slowly

Damn it.

Ning Zhi looked at the smirking Jiang Chan, these words rumbled in his mind.

One second before he couldn't help but rush out the door, Jiang Qiping said, "Do you know each other?"

"Ah, um," Ning Zhi regained his composure and forcibly calmed down, "I've met you a few times, but I'm not too familiar."

Jiang Chan dismantled the stage with a half-smile: "Aren't you familiar? I think it's quite familiar."

If this unexpected encounter is compared to a game, then Jiang Chan is playing the most addicted and most unable to extricate himself. The more nervous Ning Zhi is, the happier he is. He catches people to chat and asks Ning Zhi in an ambiguous tone. No, would you like a bowl of glutinous rice balls?

Ning Zhi's skin is not too thin, when he was scolded by sponsors and investors during the exhibition, he didn't even move his eyebrows, but he was defeated by Jiang Chan today, and his face was reddened by a few casual chats.

Jiang Qiping observed the two juniors calmly. He still remembered Jiang Chan's indifferent appearance when negotiating company affairs with him just now, but after only a few minutes, he became so lively. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it.

"Mr. Ning, let's talk in the study." Jiang Qiping patted Ning Zhi on the shoulder, and ordered the kitchen to make a pot of Tieguanyin.

Ning Zhi stopped looking at Jiang Chan, and smiled warmly and sincerely: "Mr. Jiang, you can just call me Ning Zhi."

After they went upstairs, Jiang Chan continued to eat breakfast. After drinking the sweet soup, he took the bowls and chopsticks into the kitchen and begged Aunt Hong to cut a plate of fruit.

The door was ajar, and the sound of unhurried conversation came from inside, Jiang Chan knocked twice without sincerity.

When he went in, Jiang Qiping was lamenting the wonders of life, saying that Ning Ranzhang was not good at words, like a dull gourd, but gave birth to a son who spoke eloquently.

Ning Zhi smiled, his eyebrows were curved, and he looked very cute.Seeing Jiang Chan, he stopped smiling, pursed his lips and sat up straight.

"Eat some fruit."

Jiang Chan thought he looked very cute, and wanted to bully him, so he put down his things and didn't leave, and lay on the opposite sofa.

Ning Zhi cast a sharp look, and every cell in his body seemed to be warning Jiang Chan: Don't mess around.

"What are you talking about?" Jiang Chan crossed his legs, picked up a winter date and threw it into his mouth, chewing it.

Jiang Qiping frowned, and stared at Jiang Chan coldly: "Put your feet down, what does it look like?"

Jiang Qiping still knew the character of his son who had been raised for more than 20 years. Although Jiang Chan was mischievous in trivial matters, he had always been well-bred. It was very abnormal for him to break into the study rudely like today and disturb his conversation with the guests.

There is also a hint of weirdness in the abnormality.

Jiang Qiping picked up the celadon cup and sipped the tea with his eyelids downcast. The young man opposite him thought he couldn't see, so he swallowed nervously, and began to wink at Jiang Chan, looking a little out of breath.

interesting.Jiang Qiping snorted and said, "Are you flirting right under my nose?"

Ning Zhi seemed to be struck by lightning, and all the blood stopped flowing from his body.

He didn't know what his expression was at the moment, but his face must be very red, because his ears were so hot that they were about to melt.

"You've been single for a long time, and everyone looks like you're flirting." Jiang Chan spat out the date pit and responded calmly.

Jiang Qiping paused while drinking tea, his playful expression disappeared like a tide, and the lines at the corners of his eyes deepened, showing a charming sense of vicissitudes.

"Get out of here." He said heavily.

Jiang Chan stood up, leaned into Ning Zhi's ear and said, "Later..."

"Go away!" Ning Zhi was so anxious that he almost reached out to push him.

Jiang Chan smiled and closed the door of the study.

Ning Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, looked up at Jiang Qiping, and began to sweat again.

Jiang Qiping is very handsome, and his hair is still black and thick in his 50s. His facial features are somewhat similar to those of Jiang Chan, but the overall outline is tougher and more resolute. Jiang Chan may have inherited his mother, and the lines of his lips and jaw are very soft.

