Dazzling

They were led into a bright conference room, where Qing Ye unexpectedly ran into an old acquaintance, Fang Lei.

So Qing Ye and Fang Lei caught up on a sofa outside the conference room, leaving the negotiations to Jiang Bo. To be honest, she really didn't want to discuss those transfer details with Xing Wu either - it felt strange sitting across from him to talk about such matters.

The conference room's blinds weren't drawn. Through the floor-to-ceiling glass, they could see Xing Wu and Jiang Bo sitting opposite each other at the conference table, with Quan Ya and Assistant Tian seated beside them respectively.

Qing Ye asked Fang Lei how she'd been lately. Fang Lei said she was doing well - with her personality, she wouldn't be at a disadvantage even in a new environment. Then she asked Qing Ye about Q University.

Qing Ye tilted her head to glance into the conference room. She didn't know if it was her imagination, but this time when she saw Xing Wu, she felt he didn't look well. He seemed to have lost some weight, his profile becoming more sharply defined and three-dimensional.

Even facing someone like Jiang Bo, Xing Wu maintained his usual calm demeanor, his presence not inferior as he sat there steadily conversing with them.

Qing Ye answered Fang Lei absentmindedly: "It's... quite competitive, everyone works really hard."

Fang Lei followed her gaze to Xing Wu and asked softly: "You and Wu Zi - have you broken up?"

Qing Ye suddenly snapped back to reality, momentarily dazed. This was the first time in over half a year that someone had asked her this question so directly, leaving her suddenly unsure how to respond.

Because even she herself didn't know the answer, she just looked at Fang Lei with vacant eyes.

Fang Lei changed the subject: "Let me show you my roommate."

She took out her phone and pulled up photos. Qing Ye leaned in to look at Fang Lei's life after starting university. The girls studying media were all quite good-looking, and Fang Lei chattered endlessly to Qing Ye about interesting things at their school.

Just as Qing Ye was about to take her phone, her sleeve brushed against a disposable cup. Scalding water suddenly spilled onto her coat. She stood up reflexively, and Fang Lei, also startled, asked: "Are you okay?"

In the conference room, Xing Wu, who had been speaking, looked outside. His eyes suddenly tightened, and his voice cut off abruptly. Jiang Bo and the others also turned to look. Xing Wu glanced up at Quan Ya, who immediately picked up the tissue box in front of him and walked out of the conference room.

The discussion paused. Jiang Bo leaned back in his chair with interest, watching Quan Ya approach Qing Ye, pull out tissues, and hand them to her while asking: "Did it burn you?"

Qing Ye shook her head: "It's fine, it just spilled on my clothes. It's okay, it'll dry soon."

She quickly glanced into the conference room. Jiang Bo was squinting with a faint smile, Assistant Tian had also come out, while Xing Wu just lowered his head to flip through documents, the shadowed light concealing his clenched jaw.

After this small incident, the negotiations inside continued for about forty more minutes. The discussion went quite smoothly, and they could proceed with the formalities tomorrow morning.

After leaving the conference room, Jiang Bo privately told Qing Ye: "Your relative is quite easy to talk to. He basically had no objections to any requirements I proposed."

Qing Ye frowned: "What requirements did you propose?"Jiang Bo replied, "Details of the equity transfer and risk allocation. Did you know this factory still has outstanding debts? According to standard practice, these should have been settled by you before the ownership change, but he directly said it wasn't necessary. Additionally, I suggested he should cover potential taxes like deed tax and stamp duty involved tomorrow, and he didn't object."

Qing Ye suddenly stopped walking. "You..."

"Why didn't you discuss this with me first?"

Jiang Bo looked baffled. "Do I need to consult you about such matters? Isn't it good that I negotiated favorable terms for you? Isn't the whole point that you couldn't bring these things up with relatives?"

Qing Ye was so furious that when Xing Wu and others came out of the meeting room to invite them for dinner, she felt too ashamed to face him. It seemed as if she had brought a lawyer back to settle accounts with him, creating the impression they were cutting all ties.

Just as Jiang Bo said, "Alright then,"

Qing Ye directly refused: "No need, we're rather tired and will head back first."

Xing Wu glanced at her and asked, "Where are you staying?"

"Booked a hotel room."

Xing Wu didn't say anything more.

On the way back, Qing Ye felt completely infuriated by Jiang Bo's maneuvering. The moment they got out of the taxi, he mysteriously added, "Is it because of that guy called Quan Ya?"

