in2ebook Chapter 161: I still can't get over that period.
Chapter 161: I still can't get over that period.
Seeing that Jian Zheng did not react, Zhou Yanruo parted her thin lips slightly, her tone carrying a hint of maturity and emotion: "I am no longer the naive little girl who dreamed of becoming a star. And you are no longer the boy who constantly called me 'Mom' and was so kind-hearted that you wanted to solve the troubles of everyone in the world."
Upon hearing this, Jian Zheng suddenly looked up, his hands unconsciously clenching into fists, and said in a low and serious voice, "Don't mention my mother."
He then sighed softly, a hint of helplessness and regret in his eyes. He spoke slowly, his voice low but sincere: "Yanruo, you're right, everything has changed. We are no longer who we were back then; we can't go back to that innocent and naive time. Some of what you pointed out, I can't deny. In business, strategies and tactics are inevitable, but I've always adhered to my bottom line and dared not cross it. You're also in the business world; these things are unavoidable there too. Since it's been brought up today, I won't avoid it anymore, but please allow me, as a friend, to remind you—'The business world is like a battlefield,' a truth everyone understands. Our positions are different; let's prepare ourselves."
He paused, looking directly at Zhou Yanruo with sincere eyes, as if searching for fragments of shared memories. "Of course, some things and some people cannot be forgotten, you have them, and so do I. But there are also many truths you don't know. It's not time to explain some things now. We are gradually uncovering all the fog, and when that time comes, you will naturally understand. I promised a friend that I can't tell you everything right now."
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yanruo felt a mix of emotions and asked in confusion, "You mean 'you guys'? And who else? What mist? I don't understand what you're talking about."
Jian Zheng glanced at her and replied bluntly, "Just cooperate and don't ask so many questions, so as not to embarrass everyone."
Zhou Yanruo gazed at Jian Zheng, trying to find answers in his eyes, but ultimately chose silence. She knew that some things needed time to prove themselves, and some truths could only be revealed at the right time. So, she nodded slightly, tacitly agreeing with Jian Zheng's words, while also leaving room for the uncertainty in her own heart.
Jian Zheng smiled and said, "Let's catch up. It's been so many years since we last met. Why are you so hostile towards me right away? Haha, we've all changed, but your sharp tongue hasn't."
After saying that, he gestured for the waiter to come over.
The waiter approached and politely asked, "Sir, how can I help you?"
Jian Zheng said, "One Americano, one iced Americano."
The waiter nodded and smiled, "Okay, please wait a moment."
Jian Zheng watched the waiter leave, then turned to Zhou Yanruo, who was still in a daze, and said, "You've been in America for so many years, you must be used to American coffee, right? I've ordered for you. But since you're back, let's switch to our tea, or maybe Italian coffee. With America's pitiful two hundred years of history, what's so admirable about it? Hahaha..."
Zhou Yanruo came to her senses and said, "Jian Zheng, I really feel that you have changed a lot since I last saw you."
"How could there be no change? The dashing young man has become a pot-bellied figure. Time is fair to everyone, treating everyone equally."
"The change I'm referring to isn't just your appearance, but your mindset. You seem to have become somewhat cynical."
"Really? I think I'm still pretty sunny, just from a sunny young man to a sunny middle-aged man. I'm still me, and my mindset remains sunny."
Zhou Yanruo smiled but remained silent.
The waiter came over with a tray and gently placed two cups of coffee and a plate containing six cookies on it.
Zhou Yanruo picked up her coffee and took a sip, then said, "There's something I'm not sure if I should ask."
"What is there between us that we can't ask each other? Go ahead and ask, and see if I can help you answer your questions. Of course, don't try to trick me. Don't ask questions in a roundabout way if I can't tell you the answer. It will put me in a difficult position whether I answer or not, you know?"
"It's something from the past, many years ago. I think it's okay to ask, right?"
Jian Zheng raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhou Yanruo noncommittally, "Well, ask away. I promise to answer everything I know."
"At the beginning of the millennium, I was devastated by the sudden loss of contact with Wang Jie. Do you remember? I finally managed to get in touch with you, hoping to inquire about Wang Jie, but your attitude seemed quite unusual. Not long after, I saw a report about Mayor Chang in the newspaper and realized that you were also deeply grieving the loss of a loved one... Where were you then? More than three months later, I received an email from you telling me, 'Don't wait for Wang Jie anymore, live your own life well.' I wrote back, asking, 'What do you mean by that? Who told you to tell me that? Was it yourself, or Wang Jie?' However, you never replied. At that time, I had just left Xichuan, and my heart was filled with doubts about the series of changes that had occurred during that period. Many things after that completely changed the course of our lives, and I was no exception. So..."
"So, you still can't get over that period? Indeed, everything that happened during that time changed all of us, including you, me, and Wang Jie."
Zhou Yanruo seemed anxious, her voice trembling slightly, her gaze fixed on Jian Zheng's face: "Can you tell me now? About Wang Jie, about those days we don't want to talk about anymore, you must know something, right? You know I've been troubled for years, help me."
Jian Zheng shook his head calmly, his voice gentle yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible helplessness: "Yan Ruo, I may have to disappoint you again this time. It's not that I don't want to tell you about the person and those things you care about most, but I think that perhaps you will naturally find out in the future under certain circumstances. Besides, I don't know everything either, and explaining it in a few words would be biased and mislead you, causing you to be unnecessarily bound by the past and adding to your troubles. This is not helping you, it's making things more complicated for you."
He paused, seemingly searching for the right words to change the subject, and then continued, "However, since you've brought it up, I can tell you about my own life. Would you like to hear it?"
After saying that, Jian Zheng did not look at Zhou Yanruo, but casually picked up a cookie and put it in his mouth, waiting for her response.
Zhou Yanruo looked at him, the urgency in her eyes gradually subsiding, replaced by a complex emotion, a mixture of expectation and relief. She nodded gently, as if to say, "Then tell me about your situation. What exactly happened during that time?"