Оn thе рlаnе еarlier, Ruаn Siхiаn hаd gеnuinely beеn сaptivаted by him. Аftеr disеmbаrking, sееing him standing therе, the thought "this man is my boyfriеnd" brоught a dеeр-sеаtеd joу frоm thе bоttоm of hеr heart.
Thе dirеct еxpressiоn of this joу was a dеsirе fоr intimаtе соntact.
Вut whаt Ruan Siхiаn imаgined wаs a bеаutiful, movie-likе sсenе—pure, sincеre, after аll, whаt thеy hаd done todау wаs quite rоmаntiс.
Nоw, hоwеver, shе wаs pinnеd down in thе car, withоut evеn а lingеring, gentlе tаstе, dirеctly plungеd into deep intimaсy, acсompаnied bу brеaths thаt were sometimes shallow, sometimes heavy.
She was having a bit of trouble breathing, her hands weakly propped against the seat cushion, her whole body heating up.
Fu Mingyu showed no signs of stopping; instead, he grew more and more forceful.
The atmosphere was far too sensual, completely different from what she had imagined.
Suddenly, Ruan Sixian wanted to see his expression. When she opened her eyes, she unexpectedly met Fu Mingyu’s gaze.
He pulled back slightly, his eyes somewhat dazed, softened by the narrow beams of light, and whispered, "You seem a bit distracted."
Without quite knowing why, Ruan Sixian suddenly reached out and touched the tip of his nose.
"Your nose is really nice."
High and straight, yet not rugged.
But Fu Mingyu couldn’t quite handle her touch. He frowned slightly, took her hand, and placed it on his shoulder, then did the same with her other hand.
He rubbed his nose against hers as if tempting her, "Weren’t you the one who asked for a kiss? Don’t make me feel like I’m forcing myself on my girlfriend, hmm?"
Ruan Sixian slowly intertwined her hands, blushing slightly, tightly closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, lifted her neck high, and kissed him on her own.
Then came an even more fervent and bold advance. The temperature in the car seemed to rise, and even his panting sounded like a satisfied sigh.
After a long while, Ruan Sixian felt her brain was about to run out of oxygen. A soft whimper escaped her throat, and with her last shred of clarity, she pushed him away, whispering, "It’s already dark. Let’s go back. I have a flight tomorrow morning."
Fu Mingyu slowly straightened up, raised his hand, and wiped his lower lip with his knuckles. Suddenly, he let out a low chuckle, his voice still a bit hoarse. "Your lipstick today is quite sweet."
Ruan Sixian took deep breaths, her face still flushed. She lifted her head and saw her lips in the rearview mirror.
She had only applied a light orange shade earlier, but now they were bright red, full, and glistening.
Fu Mingyu had already walked to the other side and gotten into the car. As he fastened his seatbelt, Ruan Sixian glanced at him sideways.
Suddenly, she thought that if Fu Mingyu ever went bankrupt, even without relying on his looks, his ability to be so captivating could land him a top spot at a male escort club, ensuring a worry-free life for the rest of his days.
"Boyfriend," Ruan Sixian suddenly reached out and pinched his cheek. "If you ever run out of money, I’ll work at another company to support you."
Fu Mingyu glanced at her sideways, smiling gently. "Sure, I’d be endlessly grateful."
The next morning, Ruan Sixian had a ten o’clock flight—a long-haul journey with one stopover along the way. She didn’t arrive at her destination, Jinxing City, until four in the afternoon. According to the flight planning department’s arrangements, the crew would rest there for the night and return the following morning.
The city was located in the far south, in a subtropical climate where it felt like spring all year round. Even in December, temperatures hovered around twenty degrees Celsius.
So even though she was only staying for one night, Ruan Sixian brought a dress with her, planning to stroll along the beach in the evening.After refueling and returning to the conference room, the flight attendant crew had already arrived, sitting there chatting with a particularly lively atmosphere.
When Ruan Sixian entered, they suddenly fell silent, looking somewhat awkward.
“What’s wrong?” Sensing the strange atmosphere, Ruan Sixian stopped at the doorway and didn’t proceed further inside.
