In the three months following Zhuang Xu’s birthday, he initially avoided most of the trips to Licheng he was supposed to make.
Spring arrived, and his mother’s condition improved slightly. There was now hope for conversion therapy, and she had even put on a little weight recently. It wouldn’t be a problem for Zhuang Xu to be away on business for a few days; both sentiment and reason dictated that there were certain matters he should attend to.
Therefore, every time he decided not to go to Licheng, it would elicit a slightly puzzled look from Zhou Silan.
Zhuang Xu felt that Zhou Silan’s poorly concealed curiosity probably stemmed from the contents of the card he had seen. Zhuang Xu didn’t want to delve into it, and he was, of course, even more reluctant to go to a place where a certain lingering ghost had the ability to appear.
After experiencing numerous humiliations, whether intentional or not, Zhuang Xu understood Li Shanqing’s character more thoroughly than anyone else.
Li Shanqing was the kind of person who never seriously invested in a relationship but would still choose to approach, mimicking the every move of a lover, even pestering relentlessly, causing Zhuang Xu to be bewildered and attracted.
However, no matter how earnestly Zhuang Xu presented his true heart, Li Shanqing would just casually accept it without a change in expression, toy with it, set it aside, and finally, if necessary, sacrifice it. Perhaps Li Shanqing could live his whole life carefree and cruel. After all, it now seemed that in Li Shanqing’s mind, cherish and seriousness did not exist, only an eternal desire to pursue and plunder. He was born lacking the ability to understand love.
Although Zhuang Xu’s current life was somewhat dull, he knew he had recovered his health and had made the resolute decision to quit and sever all bad habits detrimental to his life and mental well-being. He would no longer allow wicked temptations to approach him so casually and flippantly, and would not permit himself to repeat his past mistakes.
He hadn’t thrown Li Shanqing’s card—the one taped under the preserved flowers—into the trash at Zhou Silan’s house simply because he didn’t want it to be noticed.
After returning home, he didn’t toss it into his own room’s trash can but instead clipped it inside a book. This was because, after some thought, Zhuang Xu felt he must remember Li Shanqing’s frivolous provocation.
If one suffers but doesn’t remember the suffering, what was the point of the setbacks he had endured? He would not be deceived again.
However, in late April, V-Origin Biotech and a partner pharmaceutical company were preparing to build a new R&D center, which required negotiating policy incentives with the local government. So, Zhuang Xu had to go.
After confirming Zhuang Xu’s main itinerary, Zhou Silan liaised with the partner company and presented Zhuang Xu with the social event list they had submitted.
Zhuang Xu could have chosen not to attend any of them, but after looking at the list, he ultimately selected one dinner party to participate in.
On the one hand, one recent evening while flipping through a book, he had suddenly seen a certain card received on his birthday. Recalling his insufficiently concealed agitation that day, a rare dissatisfaction with himself surged in his heart.
On the other hand, Zhuang Xu had already concluded in his mind that, with over a year having passed, he had eliminated all of Li Shanqing’s influence on him. If he were to cut off important social connections purely because Li Shanqing might be present, it would, on the contrary, make him seem unnecessarily unconfident.
In early May, Zhuang Xu departed from Binhai Port. He first held talks with the government where the R&D center was to be located, then returned to Licheng. On Friday night, he and Zhou Silan arrived at the venue of the dinner party.
The dinner was held at a long-established hotel near the beach. The Licheng wind was just as Zhuang Xu remembered, still a mixture of dust, car exhaust, the hotel’s signature fragrance, and the scent of the sea. He arrived late and was greeted by a crowd as soon as he entered the banquet area.
Since Zhuang Xu hadn’t been to Licheng for over a year, many old friends he hadn’t seen in a long time were very enthusiastic. Zhuang Xu, with Zhou Silan in tow, walked further in, surrounded by his friends. He accepted a glass of champagne from a waiter, his thoughts mostly occupied by the high-intensity socializing.
“Zhuang Xu, is your mother’s health better?” a friend in the know asked.
A while later, Zhuang Xu saw a former reviewer from the drug administration, also an acquaintance. The person asked him, “How did the talks go these past two days? Did you get any good deals?”
Unconsciously, Zhuang Xu drank half a glass of wine and had exchanged pleasantries with most of the friends who had approached him. Yet he still hadn’t seen the face he thought he would see this time—the face he would be able to look at with a heart free of ripples.
It wasn’t until he walked to the poolside that Zhuang Xu heard Zhou Silan say, “So beautiful,” and glanced forward.
The irregularly shaped pool bottom glowed with a blue fluorescence, like a pool of blurry, artificial tears. Palm trees and shrubs of varying heights were planted everywhere in the public area, obscuring much of the sky. Then, Zhuang Xu noticed a certain person amidst them, hidden behind a large leaf. That person was sitting on a high stool by the bar, leaning against a girl. Zhuang Xu recognized the girl; it was his co-founder, Zhao Zixi.
