Chapter 26 I'm Single

People from two different worlds, like two parallel tracks, briefly met because of that youthful and passionate time on campus.

Like a sudden gust of wind sweeping through the classroom window, the curtains slowly smooth out their folds after the wind stops; or like accidentally biting into a green mango, the sweet and sour taste intensely sweeping across the tongue, only to be left with a cool, empty feeling on the fingertips when the wind blows.

Nine years have passed, and he seems to have changed little, yet he also seems to have changed a lot.

How could she recognize him at a glance? Jin Zhao wondered. She was slightly face-blind, and she couldn't recognize many people she met by chance when she saw them again. Meng Yanxi, on the other hand, had changed quite a bit.

He had grown taller and stronger, his pale skin a shade darker than before, but still fair. He remained handsome, but the sharpness in his eyes had softened, giving him a more profound look.

The boy from back then has grown into a real man, tall, composed, and unfathomable.

Meng Yanxi remained silent the entire way, the sycamore trees on both sides of the road casting shadows that seemed to blur past.

Jin Zhao unconsciously stared at his arm holding the steering wheel. The lines of his body muscles were even more beautiful than nine years ago, and the veins on the back of his hand had an indescribable sexiness.

Jin Zhao moved her lips; she seemed to have something to say.

But what to say? Small talk? Or pretend not to know each other and hypocritically maintain appearances?

Forget it, let's be honest.

She was never hypocritical with others, let alone with him. Whether he needed it or not, at least in her heart, she felt she owed him an explanation, even if it was just wishful thinking on her part.

"Back then, I..."

"Sizzle—"

Just as Jin Zhao opened his mouth, the man in the driver's seat suddenly slammed on the brakes, and the car tires screeched as they rubbed against the ground.

Jin Zhao's body lurched forward, nearly hitting the back of the seat in front of her. She swallowed her words, startled, and looked up in surprise.

There were no obstacles ahead, and the area was quite open. Turning around, there was a simple and ancient-looking landmark stone by the roadside, with the four characters "Luxi Bieyuan" (鹿溪别院) engraved on it in bold and elegant strokes.

Behind the landmark stone, a wide road extends into a lush, verdant area, where rows of white-walled, black-tiled Chinese-style buildings can be vaguely seen in the distance.

"We've arrived," the man in the driver's seat finally spoke.

He didn't turn around, but merely glanced at her in the rearview mirror. His cold gaze and tone were exactly like those of a Didi driver about to complete a transaction with her.

The only problem is that she can't give him money, and she doesn't seem to have told him where she's going.

She glanced again at the four characters "Luxi Villa" on the landmark stone, the very place where her aunt had arranged to meet her.

"How did you know?" she asked, somewhat surprised.

On the other side of the rearview mirror, peach blossom eyes were dark and aloof, devoid of any emotion.

"I told you I've arrived, you can get off the bus."

Jin Zhao: "..."

How heartless.

Even if they weren't friends, they were at least classmates. Luckily, the place she arranged to meet happened to be here. What if it wasn't, or even in the opposite direction? He led her on such a long detour, didn't say a word to her except to kick her out of the car, and then she had to take a taxi and go back herself?

Didn't he know she was poor?

Jin Zhao wisely got off the bus and walked in.

Luxi Bieyuan is a five-star hotel located in a famous scenic area of ​​Suiyi. Due to height restrictions, there are no tall buildings in the scenic area. Instead, rows of simple and elegant buildings are nestled among lush natural trees. In the bustling city center, it has a touch of poetic tranquility, truly living up to its name: "Deer are seen when the trees are deep, and no bell is heard at noon by the stream."

Jin Zhao took out her phone and opened the location sent by her aunt.

The map shows that the restaurant is located at the other end of Luxi Villa, overlooking the lake, and it takes half an hour to walk there.

Just how big is this place? No wonder no one ever goes in through this door.

Meng Yanxi is really a bit...

Forget it, Jin Zhao doesn't want to scold the person he liked, even if it was just in the past.

But when she was halfway there, and watched helplessly as that Maybach drove past her with such indifference, leaving her only with its arrogant rear end, she couldn't help but curse in her heart—that's too much!

Meng Yanxi is really going too far!

He was clearly about to drive in, so why did he drop her off at the door?

