Chapter 5 Chapter 5 The Foundation of Our Marriage

After Gan Lu went home and took a shower, it was long past the usual time to go to bed, and she had to go to work the next day, but she couldn't sleep in bed.Just found out about the existence of her husband's ex-girlfriend, and met her ex-boyfriend again. Her usual calm life seemed to be undercurrents, and the mystery novels she used to pass the time before going to bed did not help her to fall asleep at ease. Her father, she thought, became cynical and depressed because of a failed marriage.Why did she, who experienced the same disaster, know the horror and fragility of marriage, so she chose to get married early, and persuaded her father to remarry for realistic reasons.

If Nie Qian had answered the phone earlier in the middle of the night two years ago and said that sentence immediately, would she have registered with Shang Xiuwen at the Civil Affairs Bureau the next day? Thinking that Nie Qian, who is so selfish, doesn't consider her at all when planning the future, but once flew back because of a phone call from her, and stood outside the school where she worked, she couldn't help feeling sad. Then, his first love was like hers, it didn't count as a wild goose, but it finally calmed down after ripples appeared in each other's hearts. This can be said to be the best result.

But what about Shang Xiuwen's past relationships? According to him, when they met, he had broken up with He Jingyi for three years.Since she was a child, she has always had a ready-made sample of a typical man who is stuck in the past and cannot extricate herself from it—that is, her father Gamble. She does not think that Shang Xiuwen has any similarities with her father in terms of personality and behavior. However, she could not convince herself to be indifferent to everything. At the same moment two years ago, Gan Lu was also tossing and turning on the bed.She has already made an appointment with Shang Xiuwen. She will go to get a marriage certificate the next day, and then go to the Maldives for a honeymoon trip. There will be no ceremony or banquet.

According to Shang Xiuwen, after his father passed away a few years ago, his mother was transferred from a neighboring province. Except for his uncle Wu Changzhi's family in J City, and a distant cousin Shang Shaokun who has lived abroad for many years, he has no relatives or old friends. Local, and his mother didn't like to make a fuss.Gan Lu's family structure is even more special. Not to mention that her parents are divorced, and they have already turned their backs on each other, they will never sit at the same table for dinner.She was relieved to hear that there was no need to serve wine, and readily agreed to Shang Xiuwen's arrangement.

No matter how unanimous the opinions were, Gan Lu still hesitated after returning.She walked around the house, even called Nie Qian, but hung up immediately, categorically denying her ridiculous behavior, and she lost sleep that night.However, the long night will eventually pass, and a new day will always come as scheduled. The morning sun shone through the curtains into the house. She climbed up and walked onto the balcony. This community is very green, and it looks green from any angle. The air is fresh in the morning, and the chirping birds add to the tranquility and beauty.She thought, there is no need to think any more, the next thing to do is to live a good life.

She put on her makeup meticulously, and changed into a set of gray-purple straight-fit skirt that her mother brought her, only to see Shang Xiuwen standing beside the car smoking a cigarette.He was wearing a pressed gray suit and a gray and blue tie. He was slender and tall. This was the first time she had seen him dressed so formally, and he was not as careless as he used to be.Seeing her, he squinted his eyes and smiled, threw away the cigarette butt, and held her hand: "Very beautiful, Lulu." It was a late autumn morning commonly known as "October Xiaoyangchun", the rustling autumn wind was not chilly, and the sun was warm and gentle. His hands firmly wrapped hers, and his eyes were as gentle as his smile.For a moment, all uncertainties seemed to evaporate in smoke.She thought that there is no reason for two sincere people to fail a marriage.

After two years of marriage, she has not regretted her decision.Whether it was the unpopular job transfer or the indifferent mother-in-law, it didn't affect her getting along with Shang Xiuwen. She didn't expect that the real test would come in this way. The next day, Gan Lu was not surprised when she saw her slightly haggard face in the mirror. She was no longer in her early twenties when she could stay up late, so she could only put on light makeup to make herself look more energetic. Wu Lijun was eating breakfast, silent as always, she had a meeting in the prefecture-level city below in the morning, and she was going to go out for two days, the secretary called to say that the car had arrived downstairs, and she had already walked to the door with her bag, so she seemed He asked unintentionally, "Is there anything wrong with your father?"

She only met Gambo once and talked for a few words. After that, she never had any contact with Lu Huining, and she never saw Lu Huining at all.Fortunately, Gan Bo has always been very indifferent to human relations, while Lu Huining shrugged, saying that seeing his son-in-law is enough, and Gan Lu doesn't need to worry about what kind of interaction between in-laws should be. Now, hearing her rare concern, she immediately smiled and said: "The small matter has been resolved." Wu Lijun nodded and went straight out. Near noon, Gan Lu received a text message from Shang Xiuwen, telling her that she had returned and would go to school to pick her up from get off work in the afternoon and have dinner together to celebrate the wedding anniversary.However, when it was time to get off work, Shang Xiuwen called and told her that something happened in the company, and now he and Feng Yi'an are rushing to deal with it, and I am afraid that he will not be able to pick her up.Of course she said it was all right, but she only remembered after returning home, because Wu Lijun was away for a meeting, and she had told the part-time workers not to cook today.

