The next moment, the opened doors revealed a man striding in with hurried steps.
Dressed in a black suit, his sharply defined features and extraordinarily handsome face were offset by piercing eyes too intimidating to meet directly.
"Mr. Lin! What an enthusiastic welcome!" Mr. Jin beamed with a smile as if greeting an old friend.
"It's Lin Zhihua!"
"Why is he here?"
"That can't be—Lin Zhihua hardly participates in W City's chamber of commerce events anymore!"
"Could something major be happening?"
"I'm worried too, especially at this hour!"
...
Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Xue Jiao didn't catch a single word.
Her gaze remained fixed on the man who had just entered...
Was it really Lin Zhihua?
The same Lin Zhihua she had dined with just days ago?
She had barely recovered from the shock of learning he was a big shot, and now here he was.
"Everyone, let's pause the games for now and return to our parents," Jin Sui left, and Xiao Chi took charge in her stead.
Clearly, continuing to fool around would be inappropriate now.
They needed to regroup with their parents to find out what was happening.
"What's he doing here?" Yi Tianyu was visibly displeased!
He and Xue Jiao had barely spent any time together before being forced to "separate"!
Xue Jiao averted her gaze slightly to look at Yi Tianyu. "You..."
"Hmm?" Yi Tianyu met her eyes.
Their gazes locked, standing so close that one only had to tilt their head up while the other looked down.
At the entrance, Lin Zhihua's hand clasped Mr. Jin's in greeting.
"Hello, it's been a while, Mr. Jin."
The corners of his lips lifted slightly, feigning a smile.
Then his eyes swept casually across the room before settling on a corner.
There, a young man in a blue suit and a girl in a red dress stood facing each other.
Lin Zhihua's hand stiffened for a fleeting moment before he calmly withdrew it.
Mr. Jin didn't even notice this brief flicker of emotion.
"Hahaha, it certainly has been a while! Mr. Lin, your influence is impressive—you've even expanded to the capital! It's rare for you to attend our W City gathering. Please, come in!"
Though Mr. Jin welcomed him warmly, his mind was racing.
Why was he here? Could something major be happening?
A thousand thoughts swirled beneath his composed exterior as Lin Zhihua followed the beaming Mr. Jin inside.
In the corner.
"Never mind..." Xue Jiao didn't feel like explaining.
Yi Tianyu, do you realize the person you've been praising to the skies for his original outline is the very man you're scowling at now?
Obviously, Yi Tianyu didn't know, so he said, "You don't want to go to your mom either, right? Let's sneak out!"
The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. "I used to leave when I got bored. Now that the Lin family's boss is here, things are going to get formal again—no more fun allowed! So let's go. I'll take you somewhere great!"
Xue Jiao: "..."
She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right."
The young people who had been playing together earlier gradually dispersed, heading toward their parents.
Cheng Mingze also approached, stopping beside Xue Jiao—
"Let's go over."
His gaze flickered briefly over Yi Tianyu, whose eyes hadn't left Xue Jiao, and he frowned slightly.
"Bookworm, you go with your brother. If you get bored later, come find me~" His raised eyebrow made his meaning clear.
If it's boring, we'll slip away!
Cheng Mingze: "..."If it weren't for maintaining decorum, Cheng Mingze truly didn't want this overly familiar person calling him "brother."
Xue Jiao rolled her eyes inelegantly, though a faint smile played at the corners of her lips.
She strode over toward Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong.
Lin Zhihua had barely entered when he was surrounded by numerous people exchanging greetings and introductions, creating quite a lively scene.
As Xue Jiao and Cheng Mingze approached Cheng Shuo's position, her stepfather didn't come forward to meet them. Instead, he was speaking quietly with Li Sitong.
"Dad, Aunt Li."
"Mom, Uncle Cheng."
"Jiao Jiao and Mingze are here! Come, come!" Cheng Shuo said, beckoning them over.
The two approached, and after a long moment, it became clear Cheng Shuo had something to say.
As they drew near, they heard Cheng Shuo lower his voice: "The man who just arrived is Lin Zhihua—a business tycoon with astonishing influence and formidable methods."
Still worried about being overheard, Cheng Shuo continued in an even quieter tone: "He's the Stanford graduate I've often mentioned. He excelled academically and has been even more remarkable after graduation. The entire Lin Corporation is now firmly in his grasp, and his career is flourishing!"
"So that's why so many people are crowding around him?" Xue Jiao wondered aloud. Was this the usual scene whenever Lin Zhihua appeared?
