Chapter 2225

Just as Zhao Desan raised his arm, preparing to scratch his head and ponder how to answer He Liping's question, something wrapped in newspaper into a block shape, which had been tucked inside his coat, 'whooshed' as it fell out from his coat and landed on the floor with a thud.

Seeing the object on the floor, He Liping was stunned for a moment, then stared at Zhao Desan with a strange look and asked, "What is that?" Although she asked this, seeing the object, He Liping had already guessed seven or eight parts of it.

Just as Zhao Desan was wondering how to explain his intentions to He Liping, this thing suddenly fell to the ground. Seeing the package on the floor, Zhao Desan's heart first skipped a beat, and his expression became a bit awkward. Then he thought that since he had already shown his hand, he might as well go all the way.

He decided to act decisively, so he hurriedly bent down to pick up the item that had fallen to the floor, took two steps forward, and placed it on He Liping's desk. With a sheepish smile, he said, "Sister He, this is a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will accept it."

"I say, Comrade Xiao Zhao, what's gotten into you today? How come you seem like a different person?" He Liping asked, knowing the answer perfectly well.

Zhao Desan chuckled and said, "Sister He, I, Comrade Xiao Zhao, am very grateful for your care since you arrived here. I really don't know how to repay your great kindness, so I'll just be a bit vulgar; I hope you will accept it."

He Liping glanced at Zhao Desan's sincere expression, then swept a look at the package he had placed on the desk, and asked unhurriedly, "What is this?"

Zhao Desan said with a grin, "Sister He, just accept it. Although I, Comrade Xiao Zhao, don't have much in the way of family wealth, I still managed to save this much. Consider it a small token of my heart for you, Sister He."

He Liping understood. She smiled lightly, neither saying she wouldn't accept it nor making any move with her hands. She glanced at the package on the desk, then sighed with emotion and said, "It seems you, Comrade Xiao Zhao, are truly a man of sentiment and righteousness. It seems I, He Liping, didn't dote on you in vain."

Zhao Desan nodded with a chuckle and said, "That's right. I, Comrade Xiao Zhao, am a person who clearly distinguishes between gratitude and grudges. Who is good to me and who is not, I know clearly in my heart. For example, Sister He, your great kindness to me is something I, Comrade Xiao Zhao, cannot express in words, so I am using this vulgar method to express..."

"... my gratitude to you. Sister He, please don't take offense."

He Liping smiled warmly while leaning back in her chair, crossing her legs, and said unhurriedly, "Comrade Xiao Zhao, since you have this intention, then I won't stand on ceremony."

Zhao Desan understood the implication in He Liping's words, so he chuckled and said, "Then, Sister He, I won't delay your work any longer. Shall I go down and get busy?"

He Liping wore a gentle smile, nodded, and said, "Alright then, you go down and get busy. Before you leave this place, you must not be restless. Do your current work well and leave a good impression here for yourself."

These words of He Liping's hit home for Zhao Desan; they were exactly what he had been thinking. He felt the same way. Although the possibility of leaving was extremely high—basically a done deal—before leaving, Zhao Desan felt it was necessary to do his job well...

... and submit a perfect report card. After all, he was leaving with the halo of a promotion; if he left behind a mess for others to clean up, those who came later would surely complain about him. Wouldn't the reputation he had built for himself at the Provincial Construction Commission over the past two years be ruined in an instant? People are emotional...

... animals; sometimes they are moved by a word or two. He Liping's words hit Zhao Desan's thoughts directly. He nodded earnestly and said, "Sister He, don't worry. I, Comrade Xiao Zhao, will definitely keep my own work in perfect order."

Seeing Zhao Desan's serious demeanor, He Liping smiled with satisfaction and said, "It's good that you think this way; this is also the point I admire most about you." After a pause, He Liping continued, "Alright then, if there's nothing else, you go down and busy yourself with your own affairs."

"Alright, then Sister He, I'm going down." Zhao Desan nodded knowingly and said.

Watching Zhao Desan walk out of the office, He Liping followed, locked the office door from the inside, and hurried back to the desk. Before she could even sit down, she picked up the package Zhao Desan had left on the table. She tore open just a corner, saw the red hundred-yuan bills inside...

