Chapter 15. He Yanzhou stirred up an impulse in her once again...

Zhu Xu went back and took a shower, turning the water temperature very low, but found that it still couldn't extinguish his boiling emotions.

She rarely acts so impulsively, deceiving herself by ignoring the real problems at hand, unable to remain calm and composed.

Jiang Rao made a video call, and Zhu Xu just grabbed a piece of clothing and put it on. On the other end of the line, the eldest child in their family was bullying the second child, who was crying loudly.

Jiang Rao pinched the eldest brother's ear, and the eldest brother burst into tears.

She called Liu Chuang to clean up the mess, then hid in another room and closed the door.

"You look great, my darling." Jiang Rao beamed.

"Your house is so lively."

"How about we switch? You come and make a fuss for a few days?"

Zhu Xu smiled, propped his phone up on the table, and slowly wiped his wet hair.

Jiang Rao leaned back in the recliner: "How was your time in Beidao? Any romantic encounters?"

Zhu Xu paused in drying his hair, looked at the woman sitting slouching on the screen, and asked, "Do you know who owns this hotel?"

"who?"

Zhu Xu said, "He Yanzhou. The one from the class reunion."

"Wow! What a coincidence!" Jiang Rao jumped up from her chair. "I had no idea when I booked the room. Liu Chuang found this hotel online, thinking the family would go out for a relaxing trip."

Zhu Xu was slightly taken aback, then suddenly guessed a possibility.

"I thought it was you who suggested we go on a trip," she said.

"No way, that lazy bum suggested a family trip for the first time ever, but then he took on a few business deals and couldn't get away. The itinerary was set, the hotel was booked, and in the end, he was the one who reminded me, 'Why don't you come and have some fun?'" Jiang Rao felt disappointed: "Forget it, just thinking about him is annoying. So, how's the hotel? Not bad, right?"

"Indeed," Zhu Xu commented.

"Right?" Jiang Rao said with a regretful look. The camera swayed as she leaned back in her chair. "You have no idea what kind of day I've had. My eldest is on winter break, and my youngest is in his high-needs phase. The house is in chaos every day. Tomorrow, my 'understanding' mother-in-law is coming over for New Year's Day. Just thinking about it makes me feel suffocated... Wait, I asked you if you had any romantic encounters. You're telling me you met He Yanzhou?"

Zhu Xu pursed his lips and looked at the screen.

She suddenly asked, "Did you two go to bed together?"

"No." Zhu Xu felt a chill run down his spine: "You're so blunt."

Jiang Rao sat up straight again, her eyes showing increasing interest: "I feel that He Yanzhou has good physical attributes, and his skills should be pretty good too."

Zhu Xu was unintentionally touched on a nerve by her, causing his whole body to feel weak.

She had to admit with shame that she was now perhaps even more lacking in this kind of solace, and that this longing was utterly shameful, but she still wished she were a ship in the deep sea, being controlled and swept by the raging storm, sinking to the bottom of the ocean.

She couldn't remember when the last time they had sex was. Ever since Liang Haiyang made a move on her, she felt disgusted by any touch from him, so she avoided him in various ways.

He Yanzhou rekindled her desire to make love.

She asked, "How did you know?"

Jiang Rao counted on her fingers: "Tall enough, thin and sturdy, high nose bridge, long fingers, large knuckles, such blind boxes are generally not too bad."

Zhu Xu discovered that he was being substituted into He Yanzhou's body.

She closed her eyes; it was utterly absurd.

Jiang Rao observed her expression on the other end of the line, her tone becoming more serious: "You two don't really have something going on, do you?"

“...Not really.” Zhu Xu pinched his damp earlobe.

"Are you serious?! This time..."

Zhu Xu interrupted, "What are you talking about? How could that be?"

Her answer was vague, but Jiang Rao didn't press for details. She must know what was going on in her relationship, but gossip about other things was fine.

Jiang Rao got up, locked the study door, and ran back to ask Zhu Xu, "Besides Liang Haiyang, have you ever dated any other boyfriends?"