How had she ever thought he seemed quite free before?
"That's not the only reason," Cheng Mingze explained. "He is indeed admirable, and people naturally want to maintain friendly relations with him, hoping to secure projects from Lin Corporation. But it wouldn't normally be this exaggerated. Right now, Lin Corporation is gradually shifting its operational focus to the capital. Their W City branch won't be managed as comprehensively as headquarters, creating more opportunities for collaboration. Additionally, many smaller projects in W City that don't yield enough profit will no longer be taken on by Lin Corporation."
Cheng Mingze coughed lightly. "So everyone here is vying for those opportunities. Moreover, with Lin Corporation moving to the capital, their established connections won't remain exclusively in their hands. A powerful, profitable company that doesn't engage in fierce competition with them—and even offers potential collaboration—naturally becomes their current target for networking."
Cheng Shuo nodded approvingly. "Exactly. Mingze's explanation is spot-on."
Xue Jiao's face lit up with realization. "Ah, so that's how it is!"
No wonder these people were being so overwhelmingly enthusiastic.
Cheng Shuo patted Cheng Mingze's shoulder with a smile. "Excellent! You truly have a natural talent for business acumen!"
Xue Jiao then asked, "Then... doesn't Uncle Cheng need to go over there?"
Cheng Shuo smiled broadly and turned to Cheng Mingze. "Tell me why I'm choosing to stay here instead of going over to curry favor."
Cheng Mingze glanced at the crowd before answering softly, "Two reasons. First, our Pengcheng Company wouldn't gain much from engaging with Lin Corporation, and we can't compete with the more influential players. Being overly eager might offend others, like Mr. Jin, for instance. Second..."
"Second what?" Xue Jiao asked curiously.
Cheng Mingze smiled. "Second is Dad's personality."
"Hahaha! Well said, Mingze! You've improved yet again!" Cheng Shuo laughed heartily, his delight evident.
Li Sitong also praised Cheng Mingze with a smile. "Of course Mingze is impressive! Once he takes over Pengcheng, he'll undoubtedly lead it to even greater heights!"
Still smiling, Cheng Shuo offered a word of caution: "But remember, you must guard against complacency. After all, Pengcheng remains a small company. Even someone like Lin Zhihua, who leads a massive conglomerate like Lin Corporation, continues to push forward relentlessly without the slightest slack. How much more should we?"Cheng Mingze nodded, "I'll remember that."
He would eventually join the company, and as long as it didn't go bankrupt, this would be the starting point of his future career.
She turned her head to look at Cheng Mingze.
Xue Jiao suddenly recalled the original plot where the male lead took over Cheng Shuo's company, managed it to great success, and made it the strongest comprehensive enterprise in W City!
In the original story, she had almost never seen any mention of the Lin Corporation. Even after moving to the capital, the Lin Corporation still had a branch in W City—how could Pengcheng have become the leader then?
Such a high-profile Lin Corporation now... was it not in the book?
Or... was it simply not mentioned in the original story?
Cheng Shuo gazed into the distance and sighed, "Lin Zhihua is truly remarkable. So young, yet so accomplished. The Lin Corporation was already formidable back then, but unfortunately, his grandfather and parents couldn't maintain it, and the empire was on the verge of collapse. If he hadn't taken over three years ago, who knows what would have become of the Lin Corporation!"
"His methods are a blessing for the Lin Corporation."
When Cheng Mingze finished speaking, Xue Jiao couldn't help but feel a hint of irony in his words.
Even outsiders recognized it as a blessing for the Lin Corporation, so why didn't the Lin family themselves think so?
Xue Jiao still remembered what Yi Tianyu had said... his grandfather had conspired with his second uncle to murder him.
"Boss Cheng!" Someone else came over to speak with Cheng Shuo.
The crowd surrounding Lin Zhihua gradually dispersed, waiting for their turn to talk to him one by one.
After that, Xue Jiao followed Cheng Shuo, forcing polite smiles as she greeted one "acquaintance" or "partner" after another.
——
After finishing his conversation, Cheng Shuo turned around and nearly bumped into a man.
He froze for a moment, about to step aside, when the man spoke—
"Hello."
A familiar, magnetic voice suddenly rang out. Xue Jiao, who had been following Cheng Shuo in a daze, snapped back to reality.
Her absent-minded gaze sharpened in surprise.
It was Lin Zhihua!
"Mr. Lin! Hello, hello!!"
Cheng Shuo was utterly shocked that the man would greet him and couldn't hide his delight.