This time, there was a male flight attendant in the crew. Though he had thick eyebrows and big eyes, he was more knowledgeable about skincare and cosmetics than some women when chatting, automatically becoming the “women’s friend.” Yet, in temperament, he still had a man’s rough-and-ready nature. When Ruan Sixian asked, he answered directly.
“Ah, we were talking about Li Zhihuai.”
“Oh.” Ruan Sixian pulled out a chair and sat down. “It’s been days, why are you still talking about this?”
“What do you mean ‘still talking about it’? The internet has a memory. It’s only been a few days since this happened, and she’s still the topic of every post.”
The male flight attendant became animated when discussing gossip, as if he were very familiar with Ruan Sixian, even though they had only worked together twice. “Do you have any inside information?”
Several female flight attendants coughed, all signaling him to shut up, but he acted as if he didn’t notice, blinking his eyes expectantly, waiting for Ruan Sixian to spill the beans.
“No inside information. What I know might even be less than what you all know.”
The male flight attendant’s eyelids drooped in disappointment.
But that was indeed the case. For example, the topic they had just been discussing—about the rumored film Sunrise Through the Clouds that Li Zhihuai was set to star in—Ruan Sixian knew nothing about.
This was a key project for Time Shadow Films this year. Because it required a significant amount of airline background, it couldn’t be completed just by building sets. Moreover, without special approval, it wouldn’t even be possible to film at an airport. So, they needed to collaborate with an airline.
It was said that they initially approached North Airlines, but before the message even reached Yan An, it was rejected. Yan An’s father had learned many lessons from his son’s experiences and didn’t want to have any involvement with celebrities or influencers.
Time Shadow Films then approached World Airlines. During casual conversations, the branding department revealed that when the production team came to discuss the details with Fu Mingyu, he liked the idea and agreed on the spot.
This news was from two months ago. If it weren’t for Li Zhihuai’s recent incident, no one would have paid much attention to this little piece of gossip.
“Now, I see online that Li Zhihuai wanted to use Mr. Fu for publicity,” the male flight attendant continued. “But it backfired. I used to like her quite a bit—I thought she’d be perfect to play a female pilot. She has great presence and is beautiful.”
After saying this, several people glared at him. Only then did he realize who he was speaking in front of and immediately slapped his mouth.
“Of course, she’s definitely not as beautiful as Deputy Captain Ruan. It’s just like ‘Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi.’”
Ruan Sixian flipped through the papers on the table. Seeing that the captain hadn’t arrived yet, she said, “Let’s just chat casually. Any other gossip?”
Yesterday’s experience seemed to have left a lingering effect. The images of lakes and mountains still seemed to float in her mind, leaving her in a very pleasant mood.
“Not much else. She’s being mocked every day now and has become a meme. I heard people have given her the nickname ‘the high school girl with a story.’”
As the topic heated up, others joined in.
“She was quite popular before, but this move really backfired.”"What's there to lose? Maybe she's actually happy about it. Didn't you see she got another trending keyword after our company issued that statement? These days, having buzz means traffic, and traffic doesn't care about good or bad publicity. Black fame is still fame."
"Is she still starring in that movie?"
"Who knows? Maybe the producers are even thanking her for bringing attention to the film. But I heard President Fu might not invest in that movie anymore."
Upon hearing the last sentence, Ruan Sixian widened her eyes. "Really?"
The male flight attendant also widened his eyes. "You didn't know?"
Ruan Sixian: "I never asked him about it."
The male flight attendant rubbed his nose, thinking to himself that this future boss's wife actually knew less than he did. "I heard it from the PR department. President Fu has always been quite low-key about these things. He probably doesn't want World Airlines to have any further involvement with this matter."
After saying this, he stared at Ruan Sixian, hoping to see a proud expression on her face that said, "My boyfriend can go all out for me," to satisfy his gossip cravings.
"Ah." Ruan Sixian lowered her eyes and smiled faintly to herself. "Only a fool would turn down easy money."
"..."
