One and Only

Chapter 22: Just Like Your First Makeup (2)

She focused, trying to listen carefully.

"Still scared?" Zhou Shengchen's voice was as if he were right beside her, able to sense the shifts in her emotions.

"A little..." she whispered. "Maybe someone really loves the water town scenery—I heard footsteps."

"Sometimes, the more people fear something, the more they want to get close to it," Zhou Shengchen's voice carried a soothing power, deliberately gentle to comfort her. "Don't open the door. Go back to bed and try to sleep. If you can't, I'll keep talking to you."

She was indeed a bit afraid and obediently climbed into bed. "Will this delay your important work...?"

He chuckled. "No."

Zhou Shengchen talked with her for a long time until, slowly, their voices faded away. Shi Yi slept until past nine in the morning when Hong Xiaoyu woke her up for breakfast. She asked Xiaoyu if she had heard any strange noises the night before, and Xiaoyu looked surprised, saying she hadn't. She then turned to Du Feng beside her to ask if he had heard anything.

Du Feng simply shook his head while picking up food with his chopsticks.

Seeing their reactions, Shi Yi felt even more unsettled. Before the afternoon finals, she quietly told Meilin she wanted to change rooms. Meilin, biting her pen cap, couldn't help but laugh. "Even if I change it for you, you'll still be scared. Why don't you just stay in my room for the next two nights?" Shi Yi happily agreed.

Meilin asked why she hadn't called her if she was afraid of ghosts in the middle of the night. Shi Yi thought of the phone call that had accompanied her until dawn and smiled subtly. She was slightly bowing her head, and her smile was so captivating that even Meilin, a fellow woman, couldn't look away for a moment. Meilin muttered softly, "I bet you really have the power to make men lose kingdoms for you."

Shi Yi reached out and lightly pushed her, signaling that the competition was starting.

Only then did the two sit up properly to watch the performances of the finalists.

At noon, Zhou Shengchen called on time to ask about her evening plans. Hearing that she would be sharing a room with Meilin, he finally relaxed. By three in the afternoon, when the day's competition ended, she suddenly received a very unexpected call.

It was from Zhou Shengren.

She remembered Zhou Shengchen's adopted younger brother, who had been quite friendly to her—even more so than Zhou Wenchuan, his own blood brother. The young boy said over the phone that he happened to have some free time these days and wanted to accompany his future sister-in-law. Though Shi Yi found it strange, she didn't refuse.

As for the title "future sister-in-law," she had long been mentally prepared.

As long as Zhou Shengchen's mother refused to acknowledge their marriage, even Uncle Lin by Zhou Shengchen's side would continue to address her as "Miss Shi Yi." Perhaps this was just the way of prominent families. Though she and Zhou Shengchen lived in modern society as a legally married couple, their union remained unrecognized within the family.

Thinking about these things sometimes made Shi Yi feel wronged.

But such emotions were fleeting. To her, nothing was more important than Zhou Shengchen. From the moment he proposed, she had resolved to spend her life with him.

Titles and recognition didn't matter.

Zhou Shengren arrived by dinnertime, accompanied by two girls and several men. Unlike their meeting in Zhenjiang, his private trip was much more casual—he wore light blue jeans and a white short-sleeved T-shirt, looking like an ordinary boy who had just graduated from middle school.Shi Yi sat by the small stone bridge near the scenic area entrance, waiting in the shade to meet him.

To her surprise, he walked right in openly, stopping before her with a slight curl of his lips as he called out, "Sister Shi Yi."

"You just came in directly?" She found it odd.

After all, the scenic area wasn't open to the public—only their competition participants and media were allowed.

Zhou Shengren nodded solemnly. "Mother was worried something might happen to me, so she made special arrangements."

He spoke with such seriousness that it faintly reminded her of Zhou Shengchen.

Shi Yi couldn’t help but laugh. "The way you talk makes me feel like I’m seeing your brother." She gently touched the boy’s forehead. "Sweating? Is it too hot?"

