Chapter 36

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Chen Xi had shared a room with Zhou Yanzhou before, but this was the first time they watched the sunset together.
He sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, turned sideways with one leg crossed over the other, head bowed as he played with his phone. The fading glow of the sunset bathed his proud face, softening his sharp features.
Yet, he was still a total scoundrel.
The scoundrel replied to a WeChat message, eyes widening with a double eyelid crease, then glanced casually at the girl across from him who was propping her chin up, staring at the sunset. In a teasing tone, he said, “You look like a lost, pathetic stray dog right now.”
Chen Xi???
If killing weren’t illegal, she would have loved to torment him with her gaze countless times.
Such a fine mouth, why did it always have to be so wicked?
Chen Xi exhaled, lifted her chin, and couldn’t help but complain, “Why is your mouth so poisonous?”
Zhou Yanzhou shrugged, fiddled with his lighter for a moment, and casually babbled, “Truth hurts, right?”
What a liar.
Half an hour later, the chef brought out two plates of Beef Wellington.
The plating was exquisite and beautiful, and Chen Xi couldn’t help but be amazed.
The beef was medium-rare, glowing faintly pink inside, wrapped in a crispy, golden puff pastry that looked delicious.
It was Chen Xi’s first time eating Western food, and she felt a bit awkward.
The chef carefully explained the ingredients, preparation, and how to eat Beef Wellington. Chen Xi stared anxiously at the knife and fork in front of her.
Zhou Yanzhou ordered a bottle of low-alcohol white wine. He took the wine glass near Chen Xi, poured her a small half-cup, then raised his own glass and poured himself the same amount.
Seeing Chen Xi unsure how to handle the utensils, Zhou Yanzhou set down his glass and personally taught her how to use the knife and fork, how to cut the steak, and how to eat it.
Chen Xi’s face flushed deeply; her misty almond-shaped eyes were full of embarrassment.
Ignoring the faint sadness in the girl’s eyes, Zhou Yanzhou raised his glass and softly said, “Let’s toast.”
“Welcome to Beijing.”
Chen Xi didn’t have time to overthink; she hurriedly raised her glass and lightly tapped it against Zhou Yanzhou’s.
The clink of the glasses rang crisp and clear. Watching the man tilt his head back slightly to sip his wine, Chen Xi suddenly realized how elegant and composed he was.
She followed suit and took a sip. It was her first time drinking alcohol; she felt a little uncomfortable and nearly spat it out.
She stuck out her tongue and muttered softly, “Not as good as I imagined.”
Zhou Yanzhou put down his glass, picked up his knife and fork, cut a small piece, and chewed gracefully like an English gentleman.
Chen Xi admitted she was a little jealous of him.
By the time they were halfway through the meal, the sunset had completely dipped behind the western hills. The scenic area was well-equipped, and the lights turned on at the appointed time.
The restaurant was as bright as daylight.
Zhou Yanzhou put down his knife and fork after just a few bites, while Chen Xi finished the beef on her plate bite by bite.
“It’s delicious, why not finish it? Waste of food,” Chen Xi muttered, clutching her utensils.
Zhou Yanzhou saw through her thoughts at once. He lifted his chin carelessly and said, “No appetite, can’t eat.”
Chen Xi was stunned for two seconds, then slowly responded, “Oh.”
After dinner, Zhou Yanzhou took Chen Xi for a walk.
Chen Xi followed behind him as he navigated out of the restaurant with ease, turning right into a secluded pedestrian path.
Tall, dense trees lined both sides. Even with street lamps, having heard too many ghost stories, Chen Xi still felt the surroundings somewhat eerie.
Passing a crossroads, Chen Xi suddenly quickened her pace and caught up beside Zhou Yanzhou, walking side by side.
Zhou Yanzhou shoved his hands in his pockets and glanced at the flustered Chen Xi. He looked back at the empty path behind them and wondered what she was so afraid of.
They walked and paused intermittently. Chen Xi was curious about everything, wishing she had eight pairs of eyes to see it all. The disappointment from this morning’s competition was gradually replaced by the novelty of the moment. Rarely visiting Beijing, she wanted to keep some memories.
Zhou Yanzhou led Chen Xi to a lakeside viewing platform. Feeling lazy, he found a comfortable spot to lie down and told Chen Xi to amuse herself.
He settled in his lounge chair and dozed off.
Chen Xi pouted and muttered about the old man, then leaned on the wooden railing of the viewing platform, glancing around to take in the scenery.
