Chapter 51

Zhou Yanzhou was an absolute villain. The day after they had dinner together, he seemed to vanish into thin air. No matter how many times Chen Xi tried to add him or send him text messages, there was never any response.

At first, Chen Xi still held a shred of fantasy, but later she realized that Zhou Yanzhou had never intended to pay any attention to her at all.

Just as Chen Xi decided to let go of Zhou Yanzhou and focus on coping with the upcoming college entrance examination, a sudden post exploded on the school forum.

In less than three hours, the post went viral, spreading rapidly from First High to every high school in Xiping, to the extent that even the school leaders found out about it.

The title of the post was: "Suspiciously Kept by an Older Man Outside School: The Goddess of the Liberal Arts Class at Xiping First High." The content of the post was only a few hundred words long, yet it was rendered with vivid detail, and at the very end, it even attached a "true and credible" photograph.

Although only half a face was captured, anyone familiar with her could tell at a glance that it was Chen Xi.

There were already hundreds of comments beneath the post, and the tide of discussion pointed squarely at Chen Xi from Liberal Arts Class One.

Some people even began to spread rumors, weaving all sorts of bizarre and imaginative lies.

They essentially claimed that someone who looked so pure at school could actually be so wild outside of it, and some even asked how much it cost to keep Chen Xi for a month.

Zhu Qing usually loved browsing the forum, always digging up obscure and juicy gossip unknown to outsiders.

Yet she never expected that this time, when she clicked on the thrilling gossip post, the person the author intended to expose would turn out to be Chen Xi.

Due to the camera angle, the man's direct face was not captured, but Chen Xi was completely exposed.

Zhu Qing read the post from beginning to end, then clicked on the comments to read a few more. When Chen Xi returned to the classroom carrying a stack of homework books, Zhu Qing could not care about anything else. She grabbed Chen Xi's wrist and pulled her away into a secluded stairwell.

Chen Xi had no choice but to hastily put down her homework, looking with a dazed expression at Zhu Qing, whose face was filled with panic. "Zhu Zhu, what's wrong?"

Seeing Chen Xi's completely oblivious expression, Zhu Qing stamped her foot in anxiety and whispered in a low voice, "Xisi, something terrible has happened!"

Chen Xi let out a puzzled sound of "Ah?" "What terrible thing?"

Zhu Qing took a deep breath, shoved her phone into Chen Xi's hands, and said with unbearable pity, "See for yourself."

Chen Xi was completely unaware. She took Zhu Qing's phone, clueless, and pressed the screen to light it up. The face that had been calm just a moment before instantly turned deathly pale.

She gripped the phone tightly, her fingertips turning white from excessive force.

At that moment, she did not know whether she felt more helpless or more panicked.

Seeing Chen Xi staring fixedly at the phone screen, her complexion as pale as someone suffering from a severe illness, Zhu Qing worriedly held Chen Xi's wrist and firmly stated her stance: "Xisi, I believe you. You wouldn't do something like this."

Chen Xi had never expected to be photographed secretly. In truth, she was deeply terrified of her relationship with Zhou Yanzhou being exposed.

Perhaps deep down in her own subconscious, she also felt that she and Zhou Yanzhou were unworthy of standing together under the sunlight.

Now that the matter had been brought to light, her very first reaction was not to worry about herself, but to wonder how Zhou Yanzhou would react once he found out.

She read the post word by word, clearly realizing that the author was fabricating her relationship with Zhou Yanzhou based on this uniquely angled photo. In reality, this person probably had no idea what her and Zhou Yanzhou's private dynamic was truly like.

They were simply making up a story based on a single photograph, yet the young boys and girls on the forum eagerly believed those gossips laden with legendary undertones.

The only person who came to Chen Xi's mind at that moment was Xie Wei, because back at the school gate, she was the only one who had caught a glimpse of her and Zhou Yanzhou in the same frame.

Yet as soon as the thought emerged, Chen Xi could not help but shake her head.

