Chapter 2: Seven Years

His gaze replayed in her mind several times—cold and unfamiliar, like the tranquil surface of an early autumn lake. Only she felt the waves of bitterness rippling through her heart.

Xu Wu reined in her emotions and calmly turned her attention back to the forum.

The host held a script and concluded the opening remarks, saying, “Next, let us welcome Zhou Jin Ye, the founder of LUNAR New Energy Vehicles.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, the lights at the back of the hall dimmed, and all the focus converged on the center of the stage.

The man stood there in a black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His tie was crisp, and his silhouette was sharp and clean-cut. The boyish traces of youth had faded, leaving behind an undeniable air of sophistication. His hair was casually swept back, with a few strands framing his forehead.

As he took his position at the center of the stage, the contours of his face became even more pronounced under the spotlight. Despite the years that had passed, that same irreverent energy still lingered, now tempered by the commanding presence of someone who had risen to power.

He held the microphone, and the metallic gleam of a flame-shaped pin on his collar caught the light.

“...Moreover, the powertrain structure of new energy vehicles is relatively simple, with no response delay. Their built-in energy storage systems can meet the power demands of smart cabins, and domain control architecture reduces the complexity of centralized management for electronic control units (ECUs).”

“This gives them a natural advantage in applying intelligent technologies and autonomous driving technologies. In the future, LUNAR hopes to collaborate with other electric vehicle brands to take technology to the next level and promote green development.”

Scattered applause began to fill the hall as everyone was inspired and reassured by his words.

At this moment, the host approached Zhou Jin Ye.

“Mr. Zhou has returned to the country, and it’s rare to have him here today. If anyone has questions, now is your chance to ask Mr. Zhou.”

Xu Wu remained hidden in the back row, watching as people around her began raising their hands.

“Ah, ah, me, me!”

“Mr. Zhou, pick me, pick me!”

...

What was supposed to be an offline forum had turned into something resembling a fan meeting. The excitement in the room was palpable.

From the stage, Zhou Jin Ye spoke into the microphone, pointing out, “Let’s hear from the young woman in the second-to-last row.”

Before Xu Wu could process that she was seated in the second-to-last row, the lights in the back rows brightened, and she felt his gaze land on her amidst the crowd.

Or perhaps it was just the distance and the brightness of the lights playing tricks on her eyes—she must have been mistaken.

A shadow flitted past her.

“Hello, Mr. Zhou. I’ve followed you since you were abroad. May I ask...”

Xu Wu raised her hand to gently rub her eyes.

When her vision adjusted, she realized that Zhou Jin Ye’s gaze was not on her but on someone else nearby.

They were discussing topics related to their field.

Once, that blazing ray of sunlight had pierced through the dust to illuminate the darkest corners of her life.

But after she pushed him away, that light no longer belonged to her.

________________________________________

During the evening rush hour, Xu Wu was stuck in traffic for half an hour before finally reaching home.

Today, she felt unusually exhausted.

Perhaps it was seeing her long-lost ex-boyfriend that stirred up a whirlwind of emotions within her.

Or maybe it was because she should have been resting after returning from her business trip instead of cleaning up someone else’s mess. From the start to the end of the forum, she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of President Lin from Boheng Technology.

When she opened the door, the strong smell of beer filled the entire space—it was suffocating.

Xu Wu turned on the lights. The dining table was cluttered with leftover takeout, and empty bottles were scattered across the floor.

The living room was a complete mess.

Fighting against the nauseating odor in the air, Xu Wu took out her room key, opened the door, and stepped inside.

Back when she had just graduated from university, she moved out of the dormitory with barely enough funds to rent a whole apartment. She opted for the cheapest option: sharing a place with others. Her first roommate lived with her for a year, and they followed the rental agreement without much interaction, respecting each other’s privacy.

Later, that roommate transferred jobs and moved to another city, leaving the room vacant. It was then rented out to the current tenant.

Since then, every time Xu Wu came home, the living room was always in disarray. Sometimes, when she wasn’t home, the tenant would throw parties in the common areas, inviting friends over.

By morning, leftover food, trash, and bottles would litter the space.

Once, when Xu Wu left for work in a hurry and forgot to lock her door, she found traces of someone going through her things—her cosmetics had been touched, and her blanket disturbed.

That day, she dumped all the items that had been tampered with outside the neighbor’s door. No apology came; instead, she was called petty.

With the rent due soon, Xu Wu opened her phone and found the landlord’s WeChat. She decided she wouldn’t renew the lease.

After years of working, she had saved enough money to afford renting an entire apartment on her own.

After sending the message to the landlord, she noticed the red notification dot on her main interface. There were many unread messages, one of which came from someone she rarely contacted.

Xu Wu rarely chatted with Lin Qingshuang.

She tapped into their chat history and saw a message sent at 3 p.m.

Attached was an electronic wedding invitation, along with a voice message from Lin Qingshuang—

“Two Saturdays from now, your brother is getting married. The bride’s side is short on people. Would you be willing to be the bridesmaid?”

