After Chen Shuo got injured, the community office was suddenly short a man, so Fu Zheng was often busy. His time was occupied with all sorts of trivial and complicated things, yet he didn't feel upset at all. Instead, he felt refreshed. The more he worked, the more energetic he felt.
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After linking up with the police at the local police station, the two of them headed to the hospital to visit Chen Shuo and give him an update on the progress.
Chen Shuo had recovered very well. So long as the doctor confirmed next week that there was no blood in his lungs, he would be able to leave the hospital and recuperate at home on his own.
"Why another week, senior sister? I feel like I'm all right. I can totally go back to work. I'm young and I heal fast..."
Of course Ning Wan would comfort and console such behavior of showing loyalty even when weak. She told him to rest without worrying and that his body came first, and Chen Shuo happily pushed his advantage--
"Senior sister, I'm just worried that if I'm not there you'll have so much work that you'll be overwhelmed. Won't that new senior partner officially start very soon? You'll need to prepare your team application and take the written test, right?"
Fu Zheng really couldn't listen anymore. "Chen Shuo, you should take good care of yourself, since you're hurt. Don't worry about Ning Wan. I'll be here in the community, and I'll help her bear the burden in your place."
Chen Shuo thought a week was too long, and Fu Zheng thought a week was too fast. Why hadn't the doctor ordered bedrest for this fellow for another ten days or two weeks? No, ten days or two weeks was still too short. A whole year would have been best.
Fortunately, every time Ning Wan went to visit Chen Shuo, Fu Zheng would follow along. That way, he could always remind her that there was work to be done, so she never stayed too long.
The same was true this time. In the end, Fu Zheng left calmly with Ning Wan in the face of Chen Shuo's death glare.
Upon leaving, returning to the community office, and going back to the working life in which only he and Ning Wan were present, Fu Zheng felt like his mood had finally lifted.
But this didn't last too long. Soon, Fu Zheng was once again none too happy.
There were a lot of on-site consultations that day, and although he was obviously sitting next to Ning Wan, every single person who came to consult turned and walked over to her once they saw her face.
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Oh, and in case he forgot to mention, everyone who came to consult that afternoon was a man.
"Little sister, I have a question. We're currently having a minor dispute with our housekeeper..."
'Lawyer', fine, but what's with the 'little sister'? That man currently consulting Ning Wan looks at least twenty years older than her. Isn't he ashamed to call her 'little sister'?! He's old enough to be her father!
"Lawyer, I got cheated by my landlord. I don't mean anything, of course, but don't you think it would be more convenient if we added each other to WeChat? I could come to you if something comes up in the future, and of course I'll definitely pay you for your time. What about if I treated you to dinner? What sort of cuisine do you like?"
A case was handled, fine. But you just got thrown out by your landlord and have nowhere to live, and you're somehow still thinking about picking up chicks? And wanting Ning Wan's number? And 'not meaning anything'? This world is already kind enough not to put to sleep fellows with no opinions, how dare they try to fall in love?
Although in the end Ning Wan declined the request for her WeChat, Fu Zheng felt like his heart was still none too happy. He hadn't felt it before, but now he was really realizing how muddy the community environment was. All these guys saying that they were here to consult the law and seek advice and ask questions; so then why were they all staring desperately at Ning Wan's face, blushing and stammering like it was love at first sight?
It was seriously time to quickly transfer her out of the community. This really was a bright pearl covered in dust, a fresh flower stuck into dung.
As several young and middle-aged men came to consult in succession, Fu Zheng looked more and more disgusted.
He attributed his mood swings and frequent irritability these days to the recent bad weather. What with it alternating between rain and sun, and the air being muggy enough to chew, it was no wonder no one was pleasing to the eye.
Thankfully, the next day dawned pleasantly cool and bright, the breeze blowing gently and the sun shining down. The rhythm of the community office had also slowed down somewhat, so there were no consults.
Fu Zheng was in a great mood at work that morning.
But soon, when afternoon came, his mood was no longer so good.
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He had just gone out to get a cup of milk tea for Ning Wan, and when he got back to the office, he found someone else there. This time it was a boy who looked as though he had just hit puberty. He had quite a pretty face and a fair complexion, but was quite tall. Even standing next to Fu Zheng himself, he didn't seem short.
When Fu Zheng pushed the door open and entered, the boy was talking shyly to Ning Wan and attempting to push a bouquet of flowers into her hand.
Fu Zheng looked at them. A big bunch of pink roses. What an unsightly color.
He glanced at the boy and did his best to stay calm and unperturbed. "Oh, Ning Wan, who's this kid? Is he here to give us flowers?"
It might have been okay if he hadn't spoken, but as soon as he did the boy corrected him very seriously. "It's not for you." Then he glanced at Ning Wan shyly. "Sister Ning Wan, these are for you alone."
