"Chen Erge, you really did a dishonest thing," Meng Tao complained softly. "We came here today just to coincidentally encounter Pei Yan. But look, as soon as he saw us, he ran away. So why did we come here? To appreciate the artworks?" They came here because they heard that Pei Yan would be attending this exhibition, but they couldn't even exchange a single word with him.
"How was I supposed to know that he would bring his girlfriend along?" Chen Jiang rubbed his hands. "I'm not afraid to admit it, ever since the last time I had a car accident, Pei Yan came to the hospital, looked at me with a cold smile, and didn't say a word. It made me feel uneasy."
"He..." Meng Tao's expression became indescribable. "Is he that boring?"
"If I were like him, with no one above me to keep me in check and with a lot of assets in hand, the things I would do might be even more boring than him," Chen Jiang admitted defeat with a candid tone. "Anyway, now whenever I see him with an unhappy expression, I want to keep my distance from him."
"So, did we come here for nothing today?" Meng Tao felt somewhat unwilling.
"Maybe we can wait a little longer. I saw him and his girlfriend entering the VIP lounge. Let's wait for him to come out."
Inside the VIP lounge, Pei Yan saw Hua Jin replying to messages with a suspicious look on her face. What were she and her friends talking about?
"Suddenly, I remembered that there are still many exhibits I haven't seen," Pei Yan felt that he couldn't give her any more time to message. "Let's go."
"Why do you want me to look at the exhibition with you?" Hua Jin was trying to evade the questioning of a few friends when she saw Pei Yan walking towards her and quickly stuffed her phone into her bag.
"So are you coming or not?" Pei Yan looked at her.
"Of course... I'm coming." Hua Jin stood up. "Mr. Pei has helped me so much, and I'm not willing to refuse this small favor. Let's go, I'll be a competent companion."
The two walked out of the lounge and saw Chen Jiang and Meng Tao waiting at the door. Pei Yan didn't spare them a glance and walked straight out.
Meng Tao and Chen Jiang were anxious but didn't dare to call out to Pei Yan directly. In desperation, Chen Jiang could only look at Hua Jin for help. They say girls are soft-hearted, maybe Mr. Pei's girlfriend would be willing to say a good word for them?
Seeing Chen Jiang's pleading eyes, Hua Jin turned her head and quickly walked up to pull on Pei Yan's sleeve. "Wait a minute."
Chen Jiang and Meng Tao were delighted, they had a chance.
"Don't walk so fast, my legs aren't as long as yours."
As Chen Jiang and Meng Tao watched Hua Jin and Pei Yan walk away, they finally experienced the feeling of having hope but only receiving disappointment.
The security level of this exhibition was high, inviting experts and scholars who were genuinely interested as well as those who were just going through the motions. However, the fact that the organizers were willing to invest so much money and effort into organizing this exhibition already represented their respect for traditional craftsmanship.
After accompanying Pei Yan to admire the mortise and tenon furniture, they had reached the exit of the exhibition. Hua Jin turned around and glanced at the craftsmanship lying quietly in the display cabinets. These artifacts, preserved in the torrent of time, had endured thousands of years. Would they eventually dissipate in the unknown years to come?
"Watch your step."
Hua Jin snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at Pei Yan. "Thank you."
Pei Yan noticed how careful she was while descending the steps and remembered the night he had escorted her home when an old lady had asked her to apply medicinal wine. Unable to resist his curiosity, he asked, "Is there something wrong with your leg?"
Hua Jin looked up at him, and her dark eyes were clear and transparent.
"A few years ago, I had a leg injury. It's nothing major, but sometimes it aches on rainy days," Hua Jin explained as she walked gracefully on level ground. "But I've gotten used to it."
An injury from a few years ago that still had lingering effects was considered nothing major?
Pei Yan wanted to say something, but Hua Jin appeared indifferent and nonchalant. He hesitated and decided not to press the matter further. Instead, he said, "My grandfather had a close friend who studied traditional Chinese medicine when he was young and later pursued Western medicine abroad. He's quite skilled in his medical practice. Let's visit him in a few days. Maybe he can help."
"It seems like I've caught onto your thigh," Hua Jin couldn't help but laugh. "Thank you."
"Can't you be more serious?" Pei Yan furrowed his brows. "You're so young, yet you don't take care of your body?"
Hua Jin remained silent, lowering her head to look at the embroidery on her skirt.
