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墨書 Inktalez
"Flowers?" Zhou Xuanyu paused for a moment before reacting. "Someone sent you flowers?"
Junxi let her lips droop slightly.
"So it wasn't you."
Zhou Xuanyu narrowed his eyes, a hint of danger flickering in his gaze.
"Junxi, why are you so slow? We've found the prince who sent the flowers. Guess who it is..."
Xiaolin rushed over excitedly, and Junxi shot her a glance. Only then did Xiaolin notice Zhou Xuanyu standing nearby.
"Mr. Zhou." Xiaolin reined in her excitement and greeted Zhou Xuanyu politely.
Zhou Xuanyu nodded, his expression serious.
"Don't shout in the office from now on."
"Yes. I was wrong."
Zhou Xuanyu didn't linger and headed straight to the restroom.
As he reached the door, he heard Xiaolin whispering to Junxi, "So the flowers were sent by Zhou Gongzi."
It was Zhou Ziyan...
"Zhou Ziyan?" Junxi exclaimed, nearly dropping her jaw.
Was today a day when the sun rose in the west or was it raining red? If not, then Zhou Ziyan must have hit his head on the door.
Junxi grabbed the cleaned vase and followed Xiaolin back to the office. Sure enough, Zhou Ziyan had arrived and was sitting at his desk, eating breakfast he had just bought downstairs.
"Hey..."
As Junxi approached, everyone began to tease.
Junxi felt a bit awkward, while Zhou Ziyan acted as if he hadn’t heard anything, focusing on his noodles.
"Zhou Gongzi, all the ladies are here, and you're just eating noodles. Can't you show a little charm?"
Someone nudged him from the side, causing Zhou Ziyan's chopsticks to fall onto the table. He decided to stop, casually grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth, and coolly glanced at Junxi. "So? Do you like it?"
"Did you really give this to me?" Junxi was taken aback.
"Why else would I?"
"You must have forgotten to take your medicine!" Jun Xi Bai shot him a look. "Or maybe you delivered it to the wrong person!"
Zhou Ziyan giving her flowers was almost as unbelievable as if he had slapped her.
"Why are you so lacking in confidence?" He smirked seriously, but his words were smooth and slick. "You actually look decent; at least you're more than enough for my taste."
"Cut it out! Just tell me what you want." Junxi walked over and irritably shoved the vase of flowers into his arms. "Every time you've buttered me up since childhood, it never led to anything good."
"Can you not think so poorly of me?"
"You’re full of tricks. But let me tell you, those little schemes of yours might fool some young girls, but not me." Junxi pressed on without giving Zhou Ziyan a chance to interject.
Zhou Ziyan wasn’t annoyed; he leisurely placed the bouquet of marguerites into the vase. The distinct petals looked even more exquisite once arranged in the delicate pot.
"Zhou Ziyan, stop playing dumb and just tell me what’s going on," Junxi said impatiently.
She didn’t know why she felt so restless at that moment. There was an underlying sense of unease gnawing at her, as if something was biting away at her peace.
The colleagues who initially wanted to watch the drama realized that with the way these two were acting, there wouldn’t be any entertaining scenes ahead, so they lost interest and dispersed.
Zhou Ziyan walked over, casually pulling out an empty chair and sitting down beside Junxi.
"Why don't you ask me where I got these flowers?" He blinked, his expression somewhat mysterious.
"Where?" Junxi blurted out, but then immediately seemed to remember something and grabbed Zhou Ziyan's arm. "Did you go back to Yilan?"
Marguerites were most commonly found in Yilan.
Zhou Ziyan smirked. "I'll give you credit for being clever."
"What made you think of going there?" Junxi's tone softened instantly, transforming her from the fierce person she had just been. "Did you see my grandmother?"
She fired off questions one after another, and before Zhou Ziyan could answer the first two, she asked again, "Is my grandmother doing well?"
"I haven't even said whether I met your grandmother yet," Zhou Ziyan teased her on purpose.
"You definitely went to see her," Junxi asserted confidently.
Zhou Ziyan shrugged. "With you knowing me so well, I feel a lot of pressure."
"Stop being cheeky and just tell me how my grandmother is doing lately!"
Seeing her impatience, Zhou Ziyan couldn't help but reach out and pat the back of her head.
"She's doing quite well."
"Really?"
"Yeah." Zhou Ziyan nodded.
