Chapter 37
So Gu Tang said, “Then next time, should I introduce you as just a normal male friend?”
Jiang Huaisheng glared at him: “What’s wrong with saying something nice? You just want to annoy me to death!”
If he wanted to object, he wouldn’t have played along with Gu Tang’s words in the first place. This guy knew about rituals, he was deliberately provoking him.
Gu Tang looked at Jiang Huaisheng quietly, then suddenly walked away: “Wait for me here for a few minutes.”
Jiang Huaisheng was puzzled as he watched Gu Tang walk into a shop about 50 meters away.
It wasn’t a boutique or a flower shop, but a food store, with a pleasant ambiance and a small courtyard in the back.
Less than five minutes later, Gu Tang came out carrying a potted plant, a beautifully trimmed wisteria bonsai.
The shop owner had originally planted it casually in the ground. Gu Tang bought a marble pot shaped like a white jade brush holder, slender and cylindrical, chose a wisteria in full bloom, planted it in the pot, and came out.
The young man holding the wisteria made Jiang Huaisheng feel a sense of déjà vu, as if he saw Gu Tang from over a decade ago, still a teenager, looking back at him under the wisteria trellis.
Wisteria, it was said, symbolized a devoted woman who died for love and transformed into these cascading flowers.
It represented an unblessed yet persistent love, and it was also said to symbolize wealth and honor because of the saying “purple air comes from the east.” This was a flower Gu Tang felt was very suitable for him and Jiang Huaisheng.
After all, wisteria was a vine, just like the feelings between him and Jiang Huaisheng, lingering and entangled… persistent.
“Hold out your hand.”
Gu Tang placed the wisteria bonsai, pot and all, into Jiang Huaisheng’s hands and asked: “Jiang Huaisheng, do you want to be my boyfriend?”
He didn’t ask if Jiang Huaisheng could be his boyfriend, but if he wanted to be.
“Other people give flowers, you give a potted plant.”
Actually, Gu Tang had given Jiang Huaisheng flowers many times. No, it shouldn’t be called giving, but presenting.
When Jiang Huaisheng finished a competition and needed someone to present him with a bouquet, if Gu Tang wasn’t also on stage receiving an award, he would be the one presenting the flowers.
But those flowers weren’t bought by Gu Tang, he was just a tool to complete the flower-giving process.
Strictly speaking, this wisteria bonsai was the first flower Gu Tang had actively given to Jiang Huaisheng. A potted flower was still a flower.
Even a large bouquet of flowers was light, but this marble pot was really heavy, and with the heavy soil inside, it weighed down Jiang Huaisheng’s hands.
Gu Tang said: “Just say whether you want it or not. If not, I’ll take it back.”
Since he had just moved in, and there weren’t any plants at home, his new home lacked some greenery. It wouldn’t be bad to keep the wisteria.
Jiang Huaisheng held the wisteria tighter: “There’s no taking back a gift once it’s given.”
On their way back, Gu Tang opened the trunk: “Put it there, I won’t steal your things.”
He had never stolen anything from Jiang Huaisheng. He couldn’t before, and there was no need to. In the subjects Jiang Huaisheng excelled at, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t surpass a naturally gifted person.
And in the sports competitions Gu Tang excelled at, Jiang Huaisheng rarely participated. After all, due to his physical limitations, the young master never participated in competitions that would only humiliate him.
Jiang Huaisheng carefully placed the potted plant in the middle of the trunk. Because the trunk was empty and there was nothing to secure it, he took out the spare tire and wedged the pot between the tire and the trunk to prevent it from breaking during the drive.
Whether it was for show or not, seeing the gift he gave being cherished always made one feel good.
While Gu Tang was driving, Jiang Huaisheng texted his secretary.
When they arrived downstairs at Gu Tang’s apartment, the secretary, who had been waiting, came over.
He came fully equipped with a foam box, shock-absorbing padding, tape, and rope.
“Mr. Jiang, should this bonsai be sent to the old mansion?”
Jiang Huaisheng shook his head: “Send it to my apartment near the company.”
After starting work, to save valuable time, he naturally couldn’t live in the old mansion as he used to.
The old mansion wasn’t far from Mingyuan Group’s headquarters, but in recent years, he had been deliberately avoiding his grandfather and had reduced the frequency of his visits.
The excuses were easy to find. Although the old mansion was close, he lived directly above the company building, and the old mansion occupied such a large area that even driving there took twenty minutes.
The new secretary glanced at Gu Tang: “Boss, this is…?”
He didn’t know Gu Tang and, of course, didn’t know about their past.
Jiang Huaisheng said: “My new boyfriend, Gu Tang. You can call him Mr. Gu.”
