my name, your last name

Chapter 5 The Foundations of Our Marriage
After Gan Lu went home and took a shower, it was long past the usual time to go to bed, and she had to go to work the next day, but she couldn't sleep in bed.Just found out about the existence of her husband's ex-girlfriend, and met her ex-boyfriend again. Her usual calm life seemed to be undercurrents, and the mystery novels she used to pass the time before going to bed did not help her to fall asleep at ease.

Her father, she thought, became cynical and depressed because of a failed marriage.Why did she, who experienced the same disaster, know the horror and fragility of marriage, so she chose to get married early, and persuaded her father to remarry for realistic reasons.

If Nie Qian had answered the phone earlier in the middle of the night two years ago and said that sentence immediately, would she have registered with Shang Xiuwen at the Civil Affairs Bureau the next day?
Thinking that Nie Qian, who is so selfish, doesn't consider her at all when planning the future, but once flew back because of a phone call from her, and stood outside the school where she worked, she couldn't help feeling sad.

Then, his first love was like hers, it didn't count as a wild goose, but it finally calmed down after ripples appeared in each other's hearts. This can be said to be the best result.

But what about Shang Xiuwen's past relationships?

According to him, when they met, he had broken up with He Jingyi for three years.Since she was a child, she has always had a ready-made sample of a typical man who is stuck in the past and cannot extricate herself from it—that is, her father Gamble. She does not think that Shang Xiuwen has any similarities with her father in terms of personality and behavior.

However, she could not convince herself to be indifferent to everything.

At the same moment two years ago, Gan Lu was also tossing and turning on the bed.She has already made an appointment with Shang Xiuwen. She will go to get a marriage certificate the next day, and then go to the Maldives for a honeymoon trip. There will be no ceremony or banquet.

According to Shang Xiuwen, after his father passed away a few years ago, his mother was transferred from a neighboring province. Except for his uncle Wu Changzhi's family in J City, and a distant cousin Shang Shaokun who has lived abroad for many years, he has no relatives or old friends. Local, and his mother didn't like to make a fuss.Gan Lu's family structure is even more special. Not to mention that her parents are divorced, and they have already turned their backs on each other, they will never sit at the same table for dinner.She was relieved to hear that there was no need to serve wine, and readily agreed to Shang Xiuwen's arrangement.

No matter how unanimous the opinions were, Gan Lu still hesitated after returning.She walked around the house, even called Nie Qian, but hung up immediately, categorically denying her ridiculous behavior, and she lost sleep that night.However, the long night will eventually pass, and a new day will always come as scheduled.

The morning sun shone through the curtains into the house. She climbed up and walked onto the balcony. This community is very green, and it looks green from any angle. The air is fresh in the morning, and the chirping birds add to the tranquility and beauty.She thought, there is no need to think any more, the next thing to do is to live a good life.

She put on her makeup meticulously, and changed into a set of gray-purple straight-fit skirt that her mother brought her, only to see Shang Xiuwen standing beside the car smoking a cigarette.He was wearing a pressed gray suit and a gray and blue tie. He was slender and tall. This was the first time she had seen him dressed so formally, and he was not as careless as he used to be.Seeing her, he squinted his eyes and smiled, threw away the cigarette butt, and held her hand: "Very beautiful, Lulu."

It was a late autumn morning commonly known as "October Xiaoyangchun", the rustling autumn wind was not chilly, and the sun was warm and gentle. His hands firmly wrapped hers, and his eyes were as gentle as his smile.For a moment, all uncertainties seemed to evaporate in smoke.She thought that there is no reason for two sincere people to fail a marriage.

After two years of marriage, she has not regretted her decision.Whether it was the unpopular job transfer or the indifferent mother-in-law, it didn't affect her getting along with Shang Xiuwen.

She didn't expect that the real test would come in this way.

The next day, Gan Lu was not surprised when she saw her slightly haggard face in the mirror. She was no longer in her early twenties when she could stay up late, so she could only put on light makeup to make herself look more energetic.

Wu Lijun was eating breakfast, silent as always, she had a meeting in the prefecture-level city below in the morning, and she was going to go out for two days, the secretary called to say that the car had arrived downstairs, and she had already walked to the door with her bag, so she seemed He asked unintentionally, "Is there anything wrong with your father?"

She only met Gambo once and talked for a few words. After that, she never had any contact with Lu Huining, and she never saw Lu Huining at all.Fortunately, Gan Bo has always been very indifferent to human relations, while Lu Huining shrugged, saying that seeing his son-in-law is enough, and Gan Lu doesn't need to worry about what kind of interaction between in-laws should be. Now, hearing her rare concern, she immediately smiled and said: "The small matter has been resolved."

Wu Lijun nodded and went straight out.

Near noon, Gan Lu received a text message from Shang Xiuwen, telling her that she had returned and would go to school to pick her up from get off work in the afternoon and have dinner together to celebrate the wedding anniversary.However, when it was time to get off work, Shang Xiuwen called and told her that something happened in the company, and now he and Feng Yi'an are rushing to deal with it, and I am afraid that he will not be able to pick her up.Of course she said it was all right, but she only remembered after returning home, because Wu Lijun was away for a meeting, and she had told the part-time workers not to cook today.

She boiled noodles for a meal, and then seized the time to go upstairs to continue writing lesson plans, but the door opened suddenly, and Wu Lijun hurried in. She was taken aback: "Mom, didn't you say you will be back tomorrow? Have you eaten yet?" ?”

Wu Lijun asked with a livid face, "Where is Xiuwen?"

"He said that the company has something to do and he will come back later."

