The idea that Shen Zhongxun and Jiang Jin were uncle and nephew seemed like a fantasy, as the two had absolutely nothing in common. Lin Chu secretly observed and compared them, only to find that they were very similar in build, both tall and strong. Although Jiang Jin’s muscles were more exposed, making him appear more robust. However, their eyes and brows had nothing in common.
Jiang Jin’s eyes were slightly narrow, carrying a hint of arrogance and disdain when he looked at people. When slightly angry, his eyes held a sharp edge, revealing a sinister and ruthless quality that always sent chills down one’s spine. That time, when he followed Lin Chu to Chuqian, he almost lost his temper, and that was when he revealed those eyes. Shen Zhongxun, on the other hand, always seemed to maintain an expressionless, emotionless demeanor, no matter the time or place. His brows and eyes were as dark as night, and he possessed a dignified air, remaining unmoved even if a mountain collapsed. Although he appeared gentle, his true thoughts were always unfathomable, and others always unconsciously exercised caution around him.
Lin Chu had to admit that she would rather be friends with Jiang Jin, but she would prefer to rely on a leader like Shen Zhongxun, who was as stable as a mountain and inexplicably commanded respect.
Jiang Jin seemed somewhat reluctant, so he took out another set of bowls and chopsticks and placed them on the table, then asked Shen Zhongxun, “I’ve just made some food here. Why don’t you go home for a meal? Grandpa must be missing you!”
Shen Zhongxun glanced at Lin Chu, whose eyes were darting around, and said indifferently, “Let’s eat here. I don’t want to rush around.”
Jiang Jin inwardly grumbled but suppressed his suspicions and poured himself a glass of red wine. Since Shen Zhongxun had to drive, he could only drink plain water, so he poured himself a glass, and the three of them finally sat down.
Jiang Jin introduced Shen Zhongxun to Lin Chu: “I don’t need to tell you about him, right? He’s related to me as my maternal uncle, but we’re not that far apart in age, so I can’t bring myself to call him that.”
Lin Chu smiled and nodded slightly to Shen Zhongxun, but Shen Zhongxun suddenly said, “He’s your elder after all.”
Jiang Jin immediately retorted, “What seniority? Don’t try to act like an elder and make me call you uncle. It gives me goosebumps.”
Shen Zhongxun curled his lips and turned his gaze to Lin Chu, who was sipping red wine. Lin Chu shook her hand and awkwardly put down her glass, her brows furrowing almost imperceptibly.
The meal was a feast for the eyes and the palate. Lin Chu took a couple of bites and her mouth watered. She hadn’t expected Jiang Jin to be such a good cook. Seeing the awkward silence, she said, “Your cooking is really good, it’s comparable to a professional chef’s!”
Jiang Jin smiled and said, “You flatter me. I’m used to living alone, so I should know a little about cooking. If you like it, come again next time. My kitchen is always ready to operate!”
Shen Zhongxun ate quietly, not participating in the conversation between the two. Jiang Jin and Lin Chu gradually started chatting and talked about the latest news in the city.
“With so many people suffering from heatstroke, hospital beds are in short supply. Some patients’ families have revealed that doctors are using connections to get patients admitted through back channels. Actually, these are minor issues. What’s more interesting is that the person trying to use connections is the mistress of the department head. And the most interesting thing is that there will be personnel changes in their hospital soon. What a clever scheme!”
Lin Chu was stunned. In fact, there were all sorts of backstabbing and intrigue in her workplace, but she was on the outermost edge and tried to stay out of the noise, so she rarely heard about such news.
Jiang Jin continued, “I’m looking for an opportunity to infiltrate the enemy’s ranks soon, and that’s sure to be interesting.”
Lin Chu asked in surprise, “Like in the news, going undercover with a hidden camera?”
Jiang Jin laughed and said, “That’s right. I’ll be lying in wait inside for a week. If you run into me at the hospital one day, just pretend you don’t know me!”
Lin Chu nodded, a hint of excitement in her eyes.
