Shine on Me

1

Many years later, when he looked back, Ye Rong had never actually told him about Nie Xiguang directly. Most of what he knew came from Zhuang Fei’s words.

On a weekend after the start of their senior year, he had just finished eating and washing the dishes, preparing to leave for Jiang Rui’s house to tutor him. Zhuang Fei followed him to the door, hesitating several times before finally speaking up.

As he sat on the stool tying his shoelaces, Zhuang Fei finally blurted out, “Brother, does Jiang Rui’s sister like you?”

“Who told you that?” Zhuang Xu paused mid-motion, straightening up.

“Rongrong-jie said so.” Zhuang Fei quickly added, “She wasn’t speaking ill of anyone, she was just a bit upset. Jiang Rui’s sister seems really domineering—she knew about your relationship, yet she said in the dorm that she was determined to chase after you.”

Zhuang Xu fell silent for a moment before replying, “I see.”

“Brother, do you like her? I think what she’s doing… isn’t good.” Zhuang Fei had always been a gentle boy, and for him to describe something as “not good” was already his limit.

Zhuang Xu didn’t answer directly. Instead, he bent down again, carefully tying his shoelaces. “Focus on your studies. These things aren’t for you to worry about.”

He stood up but didn’t leave immediately. After a pause, he lowered his gaze and said, “There are only a few lessons left. I’ll stop after finishing them.”

Without waiting for Zhuang Fei’s response, he walked out, forgetting to close the door behind him as he usually did.

Later, when their mother was hospitalized, there was a day when only he and Zhuang Fei were home for dinner. Zhuang Fei brought her up again: “Brother, can’t we borrow some money from Auntie and pay Jiang Rui’s sister back first?”

Zhuang Xu immediately turned to him. “Why do you say that?”

Zhuang Fei stammered for a while before answering, “Rongrong-jie said everyone at your school knows about Jiang Rui’s sister lending you money. No one knows who spread it, but… she said in the dorm that since she helped you, you’d definitely have to be with her.”

Zhuang Xu gripped his chopsticks tightly for a long time before repeating, “Don’t worry about these things. Just focus on your studies.”

Yet it was also Zhuang Fei who, after meeting her once during his college entrance exams, told him, “Brother, I don’t think Xiguang-jie is the kind of person Rongrong-jie described.”

He had called her “Xiguang-jie” from the moment they met.

Xiguang… Nie Xiguang.

Of course, she wasn’t.

Zhuang Fei had realized it after just one meeting.

But back then, he…

“You say you misunderstood me. How could you misunderstand me? Because of what others said? But we spent an entire summer and a semester together. I did so many things, said so many words—didn’t you see or hear any of it? With your intelligence and emotional intelligence, couldn’t you really tell? You just didn’t want to understand. You just took it for granted.”

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window of his office in Lujiazui, Zhuang Xu didn’t understand why he remembered that conversation from so many years ago with such clarity.

He knew he hadn’t misremembered a single word.

Over the years, he had also come to realize that not a single word she said had been wrong.

A soft knock at the door pulled him out of his distant memories.

“Come in,” he said in a low voice.

The new assistant, Xiao Chu, pushed the door open. “President Zhuang.”He reported several work items to him while Zhuang Xu stood by the window listening. Finally, Xiao Chu mentioned A University's anniversary celebration: "The school has received the stamped donation agreement, and the finance department will transfer the funds according to the agreement in the next couple of days. Additionally, the school has invited you to attend the donation ceremony on the 25th and the banquet that evening. The official anniversary is on the 26th, with the university-wide celebration in the afternoon followed by events at the Business School, and a dinner hosted by the Business School in the evening. The liaison has sent me detailed information about other activities, which I've printed out."

Xiao Chu handed him the anniversary schedule. Zhuang Xu took it and quickly skimmed through it: "Skip the donation ceremony—the amount isn't significant enough to warrant it. I can attend the banquet, though. Adjust my afternoon meeting on the 25th."

Xiao Chu nodded, though inwardly he disagreed. A personal donation of ten million wasn't significant? Sure, some alumni had donated hundreds of millions, but those were veteran entrepreneurs nearing sixty. His boss was barely over thirty—he really didn’t need to hold himself to such high standards.

"Are we staying in Nanjing for a night then?"

"Yes, you’ll come with me."

