Chapter 5 Network (05)

The summer cicada is wearing a black down jacket, with a large red scarf wrapped around its neck, making it particularly eye-catching

He Huai-sheng's gaze lingered on her lips

The summer cicada hesitates for a moment

Chen Aijia glanced at her and said, "It's not even sunny, why are you wearing sunglasses?" As she spoke, she reached out to take them off for her

The summer cicada was cautious, making him stop the car a street away from home

The summer cicada took a step back, "You know my character; I have said everything that needed to be said that day, but there is one thing I forgot to mention," she looked at him calmly, "I never regret my actions, nor do I give others the chance to regret."

Chen Aijia smiled at her: "Someone saw him a year ago, wearing a coat and lighting a cigarette. Do you really have no thoughts about him at all?"

Chongcheng cannot keep him, and she is even less capable of doing so

Taking advantage of the Lantern Festival holiday, Xia Chan invited Fu Ruyu and Chen Aijia out for a meal

He Huai-sheng shook his head

He Huai-sheng glanced at her and lowered his head to type

Fu Ruyu shook her head

The atmosphere was quite awkward, only easing slightly upon arriving at the restaurant

Yet in my heart, I thought, I hope she will not see him again

The summer cicada stood in place, watching as Xie Xingzhou's figure passed through the security gate, before finally turning around

Fu Ruyu fell silent for a moment, then said: "Xia Chan, in fact, you could ask Mr. He for help; after all, he owes you a favor."

She composed herself and said, "Thank you for accompanying me for a while"

Who could that person be? That middle-aged man, or is it someone else?

She needs to figure out how He Huaisheng came to know about her comment.

Xia Chan frowned and replied: Did Mr. He send this by mistake

Chen Aijia asked: "Have you caught a cold?"

Fu Ruyu hurriedly said: "It has nothing to do with him..."

Xie Xingzhou, with a cold voice, raised her eyes and said, "You no longer have the right to say this to me"

After completing the check-in procedures, Xie Xingzhou turned around to look at her and said, "Shall we sit over there for a while?"

The flow of tourists is unceasing, and the voices of people are noisy. Two individuals sit side by side, yet they do not know where to begin their conversation.

If it was not Chen Rong who mentioned it, then it must be that He Huaisheng happened to be there that day as well. However, he himself could not hear it, so there must have been another person present.

He Huai Sheng sent: Rather than acting rashly, it is better to remain still.

The summer cicada inserted both hands into the pockets of the coat, "I have arrived in the capital, just wanted to let you know I'm safe."

The summer cicada could not bear to see this, "Ruyue, do not be biased. This person dares to slap you now, and in the future, they will dare to commit domestic violence within marriage"

However, the summer cicada hesitated for a moment, yet could not bring herself to speak. It was she who had been gossiping behind their backs; could she possibly turn around and accuse others of eavesdropping?

As I hesitated whether to go up and greet him, He Huaisheng was already walking towards the entrance of the hall

She remains unperturbed even if the sky were to fall

The summer cicada felt distressed, touched its pocket, remembered the airport's no-smoking policy, and had no choice but to give up.

On the fifth day, Xie Xingzhou left Chongcheng and flew to the capital.

Fu Ruyu smiled and said, "That is indeed the case"

This person is like a ghost, appearing everywhere, especially at her most embarrassing moments

However, this time He Huaisheng drove himself, and naturally, Xia Chan had no opportunity to communicate with him. The entire journey was silent, and Xia Chan sat in the passenger seat as if on pins and needles

Xia Chan took a second to process this statement; she was still unaccustomed to He Huaisheng speaking. Not only was his tone awkward, but his manner of speaking was also unsettling

Fu Ruyu bit her lip and remained silent

Please wait a moment, I will change the boarding pass first

Hold one's position and take no action, hold one's position and take no action

Yesterday, the snow had just stopped, and the air was very cold. She stood in the wind for a while, took out her phone, opened all the social media apps, and deleted all contact information for Xie Xingzhou without a trace... This included phone numbers, text messages, and photos.

The summer cicada took a few steps, turned back to glance, and saw that He Huaisheng's car had already driven away

Chen Aijia smiled and said: "Rely on love to communicate, or to be more direct, rely on action. Love communicates."