Although her argument was a bit twisted, everyone in the room could sense a sweet feeling from her expression and tone—
Since this was a long-haul flight with a layover, the meeting lasted quite a while. The captain explained in detail which areas might experience turbulence and where they might need to detour due to Cumulonimbus Rain. Occasionally, when discussing certain points that required special attention, he would look directly at Ruan Sixian and explain word by word.
Ruan Sixian had a vague feeling that this captain was giving her special treatment.
Looking at the attitudes of the rest of the cabin crew, she felt even more certain of it.
Fine.
Ruan Sixian felt that she was now more than just labeled as "Fu's property."
Previously, everyone only knew that Fu Mingyu was pursuing her, but no one knew whether he had succeeded. Now, because of the incident with Li Zhihuai, World Airlines' official Weibo post stating, "Our President Fu has gone to comfort his girlfriend," had essentially made their relationship public.
"That's about it." The captain put down the flight route chart and said, "Let's decide on a code word."
He turned to Ruan Sixian. "You suggest one."
Ruan Sixian nodded and casually flipped through the passenger list. "Captain Dong."
The code word was a small part of every pre-flight crew briefing, designed to prevent emergencies like hijackings. If someone threatened the cabin crew to make a PA call to the cockpit and trick the captain into opening the cockpit door, and if someone with ill intentions entered the cockpit and coerced the captain, everyone on the plane would be in danger.
So, "deciding on a code word" usually meant choosing a surname different from the captain and co-pilot. For example, this time, the captain's surname was Zhang, and the co-pilot's surname was Ruan, so Ruan Sixian suggested "Captain Dong." If a flight attendant made a PA call asking for "Captain Dong," the cockpit crew would know there was danger in the cabin and could call for help in time.
After suggesting the code word, Ruan Sixian was about to close the passenger list when she suddenly felt something was off. She took another careful look at the VIP passenger list she had just skimmed.
Dong Xian.
The name was quite common, and she hadn't even noticed it at first glance.
Now, seeing it again, her first thought was, "It can't be that much of a coincidence, right?"
But right below it was another name: "Zheng You'an."
"Let's go." The captain stood up. "Time to board."Ruan Sixian headed towards the restroom, "I'm going to use the bathroom first."
As boarding time approached, Zheng You'an and Dong Xian sat in the first-class lounge, each occupied with their own tasks, neither speaking.
Dong Xian was heading to Jinxing City today to visit an old mentor, while Zheng You'an was attending a photography exhibition.
Zheng You'an stared at her phone. The lounge was quiet, making a soft "ah" sound particularly abrupt.
Dong Xian looked up from her book. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just browsing online." She continued scrolling through Weibo and forums for a while before suddenly raising her head. "Mom, you know Li Zhihuai, right?"
"Sort of." Dong Xian frowned at the name. "We've only met a couple of times."
"I remember she came to see you before. What did she want?"
It was about two years ago. Zheng You'an recalled Li Zhihuai visiting Dong Xian, but back then, Li wasn't famous, so Zheng hadn't paid much attention.
As for that matter, no one had asked, and Dong Xian hadn't felt like bringing it up. But since Zheng You'an mentioned it now, she casually mentioned it.
"She brought a director and a screenwriting team, wanting to make a biographical film with me as the prototype."
Zheng You'an exclaimed in surprise, "You didn't agree, did you?"
"No, I didn't." Dong Xian said calmly. "There's nothing worth filming."
Although she said that, Li Zhihuai wasn't the first film team to approach her. Two or three others had followed, which clearly showed that Dong Xian's life experiences were highly appealing to filmmakers.
The reason, naturally, was related to her career.
Seven years ago, the name "Dong Xian" rose to prominence in the oil painting world.
Over the next five years, many of her works appeared in the art scene, featured in various exhibitions, attracting praise from professionals across fields and winning numerous awards.
Two years ago, her paintings were included in the "World Contemporary Famous Oil Painters' Authentic Works Exhibition," cementing her artistic status.
A beautiful female painter, full of inspiration, with solid painting skills that vividly depicted the inner worlds of her subjects—she had truly become a standout figure in the oil painting world.
