Chapter 35 I Don’t Want to Brush You Off

Chapter 35 I Don’t Want to Brush You Off

Chen Wan couldn’t quite figure out his attitude, so he had to ask directly, "Will you come tomorrow night?"

"Who’s going to be there?" Zhao Shengge walked with his phone in hand, just like the young workers in the park who had just finished overtime and were calling their partners or family members as they left the company.

"Tan Shao, Shen..." Chen Wan mentioned a few names.

"Why are you inviting me?" Zhao Shengge was strict, not only inquiring about the guest list but also scrutinizing the reason for the invitation.

"..." Chen Wan started to wonder if his intentions had been revealed, but he thought it was unlikely. Perhaps Zhao Shengge felt they weren’t that close yet, hence the detailed questioning to ensure safety.

Chen Wan calmly and appropriately replied, "You helped me a lot when I was hospitalized, even finding me a caretaker. I haven’t thanked you yet."

Zhao Shengge’s tone was ambiguous, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with the explanation, and he simply said, "Really?"

"Yes."

Zhao Shengge neither confirmed nor directly declined the invitation, only saying, "I’ll see. If I’m free, I’ll come."

Chen Wan simply said, "Alright, then goodbye, Mr. Zhao."

Hearing that Chen Wan didn’t try to persuade him further, Zhao Shengge looked at the bustling traffic outside the car window and softly said, "See you, Chen Wan."

After speaking, the overheated phone immediately went dark, completely out of power.

The call ended too quickly for Chen Wan to gauge Zhao Shengge’s mood, but his ears did feel a bit warm.

Every time Zhao Shengge said his name, it felt both serious and familiar.

Chen Wan knew it was all in his head, but he found it hard to break the habit of reminiscing.

The phone call, with its vague and unclear tone, kept Chen Wan restless all night, and by the next afternoon, he still didn’t know if Zhao Shengge would show up.

Chen Wan arrived at the hotel first, and each time the door opened, he glanced over.

By the time it was seven, and the door hadn’t moved, Chen Wan’s heart finally settled like the ebbing tide.

Zhao Shengge wasn’t coming, so Chen Wan turned his attention to the guests.

There were only a few people, about five or six. Qin Zhaoting also came. Chen Wan hadn’t invited him; Qin Zhaoting had gone to Europe on business before the Minglong banquet. He must have heard about Chen Wan’s injury from Jiang Ying after returning and decided to come along.

"I wasn’t in Haishi for a while and missed visiting you in the hospital. I hope it’s okay that I showed up unannounced tonight?"

Chen Wan smiled and said it was fine, they were all friends, and then invited others to take their seats.

Just then, the door to the private room clicked open.

Chen Wan was pouring tea for a friend and didn’t look up, thinking it was the waiter again, and said, "Hey, could you—"

He looked up.

His voice trailed off.

Zhao Shengge wasn’t wearing a suit today; a simple shirt made him look very young. Under the gaze of everyone in the room, he walked in calmly, unbuttoning the top two buttons of his shirt, and looking at the group, he said to no one in particular, "Sorry, I got stuck in traffic."

Chen Wan's heart plummeted and then soared, yet his expression remained an impeccable smile.

There was no surprise at Zhao Shengge's arrival, as if he was just another name on the guest list.

Tan Youming sauntered over and said, "Oh, what an honor to see you. I thought you had disappeared again. It seems you still have some decency." As he spoke, he was about to sit down next to Zhao Shengge.

Wherever Zhao Shengge went, he always occupied the head seat, usually with Tan Youming and Shen Zongnian sitting on either side of him, or they would sit together on the same side as Zhao Shengge.

Zhao Shengge sat down and casually asked, "Are you hosting tonight?"

"Oh, no," Tan Youming assumed he genuinely didn’t know Chen Wan was hosting, because he had indeed been the one clamoring to help Chen Wan organize this post-hospitalization dinner. Tan Youming pointed to the seat next to Zhao Shengge and said, "Come on, Wan, take a seat here. You're the host today."

