As noon approached and Cheng Jemin was about to finish work, he had not received any messages from his superiors summoning him. He postponed his lunch with Tang Zhengshan to the evening and rode his bike towards the provincial government.
"Clay figurines, beautiful clay figurines..." As Cheng Jemin passed through a small alley, he was attracted by a folk artist.
"Sir, how much is this rose?"
"One yuan." The old man glanced at Cheng Jemin and said kindly.
Cheng Jemin knew the old man had probably seen him as young and raised the price, but looking at the lifelike little clay figurine, he still happily paid one yuan and left with a smile.
The provincial government was not far from the Water Resources Department. When Cheng Jemin arrived at the entrance of the provincial government, there were still a few minutes before the end of the workday, but he could already see some people leaving.
Cheng Jemin stared intently at these figures, and when his eyes started to ache, he finally saw Gu Xixi walk out, accompanied by a woman in her thirties.
"Xixi!" Cheng Jemin called out loudly.
Gu Xixi saw him and ran over happily.
"Xixi, this is..." The woman glanced at Cheng Jemin and asked softly.
"Zao Jie, this is my boyfriend, Cheng Jemin." Gu Xixi smiled shyly.
For a moment, Cheng Jemin felt as if he had flown into a sky filled with tender affection. The straightforward way this reserved girl introduced him moved him deeply, and the feeling was indescribably wonderful.
"Jemin, this is Zao Jie, who has taught me a lot."
"Zao Jie, thank you for taking care of Xixi!"
"Xiaocheng, Xixi is the number one beauty in the government compound. You are truly lucky. Nice to meet you, I am Zao Lijun, working in the Provincial Party Committee Office."
"Cheng Jemin from the Water Resources Department, please take care of me!" Cheng Jemin smiled and shook hands with Zao Lijun.
"Water Resources Department is a good unit, I won't disturb you two!" Zao Lijun said politely and turned to leave. Despite her polite words, Cheng Jemin felt that this woman had a sense of superiority and looked down on him.
"Xixi, this is for you!" Cheng Jemin took out the rose he had just bought and handed it to Gu Xixi.
Gu Xixi smiled shyly, "It's so beautiful!"
"Oh, I almost forgot, Cheng Yancui is coming. We are meeting at the department store at twelve, let's go!"
"No problem, come, please get on my special vehicle!" Cheng Jemin patted the back seat of his bicycle and joked.
Gu Xixi happily hopped onto Cheng Jemin's bicycle, her small hands tightly hugging Cheng Jemin's waist. Cheng Jemin felt enveloped by a sense of happiness and pedaled even faster.
The department store was located in the bustling area of Tianyuan City, naturally crowded with people and vehicles. Locking the bike at a bank entrance, Cheng Jemin led Gu Xixi forward.
"Do you think Cheng Yancui has changed?" As Cheng Jemin handed a string of red candied haws to the girl, Gu Xixi leaned against his back and asked with a smile.
It had been more than half a year since graduation, and Cheng Jemin's memory of Cheng Yancui was already blurry. He could only bluff, "Hmm, she should have bright eyes, a radiant face, and be a bit fatter!"
"Oh, you bad guy, Cheng Yancui dreams of losing weight. You would make her faint with anger! Hey, do you think being fat is beautiful?"
"No. Xixi's figure is the best!" Cheng Jemin whispered, making Gu Xixi smile broadly.
A sharp car horn sounded nearby. As Cheng Jemin and Gu Xixi looked around, a plump woman ran towards them quickly.
"Xixi, I miss you so much!" The woman, who looked like a ball, rushed up and hugged Gu Xixi.
Gu Xixi was also pleasantly surprised, "I heard you were coming, and I was so happy. You are the first one in our class to get married!"
As they chatted and laughed, two men got out of the car. Cheng Yancui then turned around, "Xixi, let me introduce you. This is my husband, Chen Zhi, and this is his good friend, Jiang Yunpeng."
When Jiang Yunpeng saw Gu Xixi, his eyes seemed to light up. "Nice to meet you, Xixi." Jiang Yunpeng extended his hand, appearing very polite.
Cheng Jemin, sensitive to Cheng Yancui's expression and the behavior of the three people, realized that Cheng Yancui was likely trying to set up Gu Xixi with Jiang Yunpeng.
Cheng Jemin felt a bit annoyed and said with a smile, "Yancui, I had a meeting to prepare for today. But Xixi gave me a strict order to come and solemnly welcome you! I'm here to accompany you today!"
The others present could not miss the fact that Cheng Jemin was actually declaring his relationship with Gu Xixi. Cheng Yancui was full of suspicion, but Chen Zhi, standing next to her, smiled, "Jemin, thank you for coming to pick us up."
Through the introductions, Cheng Jemin learned that Jiang Yunpeng was Chen Zhi's classmate. This time, Cheng Yancui and the others came to Tianyuan City in Jiang Yunpeng's father's car. When Jiang Yunpeng mentioned his father, a hint of pride was evident on his face.