She boiled noodles for a meal, and then seized the time to go upstairs to continue writing lesson plans, but the door opened suddenly, and Wu Lijun hurried in. She was taken aback: "Mom, didn't you say you will be back tomorrow? Have you eaten yet?" ?” Wu Lijun asked with a livid face, "Where is Xiuwen?" "He said that the company has something to do and he will come back later." Wu Lijun was taken aback for a moment, and hurried into her room. At nearly eleven o'clock in the evening, Gan Lu was leaning on the bed, reading mystery novels as usual. Her habit of reading mystery novels before going to bed can be traced back to middle school. Relax yourself.Today she is holding in her hand a book written by the British female writer Josephine Tey. This book cleverly combines reasoning with historical unsolved cases. The style of writing is concise and fascinating. It should have aroused her interest more, but she does have some thoughts No, she only breathed a sigh of relief when she heard the door knock downstairs and Shang Xiuwen came home.

Shang Xiuwen entered his mother's room first, and went upstairs after a while.He walked to the edge of the bed and sat down, raising his hand to stroke her hair with a tired expression. "Is there anything wrong with the company?" "It's a little troublesome, but it's okay." Shang Xiuwen looked at her, "Lulu, there are some things that I want to explain to you clearly." Gan Lu listened quietly. "He Jingyi was my ex-girlfriend. We fell in love for a few years and then broke up." Shang Xiuwen's voice was calm, as if he was objectively telling what happened to others, "When I met you, I should have broken up with her for three years. It’s been a year, and we haven’t contacted each other again. We ran into each other a month ago, and I didn’t know that she had joined Yixin Group and achieved a very high position. As for my going to J City, I didn’t intend to meet her. She represents Yixin went there to discuss investment in the mining industry. He has business contacts with his uncle's steel company, and intends to participate in the merger of a state-owned steel factory like Xusheng. There is both cooperation and competition. These terms and details. We met several times in J City, when you called me yesterday, I said I was talking to a friend, and that friend was her."

He spoke in great detail.Of course, Gan Lu still has many questions: Will her girlfriend who has been separated for many years call and have a long talk in the middle of the night?Why is your mother acting so strangely towards her, warning you not to see her?How to explain the meeting that Qian Jiaxi saw should not belong to the business negotiation? But she decided not to ask any more. Less than half a year after she broke up with Nie Qian, she met Shang Xiuwen, and he pursued him afterwards, and she had no intention of refusing.When Shang Xiuwen saw her meeting Nie Qian by chance, she didn't introduce that this was my ex-boyfriend, because there was no need for that.If someone wanted to question her carefully about her mental journey, she would just say that there is no absolute confession in life.In the same way as others, many things do not need to be explained and investigated at all. What's more, Shang Xiuwen looked very calm, leaned over slightly, reached out to hold her hand: "Are you satisfied with my explanation?" "I just hope that there will be no need for such an explanation between us in the future." She sighed. Shang Xiuwen nodded: "These two years of marriage, I am very happy, Lulu, believe me, I cherish our life now." He got up and went to the study outside, opened the drawer of his desk, and quickly took out a delicate sea blue The small box returned to the bedroom and handed it to her, "I bought it a long time ago as a wedding anniversary gift, I hope you like it." She opened it and saw a pair of shiny, soft and crystal-clear white pearl earrings.She stared at it for a while, then looked up at Shang Xiuwen: "I like it very much." Shang Xiuwen leaned over and kissed her forehead: "It's fine if you like it, you go to bed first, I'll take a shower, I have to deal with some business later, don't wait for me." Watching Shang Xiuwen go out, Gan Lu put the gift on the bedside table, and stroked her earlobe. There was a small platinum rose flower-shaped earring, which was given to her by Shang Xiuwen on their first wedding anniversary. She was shocked. Laughing: "You don't have to notice that I don't have pierced ears at all, do you?" "I'll wear it with you. Your earlobes are so full and beautiful. It's a pity not to wear earrings." The next day, he really accompanied her to have her ears pierced, and then put the earrings on for her.She admitted that as a teacher, she can't wear eye-catching jewelry at will. She has always had short hair, and the small earrings are very suitable for her. However, what she thought of at the moment was He Jingyi who she saw on the TV screen last night.She came to the stage and stood still with a calm expression. The cameraman took a close-up shot of her face. The diamond studs on her ears flashed a small but dazzling light under