Chapter 41

The few strands of hair not covered by the towel kept dripping, a few droplets landing on the screen and blurring the text. Chen Xi stared at the final sentence for a long time before she could believe it: Zhou Yanzhou was asking to see her again.

So, would he still be going to Xiping?

In an instant, Chen Xi felt as if she had eaten a honeyed date, the sweetness going straight to her head.

She shifted in her seat, too distracted to pack her luggage, and held her phone with excitement to reply to Zhou Yanzhou: "I’m staying near the airport and have a flight at six tomorrow morning. The hotel provides a shuttle service, so there’s no need for Brother Chen Huai to take me." After the message sent, Chen Xi kicked off her slippers and sat cross-legged on the bed, waiting quietly for a reply.

After waiting for five minutes with no response, Chen Xi put the phone down in disappointment. She loosened the towel on her head and stared blankly into space while drying her hair.

When her hair was half-dry, the phone charging on the nightstand suddenly buzzed.

Chen Xi dropped the towel and reached for the phone. Seeing it was a call from Zhou Yanzhou, her heart, which had just been calm, suddenly began to race uncontrollably.

She swallowed nervously, wiped her damp fingers on her pant leg, took a breath, and pressed answer.

The hotel room was very quiet—so quiet she could hear her own heartbeat.

The call connected, but neither of them spoke.

Chen Xi held her breath, her body rigid, waiting for Zhou Yanzhou to break the silence.

Zhou Yanzhou was still working overtime. A lunch with Teacher Meng had delayed a meeting, and after dropping off Lin Qiuyi, he had returned to the office to continue working.

Having just finished a meeting at nine o'clock, he returned to his office to find a text message that had arrived ten minutes earlier. Zhou Yanzhou's mind filled with the image of Chen Xi, and without a second thought, he dialed her number.

The moment it started ringing, however, he felt a flicker of regret.

Just as he was about to hang up, she answered, so Zhou Yanzhou abandoned the thought.

When Chen Xi didn't hear a voice on the other end after a long while, her face scrunched up, and she couldn't help but ask, "Hello? Zhou Yanzhou? Why aren't you saying anything?"

Hearing the little girl's blunt question and imagining her expression at that moment, Zhou Yanzhou suddenly laughed.

The gloom of the entire afternoon seemed to dissipate instantly.

He stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window with his phone in hand, and tucked his other hand into his pocket. Looking down at the brightly lit night view of Chang'an Avenue for a moment, he said with a hint of helplessness, "Just finished work. I'm taking a break; is it alright if I just listen to you talk?"

Zhou Yanzhou’s voice was unexpectedly gentle, laced with a trace of compromise and coaxing that nearly made Chen Xi surrender completely.

She bit her lip, feeling flustered, and answered slowly, "I thought you dialed the wrong number."

Zhou Yanzhou actually glanced at his phone to confirm the nickname he had saved for her—"Little Brat." He raised an eyebrow and teased, "I may be older than you, but my eyes are fine."

Chen Xi: "..."

How strange.

Zhou Yanzhou felt very relaxed at this moment. He realized for the first time why he liked associating with Chen Xi.

She was simple and pure, filled with an innocence untainted by the world. To someone like him, who had long been immersed in a world of smoke, alcohol, women, and deceit, she made him feel an unprecedented sense of ease.

Actually, what need was there for so many reasons? From the first moment he saw her, he knew she was his.

It was only a matter of time.

Of course, Zhou Yanzhou would not reveal his true thoughts. He simply wore a hypocritical smile, gently hinting that she should not forget him.

Even if he wouldn't be returning to Xiping for a short time, there could be no one else by her side.

With that thought, Zhou Yanzhou looked at his tall reflection in the glass and asked calmly, "Are you alone right now?"

Chen Xi couldn't understand why Zhou Yanzhou always changed the subject so seamlessly; before she could react to his previous comment, the next one was already upon her.

She pouted and answered honestly, "Yes."

