On New Year's Day on Tuesday, the rest day was moved to Monday so that there would be two consecutive days of vacation. The year that was about to pass was very special to Jiang Zhihan, and his relationship with Ni Shang was the most special of all.
Monday was the last day of the year, and Jiang Zhihan wanted to spend it with Ni Shang to commemorate it. Recently, she had been busy. In addition, most of the time, Ni Shang was asked by her parents to study at home, so the chances of the two of them dating had decreased. Fortunately, they sat together in class during the day, which could slightly soothe the lovesickness of the boy and girl in love. When he brought this up to Ni Shang, Ni Shang was a little hesitant.
"Of course I want to come out." Usually, he could find an excuse to say that the student union had a meeting or that he went out to buy books with his classmates. If it was a special day like the day before New Year's Day, it would be more difficult to come up with an excuse.”
" Oh," Jiang Zhihan replied faintly, unable to hide his disappointment. He had even found a place for their date. It was in the restaurant where he had eaten with Xiao Qin last time. The window seat was now separated by a screen. Sitting inside, watching the magnificent river scenery in the distance and tasting the dishes with the characteristics of Zhongzhou was a very enjoyable experience. Xiao Qin and the others had been to that place many times and became familiar with the boss. Not long ago, Xiao Qin wrote an article in the supplement introducing that restaurant, which was said to have improved the business by a few percent. The boss was so happy that he treated Xiao Qin and her friends as VIP guests.
Ni Shang couldn't bear to dampen Jiang Zhihan's enthusiasm, so she braced herself and went to ask Xue Jingjing for help. She said that she had arranged to visit the bookstore near her house. Two days before the holidays, Ni Shang told her family the excuse she had made up. Her mother frowned and complained,"This child, he doesn't even stay at home on New Year's Day. Now, he's going out more and more.”Ni Jianguo glanced at Ni Shang but did not say anything. Ni Shang felt guilty and lowered her head without saying a word.
On Saturday afternoon, when the bell rang for the last class, excited students poured out of the classrooms. It was a rare two-day holiday before the end of the term. Everyone was very excited, and the air was filled with happy laughter. Jiang Zhihan and Ni Shang parted ways in front of the teaching building. Jiang Zhihan said hopefully," See you tomorrow. See you." Ni Shang smiled sweetly and said,"Okay, see you tomorrow."
On Monday morning, Li Rongrong went to the bookstore, and her father went to help. For Li Rongrong, every minute of every day was time to work. Because she felt that her ambition had been fulfilled. Although it was very hard, she was willing to endure it. Li Rongrong was now completely at ease with her son. He could even help her with her own problems, let alone other things. Basically, she never asked about Jiang Zhihan's schedule.
Jiang Zhihan found a nearby barbershop to cut his hair short. He wanted to have a new look for the new year. Then, he returned home to take a shower and put on the gifts his mother had given him. A black leather jacket and a brand new pair of leather shoes. They were probably the most expensive clothes and shoes that Jiang Zhihan had ever received. Ever since Jiang Zhihan started training with the old man, his appetite had increased greatly, and he had grown a few centimeters taller. Paired with a new leather bag, the boy in the mirror was tall and straight, with a calm temperament. He had changed a lot compared to a few months ago.
The appointment was at 11:30 pm, and Jiang Zhihan had already arrived at the restaurant. When Boss Liu saw him, he was very enthusiastic and joked that he was so handsome. Did he have a date? Jiang Zhihan laughed and said that he was meeting a friend for dinner, so he was led to a seat in the corner by the window. It was separated by a screen painted with ink paintings, forming a small single room. Jiang Zhihan ordered a bottle of beer, opened the cap, and poured it into a glass. Seeing white bubbles rise from the yellow liquid, he felt inexplicably happy.
The river in the distance was in the dry season of winter, and the reefs were exposed to the water. Although there was no beautiful scenery like the sunset, looking out of the window, one could see the cars on Binjiang Road in the distance and the crowds on the stone steps nearby. After sitting here with Xiao Qin that day and experiencing the feeling of stealing a leisurely life, Jiang Zhihan fell in love with this place. He thought about when he would bring his beloved person over. In his busy life, he would stop to look at the scenery by the roadside, drink by the window, and have a heart-to-heart talk. What a pleasant thing it would be.