The corners of Lin Zhihua's lips lifted slightly in what could be considered a smile. "Pleasure to meet you."
"This is truly an honor! I am—"
"I know. You're Boss Cheng of Pengcheng Technology," Lin Zhihua said with a smile.
"Oh my, Mr. Lin actually knows me? What an honor, hahaha." Cheng Shuo's eyes crinkled with joy.
Xue Jiao suddenly wondered—was her Uncle Cheng... a fan of Lin Zhihua?
He had praised him so highly earlier.
Lin Zhihua's gaze swept past him casually, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "The pleasure is mine, Mr. Cheng. You... are a fortunate man."
Cheng Shuo was overjoyed.
Lin Zhihua then looked at the woman beside him. "This must be Mrs. Cheng."
"Yes, yes! Hello, I'm Li Sitong, Mr. Cheng's wife. It's an honor to meet you, Mr. Lin!" Li Sitong also beamed. Since marrying into the Cheng family, her biggest fear had been holding Cheng Shuo back.
"Hello." He didn't extend his hand—everyone knew Lin Zhihua never shook hands with women.
Li Sitong didn't offer her hand either. To be precise, no woman who knew Lin Zhihua would ever try to shake his hand.
Cheng Shuo quickly introduced his children—
"This is my son, Cheng Mingze."
"Hello."
"Hello, Mr. Lin!" Cheng Mingze smiled and extended his hand.
They shook hands briefly before letting go.
Cheng Shuo pointed at Xue Jiao. "This is my daughter, Xue Jiao."
"Hello." Xue Jiao looked at him and, following Cheng Mingze's example, reached out her hand.
Instantly, Cheng Shuo, Li Sitong, and Cheng Mingze were stunned.
Oh no!They forgot to tell Xue Jiao about Lin Zhihua's rules!
Especially Cheng Shuo, who looked utterly regretful.
He thought they wouldn’t have any interaction with Lin Zhihua, so he hadn’t elaborated on the man’s **. But now...
Li Sitong’s face had gone pale. If Lin Zhihua weren’t still standing there, she would have immediately grabbed Xue Jiao’s hand!
How could she dare?!
But in reality, just as Xue Jiao’s hand paused mid-air—
"Hello," Lin Zhihua calmly extended his hand.
Their hands clasped together.
At the moment of contact, his ring finger lightly tapped the back of Xue Jiao’s hand. She abruptly looked up at him.
Their eyes met.
A faint curve appeared at the corner of Lin Zhihua’s lips, and he blinked rapidly once.
Xue Jiao: "..."
For some reason, their way of greeting each other in public made her want to laugh.
Soon, their hands parted.
Cheng Shuo and Li Sitong were left dumbfounded, their faces filled with disbelief.
Li Sitong, in particular, had married into the Cheng family and had little to do besides socializing with other wives, sipping tea, or going shopping.
Where there were women, there was gossip. Over the years, she had heard plenty about Lin Zhihua!
But no matter the rumor, they all boiled down to one thing—Lin Zhihua never had physical contact with any woman. Never!
She had always remembered that.
Cheng Shuo wasn’t just relying on hearsay—he had witnessed it firsthand.
Back when Lin Zhihua had just taken over the Lin Corporation, the company was plagued with internal and external crises, on the verge of collapse. Lin Zhihua had attended many events in W City then.
There was once a fairly influential company that held a key project the Lin family needed. Lin Zhihua had gone to great lengths to meet them.
But because he refused to shake hands with the company’s heiress, he offended them.
Later...
When the company refused to cooperate, Lin Zhihua single-handedly pushed the project through and ended up making an astronomical profit.
And later still...
That company was crushed by Lin Zhihua’s pressure. Unable to survive in W City and unwilling to go bankrupt, they relocated entirely.
Cheng Shuo never heard anything about that company again.
Even under such circumstances, Lin Zhihua hadn’t shaken hands. So when people later claimed Lin Zhihua avoided physical contact with women, Cheng Shuo firmly believed it.
But today...
Cheng Shuo was stunned. Li Sitong was stunned. Cheng Mingze was stunned.
"Mr. Lin!" Jin Sui walked over, flashing him a bright smile. "I was just looking for you! About what you mentioned earlier..."
The two began discussing business matters. Not wanting to eavesdrop, Cheng Shuo led Xue Jiao and the others away.
The moment they were out of earshot, Li Sitong gasped in a hushed voice—
"What just happened?!"
Xue Jiao was completely baffled.