Of course, this fame wasn't the fundamental reason filmmakers sought her out.
When people traced Dong Xian's past, they noticed that the year she became famous, she was already forty-one. Before that, she was unknown, just an ordinary elementary school art teacher.
Such a "late bloomer" was enough to evoke admiration in the industry. Digging deeper into her past, they discovered that at thirty-seven, she divorced her ex-husband, who was also an elementary school Chinese teacher.
Reporters interviewed her former colleagues and neighbors, learning that aside from being a renowned beauty, people remembered her more as a good wife and mother, praising her for taking excellent care of her family. No one expected her to suddenly divorce, and they were even more shocked that she had transformed into a renowned painter.
This was highly dramatic. What could a virtuous wife and mother, devoted to her family, have experienced to undergo such a drastic change?
But no one found the reason. Publishers approached Dong Xian, hoping to write a book about her, but she refused.
"Good for refusing." Zheng You'an nodded. "I think that woman is just ridiculous."
"Are you talking about her and Fu Mingyu?" Dong Xian frowned and muttered quietly, "Even if it's been clarified, it doesn't change his habit of fooling around."Zheng You'an didn't hear Dong Xian's final muttering and continued on her own, "All that talk about her being a publicity stunt, I think she just has a thing for Fu Mingyu. She's a big star after all, what kind of man hasn't she seen? If her taste is like that, it seems the film team she picked isn't much either."
Dong Xian glanced at her but said nothing.
After completing the pre-flight walkaround with the captain, the two entered the cockpit.
While waiting for boarding, the captain called home, and Ruan Sixian used her phone to book a popular restaurant in Jinxing City. In her ear was the captain's gentle voice.
"Yes, Daddy is about to take off... Okay, okay, I'll buy you a gift... Listen to Mommy at home, Daddy will be back tomorrow... Alright... Let Mommy answer the phone..."
Ruan Sixian glanced sideways at him and saw him smiling into the phone, his face full of tenderness.
Her phone suddenly buzzed. Ruan Sixian looked down—it was a message from Fu Mingyu.
Fu Mingyu : Have you boarded?
Ruan Sixian shifted her posture, propping her chin as she typed.
Ruan Sixian : Yes, just got on.
Fu Mingyu : The weather isn't good today. Let me know when you land.
Pressing the screen keyboard, Ruan Sixian sent a message almost without thinking.
Ruan Sixian : My mom and Zheng You'an are also on this flight today. What a small world.
This time, he didn't reply instantly.
Ruan Sixian thought he might be busy.
Looking back at what she had said, it really was quite trivial.
But she didn't know why—seeing Fu Mingyu message her, she instinctively wanted to mention this.
Half a minute later, the network signal was cut off, and Fu Mingyu called.
"You're not happy?"
Hearing his voice, Ruan Sixian felt a little dazed.
It felt as if her heart were a balloon slowly filling with something, gently descending.
"It's not that I'm unhappy," Ruan Sixian said. "It just feels like quite a coincidence."
Hearing her normal tone, Fu Mingyu hummed in acknowledgment. "Stay safe. I have a meeting to attend."
"Okay." After a pause, Ruan Sixian added, "After I return tomorrow, should I come see you?"
"Hmm?" Fu Mingyu seemed to laugh, his voice carrying a hint of breathiness. "Want to kiss me?"
"..."
Ruan Sixian hung up.
She stared at the screen for a moment before finally turning off her phone.
The slight emotional turbulence she felt upon seeing the passenger list was swept away by this call.
The captain also hung up and turned to ask, "Your mom is on this flight?"
Ruan Sixian nodded with a smile.
"That's really nice. Your daughter in the cockpit, your mom in the cabin. My daughter says she wants to be a captain too, but I doubt it'll happen. That little girl isn't in the best health, so I probably won't get to fly on her flights in the future."
"She'll get better," Ruan Sixian said. "She'll be fine when she grows up."
At 4 p.m., they arrived in Jinxing City. After all the passengers had disembarked, Ruan Sixian and the captain finally emerged.
The temperature in Jinxing City today was unusually high at 29 degrees Celsius, but it was perfect weather for a seaside visit.