Wu Lijun was taken aback for a moment, and hurried into her room.

At nearly eleven o'clock in the evening, Gan Lu was leaning on the bed, reading mystery novels as usual. Her habit of reading mystery novels before going to bed can be traced back to middle school. Relax yourself.What she is holding today is "The Daughter of Time" written by the British female writer Josephine Tey. This book cleverly combines reasoning with historical unsolved cases. The style of writing is concise and fascinating. It should have aroused her interest even more. But she was really out of her mind, she only sighed when she heard the door knock downstairs and Shang Xiuwen came home.

Shang Xiuwen entered his mother's room first, and went upstairs after a while.He walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, raising his hand to stroke her hair with a tired expression.

"Is there anything wrong with the company?"

"It's a little troublesome, but it's okay." Shang Xiuwen looked at her, "Lulu, there are some things that I want to explain to you clearly."

Gan Lu listened quietly.

"He Jingyi was my ex-girlfriend. We fell in love for a few years and then broke up." Shang Xiuwen's voice was calm, as if he was objectively telling what happened to others, "When I met you, I should have broken up with her for three years. It’s been a year, and we haven’t contacted each other again. We ran into each other a month ago, and I didn’t know that she had joined Yixin Group and achieved a very high position. As for my going to J City, I didn’t intend to meet her. She represents Yixin went there to discuss investment in the mining industry. He has business contacts with his uncle's steel company, and intends to participate in the merger of a state-owned steel factory like Xusheng. There is both cooperation and competition. These terms and details. We met several times in J City, when you called me yesterday, I said I was talking to a friend, and that friend was her."

He spoke in great detail.Of course, Gan Lu still has many questions: Will her girlfriend who has been separated for many years call and have a long talk in the middle of the night?Why is your mother acting so strangely towards her, warning you not to see her?How to explain the meeting that Qian Jiaxi saw should not belong to the business negotiation?

But she decided not to ask any more.

Less than half a year after she broke up with Nie Qian, she met Shang Xiuwen, and he pursued him afterwards, and she had no intention of refusing.When Shang Xiuwen saw her meeting Nie Qian by chance, she didn't introduce that this was my ex-boyfriend, because there was no need for that.If someone wanted to question her carefully about her mental journey, she would just say that there is no absolute confession in life.In the same way as others, many things do not need to be explained and investigated at all.

What's more, Shang Xiuwen looked very calm, leaned over slightly, reached out to hold her hand: "Are you satisfied with my explanation?"

"I just hope that there will be no need for such an explanation between us in the future." She sighed.

Shang Xiuwen nodded: "These two years of marriage, I am very happy, Lulu, believe me, I cherish our life now." He got up and went to the study outside, opened the drawer of his desk, and quickly took out a delicate sea blue The small box returned to the bedroom and handed it to her, "I bought it a long time ago as a wedding anniversary gift, I hope you like it."

She opened it and saw a pair of shiny, soft and crystal-clear white pearl earrings.She stared at it for a while, then looked up at Shang Xiuwen: "I like it very much."

Shang Xiuwen leaned over and kissed her forehead: "It's fine if you like it, you go to bed first, I'll take a shower, I have to deal with some business later, don't wait for me."

Watching Shang Xiuwen go out, Gan Lu put the gift on the bedside table, and stroked her earlobe. There was a small platinum rose flower-shaped earring, which was given to her by Shang Xiuwen on their first wedding anniversary. She was shocked. Laughing: "You don't have to notice that I don't have pierced ears at all, do you?"

"I'll wear it with you. Your earlobes are so full and beautiful. It's a pity not to wear earrings."

The next day, he really accompanied her to have her ears pierced, and then put the earrings on for her.She admitted that as a teacher, she can't wear eye-catching jewelry at will. She has always had short hair, and the small earrings are very suitable for her.

However, what she thought of at the moment was He Jingyi who she saw on the TV screen last night.She came to the stage and stood still with a calm expression. The cameraman took a close-up shot of her face. The diamond studs on her ears flashed a small but dazzling light under the spotlight, which impressed Gan Lu deeply.

She didn't think about it randomly, but some details that a man pays attention to are not out of thin air, thinking that he once looked at another woman's ear with the same loving eyes, especially when this woman's face has clearly appeared in front of her, She couldn't help but feel a little disobedient, and at the same time, she had to convince herself again that there were some things that didn't need to be studied carefully.

In the next few days, Shang Xiuwen left early and returned late, and the two of them didn't meet and talk much.

On this day, Gan Lu went to participate in the preliminary round of the teaching competition. The competition was held in the auditorium of No. [-] Middle School, another key middle school in the city. This is Gan Lu's alma mater. As soon as she entered the campus, she felt friendly and even went to visit her former teacher.

No. 10 Middle School is doing the three subjects of politics, history and geography. According to the rules, all participating teachers have to give lectures for 10 minutes on the spot, and at the same time demonstrate the multimedia courseware and ppt electronic presentations they prepared; Present your entry and answer live questions from the expert judges.

The number Gan Lu got was relatively late, and in the afternoon, she could only sit there, watching the lectures of other teachers carefully, and taking notes at the same time.

The game came to an end at noon, and everyone took a lunch break in the auditorium after eating.Gan Lu bought an evening paper to pass the time, and was taken aback when she casually turned to a report on Minsheng Economics.

A few days ago, this newspaper published a report based on a mysterious reader’s report, exposing that a certain building in this city used low-quality steel bars, and the construction quality was worrying. A pile of straight steel bars, and said to seek an expert's preliminary appraisal, no matter the diameter or strength, it did not meet the standard.Several teachers in the office at that time saw the report, and at the same time lamented that housing prices are now inflated, and profiteers are still playing tricks, which is really shocking.