"Did Jiao Jiao just shake hands with Lin Zhihua? Or am I imagining things?" Li Sitong pinched Cheng Shuo’s arm.
"It’s real. Maybe Lin Zhihua has... recovered?" Cheng Shuo ventured.
Li Sitong’s eyes widened. "Really?!"
"Most likely..." Cheng Shuo nodded.
Li Sitong’s eyes turned as round as copper bells. If this were true, heavens—the most eligible bachelor had just been born!
The reason Lin Zhihua had never been on the market before was because of his... condition!
"What are you talking about? What’s he recovered from?" Xue Jiao asked curiously.
She was rather interested in matters concerning Lin Zhihua.
"Adult matters—none of your business!" Li Sitong turned away, scolding her lightly.
How could she possibly explain this?
Clearly, Cheng Shuo also found it awkward and remained silent.Xue Jiao shrugged and said, "Then I'll go grab something to eat. You guys carry on."
With that, she turned and walked away.
"Go ahead, go ahead," Cheng Shuo added.
Cheng Mingze watched Xue Jiao's retreating figure, frowning slightly. He glanced at Lin Zhihua—for some reason, he felt something was off.
——
Xue Jiao found an inconspicuous spot and stood there nibbling on a few pieces of cake. This stuff really wasn’t filling.
She felt too full to eat more, yet she was still hungry.
"Hey—" A voice suddenly sounded beside her, trying to startle her.
Xue Jiao rolled her eyes, looking utterly unimpressed—
"Yi Tianyu, how many times are you going to play this childish trick?"
Yi Tianyu stood next to her, bending down to bring his face close to hers.
"Hahaha, you mad?"
Xue Jiao glared at him. "I don’t have time for this nonsense."
"Alright, alright, as long as you're not mad." He glanced at the corner of her mouth and laughed. "Hahaha, you’re sneaking food again! Bookworm, turns out you’re not just a bookworm—you’re a glutton too!"
Xue Jiao rolled her eyes. Whenever she ran into Yi Tianyu, she ended up losing all dignity.
Yi Tianyu reached out and wiped the corner of her mouth.
Xue Jiao froze.
"Uh... just some cream... wiping it off..." Yi Tianyu stammered, his heart racing.
Then he cursed himself inwardly: Yi Tianyu, you didn’t even do anything! Why are you nervous?!
Don’t blush!
In the distance, Lin Zhihua’s eyes narrowed slightly, his grip tightening around his glass.
Xue Jiao shot Yi Tianyu a glare. He scratched his nose sheepishly and reached out again.
"What are you doing?!" Xue Jiao snapped.
Yi Tianyu instinctively pulled his hand back. "Uh... I accidentally smudged your lipstick just now."
"..."
Xue Jiao wiped her mouth vigorously, then couldn’t resist punching him—
"Yi Tianyu!!!"
From afar, Lin Zhihua couldn’t hold back any longer and strode toward them.
"Mr. Lin! Oh, I’ve been meaning to chat with you!" A middle-aged man intercepted him.
Mr. Jin also approached. "Mr. Lin, I noticed you walking rather briskly just now. Is something wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
Lin Zhihua, usually composed, had just acted out of character.
He took a deep breath and replied, "...It’s nothing."
Yi Tianyu, thick-skinned as ever, grinned and continued, "Hey, bookworm, haven’t eaten yet?"
Xue Jiao nodded. "Obviously. If I had, would I be scavenging for food here?"
"Then let me take you out for something good!"
"What’s even open at this hour?" Xue Jiao said, exasperated.
Yi Tianyu grabbed her wrist and pulled her along—
"Come on, that Lin Zhihua guy is coming. This annual meeting’s probably got another hour to go—plenty of time for us to eat!"
"Hey! What kind of impression does it make if we just leave now?!" Xue Jiao punched him.
"Relax, I’m used to sneaking out. There’s a side exit—I’ll take you. This place is boring anyway." He kept dragging her.
Xue Jiao stopped resisting. If it was going to drag on, there really was no point staying.
Crash—
A glass shattered, falling to the floor.
"Mr. Lin! Your hand is injured!" Jin Sui exclaimed in alarm, rushing over with a handkerchief to press against it.
Lin Zhihua sidestepped, avoiding her touch, then took out his own handkerchief to wrap around his hand.
"My apologies, everyone. I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll take my leave early.""Mr. Lin, are you sure you don't need to see a doctor? There are doctors waiting upstairs, or we could go to the hospital?"
"No need. I'd like to go back first," Lin Zhihua said calmly, though his clenched hands seemed to be enduring something.
