Chapter 20

Night fell, and Old Zhang finally arrived.  He apologized as he opened the car door for Lu Jiaoyang. “Sorry, Chief.  I had a family emergency.”

Lu Jiaoyang turned to Shen Hongxing. “It’s dark. It’s not safe for you to take the bus. I’ll take you home.”

“No, it’s…”  Before Shen Hongxing could finish, Xu Shuangshuang and the others had already gotten into the car.  Xu Shuangshuang leaned against the door, batting her eyes innocently. “Boss, Chief Lu is right. It’s not safe at night!”

Shen Hongxing saw how tired they were. They’d been with her since morning.  Without Lu Jiaoyang’s car, they’d have to take a bus and walk a long way back to the county. She couldn’t refuse them, so she nodded.

Lu Jiaoyang closed the door.  As the car started, he asked, “What about tomorrow? Do you need help?”

Shen Hongxing didn’t want to trouble him. “No, it’s just small stuff.”

Chen Jiayi blurted out Shen Hongxing’s plans for tomorrow.

“Conveniently, Miss Shen, our Chief needs to go to Haicheng tomorrow. You can get a ride,” Old Zhang said before Lu Jiaoyang could speak.

Shen Hongxing tried to refuse, but Lu Jiaoyang quickly interjected, “I’ll pick you up at six tomorrow morning!” His tone was firm and (unquestionable).

Shen Hongxing couldn’t refuse.

At the intersection, Shen Hongxing wouldn’t let Lu Jiaoyang go further.  He didn’t insist, watching them walk towards the dark beach.  He told Old Zhang, “Turn on the headlights.”

The headlights illuminated their path.  Lu Jiaoyang watched Shen Hongxing’s back, his handsome brow furrowed. 

As the factory director’s daughter, she should have had a privileged life, but Wang Meili had abandoned her to the countryside.

Even after being reunited with her family, she hadn’t received their love.  He thought that if it had been Shen Jiaojiao, she wouldn’t have stayed there a day.

Shen Jianguo and his wife wouldn’t have let her stay.  He watched Shen Hongxing and her friends… 

He was… chasing his wife.

“Boss, Chief Lu turned on the headlights for us, right?”

Xu Shuangshuang put her arm around Shen Hongxing. “Boss, if Chief Lu liked you and wanted to date you, would you agree?”

“Date?” Shen Hongxing remembered what she’d overheard in his office. “He likes Shen Jiaojiao!”

Chen Jiayi, full of gossip, leaned in. “Boss, how do you know?”

“I overheard him talking to someone!”  He’d liked a girl named Shen since he was eighteen.  It had to be Shen Jiaojiao.

Shen Hongxing first saw Lu Jiaoyang at Grandpa Lu’s 60th birthday party. Lu Jiaoyang was twenty then.  Her family had attended; her parents were proudly showing off Shen Jiaojiao in a new dress. Shen Hongxing wore Shen Jiaojiao’s old dress and trailed behind, feeling more like a servant than their daughter.  Lu Jiaoyang, in a light blue plaid shirt, stood at the entrance. She’d thought he was handsome.

Shen Jiaojiao, seeing her look at him, had hissed, “Country bumpkin! Keep your eyes to yourself! He’s Ping’an’s uncle, our elder, and a top secret agent. You can’t even dream of him!”

She’d later heard stories about Lu Jiaoyang. He was considered untouchable, even by Shen Jiaojiao, who, despite her ambitions, never dared to pursue him.

Cao Hongxia disagreed. “Boss, Chief Lu couldn’t like Shen Jiaojiao!” She explained, “If he liked her, he’d favor her like your parents and Lu Ping’an.  But he’s ignored Shen Jiaojiao. You’ve been encountering him constantly.  Maybe it’s on purpose!”

“No way,” Shen Hongxing still doubted it.  Lu Jiaoyang was so outstanding; why would he like her?

They reached her home.  She waved goodbye, signaling them to turn off the headlights.

“Old Zhang, back to the military base!”

Lu Jiaoyang instructed Old Zhang. He still had some documents to organize.

“Yes, Chief!” Old Zhang turned off the headlights and restarted the car.

Lu Jiaoyang asked, “Old Zhang, when did I say I was going to Haicheng tomorrow?” He’d said he’d go in two days.

“Chief, you don’t need to go to Haicheng for now,” Old Zhang replied.

Lu Jiaoyang sat up straight. “What’s going on?”

“Chief, I ran into Commander Gu and the others at the recruitment office this afternoon. They said this is a crucial time for you to settle your personal life.  They’ve given you a few days off to pursue your girlfriend!”

“The commanders said the entire army is looking to you as an example and hoping you’ll marry soon!”

Lu Jiaoyang knew it was Gu Qingshan’s fault. Commander Gu was Gu Qingshan’s grandfather.  Gu Qingshan must have called the military after seeing Shen Hongxing.

He asked, “Do I still need to go on blind dates once I’m in Haicheng?”

Old Zhang solemnly relayed the commanders’ orders. “Commander Gu said if you have a girlfriend, you don’t need to. But if you’re still single, you’ll continue until you marry!”  They were using every method to get him to settle down.

He asked uncertainly, “Old Zhang, am I really off tomorrow?” He hadn’t had a proper break since joining the army.

Old Zhang nodded. “Yes, the commanders told me personally. You can rest and even stay to watch Miss Shen’s down jacket fashion show!”

Speaking of down jackets, Lu Jiaoyang remembered something. “Old Zhang, didn’t we just select hundreds of people for the Antarctic expedition team?”

“Yes, over 500. They’re leaving before the new year to establish a research station,” Old Zhang said, guessing Lu Jiaoyang’s intention. “Chief, do you want Miss Shen to sell the down jackets to the expedition team?”

Lu Jiaoyang just smiled, saying nothing.