, even though the Kepler Observatory was abandoned, the original stargazing telescope was not removed. Many tourists booked a room at this villa just to visit it.
If it is a holiday or a special celebration, The Peak is also a great location to watch the fireworks and light show on Victoria Harbour. The tabloids in Hong Kong have reported that many rich young men brought young models and actresses to the mountain to race, or fought over a star-gazing spot on the top of the mountain in order to win the smiles of beautiful women.
Zhao Shengge and the host were walking in front. Occasionally, when they looked back, they could see Chen Wan following behind them like a silent shadow.
It is windy tonight and there are no stars in the sky, only a few scattered lights coming through from the other side of Victoria Harbour.
next time.
The accommodation villa is located halfway up the mountain, so there is no need to take a sightseeing bus. Guests can arrange the rest of the time by themselves.
The taverns and teahouses at the foot of the mountain are open all night. There are also natural mineral hot spring pools in the mountain for tourists to experience. There are also many people fishing at night by the lake at the foot of the mountain.
Zhao Shengge was not interested and decided to go back to the villa to rest. Xu Zhiying wanted to take a hot spring bath, and Zhao Shengge looked at Chen Wan.
Chen Wan felt that it was unsafe in the mountains and said, “I’ll go back and rest too.”
The villa is neither far nor close to their sightseeing bus station, and it takes a short mountain road to walk back.
However, with the strange rocks, flowers and trees in the mountains and the moonlight like water, a night tour is also quite interesting.
Occasionally, he would meet one or two tourists who came for a night run or a walk on the road. Chen Wan was alert and paid attention to the situation around him. Although he knew that Zhao Shengge was usually secretly protected outside the inner ring of Hong Kong Island, he was still worried.
For Chen Wan, Zhao Shengge’s safety is the most important.
Chen Wan walked beside Zhao Shengge, not too far away. Zhao Shengge was tall and had broad shoulders. His shadow seemed to surround Chen Wan. Suddenly, he heard the other party’s lazy voice: “Chen Wan.”
“Um?”
“There’s a firefly.”
