Chapter 43 Lu Ming's WeChat Moments post: He thought Gu Qingyan would see this too...

The celebration banquet for the Longquan Village Cultural Corridor project finally came to a close amidst the aroma of homemade rice wine and waves of laughter from the villagers.

The bright moonlight, like mercury spilling onto the ground, gently enveloped the tranquil village, casting dappled shadows on the uneven cobblestone path, illuminating the guests who were slowly leaving in twos and threes, still reluctant to part.

Zhou Xubai and Lin Yuwei walked side by side at the back. Zhou Xubai was carrying a rather heavy woven bag, which contained fruits and vegetables that Master Li had just picked from his own field, including emerald green watermelons and plump tomatoes, and they still carried the fresh scent of the soil.

After spending the past six months together in Longquan Village, working on the project, they have developed a deep friendship with this master craftsman who is both skilled in wood carving and kind-hearted.

As the banquet ended, Master Li, without a word, shoved the bag of melons and fruits into Zhou Xubai's hands. His wrinkled face was beaming with a simple, honest smile, and his voice was loud and clear: "Take it, take it! They're from our own field, not worth much, but they're incredibly sweet! You can't find this taste in the city!"

Walking to the car parked at the village entrance, Zhou Xubai took two quick steps, put down the melons and fruits, and then skillfully opened the passenger door. He held the door with one hand, and naturally raised the other hand, palm down, to considerately protect the top of the door frame, forming a safety barrier to prevent head bumps. His movements were natural and gentlemanly, and his gaze gently fell on Lin Yuwei.

A night breeze ruffled a strand of Lin Yuwei's long hair, giving her beautiful face a more hazy, ethereal beauty than during the day. She nodded slightly, whispered "Thank you," then bent down, her skirt brushing against the leather seat, and got into the car.

The air was filled with the faint fragrance of her hair, mingled with the earthy scent of fruits and the coolness of the night, and Zhou Xubai's smile deepened.

Zhou Xubai carefully made sure she was seated before gently closing the car door. He bent down, picked up the bag of fruits filled with affection, and carefully placed it on the back seat before getting into the car.

"Tired?" Zhou Xubai started the car, the engine emitting a low and steady hum. His gentle profile appeared distinct and exceptionally soft under the dim blue light of the dashboard.

As he skillfully steered the car onto the village road, he continued, his tone filled with sincere praise: "Today's event was a complete success. When it ended, Village Chief Li held my hand, very emotional, and said he wanted to thank you properly again. He said that this cultural corridor project not only preserved the old crafts, but also injected vitality into the village. The supporting cultural tourism services and specialty product sales alone have directly created hundreds of jobs. Many young people in the village who used to work in the city are now discussing coming back, saying that they can earn money right at their doorstep and take care of their elderly parents and children, which is much better than drifting outside."

Lin Yuwei leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and gently rubbed her slightly throbbing temples. A tired but satisfied smile involuntarily appeared on her lips: "Yes, Master Li was all flushed with drink tonight. He told everyone that his son quit his job in the city next month to come back to the village to learn wood carving from him, and he can also take care of the family's newly opened guesthouse. Look how happy he is... as if he's ten years younger."

She opened her eyes and looked out the window at the fields and distant mountains rushing by. Her voice was soft but full of strength: "If more villages could find their own path and develop like Longquan Village, how wonderful that would be! Then there wouldn't be so many empty-nest elderly and left-behind children, guarding huge houses and looking forward to the Spring Festival reunion every day."

After she finished speaking, her voice gradually lowered, carrying a hint of longing and a touch of sadness, as if she had already seen more possible changes to her destiny. The carriage fell silent for a moment, with only soothing music playing. Outside the window was the tranquil rural night, while inside the carriage was filled with a sense of satisfaction after the project's success and deep reflection on the future.

The car drove smoothly along the country road. The night outside the window was as dark as ink, with only the headlights piercing the darkness and illuminating the winding road ahead. Zhou Xubai focused on driving, with only soothing music playing inside the car.

Lin Yuwei casually swiped her phone screen. The red dot on WeChat Moments indicated unread messages. She swiped again and saw the latest post from Lu Ming, a new friend she had just added to her friend list that evening.

"Digitalization in Longquan Village is in full swing, the atmosphere is electric! [sun]" The text is concise, accompanied by a nine-grid image below.

Thinking that Gu Qingyan would also see this post, Lin Yuwei's fingertips paused subconsciously. She clicked on the large image and scrolled through them one by one. The photos were professionally taken, showing the surprised moments of villagers experiencing the interactive devices, the attentive profiles of leaders observing, and the grand scenes of the overall project.

However, her breathing paused almost imperceptibly when she reached the fourth and fifth photos, because she was the subject of those two pictures.

One photo shows her bending slightly forward, patiently demonstrating the tablet's interface to the elderly village chief with his white hair. Her profile is gentle, her eyes are focused, and a faint, tender smile plays on her lips. Sunlight shines from behind her, casting a hazy glow around her.