"Great!" Xiao Chu beamed, answering enthusiastically.

As a recent A University graduate, accompanying his boss back for the alma mater’s anniversary was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. In a way, landing a job at this renowned quant fund right after graduation was like returning home in glory.

Xiao Chu left the office excitedly, leaving the spacious room momentarily quiet.

After standing there a while longer, Zhuang Xu returned to his seat. In front of him, multiple screens flickered with data hiding the secrets of wealth, while behind him stretched the dazzling, expensive skyline of the Huangpu River.

His partner and investor had once joked when he moved into this office, "Zhuang, from now on, you own a piece of the Huangpu River too."

Zhuang Xu had only smiled. In truth, standing before this floor-to-ceiling window often made him feel like he was teetering on the edge of a cliff, one misstep away from a fall.

This mindset was reflected in his investment style—always cautious, patient, waiting for the perfect moment to strike decisively.

His phone, set aside, had been buzzing with WeChat notifications. After replying to an email, Zhuang Xu picked it up and opened the app.

The A University Business School group chat showed hundreds of unread messages.

Normally a quiet group, it had become unusually lively as the anniversary approached, and today the enthusiasm had peaked. The reason for the excitement was a post from a classmate who had stayed on as faculty, forwarding two announcements from the university’s website an hour earlier.

One was about Guangyu Solar’s donation to A University, the other about Sequence Quant Fund’s donation.

After sharing the news, the classmate had tagged two people with a slightly formal tone: "@Nie Xiguang @Zhuang Xu Having you both is our Business School class’s pride."

Zhuang Xu had received the invitation to A University’s centennial celebration over a month ago. Since then, he had remained indifferent, not a single person crossing his mind.

Until this moment, when he was tagged.

The tagged message had long since been buried in the flood of replies.

Zhuang Xu watched the still-active chat without scrolling up, so he didn’t know whether the other tagged alumnus had responded. But out of courtesy, he figured he ought to reply politely.He tapped open the text input box, but before he could finish typing "You flatter me," two new messages popped up in the chat.

The alumnus who had been @'ed along with him first sent a lively sticker, then graciously replied: "Just got out of a meeting. You’re all too kind—just doing my part."

If words could mirror one’s presence, was this a reunion of old acquaintances?

She seemed just as silent in the alumni group as he was.

At least, this was the first time he’d noticed her.

After WeChat became ubiquitous, classmates formed all sorts of group chats, yet everyone had silently agreed never to add them to the same one—except for public alumni groups like the A University Business School chat.

And in reality, after Suzhou, he had never run into her again. Not even at classmates’ weddings.

Either he had prior commitments, or she was away on business. It was as if fate had abruptly severed every connection between them, denying even the smallest coincidence.

Zhuang Xu held his phone for a long moment before finally sending his reply.

Outside, night had fallen. He set the alumni group back to mute, suddenly losing the will to continue working. His phone still had over a dozen unread messages. He stood up, grabbed his jacket from the couch, and walked out while scrolling through them.

Alex had texted him at noon, saying Shawn, a former colleague from Bank A, had returned to the country. He was hosting a welcome dinner with some other friends and asked if Zhuang Xu wanted to join.

Zhuang Xu replied simply: "Where?"

2

At a Western restaurant along the Lujiazui riverfront, Alex put down his phone and casually remarked, "A friend is joining us later—an old colleague of mine and Shawn’s from Bank A. Hope no one minds?"

Of course, no one did. It was common for friends to bring friends to these gatherings—that’s how networks expanded. In fact, two people at the table were meeting Alex for the first time.

But likewise, no one paid it much attention. Only Shawn asked, "Who’s coming?"

Alex had been waiting for this. Keeping his tone indifferent, he said, "Zhuang."

Shawn blinked. "Who?"

"Zhuang. Worked with us in the same department before transferring to the investment banking division not long after. You forgot?"

How could Shawn forget? "Zhuang Xu?"

No further introduction was needed. Everyone at the table was in finance, and someone immediately let out an impressed, "Whoa, not the Zhuang Xu, is it?"

Alex nodded. "Who else? It’s not exactly a common name."

Shawn was stunned. "Zhuang was only at Bank A for a little over a year, right? I remember he left before I went abroad. You two are still that close? His reputation has skyrocketed these past few years—even overseas, I’ve heard about his counter-market growth miracles."

