Chapter 63. [Second Update] She knew nothing, and then...
Wen Xue returned to the dormitory on time, and her roommates winked at her.
Ye Manni, in particular, quietly pulled her onto the balcony, her face beaming with excitement: "How come you never told me about Bai Zhou pursuing you before! I completely missed out on such big gossip!"
"That's not true."
Wen Xue corrected, "He didn't pursue me, don't talk nonsense."
She was telling the truth. Compared to others, Lin Baizhou was quiet and never abrupt. So far, he had not shown any stronger ulterior motives. Regardless of what he was thinking, at least in terms of their relationship, he made her feel very comfortable. She was closer to him than a stranger, but still a distance from being friends, since they didn't even have each other's contact information.
"I saw it with both eyes, no!" Ye Manni pointed into the room, "All three of us saw it! What were you talking about, coming back so late?"
“It wasn’t him,” Wen Xue explained helplessly. “He left after we got downstairs. It was He Yan who came to give me a gift, and we talked for a while.”
Ye Manni was very disappointed and asked curiously, "Didn't you say He Yan was away on a business trip?"
"He's back."
Even from those four simple words, Ye Manni could sense that her mood was improving.
Throughout the day, although Wen Xue kept smiling and seemed happy, her roommates, who had lived with her for more than two years, could all tell that she was trying her best to hide her disappointment.
After chatting for a few minutes, Ye Manni went to the bathroom to take a shower, while Wen Xue returned to her desk, turned on her computer, and searched online for the brand of the watch. It was much more expensive than she had expected, and her eyes widened in surprise, as if she had misread the decimal point.
She quickly picked up her phone and sent him a message: 【Why did you buy such an expensive watch?】
He Yan was driving when his phone vibrated. He glanced at it quickly, then pulled over, unlocked it, and read it word by word. He gave a brief laugh, typed out the message, and sent it: "Could you please stop checking prices in the future?"
When buying clothes, check the price tag; when receiving a gift, check the price.
He was truly impressed by her.
Wen Xue: [Impossible.]
Before he could reply, another message came in: "You can't use your phone while driving. I'm not saying anything more, and don't reply to me for now."
He Yan propped his head up, speechless.
She can become a traffic police officer after graduation.
He replied: "I didn't drive, and don't keep bringing up the expensive watch. It's already bought; if you want to return it, go to the US yourself."
Wen Xue: [...] He Yan didn't reply. He started the engine again. It was late at night, and there were hardly any cars on the wide road. On very rare occasions, he would think that this was good enough; she knew nothing, and therefore would never leave him.
-
New Year's Day marks the start of a new year.
Under He Yan's arrangement, everyone in the company who could attend was present. Everyone knew perfectly well that there was no precedent for celebrating New Year's Day before, and this time, to put it bluntly, Brother Yan wanted to give Wen Xue a grand belated birthday celebration.
The large round table was full of people. Wen Xue was sitting with He Yan to her left and Nana to her right.
Wang Yuan was in charge of opening the bottle of baijiu and pouring it for the men. Nana followed suit and opened a bottle of fine vintage red wine. After the wine was aerated, she stood up with a smile and poured the wine into the stemmed glass next to Wen Xue. "Happy New Year, Happy Birthday, have a drink, birthday girl!"
Wen Xue's brow twitched, and those images immediately surfaced in her mind—those lingering images she had tried so hard to forget.
She was really afraid of alcohol.
She hurriedly reached out to cover the cup, but unexpectedly another hand covered the back of her hand, warm with body heat.
She turned her head to look and met He Yan's gaze beside her.
He Yan paused for a moment, then subtly withdrew his hand, reminding Nana, "She's not drinking, so don't pour her any. You can drink it yourselves."
"Why?" Nana asked, puzzled. "Wenxue drank it too when we went on the trip last time."
Wen Xue felt like she couldn't breathe properly, but she still tried her best to remain calm and said, "I don't want to drink it either. I felt terrible that time."
Don't even mention it.
Let's not talk about it anymore.
She really wanted to forget.
He Yan gave her a gloomy glance.
Do you only remember the feeling of discomfort?
