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

Chapter 411 Please take me back with you.

The following afternoon, after finishing her company business, Jiang Qing drove back to Binhu Shuangxi.

The company remains a scene of non-stop busy work.

The tsunami-like response from the press conference has yet to subside, and invitations for cooperation consultations, media requests, and technical exchanges are pouring in like snowflakes.

Jiang Qing chaired a high-level meeting and arranged the duty roster and work-from-home plan for the Spring Festival period.

The holiday, which should have started several days ago, had to be postponed because of this press conference. Even those who were not on duty at the company had to be ready to work at any time and keep their phones on.

Even the annual company party, which is usually held every year, has to be postponed until after the new year. Right now, everyone is like a tightly wound spring, dealing with the overwhelming amount of work in their respective positions.

Of course, the generous year-end bonus meant that no one complained; on the contrary, everyone was full of energy.

It was already getting dark when the car approached the gate of the residential area.

On a cold winter evening, pedestrians on the roadside wrapped their coats tightly and hurried along.

Jiang Qing was about to drive into the driveway when her gaze swept across the area and she spotted a tall figure that looked somewhat familiar under the streetlights next to the gate of the residential complex.

It was Wang Churan.

She changed her outfit today, looking more casual and... more resistant to the cold than yesterday.

A short brown down jacket was left open, revealing a gray sweater with a tie underneath. She paired it with loose blue jeans and white sneakers.

Her long hair was draped over her shoulders, and she wore a mask, revealing only a pair of large, bright eyes with light makeup.

Despite her simple attire, her superior figure and outstanding temperament were still hard to conceal.

The loose sweater subtly outlined the full curves of her upper body, and the seemingly ordinary jeans stood out even more against the backdrop of her straight long legs and pert buttocks.

She stood there under the streetlight, occasionally stamping her feet, her breath visible in the cold air.

Upon seeing Jiang Qing's car, she immediately waved her hands, her eyes instantly curving into two crescent moons. Even through her mask, one could feel her overflowing joy.

Jiang Qing slowly parked the car next to her, rolled down the window, and a gust of cold wind immediately rushed in.

"Jiang Shen!"

Wang Churan's voice was cheerful, with a slight tremor from the cold wind.

Her face, especially around her exposed eye sockets, was red from the cold, indicating that she had been waiting there for quite some time.

Jiang Qing was somewhat surprised and also a little amused by her appearance.

Why are you still here? Haven't you gone home?

The tone was quite helpless.

Wang smiled sheepishly, her eyes flickering slightly. She put her hands in her down jacket pockets and shrank back a little.

"Um... Jiang Shen, it's so cold outside, could we... get in the car first?"

Jiang Qing glanced at her red nose, then at the cold weather outside the car, sighed, and unlocked the car.

"Get in the car."

"Thank you, Jiang Shen!"

Wang Churan immediately responded cheerfully, quickly opened the passenger door and got in, bringing in a blast of outdoor cold air.

Jiang Qing rolled up the car window again, turned up the heater, and then started the car and drove towards the entrance of the residential area.

The car fell silent for a moment, with only the sound of the air conditioning vents blowing warm air.

Wang took off her mask, revealing a pretty face with a slight blush.

She rubbed her stiff hands together, occasionally glancing furtively at Jiang Qing.

The car smoothly drove into the underground parking garage, and after parking, the two got out and headed for the elevator.

Jiang Qing pressed the elevator button, and Wang Cheran followed quietly behind him, like an obedient primary school student.

The elevator went up and quickly reached the top floor.

Facial recognition opens the front door, and warm air instantly rushes in.

As Jiang Qing walked into the living room, she casually placed her car keys on the cabinet in the entryway. While taking off her coat, she glanced at Wang Churan, who seemed a little awkward as she followed in, but whose eyes held a hint of excitement.

"Now you can tell me, what happened? Didn't I tell you to go back today?"

Jiang Qing walked to the central island counter, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to her.

Wang Churan took the water glass with both hands, holding it in her palms, the warmth dispelling some of the chill.

She lowered her head, looking at the shimmering water in the glass, her voice a little softer than before.

“My mother went on a trip abroad with her friends during the Chinese New Year and is not at home.”

Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow and looked at her with a strange expression.

Is this the time to travel abroad?

He was certain that this was inextricably linked to the girl in front of him.

"What about your dad?"

Jiang Qing followed up with a question.

Wang's expression instantly darkened, and the fingers holding the water glass tightened slightly.

"My parents... they divorced a long time ago."

She looked up, trying to force a smile, but it looked somewhat forced.

So... I have nowhere to go now.

Jiang Qing noticed the fleeting sadness in her eyes, and combined with her earlier mention of her parents' divorce, fell silent.

