CH 4

It was almost nine o'clock at night, Xu Yan packed up his things and left work. In these few days, the handover was almost completed. He will complete his resignation by the day after next, and he felt relieved. He planned to buy a late-night snack, and then go home to make hangover soup. Walking on the side of the road, Xu Yan had a hand in his pocket and was holding a cup of hot coffee in the other. He thought about what to pack for the late-night snack, Shen Zhi may also want to have some... Passing by a French restaurant, he turned his head and looked, and the wide curve extended to the door of the restaurant. Xu Yan remembered that the white caviar in this place was particularly delicious, and he also mentioned to Shen Zhi that they had to make time to eat here together – Of course, Shen Zhi just answered coldly and did not pay attention to it at all.

Xu Yan looked at it for a while, and just as he was about to turn around, he saw someone walking out of the door. The restaurant was brightly lit, and Xu Yan stood under a tree on the side of the road. A tall yellow street lamp stood above his head, dimly illuminating the shadows of mottled trees. He saw the waiter push open the door, and several middle-aged people walked out with a smile, and then Shen Zhi –  walking side by side with a girl.

Xu Yan recognized Shen Zhi's parents, and the other two should be the girl's parents. The group stood outside the restaurant waiting for the driver to pull up. Xu Yan really hated that his eyesight was so good, as he saw the smiles on everyone's face clearly; including Shen Zhi, who was usually expressionless and indifferent to him, now smiling in front of others.

With a buzz, the street lamp above his head went out of order, and it was as if the only spot light shining on Xu Yan on the stage disappeared. At this moment, it was almost paradoxical by coincidence. Xu Yan stood quietly under the shadow of the tree, watching them each get into the car – Shen Zhi and the girl got into the same one. Xu Yan moved his somewhat numb legs, and glanced at the direction. He took a step to continue walking, throwing the already cold coffee into the trash.

The lights were out, but it's okay, it's okay. Anyway, all this time, on the whole stage, only he was acting in a one-man show, and there was no audience. End it, end it, but it left him a little thin face, which was quite polite – but Xu Yan was relieved too early. He jad just rounded the corner of the street, and the lights of the car behind him turned on. Xu Yan turned his head and saw a two-color Mulsanne driving towards him, which slowly stopped on the side of the road. The car door opened, and Shen Zhi's mother, Meng Yuwan, got out of the car.

Shen Zhi’s father Shen Ming was also in the car, but he probably didn't want to talk to Xu Yan, so he was too lazy to get out of the car. Meng Yuwan pulled the shawl, revealing her delicate hair. Xu Yan looked at her and thought: look, this is the mother of the person I like, how beautiful and gorgeous, so she gave birth to such a good son as Shen Zhi, a heart is harder than a diamond.

"Auntie." Xu Yan said.

This was the first time he had a conversation with Meng Yuwan. Usually, they only knew of each other’s existence, and that was the relationship.

In addition to Shen Zhi, Xu Yan never did unrewarding things. He once heard Shen Zhi on the phone with Meng Yuwan. The latter had said "I really didn't expect you to find a man”. He understood her attitude, and had no intention of changing anything, so it was pointless.

"You saw it just now." Meng Yuwan opened her mouth and went straight to the topic, "Shen Zhi has been in the company for two years, and all aspects of the matter have been slowly handed over to him. I believe you know very well what kind of responsibility he will have to bear in the future."

"I know." Xu Yan said.

"That's good." Meng Yuwan smiled, "I didn't plan on making it clear, but now the relationship between the two has reached this point. The other party also knows about you and Shen Zhi, they don't mind your past together. They only hope that Shen Zhi's side can be clean in the future and not leave any unnecessary people around. After all, everyone needs to save their face."

Indeed, the reality is this, mutual achievement and union. Relying on marriage to build a solid link of interests. What's more, the matching of talents and women is successful enough on the surface, and feelings are naturally ranked last, or even negligible, this is the consciousness of adults and businessmen.

Xu Yan nodded: "You are right.”

Meng Yuwan seemed to be quite satisfied with Xu Yan's self-awareness, her expression softened and she said: "Although I didn't think that my son would find a boy as a bed partner, since you have been living together for so long, I don't bother to pursue it anymore. Before Shen Zhi gets engaged, please leave as soon as possible. The conditions can be mentioned, and I will try to satisfy you.”

