Chapter 229: Recruiting Talen (1/2)

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While Cheng Xi was killing time during her layover, she saw the TV news channel report on Cai Yi’s research. As she continued to watch, she saw the scene change to that of Cai Yi sitting behind her office desk where she was being interviewed. She was over sixty by now, and her hair was completely white but combed immaculately. She looked affable, kind, and familiar.

Chen Jiaman, meanwhile, was playing Minecraft on her phone with her head lowered. Despite the chaotic hustle and bustle of the airport, she still picked out Cai Yi’s voice above the ground. She panicked, instinctively tossed her phone to the side, and hid behind Cheng Xi.

Cheng Xi patted her comfortingly, took out a pair of earmuffs from her bag, and put them on her. A couple moments later, after Chen Jiaman quieted down, Cheng Xi picked up her phone and stuffed it into her hands again.

But Chen Jiaman didn’t seem to see it; she was looking around left and right, the shock still on her face. Above her, Cai Yi’s image was giving an eloquent response.

Cheng Xi stopped looking upwards and instead focused on interacting with Chen Jiaman and playing Minecraft with her. Cheng Xi deliberately made a few rookie mistakes. At first, Chen Jiaman only watched her play silently, but as Cheng Xi continued to make more and more mistakes, Chen Jiaman started secretly moving the screen around and fixing the mistakes that she had made.

Besides this one incident, the rest of their return trip to Gansu went smoothly. This time, it was Ceng Xing who picked her up, and he was still driving the dinky little car that he allegedly detested. When he saw that there was an extra person, he raised his eyebrows slightly. He wasn’t all that surprised, but after Cheng Xi helped her into the car, when the two of them were alone outside, he asked, “What’s she doing over here?”

“I’m her mother now.”

Ceng Xing almost choked on his spit.

Cheng Xi’s face remained as impassive as ever. Disregarding Ceng Xing’s reaction, she turned towards Chen Jiaman, who was hiding behind her, and told her, “Don’t be afraid of him. Call him ‘Uncle.’”

Ceng Xing couldn’t bear to look at Chen Jiaman.

But even though Chen Jiaman was shy, she was more obedient, and she lowered her head as she called out, “Uncle.”

Ceng Xing looked at this “niece” of his, not knowing what to say.

Cheng Xi laughed at their antics before saying, “Alright, let’s head back first.”

Chen Jiaman was slightly unaccustomed to the car and the change of scenery, so Cheng Xi sat in the backseat to comfort her. “If you’re tired, just rest for a while. We’ll be driving for a few more hours before we arrive.”

Chen Jiaman leaned against her shoulder and obediently closed her eyes.

Through the rearview mirror, Ceng Xing saw Cheng Xi gently take out a thin blanket from her bag and then drape it carefully over Chen Jiaman’s sleeping body, her actions filled with a motherly mien. He couldn’t stop himself from massaging his forehead. “You’re actually going to treat her like your daughter?”

Cheng Xi gently shushed him.

Ceng Xing obligingly changed the subject, and the two of them began talking about how everything was going in Gansu, Cheng Xi’s return, and whether or not their colleagues at Renyi had changed. Of course, Ceng Xing was the most interested in Cai Yi’s success. “I saw the news. Professor Cai’s really amazing to have accomplished that. Did you visit her?”

He didn’t know that Chen Jiaman had been sent there for treatment after relapsing, so his question really was innocent from his point of view. Cheng Xi lowered her head, glanced at Chen Jiaman, and only after verifying that she was truly soundly asleep, she replied, “Yes, I did.”

“It must have been really crowded over there, hmm?” Ceng Xing glanced back at her before continuing to say, “You really lost out. If you had accepted Professor Cai’s invitation back then, she would have shared this glory with you. Then, you wouldn’t have to come out here and plow sand with the rest of us.”

Cheng Xi smiled as she looked out the window. The wind was picking up, and she could see a sandstorm faintly spinning under the dim sky. Their existences were like those grains of sand, tossed around in the sandstorm of life without any say in where they went……

She turned back around and asked Ceng Xing, “Then, do you regret coming over here?”

“I came here to chase after my dream. I don’t care if I regret it or not.” It was rare for Ceng Xing to give such a thoughtful response.

His words also seemed to contain a deeper meaning. Though all Cheng Xi did in response was smile, and he too started smiling.

At that time, Ceng Xing really was quite proud of his actions—not with regards to his work, but rather to Cheng Xi.