Sister Zhou, who was somewhat in the know, chimed in with a laugh: "That's right. Wenxue, you'd better not drink alcohol. Have some juice instead. The freshly squeezed juice here is pretty good."
Soon, Nana went to pour drinks for her sisters. Everyone continued to chat and laugh. Wen Xue held the glass with both hands and drank her juice. However, the familiar touch seemed to linger on the back of her left hand. She drank a little too quickly and almost choked.
He Yan opened a pack of tissues for her. "Thirsty?"
“A little,” she replied softly.
He Yan leaned forward slightly, reached out and pressed the rotating disc, and with a slight turn, the glass bottle containing freshly squeezed juice was brought in front of her. He raised his chin and gestured, "Drink."
Wen Xue couldn't help but laugh out loud, "I'm not thirsty at all."
…
This group of people are of different ages, and the only entertainment they can do together after dinner is either watch a movie or sing karaoke.
Watching a movie requires quiet, but today they wanted to have fun. After dinner, they went to a karaoke bar in a big group. Everywhere was packed on New Year's Day, but only their usual karaoke bar, 'Ai Chang', could reserve a large room for them.
Wen Xue didn't like singing, so she sat in a corner listening to them sing, her eyes casually glancing around, but she didn't see He Yan.
Perhaps because she drank too much juice at dinner, she held it in for a while, then got up and left the private room to go to the restroom. This karaoke room was designed like a maze, and she originally wanted to go back the way she came, but she couldn't find the private room after walking around for a while.
Looking up at the hanging road sign, which was very close to the front desk, she decided to go over and ask a staff member for directions.
After walking a few steps, she saw the supervisor she had met a few times standing in a slightly off-center part of the front hall. She stepped forward and suddenly stopped.
The light and shadow were distorted. He Yan took off his coat and hung it on his arm. He turned his back to her and spoke to the supervisor.
From a distance, Wen Xue's gaze slowly shifted from his broad back to the supervisor's face. She didn't know what they were talking about, but the other person was smiling broadly, not at customers, but at someone who seemed to have known her for many years.
Wen Xue silently stepped back.
She wandered around the maze like a headless fly, but luckily she ran into a waiter who looked even younger than her and kindly led her back to her private room.
When He Yan returned, he was followed by two people.
Supervisor Liu Tong and a waiter.
The waiter pushed a cart and placed a beautiful large fruit platter on the table, instantly enlivening the atmosphere. Liu Tong, dressed in a smart business suit, smiled and said, "I just heard from Boss He that it's his sister's birthday. Today is a good day, so I'm bringing a fruit platter to wish everyone a prosperous and thriving new year!"
Wang Yuan took the lead in creating a lively atmosphere, clapping and cheering.
He Yan noticed that Wen Xue was sitting to one side, looking preoccupied. He suppressed his smile, walked over to her, leaned down, and asked, "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No," Wen Xue shook her head. "I probably ate too much."
Liu Tong and He Yan have known each other for several years. This time, she came along to deliver the fruit platter to thank him for sending a red envelope through Wu Yuejiang when her mother was hospitalized. The amount was not important; what mattered was the sentiment. She came to the city from a small town to work and had experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships. She was especially grateful for her friend's kindness.
She was holding a plush toy in her arms, and with a smile in her eyes, she gave it to Wenxue, saying, "Happy birthday."
Wen Xue was taken aback, not expecting her to give a gift, and habitually looked at He Yan.
He Yan encouraged, "Take it; it's just a small token of Manager Liu's appreciation."
"I told you not to call me manager," Liu Tong said helplessly.
Wen Xue pursed her lips and thanked him, reaching out to take the doll. As the distance between them closed, a familiar fragrance lingered in her nose, causing her breathing and heartbeat to slow down simultaneously. She froze, at a loss for what to do.
She smelled this fragrance on Ye Manni almost every day; it was exactly the same as the unopened perfume she had accidentally found in He Yan's room drawer.
"Thank you," she stammered, clutching the doll in a flustered manner, "Thank you..."
Liu Tong: "You're welcome, it's my pleasure."
