Chapter 27

Curiosity killed the cat, but Chen Xi didn't believe in superstitions; she was determined to get to the bottom of it.

She toggled between various apps, desperate to piece together the full story, but found only fragmented tidbits. As for the truth, she remained completely in the dark. This search lasted until three or four in the morning. Just as Chen Xi was regretfully preparing to put her phone down and sleep, she stumbled upon a collection of old photos on an Instagram blogger's account that finally showed her what Guan Yue looked like.

It was an early Instagram aesthetic, heavily filtered with a gray-toned background. In the photo, the woman wore a gray camisole and a Louis Vuitton crossbody bag. She had thick, jet-black curly hair with black sunglasses perched on top of her head. She stood beneath a Gothic-style building, arching an eyebrow and smiling at the camera.

There were two shallow dimples at the corners of her mouth. Her smile was gentle and comfortable, like that of a well-bred, good-natured heiress.

As if possessed, Chen Xi screenshotted and saved the photo. She zoomed in, her gaze tracing over Guan Yue’s features bit by bit.

She was beautiful, distinctive, and photogenic; when she looked at the lens, it felt as if she were looking straight into someone’s soul.

Chen Xi wondered, did such an outstanding girl have a connection to Zhou Yanzhou? What on earth could have happened to drive a girl like that to do something so foolish? Chen Xi wracked her brain, but could not fathom it.

The night deepened, and the office building across the street went dark. Chen Xi’s eyelids grew heavy. With a soft thud, her phone dropped onto her pillow, and she drifted into a deep sleep.

When she woke up, it was already noon. Chen Xi scrambled out of bed in a panic, sliding into her slippers and heading out, habitually glancing toward the guest room. The door was shut tight; she had no idea if Zhou Yanzhou was awake yet.

Hungry, Chen Xi clutched her rumbling stomach and dove into the kitchen. She fished out a yogurt and a box of cherry tomatoes from the fridge. In a daze, she sat at the dining table, picking up a fork and stuffing tomatoes into her mouth while closing her eyes to catch a few more seconds of sleep.

Her movements were purely mechanical. She didn't notice the man behind her watching her for a long time.

Seeing Chen Xi so sleepy that she was nodding off while eating, Zhou Yanzhou, dressed in a white shirt and dress trousers, stood behind her with his arms crossed. He spoke lazily, "What were you doing last night? Why are you so tired?"

Hearing this, Chen Xi slowly turned her head, toothpick in hand, and met Zhou Yanzhou’s disapproving peach-blossom eyes. Recalling the gossip fragments she had uncovered, it was hard to connect the man before her to those stories.

*He couldn't be that bad, could he?*

Seeing Chen Xi staring at him blankly, Zhou Yanzhou smiled meaningfully. He strode over, picked up a cherry tomato, popped it into his mouth, and sat sideways on the table. Looking down at the preoccupied girl, he asked nonchalantly, "Didn't sleep well?"

Chen Xi yawned and covered her mouth, making an excuse, "I’m a bit sensitive to new beds; I didn't fall asleep until nearly five."

Zhou Yanzhou frowned. "That bad?"

Chen Xi nodded, feeling guilty. In reality, she wasn't sensitive to new beds at all; it was just that the gossip had piqued her curiosity so intensely that she had to keep digging. Unfortunately, her efforts last night were in vain—other than a single photo, she had found nothing.

At that time, Chen Xi was still viewing this gossip from the perspective of an outsider. Beyond a bit of sympathy for Guan Yue’s ordeal, she didn't feel much. Firstly, she had never met the woman, and secondly, her only interest was due to Zhou Yanzhou.

Perhaps humans are naturally curious about gossip. Chen Xi wondered then what kind of story it was that had made Zhou Yanzhou remain silent, causing everyone around him to clam up as well, tacitly acting as if nothing had ever happened.

Zhou Yanzhou had things to do today and couldn't accompany Chen Xi. After breakfast, he assigned someone to show her around the sights. Chen Xi tried to refuse, but it was to no avail.

At one o'clock in the afternoon, Jiang Chi appeared at the hotel suite door with a rather unreliable look on his face. At that moment, Chen Xi was still arguing with Zhou Yanzhou, wanting to explore on her own.

In truth, half an hour earlier, He Xu had tentatively asked her on WeChat if she wanted to go see Tiananmen Square together. He Xu’s parents had always wanted to visit; this trip was for both his speech and sightseeing.

Chen Xi was torn. On one side was Zhou Yanzhou’s friend, whom she didn't know well; on the other were He Xu’s parents, which she also found awkward. But between the two, she preferred to be with He Xu—at least they had common topics as peers and could discuss the English competition on Friday.

Before she could reply, however, Zhou Yanzhou snatched her phone away. He glanced at the screen, seeing that Chen Xi had saved He Xu’s contact as "Class 1 Science - He Xu," and let out a cold, sharp laugh.

