KN | Chapter 48

Christmas Tree

Qin Zhaoting froze for a moment. Chen Wan had not bowled much today, so he had assumed Chen Wan either did not know how to bowl, or simply was not interested.

Qin Zhaoting looked toward Zhao Shengge. It was Zhao Shengge’s ball, only he had the right to decide.

Chen Wan also looked at Zhao Shengge and asked again, “May I, Mr. Zhao?”

Zhao Shengge looked at him for a few moments, then stepped back a few paces and made a gentlemanly gesture for him to go ahead.

Chen Wan took the ball from his hands. As they passed each other, he lowered his voice and said, so softly that only the two of them could hear, “We probably won’t lose.”

Zhao Shengge raised an eyebrow.

If Chen Wan said they would not lose, then they would not lose. Bowling was the only club activity he had ever joined during his busy, exhausting university years.

In his head, he rapidly calculated the angle and speed of the throw, then swung his arm and sent the ball down a steep, razor-sharp line.

“Bang!”

Like spring thunder exploding, like sparks struck from flint, the white ball shot forward with irresistible force. The players watching nearby immediately let out hushed cries of surprise.

“Christmas tree!!”

The 2-7-10 split got its name because if you linked the remaining pins and the headpin into a line, it looked like a Christmas tree.

The dazzling path of the ball flashed before the spectators’ eyes. The pins flew apart, and the frame was cleanly cleared.

“So romantic.” A female player whispered softly to her boyfriend that she wanted one too. “If you hit a Christmas tree once, you get good luck for the whole year.”

Tan Youming shot to his feet and applauded Chen Wan, then loudly accused Zhao Shengge, “You’re using cheats!”

“Mm.” Zhao Shengge stared at Chen Wan, who was tilting his head up at the big screen and seriously counting the score, then said calmly, “Go on, curse me all you want.”

“…”

Shen Zongnian looked at Zhao Shengge.

Everyone in the alley was praising Chen Wan’s superb skill, saying that with one shot he had pulled off a Christmas tree, an outcome with odds in the tens of millions to one.

But was Chen Wan the only one whose skill was that extraordinary?

A mess like that might not even appear once in a hundred games.

How precise would the calculations have to be, to leave behind exactly those numbered pins and form that “Christmas tree”?

Zhao Shengge looked back at him with the same calm expression. Shen Zongnian said to Tan Youming, “Go ahead, curse him.”

“…”

In the end, although Qin Zhaoting lost, he still came over magnanimously to congratulate them, then said with a laugh that Chen Wan had really been hiding his abilities.

Chen Wan smiled and modestly said that it was only because Mr. Zhao’s earlier score had built up enough of a cushion, otherwise there would have been no way for him to turn things around no matter what he did.

Zhao Shengge was already immune to his compliments. Later, in the washroom, he called out to him.

“Chen Wan.”

“Mm?”

“Do you hit Christmas trees often?” Chen Wan’s style was too beautiful, and the odds of making a Christmas tree in a single shot were far too low.

“No. This is my first time getting this.” He could only think he had succeeded because he had meant it so sincerely, because he truly had not wanted Zhao Shengge to lose.

“Really.”

“Really.”

So Zhao Shengge said, “It’s my first time receiving one too.”

Chen Wan was slightly surprised. Zhao Shengge had been bowling since his student days, yet after all these years, no one had ever bowled a Christmas tree for him.

A little delighted, Chen Wan said, “My honor.”

Zhao Shengge did not want to hear any more words that sounded sweet and thoughtful, yet in truth could not prove anything and could not stand for anything, so he asked directly, “Why did you bowl it for me?”

Was it because of that baffling phone call that no one could make sense of, or because Chen Wan felt he had offended him and was trying to offer a little compensation, to make some kind of amends?

Chen Wan felt that he was not asking casually, so he, too, put away his smile, and his expression turned serious.

He said, “Because I hope you’ll be happy.”

Zhao Shengge paused. He stared at him without moving, fully aware of his own heartbeat.

That same sincere expression was on Chen Wan’s face again, earnest and without the slightest trace of falsehood, as if the greatest wish in his life really was for Zhao Shengge to be happy.