Qing Ye shot him a sidelong glance and sarcastically gave him a thumbs-up.

...

That night, Qing Ye tossed and turned in bed. She was here now, merely twenty minutes away from him. It felt like she could just leave the hotel, hail a cab, and see him—unlike in Beijing, where missing him felt endlessly distant.

This emotional turbulence kept her wide awake. After an hour of restless turning, she frantically got up and pulled on her jacket. Assistant Tian immediately sat up and asked, "Are you going out?"

Qing Ye fastened her coat, turned to look at this young woman only slightly older than herself, and smiled. "Can't sleep, just going out for some fresh air. Want to come along?"

Though her tone sounded inviting, her eyes held a threatening chill. Assistant Tian hesitated, "It's so late..."

Qing Ye continued putting on her shoes. "Or you could choose to immediately take out your phone and report to my father."

She straightened up, tying her loose long hair into a ponytail. "But I guarantee you'll lose your job when we return to Beijing. Want to test that?"

Assistant Tian looked troubled. "You're not planning to stay out all night, are you?"

Qing Ye already had her phone in hand and finally said, "I really am just going out for some air. What did you think?" She smiled, opened the door, and left.

The streets at night felt rather desolate here, devoid of vibrant nightlife. People had closed up early and gone to sleep, with not even a three-wheeled vehicle in sight. Qing Ye pulled the coat's hood over her head. Truthfully, she didn't know where she was going, but breathing in this long-missed air made her feel somewhat more at ease.

The county town wasn't far from Electronics Street. She'd always considered herself rather bad with directions, but having spent nearly a year here, she now realized Xing Wu had taken her around this small area on his motorcycle before. Following remembered routes, she unconsciously found herself walking toward Electronics Street.Electronics Street looked the same as always, with its uneven storefronts all closed for the night. The street was empty except for piles of garbage and the occasional plastic bag drifting by, giving off an inexplicably desolate vibe.

Qing Ye wandered aimlessly until she found a few open food stalls in an alley. Business was surprisingly good—two extra tables had been set up on the roadside. Despite the weather, someone had placed an icebox at the entrance, covered with an old cotton quilt. Qing Ye’s eyes lit up, and she guiltily walked over to the icebox. Lifting the quilt, she discovered, as expected, that it was full of ice cream.

Without hesitation, she grabbed a Northeastern Popsicle and called out to the stall owner, "How much for this?"

"Three yuan."

Qing Ye scanned the QR code with her phone, unwrapped the popsicle, and as she turned around, she noticed a table of men staring at her.

In that one glance, she spotted Xing Wu sitting at the back. The popsicle she was about to bite into froze mid-air, and she stiffened as if turned to stone. Da Hei laughed and said, "With that hat on, I almost didn’t recognize you."

He pulled over a plastic stool from the side and said, "Have a seat."

There were about four or five men at the table. Besides Da Hei, Qing Ye had seen the others before but wasn’t familiar with them.

Da Hei naturally placed the stool next to Xing Wu. Qing Ye walked over awkwardly and sat down. The sudden closeness made her uneasy. He was still wearing the thick motorcycle jacket from earlier, zipped all the way up to his chin. Half of his face was hidden in the fur collar, his arms crossed tightly over his chest as he hunched slightly. Qing Ye had never seen him bundle up so much in previous winters.

After she sat down, Da Hei asked, "What are you doing out here alone so late?"

"Couldn’t sleep, just wandering around," she replied, taking a bite of her popsicle. The cold shot straight to her teeth, making her wince. Xing Wu glanced sideways at the popsicle in her hand. Though he didn’t say anything, there was a faint trace of displeasure in his eyes.

Qing Ye took another determined bite. Da Hei chuckled, "Not afraid of the cold?"

"Of course it’s cold, but it feels good," she said, making the whole table laugh.

Xing Wu, however, slowly uncrossed his arms and said flatly, "Well, you all chat. I’m heading back."

Qing Ye’s heart sank. What did that mean? He was leaving as soon as she sat down?

Da Hei joked, "It’s seriously hard to catch you these days. Going back to study again?"

Xing Wu’s head turned slightly toward Qing Ye. Feeling awkward, she lowered her gaze. Without a word, he stood up and walked to the roadside. Qing Ye didn’t dare look back, but she heard the sound of a motorcycle starting—abrupt in the quiet alley. The "puttering" noise echoed the rhythm of her heartbeat. Suddenly, she was afraid he would just leave. It wasn’t about being left alone; it was the unfamiliar distance between them that made her want to cry.

