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Psst! We're moving!
Qin Tang turned to look. Jiang Chuan leaned back, exhaling a cloud of smoke.
Under the dim yellow streetlight, the smoke swirled, obscuring his expression, but his dark eyes were piercingly sharp.
Qin Tang was momentarily dazed, staring for a few seconds before saying, “Mm, he’s the head of the local volunteer organization. He drove me here.”
He Cong’an smiled faintly. “Is that so? Let’s go say hello.”
With that, he started walking over.
Qin Tang pursed her lips and followed.
Jiang Chuan lounged lazily against the seat. Seeing them approach, he stubbed out his cigarette and sat up straight.
Qin Tang glanced at him and introduced them. “Jiang Chuan.” Then pointing to He Cong’an, “He Cong’an, my friend.”
He Cong’an sized him up for a moment and smiled politely. “Hello. Tang Tang has been staying here for a long time this time. Thank you for taking care of her.”
“No need,” Jiang Chuan said.
The two men’s energies clashed. The tension between them was palpable.
He Cong’an looked at him, his expression polite yet distant, and invited, “Why don’t we have dinner together?”
Jiang Chuan smiled, tapping his index finger on his thigh. Qin Tang had expected him to decline, but unexpectedly, he said, “Alright.”
Qin Tang was somewhat surprised and didn’t voice any opinion.
Jiang Chuan pushed open the car door and got out, looking at them. “I’ll treat.”
He Cong’an tried to decline. “That won’t do. There are just the two of us...”
“I’m a local,” Jiang Chuan replied.
“Alright.”
He Cong’an didn’t refuse further. Jiang Chuan glanced around and quickly made a reservation at a nearby restaurant.
Once Jiang Chuan took charge of something, he preferred to maintain control over it. When it came to ordering dishes, he first selected several famous Xi’an specialties—gourd chicken, warm mixed kidney threads, milky soup fish—and then handed the menu to the other two, saying, “Feel free to order anything else you’d like.”
He Cong’an, being the gentleman, pushed the menu towards Qin Tang and softly said, “You go ahead.”
The atmosphere wasn’t bad, just a little strange.
Qin Tang absentmindedly added two more dishes and returned the menu.
He Cong’an asked Qin Tang, “When do you plan to go back?”
Whether it was an illusion or not, Jiang Chuan seemed to glance at her. Qin Tang looked up and found his gaze fixed outside the window.
Qin Tang lowered her eyes, stirring the milkshake in her glass with a spoon, and said, “In a few days. I still have some things to take care of.”
He Cong’an frowned. “You’ve been out for quite a while this time. Your parents were worried about you. They only felt reassured when I mentioned I’d check on you during my business trip.”
Qin Tang replied, “It’s not even been a month yet.”
She had stayed out for as long as two months before, but back then she had Peng Ran, Chen Jingsheng, and Zhou Qi with her.
He Cong’an looked at her for a moment and said, “What else do you want to do? Since I’m here, I can accompany you and we can go back together.”
Qin Tang turned her face to look at him. “Aren’t you here on business? How do you have so much free time?”
“The work will be done in two days. I can adjust my schedule for a few days of vacation.”
Jiang Chuan silently glanced at He Cong’an, his right hand resting on his thigh, spinning his phone between his thumb and the base of his palm.
Qin Tang still declined. “No need. Why would you waste your vacation coming to a place like this?”
Not giving him face, He Cong’an chuckled in frustration and ruffled her hair. “All for you.”
Qin Tang lowered her head slightly. As she raised her eyes, she saw Jiang Chuan looking at her, his dark eyes intense.
Her heart suddenly skipped a beat, feeling somewhat flustered.
The phone spun rapidly in his hand. With a press of his thumb, Jiang Chuan stopped it.
Jiang Chuan placed the phone on the table, looked at He Cong’an, and said indifferently, “Qin Tang’s stay here is under our volunteer station’s responsibility. We will assist wherever she needs to go. You don’t need to worry about that.”
Qin Tang looked up at him but didn’t say anything.
He Cong’an looked at him and smiled. “Thank you all for that. I also plan to experience it myself.”
Jiang Chuan said, “You’re welcome. But there are no freeloaders at our station. Either donate money or goods, or work.”
He Cong’an: “...”
He smiled. “Both are fine.”
Hmph, donating money was no problem. Work... He glanced at Jiang Chuan’s muscular arms.
He Cong’an wasn’t short on strength either.
...
By the time dinner ended, it was already 8:40 PM.
He Cong’an knew she was staying at the volunteer station, but now he didn’t want her to return there. “Tang Tang, let’s stay at the hotel tonight. I’ll book a room for you. We can chat.”
Jiang Chuan walked behind them, watching their close figures without any expression on his face.
He Cong’an dressed impeccably, wearing a luxury watch on his wrist, exuding an air of elegance. Qin Tang wore expensive clothes and accessories, appearing aloof like a cold beauty, yet there was a hint of coquettishness deep inside her.
They indeed looked well-matched, belonging to the same world.
Standing behind, Jiang Chuan bit on a cigarette, staring at Qin Tang’s back.
Qin Tang paused her steps, slightly shifting her toes, and said, “No need. We can talk after I get back. All my things are at the volunteer station. Staying at a hotel would be inconvenient.”
He Cong’an didn’t insist and nodded.
...
On the way back, Jiang Chuan seemed to be in a good mood.
Qin Tang wasn’t thinking about his mood. She had other things on her mind. The 20th anniversary of An Yi Foundation was approaching, and there would be a charity banquet and an auction. She planned to follow the entire process and make a public appearance in front of the media.
