One and Only

Chapter 3: Unfathomable Past (2)

"Huh? Professor Zhou Shengchen actually arranged for his student to save us seats?" Hong Xiaoyu pulled over a chair and sat down first.

"It wasn't the professor's doing," the student hurriedly explained. "This teahouse belongs to my father. I happened to be off today. Last night, after finishing experiments late with the professor, he mentioned coming to Qinglong Temple to admire the flowers today, so I specifically reserved seats for you all."

The young man spoke while personally serving tea, placing a cup before each person. When it was Shi Yi's turn, he seemed a bit shy, smiling bashfully. "Forgot to mention—my name is He Shan."

She nodded. "Easy to remember."

He Shan, who had taken an instant liking to this beautiful older sister, made sure to hand the tea directly to her.

Hong Xiaoyu, having grown up as Shi Yi's neighbor, was long accustomed to such reactions. Instead, she glanced at Zhou Shengchen, then back at Shi Yi. Truth be told, this man with the surname Zhousheng was quite unusual—at least he hadn’t faltered in the face of beauty.

"Come on, let’s play some Double Raise," Hong Xiaoyu cheerfully pulled out two decks of cards, spilling them across the table until it was completely covered. "Shi Yi doesn’t play, so the four of us can team up."

Seeing her card-game enthusiasm, Shi Yi obligingly moved to the innermost seat. In the end, Zhou Shengchen partnered with the cameraman and ended up sitting right beside Shi Yi. Noticing a book on the windowsill, she picked it up to pass the time—a copy of New Weekly left behind by some tourist. She flipped through the pages, skimming idly.

Zhou Shengchen dealt the cards unhurriedly, chatting casually with the others.

His posture was impeccably upright, as if it were second nature. Even while playing cards, subtle details revealed his refined upbringing. Shi Yi only stole glances at him from the corner of her eye when he played his cards. Interestingly, the cards in his hand were always neatly arranged, maintaining a perfectly symmetrical fan shape.

Everything about him was just right—precisely, impeccably so.

Yet it was this very perfection that made him feel distant. No matter how close they sat, an invisible line seemed to separate them.

The cameraman was the most talkative, and soon the conversation turned to his past academic struggles. "Honestly, my grades back then were terrible. I barely scraped past the first-tier cutoff in the college entrance exams and barely got into university. Professor Zhousheng, are you the type who’s devoted to science?"

"Not exactly," he replied, placing a card on the wooden table. "I just never figured out what else I could do besides research."

The cameraman fell silent.

Hong Xiaoyu clicked her tongue. "Professor Zhousheng, don’t be so distant—let’s talk about something more relatable?"

"Alright, you suggest something."

"Do you have any... particularly mundane hobbies?" she asked.

"Plenty. Like watching TV dramas."

"TV? That’s not too mundane," Hong Xiaoyu chuckled. "What do you usually watch?"

" A Step Into the Past ."

"Normal, normal," Hong Xiaoyu finally regained her footing in the conversation. "So even chemistry professors enjoy time-travel dramas—and A Step Into the Past , no less. My college boyfriend loved it too, watched it four times."

"I’ve probably seen it over seventy times," Zhou Shengchen said offhandedly. "To be precise, seventy-nine."

Hong Xiaoyu, too, fell silent.The entire afternoon was spent wrestling with 108 playing cards. Zhou Shengchen's student clearly idolized him, occasionally sharing some awe-inspiring anecdotes—though most were related to scientific research. The others couldn't understand but frequently expressed their admiration.

By evening, the teahouse gradually quieted down.

Yet Shi Yi had flipped through less than three pages of her magazine.

As darkness fell, the chill crept in through the window. A waiter came over to close it, thoughtfully bringing small plates of snacks for the group. Hong Xiaoyu finally remembered Shi Yi's presence, which had been as inconspicuous as air: "What are you reading?"

"North Korean defectors," Shi Yi waved the book slightly. "It's about North Korea."

"What's a 'North Korean defector'?" He Shan tossed down two cards, curious.

"People who couldn't endure the great famine in North Korea chose to flee to China or South Korea. In a sense, they are stateless, without a homeland," Zhou Shengchen's voice was steady, devoid of any excess emotion. "If caught and sent back, they'd be charged with treason."

"Treason? That serious?" He Shan sighed. "Risking death just to escape?"

The cameraman chuckled and patted his arm. "I once interviewed some defectors. They said it was common for families to mention relatives who starved to death. If it were you, wouldn't you flee?"

The cameraman spoke with such gravity.