Selfishly, she felt that Xie Wei was not that kind of person.

The most urgent task was to have the post deleted.

Chen Xi used Zhu Qing's phone to submit a complaint. Thinking that class was about to start, she calmed down for a moment and decided to let the matter rest for now.

Back in the classroom, Chen Xi distinctly noticed that her classmates' gazes toward her seemed to carry an extra layer of unfathomable meaning. The poster had chosen the timing very cleverly, picking the weekend right as students were returning to campus. At this exact juncture, mobile phones had not yet been collected, and forum traffic was at its peak, ensuring everyone could accurately see the post and drive up its discussion volume and heat.

The author had also intentionally steered the conversation toward Chen Xi in the comment section, releasing seemingly genuine yet fabricated evidence to hammer down the claim that Chen Xi had been kept.

Chen Xi deliberately ignored those strange gazes, feigning composure as she returned to her seat, and then pulled out her mathematics workbook to work on the practice problems.

Xie Wei had also seen the post. Noticing Chen Xi entering without a change in expression, Xie Wei poked Chen Xi's back twice with her pen and tossed a slip of paper onto her desk.

Chen Xi looked at the paper ball on her desk, picked it up, and slowly unfolded it. Written upon it was: "I didn't take it, and I didn't post it. Do you want me to help clear your name?"

After reading the note, Chen Xi tore it into pieces, turned her head, and gazed with a calm expression at Xie Wei, whose face was filled with concern. She shook her head in refusal: "No need. The innocent need no defense."

Looking at Chen Xi's resolute attitude, Xie Wei opened her mouth, but said nothing more.

The post grew increasingly intense. Initially, only a few dozen people were discussing it, but soon the number swelled to hundreds and thousands, accompanied by a mounting tide of slanderous remarks.

Some individuals even demanded that Chen Xi be expelled, claiming she had tarnished the reputation of First High, while others called her vain, hiding an ugly heart beneath a pretty face.

Zhu Qing constantly monitored the forum's developments and brought it up with Chen Xi from time to time.

By the end of it, Zhu Qing could not help but curse and rail against the injustice on Chen Xi's behalf.

Yet the person at the center of it all was unusually quiet, as if the scandal did not concern her at all.

The evening study bell rang, and the head teacher hurried into the classroom.

Usually, the head teacher would not personally supervise evening study on weekends, but this time he had rushed to the school in an uncharacteristic manner.

He stood on the podium for a moment, first instructing the class monitor to collect the mobile phones, then walked over to Chen Xi's desk, tapped on it a few times, and told her to come to the office for a talk.

Having already mentally prepared herself, Chen Xi felt remarkably untroubled, shedding the panic she had felt upon first seeing the post.

Disregarding the gazes gathering from all directions, she stood up calmly, followed the head teacher out of the classroom with a steady composure, and walked calmly toward the office.

Passing by Science Class One, two boys at the doorway saw Chen Xi, turned their heads, and shouted toward the fourth row where He Xu was burying his head in a physics worksheet: "He Xu, Chen Xi just got called away by her head teacher."

Hearing Chen Xi's name, He Xu abruptly raised his head. He glanced sidewise out the window, catching only a blurred silhouette.

He had also scrolled past that post half an hour ago, and upon seeing the intimate photograph, He Xu had recognized at a glance who that broad back belonged to.

Only, He Xu had not expected that the two of them would be secretly photographed and plastered across the forum.

He Xu had once wondered about their relationship and vaguely sensed a hint of Chen Xi's feelings, but he never anticipated that this time bomb would detonate right before the college entrance examination.

At this thought, He Xu wore a worried expression. He feared that Chen Xi would be affected by the public opinion, disciplined by the school, or suffer a setback in the college entrance exams. He Xu took a deep breath, borrowed a mobile phone from his deskmate, opened the forum, stared at the viral post, and frantically hit the report button.

Chen Xi followed the head teacher into the office, consciously standing beside the desk and waiting for his lecture.

