Chapter 1 Reunion

In the southern part of the city, at eight o'clock in the morning, it rained last night, and the sycamore leaves were knocked down, leaving a mess on the ground. Autumn has suddenly arrived, and with each autumn rain comes a chill. At this moment, the autumn wind is rustling outside the window.

The indoor heating was on full blast, and Yu Bai was intently writing a news article at his desk.

After typing the last line, Yu Bai looked up and saw that the alarm clock on his desk pointed to 8:30, with ten minutes left before the meeting.

Yu Bai stretched and loosened his limbs, then picked up his folder and got up to go to his office.

A colleague passed by and greeted her, and Yu Bai responded with a smile.

"Yu Bai, I read your report on how business giants use technology to help impoverished mountainous areas escape poverty. It was really well written."

"At this meeting, the editor-in-chief will definitely give you at least a 'recognition ceremony' that lasts for more than ten minutes."

...

Colleagues praised Yu Bai's news report in a few words, but Yu Bai smiled silently, neither humble nor arrogant. For this report, she went deep into the grassroots to conduct practical investigations, visited villagers, and was unlucky enough to be caught in a flash flood. In order to protect a child, she was hit on the head by a rock and had to be stitched up with seven stitches.

Fortunately, we gained a lot in the end.

"Heh." A mocking laugh accompanied the familiar "clack-clack" of high heels on the ground as someone approached.

The person who came was Su Yin, a hot-tempered young lady who joined the company at the same time as Yu Bai.

This report was originally assigned to Su Yin, but she thought going to the mountainous area was too hard and "mercifully" gave the task to Yu Bai. Unexpectedly, the report received an excellent response, and the higher-ups even specially praised Yu Bai's spirit of "daring to endure hardship and daring to be the first" in front of the editor-in-chief.

Su Yin scoffed, "You think you're so capable just because you exploited loopholes in poverty alleviation programs?"

The implication is that anyone could write this report.

Su Yin's sudden outburst shattered the peaceful atmosphere in the office. Her colleagues quickly dispersed, none of them wanting to get involved, leaving Su Yin and Yu Bai to face off.

Yu Bai glanced at Su Yin indifferently. Su Yin glared at him angrily, looking down at him with an air of superiority. Yu Bai said calmly, "Whether it's true or not is not for you to decide. I only know that my skill is to write every news article well."

Su Yin snorted coldly, her contemptuous gaze sweeping over Yu Bai before finally settling on Yu Bai's left ear. With an elegant gesture, Su Yin tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her red tassel earring swaying. "Whether you're capable or not, you're still deaf. Deaf people should stay at home and not come out to bother others."

Upon hearing this, Yu Bai's expression stiffened slightly.

Yu Bai has moderate hearing loss in his left ear and needs to wear a hearing aid. However, current hearing aids on the market cannot provide the same level of hearing as normal hearing, and he may still have difficulty hearing in noisy environments.

As a journalist, listening is a crucial part of her work. Therefore, Yu Bai cherishes her right ear and puts in twice the effort of ordinary people to prove that she is no different from them.

She still faced a lot of cold stares, doubts, and ridicule. Although this was something she had experienced since childhood, she still couldn't remain unmoved after all these years.

Listen, these are scars that Yu Bai cannot ignore, both physically and mentally.

Yu Bai gripped the documents tighter and tighter, his nails digging into his palms, while Su Yin's mocking voice echoed in his ears.

In the end, she let go. Why punish herself because of someone else's malice? Yu Bai gave Su Yin a light smile. Su Yin was taken aback, and then heard Yu Bai say slowly, "If this is the only way you can get a sense of superiority, I don't mind."

After saying that, Yu Bai walked straight into the conference room, no longer paying attention to what Su Yin said afterward.

As her colleagues expected, the editor-in-chief praised Yu Bai at the meeting and gave her a key interview assignment for the company—to interview the recently rising tech tycoon, the president of Tingbai Technology Group.

This bigwig is low-key and mysterious. He built a huge technology empire, but he doesn't give any interviews and his real name is rarely known. Almost all his activities are handled by Gao Yuan, the general manager of Tingbai Technology.

He has recently gained renewed attention in the industry for his progress in the research and development of hearing aids. Almost every magazine wants to interview him, and if they do, it will definitely cause a sensation in the industry.

