Chapter 28

Zhou Zhixun watched the stage with little interest; it wasn't Chen Mian's turn yet.

I glanced at my watch; it was almost noon.

He sent Chen Mian a few messages, asking if she was hungry and if she needed him to buy her some food if she had to wait a while.

No reply.

“Sir, you have an in-person meeting to attend later,” Caleb reminded Zhou Zhixun at the opportune moment, as he would miss it if he didn’t leave soon.

"The time has been changed to tonight, and the format has been changed to online."

“Yes,” Caleb replied respectfully.

Another half hour passed.

finally.

Tiara appeared in a silver dress.

Caleb noticed that Mr. Eli, who had been lounging in his chair, suddenly sat up and took out his phone to point at Ms. Tiara on the stage.

It's like watching your own child perform at a talent show, and as a parent, you happily record that moment.

Chen Mian was very nervous, especially since Zhou Zhixun was still sitting in the audience. When she bowed to the audience, her eyes would involuntarily drift towards him.

She was worried that she would embarrass herself in front of Zhou Zhixun. But even if she did embarrass herself, it wouldn't matter. Zhou Zhixun wouldn't dislike her because of it. On the contrary, he would encourage her, saying that she had done a great job and that it was just some insignificant flaws.

Thinking of this, Chen Mian took a deep breath and exhaled, barely managing to calm his heart, which was about to leap out of his chest.

"Knock knock, knock knock."

Her heartbeat pounded in her ears like drumbeats.

Although the air conditioner was on indoors, the doors and windows were not closed tightly to allow for ventilation. Cold air squeezed in through the gaps, and Chen Mian shivered as he blew in, managing to calm himself down.

The song ended.

Thunderous applause erupted.

"Very good," Chen Mian praised himself in his heart. "Not bad, not bad at all. It wasn't in vain that I practiced for so long."

As she left, she glanced at Zhou Zhixun's location as usual. He was still there, giving her a thumbs-up.

Chen Mian grinned at him and retreated to the backstage area.

Josie and Naomi stood at the bottom of the iron ladder and quickly went over to drape the down jacket over Chen Mian's shoulders. "Do you have any other plans later? Let's go have dinner together?"

Chen Mian glanced at Josie's face and then looked at the gate, where Caleb stood expressionless by the railing.

"No, thank you," she said, avoiding Josie and Naomi's gazes, feeling awkward as if she'd forgotten her friends for the sake of beauty. "I have plans for tonight."

“Okay,” Josie said, a little disappointed, but it didn’t matter, since Naomi was there to keep her company. “Go ahead and go to your appointment. Who are you meeting? It’s not that broad-shouldered Korean guy next door, is it? He needs a taxi to get from his left shoulder to his right shoulder, that’s ridiculous.”

"Hey, hey," Chen Mian wanted to cover Josie's mouth, afraid that Caleb outside the door would hear something she shouldn't hear, "What are you saying? I don't even know him."

"Who is that?" Naomi asked.

Chen Mian rubbed his nose. "Nobody."

"Okay, will he come to pick you up?"

"Yes, they should be waiting at the school gate right now."

"Go ahead, see you tomorrow."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

Chen Mian refused their offer to see him off and hurriedly ran outside. When he looked back and saw that they hadn't chased after him, he breathed a sigh of relief and bent over to catch his breath. "Where's my brother?"

She asked Caleb.

"The gentleman is waiting for you at the school gate."

Chen Mian nodded, followed behind Caleb, and asked excitedly, "Did I play well today?"

Caleb tilted his head and replied in a very official manner, "You played very well."

His response was exactly like asking Siri—uniform, like a pre-programmed script. Even if Chen Mian's performance was terrible, Caleb would still reply, "You played very well."

"Does my brother think so too?" Chen Mian asked again.

"Ask Mr. Eli yourself when you meet him."

After walking for a while, they could see a black Bentley parked on the side of the road in the distance. Without waiting for Caleb, Chen Mian ran a few steps, opened the car door, and jumped in.

As Zhou Zhixun heard cheerful footsteps outside the car door, he had just put down the documents in his hand when a soft, warm body fell into his arms.

"elder brother!"

Zhou Zhixun caught Chen Mian and placed her on his lap. "Aren't you cold running all this way?"

He held Chen Mian's hands in his arms and gently stroked them; they were indeed icy cold.

"I'll walk slowly from now on; I won't run anymore."

"Hehe," Chen Mian chuckled sheepishly, "How was my performance today?"

"Perfect."