the spotlight, which impressed Gan Lu deeply. She didn't think about it randomly, but some details that a man pays attention to are not out of thin air, thinking that he once looked at another woman's ear with the same loving eyes, especially when this woman's face has clearly appeared in front of her, She couldn't help but feel a little disobedient, and at the same time, she had to convince herself again that there were some things that didn't need to be studied carefully. In the next few days, Shang Xiuwen left early and returned late, and the two of them didn't meet and talk much. On this day, Gan Lu went to participate in the preliminary round of the teaching competition. The competition was held in the auditorium of No. 1 Middle School, another key middle school in the city. This is Gan Lu's alma mater. As soon as she entered the campus, she felt friendly and even went to visit her former teacher. No. 1 Middle School is doing the three subjects of politics, history and geography. According to the rules, all participating teachers have to give lectures on the spot for ten minutes, and at the same time demonstrate the multimedia courseware and ppt electronic presentations they have prepared; then ten minutes for work introduction and defense, Present your entry and answer live questions from the expert judges. The number Gan Lu got was relatively late, and in the afternoon, she could only sit there, watching the lectures of other teachers carefully, and taking notes at the same time. The game came to an end at noon, and everyone took a lunch break in the auditorium after eating.Gan Lu bought an evening paper to pass the time, and was taken aback when she casually turned to a report on Minsheng Economics. A few days ago, this newspaper published a report based on a mysterious reader’s report, exposing that a certain building in this city used low-quality steel bars, and the construction quality was worrying. A pile of straight steel bars, and said to seek an expert's preliminary appraisal, no matter the diameter or strength, it did not meet the standard.Several teachers in the office at that time saw the report, and at the same time lamented that housing prices are now inflated, and profiteers are still playing tricks, which is really shocking. What was published today is a follow-up report, saying that the relevant departments attach great importance to this situation, and carried out a general survey of steel bars on construction sites throughout the city, tested the strength, compressive resistance, and flexural resistance of some steel bars, and sealed up a batch of steel bars. And at the same time, specifically named several suppliers who supplied steel that did not meet the specifications. Anda Building Materials Trading Company, a joint venture between Shang Xiuwen and Feng Yi'an, was among them. Since their marriage, Gan Lu and Shang Xiuwen have been completely independent financially. Shang Xiuwen told her clearly that she does not need to support the family.She smiled at the time: "The implication is that you want me to just take care of myself and not ask about your income?" Shang Xiuwen also laughed: "Being a building material supplier is very boring and boring, and you can't make a lot of money, but fortunately, the profit is decent. It is my responsibility to support my family, so you don't need to worry about it." After her parents divorced, she lived with her father.Not to mention that Gamble's income is not high, and he has no calculations at all.After a few months of hard work, Gan Lu was forced to take over his salary early, calculate the family's expenses, and spend the money as reasonably as possible. After more than ten years of such a life, she has long been tired of it , now happy and at ease, of course I have no objection to this arrangement. Shang Xiuwen seldom talked about the company's operating conditions, and he always talked about business affairs with her in passing.He drives an old Bora, and doesn't have any extravagant spending, but he pays attention to the quality of life, and he is not petty in his actions.Gan Lu felt that this kind of well-off state with no more money and no need to worry was perfect, and she was very satisfied. But now that something happened to his company, she couldn't justify staying out of it. Except that Shang Xiuwen was busier than usual, there was nothing unusual, but Wu Lijun's anxious expression was obvious these days, almost every day he had to wait for Shang Xiuwen to come back and have a private talk with him for a while.Gan Lu guessed that at least her mother-in-law knew about it. Both the mother and son felt that there was no need to tell her that, thinking about it in a good way, it can be said that they didn't want to worry her; of. She instinctively wanted to call Shang Xiuwen, but held back. After thinking about it, she got up and left the school. It's not too far from Shang Xiuwen's office, so she hailed a taxi and went straight there. Anda Building Materials Trading Co., Ltd. is located in an unremarkable office building in a not-so-busy area. There is a copper signboard hanging at the door. The