What was published today is a follow-up report, saying that the relevant departments attach great importance to this situation, and carried out a general survey of steel bars on construction sites throughout the city, tested the strength, compressive resistance, and flexural resistance of some steel bars, and sealed up a batch of steel bars. And at the same time, specifically named several suppliers who supplied steel that did not meet the specifications. Anda Building Materials Trading Company, a joint venture between Shang Xiuwen and Feng Yi'an, was among them.

Since their marriage, Gan Lu and Shang Xiuwen have been completely independent financially. Shang Xiuwen told her clearly that she does not need to support the family.She smiled at the time: "The implication is that you want me to just take care of myself and not ask about your income?"

Shang Xiuwen also laughed: "Being a building material supplier is very boring and boring, and you can't make a lot of money, but fortunately, the profit is decent. It is my responsibility to support my family, so you don't need to worry about it."

After her parents divorced, she lived with her father.Not to mention that Gamble's income is not high, and he has no calculations at all.After a few months of hard work, Gan Lu was forced to take over his salary early, calculate the family's expenses, and spend the money as reasonably as possible. After more than ten years of such a life, she has long been tired of it , now happy and at ease, of course I have no objection to this arrangement.

Shang Xiuwen seldom talked about the company's operating conditions, and he always talked about business affairs with her in passing.He drives an old Bora, and doesn't have any extravagant spending, but he pays attention to the quality of life, and he is not petty in his actions.Gan Lu felt that this kind of well-off state with no more money and no need to worry was perfect, and she was very satisfied.

But now that something happened to his company, she couldn't justify staying out of it.

Except that Shang Xiuwen was busier than usual, there was nothing unusual, but Wu Lijun's anxious expression was obvious these days, almost every day he had to wait for Shang Xiuwen to come back and have a private talk with him for a while.Gan Lu guessed that at least her mother-in-law knew about it.

Both the mother and son felt that there was no need to tell her that, thinking about it in a good way, it can be said that they didn't want to worry her; of.

She instinctively wanted to call Shang Xiuwen, but held back. After thinking about it, she got up and left the school. It's not too far from Shang Xiuwen's office, so she hailed a taxi and went straight there.

Anda Building Materials Trading Co., Ltd. is located in an unremarkable office building in a not-so-busy area. There is a copper signboard hanging at the door. The company is small in scale. The outside is an open office area and reception room, and the inside is shared by Shang Xiuwen and Feng Yian. office.Xiao Liu, the secretary and receptionist, knew Gan Lu. She was startled when she saw her, and then greeted her with a smile: "Mr. Shang has gone out and hasn't come back yet. Come in and have a seat."

All the people in front of them are busy, and there is no strange emotion.As soon as she hesitated, Feng Yi'an came out of the inner office and asked a staff member something. Seeing her, she was also startled at first, and immediately said, "Gan Lu, come in and sit down."

She followed him into the office. There were two desks facing each other, a dark brown leather sofa by the window, and a set of filing cabinets. There was nothing superfluous. A small photo frame with a photo of the two of them on their honeymoon in the Maldives.

Feng Yi'an is two years younger than Shang Xiuwen. He used to look like a well-dressed young man with a free and easy manner, but now he looks a bit listless, and seems to be a little thinner.I don't know if it's because of Shang Xiuwen's "broken love" that he said with a smile, or because of the accident that the company is facing right now.

"You have always been a rare visitor, why are you free to come here today?"

Gan Lu took out the evening paper from his bag, and he nodded. He had obviously read it long ago, and was not surprised: "Oh, you noticed it too, it's nothing serious, don't worry."

Gan Lu thought, being so calm about this matter, it seems that the broken relationship is really affecting her, she still couldn't help but be strict: "Yi'an, the responsibility for the quality of the building is too great, no one can afford it if something happens, how can you so?"

Feng Yi'an laughed, and pointed to the newspaper for her to read carefully: "Don't worry, read this paragraph carefully."

She followed his finger and read the report again, and she saw something else. When she mentioned Shang Xiuwen's company, what she said was that the type of steel bars they represented did not meet the specifications. Rebar is different.

"But it's not right if it doesn't meet the specifications."

"We have signed clear supply contracts with construction companies and developers, supplying steel bars in strict accordance with their specifications, and each batch of goods is accompanied by an inspection certificate."

Gan Lu needed to use her brain to understand what he meant: "Are you saying this is the responsibility of the builder or developer?"

"It's too early to say who is responsible, but no matter from which level, we are all tenable. This report must have an impact on our company. Xiuwen and I have been discussing the aftermath for the past few days. I am very happy I'm surprised by the reporting angle of this reporter." Feng Yi'an frowned and said, "It must be targeted, I have asked someone to inquire about it."

"Where did Xiuwen go?" Gan Lu asked casually.

For a moment, a strange expression flashed across Feng Yi'an's face, and he immediately replied: "He has an engagement at noon today, and I really don't know when he will be back. Hey, do you have no class this afternoon?"

"I have to go to No. [-] Middle School in the afternoon."

"I'll take you there." Feng Yi'an stood up and said attentively. Gan Lu looked at him with raised eyebrows, and he said uncomfortably, "What's wrong?"

Gan Lu smiled and said, "I think you seem to be in a hurry to let me go."

Feng Yi'an was a little embarrassed, and hid himself in a disguised way: "I'm afraid you're in a hurry, okay?"

Gan Lu also stood up, looked at her watch, and smiled, "I'm really in a hurry."

Their timing was perfect.

