reprieve

Sui Ran didn't drink, but it seemed that he had been coveting the half-filled honey-colored wine for too long, and he was slightly dizzy.

She knows this place well.

Familiar succulent jungles, familiar sofas, coffee tables, tables and chairs, familiar ceilings, carpets, and decorative paintings.

familiar person.

The familiar environment brings people a sense of security, but because of the fruity wine fragrance in the air, everything seems to be covered with a hazy filter, which is not real.

She turned her head to look at the corridor, Huaian's voice was still coming from the direction of the study.

The sound insulation here is good, and the voices that can be heard are obviously because Mr. Huai did not close the door, at least not tightly.

Huai’an’s specific definition of fast and slow is unknown—slow is a relative concept, and compared with more than ten or twenty years, a year or a half is not a long time.But compared with a year and a half, four years is a long time.

What's more, when it comes to anxious moments, subjective consciousness can turn one second into a year.

Sui Ran thought that he had been in Huai'an for 10 minutes, but when he looked at the clock carefully, the minute hand slowly crossed two marks.

Two minutes ago, the mechanical ring of the landline phone rang, Sui Ran was taken aback, what Huaian didn't have time to say turned into a short sigh, and a trace of impatience flashed between his brows, which was fleeting.

She didn't move, waited until the ringing stopped, and explained: "Except for the service provider, only Rui Lan and Sister Enyue know about fixed-line calls. They will call again if there is something urgent."

In a word, the bell rang again.

Or how to say that there is no coincidence, there is always a sense of presence in the sub-plot at the critical moment, which makes people have to suspect that there are hands controlling the direction somewhere.

Sui Ran was amused by his momentary association, seeing that President Huai was about to write the word "helpless" on the open palm of his hand, he resisted the urge to laugh, and urged her: "Go quickly."

"wait for me."

This call was definitely not welcomed by Huai'an. She spoke much faster than usual, and occasionally paused abruptly, as if being interrupted by the other party.

Sui Ran reached out to the wine bottle with a foreign language label embedded in it.

She's not addicted to alcohol, but occasionally loses her resistance to pretty colored drinks, which, besides, taste pretty good.

The moment her fingers touched the bottle, she heard footsteps.

When Huai'an returned to the living room, he was holding his mobile phone. His expression didn't change much from before, but for no reason it gave off a sense of dismay and displeasure. "A person in charge of Lingang has come to the city, and we have to have dinner together tonight."

"Could it be Director Chang?" Sui Ran wanted to swallow his tongue that didn't listen to his brain after finishing speaking.She silently raised the glass, brought it to her mouth and found it was empty.

"How do you know?" Huai'an raised his eyebrows, with a half-smile, "Haicheng looked for you?"

"I was responding to her messages when I was ordering." Sui Ran confessed leniently, "I didn't want to pass the message for her, but I didn't expect her to find someone else."

Boss Hai's nonsensical words sounded endless, and it happened that Boss Huai "settled the score after the autumn", and she couldn't care less about it.

From her point of view, the park project in Lingang is not very important to Haicheng. It belongs to the type of adding luster to others when it succeeds, and taking responsibility for others when it fails—the "others" here refers to Fu Lanzhou. .

Haicheng probably has true love for Fu Lanzhou who came from Yanjing, and his eagerness to help Fu Lanzhou gain a firm foothold in Haicheng is beyond the ordinary.

I really don't know what kind of Gu Fu Lanzhou planted in her.

Huai'an looked at her, the laziness induced by the alcohol before came back, and there was a faint light in his eyes.

Sui Ran felt guilty, and raised her hands in surrender to admit her mistake: "Okay, okay, next time Haicheng asks me to convey any instructions, I will definitely not miss a single word, never delay and never hide anything."

She actually wondered why Haicheng didn't contact Huai'an directly if the matter was urgent, and insisted on turning a corner with her.Usually oblique things may be important, but not urgent.

Since there is no rush, take it easy and give people some space and time to recharge their batteries.

"It's not Haicheng." Huai'an raised his phone, "Mr. Fu sent me an email, but I didn't pay attention, and later he contacted Rui Lan."

"Uh." Sui Ran apologized to Hai Cheng in her heart.

Huai'an rolled his eyes, showing a smile that made Sui Ran scratch his ears, "Sister Enyue also told me, I can't go if I don't go."

Sui Ran expressed his understanding.