company is small in scale. The outside is an open office area and reception room, and the inside is shared by Shang Xiuwen and Feng Yian. office.Xiao Liu, the secretary and receptionist, knew Gan Lu. She was startled when she saw her, and then greeted her with a smile: "Mr. Shang has gone out and hasn't come back yet. Come in and have a seat." All the people in front of them are busy, and there is no strange emotion.As soon as she hesitated, Feng Yi'an came out of the inner office and asked a staff member something. Seeing her, she was also startled at first, and immediately said, "Gan Lu, come in and sit down." She followed him into the office. There were two desks facing each other, a dark brown leather sofa by the window, and a set of filing cabinets. There was nothing superfluous. A small photo frame with a photo of the two of them on their honeymoon in the Maldives. Feng Yi'an is two years younger than Shang Xiuwen. He used to look like a well-dressed young man with a free and easy manner, but now he looks a bit listless, and seems to be a little thinner.I don't know if it's because of Shang Xiuwen's "broken love" that he said with a smile, or because of the accident that the company is facing right now. "You have always been a rare visitor, why are you free to come here today?" Gan Lu took out the evening paper from his bag, and he nodded. He had obviously read it long ago, and was not surprised: "Oh, you noticed it too, it's nothing serious, don't worry." Gan Lu thought, being so calm about this matter, it seems that the broken relationship is really affecting her, she still couldn't help but be strict: "Yi'an, the responsibility for the quality of the building is too great, no one can afford it if something happens, how can you so?" Feng Yi'an laughed, and pointed to the newspaper for her to read carefully: "Don't worry, read this paragraph carefully." She followed his finger and read the report again, and she saw something else. When she mentioned Shang Xiuwen's company, what she said was that the type of steel bars they represented did not meet the specifications. Rebar is different. "But it's not right if it doesn't meet the specifications." "We have signed clear supply contracts with construction companies and developers, supplying steel bars in strict accordance with their specifications, and each batch of goods is accompanied by an inspection certificate." Gan Lu needed to use her brain to understand what he meant: "Are you saying this is the responsibility of the builder or developer?" "It's too early to say who is responsible, but no matter from which level, we are all tenable. This report will definitely have an impact on our company. Xiuwen and I have been discussing the aftermath for the past few days. I am very happy. I'm surprised by the reporting angle of this reporter." Feng Yi'an frowned and said, "It must be targeted, I have asked someone to inquire about it." "Where did Xiuwen go?" Gan Lu asked casually. For a moment, a strange expression flashed across Feng Yi'an's face, and he immediately replied: "He has an engagement at noon today, and I really don't know when he will be back. Hey, do you have no class this afternoon?" "I have to go to No. 1 Middle School in the afternoon." "I'll take you there." Feng Yi'an stood up and said attentively. Gan Lu looked at him with raised eyebrows, and he said uncomfortably, "What's wrong?" Gan Lu smiled and said, "I think you seem to be in a hurry to let me go." Feng Yi'an was a little embarrassed, and hid himself in a disguised way: "I'm afraid you're in a hurry, okay?" Gan Lu also stood up, looked at her watch, and smiled, "I'm really in a hurry." Their timing was perfect. After going downstairs, Feng Yi'an was about to drive his own car in a parking lot, when a fiery red Maserati GT coupe stopped in front of the office building, the passenger door opened, Shang Xiuwen came out, and he saw Gan Lu , obviously a little surprised: "Lulu, when did you come?" Before Gan Lu could answer, the driver's door opened, and a black high-heeled shoe came out, and then two round and slender legs stepped out obliquely. A tall girl wearing a dark green silk V-neck top and a black flower bud skirt followed immediately Standing in front of Gan Lu. She was nearly half a head taller than Gan Lu. She glanced at Gan Lu with a half-smile, and then turned to Shang Xiuwen: "Xiuwen, why don't you introduce me." Shang Xiuwen cast his eyes across the car, his expression was so calm that it was almost indifferent, and he was about to speak when Gan Lu spoke first: "Hello, Miss He." He Jingyi was slightly surprised: "Hey, you know me?" "I've heard the name for a long time." Gan Lu said clearly with a slight smile. He Jingyi looked at her thoughtfully, and smiled: "Oh, I haven't asked you yet..." Shang Xiuwen's voice came over calmly: "My wife Gan Lu." "Long ago." He Jingyi nodded to her. Gan Lu nodded in the same way, then turned to look at Shang Xiuwen: "Xiuwen, I happen to be rushing to school, so you can see me off to save trouble." Shang Xiuwen nodded, turned the car around, gently held Gan Lu's waist with his left hand, and then