Huayu 2021: Isn’t he in the technology field?

Chapter 307 Wild Child's peace of mind couldn't wait any longer.

Just after six o'clock in the evening, the twilight gently enveloped Luyang City.

The car glided smoothly into a quiet alley and stopped in front of a Hui-style courtyard with white walls, black tiles, and towering horse-head walls.

A small wooden sign hangs above the door, engraved with the elegant characters "Huiyun".

"arrive."

Jiang Qing opened the car door for Zhou Ye, and the cool air of early spring evening, carrying the unique tranquility of the alley, rushed towards them.

Zhou Ye curiously looked around at the quiet place in the middle of the bustling city. There was a path paved with bluestone slabs, a few branches of winter plum blossoms with new buds peeking out from the corner of the wall, and a few simple lanterns hanging under the eaves, their warm yellow light illuminating the ancient wooden carved doors.

"What a beautiful place."

She praised softly and naturally took Jiang Qing's arm.

"A friend recommended this private kitchen, saying the taste is very authentic. After eating here a few times, I often come here."

Jiang Qing led her inside, pushed open the heavy wooden door, and revealed a hidden world inside.

In the small courtyard, a shallow pond holds several koi carp, with the water flowing gently.

A waiter dressed in plain cotton and linen clothes smiled and led them through the corridor into an elegant private room called "Listening to the Pines".

The private room wasn't large, with a square eight-immortal table, two round-backed chairs, and ink paintings of landscapes hanging on the walls. The window faced a meticulously arranged dry landscape courtyard with a few bluestones and short pine trees, creating a serene and distant atmosphere.

After we were seated, the waiter served us warm Mao Feng tea and then quietly left.

Zhou Ye held the warm teacup in both hands, the warmth dispelling the slight chill from her fingertips. Unable to contain her curiosity, she tilted her head to look at Jiang Qing, who was flipping through the menu.

"Jiang Qing, who exactly is this friend you're talking about? They're being so mysterious."

Her voice carried a coquettish urgency.

Jiang Qing looked up from the menu, a faint smile curving her lips, and pushed the menu in front of her.

"What's the rush? You'll find out in a bit. Let's see what you want to eat."

"Hey, stop keeping me in suspense!"

Zhou Ye muttered a dissatisfied remark, but his attention was still drawn to the dishes on the menu, which had very distinctive local characteristics.

"They all seem pretty good."

"Then let's try them all."

Jiang Qing smiled even more as she looked at her conflicted yet eager expression, and then picked up her phone to scan the QR code and order all the signature dishes.

Then, as if casually asking, he did so.

"Filming for 'Heart Protection' has just wrapped up. What are your plans next? Are you planning to take a break?"

"Yeah, I need to catch my breath."

Zhou Ye put down the menu and looked at him, resting his chin on his hand.

"But the company has already piled up a lot of scripts for me, saying I should rest for a few days and then start choosing. Oh, by the way."

Her eyes lit up as if she had remembered something.

"The Peach Blossom Village production team contacted me, wanting me to continue participating in the second season! What about you? Did they invite you?"

"Yes, I received it too."

Jiang Qing nodded.

"then you……"

Zhou Ye looked at him with some anticipation.

"I'm not participating."

Jiang Qing's answer was straightforward.

"Huh? Why?"

Zhou Ye was somewhat surprised. She had been thinking that if Jiang Qing participated, then it wouldn't hurt for her to participate as well.

"There are a lot going on at the company this year, and I'm stretched thin."

Jiang Qing gave a brief explanation, then asked a question in return.

"What about you?"

Zhou Ye immediately shook his head, the stray hairs on his forehead swaying as he did so.

"If you're not going, then I won't go either! It's no fun going alone, and besides..."

Her voice was softer, with a hint of dependence.

"I also want to spend more time with you."

Jiang Qing looked at her undisguised and straightforward feelings, her gaze softened, and she was about to say something when clear footsteps came from outside the private room, followed by a knock on the door.

"Dong dong dong."

Jiang Qing stopped talking and responded loudly.

"come in."

Zhou Ye quickly tidied his hair and straightened his posture.

Although she didn't know who the person was, she couldn't let Jiang Qing down.

The door was pushed open, and two young men with very different styles walked in one after the other.