Ning Zhi admired Jiang Qiping's elegant temperament and the calmness he cultivated after overcoming countless storms. The first time he saw Jiang Qiping, he felt admiration in his heart, but at the second sight, he had the illusion that Jiang Qiping looked like someone he knew. , and now...

"Are you afraid of me?" Jiang Qiping stroked the grand master's chair with a kind smile.

Ning Zhi shook his head guiltily, seeing that Jiang Qiping's teacup was empty, he quickly picked up the purple sand pot to refill him.

"Are you Jiang Chan's classmate?"

"No," Ning Zhi answered after deliberation, "We've only known each other for a short time, and if I don't come to visit you today, I don't even know he is your son."

Jiang Qiping let out a "hmm" as if he didn't quite believe it, but he gave up on further research and asked, "This time the Municipal Art Museum holds an exhibition, will there be new paintings by Mr. Ning?"

A few crisp bird calls came from outside the window.The sun rose higher and higher, reflecting rainbow patterns on the glass, and the huge wedding photo in the living room was completely covered by the sunlight. The woman in the photo was even more beautiful, radiant and radiant.

Jiang Chan leaned against the window to read, and when he turned to page 140, Ning Zhi and Jiang Qiping went downstairs one after the other.

"Finished?"

No one answered, Ning Zhi turned the back of his head to him, trying to convey the meaning of "drawing a clear line".

"Mr. Jiang, then I'm leaving. Teacher Fu will contact you to pick up the painting in a few days."

Jiang Qiping nodded: "Don't forget what you promised me."

He agreed to lend the oil painting, and in exchange, Ning Ranzhang's posthumous work, which will be exhibited for the first time in the museum, will also be the priority for him to purchase.

"Don't worry," Ning Zhi assured, "I won't forget."

When they reached the entrance, Jiang Qiping said, "Xiao Ning, then I won't see you off."

"No, no," Ning Zhiqian bowed, "You're busy."

Jiang Chan came over at some point: "I'll see you off."

Ning Zhi tugged at the corner of his clothes in dismay, whatever, he just wanted to get out of here quickly.

After leaving the "castle", the fragrance of flowers came rushing towards my face, and the rose on the side of the road swept over Ning Zhi's calf, keeping it romantic and secretive.

In front of it is a broad green lawn, short and neatly trimmed, with small white flowers blooming here and there.Farther away, pines and cypresses are densely covered with mountains and forests, and the lush greenery is endless.

It's really beautiful. It's a good place to cultivate your health. There are flowers and grass, mountains and trees. If there is water, it will be perfect.

As soon as Ning Zhi thought of this, someone pulled his sleeves.

That hand was slender and powerful, but Ning Zhi had no intention of admiring it, and stared at him with a little vigilance.

Since leaving the villa, the silence has lasted for nearly 2 minutes. Now Jiang Chan took the initiative to speak, but what he said was: "There is a lake behind, do you want to go and have a look?"

Ning Zhi couldn't react in time, and replied angrily: "No!"

Jiang Chan smiled: "Let's go."

He turned and took the lead on the path leading to the lake.Ning Zhi hated his confident look, and took a few seconds before he followed slowly.

The manor is built on the hillside, the villa is the highest point, and then the terrain gradually lowers, forming a natural lake in the second half.The lake is surrounded by a forest, I don't know what species it is, all of them are tall and straight, and the lush branches and leaves cut the sunlight into pieces.

Jiang Chan led the way, and Ning Zhi followed step by step.The woods were extremely quiet, and there was no other sound except their footsteps.The cobblestone road was sticky with moss, so it was slippery. Jiang Chan stopped from time to time to check Ning Zhi's situation.

"Fuck you, don't watch." When he stopped again, Ning Zhi said, "I'm not a child."

He muttered softly, afraid of disturbing the birds hiding among the branches and leaves.

After walking for about half a minute, the surrounding trees gradually thinned out, and the water vapor in the air became heavier and heavier.Ning Zhi raised his head and looked around, unconsciously feeling a sense of cleansing and enlightenment.

A goose-egg-shaped lake lies quietly in the embrace of mountains and forests.There is no wind, no ripples at all, and the lake surface is as clean as a mirror, which has been inlaid here for hundreds of thousands of years.

