bioinnovel Chapter 137 Strike!
Chapter 137 Strike!
Zhang Yan looked at her, at this woman who could make the entire Jinghai business circle tremble in front of outsiders, but at this moment she looked like a student about to enter the examination hall, completely unprepared. Her peach blossom eyes, which always flowed with charm and shrewdness, were full of pure trepidation.
He smiled.
It wasn't the kind of shrewd, calculating smile, nor the kind of teasing, playful chuckle; it was a genuine, gentle smile from the heart.
"rest assured."
He didn't say many comforting words, but simply reached out and gently took her hand, which was slightly cold from nervousness.
Her hands were beautiful, with long, slender fingers that were well-maintained, but now they were enveloped by his hands, which were stained with engine oil and had wielded spatulas.
An unprecedented sense of security instantly spread from her palms throughout Nie Qingcheng's entire body.
"With me around, they'll only ever see you as the best sister-in-law in the world."
Zhang Yan added.
Nie Qingcheng blushed and glared at him, but the unease in her eyes had mostly dissipated, replaced by that familiar charm.
The two opened the car door.
The driver and bodyguards began unloading the mountain of gifts from the trunk and back seat, ranging from toys and stationery to snacks and new clothes, almost filling the small open space in front of the orphanage.
This display immediately attracted the attention of the people in the courtyard.
An elderly man with gray hair, a thin but vigorous build, strode out from behind the slightly mottled iron gate.
She wore a faded blue cloth dress, and her face was covered with wrinkles left by time, but her eyes were still bright and gentle.
It was Wang Xiulan, the director of the Chengnan Orphanage.
"Xiao Yan!"
When Dean Wang saw the tall, upright figure standing beside the car, his eyes lit up instantly, and the wrinkles on his face blossomed into a smile.
"Dean!"
Zhang Yan quickly went to greet him, his voice filled with barely suppressed affection.
"You silly child, why didn't you call ahead before you came? I could have asked the kitchen to make your favorite braised pork!"
Dean Wang held Zhang Yan's hand, looking him up and down with a mixture of heartache and relief in his eyes. "You've lost weight. You must not have been eating properly while you were away."
"No, you've actually gained weight."
Zhang Yan smiled and let the old man look him over.
This conversation, like any ordinary reunion between grandparents and grandchildren, was filled with simple warmth.
Dean Wang's gaze quickly fell on Nie Qingcheng behind Zhang Yan, and on the Rolls-Royce Phantom that seemed out of place in this area of the southern city.
Her smile faded slightly.
In his eyes, the pure joy was mixed with a complex and unfathomable scrutiny and worry.
She has lived for over seventy years and has seen all kinds of people.
The woman in front of me was unbelievably beautiful. The elegance and aura that emanated from her very being were something that ordinary people couldn't fake.
And that car—although she didn't recognize the brand, she knew it was definitely not something an ordinary family could afford.
Xiao Yan was someone she watched grow up; he was the most sensible and the one she was most proud of among all the children in the compound.
But he was ultimately an orphan, a college student.
How could he possibly be associated with someone like that, or a car like that?
Dean Wang's heart skipped a beat, and the worst thought uncontrollably popped into his head.
She subtly pulled Zhang Yan aside, lowered her voice, and her tone trembled slightly.
"Xiao Yan, tell the dean the truth."
"And...and who is this young lady?"
"And this car...you...did you go astray outside?"
"You can't make a foolish mistake! We may be poor, but we can't be without integrity!"
The old man's voice wasn't loud, but every word was like a small hammer, gently tapping on Zhang Yan's heart.
He knew what the dean had misunderstood.
He didn't rush to explain; he simply turned around and gave Nie Qingcheng a reassuring look.
Who is Nie Qingcheng?
The most shrewd of all.
She had already guessed seven or eight parts of the truth from the subtle changes in Dean Wang's expression.
Normally, if anyone dared to look at her like that or speculate about her relationship with Zhang Yan, they would probably be frozen into an ice sculpture by her gaze, or the legal department would send them a lawyer's letter.
But at this moment, she felt not the slightest bit of anger.
Instead, I felt a mix of bittersweetness and emotion.
Because she knew that the old man was genuinely worried about Zhang Yan's future.
She didn't wait for Zhang Yan to explain.
She lifted her skirt and walked forward gracefully, yet with a touch of solemnity.
She didn't look at the luxury car, nor did she pay attention to the uneven cement ground under her feet.
Her gaze remained fixed on the old man whose eyes were filled with worry.
She stopped in front of Dean Wang, and then did something that surprised even Zhang Yan.
She bent down slightly, reached out her hands, and gently grasped Dean Wang's hands, which were rough and calloused from years of hard work.
"Hello, Grandma."
Her voice, devoid of all its coldness and queenly aura, became soft and gentle, even carrying a hint of the respect and obedience unique to juniors meeting elders.
"My name is Nie Qingcheng, and I am Zhang Yan's girlfriend."
"grandmother?"
Dean Wang was stunned. She hadn't expected this seemingly unapproachable woman to use such an intimate address and speak to her in such a gentle manner.
The hand that was held conveyed the feel of delicate skin and the warmth of body temperature.
Dean Wang looked into Nie Qingcheng's clear, innocent eyes, which held no pretense or scheming, only pure sincerity.
Her heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally began to slowly settle down.
Looking back at Zhang Yan, he was gazing at the girl beside him with a look of doting affection.
That look in their eyes doesn't lie.
That was love.
Dean Wang is old enough to understand this perfectly well.
He didn't go astray.
He found a girl who truly loved him, and whom he truly loved in return.
Moreover, she is such a good and sensible girl.
"Hey...hey!"
Dean Wang's eyes welled up with tears instantly.
She gripped Nie Qingcheng's hand tightly in return, too excited to speak, and could only nod repeatedly.
"Good boy...good boy..."
Seeing this scene, Zhang Yan was deeply touched.
He stepped forward and gently patted the dean on the back.
Just then, a cold wind blew by.
Zhang Yan's gaze inadvertently fell on a child who peeked out from behind the door, looking at them curiously.
It was a little girl of about five or six years old, wearing a thin old cotton-padded jacket, her little hands, red from the cold, were tucked into her sleeves, and the tip of her nose was also red from the cold.
Zhang Yan frowned slightly.
Although winters in Jinghai are not as cold as in the north, there is still a significant temperature difference between indoors and outdoors.
He recalled that the heating boiler in the courtyard was said to be somewhat outdated last year.
"Dean,"
He asked, "Is there a problem with the heating in the yard?"
Upon hearing this, Dean Wang's smile faded, turning into a helpless sigh.
"Ugh, don't even mention it."
"That old boiler broke down completely last week."
"We had someone come and take a look. They said the pipes inside were all rusted and couldn't be repaired; they could only be replaced with new ones."
"You could get a new one, but that would cost tens of thousands..."
The old man's voice was filled with helplessness and heartache.