Even if he didn't know she was coming here at first, he should have seen her since he drove past her. What would be wrong with stopping and taking her along?

They insisted on letting her wander around such a large park by herself.

Anyone who didn't know better would think this was his territory, and he was showing her how successful he had become over the years, while she could only dream of 30 million.

When she finally arrived at the restaurant, her aunt and uncle, who had told her in advance that they would be late, were already there, drinking tea and waiting for her.

Jin Zhao called out "Aunt" and "Uncle," and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, I went to the wrong door."

Aunt Jin Wenyi and Uncle Zhao Xu are both high school teachers, and they both have the gentle and scholarly air that is common among teachers. Jin Wenyi got up to take her hand and said with a smile, "We're family, why apologize? If we had known you didn't know the way, your uncle and I would have picked you up from school. Your uncle also wanted to visit your school."

Jin Zhao sat down next to Jin Wenyi, and Zhao Xu poured tea for her across from him. He pushed the teacup in front of Jin Zhao and said with a smile, "Yes, we had a colleague who resigned to pursue a doctorate and later switched jobs to become an administrative teacher at Suiyi Normal University. He said that Suiyi Normal University is very big and beautiful, and I have always wanted to go and see it."

Jin Zhao accepted the tea from his uncle with both hands, but upon hearing that the campus was large, he couldn't help but wrinkle his nose and politely declined, saying, "I don't like big schools; it's too easy to be late."

Jin Wenyi hurriedly said, "You absolutely cannot be late. It's better to leave early and get to the classroom ahead of time. In universities, as long as it doesn't involve teacher ethics, everything is fine. The only thing is that you can't be late. Even being a minute late is a teaching incident. In any case, you must make sure that you are in the classroom at the designated time for class."

Jin Wenyi has been a teacher for half her life, and she always starts lecturing. Zhao Xu, who was with her, couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted with a laugh: "Alright, did you drive three or four hours just to give a lecture?"

Jin Wenyi and Zhao Xu are both locals from Suiyi, but they don't live there now. They went to university in a neighboring city and stayed there after graduation. However, since their parents live here, Jin Wenyi and Zhao Xu still go back to Suiyi to visit their relatives several times a year. Sometimes they take the high-speed rail, and sometimes they drive back to bring back large gifts for their parents and brother and sister-in-law.

Jin Zhao had just returned to the country and visited her aunt and uncle in a neighboring city. This was the first time Jin Wenyi and her husband had come to Suiyi to see her.

The city has changed a lot in recent years. Jin Wenyi and her husband know better than she does where new shops have opened and what's popular. This restaurant, Luxi, was booked by the couple. They know exactly how to make a reservation, how far in advance, what dishes to order, and what drinks to pair it with. Compared to them, Jin Zhao seems more like a middle-aged person.

During the meal, the couple asked Jin Zhao about her recent situation. As they were both veteran teachers, they shared some of their experiences in teaching and promotion with her, and also asked her about the school's accommodations and whether new teachers had been allocated housing.

"Assigning houses" was the term used in their era, and it's still used in universities today, though the meaning is quite different. Back then, you were truly assigned a house; now, you're temporarily assigned a place to live.

Jin Zhao said, "There are dormitories, single rooms. But I don't live on campus right now, I share an apartment with a friend."

Jin Wenyi asked, "Why don't you stay in the dormitory?"

Jin Zhao took six months to find a job after returning to Korea. During those six months, she shared an apartment with a friend. Later, she enrolled in Suiyi Normal University. The university did provide dormitories for teachers, but Suiyi Normal University was built on a mountainside. Although the terrain was generally flat, the dormitories for young teachers were located at the foot of the mountain and were very damp. Jin Zhao had always been unlucky, and she was assigned a first-floor apartment. The apartment was infested with all sorts of insects, including centipedes. She was afraid of insects, but she also didn't want to suddenly move out and leave her roommate with a lot of problems, so she continued to rent the apartment.

However, she only mentioned insects.

Jin Wenyi nodded: "It's quite scary to have a lot of bugs. It's better to live outside. Otherwise, your entire social circle will be confined to the campus. Living further away will at least expand your social circle."

He then pressed further, "Which friend do you share the apartment with? Are they reliable?"