However, the chances of getting an interview with him are even slimmer than uncovering the secrets of a wealthy family. This is an opportunity, but even more so a challenge, for Yu Bai.

After the meeting, Yu Bai's colleagues congratulated him. Although Su Yin was very disappointed that she hadn't gotten the interview, she didn't forget to pour cold water on him as always, saying, "It's not certain whether you'll get it or not. Congratulations already. Don't come back looking dejected."

Yu Bai ignored Su Yin's sarcastic remarks; she would prove herself through actions rather than words.

Back at his workstation, Yu Bai began reviewing information about Tingbai Technology and the interviewees.

Tingbai Technology is a company founded seven years ago. It has developed rapidly and is now a well-known internet giant in Nancheng and even the whole country.

The interviewee was the president of Tingbai Technology, who was indeed very mysterious. Although he was the actual person in charge of Tingbai Technology, all the public events were attended by General Manager Gao Yuan. It can be said that Gao Yuan was the stand-in of this mysterious president.

There is absolutely no information about him online.

Could it be that he has some unspeakable reason for not showing himself? Or is he disabled like her? Yu Bai's wild speculations swirled in her mind.

In short, the only way to get in touch with the president of Tingbai Technology is to meet Gao Yuan first.

Yu Bai dialed the number her editor-in-chief had given her to Gao Yuan's secretary. The call was answered quickly, and a crisp, clear female voice came from the other end: "Hello, this is Tingbai Technology."

"Hello, I am Yu Bai, a reporter from 'Focus on Finance'. I would like to schedule an interview with General Manager Gao."

"Okay, the general manager has already given instructions. He will meet you at 10:00 AM next Tuesday in Conference Room 403 of the Tingbai Technology headquarters building."

"Okay, thank you."

"You're welcome." The call ended.

With time running out, Yu Bai immediately prepared the interview transcript, starting with the pain points of existing hearing aids on the market and combining them with the research and development direction of Tingbai Technology, and asked targeted, professional, and high-quality questions.

The sky outside the window changed from blazing sun to nightfall, with twinkling stars hanging in the sky.

Yu Bai reached out and rubbed his sore neck. He glanced at his phone and realized it was already eight o'clock.

There are several unread WeChat messages on my phone.

It came from her college friend, Nan Kui.

Nan Kui is a cheerful and enthusiastic girl from the North, who complements Yu Bai perfectly. After graduating from university, she returned to Nancheng, while Yu Bai returned to the city she missed but dared not face after graduating with a master's degree.

Come eat barbecue.

Below is Nan Kui's location.

Yu Bai replied with an "okay".

The barbecue restaurant wasn't far from the magazine office; Yu Bai could get there in ten minutes on foot.

From afar, you could see Nan Kui squatting casually on the stone stool at the shop entrance, her hands supporting her chin, looking a bit irritable. When she saw Yu Bai, she immediately raised her hand and waved to her, "Over here!"

Yu Bai happily quickened her pace to Nan Kui's side, exchanged a brief greeting with her, and Yu Bai's smile was gentle and bright.

But soon, both of them showed signs of impatience.

This is a newly opened barbecue restaurant. Because of its great promotional offers, it's extremely popular. You can see from the outside that the restaurant is packed with people.

Yu Bai and Nan Kui waited outside for about an hour.

The temperature difference between day and night is large. The temperature in the southern part of the city is very low at night, and the wind is blowing coldly. The waiter brought them hot water.

Yu Bai took the water glass to warm his hands and thanked the waiter.

She was only wearing a beige long dress with a thin khaki trench coat over it. The cold wind seeped into her body through any gaps, making Yu Bai shiver.

"I'm so sorry, Bai Bai, it's all because I wanted to eat that you had to wait so long and get so cold," Nan Kui said softly.

"It's okay, I want to try it too," Yu Bai reassured her. "It should be our turn in less than ten minutes."

As the two were talking, several drunken men walked out of the barbecue restaurant. A pungent smell of alcohol hit Yu Bai and Nan Kui's noses, and the two consciously moved aside to stay away from them.

Ke Yubai and Nan Kui were both beautiful, and several men noticed them. Under the influence of alcohol, they approached the two and started hitting on them like thugs.