Zhu Xu gave him a look: "You know perfectly well why."

She lowered her voice slightly: "Have you ever done anything like that?"

Which one?

"The kind of relationship that only lasts one night."

"No," Zhu Xu asked casually, "What about you?"

"Of course not. I've wasted all my damn womanly virtue on trivial matters. I'm only good at theoretical knowledge, but lack practical experience. Sometimes I think I've really wasted my life..." She pressed her face against the screen and whispered, "I ruined Liu Chuang."

Zhu Xu smiled.

She understood that although Jiang Rao complained like this, her family held an irreplaceable place in her heart, even in the face of a picky mother-in-law and a life full of trivial matters.

Just as she was about to say something, a loud noise came from Jiang Rao's end. The eldest and second eldest children were pounding on the door, crying and shouting for their mother.

Liu Chuang also knocked on the door: "Have you finished your call? I can't handle this anymore."

"Wait a minute!" Jiang Rao shouted, getting up quickly and reminding him as she walked, "Be careful out there, don't trust others easily, don't fall in love easily, happiness is important, but remember to use a condom."

"you……"

She snapped the call off.

Zhu Xu: “....”

Zhu Xu put down his phone and sat quietly for a while.

My hair was half-dry before I knew it, and the ends of my hair were sticking coolly to my neck.

She fiddled with the lights for a few moments, then got up and turned off all the lights in the room before lying back down on the bed.

The blackout curtains are of excellent quality; not a single ray of moonlight can get in.

Zhu Xu stared silently at the ceiling in the darkness for a while, then suddenly lost interest.

The next day, she contacted several decoration companies.

My mind is no longer on the trip; once the renovation is finalized, I plan to go back to Lincheng first. This time, I'm only bringing simple luggage; I need to pack some seasonal clothes and various documents, visit my father, and also, Liang Haiyang's case is about to go to court.

At noon, she ate a bowl of noodles outside and planned to go back to the hotel to rest for a while.

I received a call from He Yanzhou halfway there.

Zhu Xu hesitated for a moment before answering the call. He said he wanted to retrieve the power bank that was temporarily stored with her, and wondered if it was convenient now.

The night before heading to Jilin Island, He Yanzhou finished work very late and forgot to charge his phone. He only realized the battery was down to half a bar just before leaving. He borrowed a power bank from his assistant as a temporary solution and held the phone in his hand the whole time after arriving on the island.

Later, when it was full, it was temporarily placed in Zhu Xubao.

Zhu Xu immediately opened his bag to check, then looked up and asked, "I'm almost at the hotel entrance. Where should we meet?"

"Wait a moment, I'll be right there."

After hanging up the phone, Zhu Xu walked a few steps quickly. This time, she didn't wait for him under the eaves, but found a more conspicuous spot on the roadside so that she could be seen.

Five minutes later, a black Mercedes drove up from the left and slowly came to a stop in front of her.

The passenger-side window was half-lowered, and Zheng Zhi, in the driver's seat, nodded slightly to her as a greeting.

Zhu Xu smiled slightly.

A moment later, He Yanzhou got out of the car behind. He was dressed differently than yesterday, wearing a pure black suit with a single-breasted notch lapel and a dark blue woven tie. His posture was more upright, giving people a low-key and composed feeling.

Zhu Xu quickly looked away and handed back the power bank he had taken out earlier: "I forgot to give it to you last night, it might be out of power."

"It's alright." He Yanzhou took it. "Did you just come back from outside?"

Zhu Xu nodded: "Just wandering around."

Have you had lunch yet?

"I just ate."

He Yanzhou lowered his eyes, his gaze lingering briefly on her face. "Do you have time this afternoon?"

Zhu Xu pursed his lips, raised his head, and did not answer for a moment.

"There's a fireworks display in front of the hotel tonight for New Year's Eve, and I'm heading there," he paused, "would you be interested in watching the process?"

Zhu Xu said, "Won't this disturb your work?"

"Won't."

Zhu Xu looked up and met his gaze: "No, I want to go back and rest."

