One and Only

Chapter 18: There Will Always Be Partings (2)

Her gaze drifted away, settling on the open space outside the building. "Maybe. Sometimes when I watch historical-themed shows, I think that if I were born in ancient times, I’d definitely fall for a man who cares about the world. A man should do something meaningful, unrelated to fame, fortune, or love. Just talking about romance all day… wouldn’t really suit me."

Meilin said something else, but she didn’t catch it.

Her attention was drawn to a familiar pair of figures in the open space—his younger brother, Zhou Wenchuan, and Wang Man. Amid the bustling crowd, the two looked like an ordinary couple, whispering to each other before quickly getting into a car and driving away.

Shi Yi was so absorbed in watching them that Meilin noticed too.

Suddenly, Meilin remarked, "Huh? I know that man."

"You know him?"

Meilin briefly explained that a recent university graduate had joined their company, only to face constant scolding from an overbearing supervisor. Then one day, this man showed up at the company, saying he needed to speak with the top boss. Meilin naturally didn’t know what they discussed, but the only thing she knew was that after the boss bowed and scraped while seeing him off, the graduate was immediately assigned to the strongest project team.

"The boss sighed afterward and said something like, 'People say Hong Kong is the 'City of the Li Family,' but this man’s family is even more untouchable. His influence isn’t limited to any one place or city…'" Meilin continued, almost talking to herself. "You know, with that girl’s powerful background, why is she still working here? Well, I guess it’s just because she wants to, likes hanging around for fun…"

Shi Yi thought back to that late night.

Faced with sudden accusations, Zhou Shengchen’s response had been flawless.

She thought this description wasn’t an exaggeration. The surname might seem ordinary, and under normal circumstances, no one would even bother analyzing it in gossip columns.

It was as if their existence was just a secret—one she would never have had the chance to approach before.

The fact that she and Zhou Shengchen were legally married, including her change of nationality, was something Shi Yi still hadn’t dared to mention to her parents. If there were too many unbelievable things, she feared her parents would only grow more resistant to his family.

After lunch, she was persuaded to stay and help Meilin review a demo.

As they listened and discussed, time flew by until two o’clock, when Zhou Shengchen’s call came in right on time. She gestured to Meilin and hurried into a small room, closing the door behind her. Compared to the beginning, their conversations had grown much longer now. Sometimes, he would even share unrelated stories with her, treating them as amusing anecdotes.

Of course, this was also at her request.

After all, their lives had so little overlap that it was hard to find topics to discuss. Until one day, Shi Yi finally couldn’t hold back and said, "You could tell me about small things in your life. Like what you ate today, or if you’re feeling unwell, or even just the weather—anything. That way, I’d have more to talk about and get to know you better."

She figured this was how normal couples behaved—exchanging trivial details without finding it boring.

At first, Zhou Shengchen wasn’t used to it, so she would ask questions, and he would answer. Gradually, it started feeling more natural. Talking like this made her feel closer to him, and she privately sensed that Zhou Shengchen had never communicated with anyone like this before.

"For the next week, I’ll be in Bremen, Germany," Zhou Shengchen’s voice, though calm, carried a deliberate gentleness when speaking to her. "Would you like to come?""I do," she answered without hesitation. "But when exactly... Will there be enough time to get a visa?"

"No," he chuckled. "You won't need any formalities to come to Germany."

She suddenly remembered—she'd forgotten about the nationality he'd changed for her.

This was the first time she realized the benefit of this arrangement: it allowed her to see him anytime, anywhere.

Zhou Shengchen briefly explained the purpose of his trip—a meeting for the International Space Research Committee—with a packed schedule from Monday to Sunday. As he mentioned he might not have much time to spend with her, Shi Yi's thoughts had already drifted, wondering what to prepare and what to say when she saw him.

After hanging up, she quickly told Meilin she'd be away for a week.

Upon hearing the reason, Meilin was highly disapproving of her initiative: "Shi Yi, you know relationships between men and women require finesse. Even if you're legally married, you should still put in some effort—don't just accommodate him all the time..."

"Meilin, Meilin," Shi Yi laughed, cutting off her lecture. "I didn't meet him until I was 26. Even if I'm lucky enough to live to 80, that only leaves me 54 years—19,710 days. And as you said, he's in research, so it's easy for him to be away for months like this. The actual time we might have together could be less than 10,000 days." Half-serious, half-joking, she told Meilin, "I don't have time—no time for schemes or finesse. I need to seize every second I can with him, understand?"

The flight arrived in Bremen right on schedule.

Following his instructions, she collected her luggage and waited in the hall with nowhere else to go. The spot where she sat faced a storefront, its glass reflecting hurried passersby inside—and her own faint silhouette. She tilted her head slightly, smiling at herself. Zhou Shengchen, it's been two months since we last saw each other.

Two months—61 days.

Amidst the overlapping figures coming and going, she spotted a group reflected in the glass—including him. Today, he was dressed simply and ordinarily: a white shirt, black trousers, and glasses. Shi Yi quickly turned her head, taking in the other men in their crisp navy shirts and black suit pants—two even carried black briefcases. Only the man walking beside Zhou Shengchen seemed more casual, likely in his mid-thirties.