In the summer, the cicadas hesitate in the middle of the night, yet I still rise early to take a car to the airport to bid farewell

People love to associate with those who are prosperous. In the early years when Zhou Lan was flourishing, relatives from far and wide would come to curry favor and share in the glory. However, when one falls from grace, it is already considered benevolent if others do not take the opportunity to kick them while they are down

That day at the dining table, she accompanied him in drinking four bottles of beer, exhausting all the words of a lifetime, yet not a single plea for him to stay was uttered

Xie Xingzhou also got up, "Hmm, it's about time."

Regarding this matter, Xia Chan has already begun to prepare for the worst-case scenario, "If there are layoffs, it is likely that I will be the one to go, Liu Hongyi has long had a dislike for me."

The silence was long and awkward, and finally, the summer cicada could no longer bear it. It stood up and said: "You should go through security check, what time is your flight?"

It is Fu Ruyu

The summer cicadas pass the year in a dull manner, with a routine New Year's Eve dinner, and on the first day of the new year, they go to the temple to burn incense

Fortunately, the arrival of the Lunar New Year is imminent, which has prevented this matter from escalating further

The summer cicadas shake their heads, "Let alone the fact that I truly have no such relationship with him, even if I did, this is an internal matter of the hotel; what help could he possibly provide? Moreover, he himself is like a clay Buddha crossing the river."

The summer cicada laughed and spat at her.

After the New Year, work resumed, and the atmosphere in the hotel grew increasingly tense day by day. When two people casually encountered each other in the corridor, the fleeting exchange of glances could unfold a drama of palace intrigue.

Where is Aunt Zhou

Fu Ruyu asked, "Do you think the three of us will be laid off?"

Xia Chan has always been indifferent to how others discuss her, but now is a time of great concern, where everyone is keeping a low profile, waiting for their opponents to reveal their flaws. Under normal circumstances, this matter would not attract attention, but if it were to be brought up by someone with ulterior motives in front of the leaders, the question of Xia Chan's future would likely become even more ambiguous

Xie Xingzhou wanted to smile, but could not manage to do so

He Huaisheng types extremely quickly, and there is basically no noticeable awkwardness in communicating with him

She read the WeChat message sent by He Huaisheng once again

The summer cicadas are silent

He Huai-sheng's gaze lingered on her face for a moment, then he took out his phone from his pocket: Are you returning to the city? Let me give you a ride.

Chen Aijia said: "He is not looking at you with disdain; it is clearly that you are too pleasing to the eye"

She took a step back, leaning against the pillar by the door, and pulled a cigarette from her pocket to light it

At that moment, her phone vibrated in her pocket

He Huai-sheng, however, wore a calm expression and gestured forward with a hand sign indicating "please"

Fu Ruyu hurriedly turned her head to dodge, "Don't..."

These words are hurtful, and with a glance exchanged between Xia Chan and Chen Aijia, they fell silent

The summer cicadas moved swiftly, only coming to a halt once they exited the terminal

Upon taking it out, I saw a WeChat message: "Miss Xia is here to send a friend?"

However, she was certain of her judgment; He Huaisheng was a person capable of enduring and finding peace within himself, and his depth of character must be profound. She believed that as merely a hotel staff member, she had no influence over He Huaisheng. That night at the annual meeting, when he took the initiative to strike up a conversation and even lowered himself to light a cigarette for her, his motives were particularly perplexing

Xia Chan was not only preoccupied with work but also had to deal with Liu Hongyi's increasingly blatant hints day by day, leaving her utterly exhausted

In just a moment, a reply jumped out from within: I am merely a person pretending to be foolish, not worthy of Miss Xia's vigilance. It was just a coincidence.

After pondering for a moment, the summer cicada ultimately shook its head and said, "Thank you, Mr. He, for your kind offer, but I won't trouble you. I will take the subway back."

The summer cicada hurriedly pinched out the cigarette and turned her face away to wipe the corner of her eye. By the time He Huaisheng approached, she had already returned to her usual calm demeanor and politely greeted him: "Mr. He."

