Water and Fire~Chapter 34.3: My Heart is in a state of confusion

 

Chapter 34.3: My Heart is in a state of confusion

After deciding on their travel mount, Lei Zhenzi turned to Ren Yan and said, "Ren, I won't be dining with you tomorrow. I'm going to emulate Lei Feng and do good deeds!" He then turned back to Chu Qianmiao and winked at her, "Qianmiao, treat me to dinner after I've done my good deeds!"

Chu Qianmiao clapped her hands proudly, "No problem!"

Ren Yan glanced at them indifferently and said nothing.

The next day, Chu Qianmiao was again caught working overtime at Litong. Qin Qianyu and the other four were there, but Ren Yan wasn't. As for Lei Zhenzi, he was going to Gu Miaoyu's company today to play the role of a high-end client.

Chu Qianmiao glanced at her phone periodically, awaiting news of success on the grand stage of her life.

Around noon, her phone finally rang. It was Gu Miaoyu calling.

Gu Miaoyu's voice was filled with excitement and joy, the excitement and joy lifting her voice an octave.

"Shuishui! Thanks to you, things went super, super smoothly!" Gu Miaoyu said to Chu Qianmiao, her voice rising an octave with joy. "Thank you for finding those two handsome, dramatic guys for me. As soon as they appeared, those two faces immediately captivated Tu Xiaorong. Then, with their hot-and-cold ribbing, they completely tripped her up. She was pestered by them all morning about pricing, and she didn't even have a chance to use the restroom. During that time, I signed all my orders smoothly and safely. After I finished signing them, those two handsome guys, using the excuse of needing to think it over, walked away. Tu Xiaorong came out of the meeting room with her legs tucked together, heading for the restroom. Hahahaha! A while after she came out, she seemed to come to her senses. Her expression, hahahahaha, Shuishui, looked more like a cucumber painted green, like it was poisoned! Holy crap, it was so satisfying, so satisfying!"

After reviewing the entire process, Gu Miaoyu said to Chu Qianmiao, "Shuishui, treat the two handsome men to dinner. I'll reimburse you with my commission later!"

Chu Qianmiao was confused. "Little Daogu, wait a minute!" She reviewed Gu Miaoyu's words and asked, "What do you mean by 'two dramatic actors'? What do you mean by 'two handsome men'? I found someone named Lei Zhenzi to support you. Who's the other one?"

Gu Miaoyu was also stunned. She said, "The other one is Ren Yan!"

Chu Qianmiao: "???"

Why did Ren Yan go too?

Hadn't he just said righteously: If she can't handle this herself, are you really going to fight for her forever?

Wasn't he advocating that everyone handle their own problems? Why would he suddenly offer a helping hand?

Chu Qianmiao thought, this is bad. Maybe Lei Zhenzi has some leverage on him.

At noon, Qin Qianyu and the other three went downstairs for lunch. Chu Qianmiao waited in the conference room, awaiting Lei Zhenzi's triumphant return so she could fulfill her promise to treat him to dinner.

About half an hour after ending her call with Gu Miaoyu, Lei Zhenzi returned. Ren Yan followed him into the conference room.

Chu Qianmiao observed their attire. Lei Zhenzi wore a flamboyant leather jacket, while Ren Yan sported a more understated, slim-fitting suit. Both men were strikingly handsome, worthy of the title of "two handsome men."

Ren Yan sat down upon entering the conference room, powered on his laptop, and began to work with unwavering dedication.

Lei Zhenzi slumped down on the table next to Chu Qianmiao, his eyes narrowed, and he beamed, "It's done, little Qianmiao. Let's go treat your brother Lei to dinner!"

Chu Qianmiao stood up, her arm raised with a flourish, "Let's go!"

They headed for the conference room door.

A voice echoed through the air, like icy rain and snow.

"Are you guys missing someone?"

Chu Qianmiao paused, turning sharply to look at Ren Yan behind her: "???"

Ren Yan was still sitting in his chair. He tilted his head, chin raised, and stared at her with a cold expression.

Chu Qianmiao felt her heart tremble at his gaze.

Lei Zhenzi leaned lazily against the door frame and said to Chu Qianmiao, "Oh, yes, Qianmiao, I forgot to tell you, your CEO Ren is also making a guest appearance today!"

