Reply to Keats - Chap 46
Chap 46
: Ordinary Friends Rule
When Shen Zongnan arrived in Minglong, it was the seventh hour that Zhao Shengge had been working continuously while he was ill.
After waking up at night, his sleepiness was completely gone and Zhao Shengge stopped taking medicine. Many times, work was more useful to him than medicine.
Because his driver also caught the flu, Zhao Shengge has been driving himself to and from get off work these days.
There are many folders piled up on the desk, which are approved by Zhao Shengge and classified into different categories. Even when working overtime while sick, he is still efficient and organized.
There were a lot of cigarette butts in the ashtray, and the strong citrus smell in the popping beads had become pungent.
Shen Zongnan couldn’t tell from his expression what happened last night after he sent the photo. Zhao Shengge’s emotions were always calm and steady.
Shen Zongnan opened the window to let in fresh air, then poured himself a cup of tea without asking anything else.
Zhao Shengge talked directly about official business. Both of them were concise and didn’t waste any words, so they were very efficient.
On the way, Zhao Shengge coughed several times and had to stop talking. He clenched his fists to cover his lips and frowned, looking a little painful.
Shen Zongnian asked: “Are you sick again?”
Zhao Shengge’s body has been very contradictory and strange since he was a child. Sometimes he is strong and sometimes he is very weak.
Fierce in swimming, shooting and equestrian exams and competitions, he often achieves records that make his opponents question their lives. Fragile in that he actively participates in almost every flu season, and stomachaches are commonplace.
Shen Zongnan felt that it was because he didn’t pay enough attention to his body. Eating, sleeping, and AI all need to start maintenance programs regularly, but Zhao Shengge’s life seemed to lack this link. He was like a high-speed working machine that never stopped.
Zhao Shengge’s voice was even more hoarse than yesterday on the phone: “No.”
The phone lit up, he picked it up and looked at it for a while, then put it back after replying.
Later, the screen lit up several times again, but Zhao Shengge ignored it. Shen Zongnan felt that his efficiency was a bit lower in the second half, as if the AI program had a fault that was not easy to be noticed. It looked intact and running, but what was broken was perhaps only known to him.
“Should I go to Tan Youming to find out what’s going on?”
Zhuo Zhixuan doesn’t have nothing to do every day. Today he came to the securities trading center to do some work and took the opportunity to have dinner with Chen Wan.
“No need.” Chen Wan put down the phone that had been pressed until it was hot, with a serious expression.
Zhuo Zhixuan saw that in the dialog box, Zhao Shengge gave a detailed response to the official questions.
Because Chen Wan broke down Fang Jian’s complex and cumbersome model into more understandable data and text, it can be seen that he put a lot of effort into it.
Zhao Shengge expressed his gratitude in a tactful manner, with no grudges between the lines.
We are all adults and no one would link personal emotions with work.
However, Chen Wan’s concern and inquiry about his health were simply mentioned briefly.
As for Chen Wan asking Zhao Shengge’s driver whether he had returned to work, if not, she happened to have to go to the Securities Building to do some business and could take his car.
Zhao Shengge simply replied: [No thanks.]
Chen Wan also read these few words for a long time.
Last night Chen Wan tried to call Zhao Shengge back, but Zhao Shengge didn’t answer the call because he was asleep, working, or for some other reason.
As it was too late, Chen Wan did not give the injection a second time, fearing that it would disturb the patient’s rest.
Instead, he sent a message early this morning to ask about Zhao Shengge’s health and condition, and simplified the matters in the group that required Zhao Shengge’s approval in order to reduce the workload.
Zhao Shengge responded to all work-related matters seriously, annotating them one by one in a polite and proper manner.
But he didn’t say much about his own condition.
Chen Wan had no way of knowing whether the other party had really developed a fever later, whether his throat and headache had eased, whether his condition was serious now, and whether it had improved.
Chen Wan could only hold the phone and read “No, thank you” for a long time.
Zhuo Zhixuan didn’t know what he saw.
Zhao Shengge always spoke in such a concise manner that it was basically impossible for others to guess what he meant. He didn’t know how Chen Wan understood him. He only saw him biting his cigarette, lowering his gloomy eyes, and sending a message in the dialog box: “Okay, then you go ahead and take care of yourself.”
Zhuo Zhixuan: “…”
Chen Wan put out her cigarette and immediately chatted with Tan Youming privately, asking, “Mr. Tan said last time that he wanted to play bowling. Are you still interested recently? The stadium that was renovated recently reopened.”
He said if Mr. Tan was interested, he could arrange it.
Of course, he would allow enough time for the sick to recover.
Chen Wan almost never took the initiative to propose organizing a party. She only took on the task and made arrangements when the young masters wanted to do something.
But that ambiguous phone call has been like a thorn in my throat.
Chen Wan didn’t think that Zhao Shengge would be angry because of such a thing. The other party’s tone when hanging up the phone was polite. Except that it took him a little longer than usual to reply to messages, he was as patient as usual at work.
But he also clearly realized that something nameless was quietly slipping away.
I don’t know what it is. I haven’t even got it yet, but I’m already losing it.
It was just those indescribable emotions that urged him to be firm, to give, and to express his feelings generously.
Tan Youming naturally wanted more than anything else and praised Chen Wan for being thoughtful. Shen Zongnan was busy recently and he had not been able to go out much. Bowling was a physical exercise that was beneficial to physical and mental health after all, and the other party should have no reason to stop him.