He originally wanted to point out directly that she might have had some ulterior motives that led to this situation, but after hearing about her family situation and seeing her looking helpless as she held the water glass with her head down, he swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

The living room was quiet for a moment.

After a while, Jiang Qing spoke again, his tone much gentler.

"Have you had dinner?"

Wang Chran immediately raised her head, her face instantly brightening with surprise, and she hurriedly shook her head.

"no!"

After saying that, she awkwardly reached out and covered her stomach, adding in a low voice.

I'm a little hungry...

Jiang Qing looked at her undisguised happiness and straightforward actions, and shook her head with amusement.

"Wait, then."

He gave a brief instruction, then turned around, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and headed towards the kitchen.

Wang Churan guessed what Jiang Qing was going to do and was so excited that she almost jumped up. She immediately followed him to the kitchen island, her eyes sparkling as she stared at his back.

Jiang Qing glanced back at her, signaling with her eyes that she should just stay put.

Wang Churan immediately nodded obediently, stood still with her hands behind her back, but her eyes remained fixed on his busy figure.

Jiang Qing opened the refrigerator and took out several ingredients.

With practiced movements, they washed, chopped, and heated oil in a wok... Soon, the rhythmic sound of chopping vegetables filled the kitchen, accompanied by the sizzling of oil in the wok, and the aroma of food gradually permeated the room.

Wang Churan stared at him without blinking.

Watching Jiang Qing's tall figure bustling around the stove, watching his profile as he focused on preparing the ingredients, watching this scene full of warmth and life, an unprecedented sense of happiness enveloped her.

She had imagined this scene countless times when she saw Jiang Qing cooking for others on the Peach Blossom Pavilion program.

She never imagined that the scene she had dreamed of countless times would come true so quickly in such a way!

Is this really not a dream?
Wang looked at everything before him with greed, wanting to imprint this scene deeply into his mind.

She wanted to freeze time at this moment.

About half an hour later, Jiang Qing turned off the stove.

A simple four-dish meal with soup was served, its color, aroma, and taste all appealing, steaming hot.

"Come over for dinner."

Jiang Qing greeted them and took off her apron to wash her hands.

Wang Churan immediately and enthusiastically helped get the bowls and chopsticks and serve the rice, her face beaming with an irrepressible smile.

Soon, the two were sitting opposite each other at the dining table.

Wang picked up a piece of chicken and put it in his mouth. He chewed and tasted it carefully, and then his eyes lit up. He praised it sincerely.

"Jiang Shen, your spicy chicken is so delicious! It's better than any restaurant I've ever been to!"

She was telling the truth; this meal was indeed the most delicious she had ever tasted.

Jiang Qing smiled gently, her tone casual.

"Just something I made to fill my stomach."

After saying that, he picked up his chopsticks and started eating.

During the meal, Wang Cheran started talking again, but this time she mainly praised the taste of the food and shared some interesting stories about eating on set while filming. Her voice was light and cheerful, and her eyes were always bright as she stared at Jiang Qing.

Jiang Qing mostly just listened, occasionally responding with a word or two, and the atmosphere was fairly relaxed.

After finishing the meal, Wang Churan immediately got up and cleared away the dishes.

"Jiang Shen, I'll do the dishes! You can rest!"

This time, Jiang Qing didn't stop her and let her do what she wanted.

Wang Cherishedly and deftly gathered the dishes into the kitchen sink, tied on an apron, and began washing them carefully.

She does housework quite well, without any of the spoiled airs of a female celebrity.

After tidying up and restoring everything to its original state, Wang took off her apron, wiped her hands clean, and walked back into the living room.

Jiang Qing had already stood up and picked up her car keys.

"Come on, I'll take you back to the hotel."

Wang Churan showed no surprise on her face, nor did she argue; she nodded obediently.

"it is good."

Jiang Qing hadn't expected her to be so cooperative this time. She glanced at her before turning around and walking out.

The two went downstairs together and got into the car.

The car drove out of the garage and merged into the nighttime traffic.

Throughout the journey, Wang Churan quietly gazed at the night view outside the window, no longer chattering incessantly as before. As they neared the hotel, Jiang Qing spoke again, her tone calm yet leaving no room for refusal.

"Go back tomorrow. It's not a good idea for you to stay in Luyang forever."

Wang turned her head to look at him, the neon lights outside the car window flickering on her face.

She was silent for a few seconds before speaking softly.

“Jiang Shen, I really have nowhere to go… After my parents divorced, I’m not close to any of my relatives anymore, so going back home for the New Year is pretty pointless.”

Jiang Qing kept her eyes on the road, focused on driving, and only responded faintly to the question.

