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Zhao Xi spent last night watching a movie with her younger siblings. It was a Spring Festival blockbuster, and tickets were snatched up as if they were free, so they only managed to get tickets for a late show. It was a sci-fi action film, full of dazzling visuals, lasting a full two hours.
Zhao Xi woke up this morning with her ears still buzzing, feeling as if she hadn’t quite recovered.
“Next time, you’re not allowed to get up so late, your father has been back from his morning exercise for an hour already,” You Qin-zhi looked up at the time, 8:30 AM.
Zhao Xi’s mouth was full of toothpaste foam as she mumbled a vague “Mm.”
“Breakfast is best eaten before 7 AM. This, neither early nor late, what is it becoming?”
Zhao Xi gargled twice, spitting out the water, “I went to bed late.”
Mentioning that, Mrs. You was displeased again, “Is health more important, or is the movie?”
Zhao Xi tied up her hair, washed her face, and sat down at the dining table. You Qin-zhi poured her milk. “Has Professor Li returned to the country?”
“Yes, he had class the day before yesterday.”
“Your exams are coming up soon, right?”
“Mm, soon.”
“Study well, don’t get distracted. Your father has already arranged a school for you. Do you still remember Uncle Wang from when you were little? Their whole family immigrated there early on. When you enroll at UCM, you’ll have someone to look out for you.” This was the main point. You Qin-zhi’s expression became slightly serious as she said, “Don’t let any random people affect your current studies, understand?”
Zhao Xi held her cup, sipping milk, her eyes lowered, not answering.
She had class in the afternoon. “Mom, I’m leaving.”
“Did you bring everything?”
“All packed.”
________________________________________
She stepped out, closing the door behind her.
This residential complex was a new development from 2015, with a good location and excellent amenities. After walking through a stone path, she reached the right-side gate of the complex. From a distance, Zhao Xi saw the black supercar parked by the roadside.
This road had a strict no-parking policy, and it was rush hour. A hundred meters ahead was a traffic police station, so parking there was extremely conspicuous.
Walking closer, she indeed saw a parking ticket stuck to the car window.
Zhao Xi bent down slightly, carefully reading the words on it, when the car window slid down. Zhao Mingchuan’s face appeared, his eyes deep and dark, his sword-like eyebrows perfectly angled towards his temples, exuding an indescribable aura.
Before Zhao Xi could even lift her head, the person inside reached out of the window, hooked her neck, and pulled her down—
A passionate kiss landed on the girl’s soft lips.
Zhao Xi panicked, trying to pry his arm away. So many people were watching; what was wrong with him?!
Zhao Mingchuan wouldn’t let go. Only when he was satisfied did he move his hand from her neck downwards, gripping her wrist, refusing to release it.
“Miss me?”
Zhao Xi frowned, struggling.
“Do you miss me?” Zhao Mingchuan insisted.
Zhao Xi was at her wit’s end with him, stamping her foot in exasperation, “Even if I did, it’s turned into not missing you now!”
Zhao Mingchuan laughed heartily, leaning back in the seat, releasing her hand, and unlocking the car.
Zhao Xi got in, rubbing her wrist without a word.
“Did I hurt you? Let me see.” Zhao Mingchuan pulled her hand, but Zhao Xi flung it away. “It’s nothing.”
Remembering something, she turned her head and asked, “You were sitting in the car, so how did you get a parking ticket?”
“No parking here.”
“Couldn’t you have moved the car? There are so many parking spaces up ahead,” Zhao Xi pointed to a spot ten meters away.
“This spot faces you directly, so you can see me as soon as you come out,” Zhao Mingchuan gave a very plausible reason, looking indifferent, and even quite admiring of the traffic policeman: “Young in age, impartial in enforcement, swift and decisive.”
Zhao Xi silently turned her head away. Never mind, never mind, just look at the scenery.
________________________________________
After driving for a while, she inadvertently glanced at the back seat. The dark gray leather seat, near the right window, had a large stain. It had been superficially cleaned, but it was still quite noticeable.
Zhao Mingchuan noticed Zhao Xi’s gaze and, very self-consciously, clarified: “That’s what Beibei threw up. Last night, that kid was drunk as a lord and puked all over my car. It wasn’t me, I wasn’t drunk.”
