Chapter 1

At that time, she was still very young, unaware that every gift bestowed by God came with a price tag, and ignorant of the fact that a person’s capacity to love was limited. It wasn’t until many years later that she realized fate had already sealed her destiny.

—

Beijing, Deep Autumn, 2017.

Chen Xi had just left the library when she received a call from her current boyfriend, Xie Nanzhou.

After a whole day of studying, her head felt dizzy and disoriented, unable to tell directions clearly.

Stepping out of the building, Chen Xi gazed at the gradually darkening sky, momentarily lost in a daze as if her memories had returned to a certain instant in the past.

Back then, she was too young to distinguish between love and ambiguity, naive enough to hope that one day her prince charming would come riding a rainbow cloud to marry her.

Later, she realized it was nothing but an idol drama.

On the phone, Xie Nanzhou’s gentle, youthful voice slowly penetrated her eardrums: “Xixi, have you finished studying?”

Standing at the library entrance, Chen Xi hugged a stack of books, her weary eyes fixed on an old locust tree not far away. She turned sideways to avoid passing pedestrians and lowered her voice deliberately: “Just got out of the library. What’s up?”

The seasonal change had caught Chen Xi with a cold; her voice was nasal, and her mood was low.

Xie Nanzhou paused briefly, deliberately ignoring her slightly hoarse voice, and enthusiastically invited her: “My buddy’s birthday is today. We’ve booked a private room at a bar near Sanlitun. There’ll be a band you like playing tonight. Will you come? I’ll pick you up downstairs at your dorm.”

Before she could refuse, Xie Nanzhou’s slightly complaining tone followed: “You’ve already turned me down three times. Can’t you cut me some slack this time? I just boasted in front of them that you’d definitely show up tonight. If you don’t come, I’ll be hard to explain.”

“I know you’re a good girl who loves to study, but can you spare some time for your boyfriend?”

Though meant as praise, it chilled her heart.

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through. Having stayed in a heated space for too long, Chen Xi shivered uncontrollably as the cold air hit her.

Instinctively, she tightened the collar of her khaki wool coat, hugged her books, and moved to shelter behind a nearby marble pillar from the fierce wind.

Xie Nanzhou’s chatter about tonight’s plans continued on the phone, but Chen Xi didn’t hear a word.

At that moment, she wondered when this naive, flavorless relationship would finally come to an end.

She hung up and wrapped herself again in the cold wind.

After dinner time, the streets were nearly empty, the ground covered with ginkgo leaves blown down by the wind, resembling a silent memorial from afar.

Chen Xi’s mood mirrored the weather—gray and overcast, with no sign of clearing.

—

Back at the dorm, as soon as Chen Xi pushed open the door, her roommate Li Qing heard the noise, immediately pulled back the bed curtain, and peeked out to see who had returned.

Seeing it was Chen Xi, Li Qing flipped over, sat up, casually tousled her large wavy hair, and wearing a mysterious smile, whispered gossipingly, “Xixi, guess what I just saw at the school gate?”

Chen Xi walked to her desk, put down her Civil Law textbook, loosened her scarf, and looked up at Li Qing across from her, playing along: “What did you see?”

Once the scarf came off, Chen Xi felt the sudden liberation of her neck from constraint, replaced by emptiness.

Li Qing, as if recalling something, raised her phone with a meaningful look: “Lin Fan just got into a supercar at the school gate.”

“Not bad, she’s quite something.”

“You know the guy who donated a whole building at the last school anniversary? The boss surnamed Zhou, just over thirty and worth over a hundred million yuan, but looks even better than TV stars. Lin Fan really dares to hook up with him, but I wonder how long she can stay by his side.”

“I heard his girlfriends come and go, never lasting more than a month, all young, pretty, and bright-faced college girls.”

None of them were naïve freshmen anymore, still believing that true love was the most important thing in the world.

As soon as Li Qing spoke, Chen Xi understood the implication.

Whether out of jealousy, disdain, or the pride of a prestigious school girl who had fought tooth and nail among thousands, Li Qing—born and raised in Beijing to university professor parents—disapproved of Lin Fan’s behavior.