Zhou Yanzhou frowned and arranged things without a second thought: "Send me the address. It’s not safe for a girl to stay alone late at night."

Chen Xi didn't know why she had sent the address as if under a spell.

Looking at the address, which was so remote it was hard to find, Zhou Yanzhou's frown deepened. After checking the hotel’s room photos online, his expression turned incredibly dark.

He pulled his hand out of his pocket, turned toward his desk, and grabbed the car keys from the drawer. As he walked out, he scolded the person on the phone: "What exactly is inside your head?"

"Is this hotel even safe? Aren't you afraid of something happening when you stay in such a remote place?"

As he spoke, Zhou Yanzhou opened his office door and caught sight of Chen Huai standing there. He gave Chen Huai a look to ask what he wanted.

Seeing Zhou Yanzhou on the phone, Chen Huai wisely opened the documents that needed signing, handed him a fountain pen, and pointed to the signature lines.

Zhou Yanzhou took the pen and signed his name swiftly and fluently.

After signing, he handed the pen back to Chen Huai and walked past him toward the exit.

On the phone, Chen Xi listened to Zhou Yanzhou's scolding and couldn't help but mutter, "This hotel is only a few kilometers from the airport. It's the best choice I could afford."

Zhou Yanzhou had wanted to make a few more cold, sarcastic remarks, but as the words reached his lips, he realized she was still a student without any financial means, so he immediately stopped the criticism.

But thinking about the afternoon, he still couldn't swallow his frustration. As he pressed the elevator button to go down, he asked offhandedly before entering, "What, is the Park Hyatt not good enough for you? Or did I ask you to pay for the room?"

Chen Xi: "..."

He didn't ask her for room fees, but she would still feel embarrassed.

Perhaps guessing Chen Xi's thoughts, Zhou Yanzhou scoffed and stated a fact without much emotion: "Chen Xi, I didn't stay at the Park Hyatt because of you. I would have spent that money whether you stayed there or not, so whatever I give you, you’d better learn to accept it with peace of mind."

"Anyone in this world might lie to you, but money won't."

"High-mindedness and self-esteem are the most useless things in the world. You'd better discard them early."

Zhou Yanzhou's words were so naked and blunt that they hit Chen Xi's face like a slap, leaving her cheeks burning with shame.

She was too young—so young that she thought Zhou Yanzhou was being alarmist. Textbooks clearly said, "Pride is in the bones, never bow under any hardship," yet Zhou Yanzhou was telling her that self-esteem wasn't important.

She didn't understand.

Zhou Yanzhou didn't expect her to. As he entered the elevator and pressed the button for the basement, he looked at his reflection in the elevator wall and finally regained some composure.

He took a breath, glanced at the screen, thought for two seconds with his eyes closed, and said calmly, "Just treat everything I said earlier as nonsense."

"Hanging up, I’m driving."

Without waiting for Chen Xi to reply, he ruthlessly ended the call.

The elevator reached the basement. Zhou Yanzhou put his phone away and walked out.

On the other end, Chen Xi looked at the ended call and couldn't help but roll her eyes, muttering, "Is he sick?"

Her hair wasn't fully dry, and fearing a headache, she put on her slippers and slipped into the bathroom. She found an old hairdryer, plugged it in, and blew her hair in front of the mirror.

In the mirror, her cheeks were flushed from the hot air, and her smooth, dark hair fell onto her shoulders like silk.

A few strands fell onto her face. Chen Xi turned off the hairdryer, lifted a hand to brush them away, and noticed her eyes shimmering in the dim light, as if they held a pool of spring water.

She put the dryer down and leaned in close to the mirror to examine her face.

A full forehead, gentle almond eyes, a straight nose, lips neither too thick nor too thin, and a color as pink as peach blossoms in March. Her skin was fair and clear; apart from the mole at the corner of her eye, there wasn't a single blemish or blackhead.

Chen Xi spread her hand across her face—it seemed her face was small enough to be covered by one hand?