The midday sun was strong. She looked at him, her pupils were a light amber color, the corners of her eyes were slightly upturned, and her eyelashes were a little sparse but long and curled.

Her facial expressions were not very rich, so she seemed to have a kind of aloof and cold feeling.

He Yanzhou fiddled with the power bank in his hand for a few moments, then looked away: "Okay, see you later."

"goodbye."

Zhu Xu returned to the hotel and slept soundly for a long time.

She woke up in a dimly lit room and felt momentarily disoriented, unsure of where she was, until she heard the incessant sound of waves. A sudden sadness and unease washed over her, and she couldn't help but recall those terrible memories of the past.

I got up and went to the balcony to get some fresh air. It took about the time it takes to smoke a cigarette before I felt much better.

Downstairs, the streetlights bathed the road in clusters of dark yellow, intertwining with the crimson taillights of the traffic, like a colorful snake winding its way into the distance.

The music from the bar drifted in faintly, sounding indistinct amidst the crashing waves.

Zhu Xu glanced back at the wall clock in the room; it was almost seven o'clock. She wanted to go out for a walk. Unpacking her luggage, she impulsively chose a knitted dress and applied lipstick to brighten her complexion before leaving.

The public areas were bustling with activity today, with cheerful New Year's songs playing in the background. Red lanterns and banners were added to the corridors. Perhaps it was the festive atmosphere, but the festive decorations blended harmoniously with the European style.

I found myself walking to the front of the bar and glancing out the window; there were still some empty seats.

Zhu Xu pushed open the door and found a corner among the rows of bars on the seaside side. Not feeling too hungry yet, she ordered fries, tiramisu, and a vodka cocktail.

Zhu Xu took a sip of the liquor; it was refreshingly sweet, which neutralized much of the vodka's intensity.

Because it tasted good, she slowly finished it. When she looked up again, she was slightly tipsy. The traffic outside the window seemed to be crawling eerily like a long snake.

She rested her face in her hands, her mind blank, her body swaying slightly to the rhythm of the gentle music.

After some time, some noises came from the direction of the door.

Zhu Xu turned around at the sound and saw six or seven men and women filing in. They were dressed in a formal style and were of different ages. They were chatting and laughing as they walked toward the booths diagonally opposite.

Zhu Xu looked away, paused, and turned his head again, only to see He Yanzhou following at the very back.

She instinctively ducked into the shadows, but it was completely unnecessary. She was already in a corner, and the bar was very dark, so he couldn't possibly have noticed her.

He had one hand in his trouser pocket, walked slowly, and looked down slightly, without making a point of glancing around.

Once everyone was seated, he took off his coat, casually draped it over the back of the outermost chair, and chatted and laughed with his companions as he sat down at an angle, facing outwards.

As he looked up to survey his surroundings, Zhu Xu immediately turned back.

"I thought I was the only one still playing such an old game."

Suddenly someone spoke in my ear.

Zhu Xu glanced sideways; the person next to her had changed seats at some point, and it was clear that the words were spoken to her as well.

Zhu Xu's lips twitched slightly, which could be considered a response.

The man then asked, "You lost on the third round?"

Zhu Xu exited the Tetris interface, locked the screen, and said, "I've been drinking, my eyes are blurry and I can't see clearly."

The man glanced at the wine glass on the table; the green liquid at the bottom of the glass glowed faintly under the spotlight: "Flying Grasshopper, quite the drinker."

He raised his eyebrows and gave a thumbs up.

Zhu Xu glanced at the man. He had a clean-cut buzz cut, a angular face, a high nose, and broad shoulders, exuding an energetic and sunny handsomeness.

In places like this, the intentions of people of the opposite sex striking up conversations are all too obvious.

Jiang Rao's theory on opening blind boxes seemed to fit this person well, but Zhu Xu was uninterested.

She said, "Why don't you try someone else? I'm not interested."

The man was taken aback by her gentle yet straightforward tone, and then couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Zhu Xu remained expressionless, unable to understand the reason for his emotional fluctuations.

