salt by salt

"Jun Yan, you haven't slept yet?"

It was one o'clock in the night when Song Cheng came back, he opened the door lightly, and was obviously taken aback when he found that the light in the living room was still on.I took a sip of the already cold orange juice and said to him, "Waiting for you to come back. Want something to eat? I'll make it for you."

"It's so late, you go to rest, I'll do it myself." His brows and eyes were soft under the warm light, "You have to go to work tomorrow, don't work too hard."

I stood beside him in silence, Song Cheng boiled water, and when he went over my head to fetch the noodles, he rubbed my hair: "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just miss you very much, it's boring to eat alone."

I hugged Song Cheng, buried my face in his chest and said sullenly.

"It also happened suddenly, next time I will have dinner with you, okay?"

"Are you happy today?"

"It's okay... It's work, that's it." Bubbles bubbled up from the bottom of the pot, and Song Cheng put the noodles in, with an imperceptible smile in his voice.Because I stood in front of him and moved a little awkwardly, he said helplessly, "Go to sleep, or do you want to eat?"

"No need." I returned to my nonchalant look, "Eat, go to bed early after eating."

Before I entered the bedroom, Song Cheng suddenly stopped me, and he paused before asking: "Jun Yan, did Xiaoqian contact you today?"

I looked at him calmly: "No. What happened?"

"It's nothing, it's just that she lost her phone somewhere. I think if it's stolen, don't believe the scammer who uses her identity to send you a message." Song Cheng smiled at me, trying to dissipate his nervousness. Look, "But maybe I will find it at the company tomorrow morning."

"It's a pity, let her call the police." I said, "I'm sleepy, good night."

"Good night."

I closed the door and watched Song Cheng's figure and the warm light in the living room disappear into the narrowing gap.Turning on the phone, the half-edited message on the chat interface with Lin Ya has not yet been sent, but I feel a little bit confused.

"[Draft] Can you help me check Song Cheng's work schedule for tonight? His manager is called Dong Xiaoqian."

I ended up deleting the draft anyway.

What does it matter if you actually go to work?He's still nervous about my reactions, still cares about me, and that's enough.How difficult it is for Song Cheng to run away from home and become an actor. Although we talked about sharing difficulties together, he always only showed a relaxed side in front of me.He is also a human being with emotions and needs private time for self-regulation, which I should understand rather than doubt.

I haven't had many relationships that would qualify as relationships, and I've been lousy in every relationship.Only for Song Cheng, I want to show my best side, I want to dedicate all the softest things in my heart to him, and be the gentle, kind, and simple gentleman he thinks.

I should be a considerate lover, I said to myself over and over again.

I didn't sleep well that night, dreaming that I couldn't find the exit, and was cut bloody by the ubiquitous sharp blades while running wildly.Then my consciousness drifted up to the sky, and I found that the whole picture of the maze that stabbed me turned out to be a few Chinese characters in smart handwriting.I pushed aside the clouds and mist in front of me and tried to see clearly, but at this moment I suddenly woke up.Song Cheng was sleeping soundly next to me, he was breathing evenly, and the hazy morning light outlined his outline.

I have a splitting headache, the alarm clock says it's 04:30 in the morning, and the writing still lingers in front of my eyes.

——Cheng Heyun.

"Boss, Mr. Zhuang is waiting for you in the conference room."

There was a traffic jam on the way from Song Cheng's house, so I was a bit late.As soon as she entered the company, Tang Mo came over in a hurry and whispered in my ear, "Although he didn't say anything, I think he was in a bad mood. I was kicked out when I went in."

Zhuang Lin was indeed helping Xu Yucheng, but what was he doing at this time?I didn't have time to think about it, so I nodded slightly, and reached for the materials she prepared: "I see, you let everyone work normally, and if there is anything else, he will at most vent his anger on me."

She frowned, and her tone became serious: "I will go in with you. I will follow the progress of this exhibition. If there is a problem with the contact side, at least I can help."

"You go in and get scolded with me?" I smiled reassuringly, "Come on, don't panic, I'll be the one to carry the sky falling."