Did Zhou Yanzhou like her face? Was she pretty?

As she thought about this, Chen Xi suddenly spat, "Pah!" She quickly pulled herself together, hung the hairdryer on the wall, and splashed cold water on her face, trying to sober up.

She must have been crazy just now, right?

Chen Xi scolded herself inwardly. Not wanting to overthink, she turned and escaped the bathroom.

At 10:11 p.m., just as Chen Xi put down her phone to sleep, someone knocked on her door.

Who could it be so late at night?

Chen Xi was cautious and didn't dare to open the door easily. She stepped into her slippers and tiptoed to the door, trying to look through the peephole, but she saw nothing.

She blinked and was about to turn back to bed when the knocking sounded again.

Scenes from horror movies she had watched flashed through her mind, and cold sweat slowly crawled down her back. Chen Xi gripped the doorknob and deliberately lowered her voice to sound like a man: "Who is it?"

Zhou Yanzhou laughed, speechless.

Standing tall at the doorway with his hands in his pockets, he muttered expressionlessly, "Are you stupid?"

Chen Xi: "..."

Recognizing Zhou Yanzhou's voice, Chen Xi immediately relaxed.

She patted her chest and opened the door in pleasant surprise.

Zhou Yanzhou stood at the door, hands in his pockets, his posture tall and imposing, blocking most of the light.

Chen Xi looked past his well-tailored handmade suit and stared straight at his face. The moment their eyes met, she stuck out her tongue in embarrassment and whispered, "I was afraid of running into a bad person."

Zhou Yanzhou was speechless. He snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping past Chen Xi into the room. Seeing the fake window, he felt both irritated and amused.

He kicked the door open and walked in slowly in his leather shoes.

The room was quite large, but the moment Zhou Yanzhou stepped in, it suddenly felt cramped.

Chen Xi stood by the entryway, a tiny ball of a person, head bowed, not daring to disturb him.

Zhou Yanzhou scanned the room briefly. His gaze landed on the bed, and upon seeing a yellow stain on the corner of the sheet that hadn't been washed out, he looked away in disgust.

He looked back at Chen Xi, who was too guilty to make a sound, frowned, and ordered, "Pack up and let's go."

Chen Xi asked in confusion, "Where to?"

Zhou Yanzhou closed his eyes, resisted the urge to turn and leave, and said, "Anywhere but here."

"Hurry up. I feel sick just staying here for another second."

Chen Xi was confused but didn't dare to defy him. She stuffed her belongings into her suitcase and followed Zhou Yanzhou out of the hotel in her yellow plaid pajamas.

Once in the car, Chen Xi turned to watch Zhou Yanzhou toss her suitcase into the trunk, walk around the car with his long legs, and pull open the driver's door before sliding in.

Chen Xi felt a bit uneasy.

She didn't understand what Zhou Yanzhou was doing tonight. Weren't they supposed to meet in Xiping? Why was he here to find her in the middle of the night?

Chen Xi hadn't figured it out yet when Zhou Yanzhou buckled his seatbelt and started the engine.

Seeing this, Chen Xi immediately straightened up and asked, "Where are we going?"

Zhou Yanzhou rested one hand on the window ledge and the other on the steering wheel, looking straight ahead.

Hearing her, he tilted his head to glance at the bewildered Chen Xi. Recalling the stain on the quilt, he frowned and said, "Changing hotels."

Chen Xi pursed her lips and whispered, "The hotel from before was actually pretty good. It cost me two or three hundred."

Zhou Yanzhou: "..."

He reached out and gently patted the back of Chen Xi's head, ignoring the shock in her eyes, and said with an ambiguous tone, "We’re going to a place more suitable for sleeping."

Chen Xi: "..."

After driving for about twenty minutes, the car stopped in front of a luxury hotel.

As soon as Zhou Yanzhou parked, a valet came over to take the car.