The sky is in the lake, and the clouds are in the lake. Ning Zhi approached and found that he and Jiang Chan were also in the lake.

After watching the scenery for a while, Ning Zhi said, "You are Jiang Qiping's son."

Jiang Chan gave a faint "hmm".

"Did you know I'm coming today?"

"do not know."

Ning Zhi looked at him suspiciously.

Jiang Chan explained: "Really, I just came here this morning too, I don't live here."

His eyes were quite sincere, and Ning Zhi calmed down, feeling that he was making a fuss out of a molehill, so he changed the subject and said, "Your family is so rich."

Jiang Chan shrugged: "I didn't earn the money."

She was quite self-aware, Ning Zhi smiled.

They found a rock to sit on, and Ning Zhi said, "Jiang Chan, this is very unfair."

He bent over, propped his head on his left hand, and fiddled with the weeds on the bank with his right hand, hiding his face, Jiang Chan could only see the little hair twirling on the top of his head.

"It's not fair."

Ning Zhi thought for a while and said, "You know a lot about me, but I don't know you at all."

Jiang Chan pinched the part of Ning Zhi's neck that was exposed from the collar, like carrying a kitten or puppy: "Then you ask."

Ning Zhi suddenly had goose bumps all over his body. "Hey," he moved, trying to make his voice sound normal, "what are you doing?"

Jiang Chan didn't answer, let go of Ning Zhi's neck, and rubbed his hair instead.

Thin and soft, feels good.

Pfft——, a poor weed was uprooted by Ning Zhi. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he quickly apologized, digging a hole in shame, and re-burying the grass in it.

After finishing, his hands were covered with mud. Ning Zhi shook his head twice, and raised his head to ask Jiang Chan for help. Before he could speak, Jiang Chan took out a handkerchief and handed it over in a gentlemanly manner.

"Thank you." Ning Zhi finished wiping, folded the handkerchief into small squares, stuffed it into his pocket naturally, and asked Jiang Chan, "Did your parents separate?"

Jiang Chan nodded: "It's been more than 20 years since we separated."

"It's been so long," Ning Zhi was a little surprised, "Why?"

Although he just knew Jiang Qiping, far from knowing him well, he always felt that he was not like the kind of man who spends his days and nights.

"Dystotocia. When my mother gave birth to me, she died of dystocia." Jiang Chan stared at the light blue lake, thinking of the huge photo in the living room.He is obviously a person who has never met before, but when he looks at it every day, he will become familiar and intimate.Maybe there is really an invisible bond between mother and child that blood is thicker than water.

"I'm sorry," Ning Zhi said regretfully, "I don't know if that's the case. I was a little curious when I saw the wedding photos and heard that your father is single."

"It's nothing, it's been many years."

Ning Zhi wasn't sure if Jiang Chan's heart was really as calm as it appeared on the surface, so he tentatively asked, "Uncle and aunt should have a good relationship, right?"

"Okay. We're childhood sweethearts, we've known each other since we were three years old." The rock was too hard and uneven, making it uncomfortable to sit for a long time. Jiang Chan stood up, wiped off the dust on his pants, and stretched out his hand to Ningzhi.

Ning Zhi hesitated for a moment, then gently held it.

They walked along the lake, and after walking for a while, their crossed hands naturally spread apart.

Through the gaps in the woods, the white building on the hillside can be vaguely seen. It is the castle Jiang Qiping built for his wife. Unfortunately, his wife did not wait, and died of hemorrhage in the delivery room in the second year of marriage.

Looking at it, Ning Zhi finally understood the origin of the name Jiang Chan, and felt an indescribable boredom in his heart.

Jiang Chan looked normal, and said to Ning Zhi, "Go back, I'll see you off."

"I still have a question." Ning Zhi rolled his eyes, and his tone gradually became active.

"Ah."

"Besides the World of Wonderful Colors, does your family have any property?"

Jiang Chan froze for a moment: "Check the household registration."

"Can't you?" Ning Zhi raised his eyebrows, making a bravado and domineering look.

Jiang Chan smiled, "Okay."