The general conference room is at the end of the corridor and is not usually used.I pushed open the door, but Tang Mo didn't dare to go in, and gently closed the door for me outside.

Zhuang Lin sat in the upper seat, and when he saw me coming in, he just glanced up.He usually likes to act like a friendly gentleman, but this time his smile was a bit cold.

"Brother Zhuang Lin." I pulled out a chair beside him and sat down. Because I didn't sleep well, my temples were aching. "What's wrong? Is it a problem with the exhibition? Or Brother Yucheng?"

"Your brother and the company are fine, don't worry." He said lightly, "It's a personal matter, so it's not easy for them to hear it."

My expression froze.

The only thing that Zhuang Lin can come here to tell me is...

"Yang Chen's father has returned to China." Zhuang Lin's tone was not too bad, but the eyes behind his glasses were extremely cold, "If he can come to this exhibition and give us a promotion, it will be very helpful to Yucheng, you understand Bar?"

I said: "But we are just starting out, no matter how big the scale is, we are not qualified to ask him to help us promote—"

My voice is getting smaller and smaller, Zhuang Lin's meaning is self-evident.

"What Uncle Xu wants to see is who is more recognized." He raised the corner of his mouth, and tapped the table with his bony fingers a few times, "Xiao Yan, there are priorities in everything, I believe you will not be confused."

"Yang Chen and I have already broken up."

"What's so difficult about it, can't you get back together after breaking up?"

"And I have a boyfriend now." I said with difficulty, "Brother Zhuang Lin, I really can't..."

The air was quiet for a few seconds, Zhuang Lin looked at me and said slowly: "Yucheng didn't tell you, so I have to tell you. Xu Yuzhong is in the limelight these days, and he is thinking about the shares held by Uncle Xu. It’s been a long time. Uncle Xu’s health is not good, and it’s only a matter of this year or next. If he decides to transfer it to him, more than half of the other shareholders will agree. At that time, he will become the person in charge of the Xu family, and the shares of other companies will be nothing more than Push the boat with the current."

I couldn't help but said: "Brother Yucheng is much better than him, how could uncle not know?"

"So what if you're excellent, I just happen to work for Xu Yuzhong, a prodigal son." Zhuang Lin smiled mockingly, "There is no one who can talk to him as a guarantor, and the old man will not be able to pass that test. If you really want to help him, There is something you can do now."

What he said left me speechless, so I could only murmur: "But... I..."

"Yucheng is thinking of you, and I will not take this shortcut, for fear of embarrassing you. Waiting for your brother to inherit the Xu family will be good for you. Not to mention that he has taken care of you for so long since childhood. Compared with his life, giving up the present What's the trouble with a little self-respect?"

Zhuang Lin stood up, patted my shoulder encouragingly, and the words he spit out hit my heart:

"Xu Junyan, you have to be a bit responsible to be a man."

My voice seemed to be stuck in my throat, and I tried my best to utter a few words: "...when?"

"This afternoon." He glanced at his watch, "04:30, at the teahouse last time. I will send you the address. I have something to do in the afternoon, so I won't send you there. Tell me my name, and someone will take you there .”

"...Mmm." I bowed my head deeply, hating that the desktop was too tidy and clean, not even a single scratch could be found.His eyes slid across the top, and he didn't even know where to stop, "I see."

"Yang Chen still has feelings for you, and he often asks about your situation when discussing business with Yucheng." Zhuang Lin said, "It's not easy for you two to meet and talk more."

I had nothing to say, and nodded numbly and mechanically.

"Okay, I'll go first."

He got up and left, leaving me alone in the empty conference room.

Tang Mo knocked on the door cautiously, and called the boss a few times.I regained my senses and threw the teacup on Zhuang Lin's seat against the wall. The porcelain was instantly shattered, and the tea splashed all over the floor. She screamed outside the door.

"Don't come in, let me be quiet for a while."

She lost her voice, probably already walked away.I slumped down on the chair, wanting to laugh, but what I let out was panting like an old bellows.

It doesn't matter what, anyway, Xu Junyan doesn't care if he is a little more dirty.