Hu Jia Sheng left for the restroom after speaking, and after spending a long time in there, he finally emerged.
Tang Nan Nan had been waiting to help him apply medication, but he refused with a blank expression, lay down on the floor mat Tang Nan Nan had prepared for him, and refused any further communication.
Tang Nan Nan returned to the bedroom, feeling extremely unhappy.
It was as if she had gone through a breakup, feeling suffocated and disheartened.
She tossed and turned on the bed, thinking about what Hu Jia Sheng had said and his attitude that day, eventually arriving at a conclusion.
Hu Jia Sheng was mocking her.
Hu Jia Sheng was mocking her for seeing through the intentions of the Wang father and son, yet still pretending to know nothing while engaging with them.
She wanted to enjoy the benefits of others' admiration while not fulfilling their wishes – what was the difference between that and wanting to have her cake and eat it too?
Realizing this, Tang Nan Nan also looked down on herself.
She had only been poor for two years and was already terrified of poverty, resorting to any means to achieve her goals?
Tang Nan Nan, oh Tang Nan Nan, all those years of education from your parents were for naught!
With the answer in her heart, the burden was finally lifted, and Tang Nan Nan slept soundly.
At six in the morning, the alarm clock rang, and she got out of bed as usual, quietly and lightly.
She prepared breakfast, ate with Hu Jia Sheng, and then they left together.
Hu Jia Sheng went to the service area, and she went to the company. They traveled in silence, parting ways at the entrance of the residential compound.
Tang Nan Nan took a shared electric scooter to the company entrance and went directly to Wang Rong Fa's office, preparing to wait for him.
Unexpectedly, he was already in his office.
Upon seeing Tang Nan Nan, he was also delighted.
"Nan Nan, you came so early today? You're dressed so beautifully today, come in, come in. Have you had breakfast yet?"
Tang Nan Nan said she had, and Wang Rong Fa offered to pour her tea, suggesting they sit down and chat first.
Tang Nan Nan spoke directly to him, "Uncle Wang, I'm sorry, but I actually came today to apologize to you."
"Oh?" Wang Rong Fa was puzzled. "What's going on? Why are you suddenly apologizing to me?"
Tang Nan Nan explained her interaction with Wang Teng Fei yesterday, stating that she only regarded Wang Teng Fei as a younger brother and that if she had caused any misunderstanding or wasted his time, it would not be good.
Therefore, after much thought, she decided not to come to the Wang family's company.
The smile on Wang Rong Fa's face gradually faded, and he advised her meaningfully.
"Nan Nan, normally, young people like yourselves have much more open minds than us old folks. You're only a year older than Teng Fei, and I can accept it, so what's there for you not to accept?"
"Or is it not about age at all, and you simply don't like him from the bottom of your heart?"
Tang Nan Nan looked at him with neither subservience nor arrogance.
"Uncle Wang, we haven't seen each other for so many years, and yesterday was just a brief encounter. If we can speak of like or dislike based on this, it would be too superficial."
"I've always thought of Teng Fei as my younger brother since childhood, so I really can't change my mind. I'm sorry to have disappointed your kind intentions."
Wang Rong Fa continued to persuade her.
He said that with matters of the heart, things could develop over time. You are alone now, with no one to care for you, so joining the Wang family is the best way out, and so on.
The more he spoke, the less Tang Nan Nan wanted to listen.
Yesterday, she thought the Wang father and son genuinely fancied some quality in her and wanted to treat her well.
Now, it seemed to be nothing more than an exchange of interests.
They fancied her attractive features and her genes for studying, to fulfill the seed of admiration that Wang Teng Fei had planted since childhood.
Their family believed that when she was desperate, they were bestowing a favor, and she would surely accept it with gratitude.
Thank goodness for Hu Jia Sheng's reminder, otherwise Tang Nan Nan might have truly fallen into this trap.
After some time, when she realized the other party's attitude, it might have been too late for anything.
Therefore, no matter how much Wang Rong Fa tried to persuade her, she would not stay.
After some back and forth, Wang Rong Fa sent her out unhappily, just as Wang Teng Fei was arriving for work.
Upon hearing that she was not coming to the company, Wang Teng Fei became furious on the spot and showed his displeasure to his father.
"You promised me to bring someone good, and now you say it's not possible?"
"I don't care! If she comes, I'll come. If she doesn't, I won't come either. You figure it out yourself!"
With that, he turned and entered the elevator again.
Regardless, Tang Nan Nan did not fall into the Wang family's trap.
Returning to the small house she shared with Hu Jia Sheng, Tang Nan Nan began to create a resume online and submit it to various high-end educational institutions in Nancheng.
Then, she cleaned the house, did laundry, and cooked, waiting for Hu Jia Sheng to return.
Hu Jia Sheng had gone to the service area early in the morning. When the time came, only one person arrived – the technician who had worked with him yesterday.
He asked the technician why Young Master Wang hadn't come along. The technician, finding it amusing, gossiped with him.
"Didn't that female taxi driver who dropped you off yesterday promise Young Master Wang that she would come to work at our company today? For some reason, she's not coming anymore."
"She was arguing with Young Master Wang at the company entrance early this morning. Young Master Wang found it embarrassing and left the company without even working today, which is hilarious."
"I wonder what kind of background that woman has. The whole company is talking about this now."
Hu Jia Sheng hadn't expected Tang Nan Nan to have such backbone.
Just because of his analysis of the situation yesterday, suggesting she marry to settle down, she decided not to go to the Wang family's company today?
Then what would she do?
However, he would not ask.
Because their progress was very slow, the technician left when his shift ended. To avoid delaying the progress, Hu Jia Sheng had to stay and work overtime.
Tang Nan Nan started preparing dinner at five o'clock.
She figured Hu Jia Sheng would be back by six at the latest.
Unexpectedly, he still hadn't returned by seven.
The dishes had long gone cold. Since there was no microwave or thermos at home, she had to reheat them for him.
After another hour, the dishes were cold again, and he still hadn't returned.
Thinking about Wang Teng Fei's reaction today and checking the time, she suddenly had a premonition, her heart sinking.
Could it be that because of her, Hu Jia Sheng was being made difficult by Wang Teng Fei?
He had an injured hand. If Wang Teng Fei deliberately made things difficult, didn't assign him anyone or withheld materials, then...
Tang Nan Nan couldn't afford to wait any longer. She locked the door, hailed a taxi in a hurry, and rushed to the service area.
The service area was a place of arrivals and departures, with people constantly coming and going twenty-four hours a day. It was brightly lit even at night.
As soon as she got out of the taxi, she saw it: a tall, slender figure by the charging pile, bending over and working alone.
Hu Jia Sheng, disregarding his injured hand, had rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows.
The heavy distribution boxes and various cables, whether moved by others or by himself, were all in place. Now he was connecting various wires.
Sweat soaked his shirt, clinging wetly to his back. There were also soybean-sized drops of sweat in his hair, trickling down his cheeks to his chin.
His hands were dirty, possibly from wiping sweat, smearing oil all over his face, making him look like a calico cat.
Although he was a bit disheveled and weary, Tang Nan Nan, seeing him through the eyes of love, found him to possess a unique charm.