Zhao Xi turned her head: “You drank again yesterday?”
Zhao Mingchuan stiffened, “No.”
Zhao Xi remained silent, looking at him.
Zhao Mingchuan pushed his tongue against his cheek. “...A little bit.”
Silence fell.
Zhao Xi showed no particular reaction, but her hand, resting on her leg, unconsciously fiddled.
What kind of person was Zhao Mingchuan? When it came to people and matters, he had his own set of rules. The young master of the Zhao family in the east of the city, an only son. Not to mention having immense power, but when it came to the flavors of human life, what could he not have? A person with capital, how could he not have fun?
Any entertainment venue with a bit of a name in Beijing would acknowledge him as Young Master Zhao. There was once a running joke in this circle: as long as Zhao Mingchuan said the word, there were plenty of girls willing to spend romantic evenings with him.
For a man in his position, not having some rumors attached to him would only happen in novels with a protagonist’s halo. Outsiders might speak ill of him, but his closest circle of friends were all discerning people.
Play was play, but Young Master Zhao truly wasn’t interested in women.
Don’t let the typical gatherings deceive you, where seven or eight male friends would be joined by club managers flattering them with the most beautiful girls, a dozen or so women, all dolled up, with charming laughter and soft voices, making for a highly suggestive scene. With beauties in their arms, each friend was more reckless than the last, but Zhao Mingchuan alone wasn’t interested in that.
The reason?
He had a girlfriend, whom he treasured immensely.
The beauties were curious about this official girlfriend, clinging to his close friend and whining, “Is Young Master Zhao’s girlfriend pretty?”
His close friend pinched her waist, “What’s this about? You’re with me, and you’re thinking about other men?”
She pouted, “I just want to know! Several of my sisters are just fascinated by Young Master Zhao. Ah, could it be that Young Master Zhao’s girlfriend is too ugly to be seen? Otherwise, why has he never brought her out?”
Her tone was seductive and soft, able to melt you to your bones.
But his close friend suddenly turned cold, as if frost had settled all over him, “How dare you speak like that?”
The beauty immediately panicked, “I-I’m sorry.”
“Get out.”
________________________________________
If Zhao Mingchuan was an ancestor, then Zhao Xi was the ancestor of ancestors. He wouldn’t tolerate a single idle word about her.
Zhao Xi was five years younger than Zhao Mingchuan, attended the same school as his junior, and possessed exceptional talent and temperament. At twenty, she was at the beautiful age of a blossoming flower.
Zhao Mingchuan was genuinely smitten with her at first sight. At that time, he had just graduated from college and taken over the family business. That day, after having dinner with his mentor, he casually mentioned that there was a freshman welcome party tonight and he had to rush back to attend. Zhao Mingchuan heard this and said, “Then shall we go together?”
His mentor asked, “Oh, you have leisure for this now?”
Young Master Zhao smiled charmingly and replied, “I ate too much tonight, so I’ll just go digest.”
As a result of this “digestion,” he melted his own heart.
At that evening’s party, Zhao Xi played a Pipa piece called “Yangchun Baixue” (White Snow in Spring). The eighteen-year-old girl, as beautiful as a flower, wore a light-colored qipao, her hair pulled into a bun, with a jade hairpin obliquely inserted. Her fingers were like spring onions, and her demeanor was pure and clean, like the first clear spring water from a mountain in the morning.
In this day and age, those who could play the piano or violin were everywhere. But it was Zhao Mingchuan’s first time listening so intently to a Pipa piece from beginning to end.
The high mountains and flowing water finished with one note.
In a midnight dream, he would meet the beautiful woman.
That day, Zhao Mingchuan held a cigarette between his lips, leaning on the railing, until the ash burned down and fell to the ground.
He was utterly enchanted.
Zhao Xi was not easy to pursue. She came from a scholarly family; both her parents were professors at Beijing Institute of Technology. It goes without saying that they lived comfortably, free from financial worries. A girl from such a family was well-educated, sensible, and broad-minded, not easily swayed by superficial things. When Zhao Mingchuan was pursuing her, he used every conceivable trick.
