Chapter 327: Lack of Elegance

During the meal, Wu Lei and Wang Zhenhe quickly agreed on working together. Wu Changyong listened in somewhat, pleased to see his son’s initiative. Trusting Wang Zhenhe and believing in the young man’s capabilities, he didn’t see any harm in their collaboration and decided to let the younger generation take charge.

Wang Qian also dined at the table and absorbed the conversation between Wu Lei and his father. Considering the potential involvement of the Wu family, she pondered mentioning another highly profitable business opportunity to her father before their departure.

“Qianqian, have some more.”

Zuo He attentively served her, almost serving all her favorite dishes directly into her bowl, leaving her with only the task of eating.

Observing Zuo He’s dark and lean face, still exuding a striking handsomeness, Wang Qian couldn’t help but feel a bit reluctant. Back at their home, this young man had been well taken care of, and now he appeared even thinner as he grew older.

“Zuo He, you should eat more too. Look at how thin you’ve become. You’ve lost more weight since the last time I saw you,” she remarked, concerned about his appearance.

Zuo He hesitated to eat the piece of meat she had served in the bowl, as if he had seen a delicate flower and was reluctant to consume it.

Observing Zuo He gazing at the meat in his bowl, Wang Qian initially thought he had undergone a sudden change in character. However, witnessing Zuo He delicately pick it up and slowly savor it in his mouth, displaying a subtle yet evident sense of satisfaction on his face, as if he was enjoying a rare delicacy rather than just meat.

Quickly, she served him a bit more, saying, “Zuo He, have some more.”

Zuo He pursed his lips and swiftly ate what Wang Qian had offered him. Despite his speed, his elegant mannerisms remained intact. In truth, Wang Qian quite enjoyed watching Zuo He eat.

Back when they were kids eating together, despite Zuo He’s refined dining demeanor, his movements were always swift. Sometimes, even Mingyuan had to admire his skills.

Now, the dynamic at the table had shifted. Initially, Zuo He had taken care of her while eating, but now it was her turn to look after Zuo He. The adults observed the interaction between the children with silent smiles, delighted to witness the strong bond between them.

After finishing the lively meal, Zuo He couldn’t wait to take Mingyuan and Wang Qian to his room.

“Wang Qian, Mingyuan, this is my gift to you for starting college,” Zuo He announced eagerly.

Seeing what Zuo He held, Wang Qian felt a bit exasperated. Why did he have to give them notebooks? The one he gave Mingyuan seemed better than hers.

Mingyuan, pleased with the gift, chuckled, “Bro, you’re the best for remembering to get us gifts. I really like it.”

Pouting, Wang Qian complained, “Zuo He, why did you give me another diary? I don’t have that much to write about every day.”

Wang Qian couldn’t quite understand what was going on with Zuo He. However, Zuo He just chuckled, ruffled her hair, and said, “Qianqian, keeping a diary is to cultivate a good habit. You can jot down your daily activities. When you’re older, you can look back and reminisce about your youth. It’s interesting. You can recall your youthful days. Be a good girl and write slowly.”

Alright, Wang Qian knew that once Zuo He got fixated on the diary, he would probably nag her about it if she didn’t write in it.

The three of them sat chatting in Zuo He’s room, which was simple yet clean, clearly a boy’s room.

“Zuo He, someone’s looking for you,” came Hao Lianchun’s voice from downstairs, interrupting the siblings’ conversation. Zuo He’s eyebrows furrowed upon hearing this.

“Who’s disturbing me now? Can’t I have a peaceful moment? Qianqian, you two stay here for a bit. I’ll go see who it is and be back soon,” Zuo He instructed before heading downstairs.

Mingyuan picked up a pair of boxing gloves from Zuo He’s bedside table, gesturing with them and asked Wang Qian, “Sis, how do I look? Handsome, right?”

Wang Qian chuckled, “Bro, you look awesome. It’s a shame you’re not going to military school.”

Mingyuan chuckled, “Why would I go to military school? Mom and Dad are already busy at home. After I graduate, I’ll help them out and give them a break. They’ve worked hard for most of their lives, and they deserve some rest.”

Wang Qian could tell Mingyuan’s intentions from the major he applied for. Since her rebirth, she had been busy ensuring that her family had enough to eat and money to spend. Now that both were no longer issues, she felt she had lost her sense of direction in striving for something more.

However, the idea of living a comfortable life as a “rice worm” didn’t sound too bad. Learning foreign languages, she thought about the convenience it would bring when traveling abroad in the future. Speaking a foreign language would make travel much easier. She decided to leave the family business to her younger brother. After all, he was the son of the Wang family and should share the responsibility for the family business.

With a delicate smile, she said to Mingyuan, “Bro, I’ll rely on you in the future. Make plenty of money for me to spend. I’ll take care of the flowers, tend the fields, and enjoy a simple life.”