Alex nearly rolled his eyes. "What, you think success means ditching your friends?"

Others couldn’t resist chiming in. "Alex, you’ve been holding out on us? You can just casually summon a heavyweight like Zhuang Xu? Never heard you mention you were this tight with him before."

Alex feigned modesty. "It’s not like I’m the big shot—no point bragging. Today’s about Shawn’s return, so I just asked if he wanted to come."

Shawn quickly waved it off. "Don’t credit me—this is all Alex’s pull."

Satisfied, Alex grew even humbler. "We were roommates back then, so we’ve always been closer."Though he said this, Alex knew in his heart that if Zhuang Xu hadn't abruptly reached out to him years ago under the pretense of business, suggesting they go to Suzhou together, they might still be mere acquaintances today.

They truly became friends after returning from that photovoltaic company in Suzhou.

He still vividly remembered Zhuang Xu's demeanor on their way back—how desperately he tried to appear normal, yet every detail of him was falling apart.

That day, after returning to Shanghai, Alex had plans with a girl he liked. But even after arriving at her neighborhood, he called and canceled. Instead, he went home, grabbed a stack of beers, and knocked on Zhuang Xu's door.

After that, Alex inexplicably became intensely interested in the photovoltaic sector.

He didn’t know if Zhuang Xu felt the same. During the years when photovoltaic stocks were booming, he would sometimes wonder—had Zhuang Xu heavily invested in this sector?

Would it remind him of that person from the past?

Sometimes, he even thought that Zhuang Xu’s desperate departure from Bank A back then might have been partly because of that person.

Big institutions may be prestigious and respectable, but they move too slowly.

As Alex reminisced, the conversation at the table had shifted to Zhuang Xu’s personal life. A friend asked curiously, "I heard he’s still single?"

Alex didn’t see any harm in answering. "Yeah, as far as I know. But the last time we met was three months ago."

"I heard Grace from DC is his girlfriend?"

"That’s ancient news," another friend chimed in. "They broke up ages ago. They dated for a year or two. Grace is with some young guy now, flaunting it all over social media."

The financial circle in Shanghai wasn’t large, and gossip spread quickly. It wasn’t surprising someone knew. Alex had met Grace once—they’d had a meal together—but they weren’t close. He was more familiar with Zhuang Xu’s later girlfriend, Susie, a stylish and beautiful woman. She had been Zhuang Xu’s classmate during their studies in the UK, and they had even met through him. But a year ago, they had broken up too.

Men could be even more enthusiastic about gossip than women, and the conversation soon spiraled into wild speculation. Alex quickly intervened, "Don’t spread rumors. Zhuang is a decent guy. None of that nonsense you’re talking about is true. He’s only had two girlfriends, and both relationships ended."

"Did the big shot dump them?"

Alex snapped, "It was mutual."

So mutual that Susie even continued to have meals with them afterward.

He had asked Susie privately how she managed to stay so unbothered. She replied with remarkable ease, "He didn’t do anything fundamentally wrong. Why can’t we be friends?"

"Then why did you break up?"

Susie shot back, "Do you need a reason to break up? What outdated thinking."

Alex huffed, "I just don’t want you to regret it when you can’t find another guy as good as him!"

Susie shook her head. "He is good—exceptional, handsome, wealthy, even considerate and gentlemanly. Who wouldn’t love him? Being with him was wonderful, but over time, it felt lonely. Alex, I don’t want to sound cliché, but... he didn’t love me enough. I couldn’t keep torturing my heart.""Welcome." The waiter's voice suddenly rang out.

Alex leaned forward to glance at the entrance and immediately waved when he confirmed it was Zhuang Xu arriving.

Everyone at the table followed his gaze. The friend who had been gossiping most enthusiastically gasped, "He really is that strikingly handsome? I thought the public photos were photoshopped."

Alex: "..."

Watching his old friend approach, he noted how Zhuang Xu remained tall, slender, and refined as ever—someone who could effortlessly shift the atmosphere of any room just by appearing. Time seemed to have treated him kindly, leaving only graceful marks that made his every movement appear more relaxed and natural.

Zhuang Xu reached the table and casually pulled out the chair beside Alex. "I'm late."

Alex chuckled. "No worries, as long as you're paying."