The restaurant that Jiang Zhihan had made an appointment with was very close to the city library, so it was not far from Ni Shang's house. It was only a 15-minute walk away. At 11:10 pm, Ni Shang greeted her parents and prepared to leave. "Don't you want to go out after lunch?" asked his mother. Do you want to eat outside? Should I give you some money?" "No need, I still have money."”Ni Jianguo sat on the sofa and read the newspaper. He asked Ni Shang,"You and your classmate, what's your name again? Where are you meeting?”"It's South Bank. It's near Xue Jing Jing's house. There's a new branch of an education bookstore. I heard that there are two reference books that I've been looking for but haven't found yet."”"It's near Xinhua Road, right?" Ni Jianguo said.”"That's right," Ni Shang said. Ni Jianguo stood up and said,"I'm meeting a colleague to have a meal near Xinhua Road today. We're going there together."?”Ni Shang let out an "ah" and opened her mouth. She wanted to find an excuse to refuse, but she couldn't find a decent excuse in a hurry. She finally restrained her panic and nodded."Of course, that's good." "Let's go then," Ni Jianguo said as he glanced at her.”
During the holidays, the traffic in Zhongzhou was particularly crowded. The journey from Ni Shang's house to the south bank usually took half an hour, but today, it took them a full 40 minutes to reach less than two-thirds of the distance. The bus drove onto the only highway bridge that connected the city to the south bank. There were four lanes, but only two in each direction. Countless large and small cars were crowded on top of it, moving forward slowly like ants. Ni Shang stood in the car and held the armrest. Her heart was in a mess. Her father's sudden attack was completely out of her expectations, and her lie had become a trap for herself. It had been about half an hour since the agreed time, but he was sitting in a car far away from that location. It was really ironic.
Ever since she fell in love with Jiang Zhihan, as time passed, the two of them could understand each other's feelings more and more. As the saying went, their hearts were connected. Ni Shang could feel how much Jiang Zhihan valued and looked forward to this date. That was also the reason why she took the risk to lie. Jiang Zhihan had a special hobby for symbolic things, such as doing a special thing on a certain symbolic day. Ni Shang had even laughed at him and said that this was a girl's characteristic.
The bus swayed on the bridge for more than ten minutes, but it was not even halfway through the journey. Ni Shang looked at the gray sky and the dark yellow river outside the car window, and her heart was in a mess. Jiang Zhihan's smiling face from yesterday appeared in front of her again. See you there. She remembered him saying that. Why did he tell such a stupid lie? Ni Shang thought hatefully that it was all Jiang Zhihan's fault. Ni Shang's lying skills were all instilled by Jiang Zhihan. Jiang Zhihan said that Wei Xiaobao's secret to lying was to say nine truths and one lie, but that lie was the key. If they had agreed to let Xue Jing Jing cover for them, they would not say other people's names or her address. It would be best if the two of them had a meal and went to look for Xue Jing Jing to go out to the bookstore. This would be the cover-up after the incident. Everything had to be done seamlessly. Damn fellow, this time, his cleverness was mistaken. Ni Shang was actually angry at herself, but she was venting her anger on Jiang Zhihan.
Ni Jianguo stood beside Ni Shang and could clearly sense her abnormality. His daughter had always been well-behaved, and there was an old saying that was most appropriate to describe her. In front of her parents, she could always find a lot of topics to talk about, share happy things with them, and create a good atmosphere. But today, from the side, Ni Shang's face could not hide her anxiety even though she tried her best to hide it. Occasionally, one could even feel her anger and resentment.
"It's inevitable to get stuck in traffic in Zhongzhou. Your classmate should understand," Ni Jianguo comforted him. Next time, remember to leave the house earlier during the holidays.”Ni Shang nodded absent-mindedly and said that she understood.
"Where are you meeting?" Ni Jianguo asked again. In the bookstore or near her house? "
"It's at her house," Ni Shang said.
"Then don't worry too much. She's in her own home, so why would she be afraid of not being able to find something to do?" Ni Jianguo said.”
The bus took about an hour to reach its destination, Zhongzheng Road Station. When the father and daughter got out of the car, Ni Shang bid farewell to her father and said,"Her house is just across the street. I'll go over first.”
"Don't be anxious. Be careful when crossing the road," Ni Jianguo instructed.”Ni Jianguo had the urge to follow his daughter to see if she had any secrets when he saw her absent-minded back view. After all these years in the organization, he had experienced so much deception. His ability to read people's expressions was not inferior to anyone else. Ni Shang's behavior was not as simple as being late for a meeting with a classmate. However, Ni Jianguo also had something to deal with today. He suppressed his curiosity and impulse, turned left, and went to Tieling Road in the other direction.