“……”
Under Fu Zheng's chilly gaze, the boy gazed at Ning Wan as if he was about to confess his love. "Sister Ning Wan, it's all thanks to you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here today. If it hadn't been for you finding me every time I was lost..."
What sort of poetry was this young man spouting, 'finding him every time he was lost'? What did he think Ning Wan was, a guiding light?
However, Fu Zheng soon found out that he really was telling the truth.
He heard the boy continue, "If you hadn't persuaded my family to bring me in for treatment, I might be even worse now and might not ever have been able to get it back under control enough to go back to school... But when I was sick I called you every time I got lost. It must have been a lot of trouble..."
"It was no problem, Zichen. You were ill then, and it wasn't really you doing these things. Now that you're stable again, study hard and cheer up."
……
As the two spoke, Fu Zheng figured it out. This teenager was the target of Ning Wan's whispered sweet nothings, Zhang Zichen who had hereditary schizophrenia.
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It was just that even though he knew that the other person was an adolescent child, that his previous behavior had been caused by an illness, and that now his gratitude to Ning Wan was completely understandable, Fu Zheng still felt a little upset.
Being grateful, fine, but wasn't saying 'thank you' enough? Why the need to send flowers? And if you really couldn't hold back your gratitude and simply had to send flowers, then why pink roses? You might as well send a banner! After all, Ning Wan's sweet nothings hadn't been sincere, it was just work. Sending these roses was like crossing the boundary between public and private life, not to mention he was only in his teens. He should study harder and think less about certain things.
Nowadays, not only were young and middle-aged people disgraceful, even adolescents were terrible. The quality of modern men was getting worse every year.
As if to punch Fu Zheng in the face, just as Zhang Zichen had left, an elderly grandfather came to the door.
It wouldn't have been surprising if he had really been Ning Wan's actual grandfather, with his bags of fruits and vegetables. "Xiao Ning, these are from the last time I went back to my hometown. My relatives grew them. When I got hit by an electric car back then, it was thanks to you that I got all my medical expenses covered and compensation paid out. These fruits and vegetables aren't worth much, but they're fresh, no pesticides at all. Please take them..."
In fact, this old man didn't do anything out of line. He put down his fruits and vegetables, and then expressed some perfectly normal concern about Ning Wan--
"Are you currently seeing anyone? If you're not, would you like this old man to introduce you to... "
Fu Zheng decided to take back his previous words. This one wasn't any good either.
Human beings coexisted harmoniously by minding their own business. What was wrong with being single? Why was this old man so bothered about it? He was over 60 years old, he should pay more attention to his health and less to the lives of young people.
……
Men coming to the community office for consultations came and went, and came and went again. Fu Zheng looked on coldly, feeling as though there had been a little flame in his heart and now an evil wind had blown in from who-knows-where and the flame had suddenly become a fire.
A few days ago he had been able to blame the weather for his mood swings, but today he couldn't blame the outside world for his anomalies.
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Fu Zheng had always conducted himself like a successful "superior" and been quite chill about those of the same sex, but now he found that he had become a little "misandrist".
Every man, so long as they were close to Ning Wan, became disgusting in his eyes. Even a fluffy little male dog cuddling up to Ning Wan had to be immediately pulled away and separated...
He was obviously acting strange.
When he calmed himself down and thought about it, he had in fact been acting strange ever since Chen Shuo came to the community.
Previously Fu Zheng had blamed Chen Shuo's hostility for his own abnormalities, but now he found that even without Chen Shuo present, even when it was a strange man who had nothing to do with himself at all, Fu Zheng found himself feeling annoyed and irritable.
Actually, it wasn't like they had nothing at all to do with him.
The connection between them all was Ning Wan.
Any man associated with Ning Wan was disgusting to his eyes.
……
Even though he didn't want to face it, Fu Zheng couldn't help but admit that his mood now revolved around Ning Wan. He had believed himself to be the star, and Ning Wan his satellite. He was the boss, and once his future team was formed, Ning Wan would always revolve around him. It was not until this moment that Fu Zheng discovered that this was not the case.
He was Ning Wan's satellite.
Because of Ning Wan, he had become unlike his usual calm, self-sustaining, steady, tolerant self. He had lost all these advantages, leaving behind only childishness, jealousy, rashness and recklessness... It seemed as though all those principles and virtues acquired in the last 30 years had been smashed, and he had been restored to his original factory settings - not a senior partner, nor a winner in life from the top 10%, nor a graduate from a prestigious school, but simply Fu Zheng, an ordinary man.
Bloody hell. He was in love with Ning Wan. That was why he was jealous.