Who would have thought that the head teacher would remain silent, doing nothing but sighing incessantly?

Chen Xi stood for a long time. At first, it was fine, but soon her calves grew numb, and even the slightest movement caused a sharp ache.

Seeing the head teacher sitting in his chair with a troubled expression, seemingly at a loss for how to start, Chen Xi bit her lip and took the initiative to ask, "Are you wanting to ask about the post?"

The head teacher cast a surprised glance at Chen Xi. Seeing her unyielding, composed demeanor of "the innocent need no defense," he straightened his posture, pulled up the post, and handed it to Chen Xi. Frowning, he said, "This matter has a huge impact on the school. I expect you to answer honestly."

"Do you know the person in this photograph? What is your relationship?"

Chen Xi clenched her sleeves and replied without changing her expression, "I know him. A relative."

Clearly disbelieving, the head teacher retorted, "A relative?"

Unfazed, Chen Xi persisted, "A relative. If you don't believe me, ask my youngest uncle; he knows him too."

Upon seeing this, the head teacher picked up his phone and said, "I have already called your youngest uncle. He will be here shortly."

Chen Xi's back stiffened as she realized what she was about to face, and her complexion paled visibly by a couple of shades.

Xu Jingqian was in the middle of entertaining government officials when he received the call from the head teacher. Hearing the rumor that Chen Xi had been kept by someone, Xu Jingqian cast everything else aside, grabbed his car keys, and left.

Along the way, Xu Jingqian imagined countless possibilities, but upon seeing the photograph attached to that post, his mind instantly fell into utter chaos.

Though he had anticipated it long ago, when the moment truly arrived, he still felt a degree of shock.

Selfishly speaking, he was not entirely opposed to it, nor did he think the matter was all that grave, but looking at the current situation, it had escalated beyond all control.

Once public opinion erupted, Chen Xi's reputation would be ruined.

He did not want her to spend the rest of her life living amidst the stigma of being "kept," nor did he want an innocent young girl to be looked down upon for no reason.

Furthermore, given Zhou Yanzhou's family background, if he were truly to take a wife, it would never fall upon his niece from an ordinary background.

Xu Jingqian rushed to the school and, after a series of inquiries, finally found the office of Chen Xi's head teacher.

He knocked and entered. The first thing he saw was Chen Xi standing obediently by the desk with her head lowered, her emotions unreadable; only after that did he notice the head teacher.

Hearing the knock and seeing Xu Jingqian arrive in a rush, the head teacher hurriedly stood up to shake hands and exchange brief pleasantries.

Once the formalities were over, the two men finally got down to business.

Perhaps out of consideration for Chen Xi's feelings, both intentionally avoided the word "kept" when discussing the contents of the post, opting for more euphemistic terms instead.

Facing the head teacher's inquiry, Xu Jingqian tactfully stated that he did indeed know the person in the photograph and had interacted with him on a few occasions, and that no unspeakable matters existed between them.

Hearing this, the head teacher first looked at Xu Jingqian, then glanced at Chen Xi, and finally said, "Chen Xi says this person is a relative of hers, and there is no improper relationship between them."

Xu Jingqian was startled for a moment. He turned his head to glance at the silent Chen Xi, then played along with her narrative: "Indeed, a distant relative. Most certainly not any kind of improper relationship."

"By way of seniority, Chen Xi even has to call him a maternal uncle."

Having grasped the general situation and considering the current climate of public opinion, the head teacher instructed Chen Xi to take a three-day suspension from classes.

Xu Jingqian initially disagreed, arguing that missing a day of coursework right before the college entrance exams was nearly impossible to make up, but Chen Xi indicated that she would be fine.

After returning to the classroom to pack her schoolbag, Chen Xi ignored the inquiries of her classmates and followed her youngest uncle out of the school.

On the way, Xu Jingqian looked back at Chen Xi, who was sitting in a daze while clutching her schoolbag. Thinking of the school post, his tone suddenly shifted: "What on earth is going on between you and Zhou Yanzhou?"