Chu Qianmiao swallowed under Ren Yan's gaze: "CEO Ren, um... are you going together?"

Ren Yan stood up, buttoned his suit jacket, and suddenly raised the corner of his mouth, questioning, "Why didn't you ask me to come along?"

Chu Qianmiao: "???" Because acquiescing to not go is your usual style!!!

"I thought... I thought you didn't want to go..." Chu Qianmiao's defense was a bit tongue-tied.

Ren Yan curled his lips and sneered, "Do you think what you think is what you think?"

Chu Qianmiao:??????

Is Boss Ren possessed today?!

Ren Yan was the first to leave the meeting room, his expression completely stern.

Chu Qianmiao and Lei Zhenzi followed him. Lei Zhenzi had a subtle smile on his face, which Chu Qianmiao couldn't quite understand, but that didn't matter. What mattered was what she wanted to ask—

"Mr. Lei, speaking of your friendship with Mr. Ren, can you really tell what he's thinking?" Chu Qianmiao asked softly.

Lei Zhenzi whispered, "Of course I can't figure it out!" Then he shrugged and spread his hands. "But what can I do if I can't figure it out? We can just get along, what else can we do?"

To Chu Qianmiao, these words sounded exactly like the old saying: What can I do? We can just get along, what else can we do to get divorced?

She almost couldn't help but laugh.

The three of them had a lively lunch. Specifically, Chu Qianmiao and Lei Zhenzi chatted, keeping things lively. Ren Yan sat expressionless and emotionless, just eating. But whenever Lei Zhenzi's flirtations got a little too far, Ren Yan would forcefully pour him tea, asking him to drink it, and if he didn't, he would just glare at him.

After the meal, Lei Zhenzi went to the bathroom twice.

After dinner, Ren Yan told Chu Qianmiao that he wouldn't be going to the company that afternoon. She had nothing else to do and didn't need to work overtime, so she could go home early.

Chu Qianmiao then went back to Litong to pack up, while Lei Zhenzi drove Ren Yan home.

While driving, Lei Zhenzi suddenly let out an "Ah!"

Ren Yan didn't bother asking what he was talking about. He knew Lei Zhenzi would just go ahead and tell him without being asked.

"I know!" Lei Zhenzi said excitedly, as if he had discovered some untold secret.

"What else do you know?" Ren Yan responded to his sudden surprise with a touch of impatience.

"I know why you were so reluctant to help me at first, but then you happened to run into me today and decided to go with me to the play!"

Ren Yan said calmly, "I just happened to pass by your house this morning and caught you leaving the house, so I decided to help you out a little bit."

"No, you didn't!" Lei Zhenzi glanced over at Ren Yan, decisively exposing his expressionless facade. "It wasn't a coincidence. You were waiting there early on purpose!"

Lei Zhenzi's ten fingers danced in a wave-like rhythm on the steering wheel. "Ren, aren't you afraid that after I finish this job alone, Qian Miao will treat me to a meal?" He glanced at Ren Yan with a rosy look in his eyes.

Ren Yan turned, meeting his radiant eyes. He scoffed and unleashed his famous rhetorical question: "With such a vivid imagination, why do you want to invest? Why don't you make a science fiction film?"

Lei Zhenzi clicked his tongue and shook his head. "Look, you're clearly attracted to someone, yet you insist on restraining yourself. Why do you do that? You should restrain yourself, but you're so controlling and won't let me have my way. What's the logic behind that?" The light ahead turned red, and Lei Zhenzi slammed on the brakes, stopping at the intersection. He turned and glared at Ren Yan, sighing, "Ren, let bygones be bygones. Don't let it hold you back. Can't you just love if you want to?"

Ren Yan glared at him coldly: "Shut up."

Lei Zhenzi: "I won't shut up!" He tapped the steering wheel and shook his head. "Aren't you contradictory? Why suppress your true nature? Am I not provoking you enough, or do you really not believe that I like Chu Qianmiao?"

"Lao Lei," Ren Yan's voice dropped to a low, almost pleading tone. "Shut up! Don't talk! Leave me alone for a moment."

"I'm actually really confused," Ren Yan said, staring straight ahead, out the window.