After going downstairs, Feng Yi'an was about to drive his own car in a parking lot, when a fiery red Maserati GT coupe stopped in front of the office building, the passenger door opened, Shang Xiuwen came out, and he saw Gan Lu , obviously a little surprised: "Lulu, when did you come?"

Before Gan Lu could answer, the driver's door opened, and a black high-heeled shoe came out, and then two round and slender legs stepped out obliquely. A tall girl wearing a dark green silk V-neck top and a black flower bud skirt followed immediately Standing in front of Gan Lu.

She was nearly half a head taller than Gan Lu. She glanced at Gan Lu with a half-smile, and then turned to Shang Xiuwen: "Xiuwen, why don't you introduce me."

Shang Xiuwen cast his eyes across the car, his expression was so calm that it was almost indifferent, and he was about to speak when Gan Lu spoke first: "Hello, Miss He."

He Jingyi was slightly surprised: "Hey, you know me?"

"I've heard the name for a long time." Gan Lu said clearly with a slight smile.

He Jingyi looked at her thoughtfully, and smiled: "Oh, I haven't asked you yet..."

Shang Xiuwen's voice came over calmly: "My wife Gan Lu."

"Long ago." He Jingyi nodded to her.

Gan Lu nodded in the same way, then turned to look at Shang Xiuwen: "Xiuwen, I happen to be rushing to school, so you can see me off to save trouble."

Shang Xiuwen nodded, turned the car around, gently held Gan Lu's waist with his left hand, and then looked directly at He Jingyi: "Goodbye, Jingyi."

"I still have a game in the afternoon, so I don't want to be distracted by it. Let's go back tonight if there is anything to do." Gan Lu said simply after getting into the car.

Shang Xiuwen nodded, drove the car to No. [-] Middle School, got out with her, and locked the car: "I have nothing to do this afternoon, let's go and watch your competition."

Gan Lu didn't object, the two of them entered the auditorium together and sat in the back seat. She seized the last bit of time and looked at the lesson plan again.After several years of work, the teacher can at least get rid of distracting thoughts before class and not bring personal emotions into class. At this moment, she is using this cultivation to persuade herself to focus on the game and ignore the quiet sitting around her. Shang Xiuwen.

When it was her turn to take the stage, she was nervous, picked up the lesson plan, stood up, and walked lightly onto the rostrum.She had only participated in similar competitions when she was studying at Normal University, but the school was all on paper, and everyone was relatively relaxed, obviously not this formal.Now, even though she had rehearsed repeatedly in private, she was still a little uncertain. Fortunately, she was well prepared. Standing on the stage, she adjusted her breathing rhythm and calmed down when she began to speak.

Gan Lu's topic is "China's Social Economy after the Opium War". Due to time constraints, it is impossible to fully develop it. However, the multimedia courseware she made is concise and clear, with rich references to historical materials, and her slightly hoarse voice is eloquent and fluent.

Shang Xiuwen looked at the slender figure on the stage, separated by more than ten rows of seats and rows of heads in front, her face seemed a bit small and blurry, but her voice came very clearly, he suddenly remembered the situation when they first met.

After Wu Lijun was transferred from a neighboring province to work, Shang Xiuwen also came to live in this strange city. At first, he felt a bit lonely, but after getting to know Feng Yi'an, the two began to cooperate, and occasionally went out together for entertainment.It's just that those entertainments can't arouse his interest anymore, he just stays lazily in the bustle and bustle to pass his free time.

Among Feng Yian's friends, there are many beauties who are stylishly dressed and lively in conversation. In contrast, Gan Lu is beautiful in appearance, unassuming in her demeanor, and not very eloquent. Most of the time she is a listener, which is not eye-catching .He saw that Qian Jiaxi wanted to introduce her to Feng Yi'an, and had no intention of striking up a conversation with her, but he overheard Qian Jiaxi whispering to her, urging her to forget her old friend and start a new relationship.

This happened to be what his mother Wu Lijun put down the newspaper the night before and carefully said every word to him.Although Wu Lijun has been busy with work, more importantly, it seems that motherhood is not strong enough. She has not been close to her only son since she was a child. The breakup between him and his girlfriend is a knot between mother and son. No one wants to touch it .His answer at the time was almost the same as Gan Lu: "Thank you for your concern, but if you don't mention it, I can probably forget it more completely."

Gan Lu's low and hoarse voice moved his heart. Looking sideways, she lowered her head slightly, her gaze fell on the teacup in front of her, but her eyes seemed to drift away into the distance, with a helpless smile on the corner of her mouth.

Shang Xiuwen didn't like to sing, but he didn't leave after eating as usual that day.

When she arrived at the KTV, Gan Lu only drank soft drinks and didn't drink a drop of alcohol. The explanation she gave was the favorite excuse of good girls: "I'm allergic to alcohol."

Others naturally didn't believe it, so they tried to persuade her to drink it. They poured the Baileys and stretched out the glass in front of her, half coaxing half provocatively. On the other hand, Qian Jiaxi came back after singing, reached out to snatch it, drank it dry, and said with a smile: "Lulu is not pretending, she really can't drink, I have known her for so long, and I have never seen her drink. Hurry up Order a song, she sings very well."

Gan Lu sang the song "Gentle Mercy" first. Under the dim light, she stared at the lyrics on the screen with concentration and tranquility, and her beautiful face exuded brilliance.She really sang well, her slightly hoarse voice was soft and low-pitched, and she had the charm of the original singer, winning applause from all the audience.After singing one song, she refused to order any more songs. She just smiled and said, "The pharyngitis is more serious than before. The doctor warns you not to use your voice too much. You can sing."