"I can rely on you, we've been friends since we were kids," Jin Zhao said vaguely, his head bowed.

Jin Wenyi, however, was not easily fooled. She turned to stare at her and asked, "Which of your childhood friends are you still in contact with?"

Jin Zhao didn't look at her. He picked up the communal spoon and scooped a spoonful of fish soup for Jin Wenyi. When he put it down, he said evasively, "It's the one in the same neighborhood. Don't you remember?"

Jin Wenyi had a sudden inspiration and blurted out, "You mean Wu Nian!"

Jin Zhao: "..." What a terrible memory!

When Jin Wenyi gets excited, her voice unconsciously gets louder, sounding like she's scolding a child. Zhao Xu quickly reminded her, "Keep your voice down, or people will think you're arguing."

Jin Wenyi glanced around, trying to control her emotions, and reasoned with Jin Zhao: "Lingling, it's not that your aunt is still looking after you now that you're all grown up, it's just that other people are one thing, but Wu Nian, this girl, this girl..."

Jin Wenyi carefully chose her tone, trying to give an objective evaluation: "This girl is good at heart, straightforward, and has no bad intentions, but the people around her are too mixed up, all sorts of people. She and you were never on the same path from the beginning. The fact that you became friends with her in the first place was because Lin Yao set you up..."

Seeing that Jin Wenyi was crossing the line, Zhao Xu interrupted, "Alright, look at you, what are you saying to the child?"

Zhao Xu turned to Jin Zhao and asked gently, "Lingling, is Wu Nian still performing at the bar?"

“No.” Jin Zhao explained, “She participated in a singing talent show by chance back then, which attracted a lot of fans. Later, she signed with a management company and now mainly works in social media, occasionally taking on some acting roles.”

Zhao Xu paused for a moment, then smiled: "Lingling, you've just returned to China, so it's good for you to stay outside and see how things have changed. But while it's fine for you to stay outside temporarily, it'll be a significant expense if you continue. Have you thought about it? You haven't been promoted yet, and your salary isn't high. Renting a place outside isn't a long-term solution. If there's a problem with the dorms, then we should solve it. Could you talk to the person in charge of assets and ask them to change your dorms?"

"I already said that the asset management department said that there have been many new teachers in the past two years, and the dormitories are indeed quite tight," Jin Zhao said. "However, they also said that the school is already building new dormitory buildings, which are suites, and the teachers will be allocated new dormitories by next year at the latest."

Jin Wenyi and Zhao Xu were finally relieved.

After discussing work, Jin Wenyi smoothly moved on to the next step, starting with relationships: "Now that we've gotten back to the point, you've been working for a few months now. Have you met any single male teachers at school who you find attractive? Your colleagues are probably a good match for you, so you should pay attention and actively participate in activities."

Upon hearing that Jin Wenyi was about to start pressuring him to get married again, Jin Zhao quickly looked to his uncle for help.

Zhao Xu shared the same view as his wife on this matter, and said with a smile, "Your aunt is right. Now that your job is stable, it's time to think about marriage."

Jin Wenyi put down her chopsticks: "That's right, a girl's prime is very short. Don't waste all the time you've managed to save from your studies on resisting."

Jin Zhao muttered softly, "Where did I resist?"

"Stop being coquettish." Jin Wenyi started bringing up old grievances again. "I introduced you to people before you even returned to China last year, from England to Suiyi. How many photos did I show you? You insisted that you didn't want to go on blind dates and that you wanted to meet people on your own. Fine, then go out and meet people on your own! But I see that you have no social life except for going to school and work every day. You stay at home during holidays and don't go out. It's such a waste of your beautiful face."

"Tell your aunt the truth, do you still want to get married in this lifetime?" Jin Wenyi asked her seriously.

Jin Zhao bit her lip and remained silent.

"Okay, you didn't say you didn't want to, so you do. Well, let me tell you from my own experience: if you don't want to get married, fine. But if you do want to get married, you should do it sooner rather than later. Otherwise, the older you get, the fewer choices you'll have, and there really aren't many good men out there."

Jin Zhao knew in her heart that they were right. After a moment of silence, she gently exhaled and said, "Okay, I will try my best."