The bowling alley was noisy. Zhao Shengge did not respond. Chen Wan thought he had not heard clearly, so he repeated it once more in an especially formal tone.

“I hope you’ll be happy, Mr. Zhao.”

I hope you keep winning. I hope you have good luck. I hope you stay healthy and never fall ill. I hope there are many people who care about you.

Most of all, I hope you’re happy.

After a long while, Zhao Shengge lowered his head slightly and at last revealed his first smile of today, no, of these past few days, that kind of helpless, resigned smile, and also one that truly seemed not to know what to do.

But it was so faint, so light, and vanished so quickly that Chen Wan did not even have time to react before Qin Zhaoting came in.

Half serious and half joking, he said, “Isn’t it a bit much for the two of you to gang up on one?”

Zhao Shengge reached out to take his own towel from Chen Wan’s hand and said, “You can find outside help too.”

The washroom was separate. Zhao Shengge had not brought any body wash, so he used Chen Wan’s.

Chen Wan had barely bowled, so he washed up faster and waited outside.

Outside the bowling alley, the evening glow spread across the sky. Golden sunlight lay over the grassy lawn, and farther away, the sea was beginning to rise with the tide.

When Zhao Shengge came out, Chen Wan was replying to work messages. The same body wash scent drifted over. Chen Wan’s breathing turned a little uneven. He put away his phone and said, “Mr. Zhao.”

Zhao Shengge did not know whether he had added that boy as a contact. He lowered his eyes and swept a glance across the phone screen, then said, “Let’s go.”

Once they reached the parking lot, everyone went to get their own cars.

Tan Youming and Shen Zongnian’s Lincoln was parked right beside Zhao Shengge’s Land Rover. Tan Youming said he wanted to drive Zhao Shengge’s car.

After he had once knocked over several roadside trash bins while parking and nearly driven the car into the greenbelt, Shen Zongnian had never again let him drive a vehicle with a high chassis.

Tan Youming was bad at driving but hopelessly addicted to it. He had coveted Zhao Shengge’s new oversized beast for ages. Zhao Shengge said generously, “Catch,” and tossed him the car keys.

Tan Youming shouted, “Thanks, boss!”

Zhao Shengge reminded him, “Be careful.”

Tan Youming felt that Zhao Shengge finally seemed a little more human today, completely different from how cold and taciturn he had been some time ago. Still, back then he had been sick, which was understandable.

Shen Zongnian gave a cold laugh. “You gave him your car, so what are you riding in?”

Chen Wan came over and eased the situation. “If you don’t mind, Mr. Zhao, you can ride in my car.”

Today he had deliberately driven a Toyota Prado over. Compared with the luxury cars of these young masters, it was nothing special, but it had the advantage of roomy space and a high level of comfort.

Looking at him, Zhao Shengge said, “If it’s inconvenient, I can ride with Jiang Ying too.”

Chen Wan hurriedly said, “It’s not inconvenient at all.”

“Then all right.”

“…” Shen Zongnian looked at Zhao Shengge rather coldly. Zhao Shengge patted him on the shoulder and instructed him like an older brother, “Keep an eye on Youming. It’ll be fine.”

“…”

Chen Wan quickened his pace a little and went to open the rear door for Zhao Shengge.

Almost at the same moment, Zhao Shengge directly opened the front passenger door.

“…”

For an instant, the air seemed to go still. Both of them paused and looked at each other.

Chen Wan spoke first. “Mr. Zhao, the back is more spacious, it’ll be more comfortable.”

Zhao Shengge looked at him for a moment, then reached out and removed the hand he still had on the handle, pulled him behind himself, and with a sharp slap shut the rear door.

“I’m sitting in the front. The view is better.”

Chen Wan let him have his way. “All right.”

Zhao Shengge probably really had not sat in the front passenger seat much, and he was not familiar with Chen Wan’s car either. His legs were long, and he fiddled with the seat settings for quite a while.

The alert tone kept sounding. Chen Wan saw that the cars ahead had already started moving, so he turned his head and asked, “Mr. Zhao, let me help you.”

Zhao Shengge looked at him and raised both hands, signaling for him to do it.