After Chen Shuo got injured, the community office was suddenly short a man, so Fu Zheng was often busy. His time was occupied with all sorts of trivial and complicated things, yet he didn't feel upset at all. Instead, he felt refreshed. The more he worked, the more energetic he felt.
Sponsored Content
After linking up with the police at the local police station, the two of them headed to the hospital to visit Chen Shuo and give him an update on the progress.
Chen Shuo had recovered very well. So long as the doctor confirmed next week that there was no blood in his lungs, he would be able to leave the hospital and recuperate at home on his own.
"Why another week, senior sister? I feel like I'm all right. I can totally go back to work. I'm young and I heal fast..."
Of course Ning Wan would comfort and console such behavior of showing loyalty even when weak. She told him to rest without worrying and that his body came first, and Chen Shuo happily pushed his advantage--
"Senior sister, I'm just worried that if I'm not there you'll have so much work that you'll be overwhelmed. Won't that new senior partner officially start very soon? You'll need to prepare your team application and take the written test, right?"
Fu Zheng really couldn't listen anymore. "Chen Shuo, you should take good care of yourself, since you're hurt. Don't worry about Ning Wan. I'll be here in the community, and I'll help her bear the burden in your place."
Chen Shuo thought a week was too long, and Fu Zheng thought a week was too fast. Why hadn't the doctor ordered bedrest for this fellow for another ten days or two weeks? No, ten days or two weeks was still too short. A whole year would have been best.
Fortunately, every time Ning Wan went to visit Chen Shuo, Fu Zheng would follow along. That way, he could always remind her that there was work to be done, so she never stayed too long.
The same was true this time. In the end, Fu Zheng left calmly with Ning Wan in the face of Chen Shuo's death glare.
Upon leaving, returning to the community office, and going back to the working life in which only he and Ning Wan were present, Fu Zheng felt like his mood had finally lifted.
But this didn't last too long. Soon, Fu Zheng was once again none too happy.
There were a lot of on-site consultations that day, and although he was obviously sitting next to Ning Wan, every single person who came to consult turned and walked over to her once they saw her face.
Sponsored Content
Oh, and in case he forgot to mention, everyone who came to consult that afternoon was a man.
"Little sister, I have a question. We're currently having a minor dispute with our housekeeper..."
'Lawyer', fine, but what's with the 'little sister'? That man currently consulting Ning Wan looks at least twenty years older than her. Isn't he ashamed to call her 'little sister'?! He's old enough to be her father!
"Lawyer, I got cheated by my landlord. I don't mean anything, of course, but don't you think it would be more convenient if we added each other to WeChat? I could come to you if something comes up in the future, and of course I'll definitely pay you for your time. What about if I treated you to dinner? What sort of cuisine do you like?"
A case was handled, fine. But you just got thrown out by your landlord and have nowhere to live, and you're somehow still thinking about picking up chicks? And wanting Ning Wan's number? And 'not meaning anything'? This world is already kind enough not to put to sleep fellows with no opinions, how dare they try to fall in love?
Although in the end Ning Wan declined the request for her WeChat, Fu Zheng felt like his heart was still none too happy. He hadn't felt it before, but now he was really realizing how muddy the community environment was. All these guys saying that they were here to consult the law and seek advice and ask questions; so then why were they all staring desperately at Ning Wan's face, blushing and stammering like it was love at first sight?
It was seriously time to quickly transfer her out of the community. This really was a bright pearl covered in dust, a fresh flower stuck into dung.
As several young and middle-aged men came to consult in succession, Fu Zheng looked more and more disgusted.
He attributed his mood swings and frequent irritability these days to the recent bad weather. What with it alternating between rain and sun, and the air being muggy enough to chew, it was no wonder no one was pleasing to the eye.
Thankfully, the next day dawned pleasantly cool and bright, the breeze blowing gently and the sun shining down. The rhythm of the community office had also slowed down somewhat, so there were no consults.
Fu Zheng was in a great mood at work that morning.
But soon, when afternoon came, his mood was no longer so good.
Sponsored Content
He had just gone out to get a cup of milk tea for Ning Wan, and when he got back to the office, he found someone else there. This time it was a boy who looked as though he had just hit puberty. He had quite a pretty face and a fair complexion, but was quite tall. Even standing next to Fu Zheng himself, he didn't seem short.
When Fu Zheng pushed the door open and entered, the boy was talking shyly to Ning Wan and attempting to push a bouquet of flowers into her hand.
Fu Zheng looked at them. A big bunch of pink roses. What an unsightly color.
He glanced at the boy and did his best to stay calm and unperturbed. "Oh, Ning Wan, who's this kid? Is he here to give us flowers?"
It might have been okay if he hadn't spoken, but as soon as he did the boy corrected him very seriously. "It's not for you." Then he glanced at Ning Wan shyly. "Sister Ning Wan, these are for you alone."