After a while, he stopped laughing, waved his hand and said, "Okay, sister, you saw through me. Well..." He paused, tilted his head and looked at her seriously for a moment, "Is it alright if I just buy you a drink?" Before Zhu Xu could refuse, he had already raised his hand to call the waiter and generously ordered two cocktails.

Soon, the wine was served.

What was pushed in front of her was still a glass of green liquid, but it was different; the color was not as clear as before, but it was more dreamlike.

He explained, "I had someone replace the vodka with light cream in this drink. It has a richer flavor and the alcohol impact won't be as strong as what you drank before, making it more suitable for girls."

Zhu Xu glanced at the wine but didn't touch it.

"Won't you try some?"

Zhu Xu asked, "What else was added?"

The man waved his hand incredulously: "You think I added something? Please, sister, I'm not that kind of person."

"I'm asking what kind of alcohol is in there."

“…White cocoa liqueur and mint liqueur, that’s all.” He took a sip of his and explained, “There are two theories about the origin of this drink. One is that it was first invented in Kentucky, USA, to celebrate the successful eradication of locusts. The other theory is…”

Zhu Xu propped his head up and turned his body slightly to the side.

Due to the angle, once the gaze passed over the person in front of me, I immediately spotted He Yanzhou in the booth diagonally behind me.

She listened absentmindedly, noticing that he had unbuttoned two buttons on his shirt and casually rolled up his cuffs, revealing a section of his forearm.

He was still leaning back in his chair, legs crossed, hands casually resting on them. He was listening attentively to his friend, but he was also holding the neck of a beer bottle and swaying it idly.

The bar was dimly lit, but the man's white shirt was striking, as if it were covered with a thin layer of pearlescent light.

Zhu Xu looked away, and the person next to him had already changed the subject: "Sister, do you have any regrets about the past year?"

Zhu Xu gave a perfunctory reply: "No."

"That went smoothly, right?"

“Absolutely not,” Zhu Xu said.

The man leaned slightly towards her, his behavior not ambiguous, and his eyes still clear: "Tell me about it? I'm willing to be your listener, your confidant, your dumping ground. I'll do anything for you."

"Never mind, don't bother." Zhu Xu picked up a French fry and ate it, but unfortunately it was cold, dry and hard, and hard to swallow.

The man didn't mind and continued to recount his fulfilling, busy, and passionate year.

Zhu Xu listened half-heartedly, and suddenly felt as if she was being watched. She turned her head abruptly, but He Yanzhou's gaze did not fall on her.

The people around him gradually relaxed and began gesturing wildly as they spoke.

He had a deep smile on his face, occasionally saying a few words in agreement, but mostly quietly drinking his beer.

Then at some point, he suddenly stopped laughing, paused for a moment, and looked over here.

Zhu Xu's nerves tightened, and after his heart stopped beating suddenly, it accelerated and intensified in retaliation, as if it were about to burst out of his throat.

However, his gaze lingered halfway down the road, fixing on a certain spot before stopping, as if it were just an unconscious glance, and he didn't actually see her.

Zhu Xu resolved not to look back, overwhelmed with mixed feelings, unsure whether he should feel fortunate to have lost the opportunity to "get mired in the mud," or feel more disappointed.

The person next to him was still talking non-stop, and Zhu Xu occasionally answered a few words.

It was getting late, and the bar was already full. Everyone had come to celebrate the New Year, and these windows facing the sea were the perfect spots to watch the fireworks display.

Zhu Xu hadn't planned to wait until midnight; he intended to return when he felt sleepy.

It is true that only by being in a lively environment during such festivals can one temporarily escape loneliness.

Suddenly, a burst of cheers and applause erupted behind me.

He Yanzhou was ushered to the karaoke booth by his colleagues.

He shook his head helplessly, accepted the wireless microphone from the girl accompanying him without any airs, and walked forward. He selected songs on the computer, the screen's glow making his face appear even more defined.

It was a very pleasant prelude; he sat in a high chair and began to speak.

