Chapter 40

Chen Xi saw the text message, and her hand trembled so violently that her phone almost fell to the ground.

She couldn't fathom it. She hadn't done anything wrong, yet why did she feel inexplicably guilty whenever she met Zhou Yanzhou’s unfathomable gaze?

After sending the message, Zhou Yanzhou watched Chen Xi’s panicked, at-a-loss reaction to the content. Satisfied, he tucked his phone back into his pocket. His peripheral vision drifted toward He Xu, who sat opposite Chen Xi. He offered a cold, mocking smile, thinking with disdain: What could a mere greenhorn possibly hope to compete with him for?

Lin Qiuyi, having witnessed the entire scene, couldn't help but feel curious. What exactly was the relationship between Zhou Yanzhou and that young girl with her clear, bright eyes and fair complexion? Perhaps it was because the girl was so young, and there was another boy of similar age by her side, that Lin Qiuyi didn't even consider the possibility of romance. She merely sensed, with her sharp intuition, that Zhou Yanzhou’s tranquil demeanor had flickered for a fleeting moment, and that his dark, calm peach-blossom eyes had held a trace of emotion she couldn't interpret.

Before Lin Qiuyi could reach a conclusion, Zhou Yanzhou retrieved his black card and returned to his usual state. He lifted his eyelids, his tone unexpectedly calm: "Let’s go. I’ll drive you back."

Lin Qiuyi turned her head in pleasant surprise, but upon meeting his indifferent eyes, her expression slumped. She smiled and said playfully, "Then I’ll have to trouble you, Third Brother."

Teacher Meng was still waiting in the private room. Zhou Yanzhou went back to retrieve his coat, and the three of them exited through the side stairs. As they rounded a corner, Zhou Yanzhou deliberately glanced at the table near the entrance where they had been sitting; the guests had already been replaced by a different couple. He paused for a moment, withdrew his probing gaze, and continued walking.

The car was parked nearby. Zhou Yanzhou walked over to retrieve it while Teacher Meng and Lin Qiuyi waited at the intersection. Once he was out of earshot, Teacher Meng tilted her head toward her prized student. Seeing the girl’s gaze lingering on that retreating figure, Teacher Meng immediately understood.

She looked at her son and sighed helplessly, "My son has a mind of his own; even I can't sway him. If you really have feelings for him, I support you, but I can't guarantee the outcome."

Lin Qiuyi hadn't expected her teacher to see through her hidden thoughts. Her face burned with shame, and she didn't dare to admit it: "Teacher, I don’t..."

Teacher Meng didn't press her. She simply patted the back of Lin Qiuyi’s hand with a smile and subtly changed the subject: "You’ve had a tiring day; go home and get some rest. But don't slack off—you still have your studies to attend to."

Hearing this, the words caught in Lin Qiuyi’s throat. She offered a strained smile and nodded quietly.

Zhou Yanzhou pulled the car out of the parking lot and stopped smoothly beside them, stepping out to open the door himself. Having learned from the last time, Lin Qiuyi didn't try to sit in the front passenger seat; instead, she followed Teacher Meng into the back. Zhou Yanzhou waited for them to be settled before closing the door with a touch of thoughtfulness. He walked around to the driver's seat, buckled his seatbelt, started the engine, and drove off.

After driving for a short distance, two figures flashed by on the side of the road. Zhou Yanzhou’s gaze fell on the rearview mirror. He saw Chen Xi with her pink backpack, her hair soft and smooth, smiling brightly as she looked up at the boy beside her. The boy stopped in his tracks, cooperating as he handed a bottle of mineral water to her.

They were perfectly ordinary, yet in this world of material excess, they appeared remarkably pure and sincere. Perhaps this was the courage and innocence unique to youth—a flavor belonging only to that age. It was precisely because they looked so well-matched—matched in a way that they were in a world of their own without even trying—that Zhou Yanzhou felt a surge of anger.

For a second or two, he wanted to stop the car and pull her in. But as the thought surfaced, he saw Teacher Meng in the rearview mirror and calmly swallowed the impulse. He didn't want to take the risk, and he didn't dare to let her appear in front of Teacher Meng.

Or perhaps, he didn't want anything specific with her; he simply couldn't stand seeing someone else by her side.

Chen Xi found the meal tasteless; by the second half, she couldn't even tell what the roast duck tasted like. Chewing on a final slice of cucumber, she looked at He Xu, who was oblivious to everything, and felt a pang of guilt. She set down her chopsticks and said solemnly, "He Xu, I'm full."

He Xu froze. His gaze fell on her plate—there were still pieces of duck left, and half a glass of orange juice remained. The table was still covered in food. She had barely touched her meal, yet she was already full? Girls truly had small appetites.

He Xu was only about forty percent full himself, but seeing Chen Xi glance at her phone repeatedly, he assumed she couldn't wait any longer and dutifully said he was full as well. He wiped his mouth, stood up, grabbed his bag from the chair, and told Chen Xi to wait while he went to settle the bill.

Chen Xi stood up as well, slung on her backpack, and said, "I'll go with you. Let’s split the bill."

He Xu stiffened for a second, then nodded, "Alright."