Zhao Zixi didn’t seem comfortable in this kind of setting, clearly bored and yawning. But he was certainly very comfortable, his posture relaxed, dressed in a white, informal yet soft casual outfit. Like an overly handsome observer, he had his eyes nailed on Zhuang Xu.
As if he had been waiting for a long time, the moment Zhuang Xu’s gaze fell on him, he revealed a sly smile.
If you were seeing it for the first time, it would surely be hard to resist, Zhuang Xu thought.
But Zhuang Xu was indeed immune to Li Shanqing now. He would no longer get angry over him and was able to look away without hesitation.
The difficulty of cornering Zhuang Xu in Licheng was no less than catching a small wild rabbit with a red tag in a ten-thousand-hectare hunting ground.
After waiting for half the day for Zhuang Xu to walk to the poolside, Li Shanqing thought Zhuang Xu seemed to have become even more handsome, perfectly matching Li Shanqing’s aesthetic from head to toe.
It wasn’t very convenient to say this publicly, but ever since that night in Licheng, Li Shanqing had often thought of Zhuang Xu while doing some unspeakable things.
Anyway, it wasn’t like he had actually done anything to Zhuang Xu. Thinking about it in private didn’t break any laws or rules, so Li Shanqing himself certainly didn’t feel any guilt. However, over the past few months, he had watched quite a few videos of Zhuang Xu, and after doing certain things so many times, he felt as if he had become reacquainted with Zhuang Xu.
Moreover, because of these indecent actions, when Li Shanqing thought of Zhuang Xu now, the first things that came to mind were no longer nervousness, nostalgia, or melancholy. It had unintentionally achieved a therapeutic effect and even alleviated the stress from work, so he had never thought about stopping.
This time, accompanying Zhao Zixi to the dinner, Li Shanqing had thought he would at most see Zhou Kaiqi. Now that he actually saw the real Zhuang Xu standing before him, he was not only a bit dazed but also, rarely, felt a little guilty, along with a small amount of impulse.
However, when Zhuang Xu saw Li Shanqing, he looked like he had no feelings left for him, as if he didn’t even know him. His expression wasn’t one of surprise, but it was so cold it was as if they had never been acquainted. And after only a second of eye contact, he turned his head away again.
Even though he knew this was inevitable, even though he knew he shouldn’t approach in public, Li Shanqing’s heart began to pound. He whispered to Zhao Zixi, “Zixi, you sit here for a bit. I’m going to find someone. Call me if you need anything.” He hopped off the stool and walked towards Zhuang Xu.
Zhuang Xu slipped away faster than a rabbit in a hunting ground. Li Shanqing’s body was weak and he walked very slowly. Some people noticed him chasing after Zhuang Xu, and their gazes gathered on him, but he still failed to even touch the hem of Zhuang Xu’s clothes.
After a ten-minute chase, Li Shanqing couldn’t walk anymore. He stopped and ordered a glass of water to drink.
Two industry colleagues who were on casual terms with Li Shanqing had watched the spectacle and walked over to tease him, “Noah, you need something from Zhuang Xu? Why so energetic today?”
Li Shanqing didn’t answer, just rolled his eyes.
“You two know each other?” one of them pried. “I heard your mother represented him in a lawsuit?”
“I think so, not sure. My mom doesn’t talk about work at home,” Although Li Shanqing wanted to talk to Zhuang Xu, he was unwilling to let people think he had actually been close to him. He feigned ignorance with a shrug. “It’s rare to run into the great CEO of V-Origin Biotech. I was hoping to get his contact info, to discuss business sometime. Didn’t expect him to be so hard to chase down. Does either of you have his number? Send it to me.”
The two looked at each other, probably really having some contact information for Zhuang Xu but not knowing if they could give it out. They stood there frozen. Li Shanqing saw this and laughed, “Just kidding.”
He put the water aside and looked left and right again, searching for a trace of Zhuang Xu.
Li Shanqing had sharp eyes and ears. He didn’t find Zhuang Xu, but he spotted Zhou Silan heading towards the restroom and immediately followed. He walked slowly, and by the time he reached the restroom entrance, Zhou Silan had already used the toilet and was walking out.
Zhou Silan still looked like that earnest, good student from before, a little taller than Li Shanqing, dressed in a well-fitting suit. Li Shanqing remembered he had studied finance and wondered why he was now working as Zhuang Xu’s assistant.
Of course, he also remembered that he had bought a little rabbit doll from the zoo for Zhuang Xu. Perhaps this was the kind of younger brother and friend Zhuang Xu wanted, someone Zhuang Xu could trust, simple and harmless, with a kind heart.
Sure enough, when Li Shanqing blocked his path, Zhou Silan just froze slightly, not knowing what to say, looking like a lamb to the slaughter.
“Silan,” Li Shanqing smiled, trying to get chummy with him. “It’s Shanqing. Do you still remember me? We met at Zhuang Xu’s house.”