Ruan Sixian asked the flight attendants if they wanted to go to the beach together, but they all shook their heads, saying Jinxing City had a duty-free mall. Those flying domestic routes looked forward to shopping here, and they planned to go on a shopping spree that evening.
Left with no choice, Ruan Sixian headed to the beach alone.
But before that, she needed to eat first.The restaurant she had booked was right by the sea. Not wanting to travel back and forth, she changed into a dress and went straight there.
Built along the shore, the restaurant was enclosed by glass on five sides, offering a panoramic view of the ocean. Under the evening glow of the setting sun, scattered lights made the place look like a fairy tale world.
Sitting by the window, she could hear the sea breeze when she opened it.
But as it was positioned as a high-end restaurant, there were more decorations than seats, creating an elegant and serene atmosphere.
After entering, Ruan Sixian was led by a server to her reserved seat.
Since she was alone, she was seated at a small table.
After settling in, her phone chimed—Fu Mingyu had replied to her earlier message about safely landing.
Fu Mingyu : Hmm, have you eaten?
His WeChat conversations were usually quite dull, with phrases like "Have you eaten?" "Have you slept?" "Are you awake?" repeated like templates.
Feeling playful, Ruan Sixian decided to tease him.
Ruan Sixian : Boyfriend, I have a question for you.
Ruan Sixian : Between me and psrrfd, who do you think is better-looking?
Fu Mingyu : Who is psrrfd?
Ruan Sixian : Why do you have to ask who psrrfd is? Just say I’m better-looking, isn’t that enough?
Fu Mingyu : Are you in a bad mood today?
Ruan Sixian laughed out loud like a fool at her phone.
Ruan Sixian : Let me ask you another question.
Ruan Sixian : Would you ever think I look bad without makeup?
Ruan Sixian : So you mean I do look bad without makeup?
Half a minute later.
Fu Mingyu : Feeling a bit mischievous today?
Seeing the word "mischievous," Ruan Sixian naturally thought of what Fu Mingyu meant by "dealing with" her.
She suddenly felt her cheeks flush, and her hair fell forward, tickling her face.
Ruan Sixian : Never mind, I’m going to eat now.
Just as she put down her phone, she suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her.
Her movements paused, and she turned to look—it was indeed Dong Xian and Zheng You’an.
As she turned, she found herself face-to-face with Zheng You’an.
Zheng You’an was also surprised, blinking her eyes.
Following Zheng You’an’s gaze, Dong Xian turned and saw Ruan Sixian, her lips parting slightly.
“Ruan Ruan? What are you doing here?”
The smile from her conversation with Fu Mingyu hadn’t yet faded, and she still felt soft and relaxed.
Looking at the two across from her, she said, “I’m here for something.”
Dong Xian stood up and walked over to her. Glancing at the menu in Ruan Sixian’s hand, she asked cautiously, “Would you like to join us for dinner?”
Zheng You’an was still watching Ruan Sixian, unsure of what expression to wear.
This was the first time the three of them had gathered together.
She also knew that Ruan Sixian and Dong Xian didn’t seem to get along well—after all, she had never met this biological daughter in all these years.
“No need,” Ruan Sixian said. “I’ll eat by myself.”
Ever since learning that Ruan Sixian was with Fu Mingyu, Dong Xian had wanted to talk to her properly about it. But every time they spoke on the phone, she never had the chance to explain everything clearly. Now that they were face-to-face, she didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Afraid that Ruan Sixian might turn and leave, she decided to get straight to the point: “Ruan Ruan, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about Fu Mingyu.”
Hearing this, Zheng You’an leaned forward slightly to hear better.
Here we go again.Ruan Sixian set down the menu, thinking it would be best to clear things up once and for all, so this issue wouldn’t keep coming up again.
“Alright, go ahead.”
“A couple of days ago, I saw the news about him and that actress. He…”
"I've already explained everything clearly," Ruan Sixian said, feeling annoyed. "I told you long ago that it was a misunderstanding."
"I know this incident was a misunderstanding."
"Then what else is there to say?"