When they reached the register, the cashier smiled and took their bill, saying that someone had already paid for them. He Xu looked around in confusion, seeing no familiar faces. "Can you tell us who paid?"

The cashier shook her head apologetically, "I'm sorry, that gentleman didn't want me to say."

Chen Xi had been completely baffled, but upon hearing the word "gentleman," the image of Zhou Yanzhou’s inscrutable face and the text message on her phone immediately surfaced in her mind. She gripped her phone tightly; a heavy weight sat in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

Walking out of the restaurant, Chen Xi was distracted. He Xu was still pondering who could have paid. Seeing her head bowed in silence, he realized something and tentatively asked, "Do you know who paid for us?"

Chen Xi instinctively shook her head to deny it, but halfway through the motion, her mind went blank, and she didn't know how to answer. As she weighed her words, her peripheral vision caught a Mercedes with Beijing plates driving past. She instinctively glanced at the driver's seat and saw the man in a white shirt, one hand resting on the window frame, the other on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead.

Chen Xi’s face turned deathly pale. She bit her lower lip and clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay calm. Fearing He Xu might notice, she turned away, took a deep breath, and turned back with a relieved smile. "I don't know."

He Xu shrugged, joking, "Then let's just assume we ran into a good Samaritan today and got a free meal."

Chen Xi murmured an agreement, though she couldn't help but think that Zhou Yanzhou was likely the furthest thing from a "good Samaritan."

Lin Qiuyi lived in the Haidian District. Zhou Yanzhou dropped Teacher Meng off first, then circled toward Haidian. Once Teacher Meng was gone, the cabin felt suddenly cramped. Especially since Zhou Yanzhou, who had been chatting happily with the teacher, had fallen silent. Lin Qiuyi felt his overwhelming presence.

She was intimidated by this side of him. She sat stiffly in the back, gazing aimlessly at the scenery rushing past the window.

Zhou Yanzhou was irritated. Even with the air conditioning on full blast, he felt stifled. At the next red light, he slammed on the brakes and rolled down the window. The humid summer wind rushed in, hitting his face and making him even more restless. He shifted his legs, glanced at the silent, unobtrusive Lin Qiuyi in the back, and reached for his cigarette case and lighter. "Do you mind if I smoke?"

Lin Qiuyi looked up, meeting his dark eyes, and hurriedly shook her head, waving her hands. "I don't mind. Go ahead."

Zhou Yanzhou tore open the pack, put a cigarette between his lips, and clicked his lighter. Soon, the cabin was filled with smoke. He leaned his head back against the seat, staring blankly at the ceiling, biting the filter as he pondered something.

Lin Qiuyi didn't dare to stare openly, only stealing glances. Seeing him smoke, she was utterly captivated. She actually hated the smell of smoke, but Zhou Yanzhou looked so charming while doing it. The sleeves rolled to his elbows, the six-figure watch on his left wrist, the long legs encased in crisp trousers, and his handsome profile hidden behind the haze—everything about him exuded status and charm.

He resembled Tony Leung in a Wong Kar-wai film, every gesture filled with longing, yet those seemingly affectionate peach-blossom eyes were so detached they couldn't hold a single person. It was as if he were born to be a heartbreaker. How could a woman not be fascinated by a man who lacked neither money nor love? Especially when he possessed such a striking appearance.

Lin Qiuyi admitted that she had taken a fancy to him the moment she saw him. During the time it took to finish a cigarette, she fantasized about many things, even wondering how happy it would be to be loved by him.

As the cigarette burned down, the restlessness in Zhou Yanzhou’s chest was suppressed by the nicotine. He returned to his indifferent self. When the light turned green, he flicked the butt out the window and stepped on the gas, the car surging forward.

Lin Qiuyi wasn't prepared and nearly hit the back of the passenger seat, catching herself on the window frame to avoid an ugly tumble. When she sat up, she only saw half of his cold, rigid profile. She licked her lips, desperately suppressing the desire that wanted to spill out.

Dropping her off at her residential gate, Zhou Yanzhou stopped the car and urged her without looking back, "We're here."

Lin Qiuyi hurriedly unbuckled and stepped out. She walked around the back of the car, intending to say a few words, but he floored the gas pedal, choking the words in her throat. She sighed in regret.

Because of the competition, Chen Xi didn't want to see He Xu’s parents, so they returned to the hotel immediately after dinner. She declined He Xu’s offer to pay for the room, checked into a room with a large bed using her own ID, took her suitcase from him, made an excuse, and went upstairs alone.

After swiping her card, she tossed her suitcase into the entryway and reached to open the curtains to let some air in, only to realize the room had no windows. She stared at the wall for a few seconds, speechless—a room costing two or three hundred a night without a window was a total rip-off.

After accepting the reality, she went to the bed, pulled out her pajamas, and dove into the bathroom. An hour later, she emerged with a towel wrapped around her wet hair, sat on the edge of the bed, and plugged in her phone.

As soon as it turned on, two texts popped up. Seeing the sender, her heart skipped a beat. She took a deep breath and opened them.

Fz: What time is your flight? Where are you staying tonight? I’ll have Chen Huai pick you up.

Fz: Wait for me in Xiping.