Shang Xiuwen didn't order a song at all, the two sat on the side of the private room and chatted naturally.Only then did he know that she turned out to be a middle school history teacher.She does have the demeanor of a teacher: gentle, calm, methodical.However, Shang Xiuwen always felt that her calm and calm attitude did not necessarily belong to the teacher's professional accomplishment.

Then Shang Xiuwen confirmed his conjecture.He didn't call, so of course she didn't take the initiative to contact him; she wasn't surprised when he called.

Shang Xiuwen has already developed a life attitude of being indifferent and on the sidelines. It is difficult for ordinary girls to resist his sharp glance that seems to be unintentional but actually sees through the heart at a glance, but he did not find any cracks in Gan Lu's behavior.She has a girl's petite attitude and pettiness, she happily enjoys his pursuit, but doesn't ask why at all.

It wasn't until he proposed marriage out of the blue that she showed panic and surprise, but she still didn't ask him the motive of his behavior.After a few days, she called him and told him in a slightly hoarse but clear voice like now: I agree.

Gan Lu finished the lecture and questioning session, packed up the handouts and returned to her seat.Shang Xiuwen suddenly held her hand, she was slightly startled, and was about to break free, he leaned over and said softly: "Fortunately, you still have a little cold sweat on your hand, otherwise I would think that you can't be scared in any situation and in any occasion." you."

His palm was a little callused, the temperature was not high, but it was dry and stable, and he held her hand firmly. She didn't move anymore, her eyes looked ahead, and she also said softly: "I just learned a little from elementary school. Don’t panic, some things will happen, it’s better to calm down, you might enjoy the process.”

The game didn't end until 05:30, and it was already dark outside.Shang Xiuwen and Gan Lu came out and called his mother while walking: "Mom, Lulu and I won't go back for dinner today." After a short pause, he said, "Okay, I know."

Gan Lu didn't say anything, and after getting in the car, she also called the part-time worker at home, telling her that today she was only cooking for Wu Lijun alone, and at the same time discussed with her the recipe for the next day as usual: "It's still stewed yam pork ribs soup, yes, Buy another steamed sea bass, by the way, Miss Hu, see if there is any broccoli for sale, if not, you can also buy choy sum, um, stir fry choy sum with some garlic."

Putting down the phone, she looked back at Shang Xiuwen: "Where are we going?"

"There is a new seafood restaurant on the riverside. According to Yi'an, all the ingredients are delivered by air on the same day. They are very fresh. Let's try it."

This seafood restaurant is more like a high-end western restaurant in terms of decoration and style. There are no loud noises and wine fights from the guests, only the background music flowing like water. , the seats are heavy velvet sofas in classical style, and the tables are separated by fuchsia curtains. The light projected from the crystal chandelier makes the tableware crystal clear.The small private room for couples is an irregular oval shape, decorated with special thought, and you can see the night view of the river from the window.

Gan Lu took a look at the beautifully bound menu, and the price was unsurprisingly unfriendly. At the same time, she thought that now that she was a typical wife, she did not prioritize the atmosphere, food, and atmosphere when she went out to eat. I will roughly settle accounts and see what kind of collocation is more economical and cost-effective. I can't help being a little funny.

Shang Xiuwen didn't wait for her to think too much, he had already ordered the meal for her, he had always been familiar with her preferences, and she didn't bother to choose any more.

"He Jingyi came to the company suddenly today, and invited me to have dinner at noon. She said that Yixin Group has invested in a local commercial real estate project and intends to sign a building materials supply contract with our company."

"I don't know much about business, Xiuwen. But I don't think it's a pure coincidence that she went to J City and had business dealings with your uncle's company; when she came back to the local area, she also had the intention of cooperating with you."

"That's right. It's reasonable for Yixin to discuss cooperation with his uncle. After all, Xusheng Company is the largest private steel company in J City, and the mineral resources there are also the investment targets of many domestic groups. But Yixin's projects in this city are as normal. In terms of approach, it should be a joint public bidding with the builder, and the agent basically does not have the strength to participate. With the current scale of our company, there is no capital to negotiate cooperation with Yixin on an equal footing, and I have clearly declined her."

"I trust your judgment on the business. My question is probably only her motivation and purpose for doing so."

At this time, the waiter knocked on the door lightly, and brought up the small copper seafood soup pot, seasonings and seafood, and then backed out.Shang Xiuwen put the baby abalone into the pot first, and was lost for a while: "I know, it's easy to reason out the ambiguity. But in fact, Jingyi and I have long since lost the possibility."

His voice is slightly bitter, but this is not an answer that can make Gan Lu feel relieved.Intellectually speaking, she clearly knows that everyone has past events, and some of them are not even humane at all, and only stay in her heart to decay slowly.She had no intention of caring about a past relationship, but the desolation in Shang Xiuwen's words made her feel cold.

It's not that there is no emotion, but that there is no "possibility"—she picks the words unconsciously. Is this an acceptance of fate that cannot resist fate, or is it helplessness that love has come to an end?So is marrying her an option after a relationship is impossible?
Gan Lu watched the seafood soup slowly start to tumbling in the pot, and her mind was also turbulent.Shang Xiuwen picked up the cooked abalone for her and put it into the seasoning dish: "Lulu, please don't think too much about it."

"Do you think I'm someone who loves to make trouble for no reason?"

"You are not. What I admire most about you is that you are sensible enough to see things."

Gan Lu looked at him, his eyes met her gaze without evasion, she smiled slowly: "This is probably a compliment, but it makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable. Xiuwen, if a man is attracted by a woman's rational behavior Appreciate her, even marry her, the foundation of this marriage is very problematic."