To be a good host, Cheng Jemin warmly invited the three to have dinner, but they refused. Both Cheng Yancui and Gu Xixi wanted to go shopping first. Before he started dating Gu Xixi, Cheng Jemin rarely went shopping with women, and today he witnessed the terrifying shopping power of women.
Not to mention Cheng Yancui, who shopped until she was drenched in sweat but still enjoyed it, even Gu Xixi, who walked around with Cheng Yancui for an hour, did not buy a single thing.
"Yancui, I think we should go shopping in the afternoon. I'm hungry!" When they returned to the first floor from the fifth floor, Gu Xixi finally couldn't take it anymore.
"Sure, I'm hungry too." Cheng Yancui agreed and was about to speak when Jiang Yunpeng said, "Xixi, my father has a reception today and has booked two private rooms at the Trade Hotel. We can use one of them."
The Trade Hotel, in Cheng Jemin's memory, had fallen to a second-rate position in Tianyuan City with the rapid rise of five-star hotels, but it was still one of the best hotels in the city at that time.
Eating there would probably cost a lot of money. Jiang Yunpeng's expression was like a proud peacock spreading its feathers.
"How can we accept that? You should let Jemin and me treat you since you are in Tianyuan." Gu Xixi shook her head and refused.
"Xixi, Jiang Yunpeng's father is the head of the transportation company in our county. Don't be so formal with him, let's go!" Cheng Yancui pulled Gu Xixi without hesitation, "Your salary isn't high, why spend your own money?"
Chen Zhi also sincerely said to Cheng Jemin, "Jemin, it's fine, let's go together!"
Cheng Jemin smiled and said, "Xixi, let's go for a free meal. Chen, the front seat is comfortable, it's yours. I'll escort Xixi and Yancui in the back. You won't be worried, right?"
As they laughed and chatted, the car started. Jiang Yunpeng took out a mobile phone from his handbag, "Chen Zhi, the signature dish at the Trade Hotel is clay pot stewed chicken. It takes a long time to prepare, so you should call them first."
In an era when only leaders had pagers, a mobile phone was definitely a luxury. Cheng Jemin realized that Jiang Yunpeng's actions were not innocent; he was silently showing off. Fortunately, Gu Xixi, sitting next to him, quietly put her small hand in his.
"Xixi, you work at the provincial government, you must have seen a lot. Look at the menu and pick something you like, and let us all enjoy it too!" Jiang Yunpeng, sitting in the main seat, ordered seven or eight signature dishes and said with a smile.
Gu Xixi hesitated for a moment and then said calmly, "Thank you, but the dishes you ordered are already enough. Ordering more would be a waste."
Cheng Yancui laughed, "Xixi, don't be frugal with Yunpeng. I heard from Chen Zhi that he made six figures in the first half of this year."
Although Cheng Yancui said she wanted to take advantage of Jiang Yunpeng, she was actually boasting about his financial strength to Gu Xixi, with a clear purpose.
"Cheng Kezhang, if Xixi doesn't order, you do. Look at the menu and pick what you like." Jiang Yunpeng said with a proud smile, "This meal is on us, don't worry about the cost. As they say, money is like a ghost, spend it and earn it again!"
Cheng Jemin looked at Gu Xixi lovingly and said with a smile, "Mr. Jiang, I'll follow Xixi's lead."
Jiang Yunpeng originally wanted to show off in front of Gu Xixi. He had seen her photo at Cheng Yancui's house and was amazed by her beauty, firmly believing that only such a woman could match him, which led to today's visit.
What annoyed him was that this Cheng Jemin guy seemed to be hovering around Gu Xixi like a fly. "You are just a small clerk at the Water Resources Department, why don't you take a look at yourself? How could such a beautiful and young girl marry you?" Seeing that Gu Xixi insisted on not ordering, he threw the menu to Cheng Jemin.
Cheng Jemin didn't care what he ordered. If he ordered too much, it would show he didn't know the rules and would embarrass himself; if he ordered too little, it would show he was a nobody. Unexpectedly, this guy said he would follow Xixi's lead.
"Alright then." Although Jiang Yunpeng was secretly furious, he still smiled and agreed.
The dishes at the Trade Hotel came quickly, and the table was soon filled with a variety of dishes. During the meal, Chen Zhi behaved decently, but Cheng Yancui deliberately spoke up for Jiang Yunpeng.
"Jemin, I heard your family is from the countryside? Once, when I went to the countryside for an inspection, I saw how backward it was. Transportation relies on walking, communication relies on shouting, heating relies on shivering, and security relies on dogs. It was heart-wrenching to see!"
Before Cheng Jemin could speak, Cheng Yancui continued, "The most unbelievable thing was that some families lived in the same room. What would they do if they had a daughter-in-law?"
Cheng Jemin looked at Cheng Yancui, who was laughing uncontrollably, and felt a bit contemptuous. "You are just trying to push Xixi towards this nouveau riche. You don't know anything!"
A new week has begun, and I hope all my brothers will continue to support me. Clicks, recommendations, and collections are all essential. Only with your support can I rise to the top!