Chapter 23 Are the parents a couple...

Hong Kong Island is small and densely populated, but Deep Water Bay Manor is quiet in the bustle, creating a quiet and peaceful world, hanging across the lush mountains like a string of jewels. By

the sapphire-like artificial lake, the servants are watering the garden diligently. The clusters of new buds have been carefully trimmed, and each branch lies safely in the position that best shows its appearance. Just like in the Zhuang family, people and things silently obey the established order and never make mistakes.

The lake breeze blows away the rich aroma of flower tea. Guan Yonglin took a sip and saw Zhuang Youkai walking towards this side. She smiled and motioned to the servant who was serving her to add another cup for him, "Are you done talking?"

Zhuang Youkai nodded. When he got home, he was dressed less formally, with a shirt over a vest, the first and last buttons loosely unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a few strands of hair hanging down, looking extremely dashing.

No wonder so many people are concerned about his marriage, thought Guan Yonglin. Regardless of which era, Zhuang Youkai is definitely a handsome man, not to mention his glittering family background. In terms of wealth, no one in the Bay Area can match him.

"It's hard for you to spend so much time to agree to your grandfather. He is old and nagging." Guan Yonglin looked at him lovingly, took a scone from the Victorian dessert plate and put it in front of him, "You should not leave this time you come back, right?"

"No, didn't the grandfather want to revitalize several hotels with low efficiency? He kept me here."

Guan Yonglin sighed and said in a long tone, "Sent you to the hotel again? He really didn't want to."

The men of the Zhuang family have always worked hard in their careers. Akai's mother passed away early, and only she, as a grandmother, sympathized with his hard work. However, there is no longer anything to talk about between grandparents and grandchildren. With the passage of experience and years, it is impossible to understand everything and take care of everything.

Thinking of this, Guan Yonglin felt more and more that Akai's marriage should be put on the agenda.

"It's a good thing to be on the front line. I can understand more problems." Zhuang Youkai smiled, "I have already picked a place."

"Where?"

"Kowloon Tong."

"Oh, to the New Territories, then you won't live at home anymore?"

"Not yet confirmed, but I probably can't live there, so I won't disturb your peace."

"What are you talking about? Such a big room, there's no room for you?" Guan Yonglin sighed, "You really want me to feel at ease. When you get married and someone knows your feelings, I will be able to rest assured."

"We just finished Sister Ying's wedding."

"She is she, and you are you. Ah Kai, it doesn't matter who she is, as long as she has a clean family background and gets along with you. Grandma is not like your grandfather. She doesn't have so many rules. The most important thing is to have someone to take care of you, and everything else is not important."

Grandma's eyes were like a sea, very calm and indifferent. Zhuang Youkai looked at her for a moment, slightly raised his eyelids, and the hand holding the cup handle tightened unconsciously.

He knew that Guan Yonglin was still haunted by the mess left by the arranged marriage between Zhuang Zhaocheng and Lin Shuyun, so she was particularly open-minded to the younger generation. At that time, Peiying had an affair with a grassroots singer. How much of it was covered up by her grandmother? Everyone knew it, but they just didn't say it clearly.
But in the end, Zhuang Peiying still took the old path of her aunt. For the so-called family interests, she personally sent herself to a golden house with caged flowers and cranes. Guan Yonglin felt deeply regretful, so she just wanted Zhuang Youkai to be at ease. 

"It's too early to talk about this now. I've been traveling all over the world. It's not easy to talk about settling down before I'm settled." Zhuang Youkai walked around behind his grandmother and pinched her shoulders. "After I'm done with this, I'll go back to Deep Water Bay and spend more time with you." 

"You only talk sweetly when you're trying to coax people, but whether you keep your promise or not is another matter." Guan Yonglin knew that she couldn't keep him, so she patted his hand on his shoulder in frustration, "Since you're going to the New Territories, please do me a favor." 

"You say." 

"The new building of CUHK has been completed, please go and see it for me. They invited me to give a speech this year, but my legs haven't been feeling well in recent years, so it's really difficult for me to go out." 

"CUHK?" Zhuang Youkai was stunned for a moment, and his heart was vaguely rippled, "Okay, I understand." 

* 

"Today, Chen Muchuan and I will go to the airport to pick you up, Yifan and Yuner will go to West Kowloon. Xiaoling, you and the rest of the helpers will move around in the school and wait for news from the MUA and us at any time. Is everything ok?" 

Before leaving, Zhao Manzhi assigned the tasks in a hurry. When everyone had no objection, she checked the list again, "By the way, there are two freshmen who will arrive late. Who will stay behind then?" 

"Me." Chen Muchuan volunteered. 

Fang Ling thought for a while and raised his hand, "I'll go too, Manman, I'll switch shifts with you then." 

"Xiaoling? Can you?" 

Liu Yifan looked at her anxious eyes and sighed, "Oh, Zhao Manzhi, what are you afraid of with Chen Muchuan here, or are you jealous? When the team father is not here, the team mother has to stay to calm the situation." 

Zhao Manzhi glared at him, "If you keep talking nonsense, you will be responsible for collecting supplies every morning." 

"It's almost time, so let's do this." Luo Yuner came to smooth things over, "Then let's act separately and keep in touch in the group at any time." 

"Ok, bye!" 

Zhao Manzhi and Chen Muchuan took the school bus to the airport. As the bus gradually drove into the city, the early risers began to catch up on their sleep. Seeing that there were fewer people talking, Chen Muchuan tapped Zhao Manzhi's shoulder gently and asked in a low voice, "Why don't you want Fang Ling'er to pick her up?" 