This wasn't Zhou Zhixun trying to flatter Chen Mian; he genuinely felt that Chen Mian's performance was excellent, truly outstanding.

Zhou Zhixun: "Where do you want to go during winter vacation?"

Chen Mian took off his tie clip from his chest and played with it in her hand. Zhou Zhixun silently indulged her actions. "I haven't thought about it yet," she said. "Maybe I'll go back."

"Go back?" After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Zhixun made his arrangements. "I can go back with you. If you agree, I can visit your parents. If not, that's fine too. I'll work at the hotel."

Although his tone was very calm, Chen Mian inexplicably sensed a hint of grievance in his voice.

"We'll see when the time comes, I haven't decided yet," she said, changing the subject.

Chen Mian believed that his home, which was hardly a home, was not worth Zhou Zhixun's attention at all. Moreover, the house was full of opportunistic people. Rather than waiting for them to secretly take advantage of Zhou Zhixun's power and make things difficult for him, it was better not to let him go back with him.

Zhou Zhixun was not unaware that she was changing the subject, but he said nothing and continued along with Chen Mian's words.

"Will you come with me to the party tonight?" he asked.

Chen Mian, who had been lying on Zhou Zhixun's chest, was feeling drowsy because he had gotten up too early that morning. Hearing Zhou Zhixun put his hands on his chest, he asked, "What kind of gathering?"

Zhou Zhixun frequently attends various gatherings, mostly official ones like business negotiations, with occasional private parties. He rarely brings Chen Mian to these gatherings, but he will take her along to private ones if she is available.

"It was organized by a friend."

"friend?"

“Yes, you’ve met him,” Zhou Zhixun said, gently stroking Chen Mian’s hair. “Dylan.”

"Oh, it's him."

Chen Mian immediately realized who Zhou Zhixun was talking about. After all, there were very few people Zhou Zhixun could call his friends, and even fewer with whom he had close relationships. Dylan was one of them.

He was Zhou Zhixun's high school and college classmate, and his family background was similar to Zhou Zhixun's, although their wealth is now far apart.

"Are you going?" Zhou Zhixun asked again.

Chen Mian nodded, and said with a mischievous grin, "I'll keep you company, albeit reluctantly."

Chen Mian fell asleep in Zhou Zhixun's lap. When she woke up, the car was already parked safely in the manor. Zhou Zhixun was in the same position as when she fell asleep, awkwardly holding a book in her hand.

"woke up?"

Zhou Zhixun felt the person in his arms move slightly, and looked down to meet Chen Mian's gaze. "Want to sleep a little longer?"

"Have we been here long? Why didn't you wake me up?" Chen Mian got off Zhou Zhixun, yawned, and wiped his tears on Zhou Zhixun's shoulder, leaving a few dark, damp marks.

"We just arrived. Can you have lunch before you go to sleep?"

Chen Mian nodded and got out of the car first.

Lunch was already prepared, and I heated it up once while she was sleeping.

Chen Mian didn't eat much; perhaps he had already passed the hunger pangs, and felt rather full after eating just a little.

Zhou Zhixun saw this and instructed Bella to prepare some soft and easily digestible food to serve to Chen Mian later.

Chen Mian slept straight until four in the afternoon. After getting up, he drank a bowl of soup that Bella had made, changed his clothes, and went to meet Zhou Zhixun.

-

The party was held in a stylish private club, where the wood in the transparent fireplace crackled softly and the firelight flickered.

Zhou Zhixun wore his dark brown hair slicked back, a black turtleneck sweater, and a silver-gray suit jacket.

Chen Mian's attire was much more casual; she chose a white ankle-length dress and wore Zhou Zhixun's black coat over it.

The thick, tight coat weighed heavily on his shoulders. Chen Mian shrugged in displeasure.

"Put it on properly," Zhou Zhixun reached out and helped her pull her clothes tighter. "Take it off once you're inside."

"Zhou's teachings".

"Um?"

"You look so handsome today."

Chen Mian didn't consider himself a lovesick person, but every week when Zhou Zhixun put some effort into dressing up, she found it hard to take her eyes off him.

In fact, even if Zhou Zhixun appeared with a scruffy beard, Chen Mian would still praise him, as his superior appearance and physique were hard to conceal.

Zhou Zhixun chuckled, "Just today?"

“No,” Chen Mian stood on tiptoe and couldn’t help but kiss his lips, and Zhou Zhixun bent down to cooperate, “You’re handsome every day.”

