Chapter 10
Gu Tang’s hometown certainly didn’t have any luxury hotels with rooftop helipads for private jets. The plane landed in the provincial capital, an hour’s drive from the town, and then they transferred to another car to reach the town.
The car was still a private vehicle of the Jiang family, transported there in advance before the itinerary was finalized. As soon as Gu Tang and Jiang Huaisheng landed, the driver in charge of picking them up drove the luxury car out of the underground garage.
“Hello, Young Master Huaisheng, I’m Wang Tao, the driver transferred from the old mansion. I’ll be driving for you when you go to university.”
The driver who came this time was a new face, seemingly in his early thirties, with regular features, thick eyebrows, and big eyes.
He was dressed in a suit, but he gave off a slightly strange feeling, his demeanor particularly rigid.
When introducing himself, the driver even saluted with a “snap,” and the black suit suddenly looked a bit greenish.
The housekeeper timely provided information: “Young Master, this is a retired soldier, he used to drive for leaders in the army, so he’s a driver and half a bodyguard for you.”
The Jiang family was always generous with salaries for such important positions. The driver could receive two salaries at the same time, and the treatment was higher than the market rate. Of course, the requirements were also higher than those for ordinary drivers.
In addition to good driving skills, they had to pay attention to their appearance, and most importantly, be tight-lipped.
Wang Tao saluted as soon as he saw Jiang Huaisheng, his new employer, clearly a professional habit from seeing leaders before.
Jiang Huaisheng nodded politely: “The Jiang family isn’t the army, just a private employer, no need to salute.”
He had just gotten off the plane and wasn’t feeling very well. His attitude could only be described as polite, but his tone was cold and distant.
This made Wang Tao feel a little awkward. He originally wanted to make a good impression in front of his boss, but it seemed he had tried a little too hard. He didn’t know if he had satisfied Jiang Huaisheng.
To be honest, he really hoped to get this job because most of the working hours were in the capital, which allowed him to be with his family, and the salary was especially high.
Gu Tang saw the frustrated and embarrassed expression on Wang Tao’s face, saluted like the driver just now, and said with a smile: “Hello, Uncle Wang, I’m Gu Tang.”
Wang Tao immediately felt the atmosphere relax a lot and quickly smiled: “Hello, Young Master Gu, your salute looks very standard!”
Gu Tang replied: “Maybe it’s because my dad was also a soldier. I only learned a little bit, you flatter me.”
He had a filter for people who had served in the army because his biological father had also been in the army, but he married young and left the army early for his family.
Wang Tao immediately felt closer to Gu Tang: “Really? I wonder what your father’s name is, maybe I know him.” Gu Tang looked about the same age as his child.
Jiang Huaisheng gave Wang Tao a strange look: “This trip is to sweep his father’s grave.” This driver really knew how to hit a sore spot.
Wang Tao’s dark, tough face instantly flushed red, and he became somewhat at a loss, repeatedly apologizing to Gu Tang: “I, I didn’t know, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry…”
Gu Tang shook his head: “It’s okay, my dad has been gone for ten years. And everyone dies, it’s just a matter of time.”
When he was young, he really couldn’t accept it, but ten years had passed, and mentioning this matter didn’t bring him much sorrow.
Jiang Huaisheng asked: “Can we go now?”
He wasn’t very interested in reminiscing with the driver, as long as the other party was competent. Compared to a noisy, chatty driver, he preferred someone silent and tight-lipped.
Wang Tao quickly opened the driver’s door: “Yes, yes.”
The housekeeper opened the car door for Jiang Huaisheng. After the latter got in, Gu Tang sat in the back with him and closed the door.
This was a stretched model. The housekeeper sat in the front passenger seat. After getting in the car, the partition between the back seat and the driver was raised, creating a separate small space.
Jiang Huaisheng said: “Your salute just now wasn’t standard at all, it was ugly.”
He mocked Gu Tang: “Didn’t you dislike hypocrisy? Now you’ve become as hypocritical as the people you criticize.”
Jiang Huaisheng couldn’t understand Gu Tang, being so nice to a driver he had just met, even acting like a clown to smooth things over for him.
Gu Tang said: “Young Master Huaisheng, you’re still as mean as ever, nothing has changed.”