"Of course," Zhuang Xu replied with a faint smile.

The dinner was thoroughly enjoyable, lasting until past nine. Naturally, Alex didn't actually let Zhuang Xu pay—after all, he had organized the gathering, and Zhuang Xu's presence until the end already gave him plenty of face.

After bidding farewell to the others at the restaurant entrance, Alex asked Zhuang Xu, "Walking back?"

Zhuang Xu nodded; his home was nearby.

"Let's go together then. I need to pick up my car from the office—we can walk part of the way."

Along the path, Alex kept sighing dramatically. "I should've gritted my teeth and bought a place here back then. Could've gotten an extra half hour of sleep every morning."

Zhuang Xu teased lightly, "That doesn't sound like something the 'party king' would say. Weren't you out until dawn every weekend back then?"

Alex shuddered. "Ugh, don't bring up that old nickname—so cringe. We're older now; gotta take care of ourselves."

As they chatted, they passed the neighborhood they had once rented in together, their steps slowing almost simultaneously.

Looking at the familiar gate, Alex suddenly laughed. "You know, when I asked you to be roommates back then, I had ulterior motives."

Realizing how that sounded, he quickly clarified, "Not that kind of ulterior motive—married man here, perfectly normal orientation. I meant, with you being so handsome, I figured tons of girls would want to meet you. If we lived together, I could piggyback off your charm to meet more girls."

Time had passed, and Alex could now laugh about his old scheming.

"I guessed as much."

"You did?" Alex was surprised.

"We weren't that close back then. You suddenly offered to pay 60% of the rent while I only paid 40%—there had to be a reason for such a generous deal."

Alex immediately protested, "And you still took so long to agree, even knowing what a sweet deal it was?!"

"40% wasn't exactly cheap either." Zhuang Xu looked up at the building where he had once lived—a habitual glance he used to make every night returning home.

With a smile, he added, "I must've struggled hard over it."

Watching his expression, Alex found himself thinking again of that person buried deep in their memories.

He remembered running into that Ms. Nie in the neighborhood before the trip to Suzhou. Back then, Zhuang Xu hadn't seemed particularly warm toward her and had even started actively joining the social events Alex organized.

Before agreeing to be roommates, had Zhuang Xu known she lived nearby too?Zhuang Xu withdrew his gaze and walked forward. Alex caught up with him and said casually, "Zhuang, it's been over a year since you and Susie broke up, right? Haven't you started dating anyone else?"

Zhuang Xu responded with equal nonchalance, "Why? Are you trying to set me up?"

Alex was speechless. "You don't need my introductions. Look at the circles you move in now—everyone there is exceptional."

"Hey, don't tell me you still haven't gotten over that girl from Suzhou. It's been years." Alex calculated the time and exclaimed in surprise, "Almost a decade."

Alex expected Zhuang Xu to immediately deny it, but instead, he lowered his eyes and said quietly, "I'm not old enough to forget yet."

But it wasn't that kind of not forgetting.

In truth, if not for the alumni reunion, he felt as though he had already stopped thinking about her.

At the next intersection, they went their separate ways. Watching Zhuang Xu's tall, slender figure recede into the distance, Alex inexplicably recalled Susie's words—being with him was lonely.

Yet at this moment, he felt that Zhuang Xu might not have wanted to disappoint his girlfriend. He had been serious and committed, but loneliness was simply part of his nature.

Then he found himself laughing at his own thoughts.

This friend of his was now a rising star in finance, managing billions in funds, with a personal net worth likely in the nine figures. Who was he to think the man was lonely?

Besides, if one could achieve such success at a young age, who wouldn't be willing to endure a little loneliness?

3

On the way to Nanjing, Xiao Chu kept sending WeChat messages. Zhuang Xu replied to a few emails on his phone and glanced up just in time to catch the young man's radiant smile.

Noticing his gaze, Xiao Chu quickly put his phone away and nervously explained, "I don't have any urgent work right now, so..."

"It's fine."

Xiao Chu relaxed, a hint of bashfulness in his voice. "My girlfriend was messaging me. She's also from A University and hasn't graduated yet. She was just asking what to eat for late-night snacks."

Zhuang Xu nodded slightly. Just as Xiao Chu thought he was off the hook, he heard him ask, "Is Hesheng still open?"