In society, people cannot help themselves.She also occasionally turns down low-priority offers.

"Dinner is set to be in Wang's small courtyard. We'll leave in half an hour. Is it okay?"

It sounded like he was asking for advice, but in fact he had clearly arranged the itinerary. Sui Ran was shocked and straightened up: "I want to go too?"

"Hai Cheng and Mr. Fu are both here."

"what……"

Sui Ran shrank back to the sofa, she didn't even want to go with Haicheng around.

After so many years, it's embarrassing whoever takes the lead.

"Sui," Huai'an pointed at the coffee table, "I'm driving drunk."

……

The Wang's Courtyard is located in the old alley, and the car has to be parked in the parking lot of the nearby community.

The parking lot is not big, and the flat parking spaces are full, leaving only the three-dimensional parking spaces that are a special test of skills. Sui Ran tried a few and failed to park, hesitating whether to ask the security commander or call Mr. Haicheng and Fu Lanzhou appeared at the entrance of the parking lot.

Fu Lanzhou was good at talking, the three of them chatted at the door and there was no sign of stopping, Sui Ran tossed about for a few more minutes, gave up the pointless attempt, and sent a message to Huai'an: "It's not easy to park [sorrowful]"

Huaian took out his mobile phone almost at the same time as the message was sent, glanced at the screen, said something to the two people opposite, and turned to walk this way.

Haicheng and Fu Lanzhou looked at each other and followed.

Sui Ran was stopped by Haicheng when she got out of the car.

She was in the middle of the horns when she made that phone call, and she was irrational, and it was inevitable that she would be a little uncomfortable to meet again so soon.

Haicheng was smiling, laughing that her car skills can only be saved by driverless driving, and said: "There is an underground garage in the next neighborhood, if I knew I would send you the location, it's easy to park there... Come on."

Before he finished speaking, Huai'an stopped the car quickly and got out of the car.

Hai Cheng pressed Sui Ran's shoulder, and said nonchalantly, "President Huai, otherwise you and Lan Zhou go to the restaurant first, and I'll chat with Ran Ran."

Sui Ran doesn't want to chat with her in private now, maybe it's because she feels sorry for Hai Cheng - obviously she said it herself, let the past go, don't mention it - or she didn't turn around somewhere.

Huaian cast a questioning look, and Haicheng said first, "Oh, I've already taken Lanzhou to you as a hostage."

Fu Lanzhou laughed heartily without losing the opportunity and demeanor, and took a step, intentionally or unintentionally occupying Huai'an's field of vision, "Mr. Huai, let's go and look at the menu first?"

Hai Cheng squeezed his shoulder hard, Sui Ran bit the bullet and took Hai Cheng's hand away, suggesting: "The air in the parking lot is not good, let's talk while walking."

After leaving the parking lot, Haicheng asked leisurely, "Is it my fault? If I arranged for Mr. Huai to meet you back then, things wouldn't be like this now?"

Straightforward, without a bit of buffering.

Okay, it's very gross.

Sui Ran nodded, then shook her head: "I don't blame you, I don't blame you."

There is no way to change the past, and it is useless to complain and blame.It is not necessarily a bad thing to take a wrong path and learn a lot of wisdom.

But I would think, how could I not want to.

Seeing Huai An in the conference room, she couldn't stop thinking.

Maybe before that, he also vaguely thought that Haicheng's attitude was very ambiguous very early on.

The last time was not long ago, which prompted her to call Haicheng, and then she got the expected answer—President Huai contacted Haicheng four years ago, it was not aimlessly, nor was it purely out of concern for her former partner.

Huaian was still trying to contact her even two years ago.

Two years ago, she was just at the beginning of a downhill road.

The end point is the nightmare abyss.

It is difficult for people to restrain their subconscious mind to think about things that are boundless, that are beneficial to themselves, and that can avoid and correct certain mistakes.

Sui Ran is no exception.

She thought that if she chatted with Huai An at that time, it might be an opportunity to get in touch with the new world, so that she would not devote all her attention and energy to Ruan Shuo, making her think that she only had Ruan Shuo, and in the end she almost fell Did not come out.

A person who has been closed for a long time will unknowingly regard a specific person or thing as the only pillar, the whole world.

Sui Ran stopped the bad memories, and asked Hai Cheng: "What are you thinking, turn around and call her?"