"Alright then, but please remember to dress your wound!" Mr. Jin handed him another handkerchief as he spoke.
Lin Zhihua took it with a faint smile and strode out through the main entrance.
As he reached the gate, he instinctively glanced around...
There was nothing.
No Yi Tianyu, and no Xue Jiao either.
Chen Yan rushed up immediately: "Boss! What happened?!"
His voice was urgent, clearly alarmed by the blood dripping from Lin Zhihua's hand.
Lin Zhihua closed his eyes slightly, concealing all emotion—
"It's nothing. Let's go."
In the car, Chen Yan carefully bandaged Lin Zhihua's wound, not daring to speak a word as the atmosphere grew heavy.
Lin Zhihua gazed out the window, his thoughts unknown to anyone. Only when the streetlights flickered across his face could one see the icy detachment.
And the loneliness.
——
Yi Tianyu had taken Xue Jiao out through the side door. After running just a few meters, they both froze in shock.
"It's snowing..."
Xue Jiao gritted her teeth, her lips trembling—
"Yi Tianyu! I'm going to kill you!!"
She was wearing a strapless dress that left her arms bare, and now, with snowflakes landing on her skin, she was utterly dumbfounded.
"I forgot our coats are still at the main entrance!" Yi Tianyu smacked his forehead in frustration.
Xue Jiao's face darkened further, tinged with a sickly pallor.
Yi Tianyu quickly took off his suit jacket and wrapped it around her.
"Let's just keep going. It's only a hundred meters. If we go back to the hall now, we won't get to eat anything..."
"Lead the way!" Xue Jiao hissed through clenched teeth.
Yi Tianyu rubbed his nose and muttered as they walked—
"Women, sacrificing comfort for fashion even in freezing winter..."
Xue Jiao seethed—if not for him, would she be freezing right now?!
But it was too cold to argue.
"Let's run! You won't feel the cold if we run!" Yi Tianyu said between breaths, jogging in place.
Xue Jiao: "..."
Her grip on the suit collar tightened, as if she were strangling Yi Tianyu with her glare.
I'M WEARING A DRESS!!!
"Bookworm, hurry up! I'm freezing too, we should—"
"Yi Tianyu," Xue Jiao called out, her voice shaking.
Yi Tianyu turned his head, still puffing out breaths. "What?"
"What are you wearing under your shirt?"
"A tank top, of course. Not like you women!"
Xue Jiao gritted her teeth and spat out, "Give me your shirt!!"
"Huh?"
——
Yi Tianyu hadn't lied—the place was indeed just a hundred meters away. A turn from the hotel's side door led them to a secluded but decent-looking noodle shop.
One was bundled in a shirt and suit over a dress, the other bare-chested, as they burst into the shop.
Yi Tianyu shouted the moment they entered—
"Auntie!! Turn up the heat!!! Quick, quick, we're freezing!!"
A woman in her fifties blinked in surprise before rushing to adjust the thermostat—
"Oh dear, Xiao Yi, you're late! I just turned it off. Here, take this blanket and warm up by the stove!"
Yi Tianyu hugged himself, shivering, and instinctively grabbed the blanket to sit down.
Then he remembered the person behind him."Bookworm, quick, quick, sit down." She pressed Xue Jiao onto the chair, then draped a blanket over her, wrapping her tightly from shoulders to legs.
Xue Jiao finally caught her breath.
Only then did Auntie notice there was another young girl, her eyes widening in surprise—
"Xiao Yi, how could you just bring the girl running over here like that! Don't let her catch a cold!"
Though she was just an ordinary shop owner, having businesses near big hotels had given her some experience.
This young lady was wearing a dress, clearly a young miss from some important event at the hotel that Xiao Yi had whisked away!
Yi Tianyu rubbed his nose: "Miscalculation... miscalculation..."
Finally warming up a bit, Xue Jiao recovered slightly and rolled her eyes at his words, but still said to the auntie: "Thank you, Auntie. I'm afraid we're taking up your things."
"No problem at all, as long as you don't mind them." As if remembering something, she added, "I'll quickly make you two some steaming hot noodles to eat, so you don't catch cold!"
With that, she hurried inside, leaving the slowly working old air conditioner and Yi Tianyu with Xue Jiao.
Yi Tianyu scooted closer to Xue Jiao, pinching a corner of the blanket with two fingers to pull it toward himself.
"What are you doing!"
Yi Tianyu's hand jerked, and he chuckled sheepishly: "Well... sharing the blanket? I'm cold too, and this looks warm..."
