Finding Someone (Revised)

Liu Chang'an returned home to prepare the Mustard Greens, having eaten Water Bamboo for lunch.

Before the Tang Dynasty, Water Bamboo was cultivated as a grain and was one of the "Six Grains" known as gu. As a unique aquatic vegetable of China, it is sliced into wedges, simmered briefly in broth with salt and cooking wine, and emerges crisp and refreshing.

Water Bamboo stir-fried with meat or chicken is delicious. Liu Chang'an eats little meat because one must be frugal in daily life. Although a life of daily fish, meat, chicken, duck, beef, and mutton signifies an improvement in economic status and quality of life, Liu Chang'an has always believed that the traditional lifestyle of eating light, simple dishes on ordinary days and preparing meat for festivals provides a more profound sense of satisfaction for the palate.

A few more leaves fell from the parasol tree in the courtyard. Perhaps sensing the excess of fallen leaves, there were two or three fewer elderly people napping under the tree that afternoon.

Liu Chang'an was quite surprised to receive a call from Fan Jian, who said there was work at the construction site. It paid two hundred a day, but given Liu Chang'an's efficiency, he could likely finish it in half a day.

This job probably had something to do with Zhong Qing, but since she did not want Liu Chang'an to have contact with Zhu Juntang, Liu Chang'an went with peace of mind.

Fan Jian was wearing a rather neat and clean suit today, though the wrinkles on the back were quite obvious, as if it had been pulled from the bottom of a trunk after a long time. "Little Liu, today's job is to move this pile of bricks and stones to the other side."

"Alright, I will work hard." Liu Chang'an seemed very happy that Fan Jian had given him work, full of spirit and drive.

Although he was only acting under Zhong Qing's instructions, Fan Jian still observed Liu Chang'an's reaction. Everyone has a need for moral satisfaction; Fan Jian felt he was mentoring a young man, letting him feel the warmth from a stranger while struggling to survive.

The construction site was filled with the roar of machinery and orderly busyness, carrying the scent of soil turned up from deep underground—a sediment of hundreds or thousands of years. Humans explore the universe and the starry sky, often using light-years as a unit of measurement, yet we know very little about the crust right beneath our feet. In a sense, crustal research has more practical significance than stellar research, yet it is also much more difficult... The ground beneath our feet, at even slightly deeper levels, often remains untouched by exploration for countless years.

Fan Jian seemed very idle, walking over from time to time to check on Liu Chang'an. After the work was finished, Fan Jian handed the two hundred yuan to Liu Chang'an. This time, Liu Chang'an did not leave immediately. Since several of Fan Jian's subordinates were on break playing Landlord in Fan Jian's office, Liu Chang'an stayed to play for a while.

At his peak, Liu Chang'an won over a thousand, but in the end, he lost it all back. He spent the whole afternoon playing without winning or losing.

Fan Jian reported Liu Chang'an's performance that afternoon to Zhong Qing. Zhong Qing said nothing in front of Fan Jian, but she had already concluded that Liu Chang'an was a man of ill repute.

Lecherous: He could have just pulled her up that morning, but he insisted on grabbing her waist, and forcefully pulling her into his arms. This is a common tactic of a pervert, and he held onto Zhong Qing for a long time before letting go.

Gambler: Playing cards or mahjong is one thing, but he had only earned two hundred yuan and went to play Landlord, nearly losing it all.

Lack of restraint and insatiable greed: If he had left after winning a little, quitting while ahead, he would have walked away with over a thousand—not a small sum for him. But after winning, he lost it all. According to Fan Jian, Liu Chang'an was wringing his hands in regret, looking like a man who had lost his mind to gambling. He had been winning, so what happened when he lost it back?

How could such a person be allowed to contact Zhu Juntang? Zhong Qing must not only be responsible for Zhu Juntang but also execute the orders of Third Mistress Zhu.

Why was Zhu Juntang interested in Liu Chang'an? This left Zhong Qing utterly baffled. Although it did not appear to be a matter of romance, a girl developing curiosity about a boy is a dangerous signal. Zhong Qing had to nip this danger in the bud. Unfortunately, Zhu Juntang refused to explain why, only demanding that Zhong Qing do everything in her power to arrange a meeting between her and Liu Chang'an.