Junxi's grandmother had been living well since returning to her hometown. She found a job at a small workshop nearby, cutting fabric samples. The salary she earned each month was not only enough for her expenses but also allowed her to save a little.
"This old lady only knows how to save money; she probably won't let herself enjoy anything," Junxi muttered, feeling her eyes grow warm.
She knew that the person who suffered the most in her heart after her parents went to prison was her grandmother.
Once so proud of her son, he suddenly became a prisoner, a despised corrupt official. As a mother, how painful it must be for her.
But in order to take care of Junxi and the others, the old lady managed to hold on through that difficult time.
From that day on, the already frugal grandmother became even more thrifty.
Junxi asked her what she was saving that money for.
The old lady adjusted her reading glasses and said to her, "When your parents come out, they will need some spare money to spend. Jun Xuan needs to study, and you, sooner or later, will get married. We need to prepare some dowry for you."
Upon hearing this, tears fell from Junxi's eyes.
This old lady earned only a few hundred dollars a month at most. Even if she spent nothing, it was impossible for her to save much. Yet she wanted to use it for those things, not spending a single cent on herself. How could one not feel heartbroken?
"What else did she say to you?" Junxi looked at Zhou Ziyan.
"She told you to take good care of Jun Xuan and yourself. And as a young lady, don’t hesitate to buy yourself some clothes. Otherwise, how will you find a boyfriend?"
Zhou Ziyan mimicked the old lady's tone perfectly.
Junxi listened, feeling both like laughing and crying, lost in her emotions.
"Alright, alright, don't be sad. I didn't bring you flowers just to make you cry," Zhou Ziyan said gently as her finger brushed against Junxi's cheek, wiping away her fallen tears.
"Did she not ask me to go back and see her?" Junxi choked out the question.
"No."
At this point, Zhou Ziyan also felt a bit of sadness.
He spent the entire day with the old lady in her workshop in Yilan. Their conversation never strayed far from Junxi's return; the old lady held onto his arm, reluctant to let go, as if she could never hear enough about her granddaughter after a whole day of stories.
"Make sure Junxi brings Jun Xuan back when she has time," the old lady urged him.
He nodded, but the old lady quickly changed her mind. "Forget it, forget it. Just don’t say I want them to come back. The travel expenses for going back and forth add up, and it would be better for the kids to spend that money on food..."
This time, Junxi couldn't hold back any longer.
Zhou Ziyan quickly grabbed a tissue to help her wipe her tears.
"It's my fault; I shouldn't have said these things to you. Look at how I've ruined your face so early in the morning. How are you going to attend the meeting later?" Zhou Ziyan comforted her while trying to act casual.
Junxi sniffled, took the tissue from Zhou Ziyan's hand, and wiped her own face. "Thank you, Zhou Ziyan."
Her gratitude was sincere.
"What are you thanking me for?" Zhou Ziyan rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.
Every time she thanked him, Zhou Ziyan felt uncomfortable. They had never been suited for such warm interactions since childhood.
"Thank you for going to see her for me."
"Alright, alright!" Zhou Ziyan waved his hand dismissively. "The moment you start talking to me nicely, I get all flustered."
Junxi couldn't help but laugh.
Zhou Ziyan laughed too.
When he smiled, his eyes sparkled brightly. Back in school, Junxi had heard many girls talk about how Zhou Ziyan's smile could captivate nations and turn heads.
Describing a man with phrases like "captivating nations" or "turning heads" might seem inappropriate, yet there were truly no better words to depict Zhou Ziyan's smile.
He was indeed extraordinary; even with a notorious reputation, countless girls pursued him relentlessly.
"Now I can accept these flowers with a clear conscience, right?" Zhou Ziyan asked.
Junxi rested his chin on his hand, raising an eyebrow. "Considering they are from Yilan, I suppose I can reluctantly accept them."
Zhou Ziyan immediately put on a flattering expression. "Oh, I really appreciate it!"
Junxi waved his hand dismissively. "No need to be polite."
Zhou Ziyan scoffed lightly. "You really do brighten up with just a little sunshine."
Junxi ignored him and turned to arrange the daisies in the vase.
Zhou Ziyan stood behind Junxi, watching the scene of the person and the flowers; the flowers were beautiful, but the person was even more so.
There was a sweet and soft place in his heart.
?
"Mr. Zhou." Jia Man waved the pen in her hand.
Zhou Xuanyu snapped back to reality.
