Chapter 63: Knights and Simps
September 16, Monday.
The three-day Mid-Autumn Festival holiday has passed, coinciding perfectly with the most sensitive days before Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao’s menstrual period.
After more than two months, Jiang Yan felt that her body had completely adapted to this lifestyle, so she didn’t apply for the Hyacinth girls’ exclusive leave.
During these days, she continuously took various medicinal pills, making her feel like a white-feather broiler from a chicken farm, with a sense of being “plump and ready to be served” in a short time.
On the first day back at work, Zhao Peng stopped Jiang Yan with a surprised expression just as she walked out of the female staff changing room.
Today, Jiang Yan chose the elegant black gown that Wan Yue had once recommended for the second time.
“Xiao Yan, how does your body feel? Any other abnormalities?”
Zhao Peng smiled at the somewhat dazed Jiang Yan, lowering his voice, while Zhou Ping, who had just changed her clothes and walked out of the changing room, also took the opportunity to come over, looking curious.
“Uh… not bad… just a bit of a rise in body temperature.”
Abnormalities? Does having relatives visiting today count as feeling chest fullness?
Jiang Yan blushed, thinking that Zhao Peng was concerned about her personal matters, felt it was somewhat out of character for him.
Zhao Peng probably realized that his expression might have been misleading and quickly cleared his throat, regaining a serious demeanor: “Your pheromone regulation seems unusual. If I’m not mistaken, you’re about to advance.”
“Ah! Xiao Yan is also close! That’s amazing! No wonder I felt something different about you today! I wonder how many more years my mid-tier attendant will have to wait…”
Zhou Ping affectionately leaned against Jiang Yan, nearly pushing Jiang Yan’s arm into her chest, causing Jiang Yan to feel another wave of flush and embarrassment.
“You two are quite strange; there have been signs of advancement in the past few days…”
Zhao Peng’s face was slightly flushed as well, but his mood was clearly very good, “Fortunately, it’s just a precursor, unlike Jiang Yao last time. You probably have to wait another couple of days. When you finish work today, tidy up your things a bit. Tomorrow, just stay at the club and don’t go home. I’ll have Xiao Dong and the others prepare in advance.”
“Is it a must to advance when the time comes?”
Jiang Yan felt that there had been fewer colleagues at the club lately and wondered if they had gone out with Wan Yue. If she advanced into hibernation, it would require a lot of personnel to guard her and likely impact the club’s operations.
“Theoretically, you could hold back for a while, but you’re not Wan Jie and can’t reach that level of self-control. In the long run, it could be harmful to your body and may affect your future growth.”
Zhao Peng walked toward the room where Jiang Yao had hibernated, turning back to point at his own body: “Suppressing or delaying advancement—maybe I could try, but your and Jiang Yao’s growth is too fast.”
“Is Wan Jie currently suppressing her own advancement? She’s… a viscount? An earl?”
Jiang Yan became even more curious, completely unaware that Wan Yue had been on the brink of advancement hibernation all along.
Wan Jie is currently at the peak of a high-ranking baron, or perhaps slightly stronger—a half-step viscount. If it weren’t for the Hyacinth being still too weak, she should have entered hibernation years ago, but at least it would take her two or three years…
So, Xiao Yan, the hope of the Hyacinth lies in you. Wan Jie is too exhausted. I can protect you as far as I can!
Zhao Peng’s eyes began to redden slightly, and with a sigh, he pushed open the door and called for Zhou Ping and others to start preparing.
Jiang Yan’s whole body shook, her mind filled with Wan Yue’s unfathomable chaotic perception, feeling that Wan Yue’s true power was probably not as simple as being a half-step viscount in the literal sense.
The employees’ lounge before her had already returned to its original state. In just two days, it would be transformed into the same setup Jiang Yao had during her hibernation, but lying on the bed would be Jiang Yan.
What? My sister is also going to hibernate?
In the female employees’ changing room, Xiao Ling was weaving a few pretty braids for Jiang Yao to match her traditional attire, which required a lot of time due to also having to style her hair.
In the leisurely-paced Jinhe Club, killing time was not an easy task, so without delaying work, messing around with each other’s hairstyles in the changing room was a good special leisure activity for the Hyacinth girls.
In front of her, Jiang Yao’s hairstyle made from her light golden long hair looked so spectacular, making Xiao Ling very envious.
“Hey, hey, hey, don’t get up yet; your hair isn’t done!”
Xiao Ling quickly stopped Jiang Yao, grabbing another hairpin to secure Jiang Yao’s braid, “What are you in a hurry for? Brother Zhao Peng said it’ll take at least another day or two!”