If Jiang Huaisheng wanted to make people feel comfortable, his attitude would definitely be gentle and warm, not repeatedly embarrassing the driver. First, he pointed out his salute, and then he mentioned his deceased father. He was clearly doing it on purpose.
Gu Tang asked him: “Don’t you like this driver? But his driving skills are quite good, and he’s experienced, he shouldn’t talk much.”
He was always so considerate of others, attentive enough to notice other people’s embarrassment. It was the driver’s first day on the job, and the suit he was wearing should have been prepared by himself. It was a brand name, but it didn’t fit very well.
It could be seen that he valued this job very much. Perhaps it was the filter of his profession, but Gu Tang hoped the driver could get his wish.
Although the young master was extremely hypocritical and very good at embarrassing people, being his driver was still an easy and decent job.
However, being empathetic wasn’t always a good thing. If Gu Tang were less sensitive, he would definitely have lived a much happier life these past years, a carefree fool.
“Do you like this driver that much? Does he remind you of your father?”
Jiang Huaisheng glanced at Gu Tang. Who was he showing his dissatisfaction with the driver for?
The driver’s resume had been sent to his account before. His background was clean, he had a beautiful wife and a son, and a good family life.
He wasn’t afraid that Gu Tang would see their happy family and his fragile heart would shatter into pieces, secretly shedding tears.
Unfortunately, Gu Tang had no conscience, only seeing this person being considerate to others, but not being considerate to him, his childhood friend.
Gu Tang was stunned. He didn’t expect that Jiang Huaisheng’s dissatisfaction with the new driver was actually because of him: “My dad is unique in this world, and he wouldn’t remind me of my dad, my dad is much better looking than him.”
He wasn’t so sensitive and sentimental that he would think of his dad and feel down whenever he saw someone.
Gu Tang’s eyes curved into a smile, as refreshing as a gentle breeze. His eyes were clear and bright, reminiscent of a beautiful deer in the forest, with soft and clean fur, gentle and harmless, and long, thick eyelashes: “Jiang Huaisheng, thank you.”
Although Jiang Huaisheng often spoke harshly, one thing was one thing. No matter what, he was grateful for the other party’s concern for him.
His heart trampled by a beautiful deer, the young master turned his face away, looking out the window with a noble and aloof expression: “It has nothing to do with you, he just looks stupid.”
The car quickly arrived at the cemetery according to the navigation. Gu Tang opened the door and got out first. Jiang Huaisheng followed him out and said to the housekeeper in front of him: “Uncle Wang’s driving skills are good, the car is very stable.”
This meant that he was going to keep him. A hint of joy appeared on Wang Tao’s tough face, but looking at their surroundings, he tried to suppress his smile.
Gu Tang had bought a large bouquet of flowers before coming, beautiful white chrysanthemums, green lisianthus, and baby’s breath.
Putting down the flowers and the large fruit basket, Gu Tang looked at the spirited photo on the tombstone. The face in the photo resembled him by sixty percent, with a bright and sunny smile.
Gu Tang said: “Dad, I’m 18 years old, I’ve officially become an adult. Thank you for protecting me all these years. I’m going to university this year, the best university in the country. I haven’t let you down, I’ll live a good life on my own, and so should you.”
He was silent for a while, then added: “My mom is also doing well, she has a happy marriage and a good relationship with my little brother. If you haven’t been reincarnated and are still waiting, you don’t have to wait anymore. If you meet someone suitable, you can get married too, as long as you like it and are happy.”
Gu Tang wasn’t born gay, but he knew his situation, he couldn’t get married and have children in this life. In terms of carrying on the family line, he was destined to disappoint his father.
After saying this, he squatted down and burned all the paper money he had prepared, as well as the trendy new paper mobile phone and a copy of his university admission notice.
Jiang Huaisheng stood silently behind him, watching. Hearing Gu Tang’s words, a sarcastic smile appeared on his lips: This guy hadn’t changed much from when he was a child, still so soft-hearted in family matters, not making any progress at all.
According to his investigation, Gu Tang’s biological father wasn’t a kind-hearted good person. He didn’t know how such parents could give birth to such an innocent and pure child like Gu Tang, it might be a genetic mutation.
Oh, correction, Gu Tang wasn’t innocent and pure anymore, he was a pervert.