Lin Fan was an arts student with a class schedule completely different from Chen Xi’s. They had shared the same dorm for three years but rarely crossed paths. Chen Xi’s impression of her was simply that she was a beautiful girl from Suzhou who seldom stayed in the dorm.

Therefore, when Li Qing revealed this news, Chen Xi barely reacted; a barely familiar roommate’s gossip was far less important than the impending judicial exam she faced.

She never imagined that her relationship with Lin Fan would later become far more complicated.

—

When Xie Nanzhou called for the third time, Chen Xi had just finished washing her hair.

On the phone, Xie Nanzhou said he was already downstairs at the girls' dorm, asking when she would come down.

His tone was domineering, leaving Chen Xi no room for refusal. Not wanting to quarrel over trivial matters, she agreed, “Give me five minutes.”

Five minutes later, after blow-drying her hair, Chen Xi put on her khaki coat again and stepped out.

She wore no makeup, but even bare-faced, her youth and beauty were unmistakable.

Her gentle, expressive almond-shaped eyes contrasted with a determined oval face. Though her eyes brimmed with tears, her expression was cold, leaving people unsure whether she was fragile or strong.

Outside the dorm, Chen Xi stood on the first step of the main entrance and looked up to see a black Maybach parked not far away, beside which stood a tall, well-dressed young man wearing a designer sweatshirt—handsome but slightly immature in appearance.

Chen Xi’s gaze passed over Xie Nanzhou and settled again on the seemingly low-key yet luxurious Maybach, suddenly recalling Li Qing’s expression when talking about Lin Fan.

She couldn’t help but mock herself—did others see her as a thorough gold digger as well?

Seeing Chen Xi, Xie Nanzhou quickly pocketed his phone and waved her over to get in.

Chen Xi withdrew her thoughts, forced a faint smile without much curve, and moved toward the Maybach.

Bang—

Just as the car door closed, before she could fasten her seatbelt, Xie Nanzhou handed her a cup of milk tea, thoughtfully saying, “I just bought this on the way. It’s still warm—warm your hands.”

Chen Xi hesitated for half a second, then took the cup, softly saying thanks.

Hearing her thanks, Xie Nanzhou instinctively turned to look at his girlfriend.

—

During freshman military training, Xie Nanzhou had already known of a quiet, cold-tempered beauty in the law department who had resisted many confessions.

He was immediately drawn to Chen Xi’s unadorned yet incomparable beauty and her poised, dignified speech during ideological and political class.

He had thought she would be difficult to win over, but he managed to win her heart in less than a month.

Yet, even now, he couldn’t understand why, though she had agreed to date him, she always behaved politely, as if they were strangers brought together only in name by “being in a relationship.”

Chen Xi was lost in thought.

As the Maybach exited the R University campus, she thought she saw a familiar silhouette and straightened instinctively to get another look at the luxury car with Beijing license plate starting with 京A.

Coincidentally, the barrier gate malfunctioned, and the two cars were stuck side by side at the exit.

Xie Nanzhou complained about the outdated school facilities, but Chen Xi’s attention was fixed on the black luxury car because she recognized a familiar face—

It had to be Lin Fan, right?

Chen Xi shifted her gaze aside. The man was mostly hidden behind Lin Fan, so she couldn’t see his face clearly.

Only from his well-tailored, sharp suit, the long arm resting on the window sill, and the expensive watch on his wrist could she infer that the man was of extraordinary wealth.

This must be the owner of the luxury car Li Qing had mentioned.

Recalling Li Qing’s tone at the time, Chen Xi sensed a trace of jealousy.

Suddenly, the partially raised barrier was fixed and slowly lifted.

As the cars passed, Xie Nanzhou instinctively exclaimed, “Wow, Cullinan! Isn’t 0724 your birthday?”

Chen Xi wasn’t knowledgeable about cars beyond their names, but seeing Xie Nanzhou’s reaction, she instinctively turned to confirm again.

Coincidentally, the rear window of the luxury car lowered suddenly.

Chen Xi’s eyes met the man’s.

Seeing that familiar yet strange face, Chen Xi was stunned.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but no sound came out.

After a long moment, she silently uttered three words: Zhou, Yanzhou.

_

At the female dormitory of R University, Old Wu parked the car beside the greenery.

Zhou Yanzhou found the car stuffy and, before it stopped completely, grabbed his cigarette pack and lighter and got out.