"What do I think?" Haicheng laughed, "When you called suddenly, I thought the two of you had lost the conversation. You usually watch the turmoil, but it's your turn to procrastinate and shy away."

Sui Ran glared at her.

Haicheng stretched out his hand to pull her back: "You know that when people think too much, it's easy to do it. I don't know it yet. I really like it. On the front, don't be cowardly. Look at me and Lanzhou..."

Sui Ran felt sincerely: "The progress is really fast."

She understands that Mr. Hai has no other intentions, just to show off her spring coming out of season.

"It can't be considered very fast." Haicheng shook his head, full of pride, "It's a good thing that the dog man is straightforward, and he can clearly understand business and private matters."

Sui Ran said "Oh" noncommittally, and followed the figure in front of her eyes.

The two walked faster than the two of them, and their figures loomed between the street lamps and the shade of trees.Fu Lanzhou was obviously close to Mr. Huai, and when encountering obstacles such as tree pools and trash cans, he would always go around first, and then quickly return to Huai'an at a distance of about one meter.

Fu Lanzhou's personal page has the title of vice president of a certain department of Junting, and the serious operation chief of Zhaoyue Haicheng branch. He is a person who can be respectfully called "general" by hundreds of people. His respect for Huai'an Not at all gentlemanly.

He has something to ask for in Huai'an.

And Huai'an's respect and respect to Fu Lanzhou is as peaceful as ever.

She was used to such courtesy.

That's right, that's Mr. Huai.

The shadows of the two disappeared under the bright light at the corner, Sui Ran recovered and continued to listen to Hai Cheng:

"... Let me see, it's not too late, and the timing is just right. I'm not trying to shirk responsibility for myself. I've done this really unkindly." The first sentence is full of sincerity, and the second sentence makes a sharp turn, "But what? , true gold is not afraid of fire, true love is not afraid of sea dryness."

Sui Ran: "..." Boss Hai's mouth is not afraid of the wind flashing his tongue.

"Think, you are both single and innocent now. It's not like a few years ago, when you had a pair of eyes and used them to vent your anger, and you were so determined to follow someone."

Sui Ran's footsteps froze, Hai Cheng didn't realize it, and said to himself:

"You don't have to care about two or four years. You start liking someone when that person knows you like her/him. Singing a one-man show alone is not dating. It feels great. Looking back, it's all fucking self-moving."

"Boss Hai," Sui Ran quickened his pace, and asked in a wrong voice, "How far is the restaurant?"

"It's right there, you see they both went in."

The small courtyard of Wang’s family is unexpectedly simple, with six tables for four on the first floor, and the small stairs look rickety. The only two waiters are not in uniform, and they have a close relationship with the proprietress. Too much, the back kitchen is rushing to deliver the food, and the two will even choke on the proprietress. It is a husband-and-wife shop in an old alley.

Fu Lanzhou waited by the stairs, "The box on the right on the second floor, you go up first, Senior Brother Chang is coming soon, I'll wait for him."

Director Chang is full of energy, half a head taller than Fu Lanzhou. His white short-sleeved shirt makes his skin dark. The skin color difference on both sides of the watch strap and the collar is very obvious. He looks more like a business leader than a boss.

"Sorry for being late, I went to the bureau for a meeting temporarily, and it was delayed for a while." Director Chang made himself a cup of barley tea with tea instead of wine.

Huai'an seemed more indifferent than usual on such an occasion, and nodded slightly: "Director Chang is polite."

"This time, through the relationship between Junior Brother Lanzhou and Mr. Hai, I asked you to come forward. I learned that your company has an investment plan for a medical incubation platform. We can provide a lot of resources here. There are basic tax policies and supporting infrastructure. Tilting, the talent pool is already in operation. Our side fully cooperates with various investment plans.” Director Chang fixed his eyes on Huai’an, and said bluntly, “But I see that your company has focused on industrial technology in the past few years. Pharmaceutical field? As we all know, pharmaceutical research and development cycle is long, the investment is huge, and it has a certain gambling nature. As far as I know, the capital rarely cuts in from the team building stage."

According to Fu Lanzhou's introduction, it is Director Chang's habit to attract investment and not to drink alcohol.The young generation is not interested in the wine table culture, and the restaurant is also a small restaurant designated by him. It is an old restaurant of 30 or [-] years. Everything is simple and efficiency is paramount.

As soon as the words fell to the ground, Sui Ran firmly believed that Director Chang was a man of action, there was no roundabout way, and Ding was Ding Mao was Mao.