The first one had a messy, unkempt hairstyle, wore a black hoodie with an unidentified code pattern, and his jeans were worn and faded at the knees. He looked tired from staying up all night, but he was full of energy.

The man following behind was completely different. He wore a well-pressed light blue shirt, buttoned up to the top, with a dark V-neck sweater over it, and frameless glasses. He exuded the serious demeanor of a typical STEM guy.

"Old Jiang! Sorry, there was a bit of traffic on the way!"

The young man with the messy hair had a loud voice and greeted everyone with a smile. His gaze then fell on Zhou Ye, and his smile widened.

"Lao Jiang."

The meticulous young man nodded, his gaze lingering on Zhou Ye for a moment, with a polite, inquisitive look.

The visitors were Zhao Quan and Zhang Bin. When they weren't at the company, they addressed each other very casually in private.

Jiang Qing stood up with a smile and naturally raised her hand to introduce herself.

"It's good that you've arrived, Xiao Ye. These two are my college roommates, Zhang Bin and Zhao Quan. They're helping me at the company now."

He pointed to the two of them respectively, then turned to them, his tone carrying a familiarity that needed no further explanation.

"This is Zhou Ye."

When Zhou Ye heard the words "college roommate", his heart skipped a beat.

She understood almost instantly the significance of Jiang Qing bringing her to meet these two people.

This wasn't an ordinary dinner party; it was a formal introduction of his very important friend to her.

This represents a deeper level of recognition.

A tremendous sense of security instantly welled up in her heart, making her heart flutter slightly.

Almost instinctively, she immediately stood up from her seat, her face quickly breaking into the brightest, most enthusiastic smile.

"Hello! I'm Zhou Ye! You can just call me Yezi!"

Her voice was clear and crisp, carrying just the right amount of enthusiasm, and she proactively extended her hand.

"I've heard Jiang Qing mention you before, and I'm so happy to finally meet you today!"

Her reaction was enthusiastic and sincere, without the affected reserve often associated with female celebrities.

Zhao Quan and Zhang Bin exchanged a glance, both seeing the knowing smile in each other's eyes.

They've known Jiang Qing for so many years, from their undergraduate days to starting a business together, they know each other inside and out.

Jiang Qing has had many outstanding female companions, but Zhou Ye is the first one that he has formally introduced to his "family" like this.

Although they had met Meng Ziyi at the company before, it was clearly not as formal as this time.

Moreover, judging from Zhou Ye's reaction, they understood the significance of this meeting. His genuine attitude earned their approval.

"Yoko, is that you? Nice to meet you!"

Zhang Bin quickly stepped forward and warmly shook Zhou Ye's hand.

"Just call me Zhang Bin! We have a life-or-death bond with Lao Jiang, so the people he brings are our own people!"

He is outgoing and speaks frankly.

Zhao Quan, on the other hand, was more composed. He adjusted his glasses, extended his hand, and gently shook hands with Zhou Ye, his smile warm.

"Hello Yezi, you can just call me Zhao Quan. Welcome to Luyang."

He paused, then glanced at Jiang Qing.

"Old Jiang has always had a good eye."

The phrase "good taste" made Zhou Ye's cheeks flush slightly, and he glanced at Jiang Qing somewhat embarrassedly.

Jiang Qing simply smiled and gestured for everyone to sit down.

"Alright, stop standing. Sit down, let's eat and chat."

The waiters filed in and began serving the dishes.

Exquisite blue-and-white porcelain plates held tempting Huizhou specialties: stinky mandarin fish that smelled pungent but tasted delicious, hairy tofu covered in fine fuzz pan-fried to a golden brown, tender winter bamboo shoots and ham stewed in a rich and flavorful broth, and other dishes like braised pork belly and stir-fried eggs with rock tripe. The aroma instantly filled the entire private room. "Come on, Yezi, don't be shy, try this hairy tofu! It looks scary, but it tastes amazing!"

Zhang Bin enthusiastically took on the role of introducing and serving the food, using serving chopsticks to put a large piece on Zhou Ye's plate.

Zhao Quan also turned the stewed winter bamboo shoot and ham soup, which had been cooked until tender, to her.

"Yezi, try this soup, it's very delicious. Filming is hard work, this is a good way to nourish yourself."

