Chapter 88. Study hard for your exams, and you'll receive a final gift...
Throughout the meal, Wen Xue restrained herself from checking the time on her phone, but she was thinking about He Yan, who was still on the plane.
Perhaps it was because she went to Huacheng to see him and something happened. Although they didn't part on bad terms, it was undeniable that she was exhausted when she left, and he was anxious and upset. So this week while he was away on a business trip seemed particularly long.
It was so long that she couldn't even wait until tomorrow to see him again.
Wen Xue had thought she could find an excuse to slip away early after dinner, but to her surprise, the club president, who had drunk a little and was beaming, dragged them to a nearby karaoke bar. She could tell he was particularly happy today; many university club presidents were driven by passion and responsibility, and he was delighted to have secured a substantial amount of sponsorship.
Everyone was having a great time, and for a moment she hesitated and struggled with the decision. If she went to sing karaoke with them, she wouldn't be able to pick up He Yan.
Zhou Xian didn't remember anyone else's name at all.
He only remembered Wen Xue.
He came here today just for her, and the subtle changes in her expression did not escape his notice. He stood a little distance away and watched her as she came out of the restaurant a few steps behind the group, looking bewildered and helpless as she secretly turned to check the time on her phone.
He probably understood.
There was an urgent matter, and I couldn't leave.
After thinking for a moment, as the group prepared to head towards the karaoke bar, he calmly said, "I'm a little dizzy from drinking. Why don't you guys go ahead first..." He paused, his gaze finally landing on Wen Xue, "Wen Xue, I'm not familiar with this place. Could you please take me to the pharmacy?"
This request is reasonable.
After all, everyone knows that he and Wen Xue "knew" each other before today.
Wen Xue paused for a moment, looked at the club president and the senior planning student, and nodded, "Okay."
"How about we go together?" the shy freshman mustered up his courage and asked.
He noticed that when he said those words, Mr. Zhou's gaze suddenly turned cold.
"No need to trouble yourself," Zhou Xian smiled. "You guys go ahead."
Perhaps because he had a bit of a headache from drinking, he pursed his thin lips after laughing.
After giving Wen Xue a look that indicated he would handle things, the club president and the others went to the karaoke bar, which was very close, less than a few hundred meters away. After they left, Wen Xue looked at Zhou Xian and said softly, "Mr. Zhou, there's a pharmacy up ahead. Why don't you tell me what medicine you need, and I'll go buy it while you wait for me here?"
After she finished speaking, her expression gradually became confused.
Because Zhou Xian, who was standing in front of her, was staring at her and smiling.
What are you laughing at?
Zhou Xian said casually, "It's just an excuse. I don't like singing. You can tell them I have a headache and want to go home and rest later."
Wen Xue was surprised, but after a few seconds, she asked worriedly, "Should we go to the hospital?"
Zhou Xianwei paused.
His smile deepened: "No need, a good night's sleep will do. You must have something to do too, right?"
Wen Xue hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Okay," he looked up at the traffic on the street, "then let's call it a day. I'll take a taxi back, you go about your business."
"Okay." She thought for a moment, "Mr. Zhou, please wait a moment, I'll be right back."
Zhou Xianwen responded gently.
Wen Xue turned and walked towards the pharmacy, the night wind ruffling her hair. She was in a hurry, so she jogged into the pharmacy, bought only a bottle of water, and asked the clerk for a disposable paper cup.
She had strips of honey in her bag.
I bought it when I was shopping with my roommates. It was for He Yan, who often needs to entertain guests. She kept some in her bag for emergencies.
This is where it comes in handy.
She tore open the serrated edge, squeezed the honey into the paper cup, and then unscrewed the cap to rinse it with water.
Zhou Xian waited leisurely in the same spot.
A moment later, she came over with a paper cup in her hand, and a hint of doubt flashed between her brows.
In the darkness, Wenxue handed him the cup, saying, "Honey water, it will make you feel better."
Zhou Xian looked down at the water in the paper cup, which had rippled from being shaken. His gaze shifted and settled on her clear eyes. He smiled, took the cup, and said softly, "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
Wen Xue then asked, "Do you need me to call a car for you?"
"No need, I'll just take a walk and get rid of the smell of alcohol."
"Well... I'll be going now."
"goodbye."
Wen Xue waved goodbye to him and walked away happily, walking faster and faster, in a hurry. After crossing the road, she started running, and Zhou Xian's eyes followed her until she could no longer see her. Only then did he look away, still holding the cheap disposable paper cup in his hand.
He stared at it for a moment, then tilted his head back and drank the honey water.
Her furrowed brows relaxed, and she looked quite sweet.
…
On the way to the airport, Wen Xue turned on the radio. She was in a good mood and hummed along to the melody on the radio while driving, feeling a sense of freedom and joy.
Fortunately, there was still enough time. When she arrived at the airport parking lot, He Yan's flight had just landed.
She tried dialing his number, and it was answered quickly.
The background noise was a bit loud, but she managed to suppress her excitement and tried to calmly tell him about the surprise she had prepared for him: "I've arrived at the airport and I'm waiting for you in the parking lot."
A moment of silence.
He Yan gave a brief "hmm" and then fell silent, but he didn't hang up the phone.
She could hear his breathing clearly.
The silent phone call continued until he dragged his suitcase to the car, and they looked at each other through the windshield.