"It's not in the medical field." Huai'an corrected, "It's only for RNA viruses."

Director Chang: "Oh, the scope is very broad. What is it specifically? Hepatitis C, influenza, encephalitis, immunodeficiency? Single strand, double strand? Does it involve reverse genetic manipulation technology?"

Huai'an: "RNA viruses mutate quickly, and we hope to do it in modules rather than subjects."

……

For professional discussions in unfamiliar fields, Fu Lanzhou could still add a few words, Sui Ran and Hai Cheng stared at each other, one held a cup to sip water, and the other poked at the phone.

Hai Cheng: "President Huai is really charming [color][color]"

Sui Ran covered the screen with a glass of water, answered a series of ellipses with one hand, and couldn't help but drift her gaze to Huai'an, only to find that the other party was also looking at her... the glass.

Eyes closed immediately, Huai'an took the teapot and helped her fill it up halfway: "I see you haven't eaten much at noon, so drink less water."

It happened that the waiter came to serve the food. Director Chang changed the subject: "I just went to high school when he opened the restaurant. The taste has not changed in the past [-] years. Try it and see if it suits you."

Although the restaurant that Director Chang has been eating for more than [-] years is unremarkable, the taste is really good, and the guests and guests enjoy a meal.

At the end of the day, Director Chang said kindly: "President Huai, if it is convenient for you in the near future, I still hope that you will come to the site for inspection, and I will arrange another reception at that time. Such a large investment is not enough for me to show my sincerity."

"Director Chang is too polite." Huai'an smiled faintly, "Our project leader hasn't arrived yet, so it should be soon. When she arrives, we will go visit together."

"By the way, I would like to ask." Director Chang glanced downstairs, where Fu Lanzhou and Hai Cheng were paying the bill at the counter. He leaned slightly closer to Huai'an, showing a little hesitation, "Is the person in charge finally determined by your company to be Professor Liu from the Medical University?" ?”

Huai'an followed his gaze to Fu Lanzhou and shook his head slightly.

"That is……?"

"The old Feng who was born in the 90s Karon laboratory." Huai'an's voice was so soft that only Director Chang and Sui Ran behind her could hear.

After leaving the alley, the soldiers divided into two groups. Fu Lanzhou and Haicheng sent Director Chang off—their car was parked in the underground garage of the next-door community.

Sui Ran and Huai An walked slowly towards the parking lot.

Turning the corner and walking on a small road with few passers-by, Huai'an asked, "How was your chat with Haicheng?"

Sui Ran used half a jug of water, three raw pan-fries and a crab to forget the personal speech of the lecturer of Haida once again echoed in his ears.

"Did she ask you... similar to whether it's because she didn't arrange for us to meet at the time, is it because the conversation broke down?" Huai'an asked, "Did you complain that I didn't express it well?"

Sui Ran was dumbfounded: "Did Haicheng record?" His tone changed in fright.

If you think about it, Mr. Hai's red mouth and white teeth, who are not afraid of wind and fire, are at most just talking about behind his back, switching sweet words in front of him and acting like a dog leg, there is no reason to throw himself into the trap.

"Haicheng is more emotional and self-centered, but she is not bad, and generally treats you well." The autumn night was cool, and Huai'an closed his collar, "If you treat her as a friend, find a chance to remind her to stay away from that Fu Sir. Count me in as a thank you."

"What do you think is wrong with Boss Fu?" Sui Ran asked in amazement. Recently, she always felt that Fu Lanzhou was not a righteous person. Some things might be wronged by Fu Lanzhou behind Haicheng's back.

After walking through a shadow, Sui then asked belatedly, "Wait, thank you for what?"

Huai'an smiled: "Thanks for helping her."

Her facial features are rather cold, and she has a kind of "majestic" temperament when she is expressionless, and she occasionally smiles when chatting with Director Chang, but compared to this moment, the meaning of etiquette is more prominent.

This moment is a smile softened by the moonlight and the warm yellow light, but hidden behind the tumbling clouds swept by the wind, it is fleeting.

"I wanted to take my time."

After closing the car door, without warning, Huai'an pushed the atmosphere back to the moment when he was interrupted by the ringtone of the landline a few hours ago.

"Because I think too."

"Thinking about what would have happened if I had contacted you two years ago—a bit earlier—four years ago. Then realized I couldn't figure it out."