Shi Yi pulled over the plate of snacks, picked one that looked tasty, and took a bite.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Shengchen reached over and flipped a page of the book in her hands. Only then did she realize that although he had been playing cards with them, his gaze had been fixed on the magazine.

After reading the last few lines, he withdrew his eyes and looked at his cards, casually tossing two onto the table.

Hong Xiaoyu was still excitedly discussing "defectors" when she glanced at his discarded cards and wailed, "Game over. We're completely beaten."

Just like that, the entire afternoon slipped away. By the time they left the teahouse, night had fallen. The cameraman enthusiastically invited everyone to dinner, but Zhou Shengchen merely checked his watch and said, "I have a meeting tonight." He Shan, his assistant in Xi'an for the past few months, though eager to join the meal, had no choice but to return to the research institute with him.

The group split into two. Zhou Shengchen and He Shan headed for the bus stop.

Shi Yi and the others waited for a taxi on the opposite side of the street, still within sight of each other.

Zhou Shengchen stood behind a dense crowd, waiting for the 400 bus back to the institute. It was rush hour, and three or four packed buses came and went without stopping.

Meanwhile, their group, just a dozen meters away, couldn't hail a taxi either due to the crowd.

Shi Yi showed no impatience about waiting.

She thought this was nice—Zhou Shengchen wasn't far away, and He Shan was complaining to him about something. A faint smile quickly appeared on his face as he replied, equally unhurried.

Shi Yi watched him, wondering what words he might use to reassure the young graduate student beside him.

"If you've never taken the 400 bus, you have no idea what a crowded bus really feels like," the cameraman, Xiao Shuai, remarked with a laugh, glancing at Zhou Shengchen. "But we're in the same boat—who knows who'll get back first?"

"Should we offer them a ride if we get a taxi?" Shi Yi immediately suggested."We're still standing in the sea of people with an uncertain future," Xiaoyu was thoroughly amused by her, leaning on her shoulder to whisper, "Beauty Shi Yi, since kindergarten, no matter who wanted to play prince or princess, you were always the princess. So just relax and be the princess. This guy really doesn't seem interested in you. How does that saying go? You're not his cup of tea."

Between Xiaoyu's words, another bus pulled into the station.

Zhou Shengchen and He Shan finally squeezed onto the bus and disappeared from Shi Yi's sight. From beginning to end, Zhou Shengchen never glanced back in her direction.

The next day, the photographer took them around some famous spots in Xi'an. As Shi Yi viewed these historic landmarks amidst the flood of tourists, she felt a sense of familiarity, though the memories were no longer clear.

In her recollection, as a child, she could recount those past-life memories in detail.

But gradually, as time passed from kindergarten to elementary, then middle and high school, all related memories faded. When she tried to recall them now, they felt more like a bizarre dream. If not for repeatedly telling herself over the years, "I must meet him," even those memories of Zhou Shengchen would have vanished without a trace.

By the last day, both of them were more exhausted than after work. Taking advantage of the photographer's visit home to see his parents, they stayed in the hotel, resting while organizing work materials for their return.

She took the documents sent by her agent to the hotel front desk for printing.

The young woman at the front desk was very polite upon hearing her request, taking the USB drive. "May I know your room number? I'll have the floor staff deliver the prints when they're ready."

"Thank you, room 1212," she replied, then reconsidered, "Actually, I'll wait here. No need to copy the files, just print them directly."

"1212?" The young woman perked up at the room number. "Miss Shi?"

"Yes."

"There's a book here for you, left by a gentleman just now. We haven't had the chance to send it up yet," the young woman picked up a large kraft paper envelope from the side and placed it on the counter. "The gentleman's surname was Zhousheng," she added with a cute murmur, "What an unusual surname."

Shi Yi looked down at the blank envelope. "Did he just leave?"

Testing its weight and feel, it seemed to contain a book. City Notes?

"About ten minutes ago," the young woman said, handing the USB to a colleague for assistance before stepping out from behind the counter. "If the documents are important, guests can operate the printer themselves. This way, Miss Shi."

Hearing Zhou Shengchen's name had already unsettled her.

When the young woman opened the document and saw lengthy lines of film dialogue, she couldn't help but glance at Shi Yi a few more times, silently marveling at how such a beautiful guest turned out to be an actress—though her face wasn't widely recognized yet, probably a newcomer?

The young woman admired Shi Yi's face, thinking how delightful it would be to see such a true beauty on the big screen.

