Reply to Keats - Chap 49
Chap 49
Zhaosheng Pavilion, I want to go
They arrived at the restaurant later than the previous cars, but Chen Wan had arranged for someone to receive them in advance. The others were already seated in the side hall, and the main seat was left empty as usual, reserved for Zhao Shengge.
Chen Wan walked towards Zhuo Zhixuan’s position, but found that Zhao Shengge passed by the main seat and walked behind him.
“?”
Zhao Shengge covered his lips and coughed twice, raised his chin towards the main seat, and said concisely: “Air conditioning.”
The main seat is facing the air conditioner, and the wind is very strong. Zhao Shengge has just recovered from a cold, so it is not advisable for him to be exposed to direct wind.
But Chen Wan felt that the empty seat next to him was also very windy, so he simply made room for him: “Mr. Zhao, you sit here, I’ll sit over here.”
Zhao Shengge saw that he and himself had swapped seats. Originally, Chen Wan was next to him, and Qin Zhaoting was on the other side, and he was sitting in the middle.
Now it was Chen Wan sitting between him and Qin Zhaoting.
“…”
Zhao Shengge didn’t say anything and sat down as he asked. Zhuo Zhixuan next to him greeted him. Zhao Shengge slowly turned his head to look at him and hummed lightly.
“……” Zhuo Zhixuan began to feel that he was cold again.
Qin Zhaoting was closer to the door, and the manager brought in the menu. He handed it to Chen Wan, meaning that they should look at what to choose together.
But Chen Wan seemed unaware of his intention. She took the menu, said “thank you” to him, and turned towards Zhao Shengge.
“…”
The restaurant was chosen by Chen Wan. There should be many dishes that Zhao Shengge likes. He has already selected the basic dishes in advance and also taken into account the taste of every customer. The manager brought the menu and added individual dishes for each guest.
Chen Wan spread out the heavy menu in front of Zhao Shengge: “Mr. Zhao, what would you like to eat?”
Zhao Shengge’s eyebrows moved slightly, he looked at him, tilted his head, and said, “Ask again and I’ll tell you.”
Chen Wan reacted for a moment, then turned around and said helplessly and amusedly: “There are too many people here, it’s not suitable.”
Zhao Shengge said: “Names are meant to be called by others.”
“Then you have to give me some time to get used to it.”
Zhao Shengge thought about it and said yes.
The menu of the big restaurant was thick and big, with one version in Chinese, Cantonese and English. It was half erected and almost covered the two people’s faces. Tan Youming asked from across the table: “Have you two ordered?” He was almost starving after playing ball for half a day.
Zhao Shengge looked up and said, “It’s also on the phone, take a look for yourself.”
“…”
Tan Youming had no choice but to take out the cell phone from Shen Zongnan’s pocket.
Zhao Shengge looked for a long time and after careful selection, he decided to add a dish of steamed fish with fermented black beans.
In fact, compared to fancy delicacies from land and sea, his taste prefers ordinary home-cooked meals, probably because he did not have many opportunities to eat them since he was a child.
Chen Wan saw that he actually chose the bowl cake for dessert and asked in surprise, “Did you order the wrong one?”
“No,” Zhao Shengge looked at him and said, “Maybe I didn’t know I liked it at that time.”
Even though Zhao Shengge didn’t sit in the main seat, he was still the center of conversation.
“The area of Ting Island has been unstable recently, and it’s unclear who will come up. Should we consider postponing the inspection of the second phase of Baoli Bay?” Jiang Ying asked.
Jiang Ying looks gentle and polite, but his family is actually connected to both the black and white, and he has spies all over the city.
This is also why Tan Youming insisted that Zhao Shengge come out today, saying that he had something important to say. Although he is not involved in the operation of the Baoli Bay project, the Tan family and the Shen family have invested in it, and the safety of the project involves the interests of multiple parties.
Chen Wan stopped what he was doing and looked towards Zhao Shengge.
Zhao Shengge said: “Not considering it.” If such a large amount of cash flow is stuck there, the leverage will be lengthened exponentially. Once the capital chain breaks, other projects will also be affected.
Chen Wan pursed his lips, seeming to want to say something but stopped himself. He knew what Jiang Ying was talking about: the investigation.
The offshore oil pipeline project has to cross the mid-ocean ridge and must rely on the continental shelf extending from the surrounding islands. Ting Island is the largest island in the natural area around Hai City. After the land reclamation plan in the 1990s, the geographical environment is unique. It is more than 60 nautical miles away from the island and is the most suitable fulcrum for supporting the cost of the offshore oil tunnel.
However, due to the complex terrain and environment conditions reported by the seabed detection instruments, Fang Jian must personally lead a scientific research ship to conduct an inspection and assessment of the local ocean surface conditions and seabed environment. Ting Island is close to the high seas, and the original inhabitants of the island are multi-ethnic, with numerous clans and factions, and the situation is complicated. Zhao Shengge must also go there in person. The Beijing officials cannot suppress the local snakes, and if the deal is not reached in one go, future projects will be hindered.
This involves import and export, so Miss Xu, who comes from a customs family, also has to step in.
So I booked a trip for next Wednesday, departing from Hai City.
Jiang Ying reminded Zhao Shengge: “Then you’d better bring more people. The population of the Duoli people has been seriously outflowing in recent years. Most of those who come to Hai City have entered the Baihe Hall. Now that Hong Qi and Shao Yaozong have fallen, their former subordinates have fled back to the Duoli area. The police station can’t do anything about these bandits.”
When Chen Wan heard the word Baihetang, she pursed her lips even tighter.