looked directly at He Jingyi: "Goodbye, Jingyi." "I still have a game in the afternoon, so I don't want to be distracted by it. Let's go back tonight if there is anything to do." Gan Lu said simply after getting into the car. Shang Xiuwen nodded, drove the car to No. 1 Middle School, got out with her, and locked the car: "I have nothing to do this afternoon, let's go and watch your competition." Gan Lu didn't object, the two of them entered the auditorium together and sat in the back seat. She seized the last bit of time and looked at the lesson plan again.After several years of work, the teacher can at least get rid of distracting thoughts before class and not bring personal emotions into class. At this moment, she is using this cultivation to persuade herself to focus on the game and ignore the quiet sitting around her. Shang Xiuwen. When it was her turn to take the stage, she was nervous, picked up the lesson plan, stood up, and walked lightly onto the rostrum.She had only participated in similar competitions when she was studying at Normal University, but the school was all on paper, and everyone was relatively relaxed, obviously not this formal.Now, even though she had rehearsed repeatedly in private, she was still a little uncertain. Fortunately, she was well prepared. Standing on the stage, she adjusted her breathing rhythm and calmed down when she began to speak. Gan Lu's topic is "China's Social Economy after the Opium War". Due to time constraints, it is impossible to fully develop it. However, the multimedia courseware she made is concise and clear, with rich references to historical materials, and her slightly hoarse voice is eloquent and fluent. Shang Xiuwen looked at the slender figure on the stage, separated by more than ten rows of seats and rows of heads in front, her face seemed a bit small and blurry, but her voice came very clearly, he suddenly remembered the situation when they first met. After Wu Lijun was transferred from a neighboring province to work, Shang Xiuwen also came to live in this strange city. At first, he felt a bit lonely, but after getting to know Feng Yi'an, the two began to cooperate, and occasionally went out together for entertainment.It's just that those entertainments can't arouse his interest anymore, he just stays lazily in the bustle and bustle to pass his free time. Among Feng Yian's friends, there are many beauties who are stylishly dressed and lively in conversation. In contrast, Gan Lu is beautiful in appearance, unassuming in her demeanor, and not very eloquent. Most of the time she is a listener, which is not eye-catching .He saw that Qian Jiaxi wanted to introduce her to Feng Yi'an, and had no intention of striking up a conversation with her, but he overheard Qian Jiaxi whispering to her, urging her to forget her old friend and start a new relationship. This happened to be what his mother Wu Lijun put down the newspaper the night before and carefully said every word to him.Although Wu Lijun has been busy with work, more importantly, it seems that motherhood is not strong enough. She has not been close to her only son since she was a child. The breakup between him and his girlfriend is a knot between mother and son. No one wants to touch it .His answer at the time was almost the same as Gan Lu: "Thank you for your concern, but if you don't mention it, I can probably forget it more completely." Gan Lu's low and hoarse voice moved his heart. Looking sideways, she lowered her head slightly, her gaze fell on the teacup in front of her, but her eyes seemed to drift away into the distance, with a helpless smile on the corner of her mouth. Shang Xiuwen didn't like to sing, but he didn't leave after eating as usual that day. When she arrived at the KTV, Gan Lu only drank soft drinks and didn't drink a drop of alcohol. The explanation she gave was the favorite excuse of good girls: "I'm allergic to alcohol." Others naturally didn't believe it, so they tried to persuade her to drink it. They poured the Baileys and stretched out the glass in front of her, half coaxing half provocatively. On the other hand, Qian Jiaxi came back after singing, reached out to snatch it, drank it dry, and said with a smile: "Lulu is not pretending, she really can't drink, I have known her for so long, and I have never seen her drink. Hurry up Order a song, she sings very well." Gan Lu sang the song "Gentle Mercy" first. Under the dim light, she stared at the lyrics on the screen with concentration and tranquility, and her beautiful face exuded brilliance.She really sang well, her slightly hoarse voice was soft and low-pitched, and she had the charm of the original singer, winning applause from all the audience.After singing one song, she refused to order any more songs. She just smiled and said, "The pharyngitis is more serious than before. The doctor warns you not to use your voice too much. You can sing." Shang Xiuwen didn't order a song at all, the two sat on the side of the private room and chatted naturally.Only then did he know that she turned out to be a middle school history teacher.She does have the demeanor of a teacher: gentle, calm, methodical.However, Shang Xiuwen always felt that her calm and calm attitude did not necessarily belong to the teacher's professional accomplishment. Then Shang Xiuwen confirmed his conjecture.He didn't call, so of course she didn't take the initiative to contact him; she wasn't surprised when he called. Shang Xiuwen has already developed a life attitude of being indifferent and on the sidelines. It is difficult for ordinary girls to resist his sharp glance that seems to be unintentional but actually sees through the heart at a glance, but he did not find any cracks in Gan Lu's behavior.She has a girl's petite attitude and pettiness, she happily enjoys his pursuit, but doesn't ask why at all. It wasn't until he proposed marriage out of the blue that she showed panic and surprise, but she still didn't ask him the motive of his behavior.After a few days, she called him and told him in a slightly hoarse but clear voice like now: I agree. Gan Lu finished the lecture and questioning session, packed up the handouts and returned to her seat.Shang Xiuwen suddenly held her hand, she was slightly startled, and was about to break free, he leaned over and said softly: "Fortunately, you still have a little cold sweat on your hand, otherwise I would think that you can't be scared in any situation and in any occasion." you." His palm was a little callused, the temperature was not high, but it was dry and stable, and he held her hand firmly. She didn't move anymore, her eyes looked ahead, and she also said softly: "I just learned a little from elementary school. Don’t panic, some things will happen, it’s better to calm down, you might enjoy the process.” The game didn't end until half past five, and it was already dark outside.Shang Xiuwen and Gan Lu came out and called his mother while walking: "Mom, Lulu and I won't go back for dinner today." After a short pause, he said, "Okay, I know." Gan Lu didn't say anything, and after getting in the car, she also called the part-time worker at home, telling her that today she was only cooking for Wu Lijun alone, and at the same time discussed with her the recipe for the next day as usual: "It's still stewed yam pork ribs soup, yes, Buy another steamed sea bass, by the way, Miss Hu, see if there is any broccoli for sale, if not, you can also buy choy sum, um, stir fry choy sum with some garlic." Putting down the phone, she looked back at Shang Xiuwen: "Where are we going?" "There is a new seafood restaurant on the riverside. According to Yi'an, all the ingredients are delivered by air on the same day. They are very fresh. Let's try it." This seafood restaurant is more like a high-end western restaurant in terms of decoration and style. There are no loud noises and wine fights from the guests, only the background music flowing like water. , the seats are heavy velvet sofas in classical style, and the tables are separated by fuchsia curtains. The light projected from the crystal chandelier makes the tableware crystal clear.The small private room for couples is an irregular oval shape, decorated with special thought, and you can see the night view of the river from the window. Gan Lu took a look at the beautifully bound menu, and the price was unsurprisingly unfriendly. At the same time, she thought that now that she was a typical wife, she did not prioritize the atmosphere, food, and atmosphere when she went out to eat. I will roughly settle accounts and see what kind of collocation is more economical and cost-effective. I can't help being a little funny. Shang Xiuwen didn't wait for her to think too much, he had already ordered the meal for her, he had always been familiar with her preferences, and she didn't bother to choose any more. "He Jingyi came to the company suddenly today, and invited me to have dinner at noon. She said that Yixin Group has invested in a local commercial real estate project and intends to sign a building materials supply contract with our company." "I don't know much about business, Xiuwen. But I don't think it's a pure coincidence that she went to J City and had business dealings with your uncle's company; when she came back to the local area, she also had the intention of cooperating with you." "That's right. It's reasonable for Yixin to discuss cooperation with his uncle. After all, Xusheng Company is the largest private steel company in J City, and the mineral resources there are also the investment targets of many domestic groups. But Yixin's projects in this city are as normal. In terms of approach, it should be a joint public bidding with the builder, and the agent basically does not have the strength to participate. With the current scale of our company, there is no capital to negotiate cooperation with Yixin on an equal footing, and I have clearly declined her." "I trust your judgment on the business. My question is probably only her motivation and purpose for doing so." At this time, the waiter knocked on the door lightly, and brought up the small copper seafood soup pot, seasonings and seafood, and then backed out.Shang Xiuwen put the baby abalone into the pot first, and was lost for a while: "I know, it's easy to