Night fell. Nearby hills, lawns, and tree branches were dotted with lights like fireflies, turning the whole area into a fairyland.
The dark lake surface shimmered with the reflected lights from both shores.

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Chen Xi rested her elbow on the railing, her gaze calm as she looked up at the sky not far away.
A few stars peeked through the clouds, flickering faintly. Excited, Chen Xi turned to call Zhou Yanzhou to watch the stars with her, only to find him asleep in the lounge chair.
She swallowed her call quietly, stayed like that for a while, then stood up with numb calves and tiptoed over to him.
Not wanting to make a fuss, she squatted down, propping her chin on her hands, quietly observing the sleeping Zhou Yanzhou.
His sleeping posture was far from proper: one leg crossed over the other, hands resting on the armrests, head tilted sideways with closed eyes, quietly like a painting.
Gone was his usual arrogance and sharp tongue; instead, there was a gentleness, a touch of warmth.
Chen Xi liked Zhou Yanzhou when he slept because he was quiet, gentle, and easy to admire.
Zhou Yanzhou awoke when he felt Chen Xi’s unwavering gaze. Opening his eyes, they met hers.
Her eyes, usually misty, were now clear and pure, reflecting his face like a mirror, as if the entire world contained only him.
For a moment, Zhou Yanzhou was lost in thought, but a cold breeze snapped him back to reality.
He rubbed his brow, warning himself sternly: no.
Chen Xi hadn’t expected him to wake midway. Startled, she clutched her chest and hurriedly found an excuse, “I wanted to show you the stars, didn’t expect you to fall asleep.”
Zhou Yanzhou’s eyes cleared. Maintaining his posture, he glanced up at the gray sky where a few stars twinkled and asked in a hoarse voice, “Done watching?”
Chen Xi was puzzled, unable to guess his thoughts.
Without warning, Zhou Yanzhou stood up and walked over to her.
He was taller by more than a head and suddenly leaned close. Chen Xi felt the weight of his presence pressing down on her, glancing uncontrollably at the man beside her.
He lazily put one hand in his pocket, glanced at the stars briefly, and said with a languid tone, “Let’s go back and sleep. You’re tired.”
Chen Xi: ""
The good atmosphere was completely ruined by him.
Zhou Yanzhou didn’t mean to; he was just thinking that if he stayed any longer, he wouldn’t be able to resist.
But unfortunately, he couldn’t.
The hotel manager had specially arranged two suites, so this time Chen Xi did not share a room with Zhou Yanzhou.
Back in her own room, Chen Xi plunged into the soft bed but couldn’t stop thinking about the moment Zhou Yanzhou opened his eyes—the brief daze that flashed across his face.
What was he thinking at that moment?
Zhou Yanzhou couldn’t sleep either.
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw the girl at the viewing platform, propping her chin and staring at him without blinking.
He was a man; he could clearly sense the admiration and obsession hidden in those moist almond eyes, as well as her unexplainable trust in him.
Zhou Yanzhou felt despicable. Though he said he wouldn’t get involved, deep down he longed for those eyes to always be on him.
He enjoyed the thrill of being adored, even becoming addicted to it—more intoxicating than cigarettes or strong liquor.
Chen Xi had no idea how dirty Zhou Yanzhou’s thoughts were, nor how base he truly was. All she knew was that apart from her parents, he was the person she was closest to.
The next morning, He Xu sent a message, asking one last time if Chen Xi wanted to return to Xiping with them.
At that moment, Chen Xi had just woken up. She hadn’t closed the curtains last night to watch the stars, so the morning sunlight streamed through the gap, burning down on her face, making it impossible to sleep.
Groggily, she reached for her phone and accidentally opened the message.
Chen Xi stared at the text for a few seconds, then gradually came to her senses.
She got out of bed, pulled open the automatic curtains bare-handed, and sat on the bay window. Her moist almond eyes gazed outside, finally realizing this dream was about to end.
Beijing was not her starting point—it was her dream.
She exhaled and firmly replied, “Okay.”
Seeing her reply, He Xu immediately called and said the ticket was booked for tomorrow afternoon.
Originally, they planned to return to Xiping this morning, but Mrs. He regretted not visiting the Great Wall and decided to stay another day.
He Xu didn’t ask where Chen Xi was or what her plans were for the day; he just said to meet at the station tomorrow afternoon.
Chen Xi nodded lightly, agreeing to the arrangement.
After hanging up, she glanced at the time—already half past nine. She took a deep breath, slipped out of her robe, put on the dress from yesterday, and hurried into the bathroom to freshen up.
