The days in the first month are like being soaked in honey, flowing thickly and slowly.
Zhao Chen Take a real rest.
For the first time in many years - or Two Lifetimes - he allowed himself to completely "stop".
No longer check the stock price and Bitcoin market every morning.
No more emails and phone calls all the time.
No more rehearsing those complicated games in your mind.
Villa became a soft barrier between him and the outside world.
The heating is turned on fully, and outside the window is Shan City the usual gray sky in winter. Occasionally, sporadic firecrackers can be heard from far away, reminding me that it is still the New Year's Day.
Su Wantang took care of everything.
Breakfast is always warm, lunch is varied, and dinner is simple and light.
She seems to enjoy this pure state of just taking care of one person's food and daily life, with a soft warmth in her eyes all day long.
The relationship between the two entered a new stage of tacit understanding after the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month.
Still not a couple.
They slept in separate rooms, kept an appropriate distance during conversations, and quickly moved away from the occasional eye contact.
But some things are indeed different.
While Zhao Chen and Study are reading, Su Wantang will sit quietly on the sofa nearby, knitting a scarf with no apparent purpose, or reading her own book.
Occasionally Zhao Chen would look up and find her looking out the window in a daze, her side face looking particularly peaceful in the afternoon light.
In the afternoon, they will watch movies together.
The movies selected are all very old, sometimes they are old black and white Shanghai movies, sometimes they are Hong Kong movies from the 1990s.
The light of the screen flickered in the dim Living Room, and the two of them sat side by side on the sofa, with a small polite distance between them.
When seeing certain clips, Su Wantang will softly explain the background, or talk about the first time she watched the movie when she was a child.
Her voice is very pleasant, neither high nor low, like gentle jade gently tapping against each other.
Zhao Chen mostly just listens and occasionally responds.
This kind of quiet time together has a strange healing power.
Those tight, sharp, and calculated things slowly become soft and blunt under this daily infiltration.
Of course, the company's affairs are not completely ignored.
Necessary visits and social interactions are still possible.
Several important partners, relevant leaders of government departments, heads of banks... the calls and invitations to pay New Year greetings have not stopped since the first day of the new year.
But Zhao Chen recommended them all.
"Zhao Zong, President Li has formed a bureau over there. On the night of the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, please be sure to appreciate it..." On the other end of the phone, Finance Deputy Director Chen Qiming said cautiously.
"Thank you President Li for me. Just say that I am not feeling well and am still recovering."
Zhao Chen said in a gentle but unarguable tone, "You should go there on behalf of the company and be more polite and considerate."
"But Zhao Zong, this..."
"Nothing but."
Zhao Chen interrupted, "In the future, unless it is particularly important, there is no need to report this kind of entertainment to me. You senior management can handle it by yourself."
After hanging up the phone, he walked back to Living Room.
Su Wantang was sitting by the window arranging flowers. Hearing this, he raised his head and glanced at him.
"Push again?" she asked softly.
"Hmm." Zhao Chen sat down on the single sofa opposite her, "It makes no sense."
"How could it be meaningless?"
Su Wantang carefully inserted a branch of wintersweet into the porcelain vase, "Isn't it necessary to maintain personal connections on such occasions?"
Zhao Chen looked at the gray sky outside the window and was silent for a moment.
"Henglong's future does not lie in these banquets and dinners." He said slowly,
"I know how long this Real Estate ship can last. Everything we are doing now - reducing debt, clearing off the balance sheet, and withdrawing cash - is to prepare for disembarkation."
He turned his head and looked at Su Wantang:
"Since you have to disembark sooner or later, there is no need to spend too much energy maintaining relationships on the ship. If you have that time, it is better to think about where to go next."
Su Wantang's hand arranging flowers paused for a moment.
She raised her eyes and looked at Zhao Chen carefully.
This young man is sitting in the morning light, his profile is clear, and his eyes have a determination and sobriety that transcends his age.
"Have you decided where to go next?" she asked.
"There's probably a direction."
Zhao Chen did not go into details, but his tone was full of assurance, "So now, if you can push for entertainment, just push it. I really can't push it away..."
He paused. "Let Chen Xi go."
Su Wantang raised his eyebrows slightly.
"She is suitable." Zhao Chen explained,
"In terms of status, she is my assistant and can represent me; in terms of ability, she knows what to say and what not to say better than many senior executives; and..."
The corners of his mouth curved. "She is better at handling those situations than I am."
This is true. Chen Xi has a strange sense of contradiction - he has the cold rationality of a scholar, but also the smoothness and transparency of someone who has been in the workplace.
It would be perfect for her to represent Zhao Chen in those innocuous entertainment events.
So during the entire Spring Festival period, Chen Xi became the busiest person.
The third day of the third lunar month is a group visit organized by the Chamber of Commerce, the fifth day of the lunar month is a dinner party for the banking department, and the seventh lunar month is a bureau jointly organized by several important Suppliers...
She wears a decent little dress, has exquisite makeup, talks and smiles, and walks among various characters for Zhao Chen.