Rebirth after the college entrance examination

Chapter 193 A Little Bowl, Just for Fun

These past few days, Xia An has been the most talked-about person in the government departments of Donghai Province, with relevant economic units constantly discussing and criticizing him.

Some people said, "Don't even mention it, he achieved success at a young age, and he's good-looking, so he's bound to have a lot of gossip. After the interview that day, someone said that Ai Momo from the State Administration of Radio and Television got into his car and didn't get out for more than half an hour."

"Half an hour? No way. Everyone says Ai Momo is the most beautiful girl in Binhai. If it were me, I wouldn't let her leave without spending half a day with her."

When it comes to vulgarity, the highest level is the most vulgar.

Liu Xiao's position is here, and in the three days of organizational meetings, Xia An's topic has been among the top three.

It was rare for the leader to utter such a non-intuitive statement—that Xia An should receive assistance.

But how exactly to provide assistance is something that the lower-level staff will have to figure out themselves.

Liu Xiao did indeed come up with some methods that would be entirely beneficial to Xia An.

Consider it a way of repaying kindness.

Liu Xiao lives in a residential complex built in 01 in Binhai City. He lives on the fifth floor, and there is no elevator.

The house is simply decorated. A large color TV sits on a bookcase with the plastic wrap still on. There is no coffee table, or rather, the coffee table is made from two unopened cardboard boxes that were used as bedside tables. A bed board is placed on top of it, and beer bottles, restaurant takeout boxes, etc. are scattered around.

There is a sofa, it's genuine leather, but it's still wrapped in a plastic bag, it hasn't been removed, and the inside is brand new.

The chandelier is luxurious and has three color settings.

The bedroom was even simpler: a double bed with neither a mattress nor a bed frame.

The bed frame is on the coffee table, and the mattress... is on the floor by the living room window.

On the wall next to the bed frame hangs a full-body portrait of a woman, so magnified that it's somewhat blurry—by a lakeside with willows swaying, wearing a pleated floral skirt, and smiling radiantly.

If Jing Yun hadn't left, she could have lived in this 130-square-meter house; this would have been her home.

My dinner after get off work consisted of a bag of "Man Kou Xiang" crispy peanuts, 15 yuan worth of pork head meat, and two cases of 24-can beer.

For many years, he practiced like this every day, and Liu Xiao's drinking capacity is second to none in all his circles.

Two peanuts and a bite of meat are all it takes to finish a 350ml can.

He took a sip and glanced at the TV.

Because we never had cable TV, the TV only showed static.

But in his eyes, each scene was vivid.

This is also someone who lives in the past, or rather, dies in the past.

Drink the whole box.

The sky outside the window was just getting dark, it was beautiful, like a past relationship buried in the past, love that was about to end.

Liu Xiao took out his phone and sent a text message to Xia An.

He had edited the message two days ago, but he had been hesitant to send it.

In the past, he lived a simple life, with his feet firmly planted on the earth and the breeze blowing overhead. He never complained about hardship or cared about the future.

So this decision was hard to make, but even the most indifferent person has a hidden tenderness in their heart.

[You can probably imagine that the organization is paying close attention to you and intends to provide you with significant support. From my perspective, the conditions I can offer you are extremely lenient; project initiation, approval, and funding will all proceed smoothly. However, I hope...]
-
Dongshan, Second Affiliated Hospital, Inpatient Department.

Tang Wan also followed Le Ning on Weibo and knew that Xia An's words at the end of the show were spoken by her, which made her a little unhappy.

I also have some regrets.

Her first Weibo post was a selfie of herself eating roast duck, with greasy smudges around her mouth and a wide, exaggerated smile.

Caption: It smells so good.

They even added a Weibo-exclusive emoji: 【Laughing to death】

"We're supposed to be documenting life! What kind of cheesy, inspirational quotes are you all posting?! Who do you think you're taking advantage of?!"

She ate Peking duck brought back from Yanjing on New Year's Day. She doesn't like taking pictures, but she took one specifically for her Weibo account!

Xia An left a comment and liked her post, saying: Save one for me.

But the fact that he was able to quote it on the show made Tang Wan think that the guy clearly valued Le Ning's content more.

Exhausted, weary, and upset, Tang Wan decided to sleep in the hospital room tonight.