Bed partner, a fairly fresh title, followed by ‘messy people’ really hit Xu Yan.

However, it is true that Shen Zhi has never indicated their relationship on any occasion. Xu Yan now wondered if he had made a mistake from the beginning. In fact, Shen Zhi was indeed not in love with him, but instead found a fool who was able to cook, clean, and be a bed partner; and happened to get along without feelings for four years.

Xu Yan looked up for a few seconds, there were no stars tonight.

If it goes on like this, he was afraid that Meng Yuwan will say her famous phrase "give you five million, leave my son".

He lowered his head, looked at Meng Yuwan, and said, "Hello Auntie. First, Shen Zhi and I are not bed partners. I don't know exactly what it is, but I personally feel that no bed partner will cook and wash each other's clothes and clean up, unless he is a fool. Of course, maybe I am a fool.”

"Second, I don't know what you originally planned to pursue, but I really didn't hold a gun to Shen Zhi's head to make him live with me. I have a clear conscience about Shen Zhi. I haven't made him work, and I haven't let him worry about things outside of work. If I have to say that there is something wrong with me, it’s probably that I am too annoying, Shen Zhi also said so.”

"Third, you asked me to put forward conditions, that is too polite. Although I am not as good as Shen Zhi in all aspects, the shares of the family company are also enough for the second half of my life. If you check me, it should be clear."

"Fourth." Xu Yan glanced at his phone, "Thank you for being so patient and listening to me talk nonsense, but I still have to go to work tomorrow, it's a little late now, I'll go back first."

After he finished speaking, he politely bowed to Meng Yuwan and nodded. Then he turned around and left.

"You..."

Xu Yan heard Meng Yuwan's somewhat angry voice, but he didn't bother to pay attention to it. He loves Shen Zhi, so he can lower his figure infinitely to curry favor, but he doesn't love Shen Zhi's mother. Why bother to let himself be wronged, and it's not a vulgar mother-in-law drama, there is no such reason.

Back home, Xu Yan took a shower and lay on the bed to look through his phone. There was no need to make hangover soup since, based on Shen Zhi’s appearance, he didn’t drink at all. Moreover – the one who should sober up is himself, and has always been.

Not long after, Shen Zhi came back, probably from dropping off the girl. He entered the room and saw Xu Yan leaning on the bed with his eyes closed; so he came closer, probably to see if he was half-sitting and asleep. But Xu Yan suddenly opened his eyes, stared at him very bluntly, and said: "I saw it all at the door of the restaurant."

He is not a person who likes to hide things, and he does not like to make misunderstandings to be pretentious and entangled. Although the possibility of misunderstanding in this matter is minimal, he still wants to make his confession clear with Shen Zhi, so as not to have any unwillingness and regret in the future. He has really worked hard, and after working hard until now, he should give him an explanation.

Shen Zhi's footsteps paused, and then said, "What do you mean?"

This person is really strange; he can throw the problem back every time, making it seem like Xu Yan is making a fuss.

"What else can I mean?" Xu Yan smiled, "I just want to ask you how far you have progressed, I want to make room for you."

Shen Zhi had no expression on his face, turned around and walked into the cloakroom, and said, "It's not settled yet, don't think about it too much."

It's not settled yet - a roundabout answer, there are really endless possibilities.

Xu Yan didn't bother to think about how many times the two families had been in contact before tonight, and the pillow person who slept together every day was about to enter the palace of marriage - although it was only a business marriage. Xu Yan doesn't hate his eyes now, if he was blind and passed the restaurant blindly today; then it will be at Shen Zhi's engagement where Xu Yan will be told to get out of his life and swept right out the door, which would have been really ugly.

He looked at Shen Zhi's back and asked, "I shouldn't think too much? You've already met each other’s parents.”

"That doesn't mean anything." Shen Zhi said, "Just mind your own business and do your own thing."

You can continue to use me as a cow and a horse, and you aren’t qualified to care about the rest - Xu Yan guessed that this was what he meant. In fact, there is no need to delve into the meaning of the words, Shen Zhi's attitude can explain everything.

"Okay." Xu Yan put down the pillow and said, "Then I'll sleep first."