At this point, she looked at He Yan and said in a familiar tone, "I'll go take care of my business now. Remember to come find me when you leave."
This is a hint.
When my friend comes here to spend money, she, as the supervisor, can't give him a huge discount, but she can at least round down the price.
He Yan chuckled and nodded nonchalantly.
Liu Tong was busy with work, so she hurriedly left the private room with the waiter. The fruit platter she had given them was quickly eaten up by the group.
He Yan sat down next to Wen Xue, and seeing her hugging the doll tightly, he frowned and said, "Are you cold? Do you want me to give you my clothes?"
No, no need.
Wen Xue stared intently at the screen playing the music video, seemingly having no interest or time to talk to him. From an angle he couldn't see, her fingers gripped the doll's round, soft belly so tightly they turned white.
-
After New Year's Day, not only Wu Yuejiang, but even the oblivious Wang Yuan and Nana noticed that their brother Yan had been unpredictable lately. Sometimes he would radiate coldness like he had eaten ice, and other times he would attack everyone indiscriminately as if he had swallowed a bomb.
We can't afford to mess with them, we absolutely can't afford to mess with them.
Wang Yuan quietly asked Wu Yuejiang, "Mr. Wu, is our company going bankrupt because of debt?"
Wu Yuejiang's lips twitched, and he kicked him in the butt. "You jinx! Our company is doing great. We'll give you all a raise after the New Year!"
Wang Yuan was overjoyed, but even more confused. "What happened to Brother Yan?"
He complained, feeling wronged, "They yelled at me again today. I can't live like this for another day!"
Wu Yuejiang sneered.
What's wrong with He Yan? Nothing much, it's just that Wen Xue isn't replying to his messages during the weekend and is replying very slowly now, that's all.
Several times he wanted to tell He Yan to calm down and stay calm, because most younger sisters in the world are like that, and it was Wen Xue who spoiled He Yan.
If he hadn't been kind enough, he might have even said, "You think you've become a nun? Do you think she's shaved her head too?"
She's just busy with exams and not coming home right now, but be careful she doesn't come back to see her brother with a guy she's dating one day.
With public discontent rising, Wu Yuejiang had no choice but to invite He Yan out for a late-night snack and drinks, and to have a heart-to-heart talk. He asked in a friendly manner, "Your sister should be on winter vacation in the next couple of days, right? Is she going back to Haicheng for the New Year this time?"
Why bring up something you shouldn't talk about?
He Yan felt annoyed whenever she thought about it. "Her friend came to Xicheng to visit her, so they should have gone back together."
Rationally, he knew why Wen Xue hadn't stayed for the New Year.
The child she teaches is going to winter camp during the winter break.
Sister Cai has already returned to her job and doesn't need her help.
But emotionally, he didn't want to let her go.
"That's good," Wu Yuejiang said coolly. "Someone will pick her up and keep her company, so you don't have to worry."
He Yan glanced at him, opened the beer bottle with one hand, and drank half of it in silence. Her phone, which was on the table, vibrated, displaying her reply two hours later: "No need for you to take us. We booked a hotel near the high-speed rail station, only a few hundred meters away."
He saw the message and a nameless rage surged within him.
I tried to hold back, but I couldn't resist and dialed her number.
After a long while, she slowly answered the call, her tone uncertain: "Hello?"
"Where?" he asked, suppressing his anger.
Wu Yuejiang rolled his eyes as he munched on a lamb skewer.
"You and Siyi are watching a movie in the dorm. What's wrong?" she asked, puzzled.
"Which hotel did you book, and when?"
"Just a budget hotel near the high-speed rail station," she said softly. "Checking in tomorrow, staying for two days and then leaving."
He Yan tried to remain calm, "Okay, I'll pick you up tomorrow and then take you there."
"No--"
"Wait until tomorrow."
He didn't want to hear her refuse anymore, so he hung up the phone after saying that.
Wu Yuejiang lifted his eyelids to look at him and sneered, "Why don't you take some time to go to the hospital for an X-ray? Maybe the American didn't remove that bullet from your body, otherwise why are you so angry?"
He Yan looked gloomy.
