Reply to Keats - Chap 48
Chap 48
hristmastree
Qin Zhaoting was stunned. Chen Wan didn’t play much today, so he thought the other party didn’t know how to play or was not interested.
Qin Zhaoting looked at Zhao Shengge. This was Zhao Shengge’s ball and only he had the right to make the decision.
Chen Wan also looked at Zhao Shengge and asked again: “Is it okay, Mr. Zhao?”
Zhao Shengge looked at him for a moment, stepped back a few steps, and gestured for him to come in like a gentleman.
Chen Wan took the ball from him, and as their bodies crossed, she whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear: “We shouldn’t lose.”
Zhao Shengge raised his eyebrows.
Chen Wan said that he would not lose and he would not lose. Bowling was the only club activity he participated in during his busy and tiring college life.
He calculated the angle and speed of the ball in his mind, swung his arm and chose a steep route to score the goal.
“Boom!”
Spring thunder roared, fire and lightning flashed, and the white ball attacked at an irresistible speed. The surrounding players suddenly burst into low shouts –
Christmas tree! !
Bottles 2-7-10 are named because if the remaining bottles are connected in a line, they look like a Christmas tree.
The numerous and lightning-fast ball tracks hit the audience’s eyes, the pins were scattered, and the cleared pins were put into the warehouse.
“How romantic!” A female player whispered to her boyfriend that she wanted one too. “Playing a Christmas tree once will bring you good luck for the whole year.”
Tan Youming stood up and applauded Chen Wan, and then loudly accused Zhao Shengge: “You are cheating!”
“Well,” Zhao Shengge stared at Chen Wan, who was looking up at the big screen and counting points seriously, and said calmly, “You can scold me as much as you want.”
“…”
Shen Zongnian looked at Zhao Shengge.
Everyone in the audience was praising Chen Wan for his skills, as he was able to hit a Christmas tree with one ball, which had a one in ten million chance of happening.
But is Chen Wan really the only one with such outstanding skills?
Such an endgame may not appear once in a hundred games.
How careful the calculations need to be to ensure that the ball leaves just the right number of pins to form this “Christmas tree”?
Zhao Shengge looked back calmly, and Shen Zongnian said to Tan Youming: “Go ahead and curse.”
“…”
Although Qin Zhaoting lost the game in the end, he came over generously to congratulate him, and said with a smile that Chen Wan was a hidden talent.
Chen Wan smiled modestly and said that Mr. Zhao had accumulated enough points before, otherwise he would be powerless to turn the situation around.
Zhao Shengge had long been immune to his compliments and only called out to him when they were in the bathroom.
“Chen Wan.”
“Um?”
“Do you often hit Christmas trees?” Chen Wan’s playing style is too beautiful, and the probability of hitting a Christmas tree with one ball is too small.
“No, this is my first time playing this.” The reason he succeeded was probably because he was sincere and really didn’t want Zhao Shengge to lose.
“Yeah.”
“yes.”
Zhao Shengge said, “This is the first time I receive this, too.”
Chen Wan was slightly surprised. Zhao Shengge had been bowling since he was a student, but no one had ever bowled a Christmas tree for him in all these years.
Chen Wan was a little surprised and said, “It’s my pleasure.”
Zhao Shengge didn’t want to hear any more sweet and caring words that actually proved or represented nothing, so he asked directly, “Why did you call me?”
Was it because of that inexplicable phone call that no one could explain, or was it because I felt that I had offended him and wanted to give him some compensation and make amends?
Chen Wan felt that he was not asking casually, so he put away his smile and became serious. He said, “Because I want you to be happy.”
Zhao Shengge paused, staring at him motionlessly, his heart beating clearly.
Chen Wan’s face was full of sincerity without a trace of falsehood, as if his greatest wish in life was really to make Zhao Shengge happy.
The gym was very noisy, and Zhao Shengge did not respond. Chen Wan thought he did not hear clearly, so she said it again in a formal manner: “I hope you are happy, Mr. Zhao.”
I hope you always win, I hope you have good luck, I hope you are healthy and never get sick, I hope there are many people who care about you.
I hope most that you are happy.
After a long time, Zhao Shengge lowered his head and finally showed his first smile today, no, for the past few days. It was a smile that was helpless, resigned, and yet he really didn’t know what to do.
But because it was very light and faint, it disappeared quickly, so before Chen Wan could react, Qin Zhaoting walked in.
He half seriously and half jokingly said: “You two against one is too much.”
Zhao Shengge reached out to take his towel from Chen Wan’s hand and said, “You can also find external help.”
The bathroom was separate, and Zhao Shengge didn’t bring any shower gel, so he used Chen Wan’s.
Chen Wan didn’t play ball much, so she washed quickly and waited outside.
Outside the stadium, the sky was covered with haze, golden sunlight shone on the grass, and the sea in the distance began to rise.
When Zhao Shengge came out, Chen Wan was replying to work messages. The same smell of shower gel hit her. Chen Wan’s breathing became faster. She put away her phone and said, “Mr. Zhao.”
Zhao Shengge didn’t know whether he had added the boy as a friend. He glanced down at the screen of his phone and said, “Let’s go.”
When we arrived at the parking lot, we each went to get our cars.
Tan Youming and Shen Zongnian’s Lincoln was parked next to Zhao Shengge’s Land Rover, and Tan Youming said he wanted to drive Zhao Shengge’s car.
After he crashed into several roadside trash cans while parking and almost drove his car into the green belt, Shen Zongnan never let him drive a car with a high chassis again.
Tan Youming is a greenhorn who has been coveting Zhao Shengge’s new behemoth for a long time. Zhao Shengge generously said, “Take it,” and threw the car keys to him.
Tam Yau Ming shouted “No, big boss”.