The boy had grown quickly and was now nearly as tall as her.

Perhaps no one in his family dared to treat him so casually, because he froze for a moment before smiling and nodding.

Having met Xiao Ren a few times before, Shi Yi knew he wasn’t much of a talker, so she didn’t press further.

The Zhou family had indeed made arrangements—the scenic area manager had already prepared accommodations for Xiao Ren and his entourage. When Shi Yi accompanied him to his attic room, two young women had swiftly set everything up, even replacing the entire tea set.

Xiao Ren didn’t seem to have a habit of drinking tea. After the two women left, he retrieved two bottles of cola from the small fridge, opened them, and poured a glass for Shi Yi. "I heard from the Mei family that Sister Shi Yi is very skilled at brewing tea?"

Shi Yi accepted the glass. "Just a small hobby, really."

"Sister… seems like you were born to marry into our family."

"Really?" Shi Yi chuckled.

"Don’t you think?" Xiao Ren leaned back in the bamboo chair, studying her intently.

She knew what he was referring to—her talents in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, and her passion for classical literature. "Maybe I just have a preference for classical literature…"

Xiao Ren shook his head, cutting her off. "It’s not just that. I heard about what happened in Germany… Sister, were you scared? If you had to witness gunfights, bloodshed, death, and… many other brutal things, would you be afraid?"

The boy’s voice was clear, yet the question was anything but innocent.

Shi Yi was momentarily stunned, the memories of Germany still lingering with a trace of fear. "Yes, I would be afraid."

Zhou Shengren held his glass, still watching her.

His eyes held a calmness that no fourteen-year-old should possess.

After a moment, he pressed his lips together and, unexpectedly, comforted her. "What I just said was only to scare you, Sister."

She had a natural sensitivity, especially toward people’s attitudes.

Even the slightest nuance didn’t escape her.

So she suspected that Xiao Ren’s sudden visit to see his future sister-in-law wasn’t just a casual stop, as he claimed. Xiao Ren was far more particular about food and lodging than Zhou Shengchen—perhaps because, as the only son of Zhou Shengchen’s uncle, even after being adopted by Zhou Shengchen’s mother, he was still excessively doted on.

His every gesture carried a hint of spoiled arrogance.

But he seemed genuinely fond of Shi Yi—at least, she didn’t sense any hostility.

This little brother had come bearing a suitcase of clothes, which was moved into the room Shi Yi shared with Meilin. The moment the person carrying the suitcase left, Meilin immediately opened the unlocked case. Inside was a full wardrobe, from undergarments to outerwear, all meticulously prepared.

Shi Yi had worn clothes made by the Wang family before and knew they liked to sew two pearls into the inner cuffs of sleeves.After flipping through a few pieces, it became clear that these clothes were all made by the Wang family.

While Meilin was still examining the garments, someone brought in an entire crate of water.

"I heard from my brother that strange noises were heard last night," Xiao Ren briefly explained to her. "So if possible, for the next two days, we should avoid drinking the water or eating the food here. These supplies will be taken care of by the people who came with me."

"So meticulous?" Shi Yi couldn't help but laugh.

Xiao Ren also smiled, answering her half-jokingly, "Whether it's ghosts from the underworld or the living world, the Zhou family has encountered plenty, so naturally, we've learned to be more cautious."

Shi Yi took it as a joke and teased him casually, "Have you ever encountered any?"

Unexpectedly, the boy didn't answer.

His expression didn't reveal much, but Shi Yi felt she had said something she shouldn't have.

That night, when she spoke to Zhou Shengchen on the phone, she mentioned the incident. After a brief pause, Zhou Shengchen said, "Xiao Ren's mother died in an accident, and the circumstances were somewhat unusual. That's why he sometimes says and does things that seem odd."

Zhou Shengchen's explanation was vague.

To be honest, Shi Yi didn't quite understand. She rarely pressed him further, but this time she asked, "What were the circumstances?"

He didn't answer.

