Jiang Ye smiled outwardly, his heart filled with awkwardness.
When he had first met Chen Xiongmao, the man hadn't been like this.
The middle-aged man before him was bowing and scraping, his entire face etched with nervousness, a fawning smile creasing his face with wrinkles. It was as if Jiang Ye were the principal, and Chen Xiongmao was begging to have his son, expelled for fighting, sent back to school, willing to kneel if necessary.
Jiang Ye sighed inwardly, attributing it to his current position as a Grand General.
Time truly flew. He, who had once dug for ore in the wilderness like a savage, now owned an entire planet, his wealth in the trillions.
Meanwhile, Chen Xiongmao's life had only gotten worse. He had lost his job, and the wife of his former subordinate had become a wealthy woman.
"Jiang Ye Star isn't very prosperous, but it will develop quickly. You work in Binhai City; that city is currently the most bustling, and the conditions are better," Jiang Ye said. "If you encounter any difficulties, tell me. Isabel has my number."
"Thank you! There are no difficulties! This is perfectly fine!" Chen Xiongmao said hurriedly.
A few seconds of silence.
Chen Xiongmao forced a smile, and Jiang Ye tried to find topics of conversation.
Sometimes, a few seconds of silence could make the atmosphere so awkward it felt agonizing.
"Do you have any plans for coming to Jiang Ye Star?" Jiang Ye asked.
"No plans for now, just to work hard," Chen Xiongmao replied.
"That's good. All planets are not entirely peaceful, but this place is relatively calm. You two should live your lives well," Jiang Ye nodded.
"Yes, yes, you are right," Chen Xiongmao glanced stiffly at Isabel.
Isabel also managed a stiff smile.
More silence.
"Well, you must be busy. If there's nothing else, we'll take our leave. We came this time just to thank you," Chen Xiongmao stood up.
"Leaving already? Won't you sit a while longer?" Jiang Ye rose.
"No, no, we won't sit. You have so much to do, we mustn't waste your time," Chen Xiongmao waved his hands repeatedly.
"Secretary Su, please see Brother Chen out quickly." Jiang Ye made no move to leave his desk.
"No need, no need. My car is right outside, no need to see me out!" Chen Xiongmao declined.
Isabel hadn't said a word throughout the entire encounter, quietly following her husband.
As they were about to leave, she turned back, her expression complex as she cast a deep glance at Jiang Ye. Her gaze was peculiar, unlike anything he had seen on her face before, as if she had a thousand words she wanted to say at that moment but couldn't.
Jiang Ye's heart stirred slightly, unsure of her meaning. He watched the door close.
Silence returned to the office.
Jiang Ye sat down, clicked on the screen, and began processing the backlog of tasks.
They were all trivial matters, such as veteran soldiers wishing to retire and return home, positions requiring the promotion of new officers, budget allocations for military bases, and the development of new mining areas. A glance was enough to approve them, requiring little thought.
He worked through the evening, finally finishing most of the documents.
The office door was suddenly knocked upon.
Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow. Su Yueming never knocked when entering; she would quietly come in and attend to matters. He hadn't scheduled any appointments, so who could it be at this hour?
"Please come in," Jiang Ye said.
The door opened.
It was Isabel.
She had changed into a pink dress, wore black stockings, and her neckline was quite low. Her face was haggard, and her eyes were red.
Her gaze was still strange, just as it had been that morning.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Ye asked.
Isabel sat opposite his desk, crossed her arms on the table, and rested her face on them.
Tears streamed down her face, but without a sound.
Jiang Ye quickly handed her the tissue box. "Why are you crying? Who bullied you? Is there anyone on this planet who could make you cry? How dare they!"
Isabel remained silent, taking tissues to wipe her tears.
Jiang Ye felt she looked like a wet puppy, pitiful.
"I don't think I love him anymore," Isabel said softly. "I feel nothing at all, like he's a stranger."
"Your husband?" Jiang Ye rubbed his hands together, unsure what to do. "You haven't seen each other for a long time, have you?"
"Two years," Isabel said.
"That's indeed a long time. Two years can fade many feelings. But if you spend a few days together, talk, and eat meals, you should be able to find that feeling again," Jiang Ye said.
Isabel shook her head, continuing to wipe her tears.
"It's not that. He's changed. He's completely different from before," Isabel's voice grew more distressed. "There's none of the familiar feeling I used to have. I don't know what happened these past two years; we haven't been in touch for a long time."
"Middle-aged couples' lives are just like plain water," Jiang Ye comforted her. "Simplicity is true happiness."
"No, you don't understand," Isabel's tears increased. "I'm so sad."
"Mengmeng is making dumplings at home; she's a great cook. I'll take you to our place for a meal. Senlin also wants to play with his aunt," Jiang Ye said. "If you're in a bad mood, eat something good."
"I don't want to eat anything," Isabel stopped taking tissues and wiped her tears on her sleeve.
Jiang Ye stood up and reached out to pull her arm. "Come on, come on. Crying on an empty stomach only makes you feel more miserable. After eating, nothing will seem like a big deal. Trust me, let's go, let's go eat dumplings."
...
The car stopped at the house entrance.
Jiang Ye got out of the car and led the teary-eyed Isabel inside.
Cen Yemeng had flour on her hands, and the cutting board beside her was covered with freshly made, plump dumplings. Jiang Senlin was on the sofa, holding a thick book and folding paper airplanes; dozens of crashed planes littered the floor.
"Oh my! What happened?" Cen Yemeng stood up in surprise upon seeing Isabel.
"She's having some relationship troubles. I brought her here to eat your dumplings," Jiang Ye said.
Jiang Senlin's mouth fell open as he stared blankly at Isabel. He had never seen his aunt like this before and was too stunned to call out "Auntie."
Jiang Ye had hoped that eating something would improve her mood, or at least allow her to articulate clearly why she was so upset.
However, throughout the entire dinner, Isabel lay listlessly on the table, eating only three small dumplings before stopping.
After the meal, Cen Yemeng took Isabel into the bedroom.
Jiang Ye didn't follow, thinking that perhaps women could communicate better with each other.
He found two comic books for children and sat with Jiang Senlin, flipping through them.
Jiang Senlin soon grew sleepy. Jiang Ye carried him to the small bed in the second bedroom.
Cen Yemeng and Isabel had been talking for over two hours with no sign of ending. Jiang Ye decided to go upstairs to check.
As he reached the stairs, he saw Cen Yemeng coming down with a frown.
"Honey, maybe you should sleep with Senlin tonight," Cen Yemeng said softly.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Ye asked in a whisper.
"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. Lao Yi has a low fever, so I'll stay with her tonight and keep her company," Cen Yemeng said.
"If she has a fever, stay away from her. Don't get infected," Jiang Ye frowned.
"I've taken fever medication, I'm fine," Cen Yemeng tiptoed and kissed Jiang Ye on the cheek. "It's decided then. I'm going up to stay with her."