Xue Jiao paused, then quickly handed him his suit jacket and tugged the blanket to share half with him.
"Your suit is a bit damp. You should leave it by the heater to dry."
Yi Tianyu took it, about to say he'd wear it while drying, when he noticed Xue Jiao had given him half the blanket.
Immediately, he swallowed his words and wrapped himself in the shared half.
Though the blanket wasn't small, half of it barely covered them.
But the thought of sharing a blanket with Xue Jiao made Yi Tianyu feel... warm?
Xue Jiao asked: "Are you covered? Do you want the whole blanket, or should you move closer to the heater?"
With his back still exposed, Yi Tianyu answered without thinking: "I'm covered, I'm covered."
Xue Jiao's teeth were still chattering slightly. Hearing this, Yi Tianyu looked down and saw her thin little dress shoes and exposed ankles.
Quickly, he reached down, took off her shoes, and tucked her feet under the blanket.
"Keep them covered!"
Xue Jiao froze, her face flushing slightly. "Tha—"
Her soft voice was cut off as Yi Tianyu spoke again—
"Honestly, you're pretty ruthless. First you take my jacket in this cold, then you make me take off my shirt too—I nearly froze to death!"
Xue Jiao: "..."
If she hadn't been so cold, and if he hadn't kept making "cold remarks," would she have done such a thing?!
If it were someone else...
If it were someone else...
Well, if it were someone else, she wouldn't have run out of the annual party with them in the first place, let alone kept going when it started snowing...
Had this idiot infected her with something inexplicable?!
"Why aren't you saying anything? Still cold?"
"Not cold." Would Xue Jiao admit she was still shivering?
"Then give me a bit more of the blanket."
"..."
—
The heater finally warmed up, and the auntie came out with a bowl of noodles.
As Xue Jiao moved to get up, the auntie hurriedly said: "No need to get up! I'll pull the table over. You two can eat right there on the chairs."
"It's alright, Auntie. I'm not cold anymore," Xue Jiao said quickly.
"No, no, girls mustn't get chilled. Young lady, you stay wrapped up. I'll just move the table over." With that, the auntie dragged the table to them.
Yi Tianyu grinned brightly: "Thanks, Auntie!"
"Why thank me?" she said, still muttering, "There's another bowl—I'll go bring it out right away."Auntie went inside. Yi Tianyu, being in good health, was already bouncing around in his tank top as soon as his body temperature rose.
"Come on, bookworm, you eat first."
Xue Jiao shook her head, unwilling. "You eat first. I'm wrapped in a blanket, but your clothes are still wet. Have something warm first."
"It's fine, I—"
"Just eat!" Xue Jiao glared.
"Okay..." Yi Tianyu had no choice but to sit across from the stove, slurping a mouthful of noodles from the bowl.
Xue Jiao swallowed hard, staring longingly.
Yi Tianyu took another sip of the broth and sighed contentedly. "So good!"
And then...
He happily devoured the noodles right in front of Xue Jiao.
Xue Jiao: "..."
Fortunately, Auntie soon came out with another bowl of noodles and placed it in front of Xue Jiao.
"I always thought Xiao Yi was still a kid, but he already has a girlfriend."
"No—"
Before Xue Jiao could finish, Auntie said—
"You two eat first. I’ll go tidy up the kitchen."
"Sure. Auntie, go ahead!" Yi Tianyu replied cheerfully.
Xue Jiao: "..."
Now there was no way to explain?
Yi Tianyu lowered his head, happily eating his noodles, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
Xue Jiao quickly started eating too. A sip of the piping hot broth warmed her from the inside, driving away the chill.
"Good, right?" Xue Jiao nodded.
She had to admit it was delicious—probably because she was hungry and had gone through such an "ordeal" to get here. This bowl of chicken noodle soup, instantly banishing the cold, was just as tasty as the food she’d had with Lin Zhihua in that alleyway the other day.
She finished the entire huge bowl, not even leaving a drop of broth!
Xue Jiao blinked, staring in disbelief at the empty bowl.
"Wow! You, a bookworm, ate as much as me, a grown man!"
Xue Jiao: "..."
"Thank goodness we have Auntie’s place to save us, or I’d starve to death going back tonight. How do older folks think those weird snacks at the annual party can fill anyone up? The elderly really don’t understand young people’s appetites..."
Xue Jiao: "..."
She wondered how Uncle Yi and Aunt Yi would feel if they knew their son kept calling them "the elderly."
