Zhan Bei Jue had been free for the past two days and couldn't stop thinking about his mother.
As her only son, he couldn't stand by and watch her condition worsen without doing anything.
He needed to contact a hospital and quickly find someone to send his mother for proper care.
Coincidentally, the business in Jincheng was nearing its end, and A Zhong was reporting to him.
After much deliberation, Zhan Bei Jue felt that A Zhong was the most suitable person for this task. He instructed him to return the next day and come to his house immediately upon his return.
The following afternoon, A Zhong arrived in Nancheng.
After dropping his luggage at the hotel, he immediately took a taxi to Zhan Bei Jue's house.
Zhan Bei Jue and A Zhong had a private conversation in the study.
He explained his mother's situation to A Zhong and then said,
"There's no time to waste. You should leave tomorrow. Tonight, I will make all the necessary preparations with Melody, and we will use that van.
I've already made arrangements at the hospital there; someone will receive you. Remember, absolute secrecy is paramount. I apologize for the trouble this will cause you."
A Zhong was quite touched. The fact that Zhan Bei Jue entrusted him with such a sensitive matter showed his deep trust.
The two talked for a long time in the study before coming out. Unexpectedly, as they went downstairs, they ran into Zhou Jin Bei.
Seeing A Zhong, whom she hadn't seen in a while, at the Zhan family's house surprised Zhou Jin Bei.
"Oh? You're back?"
It wasn't time to get off work yet; why was she at his house?
Zhan Bei Jue didn't want her to get too friendly with A Zhong and asked coldly, "What are you doing here?"
Zhou Jin Bei glanced at his expression and replied unhappily,
"Look at the tone of your voice. Can't I even come to your house now? Isn't it because my sister-in-law was hospitalized and needed me?"
"Say what you need to say. What exactly are you here for?"
"Your wife is recovering from childbirth, but she's still busy. There's something to handle at the electric company, so I'm bringing her some documents. What, did I come at the wrong time?"
After retorting to Zhan Bei Jue, she turned to A Zhong.
"When did you get back?"
A Zhong said he had just arrived and had things to do later, so he couldn't chat with her much.
Zhou Jin Bei called out to him, "Wait for me. I don't see your car in the yard; did you take a taxi? I'll drop off the documents for my sister-in-law and then leave. I'll give you a ride."
This was convenient, as Zhan Bei Jue wouldn't have to arrange a separate ride for A Zhong.
After Zhou Jin Bei left, Zhan Bei Jue cautioned A Zhong.
"This girl is very cunning and full of mischief. You don't need to show her any special respect because of me; just be yourself."
A Zhong didn't quite understand the deeper meaning of his words but nodded in agreement.
Soon, Zhou Jin Bei came down, gave Zhan Bei Jue an annoyed look, didn't speak to him, and pulled A Zhong along as they left.
As the car drove away from the Zhan residence, Zhou Jin Bei asked A Zhong, "Is the project in Jincheng finished?"
"It's done. Otherwise, I wouldn't be back."
"What are you doing next? Are you staying to accompany your father for a while, or are you going abroad immediately?"
In reality, she genuinely wanted to go with A Zhong, not just to give him a ride.
It was because A Zhong had gone on a blind date with a young nurse from the hospital some time ago, and she had been curious about the outcome.
A Zhong said he didn't know yet and that everything depended on Mr. Zhan's arrangements.
The conversation paused for a moment, and Zhou Jin Bei couldn't help but ask,
"I visited Uncle at the hospital again last time. I heard you went on a blind date. Was the nurse pretty?"
She remembered it even after so much time had passed.
A Zhong smiled faintly, "She was alright."
What did "alright" mean?
Pretty was pretty, and not pretty was not pretty. Did she think she could hide it from him?
Zhou Jin Bei felt displeased and began to make veiled remarks.
"How did it go? I heard her background is quite good. You're not young anymore; when do you plan to settle down?"
A Zhong suspected she had ulterior motives but had no concrete evidence.
He gave her a meaningful look and told the truth.
"I only treated her to a meal that day to thank her for helping my father find a caregiver; there was nothing else. I don't plan to stay in the country long-term, and I might never return. Why would I harm her?"
So, the blind date was unsuccessful?
Zhou Jin Bei felt a flicker of joy.
But at the same time, she felt a sense of loss.
He didn't plan to stay in the country anymore...
"Did you sell your house? Where are you staying now?"
A Zhong said he was staying at a hotel and gave the name.
Zhou Jin Bei entered the hotel's name into the navigation system, "Then I'll take you there directly."
A Zhong nodded and turned to grab his suit jacket from the back.
After fumbling around, he took out a card and pushed it onto the center console in front of Zhou Jin Bei.
"I heard from my father. You went through a lot of trouble contacting the doctor for him and even had a stent placed in his heart.
I was in a hurry when I returned last time and didn't get to thank you. There's 500,000 in this card; please take it."
Zhou Jin Bei was taken aback when he offered her money.
She suddenly felt that their current relationship was too awkward, with everything being said indirectly and circuitously, which made her very uncomfortable.
But what could she do? No matter how thick-skinned she was, she was still a woman.
If A Zhong wouldn't take the initiative, could she force him to declare his feelings?
"I'm not doing this for you, so why be so polite? Uncle is a good person, and we get along well; I was only thinking of him."
A Zhong said, "I understand. I was a bit harsh last time; I was just in a bad mood, and it wasn't directed at you. Please don't take it to heart."
"Understand what? You don't understand anything and are always pretending to be polite!" Zhou Jin Bei thought. "If you weren't always acting so understanding, would we be in this situation?"
The hotel's location in the navigation was getting closer. Thinking that she would no longer have any excuses to be with him openly, Zhou Jin Bei felt deeply distressed.
After a period of silence, she couldn't hold back any longer.
"I also did things wrong. To sincerely express my apologies, please let me treat you to a meal. You choose the place."
It was rare for both of them to be so calm today, with a clear desire to clear the air. Thinking that there might not be another opportunity, A Zhong didn't refuse her.
He took out his phone and chose a restaurant, and they headed there.
As a waiter led them to their seats, they encountered a group of young people coming out after their meal.
One of them was the colleague who had helped A Zhong contact Zhou Jin Bei and buy her luxury goods last time.
The colleague saw them at a glance, and his eyes revealed a look of surprise.
Before A Zhong could react, the colleague rushed over.
"Zhong Jia Ming, Zhou Jin Bei? What are you two doing here too? What a coincidence. Are you guys now..."
Fearing she might say something inappropriate, A Zhong quickly explained that he had just returned from finishing business in Jincheng, had run into Zhou Jin Bei by chance, and they were simply having a meal together.
The colleague didn't think much of it, said hello, and left.
However, Zhou Jin Bei felt something was off.
Seeing how nervous A Zhong was, as if he were afraid others would misunderstand their relationship.
Was Zhou Jin Bei that embarrassing?
Or did he actually have feelings for someone else? Was he afraid of misunderstanding and closing off his options?
Thinking this, the anger that had just subsided flared up again.