Earlier, He Cong’an told her that Zhou Qi’s condition was good, and the doctors said he might wake up anytime.
Qin Tang was excited yet nervous, fearing another disappointment.
For five years, she had hoped for Zhou Qi to wake up. Several times, the doctors said he might wake up soon, but... the results were always disappointing.
The stone in her heart was getting heavier, and she was almost numb to it.
If Zhou Qi never woke up in this lifetime, she didn’t know what to do.
Seeing her twisting her delicate fingers, Jiang Chuan said indifferently, “Do your fingers have a grudge against you?”
She let out a soft sound, somewhat dazed. “What did you say?”
His gaze returned to the front, and his tone grew serious. “Can’t bear to part with that He Cong’an?”
Qin Tang shot him a light glare, teasingly irritating. “What’s it to you?”
A breath caught in Jiang Chuan’s chest. After a moment, he sneered. “Have you forgotten what I said?”
Qin Tang squinted. “What did you say?”
“I said, I’ve given you a chance.”
“What?”
He didn’t reply.
Qin Tang racked her brain for a moment but couldn’t figure it out.
When they returned to the volunteer station, everyone was still awake—some watching TV, others playing with their phones.
Xiao Cheng waved. “Big Brother, Sister Qin Tang, you’re back.”
Jiang Chuan gave a faint “Mm” and walked into the living room.
Qin Tang stood at the door, smiled, greeted everyone, and then went upstairs to take a shower.
Qin Tang opened her computer and took out the memory card. It had originally broken in half, but fortunately, the chip area wasn’t damaged. The broken parts had been glued together by Jiang Chuan.
Her fingertip gently brushed over it. Smooth and even, if not carefully felt, the crack was almost imperceptible.
She tested it and found it still usable.
After copying and backing up all the photos, she browsed through them and realized she had taken quite a few pictures of Jiang Chuan. Most were of him with children and villagers. His strong build and commanding presence made him hard to ignore; in every photo, he was the first to catch the eye.
Qin Tang felt somewhat dazed, recalling the feather-light kiss in the hospital. Her cheeks grew warm.
Lost in thought, the window suddenly darkened.
She looked up to see Jiang Chuan standing outside her window, his dark eyes sharp.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she quickly pulled the curtain shut with a “swish,” blocking the view completely.
Outside the window, Jiang Chuan stood for a moment, then clicked his tongue. “Tsk.”
...
He Cong’an didn’t make any more plans with Qin Tang as he was busy handling work and adjusting his schedule.
Qin Tang went to the hospital with Cao Sheng. Man Man appeared lively and didn’t look like a sick child, but she could have an episode at any time.
Cao Sheng said, “In a couple of days, I’ll take Man Man to Beijing.”
Qin Tang had originally planned to ask He Cong’an to help arrange this, but now, it seemed he wasn’t planning to leave. She said, “Alright, no problem. The doctor has already been contacted, and Man Man can be examined anytime.”
She would have to ask her father’s secretary for help later.
Cao Sheng smiled. “Thank you for your trouble.”
Qin Tang thought for a moment and said, “Regarding the money...”
The treatment for children with heart disease was costly, and if surgery was needed, the expenses would be substantial. She wasn’t sure what Cao Sheng did for a living, but since he was associated with Jiang Chuan, money must be tight. If necessary, she could help contact a charitable foundation.
Cao Sheng interrupted her. “It’s fine. You don’t need to worry about this.”
Since he put it that way, Qin Tang replied, “Alright then.”
Upon returning to the volunteer station, a small truck was parked in the yard, surrounded by piles of goods—items previously sorted by Xiao Cheng and others.
Jiang Chuan was shirtless, wearing black pants. His sweat-soaked body glistened as if drenched in water. His wheat-colored skin gleamed like it was coated in wax, exuding raw sensuality as he loaded items onto the truck.
He secured the load with straps.
Jumping down from the truck, he turned to look at Qin Tang.
Their eyes met.
Qin Tang didn’t avert her gaze. Cao Sheng walked over and asked, “Where are you going?”
Jiang Chuan withdrew his gaze and said, “We’ve sorted out the useful items from the recent packages. We’ll deliver them to the mountains tomorrow afternoon.”
Qin Tang asked, “Where to?”
Jiang Chuan squatted down, bending to pick up a water bottle from the ground. His abdominal muscles flexed, and as he straightened up, the rough skin of his lower abdomen revealed a line of hair that grew darker towards the bottom.
He tilted his head back, drinking half the bottle in a few gulps, then tossed the empty bottle aside. “You don’t need to go this time.”
Qin Tang frowned. “Why not?”
Jiang Chuan looked at her for a moment. “To Zhenba.”
Qin Tang remained silent.
He picked up the T-shirt hanging on the rearview mirror, quickly pulling it on. The sweat clung to it, and the shirt soon changed color.
Just as he was about to turn away,
Qin Tang suddenly called out, “I’ll go. Tomorrow, I’ll ride along.”
Jiang Chuan turned to look at her, surprised. “Are you sure?”
Qin Tang gritted her teeth. “I’m sure.”
---
The next noon, Jiang Chuan returned from the transport company. Aunt Gui had prepared lunch and was setting the table.
Jiang Chuan sat by the door smoking as everyone gathered around the table.
After a while, he asked, “Where’s Qin Tang?”
A Qi replied, “Ah, Sister Qin Tang went back. A man came to pick her up this morning. She said she had something to attend to in Beijing.”
Jiang Chuan fell silent for a few seconds.
A lungful of smoke swirled inside him, unable to escape.
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