In another photo, she is standing at the entrance of the cultural corridor, seemingly confirming the procedures with her colleagues. She raises her hand and lightly points to a certain spot in the distance, her gaze following the direction of her finger. Her expression is serious and focused, with a unique charm of being immersed in her work.

Lin Yuwei subconsciously continued to scroll down, her fingertips mechanically sliding across the cold screen. Lu Ming's Moments was like a quietly opened window, helping her piece together the world of Gu Qingyan, whom she had deliberately avoided for four months.

In those statuses posted at different times and places, a familiar figure appears frequently yet silently, like the protagonist of a silent film.

One of the photos was taken in an office in the early hours of the morning. Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the city lights shone brightly, while inside, only a lonely desk lamp was lit. Gu Qingyan was slumped in a large office chair, one hand supporting her forehead. Her expression was obscured, leaving only a weary silhouette. A thick stack of documents lay scattered beside her.

Another photo shows him at a technology summit, wearing a well-tailored dark suit, standing on the podium or under the spotlight in the core area of ​​the exhibition hall, explaining something to the audience or clients. The intense light shines on his well-defined face, making him look calm and confident, the "President Gu" who is in control of everything. However, Lin Yuwei keenly noticed that his Adam's apple moved slightly, and he subtly pursed his lips, which were dry from talking for a long time. There was a trace of weariness between his brows, and he was also much thinner than when they last met.

There's another picture, taken at what appears to be a small, private gathering. He's leaning against the railing of a terrace, holding a glass of whiskey, listening to the people around him. Although there's a faint smile on his lips, his gaze is distant, fixed on the void in the distance, completely out of place with the relaxed atmosphere around him. The glass of whiskey doesn't seem to have diminished much; it's more like a prop used to mask the sense of loneliness he exudes, a feeling of being immersed in immense pressure.

In every photo, he seems to be forced to wear a perfect mask, dealing with all sorts of situations in his world. However, only the occasional hint of weariness and loneliness that is hard to completely conceal, like a tiny needle, precisely pierces Lin Yuwei's heart, bringing a sharp, bitter feeling.

It's been four months.

Ever since that unpleasant encounter on the mountain, her words, "You are my nightmare," have acted like a cold, dividing river, completely separating them. She deliberately avoided any possible encounters, throwing herself into her work with all her energy, filling that sudden void with countless busy days and nights. She thought she had built a strong enough dam, calm enough, and rational enough to firmly seal those surging emotions deep inside her heart.

But these silent photos, these moments that record his struggles in another dimension, his hardships under the bright light, are like a blunt knife without a sharp edge. They are not fierce, but stubbornly, again and again, rubbing against her supposedly indestructible protective layer. They do not draw blood immediately, but bring a deeper and more lasting dull pain, causing fine cracks to quietly appear in the calm she has carefully maintained.

She abruptly slammed her phone face down on her lap, her chest tightening with anxiety. Instinctively, she rolled down the car window a crack, letting the night wind rush in. The howling wind tousled her long hair, but it couldn't dispel the sharp, piercing pain and lingering worry that inexplicably lingered in her heart because of him.

"What's wrong?" Zhou Xubai's gentle voice intervened at just the right moment, breaking the prolonged silence in the car and her clearly absorbed thoughts.

His gaze remained steady as he looked at the road ahead, his tone tinged with concern: "I've noticed you've been staring at your phone the whole time. Is there anything else about the project that needs to be followed up on?"

Lin Yuwei seemed startled by the sudden sound. Her fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly as she quickly turned off the images on the screen that shouldn't have been seen at this moment, as if trying to cover up some secret that had been exposed.

"No, it's nothing," she turned her head to look at the flowing night outside the window, forcing a faint, reassuring smile, her voice deliberately tinged with weariness, "I just suddenly feel... a little tired."

Zhou Xubai glanced at her in the rearview mirror. In the depths of her eyes, which were always filled with a warm smile, a fleeting shadow and understanding flashed quickly. He didn't ask any further questions, as if he had completely accepted the explanation. He simply reached out and turned the air conditioner vent slightly, and gently raised the temperature by one level.

“Then close your eyes and rest for a while,” he said in a deep and soothing voice, like a night breeze caressing the carriage. “The journey is still long. I’ll wake you when we get home.”

The atmosphere inside the car remained as gentle and considerate as ever, with soothing music still playing, but a strange, subtle sense of silence had already quietly seeped in, silently permeating the air between the two of them.

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Author's Note: Lu Ming: Do you think it's easy for me? I specially created a WeChat Moments so you guys can keep each other updated~ Calling myself a modern-day cyber matchmaker isn't too much of an exaggeration, is it? [Laughing and crying with face covered]

Oh my god, without any rankings, it gained ten points today! I'm so surprised! Where did you guys find this story? [crying][crying][crying] Here's an extra chapter!