Xue Jiao raised an eyebrow. "You’re close with the owner of this place?"
"Of course! This shop is mine!"
"Huh?" Xue Jiao was genuinely stunned.
Yi Tianyu smirked. "Heh heh, surprised?"
Xue Jiao rolled her eyes. "Stop messing around!"
"Fine. That Auntie just now used to be our family’s housekeeper—she practically raised me. Later, something happened to her family, and she was left alone with a young grandson. She quit her job after that."
"And then?" Xue Jiao pressed.
"My mom actually wanted her and her grandson to stay with us, but Auntie refused. She thought it wasn’t right for her grandson to live in an employer’s home. But she also couldn’t leave the kid alone outside, so she quit to work odd jobs. The money wasn’t enough to support them both. So I suggested she help me open this noodle shop—she and her grandson could live here, I’d pay her a salary, and we’d split the profits."
Clearly, a troublemaker like Yi Tianyu opening this shop was all for Auntie’s sake...
For a moment, Xue Jiao looked at him with complicated emotions.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Yi Tianyu glanced down at himself, uneasy.
Nothing wrong.
Unless... the bookworm was moved by his kindness and had fallen for him?
Yi Tianyu’s face flushed slightly.
Xue Jiao sighed. "I never thought someone like you, who never does good deeds, would actually have a moment of kindness..."Yi Tianyu: "..."
He choked for a moment before finally forcing out: "I've done other good deeds too."
"Like what?" Xue Jiao raised an eyebrow.
Yi Tianyu: "I... I..."
"Found money and turned it in to the police?"
Yi Tianyu: "..." No... When he saw money on the street, he'd step on it.
"Helped an old lady cross the road?"
Yi Tianyu: "..." He hadn't even helped his own father.
"Been helpful to others?"
Yi Tianyu: "..." He'd never found joy in that.
"So... what have you done?"
Yi Tianyu was dumbfounded. After Xue Jiao's questioning, he suddenly felt like complete social trash!
Xue Jiao picked up the hot water Auntie had brought over and took a sip, secretly smiling as she lowered her head.
What an idiot.
By the time they were ready to leave, Yi Tianyu still couldn't think of a single good deed he'd done besides the Auntie incident.
"It's so cold outside, why not leave tomorrow?" Auntie said worriedly, glancing at the still-falling snow outside.
This time Yi Tianyu didn't need Xue Jiao to prompt him: "We sneaked out, I need to get her back before the event ends."
"Ah." Auntie sighed. "But with such heavy snow outside, at least take this blanket with you."
"No need!" Xue Jiao quickly refused.
To Yi Tianyu and her current self, a blanket was nothing, but Xue Jiao had lived through hard times and knew that when life was tight, even a single blanket shouldn't be wasted.
There was no way they could bring a blanket into the annual meeting, so it would just have to be thrown away.
"Ah." Auntie sighed again.
Xue Jiao smiled: "Auntie, your noodles were delicious! We'll definitely come again."
"Good good good!" Auntie beamed, nodding repeatedly.
Xue Jiao continued smiling: "My name is Gu Xue Jiao, you can call me Xue Jiao."
"Good good, Xue Jiao is good..." Auntie's smile grew even more affectionate.
Turning her head, Xue Jiao looked at Yi Tianyu: "Pay up."
"Oh no need to pay!" Auntie hurriedly said.
Yi Tianyu also said: "No need, it's just a few..."
Xue Jiao glared at him, lowering her voice: "Weren't you going to give Auntie a share? How can you not pay!"
"Oh oh oh." Yi Tianyu suddenly understood and quickly reached for money.
He patted his pockets.
"Empty..."
Xue Jiao: "..."
"Use mobile payment!"
At Xue Jiao's words, Yi Tianyu smacked his forehead and quickly took out his phone to pay for the two bowls of noodles.
"Aiya aiya, why pay at your own shop!"
Xue Jiao smiled gently: "This is Auntie's hard-earned money, it's only right."
If it were just Yi Tianyu, that would be one thing. But knowing Auntie's situation, Xue Jiao couldn't bring herself to eat without paying.
Her phone was in her bag though, so she could only have Yi Tianyu pay first and repay him tonight.
"We'll be going now, Auntie." Xue Jiao bid farewell.
"Go carefully, the snow is heavy, be safe on the road."
"Okay!"
As they walked out, Yi Tianyu suddenly stopped at the door.
"What's wrong?"
Yi Tianyu glanced at her and began taking off the coat he'd just put on.