"..."

Chen Wan had always been a background figure in various settings, quietly sitting in unnoticed corners. Being thrust into such a prominent position, he didn't refuse but walked over generously, still maintaining his gentle demeanor.

Zhao Shengge sat just inches away from him. The fingers holding the cup, the sexy wrist bones, the beautiful and strong arms—every movement was in Chen Wan's peripheral view.

But for some reason, Zhao Shengge seemed disinterested tonight. When Chen Wan turned the dishes to him and suggested he might want to try them, Zhao Shengge said "Okay" but didn't reach for his chopsticks, nor did he look at Chen Wan.

Chen Wan pursed his lips, about to speak when Qin Zhaoting raised his glass in a toast to him, congratulating him on his discharge.

Chen Wan drank it without hesitation.

Tan Youming questioned why he only toasted the host, and mentioned that when Chen Wan was hospitalized, he was the only one here who hadn’t visited him in the hospital. Tonight, he was here to enjoy a meal, thanks to everyone else.

Qin Zhaoting smiled and then cheerfully toasted everyone.

When it came to Zhao Shengge, Qin Zhaoting raised his glass and smiled, "Minglong has been so busy lately, I thought you wouldn’t make it."

Zhao Shengge took the wine cup in front of Chen Wan, poured wine into his own glass, and gestured across the table, saying, "I didn’t expect you to come either." He glanced at Chen Wan and said quite casually, "It seems Mr. Chen is more well-liked than I thought."

Chen Wan was momentarily stunned. From 'Chen Wan' to 'Mr. Chen', he pursed his lips and suddenly remembered something.

Although Zhao Shengge might not remember or care, he still felt the need to explain, as it was a matter of politeness.

After Zhao Shengge and Qin Zhaoting finished this round of toasts, Chen Wan turned to Zhao Shengge, not getting too close, just lowering his voice slightly: "Mr. Zhao, I didn't know Mr. Qin would come tonight."

That day, Zhao Shengge had very clearly asked him who he had invited, and he had very clearly listed a few names, none of which included Qin Zhaoting.

He only remembered this when Qin Zhaoting was toasting.

Someone of Zhao Shengge’s stature is particularly concerned about privacy and his schedule. If every host invited Zhao Shengge and then brought along some unexpected guests, it would give many people who want to build connections an opportunity.

This is taboo, unethical, and impolite.

To put it bluntly, it's social fraud.

Zhao Shengge looked at Chen Wan formally for the first time tonight and said, "Is that so?"

Chen Wan's heart skipped a beat under his gaze and he nodded, "Yes."

He didn't want Zhao Shengge to think he was insincere or scheming, so he explained earnestly, "Mr. Qin didn't know I was hospitalized before, so I didn't invite him. He probably came along after hearing about it from Tan."

"So I didn't mention his name when you asked me last time."

Zhao Shengge looked at him for a while and said, "I see, Chen Wan."

The table was somewhat noisy, but Zhao Shengge's way of speaking created a space where only the two of them were conversing, and the air seemed to move more slowly and thickly than elsewhere.

Chen Wan felt somewhat relieved, but Zhao Shengge's gaze made him a bit flustered.

Zhao Shengge's gaze was calm, direct, and profound, making it difficult to interpret.

Chen Wan had always wanted to ask Zhao Shengge what he was looking at, but unsure how to phrase it, he simply smiled faintly and responded with calm politeness.

The soup was served in small bowls, and guests could help themselves from the rotating tray.

Zhao Shengge was typically indifferent to meals, so Chen Wan blinked and offered, "Mr. Zhao, would you like to try the slow-cooked mushroom and yam soup?"

"It's particularly good for the stomach."

Zhao Shengge looked at him and replied, "Sure."

Chen Wan took a bowl, stirred it gently to cool it, and placed it before Zhao Shengge.

Zhao Shengge mused that Chen Wan might even scoop a spoonful, blow on it, and feed it to him like a child.