Shen Zhongxun kept glancing at Lin Chu, but when he saw this, his hand holding the chopsticks paused, and his gaze turned to Jiang Jin across from him. The two of them were chatting and laughing, with a lot to talk about, and it seemed as if they would never run out of things to say. Shen Zhongxun lost interest and found it all rather dull.
After dinner, it was already completely dark. Shen Zhongxun sat on the sofa drinking water, showing no sign of leaving. Lin Chu sat beside him for a while before bidding farewell to Jiang Jin.
Jiang Jin said, “Sit a little longer!” He looked at Shen Zhongxun. “You must have gone back very late, right? Why don’t you go first?”
Shen Zhongxun glanced at his watch, then turned to look at Lin Chu. “Are you leaving?”
Lin Chu was taken aback. “That’s about right.”
Shen Zhongxun nodded, stood up, and said, “Let’s go together then.”
Jiang Jin immediately said, “Hey, Lin Chu, don’t go yet. I’ll take you home later!” Lin Chu smiled at Shen Zhongxun. “Manager Shen, you can go first. I’ll chat with Jiang Jin for a while longer.”
Shen Zhongxun stood there for a moment, noticing that both of their gazes were fixed on him. He was slightly displeased but remained calm, simply grunting “Hmm” before slowly walking out. Jiang Jin closed the door again and breathed a sigh of relief to Lin Chu. “He’s just a two-faced idiot. Ignore him!”
Lin Chu smiled and secretly calculated the time. After five minutes, she said goodbye to Jiang Jin. “I brought my work back. I still have a lot of things to do. Let’s have dinner together again next time.”
Seeing that she was determined to leave, Jiang Jin said, “Then I’ll see you off!”
Lin Chu quickly waved her hand. “It’s just a few steps. I’m going to the supermarket on the way, so don’t bother seeing me off!”
Jiang Jin was unwilling and insisted on accompanying her out of the residential area. Lin Chu stopped him again. “The supermarket is right across the street. You really don’t need to see me off. I want to shop by myself for a while!”
Seeing that she was being so blunt, Jiang Jin could find no excuse to stay by her side any longer, so he had no choice but to leave her alone.
The road was dimly lit, and straight ahead was a crossroads. Lin Chu had been attacked here last time, and she was still a little scared. As she walked, she unconsciously listened for sounds behind her. She could vaguely hear some footsteps, and she panicked slightly. She immediately quickened her pace, crossed the zebra crossing in the blink of an eye, and arrived at the pedestrian crossing on the other side.
The area became more crowded and brighter, making her feel a little more at ease. She decided to walk slowly to the newsstand, took out her public transport card from her wallet, and topped it up with 300 yuan. Just as she finished topping up, the owner looked behind Lin Chu and asked, “You’re topping up your public transport card too?”
“No.” The voice was low and deep.
Lin Chu was startled and immediately turned around. A chest was so close that she had to take two steps back. “Manager Shen!”
Shen Zhongxun hummed in response, his face expressionless, and asked, “Where else are we going?”
Lin Chu was puzzled, and Shen Zhongxun said again, “Where else do you want to go? I’ll go with you.”
Lin Chu chuckled and said, “No need, no need. I’m going home right away.”
Shen Zhongxun nodded. “Then I’ll take you.”
Lin Chu immediately refused. “No need. I’m just around the corner. You should go home now.”
“Lin Chu!” Shen Zhongxun interrupted Lin Chu’s panic and said in a low voice, “Don’t overthink it. I understand what you meant before, but it’s dark now, and I’m a little worried about a girl like you dressed like this.”
Lin Chu glanced down at her outfit. There was nothing wrong with her clothes and pants; they were just casual home clothes. However, since Shen Zhongxun had already made it clear, if Lin Chu refused again, it would make her seem guilty. After muttering a few words to herself, Lin Chu gave a dry reply and followed Shen Zhongxun toward Guanjin Garden.
The night was still and windless. Various private cars emerged from the side streets surrounding the supermarket and hurriedly drove onto the road, interrupting Lin Chu’s steps several times.
Guanjin Garden had several intersections, and Shen Zhongxun seemed to know them better than she did. He led her into a side street, through the supermarket parking lot, and out onto the street outside the community. There were familiar hair salons and snack shops with people coming and going.