This time, her uncle lacked the absolute certainty he had displayed in front of the head teacher, replaced instead by a hint of probing mistrust.

Chen Xi could not describe her current state of mind; she only felt an overwhelming sense of physical and mental exhaustion.

Seeing Chen Xi keep her head down in silence, and connecting this with how Chen Xi had frequently made excuses to go out over the past year—even staying away overnight on several occasions—doubts began to brew in his heart.

"You previously..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Chen Xi raised her head. A wave of exhaustion washed over her palm-sized face, and she licked her lips, confessing with a vacant stare: "Youngest uncle, I like Zhou Yanzhou."

Xu Jingqian's expression changed drastically, his gaze directed at Chen Xi filled with incomprehension and helplessness.

Without waiting for her uncle's reprimands to spill forth, Chen Xi said unhurriedly, "I do like him, but he has no feelings for me whatsoever."

"Youngest uncle, I cannot guarantee anything to you, but I can state with certainty that I have never done anything out of line with him. That photograph was taken last month when Zhou Yanzhou and I finished eating at People's Square and he was dropping me home."

"He has indeed given me a few expensive gifts, but I have locked them all away at home and have not used a single one. Naturally, I know that he and I belong to different worlds. But what can I do? I simply like him."

It was Xu Jingqian's first time handling such a thorny situation. Listening to Chen Xi's frank confession, he felt a splitting headache.

Parking the car by the roadside, Xu Jingqian cut the engine, turned to face the unabashed Chen Xi, and spoke only after a long pause: "Do you realize that acting like this will ruin your future?"

"What kind of person is Zhou Yanzhou? What kind of women has he not seen? Do you truly believe you can extract any benefit from him?"

"When your mother entrusted you to my care, it was not for you to run around getting mixed up with this sort of person! She hoped you would live and act with integrity, earn admission to a good university, and lead the life you desire. Yet ask yourself honestly, has turning things into this mess what you wanted?"

Xu Jingqian was, after all, someone who had spent years grinding through society and understood best how to strike at the human heart in negotiations. A mere few remarks were enough to make Chen Xi yield entirely.

Seeming to realize her mistake, Chen Xi collapsed palely into the seat, her gaze scattering so widely she lost all focus.

The car interior fell into a dead silence, confined and suffocating.

Chen Xi felt so wretched she could barely breathe. She tried to roll down the car window for some fresh air, but since the engine was off, the buttons failed to respond.

Clutching her aching chest, she curled her shoulders, tears streaming down uncontrollably.

Hearing the muffled sobs, Xu Jingqian turned back to look at his niece and said with a softened, sympathetic tone, "Let this matter end here. Promise me you will never have any further contact with Zhou Yanzhou, all right?"

"Xisi, your youngest uncle simply doesn't want to see you get hurt. A man like him is not someone you can afford to provoke."

Chen Xi sniffled, wiped away her tears, and looked at her uncle with reddened eyes. With hardened resolve, she said, "Youngest uncle, I will never have any more contact with him. You can rest easy."

Only then did Xu Jingqian exhale in relief. He started the engine and resumed driving toward home, instructing along the way, "Don't let your aunt find out about this, or she will undoubtedly throw a massive fuss."

"Once the school clears up the facts, you can return to classes. Sorry for putting you through this over the past two days."

Chen Xi maintained a numb expression and said nothing.

When Zhou Yanzhou learned of the matter, he was in Beijing.

Xie Wei had gone back and told her father the whole sequence of events, and Old Xie immediately called Zhou Yanzhou to explain the situation.

Upon learning that he and Chen Xi had been secretly photographed at People's Square that day, that the photo had been posted on the school forum, and that Chen Xi had been slandered as being kept, Zhou Yanzhou became so furious he skipped his meal, drove straight to the airport, and booked the earliest flight back to Xiping.