Zhong Qing dismissed Fan Jian, who was trying to curry favor by asking if he should call Liu Chang'an back to work tomorrow, and then received news that Zhu Juntang and Qin Yanan had returned to Baolong Center. Today, the two had gone to Miyin Temple in Jingxiang County to burn incense and pray.

"Ms. Gelanfen and Ms. Susan are ready. After an hour of SPA, there is a meeting scheduled with Manager Sima. Dinner is set for Lanxi Hall, and a serving of black garlic steak has been added to the menu today. The wine pairing is handled by Mr. Zhang Jiawei; per your request, he has been transferred from the Taipei restaurant and officially begins overseeing your dining and wine pairings today." Zhong Qing followed Zhu Juntang's footsteps, noting that the young girl's light, brisk pace indicated she was in a good mood today.

"Isn't Zhang Jiawei a friend of your second brother? Aren't you afraid he might poison you?" Qin Yanan had some impression of Zhang Jiawei—a man with refined tastes, sporting a small mustache, a lover of fine food and wine, and a professional food critic who often wrote for gourmet magazines. His most recent formal job was serving as a restaurant manager at a Michelin-starred restaurant under Zhu Juntang's name.

"Zhang Jiawei cuckolded Zhu Lixing... haha... he begged me for protection, so how could he help Zhu Lixing deal with me?" Zhu Juntang laughed loudly. "Do you remember that model with the cone-shaped face who called herself 'Little Yang Ming'?"

Qin Yanan frowned, clearly unable to recall, because there were simply too many such girls. Their makeup, style, temperament, and even the tone of their voices and the names they chose were all similar. To remember them after a single encounter, one would have to be a genius or a lecher.

However, as a buyer's market, the buyer's demand determines the seller's quality. Such girls emerge one after another, which shows there is a market for them. On one hand, one frequently hears comments about these girls having "copy-paste" faces, but on the other hand, these girls are becoming more numerous. Is this really a phenomenon determined solely by the girls' aesthetic choices?

"I won't eat dinner tonight. After the SPA, I'll go back to my room to rest for a while. I have to pick up my father tonight; he's coming by high-speed rail."

Qin Yanan stretched. As a regional official, Qin Huai's schedule was tight. However, because this birthday of Qin Peng was likely the last major celebration for this old revolutionary, both the capital and the local government attached great importance to it. Many officials, relatives, and old friends were sent, but Qin Peng could only receive a few. Most of the socializing fell to Qin Huai. Even among those qualified to speak directly to Qin Huai, there were so many that it took up much of his time.

In front of the floor-to-ceiling glass window of the spa room was a pond of lotus pods. Qin Yanan was not used to facing a wide, transparent window while completely undressed. Zhong Qing opened the water curtain, and the two senior SPA technicians selected the music before Zhong Qing prepared to leave.

Zhu Juntang called out to her.

"If I hadn't thought I might be hosting you, I would have only prepared one bed here." Zhu Juntang stared intently at Qin Yanan's large breasts.

"I don't owe you any favors. Save that talk for your mother." Qin Yanan couldn't help but raise her hands to cover her chest.

"Don't massage her chest; she's very sensitive," Zhu Juntang instructed. "Only I can touch them; they are sacred, snow-capped mountains that no one has ever conquered or climbed."

Seeing the knowing, ambiguous smiles on the faces of the two technicians, Qin Yanan's cheeks flushed like peach blossoms blooming in the morning mist. She glared at Zhu Juntang but couldn't be bothered to explain. Zhu Juntang had likely grown up on milk and lacked the maternal affection of Third Mistress Zhu, leading her to be particularly fixated on the plump, fertile areas that symbolize motherhood in others.

Ignoring Zhu Juntang, Qin Yanan lay down comfortably, feeling the rhythm of the fingers that commanded such an astonishing salary moving across her skin.

"Have you found the person?" Zhu Juntang asked nonchalantly, seemingly not holding much hope.

"No."

Zhu Juntang was not surprised and said calmly, "Then I'll find him myself."

Zhong Qing felt very helpless. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "Actually, I ran into him this afternoon."

Zhu Juntang immediately grabbed the fingers that were working on her waist and hips, as she was sensitive there and it made it hard for her to concentrate. Zhu Juntang stared at Zhong Qing. "Tell me everything, word for word. Where was it, what was the scene, and what did you say to each other?"

Qin Yanan also turned around in curiosity. Who was Zhu Juntang looking for?