Pei Yan thought his words had upset Hua Jin and inwardly muttered to himself, wondering why she was so petty. But when he saw her dejected expression, he felt a shortness of breath and couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh. "I'll treat you to a nice meal. Will you come?"
"Sure!" Hua Jin raised her head, smiling. "Where are we going to eat?"
Pei Yan: "..."
He suspected that he had overthought earlier. Where was the trace of dejection on this woman?
When they arrived at the restaurant, Hua Jin looked at the luxuriously decorated private room and touched her phone in her bag.
"If you want to take a picture, go ahead. You've already called me a golden thigh. A golden thigh should show off its strength. How can it be considered a golden thigh if it doesn't?" Pei Yan handed the menu to Hua Jin. "Take a look and see what you'd like to eat."
"Why don't you choose? I don't know what's good here either." Hua Jin took out her phone and snapped a picture of the ornament on the table. Seeing Pei Yan bowing his head to read the menu, she couldn't help but sneak a few more glances.
With eyelashes that long, are they meant for swinging on a swing?
Pei Yan beckoned the waiter standing at the entrance. "We'll have one of each of these dishes and a bowl of nourishing soup for women."
"Would you like some alcohol?"
"No, thank you." Pei Yan handed the menu to the waiter and noticed that Hua Jin was looking at him, making him feel a bit uneasy. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You look good," Hua Jin said, propping her cheek on her hand and tilting her head to look at Pei Yan. "Humans have an instinctive appreciation for beauty. It's not my fault, it's just that you're too good-looking."
Pei Yan was rendered speechless by her twisted reasoning. "Speak properly."
"I'm telling the truth," Hua Jin noticed that Pei Yan's ears were turning red and couldn't help but laugh. "Mr. Pei, if you get embarrassed so easily, what will you do in the future?"
"I'm not embarrassed, I'm just irritated by you," Pei Yan, who almost never used profanity, was finally pushed to the point of swearing. "When I look for a woman to spend my life with, I definitely won't choose someone like you who isn't serious."
"You're right," Hua Jin nodded in agreement. "Mr. Pei deserves a very good girl."
"Heh," Pei Yan sneered. "Don't think that saying such things will calm me down."
Hua Jin continued to smile. Her smile was beautiful, with her eyes curved and revealing faint dimples on her cheeks. If it weren't for her mischievous mouth that he had witnessed, no one would have imagined that such an adorable and pretty face could belong to someone with such an annoying personality.
"Mr. Pei, your nourishing soup has arrived," the waiter knocked on the door and entered.
"Give it to her," Pei Yan pointed in Hua Jin's direction.
"The soup is a bit hot, please be careful," the waiter placed the soup bowl near Hua Jin's hand and couldn't help but take another look at her. Mr. Pei was a regular customer at the restaurant, and although he was arrogant and distant, he had never given the waitstaff any trouble. During their idle time, the restaurant staff would occasionally chat about the habits of their esteemed customers, and when it came to Mr. Pei, hardly anyone had anything negative to say about him.
"Is there something wrong?" Pei Yan keenly noticed that the waiter's movements were slightly slower than usual, so he looked up at her.
"It's nothing," the waiter quickly averted her gaze and quietly exited the room.
After finishing the meal, when Pei Yan was about to pay the bill, the waiter informed him that Mr. Chen had already paid for him.
Pei Yan raised an eyebrow and walked out of the restaurant with Hua Jin, only to see Chen Jiang and Meng Tao squatting nearby. When they saw Pei Yan coming out, the two of them dared not approach and wore ingratiating smiles on their faces.
The smiles of the two men made Hua Jin shudder, and she instinctively hid behind Pei Yan, shielding her eyes from the discomfort.
"Alright, what do you two want?" Pei Yan toyed with the car keys in his hand. "If you keep following me, are you planning to accompany me home?"
"Hello, Mr. Pei," Chen Jiang rubbed his hands together. "We just saw you dining here and wanted to come over to say hello..."
"Just get to the point," Pei Yan couldn't bear to watch Chen Jiang's forced smile any longer. He turned his head and noticed that Hua Jin was hiding behind him. He reached out and pulled her out, thinking that he shouldn't be the only one suffering from the discomfort.
Hua Jin: ...