Huh? Xiao Chu looked puzzled.

Apparently, it had closed long ago. "What about Lao Lin's rice dishes?"

"Never heard of it." Xiao Chu scratched his head.

"The beef noodle place by the north gate?"

"That one's still there." Xiao Chu nodded eagerly. "My girlfriend and I go there often, but there's always a long line."

The boss seemed distracted again. The closer they got to the reunion, the more frequently his mind wandered. Xiao Chu suddenly remembered the rumors his girlfriend had just shared about their boss's university days.

Apparently, back then, he had been quite popular with the girls.

Still fresh out of college, Xiao Chu retained some of his youthful naivety and boldness. Forgetting his earlier nervousness, he couldn't resist asking, "Boss Zhuang, were you really that popular with girls in college?"

Zhuang Xu seemed surprised by the question. When their eyes met, Xiao Chu immediately regretted it—this was way too inappropriate.

Just as he was berating himself, his boss answered.

"I'm not sure, but—"

But what?! Don't leave me hanging! Xiao Chu didn't dare press further, but his wide, unblinking eyes betrayed his burning curiosity.

"I did like a classmate once.""What happened next?" Xiao Chu asked without hesitation. This time it wasn't recklessness—his boss clearly wanted to talk now! It would be unprofessional not to press further.

"Then?"

His boss's gaze grew distant, a faint smile curling his lips as he said, "Then, she told me it was all in my imagination."

Xiao Chu was utterly shocked.

What kind of situation was this? Had his boss been rejected after confessing? How was that possible? And the other party had been so cruel—not just rejecting him, but completely denying his feelings altogether.

His eyes fell on his boss's extraordinarily handsome face, utterly perplexed. Forget about his boss's many outstanding qualities—just based on his height and looks alone, how could any girl possibly refuse him?

He couldn't help but recall his boss's legendary rise to success. It was common knowledge that the boss came from humble beginnings—could that girl have rejected him back then because he was too poor during his student days?

That would have been incredibly short-sighted.

Xiao Chu immediately imagined some satisfying revenge-novel scenarios—how fortunes reverse over time, how one shouldn't bully the young and poor. With vindictive certainty, he said, "She must be regretting it now."

He was immediately contradicted. "No, she's doing very well."

Huh? Xiao Chu felt like his flattery had missed the mark, his face flushing with awkwardness.

After a pause, the boss added, "Even if she weren't doing well, she wouldn't regret it."

A thousand question marks popped up in Xiao Chu's mind, his curiosity burning even brighter. What kind of girl could reject the boss and still earn his unwavering defense?

But his boss clearly had no intention of satisfying his curiosity. After saying this, he seemed to suddenly lose interest in the conversation, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes.

Xiao Chu, embarrassed by his misjudged attempt at flattery, decided to stay quiet for a while. However, after the car had traveled some distance, he heard his boss murmur softly, "It was my fault. If I get to see her this time, I think I should apologize to her."

4

Although the official university anniversary was tomorrow, University A was already buzzing with celebratory atmosphere.

At the very least, the traffic jam outside the north gate had already begun.

Xiao Chu stuck his head out the car window for a long while, but there was still no sign of movement ahead.

"Looks like a minor accident. Good thing we left early," he reported to Zhuang Xu after rolling up the window.

Zhuang Xu nodded, checked his watch, and instructed, "You and the driver go ahead to the university first. I'll walk there later."

Xiao Chu was taken aback. Their vehicle was registered and could drive directly onto campus. The university was huge—walking to the dining venue wouldn't be a short trip.

But before he could say more, Zhuang Xu had already opened the car door and stepped out.

Xiao Chu's gaze involuntarily followed him, watching his tall, lean figure weave through the gridlock, walk further ahead, and finally stop—in front of a beef noodle shop?

Xiao Chu rubbed his eyes. What was going on? Had the boss gotten hungry and decided to grab noodles?

It made sense—there were still over three hours until the banquet, and they'd only eaten sandwiches for lunch while rushing to leave.

But how could the boss eat alone? He was hungry too! Why didn't the boss take him along?

Xiao Chu sulked.

Zhuang Xu stood outside the door for several minutes before finally pushing it open. The familiar aroma of food immediately greeted him.