“That’s right, the most important step in choosing a partner is not to resist it,” Jin Wenyi said. “Your uncle and I will also keep an eye out for you. So tell us, what kind of boy do you like?”

Jin Zhao didn't speak. In the few seconds of silence, a familiar figure suddenly appeared before him, dressed in black, tall and imposing.

—It really happened, not an illusion.

For a fleeting moment, she thought it was her imagination. But the next second, when those dark, aloof peach blossom eyes briefly met hers before turning away indifferently, she was so frightened that her eyes widened.

Meng Yanxi walked past their table with one hand in her pocket, as if she didn't recognize her at all, leaving behind a lingering scent of cold mountain pine mist.

Jin Zhao's back was stiff, and his whole body felt like it was about to split open.

How did he end up here?

She stared intently at the screen behind her uncle across from her.

It's said that the restaurants in Luxi are so popular for two reasons: firstly, the food is truly delicious, and secondly, they only serve 30 tables a day, so demand far exceeds supply, resulting in long waiting lists for reservations. My aunt said that they made their reservation for today a month in advance.

All the seats are by the window, offering a direct view of the lake and mountains through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Openwork wooden screens separate the seats, creating a sense of privacy.

Yes, it's just an illusion.

She had thought there was no one around her!

She never expected that Meng Yanxi would suddenly come out from behind the screen.

What a coincidence that they booked on the same day and even sat in adjacent seats!

Didn't he overhear her conversation with her aunt and uncle just now—about being poor, having bugs in her dorm, not wanting to find a partner but also somewhat wanting one?

Jin Zhao slapped himself in the face.

As the footsteps faded into the distance, Jin Wenyi suddenly grabbed her hand and whispered, "Lingling, did you see that boy who just walked past you? He's tall and handsome, looks clean-cut, and has a righteous look in his eyes. Do you like someone like him?"

Jin Zhao: "..."

Jin Zhao really didn't know what to say.

Is it because she doesn't want to go to Tsinghua or Peking University?

“Aunt…” Jin Zhao looked at Jin Wenyi, hesitating to speak, but finally couldn’t hold back and blurted out what was on her mind, “What kind of daydream are you having?”

She wouldn't even dare to dream of winning 30 million, let alone something that big.

Fortunately, Meng Yanxi didn't hear that sentence, otherwise she really wouldn't want to see him.

"What nonsense are you talking about, child?" Jin Wenyi said, both amused and exasperated, and gently patted her.

Jin Zhao wants to say that it's not me who's talking nonsense, it's you.

Even her students know that relationships that cross class lines should be avoided, let alone the fact that there is more than one class difference between her and Meng Yanxi.

The campus may temporarily blur the differences between people, but student days are over.

Jin Zhao wanted to wake her aunt up, and the sound of footsteps rang out again, coming closer and closer.

Having learned from his previous experience, Jin Zhao immediately turned around warily.

Meng Yanxi returned, accompanied by an assistant in a suit. The assistant was clean-cut, tall, and only slightly shorter than Meng Yanxi. Behind the assistant were a man and a woman, both dressed smartly. The woman wore heavy makeup and had a microphone clipped to her collar, while the man, who was slightly overweight, carried a camera on his shoulder.

They appear to be reporters and photographers.

The female reporter, wearing high heels, quickly caught up, apologizing repeatedly: "I'm so sorry, Mr. Meng, I'm so sorry to have made you wait for us."

Meng Yanxi didn't speak. His assistant behind him said politely but distantly, "It's nothing. We were notified at the last minute. It was indeed a bit rushed."

"Not at all, Mr. Meng, it's our honor that you agreed to be interviewed."

The group approached quickly, and Jin Zhao turned around and pretended to be eating.

The sound of high heels and leather shoes on the floor grew closer. Amidst the clattering, she heard the female reporter ask as she walked, "Mr. Meng, do you think this interview outline is acceptable?"

Meng Yanxi said calmly, "Remove the last question."

"The last question..."

Meng Yanxi had been refusing interviews until an hour ago when she suddenly called to say they could now. The reporter, rushing all the way, momentarily lost her composure and couldn't recall which question was the last one. She pulled out the outline to look at it.

Meng Yanxi: "I don't have a girlfriend, I'm single."

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Author's note: Aunt: This boy is quite nice.

Meng Yanxi: I'm still single.