Shen Zhongxun said, “You are staying in Zone 1. There is Zone 2 across the bridge. Zones 3 and 4 are still under construction.”
Lin Chu asked curiously, “Is this from Min’an?”
Shen Zhongxun nodded and said, “Yes. A few years ago a batch of farmers’ houses in the east of the city were demolished. Guanjin Garden is a resettlement house, and most of the people who have moved in now are those who were relocated.”
Lin Chu felt envious and couldn’t help but ask him about the house prices. She was astonished when she heard the answer. She never expected that an ordinary farmer’s house could be exchanged for three apartments in a residential complex. After waiting for three years, the owners could now live comfortably on rent alone.
Before they knew it, the two had arrived at the building where the rented apartment was located. Shen Zhongxun looked up and asked, “Which floor do you live on?”
Lin Chu replied, “The eleventh floor.”
Shen Zhongxun said, “A south-facing room? It faces the bridge directly; it should be quite cool with the windows open at night.”
Lin Chu smiled and replied, “Then I’ll head back now. Goodbye!”
Shen Zhongxun watched her enter the elevator, then stood there for a while, looking at the row of mailboxes beside him, wondering whether Lin Chu lived in room 1101 or 1102. A resident pushed an electric cart into the building, glancing curiously at Shen Zhongxun. Shen Zhongxun then strolled around the mailboxes a couple more times, gradually feeling stuffy. He took off his suit jacket and hung it on his arm, moving back and forth as if he had chains attached to it, ignoring the sidelong glances from the residents as they came and went.
Shi Tingting said goodbye to her boyfriend on the grassy field. As she walked into the building, she kept glancing at Shen Zhongxun. She took the elevator upstairs and as soon as she entered, she called out to Sang Feiyan, “I found a handsome guy, just like Michael Miu!”
Sang Feiyan immediately ran out of the room. “Where is he? Bring him back!”
Shi Tingting laughed and said, “He’s downstairs. I wonder if he’s waiting for a woman. Do you want to go down and pretend to bump into him?”
Unexpectedly, Lin Chu suddenly shouted, “Ah, I really have to go down!”
Shi Tingting and Sang Feiyan looked curiously into Lin Chu’s room. Lin Chu poked her head out from the doorway and asked, “Do you have any light bulbs? My light bulb is broken!”
Shi Tingting went over to take a look. “Hey, you only bought it a few months ago. How come it’s broken? Where’s the old light bulb?”
Lin Chu said, “I threw away the old light bulb a long time ago. I don’t know what’s wrong with this light bulb. It started having trouble flickering a couple of days ago, and it just went completely dark!”
Unfortunately, no one stored light bulbs for no reason, so Lin Chu had no choice but to grab her wallet and go downstairs again. Inside the house, Sang Feiyan loudly instructed, “Check if that handsome guy is still there. Take a picture of him and bring it up to me!”
Lin Chu couldn’t help but laugh and immediately responded loudly the moment the elevator doors closed.
The elevator slowly arrived at the ground floor. Lin Chu took out her phone to prepare. Just as she walked behind the door of the stairwell, she saw a man with a suit jacket draped over his arm and wearing a white shirt pacing back and forth. He was facing away from her, so she couldn’t see his face, but it made her heart skip a beat. Without thinking, she pressed herself against the iron door.
Several people came and went, glancing curiously at Shen Zhongxun as they passed the mailbox, then at Lin Chu as they entered the main gate, and finally letting their gazes linger between the two as they entered the elevator.
Lin Chu peeked out furtively, sweat pouring down her face. She felt unbearably stuffy, but Shen Zhongxun kept pacing back and forth outside, so she didn’t dare take a step.
She pulled her head back, hiding behind the door, gritting her teeth, momentarily confused as to what he had seen in her, and unsure whether she should reject him again. Just as she was racking her brains, a tissue suddenly appeared in front of her. The fingers holding the tissue were large and rough, and the breath beside her ear seemed to instantly cool the heat. Each word was low and deep, like the night: “Wipe your sweat. You’re sweltering.”
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