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

Chapter 412 A rollercoaster of emotions, like being in a dream

In front of the dining table.

The forced smile on Wang Churan's face had not completely faded, but the stubbornness surging in her eyes was clearly visible.

Her slightly forward-leaning body, like a vine yearning for sunlight, tightly entwined itself around Jiang Qing, this great tree.

Jiang Qing was silent for a moment, then unconsciously tapped her fingertips lightly on the table twice, making a soft "tap-tap" sound.

A few seconds later, he raised his eyes and calmly looked at Wang Cherish's face.

“Curious, it’s not appropriate for me to take you home for the New Year.”

He saw Wang Churan's eyes darken, but to avoid unnecessary trouble, he continued speaking.

"After all, it's Chinese New Year, a time for family reunions. If I suddenly bring you back, what will my family think? They'll definitely misunderstand our relationship. Besides, starting from the first day of the Lunar New Year, relatives will be visiting each other, and with so many people coming and going, it'll be difficult for me to explain your identity."

"It's okay, Jiang Shen! Just tell your aunt and uncle that we're friends! Just say... just say that my family is all abroad, and I'm all alone in China. They saw how pitiful I was spending the New Year all alone, so they took me back with them. Is that alright?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Wang Churan immediately chimed in, speaking quickly and urgently trying to persuade him.

She unconsciously clenched her hands on her knees, her eyes fixed on Jiang Qing, afraid of missing any slight change in his expression.

Jiang Qing looked at the cautious pleading in her eyes, sighed inwardly, and softened his tone.

"Cran, have you thought about what this means for a girl? During the Chinese New Year, going home with a guy like me, even if it's under the guise of friendship, will cause a lot of gossip among relatives and neighbors. If word gets out, it won't be good for your reputation."

"I do not care!"

Wang Churan blurted out the words almost without thinking, her voice rising slightly with excitement, and her cheeks flushing slightly.

"I don't care what others say or think! Jiang Shen, I only care about..."

Her words came to an abrupt halt. The last few words, "I only care about you," rolled on her tongue, but she swallowed them back. She simply stared intently at Jiang Qing with burning eyes, her chest rising and falling slightly.

Jiang met her gaze without flinching or showing any emotion.

He just watched her quietly, looking at the burning passion and stubbornness in her eyes, and the unmistakable emotions that were almost overflowing.

The air in the restaurant seemed to freeze, with only the second hand of the wall clock stubbornly ticking away, making a regular ticking sound.

After a full half minute, Jiang Qing gently shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Cheran, I really can't take you home."

These words were like a needle, gently puncturing the balloon that Wang Cherish was barely holding together.

The tense and stubborn aura around her instantly dissipated, her shoulders slumped slightly, and she seemed to have all her strength drained away, leaning back in her chair in a daze.

She stopped speaking, lowered her head, and her thick eyelashes drooped down, concealing all the turbulent emotions in her eyes.

Her cheeks, which had been flushed just moments before, had now lost their color and appeared somewhat pale.

Jiang Qing didn't say anything more, but just looked at her silently.

A few minutes later, Wang stood up silently, his movements somewhat slow.

She didn't look at Jiang Qing and walked straight to the entrance.

The figure appeared somewhat lonely under the lamplight, conveying a strong sense of loss.

At the entrance, she stopped and stood with her back to Jiang Qing for a while before slowly turning around. She forced a smile, the corners of her mouth pulled upwards stiffly, and her eyes held no joy, only sadness.

"Jiang Shen."

Her voice was soft, with a slight sob in it.

"Thank you... thank you for taking me in these past few days. I... I'll head back to the hotel now."

After saying that, as if afraid that she would regret it or lose her composure, she quickly opened the front door, stepped aside and slipped out, not forgetting to gently close the door behind her.

"Click."

With a soft click, the door closed, completely shutting out the forced smile from the back of the person inside, and taking away the last extra sound from the room.

Jiang Qing sat alone at the dining table, her gaze fixed on the empty seat opposite her, where only bowls and chopsticks remained. She remained motionless for a long time.

After a while, he raised his hand and rubbed his temples hard, a deep sense of exhaustion washing over him.

He wasn't completely oblivious to Wang Churan's presence these past few days, to her cautious yet eager gaze.

However, there was another, even heavier burden weighing on his mind.

He had been keeping an eye on Zhou Ye's movements with Thirteen.