reason out the ambiguity. But in fact, Jingyi and I have long since lost the possibility." His voice is slightly bitter, but this is not an answer that can make Gan Lu feel relieved.Intellectually speaking, she clearly knows that everyone has past events, and some of them are not even humane at all, and only stay in her heart to decay slowly.She had no intention of caring about a past relationship, but the desolation in Shang Xiuwen's words made her feel cold. It's not that there is no emotion, but that there is no "possibility"—she picks the words unconsciously. Is this an acceptance of fate that cannot resist fate, or is it helplessness that love has come to an end?So is marrying her an option after a relationship is impossible? Gan Lu watched the seafood soup slowly start to tumbling in the pot, and her mind was also turbulent.Shang Xiuwen picked up the cooked abalone for her and put it into the seasoning dish: "Lulu, please don't think too much about it." "Do you think I'm someone who loves to make trouble for no reason?" "You are not. What I admire most about you is that you are sensible enough to see things." Gan Lu looked at him, his eyes met her gaze without evasion, she smiled slowly: "This is probably a compliment, but it makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable. Xiuwen, if a man is attracted by a woman's rational behavior Appreciate her, even marry her, the foundation of this marriage is very problematic." The seafood in this restaurant is as fresh and delicious as Feng Yian predicted, but both of them are not satisfied with eating.Gan Lu thought that it would be a waste of environment and food to choose an expensive place with a good atmosphere for this kind of conversation. Shang Xiuwen seemed to have the same appetite as her. After eating for a while, he simply turned off the gurgling fire, leaving only the background music playing softly in the room. "Did I actually make you question the foundation of our marriage?" Shang Xiuwen asked softly. "You overestimate my sanity, I have never been strong enough to automatically repair and filter everything, Xiuwen." Shang Xiuwen was silent for a while: "Lulu, I don't want to recall the past, but there are some things I have to tell you. I met Jingyi when I was in college. We have been in love for four years. The reason for breaking up is very complicated, even involving us. In short, no matter from which aspect, it is the kind of family that is completely impossible to recover, and I believe Jingyi is as clear as I am about this." Gan Lu didn't make a sound, this explanation didn't mean much to her.Of course she knew that every love that came to an end had its own reasons, and she didn't want to know those details.Her question was not here, but she was upset inside, and it seemed that she couldn't ask any more questions. "I don't know why she came this time, and I don't think it's important. I told you that day that I cherish our life, not just talking casually. I don't want this to affect our relationship. " "Xiuwen, I have seen my parents' unsuccessful marriages since I was a child. In fact, I have never dared to be optimistic about marriage. When I agreed to marry you, I thought about it for three days. I knew it was a risk, but I still couldn't bear to refuse. Do you know why I hesitated? You said I was rational, but your marriage proposal was really rational, which scared me. Reason is a good thing, but if a person makes a choice based on reason, he will definitely miss out on things that are worth looking forward to in life. I am really I'm afraid you are restraining yourself with reason." Shang Xiuwen smiled, and looked at her thoughtfully, she looked away in annoyance, and said angrily, "Every time you smile at me like this, it's clear that you are playing a beauty trick to confuse me." "I didn't know that I actually had the capital to use the beauty trick." His smile grew stronger. Gan Lu sighed, of course he did. When she first met Shang Xiuwen, she had the same impression of him as Qian Jiaxi. She felt that this man was a bit lazy and decadent, his eyes were deep and bottomless, and his demeanor was too calm and calm, as if he was not interested in anything. , and too sure about everything, a little unpredictable.She was instinctively wary of such a man, and had no intention of getting close to him. The two have been in close contact for a long time.Shang Xiuwen didn't push her too hard, and he didn't try to be indifferent to her. The appointments were arranged so sparsely that sometimes she almost thought that the two of them had nothing to say, and then he suddenly called and asked her out leisurely, or to watch a movie and have dinner. , or a walk in the countryside, or a short trip. Gan Lu thought, if this is considered flirting with girls, the purpose is too weak.But this also suits her state of mind that she doesn't want to have deep friendship with others. She couldn't convince herself to immediately forget her last relationship and throw herself into a new relationship. At that time, her father was well taken care of by Aunt Wang, so she didn't need to worry about it all the