In an instant, Zhu Xu's heart was struck hard by something.

She had never heard He Yanzhou sing before, but she knew that his voice was warm and deep, and when it blended into this decadent melody, it created such a feeling.

He sat there casually, without much emotion or skill, his relaxed voice reaching her ears through the layers of voices.

Zhu Xu propped his head up, looked out the window, and felt inexplicably melancholy.

After a long silence, he sang: "If we tremble together, we will understand better what tenderness is..."

Zhu Xu was unaware of the song's deeper meaning, but he found these few lines particularly subtle.

She turned her head, and this time, as expected, her eyes met his.

He Yanzhou's face didn't show much expression. He glanced at her for a moment, then looked back at the screen, his tone already off.

He conceded defeat, shrugged, put down the microphone amidst cheers from the crowd, got up, went down the steps, and walked straight towards Zhu Xu.

The boy who had approached her looked at the person who had appeared in front of him, completely bewildered.

He Yanzhou gestured with his chin toward Zhu Xu and said politely, "She's my friend. If it's convenient, I'd like to chat with her for a while."

The other person had already lost interest and got up to give up their seat.

At that moment, the bar switched to a fast-paced English song, the lights matched the rhythm, the voices gradually rose, and the atmosphere suddenly became lively.

He Yanzhou sat down next to Zhu Xu, gestured to the waiter to open two bottles of beer, and then remained silent.

Zhu Xu remained silent, without using any opening remarks like "What a coincidence, I'm off work."

The two remained a distance apart, neither speaking, and a subtle atmosphere gradually spread, quickly drowning out the surrounding noise.

After sitting there for a while, He Yanzhou loosened his shoulders, reached out and hooked the box of fries in front of Zhu Xu, picked up two fries and ate them.

Zhu Xu pursed his lips slightly, glanced to the side, and saw him looking out the window, chewing slowly.

She couldn't help but speak first: "Let me order another one for you, it won't taste good if it gets cold."

"No need." He Yanzhou pushed the box away, then turned to meet her gaze: "What were you talking about just now?"

Zhu Xu countered, "When did you see me?"

"Upon entering the door."

Zhu Xu felt a chill run down her spine, finding the man before her as terrifying as a hunter. Since he entered the room, he hadn't done anything to her, yet she was already eager to walk into the hunter's trap.

The rejection and internal struggle at noon seem like a joke.

He knew flirting wasn't going to work on her, so he decided to get straight to the point: "Are you interested in me?"

He Yanzhou's heart skipped a beat. The word "interested" was ambiguous in this context, but in essence, it was indeed so. It's just that as things have developed, some things have become more complicated.

"You figured it out?" he said lightly at the end.

Zhu Xu's breath hitched, and he asked again, "Was it you and Liu Chuang who arranged for me to come to Beidao?"

He Yanzhou admitted, "I wanted you to clear your mind."

Why don't you just say so?

"Given our relationship, you might not be willing to come."

He was being honest, but she misunderstood.

Zhu Xu never understood what was so special about her. He had gone to such lengths to arrange for her to come here, all for the sake of that kind of thing between a man and a woman. But she didn't feel offended, because she herself didn't have impure thoughts.

Lost in thought, Zhu Xu bit his lip until teeth marks appeared on it before letting go.

She propped her head up with her hand, leaning slightly towards him: "...Do you have time tonight?"

He Yanzhou was extremely surprised. He looked down at her and didn't say anything for a moment.

She repeated, "Did you?"

"do what?"

"what you up to?"

He Yanzhou laughed: "I don't know."

Zhu Xu glanced at him and straightened up. The English song wasn't over yet. After sitting for a while longer, she picked up her coat and bag, stood up, and prepared to leave.

But as she turned around, he grabbed her wrist.

With a slight exertion, she fell backward into his arms.

He Yanzhou was sitting on a high chair, with one foot on the ground and the other foot on the crossbeam under the chair.

Zhu Xu stood between his legs, holding onto his bent knees to steady himself. He was still shorter than him, his back pressed against a chest, and the stray hairs by his ears fluttered slightly. He could clearly feel his slightly heavy breathing.