Knowing that she had returned to her maternal grandmother's house in the mountain city, she stayed at home and rarely went out. She even rarely touched electronic products such as mobile phones and computers, as if she had deliberately cut off her connection with the outside world, especially the Internet world.

Jiang Qing could guess that she was probably afraid of seeing any news related to him, whether good or bad.

This desire to completely escape his self-isolation made him feel both heartbroken and guilty.

The unresolved matter concerning Zhou Ye was like an invisible thread tugging at his heart, preventing him from truly relaxing.

But... the image of Wang Cheran's dejected departure kept replaying in my mind.

Are we really going to leave her alone in a hotel during the Lunar New Year?

Her mother was not in the country, and her relationship with her father was distant... Thinking of these things, Jiang Qing couldn't help but feel a little reluctant.

Reason told him that not bringing her home was the right choice, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

But emotionally, the thought of her spending New Year's Eve all alone in a hotel seems a bit too cruel.

Two conflicting emotions torn within him left him feeling agitated.

"Ugh……"

In the end, all thoughts turned into a sigh and dissipated in the empty living room.

……

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the hotel's heavy curtains, casting a thin strip of light into the dimly lit room.

Wang lay trembling on the hotel bed, completely buried in the blankets, in extremely poor condition.

Her hair was disheveled and scattered on the pillow, her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, and her face was full of frustration.

She never expected that despite all her efforts to coax her mother into going on a trip abroad, creating this opportunity to become homeless, and carefully staying by Jiang Qing's side for so many days, trying her best to be well-behaved, sensible, and understanding, she still couldn't move him.

On New Year's Eve, a night for family reunion, he still excluded her from his world without hesitation.

A deep sense of powerlessness mixed with grievance welled up in her heart, making her nose sting and her eyes feel hot.

She turned over and buried her face in the pillow, trying to dispel the bad mood.

Just then, the cell phone on the bedside table suddenly rang, its crisp ringtone sounding particularly abrupt in the quiet room.

Wang froze, almost instantly snapping out of his self-pity.

She sat up abruptly, grabbed her phone, and when she saw the words "Jiang Shen" flashing on the screen, her heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, and then it began to pound wildly. An indescribable flame of hope ignited in her heart.

Is it...

Wang's fingers trembled as he took a deep breath and tried to make his voice sound calm before pressing the answer button.

"Hello? Jiang Shen?"

Her voice was slightly hoarse, and she couldn't hide her nervousness.

On the other end of the phone came Jiang Qing's familiar and steady voice, revealing no particular emotion.

"I'll be waiting for you downstairs at the hotel in an hour."

There were no unnecessary pleasantries or explanations; it was straightforward.

But to Wang Cherish, these few words sounded like heavenly music!

"Okay! Okay, Jiang Shen! I'll get ready right away! I'll be on time!"

She responded repeatedly, her voice trembling slightly with excitement, and her expression instantly brightened, radiating ecstatic joy.

After hanging up the phone, Wang trembled and threw off the covers, leaping off the bed and rushing barefoot into the bathroom.

She looked at herself in the mirror, her hair disheveled but her face beaming with excitement, and couldn't help but giggle at herself.

Time is running out!

She sprang into action.

I opened the wardrobe and quickly scanned the clothes hanging inside.

Today I'm going to meet Jiang Qing's family, and first impressions are crucial, so I must dress appropriately.

As far as she knew, Jiang Qing's parents were both teachers, and Jiang Nan was a top student who could get into Tsinghua University. In such a family, she had to dress appropriately.

Her fingers finally landed on a retro-style embroidered vest with a modern Chinese design. The vest was made of off-white fabric and embroidered with delicate and elegant patterns in the same color silk thread, making it look both dignified and fashionable.

She quickly took out a matching skirt in the same color scheme as the vest. The skirt was A-line and below the knee, making her look gentle and elegant.

After taking a quick shower to wash away his weariness, Wang changed into this outfit.

The fitted design of the vest perfectly accentuated her waistline, while the skirt made her legs appear even longer and straighter.

She sat down at the dressing table and skillfully applied her makeup.

The base makeup is light and natural, and the eye makeup uses only earth tones to make the eyes more bright. The lipstick is a gentle mauve color, which enhances the complexion without being too flashy.

Finally, she neatly tied her long, black hair into a side ponytail and placed it on her left chest, revealing her smooth forehead and graceful neck.

After getting ready, she stood in front of the full-length mirror.

The girl in the mirror was dressed elegantly and gracefully, with fresh and appropriate makeup. Her beautiful features were enhanced by the light makeup, giving her a classical charm.