She hurriedly got out of the car, but didn't know what she could do to help him. He wouldn't let her carry the suitcase either. She could only watch him intently as he easily lifted the suitcase, opened the trunk, stuffed it in, and slammed it shut. He said, "I'll drive."
"I'll do it."
She was very insistent on this matter. She could guess that he had been under a lot of pressure these past few days, and had probably just finished his work before boarding the plane.
He Yan: "..."
He wanted to keep a straight face, but hadn't he told her not to drive at night?
But she was watching him from within his reach, smiling. Even if he wasn't angry at all, it would have dissipated long ago.
He turned his head away, unable to hide his smile.
Wen Xue heard his muffled laughter, felt relieved, and laughed out loud as well.
On the way back, she drove while he adjusted his seat, leaning against the passenger side, his elbow unconsciously resting on the armrest, as if wanting to get closer to her. His whole body was leaning towards her as he casually asked, "What did you have for dinner?"
"The president treated us to dinner, and we were all there," she replied. "We ate seafood."
He Yan was quite surprised. "What good news? Didn't you just treat me to a late-night snack a couple of days ago?"
"There is good news."
She smiled and said, "The president has secured a sponsorship."
Just as she was about to mention that Mr. Zhou was someone she had met on the plane a few days ago, he sat up straight, turned his head to look at her, and said, "Your club is short of money? Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Wen Xue was helpless.
She knew, of course, that he would immediately sponsor the club if she asked.
but……
“Public matters are public matters, and private matters are private matters,” she said. “We still need to keep that distinction clear. Besides, the club president and the senior planner are very capable. They have secured a lot of sponsorships before, but this time the amount is more. In addition, the drama festival is coming up, and the club president and the senior planner actually want to take us to relax.”
This was both an explanation and a reminder to him.
"Does your school not receive funding?" he asked, frowning.
Wen Xue chuckled, "I'm not a core member, so I don't know much about it."
The conversation then jumped to another topic.
The car sped along the wide road late at night, the two men in a relaxed yet inexplicably excited mood.
-
A few days later, the semester's classes were almost over, and Wen Xue was also reviewing for the upcoming final exam week when He Yan suddenly called to invite her to dinner and shopping. He wanted to choose a gift for his friend's unborn child, but was worried about not choosing the right one, so he asked her for advice.
Wen Xue readily agreed.
The two arrived at a jewelry store in the mall. The store was brightly lit, and the sales staff were very friendly.
She was focused on choosing, and finally picked out a pair of gold bracelets. The size was very small. Just imagining her little baby wearing the bracelets on his chubby little hands, which were like lotus roots, made her think how cute he was. She didn't even notice that He Yan was standing very close to her. She turned her head to talk to him, and her upturned nose almost brushed against his cheek.
"What's wrong?" he asked calmly.
"No..." she said, a little flustered. Besides customers, there were several sales assistants in the store. "I just think the words engraved on the bracelet are very nice."
He Yan picked up the measuring cup, wishing the baby health, safety, and robust growth, and replied, "Mm."
He looked up at the sales assistant and said, "Just this pair, and the safety lock I just saw, wrap them all up together."
The sales assistant beamed, "Yes, sir!"
She went to get the bill, and He Yan followed her to pay.
Wen Xue wandered around casually, looking at the beautiful necklaces and bracelets displayed in the glass cabinet, which immediately caught her eye.
After paying, He Yan came over carrying the wrapped bracelet and safety lock. I looked over in the direction she was looking.
"Have you bought it?" she asked.
He nodded, "I'm going to the temple to have someone consecrate it for me."
May the unborn child have a mother and a father in this life, and grow up safely and smoothly.
She couldn't help but chuckle; it was the first time she'd ever heard of taking gold jewelry to be blessed. "Okay, let's go then. I've made plans to go to the library with Manny and the others tonight."
The two walked out of the store side by side.
Just as they were about to take the escalator downstairs, He Yan suddenly spoke up, "Do you want to go to the restroom first? It'll take about forty minutes to drive there."
Wen Xue thought about it and agreed.
She looked around and saw the restroom sign.
Just as she was walking in that direction, He Yan didn't dare to waste any time. He strode back to the store, found the necklace she had been looking at for several seconds before looking away, swiped his card to pay, and the whole process was smooth and quick, taking less than five minutes.
…
In the afternoon, the car was parked at the foot of the mountain.
The car was air-conditioned, dry and comfortable. He Yan, in the driver's seat, raised his chin slightly and said, "Wait for me in the car. I'll take the things up, say a few words, and then come down."
Wen Xue did not refuse.
With the exam just around the corner, she dared not relax and kept her study materials in her bag.
To her surprise, when he turned around to get the bracelet and jewelry from the back seat, he magically pulled a rectangular box from his bag and handed it to her. Caught off guard, she was taken aback, but he mumbled, "Here, do well on your exams."
Consider it a year-end gift.
Before she could react, he hurriedly opened the car door and got out. In the blink of an eye, he stepped onto the long steps and disappeared.
Inside the car, only Wen Xue blinked in astonishment. She lowered her head, a vague guess forming in her mind. With a click, she opened the box. In the sunlight streaming through the window, the pendant of the necklace shone, almost illuminating her hazy thoughts.
She wanted to laugh, but worried that someone would hear her. She bit her lower lip, but couldn't help but burst out laughing.
She would never dare to go shopping with him again; anything she glanced at a few times, he would buy.
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