Just as I took off one of my little leather boots, the ward door was pushed open.

Xia An placed the fruit basket and two compressed, sealed cooked pork knuckles next to Zhou Zhou's bed. To Zhou Zhou and Su Yi's astonishment, he quickly walked to Tang Xiaowan, who was bending over, and picked her up in his arms.

Tang Wan only had time to exclaim "Ah!" before her mouth was covered.

First they struggle and resist, then they dodge and escape, and finally they respond passionately.

The smacking sounds left Zhou Zhou and Su Yi, the two audience members, completely bewildered.

Zhou Zhou said, "Su Su, help me to the restroom."

Xia An stopped talking, turned her head and said, "No need, we'll leave now."

He immediately helped Tang Xiaowan sit down, and with her watery, bewildered eyes, he helped her put on her shoes, picked her up, and left.

It wasn't until she got into the car that Tang Wan came to her senses and blinked, asking him why he had come so suddenly.

Xia An started the car, drove onto the main road, and merged into the traffic.

"miss you."

"whispering sound."

Tang Wan's frustration wasn't limited to Le Ning's situation. Upon hearing this, she puffed out her cheeks, crossed her arms, stared straight ahead, and remained silent.

Xia An glanced at the side of her head a few times and said with a smile, "It's a bit far to go back to the villa. I can't hold it in any longer. How about we find a side road to take care of it first?"

Tang Wan blushed instantly, her eyebrows furrowed, and she snapped, "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Go home!"

Throughout the journey, Xia An chattered on and on, while Tang Wan remained completely silent.

Once they reached the underground parking lot and the engine was turned off, Xia An leaned over to kiss her.

Tang Wan persisted, bracing herself against his chest and asking, "Why did that host take so long to get in the car? What were you doing?"

Xia An gave a helpless, bitter smile.

One bad thing about being a celebrity is that even the smallest thing they do gets exposed and amplified.

He said Weibo is an amplifier, and he was the first to be hit.

Tang Wan was both angry and bitter. "This is my car!! If it gets dirty, I'll burn it tomorrow."

"Alright, burn it and return it to Tang Mian."

Tang Wan pouted, looking aggrieved.

Seeing this, Xia An pinched her cheek and laughed, "What nonsense are you talking about? Stop fooling around. When it comes to looks and temperament... do you think I'm a stud pig?"

"You're a stud!"

"Hey, my wife really knows me best."

"..." Tang Wan spat, her cheeks turning even redder, cursing him for being shameless.

“I had met her once before at school, so we weren’t strangers. She had no choice but to ask me, as she was instructed by the leaders of Binhai Broadcasting and Television, if I could participate in their channel’s Spring Festival special program and be considered an annual economic figure.”

Tang Wan asked, "You agreed?"

Xia An nodded and then shook her head: "You know, I'm incredibly successful right now, but I might be dragged away by CCTV during the Spring Festival, so I haven't given a definite answer."

Tang Wan gave a soft snort, her expression softening somewhat.

He opened the door and got out of the car.

With her long hair flowing and her trench coat swaying, Xia An watched Tang Wan's thinner figure from behind, and her burning desire was replaced by tenderness.

When he was with Le Ning, he tried his best to think only about her.

When he was with Zuo You, because they were all over the world, he was able to only think about Zuo You.

Only with Tang Wan could he not help comparing her to others.

They say the ultimate expression of love is feeling sorry for someone, and there's some truth to that, he thought.

……

Tang Wan's anger subsided, but it takes time for a girl to calm down. She remained silent, calmly took a duck from the refrigerator, and microwaved it a few times.

While she was preparing the ingredients, Xia An went to the kitchen and hugged her from behind.

Her slender waist was so delicate it could be encircled by a hand, and her body exuded a faint fragrance. Xia An greedily inhaled the scent, her hands fidgeting restlessly.

Tang Wan let him hug and touch her, but she didn't sit down to eat.

While Xia An was eating duck, she went upstairs to change into a tracksuit, the same style as Su Yi's, but in black, and tied her hair up.

"You eat, I'm going for a night run."

"???"

The residential area was built along the river, with wooden fences and a running track along the riverbank.

There are plenty of streetlights, so it's very safe.

That's how it is for other people! Xia An was still worried, so she sucked on her fingers twice and followed them out.