The seafood in this restaurant is as fresh and delicious as Feng Yian predicted, but both of them are not satisfied with eating.Gan Lu thought that it would be a waste of environment and food to choose an expensive place with a good atmosphere for this kind of conversation.

Shang Xiuwen seemed to have the same appetite as her. After eating for a while, he simply turned off the gurgling fire, leaving only the background music playing softly in the room.

"Did I actually make you question the foundation of our marriage?" Shang Xiuwen asked softly.

"You overestimate my sanity, I have never been strong enough to automatically repair and filter everything, Xiuwen."

Shang Xiuwen was silent for a while: "Lulu, I don't want to recall the past, but there are some things I have to tell you. I met Jingyi when I was in college. We have been in love for four years. The reason for breaking up is very complicated, even involving us. In short, no matter from which aspect, it is the kind of family that is completely impossible to recover, and I believe Jingyi is as clear as I am about this."

Gan Lu didn't make a sound, this explanation didn't mean much to her.Of course she knew that every love that came to an end had its own reasons, and she didn't want to know those details.Her question was not here, but she was upset inside, and it seemed that she couldn't ask any more questions.

"I don't know why she came this time, and I don't think it's important. I told you that day that I cherish our life, not just talking casually. I don't want this to affect our relationship. "

"Xiuwen, I have seen my parents' unsuccessful marriages since I was a child. In fact, I have never dared to be optimistic about marriage. When I agreed to marry you, I thought about it for three days. I knew it was a risk, but I still couldn't bear to refuse. Do you know why I hesitated? You said I was rational, but your marriage proposal was really rational, which scared me. Reason is a good thing, but if a person makes a choice based on reason, he will definitely miss out on things that are worth looking forward to in life. I am really I'm afraid you are restraining yourself with reason."

Shang Xiuwen smiled, and looked at her thoughtfully, she looked away in annoyance, and said angrily, "Every time you smile at me like this, it's clear that you are playing a beauty trick to confuse me."

"I didn't know that I actually had the capital to use the beauty trick." His smile grew stronger.

Gan Lu sighed, of course he did.

When she first met Shang Xiuwen, she had the same impression of him as Qian Jiaxi. She felt that this man was a bit lazy and decadent, his eyes were deep and bottomless, and his demeanor was too calm and calm, as if he was not interested in anything. , and too sure about everything, a little unpredictable.She was instinctively wary of such a man, and had no intention of getting close to him.

The two have been in close contact for a long time.Shang Xiuwen didn't push her too hard, and he didn't try to be indifferent to her. The appointments were arranged so sparsely that sometimes she almost thought that the two of them had nothing to say, and then he suddenly called and asked her out leisurely, or to watch a movie and have dinner. , or a walk in the countryside, or a short trip.

Gan Lu thought, if this is considered flirting with girls, the purpose is too weak.But this also suits her state of mind that she doesn't want to have deep friendship with others.

She couldn't convince herself to immediately forget her last relationship and throw herself into a new relationship.

At that time, her father was well taken care of by Aunt Wang, so she didn't need to worry about it all the time.Her work is not easy, but it is not too stressful. In her free time, she reads books, listens to music, and cooks herself a delicious meal.If she feels lonely and bored, she will go to Qian Jiaxi's lively party to have fun.Shang Xiuwen's occasional dates also made her feel safe and relaxed.In short, she lived a life of unprecedented ease and contentment.

After having a handsome boyfriend like Nie Qian, she has basically become immune to a man's appearance, and the handsome guy will not disturb her.Shang Xiuwen can only be regarded as having clear facial features, but he is slender, his every move seems to be careless, and he always has an indescribable demeanor. He occasionally smiles, different from the usual indifference, but radiant, confident and reassuring the power of.

Seeing him smile at her for the first time, she was slightly dazzled.Surprised, she thought to herself, the lethality of this man's smile really cannot be underestimated.

Fortunately, Shang Xiuwen doesn't like to smile all the time, he is lazy more often, whether talking about his work or the sensational movie he just watched, it's a bit of an understatement, and the smile is just the corner of his mouth One tick, quite perfunctory.

Gan Lucai broke up with Nie Qian, a typical workaholic who is aggressive and has no time to care about feelings, and it is really uncomfortable to face such a different type of man, and it is not even easy to attribute it to any type.But she told herself that you don't need to look at him like a boyfriend at all, it's enough to just enjoy the good time in front of you.

However, the two of them went out a lot, and the people around them naturally thought they were together, including Qian Jiaxi, who also thought so.She defended at first, but then she thought that it would be hypocritical to say more, so she didn't bother to say any more.

During the Spring Festival of that year, Shang Xiuwen called Gan Lu and asked her if she was interested in going to J City for a short trip across a mountain peak at the junction of the two provinces.She had never played outdoors before, so she was a little curious, so she agreed.

Shang Xiuwen picked her up and joined everyone, and only then did she realize that this time travel was initiated by Feng Yi'an, and Shang Xiuwen said softly with a joke: "Yi'an spent all his money to chase his girlfriend, and used us all as a cover."

Looking at the quiet and beautiful girl in the gray-blue jacket standing beside Feng Yi'an, Gan Lu thought, the cost should be worth it.

The convoy arrived in City J, and it was already evening. They had dinner at a hotel in the urban area, and then went to stay in a villa in the suburbs of Shang Xiuwen's uncle Wu Changzhi.When we got there, except for Feng Yi'an who knew the size of Xu Sheng's company and Wu Changzhi's net worth, which was not a surprise, everyone else was a little surprised.