He felt mildly amused.

"Thank you."

Chen Wan shook his head, smiling faintly.

Perhaps due to his earlier inadvertent help and Zhao Shengge's hospitalization, Chen Wan realized Zhao Shengge wasn't as enigmatic as he'd thought.

Feeling bolder, he recommended a few more dishes, and to his surprise, Zhao Shengge accepted them all.

Chen Wan glanced at him, surprised, and Zhao Shengge looked back, chin slightly raised, as if asking, "What?"

Chen Wan looked away, and the thought returned.

A lion.

Zhao Shengge truly resembled a majestic lion, a large feline.

Proud, reserved, and self-possessed, he seemed fierce and ruthless, but in reality, if you followed his lead, he wouldn't be too harsh.

He sat alone, rarely speaking, occasionally glancing at the noisy crowd before returning to his thoughts.

Chen Wan was slightly disoriented by Zhao Shengge's cooperative demeanor and suddenly felt the joy of feeding a big cat. When the seafood arrived, he introduced it to Zhao Shengge: "This is a deep-sea crab, raised long enough to avoid any fishiness. Would you like to try it, Mr. Zhao?"

Zhao Shengge, already about eighty percent full, turned to look at him, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Chen Wan still wasn't fully accustomed to Zhao Shengge's direct gaze and had to summon great composure to maintain eye contact.

Zhao Shengge pursed his lips, as if searching for words. Chen Wan misunderstood, thinking he found cracking the crab troublesome, and offered politely, "Shall I crack one for you to try, Mr. Zhao?"

Zhao Shengge had initially meant to refuse, but seeing Chen Wan's sincere gaze, he said, "That would be a bother."

Chen Wan put on gloves to crack the crab, and Zhao Shengge watched him intently.

After dinner, everyone moved to the tea room. Chen Wan remained seated next to Zhao Shengge. The tea table was much smaller than the dining table, and their knees occasionally touched, their legs brushing unintentionally.

Chen Wan subtly shifted his legs. His thighs felt warm, and he wanted to make room for Zhao Shengge's long legs.

Zhao Shengge stopped him, saying politely, "I'm fine. Don't crowd Qin Zhaoting."

Chen Wan stayed still, keeping his legs neatly together and avoiding physical contact with Zhao Shengge. Zhao Shengge wasn't as reserved as him, exuding a sense of relaxation.

The waiter served tea and snacks, and the manager came over and said, "Mr. Chen, the gifts have been stored backstage. Would you like to review the gift list?"

Everyone had brought gifts to celebrate Chen Wan's discharge from the hospital. The young gentlemen were lavish with their gifts, ranging from ginseng and tonics to luxury items. Someone even brought a stunning bouquet of carnations.

Hotels of this caliber usually provide gift logging services, checking with the guests before taking responsibility for storage to avoid any omissions.

Chen Wan glanced at it, handed it back, and said thank you.

The manager left, and Zhao Shengge suddenly whispered in his ear, "Chen Wan, I didn't bring a gift."

Chen Wan was surprised; it hadn’t even crossed his mind. He smiled and said, "No need to stand on ceremony. Your presence here, despite my last-minute invite, means the most."

Zhao Shengge ignored his courtesy and turned to look at him with a focused expression, "I don't know what you like. I don't want to be insincere."

His tone and demeanor were clear—frank, direct, and almost painfully sincere.

Chen Wan’s thoughts were already spinning.

Zhao Shengge sometimes spoke in ways that were hard to decipher, but when he was direct, it was like detonating a bomb in someone’s heart, consequences be damned.

Zhao Shengge truly had no experience in giving gifts; the ones his secretary and assistant picked out didn’t count. So he suggested, "When you have time, let's go pick out a gift together. Tonight, I’m the one who owes you thanks."

Chen Wan's hospitalization was all because of him, so since it was a celebration of Chen Wan's discharge, he should be the one to give a gift.