Chapter 21
Page 1 of 3
“Do you want to go to Beijing for a couple of days?” Chen Xi stared at the message that had appeared out of nowhere for a moment, unsure how to reply.
Honestly, she didn’t want her life to get tangled up with Zhou Yanzhou’s name.
Although her uncle hadn’t said it outright, he had hinted many times, both openly and subtly, urging her to keep her distance from Zhou Yanzhou.
If it came to a fight, she wasn’t sure she could win against him.
But who could predict the course of fate?
Her uncle was worried about her traveling alone to Beijing, and upon learning she’d be with a classmate, he repeatedly reminded Chen Xi to stay together for company.
Reluctantly, Chen Xi discussed the schedule with He Xu.
They settled on mid-August.
For those two weeks, Chen Xi was busy preparing for an English competition, leaving her no time to think about Zhou Yanzhou.
He seemed to have disappeared suddenly from her world, as if he had never appeared at all.
In the quiet of the night, she would sometimes think of him.
His effortlessly captivating face that enchanted girls without any effort, his casual tone, and his tender, expressive eyes that always held a myriad of smiles, leaving one breathless.
What fascinated Chen Xi most was his unshakable calmness, as if nothing could catch his eye or win his favor.
A man without weaknesses or flaws was hard not to remember.
Chen Xi couldn’t help but wonder: had he ever met a girl who made him wildly dream and lose himself?
Probably not.
Maybe never in his life.
At such moments, Chen Xi felt a strange regret—that someone like Zhou Yanzhou had never experienced the pain of love unfulfilled.
He was truly blessed, favored by the heavens.
Chen Xi pursed her lips, shook her head, and tried hard to chase away all thoughts unrelated to her studies, forcing herself not to think of him.
Time flew by. On the morning of August twelfth, Chen Xi got up early to pack.
The competition lasted three days, and she had to stay at least a week there.
She picked several outfits and stuffed them into her suitcase, along with a workbook to practice writing during free moments.
All her toiletries were disposable; she had prepared one set.
Before leaving, she made sure to stuff her phone, charger, and earphones into her usual pink backpack.
She arranged to meet He Xu at the airport, checked her luggage one last time, zipped up her suitcase, and quietly went downstairs with her luggage handle in hand.
Not wanting to disturb her aunt’s rest, Chen Xi carried her bags all the way until she stepped outside, then set them down and dragged them out of the yard.
She had planned to take the bus, but unexpectedly, her uncle insisted on driving her himself.
Along the way, he gave her plenty of advice and reminded her to visit Qinghua University if she had time.
Chen Xi promised she would.
It was rush hour and prone to traffic jams.
The flight was scheduled to depart at ten o’clock sharp, and Chen Xi was nervous about being late, tense throughout the journey.
They finally arrived at the airport by half past eight. Fearing she might miss the flight, Chen Xi grabbed her suitcase and backpack and hurried toward the departure hall.
Xu Jingqian saw her flustered state and told her not to worry.
Chen Xi ignored her uncle and dashed inside, pulling her suitcase as she searched for He Xu.
After circling most of the check-in area, panting and exhausted, she finally heard He Xu call from behind, “Chen Xi, over here.”
Chen Xi immediately stopped and turned around.
He Xu stood beside the information desk, wearing a white T-shirt, jeans, and canvas shoes, looking cheerful.
His handsome and refined appearance exuded youthful vigor.
Chen Xi thought to herself, he must be the typical male lead in a school novel.
Page 2 of 3
Not only was he academically excellent, but tall and handsome, with a pleasant personality.
“Why are you running so fast?”
He Xu walked over slowly, noticing Chen Xi’s sweat-drenched collar and flushed face, and couldn’t help but ask.
Chen Xi panted heavily, bent over with her elbows resting on her suitcase handle, her throat burning with exhaustion.
The broadcast kept repeating the flight’s boarding time, urging passengers to get ready.
People came and went in the departure hall, mostly tourists in a hurry, their faces tinged with anxiety.
Chen Xi fanned the sweat off her forehead and whispered, “I’m afraid of missing the flight.”
He Xu smiled softly, took her suitcase, and pulled a tissue from his pocket to hand to her, his voice gentle: “There’s still plenty of time, don’t rush.”
“I just finished checking in. Is your suitcase checked luggage or carry-on?”
Chen Xi had deliberately brought a 20-inch suitcase, light enough to avoid extra fees. She had planned to carry it on, but later decided it was easier to check it in.
There were only a few people in line at the check-in counter. Chen Xi took out her ID and chatted with He Xu while waiting.
He Xu was very gentlemanly, carrying her luggage the entire time.
“How long have you been here?” Chen Xi asked, holding her ID and glancing back at him.
He Xu rested his hand on the suitcase handle, looking at Chen Xi’s flushed face and damp hair with patience.
“About ten minutes ahead of you. My mom is very punctual and kept urging me. I wanted to message you, but something came up, and I forgot.”
Chen Xi blinked and said it was okay.
When it was her turn, the staff at the counter wore a stern expression and asked Chen Xi to place her ID on the scanner.
She complied and followed their instructions to be videotaped.
After finally receiving her boarding pass, Chen Xi covered her chest and moved to the side, muttering quietly, “That staff member was so harsh.”