The shop looked largely unchanged—the same wooden tables and chairs, the walls slightly refurbished but mostly the same. The waitstaff seemed to be the same people, just a bit heavier, though still quick on their feet.

The only real difference was that payment was now required upfront. The cashier even recognized him. "I remember you. Here for the anniversary, right?"

"Yes."

"I remember the handsome ones. You look like you're doing well. Here alone? Still single?" The woman was slightly nosy.

Zhuang Xu didn't mind her curiosity and smiled in response. "Not yet."

"Well, keep at it."

"I will," he said earnestly.

After paying at the counter, he took his receipt and looked for a seat.

Perhaps many alumni had come for nostalgia—despite it being past peak dining hours, the shop was still quite full, with only a few empty seats remaining.Zhuang Xu's gaze fell on one of the empty seats.

Time seemed to suddenly rewind.

He remembered that day when he and Ye Rong had left school and passed by this place. She had unexpectedly pulled him into this noodle shop. At the time, his emotions were in turmoil—part of him relieved that he could finally let go, while another part couldn’t help but think about how to persuade Ye Rong not to make a scene at school.

It wasn’t until she stood up that he realized she was there too.

That was the last time he had visited this noodle shop during his university days.

Back then, he had exerted every ounce of his willpower to resist the feelings that defied his better judgment, yet he still ended up doing so many inexplicable things.

When repaying her money, he would deliberately return extra, secretly hoping she would ask why—just so he could casually tell her it was his earnings from dabbling in the stock market.

The financial markets were never a sure bet. His initial capital had been a mere thirty thousand yuan. If he had lost it, it would have taken him much longer to repay her. Fortunately, he had made a profit. The excitement and sense of accomplishment in that moment couldn’t be matched, not even by the vast fortunes he later maneuvered in the secondary market with billions at his disposal. At the time, despite being determined to distance himself, he had desperately longed for her surprised, admiring gaze—just like the way she had looked at him when he brought out a plate of fried rice from Jiang Rui’s kitchen.

How clumsy and self-absorbed you were, Zhuang Xu, he said to his past self.

Those memories had replayed endlessly during a certain period of his life. But many things could only be seen clearly, dissected in detail, after achieving success and recognition.

He had also progressed from needing to clench his fists to endure such self-reproach, to shaking his head with a wry smile when remembering, until now, when he hardly thought of it at all.

His gaze lingered on that empty seat for a long time, but in the end, he chose to sit elsewhere.

The noodles arrived.

This time, the beef noodles didn’t taste as bland as they had the last time. The bone broth was rich and fragrant, the noodles tender yet chewy. He ate calmly, finishing half the soup before getting up to leave.

The road outside had reopened, bustling with cars and pedestrians. Through the glass door, he glanced out before pulling it open. A woman stood outside, talking on the phone, her back to him. She wore a long dress, her hair flowing, dressed in a beige sweater—a soft, gentle color.

He was about to walk past her as he would any stranger on the street, but then he heard her voice.

“Where did you even park?”

Zhuang Xu froze mid-step.

“That far? Then I’ll wait for you at the entrance… No, I won’t go in yet. The shop’s sign isn’t very noticeable, and I don’t want you searching forever. I’ll be your landmark… Huh? You think that’s an insult?”

She laughed. He couldn’t see her face, but he imagined her smile—lively, joyful, and light.

“Fine, fine. Then I’ll go in and wait. If you don’t show up in ten minutes, you have to admit your eyesight’s failing and your sense of direction is terrible.”

Still laughing, she turned to walk inside, not expecting anyone to be standing behind her. She collided with him before she could react.

“Ah,” she gasped softly.

Zhuang Xu instinctively reached out to steady her but restrained himself at the last second.

“It’s nothing, I just bumped into someone. Sorry—” She was explaining to the person on the phone when she looked up, about to apologize, but the words died in her throat the moment she recognized him.

Across mountains and rivers, through endless nights—gazing into her eyes now, he knew that when it came to her, he had finally reached the end of the road.That's wonderful, he thought. She came here without any reservations, completely unbothered.

He hadn't left a single scar on her happy life.

It felt as if a hidden corner of his heart had been fully opened. He smiled, looked at her, and said, "I'm sorry."

She paused, seeming both surprised and understanding, before finally smiling back at him. "It's okay," she replied.

—End of Prologue