"What were we talking about?"
"If you're tired, would you like to take a break?" Jia Man kindly reached for the documents in Zhou Xuanyu's hands.
"No, it's fine. Let's continue." Zhou Xuanyu took the documents back and placed them in front of him as before.
He took a deep breath, trying hard not to pay attention to the pair outside who were smiling and being intimate with each other.
Zhou Ziyan was indeed taking action. And with just one move, it seemed he effortlessly captured Junxi's heart's desire.
When Zhou Xuanyu returned from the restroom earlier, he had seen Zhou Ziyan talking to Junxi, who was listening intently with her eyes wide open. She didn't even notice him passing by.
Why did he still feel so uneasy even though he already had her?
"Are you okay?" Jia Man asked, a hint of concern in her voice.
"I'm fine," Zhou Xuanyu replied quickly. But Jia Man seemed unconvinced. Today, in just this short while, she had noticed him zoning out countless times.
She turned her head slightly.
Zhou Xuanyu's position faced the exit, directly aligned with Wen Junxi's spot. At that moment, Wen Junxi was standing there, fiddling with a bouquet of flowers... A beautiful woman with fresh blooms; even Jia Man would be captivated by such a scene, no wonder Zhou Xuanyu was distracted.
Jia Man stood up and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, casually pulling up the curtain.
Zhou Xuanyu watched her as she turned her face towards him and smiled lightly. "Now you should be able to focus."
"Sorry," Zhou Xuanyu apologized for his lack of professionalism.
"No need to say sorry; I understand," Jia Man said with a bright smile as she sat back down across from Zhou Xuanyu. "A lively young girl like that, beautiful and shapely—any man would be tempted. If it were me, I would want to try something new too."
Zhou Xuanyu deliberately ignored Jia Man's meaningful gaze and lowered his head to flip through a document. "Let's not waste time; let's start and finish quickly."
"Why the sudden rush?"
Without looking at her, Zhou Xuanyu replied, "I have things to do tonight."
Jia Man pouted but chose not to speak further.
The discussion proceeded smoothly from then on. Even though the Jia Man in front of him was stunning and well-made up, Zhou Xuanyu remained completely focused, unaffected by her presence.
This somewhat frustrated Jia Man. Everyone said she was charming and alluring, yet in Zhou Xuanyu's eyes, she couldn't compete with that young girl Wen Junxi. But thinking it over, it wasn't hard to let it go; after all, Wen Junxi was much younger than her.
But was it really just her age that set her apart?
Although the discussion had gone much smoother, the two of them still had to work overtime due to the heavy workload.
When they finally finished and stepped out of the office, the other employees had long since left for the day.
Zhou Xuanyu glanced at Wen Junxi's desk; she was already gone.
"Shall we grab a bite to eat?" Jia Man turned to look at him.
"No, you go ahead. I still have things to do."
Jia Man shrugged. "Why do you sound like a married man? Do you have to report back at a specific time?"
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent as he closed his office door.
The two of them walked side by side past Junxi's desk.
"Ah! It's a Marguerite!" Jia Man suddenly stopped and leaned down to sniff the few flowers in Junxi's vase.
Zhou Xuanyu took a glance as well; the flowers were arranged quite uniquely by her.
"It seems someone is using flowers to express their feelings," Jia Man said with a smile as she resumed walking.
Zhou Xuanyu pretended to be indifferent, but after a few steps, he couldn't help but ask, "Why do you say that?"
"Don't you know the meaning of Marguerite flowers?" Jia Man feigned mystery.
Zhou Xuanyu frowned; how would he know such things that only women cared about?
"What does it mean?"
"The meaning of Marguerite flowers is secret love."
Junxi was chopping scallions in the kitchen when she heard the doorbell ring outside. She quickly put down the knife, washed her hands, and ran out.
"Who is it?" she asked.
There was no response from the person outside.
But she had already guessed; it must be Zhou Xuanyu.
She opened the door, and sure enough, standing there was Zhou Xuanyu.
"Why are you just opening the door for anyone?" he said with a stern face.
"Why can't I open the door for anyone? It's my territory, and I make the rules," Junxi replied, looking at him defiantly.
His expression darkened further. "Aren't you afraid it could be another man?"
"Another man? Wasn't it another man who delivered the bed last time? There were four of them then. If I wasn't afraid of four, why would I be afraid of just you?"