"I'll be working overtime at the company for the next few days, I'll be very busy and won't have time to take care of you."

"It's ok!"

Wang immediately chimed in, his tone urgent.

"Jiang Shen, you don't need to worry about me, really! I can take care of myself and I definitely won't bother you at work!"

Jiang Qing glanced at her through the rearview mirror, saw the stubbornness in her eyes, and finally just sighed almost imperceptibly without saying anything more.

Wang Churan saw his reaction and her lips curled up almost imperceptibly.

Not refusing means consent.

The car stopped in front of the hotel.

"arrive."

Jiang Qing reminded her.

Wang nervously unbuckled his seatbelt, but did not get out of the car immediately.

She turned her head and looked at Jiang Qing's profile with a serious expression.

"Jiang Shen, thank you for dinner tonight, and... thank you for letting me stay for a while."

"Okay, go upstairs and get some rest."

Jiang Qing nodded.

Goodnight, Jiang Shen.

Wang Churan then opened the car door and got out, standing on the roadside and waving to Jiang Qing inside the car with a smile.

Jiang Qing nodded slightly to her, then drove away.

Wang stood there, watching Jiang Qing's taillights disappear around the corner of the street, before the obedient smile on her face gradually changed, and the corners of her mouth turned up, forming a smug arc.

She knew that as long as she acted pitiful and obedient enough, he wouldn't really have the heart to kick her out.

With that thought in mind, she turned around and walked briskly toward the hotel entrance, humming an unknown tune with a cheerful rhythm.

Everything is going according to plan~
The next day, the sun rose as usual, and the festive atmosphere on the streets grew even stronger.

After the company officially started its holiday, the Wuwen Park became visibly deserted, with only essential staff on duty and a few senior executives like Jiang Qing who still had urgent matters to attend to coming and going.

However, this desolation seemed to have no place in Jiang Qing's life.

Every morning, when Jiang Qing stepped into the office, Wang Churan was almost always already there before him.

She was either sitting quietly on the sofa in the reception area flipping through magazines, or working on something on her own laptop.

Her attire remained impeccable, mostly simple and elegant styles, such as sweaters paired with trousers or tailored dresses, which were neither overly flamboyant nor eye-catching, yet perfectly accentuated her tall and beautiful figure.

Ever since she was first stopped by the access control on the first floor, Jiang Qing had Chen Duo grant her temporary access, after which she entered and exited Wuwen Technology as freely as if it were her own company.

At first, when the employees saw the female celebrity appear outside the boss's office, they couldn't help but take a few more glances and whisper among themselves.

But Wang Churan acted extremely naturally, without any airs of a celebrity, and would even smile at the employees who looked over.

When Jiang Qing is busy, she never disturbs her. She either waits quietly or helps Chen Duo with some trivial matters within her ability, such as organizing the documents sent to Jiang Qing's office or ordering snacks and milk tea for the staff who are working overtime.

She was sweet-talking and hardworking, always smiling at everyone she met. Over time, everyone got used to her presence.

Some of the bolder younger employees would even greet her half-jokingly.

"Good morning, Secretary Wang!"

Wang Churan wasn't annoyed at all; instead, she responded with a generous smile.

Good morning, have you had breakfast yet?

The title "Secretary Wang" spread, half-truthfully and half-falsely, within a small circle of the company.

Jiang Qing neither confirmed nor denied this, which can be considered tacit approval.

He could tell that Wang Churan was determined to stay in Luyang and remain within his sight.

Since he couldn't persuade her to leave, he decided not to waste any more words as long as she didn't disrupt his work.

Thus, a peculiar daily routine was formed.

During the day, Jiang Qing dealt with mountains of documents, held necessary video conferences, and listened to reports from company executives on the progress of Wanxiang Ecology and the next steps in technology research and development.

Wang Churan was truly like a dutiful secretary, handing him a glass of water at just the right temperature whenever he needed it, or chatting with him about interesting things that happened on set during his short breaks to help him relax.

Her presence was perfectly timed, neither making him feel spied on nor failing to make him aware of her presence at all times.

As evening approached, she would naturally gaze at him, her clear, large eyes filled with anticipation as she asked him a question.

"Jiang Shen, are you going home to cook today?"

Jiang Qing would often glance at her and then give a soft "hmm".

The two then left the company together, with Jiang Qing driving them home.

He has already given Zhou Zhengkai a holiday, and it's the Lunar New Year, so he can have some time to spend with his family.

Jiang Qing usually cooks dinner, while Wang Churan helps out, washing vegetables, handing out plates, and bustling around, her face always beaming with satisfaction.

She had countless times envied those who could eat Jiang Qing's cooking on the Peach Blossom Pavilion program, but now it had become her daily routine.