Zhu Xu instinctively shrank his shoulders.

He Yanzhou asked softly, "Are you sure you want to start with this step?"

As the alcohol took effect, Zhu Xu found it even harder to understand his meaning: "Otherwise what? What good suggestions do you have?"

“It used to be, but now it seems to have wavered.” He Yanzhou lowered her eyes. Today she was wearing a black dress with a high neckline, a fitted silhouette, and an A-line skirt that reached her calves. She wore black ankle boots. This outfit had a cool gentleness about it.

She tied her hair up low again, with a few loose strands clinging to the back of her neck, where the skin was most delicate and fair.

Just as Zhu Xu was about to turn around, a kiss landed unexpectedly behind her ear.

In an instant, Zhu Xu felt a jolt of powerlessness, as if struck by lightning, and was overcome with uncontrollable passion. She was surprised by her own reaction, and clearly sensed a gentle stream flowing continuously from somewhere.

Zhu Xu commanded himself not to be seen through at a glance, but the palm resting on his leg had already betrayed his nervousness and unease. When he moved his hand slightly away, a faint sweat stain was left on his trousers.

At this moment, the mark is incredibly ambiguous.

"Are you interested in me too?" He Yanzhou asked the same question, his breath still close to hers.

Zhu Xu turned around, looked up at him, and frankly admitted, "It's hard not to be moved when you spend a lot of time with someone like President He."

He Yanzhou stared straight into her eyes, remaining motionless for a long time.

He knew perfectly well that her so-called "interest" in him was extremely superficial. And as a businessman, his years of meticulous calculation made it difficult for him to accept any inequality.

Without her realizing it, his eyes revealed an undisguised, dangerous, and aggressive gaze as he looked at her.

Zhu Xu hesitated slightly.

He Yanzhou gently took her hand, tapped his chin on the table, and said in a gentle tone, "You haven't finished your wine yet."

Zhu Xu turned his head and couldn't help but purse his lips. He was referring to the "Flying Grasshopper" drink.

If he noticed her from the beginning, he would definitely know that the strange man from earlier ordered the drink.

He asked, "You dare not?"

Zhu Xu suddenly didn't want to back down: "You want me to drink it?"

"Perhaps we can enjoy it even more."

A layer of icy mist clung to the clear, shallow champagne glass, and the composition of the milky green liquid inside was unclear—perhaps it was just a glass of sweet wine, or perhaps it had been spiked.

Zhu Xu later learned that he had only ever dared to do such an absurd and inappropriate thing in front of this one person in his entire life.

Her trust in him arose inexplicably, which was absurd and ridiculous.

Zhu Xu put down what was in his arms, reached down the table and slid his hand to the base of the wine glass, pulling the cocktail toward himself.

She was actually very hot right now; the boiling atmosphere, the alcohol in her stomach, the thrill of the unknown outcome, and his gaze were all enough to make her sweat profusely.

She said, "I'll be unconscious later, and I'll have to trouble Mr. He to take care of me."

He Yanzhou looked at Zhu Xu indifferently, his eyes revealing an unreadable meaning.

Her skillful acting didn't earn her many points from him.

She rubbed the damp stain on her trousers with her fingertips, and with a quick glance up and down, she brought the cocktail to her lips.

He Yanzhou watched without stopping her, until she drank most of the cup in one gulp, at which point he raised his hand to stop her.

Some of the wine spilled out, and a drop clung to the corner of her mouth.

He wiped it off for her very naturally, took the wine glass, put it back on the table, picked up her shoulder bag and coat that were placed next to her, and walked out with her in his arms.

As he walked, he draped the items over her arm one by one and gently patted her back: "Wait for me at the door, go say hello." He gestured with his chin toward the booth.

Zhu Xu: "Okay."

He Yanzhou paused briefly, looking down at her: "Will you run away?"

Zhu Xu shook his head: "No."

"That would be best." He didn't speak very kindly, uttering those two words before turning away.