She gave herself a well-behaved and appropriate smile that she had practiced many times, and nodded in satisfaction.

As soon as I got down to the hotel entrance, I saw Jiang Qing's familiar black sedan already waiting there quietly.

Wang took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and quickly walked over.

She opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat. After fastening her seatbelt, she turned to look at Jiang Qing in the driver's seat, her eyes filled with barely concealed excitement mixed with a hint of shyness, and asked cautiously.

"Jiang Shen, is this outfit alright? Is it too informal to meet your aunt and uncle?"

Jiang Qing glanced at her sideways.

It must be said that Wang Churan's face is perfectly complemented by this modern Chinese-style outfit, making her appear exceptionally dignified and gentle, with the air of a well-bred lady.

His gaze lingered on her for two seconds, then he nodded slightly.

"It looks great." "Yes, thank you, Jiang Shen!"

Those three simple words completely put Wang Churan's mind at ease, and a bright and relieved smile immediately appeared on her face.

Jiang Qing smiled and smoothly steered the car into the traffic.

As they passed MixC shopping mall, Wang suddenly remembered something and quickly made a quiet request.

"Jiang Shen, could you stop here for a moment? Wait for me for half an hour, no, just twenty minutes! I'll be quick!"

Jiang Qing glanced at her and immediately guessed her intention.

He didn't say much, just turned on his turn signal, pulled over to the side of the road near the mall entrance, and gave a soft "hmm".

Wang Churan's face lit up with joy. She immediately put on her mask, opened the car door, and stepped out of the car like a graceful swallow, quickly walking into the mall.

Sure enough, less than half an hour later, she returned carrying several exquisite gift bags.

Despite it being the dead of winter, sweat was beading on his forehead, a testament to how hurried he was.

Considering that Jiang Qing's parents were both teachers, Wang Churan specially selected an elegant inkstone and a low-key jade hairpin.

For Jiang Nan, I chose a brand-new portable e-reader and a set of limited-edition fountain pens.

Jiang Qing watched her get into the car, slightly out of breath, carrying large bags. She just glanced at her and didn't ask any questions or stop her.

He started the car and continued driving towards Asakawa.

The more than one-hour drive passed in silence.

Wang Churan spent most of her time looking at the scenery rushing past the window, her heart filled with anticipation and a touch of unavoidable tension.

Those are the River God's parents!

As I thought about it, I couldn't help but smile.

If I'm not mistaken, she should be the first girl that Jiang Shen took home.

First……

Thinking of this, she couldn't help but tremble.

The car finally entered Luzhou Prefecture and stopped outside the small courtyard on the first floor.

"arrive."

Jiang Qing turned off the engine and unbuckled his seatbelt.

Wang took a deep breath, hurriedly tidied her clothes and hair, and subconsciously leaned close to the rearview mirror in the car to check if her makeup was intact.

Jiang Qing couldn't help but find it amusing to see her so nervous and serious, and teased her about it.

"It's already beautiful enough, there's no need to look at it anymore."

Wang Churan blushed instantly after hearing his words. She smiled shyly and then got out of the car with him.

She took out a carefully prepared gift from the trunk and followed closely behind Jiang Qing, heading towards the small courtyard with red lanterns hanging at the entrance and brand-new "Fu" (good fortune) characters and couplets pasted on it.

As soon as I pushed open the half-closed courtyard gate and stepped onto the cement path, I heard noises coming from inside the house.

"Brother! You're back!"

Accompanied by a crisp and cheerful sound, Jiang Nan, dressed in her home clothes, hopped out of the house like a happy little bird.

However, when she saw Wang Churan following closely behind Jiang Qing, carrying a lot of things, the smile on her face froze instantly, and she stopped abruptly.

what's the situation?
Wang Churan?
Jiang Nan's eyes widened, her gaze shifting back and forth between Jiang Qing and Wang Churan, her face filled with astonishment.

But she reacted very quickly; after only a second of hesitation, she immediately put on a warm smile again.

"Oh my, we have a guest! Sister Churan, welcome, welcome!"

At the same time, she didn't forget to secretly glare at Jiang Qing, her eyes clearly saying, "What's going on now?"

Jiang Qing ignored her sister's gaze and offered a casual explanation.

“Since my family is traveling abroad, I brought her home to celebrate the New Year together.”

His tone was so casual, as if he had just brought an ordinary friend over for a casual meal.

