"Stupid?"
Meng Jingwei ignored the rest of Ji Lanfeng's words and shot him a sharp gaze, "You're the one who's stupid!"
"Aren't you stupid? I heard plenty of your embarrassing past stories from Han Junyan back then."
"Han Junyan? He... what did he tell you?"
She was a little curious.
Steve, sitting in the back, perked up his ears, eager to hear about Meng Jingwei's past.
"Let me think..."
Ji Lanfeng frowned slightly, resting his elbow on the car window and propping his head up, thinking seriously. Suddenly, he chuckled, "Haha... I remember. Han Junyan said that when you were in junior high, you climbed trees with boys from the village and fell down, unable to catch your breath for half the day; he also said you were fishing for crayfish by the pond and fell in. And... hahaha, Han Junyan said you were incredibly stupid. When you were in third grade, it was a school day, but your best friend skipped school and met you on the way. He lied to you, telling you the school was on holiday, and you actually believed him. So you went home with your best friend. On the way, you stole peas from someone's garden, got caught, and were chased for several miles, hahaha..."
Recounting these memories, Ji Lanfeng pictured the scene and couldn't help but burst into laughter. His laughter was infectious, making Steve and Meng Jingwei laugh along with him.
"Jingwei, were you that mischievous as a child?" Steve couldn't help but ask.
Meng Jingwei didn't feel embarrassed about her childhood misadventures being so carelessly exposed. After laughing, she sighed deeply, "Yes, I grew up in the countryside. The school was very far from home, so we went to school in groups with other village kids. One day, I was really tricked by my best friend who skipped school. He said the school was on holiday, and I actually believed him. In the end... my dad gave me a good beating."
Thinking of those times, Meng Jingwei felt a sense of nostalgia.
Childhood life was simple and beautiful, something to be endlessly yearned for.
Speaking of which, Meng Jingwei suddenly remembered something and asked, "How does Han Junyan know so much about me? I only told him about skipping school. How does he know about climbing trees and fishing for crayfish?"
"Junyan contacted your childhood friend Lu Yang last year. Lu Yang told him everything."
"Last year?"
Meng Jingwei's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she lowered her eyes in thought.
Lu Yang was indeed her childhood friend from the same village, half a year younger than her. He had been doing business in the south for years, and they occasionally kept in touch.
So Lu Yang knew where she was.
If Han Junyan was in contact with Lu Yang and asked about her childhood, he would definitely ask where she was now.
Did this mean that Han Junyan's appearance at the jewelry exhibition in Lancheng last year wasn't a coincidence, but... he was looking for her?
It indirectly indicated that Han Junyan still had feelings for her.
But the problem was...
If Han Junyan liked her, how could he have gotten involved with Li Yun'er in such a short period?
Li Yun'er had passed away, and Han Junyan hadn't returned since.
Could everything be explained by Han Junyan liking her, but upon returning to China and finding her with Qing Muye, he shifted his focus to Li Yun'er?
And then, finding out too many unspeakable things about Li Yun'er, he was greatly disheartened and returned to Country C?
Meng Jingwei clearly remembered that Han Junyan had just arrived at the airport when he received the news of Li Yun'er's death. Afterward, she couldn't reach Han Junyan.
Even after telling Han Junyan about Li Yun'er, there was no further communication.
Subconsciously, Meng Jingwei felt that something was wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was.
"Do you and Han Junyan still meet often?"
Meng Jingwei asked casually.
Ji Lanfeng didn't think much of it and nodded, "We keep in touch often, but see each other rarely. The last time we met was when he came from Lancheng to Country C. After he landed, he called me to pick him up. We haven't seen each other for months since we parted that day."
"Oh, your relationship is quite..."
Meng Jingwei, who hadn't been thinking much about it, replied casually, but then her mind suddenly flashed back to that day when she called Han Junyan to question why his phone was always unreachable. Han Junyan had said he lost his phone.
She clearly remembered Han Junyan's words, there was no mistake.
Because after she saw Han Junyan off at the airport, and half an hour later learned of Li Yun'er's death, she called Han Junyan, but his phone was always unreachable.
It wasn't until after Li Yun'er's funeral that Han Junyan called her. She questioned why she couldn't reach him, and Han Junyan then said his phone was stolen.
Meng Jingwei's expression suddenly turned serious, but she still asked casually, "So he contacted you right after he landed? I was wondering why he didn't answer when I called him that day. I thought his phone was stolen."
"Are you kidding me? His phone could be stolen? You underestimate Junyan too much."
"Oh, really."
Meng Jingwei responded perfunctorily, her heart skipping a beat. A bad premonition arose.
Han Junyan had lied.
He...
Why would he lie?
Could it be that Li Yun'er's death had something to do with him?
An absurd thought surfaced in her mind.
Meng Jingwei felt like she was going crazy, overthinking, yet at the same time, she felt that Han Junyan's departure was too hasty, and his deliberate avoidance of her calls was suspicious.
"By the way, what is he doing abroad now? We haven't contacted each other much since he returned to Country C."
"Speaking of which, I wanted to ask you."
Ji Lanfeng glanced at Meng Jingwei and mumbled, "He's been very mysterious abroad, no fixed job. I don't know exactly what he does. I've asked him, but he never says. However, I think he's very much like the spy bosses in TV shows, often seen in high-end places with various high-ranking officials."
Ji Lanfeng said this in Mandarin, seemingly to avoid Steve's attention.
This was because when he met Han Junyan before, Han Junyan had specifically warned him not to tell anyone anything about him.
But he didn't know that Ji Lanfeng was a straight man.
This utterly straight man treated Meng Jingwei as one of his own and, as Han Junyan's first love, he was telling her everything.
"My goodness, he's that mysterious?"
Meng Jingwei feigned surprise, covering her mouth, looking like a curious baby.
If what Ji Lanfeng said was true, and Han Junyan was doing so well abroad, why would he return to Lancheng to be the president of a mere branch company?
That company was a small subsidiary of the Chu Group, with not very high salaries.
But the crucial point was that managing a company required certain management skills and experience. How could he, without any experience, be parachuted in as president?
Moreover, after becoming president, there would be a contract signed after the probation period. He resigned after only a few months.
The development of events was completely illogical.
Meng Jingwei lowered her head in thought. Suddenly, her gaze fell on her wrist. It was a bracelet Han Junyan had given her when he left Lancheng. He had said that at a critical moment, this bracelet might save her life.
His tone at the time was serious, not joking.
Meng Jingwei hesitated for a moment, then rolled up her sleeve, extended her hand, and waved her wrist in front of Ji Lanfeng, showing him the bracelet. "He also gave me a bracelet when he left. He said this bracelet could save my life at a critical moment, hahaha... I thought it was ridiculous."
Ji Lanfeng, who was driving, glanced at the bracelet on her wrist and paid no attention. "It seems he still has you on his mind."
"Jingwei, where did you get this bracelet?"
Suddenly, Steve, sitting in the back, pointed at the bracelet on Meng Jingwei's raised wrist and demanded.
His solemn expression seemed to convey some hidden message.