Unaware of the young woman's thoughts, Shi Yi remained lost in thought, staring at the envelope.After hurriedly printing out the materials she needed, she tore open the envelope as soon as she stepped into the elevator. It was indeed the book he had mentioned at Qinglong Temple. The pages weren't very new, and the corners showed signs of wear—it really did seem like someone had lent it to him. On the cover was a blue sticky note:

This book was given to me by a colleague at the institute. If you like it, you don’t need to return it.

Zhou Shengchen.

The handwriting was elegant, but different from what she remembered.

Back in her room, she kept staring at the note before finally giving in and sending him an email, asking whether his lab had a phone installed and if it would be convenient for her to call.

After sending the email, she flipped through the book and discovered that he had attached white sticky notes to some pages. They briefly marked points where his views differed from those in the book. Perhaps it was the meticulousness of someone with a research background—for tourist attractions, he had noted whether admission was free, ticket prices, and opening hours. For restaurants, he had listed the signature dishes he thought were worth trying.

Shi Yi knew these notes must have been written long ago, not specifically for her.

Yet, looking at these "exclusive notes" pasted over the city guide, she couldn’t help but think that leaving them in was at least partly for her convenience.

She glanced at her inbox—Zhou Shengchen had already replied.

There were no unnecessary words, just a string of numbers. Shi Yi picked up her phone, entered the digits, cleared her throat twice to make sure her voice sounded its best, and finally dialed.

"Got the book?"

Those were his first words.

"Yes, thank you." She had only wanted to call him, but now that she had, she didn’t know what to say.

"It's a decent book—not like those travelogues written just to make money, full of empty, flowery prose," he said smoothly, filling the silence. "And unlike most city guides, which are half-filled with soft advertisements."

She hummed in agreement. "I’ll make sure to read it carefully."

This was, in fact, their first phone call since they’d met.

They talked about how crowded the No. 400 bus had been the day before yesterday, then about yesterday’s city tour, until Zhou Shengchen was the one to end the conversation. "I think I need to get back to work."

"I’ve always been curious—what’s the research institute like?" she asked shamelessly. "Would it be possible for you to show me around?"

Xiaoyu, who had been eavesdropping beside her, immediately glared: Could you be any less subtle?

Shi Yi pouted: I’m just curious.

Xiaoyu rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a mix of exasperation and amusement.

"It’s very dull," Zhou Shengchen said, as if refusing. But after a pause, he added, "But you’re in luck—today’s Sunday, and most researchers are off. Showing you around shouldn’t be a problem."

She quickly agreed and noted down the address he gave.

His final words were: "When you arrive, call this number again, and I’ll come down to meet you."

As soon as she hung up, Shi Yi grabbed her makeup bag and rushed to the bathroom.

Xiaoyu jumped off the bed, barefoot, and followed her to the bathroom door, watching her through the mirror. "Can you tell me what it is about him that you like so much?"Under the warm yellow light, she was using a cotton pad soaked in makeup remover to thoroughly cleanse her face, her movements meticulous and precise, completely betraying her nervousness and anticipation. Once finished, she turned on the faucet and looked seriously at her reflection in the mirror: "I think I must have known him in my past life and owed him a huge debt."

Xiaoyu chuckled. "So it's a past-life connection..."

She pressed her lips together in a faint smile. It was more than just a debt.

If he remembered even a little, he probably wouldn’t want to see her.

After getting into the taxi, she showed the driver the text message Zhou Shengchen had sent. The driver immediately laughed, saying he had just dropped off a male passenger from the same location an hour ago and knew the route well. Shi Yi guessed who the driver was referring to but didn’t expect such a coincidence.

The journey wasn’t long.

As Shi Yi stepped out of the taxi and reached for her phone, she first received a call from her agent, Meilin, who wanted to discuss upcoming voice-acting work. Meilin was a workaholic, and Shi Yi didn’t dare interrupt her casually. So, she aimlessly paced back and forth in front of the sign for the Xi’an Branch of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, talking on the phone.

Thanks to her unique voice, Shi Yi had landed rare opportunities early in her career, voicing some well-known roles. Combined with Meilin’s connections, her value gradually rose. Many producers who had met her repeatedly tried to persuade her to transition to on-screen acting.

For Meilin, a voice actor naturally couldn’t compare to a visible star.

But no matter how hard she tried to convince her, Shi Yi had no interest whatsoever. Eventually, Meilin gave up on the idea, though she still occasionally joked and probed for her thoughts.

