Chapter 8: The Net

                                                       

Xia Chan swayed a few times on the swing when she suddenly heard the fence gate click. A woman walked in from outside.

The woman wore a long skirt and a camel coat. She stood at the door for a moment, surveying the situation in the yard, then took another step forward.

He Huaisheng saw Xia Chan looking toward the door and followed her gaze.

The woman walked up to He Huaisheng in a few steps, called to him with a smile, and then began using sign language.

Here, it was as if sign language was the official language.

Xia Chan stood up from the swing and moved aside, ready to greet the woman when they finished exchanging pleasantries.

However, after waiting for a long time, there seemed no end in sight. It would be rude for her to go in alone, interrupting the communication between the two—even more rude.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for He Huaisheng to finally remember there was still another living person in the yard. He looked back at Xia Chan and gestured a few times at the woman.

The woman smiled, walked up to Xia Chan, stretched out her hand and said, "Hello, my name is Shen Xuefei, and I'm Huaisheng's friend."

Xia Chan shook her hand. "Hello, my name is Xia Chan."

"Chanjuan's Chan?"

"Diao Chan's cicada."

Shen Xuefei was slightly startled and said with a smile, "Miss Xia's name is very special."

"Miss Shen's name is also very special. Now I think about it—rain and snow are falling."

After introducing themselves to each other, Shen Xuefei invited Xia Chan into the house.

Walking to the steps in front of the building, Shen Xuefei stopped. "By the way, Miss Xia, this swing has been in disrepair for a long time and may not be safe."

Xia Chan paused. "Thank you, Miss Shen, for reminding me."

When she arrived at the house, Shen Xuefei put down her bag, washed her hands, and went to the kitchen to help Aunt Shen.

Half an hour later, the meal officially started. The four of them sat around the table—Xia Chan and He Huaisheng on one side, Shen Xuefei and Aunt Shen on the other. The table was also made of wood and painted black, with the paint surface peeling a little due to age.

Six dishes and one soup—the dishes looked very appetizing. Xia Chan tasted a chopstick's worth and felt her appetite stir.

Aunt Shen smiled and said, "It's all home-cooked food, coarse tea and plain rice. Miss Xia, don't dislike it."

Xia Chan hurriedly said, "You're too polite. The food is very good, even more refreshing than what I ate in the hotel."

Aunt Shen smiled. "If it's delicious, eat more. You young girls, one by one—both of you love to lose weight, like matchsticks."

He Huaisheng tilted his head slightly and glanced at Xia Chan sitting next to him.

Xia Chan was aware of it and swept the corner of her eye, but He Huaisheng had already turned back.

After eating, it was already night outside.

While Shen Xuefei and Aunt Shen were cleaning up the kitchen, Xia Chan sent a message to He Huaisheng: "What the hell is going on?"

He Huaisheng was sitting on the sofa. After receiving the message, he stood up and glanced at Xia Chan.

Xia Chan followed He Huaisheng upstairs to the second floor and entered the study.

There were two small sofas in the study with a small coffee table placed in the middle.

The two sat down face to face, and He Huaisheng asked her first: Do you still want to stay at Kaiser?

Xia Chan shook her head.

As Chen Rong had said, with Liu Hongyi covering the sky with one hand, the housekeeping department was rotten at the root. Originally, she'd also had the intention of staying if she could, but now, it was better to start over in a different place.

He Huaisheng said: If you still want to stay, I can help you.

Xia Chan still shook her head. "I can't stay."

With Liu Hongyi's designs on her visible to the entire housekeeping department, there had been plenty of rumors before. If she stayed this time, she would inevitably be judged. She didn't want her reputation tied to people like Liu Hongyi.

He Huaisheng: If you don't stay, there's a job now that's more suitable for you.

Xia Chan asked, "What job?"

He Huaisheng was silent for a moment and didn't answer directly: He Qihua asked Cheng Zijin about you.

Xia Chan was startled. "Inquire about me for what?"

He Huaisheng briefly explained: Last time you stopped him for me, he thought you had strong work ability and principles. He intends to recruit you into the company as a secretary.

Xia Chan had only thought she'd already formed a grudge with He Qihua that time, but she didn't expect her thorny personality would also be appreciated.

Xia Chan asked, "What kind of secretary?"

He Huaisheng glanced at her and replied: Secretary in the normal sense.

Xia Chan smiled. "Mr. He's way of employing people is eclectic."

He Huaisheng replied: He Qihua is not like Liu Hongyi.

Xia Chan asked, "Do you want me to go? He Qihua and you are sworn enemies."

He Huaisheng paused, then replied: Xinghui pays more attention to personal ability. You can go farther than you are now.

Xia Chan looked at him. "Do you really want to help me, or... what good is it for me to work under He Qihua?"

He Huaisheng replied: Whether there's a benefit or not depends on your wishes.

Xia Chan understood. He hoped she would become a pawn and be placed next to He Qihua.

Xia Chan asked, "What if I don't want to?"

He Huaisheng didn't hesitate or show displeasure, and replied: This is your freedom.

"Then you still plan to help me?"

He Huaisheng paused for a moment and replied: Thank you for your help.

For my help? Xia Chan was a little confused by this. "Are you talking about pretending to chase me?"

He Huaisheng nodded.

"Why?"

"One is to strengthen He Qihua's impression of you, and the other is..."