"Beautiful lady, let's add each other on WeChat." The leading man grinned lewdly, his eyes narrowed as he stared at Yu Bai.

Yu Bai frowned and made an excuse, "I'm sorry, I have a boyfriend."

Nan Kui added, "No, not at all."

The other man immediately retorted angrily, "Neither of you girls are giving my brother Xu any face!"

The others echoed this, making Xu Ge, whom they called "Brother Xu," feel embarrassed.

"Are you going to add me on WeChat or not?"

“We’ve already said we won’t add it,” Yu Bai said firmly.

Enraged, the man suddenly reached out to slap Yu Bai's face. Yu Bai dodged, but the slap still grazed her ear and knocked her hearing aid out.

The hearing aid fell to the ground, and Yu Bai hurriedly went to pick it up, but the man stomped on it and smashed it.

"So it turns out he's deaf. A deaf man dares to look down on me."

Yu Bai stared at the crushed hearing aid, frozen in place, tears welling up in his eyes.

Memories surged through my mind like a tidal wave in an instant.

It was also autumn, and Yu Bai had just transferred to a new school.

Who wants to be in the same class as a deaf person?

"A deaf person got first place? Could it be cheating?"

...

Yu Bai had gotten used to being mocked for his hearing impairment, and carefully picked up the books that had been thrown out of the classroom.

But the tears still fell like broken beads onto the scattered books, leaving a wet patch.

But suddenly a boy appeared in her gloomy world. He took her hand and pulled her out of the mud.

"Don't cry, I will protect you."

Jiang Jizhou's voice, as if piercing through seven long years, remains clearly audible.

While Yu Bai was still in a daze, the man's slap came again.

Amidst Nan Kui's exclamation, the man's wrist was suddenly seized by a strong, bony hand, which twisted it sharply to the side. Yu Bai heard a "crack" sound as the man cried out in pain, drowning out Nan Kui's voice.

Yu Bai woke up with a start and looked at the person who had suddenly appeared.

The moment their eyes met, Yu Bai saw the boy from seven years ago.

It is a boat on the river.

He was tall and slender, dressed in a black windbreaker that blended into the night. The warm light shone on his face, highlighting his sharp features: sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, and dark, inky eyes beneath his bangs, fixed intently on Yu Bai.

Jiang Jizhou is younger than before, and his sharp and roguish nature remains, but he has become more mature and composed.

The tears in Yu Bai's eyes solidified into amber, not falling, but swirling in his eyes, and they gazed at each other in silence.

Nan Kui's angry shouts, the barbecue restaurant owner's attempts to mediate, the man's screams... all the surrounding noise disappeared.

The world suddenly became quiet, as if only he and she existed.

Jiang Jizhou's eyes seemed to hold a thousand words, but they were separated by mountains and rivers, and ultimately remained silent.

Finally, Yu Bai mechanically looked away, his expression indifferent as if he were a stranger.

The farce eventually ended with the arrival and mediation of the police. The man apologized to Yu Bai and compensated her for the cost of the hearing aid and for emotional distress.

Nan Kui excitedly thanked Jiang Jizhou, "Thank you so much! If it weren't for you, Bai Bai and I would have been in trouble."

Jiang Jizhou nodded in acknowledgment, then looked at Yu Bai, whose head was slightly lowered, making it impossible to discern her expression.

"Long time no see," Jiang Jizhou said, his voice restrained and slightly hoarse.

Yu Bai looked up, her long eyelashes trembling slightly. She thought that when she saw him again, she would no longer have any feelings for him. However, the moment she heard his voice, her heart was filled with turbulent waves. Perhaps it was because she had loved him so deeply that her hatred for him was equally deep. In the end, she could not face him calmly.

Yu Bai told herself that she didn't need to have any expectations or hatred towards the man in front of her; he was just a stranger.

What's past is past; people should look forward. She can't and shouldn't be stuck seven years in the past.

Yu Bai met Jiang Jizhou's gaze again with a cold expression, her fair face showing only indifference.

Her expressionless face, reflected in Jiang Jizhou's eyes, was the face he had thought about to the point of madness countless times in the dead of night. At this moment, it pierced his heart with a sharp pain.

Yu Bai remained silent.

Upon hearing this, Nan Kui asked in surprise, "You two know each other?"