Xue Jing Jing opened the door and saw Ni Shang standing outside. She looked left and right and asked curiously,"You alone?" He let Ni Shang into the house. Xue Jingjing's parents knew that Ni Shang was a top student overtime worker and had always been in favor of her relationship with Xue Jingjing. At that time, parents loved their children to become good friends with their classmates who were good at studying. Xue Jingjing's parents warmly invited Ni Shang to eat together, but they also complained to Xue Jingjing that they should have waited for Ni Shang to come and eat together.
"I've already eaten. I just ate a little at a roadside shop." Ni Shang forced a smile.”Xue Jingjing knew that something was wrong, so she pulled Ni Shang into her bedroom. Ni Shang briefly explained the situation. Xue Jingjing looked at the clock on the wall and said,"Then what should we do? It's been more than an hour."
"We still have to go back. He said that he won't leave until we see each other." Ni Shang whispered. My dad saw me get off at the bus stop opposite your house, so I had no choice but to come up and say hello.”
"Since you've already said that to your dad, I'll go out with you." Xue Jing Jing said very loyally. You don't mind me being your third wheel, do you? I can go there myself.”
"How could that be?" Ni Shang asked. However, there's a lot of traffic today. It might take a lot of time for you to go with me. I'm sorry.”
Xue Jing Jing patted her face and said,"You are too polite sometimes." Aren't we friends? Give me three minutes. I'll go finish the two mouthfuls of rice and we'll set off.”
As the saying goes, a house leaks when it rains. Ni Shang and Xue Jingjing waited at the bus stop for more than twenty minutes before they finally waited for a bus number 9. The way back seemed to be much better than when they came. Xue Jing Jing comforted Ni Shang,"Maybe two o'clock. Maybe he's still here. I think he's very patient.”
The bus on Route 9 drove smoothly onto the bridge. When it was halfway through, it suddenly stopped. "Zhong Zhou should have built another bridge a long time ago. The traffic jam on the bridge is the worst every time." Ni Shang sighed.”But this time, the situation seemed a little unusual. For a full 20 minutes, the car stopped there without moving. The sound of police sirens could be heard from afar. The driver stuck his head out of the driver's seat and looked outside, but he couldn't see anything. After a while, a bus driver that he knew said loudly,""Your luck is too bad. There was a huge car accident ahead. A crane might have to come over to clear the way.”The passengers began to clamor. Some people said," How long do we have to wait? Open the door and let us off." The driver said loudly. The sidewalk on the bridge was being repaired, and the regulations stated that no pedestrians were allowed. If I let you go, my bonus will be deducted. Will you help me compensate?
The people in the car stayed for more than half an hour, but there was still no movement. The crowd started to clamor again. Someone shouted at the driver," Open the door!" We are in a hurry. The chauffeur did not show any signs of weakness. He was in a hurry. Are you the prime minister or the general secretary? You're the only one who's busy every day. Some of the other people laughed and some chimed in. The car was in a mess.
Ni Shang stood there. Although the car was not moving, she still held the armrest tightly. Her face was a little pale. Xue Jing Jing gently hugged her shoulders and comforted her,"There's nothing we can do about it. I don't think Jiang Zhihan is a petty person. I'll just explain it to him tomorrow.”
"It's not because of this. I just feel that it didn't go well and even caused you to be trapped here with me."”Xue Jing Jing hugged her tightly and didn't say anything else.
Jiang Zhihan sat in the shop, wearing a cheap digital watch. He couldn't help but look at it many times. Boss Liu was a very nice person. He would come in from time to time to say hello. He also served two cold dishes first and asked Jiang Zhihan to eat while waiting. In the beginning, Boss Liu joked with Jiang Zhihan. When it was 1:30 pm, Jiang Zhihan had been waiting for two hours, so she didn't want to joke anymore. She went to the kitchen and ordered two hot dishes and a bowl of rice for Jiang Zhihan. Jiang Zhihan sat there and watched the people coming and going below. He didn't know that he had already seen hundreds or thousands of people walking past. With the rice, she ate a few mouthfuls of food without knowing the taste. He ordered two more bottles of beer and started drinking slowly.