This villa is located next to a rare scenic area in J City. Needless to say, there are mountains and rivers in sight, and the area is even more amazing. The villa is an Hui style building, with white walls and blue tiles, high ridges and cornices, and the large front and rear courtyards are faintly hidden. However, it is the style of Suzhou gardens, with rockery and fish ponds, well-maintained gardens, a glass greenhouse, and a full set of red sandalwood and rosewood furniture on the first floor of the room.

That night, everyone gathered in the living room to drink and chat, discuss the itinerary for the next day, and check each other's equipment.Gan Lu discovered that this group of people, including Feng Yian's girlfriend Xin Chen, were all donkey friends with many years of outdoor experience. Their plan was to start reloading and crossing the next day. Although it is not high, it is famous for its dangerous terrain and rich landforms. They are going to camp with tents. The route includes mountaineering, freehand rock climbing and a section of rock descent.

Feng Yi'an didn't play outdoors before, and after he started pursuing Xin Chen, he bought a full set of outfits and was ready to risk his life to accompany him.He said to Shang Xiuwen: "Xiuwen, why are you not prepared at all, didn't you tell you the itinerary in advance and gave you the equipment list?"

Not only did Shang Xiuwen not prepare himself, he also didn’t tell Gan Lu what to bring. He smiled and said, “I don’t plan to go. I have some things to deal with here tomorrow. I’m afraid Lulu won’t be able to go either. I’ll take her around for a while.” Come on, go and play, and I'll welcome you when I come back."

Gan Lu looked at their equipment, then looked at the down jacket and Nike sneakers she was wearing, and knew that it was impossible for her to accompany her, so she nodded and agreed to the arrangement.

The next day, they set off early in the morning. After having breakfast with Gan Lu, Shang Xiuwen went to deal with the matter first, and came back around noon, and drove her out. There are no special attractions around City J, Shang Xiuwen said that he planned to take her to see the mining area museum in the suburbs, and she readily agreed.

The museum is located in an abandoned mining area that has already been mined. The car drove there quickly, but it was the Spring Festival, the road was empty, and there was no car or person. The small museum building at the end of the road was very inconspicuous. The gate was closed tightly, and an ink-stained notice was posted, saying that the museum was closed for rest and reopened after the festival.Shang Xiuwen seemed a little surprised. Looking back at Gan Lu, she was smiling at the announcement: "This person's calligraphy is very powerful."

He couldn't help laughing: "Probably it was written by curator Song. He is a famous local calligrapher and painter, and he often communicates with my uncle."

Although the door was closed, the two of them didn't feel disappointed, and sat down on a nearby step to rest.

"My mother's hometown is here. When I was young, she occasionally brought me back, and always took me here to visit. The inside is actually not too big, but there are strange-shaped ore crystals, paleontological fossils, and very early I found the smelting facilities and gold panning tools very interesting at the time, and I wanted to study archaeology at one point, but you see, it has something to do with the history you study.”

"Then why didn't you learn it later?" Gan Lu asked casually, but she didn't get an answer for a while. When she looked back, Shang Xiuwen just averted his longing gaze and smiled at her.His smile unfolded, which was different from his previous polite smile, only the corner of his right lip was lifted up, and the smile was fleeting, but from the corner of his mouth to the bottom of his eyes, it looked very moving under the pale winter sun.Gan Lu held her breath, her heart beat faster, she forgot about her problem, but suddenly remembered a novel she read in college.

It was "The Great Gatsby" written by the American writer Fitzgerald. It is a thin book. Gan Lu has forgotten the specific plot, but she vaguely remembers that the writer spared no effort to describe the hero Gatsby's attractiveness. smile.When she closed the book, she sighed a little. Her boyfriend Nie Qian at the time was always preoccupied, with firm brows, very cool, and he smiled less and perfunctorily. She would rather he let go of his embrace.

And the smile of the man in front of her was so warm and cheerful that it made her feel dazed.She thought, wondering if he revisited his old place and remembered a certain period of childhood that made him so understanding.

Shang Xiuwen said in a leisurely voice: "At that time, there was no determinism. After reading a few books on archaeological exploration, it seems that the interest quickly shifted. What did you plan to study before, it may not be history?"

Gan Lu withdrew her thoughts and said with a smile, "My first choice was to major in English, but unfortunately I didn't do well in the exam and was transferred to a major in history. The only thing I'm glad is that it's better than being transferred to a major in political education."

"Being a teacher is only out of professional considerations. I mean, what was your initial interest?"

Gan Lu was really taken aback by the question. Ever since she was in high school, she had considered very realistically, what major to enroll in in the future, and what occupation to take up the burden of supporting the family relatively quickly: "I'm interested, I like it. Watching horror movies and speculative novels are all hobbies that cannot be regarded as careers. Those who can turn their hobbies into careers are very few lucky people. , I am also interested in history.”

Shang Xiuwen didn't continue talking about this topic, and suggested to go for a walk in the mine behind the museum.The temperature in the mountains is low, and it is indeed chilly to sit still.The two of them first walked along the concrete road. There was no scenery along the way. There were abandoned and barren dormitories everywhere, mottled and peeled-off exterior walls, old-fashioned wooden window frames. Only a few people came and went, and small shops were all closed. It is conceivable that even if it was not a prosperous place in the past, it was once lively.

After walking out of the dormitory area, the surrounding area is surrounded by new vegetation damaged by mining, rustling in the north wind, and there is no scenery. The air is cold and refreshing.After walking for a while, the ground under their feet turned into a dirt road. Their steps were at the same frequency, neither fast nor slow. Occasionally, their shoes stepped on the thin ice on the road and made a slight click sound. Gan Lu found that she actually liked this kind of walking in a quiet environment. The sudden sound appeared, so he deliberately picked up the icy place and stepped on it, Shang Xiuwen smiled.

