Chapter 0510

She was just feeling shy and wanted to ease the awkwardness.

She never expected Wu Zhishang to actually place the medicated oil on the coffee table, turn around, and go back to work without saying another word.

Zhang Xinyan suddenly felt a pang of sadness, wondering, "Is he angry?"

Her mind kept wandering all the way until almost quitting time. She began to grow curious about Wu Zhishang's past, curious about his inner world.

At that moment, Zhang Xinyan suddenly realized she seemed to be falling into a man's trap.

Because she knew that liking someone often starts with curiosity.

Suddenly, the phone rang. Seeing it was her mother, Zhang Xinyan answered with some trepidation.

Her mother's "concerned" voice came through the phone.

"Xinyan, can you bring your boyfriend home for New Year's this year? Your grandmother's health is getting worse and worse. I'm afraid she might not make it until next year. If you don't bring a boyfriend home, she might die with regrets."

Zhang Xinyan replied, "Huh? How is grandma worse again? But you said pretty much the same thing last year."

Zhang's mother sighed. "Before, your grandmother was critically ill. Now she's in the terminal stage. Her old wish was to see you get married and have children. Now we don't dare hope for that anymore. We just hope you can bring a boyfriend home for her to see this year."

Zhang Xinyan's already sorrowful mood grew even more distressed. Her grandmother had doted on her since she was little, and she really couldn't bear to sadden her.

"I... I'll ask him."

That's right, Zhang Xinyan had a boyfriend.

One she made up herself.

Just to fool her family and avoid being constantly pestered.

But who knew that after inventing a boyfriend, the pressure would shift to marriage?

Thinking about her whole family of marriage-pushing maniacs gave Zhang Xinyan a splitting headache.

Suddenly, she had a brainwave.

"Maybe renting a boyfriend to take home isn't a bad idea. The main thing is making grandma happy."

Thinking this, Zhang Xinyan seemed to find a glimmer of hope and mentally patted herself on the back for her cleverness.

But where to rent one? And the New Year holiday was so close.

Just then, Wu Zhishang walked out of his office, looked at Zhang Xinyan, and asked, "It's quitting time, why aren't you leaving?"

Zhang Xinyan's eyes suddenly lit up, staring straight at Wu Zhishang.

And wasn't there a ready-made candidate right here?

Wu Zhishang felt a bit unnerved by her stare. "Well, if there's nothing else, get off work. I'm leaving too."

"Boss Wu, wait, I need to ask you a favor..."

Upon hearing Zhang Xinyan's request, Wu Zhishang refused outright.

How could a fine young man like him go along with a subordinate to deceive her family?

Zhang Xinyan raised the price from ten thousand to thirty thousand.

Wu Zhishang looked exasperated. "Do I look like I need money?"

No matter how Zhang Xinyan pleaded, Wu Zhishang kept refusing, until the young woman started to cry.

"If I can't bring a boyfriend home again, my grandma will die with regrets, wuwuwu."

Wu Zhishang: Huh? What nonsense are you talking about?

Zhang Xinyan sniffled softly and told Wu Zhishang what her mother had just said.

Thinking of her grandmother eagerly awaiting her back home, she deeply regretted not having found a real boyfriend.

Finally, moved by Zhang Xinyan's filial piety, Wu Zhishang agreed.

As for whether there were any private desires involved, no one knew.

During the New Year holiday, Wu Zhishang informed his family and left with Zhang Xinyan.

Wu's Father and Wu's Mother didn't ask their son why he wasn't coming home for New Year's. The child was grown and had his own ideas; no need to pry.

They believed their son would never act without reason. If he wasn't coming back, he must be busy with something important.

Zhang Xinyan finally got her wish and brought her "boyfriend" home.

Her home was far away, in Xinjiang. After the plane landed, Wu Zhishang felt a twinge of regret.

But after arriving at the Zhang household, he relaxed. The Zhang family was very warm and particularly liked this young man who looked honest and reliable.

Zhang Xinyan's father was from Shandong. He came here in response to the agricultural policies back in the day, later married a local woman, had children, and was now doing quite well.

Zhang Xinyan's mother was from Xinjiang, a classic local beauty. She was also the women's director in their village, having successfully matched many couples, yet unable to find a match for her own daughter.

The happiest of all was Zhang Xinyan's grandmother. Watching the old lady bouncing around with joy, Wu Zhishang was full of questions.

Are you sure this is a dying old lady?

Zhang Xinyan was also dumbfounded. So she had been deceived all this time.

Now that she had a boyfriend, the old lady stopped pretending.

However, Wu Zhishang was very professional and did not expose Zhang Xinyan.

The warming up of their feelings happened that night.

The Zhang family wasn't some old-fashioned, conservative family. On the contrary, they were very open-minded and eager for Zhang Xinyan to get married sooner.

They used a little trick to arrange for the two young people to share a room.

Zhang Xinyan felt somewhat embarrassed and told Wu Zhishang to sleep in her bed while she would sleep on the floor.

Wu Zhishang agreed.

Zhang Xinyan pouted but didn't say anything, since it was her suggestion.

That night, Zhang Xinyan couldn't sleep, and neither could Wu Zhishang.

It was the first time for both of them to sleep in the same room with someone of the opposite sex. Even though Wu Zhishang had been with Zhao Miaomiao for so long, they had never slept together.

The feeling was strange, as if even the sound of breathing could trigger wild thoughts in the other person, and it was impossible to ignore.

Zhang Xinyan broke the silence first. "Boyfriend, can't sleep either?"

"Hmm."

"Let's chat then. Maybe we'll fall asleep."

"Hmm."

"Do you still like Zhao Miaomiao now?"

"Hmm... Maybe it's more about unwillingness to accept it."

"Why unwilling?"

"Because I loved too much and received too little. In loss, a person slowly becomes numb. When you finally wake up one day, you realize how ridiculous you were..."

As they talked, Zhang Xinyan "fell asleep," though it was only on the surface.

She suddenly discovered that this seemingly successful, impressive CEO was actually a very vulnerable young man who evoked pity.

His kind of view on love was probably what many girls dreamed of.

Yet such a boy, who gave his all for love, had met the most wrong person.

It's so heartbreaking.

Zhao Miaomiao, you had the best. Why didn't you cherish him?

How could you bear to hurt someone who loved you?

"Asleep?" Wu Zhishang asked, hearing Zhang Xinyan's even breathing.

Zhang Xinyan didn't speak. She didn't know how to comfort Wu Zhishang, so she continued pretending to sleep.

Naturally, Wu Zhishang couldn't wake a woman pretending to be asleep. He sighed helplessly and mocked himself.

"Such a cliché story, but the soporific effect is quite good."

Zhang Xinyan really wanted to sit up and tell him, "Your story isn't cliché. It's that Zhao Miaomiao didn't understand you. I could understand you."

But she didn't move, because she wasn't yet sure of her own heart.