Winter has arrived, the river is frozen, and all the trees except for the pines and cypresses are covered in white.

Tang Wan's slender figure swayed as she ran ahead, her ponytail bobbing left and right.

Xia An followed slowly behind.

Tang Wan would run for a while and then stop, making Xia An chuckle. Tang Wan would turn around and glare at him, but she would endure her exhaustion and keep running.

Xia An caught up with her and pointed out, "Your running form is wrong."

"I want you to take care of it!"

"Your shoes are very professional, with good shock absorption. Try landing on your entire foot."

Tang Wan was so tired that sweat beaded on her forehead. She stopped, propped herself up on her knees, and gasped for breath.

Xia An took out the tissue she had just used to wipe her mouth and tried to wipe it for her, but was met with disdain.

Tang Wan said, "Everyone says you should land on the balls of your feet, but you don't know everything."

Xia An said, "When sprinting, you land on the forefoot, while the most energy-efficient way to jog is with the whole foot. That's the scientific explanation."

Tang Wan didn't believe him, so Xia An demonstrated the position for her: "Try it."

Tang Wan couldn't resist and tried running, and she definitely felt much easier.

After walking a dozen meters, she glanced at him and muttered, "You know so much."

Run a bit, then walk a bit.

A pheasant landed on the riverbank beside me, flapped its wings, and flew away.

Xia An asked, "Why did you decide to go for a night run?"

Tang Wan stretched out her arm and said, "I had Su Su bring it."

Xia An clicked her tongue twice: "She's such a troublemaker."

Tang Wan glared at him.

Tang Wan ran to the other end of the residential area, tucked her hands into her sleeves, and stood quietly by the railing.

Xia An hugged her, "Don't catch a cold."

In his arms, Tang Wan turned around and looked at him intently, with a hint of resentment in her eyes.

"Have you won over Le Ning?"

Xia An smiled, shook her head, and said, "No."

Feeling a little better, Tang Wan pursed her lips, sighed, and then didn't know what to say.

Xia An didn't explain further; there was no way to explain it.

After a while, Tang Wan looked at the gloomy, gray ice surface and said, "This time in Yanjing, I saw quite a few male bosses who had a good impression of me."

Xia An smiled and said, "If we're just talking about the head of a large corporation, you're a piece of fat meat, but with that face on your face, you're like Tang Sanzang's flesh, an elixir of immortality."

Tang Wan looked at him and asked, "Then will you eat me?"

Xia An said, "I've already eaten."

Tang Wan asked, "So you'd just take advantage of me and then throw me away?"

Xia An tightened his arms around her and whispered in her ear, "Eat a bite every now and then, and take good care of her to make her recover. I promise I'll never finish this journey to the West."

Tang Wan gently rested her head on his chest and sighed, "I am Tang Sanzang, and you are the Monkey King. Which of the two of them is Zhu Bajie, and which is Sha Wujing?"

Hearing her describe it like that, Xia An laughed inwardly, like a tractor making a tractor sound.

Yes, how could it not be sour and uncomfortable?

She could say that, but he couldn't. What if they ended up sharing a bed and became allies? That would be a stain on his reputation and could lead to criticism within the family.

He simply said, "There are only the four of you, that's all."

What else could Tang Wan say? She bit her lip and swallowed the blood.

First, let me correct you: "It's the four of us."

Then, suddenly realizing what she had done, she pinched her cheek and shoved Xia An away.

"Four? Who else?! Who have you been messing around with?!"

"!!!"

Oh no, I slipped up and misspoke, and exposed Aunt Lin.

Tang Wan glared at her angrily, "Su Su?"

In her heart, if there was any other kind of temperament or outstanding girl who could attract Xia An, it could only be Su Yi.

Su Yi?

Xia Ankamo's eyes widened, and she suddenly remembered the conversation she had on the day she planted the wintersweet...

He then deliberately feigned a look of sudden realization, saying, "Thank you, you reminded me."

One sentence ignited the Tang family's explosives, and then he turned and ran.

Tang Wan missed with both her kick and slap, and angrily chased after her while cursing.

"Shameless! Vulgar! Liar! Waaaaah!"

Xia An laughed and ran back to the house, took a piss, washed his face, but Tang Wan didn't return for a long time.