He walked to an old locust tree, fumbling to light a cigarette, squinting as he took a deep drag.

As the smoke curled around him, an image suddenly flashed in his mind—a small face no bigger than a palm. He recalled the misty almond eyes he had just seen at the school gate, always unreadable in rain or shine.

His swallowing grew heavier.

For some reason, he sneered coldly, his thin lips parting to mutter, “Not bad, you’ve grown up.”

Old Wu sat in the driver’s seat, glancing back at Lin Fan, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Recalling the fierce scene in the private room half an hour ago, he softened and reminded her, “Sir hates girls fighting over men the most.”

“Little girl, sir isn’t someone you can manipulate. If you want to stay by his side for long, you’d better get your heart right.”

As he spoke, the driver remembered a bright-eyed, beautiful girl and muttered to himself, “There’s an exception, but—”

Lin Fan respected the driver and couldn’t help but ask, “Does he really not love anyone?”

The driver sighed, hesitated, then said, “Miss Lin, you’re overstepping.”

Lin Fan wiped her tears and quickly said she had been too impatient and wouldn’t ask again.

After getting out of the car, Lin Fan stood on the steps outside the female dorm, watching the Cullinan with license plate 0724 disappear from view.

Back in the dorm, only Li Qing was there. Lin Fan was exhausted and had no energy to deal with anyone.

She carefully placed her newly acquired Hermès bag on the desk, took off her shoes, and climbed wearily into bed.

Before closing her eyes, she glanced at the empty bed frame opposite and asked instinctively, “Hasn’t Chen Xi come back yet?”

Li Qing turned over and mumbled, “Probably out on a date. You’re not the only one with a boyfriend.”

Lin Fan was comforted by the mention of a boyfriend and smiled contentedly, habitually boasting, “He’s really an amazing person. Meeting him is my greatest fortune.”

Li Qing rolled her eyes inwardly, thinking, “Getting arrogant, huh? Boyfriend or sugar daddy? Don’t you have any sense?”

No wonder Lin Fan was so sensitive. She recalled the driver’s warning before leaving and an incredible thought surfaced in her mind. She grasped the bedsheet tightly and couldn’t help asking, “Li Qing, when is Chen Xi’s birthday again?”

Being roommates, though Li Qing disliked Lin Fan, she hadn’t broken off relations. She turned over and blurted out, “Late July, I think.”

Lin Fan clenched the blanket tightly. “Do you know the exact date?”

Li Qing frowned, confused about what Lin Fan was up to, but after some thought, she came up with a precise date: “I think it’s July 24.”

Hearing this, Lin Fan’s face instantly turned pale.

An unbelievable idea flashed through her mind uncontrollably, but she refused to believe it and tried hard to find excuses to ignore it.

—

An hour later, Chen Xi followed Xie Nanzhou into the bar, weaving through the bustling dance floor to a private room at the back.

Pushing open the door, she saw around twenty men and women sitting on sofas.

Chen Xi recognized no one.

The birthday boy, sitting in the center, saw Xie Nanzhou and immediately put down his glass, warmly greeting, “We’ve been waiting for you. You’re half an hour late; self-penalty three drinks.”

Xie Nanzhou, fearing embarrassment for Chen Xi, instinctively reached to take her hand and pull her into the group.

Unexpectedly, Chen Xi reflexively dodged at the touch of his fingertips.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the moment was magnified, and the atmosphere instantly chilled.

—

Realizing belatedly that her reaction was excessive and left Xie Nanzhou no face, Chen Xi wanted to explain. But when she looked up, she saw a complex expression in his eyes—disappointment, confusion, and some emotions she couldn’t decipher.

Bang—

The sound of a champagne bottle popping echoed.

A young woman in a short strapless dress with heavy makeup, deep skin tone, and dreadlocks suddenly raised a champagne bottle toward Chen Xi and popped the cork. The bubbles spilled uncontrollably, drenching Chen Xi.

No one reacted immediately until the girl’s half-hearted apology made everyone realize what had just happened.

As the victim, Chen Xi could only wipe the wine stains off her coat with her hands and, meeting the girl’s hostile gaze, calmly shook her head and generously said, “It’s okay.”

The girl was unimpressed, crossing her arms with disdain: “Green tea.”