Mingyuan affectionately ruffled his sister’s head, “Alright, leave it to me. I’ll take care of you, and we’ll earn the money. You just focus on spending it.”

After waiting for Zuo He in the room for a while without his return, the siblings decided to head downstairs and join the conversation with the elderly gentlemen.

“Wang Qian, come sit next to Grandpa. The tea you brought is really good. I’m just curious, what’s it called?” asked one of the elderly gentlemen.

To be honest, Wang Qian didn’t know the name of the tea tree either. It was simply a wild tree found in the mountains when they brought it over from the south. However, the locals loved the tea leaves grown on these trees.

Apologetically, she explained to Grandpa Zuo, “Grandpa Zuo, this tea was sent to us by a friend from the south. It’s not some expensive tea. She thought it was good and sent us some. If you like it, we can have more sent over. It’s not worth much.”

Despite not being expensive, the tea was delicious, which delighted Zuo Zhanshan, Wu Changyong, and even Old Chen. They found this tea to be on par with or even better than some of the more expensive varieties.

“Wang Qian, from now on, we’ll leave the responsibility of our tea leaves to you. Have your friend send us more, and we’ll make sure to compensate them for their efforts,” remarked one of the elderly gentlemen.

Upon hearing the conversation, Zhang Lan quickly intervened, waving her hand. She knew that the tea was produced by her daughter’s space, and they couldn’t accept money from the elderly gentlemen.

“Uncle, please don’t say that. It’s just some tea leaves. We can certainly afford to offer these to you. In the future, if we run out, I’ll make sure to get more. My friend over there has a good relationship with me,” Zhang Lan explained.

Upon hearing Zhang Lan’s words, Zuo Zhanshan decided not to dwell on the matter. After all, when it came to matters of personal relationships, owing a bit more was inconsequential. He had truly come to regard this family as his own.

Patting Wang Qian on the shoulder, Zuo Zhanshan addressed her, “Qianqian, now that you’re off to college, Grandpa needs to have a serious talk with you. If you’re studying at a different school, Grandpa Chen won’t be able to watch over you there. You need to be cautious and take care of yourself. Being away from home is different, and the situation in the capital isn’t like our old village where everyone knows each other inside out.

“In this place, you won’t find warning signs on the faces of bad people. Be cautious, especially as a girl. Focus on your studies here. If anyone bothers you or causes trouble, come back and tell us. Grandpa will take care of it for you. And if you don’t know someone, don’t go out with them. When you need a break, come to Grandpa’s place, or you can go to Grandpa Chen’s.”

Zuo Zhanshan’s words were motivated by Wang Qian’s striking beauty. He realized that she stood out too much, and he wanted to ensure her safety, knowing that such exceptional beauty could attract unwanted attention. Though he was unafraid of such individuals, it was better to avoid certain situations altogether.

Wang Qian was no fool and understood the concerns of the elderly gentleman. She smiled and said to Zuo Zhanshan, “Grandpa, I’ve thought about it. Tomorrow, I’ll get a pair of big dark glasses to wear. This way, I can avoid a lot of trouble. I don’t want any trouble either.”

Seeing the worried expression on the young girl’s face, the elderly gentleman couldn’t help but smile. She was indeed perceptive and quick to understand the situation.

“Don’t worry, dear. If you encounter any trouble, you have us old folks to rely on. We’re here to protect you. Xuan’er is the same. If you face any problems at school, go to Grandpa Chen. But I heard you have another protector by your side now,” Zuo Zhanshan said, teasingly.

As Zuo Zhanshan spoke, Wang Xuan blushed deeply, feeling shy and turning her head away. Wu Changyong couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the sight of the young girl’s embarrassment.

“Old Zuo, look at you, making our Xuan’er all shy. Dear, it’s natural for a girl to have protectors. If you were in the past, you might have been married off by now. Your grandmother, when she was younger, married me when she wasn’t even eighteen,” Wu Changyong added with a chuckle.

Old Chen couldn’t resist teasing, “Old Wu, you didn’t marry at a legal age, you sly old man, breaking hearts left and right.”

Despite their age, everyone enjoyed bantering, especially with a literati like Grandpa Chen, who made jokes that even amused Wang Qian.

“Old Chen, I never knew you had such a humorous side. Despite your usual scholarly demeanor, when you joke around, you’re utterly lacking in elegance,” quipped Old Wu, prompting laughter from everyone.

Old Chen recalled a matter, “Old Wu, how did it go with Weiguo’s affairs? The old lady from the Bai family doesn’t seem to listen to you at all. Speaking of Zhang Weiguo and Bai Jianing’s marriage, a cloud passed over Wu Changyong’s face. “That woman just won’t listen to reason, even my wife tried to intervene. She’s stubborn as a mule. She and my wife, although both from rural backgrounds, are like night and day. No wonder she has such a tight hold over that old man Bai Qingyuan.”