time.Her work is not easy, but it is not too stressful. In her free time, she reads books, listens to music, and cooks herself a delicious meal.If she feels lonely and bored, she will go to Qian Jiaxi's lively party to have fun.Shang Xiuwen's occasional dates also made her feel safe and relaxed.In short, she lived a life of unprecedented ease and contentment. After having a handsome boyfriend like Nie Qian, she has basically become immune to a man's appearance, and the handsome guy will not disturb her.Shang Xiuwen can only be regarded as having clear facial features, but he is slender, his every move seems to be careless, and he always has an indescribable demeanor. He occasionally smiles, different from the usual indifference, but radiant, confident and reassuring the power of. Seeing him smile at her for the first time, she was slightly dazzled.Surprised, she thought to herself, the lethality of this man's smile really cannot be underestimated. 好在尚修文并不爱时时开怀而笑，更多的时候他都是懒洋洋的，不管是谈起他的工作还是刚看完的煽情电影，全有点不当回事的轻描淡写，笑也只是嘴角一勾，颇为敷衍潦草。 甘璐才与聂谦那样进取心强烈、无暇顾及感情的典型工作狂分手，又面对如此不同，甚至不好简单归于哪个类型的男人，的确很不适应。可是她告诉自己，你根本不需要用看男朋友的眼光去看他，只管享受眼前的好时光就足够了。 然而两个人出去得多了，周围的人自然便当他们在一起了，包括钱佳西也这么认为。她先还辩解，后来一想，多说什么也是矫情，也就懒得再说了。 那年春节，尚修文打电话给甘璐，问她有没有兴趣去J市玩玩，参加两省交界处一座山峰的短途穿越。她从来没玩过户外，未免有些好奇，便答应了下来。 尚修文接了她，与大家会合，她才知道，这次穿越是冯以安发起的，尚修文带着调侃轻声说：“以安为了追女朋友下血本了，把我们全弄来当幌子。” 看看冯以安身边站着的那个穿灰蓝色冲锋衣安静而美丽的女孩子，甘璐想，这个血本应该是值得一下的。 车队到达了J市，已经是晚上，先在市区一间酒店吃了饭，然后去郊外尚修文舅舅吴昌智的一幢别墅住宿。到了那里，除了冯以安知道旭昇的企业规模和吴昌智的身家，不算意外，其他人都有点吃惊。 这幢别墅位于J市难得的风景区旁边，视线内有山有水自不必说，占地面积更是惊人，别墅是徽派建筑，粉墙青瓦，高脊飞檐，宽大的前后庭院里又隐隐然是苏州园林的风格，假山鱼池一应俱全，花园打理得井井有条，外加一个玻璃温室，室内一楼全套的紫檀、花梨木家具，看上去已经不能单纯用气派两字形容了。 当晚大家聚在客厅内喝酒聊天，商量第二天的行程，相互检查各自的装备。甘璐发现，这帮人包括冯以安的女友辛辰在内，全是有多年户外经验的驴友，他们的计划是第二天开始重装穿越，而离J市还有三小时车程的那座山峰海拔虽然不算高，但以地形险要地貌丰富闻名，他们准备带帐篷露营，路线包括登山、徒手攀岩与一段岩降。 冯以安以前并不玩户外，开始追求辛辰后，才去买了全套行头，预备舍命相陪。他对尚修文说：“修文，你怎么一点准备都没有，不是预先告诉你行程，给了你装备单子吗？” 尚修文不光自己没准备，也没告诉甘璐要带什么，他笑道：“我不打算去，明天这边还有点事要处理，璐璐恐怕也去不了，我带她在附近转一下好了，你们去玩吧，回来了我给你们接风。” 甘璐看过他们的装备，再看看自己穿的羽绒服和耐克板鞋，知道自己也是不可能奉陪的，便点头同意了这个安排。 第二天，他们一早出发，尚修文陪甘璐吃过早餐后，先去处理了事情，接近中午才回来，开车带她出去。J市周边并没什么特别的景点，尚修文说打算带她去看看郊外的矿区博物馆，她欣然同意。 博物馆位于一个早已经开采完毕的废弃矿区内，车子很快开到了那里，可是正值春节，那条路空空荡荡，不见一辆车一个人，坐落在道路尽头的小小博物馆建筑十分不起眼，大门紧闭，贴了个墨迹淋漓的公告，说闭馆休息，节后重新开放。尚修文似乎有点意外，回头看甘璐，她正对着公告微笑：“这人的颜体书法很有功力。” 他也不禁哑然失笑：“大概是宋馆长写的，他是本地的书画名家，跟我舅舅时常来往。” 虽然吃了闭门羹，两个人倒没觉得扫兴，在旁边一处台阶上坐下休息。 “我母亲的老家在这边，我小时候，她偶尔带我回来，总会带我到这边来参观。里面其实也不算大，不过有奇形怪状的矿石晶体、古生物化石，还有很早的冶炼设施和淘金工具，我当时觉得很有意思，一度还想去学考古，你看，和你学的历史倒有一点关系。” “那为什么后来没学呢？”甘璐随便问，却好一会儿没得到回答，她回头一看，尚修文正好收回神驰远方的目光，对她笑了。他的笑容展开，不同于他以前那种礼貌性质的浅笑，只是右边唇角向上一提，笑容一闪即逝，而是从嘴角直到眼底，在冬日有点苍白的阳光下，显得十分动人。甘璐一下屏住了呼吸，心跳加快，忘记了自己的问题，却突然记起了大学时看过的一本小说。 那是美国作家菲茨杰拉德写的，薄薄一本书，具体的情节甘璐已经淡忘了，却依稀记得作家不吝笔墨形容男主人公盖茨比令人向往的笑容。她合上书时，有些感叹，她当时的男友聂谦一向心事重重，眉目坚毅，很有酷劲，笑得少而且敷衍，她倒是宁可他能放开怀抱一点。 而眼前这个男人的笑容来得温暖开怀，让她恍惚。她想，不知道他是不是重游故地，记起了某段年少往事，才会如此会心。 尚修文声音悠然地说：“那会儿没有定性，看过几本考古探险的书后，似乎兴趣很快就转移了。你以前打算学什么，不见得是历史吧？” 甘璐收回思绪，笑道：“我本来第一志愿是英语专业，可惜没考好，被调剂到历史专业，唯一庆幸的是总比调剂到政治教育专业来得好点。” “当老师只是出于职业考虑啊，我是问，你最初的兴趣是什么？” 甘璐还真被问住了，从读高中文理分班起，她考虑得就十分现实，全是将来报什么专业，从事什么职业可以比较快地担负起养家的担子：“兴趣嘛，我喜欢看恐怖电影、看推理小说，全是当不得职业的爱好。能把兴趣变成职业的是极少数的幸运儿，我更愿意在职业之外保有一点兴趣算是调剂，更何况真正学了历史后，对历史也算有了兴趣。” 尚修文没继续谈这个话题，提议去博物馆后的矿山走走。山区气温低，坐着不动的确有寒意。两个人先是顺着水泥路走着，沿途并没风景，处处都是废弃荒芜的宿舍，斑驳脱落的外墙面，老式的木制窗框，只有零星几个人出没，小小的商店全关着门，可以想见，昔日这里即使不算繁华，也曾有过热闹。 走出宿舍区后，四周是被采矿破坏后新生的植被，在北风中瑟瑟作响，并没什么风景，空气寒冷，带着沁人心脾的清冽。再走一段，脚下变成了土路，他们的步子频率相同，不疾不缓，鞋子偶尔踏上路上结的薄冰，发出轻微的咔嚓声，甘璐发现自己居然很喜欢这种在安静环境下出现的突兀声音，于是特意捡结冰的地方踩，尚修文看得莞尔。 她玩得开心，却没想到再一脚踩上去，冰面“咔啦”一声破开，下面却是一处浅浅的水洼，她一下踏空踩进水里，险些失去平衡，幸好尚修文一把搀住了她，她定住神，禁不住失笑，抬起头来正要说话，发现尚修文也正大笑，这个正对着自己的笑再度让她失神，待尚修文双臂圈住她吻下来时，她完全恍惚了。 他们认识快一年，约会不算少，可是身体接触仅限于过马路时尚修文扶住她的手肘而已，并没引起过她的任何遐思。 这个突如其来却漫长热烈的吻结束之后，她摸着自己肿胀的嘴唇，认识到了几件事：他非常会接吻，称得上吻技高超；她对他的吻有反应，而且反应不小；他笑起来太要命了，恐怕以后还是少对她笑比较好。 然而从那时到现在，尚修文虽然仍是一个性格清冷得有点莫测的男人，并不爱时时微笑，在她面前展露笑容的时候却实在不少。 服务生敲门进来，撤换骨碟，送上甜品，是她喜欢的芦荟黄桃炖雪蛤。她无精打采地拿勺子舀一点送进嘴里，对自己招认，与尚修文在一起，很大程度真是迷惑折服于他的这个笑容了。 从J市回来后，她心念一动，特意去书店买回了一本，翻到描写盖茨比笑容的段落细看。 “一瞬间，它凝聚到你身上，对你表现出一种不可抗拒的偏爱。它所表现出的对你理解的程度，恰恰是你想要被理解的程度。相信你如同你乐意相信你自己那样，并且让你相信他对你的印象不多不少正是你最得意时希望留给别人的印象。” 当然，尚修文的笑容并没有如此玄妙或者含义丰富，他也完全不是书中那个说话字斟句酌，谨小慎微地遥望灯光，试图守候一份无望爱情的男人。 相识日久，甘璐渐渐认识到，他的自信与锋芒被藏在懒洋洋的姿态下面，谈吐是教养使然下的随意与礼貌，举止介乎于洒脱与漫不经心之间，而他对她绽放的笑与他冷静的举止恰好成了对比，如春风拂面般让她觉得温暖安心。 尚修文伸手过来，抚摸她的头发：“你想得太多了，璐璐，人也许能用理智约束自己的行为，但不大可能决定自己的好恶，更不要说决定爱情了。” “也许吧，”她勉强挣扎着一笑，“可是理智能决定婚姻，说真的，我觉得理智决定的婚姻也没什么不好，至少比盲婚哑嫁来得清醒。” “你是理智地决定嫁给我的吗？” “让我苦恼的就是这呀，我要是有足够理智，大概不会早婚，跟你继续恋爱肯定会开心很多。” “这样吗？”尚修文有些诧异，同时又禁不住微笑，“我一直以为，我不够热情浪漫，算不上好的恋爱对象，再不快快求婚绑住你，恐怕你会很快厌倦我。看来我的决定是正确的。” 他表现得如此轻松，甚至有了调侃的兴致，甘璐有点迷惑地看着他，突然记不大清今晚他们谈论的重点是什么了，也只能苦笑：“这算是肯定我的魅力吗？好吧，我就当是了。” 她想，如果结婚后再来对过去的事执着于一个答案，大概注定是徒劳了。就算反躬自问，她也没法讲清楚她在决定结婚时有多爱尚修文。她折服于他的笑容，认定这个人能给她平静和美的生活，而事实上，两年的婚姻，他确实也做到了。她当然没法否认这一点。 “我和静宜是过去的事了，对我来讲，那就是一段画上句号的感情。” 甘璐犹豫一下，仍然问了：“你说你跟她没有可能，这个表述实在有太多外界因素影响的意思了。如果……我是说，”她烦恼地蹙眉，不知道怎么样表达自己的意思才算恰当，“如果没有那些外界因素，你和她会怎么样？” 尚修文仍然微笑，眼睛里掠过一点她看不明白的情绪：“这种事情没有如果，璐璐，我只能坦白告诉你，现在我和她，只是认识的陌生人而已。” “你觉得我是在无聊穷究一段和我无关的往事吗？修文，我只是忍不住要怀疑，你向我求婚，不过是对生活的一种妥协。” “璐璐，你觉得我为什么要结婚？”尚修文收敛了笑意，手顺着她头发滑下来托住她的下巴，正色看着她，“当然，我母亲的确希望我结婚安定下来，可是她不是一心抱孙子的家庭妇女，我也不会为了取悦她就去给她找一个儿媳。” “我说的妥协并不见得就是指妈妈给你的压力。” “我懂你的意思，璐璐，”他凝视她，目光深邃而温柔，“我向你求婚，是因为我觉得和你生活在一起是件开心幸福的事情。我从来没想过一定要自己的妻子是什么样的性格类型，会怎么样为人处世。我要的只是愿意把我的生活和你联系起来的那种信任，你给了我愿意付出信任的感觉。” 他对她表白的时刻并不多，哪怕求婚时，也只是语气比平时来得郑重，并不热烈。然而此刻，她心绪激荡，眼睛内涌起潮湿之意，将脸靠到他的掌中，不知道该说什么了。 她仍然有不确定，可是当他如此诚恳地面对着她，所有的疑问似乎都显得微不足道庸人自扰。她想，她应该和他一样，选择付出信任。