Next, she looked at Xie Nanzhou mockingly: “Xie Nanzhou, your taste keeps getting worse.”

Chen Xi’s face paled.

Seeing this, Xie Nanzhou quickly put his arm around Chen Xi’s shoulders, displeased, and stopped the girl: “Tang Yuan, that’s enough.”

The birthday boy, noticing the tension, quickly intervened as peacemaker: “Alright, alright, it’s my birthday today. Can you two not be so confrontational the moment you meet?”

Xie Nanzhou rolled his eyes and said helplessly, “If she weren’t crazy, would I bother her?”

He hugged Chen Xi protectively as they sat down in the booth. Throughout, many eyes were fixed on them.

Not wanting to be a spectacle, Chen Xi tugged at Xie Nanzhou’s sleeve and whispered, “I’m going to the restroom.”

Xie Nanzhou scrutinized her face carefully. Seeing she wasn’t angry, he kindly asked, “Want me to come with you?”

Chen Xi shook her head gently, bent over, and walked out along the corridor.

The corridor was surprisingly quiet. Following the sign, Chen Xi walked deeper for two minutes, then turned into a restroom.

Standing before the mirror, she turned on the faucet, cupped water in her hands, and slowly cleaned the stains on her clothes.

After several washes, the stain still wouldn’t come out. Resigned, she turned off the tap and suddenly saw a familiar face.

Chen Xi froze on the spot.

The man was leaning lazily against the wall, a cigarette pinched between his fingers, smoking with an indifferent expression.

In the swirling smoke, Chen Xi seemed transported back several years when he had the same carefree, rakish demeanor.

Yet back then, his eyebrows always carried a faint irritation, as if troubled by some vexing matter he could not shake off.

Later, Chen Xi learned that a girl in the prime of youth had lost her life because of him.

—

Zhou Yanzhou hadn’t expected to meet Chen Xi in such a setting. He was so shocked by the present Chen Xi that he didn’t even notice the fiery red ash dropping onto his hand.

After a long moment, he straightened up and, with a cryptic expression, glanced at the speechless Chen Xi not far away, then greeted her nonchalantly, “Long time no see.”

Hearing that familiar voice, Chen Xi’s heart skipped a beat. Holding her breath, she slowly met his gaze.

Their eyes locked—those affectionate, always smiling peach blossom eyes that made it hard to tell genuine feelings from pretense.

Chen Xi instinctively pressed her lips tight.

Zhou Yanzhou deliberately ignored the unfamiliarity in her eyes, looked her over from head to toe, and, thinking of something, chuckled and greeted familiarly, “You’ve grown taller. Why didn’t you tell me when you came to Beijing?”

“Didn’t you say before that once you got into Beijing, I’d spend a few days with you? It’s been years. You haven’t forgotten me, right?”

Perhaps due to his innocent tone, Chen Xi recalled past grievances. Known for her good temper, she couldn’t help but retort sharply: “What about you? You’ve probably forgotten me entirely.”

“If it weren’t for running into you today by chance, would you have contacted me, Zhou Yanzhou?”

The man suddenly felt guilty; his eyes filled with unspoken apology.

Chen Xi, however, found him insincere.

If she hadn’t believed his lies, how could she have abandoned everything and come all the way from the south to the north just because of his words, “Study hard, I’ll wait for you in Beijing”?

—

Encountering Zhou Yanzhou in this environment was unexpected for Chen Xi.

She thought she would be hysterical, tear into him, and demand why he had avoided her like a wild beast all those years ago. But upon reunion, all she felt was amusement.

Zhou Yanzhou didn’t want to stand foolishly in the corridor quarreling over what he deemed trivial matters. Instead, he lifted his eyelids to appraise the young woman before him.

Gone was the innocence and naivety of youth; Chen Xi now had a hint of womanly maturity.

Her coat reached her calves, the collar slightly open to reveal a peach-pink fitted knit top beneath. She wore pure white jeans with a brown leather belt around her waist, outlining her perfect figure.

Her skin was even and fair, her oval face so tender it seemed to drip with moisture, rivaling many celebrities.

Beautiful, sharp, and untouchable.

This was Zhou Yanzhou’s first impression of Chen Xi after their reunion.

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