“……”
Under Fu Zheng's chilly gaze, the boy gazed at Ning Wan as if he was about to confess his love. "Sister Ning Wan, it's all thanks to you. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here today. If it hadn't been for you finding me every time I was lost..."
What sort of poetry was this young man spouting, 'finding him every time he was lost'? What did he think Ning Wan was, a guiding light?
However, Fu Zheng soon found out that he really was telling the truth.
He heard the boy continue, "If you hadn't persuaded my family to bring me in for treatment, I might be even worse now and might not ever have been able to get it back under control enough to go back to school... But when I was sick I called you every time I got lost. It must have been a lot of trouble..."
"It was no problem, Zichen. You were ill then, and it wasn't really you doing these things. Now that you're stable again, study hard and cheer up."
……
As the two spoke, Fu Zheng figured it out. This teenager was the target of Ning Wan's whispered sweet nothings, Zhang Zichen who had hereditary schizophrenia.
Sponsored Content
It was just that even though he knew that the other person was an adolescent child, that his previous behavior had been caused by an illness, and that now his gratitude to Ning Wan was completely understandable, Fu Zheng still felt a little upset.
Being grateful, fine, but wasn't saying 'thank you' enough? Why the need to send flowers? And if you really couldn't hold back your gratitude and simply had to send flowers, then why pink roses? You might as well send a banner! After all, Ning Wan's sweet nothings hadn't been sincere, it was just work. Sending these roses was like crossing the boundary between public and private life, not to mention he was only in his teens. He should study harder and think less about certain things.
Nowadays, not only were young and middle-aged people disgraceful, even adolescents were terrible. The quality of modern men was getting worse every year.
As if to punch Fu Zheng in the face, just as Zhang Zichen had left, an elderly grandfather came to the door.
It wouldn't have been surprising if he had really been Ning Wan's actual grandfather, with his bags of fruits and vegetables. "Xiao Ning, these are from the last time I went back to my hometown. My relatives grew them. When I got hit by an electric car back then, it was thanks to you that I got all my medical expenses covered and compensation paid out. These fruits and vegetables aren't worth much, but they're fresh, no pesticides at all. Please take them..."
In fact, this old man didn't do anything out of line. He put down his fruits and vegetables, and then expressed some perfectly normal concern about Ning Wan--
"Are you currently seeing anyone? If you're not, would you like this old man to introduce you to... "
Fu Zheng decided to take back his previous words. This one wasn't any good either.
Human beings coexisted harmoniously by minding their own business. What was wrong with being single? Why was this old man so bothered about it? He was over 60 years old, he should pay more attention to his health and less to the lives of young people.
……
Men coming to the community office for consultations came and went, and came and went again. Fu Zheng looked on coldly, feeling as though there had been a little flame in his heart and now an evil wind had blown in from who-knows-where and the flame had suddenly become a fire.
A few days ago he had been able to blame the weather for his mood swings, but today he couldn't blame the outside world for his anomalies.
Sponsored Content
Fu Zheng had always conducted himself like a successful "superior" and been quite chill about those of the same sex, but now he found that he had become a little "misandrist".
Every man, so long as they were close to Ning Wan, became disgusting in his eyes. Even a fluffy little male dog cuddling up to Ning Wan had to be immediately pulled away and separated...
He was obviously acting strange.
When he calmed himself down and thought about it, he had in fact been acting strange ever since Chen Shuo came to the community.
Previously Fu Zheng had blamed Chen Shuo's hostility for his own abnormalities, but now he found that even without Chen Shuo present, even when it was a strange man who had nothing to do with himself at all, Fu Zheng found himself feeling annoyed and irritable.
Actually, it wasn't like they had nothing at all to do with him.
The connection between them all was Ning Wan.
Any man associated with Ning Wan was disgusting to his eyes.
……
Even though he didn't want to face it, Fu Zheng couldn't help but admit that his mood now revolved around Ning Wan. He had believed himself to be the star, and Ning Wan his satellite. He was the boss, and once his future team was formed, Ning Wan would always revolve around him. It was not until this moment that Fu Zheng discovered that this was not the case.
He was Ning Wan's satellite.
Because of Ning Wan, he had become unlike his usual calm, self-sustaining, steady, tolerant self. He had lost all these advantages, leaving behind only childishness, jealousy, rashness and recklessness... It seemed as though all those principles and virtues acquired in the last 30 years had been smashed, and he had been restored to his original factory settings - not a senior partner, nor a winner in life from the top 10%, nor a graduate from a prestigious school, but simply Fu Zheng, an ordinary man.
Bloody hell. He was in love with Ning Wan. That was why he was jealous.