Before takeoff, he placed several calls to Chen Xi, all of which resulted in busy signals, and his text messages went unanswered. Realizing the situation was far graver than he had imagined, Zhou Yanzhou placed another call to the director of the Xiping Education Bureau.

Upon learning the ins and outs of the situation, the official repeatedly declared it a misunderstanding and promised to coordinate and resolve it immediately.

Still uneasy about Chen Xi, Zhou Yanzhou dialed Xu Jingqian's number.

The phone rang for over ten seconds before being answered. Disregarding whether Xu Jingqian might discern his dealings with Chen Xi, Zhou Yanzhou asked straight to the point: "Where is Chen Xi?"

Xu Jingqian had not expected Zhou Yanzhou to call out of concern. Startled for a moment, and mindful of Zhou Yanzhou's status, he dared not lie: "Just brought her home. The school has suspended her for three days until the facts are cleared up before she can return."

Zhou Yanzhou's brow furrowed. Standing in the bustling departure hall, he ignored the noisy background and focused entirely on Chen Xi: "How is her mood?"

Xu Jingqian paused in silence, recalling how Chen Xi had locked herself in her room upstairs the moment she got home and had not emerged since. Weighing his words, he said, "Not very good."

"Director Zhou, I have already heard Chen Xi's side of things regarding the two of you. Pardon my audacity, but allow me to speak bluntly."

Anticipating this, Zhou Yanzhou held the phone, his gaze sweeping across the large display screen, his tone unexpectedly calm: "Please go ahead."

Xu Jingqian drew a breath, his tone heavy: "I ask that you show mercy and let Xisi go. She does not belong in your world."

Zhou Yanzhou paused for two seconds, a faint trace of mockery welling at the corners of his eyes. Rolling his Adam's apple, he calmly uttered, "Very well. I promise you, I will not seek her out again."

Xu Jingqian exhaled in relief, his tone lightening slightly: "Is there anything else, Director Zhou?"

Zhou Yanzhou closed his eyes, suppressed the boiling emotions within his chest, and calmly denied, "No."

The call ended. The public address system was reminding passengers that the flight to Xiping was boarding. Zhou Yanzhou stood in the hall for a brief moment, then turned and walked out of the terminal.

Two days later, the school tracked down the poster: Liang Wen from Liberal Arts Class Three. The other party confessed that she had fabricated the story based entirely on the photograph and knew nothing of the actual facts.

To clear Chen Xi's name, the school deliberately organized a brief clarification assembly for all teachers and students on the playground.

Liang Wen received a disciplinary mark for intentionally fabricating rumors. Although she should have been expelled, considering she was in her final year of high school, the school showed leniency and decided to grant her another chance.

As for Chen Xi, the director of the Education Bureau personally attended the clarification assembly to prove her innocence, praising Chen Xi as a promising talent and expressing hope that she would triumph brilliantly in the college entrance examinations.

To compensate Chen Xi, the school also awarded her a medal of honor alongside a generous monetary bonus in private.

Chen Xi felt the world was quite magical; just two days prior she had been cursed at relentlessly, yet in the blink of an eye, she had become a "great hero."

When the clarification assembly concluded, Chen Xi clutched the bank card labeled "bonus," feeling that something was amiss.

Even though this matter was not her fault, the school wouldn't exactly issue a hundred-thousand-yuan bonus, would they?

Many unformed thoughts swirled in Chen Xi's mind, but every time she tried to straighten out her thoughts, it felt as though her brain had short-circuited.

Entering the final year of high school, the academic pressure kept everyone in a state of constant anxiety. Although this piece of news had caused excitement for a while, the college entrance examination loomed right around the corner, and everyone was focused on their own futures—who had the leisure time to care about the underlying causes and effects behind the incident?

Chen Xi was likewise crushed by wave after wave of test papers. By the time she realized something was amiss, the first semester of her senior year had already ended.

The school's curriculum was tightly packed, granting senior students a mere eight-day break.