Wang Churan immediately put on a gentle smile and greeted him.

"Yes, Nan Nan, thank you so much, Jiang Shen, for taking me in. Sorry to bother you."

"Hello, Sister Churan! You're very welcome! Please come in!"

Jiang Nan greeted her warmly, her eyes full of curiosity.

This timid sister is amazing! She managed to get her brother to take her home for the Chinese New Year.

The group entered the living room.

Jiang Zhao was sitting on the sofa reading a book when he heard the noise and looked up.

He was wearing a dark gray wool sweater and glasses, and as serious and upright as ever.

"dad."

Jiang Qing called out.

"Ah."

Jiang responded, his gaze sweeping over his son before landing on the face of the unfamiliar girl behind him, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He quickly realized what was happening, put down his book, took off his glasses, and put on a gentle, even amiable, smile as he stood up to greet them.

Who is this girl?

At this moment, Zhang Yi also came out of the kitchen wearing an apron and holding a spatula in her hand.

Upon seeing Wang Churan, she was taken aback for a moment, then her face immediately lit up with a surprised and enthusiastic smile, her eyes involuntarily brightening as she hurried forward.

"Oh dear, Jiang Qing, what's this...?"

"Hello, uncle and aunt!"

Before Jiang Qing could introduce her, Wang Churan immediately stepped forward, bowed slightly, her attitude respectful and polite, her face showing just the right amount of shyness and a sweet smile.

"My name is Wang Churan, and I'm a friend of Jiang... Jiang Qing. I'm really sorry for disturbing your New Year celebrations."

She presented the carefully prepared gift with both hands.

"This is just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you won't mind, Uncle and Aunt."

Looking at the beautiful and well-mannered girl in front of her, and then at the gift in her hand, Zhang Yi's smile became even brighter. She quickly took the gift, her expression reproachful.

"Oh dear, child, you've come all this way! Why did you bring anything? You're being too polite! Please, have a seat!"

Jiang Qing spoke up to explain at the opportune moment.

“Mom, I was worried that her family was abroad and she would be spending the New Year alone. I thought it wouldn’t be good for her to be all alone during the New Year, so I invited her over to join us for some fun.”

He tried his best to make his tone sound natural and ordinary.

However, no one seemed to take his words seriously.

Zhang Yi and Jiang Zhao exchanged a knowing glance, and their smiles grew even more kind and warm.

Jiang Nan secretly curled her lip, scoffing at her brother's explanation.

"Yes, yes, just in time! It'll be more fun with lots of people!"

Zhang Yi nodded repeatedly, took Wang Cheran's hand, and patted it affectionately.

"Feeling intimidated? Make yourself at home and don't be shy! Auntie loves a lively atmosphere!"

Jiang Zhao smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, you are welcome to come to my home for the Chinese New Year."

Wang Churan felt the warmth of the two elders, and her heart was as sweet as if she had drunk honey, but at the same time she became even more nervous.

She obediently lowered her eyes.

"Thank you, uncle and aunt. I'm sorry to have troubled you."

"No trouble, no trouble!"

Zhang Yi smiled broadly, her gaze lingering on Wang Cheran with affection.

"Dinner will be ready soon. You guys sit in the living room for a while, watch some TV, and have some fruit and snacks! Nannan, take good care of your sister Churan!"

"Okay, Mom!"

Jiang Nan responded loudly.

Wang Churan quickly spoke up.

"Auntie, let me help you!"

He then started walking towards the kitchen.

"no, I'm fine!"

Zhang Yi quickly pressed her back down onto the sofa.

"You're a guest, there's no reason for a guest to do the work! Just sit still and wait for your meal!"

There was no room for rejection in his tone.

Wang Churan had no choice but to sit up obediently, placing her hands properly on her knees, her body slightly tense.

She could clearly feel Jiang Nan's curious gaze beside her, and Jiang Zhao's gentle yet scrutinizing look across from her.

The feeling of being watched by Jiang Qing's family from all sides made her both excited and nervous, fearing that she would not perform well. Her heart was hanging in mid-air, feeling very uneasy.

In the living room, the television was playing a festive program, and the air was filled with the aroma of food.

Wang sat on the sofa, dignified, with a perfectly measured smile on her face, but her heart was pounding like a deer.

She didn't know what would happen next, but at this moment, being able to sit in Jiang Qing's home and feel the warmth of his family was a scene she had never dared to dream of before.

And now, all of this is actually happening.

(End of this chapter)