Chapter 20: Moved by His Words

  A woman, no matter how cold her exterior may be, has a soft maternal love hidden deep within her heart.

  Chu Tian Shu spoke very sincerely, and Jian Ruoming couldn't help but be moved.

  These heartfelt words deeply moved Jian Ruoming, who looked at Chu Tian Shu with a soft gaze and said in a low voice: "Sorry, Little Chu, I misunderstood you."

  Chu Tian Shu lowered his head and said in a low voice: "Ming Jie, I was too impulsive."

  Jian Ruoming no longer felt disgusted by the title "Ming Jie", and instead seemed to feel a hint of affection. She shook her head, saying: "No, you're not only impulsive, but also dishonest, from the moment you walked in, you've been very dishonest."

  Chu Tian Shu smiled: "Ming Jie, this is not my fault, if you must blame someone, it's because you're too beautiful."

  Jian Ruo Ming said disdainfully: "This kind of talk, you can take it to deceive Liu Chunna, but here, it has no effect on me, because I've already heard it so many times that I'm fed up with it."

  "But this is the first time I've said it to you."

  But Jian Ruoming still didn't appreciate it at all.

  Jian Ruoming said seriously: "I remind you, in the officialdom, you may not be able to be a real gentleman, but you must act like one, understand?"

  "Ming sister, I understand." Chu Tian Shu smiled and said: "However, if you're still indifferent when facing a stunning beauty in private, that's not very manly, is it?"

  Jian Ruo Ming smiled and said, "Hmph, here we go again. I've told you before, I'm not buying this."

  "Chu Tian Shu said seriously: 'Ming Jie, you can suspect the motives behind my praise for you, but you should respect my right to speak the truth.'"

  "Haha, I have no choice but to admit defeat at your sharp tongue." Jian Ruoming once again revealed a brilliant smile.

  However, the smile was fleeting, and Jian Yu said seriously: "Tian Shu, you should be clear that I've just been transferred over and am only a deputy director with a lower ranking. I'm fundamentally unable to stop you from going to 'enter the countryside and settle in villages'. In this regard, I am powerless."

  "No, Ming Jie, I won't be so selfish." Chu Tian Shu also put away her smile and said seriously: "Since I regard you as my sister, then at any time, I will not let you affect your political future for my own personal gain."

  "Unexpectedly, you have such a high ideological awareness!" Jian Ruoming also started joking. "Chu Tian Shu, then hurry back to pack your bedding and prepare to go to the poor mountainous area for baptism."

  "Heh heh," Chu Tian Shu smiled complacently and said, "However, it seems I still have some luck. On Monday when we go to work, Tian Ke Ming will voluntarily apply to go 'into the countryside to settle', and the one who needs to be baptized is not me but him."

  "Really?" Jian Yueming looked at Chu Tian Shu with a smile that was not quite a smile, and said in the tone of Tian Keming: "Chu Tian Shu, are you brainless or blind? You're actually spouting nonsense and having wild fantasies."

  It turns out that when women relax, their sense of humor will also be enhanced.

  Chu Tian Shu smiled, he was very happy, finally seeing the real lovely side of Jian Ruo Ming hidden behind his cold exterior.

  "Yes, I also don't believe that Tian Keming would have such a selfless and sacrificial spirit." Chu Tian Shu said with a sneer.

  "Is it possible that Director Guan is trying to cultivate Tian Keming by sending him out to accumulate political capital?" But before the words were even finished, Jian Ruoming shook his head: "Impossible! The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission can indeed appoint an additional leader, but I just can't see any intention from Director Guan to do so. And even if it was an appointment, it's unlikely that he would wait until a year later. Wouldn't the cunning Tian Keming be able to see through this as well?"

  "Ming sister, how would I know such top-secret information?" Chu Tian Shu pulled out her phone and said seriously: "This is a private agreement I just made with Tian Ke Ming before I came to see you."

  "Haha, Chu Tian Shu, I think you're not just ordinary dishonest, but extremely dishonest. You can clearly make up nonsense and say it with a straight face."

  Chu Tian Shu smiled slyly and said mysteriously: "Ming Jie, if you promise not to scold me first, I can show you a video."

  Jian Yueming smiled and said: "Isn't it just a video? What's wrong with me scolding you?"

  Chu Tian Shu pressed a few keys, and Jian Ruoming, who had been piqued by curiosity, also leaned over to take a look.

  The first thing that appeared on the screen was Tian Keming's big bald head.

  Jian Yu's eyebrows furrowed in disgust.

  Then there was a conversation between Tian Keming and Zheng Xiaomin.

  When Jian Ruoming heard Tian Keming's threatening and tempting words to Zheng Xiaomin, he couldn't help but scold: "This bald-headed Tian is simply too shameless."

  The scene of Tian Keming tearing off Zheng Xiaomin's underwear finally appeared...

  "Stop! Stop!" Jian Yueming's face turned red with excitement.

  In fact, Chu Tian Shu's recorded video also ended here.

  Jian Ruo Ming didn't know any better and thought there would be even more unbearable scenes below, so she quickly turned her head away, letting Chu Tian Shu stop the playback.

  Jian Ruo Ming's heart rate slowed down slightly, and she gradually understood Chu Tian Shu's intention.

  A single man and woman alone in a room, sitting head-to-head watching this kind of stimulating video, is really a bit... too stimulating.