After putting on her shoes, she headed straight for Zhou Yanzhou’s room.
Knocking rhythmically, Chen Xi leaned against the wall, silently waiting for the door to open.
After four or five knocks with no response, she grew puzzled and knocked again.

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On the fourth round of knocking, footsteps approached.
The door opened with a click. The man appeared in a loosely tied bathrobe, eyes squinting, looking as though he was annoyed to be woken up and found everyone irritating.
He propped the door with his hand and, without opening his eyes fully, snapped, “Are you out of your mind? What are you doing this early?”
“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me?”
Chen Xi was startled and took two steps back silently.
Zhou Yanzhou didn’t hear a response. With a surge of irritation, he opened his eyes to see who was so careless.
Unexpectedly, he met an innocent, pale face. Chen Xi blinked quickly and muttered softly, “It’s nine o’clock already, still early?”
Half his anger dissipated. Frowning, he wanted a cigarette but found he hadn’t brought one.
He lifted his chin and returned to his usual cold demeanor, “What do you want?”
Chen Xi closed her eyes briefly, lowering her voice by a couple of decibels, “I’m hungry.”
Zhou Yanzhou sneered, still half annoyed, “If you’re hungry, go to the restaurant. What do you want me for? Am I your dad or your master?”
Chen Xi: ""
As expected, a man who’s not fully awake is dangerous.
Chen Xi shrugged slightly, pointed a finger toward the restaurant, and quietly asked, “The same place as yesterday?”
Zhou Yanzhou seemed to recall something, swallowed, then grabbed her roughly into the room and slammed the door shut.
He took a few steps forward, glanced back at the stunned Chen Xi, and while removing his bathrobe, instructed, “Wait here.”
Chen Xi accidentally caught sight of Zhou Yanzhou’s broad shoulders, narrow waist, and muscular form beneath the robe. Her face flushed instantly.
Licking her dry lips, she couldn’t help but think, what a great figure.
Zhou Yanzhou reappeared transformed, dressed in a sharply tailored dark suit. His hair was slicked back with several strokes and set with styling spray, exuding a wet-hair allure.
Chen Xi thought she saw a peacock spreading its feathers because this peacock was holding a necktie, walking out of the room with an arrogant look that said, “Don’t mess with me.” He seemed to look down on everyone.
The man sprayed on some perfume, its scent filling the air. Chen Xi sniffed and confirmed it was Bulgari.
He had sprayed it many times before, apparently favoring this fragrance.
While Chen Xi was still pondering, the man approached her. Remembering the annoyance of being woken up, he spoke with his usual sardonic tone, “Your Highness, let’s eat. Don’t starve yourself silly.”
Chen Xi: ""
They walked to the restaurant, him in front and her behind. Zhou Yanzhou showed no gentlemanly manners this time and didn’t wait for her.
At the restaurant entrance, he noticed Chen Xi hadn’t caught up and stopped.
Chen Xi was pushing herself, running to his side without caring about his reaction, then strode into the restaurant ahead of him, leaving a carefree silhouette.
Now it was Zhou Yanzhou’s turn to be speechless.
He rolled his eyes and stepped into the restaurant, finding Chen Xi in the same seat as yesterday.
Just as he sat down, he heard Chen Xi order the same dish as before. He frowned and asked, “Don’t you get tired of it?”
Chen Xi answered with an “Oh,” shaking her head, “Not tired of it.”
Zhou Yanzhou: ""
They sat facing each other, yet their auras repelled one another like enemies.
Zhou Yanzhou didn’t want to drag the silence on and broke it first, “Didn’t sleep well last night?”
Chen Xi shook her head, recalling the morning’s message, then said with some restraint, “I’m going back to Xiping tomorrow afternoon.”
Zhou Yanzhou was briefly stunned for half a second, then quickly regained composure and asked calmly, “Ticket booked?”
Chen Xi nodded honestly, “He Xu helped me book it. I’m going with him.”
Zhou Yanzhou thought of He Xu’s face, frowned in disgust, and his tone became sharp and bitter, “Oh, suit yourself.”
Chen Xi didn’t understand why he was so cold. Pouting, she changed the subject, “When will you take me down the mountain?”
Zhou Yanzhou sneered, “Depends on my mood.”
Chen Xi didn’t dare provoke him further and cautiously asked, “Then how’s your mood now?”
Zhou Yanzhou gave her a sidelong glance and teasingly replied, “Terrible.”