'Where did the cat go to whine all of a sudden?'

Just as I was about to go out to look for her, I walked into the living room and saw a pretty figure plucking petals under the plum tree outside the French windows.

The water chestnut plum blossoms are in full bloom, and a few unpicked persimmons on the tree are covered in frost.

The glass was clear, the persimmons were brilliant, and a star in the winter night suddenly stopped, illuminating the little Chang'e descending from the sky.

Xia An leaned over, knocked on the window, and called out with a laugh, "Hey, are you pretending to be Lin Daiyu to bury flowers?"

Tang Wan gritted her teeth, glared at him hatefully, stomped her foot, and went into the house.

Without saying a word, he took off his shoes and went upstairs to take a shower.

Xia An tried to join in, but was kicked away by a little foot.

Shortly after, Tang Wan, wearing a nightgown and drying her hair, returned to the room and saw Xia An leaning against the headboard, flipping through a book.

A fragrant breeze wafted by, and Xia An looked up, waving the book in her hand.

"Why are you looking at this stuff?"

The Luo Zhi Jing (罗织经), an ancient annotated and translated version.

Tang Wan tossed the hairdryer to him and sat on the edge of the bed with her back to him.

Xia An naturally took it, turned it to the lowest setting, and slowly, strand by strand, helped her blow-dry her hair.

Tang Wan said, "Su Su's book, she said it would be beneficial for me to read it and improve my management skills."

Xia An asked, "Can you understand it?"

Tang Wan picked up the book from beside her pillow and turned to the page with the bookmark.

Volume Three of "Governance": Few are content to remain subservient to others. If governance is flawed, either offense or usurpation will ensue. Without authority above, chaos will arise below. Authority is established through propriety and relied upon through punishment; its loss leads to leniency. Do not share private matters with others; all plans must be devised.

Note: Few people willingly assume a subordinate position. Without strategic planning in managing subordinates, either the subordinates will rebel, or they will seize power. Without authority, subordinates will cause trouble. Authority is established through etiquette, relies on punishment, and will be lost if left unchecked. Keep secrets private; those involved in plotting must be eliminated.

She said, "There are annotations below; I can understand them, but not entirely. Do you understand?"

Xia An said, "It doesn't matter whether you understand it or not, but you should watch less of this stuff."

Tang Wan tilted her head slightly. "Why? Isn't this a book that makes a lot of sense?"

Xia An gently stroked her hair and said, "Putting aside the fact that Lai Junchen was the cruelest official in history, this book is also about fabricating charges and scheming against each other. It is a poison in thousands of years of history. Most importantly, the so-called Machiavellianism is too harmful to human nature."

Seeing that Tang Wan still didn't quite understand, he bluntly said, "Just remember, any book that doesn't encourage people to be positive and strive for progress, but only teaches people to exploit the shortcomings of human nature to do things, is rubbish."

I just hope you can live happily. As for management or not, or how well it's managed, don't worry about it.

I'm right behind you. Just look up at the sun, like a sunflower, aren't you? I'll be there to support your shadow.

This time, Tang Wan understood, and slowly leaned back, giving him all her weight.

"This time in Yanjing, I was told that the group can be listed on the tenth day of the first lunar month, becoming the fourth new stock of the new year. What's next? Things are getting better on your end too. What are your plans?"

Xia An stated bluntly: "Entertainment."

Tang Wan pouted, "That entertainment company that promotes Zuo You? Isn't it called Little Bowl Entertainment?"

After drying her hair, Xia An put down the hairdryer, sat cross-legged on the bed, and hugged her with amusement.

"Talent shows have become incredibly popular in the last two years, making them the fastest way to attract public attention. Also, I know a powerful official in Binhai who can help me a lot, but he has one condition."

"what?"

"Help her sweetheart make a comeback."

Upon hearing this, Tang Wan snorted a few times and spat, "You men are all the same. So what do you want to do?"

"how to do?"

Xia An let out two lewd laughs.

The palm is smooth as silk, and inside it is even smoother than silk.

"We can talk about business later, no rush. What's urgent is something else! Come on, my little bowl, let's have some fun first!"

The struggles, kicks, and pounding gradually subsided.

Under the bright light, the small bowl looked like white jade that changed color; when warm water was poured in, it gradually turned pink.

(End of this chapter)