Striving for Science C97 pt2

Shen Chang'an parked his car in the parking lot next to the restaurant. As he opened the car door, he heard a man say, "What kind of good cars could there be in this rundown place? All these hicks, they see my sports car and their eyes pop out..."

This person was on the phone, while escorting a woman with fiery red lips out of the car. He turned his head and saw the car behind Shen Chang'an, his expression turning slightly awkward.

He secretly glanced at the license plate of this car, it was actually a local license plate from Wuming City, his expression became even more awkward.

Shen Chang'an looked at him, smiling: "Hello, city dweller."

He turned around and walked to the elevator entrance, pressing the button for the restaurant floor.

The man stood there, his face flushed and his neck thick, watching Shen Chang'an's departing figure, unable to utter a single word.

"It's just a car, this person is still so proud to show off in front of Mr. Yang." The woman lying on the man's chest flattered, "If Mr. Yang wants to buy it, it's just a matter of a word."

Mr. Yang laughed and chuckled, that car was not just a matter of price, it was a matter of money couldn't buy. He didn't know which rich second-generation it belonged to, driving this kind of luxury car with more collection value than practical value around, if a taillight was damaged, it would be a huge loss.

But in front of the beauty, he certainly wouldn't reveal this truth.

He had specially come to this small, broken place today to find trouble for his younger brother, not to compare whose car was more expensive.

When Shen Chang'an arrived at the restaurant, Ding Yang was already there. Sitting with Chen Panpan was a very handsome man, wearing a pair of thin-rimmed glasses, looking both clean and refined.

"Hello." The man saw Shen Chang'an come in, stood up and shook hands with Shen Chang'an, obviously wanting to leave a good impression in front of his girlfriend's colleague.

"Hello." Shen Chang'an didn't know how to read faces, nor did he know how to tell fortunes, but he somehow felt that Chen Panpan and this man looked quite compatible together.

"Let me introduce you." Chen Panpan said with a smile, "This is my boyfriend Yang Yan, this is my colleague Shen Chang'an."

"So it's Mr. Shen, I've often heard Panpan mention you." Yang Yan greeted Shen Chang'an to sit down, "Panpan said you are the department's face and bearer of responsibility".

"You're joking." Shen Chang'an sat down next to Ding Yang, "When I first came to Wuming City, I didn't know anything, it was Panpan and the others who helped me get familiar with the work process and this city."

"Wuming City has beautiful mountains and clear waters, it's a good place." Yang Yan seemed to be well-versed in the ways of interacting with women, and he didn't hesitate to praise the place where Chen Panpan grew up, "From Mr. Shen's accent, are you also from the capital?"

"Also?"

Shen Chang'an smiled and nodded: "Yes."

Yang Yan talked to Shen Chang'an about some interesting things in the capital, and soon they were calling each other fellow countrymen, making the whole conversation atmosphere relaxed and not awkward.

When Xu Ze came over, Yang Yan didn't neglect Shen Chang'an and Ding Yang, in just half an hour, he successfully made him feel like "one of them".

What truly impressed Shen Chang'an was that Yang Yan didn't think it was embarrassing to show weakness to Chen Panpan in front of others, instead, he often made Chen Panpan laugh.

After the meal, Shen Chang'an had a basic understanding of Yang Yan, he came from a wealthy family, and he met and fell in love with Chen Panpan because he was developing a new market in Wuming City, his family was also very supportive of his relationship.

"I said why someone's voice sounds so similar to my second brother's, it really is you." The door of the private room was pushed open by a man, "I heard you found a woman from a low-class family? What, after being transferred to this poor and remote place by your grandfather, has your vision been polluted by the rusticity of this place?"

These words not only mocked Yang Yan, but also belittled the entire Wuming City, everyone in the Civil Service Department frowned.

Shen Chang'an looked up and saw that it was the man who had driven the sports car earlier, mocking everyone in Wuming City as country bumpkins.

"Uncultured?" Shen Chang'an glanced at the man decked out in designer labels. So what if he had a sports car? His boyfriend played with gemstones like they were pebbles.

"Sir, did anyone ever teach you how to write the word ‘respect’"

Shen Chang'an chuckled softly. "You parked your unrefined sports car next to my car, and out of courtesy, I didn’t sneer at you. But you’re already looking down on us."

The man's expression shifted several times. He never expected the young man driving the limited-edition luxury car to be in this private room. His initial mockery and sarcasm turned into awkwardness.