After a moment, Shi Yi added, "I'll have to find out about these things sooner or later."

"The Zhou family is somewhat unique—96% of our assets are overseas, and we have some business and friends that operate outside the law," he said. "Xiao Ren's mother's family has been close to ours for generations, but her personal reason for marrying into the Zhou family was mainly to investigate certain matters within the family. Later... she died in an accident."

Shi Yi leaned against the window, listening as he elaborated on this past event.

About eight or nine years ago, when Zhou Shengren was still a child, he had boarded a gambling ship with his parents. The ship belonged to the Zhou family. At the time, to settle the ownership of an unclaimed mineral deposit, the Zhou family had organized the transaction. It was on this ship that Xiao Ren's mother was discovered and subsequently executed by the family.

To avoid affecting Xiao Ren, the incident was staged as an "accidental death."

But as the boy grew older, he naturally learned some of the truth.

That was why he had remained silent on the topic of "ghosts from the living world."

Shi Yi was surprised by Zhou Shengchen's description of his family but didn't ask further.

Connecting the dots from the past, she increasingly felt that she and he lived in entirely different worlds.

"In some ways, I'm not truly part of the Zhou family," Zhou Shengchen said. "Once this matter is resolved, everything and everyone will return to their original paths."

"So... you don't want to inherit the Zhou family?"

"Not at all."

Beside him, someone was speaking in a language she didn't understand, seemingly about work.

Shi Yi didn't say anything more and ended the conversation.

Outside the window, the wind was strong, swirling over the water and lifting the clothes of the passengers on the fishing boats. Naturally, laughter and chatter followed.

She thought she understood what he meant.

If Zhou Shengchen's belief across two lifetimes was to change the course of fate and reduce misfortune for families, then her purpose across two lifetimes was much simpler—she believed in him and would always stand by his side.

The next evening was the final match of the competition.Xiao Ren expressed his desire to attend, but Shi Yi earnestly told him there could be no special treatment—he would have to enter alone and sit in a corner of the media section. She had assumed this proud young boy wouldn’t comply, yet to her surprise, he showed up—alone, and even brought a book with him. Seated among the judges, Shi Yi couldn’t pay much attention to him for most of the event. It wasn’t until the competition ended that she finally had a moment to check on him.

To her astonishment, a glance at the book in his hands revealed it was a foreign textbook.

She didn’t examine the contents closely, but a quick scan of the familiar formulas told her it was physics.

“Do you want to study physics in the future?” For the first time, Shi Yi saw traces of an ordinary person in him.

“Mm.” Xiao Ren nodded, closing the book and resting it flat on his lap.

“That’s good,” she murmured. “The deeper you go into these subjects, the blurrier the boundaries between disciplines become. Maybe one day you’ll surpass your brother.”

“Impossible. I could never surpass him,” Xiao Ren replied with a rare hint of shyness in his smile. “He’s a genius—invited for advanced studies at twelve, enrolled in university at fourteen, and earned his Ph.D. in chemical engineering by nineteen. I’m already fourteen, and I haven’t even started university…”

She had heard this before—from Zhou Wenchuan.

But when Xiao Ren said it, his tone was filled with genuine pride and unmistakable admiration.

“Is that so?” Shi Yi feigned surprise, playing along. “That’s incredible.”

“It really is,” Xiao Ren said, looking at her. “Otherwise, my second sister-in-law wouldn’t still like him.”

“Second sister-in-law?”

“Tong Jiaren.”

“Oh…” She smiled. “I’ve heard about them—they were once engaged.”

“Yes,” Xiao Ren admitted without hesitation. “Tong Jiaren is also the elder sister of my birth mother. It’s… complicated. Back then, when my birth mother married my fath—uncle… she voluntarily called off the engagement.”

She was the one who ended it?

Shi Yi let out a quiet “Oh.”

“But this is just what I’ve heard. I wasn’t born yet at the time.”

Perhaps because the topic involved Zhou Shengchen, Xiao Ren was unusually talkative.

