A Promise in a Thought 67

Chapter 67

In the season of mid-spring, the weather was mild and the air was clear. The city, which had been dormant for several months in winter and early spring, presented a vibrant scene, just like the burgeoning green on the treetops.

Everyone’s life was proceeding on its predetermined track, except for some unexpected corners.

Jiang Chenyin instructed her manager to appropriately accept some out-of-town collaborations as a form of relaxation outside of work. The filming of God of War was progressing smoothly, and the outside world’s anticipation for this movie continued to rise. Bo Muyu’s status in the company rose accordingly, and there were even rumors that she was about to replace the current screenwriting supervisor.

At the same time, Duan Zhiheng’s frequency of appearing at the old Jiang residence increased.

Sometimes when Bo Muyu and Jiang Chenyin went back to the old residence to visit Old Master Jiang and Old Madam Jiang, they would run into Duan Zhiheng. Old Master Jiang, seeing that her work was related to his, even asked him to guide her a little.

Duan Zhiheng never refused, and the experience he taught her was without reservation, treating her with sincerity.

Whenever this happened, Jiang Chenyin’s words, “perhaps there will be in the future,” would repeatedly surface in Bo Muyu’s mind. She would savor this sentence in her heart, and whenever she felt a heavy pain, she would grit her teeth and say nothing.

This Saturday, Old Master Jiang was in his usual high spirits. Duan Zhiheng offered to play a few games of chess with him.

During the game, the two of them did not play in silence, but chatted leisurely.

Old Master Jiang placed a white stone and sighed with a laugh, “Your chess skills are not bad. This old man can’t compare.”

Duan Zhiheng followed with a black stone and shook his head with a smile. “Old Station Director is too modest. Just now, it was three wins and three losses, a draw.”

“You child…” Old Master Jiang’s eyes crinkled with a smile. “Don’t I know my own level? Of all these children, only Xiaoyu is the one who really can’t beat me. The others are all letting me win.”

Duan Zhiheng nodded and looked up. “Xiaoyu is very smart and learns things quickly. The fact that she can’t get the hang of chess probably means she’s not very interested.”

“That’s right,” Old Master Jiang’s expression dimmed slightly. “Her grandfather liked to play chess, so she learned from her father. This child is truly filial. I’ve never heard her say she doesn’t like it.”

Duan Zhiheng was silent for a moment, a smile on his handsome face. “Is she coming over today? I haven’t finished explaining some of the questions I raised for her last time.”

Old Master Jiang’s brow was furrowed as he stared at the chessboard, a white stone held between his fingers, hesitating, and he muttered, “That depends on whether she comes with Liu’er. She usually comes here for a visit, and then goes home for a visit. She doesn’t necessarily come every week.”

Just as he was saying this, Jiang Chenyin walked in from outside. Dressed in a gray casual suit, she was mature and elegant, the cinched waist design highlighting her slender waistline, her figure graceful.

She first nodded and smiled at Duan Zhiheng, then said to Old Master Jiang, “Dad, Muyu has gone home. She’s not coming over this week.”

Old Master Jiang didn’t even look up. “Mmm, you can sit on the side. We’re playing chess…”

“Then I’ll go and see my eldest and second sisters-in-law,” Jiang Chenyin said as she walked towards the stairs, adding at the end, “By the way, I won’t be having dinner at home tonight. I have a date with Yuxin.”

Hearing this, Duan Zhiheng’s gaze followed her retreating back up the stairs, and he didn’t even notice that the old master had made a move.

“Ahem…” Old Master Jiang said, placing a stone and reminding him in a low, huffy voice, “Liu’er will be down in a bit. Hurry up and make your move.”

Duan Zhiheng came back to his senses and smiled with his lips pressed together. “I’m sorry. Let’s continue.”

For the whole afternoon, Jiang Chenyin was upstairs chatting with Xu Zijun and Sun Ruowei, while Old Master Jiang and Duan Zhiheng were playing chess on the first floor.

Seeing Old Master Jiang’s demeanor, Auntie Wang was sure that he was going to ask Duan Zhiheng to stay for dinner, and she quickly went to prepare his favorite ingredients with great enthusiasm.

Around four o’clock, Jiang Chenyin came downstairs and went to Old Master Jiang’s side. “Dad, I’m going out.”

“Mmm.”

Jiang Chenyin then smiled at Duan Zhiheng and turned to leave.

Old Master Jiang was still studying his chess game. He lowered his head, but his words were directed at Duan Zhiheng. “I know my child. Some things absolutely cannot be rushed, especially before she has that intention. You can’t force her to make a choice, otherwise she will definitely pull away in time. Take it slow. When the time is right, it will naturally happen.”

Duan Zhiheng was taken aback, then nodded seriously. “I understand.”

Old Master Jiang placed a piece with a satisfying “thud” and smiled at him. “Then what are you waiting for?”

Duan Zhiheng immediately chased after her and caught up with Jiang Chenyin in the open space in front of the main house. “Miss Jiang.”

Jiang Chenyin turned her head. “Hmm? Is something the matter?”

“It’s nothing. Let me walk you to your car,” he said, walking to her side, a smile like a gentle breeze in his eyes. “Is Xiaoyu not coming today?”

“Mmm, she’s spending the weekend with her parents,” Jiang Chenyin’s lips lifted slightly as she continued to walk towards the garage.

Duan Zhiheng had a smile on his face, his peripheral vision lingering on her side profile. “What a pity. We haven’t finished discussing the questions from last time. I was specifically looking for her this time.”