Chen Xi seemed to have returned to the right track. Zhou Yanzhou was gone from her life, leaving behind only the impending college entrance examinations.

Believing she would never intersect with him again, she happened to run into Zhou Yanzhou's assistant, Chen Chen, that afternoon while visiting a shopping mall in People's Square to purchase exercise books.

Chen Chen had not anticipated running into Chen Xi either. Pausing for two seconds, he took the initiative to step forward and greet her: "Xisi, what a coincidence."

Chen Xi slowly blinked her eyelids, forcing a stiff smile to the corners of her mouth: "What a coincidence."

"Brother Chen Chen, what brings you here?"

With that, Chen Xi instinctively cast a glance not far away, wondering if Zhou Yanzhou was also present.

Seeing through Chen Xi's little gesture, Chen Chen took the initiative to explain: "The Xizhou Hotel is officially open for business, so I came to check on things."

Chen Xi looked utterly bewildered: "Xizhou Hotel?"

Realization dawned on Chen Chen at her expression. He pointed toward the sail-shaped hotel across People's Square and smiled, saying, "That's the sail-shaped hotel right across the street. The boss personally lent his name to it—Xizhou Hotel."

Chen Xi gazed abstractly in the direction of the sail-shaped hotel, unable to stop herself from murmuring: "Chen Chen, is Zhou Yanzhou really not coming back?"

Chen Chen's smile remained unchanged, though it lacked a measure of genuine warmth.

He recalled how, a few months prior, his boss had run back and forth for Chen Xi's sake, socializing everywhere to clear her name, and even ensuring the school gave her a hundred thousand yuan under the guise of compensation out of fear that she might be financially strapped.

That period coincided with the opening of the Xizhou Hotel, with countless troubles awaiting Zhou Yanzhou's resolution, yet he had delayed himself for half a month on her account.

Just as Chen Xi's affairs were finally settled and her future path paved, the old master suffered a sudden cerebral infarction and nearly failed to be resuscitated.

Upon receiving the call, Zhou Yanzhou hurried back to Beijing, rushing around to handle the mess left behind there.

He had even flown to the United States two days prior, leaving him with virtually no free time.

Whenever he managed a brief moment of leisure, he would fly back to Xiping, secretly keeping tabs on Chen Xi's academic progress out of fear that she would be affected.

At this thought, mindful of Zhou Yanzhou's instructions, Chen Chen spoke with composed ease: "Before leaving, the boss left a letter and instructed me to hand it over to you after the college entrance exams."

"However, I'm heading back to Beijing next month, and I'm afraid I won't have the opportunity. The letter isn't with me right now; would you be willing to accompany me for a trip?"

Naturally, Chen Xi agreed.

She followed Chen Chen out of the shopping mall and turned into the sail-shaped hotel she had visited once before.

By this time, the sail-shaped hotel was already housing quite a few guests.

Before entering the lobby, Chen Xi specifically glanced at the gilded characters "Xizhou Hotel" hanging outside, and could not help wondering whether the character "Xi" had anything to do with her.

Before she could finish her musings, Chen Chen noticed her standing dazed in place and called out to snap her out of it.

In a daze, Chen Xi followed Chen Chen into the elevator, stepped out, and finally entered a suite.

Only when she stood in the suite's living room did she realize this was the very suite Zhou Yanzhou had brought her to once before.

Chen Chen retrieved a dark green envelope from a drawer and handed it to Chen Xi. The moment she took it, Chen Chen said, "The boss said you lack a sense of security and always feel as though you have no home. That is why he has left the suite on the fortieth floor of the Xizhou Hotel to you."

Staring in astonishment, Chen Xi gripped the envelope, which felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Opening it, she discovered a room key and a letter enclosed inside.

Disregarding everything else, Chen Xi unfolded the letter with a distracted soul. It contained only two brief lines: "The suite is reserved exclusively for you. Keep the room key safe and do not lose it." "Wishing you smooth sailing in the college entrance exams and a brilliant future."