Chen Xi felt his behavior was excessive. For the first time, she put on a cold face, frowning and demanding he return the phone. Zhou Yanzhou watched her indignation with a blank expression, holding the phone high. "Get it yourself."

Chen Xi was furious. Zhou Yanzhou was more than a head taller than her; even if she jumped with all her might, she couldn't reach it. After a few attempts, she took a breath, stepped onto the coffee table, and reached out.

Zhou Yanzhou shifted his hand, and Chen Xi missed, nearly falling. He caught her with one arm, preventing her from tumbling off the table.

Chen Xi was shaken, her heart skipping a beat. Looking at him, she felt for the first time how overbearing he could be.

As luck would have it, He Xu sent a message asking where she was staying and if she needed a ride. Perhaps guessing who she was with, he wrote cryptically: "T, you aren't with anyone, right?"

Zhou Yanzhou caught a glimpse of the message, and his expression turned icy. If he had been teasing her before, he was genuinely angry now. Chen Xi didn't understand his mood swings. Watching her phone vibrate incessantly, she couldn't help but complain, "Zhou Yanzhou, you're so annoying."

Zhou Yanzhou looked at her, suddenly feeling bored. He returned the phone, picked up his cigarette case and lighter from the table, and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window without a word, lighting a cigarette.

Chen Xi clutched her phone and climbed down from the table. She put on her slippers, reopened her messages, and stared at what He Xu had sent, but suddenly lacked the courage to respond. She dropped the phone and turned to look at the man shrouded in smoke.

His back was broad, his shirt tucked into his belt, outlining a narrow waist. His suit trousers were straight and wrinkle-free. From a distance, he looked incredibly sophisticated. If not for the scene just moments ago, she would have thought him a gentle and refined man. Who knew his temper was so vile in private?

Chen Xi didn't want to yield or compromise. She sat silently on the sofa, staring straight at the painting on the wall.

After an unknown amount of time, the doorbell rang. Chen Xi started to get up, but then sat back down. Zhou Yanzhou finished his cigarette, turned, and seeing her sitting motionless with a blank face, frowned. He tossed the butt into the ashtray and went to open the door himself.

Jiang Chi had been ringing the bell for five minutes. Seeing no response, he was about to leave when the door opened. He turned, met Zhou Yanzhou’s indifferent expression, and couldn't help but grumble, "Seriously? I've been ringing for five minutes and nobody opens up. What are you doing? You're the one who called me here, and you're the one not opening the door. If you don't want me here, just say so; is it really necessary to give me the cold shoulder?"

Zhou Yanzhou ignored him and walked inside. Chen Xi heard the commotion and snuck a peek. Seeing it was the man from the night before, she pressed her lips together and stayed silent.

Jiang Chi had assumed they weren't staying in the same room. Seeing the young girl sitting quietly on the sofa with red-rimmed eyes, looking like she’d been bullied, he was shocked. He grabbed Zhou Yanzhou and whispered, "Brother, tell me the truth—who is this girl? You went to Xiping, but you haven't gone that crazy, have you? She's not even an adult yet. If this causes any trouble, it'll be worse than Guan—"

Zhou Yanzhou cut him off with a look. Jiang Chi realized his mistake, mimed zipping his lips, and looked away, pretending not to see this "outrageous" scene.

Zhou Yanzhou looked at Chen Xi calmly and said, "I have some things to handle. I'll come find you when I'm done. If you need anything or want to go somewhere, just ask him."

Chen Xi realized he was talking to her and gave a reluctant "mm."

Zhou Yanzhou, seeing she was still angry, rolled his throat and said impatiently, "That's enough. No one has ever dared to shout at me like that before. We're finally out for a trip; don't let small things ruin your mood."

Jiang Chi, sensing the shift in tone, turned his attention to Chen Xi. He looked back and forth, asking, "Did you two have a fight?"

Chen Xi looked at him, her expression clearly saying, *You’re the one who’s fighting.*

Jiang Chi clicked his tongue in wonder. "Rare, truly rare. When have we ever seen our Third Brother argue with a girl? Little sister, you're the first. Impressive."

Chen Xi: "..." She hadn't really done anything.

Zhou Yanzhou couldn't take it anymore and shot Jiang Chi a warning look. "Are you done?" Jiang Chi, clearly intimidated, shut up immediately.

But while Zhou Yanzhou was on the phone, Jiang Chi sat down next to Chen Xi, crossed his legs, and leaned in, gossiping, "Little sister, tell me, what exactly is your relationship with him?"

Chen Xi saw he was fishing for information. She pursed her lips and pretended not to understand. "My name is Chen Xi. You can call me Xixi."

Jiang Chi laughed. "Little Xixi, what is your relationship with my brother?"

Chen Xi tilted her head, mentally sorting it out, and replied seriously, "No relationship, I suppose. He knows my uncle; I think my uncle is his colleague?"

Jiang Chi wouldn't give up. "He's very special toward you. Didn't you know?"