Chapter 42: Is She a Friend of Yours?

Chapter 42: Is She a Friend of Yours?

A new week began with the observatory urgently issuing a black rain warning signal.

Meanwhile, the Transport Department announced that due to the impact of the typhoon and heavy rain, mudslides in the Eastern District caused some road sections to collapse, and several routes from Central to Tidou Street were entirely closed. The Municipal Center issued a typhoon holiday notice, advising citizens to work from home and avoid unnecessary outings.

Weather warnings are divided into yellow rain, red rain, and black rain levels. Red rain typically advises staying at home, while the black rain level mandates businesses to halt operations and schools to close.

For the next few days, except for government agencies and special departments, Haishi was nearly at a standstill. The normally bustling roads were eerily deserted, with the city drowned in the relentless sound of rain.

Working from home, Chen Wan naturally connected more frequently with Zhao Shengge, and the location of their video meetings inevitably shifted from the office to their respective homes.

Without his suit and tie, Zhao Shengge seemed more relaxed, appearing more vivid and genuine than usual.

"Chen Wan, did you not rest again last night?" His voice was calm, devoid of any reproach, but it somehow made one feel guilty.

"I did rest." But not much. The weather had already increased efficiency costs, so he had to compensate with extra overtime. He had indeed stayed up late into the night.

"Is that so?" It was unclear if Zhao Shengge believed him, but he didn’t press further. Instead, he leaned back and casually inquired, "What did you drink?"

"Tieguanyin." Chen Wan's go-to for late nights.

Zhao Shengge nodded and opened a document.

In the afternoon, due to a sudden gust of wind, the signal in Chen Wan's area was interrupted and wasn’t restored until evening.

Zhao Shengge had apparently just taken a shower, his hair still damp, accentuating his dark features.

"Is everything safe there?"

Chen Wan looked at the still-dripping ends of his hair, hesitating but ultimately remaining silent, and replied, "Very safe."

Although the signal was still intermittent, the delayed conversation lent a sense of mutual support, as if in a post-apocalyptic world.

Without each other, both Zhao Shengge and Chen Wan would have faced this stormy, uncertain period alone.

Zhao Shengge would discuss work with Chen Wan from different parts of his home—in the morning at the bay window and in the evening in the study. The wooden decor instantly reminded Chen Wan of a particular perfume.

Citrus-based, Chen Wan actually went out and bought a bottle. The marble on the bay window looked cold, so Chen Wan also chose a handmade woolen blanket, still placing it in that gift cabinet, destined never to be opened.

Zhao Shengge listened to Chen Wan's report on yesterday's data and suddenly stood up, saying, "I’ll go get a charger."

He went to his room, and the video briefly captured a glimpse of bedsheet and what appeared to be a model by the bed, but it was just a fleeting glimpse. By the time Chen Wan wanted to take a closer look, the screen had already returned to Zhao Shengge's face. He was close to the camera, and his striking features, magnified, exuded an overwhelming presence.

"What is it?" Zhao Shengge tilted his head slightly, asking.

Chen Wan replied without changing his expression, "Nothing, Mr. Zhao. Let’s continue."

"Alright." Zhao Shengge placed his phone back in its usual position and informed Chen Wan that Jennifer was stranded in Haishi due to the typhoon and was willing to spare some time to meet him.

Jennifer was a seasoned marine geologist with years of research in ocean currents and seabed movements, possessing profound theoretical knowledge and field experience. Fang Jian had encountered some issues in the foundational structure of the seabed and had been wanting to consult her but hadn’t been able to make the trip.

Zhao Shengge had used his overseas connections to reach out to her. As the youngest recipient of the Qingxue Award in her field, Jennifer’s schedule was packed. It was only because her team was stranded in Haishi due to the typhoon that she had some free time to meet with them.

Chen Wan asked, "When?"

"Tomorrow morning," Zhao Shengge opened his laptop, "I got the reply half an hour ago."

Chen Wan glanced out the window and worriedly said, "The rain is so heavy."

Since the afternoon, the sky has been dark, and the observatory has issued three consecutive warnings. A severe rainstorm is expected over the next sixteen hours. A pedestrian bridge in Admiralty has been washed away, and the Transport Department and the Police Force have jointly issued another notice urging the public to avoid unnecessary travel.

Zhao Shengge said, "They can only free up tomorrow. As soon as the typhoon passes, they’ll head straight to the UK."

Chen Wan thought for a moment and asked, "Mr. Zhao, can I go with you?"

Zhao Shengge was looking at the documents Fang Jian had sent, not even lifting his head, and replied, "No."

"..." Chen Wan sighed to himself and could only say, "Please stay safe."

Zhao Shengge, noticing the deep worry between Chen Wan’s brows, lowered his head and smiled slightly.

The next day, the rain poured down relentlessly, with the wind and rain tearing through the city, blanketing it in an eerie silence.

Zhao Shengge was out of touch all day, and Chen Wan had a very restless day.

He barely ate anything, especially as the latest weather news updated the increasing number of casualties in real-time.

Chen Wan worked anxiously, constantly checking his phone.

It was only in the evening that Zhao Shengge finally told Chen Wan it was over.

He called via video. Zhao Shengge seemed to dislike all inefficient forms of communication, such as texting.

Chen Wan was getting used to it.

"Chen Wan."

"How did it go?"

Late at night, Chen Wan wasn’t in loungewear but a casual shirt, indicating that he had been waiting all day for Zhao Shengge to contact him.

Zhao Shengge removed his coat, and under the dim light of the entrance, the video made him look like a figure in a painting. The person in the painting asked Chen Wan, "What do you mean?"

Whether Zhao Shengge’s trip or the meeting with Jennifer went well.