Shi Yi kept him company for a while, even flipping through his book with genuine interest, though she couldn’t understand much of it. There was something about this child that reminded her of Zhou Shengchen. She thought that if Xiao Ren had the chance to study under him, perhaps the arrogance and delicacy instilled by his family upbringing could be completely smoothed away.

After their conversation, Shi Yi made an excuse to Meilin and took Xiao Ren out for dinner alone.

This was the final night of the competition. By tomorrow afternoon, everyone would be leaving for their respective cities. So, inevitably, Shi Yi had to spend some time socializing over tea with the group.

Xiao Ren insisted on staying by her side, speaking little except for the occasional polite response whenever Hong Xiaoyu struck up a curious conversation.

Eventually, the older voice actors retired for the night, leaving only the younger crowd. As they brainstormed what to do next, someone inexplicably brought up playing dominoes.

“I didn’t prepare anything like that,” Meilin laughed, dampening their enthusiasm. “Even if we went out to buy some now, it’s probably too late, right?”

“No need to be so serious. We can improvise with whatever’s around.”

The group’s excitement grew, but Shi Yi, unfamiliar with such games, simply listened in silence.

Then, unexpectedly, Xiao Ren quietly summoned a young girl standing nearby and whispered a few words to her. The girl, one of his attendants, quickly left and soon returned carrying a long, narrow case."What is it?" Shi Yi asked him curiously.

"Pai Gow, also known as bone tiles."

Shi Yi looked at him in surprise.

Beside them sat Hong Xiaoyu and Du Feng. Upon hearing this, Xiaoyu became quite interested: "Someone actually brought it? Perfect, open it up and let's all play together."

The young girl only looked at Xiao Ren. After he nodded, she placed the narrow box on the table.

The smooth, slightly yellowed ivory tiles were stacked four at a time and quickly arranged into eight rows.

The girl showed no intention of leaving. Instead, she stood by the table, clearly taking on the role of the dealer. The group fell somewhat silent. Initially, they had assumed Shi Yi's younger brother was just a spoiled rich kid, and the girl accompanying him must be there to attend to his daily needs.

But looking at the bone tiles on the table and the girl's deft shuffling gestures... one might have mistaken the scene for an old-fashioned gambling den, with them as honored guests given a private table.

"Our elders enjoy these games, so to humor them, everyone in the family has learned a bit," Xiao Ren explained kindly. "This sister often plays with my father, so she's very familiar with it."

The explanation was somewhat cryptic but not hard to understand.

With the tiles now out, those who had been eager to play quickly shifted their attention to the table to place their bets. Since it was all for fun and Meilin strictly forbade any real money exchanges, the girl acting as dealer symbolically distributed some chips to everyone as their starting capital.

As the other side grew lively, Shi Yi found it odd and quietly asked Xiao Ren, "Does your father... or uncle really like this?"

"The whole family enjoys it," Xiao Ren replied, looking at her. "Has my brother never mentioned it?"

She shook her head.

"Your family is really interesting," Hong Xiaoyu remarked, finding the young boy's demeanor and speech utterly fascinating. "Do you know how to play?"

Zhou Shengren nodded. "I do."

Hong Xiaoyu chuckled and tugged at Du Feng's arm. "Want to give it a try later?"

"Since there's no real money involved, why not?" Du Feng also regarded Xiao Ren with amusement. "Didn't expect a young boy to know Pai Gow. Are you any good?"

Zhou Shengren met his gaze. "I'm not exceptionally skilled, but I'm more than capable of playing with you."

"Oh?" Du Feng laughed. "Quite the bold claim. When I go to Macau, I rarely lose."

Xiao Ren thought for a moment. "Have you heard of the saying 'Pai Gow toppling a city'?" His voice carried a hint of laughter, as if recalling someone or something. "In the life-and-death stakes of Pai Gow, you can lose an entire city in one night. So it's best not to dabble in it lightly, especially when acting on impulse."

(End of Chapter)