“They changed their blood last year, with the newcomers Li Shenghui and Li Jiaming,” Qin Zhaoting said, “It’s hard to say who will win in the end.”
Zhao Shengge looked at Shen Zongnian, who shook his head slightly, indicating that he was not familiar with either side, and said, “Li Jiaming had received a lot of benefits from Shao Yaozong in Hai City before.”
Zhao Shengge nodded, not looking too surprised, and said, “I know my limits.”
After he said that, everyone stopped talking about this topic. Zhao Shengge said that since they knew it, there was nothing to worry about.
Only Chen Wan was uneasy.
After Zhao Shengge finished talking to his friends, he moved closer and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong?”
Chen Wan was stunned, as if she didn’t expect Zhao Shengge to notice her when chatting with so many people.
Zhao Shengge saw that he was hesitant to speak, so Wen Chen said, “It doesn’t matter, go ahead.”
“Ting Island… Can I go with you?” Chen Wan thought about it and felt really worried.
Zhao Shengge didn’t want him to touch these things from the beginning. After thinking for a while, he said, “You want to go to the island to play? How about going to Feilingzhou together? I’ll be back soon, so we can treat it as a team building.”
What Zhao Shengge said meant that he was not going to let him go.
In the past, Chen Wan would definitely stop pushing and then follow on his own. Anyway, he has many ways to do it.
But this time the situation was serious, and he said bluntly: “I don’t want to go to the island to play, I want to go to Ting Island with you.”
Zhao Shengge looked at him straight and asked, “Why?”
Chen Wan suddenly felt guilty. What would happen if Zhao Shengge knew that she had been following him since he returned to China?
Fortunately, he had a good reason this time: “I need to determine and estimate the conversion rate of tidal energy and determine the transfer equation.”
Zhao Shengge didn’t get the answer he wanted, and said calmly: “Fang Jian has so many students who can test it.”
Chen Wan blinked and said, “Our majors are different. Otherwise, Mr. Zhao wouldn’t have to spend extra money to hire me.”
Zhao Shengge looked at him and still refused to give in, so Chen Wan said, “I can pay for it myself.”
“…”
Zhao Shengge was not angry at all despite his nonsense and beating around the bush. He looked at him calmly, with an inexplicable indulgent patience in his eyes, and called out his name helplessly, “Chen Wan.”
Chen Wan met his gaze straight ahead.
The look in his eyes couldn’t be more direct, but he still wanted to go.
This journey is full of uncertainty and danger.
Zhao Shengge had already thought about how to respond to Chen Wan’s subsequent reasons and words, but Chen Wan just looked at him quietly, with calm, silent persistence and stubbornness in his dark eyes.
Zhao Shengge’s heart was hard and he was not shaken by this.
Then, he saw Chen Wan lower his eyes and said in a very light tone that he didn’t know how to describe: “Zhao Shengge.”
“I want to go.”
A stone was suddenly thrown into the calm lake of heart, and the ripples expanded infinitely at a speed that Zhao Shengge could not control.
Due to various concerns, it was extremely difficult for Chen Wan to call out Zhao Shengge’s name, but in order to achieve the purpose of traveling together, he was so willing to call out at this moment.
Chen Wan himself probably didn’t know that, but the way he lowered his beautiful eyes, and his plump lips slightly and slowly opened, calling out Zhao Shengge’s name could easily cause some psychological and physiological reactions in people.
Zhao Shengge looked away.
Chen Wan must not know about his habit, otherwise he would definitely regret showing himself like this in front of him.
But it was too late to regret. Once the stone was thrown into the center of the lake, it could never be retrieved.
They were in a stalemate, and the clinking of glasses and lively conversation at the dinner table were all blocked out.
Chen Wan raised his head. Zhao Shengge was silent. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking, nor could any emotion be detected.
The atmosphere in this corner formed a subtle knot, just like the countless inexplicable tugs of war and confrontations they had experienced before.
However, Chen Wan felt that there was no hope because he had never won.
As long as he loves Zhao Shengge, there is no way he can win.
In this world, there is no room for negotiation on what Zhao Shengge has decided.
He could only smile awkwardly and quickly made many not-so-legal Plan Bs in his mind. It didn’t matter, he still had many other ways.
Chen Wan gave herself a way out: “But if it’s really inconvenient——”
“Can you use a gun?”
Chen Wan paused, his eyes dark and bright: “Yes.”
Zhao Shengge looked at him deeply and said in a deep voice, “You must listen to me when you go.”
Chen Wan smiled: “I’ll listen to you.”
Zhao Shengge looked away and said, “Eat.”
Chen Wan started to listen to him from now on and picked up the chopsticks to eat seriously.
The day of departure was a sunny day. They had to take a car to a private pier first, and then take Zhao Shengge’s cruise ship there.
In the morning, when the Maybach arrived, Chen Wan went straight to open the passenger door and the rear window was lowered. Zhao Shengge, with a laptop on his legs, called him, “Chen Wan,” and then opened the rear door for him.
“Zhao—” He met Zhao Shengge’s dark eyes, paused, and said, “Morning, Zhao Shengge.”
Zhao Shengge was relieved that he did not burn his bridges. Given Chen Wan’s criminal record, there was a high possibility that he would become “Mr. Zhao” again after being allowed to go to Ting Island with him.
Zhao Shengge nodded and stretched out his hand to him: “Come.”
Chen Wan didn’t hesitate and sat next to him.
I don’t know why, but that phone call that made both of them uncomfortable actually made them closer inexplicably.