Xie Xingzhou was momentarily taken aback

Xia Chan and Chen Aijia waited at the agreed location for nearly twenty minutes before Fu Ruyu hurriedly arrived. She was wearing a down jacket and snow boots, and her face was covered with a pair of sunglasses. After they met, she first apologized, but her voice was hoarse

Xie Xingzhou felt a bitterness in his mouth, yet in the end, he smiled and said, "... ... good"

Just three days before the official announcement of the layoff list, Xia Chan heard from Liu Baona that the candidate for the next head of the housekeeping department had been tentatively decided.

It is nothing special, just the same as before

Chen Aijia was immediately enraged, "Who did this?"

The summer cicada takes a step back, "Wishing you a smooth journey"

The three individuals engaged in an in-depth discussion regarding the current stalemate, yet they were unable to reach any significant conclusions. At present, aside from "holding steady," there truly are no other alternatives.

At this moment, Xie Xingzhou turned around

Xia Chan suppressed the tumultuous emotions within her heart, hesitated for a moment, and ultimately decided to follow He Huaisheng.

Fu Ruyu remained silent for a moment and then said softly, "This is my own matter; please allow me to resolve it myself."

The phrase "playing the fool" pierced her heart like a thorn, leaving Xia Chan restless. After some contemplation, she decided to seize an opportunity to call Chen Rong. However, despite her indirect inquiries, she could not discern any hint of a private relationship between Chen Rong and He Huaisheng.

The three of them were chatting and inevitably brought up the current situation

There has been no further response from that side

In the end, it was Xie Xingzhou who spoke first, "How has the year been?"

Xia Chan hurriedly looked around, only to see a familiar figure standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window in the hall behind her

The summer cicada paused for a moment, picked up the bag, opened the door, and got out of the car, "See you next time"

At Xie Xingzhou's feet stood a large trunk measuring thirty inches, which contained all the luggage.

Xie Xingzhou wore a black coat, which had a very proper cut, and even after a discount back then, it still cost four digits. It was a gift from her to him. He seemed more haggard than the last time they met before the New Year, with a somewhat gaunt appearance.

She suddenly choked, causing tears to come out as she coughed

Did Chen Rong say that he happened to be dining with others at a private restaurant that day

Xie Xingzhou stood there, motionless for a long while, until that fiery red hue vanished from the edge of his sight

He Huai-sheng looked at her as she finished speaking, his gaze slowly rising. Suddenly, he opened his mouth and asked in a hoarse voice: "... do you fear me?"

Xie Xingzhou smiled, but the smile was faint, "Wishing someone a smooth journey when flying is not auspicious."

Is your boyfriend like that? The last time he scolded you in front of others, I noticed there was something wrong with him. Now, it's even worse; he actually dares to hit someone

If she does not take action soon, she should not expect to continue holding onto her job

Wherever the summer cicadas pass, there are always those who wish to divert their gaze, yet cannot help but whisper excitedly in hushed tones before the parties involved have walked far away

Unable to hide, beneath the sunglasses were a pair of eyes swollen like walnuts. Chen Aijia was taken aback, and upon looking at her cheeks, she noticed a thick layer of foundation barely covering the several red and swollen fingerprints underneath.

The summer cicadas shook their heads, "No, find a deaf person, how will we communicate in the future, rely on eye contact?"

She is certainly not worried about anyone spreading rumors; even if the people at the hotel have extensive connections, they cannot control who she interacts with privately

Xie Xingzhou nodded, but remained standing without moving

The summer cicada could not help but feel a bit indignant, thinking to itself how everything associated with He Huaisheng inevitably leads to misfortune

However, the brief meeting of less than ten minutes with He Huaisheng led to several fabricated versions being concocted within a single day at the hotel

Seizing the opportunity as he got off the vehicle, Xia Chan quickly called out to him: "Mr. He."

Zhou Lan sincerely donated incense, yet the divination result was merely "Zhongping". She felt indignant and inevitably would grumble upon returning

The summer cicada trembled, almost letting out a cry.

At this moment, she could not help but turn around to take another look inside, yet all she could see were the gleaming glass windows, with pedestrians coming and going, weaving in and out.

As they quickly drove into the city, He Huaisheng insisted on taking her home again

Meanwhile, her phone in the bag suddenly vibrated

The summer cicadas shake their heads, still offering polite explanations: "The airport subway line is very convenient"

Xie Xingzhou looked at her and said, "Take good care of yourself, sometimes don't be so willful, and don't smoke..."

The summer cicada nodded, standing to the side