After all, Gu Tang wasn’t a general manager or chairman, just Dr. Gu.
“Hello, Mr. Gu, I’m Mr. Jiang’s personal assistant, He Zai. You can call me Xiao He.”
The secretary was instantly alert. Jiang Huaisheng said “new boyfriend,” but He Zai knew that Jiang Huaisheng hadn’t had any “old” boyfriends in these past years. A qualified employee should pay attention to anyone acknowledged by their boss.
He respectfully presented his business card: “This has my contact information.”
Gu Tang glanced at Jiang Huaisheng, who said: “Take it, sometimes I’m in meetings and might not be able to receive your messages.”
There were times when it wasn’t convenient for Jiang Huaisheng to answer the phone, and he could be contacted through his secretary.
He Zai mentally raised the importance level of this boyfriend. This meant that Gu Tang was allowed to check up on him.
This was so sudden. He had never imagined his boss would be like this in a relationship. No, to be precise, He Zai never thought Jiang Huaisheng would be in a relationship at all, assuming he would be married to his work forever.
Or, he thought, when Jiang Huaisheng reached a certain age, he would, under the old man’s pressure, enter into a business marriage with some wealthy heiress, then have two children, a son and a daughter, in a loveless marriage.
He never expected that Jiang Huaisheng’s partner would be a man. Of course, this young man had an outstanding appearance and temperament, but in City A, there didn’t seem to be any unmarried young second-generation heirs surnamed Gu.
There were many rich people in City A, and many companies had business collaborations with Mingyuan Group. There were certainly Chairman Gus and CEO Gus, but none who were simultaneously young, unmarried, and this handsome.
Gu Tang readily accepted the business card and took out another one from his wallet: “Assistant He, nice to meet you. Feel free to contact me if needed.”
Working hard in the city and serving a demanding boss like Jiang Huaisheng must be very stressful.
The key was, his psychological counseling fees were very expensive, and Assistant He could afford them.
“Okay, okay.” Assistant He quickly accepted the business card with both hands. Compared to his own flashy, gold-embossed card, the one in his hand, although made of good material, was much more simple and elegant in style.
City A Third People’s Hospital Psychiatrist – Gu Tang.
“Hmm?…”
“Providing psychological counseling services.”
“Hmm?!”
He almost forgot, psychiatrists also worked in the psychiatry department, not just treating mental illnesses.
He Zai was relieved, suddenly remembering that his boss did seem to have long-term psychological counseling.
But psychiatrists and patients couldn’t be in a relationship, right? It was against professional ethics.
However, Jiang Huaisheng didn’t receive counseling at the hospital, he had a dedicated psychiatrist. So it should just be a coincidence, or they were introduced by a mutual acquaintance in the field.
After Assistant He left with the bonsai, Jiang Huaisheng suddenly said: “Assistant He has a girlfriend.”
“Oh?”
Jiang Huaisheng asked: “Why were you staring at him?”
Gu Tang said: “His expressions were quite interesting.”
Jiang Huaisheng said: “He’s not usually like that, and he’s quite good at keeping secrets.”
This personal assistant was completely obedient to Jiang Huaisheng, unlike the previous housekeeper, he wouldn’t casually leak Jiang Huaisheng’s information.
As an ordinary worker from an average family, He Zai couldn’t afford the consequences of leaking information. While receiving a very high salary, he had also signed many strict work agreements.
If he violated the contract, he would have to pay a very high penalty and might even be detained for leaking trade secrets.
Assistant He was actually a very capable worker, but because the news today was too shocking, he couldn’t maintain his usual professional smile.
And most people couldn’t see through Assistant He’s inner thoughts. Gu Tang, as a psychology expert, habitually observed people’s facial expressions.
Gu Tang said: “It has nothing to do with him, it’s just my occupational habit.”
Jiang Huaisheng had given himself five days off, but Gu Tang hadn’t, so after meeting with his senior brother, he had to report to the hospital for work.
Sometimes Jiang Huaisheng hated how calm and rational Gu Tang was, as if he wasn’t important at all.
The paperwork had been processed beforehand, and Gu Tang smoothly started his job after arriving.
As one of the few psychiatrists, he had his own consulting room.
Because he had just started, his information had just been posted by the hospital.
Gu Tang didn’t need to be at the hospital every day. His schedule was four days a week, and not even full days on all four days.
But on his first day on duty, Gu Tang’s schedule was fully booked.
Being fully booked immediately as a new doctor, even with a good resume, was very rare.
Knock, knock, knock. Someone knocked on the door three times.
“Come in.”
As Gu Tang’s voice fell, a familiar face entered.
“Dr. Gu.”
Jiang Huaisheng walked in, holding a registration slip.