Zhao Manzhi was about to fall asleep with her headphones on. When he woke her up, she frowned, "No, I just confirmed with her. She is prone to heatstroke and I'm afraid she'll be tired from going back and forth." 

"Oh, I see." Chen Muchuan looked a little disappointed. "I thought it was because of what she did to me before that made you unhappy." 

"Chen Muchuan, can you be less narcissistic?" 

"Okay, okay, whatever the group wife says is what it is." 

"No, don't, I don't like that name." Although men and women who have successfully formed a par group in Ocamp will call each other group husband and group wife, Zhao Manzhi herself is still not used to it. She sat up straighter, crossed her arms, and kept a distance from Chen Muchuan. "Some people are determined to pick up junior girls, so we should have some sense of propriety. We are just partners and friends, nothing else." 

After a pause, she added, "Xiao Ling is out of the question." 

The boy next to her snorted, "You are guarding against me like a thief. Isn't it time for you to ask me for help?" 

"Didn't we agree to treat you to a meal later?" 

"You always invite your friends to dinner. Are you so afraid that people will say we are dating?" Chen Muchuan insisted, "No, I will go alone this time." 

Zhao Manzhi put on a perfect smile and responded sweetly, "Then you can choose a can, and we can also chat by the way." 

"...I am really impressed." 

Chen Muchuan knew that beautiful girls were hard to pursue, but it was rare for someone to be unmoved by his conditions and try to please him. He talked to Zhao Manzhi about love, and Zhao Manzhi wanted to talk about GPA. Others could see his little thoughts at a glance, but Zhao Manzhi acted as if she was completely unaware. 

But if you say she is not smart, she is obviously very aware of the relationship between Fang Ling and him, just like a mother hen protecting her chicks, afraid that he would get close to her. 

The more so, the more interested Chen Muchuan is in her. Is this a flower that is hard to reach, planning to put herself in the altar for the rest of her life?
He had no interest in activities like Ocamp, but he signed up because Zhao Manzhi was looking for someone. Graduation was coming soon, and Chen Muchuan set a goal for himself in his mind: he must win her over before graduation. 

After picking her up at the station, checking people, and returning to school, Chen Muchuan's goal had been achieved. Discussions about them among the freshmen flooded like a flood, just like the rumors that bound him and Zhao Manzhi together before, which entered most people's minds first. 

"The parents of Lychee Mousse's group are a couple, right? What a perfect match! How can they be so pleasing to the eyes!" 

"Yes, yes, yes. I also saw this group of seniors at first sight when I was picking them up at the station. They are so good-looking." 

"The atmosphere of their backs is so vivid that they look like the male and female protagonists in a novel. Whoever takes a photo with the music and posts a short video will definitely go viral." 

They quickly became the hottest topic of concern for freshmen on their first day in Hong Kong, besides school. At the nighttime Icebreaking, a bold freshman asked directly, "Excuse me 

, are the parents of the group a couple?" The whole audience burst into laughter. Zhao Manzhi explained awkwardly but politely that they were just friends, but Chen Muchuan shrugged and said, "What kind of relationship it is depends on what she means." 

"Wow!" There was an exclamation in the small room. 

"Don't listen to his nonsense, we are just group parents." If she hadn't had to control her expression in front of the children, Zhao Manzhi would have been so angry that she gritted her teeth. "Tomorrow is open day, everyone must not oversleep. Wear your group T-shirts and dog tags, we will gather downstairs on time at 7:30, and a group uncle will bring you breakfast, and then we will take a group photo. These few days will be tiring, everyone must get a good rest." 

After giving the instructions and letting the freshmen go back to the room to wash up, everyone stayed in the room for a short meeting, briefly explained tomorrow's tasks, and then dispersed. Zhao Manzhi pulled Fang Ling to leave. Before leaving, Chen Muchuan called her, "I have something to tell you." 

Zhao Manzhi held Fang Ling's hand and suddenly clenched it, "That's good." 

Chen Muchuan glanced at Fang Ling beside him, his lips moved, and finally chose to give up, "Forget it, I'll send you a WeChat message when I remember." 

On the way back, Fang Ling said thoughtfully, "Manman, why do I feel that Chen Muchuan seems to be serious this time?" 

"But I don't like him." 

"Can't you see it? The point is not what you think, but what he thinks. There happens to be a reason to tie him to you, and he will definitely take advantage of it." 

Zhao Manzhi paused, "Then what should we do? Ocamp has just started, it's not good to break up now." 

"On the college day and the activities that you two lead the team later, if it is not necessary to form a parent group, let me go." Fang Ling said, "Since you are uncomfortable being alone with him, try to avoid this situation." 

"No, you are so naive. What if he attacks you after you get to know him?" Mr. Chen's bad character in relationships between men and women is obvious to all. That's why Zhao Manzhi was unwilling to send Fang Ling into danger. "I'm worried." 

"No, he's not interested in me because I'm so ordinary." Fang Ling smiled at her. "And this way, he should understand what you mean, so we don't have to waste our breath." 

Seeing that Zhao Manzhi was still hesitating, she pulled him into the dormitory. "Don't think about it. That's it. I'll go talk to the MUA and the team leader. Pack up and take a break. You've been tired all day." 

"Then tell me if you feel uncomfortable." Zhao Manzhi couldn't resist and gave in. 

"Don't worry! I'm an adult now."