"Yesterday, Du Yunchuan asked me if you were already being kept by someone, given how little you care about money and fame. I laughed so hard and told him, ‘Our Shi Yi has the face of a proper wife—if she marries, it’ll be legitimate,’" Meilin said after finishing business matters, now gossiping idly. "Shi Yi, tell me the truth—have you already married some reclusive tycoon? Otherwise, how can you afford to travel all year and turn down work whenever you want?"

Shi Yi lowered her head, walking slowly step by step, and smiled. "I’m not interested in rich people."

Meilin laughed. "Then what do you like? Tell me, and I’ll keep an eye out for you."

Her gaze drifted past the half-height closed gate, landing on the open space in front of the building where a figure had already appeared. He walked quickly, approaching from a distance, still wearing his lab coat over a light-checkered shirt. As Shi Yi noticed him, Zhou Shengchen seemed to spot her too, raising his right hand to point at the small closed door beside the main gate.

Shi Yi looked at him and quickly nodded, wrapping up the conversation on the phone. "The person I like must be a professor, preferably one researching polymer chemistry," she murmured, as if joking.

"What? What professor?" Meilin was startled.

"Can’t talk now. I’ll call you tonight." Seeing Zhou Shengchen approach, she hurriedly ended the call and ran to the small door, standing properly to wait for him.

Here, he seemed different from usual—hard to describe, but noticeably more serious.

"How long have you been here?" he asked while retrieving the registration book from the security booth’s small window, signing his name and the time. "Did you bring your ID?""I have it." She lowered her head to rummage through her bag, then handed her ID card to him through the railing.

Once everything was settled, someone from the security office opened the access gate and let her in.

Just as he had said, because it was the weekend, there weren’t many people moving about.

The two walked along, occasionally passing others who nodded in greeting without much conversation. Shi Yi was affected by the quiet atmosphere here, walking with extra care. Unfortunately, her high heels on the marble floor inevitably made some noise.

The more she tried to be quiet, the more the sounds seemed to amplify.

"The female researchers here also like wearing high heels," he said, stopping outside a double-layered glass door to input a code and fingerprint. "You don’t need to worry too much about it." She nodded, smiling sheepishly.

After the glass door was unlocked, he pushed it open and led her past several opaque glass rooms before finally stopping outside an office. Only when they entered the enclosed room did Shi Yi finally relax. "I always feel like entering these research facilities is akin to stealing state secrets."

"So?" He sat behind his desk, smiling. "Are you disappointed?"

"Not exactly disappointed," she said, glancing around his office and sniffing the air. "The smell here is quite unique. What do you usually do? I mean, what kind of experiments do you conduct?"

"Halogen-free flame-retardant silane cross-linked POE composite materials."

Apart from the last two words, "composite materials," she didn’t understand any of it.

She silently pointed at the blank paper beside his hand. "Can you write it down for me? The words you just said."

Zhou Shengchen shrugged, pulled out a pen, and wrote them down.

Shi Yi stared at the paper for a moment, still confused. "Is there a simpler way to explain it so I can understand?"

Zhou Shengchen thought for a while. "Simply put, it’s the outer layer material for electrical wires—corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant, anti-aging, and flame-retardant. Understand?" He smiled faintly.

"I see," Shi Yi said, pondering before she couldn’t help but laugh. "But with that explanation, it suddenly sounds so unimpressive. Doesn’t this kind of thing already exist?"

"Pretty much. But most of it is technology from over a decade ago. There hasn’t been a major breakthrough worldwide yet, so whoever achieves it first will leap ahead by more than ten years." Zhou Shengchen handed her a small bottle of purified water. "For example, in China’s first-tier cities, most wire coatings have already aged—about 80% need replacement. That’s an enormous consumption. If the technology advances even slightly, extending their lifespan by just one year, it would mean astronomical revenue."

Shi Yi looked at him in admiration. "With that explanation, it suddenly sounds very grand again."

She was about to ask more when the office door suddenly knocked. Zhou Shengchen called out, "Come in," and the door was immediately pushed open. He Shan peeked in, grinning smugly. "It really is Shi Yi."

She was both surprised and a little embarrassed. "How did you know I was here?"

"Our lab has surveillance cameras. When I came back just now, I overheard some senior colleagues saying Professor Zhou Shengchen brought in a 'celestial beauty.' I guessed it was you."

Surveillance cameras? The security really was strict.

Zhou Shengchen chuckled. "And so?""So," He Shan said earnestly, "Teacher Zhou has worked hard guiding us. We'd like to invite him to a simple dinner tonight to show our appreciation and also entertain our guests."

(The chapter ends)