“It’s rare that you like to chat with her,” Jiang Chenyin sighed. “She’s never liked to interact with strangers since she was a child, and she doesn’t have many friends. When my dad first asked you to discuss work with her, I was worried you wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

Duan Zhiheng was surprised. “Is that so? From the few times I’ve met her, she’s not as active as other girls her age, but she’s very polite. She listened to everything I said and would also ask me questions.” He paused, then smiled. “But it’s true that she doesn’t talk much. Sometimes it’s just me talking. If it weren’t for her serious expression, I would have also thought she was ignoring me.”

Jiang Chenyin thought of Bo Muyu’s appearance and couldn’t help but suppress a laugh. “Don’t mind it. Her personality is just very quiet.”

Duan Zhiheng shook his head and smiled. “Of course not. She is talented.”

Jiang Chenyin didn’t answer. The two of them were silent for a few seconds, and then Duan Zhiheng suddenly said, “I’ve been coming to see the old station director a lot lately. Will you be angry?”

“Why would I be angry?” Jiang Chenyin smiled. “I have to work and usually only come back here on weekends. My brothers and sisters-in-law are the same. Sometimes I worry that my parents will be bored on weekdays, so I’m actually very grateful that you’ve been coming so often lately.”

Duan Zhiheng’s heart relaxed, and he said in a warm voice, “Speaking of which, the old station director asked me just now when I plan to start a family.”

Jiang Chenyin said placidly, “And then?”

At this moment, Duan Zhiheng’s gaze shifted to her side profile. “And then I said I have no plans for now, because I don’t have a partner yet. What about you? Have you been asked that before?”

Jiang Chenyin was silent for a moment, met his gaze, a hint of an imperceptible inquiry in her eyes. “Of course I have, but I also have no such plans for now.”

Just as they reached the outside of the garage, the two of them stopped. Jiang Chenyin heard Duan Zhiheng let out a sigh of relief, and then he smiled at her. “That’s good. Then I don’t have to worry about angering your admirers by being friends with you. After all, I really do hope to be friends with you.”

He stood against the light, his voice gentle and friendly, as if soaked in sunlight. Not a single flaw could be found in him.

Jiang Chenyin was amused by his witty words, a smile in her eyes. “Thank you for walking me here. I’m going out now.”

He took a few steps to the side, then turned back to her and said, “Be careful on the road.”

Jiang Chenyin nodded, walked into the garage, and drove out. As she was about to leave the vicinity of the main house, she inadvertently glanced at the rearview mirror. Duan Zhiheng was standing behind, watching her from a distance.

After meeting up with Lan Yuxin, she couldn’t wait to ask her if she had been in contact with Duan Zhiheng recently. Jiang Chenyin briefly told her some things and also told her about her feelings when she had left just now.

“My god…” Lan Yuxin, fearless in the private room, slammed the table in excitement. “Teacher Jiang, this man’s emotional intelligence is very high. I don’t care if he’s interested in you or not, but at least this beginning is impossible to refuse! Although I don’t like to date this gentle type of man, I think it’s a very enjoyable thing to be friends with such a person.”

Jiang Chenyin’s thumb stroked the chopsticks in her hand, her expression placid. “My parents seem to like him a lot, and he’s even very patient when he talks to Muyu.”

Lan Yuxin suppressed a little of her excitement, and as she picked up some food, she muttered, “So, the little one gets along with him too? Isn’t that even better? Did the little one say what she thinks of him?”

“No,” Jiang Chenyin said succinctly, then let out a faint sigh.

Speaking of Bo Muyu, she had been feeling a kind of indescribable stuffiness lately. Bo Muyu seemed to be even more reticent these days. She would stay cooped up in the study working after she got home from work. And what surprised her the most was that Bo Muyu was actually willing to interact with Duan Zhiheng.

Perhaps her mind had really grown. She would consider her own work and future, so she would make more friends and no longer act on her own whims.

Jiang Chenyin shook her head, took a sip of her fruit juice, and tried to drive away these melancholic emotions.

“Oh, by the way…” Lan Yuxin patted her arm and said meaningfully, “Although it’s not clear what he thinks of you now, he definitely has a good impression, and he’s single. So, if you have any ideas, don’t forget to give him a little hint.”

“Yuxin…”

Jiang Chenyin suddenly paused. The expectations of her parents and the worries of her brothers and sisters-in-law flashed before her eyes one after another.

Her lips moved, and after a few seconds, she said softly, “I know.”

Lan Yuxin clinked her wine glass against hers with great joy and said with a sad face, “Speaking of which, I’ve been talking to a supermodel recently. This man is wild enough, but I suddenly feel that I’m not interested anymore.”

Jiang Chenyin didn’t speak. Lan Yuxin continued to talk to herself, “Ever since I started thinking about dating women, I’ve found that I’m not interested in men anymore… not interested in any aspect…”

Her voice was not clear, and Jiang Chenyin couldn’t hear her properly. “What did you say?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Lan Yuxin quickly waved her hand, placed the wine glass filled with red wine in front of her, and squinted at Jiang Chenyin through the glass.

Mature, beautiful, sexy, and charming. Even the way she frowned was a different kind of charm, different from her gentleness.

With Jiang Chenyin’s qualifications, she really didn’t believe that Duan Zhiheng didn’t have any ideas.

Through the transparent liquid, Jiang Chenyin’s gaze was fixed on her. Lan Yuxin quickly let out a dry laugh, put down her wine glass, and ate her food obediently.

“I’m planning to look for a long-term partner to spend my days with. If you know anyone suitable, remember to set us up. Not too much older than me, and not more than five years younger. Not as serious as you, but also not unfaithful. You know what I mean, right…”

As Jiang Chenyin listened to Lan Yuxin’s rambling, her thoughts did not go into her words, but instead returned to the topic from just now.