But the motorcycle didn’t pull away. Instead, she heard him call out to her, "You coming or not?"

Da Hei and the others turned to look at Qing Ye. Flustered, she glanced back. Xing Wu sat astride the motorcycle, his long legs planted on either side, hands resting casually on the handlebars as he watched her with a deep, intense gaze that made her heart skip a beat.

Her body moved almost involuntarily as she stood and walked toward him. But when she reached him, she muttered under her breath, "I haven’t finished my popsicle yet."Xing Wu's gaze shifted to the ice cream in her hand, and in the next second, he snatched it away and stuffed it into his own mouth, saying to her, "Get on."

In truth, Qing Ye had regretted taking the first bite. If Xing Wu hadn't taken it from her, she would likely have forced herself to finish it. Though her mouth felt icy cold, being so close to him made Qing Ye suddenly feel as if a blazing fire had ignited in her chest, with many complex emotions bursting forth in an instant.

Xing Wu rode very fast, heading straight for the hotel where she was staying. Qing Ye merely gripped the sides of the motorcycle nervously. She finally understood Xing Wu's riding skills—he could ride so swiftly yet steadily. So, back then, he had probably been intentionally swerving on purpose.

Yet, she suddenly missed the times they had shared before, when there were fewer worries, and their hearts were simply drawn to each other. Unlike now, when they were so physically close yet separated by the greatest distance. Even wanting to hug him had become incredibly difficult.

In less than ten minutes, Xing Wu had brought her back to the hotel. The ice cream had already been quickly devoured by Xing Wu, who now held the stick casually in his mouth as he looked at her indifferently.

After getting off the motorcycle, Qing Ye said to him, "I'll go see your mom tomorrow morning."

"No need to bring anything."

Qing Ye tucked her hands into her coat pockets and turned her head away. "That's my business."

Xing Wu also turned his head but didn't leave immediately.

It wasn't until Qing Ye spoke again, "That day, was it you?"

That Xing Wu turned back to look at her calmly. Qing Ye's clear eyes shimmered with a glimmer of light, filled with longing, nervousness, and anticipation. If Xing Wu had taken even a moment longer to look away, she would have nearly burst into tears. But in the end, he started the engine and said to her, "Get some rest early."

Without another moment's pause, he turned the motorcycle around and disappeared at the end of the road in an instant. Qing Ye stood there watching his retreating figure until he was completely out of sight.

That night, she didn't sleep well at all, dreaming many dreams. She dreamed of when she had first arrived at Zhazha Pavilion, and Xing Wu had cooked noodles for her. The two of them had huddled around the mahjong table—he casually playing on his phone, while she picked at her food pickily. In the dream, they felt unfamiliar yet at ease. But looking back at that scene now, it felt like something from a long, long time ago.

The next day, as soon as the sky began to lighten, Qing Ye went out. Assistant Tian was still asleep when she left. Although Xing Wu had told her not to bring anything, since she only returned once a year, she felt too embarrassed to show up empty-handed.

She hurried to the county's large supermarket, picked up some gift boxes, and took a taxi to Zhazha Pavilion. To Qing Ye's surprise, even though she had come so early, Xing Wu had already gone out. She wondered if it was because she had told him the night before that she would visit Li Lanfang this morning—had he deliberately avoided her?

Li Lanfang, however, was very warm when she saw Qing Ye. The house was now fully renovated, and Li Lanfang eagerly showed her around. The second floor was still quite empty; aside from the room Xing Wu occupied, the other two rooms were temporarily vacant.

Li Lanfang told Qing Ye to look around on her own while she went out to buy groceries. Qing Ye pushed open the door to Xing Wu's room. The room was spacious and bright, but in the center stood a double bed. Looking at this bed, Qing Ye felt a tumult of emotions in her heart.

Last year during the New Year, when they had huddled in that shabby hotel, Qing Ye had told him that once the house was fixed up, they would get a large double bed. The bed was here now, but she had left.A cozy hanging chair sat on the balcony, exactly the kind she loved. She used to tell Xing Wu that reading on the balcony with a gentle breeze was life's greatest pleasure—just an offhand remark, yet he remembered.

Qing Ye sat in the hanging chair, swaying gently, her gaze falling upon Xing Wu's desk. Neat stacks of various review materials piled high filled the surface, a familiar scene that made Qing Ye feel as if she had returned to her own pre-college entrance exam days.