Chen Xi got out, dazed. She stood on the steps, looking at the hotel with restrained curiosity.

Just from the two rows of neatly trimmed ornamental trees at the entrance and the marble of the front door, Chen Xi knew the price of this hotel must be exorbitantly expensive.

Zhou Yanzhou seemed to be a regular here; as soon as they entered the revolving glass doors, someone came to receive them.

The staff was extremely polite and respectful, even taking care to ask about Zhou Yanzhou's mood and whether they should prepare dinner for him.

Zhou Yanzhou waved them off. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chen Xi being squeezed to the edge, so he reached out to pull her to his side and ordered calmly, "Open a suite for her."

Having said that, he remembered something and added, "She has a six a.m. flight tomorrow. Please send a car to take her there."

The manager looked at Chen Xi in surprise, nodded repeatedly to Zhou Yanzhou, and promised to handle the matter perfectly.

When checking in, the manager reminded Chen Xi to show her ID. Chen Xi gave an "Oh!" of realization, dug her ID out of her bag, and handed it over.

When the manager entered her information and saw her date of birth, he looked at Zhou Yanzhou in shock.

Zhou Yanzhou ignored him.

Taking the room card from the manager, Zhou Yanzhou carried the suitcase, refused the manager's escort, and led Chen Xi toward the elevator on the right.

Chen Xi went along with everything.

Once they were finally in the elevator and alone, Chen Xi looked up at the silent man and asked tentatively, "...Are you staying here tonight too?"

Zhou Yanzhou gave a cold laugh and denied it: "No."

Chen Xi: "..."

When the elevator reached the third floor, Zhou Yanzhou walked out first, and Chen Xi followed closely behind.

Passing several rooms, Zhou Yanzhou stopped at the first room at the corner. He swiped the card to open the door, threw the suitcase at the entrance, and inserted the card into the slot.

The room suddenly lit up. The furnishings and decor were many times more luxurious than the previous place.

While Chen Xi was still secretly looking around the room, Zhou Yanzhou had already quietly stepped back out.

He stood at the door, hands in his pockets, looked at Chen Xi with a calm expression, and said unhurriedly, "I'm leaving."

The expression on Chen Xi's face froze. She turned around abruptly, staring blankly at Zhou Yanzhou, who was about to leave, and asked instinctively, "Where are you going?"

Zhou Yanzhou couldn't help but find it amusing. "Where else? Going home, of course."

Hearing this, a flash of disappointment crossed Chen Xi's eyes. She lowered her head and nodded, pretending to be calm: "...Okay, you can go."

Zhou Yanzhou turned and left without a moment's hesitation.

Chen Xi wanted to say something more, but when she looked up, all she saw was his decisive back.

The words stuck in her throat. She blinked hard, and in a struggle of emotions, she couldn't wait any longer and chased after him.

The elevator doors happened to open. Zhou Yanzhou stepped in and was about to press the button.

Hearing the hurried footsteps, he looked up instinctively.

He saw Chen Xi standing at the elevator entrance in her pajamas, her face full of anxiety. Zhou Yanzhou paused for a second and raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanged: "Is something wrong?"

Chen Xi looked at him, wanting to speak but hesitating. After a long while, she asked, "When are you coming back to Xiping?"

Zhou Yanzhou's expression remained the same: "Why?"

Chen Xi exhaled, her voice trembling: "There’s a fireworks show in Xiping every Spring Festival. Can you go watch it with me?"

The young girl’s face was flushed red, her eyes filled with anticipation, nervousness, and infatuation. Zhou Yanzhou wanted to promise her.

But when the words reached his lips, he suddenly couldn't say them.

Perhaps a shred of reason remained, or perhaps he couldn't bear to deceive the young girl—in the end, he didn't respond.

The elevator doors closed slowly, separating them completely.

As he looked up, Zhou Yanzhou caught a glimpse of Chen Xi looking utterly dejected. Unable to bear it, he replied, "If I’m in Xiping, I’ll keep you company."