Zhou Silan looked very nervous. He first scanned the surroundings to confirm they were in a blind spot of the banquet hall before nodding at Li Shanqing. “Long time no see.”
“Why are you here alone? Where’s Zhuang Xu?” Li Shanqing asked him.
“CEO Zhuang had something to attend to just now,” Zhou Silan answered conservatively, saying neither with whom nor where.
Li Shanqing didn’t get the answer he wanted and was a little unhappy. He complained, “Silan, you’ve learned to be bad.”
Zhou Silan’s eyes widened slightly. “Huh?”
Just then, Zhou Silan’s phone rang. He answered it immediately. Li Shanqing saw Zhuang Xu’s name, and the thought of Zhuang Xu ignoring him made a sudden annoyance and an itch rise in his heart. It must be that seeing Zhuang Xu, and Zhuang Xu not talking to him, had caused his brain to have an allergic reaction.
“I’m at the restroom entrance,” Zhou Silan told the person on the other end very honestly.
Li Shanqing’s ears perked up. He immediately thought, with utter unreasonableness, when had Zhuang Xu ever called to ask where he was? When had he ever shown concern for him the way he cared for Zhou Silan?
Zhuang Xu was probably telling Zhou Silan to go find him. Zhou Silan then said, “The West Wing, is that that building? I’ll ask around and be right over.”
“Ah, Zhuang Xu is in the West Wing? Can I go too?” Li Shanqing said.
He said it rather loudly. The person on the other end must have heard. Zhou Silan’s face changed in fright. The other end of the line seemed to pause. After an unknown exchange, Zhou Silan said, “Okay, CEO Zhuang.”
Hanging up, Zhou Silan said to Li Shanqing, “Shanqing, I think CEO Zhuang is a little angry. I think he was already unhappy when you were following him just now. Maybe you should stop waiting here.”
Zhou Silan said this very sincerely. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard him sound so angry. Except for last time—”
Before he could finish, a gentleman came to use the restroom. Seeing the two of them standing at the entrance, he gave them a second look. Zhou Silan stopped talking, reached out and gently pulled Li Shanqing, and the two moved further into the corner.
“He’s that angry?” Li Shanqing hadn’t expected Zhuang Xu to be so repulsed by him. He got a little scared too. Although a reaction was better than no reaction, Li Shanqing personally wasn’t very durable. If Zhuang Xu gave him a shove, he might end up in the hospital.
“A little,” Zhou Silan said. As he spoke, his gaze suddenly shifted to behind Li Shanqing. Li Shanqing turned around, and Zhuang Xu was standing not far from them.
Although Zhuang Xu had arrived much faster than expected, frankly, Li Shanqing felt Zhou Silan was exaggerating. Zhuang Xu didn’t look very angry. He didn’t even glance at Li Shanqing, but instead said to Zhou Silan, “Let’s go.” His voice was calm, his gaze without a ripple.
Li Shanqing called him, “Zhuang Xu.” He acted as if he hadn’t heard.
Zhou Silan very obediently walked to Zhuang Xu’s side. An inexplicable panic arose in Li Shanqing’s heart.
He hadn’t felt such unease in a long time, as if the confidence built up over the past year from his career success and through various acts and thoughts of profaning Zhuang Xu had suddenly dissipated, revealing the true, realistic state of his relationship with Zhuang Xu.
They hadn’t seen each other in a long, long time.
They were like fire and water, like strangers on the street, and might live out their lives without ever crossing paths again.
Zhou Silan walked to Zhuang Xu’s side, and Zhuang Xu was about to turn and leave. Li Shanqing hurriedly called out, “Zhuang Xu, the flowers I sent for your birthday, did you receive them?”
Zhou Silan immediately turned to look at him. Zhuang Xu paused slightly and finally glanced at him, saying coldly, “You sent them? I threw them away.”
“Yeah, I sent them,” Li Shanqing smiled at him. “I’ll send you another box then. It’s the thought for your birthday that counts.”
“No need. You can keep them for yourself.”
Zhuang Xu was about to leave again. Li Shanqing chased after him, trying to grab his hand, but whether it was because Li Shanqing’s reactions had slowed or Zhuang Xu’s movements had quickened, grabbing Zhuang Xu wasn’t as easy as before. Li Shanqing’s hand caught nothing but air.
But at least he made Zhuang Xu stop, though Zhuang Xu was looking at him with an expression he had never seen before. “Is there anything else?”
They hadn’t been this close in a long time. Zhuang Xu’s face was as handsome as a sculpture, his lips a flat line, his pupils very dark, his eyelashes looking like they could frost over.
Li Shanqing was stunned for a few seconds, then gave him a slight smile. “It’s about work, is that okay? Let’s find a place to talk.”
Perhaps realizing that Li Shanqing would not give up easily and that being seen by others would do no good, Zhuang Xu thought for a moment and glanced at Zhou Silan. “Silan, you go wait for me by the pool.”