…
The next day, in the girls' dormitory, after receiving a message from He Yan, Wen Xue stood on the balcony for a moment in thought, then turned around and came in, asking Yang Siyi, who was sitting on a chair eating sunflower seeds, "Siyi, where did you put your train ticket?"
Yang Siyi was engrossed in reading the paranormal posts on the forum, not even looking up. "Oh, it's in my wallet."
Wen Xue found a bullet train ticket in Si Yi's wallet that was departing at 10 a.m. the day after tomorrow and put it in her bag.
After enduring half a month of torment and suffering, He Yan waited downstairs at the dormitory.
Watching the students come and go, he couldn't help but think of this time last year when he came to pick her up. She was very fragile and didn't talk much.
The weather must have been nice that day.
As if sensing something, Wen Xue dragged her suitcase out of the dormitory. He Yan looked up, and their eyes met. One was calm, the other was tense. She looked away and continued to chat and laugh with Yang Siyi at ease.
Yang Siyi, however, was uneasy. Before getting into the car, he whispered in Wen Xue's ear, "Did you two have a fight?"
Wen Xue was amused, "How could that be?"
Yang Siyi shrugged. "It just feels... weird."
Wen Xue is strange, but He Heng's brother is even stranger.
Although the two didn't talk much, the atmosphere in the car was strangely sticky, and she even had the illusion that she was a third wheel.
He Yan drove in silence, and when he dropped them off at the entrance of a rather narrow budget hotel, he finally spoke in a deep voice: "Let's find another hotel. This one isn't good."
Yang Siyi: "?"
Wen Xue shook her head: "No, it's too much trouble."
She nudged Yang Siyi's hand, "There seem to be quite a few guests. Why don't you go to the front desk to check in first?"
"oh……"
After Yang Siyi entered the automatic door, Wen Xue looked at He Yan again. The two stepped aside. This place was close to the high-speed rail station, with people coming and going. He Yan saw someone behind her and, not wanting her to be bumped into, pulled her back.
"You've already bought the tickets?" He was at a loss with her and broke the silence, "Why don't you cancel them and stay a few more days? I'll buy you plane tickets."
Wen Xue lowered her head and took out a train ticket from a hidden compartment in her bag to give it to him. "No, taking a plane is too much trouble, and I'm not alone. I've already arranged with Si Yi that her mother will pick me up when we arrive in Haicheng."
He Yan took the ticket and scanned it, noticing the name on it. He frowned slightly. "This isn't your ticket."
"Huh?" Wen Xue took it back. "I might have taken the wrong one. Mine should be with Si Yi. Do you want to see it? Should I call her?"
He Yan just wanted to spend more time alone with her, "No, thank you."
He softened his tone, "Shall I show you around these next couple of days?"
Wen Xue couldn't help but laugh: "Don't be like that. There must be a lot of things going on at the end of the year. Si Yi came to visit me. She'll feel uncomfortable with another person. Don't worry, I know Xicheng very well. I'm just taking her to see some tourist attractions."
He Yan knew in his heart that it was not appropriate for him to go, so he did not force him and repeated his words of advice over and over again.
Call him if you need anything, reply to his messages, remember to tell him if you're short on money...
Wen Xue looked at him quietly as he patiently explained, and she listened gently and patiently, nodding and smiling in agreement.
…
Two days later, an announcement in the high-speed rail station waiting hall reminded passengers that boarding for the train from Xicheng to Haicheng would begin soon, and asked them to prepare accordingly.
Yang Siyi held Wen Xue's hand and swayed it back and forth, "Are you really not coming home with me?"
Wen Xue was both amused and exasperated. "Didn't we already agree? Be good, once I've saved up more money, I'll take you to Hong Kong Disneyland, okay?"
"Take good care of yourself!" Yang Siyi knew there was no time left, so he hugged her and let go, waved goodbye, and dragged his suitcase to the ticket gate to queue up.
After confirming that she had boarded the bus, Wen Xue leisurely emerged from the exit, took out her phone amidst the crowd, and replied to the message He Yan had sent half an hour earlier: 【Boarding the bus [spinning around]】
He replied quickly: 【Hmm】
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