Chapter 45: 045 Coming in person to poach from Wuyeâs turf? Chapter 45: 045 Coming in person to poach from Wuyeâs turf? The sudden downpour turned into a curtain of rain, blurring all the lights of Pingjiang City into a single swath, as if they were part of an oil painting.
Qi Zeyan gripped his wineglass tightly.
He vaguely remembered that he had indeed joked about Tang Wanâs name.
The expression of his assistant remained unchanged as he set the materials aside, âBoss, shall I step out?â
âWhy step out when I havenât finished speaking?â
âThatâ¦â the assistant pursed his lips, âDonât you need some time alone, to process this matter?â
After allâ¦
When the spark of infatuation was snuffed out, didnât one need some time alone to drink and dissipate it?
âProcess what? Just give me a summary of her situation, I canât be bothered to flip through the materials.â
âThis is the one the Jiang Family has taken a liking toâ¦â The assistantâs voice carried a hint of hesitation.
Mainly because if the fifth master or the Jiang Family really took a liking, the most probable action theyâd take was toâ¦
Dig a hole, bury their boss, and give him a grand funeral!
And then probably stomp on the soil twice more, fearing he wasnât dead enough.
Qi Zeyan, however, didnât mind, âTheir family originally came to break off the engagement, and besides, a verbal marriage agreement has no basis. Sheâs unmarried, and I am fond of her, so why canât I pursue her?â
The assistant nodded; this reasoning was sound. The fifth master came over to break off the engagement, after all, it wasnât like poaching from a brother.
He picked up the materials and highlighted the key points about Tang Wan to Qi Zeyan.
Qi Zeyan listened carefully as he drank his wine.
His budding feelings had just rippled a little when he felt a huge wave crashing head-on, slamming him onto the beach, where he could only struggle helplessly.
But if the Jiang Family wanted to call off the engagement, wasnât that a golden opportunity sent by the heavens?
**
On the other hand
When Tang Wan returned home, Jiang Jinsang was sitting in the front hall watching an evening show about cultural relics.
Outside, the rain beat down and the wind was cold, but inside, someone had left a lamp on for her, and naturally, that felt different.
âBack already?â Jiang Jinsang turned his head to see her, slightly wet from rain but in overall good shape, âDid the client meeting go smoothly?â
âQuite well.â
âChen Ma left some food for you; want to eat something? Or would you rather go straight to your room?â
âIâll eat something.â Tang Wan had gone to discuss business seriously and hadnât had the appetite to eat anything.
Once back home and feeling relaxed, she was more at ease. She took off her coat, rolled up her sleeves slightly, and carried the food from the kitchen to the table.
She was lean, clad in white top and black pants, looking intellectual and elegant. Jiang Jinsangâs gaze followed her as she tied up her hair, revealing her fair and slender neckâ¦
The pads of his fingers that had brushed against her skin earlier seemed to still hold their warmth.
Chen Ma had left a lot of food, and Tang Wan couldnât carry it all in one go. She heard footsteps and turned to find Jiang Jinsang already by her side, âNeed a hand?â
âYes, thank you.â Tang Wanâs tone still held a degree of formality when speaking with him.
The old houseâs kitchen was naturally small, and with Jiang Jinsang stepping inside, it was inevitable that their bodies would brush against each other.
As Tang Wan turned with the dishes in hand to head for the dining room, her shoulder inadvertently swept across his chest. She was currently wearing a thin white blouse, and through the fabric, she could distinctly feel his body temperatureâ¦
Warm, yet it seemed as though it could burn oneâs skin.
Tang Wan ate while Jiang Jinsang watched television by her side.
âMaster, why donât you go back to your room first? Itâs quite cold outside.â Tang Wan felt a bit guilty having him accompany her the whole time.
âNo worries. Take your time eating; Iâm not in a hurry.â
â¦
When Tang Wan had finished eating, although the two of them did not share an umbrella, there was something subtly intimate about walking back to the courtyard together.
In fact, their relationship had progressed, but that didnât mean there had to be any physical contact. Acceptance in oneâs heart was the most important aspect, and Jiang Jinsang felt a closer connection with Tang Wan tonight, content in his heart, he had a good nightâs sleep.
At this moment, he was unaware that a huge âsurpriseâ would be waiting for him the next morning!
**
The next day
Although the sky hadnât cleared up, it wasnât raining either, which made it perfect weather for sleeping, so the Tang Family all got up a bit late and didnât have breakfast until around nine oâclock.
The old patriarchâs rheumatic legs hurt, and although he didnât lie in bed, lounging in his chair he was too lazy to move, leaving the task of feeding the birds to Jiang Jinsang.
Tang Wan had been reading in her own study but quickly came to the front hall, âGrandfather, Master, Iâll have a business partner coming over shortly.â
âA business partner?â the old Tang lifted his eyelids slightly.
âThey want to see my work environment, theyâll be arriving soon. I just wanted to inform you in advance.â
âThen Iâll change my clothes.â
At home, the old Tang naturally dressed casually, but he was a man of dignity and style; receiving guests at home meant at least dressing presentably, if not formally.
âThat sponsor of the Qing Palace Drama?â Jiang Jinsang inquired. He knew Tang Wan was currently involved with only this project, but she hadnât mentioned the specific partners, and he hadnât asked.
âYes, just two people, they shouldnât disturb you,â Tang Wan knew Jiang Jinsang liked his peace and quiet.
â¦
Approximately ten minutes later, the sound of a car came from outside, and Tang Wan went out to greet them personally.
Jiang Jinsang held a bird teasing stick in his hand and stood on the porch, silent, listening to the activity outside.
But Hua Mei, seeing him clutching the stick and not playing with her, chirped twice loudly, drowning out the conversation outside.
Jiang Jinsang frowned, and the stick poked into Hua Meiâ¦
Jiang Jiu stood by the side and adjusted his sunglasses, Master was a bit too harsh with the bird.
In the meantime, Tang Wan had already opened the door, with Qi Zeyan and his assistant getting out of the car, bringing numerous giftsâflowers, fruits, tonic productsâfilling the trunk.
The Tang familyâs old house was located in the old part of town, where the infrastructure was outdated, even the roads were uneven. Qi Zeyan frowned slightly getting out of the car due to the puddlesâ¦
He loved his shoes dearly and always upheld two principles:
His shoes must never get dirty, and his hair must never be out of place.
âDirector Qi, itâs good of you to come. You brought too many things, youâre too kindâ¦â Tang Wan was dressed more casually today, a stark difference from her composed appearance the day before.
Qi Zeyan smiled, âItâs only right.â
Tang Wan glanced at him; he was still sharply dressed in his suit, with a side-parted slicked-back hairstyle. There was no rain today, but the wind was strong, yet his hair remained perfectly intact, which truly made her wonderâ¦
How much hair gel did he use?
As they walked inside with the sound of their footsteps, Jiang Jinsang was only watching casually, but upon seeing someoneâs signature side-parted slicked hairstyle, his gaze deepened.
âDirector Qi, please, this way.â Tang Wan, oblivious, continued to lead them inside.
Qi Zeyan had thought it through during the night, he had leveled out his state of mind. Since the Jiang Family wanted to break off the engagement, and he liked her, why not take the plunge? After all, as a man, he had to have the right mindsetâbeing rejected was the worst that could happen, itâd just be a heartache for a couple of days. What he didnât realize at that moment wasâ¦
The leap from infatuation to a heart attack could mean that instead of heartache, it might beâ¦
A sudden death.