It's like a dream.

Wang Churan greedily savored all of this, imprinting every single moment in his heart.

At the dinner table, she would chatter on about the interesting things she saw at the company that day, which programmer was scratching his head because of a bug, which department was both distressed and excited by the surge in Wanxiang's access volume, or share some new discussions she heard about Wanxiang.

Jiang Qing was mostly a listener, occasionally amused by her vivid descriptions, and would also offer a few simple explanations regarding some of the technical discussions she mentioned.

These days were peaceful and routine, almost giving Wang a false sense of security, as if this was how things were supposed to be between them, as if she would always stay by his side, spending one ordinary yet extraordinary day and night after another.

However, the temporary peace will eventually be broken.

The 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, the day before Lunar New Year's Eve.

In the evening, the two of them had dinner in the living and dining room of Binhu Shuangxi, just like the previous days.

The aroma of food still lingered on the dining table. Wang Cheran was sipping her soup with satisfaction, wondering if she should find an excuse to stay a little longer, such as helping him tidy up his study.

At this moment, Jiang Qing, who was sitting opposite her, put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth with a napkin, and spoke in a casual tone, breaking the warm tranquility.

"Tomorrow is Lunar New Year's Eve, and I have to go home for the New Year."

Wang Cherish suddenly stopped the soup spoon she was about to bring to her mouth.

She slowly put down the small white porcelain spoon in her hand, and the spoon gently touched the rim of the bowl, making a crisp "ding" sound.

She raised her eyes and looked directly at Jiang Qing.

Under the bright lights of the living room, the relaxed and cheerful expression on her elegant and beautiful face faded away like the tide. Instead of immediate surprise or disappointment, she became unusually calm.

But those eyes, which were always full of smiles, seemed to have suddenly lost all their luster, becoming unfathomable, staring fixedly at Jiang Qing, as if trying to pierce through his pupils and see all the meaning behind his words.

She didn't speak, and the air in the restaurant seemed to freeze at that moment.

In the distance outside the window, the occasional burst of fireworks piercing the air serves as a reminder that the year-end is approaching, further emphasizing the silence inside.

Jiang Qing looked at her suddenly changed gaze, but did not look away. She simply looked back at her calmly, waiting for her reaction.

A few seconds later, Wang Cheran's eyelashes trembled slightly, as fragile as butterfly wings.

She pursed her lips slightly.

"So... Jiang Shen, you're... leaving tomorrow?"

Her tone was soft, as if afraid of disturbing something, but her eyes, fixed on Jiang Qing, betrayed that her inner peace was far from what appeared to be.

"Ah."

Jiang Qing nodded.

Wang's fingers, which were resting on the dining table, curled slightly.

She lowered her head, avoiding Jiang Qing's gaze, her eyes falling on the bowl of soup in front of her, which was only half full and the steam was thinning out.

Silence fell over the restaurant again, broken only by the ticking of the clock on the wall, a rhythmic sound that resonated in Wang Churan's heart.

She kept her head down for a long time, so long that Jiang Qing thought she was sad or trying to find the right words to refute her, when she suddenly chuckled softly.

Then, she raised her head again, and a smile spread across her face once more.

However, this smile was completely different from the bright, cheerful, and energetic smile he usually wore. It was somewhat forced, and the upward curve of his lips was deliberate. Instead of a smile, there seemed to be some emotion surging and accumulating deep in his eyes.

"Yes... it's almost Chinese New Year."

She seemed to be talking to herself, or perhaps to Jiang Qing; her voice was soft, yet inexplicably conveyed a sense of stubbornness.

"On New Year's Eve, you really should be with your family..."

The last syllable seemed to tremble.

Wang Churan's gaze refocused on Jiang Qing's face, his eyes becoming exceptionally complex, interwoven with intense reluctance, an almost stubborn attachment, and a hint of... a resolute determination that had emerged after being cornered.

Jiang Qing frowned as he looked at the forced, unnatural smile on her face and the surging emotions in her eyes that she could barely contain.

He was familiar with her obedient and enthusiastic side, and had witnessed her fervent obsession when she confessed her love, but the undercurrents beneath her calm surface made him sense a new danger signal.

He had a premonition that what she was about to say would not be so simple.

Wang took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

She leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixed intently on Jiang Qing, his image clearly reflected in her eyes, as if he were the only person left in her entire world.

"Jiang Shen, since you're going home tomorrow... then... take me with you, okay?"

The voice remained very soft, carrying a hint of cautious probing.

Jiang Qing raised an eyebrow and met her gaze.

Her eyes told him that she was serious.

For a moment, the room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

(End of this chapter)