Yang Yan and his cousin had never gotten along. Ever since Yang Yan was assigned to Wuming City to develop new markets, his cousin had become even more smug, boasting to everyone that Yang Yan had been disfavored by their grandfather. Recently, he had somehow learned about Yang Yan's dinner with his girlfriend's colleagues and deliberately came to humiliate him, hoping to make him lose face.

But over the years, this cousin had never gotten the better of him.

He thought his cousin would make a scene today, but he was stopped cold by his girlfriend's colleagues. Even more unexpected was that his cousin actually held back from retorting!

"Yang Yan, I never thought you were the kind of man who would sell his body for work." The man's face contorted. "I always wondered why you were with that woman from a small town. So it was for this."

"Shut up." Chen Panpan, who had been acting like a delicate bird all afternoon, suddenly turned fierce. "Who are you? You keep saying ‘small town’ and ‘lowly family.’ Your family is so great, huh? Not only is your family big, but your forehead is big too, big enough to race horses on."

"Don’t get upset, don’t get upset." Yang Yan held Chen Panpan's hand and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Cousin, I never thought you’d see through me. I did indeed sell my body to win my girlfriend’s favor. Unlike you…"

Yang Yan swept his cousin from head to toe with his gaze. "You probably won’t have the chance to sell your body in this lifetime."

The others: "..."

They finally understood. Yang Yan and Chen Panpan were truly a match made in heaven, especially with their mouths. They could really make someone so angry they'd die.

"You, you just wait for me!" The older brother wanted to retort, but he glanced at Shen Chang'an and swallowed his anger. He turned and left.

"Usually, people who leave behind such threats can only be cannon fodder..." Before Shen Chang'an could finish, he heard screams coming from outside. Someone had fallen.

They went out to see, and Yang Yan's older brother, for some unknown reason, had tripped and broken his leg.

Everyone looked at Shen Chang'an: "..."

Shen Chang'an: "..."

This wasn't his fault.

Yang Yan silently took out his phone, dialed 120, and then opened the camera, capturing his older brother's embarrassing fall on his phone.

Everyone: "..."

They finally understood why the older brother had traveled across mountains and rivers to find trouble with Yang Yan.

The brotherhood of the wealthy was truly incomprehensible.

After the commotion ended, everyone went to the underground parking lot. Only then did Yang Yan understand why his older brother had been so submissive in front of Shen Chang'an.

The car Shen Chang'an drove was one that he had seen the head of a wealthy family riding in. It was almost a symbol of status. Back then, many rich second-generation kids had envied this car, and even Yang Yan, who wasn't particularly materialistic, had memorized its appearance.

He never expected to see this car again, years later.

"Panpan," Yang Yan bent down to fasten Chen Panpan's seatbelt, his voice slightly dazed. "Your Civil Service Department really has some hidden dragons and crouching tigers."

A wealthy heir driving this kind of car, coming to this small place to be a clerk, what kind of dedication to serving the people was this?

The lives of the wealthy were truly baffling.

***

Shen Chang'an didn't know that he had become a legendary heir in the eyes of others because of a car. He drove out of the underground parking lot and saw large snowflakes falling from the sky. Soon, a thin layer of snow accumulated on the windshield.

"It's snowing?" He opened the window, and the cold air carried snowflakes into the car. He heard people on the roadside excitedly screaming, happy as if it were New Year's Eve.

The snow fell heavier and heavier. Not long after driving, the landscape trees and the ground were covered with a layer of snow. Shen Chang'an saw a young couple carefully collecting the snow from the leaves, seemingly wanting to make a fist-sized snowman.

Seeing this, Shen Chang'an suddenly felt inspired. Later, he would make a snowman with Dao Nian.

When the car reached the intersection, Shen Chang'an saw the elderly woman again. She stood quietly under the streetlight, her aged face reflecting a calmness that came with time.

Through the car window, Shen Chang'an felt the woman's gaze fall on him. Then he saw her smile at him.

Shen Chang'an wanted to smile back, but then he remembered that the woman outside couldn't see who was sitting in the car. The traffic light had seventy seconds left. Outside, the snow was falling heavily, but his palms were sweating.

The woman didn't know how long she had been standing under the streetlight. The snow had already reached her instep. The wind bent the branches of the roadside trees, but her black skirt remained motionless.

After the traffic light turned green, Shen Chang'an turned around a few hundred meters ahead. When he drove back, the old lady was still standing in the same position. She didn't show any surprise when she saw Shen Chang'an drive back.