Xia Chan looked at him. "Second?"

He Huaisheng thought for a while and said a sentence: My enemy is He Qihua's friend.

Xia Chan read all the words He Huaisheng had just said from beginning to end and was silent for a while.

He Huaisheng was not in a hurry, as if waiting for her to think about it slowly.

Xia Chan suddenly asked, "Was it Mr. Cheng who was with you in the restaurant in the west of the city that day?"

He Huaisheng nodded.

"Pretending to be crazy and selling stupidity" was naturally what Cheng Zijin had said to He Huaisheng.

There was another silence.

Xia Chan had several thoughts running through her mind and finally made a decision. She looked up at He Huaisheng. "What should I do?"

He Huaisheng also looked at her, lowered his head, and typed four words: Hold on tight.

Someone came to knock on the door. Xia Chan stood up from the sofa, glanced at He Huaisheng, and finally said with a smile, "Your popularity with women is probably not too good."

He Huaisheng's eyes darkened slightly.

When she opened the door, it was Shen Xuefei.

Shen Xuefei looked inside and asked Xia Chan with a smile, "I cut some fruit. Do you want to eat a little, Miss Xia?"

He Huaisheng also stood up, walked to the door, and gave Shen Xuefei some sign language.

After Shen Xuefei finished reading, she said to Xia Chan, "Miss Xia, Huaisheng said he would send you home."

Xia Chan asked, "He doesn't live here?"

Shen Xuefei shook her head.

Shen Xuefei and Aunt Shen saw He Huaisheng and Xia Chan off to outside the yard. Aunt Shen gestured for a while. Xia Chan couldn't understand it but guessed it should be some advice or something.

He Huaisheng seemed to nod in agreement. Finally, he made a goodbye gesture to Aunt Shen.

At night, the path became more and more deep and quiet.

When the wind picked up and brushed against their ears, it felt quite steep.

Xia Chan and He Huaisheng walked side by side, silent all the way.

Xia Chan looked up. Among the interlaced branches, there was a horn-like crescent moon. The moonlight was faint, as if not as thick as the night itself.

She was looking at the moon in a daze when she suddenly heard a hoarse voice beside her. "Be careful."

Immediately afterward, her arm was grabbed, and her whole person was pulled to the side.

Xia Chan was unguarded, and this time she almost couldn't stand still. When she regained her footing and looked down, there was a shiny pool of water in front of her.

Xia Chan felt lingering fear. If she'd stepped in it this time, the boots on her feet would be ruined.

She hurriedly said "thank you," but suddenly remembered that this person couldn't hear it.

At this moment, she realized that He Huaisheng's hand was still gripping her arm, and he was using a little force.

The two stood close to each other, and she could smell a faint scent of tobacco on him.

This made her suddenly want to smoke too.

He Huaisheng looked down at her. Making sure she'd stood firm, he finally let go. As if still worried, he instructed with difficulty, "...Look at the road."

Xia Chan smiled unconsciously. She reached out and touched her pocket, took out a cigarette, shook it in front of He Huaisheng, and made a smoking gesture.

He Huaisheng looked at her and nodded.

Xia Chan took out a cigarette, held it in her mouth, and was about to light it when she paused. She pulled out another one, handed it to He Huaisheng, and asked, "Do you want it?"

The lights nearby were dim, and she wasn't sure if He Huaisheng could see her lip shape.

He Huaisheng looked at the cigarette in her hand and finally took it.

Xia Chan handed him her lighter.

He Huaisheng lit the lighter, lowered his head slightly, and lit it with practiced ease.

A handful of orange-red light shone on his handsome features.

But in an instant, the cigarette was lit, and He Huaisheng handed the lighter back to Xia Chan.

Xia Chan suddenly didn't want to smoke.

She knew her smoking appearance must look boring, but this man's smoking posture made people feel lonely from the bottom of their hearts.

Xie Xingzhou had never smoked and opposed her smoking, so the two had even quarreled many times about it.

Xia Chan held the lighter in her palm and broke the cigarette between her fingers.

She took out the whole box of cigarettes from her pocket and handed it to He Huaisheng along with the lighter.

He Huaisheng didn't know why, but he still took it.

Xia Chan said softly, "I'm giving them to you, although these cigarettes are love cigarettes, lady's cigarettes. You definitely don't like to smoke them."

He Huaisheng stared at her lips, but the light was too dark to distinguish anything.

After standing for a while, Xia Chan took a step forward, and He Huaisheng followed closely.

Finally, the two walked out of the winding, deep path and returned to the brightly lit avenue.

Suddenly, such light was uncomfortable.

Xia Chan squinted her eyes and looked at the bright traffic light ahead.

After waiting for a while, a car stopped in front of the two of them—it was He Huaisheng's Lexus.

Xia Chan wasn't polite. She pulled the door open and got into the back seat.

He Huaisheng extinguished the cigarette butt, threw it into the trash can on the side, and followed her into the car.

Ding Yonggui asked Xia Chan, "Where does Miss Xia live?"

Xia Chan gave an address.

Ding Yonggui stopped talking and drove in silence.

The carriage was extremely quiet, and Xia Chan didn't speak.

The destination arrived not long after. Xia Chan thanked him and got out of the car.

After taking a few steps out, she turned around again. The car had just turned the corner.

She stood there and sighed as if with indifference, "It's a pity he's deaf."

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