Ruan Sixian thought Dong Xian was really strange. She was already in her twenties, and she had just gotten a boyfriend—tall, handsome, and wealthy, seemingly perfect in every way. She didn’t understand why Dong Xian kept bringing this up again and again.
"I wanted to talk to you about this last time, but you cut me off," Dong Xian said. "Fu Mingyu isn’t as good as he appears."
Alright, this again.
Ruan Sixian nodded helplessly. "Fine, tell me, what’s wrong with him?"
Dong Xian glanced around to make sure no one else could hear before speaking. "He’s quite unclear when it comes to relationships with women. I won’t speculate about things I haven’t seen, but a few months ago when he went to Spain, he was involved with some unfamiliar woman there."
Zheng You'an, who was standing behind them, felt her heart drop upon hearing this. She quickly walked over. "Mom, I—"
"It was You'an who saw it with her own eyes," Dong Xian said, pointing at Zheng You'an. "He had just gotten off the plane when he saw a beautiful woman there and couldn’t take his eyes off her."
Zheng You'an: "..."
As for him taking a woman into his car, Dong Xian couldn’t quite bring herself to say it out loud.
She felt such behavior was truly disgraceful.
Ruan Sixian’s expression slowly stiffened. After a long pause, she said, "Oh, I can’t take my eyes off handsome men either."
"Cough, cough!"
Zheng You'an suddenly choked on her own saliva.
Dong Xian paid no attention to Zheng You'an’s reaction, only feeling that Ruan Sixian was deeply infatuated, still defending him even now.
"Do you think I’m joking with you? Don’t you understand what that means? Do you really think it was just looking? Do you think he wouldn’t take a woman away with him?"
Zheng You'an hurriedly tugged at Dong Xian’s sleeve. "Mom, that—"
"If you don’t believe me, you can ask her," Dong Xian said, pushing Zheng You'an in front of Ruan Sixian. "She saw it with her own eyes."
Zheng You'an: "..."
Before Zheng You'an could speak, Ruan Sixian suddenly stood up.
"Alright, I have something to attend to. I’ll be leaving now."
Although Ruan Sixian turned and left with a grim expression, Dong Xian watched her retreating figure and felt a weight lift from her heart.
Ruan Sixian didn’t return to the hotel. Instead, she wandered to another part of the beach.
She was deeply troubled.
No matter how her relationship with Dong Xian was, she knew Dong Xian wasn’t the type to make things up.
Ruan Sixian held her shoes in her hand, leaving one footprint after another in the sand.
It’s fine. Even if it’s true, so what? They weren’t together back then. His private life was his own business. As long as he isn’t fooling around now, it’s okay.
Yes, that’s right.
Ruan Sixian comforted herself as she walked a few more laps.
No, it’s still so frustrating!
She didn’t want to walk anymore. She found a beach chair, lay down, and listened to the sea breeze, trying to calm her emotions.
Ahhhhhhh!
Fu Mingyu, you dog of a man!
Didn’t you say you liked someone like me? How come you couldn’t take your eyes off a samba dancer? How could you be so shallow!
The more Ruan Sixian thought about it, the angrier she became. And just as she looked up, she saw several models or something taking photos by the sea.
They were wearing bikinis, with large chests and hips, striking seductive poses.
If Fu Mingyu were here, wouldn’t he be drooling all over the place?Ruan Sixian lay on the chair, glaring at the models as if they were her love rivals, puffing up with anger like a pufferfish.
A few minutes later, she snapped a photo of a bikini-clad figure in the distance and sent it to Fu Mingyu.
Fu Mingyu, who had just stepped out of his office, glanced at the photo while walking.
The shimmering sea, the beach glowing golden under the sunset, and a pair of fair, sand-dusted feet resting on a beach chair, their rounded toes looking utterly adorable.
He smiled.
Ruan Sixian: "..."
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
Ruan Sixian : Darling, I’ll bring you a big gift when I return tomorrow.
No one knew that Fu Mingyu felt a surge of joy upon seeing the word "darling."
Fu Mingyu : Alright, I’ll be waiting.
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