Xue Jiao: "...No need, don't catch a cold yourself. I'll just run back, it's not far."
"That won't do, I'm not a man without manners."
He quickly took off his jacket, then started on his shirt.
"Hey! You really don't need to take that off!" Xue Jiao hurriedly said.
Ignoring her, Yi Tianyu draped his suit over her shoulders and said: "Let's go let's go.""Put on your shirt first!" Xue Jiao glared at him.
Yi Tianyu waved his hand dismissively. "Let's go, let's go, we'll talk outside."
With that, he pushed the door open and stepped out first.
Xue Jiao had no choice but to hurry after him.
The snow was heavier now, thick white flakes falling in sheets.
Even in such heavy snow, just going back would have drenched them.
"Gu Xue Jiao!" Yi Tianyu's voice was serious and solemn.
"What?!" Xue Jiao answered, her voice trembling.
They hadn't even run into the snow yet, but the cold alone was enough to make Xue Jiao freeze in place.
Girls really were less resistant to the cold.
"Close your eyes!" Yi Tianyu shouted, then threw his shirt over her head. With a sudden shift, Xue Jiao was...
Hoisted up!
Carried like a sack of potatoes!
The shirt covered her head, blocking both the snow and her vision.
"Yi Tianyu!!!"
"Touched, huh? Hahaha, don't say anything! I'll run faster!"
"I—"
"Don't be too moved!!"
"I—"
"Whoo—" Yi Tianyu whooped, feeling like a true hero.
He carried her as he sprinted toward the hotel—a hundred meters, covered in no time.
Yi Tianyu set her down on the ground, and Xue Jiao swayed slightly.
He stood there, ready to receive her gratitude.
But Xue Jiao didn't move at all.
"Hey?" Yi Tianyu frowned in confusion and gently lifted the shirt.
For some reason, he felt nervous, as if he were... lifting a bridal veil?
When he pulled it away, what greeted him was Xue Jiao's pale face, her lower lip bitten tight.
Her eyes were watery, filled with grievance and discomfort.
Yi Tianyu panicked. "What's wrong? What's wrong? Bookworm, what's the matter?!"
Xue Jiao didn't speak, her hand clutching her stomach tightly.
Yi Tianyu: "..."
Oh crap! He forgot she'd just eaten!!!
——
Xue Jiao squatted in the bathroom for a while, feeling nauseous but not actually throwing up. Thankfully, the distance had been short, so she wasn't seriously affected.
After resting for a bit, she recovered.
She washed her face, fixed her hair, then rinsed her hands before stepping out.
Outside, Yi Tianyu leaned against the wall, looking tense.
When Xue Jiao appeared, he scratched his head and grinned. For some reason, around her, he always ended up acting like an idiot out of nervousness.
"Are you okay?" His eyes were full of worry.
Xue Jiao shook her head, her tone softening. "I'm fine now."
"Should we still go to the hospital to get checked?"
"Really, I'm fine." Xue Jiao shook her head again. "It wasn't long, and I caught my breath—I'm okay."
Yi Tianyu finally relaxed. He'd been worried sick.
Xue Jiao tilted her head slightly. "By the way, how's it going inside? Has it ended yet?"
"Nope, I took a peek earlier. Your parents are still chatting with people." Yi Tianyu stuffed his hands into his pockets.
Xue Jiao also sighed in relief.
"We should hurry back before someone notices we're gone."
"Don't worry about that. I used to sneak out all the time—no one will notice."
With that, the two headed back inside.
"Still... thank you for today," Xue Jiao suddenly said.
Thank you for taking me to eat, thank you for lending me your clothes, thank you... for carrying me back.
At this, Yi Tianyu scratched his head awkwardly. "Don't worry, next time we sneak out, I'll factor all this in."
Back when he used to dash out in just a suit, he hadn't realized how cold it could get. But girls wore thinner clothes—of course they'd freeze.Yi Tianyu was still thinking that next time he should exit through the main gate openly and honestly, otherwise when there were no clothes...
Xue Jiao: "..."
There won't be a next time!
They had just stepped into the hall when four people stood in front of them, staring straight at them.
Yi Dafa, Yi's Mother, Cheng Shuo... and Li Sitong.
Yi Tianyu: "..."
Xue Jiao: "..."
"Where have you been?" Li Sitong asked with a cold expression.
The two spoke simultaneously—
"Bathroom!"
"Front gate!"
Then together again—
"Front gate!"
"Bathroom!"
"..."
Author's note: Lin Zhihua thought: Might as well not have come...
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