Chapter 42

Update Time: March 27, 2013

After getting in the car, Hong Yaqin glanced at the leather bag on the back seat and asked, "Do you have something to take care of?"

Zhang Yang nodded and said, "Yeah, it's work-related! I guess I brought this on myself. When you eat someone's food, you become soft-spoken; when you take someone's hand, you become short-handed. Since it's a promise, I have to keep my word."

Hong Yaqin's impression of Zhang Yang changed once again.

At first, she thought Zhang Yang was just a guest scared by Helinlin. Later, she saw him as a lifeline, but his cold and business-like tone made her think he was a cold-blooded person. The conversation just now made her feel he was a very thoughtful person. Now, she realized he was a man of his word.

This quality was especially rare in today's society. People often say that a man's word is as solid as a nail once it hits the ground, but how many truly keep their word? Most people speak with masks on, and even when words are written down, they can deny them with wide eyes. Just for this, Hong Yaqin felt a great deal of goodwill towards him.

"You seemed to hear your parents urging you to go on a blind date when you were on the phone," Hong Yaqin said with a smile.

At Hong Yaqin's words, Zhang Yang's expression changed. He was still here watching Hong Yaqin's predicament but had forgotten his own troubles. He shook his head helplessly and said, "Parents are like that when they reach a certain age. Don't worry, I won't make you take the fall for me."

Hong Yaqin blushed and said, "Even if you asked, I wouldn't agree. What would that make us? A bunch of TV drama marriage rules? What a joke?"

A smile appeared at the corner of Zhang Yang's mouth. The fact that she was willing to joke with him was a good sign.

"By the way, is Zhang Yang here in the capital to look for a job or to do business?" Hong Yaqin changed the topic and asked.

"Doing business. I'm looking for a project to invest in and start a business. Working for others has no future; I don't want to become a mortgage or car slave," Zhang Yang said.

Hong Yaqin looked at Zhang Yang in surprise. Looking for a project and starting a business—was he serious? Just now at the restaurant, he clearly said he couldn't go to college because of his family's poor conditions and had come to work. How could he suddenly want to start a business? Suddenly, she found Zhang Yang to be a very mysterious man, full of secrets. She was curious, and curiosity is the greatest sin, leading to a series of events.

"What are your parents' hobbies? We can't go empty-handed on the first visit," Zhang Yang said.

"My father likes to drink, and my mother likes to drink tea," Hong Yaqin said.

"Then let's buy two bottles of Maotai and two pounds of Longjing tea. Oh, there's a liquor store here. Let's buy it here," Zhang Yang pulled over and stopped the car.

Hong Yaqin sat there motionless. Only when she saw Zhang Yang looking at her did she react, "You're not making me buy it myself, right?"

"What do you think? I'm here at your request to meet your parents. You don't expect me to pay, do you?" Zhang Yang said.

Although he wanted to please Hong Yaqin, Zhang Yang wouldn't flatter her blindly. If he did, his intentions would be too obvious. So whenever he had the chance to tease Hong Yaqin, he didn't hold back.

Hong Yaqin glared at Zhang Yang and muttered, "Stingy!"

"What did you say?" Zhang Yang asked.

"Nothing, nothing, I'll go buy it," Hong Yaqin said.

Seeing Hong Yaqin pouting as she walked into the liquor store, Zhang Yang smiled strangely. To deal with such a woman, he had to keep her guessing and not let her take control. Such girls were used to being flattered and fawned over. He had to take an unconventional approach to be her friend. Just look at how Helinlin, with her mischievous personality, could become her good friend; it showed that she had a strong rebellious streak.

If a few months ago he was a novice, after Wang Yue's almost brutal education, Zhang Yang could now approach love with a rational mind. He saw women more as opponents, so he could treat them like enemies.

While lost in thought, Hong Yaqin returned to the car with two gift boxes and said irritably, "Alright, let's go."