Tan Youming called on his friends and everyone was very respectful and responded quickly, except Zhao Shengge.
Zhao Shengge seldom speaks in the group, as if he is a fake account.
Until the day before departure, Chen Wan was not sure whether Zhao Shengge would go with them.
He booked the stadium in Holly in advance. Several cars set out from the island at the same time and drove across the Pearl Bridge, which was quite impressive.
Chen Wan could recognize Zhuo Zhixuan’s Cayenne, Tan Youming and Shen Zongnian’s Lincoln, and Qin Zhaoting’s Bentley, but there was a Land Rover among them that he had never seen before.
It drove fast and steadily, the road was straight, the drift was smooth, and it moved at a high speed, as if it was going to go straight across the Pearl Bridge into the blue sky.
Chen Wan followed without blinking, hoping that he would have a chance to correct his mistake.
He didn’t necessarily have to catch up with the Land Rover, but he couldn’t stay stuck in the same place.
Holly’s stadium is newly opened, located next to the mountains and facing the sea. There is a giant bowling pin model at the door, and floor-to-ceiling windows on all sides, through which you can see the sea and green grass.
It’s a membership system, and there aren’t many people. Chen Wan didn’t book the entire court, but only bought out some of the fairways. This is why he is more attentive than others – young masters don’t like crowds, but they also don’t like it to be too quiet. There can’t be too many people, and there can’t be too few people. It all depends on how to strike that balance.
Zhao Shengge went to work even though he was sick a few days ago, but he still had some work piled up and received a lot of phone calls, so he was the last one to get off the car.
In fact, he had no plan to come today, but Tan Youming called him many times and said he had something important to say.
They also mocked him for his poor health and said he should exercise more.
“…”
Zhao Shengge walked over and nodded to everyone. When his eyes passed Chen Wan, he also nodded equally, just like everyone else.
Jiang Ying was standing closest, so he talked to him. Chen Wan couldn’t find a chance to say hello to Zhao Shengge, so he had to go find the gym manager first.
When he entered the locker room, there was no one there. He put his things away and closed the door. Zhao Shengge was sorting things out. Chen Wan walked over, looked at him, and said, “Mr. Zhao.”
Zhao Shengge was wearing a wrist guard. When he heard Chen Wan calling him, he raised his eyes and nodded.
Not distant, nor warm.
Chen Wan walked up to him and saw that he was having trouble putting the wrist guard on his other hand with one hand, so he asked, “Do you need help?”
Zhao Shengge pulled on his wrist guard himself: “It’s okay, no need.”
Chen Wan just stood there, not moving, with his back straight, looking like someone waiting patiently and attentively.
Zhao Shengge said sensibly, “When you are done, go ahead and I will close the door in a moment.”
Chen Wan shook his head, his face calm but he said stubbornly: “It’s okay, I’ll wait for you.”
Before Zhao Shengge could refuse, Chen Wan took the initiative to ask, “Mr. Zhao, is your cold healed?”
Zhao Shengge replied nonchalantly, “It should be fine.” In fact, his voice was still a little hoarse.
Chen Wan tightened his grip, feeling that Zhao Shengge seemed to be careless about his body. After thinking for a while, he asked, “Would you like some honey water?”
The manager came to tell him that only Zhao Shengge had not ordered drinks yet. VIPs have exclusive services, and after placing the order, the staff will deliver it to the track. The manager pays special attention to their status, fearing that any detail will be neglected. He will not talk directly to the group of young masters, and all the connections are made through Chen Wan.
Zhao Shengge packed up his personal belongings and prepared to leave, so he said, “No need.”
Chen Wan also followed him out: “It’s not too sweet, you can try it, it’s good for your throat and it feels very comfortable after drinking it.”
Zhao Shengge finally looked up at him, his eyes were calm, but many things flashed through his mind.
What exactly is going on?
You can’t get close to it, and you can’t drive it away.
Are you so unscrupulous and do whatever you want?
Why.
The atmosphere was subtle and the air was surging, as if nothing had changed, yet something had changed.
No one mentioned the phone call that day, and there seemed to be no discord between them. They just nodded and greeted each other, just like usual. But in fact, they all understood each other, but no one understood why.
Chen Wan looked at Zhao Shengge very seriously. His eyes were very dark, and his calmness contained a kind of stubbornness that could be called sincere. He accepted Zhao Shengge’s scrutiny generously and frankly.
The rule of ordinary friends replaces the rule of secret crush and becomes the new yardstick and code of conduct.
Can Chen Wan care about her friend’s condition, wait for her to leave together, or order a cup of throat-soothing honey water for her sick friend?
Since both are possible, why can’t it be given to Zhao Shengge?
Within the limits, Chen Wan will give Zhao Shengge a lot, the most.
If Zhao Shengge didn’t want it, he could throw it away, but Chen Wan still wanted to give it to him.
Zhao Shengge looked at him for a while and felt that Chen Wan seemed slightly different from before. He was respectful, but not as docile and soft. After removing the unreal social smile, his whole body revealed some real edge in the silent calm.
Zhao Shengge cannot be described specifically.
However, Chen Wan had too many “criminal records” with him, and was never within Zhao Shengge’s reading comprehension, so he said indifferently: “Whatever, thank you.”