The wine in the glass was full and empty, empty and full. Of course, Jiang Zhihan knew that Ni Shang was not the kind of girl who would stand her up. She must have been caught up in something at home and could not come out. Therefore, he still had a fantasy in his heart. With such a short distance, he would be able to come and say hello in ten minutes. He would always have a chance to find an excuse.
After downing three bottles of beer, Jiang Zhihan felt a little dizzy. In the past, he would only drink one bottle of beer at most. At the age of 16 or 17, Jiang Zhihan's patience and magnanimity were incomparable to most of his peers. But slowly, he started to feel anxious. He did not hate Ni Shang, but he felt disappointed and powerless. Jiang Zhihan mocked himself in his heart. Did you really think that everything in the world would run on the track you designed? Even such a small matter caused many problems. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. It wasn't a big deal, but Jiang Zhihan had planned to meet on the last day of the year. He wanted to welcome the arrival of the new year with his beloved, so he had sweet imaginations and beautiful expectations. When Ni Shang did not appear, the disappointment in his heart could not be avoided.
Jiang Zhihan told himself to wait another hour. At half past two, he told himself to wait for another hour. This was the last hour. Boss Liu had never seen a customer wait for more than three hours, let alone a young man who sighed with his wife. At 3:27 pm, Jiang Zhihan was a little embarrassed when he saw Boss Liu come over to greet him again. The business of the restaurant was very good during the holidays. He had occupied one of the best seats for four hours, and the business could be done several times.
Won't we meet again tomorrow? Am I being too formal? Jiang Zhihan stood up and apologized to Boss Liu. He paid for the meal and walked out of the restaurant. Standing by the railing by the roadside, he looked at the river in the distance and mocked himself. It seemed that it was not easy to not leave. She did not know what she was thinking, but she strolled to the bottom of Ni Shang's apartment building and wandered around a few times. Of course, she could not see anything. Jiang Zhihan didn't know what to do next, so he got on a random bus and headed to the city center.
After the construction truck cleared the road, the traffic police began to clear the traffic. When the bus drove to the other end of the bridge, Ni Shang and the others were trapped on the bridge for two hours. These two hours felt like an eternity to Ni Shang. Although she knew that it was not a life and death separation, her heart was still in a mess. For a moment, she blamed herself. For a moment, she blamed Jiang Zhihan for teaching her a lame excuse. For a moment, she even blamed her father. On second thought, she felt that she was very unfilial and condemned herself in her heart.
The traffic jam on the bridge made the journey even more difficult. At 3:55 pm, Xue Jingjing and Ni Shang stood outside the restaurant. Ni Shang still had the last bit of hope. Didn't he say that he wouldn't leave until he saw her?
Ni Shang stood outside the restaurant and couldn't help but hesitate. Xue Jingjing looked at Ni Shang's pleading eyes and could not help but think in amusement that the always decisive and decisive Leader Ni had also met such a day. Xue Jing Jing pushed the door open and entered, her eyes searching for the person eating. Boss Liu happened to come out and asked if the young lady wanted to eat. There were empty seats now.
Xue Jing Jing hesitated for a moment before asking,"I'm sorry. We had lunch with a friend here, but we were stuck on the bridge in traffic.”
"Ah!" Boss Liu said. It's Jiang Zhihan, right?"
Xue Jing Jing nodded.
Boss Liu quickly complained,"What car did you guys block for so long? It could even drive from the capital to the Central Plains. Let me tell you, Jiang Zhihan sat here for a full four hours and only left at 3:30 am.”
Xue Jingjing thanked Boss Liu and walked out. When she saw Ni Shang's expectant gaze, she sighed and said,"He left at 3:30."
Ni Shang lowered her head and blamed herself in her heart. Then, she thought about how Jiang Zhihan had waited for a full four hours. She recalled Jiang Zhihan's promise to see her and her anxiety and torment in the car. She felt more and more wronged, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Xue Jing Jing held Ni Shang's hand and said,""Alright, class monitor. Don't be sad, we'll see each other tomorrow. He waited for you for four hours, and I haven't even found a guy who's willing to wait for me for half an hour. If you're still crying, shouldn't I jump into the river?”
Ni Shang burst into laughter at her teasing. She held Xue Jingjing's hand and said seriously,"Thank you. You will definitely find someone who is willing to wait for you for a lifetime.”
(A long chapter of belated Mid-Autumn Festival greetings.) Please continue to support me)
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。