Sending flowers.
Sorry, allergic to pollen.
Sending jewelry.
Sorry, I don’t deserve it.
Inviting her to the movies.
Sorry, I have an exam.
Zhao Xi was calm and collected, always finding irrefutable reasons.
Zhao Mingchuan was driven to desperation. One day, after drinking too much, he felt utterly frustrated, his emotions intense. He drove his Range Rover like a tank, brazenly parking it below her dorm building, and bellowing her name, Zhao Xi, at the top of his lungs.
Zhao Xi, Zhao Xi.
Zhao Xi! Zhao Xi! Zhao Xi!
Later, school security arrived. Zhao Mingchuan fought three men, as if he’d taken an aphrodisiac.
It was embarrassing, but it was also a moment of intense passion, with nowhere else to turn.
Don’t let the fact that Zhao Xi gets along so well with his group of close friends now deceive you; during the period when Zhao Mingchuan was failing to win her over, everyone had quite a few reservations about her.
Tsk, Brother Chuan is pursuing her like this, how can she not be moved?
A girl, it’s understandable to play hard to get in moderation, but if you play too hard for too long, it’s not cute anymore.
Later, they realized that Zhao Xi genuinely didn’t think much of Zhao Mingchuan.
Zhao Xi’s mind was incredibly clear. Although she studied Western languages, her logical thinking inherited the excellent genes of her science-oriented parents. Despite her young age, she had a crystal-clear understanding of people and the world.
A domineering CEO? That’s a character from novels.
Don’t touch him.
Later, when the two were together, Zhao Mingchuan almost laughed himself sick after learning her true thoughts. He pressed her down, kissing her here and pecking her there, his hands also trying to misbehave.
He whispered coaxingly, “You can touch, you can touch me everywhere.”
Pah.
What a pervert.
Zhao Xi snapped out of her reverie. The car encountered a red light. Zhao Mingchuan’s hand reached across, his palm covering her hand, saying, “I know you don’t like me going out to play, but some of it is for business, unavoidable.” He paused for a second, very self-aware: “Cough, cough, most of it is hanging out with Old Ba and the others. But they’re buddies I grew up with; it wouldn’t be right to never go, don’t you think?”
Zhao Xi snorted, quite coldly.
Zhao Mingchuan turned her face, assuring her, “Alright, alright, I won’t go anymore.”
Zhao Xi pushed his hand away. “You can go; it’s nothing. Anyway, I need to prepare for my exams.”
Zhao Mingchuan thought she meant her final exams, didn’t ask further, and even sighed, “This semester is so early.”
He had no idea of the seriousness of the situation.
________________________________________
That evening, all the roommates were in the dorm. Two were from Beijing, two from other provinces. Zhao Xi got along well with all of them, especially Pei Jiajia.
She was concentrating on studying when Pei Jiajia poked her head out. “Xi Xi, didn’t you go to watch a movie today? Didn’t you say last week you were going to the premiere?”
Zhao Xi was doing listening practice. She took off her headphones and said, “Not going.”
“Is your boyfriend busy again?”
“Mm.”
“Oh my goodness, he’s too busy! My dad also runs a company, but he’s not nearly this busy. He still comes home every day to have dinner with my mom, and if there’s a social event, they go together.”
Zhao Xi’s tone couldn’t hide her frustration. “Right.”
Pei Jiajia talked to her heart-to-heart: “Xi Xi, I think your relationship is so tough. It’s always you accommodating his schedule. Tell me the truth, you bought the movie tickets ages ago, right?”
Zhao Xi blinked, then lowered her head. “I bought them. And we agreed. But he called me this afternoon and said he had an emergency meeting tonight and couldn’t go with me.”
“Hmph! What kind of meeting is that, with such short notice? How much effort did it take to get those tickets? They’re hard to sell now. What a shame,” Pei Jiajia was very displeased. “I hate people who flake. If my boyfriend flaked on me, I’d never forgive him.”
Zhao Xi smiled. “He’s busy. It’s fine, let’s keep studying.”
Pei Jiajia: “Oh right, does he know you’re going abroad?”
“No,” Zhao Xi said. “It’s still up in the air.”