"..." Chen Wan asked vaguely, "How did things go with Dr. Fang today?"

Chen Wan didn’t give Zhao Shengge the answer he wanted to hear, and Zhao Shengge didn’t give Chen Wan the answer he wanted to hear, gently suggesting, "Then you might want to ask Fang Jian. He was the one mainly discussing professional matters with Jennifer."

"..." Chen Wan felt a headache coming on. Zhao Shengge was really... tough to trick.

Zhao Shengge walked to the brightly lit island counter, and Chen Wan could see his wet shirt clinging to his torso, with a superior and restrained muscle line, strong but not overdone.

Zhao Shengge sneezed and poured a glass of cold water.

"..." Chen Wan felt compelled to suggest, "Mr. Zhao, after getting caught in the rain, you should drink something hot. If you have ginger, it’s best to make some ginger soup to ward off the cold."

In fact, Chen Wan was worrying too much. Zhao Shengge hadn’t been much in the rain, and it was unclear how his clothes got so wet.

The car went directly into the underground garage. While other garages in the city were indeed flooded these days, the villa’s flood defenses could handle anything, even a tsunami.

Zhao Shengge said he didn’t have ginger and made a show of rummaging around, asking if mulled wine would do.

Chen Wan: "...That’s fine too."

Zhao Shengge took a bottle from the wine rack and poured half a glass. Chen Wan asked, "What are you drinking, Mr. Zhao?" Drinking strong liquor right after being out in the cold and rain might give you a headache.

Zhao Shengge took a sip, his lips becoming red and soft, glancing sideways at him, "The one you brought to Felipe’s party."

Chen Wan hesitated.

His words... could be interpreted in various ways.

The bottle he brought to Felipe's wine party.

Which bottle?

The video call seemed to freeze for a few seconds, but Chen Wan quickly composed himself.

Zhao Shengge couldn't possibly know that the Mulan Duo bottle was his.

So it must have been the other bottle.

Chen Wan smiled, "Chardonnay is quite relaxing."

Zhao Shengge leaned against the island counter, one leg bent, appearing tall. He looked at Chen Wan and asked, "You brought Chardonnay?"

Chen Wan's heart, which had just calmed, was now on edge again. He cautiously delayed his response, and after a moment, he admitted, "Yes, I did bring Chardonnay."

But Zhao Shengge wasn't easily fooled; he didn't tolerate vagueness or evasion.

"Oh," he swirled the wine, examining its color, "You did bring Chardonnay—"

"What else did you bring?"

Each guest was expected to bring two bottles. The Chardonnay was displayed on the wine rack.

"..." Chen Wan smiled, "I can't quite recall."

Zhao Shengge studied him for a moment before saying, "I was lying to you."

He raised his glass to the phone, "Actually, I'm drinking the Queen of Palma."

Chen Wan was silent.

Zhao Shengge was probing Chen Wan.

But Chen Wan didn't want to dwell on the wine party, so he remarked, "The Queen of Palma is also good for warming up."

Zhao Shengge wasn't interested in discussing which wine warmed you up or helped you sleep. He locked eyes with Chen Wan, "Guess who we met in the scientist's living room today."

"Who?"

Zhao Shengge stepped away from the island counter and turned off the light. The video abruptly darkened, obscuring Zhao Shengge's face.

In the darkness, Zhao Shengge chuckled cryptically, "Miss Xu Enyi."

It took Chen Wan a moment to recall this elegant lady he had met once. Without overthinking, he analyzed objectively, "The Xu family's marine energy patent has been approved. They likely want to launch it as soon as possible. Given the frequent extreme weather in the first half of the year, they must be eager."

A rustling sound came from the phone, and a dim light flicked on. Zhao Shengge must have moved to the study.

Though Chen Wan had never visited Zhao Shengge's home and didn't know the address, he had a general sense of Zhao Shengge's living space from recent video meetings.

Zhao Shengge looked at Chen Wan, "You know a lot."

"..." Chen Wan said, "Know your enemy and know yourself." Although their projects didn't overlap, there were intersecting competitive interests.

Zhao Shengge asked, "When did they start the project?" Chen Wan, "On the 13th of next month."

"Did Xu Enyi mention it to you?" Zhao Shengge put down his wine glass, reminding him, "The fact that it hasn’t been announced yet means it’s still confidential."

"?" Chen Wan didn’t know why the other party asked this. He had found out on his own, but he was afraid Zhao Shengge might think he used shady tactics or was cutting corners, so he cleverly avoided the latter question, trying to flip the script and dodge the question. "No, Mr. Zhao, how did you know I’m acquainted with Miss Xu?"

That’s a good question.

Zhao Shengge casually replied, "Didn’t you leave the wine tasting together?"

"..." The wine tasting Chen Wan had dodged was brought up again.

For one reason or another, whether it was guilt or regret, Chen Wan didn’t want to mention the wine tasting.

Zhao Shengge asked, "Are you two friends?"

"Not really."

"So, was it a blind date?"

"..." Chen Wan almost coughed, saying, "Miss Xu’s talent, looks, and family background are way out of my league."

Zhao Shengge brushed off his polite excuses and got straight to the point, "If Xu Enyi’s not your type, what is?"

"..." Tonight’s Zhao Shengge was somewhat aggressive, and Chen Wan answered without much understanding, "There’s no particular type I like."

Zhao Shengge seemed unconvinced, scrutinized him for a while, and then said gently, "It’s okay, just casual talk. If there is, I can ask Tan Youming to keep an eye out for you."

Chen Wan looked at him for a moment, shook his head, his gaze clear and honest, and said, "There really isn’t."

Zhao Shengge’s face was half-hidden in the shadows, his expression unclear. After a while, he smiled at Chen Wan and said, "Alright."