Because of Zhang Yang's stinginess and rationality, Hong Yaqin was a bit angry and lost interest in talking to him. Although it was an act, she was still a girl and hoped Zhang Yang would treat her like a real couple. Women are such contradictory creatures; sometimes when they say they don't want to be pursued, they actually want to be pursued. Hong Yaqin was in this state of mind. She thought that as a beautiful woman, having Zhang Yang pretend to be her boyfriend should be a great honor for him, and he should try hard to please her. But in reality, Zhang Yang showed no enthusiasm and treated it like a transaction, which made her very angry and frustrated, and a bit不服 (unconvinced).

Zhang Yang didn't care about Hong Yaqin's attitude. If he didn't make a mistake, this would not be the last time he visited. Therefore, he had to control the situation and lead her, not let her control him.

Following the GPS, Zhang Yang continued driving. Hong Yaqin didn't speak, and neither did he. After Wang Yue left, Zhang Yang talked even less, able to remain silent for a whole day.

After five or six minutes, Hong Yaqin couldn't stand the silence in the car and said, "Hey, my parents have bad tempers. Don't make them angry."

"Don't worry, they'll be angry at you, not me. I'm a guest and your boyfriend. Even if they have grievances, they won't take them out on me. You're the one who will suffer," Zhang Yang said.

Hong Yaqin said angrily, "Can't you say something nice?"

"I'm just being honest. But honesty isn't popular these days; it's not pleasant to hear. Let me make it clear: our deal doesn't include flattering you," Zhang Yang added fuel to the fire.

Hong Yaqin was so angry she wanted to explode.

"Zhang Yang, I've never met a man as stingy as you!" Hong Yaqin shouted.

"Stingy? Because I didn't pay for the gifts?" Zhang Yang asked.

The two bickered, unaware of the passing time. When Hong Yaqin came to her senses, the car was already at the entrance of a residential complex.

"Alright, now you're not nervous or guilty, right?" Zhang Yang said.

Hong Yaqin looked at Zhang Yang in surprise!

"When we got in the car, you were very nervous, your face full of guilt. Anyone could see you were hiding something. Your parents, with their experience, would have seen through your thoughts immediately," Zhang Yang said.

Hong Yaqin looked at Zhang Yang in surprise and said, "So you were stimulating me on the way to let me vent my emotions!"

"Exactly. You're in a much better state now. Your pouting face fits our setup perfectly. I quit a promising job and came to the capital to start over without telling you. You're definitely angry. Add to that your parents' pressure, and you naturally bring me here out of desperation, feeling wronged and taking out your small temper on me. That's normal. This way, without any intimate actions, they won't suspect anything," Zhang Yang said.

Hong Yaqin didn't expect Zhang Yang to be so considerate. Her earlier frustration dissipated, and her resistance to looking at Zhang Yang softened.

"Drive in. After my father retired, he likes to live in a place with mountains and water. He bought a villa here. There are mountains behind it, and a reservoir not far away. He loves it," Hong Yaqin said.

Zhang Yang drove in without showing any emotion. What a high-end villa complex, with luxury cars parked in the yards. Unlike the villas on TV, which are so close together, each house here was spaced far apart, with its own private space and a large yard, some even surrounded by walls, making the inside invisible.

Following Hong Yaqin's directions, the car stopped in front of a white three-story villa.

Zhang Yang carried the gifts and followed Hong Yaqin into the villa.

The yard was large, and to their surprise, it was not filled with flowers but with various vegetables: Chinese cabbage, radishes, red peppers, and other common vegetables.

Noticing Zhang Yang's gaze, Hong Yaqin explained, "My father likes to grow his own vegetables. He says the vegetables from the market don't taste good when cooked."

Zhang Yang agreed. The tomatoes and eggs from his hometown were very fragrant, especially those from his childhood. After coming to work, no matter how big the restaurant, he couldn't get the same taste. It wasn't because they cooked poorly, but because the tomatoes and eggs were not pure, without chemical fertilizers or feed.

At the door, Hong Yaqin took a deep breath and knocked.