Zhao Shengge told him: “Be careful.”
Tan Youming felt that Zhao Shengge was finally a little more humane today, completely different from his cold and taciturn appearance some time ago. However, he was sick at that time, so it was understandable.
Shen Zongnian sneered: “Where will you sit if you give him your car?”
Chen Wan came over to help: “Mr. Zhao, if you don’t mind, can you take my car?”
He specially drove a Toyota Prado today. It was nothing compared with the young masters’ luxury cars, but it had spacious space and high comfort.
Zhao Shengge looked at him and said, “If it’s inconvenient, I can take Jiang Ying’s car.”
Chen Wan hurriedly said, “It’s not inconvenient.”
“Oh well.”
“…” Shen Zongnian looked at Zhao Shengge coldly. Zhao Shengge patted him on the shoulder and told him like an elder brother: “Just look at Yaming, there will be no problem.”
“…”
Chen Wan walked a little faster to open the back door for Zhao Shengge.
Almost at the same time – Zhao Shengge opened the passenger door.
“…”
The air was still for a moment, and both of them paused and looked at each other.
Chen Wan first said, “Mr. Zhao, the back is spacious and comfortable to sit in.”
Zhao Shengge looked at him for a moment, reached out to take his hand off the handlebar, pulled him behind him, slammed the back door shut, and said, “I’ll sit in the front, I have a good view.”
Chen Wan followed his lead: “Okay.”
Zhao Shengge probably had never sat in the passenger seat before and was not familiar with his car. He had long legs and it took him a while to adjust the seat. The reminder sounded all the time. Chen Wan saw that the cars in front had already set off and turned his head to ask him, “Mr. Zhao, let me help you.”
Zhao Shengge looked at him and raised his hands, motioning him to come.
Chen Wan leaned over, and although he kept enough social distance, Zhao Shengge could still smell the same scent of shower gel on him.
Orange flavor, Chen Wan.
Chen Wan quickly adjusted the car, stepped on the accelerator, turned the steering wheel, and caught up with the cars in front.
Zhao Shengge rested his elbows on the window sill. It was very comfortable to sit in Chen Wan’s car. Zhao Shengge felt like he had returned to a very private and safe area where he could relax his body and mind.
Zhao Shengge turned down the volume very welcomingly, and went to get the purified water beside the car door. When he bent down, he caught a glimpse of a touch of velvet red under the car seat.
Zhao Shengge picked it up. It was a lipstick, which must have fallen from the back seat and rolled up.
He held it up and without asking any more questions, he just said, “Where should I put it?”
Chen Wan took the time to look sideways from the traffic and subconsciously muttered, “Oh my mother.”
Zhao Shengge raised his eyebrows, not knowing whether he was smiling or not: “Chen Wan, I’m asking——”
“Where to put it?”
“…” Chen Wan reacted, feeling a little embarrassed, and sighed inwardly, but fortunately his voice was still steady, “Oh, sorry, I heard it wrong, just put it in the drawer.”
Zhao Shengge said sympathetically, “Then I’ll put it here for you.”
The radio channel was the Hong Kong music station that Chen Wan listened to most often. It was playing “Lifelong Beauty”. Chen Wan didn’t know what Zhao Shengge wanted to listen to, so she said, “Mr. Zhao, tune to any radio station.”
“It’s okay, just listen to this,” Zhao Shengge had no objection to the radio channel, but he turned his head and looked at Chen Wan and said, “Chen Wan.”
“To discuss something?”
“Hmm?” Chen Wan straightened his back unconsciously when his name was suddenly called.
“I don’t have many days off,” Zhao Shengge objected frankly, “You keep calling me like that and it makes me think I’m still at work.”
Leaving aside Zhuo Zhixuan, the more than ten years of time and friendship are there. Chen Wan calls Tan Youming Mr. Tan, Shen Zongnan Mr. Shen, Qin Zhaoting Boss Qin, and Jiang Ying Mr. Jiang.
Then Zhao Sheng Pavilion is no different.
Before, Zhao Shengge was willing to give Chen Wan some time to buffer and adapt, but now, Zhao Shengge has realized that Chen Wan will compromise for him.
Over and over again.
That phone call was not a pleasant memory, but somehow it turned out to be a blessing in disguise, allowing Zhao Shengge to take advantage of the situation, as if he had obtained a trump card, and gradually gained the upper hand in this evenly matched tug-of-war.
No matter what Chen Wan’s mentality is, as long as Zhao Shengge finds any weakness or loophole, Zhao Shengge will make full use of it and will never show mercy.
Chen Wan turned his head to look at him, his eyes were dark, as if he was filled with a myriad of emotions, yet also as if there was nothing in the dark.
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and asked softly, “Then what should I call you?”
“If you don’t mind, just call me by my name,” Zhao Shengge said casually, as if it was just a trivial matter. “There’s not so much red tape.”
Chen Wan’s throat rolled. In just a few seconds, many thoughts rolled through his mind, but everything was based on Zhao Shengge’s wishes. He answered solemnly: “Okay.”
In the past, Chen Wan would have had many concerns and thoughts, feeling disrespected but also having to avoid suspicion.
Now, Chen Wan takes Zhao Shengge’s will as the top priority.
Zhao Shengge, Chen Wan muttered to himself. There were not many people in Hai City who could be called by this name directly. Tan Youming and Shen Zongnan were friends who grew up together. Chen Wan had spent more than ten years of perseverance to reach this day.
The Toyota Prado drove along the Western Ring Road, passing through Hornsdale Road, which was the road that Chen Wan once took Zhao Shengge to Yingchi.
The red light is on again, but the scenery along the way is different.
The author has something to say:
Hong Kong Radio Today’s Golden Song “Lifelong Beauty”
