Tang Nannan took the subway to save money.
After three transfers and a walk, it was almost six o'clock in the evening when she got home.
Hu Jiasheng had returned home from work.
Normally, they would return together, and upon entering, Tang Nannan would go straight to the kitchen.
But today, the house was empty, with no sign of life.
It was a bit unsettling, psychologically.
Having traveled so far to Nancheng alone, being manipulated, and making a fool of herself at the company, Hu Jiasheng worried she might be feeling down.
Just as he was about to call her to ask where she was, she returned.
Hu Jiasheng's expression was even gentler than usual.
"You're back? Where did you go?"
"I went looking for a job. I interviewed with two institutions, but they were hesitant because I hadn't graduated from university."
Tang Nannan gave a bitter smile.
"You must be hungry. I'll make you something to eat."
Seeing her tired face and forced smile, as she passed by Hu Jiasheng, he reached out and pulled her arm.
"You must be tired from being out all afternoon. Let's not cook tonight. What do you want to eat? I'll order takeout."
Tang Nannan really didn't have the mood to cook, and she had a lot she wanted to tell him, so she went along with his suggestion and sat on the sofa.
After Hu Jiasheng ordered, he put down his phone and stared at her for a couple of seconds.
"An employee's academic background is a major selling point for educational institutions when they recruit externally, so it's understandable they're particular about it. You don't need to dwell on it too much."
"Besides, you can find work in places other than educational institutions. Some private families are more flexible with their requirements for tutors. I happen to know a family looking for a piano teacher. How about I introduce you?"
Tang Nannan felt like a burden, constantly crossing Hu Jiasheng's boundaries.
Someone like him, whose work and life were usually so simple and who hardly had any friends, would never ask for favors unless it was important.
Now, because of her, he was even inquiring about families' educational needs.
He was truly a good, good person, but unfortunately, she wasn't qualified to be with him.
Her nose felt sore and uncomfortable. At that moment, she suddenly realized that she had already made a choice in her heart.
She would leave Hu Jiasheng, leave Nancheng, and leave this place that didn't belong to her.
It was precisely because he was too outstanding that they were destined to be apart.
Hu Jiasheng, seeing her silence after he finished speaking, knew she had been hit hard.
He imagined that growing up in such favorable family circumstances, she must have had many tutors herself.
A young lady accustomed to a life of ease, now having to become a tutor for others – such a psychological shift was not something ordinary people could easily bear.
Men seemed to have an innate protective instinct towards gentle and compliant women, and Hu Jiasheng was no exception.
"Alright, don't be unhappy. Compared to your life before, isn't it much better now?"
"Feel at home here. If you have any difficulties with your job, you can tell me. If you have trouble with your studies, I'll help you. You're so smart, I'm sure you'll get back on your feet soon."
Tang Nannan looked up at him, a glimmer of hope rekindling in her eyes.
"I can still stay here? If I have difficulties with my job, I can tell you? And if I have problems with my studies, I can ask you?"
"Of course. Even though you're no longer at Grey Electric, you're still my friend. Nothing has changed between us."
Tang Nannan felt a flicker of hesitation again.
Hu Jiasheng wanted her to stay, so perhaps she didn't have to go back to Sucheng.
Liking someone didn't necessarily mean being with them. As long as one had been warmed and illuminated by their light, it could become a precious memory in life, couldn't it?
As she was contemplating this, Hu Jiasheng said.
"The doctor from the hospital called me today. He said your brother has recovered quite a bit and his condition is stable. He just misses you and wants you to visit."
"My friend isn't in a hurry to fill the position. You can rest for a couple of days. Wait for me, and I'll drive you back to see him this weekend."
Human emotions were peculiar; they could plummet with a single sentence and soar with another.
Her brother's condition had improved significantly, and Hu Jiasheng offered to drive her back to Sucheng.
The situation wasn't as dire as she had feared. She wanted to be by his side, to stay one more day.
Tang Nannan's heart was filled with mixed emotions. Looking at the kind Hu Jiasheng, she couldn't help but ask emotionally.
"Mr. Hu, after my parents passed away, you're the first person to be so good to me. Everyone else wants to distance themselves from me, but you don't mind my background at all?"
"Background is something you can't choose. There's no need to blame yourself for everything."
Hu Jiasheng said meaningfully.
"And, I can't help you for too long. You'll have to rely on yourself in the future."
"What do you mean?"
This was the first time Hu Jiasheng spoke about his past to her.
"My parents were gone when I was very young. I heard that my grandfather took me abroad right after I was born, and he raised me there. He's the only family I have in this world."
"My grandfather is a very capable man. My current achievements don't even amount to one-tenth of his. That's why I constantly tell myself to work hard, to live up to his expectations, and to become better."
"His health is deteriorating day by day. The reason I returned to China is that I hope to achieve something he can be proud of during his lifetime, to make him feel that his years of effort in raising me weren't in vain."
"If his health can stabilize and gradually improve, I think once I reach a level that satisfies him, I might go abroad again."
"Nancheng is a very unfamiliar place to me. Although I have a house and a car, and many people around me, I don't feel any sense of belonging."
"Miss Tang, I understand certain things, but I can only tell you that it's unlikely."
"I have no hope for marriage, and I'm not very good at handling intimate relationships. I think I'll likely be single for the rest of my life."
"During this time before I leave Nancheng, being able to make a friend like you and help you with my abilities actually gives me a great sense of accomplishment."
"Let's maintain our relationship as it is now – friends who accompany each other but don't interfere with each other, okay?"
His words were very candid, without any intention of showing off his background or trying to manipulate Tang Nannan.
If Tang Nannan still couldn't understand, and insisted on holding on, it would be too undignified and a betrayal of his good intentions.
Despite her deep regret, Tang Nannan could only agree.
But the reality is often such that plans don't keep pace with changes.
Just as the two had agreed to be friends, Hu Jiasheng received news in the middle of the night that his grandfather had been rushed to the hospital.
By the time he arrived at the hospital, Zhan Beijue was already there with his entire family, young and old, waiting outside the door.
The children were still young, and Jiang Nan Fang was pregnant. The fact that they had all come out indicated how serious the situation was.