“But I see your parents are quite insistent.”
“We’ll see. The requirements over there are very high this year; I might not even get in.”
“Humble!” Pei Jiajia grabbed a handful of candy from her pocket, unwrapped one, and fed it to Zhao Xi. “Here, have one!”
After chatting for a while, Zhao Xi’s mood was less gloomy.
Under the desk lamp, dictionaries, notebooks, exam papers, and headphones lay quietly. The light cast a small shadow on her face, highlighting her perky nose, gentle eyebrows, and a heart that couldn’t find peace.
Just as she was distracted, the phone rang.
It was Zhao Mingchuan.
Zhao Xi walked to the window to answer, her mood suddenly lifted: “Are you done with the meeting?”
But it was another voice, accompanied by the deafening rhythm of music, shouting hoarsely: “Hey! Xiao Xi? Oh my god, you bastard, stop pulling my clothes, I’m not your girlfriend—Ah, Xiao Xi, can you come over? Chuanzi is drunk and making a scene here!—Shit! Why are you pulling my pants?! Hello? Xiao Xi? Xiao Xi, hello, hello?”
Zhao Xi, fearing something might happen to Zhao Mingchuan, frantically hailed a taxi. Finally, she arrived at the bar, pushed open the private room door, and was hit by a wave of heat. The music was so loud it stunned her. Colored lights made it impossible to distinguish anyone.
A group of men and women were hugging each other, doing the “social shake,” totally hyped.
Her gaze drifted to the right, where another section was partitioned off. Heh.
This side was even worse.
Four or five men, young and attractive, very delicate-looking, seemed to be male escorts from the club. One by one, they stripped off their shirts, their hands tied behind their backs, hitting each other with their bodies, like hand-to-hand combat. Whoever fell first lost.
A drunken young master shouted, “Hit, hit him for me! Whoever wins, I’ll give him twenty thousand!”
Cheers erupted, and the male escorts worked even harder.
The scene was utterly unbearable.
At this moment, Zhao Xi had an epiphany, like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, chilling her to the bone, but also making her more sober than ever.
An acquaintance spotted her, nervously saying, “Xiao Xi.”
The debauchery in the private room was in full swing, with no sign of stopping.
The person saw her face change, knew it was over, turned his head, and fiercely roared, “Everyone stop!”
Silence fell.
All eyes turned to the doorway.
Feeling like she had daggers in her back, Zhao Xi remained very calm.
Zhao Mingchuan stumbled out from some corner, disoriented, the buttons of his shirt haphazardly undone, revealing hints of his physique, his Adam’s apple subtly bobbing.
Indescribably sexy and charming.
Upon seeing Zhao Xi, Zhao Mingchuan thought he was hallucinating. He smiled, pointed, and in a hazy drunken voice, said, “My wife.”
His wife was very silent.
Terribly silent.
His close friend stepped forward, pinched him, and whispered a warning, “Chuanzi, don’t be a fool!”
Zhao Mingchuan staggered closer, looked down at Zhao Xi, then suddenly put an arm around her shoulder, leaning half his weight on her. His breath was heavy with alcohol, and he boasted, half excited, half hazy, “She’s beautiful, isn’t she? She studies Western, Western languages. When she graduates, we’ll, we’ll, get married.”
These words, it depends on how you interpret them.
Some say, drunken statements don’t need to be taken seriously.
Others say, alcohol reveals the truth.
But at this moment, Zhao Xi felt a peculiar sensation welling up in her eyes: disappointment, confusion, introspection, struggle, sadness.
All these mixed together, her eyes welled up, her cheeks felt cool, and two wet drops fell to the ground, like bright pearls in the dark night.
She hadn’t had a chance to speak,
Her tears had already spoken for her.
The whole room fell silent.
Zhao Mingchuan also abruptly sobered up. He was pushed away by Zhao Xi, resolutely, firmly, persistently. Her graceful figure turned and left.
Mostly sober now, that retreating figure was like an axe that directly split his heart, cleaving a wound that could never be healed in time.
“Damn it! Which one of you bastards called her?! Go to hell!” Zhao Mingchuan bolted out after her, “Xiao Xi! Zhao Xi!!”
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