... and after a rough count, she quickly stuffed it into the bag she carried with her to and from work. Only then did she go to unlock the door and return to sit at the desk, a satisfied smile on her face, thinking: It seems this kid Comrade Xiao Zhao knows how to handle human relationships!

In fact, ever since He Liping hinted for Hu Tao to seek help from Zhao Desan, she had been waiting for Zhao Desan to come and thank her. If he came, it meant she hadn't misjudged the person. If he didn't come, it could only mean two things: either Zhao Desan was too stupid in his conduct...

... or this guy simply didn't take her seriously, and she wouldn't continue to pin her future hopes on him. However, fortunately, what gratified He Liping was that Zhao Desan's performance made her very satisfied.

After Zhao Desan came out of He Liping's office, while passing the second floor, he suddenly saw Zheng Ru walk out of the office and head toward the restroom at the end of the corridor. Because it was her back, he couldn't see her facial expression and didn't know how her mood had recovered over the past two days. Thinking of the matter he had promised Hu Tao, Zhao Desan...

... quietly followed and hid in the men's restroom, waiting for Zheng Ru to come out after using the restroom.

A few minutes later, he heard the sound of high heels on the floor coming from the women's restroom next door. Zhao Desan hurriedly poked his head out of the men's restroom and saw Zheng Ru walking past the door of the men's restroom. He quickly whistled softly. Hearing the whistle, driven by curiosity, Zheng Ru instinctively turned...

... her head. Seeing Zhao Desan hiding sneakily at the door of the men's restroom and winking at her, she slightly frowned her delicate brows and asked with a confused face, "Zhao Desan, you... why are you here?"

"I'm specifically waiting for you here." Zhao Desan said to Zheng Ru while looking around. Seeing that there was no one else, he walked out of the restroom and came to her side.

"Waiting for me? What are you waiting for me for?" Zheng Ru asked, completely bewildered.

Facing Zheng Ru, Zhao Desan realized that her complexion looked much more haggard. Although he hadn't seen her for only a few days, she seemed to have lost a lot of weight, and her eyes were a bit red and swollen—clearly the result of washing her face with tears. From this, one could imagine that after being taken advantage of by that guy Hu Tao, Zheng...

... Ru must have suffered a lot of grievances in her heart.

Seeing Zheng Ru's haggard appearance, Zhao Desan felt it wasn't convenient to talk here. He looked around and whispered, "After work this afternoon, wait for my call. We'll talk in detail then."

Seeing Zhao Desan's mysterious appearance, Zheng Ru slightly frowned her delicate brows, looking lost, and asked, "What on earth do you have to tell me? Just say it now."

Zhao Desan said mysteriously, "It's not convenient to say now. Just wait for my call before you get off work."

Zheng Ru didn't ask any more questions, nodded reluctantly, and said, "Alright then."

Zhao Desan smiled slightly at her and said, "Alright, you go back to work first, I'm going down." Saying this, he looked around again and then quietly slipped downstairs.

Seeing Zhao Desan's sneaky appearance, a big question mark appeared in Zheng Ru's mind. She didn't know what important matter he had to tell her that required such secrecy. Standing in place and pondering for a long while, Zheng Ru walked back to the office, distracted.

And everything just now was seen by Xia Xia Jian in the office. He heard noise in the corridor; although the sound was faint, he curiously looked out through the door crack and saw Zhao Desan standing at the restroom door not far away, talking to Zheng Ru, looking very mysterious...

... in appearance.

After Zheng Ru returned to the office, Xia Xia Jian deliberately turned around and asked her, "Xiao Zheng, how come I seemed to hear Zhao Desan's voice just now? Has he been here?"

"Ah? Um." Zheng Ru answered, a bit at a loss.

"He came to find you?" Xia Xia Jian widened his eyes and continued to ask.

Zheng Ru nodded noncommittally, sat down at her desk, and began to lower her head and busy herself.

Xia Xia Jian then pressed, "What did he come to find you for?"