  Jian Ruo Ming stood up, walked to the door and opened it, slightly bowed and made a please gesture, elegantly saying: "Comrade Chu Tian Shu, you can leave now."

  "Impossible! Ming sister, you can't let me go out like this. It's too damaging to the glorious image of a national public servant."

  Jian Ruo Ming forgot, Chu Tian Shu was wearing a set of pajamas that were both ill-fitting and ugly. She glanced at Chu Tian Shu and said lightly: "What's the big deal? It's not like 'public servant' is written on your forehead."

  "Alright, I'm leaving." Chu Tian Shu made a move as if he was about to step out of the door.

  Jian Ruo Ming suddenly lost his temper and shouted: "Wait a minute, change your clothes before you go."

  Chu Tian Shu made a ghostly face, rushed into the bathroom, put on his own T-shirt and trousers, stuffed the changed pajamas into a paper bag, and walked to the door to change shoes.

  "Wait a minute." Jian Ruoming picked up the bouquet of roses from the dinner table and said, "Please help me take this bouquet downstairs and throw it in the trash can."

  Chu Tian Shu said: "The flower is innocent."

  "Even if a flower is tainted by foul-smelling hands, it will still give off a foul odor."

  Chu Tian Shu took the flower and asked: "Then, should I return your nightgown?"

  "No need, and would you mind throwing it away in the trash can?"

  "No, I will treasure it because the fragrance hand-delivered by you must still have some lingering scent."

  Jian Ruo Ming smiled lightly and stretched out her hand, saying: "Please, help yourself!"

  Looking from the balcony at Chu Tian Shu's receding back, Jian Ruo Ming's eyes unexpectedly had some moist things rippling.

  At the same time, Chu Tian Shu, who had just walked out of "Tian Yi Xiao Qu", was still savoring Jian Ruo Ming's calm and composed eyes, mature and charming temperament, and captivating smile, and couldn't help but feel a kind of inexplicable excitement and agitation rising from her heart.

  Chu Tian Shu ate a bowl of noodles at a street food stall, and with his exhausted body, he returned to the rental house, without even taking off his shoes, he lay down on the bed.

  Relaxing now, I realize how exhausted I am.

  Thinking about what had happened over the past two days, Chu Tian Shu couldn't help but feel a surge of emotions.

  Chu Tian Shu rented a room in the old dormitory area of Qingyuan City Instrument Factory, a small courtyard with two rows of simple three-story buildings, similar to those tube-shaped buildings, with shared kitchen, toilet and washing area on each floor, most residents were young workers at the bottom of the instrument factory.

  The male landlord's name is Zhang Wei, and the female landlord's name is Tan Yufen. Both are offspring of workers from a meter factory, and later they both became employees of the meter factory.

  At the beginning of reform and opening-up, the instrument factory was also prosperous for a while. It built these two rows of simple dormitories. Zhang Wei and his wife took advantage of their dual-employee status to get two rooms. Unfortunately, the instrument factory later suffered huge losses like countless state-owned enterprises, and the couple became laid-off workers overnight.

  The couple had a little girl who was more than five years old. Seeing that it was not feasible to sit and eat, they rented a street-facing storefront in a factory and sold some miscellaneous hardware and plumbing parts. Zhang Wei, relying on his skills as a former mechanic, also helped buyers repair pipes and replace spare parts, earning some hard-earned money.

  The hardware store's business is barely profitable, with little income, and the family of three lives a tight life.

  The couple pinned all their hopes on their daughter, Zhang Yingying. Although Tan Yuafen had time to take care of the child, they gritted their teeth and sent her to kindergarten, where she learned dance, painting, and foreign languages. They would rather cut back on expenses than let their daughter fall behind other children at the starting line.

  Because Zhang Wei had to guard the store's business for almost twenty-four hours, only taking time off to go home for meals, and often sleeping in the store at night, Tan Yufen felt that occupying two rooms was a waste, so she vacated one room and let Zhang Wei open another door to rent it out to outsiders to supplement their family income.

  Chu Tian Shu got along harmoniously with Zhang Wei and his wife, as well as their lovely daughter, and they developed feelings for each other. So, despite the simple conditions in the dormitory area, Chu Tian Shu ended up living there for two years.

  I slept soundly for I don't know how long and when I woke up again it was already noon on the second day.

  After washing up, Zhang Wei shouted in the courtyard: "Xiao Chu, why are you so late today? Come and have something to eat."

  Zhang Wei, wearing a vest and beach pants, sat at the edge of a small dining table under the shade of a tree, savoring his porridge with relish, shaking his head from time to time, looking very relaxed and content.

  "Oh, Wei Ge, why haven't you gone to the store yet today?" Chu Tian Shu responded with a sound and casually asked.

  Zhang Wei looked up and saw Tan Yufen busy running around in her apron.

  Tan Yufen's face turned red.

  Chu Tian Shu somewhat understood that Zhang Wei had been guarding the hardware store business for years, coming back once a week to spend a good night with Tan Yu Fen.

  Zhang Weicai was only thirty years old, had been a soldier in the armed police force for several years, and after retiring, he settled down at his father's instrument factory. He was strong and robust, in the prime of his life.

  Tan Yufen looks delicate and slender, not at all like a mother of a five-year-old child. Her chest is still so upright and full, her round face, long legs, and skin as white as jade.

  When Chu Tian Shu came to rent a house and met her for the first time, he misjudged her age and thought she was about the same age as him.