The two people flanked him, attending to him with such attentiveness and care that they completely ignored Jiang Qing, the person in question.

Looking at the mountain of bowls and plates piled up in front of him, Zhou Ye felt a mix of amusement and exasperation, yet also a warm feeling in his heart.

"Thank you! I can do it myself, you guys eat quickly!"

Jiang Qing slowly ladled herself a bowl of soup, watching Zhou Ye, who was being surrounded by the two's enthusiasm and was a little overwhelmed, with a indulgent smile in her eyes, without interrupting.

"Hey, don't be so polite with us!"

Zhang Bin took a bite of rice, and seeing Zhou Ye's beautiful yet unpretentious appearance, he started talking non-stop.

"Yezi, let me tell you, don't let our old Jiang's current image as a respectable CEO fool you. Back in school, he was quite the big shot! But even big shots have their embarrassing moments, haha!"

"Oh?"

Zhou Ye immediately became interested, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Zhang Bin.

"What embarrassing thing happened? Tell me quickly!"

As she asked the question, she subconsciously glanced at Jiang Qing again, a mischievous smile on her face.

Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow, slowly took a sip of soup, and looked calm and collected, as if to say whatever she wanted.

"Hey, there are so many!"

Zhang Bin got excited.

"Once, a girl from some department, probably captivated by Lao Jiang's genius, blocked his way at our dorm entrance! Goodness, Lao Jiang was late coming back from the lab that day, and just as he reached the stairwell, that girl stopped him and, in front of a whole building of guys watching the spectacle, handed him a love letter and confessed her feelings! The scene was... wow..."

Zhou Ye listened with great interest, imagining Jiang Qing being blocked at the dormitory door, and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"And then what? What was his reaction?"

"He?"

Zhang Bin imitated Jiang Qing's manner back then, putting on a stern face and becoming very serious.

"He pushed up his glasses—oh, he still wore glasses back then!—and said to the girl in a very serious tone, 'Excuse me, classmate, I need to go back to my dorm.' Then, he squeezed through the gap between the girl and the wall without even turning his head! The girl was completely stunned, her face turning red and white. You wouldn't believe it, but later it spread throughout our department that Jiang Qing was the epitome of an oblivious, clueless straight man!"

"Hahahaha!"

Zhou Ye laughed so hard he almost choked, so he quickly covered his mouth, tears welling up in his eyes.

She looked at Jiang Qing with a mocking gaze.

"So Dr. Jiang has this title?"

Jiang Qing glanced at Zhang Bin helplessly, her tone calm and composed.

"Zhang Bin, you were having a good time eating sunflower seeds and watching the commotion on the dormitory balcony, weren't you?"

Zhang Bin chuckled, showing no sign of guilt.

Zhao Quan smiled, adjusted his glasses, and then added.

"Another time, in my junior year, during the Advanced Quantum Mechanics class, the professor was explaining a derivation, and Lao Jiang was looking at the literature. He noticed that the professor's explanation of a certain point differed from the latest research. During the break, he took the literature to the professor to discuss it. You wouldn't believe the professor's expression at that moment. At first, he was dismissive, then shocked, and then excited! He dragged Lao Jiang into his office and discussed it for a full two hours! Later, when the professor came to his class again, he patted Lao Jiang on the shoulder and said, 'Jiang Qing, from now on, either don't come to my class, or if you do, don't say a word. If you open your mouth, I can't continue the class!'"

"Yes, yes, yes! I remember that too!"

Zhang Bin slapped the table and laughed.

"After that, Brother Qing became a legend! He was known as the Professor Terminator! Going to class was purely out of respect for the professor!"

The meal proceeded in a cheerful atmosphere as Zhang Bin and Zhao Quan chatted back and forth, constantly revealing Jiang Qing's "glorious history."

Zhou Ye listened with a beaming smile, occasionally letting out exclamations of surprise or clear laughter, his bowl of food never empty.

Jiang Qing mostly listened quietly, occasionally being called upon, she would just smile helplessly, or give a casual rebuttal, which would elicit even more laughter from Zhou Ye.

The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was relaxed and lively.

Zhou Ye could clearly sense Zhao Quan and Zhang Bin's goodwill towards him. Their familiar and teasing remarks about Jiang Qing proved the deep affection between them.