"In fact, we're here for the environmental project," Chen Jiang knew how peculiar Pei Yan's temperament was, so he didn't dare to waste words. "My cousin's family is planning an environmental project, but it has a long timeline, requires a large investment, and has low profits, making it difficult to find a partner. However, my grandfather's character, you might have heard of it, he believes it's a good thing for the country and the people, and it can't be left undone. He even said that he can't rest in peace until it's done. We, the younger generation, can't do much about it, so we can only try our best to fulfill our grandfather's wish..."
As he spoke, Chen Jiang blushed. They came to Pei Yan seeking investment for a project that no one else wanted to invest in. It was like openly declaring Pei Yan as a potential scapegoat. But in front of Pei Yan, he couldn't bring himself to lie because the consequences of being caught in a lie would be terrible.
Pei Yan had indeed heard of the operating style of the Meng family's patriarch. This old gentleman had lived frugally and had a very upright character. He couldn't stand any underhanded and unethical practices. Chen Jiang, being a prodigal son, managed to maintain some level of decency thanks to the watchful eye of this old gentleman.
He hadn't expected that the old gentleman would have such ideals, and what was even more surprising was that Meng Tao and Chen Jiang, these young prodigals, were willing to set aside their own pride and follow him for the sake of their elders' ideals.
"Hand over the project proposal to my assistant tomorrow. Once my advisory team has reviewed it, I will give you a response," Pei Yan finally looked at Chen Jiang with some respect. "Mr. Meng is an extraordinary person."
Upon hearing this, Chen Jiang blushed. He understood that Pei Yan's words meant that his grandfather was an exceptional individual, while he himself was always indulging in a life of luxury. He lowered his head and whispered, "Thank you, Mr. Pei."
"No need to thank me so early. Whether the project succeeds or not depends on the evaluation of my advisory team," Pei Yan turned his head and saw Hua Jin still standing there in a daze. He couldn't help but smile. "Alright, everyone go back now. Don't follow me anymore."
He beckoned to Hua Jin with his finger. "Come with me."
Hua Jin had some understanding of traditional craftsmanship, but she had no idea what they were talking about with terms like environmental protection and projects. However, she vaguely felt that this kind of project might not be profitable; otherwise, why would no one be willing to invest in it?
As they sat in the car, she noticed that the smile on Pei Yan's face hadn't faded. Curiosity got the better of her, and she asked, "Is there something wrong with this project?" Otherwise, why would those two seemingly wealthy young men act so subservient in front of Pei Yan?
"No, there's not a single problem with this project. On the contrary, it's very good. It benefits the country, the people, and the ecological environment," Pei Yan replied.
"Then why..."
"Because doing such things requires a large investment with little return. Any smart businessman wouldn't wade into these waters," Pei Yan explained calmly.
Hua Jin felt a tremor in her heart. "Then why would that old gentleman still want to do it?"
"Some things simply need someone to do them," Pei Yan said in a composed tone. "That's why such individuals are worthy of our admiration."
Some things simply need someone to do them.
Hua Jin pondered these words, realizing that it applied not only to philanthropy but also to the preservation of traditional craftsmanship. In order for something to be passed down, there always needs to be someone willing to do it. She was born ordinary, without enviable wealth, but if she could persist in the art of embroidery, it would also be meaningful.
"I understand," Hua Jin's lips curved into a smile. "Mr. Pei, you truly are an extraordinary person."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Pei Yan's ears turned red again. "Don't spout nonsense while I'm driving."
"I'm not spouting nonsense, I'm serious."
"You dare say more? Shut up," Pei Yan stared at her expressionlessly. "Say another word, and I'll leave you halfway and let you find your own way back."
Hua Jin looked at him without saying a word.
Pei Yan asked unhappily, "What do you mean by that?"
"Didn't you tell me not to speak?" Hua Jin's face was innocent, and she whispered, "What if you leave me halfway? Taking a taxi home from here is very expensive."
Pei Yan:...
What sin did he commit in past to meet this woman?
If only he hadn't mistaken Hua Jin's intention to jump into the lake as a suicide attempt and deliberately approached her.
If only he had refused Yang Shao's request to accompany the embroidery master to the countryside.
If only he hadn't interfered when she was being insulted as a village girl.
If only his brain hadn't overheated and he hadn't given her exhibition tickets that he had no interest in.
Countless mistakes, all leading to his short-circuiting today and coming to the exhibition hall to see traditional crafts that he didn't care about at all.
Did he kill someone in his past life, only to be tormented by Hua Jin in this life?
Author's Note: Pei Yan: I killed someone in my past life, and in this life, Hua Jin torments my soul.