"Sharp-tongued," Zhou Xuanyu muttered as he stepped inside.
As Junxi closed the door, she quietly pondered whether his words could be considered a compliment. They certainly didn't sound like one to her.
Zhou Xuanyu dropped his car keys and casually took off his coat. Just as he was about to walk toward the sofa, he caught sight of the flowers on the coffee table.
Wen Junxi had actually brought those flowers home!
"Who sent these flowers?" Zhou Xuanyu asked knowingly.
"Zhou Ziyan. He went to my grandmother's place and brought these back from Yilan. I liked them, and since the vase at the office is too small, I picked a few to bring home," Junxi said, glancing at the flowers with satisfaction. "See? Having flowers at home makes it feel so warm and inviting."
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent.
Junxi didn't notice anything unusual about him and turned back toward the kitchen.
"Have you eaten yet? I made something for you, come eat here," she asked herself, answering her own question.
Zhou Xuanyu sat in the living room, staring at the small bouquet of daisies. Did this flower really symbolize a secret crush? It didn't seem to resemble anything about being in love.
He plucked one flower from the bunch and examined it in his palm for a long while, but he couldn't discern anything special about it, so he put it back.
A delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen.
He stood up and walked toward the kitchen.
Junxi was just taking a hot plate out of the pot. The plate was too hot to handle, and she immediately let go, reaching up to touch her earlobe.
Zhou Xuanyu approached and took the plate from her hands.
Junxi quickly grabbed an empty bowl to serve rice.
Zhou Xuanyu followed her and wrapped his arms around her from behind.
"What's wrong with you today?" Junxi set down the rice scoop and empty bowl, turning her head to look at him.
In fact, she had sensed something was off since he walked in. He seemed to be sulking, but she wondered what she had done to upset him today.
They hadn't seen each other all day.
"From now on, you're not allowed to accept flowers from other men," his voice grumbled softly in Junxi's ear.
It sounded both domineering and petulant. Junxi had never heard Zhou Xuanyu speak to her in such a tone before. She paused for a few seconds before finally reacting.
"Did you misunderstand something?" As she spoke, she turned around in his embrace to face him directly, looking into his eyes.
"I didn't," he avoided her scrutinizing gaze.
"What are you doing?" Junxi pulled his face back.
Zhou Xuanyu maintained a stern expression, avoiding her gaze as he looked around.
"From now on, you're not allowed to accept flowers from other men."
Junxi laughed lightly, bending over in amusement.
"Come on, Uncle Zhou, those flowers were from Zhou Ziyan. It's not like they were from some other man. You can't possibly be jealous of Zhou Ziyan, can you? He's your own nephew!" Junxi shot him a sidelong glance.
Zhou Xuanyu pressed his fingers against his forehead.
Since she asked that, it was clear she still didn't know about Zhou Ziyan's feelings for her.
"What did you just call me?" He deliberately changed the subject.
"Uncle," she replied playfully.
"Who gave you permission to call me that?"
Junxi rolled her eyes dramatically and shot him a look. "You're much older than me anyway, and look at you—your way of eating is so outdated."
Zhou Xuanyu was at a loss for words and could only pull her close and nibble on her clever little mouth.
Junxi squirmed in his embrace, refusing to give in.
"If anyone should be jealous, it's me," she pouted.
Her lips seemed to redden easily; after just a few kisses, they were already vibrant and tempting.
"What’s wrong?" Zhou Xuanyu asked with interest as he looked at her.
"You and that Jia Man have been hiding in the office all day doing who knows what. Shouldn't I be jealous?" Junxi said, her irritation rising.
"I was just discussing business with her."
"Does discussing business require pulling the curtains?" Junxi glared at him.
He had no idea that as soon as Jia Man pulled up the curtains, their colleagues in the office began to stifle their laughter. Everyone said that with a lone man and a woman in a confined space, something was bound to happen... She felt an overwhelming urge to run over and slam the door.
"I really was discussing business."
"You say that, so it must be true?"
"Do you want me to prove it to you?"
"How can you prove that? Did you install surveillance in your office?" Junxi deliberately provoked him.
Zhou Xuanyu leaned closer and wrapped his arm around her waist, saying seriously, "Whether we did or not, you'll find out after trying it once."
Junxi's face flushed, but she still curiously asked, "How would I know?"
"I mean, I'm getting old, right? How could my stamina and energy handle two women?"
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