Jiang Qing's willingness to let her integrate into this circle warmed her heart, making her feel sweet and incredibly at ease.

Dinner ended in a pleasant atmosphere.

Stepping out of the private kitchen courtyard, the air of the early spring night carried the crisp scent of grass and trees.

At the alley entrance, Zhou Zhengkai was already waiting in his car.

"Bin-ge, Quan-ge, goodbye! Today was so much fun!"

Zhou Ye stood by the car, waving goodbye to the two with a bright smile.

Goodbye, Yezi! Come visit again sometime!

Zhang Bin waved casually.

"Be careful on the road."

Zhao Quan nodded with a smile.

Jiang Qing briefly explained some work-related matters to the two of them, and then sat down in the back row with Zhou Ye.

The car drove smoothly toward Binhu Shuangxi.

The city outside the car window was ablaze with lights, and the neon lights cast dappled shadows in Zhou Ye's bright eyes.

She calmed down, leaned slightly against Jiang Qing's shoulder, and naturally wrapped one arm around his arm, nuzzling him gently.

Soothing music played in the carriage, and no one spoke.

But a silent emotion permeated the space between the two.

Zhou Ye's heartbeat was steady and strong, and an unprecedented sense of security enveloped her.

Zhao Quan and Zhang Bin's attitudes at dinner, and Jiang Qing's calm yet solemn introduction, were like solid foundation stones, building a warm and safe harbor in her heart.

She was no longer the somewhat uneasy little actress who needed to look up to him; she truly felt the importance of being included in his life.

This profound sense of security surged within her, transforming into an impulse to tightly embrace the person before her.

The car drove into the underground parking lot of Binhu Shuangxi and came to a smooth stop.

Zhou Zhengkai said in a low voice, "President Jiang, Miss Zhou, we've arrived," and then quietly got out of the car to wait.

Jiang Qing turned to the side, preparing to open the door and get out of the car.

Just as his fingers touched the doorknob, his arm was forcefully pulled by a cool and soft hand.

He turned around in surprise.

In the dim light, Zhou Ye's eyes shone with an astonishing brightness, as if they had fallen into the stars.

She looked at him, and without any hesitation or preparation, she leaned forward abruptly, her hands quickly and firmly hooking around his neck, pulling him down slightly.

Then, she tilted her head back with a definitive determination and kissed his lips.

The kiss came suddenly and directly.

Her movements were even a little clumsy yet eager, like a small animal that had finally found its way home and was eager to confirm its territory, expressing without reservation the happiness that filled her heart at that moment.

After a slight initial shock, Jiang Qing's body instantly relaxed.

He was not passive at all; he almost immediately took the initiative.

He held her lower back firmly with one hand, pulling her closer into his embrace, while his other hand caressed her cheek, deepening the kiss that she had initiated.

The temperature suddenly rose in the cramped back seat of the train car.

Their breaths mingled, and their heartbeats could be clearly heard in the quiet space.

Zhou Ye tightened his grip on his neck, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the short hair at the back of his neck.

Jiang Qing's kisses, initially gentle, gradually became passionate and possessive, guiding her awkward responses.

After an unknown amount of time, until both of them were somewhat out of breath, Zhou Ye stepped back slightly, his forehead pressed against Zhou Ye's, breathing rapidly.

Her cheeks were burning hot, and her eyes were moist, as if veiled in mist, clearly reflecting his image. She was a little shy, but mostly joyful.

Jiang Qing looked at her like this and chuckled softly.

He raised his hand and gently wiped away a suspicious water stain from the corner of her lips with his fingertips, his voice filled with doting affection.

"So happy?"

Zhou Ye nodded vigorously, rubbing his forehead against him, his voice soft and sweet, with a hint of coquettishness in his nose.

"Yes! I'm extremely happy!"

She paused, then buried her face in the crook of his neck, her muffled voice filled with complete trust.

"Jiang Qing, thank you. Thank you for introducing your friend to me, thank you for bringing me so close to your world."

Jiang Qing didn't ask what he was thanking her for. He simply tightened his arms around her and gently rubbed his chin against the top of her head in silent response.

Outside the car window, the city's nighttime hustle and bustle continues.

Inside the carriage was their own warm and quiet little world.

(End of this chapter)