Zhan Bei Jue had been restless these past few days, his mind preoccupied with his mother's condition. As her only son, he couldn't simply stand by and watch her health deteriorate without intervening. He needed to contact a hospital and find someone to arrange for his mother to receive proper care and recuperation.
Coincidentally, his business in Jincheng was nearing its conclusion. A Zhong reported his work to him. After much deliberation, Zhan Bei Jue felt A Zhong was the most suitable person for the task. He instructed him to return the next day and come directly to his home afterward.
The following afternoon, A Zhong arrived in Nancheng. After dropping his luggage at the hotel, he immediately took a taxi to Zhan Bei Jue's residence. Zhan Bei Jue and A Zhong spoke privately in the study. He explained his mother's situation and then said, "There's no time to waste. You should leave tomorrow. Tonight, I will make all the necessary preparations with Melody, and we will use the minivan for the transport. I've already made arrangements with the hospital there; someone will be there to receive you. Remember, absolute secrecy is paramount. I'm counting on you for this, and I know it will be taxing."
A Zhong was deeply touched. The fact that Zhan Bei Jue entrusted him with such a sensitive matter spoke volumes about his trust. They conversed in the study for a considerable time before emerging. To their surprise, as they descended the stairs, they encountered Zhou Jin Bei.
Having not seen A Zhong in a while, Zhou Jin Bei was startled to find him at the Zhan family residence. "Oh? You're back?" she exclaimed. It wasn't yet time for work to end; she wondered why she was at the house. Zhan Bei Jue, not wanting her to get too familiar with A Zhong, asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"
Zhou Jin Bei glanced at his expression and replied with displeasure, "Look at the tone of your voice. I can't even come to your house now? It's not like my sister-in-law needs me while she's hospitalized anymore?"
"Speak your mind. What exactly are you here for?" Zhan Bei Jue pressed.
"Your wife is recuperating, but you're still busy. There's something to handle at the power company, so I'm bringing her some documents. What, did I come at the wrong time?" After retorting to Zhan Bei Jue, she turned to A Zhong. "When did you get back?"
A Zhong replied that he had just arrived and had matters to attend to later, so he couldn't chat much. Zhou Jin Bei, however, called out to him, "Wait for me. I don't see your car in the yard, did you take a taxi? I'll leave after I give these documents to my sister-in-law. I'll give you a ride." This arrangement was convenient; Zhan Bei Jue wouldn't have to arrange separate transportation for A Zhong.
After Zhou Jin Bei departed, Zhan Bei Jue cautioned A Zhong, "This girl is incredibly cunning and full of mischief. You don't need to give her any special consideration because of me; just deal with her as you normally would." A Zhong didn't fully grasp the underlying meaning of his words but nodded in agreement.
Soon, Zhou Jin Bei reappeared. She cast an annoyed glance at Zhan Bei Jue without speaking to him, grabbed A Zhong, and left. As the car pulled away from the Zhan residence, Zhou Jin Bei asked A Zhong, "Is the project in Jincheng finished?"
"It's done. Otherwise, I wouldn't have returned."
"So, what are your plans now? Are you staying to be with your father for a while, or are you going abroad immediately?" Her true intention in accompanying A Zhong wasn't merely to give him a ride. She had been curious about the outcome of A Zhong's blind date with a nurse from the hospital a while back. A Zhong replied that he didn't know yet and everything depended on Mr. Zhan's arrangements.
After a pause in their conversation, Zhou Jin Bei couldn't help but ask, "I visited Uncle at the hospital again last time. I heard you went on a blind date. Was the nurse pretty?" She was surprised that Zhou Jin Bei still remembered after so much time had passed. A Zhong smiled faintly, "She was alright."
What did "alright" mean? Pretty was pretty, not pretty was not pretty. Did she think she could hide it from him? Zhou Jin Bei felt displeased and began to speak indirectly. "How did things go? I heard her background is quite good. You're not getting any younger; when do you plan to settle down?"
A Zhong suspected her words carried hidden meanings but had no concrete evidence. He gave her a meaningful look and spoke truthfully, "When I treated her to dinner that day, it was purely to thank her for helping my father find a caregiver. There was no other intention. I don't plan to stay in China long-term; who knows if I'll ever return. Why would I harm her?"
So, the blind date was unsuccessful? Zhou Jin Bei felt a hint of secret joy. Yet, at the same time, she felt a pang of disappointment. He didn't plan to stay in China in the future... "Did you sell your house? Where are you staying now that you're back?" A Zhong mentioned he was staying at a hotel and provided its name. Zhou Jin Bei entered the hotel into her navigation system. "Then I'll take you directly there."
A Zhong nodded and turned to retrieve his suit jacket from the back. After fumbling for a moment, he took out a card and pushed it towards the central console in front of Zhou Jin Bei. "I heard from my father. You went to a lot of trouble to contact doctors for him and even had a heart stent placed. I left in such a hurry last time that I didn't have a chance to thank you properly. This card has 500,000 on it; please take it."
Zhou Jin Bei was taken aback, not expecting him to offer her money. She suddenly felt their current relationship was too awkward; everything was said with hesitation and indirectness, which made her feel miserable. But what could she do? No matter how thick her skin, she was still a woman. A Zhong wouldn't take the initiative; was she supposed to force him to declare himself?
"It's not for you that I did it, so why be so polite? Uncle is a good person, and we get along well. I was completely thinking of him." A Zhong said, "I understand. My words were a bit harsh last time; I was simply in a bad mood, and it wasn't directed at you. Please don't take it to heart."
"Understand what? You understand nothing," Zhou Jin Bei thought. "You pretend to understand everything, but you're just being polite! If you weren't always putting on a facade of understanding, would our relationship have ended up like this?" As the hotel location on the navigation system grew closer, the thought that she would no longer have any excuse to be with him openly made Zhou Jin Bei feel truly miserable. After a period of silence, she couldn't hold back any longer. "I also did things I shouldn't have. To sincerely express my apologies, please let me treat you to a meal. You pick the place."
It was rare for both of them to be in such a calm mood today, showing a willingness to clear the air. Thinking that there might not be another opportunity, A Zhong didn't refuse her. He took out his phone and selected a restaurant, and they headed there. As the waiter led them to their seats, they encountered a group of young people exiting the restaurant. One of them was the colleague who had helped A Zhong contact Zhou Jin Bei and buy luxury goods for her. The colleague spotted them immediately, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Before A Zhong could react, the colleague rushed over. "Zhong Jia Ming, Zhou Jin Bei? What are you two doing here? What a coincidence. Are you guys...?"
Afraid she might say something inappropriate, A Zhong quickly explained that he had just returned from finishing business in Jincheng, that he had run into Zhou Jin Bei by chance, and they were simply going to have a meal together. The colleague didn't think much of it, greeted them, and left.
Zhou Jin Bei, however, found something odd. Observing A Zhong's nervous reaction, as if he were afraid of others misunderstanding their relationship, she wondered if she was that insignificant. Or perhaps, he actually had feelings for someone else and was afraid of jeopardizing that by being seen with her? With this thought, the extinguished anger flared up again.