Thank you

"It's been a long time, but you two are still so lovey-dovey."

Dylan stood not far away, smiling and waving at the two of them.

Chen Mian immediately pushed Zhou Zhixun away, turned his head, and embarrassedly wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

“Dylan, you scared her,” Zhou Zhixun grabbed Chen Mian’s wrist and warned him in a low voice.

“I’m sorry,” Dylan said, straightening his expression. “Tiara, I’m sorry.”

Chen Mian waved his hand, "It's alright."

"Follow me."

In fact, the party was extremely boring.

There wasn't a single person his age among them; besides Zhou Zhixun and Chen Mian, he didn't know who else he could talk to.

Zhou Zhixun was playing cards; she didn't understand them and didn't want to understand them at all, her eyes darting around the room. After a while, Chen Mian took out his phone and buried himself in playing Plants vs. Zombies.

She has been playing this game for a long time. It used to be a web game that could only be played on a computer. Now, not only is there a mobile version, but various new versions have also been added, and even the plants and zombies have changed their previous forms.

Suddenly, a pair of hands gently pushed her forehead.

Zhou Zhixun reminded her, "Sit up properly. Looking down is bad for your neck. Put your phone on the table to play with."

"Oh," Chen Mian sat up straight, noticing out of the corner of his eye that the other people at the table were glancing at him with various expressions.

Many of them rarely even saw Zhou Zhixun, let alone heard any news about his lover. They assumed that either Zhou Zhixun was already secretly married, perhaps even with children, or he was still single, perhaps surrounded by several lovers.

In short, it won't be like this now, with him controlling his young girlfriend like a parent.

Zhou Zhixun kept Chen Mian well hidden. Even when he brought her to such a gathering, he would arrange everything in advance. Because of his status, he would not expose Chen Mian to the public eye.

Are you bored?

"Um."

A small corner was set aside at the card table for Chen Mian to play games.

She sat for a while, then leaned on the table, with a corner of Zhou Zhixun's coat under her arm.

"It's so boring," Chen Mian said, somewhat regretting coming with him, and hinted several times that he could go back first.

It felt like I was back in my childhood during Chinese New Year. The fireworks and firecrackers were over, and my friends had all gone home. Only the mahjong table of my parents was still buzzing with excitement.

Little Chen Mian stared longingly at his mother, hoping she would take him back to sleep first.

Let's go.

Zhou Zhixun got up and helped Chen Mian put his clothes back on. "This child needs to rest. Let's get together again next time."

Several people at the table stood up to see him off, while a few others at other tables secretly regretted that they hadn't even had a chance to speak with Zhou Zhixun, let alone become acquainted with him, and didn't know when they would be able to go again.

This is Chen Mian's second nap today in Zhou Zhixun's arms.

As soon as they got in the car, Zhou Zhixun held her in his arms, pulled his coat up to cover her head, and gently patted Chen Mian's back, just like he was holding a child.

Chen Mian wasn't particularly sleepy at first, but she became sleepy as soon as she got in the car.

In the enclosed space, Zhou Zhixun's unique scent enveloped her completely.

"Zhou's teachings".

"Hmm?" Zhou Zhixun played with a strand of hair by Chen Mian's ear and responded softly, "What's wrong?"

"Lower your head a little."

Zhou Zhixun obeyed her, lowered his head, and, thinking she wanted to whisper something to him, put his ear close to Chen Mian's mouth.

'bo'

"Hehehe," Chen Mian chuckled slyly from inside his coat, "surprise!"

She didn't drink alcohol; Zhou Zhixun forbade her to drink, but he drank a little himself.

Therefore, Zhou Zhixun's kiss was bitter.

His nose tip rubbed against Chen Mian's nose tip.

In this ambiguous and warm atmosphere, Chen Mian gradually fell asleep. When he woke up, he was already lying in his own bedroom.

She turned over, found her phone on the bedside table, and turned on the screen; it was 11:30 p.m.

Her clothes had been changed into her usual white cotton nightgown, and her makeup had been removed; even her skincare products had been applied.

It's obvious who did all this.

Chen Mian has never been very disciplined with Zhou Zhixun, so when he wanted to see him this time, he went directly and even knocked on the door.

Zhou Zhixun had just finished showering and came out, his upper body naked, with a white towel casually tied around his waist.

He hadn't expected Chen Mian, who was already asleep, to appear in his bedroom. Startled for a moment, he was about to grab some clothes when Chen Mian exclaimed in surprise, "Why do you have that scar on your back?"