“Fantastic! Now we should have eight knights, right?”
Watching the classical, dignified, yet playful little beauty slowly taking shape in the mirror, Jiang Yao inexplicably felt a surge of self-satisfaction.
“Hehe, it’s my first time trying a traditional style; this should definitely dazzle Zhong Jing’s titanium alloy dog eyes… Ugh, why am I even thinking about him!”
Jiang Yao absurdly recalled Zhong Jing’s nagging words in her ear during her hibernation. She suddenly doubted whether she had subconsciously accepted his views and was progressing along his aesthetic.
Turning her head slightly, the mirror reflected the figures of other Hyacinth girls changing in the background.
Jiang Yao thought she might not be as special as Zhong Jing had claimed; if all the girls spent ample time tinkering in the changing room, which one wouldn’t be a stunning beauty?
Wait, Xiao Yao, Xiao Ling, and Xiao Yan usually don’t wear makeup? What a pity…
After completing the last step, Xiao Ling took a few steps back, revealing a satisfied smile. Then, recalling something, she hurriedly pressed her head against Jiang Yao’s shoulder, leaning close to her face and staring together at the mirror.
“Wan Jie said that I look the same with or without makeup. Just right, as I also lack patience, it’s convenient to go barefaced, saving time morning and night.”
Jiang Yao felt even more pleased, as this barefaced look, even among a plethora of beauties at the club, would definitely be among the top tier.
“True, even without makeup, you and Xiao Yan are pretty, but a little lip balm wouldn’t hurt. It’s autumn now, and the air is dry.”
Without hesitation, Xiao Ling opened the drawer of the vanity and began searching for something.
“Hey, just to let you know, Zhong Jing is with a very cool handsome guy, and they were blocked by Brother Zhao Peng outside the club, looking dazed!”
At that moment, Zhou Ping walked in, revealing a mysterious smile to the girls present.
Oh my god, could it be that Meng Huai really came!?
Jiang Yao was startled, nearly jumping up, and ended up smudging her lip balm all over the corner of her mouth.
…
The midday autumn sun still carried some warmth, as Meng Huai and Zhong Jing stood in formal attire in front of the Jinhe Club.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Meng, our club implements a membership invitation system. Without a formal invitation from another member, you probably won’t be able to enter for the experience, please understand.”
Zhao Peng, with a polite smile, skillfully blocked Meng Huai’s entry.
Meng Huai nodded slightly, saying nothing, and turned to look at his younger brother.
Zhong Jing, feeling a bit awkward, scratched his nose and avoided his brother’s gaze, then smiled at Zhao Peng, “Brother Zhao, I’m a member. I’d like to use my invitation quota to apply for a membership experience.”
Zhao Peng neither agreed nor refused; he just smiled at the calm and indifferent Meng Huai, waiting for a response.
In his view, it seemed that Zhong Jing’s brother didn’t enjoy being associated with him, not to mention that Wan Yue had hinted at Meng Huai’s real identity long ago.
The atmosphere became slightly tense as the door quietly opened a small crack, revealing half of Jiang Yao’s beautiful face, before the door quickly closed again. Both Meng Huai and Zhong Jing caught sight of this moment.
“Um… may I ask if Jiang Yan is inside?”
Meng Huai hesitated for a moment, then looked at Zhao Peng with an inquiring gaze.
“Miss Jiang Yan is checking the cleanliness of all the private rooms. Since Mr. Zhong is the new member’s inviter, would Mr. Meng like to come in and sit? By the way, Jiang Yan will be attending a professional training out of town tomorrow and probably won’t be back for a month.”
Zhao Peng smiled again, stepping aside and making an invitation gesture.
“No, thank you.”
After speaking, Meng Huai turned and walked towards the crosswalk, seemingly intending to leave.
Zhong Jing felt something strange in his heart and hurriedly caught up a few paces.
“Zhong Jing, stop wasting your time. While you’re young, you should do something meaningful…”
Crossing the street, they arrived at a small green garden across the street, where Meng Huai sat on a long bench, appearing calm, his gaze still fixed on the Jinhe Club’s entrance, but his words were directed at Zhong Jing.
“Hehe, you’re just as bad as Dad… At least my law firm nets over a million a year, a level higher than what most people can achieve in their lifetime. How can you say I’m wasting my time?”
“I may not be able to accomplish anything grand, but I’m not the prodigal son in your eyes, am I?”
Zhong Jing sat beside his brother, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it, puffing smoke.
“Your starting point is higher than others, and you can do better.”
Meng Huai thought for a moment and placed a hand on Zhong Jing’s shoulder. This was perhaps a rare moment of genuine communication between the brothers.