She had a good time, but she didn't expect to step on it again, the ice broke open with a "click", and there was a shallow puddle below. She stepped into the water and almost lost her balance. Xiuwen grabbed her by the arm, she steadied herself, couldn't help laughing, raised her head and was about to speak, and found that Shang Xiuwen was also laughing, this smile that was facing her made her lose her mind again, when Shang Xiuwen wrapped her arms around her and kissed When she came down, she was completely in a trance.

They had known each other for almost a year, and they had not had many dates, but their physical contact was limited to Xiuwen holding her elbow while crossing the road, which didn't arouse her any reverie.

After this sudden but long and passionate kiss ended, she touched her swollen lips and realized several things: he was a very good kisser, he could be called a superb kisser; she responded to his kisses, and the reaction was not small; She laughed so badly, I'm afraid it's better to smile less at her in the future.

However, from then until now, although Shang Xiuwen is still a man with a cold personality that is a little unpredictable, he doesn't like to smile all the time, but there are quite a few times when he smiles in front of her.

The waiter knocked on the door and came in, changed the bone plate, and brought dessert, which was her favorite stewed snow clam with aloe vera and yellow peach.She took a spoon and put it into her mouth listlessly, and confessed to herself that when she was with Shang Xiuwen, she was really confused and subdued by his smile to a large extent.

After returning from J City, she had a thought, and went to the bookstore to buy a copy of "The Great Gatsby", and turned to the paragraph describing Gatsby's smile for a closer look.

"In an instant, it coalesces on you and shows an irresistible preference for you. It shows you understand you just as much as you want to be understood. Believe in you as you would like to believe in yourself That, and convincing you that his impression of you is just the impression you want to make on others when you're at your best."

Of course, Shang Xiuwen's smile is not so mysterious or rich in meaning, and he is not at all the man in the book who chooses his words carefully, looks at the light cautiously, and tries to wait for a hopeless love.

After getting to know each other for a long time, Gan Lu gradually realized that his confidence and sharpness were hidden under his lazy posture, his conversation was casual and polite due to his upbringing, and his behavior was between free and easy and careless. The smile was just in contrast to his calm demeanor, making her feel warm and at ease like a spring breeze blowing on her face.

Shang Xiuwen reached out and stroked her hair: "You think too much, Lulu, people may be able to use reason to restrain their behavior, but it is impossible to decide their likes and dislikes, let alone love."

"Maybe," she forced a smile, "but reason can determine marriage. To be honest, I think there is nothing wrong with a rational marriage, at least it is more sober than a blind marriage."

"Did you make a rational decision to marry me?"

"That's what troubles me. If I'm sensible enough, I probably won't marry early. I'll definitely be much happier if I continue to fall in love with you."

"Is that so?" Shang Xiuwen was a little surprised, but at the same time couldn't help smiling, "I always thought that I wasn't passionate enough to be romantic enough, and I wasn't a good love partner. If I don't propose quickly and tie you up, I'm afraid you will soon get tired of me. Look. It was the right decision to come to me."

He acted so relaxed that he was even interested in making fun of him. Gan Lu looked at him a little confused, and suddenly couldn't remember what they were talking about tonight, so she could only smile wryly: "Is this affirming my charm?" ? Well, I'll take it for granted."

She thought that if she clings to an answer to the past after getting married, it is probably doomed to be futile.Even if she asked herself, she couldn't explain how much she loved Shang Xiuwen when she decided to get married.She was overwhelmed by his smile, and believed that this man could give her a peaceful and beautiful life, but in fact, he had indeed done it after two years of marriage.Of course she couldn't deny that.

"Jingyi and I are in the past. For me, that is the end of a relationship."

Gan Lu hesitated for a moment, but still asked: "You said that there is no possibility for you to be with her. This statement really has too many meanings influenced by external factors. If... I mean," she frowned in annoyance, not knowing how to express it What I mean is appropriate, "If there were no external factors, what would happen to you and her?"

Shang Xiuwen was still smiling, and a little emotion she couldn't understand flashed across his eyes: "There is no such thing as if, Lulu, I can only tell you frankly that now she and I are just strangers we know."

"Do you think I'm boringly digging into a past that has nothing to do with me? Xiuwen, I just can't help but suspect that your proposal to me is just a compromise with life."

"Lulu, why do you think I want to get married?" Shang Xiuwen restrained his smile, slid his hand down her hair to hold her chin, and looked at her seriously, "Of course, my mother really wants me to get married and settle down, but She is not a housewife who only wants to have grandchildren, and I will not find her a daughter-in-law just to please her."

"The compromise I'm talking about doesn't necessarily mean the pressure your mother puts on you."

"I understand what you mean, Lulu," he stared at her with deep and gentle eyes, "I propose to you because I think it is a happy and happy thing to live with you. I never thought that I must marry you What kind of personality type is your wife, and how will she behave in the world. All I want is the kind of trust that is willing to connect my life with you, and you have given me the feeling that I am willing to give trust.”

He didn't have many moments to confess his love to her, and even when he proposed marriage, his tone was more solemn than usual, not enthusiastic.However, at this moment, her heart was agitated, her eyes were filled with moisture, and she leaned her face into his palm, not knowing what to say.

She was still uncertain, but when he faced her with such sincerity, all doubts seemed trivial and mediocre.She thought that she should, like him, choose to give trust.

(End of this chapter)