She stood just as he reached her.

"My wife, Shi Yi," Zhou Shengchen gestured lightly toward her, then to the man beside him. "This is my university classmate and old friend, Mei Hang, courtesy name Ruguo." The name was unusual—few people had courtesy names these days—and given Zhou Shengchen's introduction, he was likely another generational friend of the Zhou family.

Shi Yi smiled warmly. "Mei Ruguo? 'Withered willows and lotus, yet the plum remains as ever.'" It was a beautiful name, but too direct to say outright, so she hinted at it before adding, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Mei."

Mei Hang looked surprised, nudging Zhou Shengchen's arm with his elbow.

"What?" Zhou Shengchen laughed.

"Lucky man."

Curious, Mei Hang politely asked Shi Yi, "Miss Shi Yi, when you first met your husband, did you also immediately grasp the meaning of his courtesy name?" Shi Yi shook her head. "I didn't know he had one."

"My apologies," Zhou Shengchen said quickly. "It's rarely used, so I forgot to mention it."

His apology was impeccably polite.The expression on the man before her shifted from surprise and admiration to confusion.

Fortunately, Mei Hang knew his boundaries and didn’t press further.

From the airport to the hotel, Zhou Shengchen arranged everything meticulously before quickly handing Shi Yi over to Mei Hang, explaining only that some procedures would be handled by Mei Hang to clarify and finalize for her. After Zhou Shengchen left, four or five men efficiently opened their briefcases and laptops, while Mei Hang patiently began explaining what she needed to take over—mostly Zhou Shengchen’s private assets. The flood of complex terms gradually made her head spin, and she began to realize that this Mei Hang likely served as his personal financial advisor.

And these men were, in fact, merely Mei Hang’s assistants.

By the end, all she understood was that he intended to transfer some assets to her. But as for the specifics, Mei Hang made it clear that she wouldn’t need to manage any of the movable or immovable properties herself. Everything done today was merely a necessary formality.

"Trust me, all the assets under his name are clean," Mei Hang said, removing his glasses, folding them, and slipping them into his breast pocket.

Shi Yi didn’t quite understand, but she faintly sensed that the man’s use of the word "clean" was in comparison to the rest of the Zhou family. Noticing her hesitant, questioning look, Mei Hang almost laughed. "What? Don’t understand but afraid to ask?"

She nodded.

"Honestly, there are things I don’t understand either, and I don’t dare ask," Mei Hang said, capping his pen and placing it beside the documents. "How much do you actually know about him, to have already become his legal wife? And from what I’ve heard, it’s a marriage the Zhou family hasn’t even approved."

It was an expected question.

The only odd thing was that Zhou Shengchen hadn’t told him the truth.

Shi Yi thought for a moment. "Other than knowing he loves scientific research, I know nothing else."

What she understood was merely the impression he gave—nothing else had aligned with her expectations. She even had a vague feeling that what she’d just encountered was the most superficial, inconsequential layer. The true core—his background, his character, even his preferences—remained entirely unknown to her.

Mei Hang studied her with deep, contemplative eyes before finally smiling. "His courtesy name is Changfeng."

"Changfeng," she repeated.

"Any idea where it comes from?"

Shi Yi smiled. "'When the long wind arrives, waves rise, like solitary ridges of Mount Li.'"

Mei Hang chuckled and finished the line: "'The force strikes the banks and clashes, constrained yet converging.' You really did guess the source."

It was hard not to recognize such a famous line from The Fu on Gaotang .

But upon deeper reflection, the meaning behind this courtesy name didn’t quite match Zhou Shengchen’s temperament. The words vividly described the majestic, overwhelming force of the Wu Gorge’s waters—yet his demeanor was cool and detached, neither intense nor indifferent.

Mei Hang, too, came from a traditional background, but his speech was more playful and casual. They chatted pleasantly, and by the time all the formalities were completed, he asked if she had ever been to Bremen before. When Shi Yi shook her head, he seemed eager to invite her out for a meal, but she politely declined, choosing to stay alone at the hotel.

She preferred quiet and wasn’t afraid of boredom.With ample time on her hands, she browsed online for information about the city, planning to explore on her own in the coming days when Zhou Shengchen would be busy again. Wearing headphones, she flipped through web pages, occasionally listening to newly arrived competition demos in her inbox, thus whiling away the entire afternoon. Suddenly, a faint aroma of tea drifted in, and Shi Yi finally noticed someone was in the living room.

She walked out to find Zhou Shengchen.

He had returned at some point and was now brewing tea with an unexpectedly romantic touch. Before him was a complete set of tea utensils, likely just brought out. The water had already boiled, bubbling with steam on the side.

Holding the small teapot lightly, he poured out the water, added more, and poured again.

His movements were casual, clearly accustomed to making tea for himself. Her gaze quickly settled on one point—the ring on his ring finger. At the airport earlier, she remembered he hadn’t been wearing it. Had he put it on specifically because he saw her?