“How much better should I be? A lot of people like to make that statement when they can’t move on their own or when others can’t catch up. In either case, it’s measuring others’ lives with one’s own thoughts. Is it meaningful?”
Zhong Jing exhaled a puff of smoke, donned a teasing expression, and stood up to walk away.
This was the true normalcy between the two brothers; they could never quite connect in conversation.
During the afternoon business hours, Jiang Yao was notably more dedicated due to a refreshing upgrade to her personal image, even playing cards with a few customers, which attracted a wave of elite urban males, making her feel on cloud nine for several hours.
Meanwhile, Jiang Yan occasionally glanced at a young man sitting motionless on the bench across the street through the one-way transparent glass wall, her expression somewhat cold.
Some small talk began to spread inside the Jinhe Club, as a few Hyacinth girls, when bored, would quietly point at the young man sitting across the glass wall, occasionally looking toward Jiang Yan with meaning in their eyes.
Unconsciously, it was already deep into the night at midnight, and the last club guest had long since left, and Jiang Yan and others awaited the end of their shifts.
A dozen girls gradually exited through the main door, but Jiang Yan’s figure was still absent.
Looking at the time, Meng Huai stood up and paced back and forth, changing his position slightly, continuing to stare at the Jinhe Club’s entrance, his body still and unmoving, like a clock.
Inside the Jinhe Club, the golden lights had dimmed long ago as Jiang Yan stood by the glass wall of the second-floor corridor, expressionless, watching the young man under the distant streetlight, feeling increasingly uneasy.
“Sister, we should go back; there’s still a lot to tidy up.”
Jiang Yao, who had already changed clothes, shouted from the lobby on the first floor.
“Brother Zhao Peng, then I’ll leave first. I’ll come early tomorrow…”
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Yan sighed, lacking the mood to change in the changing room, and directly put on a white outer jacket over her black dress, slowly walking out of the club.
Outside the dress, she turned and walked toward the staircase.
Generally, the Jinhe Club did not insist that everyone change back into their clothes before leaving. If someone particularly liked a certain outfit, they could directly pay for it and take it home.
During the day, she had noticed Meng Huai’s odd waiting outside the club, and seeing Jiang Yan leave, Zhao Peng could only smile wryly and turn his head.
Under the streetlight, the girl in black hair, black dress, and white jacket slowly crossed the crosswalk, finally standing near the green space, not far from the young man. Meanwhile, Jiang Yao watched from a distance with a curious gaze, hiding behind the corner of a building on the other side of the street.
She recalled the scene from the previous morning in Meng Huai’s hospital room, encountering Han Xiao, the head of the clothing team. Han Xiao’s resentful and restrained expression made Jiang Yan almost instantly know what had happened.
And Meng Huai deliberately cold-shouldering her while easily conversing with her only made Jiang Yan feel that in Meng Huai’s heart, she had become a role that she had never dared to imagine, rather than just a simple shield.
Now, Meng Huai was true to his word, waiting outside the Jinhe Club all day long. Jiang Yan was finding it hard to come up with words to describe her current feelings.
“Mont Huai, we just have a casual encounter; is there a misunderstanding between us?”
Watching the sharp-featured heroic face under the dim light, Jiang Yan’s tone was somewhat helpless.
“You’ve finished work… Are you really going out of town for training?”
Meng Huai did not stand up; he simply turned his head to look at Jiang Yan, his expression devoid of particular emotions, not caring about sitting from noon until deep into the night.
“Yeah, I’ll be going home to pack my luggage soon. We’ll set off early tomorrow.”
Jiang Yan hesitated for a moment but slowly sat down on another bench not far from Meng Huai.
The two sat at an awkward distance on separate benches, occasionally exchanging glances.
“I’ll also report to the Army General Hospital tomorrow, as a special task given by the higher-ups for clinical observation cooperation, which will likely take a month or two. I can’t refuse.”
Meng Huai stood up, adjusting his suit, his expression returning to his usual indifference: “Just wanted to let you know today; I’m leaving.”
“Wait, Meng Huai, you haven’t answered my question from earlier!”
Jiang Yan also stood up, feeling a bit cold, a bit flustered, and a bit afraid.
“There’s no misunderstanding; we just met by chance and talked about normal matters.”
Meng Huai’s back was turned, not looking back.
“Then… let’s not meet again in the future, okay?”
“Okay!”
Meng Huai strode away, quickly disappearing into the hazy street under the moonlight.
Jiang Yan lowered her head slightly; although the response from him relieved her somewhat, she couldn’t understand why a hint of sadness and regret surfaced in her heart.