Shen Chang'an rolled down the window: "Grandma, where do you live? I'll take you home."

"Go back?" The old lady smiled and waved her hand, "I can't go back, I can't go back."

"Are you waiting for someone then?" Shen Chang'an seemed not to notice the strangeness in her words, "It's so cold, find a warm place to wait."

"I'm... waiting for you." The old lady smiled at him, "When I wait for you, I'll be able to go back."

Shen Chang'an gripped the steering wheel tightly: "You're waiting for me?"

"Yes," the old woman said kindly, looking at him. "It was I who sent you into this world, and now I must leave."

She looked at Shen Chang'an with a hint of reluctance in her eyes. "I should have dissipated a hundred years ago. You gave me a lifeline, allowing me to linger until now."

Shen Chang'an took a deep breath. "You said you sent me into this world?"

"Who am I?"

"Who are my birth parents?"

In the old woman's reluctant gaze, there was a touch of pity and helplessness. "Don't you remember? You were born in accordance with nature. How could you have parents?"

Shen Chang'an's mind was in a whirl. He pulled out his car keys, his face grim. "What are you saying?"

"I shouldn't have told you this, it would have been better for you to live a peaceful life." The old woman's eyes gradually turned sorrowful. "But you shouldn't be with him. He will only harm you, devour you. Once you fall completely into his lies, there will be no turning back."

Him?

Who are you referring to?

The gray-clothed man who suddenly appeared, or... Dao Nian?

It was as if a vengeful spirit was screaming in Shen Chang'an's mind. His vision blurred, and cold sweat poured down his face. It felt like something was trying to pull him out of his body.

"Leave him, stay far away from him." Tears welled up in the old woman's eyes. "Lord, my divine power is weak, I cannot protect you. Please take care of yourself."

"Who are you, why are you telling me this?" Shen Chang'an, tortured by the pain, was pale. His hand, clutching the car keys, had turned white. He looked at the old woman expressionlessly. "Why should I believe you?"

"It's understandable that you don't believe me, Lord." The old woman said, "It's all my fault for acting on my own and sending you to a mortal family."

"You have lived for the sake of all living beings, for a hundred lifetimes in solitude. That is enough." The old woman bowed deeply to Shen Chang'an. "In this life, I have rashly altered your destiny. I only hoped for you to live a carefree life, but you shouldn't be with him. He will only harm you."

But in all her calculations, she never imagined that the Lord would become entangled with Heavenly Dao.

How could two beings born to be incompatible coexist? The Lord, innocent and unaware, was manipulated by Heavenly Dao. It was her fault.

"I don't believe you." The cold wind blowing on him gradually calmed Shen Chang'an's buzzing mind. He endured the pain and looked at the kind old woman in front of him, saying each word clearly. "I don't believe you."

"He will kill you!" The old woman wept. "Do you know who he is?!"

"He is my lover." Shen Chang'an said expressionlessly. "If he really wants to kill me, I... accept it."

The old woman was stunned. After a long silence, she muttered to herself, "Is this... retribution for me rashly altering his destiny?"

The cold wind whipped up the snow on the ground. She seemed to be crying and laughing at the same time. It was she who had personally delivered the lifeline to Heavenly Dao. She was a sinner against the entire world.

***

Inside the warm house, Dao Nian personally selected the shrimp sent by the fishmonger. He used chopsticks to pick up two shrimp that had been deveined, placing them face-to-face. At a glance, they looked like a heart.

As if he felt that two shrimp arranged in the shape of a heart weren't enough, he put down his chopsticks and picked out various gemstones.

"Sir, Chang'an hasn't come back yet, and you're already starting to prepare the tools for building a snowman?" Liu Mao glanced at the shovel, bucket, and carrots that the sir had personally selected from the kitchen at his feet. Taking advantage of his good mood, he teased, "You're using gemstones to make the snowman's eyes and mouth. Chang'an will definitely be heartbroken."

"The first snowman Chang'an and I build cannot be treated lightly." Dao Nian picked and chose among the pile of rubies, selecting a few of the most perfect ones. "When Chang'an and I build the snowman later, no one is allowed to disturb us."

After he and Chang'an finished building the snowman, they would sit around the table and eat the hotpot that Chang'an loved...

Dao Nian's lips curled up slightly, but then he felt that the black onyx he had chosen for the snowman's eyes wasn't round enough, so he threw it back into the box and started picking again.