She stood and walked over to the piles of materials, casually flipping through them before pulling out the chair to sit down. Immersing herself in the atmosphere of his usual study sessions, she silently smiled at the sight of Xing Wu's wildly scrawled handwriting. From her bag, she retrieved a calligraphy practice book and placed it atop his study materials, only to notice the cover of the top notebook was nearly worn out from frequent use.

So Qing Ye picked up the notebook and discovered it was an error log, densely filled with both unresolved and solved problems.

The dates were updated through yesterday—Xing Wu had persistently recorded his review progress almost daily, demonstrating terrifying self-discipline.

Qing Ye stared blankly at the densely packed pages, her nose tingling with emotion. She picked up a pen and began patiently annotating his questions with careful notes, time slipping away unnoticed.

It wasn't until Jiang Bo called to say he and Assistant Tian had met up with Xing Wu and were heading to the Industry and Commerce Bureau, already waiting outside Xing Wu's home, that Qing Ye snapped out of her focus on the notebook.

She quickly closed the notebook, returned it to its place, and stood up to cap her pen hastily. Just as she turned to leave, she noticed a photo frame wedged among the books on the shelf—seemingly placed there temporarily, standing out awkwardly amidst the stacks.

Almost involuntarily, Qing Ye pulled it out and was startled to see the photo from last winter's marathon, the one Huang Mao had taken of her and Xing Wu.

In the photo, both wearing school uniforms, Xing Wu had draped his arm over her shoulder just as Huang Mao pressed the shutter. Her smile was radiant. Looking at this photo, Qing Ye's eyes suddenly reddened.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and soon Xing Wu's voice came from the doorway: "Ready to go?"

Qing Ye stiffened, hurriedly stuffing the frame back into the book pile before turning to face him. Xing Wu's gaze fleetingly swept past what was behind her as Qing Ye strode outward, quickly brushing past him down the stairs.

Li Lanfang was brewing tea for Jiang Bo and Assistant Tian. When Qing Ye descended, Li Lanfang told her: "No rush, have some water before leaving. The Industry and Commerce Bureau here doesn't have queues—we'll make it in time."

Qing Ye accepted the water cup and stood by the back door looking into the yard. It was completely different from when she first arrived—the backyard had been fully renovated, with a new wall separating it from the neighboring houses.

Xing Wu came downstairs too. Li Lanfang handed him a thermos and nagged: "Take water with you. How long has it been since you recovered? Hearing you cough last night—trying to land back in the hospital?"

Qing Ye's hand holding the cup jerked abruptly. Assistant Tian quickly asked: "What's wrong?"

Jiang Bo also turned to look. Flustered, Qing Ye set the disposable cup aside and glanced hurriedly at Xing Wu, who merely kept his eyes downcast without a word.

Soon after, they got up to leave for the Industry and Commerce Bureau. Xing Wu drove over in a car—Qing Ye hadn't even known when he'd gotten his driver's license.Just as they reached the car door, Qing Ye suddenly said she had forgotten something at home and ran back inside. The other three boarded the car first to wait for her.

She rushed straight to the backyard upon entering the house and asked Li Lanfang how Xing Wu had fallen ill.

Li Lanfang exclaimed, "This kid disappeared somewhere before New Year's Day—didn't even come home! When he returned, something was off. He fell sick but refused to say a word, stubbornly toughing it out. He spent the entire Spring Festival in the hospital. Who knows where he got this temper from!"

As Li Lanfang spoke about Xing Wu while picking vegetables, Qing Ye wandered out of the house again, looking distraught.

She glanced up at Xing Wu sitting in the driver's seat. He had rolled down the window and was watching her sideways. She had noticed yesterday that he looked thinner and somewhat listless—it wasn't her imagination after all, but weakness after a serious illness. Last night, she had even bought an ice cream and run into him. He must have forcibly taken it from her, fearing it would upset her stomach. Had she known his condition, she would have thrown it away rather than let him touch it.

Qing Ye stood at the doorstep gazing at him, her eyes misting over. The street grew increasingly blurry in her vision. Xing Wu frowned slightly. Jiang Bo rolled down the rear window and called out, "Get in the car! What are you standing there for?"

Qing Ye quickly lowered her head and hurried to the car. Since Jiang Bo and Assistant Tian were already in the back seat, she hastily pulled open the front passenger door.