Hearing her footsteps, Zhou Shengchen didn’t look up but casually added another teacup and poured some water. “You seemed very focused earlier, so I didn’t disturb you.”

She smiled, silently thinking that she hadn’t even known what she was listening to all afternoon. The only thing she had truly focused on was thinking about him.

Shi Yi sat down beside him.

Unable to resist, she glanced again at the ring on his hand. He noticed and met her gaze, then somewhat awkwardly twisted the ring on his left ring finger with his fingers. “A few days ago, I took it off while washing my hands and lost the original one. This one was just delivered this afternoon.”

She hummed in acknowledgment.

A seemingly random remark, yet it resolved her confusion.

“Shi Yi?”

“Hmm?”

“Would you like to go out for a walk during dinner?” he suggested.

It was his suggestion, and she assumed he was familiar with the area and wanted to accompany her. But she soon realized he knew Bremen even less than she did. The feeling of someone proposing to show you around an unfamiliar city, only for you to end up as their guide, made Shi Yi find this man—who was already her husband—suddenly a little more endearing.

She wondered if, apart from his research and family affairs, he had no time left to see the world.

Or perhaps, the way he saw the world was different from hers?

The two of them were like first-time travelers, visiting only the most popular tourist spots. By then, it was already evening, with faint traces of sunset lingering. Tourists were taking photos in front of scenic views. She led him into a winding, narrow street. “Earlier, I read about this place online and thought it looked interesting.”

Small wooden houses from the 15th and 16th centuries stood closely together, vibrant in color.

Some alleys were so narrow only one person could pass at a time.

The cobblestone path beneath their feet was uneven, making it difficult for her to walk steadily. Her heels weren’t particularly high, but they kept getting caught in the gaps between the stones. She stumbled slightly and was steadied by a firm hand. “Walk slower.”

As she regained her balance, an elderly couple approached from the opposite direction, and Zhou Shengchen quickly withdrew his hand, slipping it into his pocket.

“When do you plan to return to China?”

“No concrete plans yet. There are some things I need to resolve first before going back.”

After a moment’s thought, she suggested, “If you’re not going back, how about we stay abroad?”"Alright," Zhou Shengchen agreed readily, "After I complete this decade-long investment plan, we can settle in any city you like."

This was the first time he had spoken to her about what he intended to do.

Shi Yi still remembered first hearing about this investment during the Qingming Festival, when she had casually discussed it with her father. She recalled their shared opinion at the time—that whoever wanted to reverse this economic trend would need both capability and conscience. She just hadn't expected that person to be Zhou Shengchen.

"In recent years, domestic labor costs have risen sharply, causing many enterprises to relocate to Southeast Asia. Within five to ten years, there will inevitably be mass factory closures and worker layoffs, right? So that's why you want to counter this trend with investment?" Shi Yi recalled her father's words. She didn't fully understand such economic topics, but the basic reasoning was clear enough for her to remember most of it.

He hadn't expected her to pay attention to such matters: "There are many underlying reasons. For instance, the RMB has been rising continuously for six years, increasing foreign trade costs by 30%. A 30% cost increase is terrifying—what's most needed now are supportive policies. When the dollar falls, the RMB should also..."

Shi Yi watched him, trying hard to follow.

Zhou Shengchen suddenly stopped, lowering his head slightly with a self-deprecating smile: "Sorry, I finally have time with you, and I'm talking about such dull things."

She shook her head: "It's fine, please continue."

Seeing her genuine interest, Zhou Shengchen elaborated further. As she listened, Shi Yi thought that no matter how many lifetimes she lived, she would always love this man. At his core, he didn't live for just one person, one family, or one name. In this society, such people might be considered foolish—so foolish that few could understand them.

After listening for a while, she attempted to summarize: "So, simply put, what you want to do is pour silver coins into this to cushion the impact?" In other words, using his family's wealth to counter the economic tide—the outcome would be hard to change, at best extending the manufacturing collapse from ten years to fifteen or twenty.

Zhou Shengchen neither confirmed nor denied, lost in thought as he sighed: "So the process will be somewhat painful."

The pain he referred to likely meant dealing with that deeply entrenched old family. It had taken dozens of generations of quiet accumulation to amass such wealth. Probably not just his uncle and mother—anyone could become an obstacle.

She thought of Zhou Shengchen's courtesy name and suddenly realized her understanding had been wrong.

Wasn't this man's inner self just as vast and formidable, impossible to rival?

More tourists approached from the opposite direction. The path was too narrow, so he naturally stepped back to make way. At the same time, Shi Yi unexpectedly reached out and lightly took his hand. They rarely showed such intimacy outdoors, making Zhou Shengchen somewhat uncomfortable.

Shi Yi pouted playfully: "I'm tired. Hold my hand as we walk, okay?"

Her Zhou Shengchen was so endearing.

Since he didn't understand the ways of romantic relationships, then she, who understood slightly more, would take the steps to gradually close the distance between them.

He suddenly found it amusing and relaxed instead: "Alright, I'll hold your hand as we walk."

(End of Chapter)