Chen Wan leaned over. Even though he left enough proper social distance, Zhao Shengge could still smell on him that exact same body wash scent as his own.

Orange scented, Chen Wan.

Chen Wan quickly adjusted the seat for him, stepped on the gas, turned the wheel, and caught up with the cars ahead.

Zhao Shengge rested his elbow on the edge of the window. Riding in Chen Wan’s car was very comfortable, so comfortable that it made Zhao Shengge feel as if he had returned to a very private, safe zone where both body and mind could relax.

Completely at ease, Zhao Shengge turned the stereo down, then reached for the bottled water in the door compartment. When he bent down, he caught sight of a streak of velvety red under the seat.

Zhao Shengge picked it up. It was a lipstick, probably dropped in the back and rolled forward.

He held it up and, without asking anything else, only said, “Where should I put it?”

Chen Wan took a quick glance away from the traffic and instinctively muttered, “Oh, my mom’s.”

Zhao Shengge raised an eyebrow. It was hard to tell whether he smiled or not. “Chen Wan, I’m asking, where should I put it?”

“…” Chen Wan reacted then, a little embarrassed, and sighed inwardly. Fortunately, his voice was still steady when he said, “Oh, sorry. I misheard. Just put it in the compartment.”

Understandingly, Zhao Shengge said, “Then I’ll put it here for you.”

The station playing was the Cantopop radio channel Chen Wan listened to most often. It was playing “Lifelong Beauty.” Chen Wan did not know what Zhao Shengge wanted to hear, so he said, “Mr. Zhao, feel free to change the station.”

“It’s fine, let’s just listen to this.” Zhao Shengge had no objection to the radio station. However, he turned to look at Chen Wan and said, “Chen Wan.”

“Let’s discuss something?”

“Mm?” Being called by name all of a sudden, Chen Wan unconsciously straightened his back.

“I don’t get many days off,” Zhao Shengge said frankly, raising an objection. “If you keep calling me that, it makes me feel like I’m still at work.”

Zhuo Zhixuan aside for the moment, there were more than ten years of time and friendship between them. Chen Wan called Tan Youming Young Master Tan, Shen Zongnian President Shen, Qin Zhaoting Boss Qin, and Jiang Ying Mr. Jiang.

So there was really nothing different about Zhao Shengge.

Before this, Zhao Shengge would have been willing to give Chen Wan a little time to buffer and adjust.

But now, Zhao Shengge had already realized that Chen Wan would compromise for him.

Again and again.

That phone call was not exactly a pleasant memory, but somehow it had turned misfortune into good fortune, allowing Zhao Shengge to hold the moral high ground, as if he had obtained a trump card, and in this evenly matched tug-of-war, he was gradually gaining the upper hand.

No matter what kind of psychology Chen Wan was acting from, the moment Zhao Shengge caught even the slightest weakness or opening, he would use it to the fullest and never be softhearted.

Chen Wan turned to look at him. His eyes were pitch-black, as if a thousand thoughts were churning within them, and also as if they were so dark that there was nothing there at all.

His hand tightened on the steering wheel. Suppressing the surging tide in his heart, he asked softly, “Then how should I address you?”

“If you don’t mind, just use my name.” Zhao Shengge looked very casual, as if it were only some trivial little matter. “There’s no need for so many formalities.”

Chen Wan’s throat bobbed. In those brief few seconds, many thoughts rolled through his mind, but in the end Zhao Shengge’s wishes came first.

He answered solemnly, “All right.”

In the past, Chen Wan would have had many reservations. He would have thought over many things, felt it was not respectful enough, and also had to be mindful of keeping proper distance.

Now, Chen Wan placed Zhao Shengge’s will above all other priorities.

Zhao Shengge, Chen Wan repeated the name silently in his heart. In Haishi, very few people could call him directly by that name. Tan Youming and Shen Zongnian could because they had the bond of growing up together, and after more than ten years of persistence, Chen Wan had also arrived at this day.

The Toyota Prado drove along the Western Corridor and passed Austin Road, the very road Chen Wan had once taken Zhao Shengge down on the way to Yingchi.

Again, the red light was hanging high, but the scenery along the road had long since changed.