He Xu chuckled and teased softly, “Maybe she just had a breakup?”
Chen Xi burst out laughing, curious, “How do you know?”
He Xu shrugged mysteriously, “Because that girl was my brother’s ex. They broke up just a week ago.”
Chen Xi was speechless.
She hadn’t expected such drama.
He Xu apologized with a smile, “Sorry for dragging you into this.”
Chen Xi shook her head vigorously, sighed, and asked in a low voice, “Why did your brother break up with her?”
He Xu pondered for two seconds, then shook his head, “Don’t know. But guys usually have two reasons.”
Chen Xi was curious, “Which two?”
He Xu touched his neck and lowered his voice, “Either they don’t love her anymore, or they’ve fallen for someone else.”
Perhaps He Xu’s earnest tone made Chen Xi wonder if he’d been hurt in love or had a crush himself—otherwise, how would someone so young have such insights?
The little episode passed quickly.
Chen Xi got her boarding pass and followed He Xu to meet his parents. Along the way, He Xu briefly introduced them.
His parents were both middle school teachers—his mother taught English, his father physics. They were easy to get along with.
Chen Xi didn’t understand why He Xu told her this, but she pushed the odd thought aside and asked, “Does being a family of teachers put a lot of pressure on you?”
“Do teacher’s children have high expectations placed on them?”
He Xu shrugged helplessly, “They’ve been planning my future since I was little, sending me to countless tutoring classes.”
“Sometimes I feel like I’m their experiment.”
Chen Xi looked at He Xu sympathetically and suddenly thought of her own parents.
A glimmer of envy crossed her eyes as she whispered, “My parents only asked me to be happy and enjoy every day.”
He Xu knew Chen Xi’s parents had passed away in an accident. Hearing this, he looked at her with sympathy, unsure how to comfort her.
Not far away, a man watching this scene couldn’t help but curl his lips into a cold smile.
Page 3 of 3
He had no time to pay attention to that; instead, he was busy exchanging glances with the boy at the airport.
What a thankless wretch.
Jiang Chi had been calling to urge him to return to Beijing. Zhou Yanzhou had initially ignored the calls, but when the old man suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized, he had no choice but to fly back.
The sailboat hotel project had already begun operations, just waiting on paperwork approval to start construction.
Zhou Yanzhou called Xu Jingqian to confirm the schedule, only to learn that Chen Xi was also flying to Beijing today—by coincidence, on the same flight as him.
After hanging up, he tried calling Chen Xi, but her phone was off and unreachable.
He headed to the airport to catch her in person, only to stumble upon this scene.
It wasn’t exactly anger—more like irritation.
Zhou Yanzhou stood still for two seconds, ignored the two of them, passed security, and went straight into the VIP lounge.
Chen Huai was returning to Beijing with Zhou Yanzhou. Sensing his mood, he glanced outside and tentatively asked, “Want to grab something to eat?”
Zhou Yanzhou plopped into a sofa, crossed his legs, lit a cigarette, and thought of Chen Xi’s radiant smile. His voice was light as he said,
“Bring her in.”
Chen Huai was stunned, clearly unsure who he meant.
Seeing Chen Huai hesitate, Zhou Yanzhou frowned and said, “Forget it.”
Chen Xi was completely unaware of this. She had passed through security with He Xu, whose parents were already waiting at the gate.
He Xu’s mother greeted her warmly, “You must be Chen Xi, right? He Xu told me you’re the top student in the second-year humanities class.”
“You’re beautiful and smart—a very good girl.”
He Xu’s mother was young and stylish, with large curls and perfume, wearing a qipao that was elegant and graceful, reminiscent of a beauty from the 70s or 80s.
Chen Xi wasn’t good at chatting with elders; blushing, she modestly denied the praise.
Mr. He was a quiet middle-aged man with black-rimmed glasses, looking very serious.
Chen Xi greeted him politely but said nothing more.
With half an hour to boarding, they sat waiting near the gate. At one point, Chen Xi excused herself to visit the restroom.
He Xu wanted to accompany her, but Chen Xi declined.
The restroom was diagonally across from the VIP lounge. After washing her hands, Chen Xi stood at the door, curious, stealing a glance inside.
The privacy was well guarded; curtains were tightly drawn, hiding all details.
Just as she was about to leave, she spotted a familiar figure.
He seemed to have noticed her first and, upon seeing her, quickly approached and called out, “Miss Chen.”
It was Chen Huai, Zhou Yanzhou’s secretary.
Is Chen Huai here, then Zhou Yanzhou must be too? Where was he flying?
Chen Xi was contemplating when Chen Huai came up to her, always polite and gentle, never treating her like a child.
Chen Huai smiled courteously and said, “Miss Chen, the gentleman requests your presence.”
Chen Xi had a premonition, but hearing it confirmed, she couldn’t help but be surprised. “Why is he here?”
Chen Huai, seeing her shocked expression, explained softly, “The gentleman had to make an unexpected trip back to Beijing and happened to be on the same flight as you.”
Chen Xi softly acknowledged this and followed Chen Huai nervously into the VIP lounge. The moment she stepped inside, the man’s indifferent voice sounded:
“Well done. Your boldness grows by the day.”
“You’re going to Beijing without telling me a word?”