Faint laughter could be heard in the background of the recording.

Lin Qingshuang was her mother, who worked far from home most of the time. After divorcing Xu Wu’s father when she was young, Lin remarried in another city. They only exchanged a few words during holidays.

Xu Wu originally lived with her biological father, but after he died in the line of duty, custody was granted to Lin Qingshuang.

Lin Qingshuang worked long hours and rarely spent time with her.

The “brother” mentioned in the voice message was Lin Qingshuang’s stepson from her second marriage—Wei Ming, Xu Wu’s half-brother. They got along well enough over the years. Wei Ming was also close friends with Zhou Jin Ye when they were younger...

After starting university, Xu Wu rarely went home, spending most of her time on campus.

She remembered being isolated in school during a severe flu outbreak. While Lin Qingshuang couldn’t return due to work, Wei Ming visited her daily, bringing her food and necessities.

The glow of her phone screen illuminated her face as she replied: Okay.

She turned off her phone, lit a sleep aid diffuser, and buried her head in the blankets.

The room fell silent. She closed her eyes but couldn’t stop thinking about Zhou Jin Ye.

Seven years had passed.

And now, he was back.

________________________________________

As Wei Ming’s close friend during high school, Zhou Jin Ye received the invitation while he was already at his aunt Zhou Wen’s house, having dinner with his grandfather.

Zhou Wen ladled some soup while asking Zhou Jin Ye, “Do you know if that guy surnamed Qin knows you’re back?”

“Why bring him up?!” At the mention of this person, wrinkles deepened on the old man’s face, his expression displeased.

“All right, all right, drink your soup.” She handed him the bowl.

After sipping the nourishing soup Zhou Wen prepared for him, the old man continued, “You haven’t come back in such a long time. When you have time, go visit those uncles. Get familiar with the network again. You don’t know the domestic market well—you can learn from them.”

Zhou Jin Ye responded absentmindedly with a hum, his eyes glued to his phone screen.

His last conversation with Wei Ming dated back five years.

Today, Wei Ming had reached out.

WM: [Jin Ye, I heard you’re back in the country. My wedding is two Saturdays from now. I don’t have many brothers on my side—you’re one of them. Will you be my best man?]

Given how Wei Ming phrased it, Zhou Jin Ye didn’t refuse. He simply said to send him the suit.

“It’s late. We’ve been talking about work all night. If you want to chat, it doesn’t have to be now. Go wash up and sleep,” Zhou Wen said, glancing at the wall clock and taking the empty bowl from her grandfather.

Zhou Wen was a traditional Chinese medicine doctor. Her grandfather’s health used to be poor, so she created a regimen for him, including early bedtime—a habit that persisted until now.

“All right, all right.”

With that, the old man left for his room.

After clearing the table, Zhou Wen sat down to chat with Zhou Jin Ye. “Do you need any furniture added to your place?”

She was referring to the apartment Zhou Jin Ye currently lived in—one of two properties Zhou Wen had purchased years ago when prices were low and locations prime.

Upon his return to the country, Zhou Wen gave him one of the apartments to live in.

The furnishings inside were pre-arranged, cleaned, and intact.

Zhou Jin Ye finished replying to Wei Ming, exited WeChat, and leaned back lazily in his chair. “No, everything needed is already there.”

“Fine. Buy whatever’s missing yourself,” Zhou Wen said, pulling out her phone and opening a rental app. “Help me handle that rental listing.”

Zhou Jin Ye frowned, doubting his ears. “Renting out the place?”

Zhou Wen handed him the phone. “Yes. I haven’t used either of these places for years. Now that you’re staying in one, I plan to rent out the other. That way, I’ll have two sources of income. All these details make my old eyes hurt—you help me fill it out.”

Zhou Jin Ye furrowed his brows, confused. “Are you that short on money?”

“You dare ask!” Zhou Wen lightly tapped his shoulder.

While filling out the information for Zhou Wen, Zhou Jin Ye listened to her chatter.

“I originally bought those two apartments intending them to be your marital home. Who would’ve thought that after seven years abroad, you wouldn’t even have a girlfriend? Looks hopeless. Might as well rent them out and earn some money.”

“You’re making the wise choice,” Zhou Jin Ye smirked.

Looking at her handsome nephew, who hadn’t dated anyone in seven years, Zhou Wen’s curiosity deepened. “Have you not dated anyone all these years because of that girl seven years ago?”

Zhou Jin Ye’s typing paused imperceptibly before resuming as usual. Smiling faintly, he said, “I was so busy working abroad. Did you think I had time to date?”

Zhou Wen suggested, “Then tell me what kind of person you like—I’ll introduce you to someone.”

What kind of person.

Suddenly, Zhou Jin Ye recalled looking up at the corner of the audience earlier. Amidst the sea of raised hands eager to ask questions, his eyes landed on a familiar face submerged in the crowd.

Plain, just as it had been when they broke up.

The voices around him faded, and as he typed on his phone, an ambiguous emotion flickered in his eyes.