On the way back, Jiang Huaisheng wanted to stay at the hotel, but Gu Tang refused, he wanted to return to his old house in town.
This three-story small house was left by Gu Tang’s father. Ms. Wen Xinyi didn’t intend to fight for this property and directly registered it under Gu Tang’s name. The house in the small town wasn’t worth much anyway.
The house had been simply renovated a couple of years ago. Gu Tang would come back to see his father every winter and summer vacation, so the house was very clean and could be lived in after a little dusting.
Jiang Huaisheng disliked this dilapidated house very much. Gu Tang didn’t know what the young master was thinking, insisting on staying with him.
Jiang Huaisheng instructed the housekeeper and bodyguards to stay at the hotel in town: “You can come over tomorrow.”
Jiang Huaisheng followed Gu Tang, who was cleaning, pointing and commenting: “This house of yours is so broken, why not tear it down and rebuild it?”
“These furniture styles are so outdated, this TV is 20 years old, right? It’s still black and white…”
The small town had changed a lot in ten years. Stylish villas had been built all around, making their house look shabby, dilapidated, and outdated.
The renovation a few years ago was only to reinforce the house to prevent it from collapsing, and then simply paint the walls.
“This is my home, home doesn’t need to change.” Gu Tang didn’t want to change anything about this house, he wanted it to stay as it was more than ten years ago, the most beautiful state in his memory.
He couldn’t tolerate Jiang Huaisheng looking down on his home. Even if what the other party said was true, Gu Tang didn’t want to hear it: “You can go back to the hotel, our countryside has a lot of insects and ants, it’s not suitable for you.”
The three-story small building had many rooms, but many of them were filled with clutter, all covered with dust covers. Gu Tang still lived in his childhood bedroom.
There were guest rooms that could be cleaned for Jiang Huaisheng to stay in, but Jiang Huaisheng refused: “I want to stay in the best room.”
Gu Tang didn’t indulge him in his own home: “My parents’ room can’t be occupied by anyone, either the guest room, the utility room, or you can go to the city to stay in a hotel, I’ll have the housekeeper pick you up.”
“No, I’ll sleep in the same room with you.” Jiang Huaisheng said rightfully, “What if there are insects and ants biting people? Then you’ll have to drive away the insects and mice.”
Gu Tang gave the young master a meaningful look and didn’t strongly object anymore.
The house was rarely occupied, but he had paid a former neighbor to clean it once a month, so there weren’t that many insects and mice.
But it was summer, and the small courtyard had good landscaping, so there were indeed more insects and ants.
Gu Tang spread out the sheets he had brought, lit some mugwort to repel mosquitoes. His bedroom still had an old-fashioned mosquito net, but after so many years, the white mosquito net had turned slightly yellow.
The old air conditioner was still working diligently. The 20-year-old air conditioner’s cooling effect was still very good, but it consumed a lot of electricity, and the motor wasn’t very quiet.
After a day of hard work, Gu Tang was already tired. After cleaning and taking a shower with well water, he was ready to sleep.
The young master didn’t participate in the cleaning. He had the driver take him to the hotel for a shower midway, and came back refreshed, forcefully knocking on the door of the small courtyard, then domineeringly occupying the small bed Gu Tang had prepared.
He couldn’t help but complain: “This bed board of yours is too hard, and the quilt isn’t warm enough.”
“Then go sleep at the hotel.” He didn’t beg Jiang Huaisheng to stay. Not to mention Jiang Huaisheng, even if his own mother, Ms. Wen Xinyi, said such things, Gu Tang would retort.
Jiang Huaisheng shut up again. It was 10:00 p.m. now, the lights in the room were off, only the moonlight shone through the blackout curtains, bringing a little light to the dim room.
The small town was very quiet at night, and you could hear the crickets and cicadas chirping in the grass outside.
This bed was Gu Tang’s childhood bed, 1.5 meters wide and 2 meters long, a little crowded for two tall adult men.
The cold air blew. Jiang Huaisheng’s ice-cold arm rested on Gu Tang. The young man’s body was completely different from his, still hot and burning, like a large heater.
The young master took a comfortable breath, enjoying the warmth. He turned over, his long legs straddling the other: “Gu Tang, come fulfill the contract.”
The terms of the contract were flexible. This time, he would take the initiative.