The fresh air system in the car was running ahead of time, and the temperature was moderate. Huai'an adjusted the driver's seat and rearview mirror to a position suitable for him.

"You and I are not blank these four years. Four years are four years. The past four years cannot be changed."

Sui Ran said nothing.

"I've known for a long time that you have suffered a change in your relationship. A week before you resumed work, Haicheng posted a message on Moments. I think she didn't let you see it."

"From that day on, I began to pay attention to your movements. I had a hunch that you were coming back. I prepared several plans and plans."

"When a person experiences a drastic emotional change, he should have two attitudes in a short period of time, one is avoidance and the other is excessive desire. You are the former. You need time to dilute the damage. Otherwise, you will be disappointed with the next relationship. If you have doubts, you can't accept new people. Well, I have thought about these. I also consulted emotional experts."

Her serious tone made Sui Ran stop her overactive thoughts.

"I thought I could afford time. But then I realized that time alone is not enough."

A word was pressed down heavily, my ears were buzzing, the car was unusually quiet, and Huai'an didn't speak for a long time.

The stopwatch on the screen refused to move.

Degrees and seconds are like years.

——I didn’t choose Zhaoyue, but you.

—… Waiting for you for four years is considered true love.

——Escape is useless, Sui.

——The unspoken liking is simply a one-man show.

……

not enough time.

The difference between them is not only time, but not time at all.

Status, identity, background, past...

Time will not make up the gap, but will widen it.

Four years ago, Huaian was the sole director of NIP.

Four years later, Huai'an is the co-founder of Yu'an, the president of Huai who Fu Lanzhou and even Director Chang treat with courtesy, but she is still a small consultant who is struggling with food and clothing, following her boss and clients at a loss.

Huai'an Consulting's expert should not be the kind of scumbag on the Internet who cheats her emotions with emotional counseling - she is indeed avoiding, and doesn't want to start a relationship rashly.

Sui Ran spoke with difficulty: "Boss Huai..."

Some emotions give birth to emotions that cannot be expressed in words, but can only be felt with the heart.

Likewise, there are times when words are scarce to express certain emotions.

She could feel everything that Huai'an had done for her, and some "President Huai" had no need or obligation to cooperate and make concessions. She believed in Huai'an.

She just doesn't believe in herself.

I don't know if I can give the other person the same input.

"Can you……"

Sui Ran heard her voice trembling, she thought she was crying, because the intertwined emotions were too strong, her chest was stuffy and swollen, and her throat was dry.

She bent down, and her voice was as low as coming from a crack in the ground.

"...Give me a little more confidence?"

"Sui."

Huai An called her twice in a row, Sui Ran forced herself to turn to the driver's seat, and then found that the other party had been staring at her quietly for a long time before she knew it.

In the field of vision, the person opposite is so clear, her eyebrows, the hair hanging on her forehead, the quiet and focused... tenderness in her eyes.

"Although it's not prudent to say so, it runs counter to my plan."

Huai An stretched out his hand, palm facing up, and stayed above the center console, within Sui Ran's reach.

an invitation.

"Do you want to try and see how much confidence I can give you?"

The author has something to say: ε=('ο'*)))

The two are combined into one, and the key plot is not stuck.

Thanks to the boss who cast the deep water torpedo: Jiang Lansheng 6;

Thanks to the boss who cast the rocket launcher: 2 for Jiang Lansheng; 1 for the useless baboon;

Thanks to the boss who threw the grenade: Xu Jiaqi was declined seven times, and King Lai He fucked one;

Thanks to the boss who threw the mines: 9 absurdity; Fu Yaya, three people, edge dancer, ohhhhhhhh, crooked fossil, Oha, jasmine tea is delicious, Washington V, Lan Yu, and this thorn magnet 1;

感谢灌溉营养液的园丁：319219360瓶；postponed40瓶；大七升十一39瓶；V36瓶；凌柶34瓶；我今天瘦了吗？、某某芋22瓶；西西西子、奶糖生翼、maer、b――lank――20瓶；喵喵喵16瓶；此刺磁、什么是什么、QTFCL、四季困、三七2110瓶；我有钱了啊哈哈哈6瓶；草莓味酒窝、FORGOOD5瓶；傅琊琊琊、无昵称、J、egozaku、华盛顿V2瓶；45649685、小六子1瓶；

Thank you thank you and sleep well~