Chapter 92. He risked his life regardless of everything...
The junior student exclaimed "Ah!" and looked at Wen Xue in surprise.
He was stunned. Perhaps even the senior didn't know that when she said those words, she seemed to be glowing; she must really like the person she was talking about…
Wen Xue felt a great sense of relief.
It turns out that saying this wasn't so difficult after all.
“You can invite your friends to go have some fun,” she said. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to my private room.”
The junior student nodded, unable to hide his disappointment.
All his courage vanished, and he leaned against the wall in despair, raising his hand to grab his hair in frustration. "How stupid! How stupid!"
Wen Xue took a few steps, but then paused, startled.
Zhou Xian leaned casually against the corner wall, standing there for an unknown amount of time, listening for an unknown duration.
Seeing her looking over, he smiled at her, not mentioning what had just happened. He had more important things to care about than unimportant people. He asked in a low voice, "Did you see the message? I'm adding you as a friend."
Wen Xue took a step back to the side, moving away from him.
It would have been better if she hadn't known his identity. Ever since she found out he was Zhou Xian, his gaze and tone sent chills down her spine, as if she were being stared at by an indescribable monster.
She carefully chose her words: "I'm just helping out the senior students with some publicity work. I'm not in charge of the main affairs of the drama club. If you need anything, it's better to contact the president or the senior students."
Zhou Xian concluded that she was pretending to be stupid.
She thought he would want to eat with these scoundrels?
He wasn't a patient person, and he was too lazy to play games with her right now, so he went straight to the point: "It has nothing to do with your drama club, can't we be friends?"
Wen Xue then realized that his previous actions had all been an act.
No, it's not a disguise either.
This side of him is just closer to the real him.
His domineering nature, his oppressive presence.
Wen Xue wanted to say no. She didn't actually need to give him a reason; if she didn't want to add him as a friend, she simply didn't want to. Thinking of this, she smiled at him, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, appearing quite distant. Then, she politely walked past him and headed towards the private room.
Zhou Xian stared in disbelief for a few seconds, unable to believe that she had really left.
"Senior Sister Wenxue!"
The junior student called out as he chased after him.
Wen Xue stopped in her tracks.
The junior student felt a little uncomfortable when he noticed Zhou Xian was there, but he really wanted to make amends for his foolish behavior earlier. He took out two tickets from his pocket and handed them to her. "Senior, here are these two tickets for you. I don't mean anything by it, it's just..." He stammered for a while, "It's just that last time when I wasn't feeling well, you took me to the hospital on your way, and I was really grateful."
He was referring to the fact that many people fell ill at the beginning of spring.
Wen Xue was driving her three roommates out when she saw him at the school gate, looking so weak he couldn't stand up straight. She rolled down the window, let him in, and took him to the hospital.
The younger student became increasingly heartbroken as he spoke.
He thought she could go out and have fun with the person she liked.
Wen Xue thought for a few seconds, then took it and smiled, "Okay, thank you."
Siyi will be coming to Xicheng in a while, and it would be nice to take her there to join in the fun.
Zhou Xian watched coldly from the sidelines.
After carefully putting away the tickets, Wen Xue went straight back to the private room. Only Zhou Xian and his junior were left standing in the corridor. The junior wanted to say something, but when he saw Wen Xue's suddenly cold expression, he could only shut up and leave in a huff.
This person is so unpredictable...
Wen Xue sat down at the dining table when her phone vibrated. It was a message from He Yan, simply stating two words: "Where are you?"
She smiled slightly and sent the restaurant's name and the street it was located on.
He Yan: [I'm here to pick you up]
Before we knew it, the meal was almost over. The club president returned with the bill, smiling as he tallied the heads: "Who wants to go sing karaoke?"
People at the table raised their hands.
Only Wen Xue and Zhou Xian did not agree.
Zhou Xian looked at Wen Xue with a calm expression. Wen Xue replied apologetically, "You guys go ahead. Someone's here to pick me up. I have other things to do."
The group left their seats and walked out of the private room.
Zhou Xian lagged a few steps behind Wen Xue.
He seemed to have no intention of hiding his intentions at all, and even the president, who was slow to notice in this regard, noticed it and unconsciously frowned.
As they stepped out of the restaurant, they bumped into He Yan, who looked displeased.
He arrived in a hurry, wearing a shirt and trousers that he would only wear on formal occasions. His cold expression softened slightly when he saw Wen Xue. He strode up to her, glanced at Zhou Xian without making a sound, and tightened his jaw.
The senior student in the planning department gave a meaningful smile: "Here to pick up Wenxue?"
Whether it was because of the hot weather or shyness, Wen Xue's cheeks flushed slightly.
He Yan replied calmly, "Yes, we have other things to do."
He looked at the club president, "Are there any other events?"
The club president laughed: "Singing, wanna go?"
"I might not be available," He Yan pondered. "How about we treat you to karaoke?"
The word "we" is very evocative, indicating that his relationship with Wen Xue is extraordinary.
The president waved his hand repeatedly: "Next time."
In fact, to those who were unaware of the situation, He Yan's actions seemed to indicate that he was taking strict precautions and not giving any opportunity to those with ulterior motives.
Zhou Xian was unexpectedly silent. His gaze didn't fall on He Yan, who had spoken, as if he didn't take him seriously at all. He looked at Wen Xue, who had lowered her neck. In the evening light, the pendant around her neck shimmered with tiny sparkles, much like the tear she had shed in her dream on the plane that day.
Wen Xue and He Yan exchanged a knowing glance, and she took the initiative to end the conversation: "Then you guys go have fun, we'll be going now."
The president smiled and nodded, "Be careful."
He Yan's car was parked across the street. He reached out and put his arm around Wen Xue's shoulder to cross the road. People were coming and going at the zebra crossing. There was still a sliver of sunset on the horizon. He was talking to her while she turned her head to look at him. Even though they were some distance apart, they could still see that she was smiling, and she was smiling very happily.
They weren't as intimate as a couple, yet they gave off a feeling that no one could interfere with their relationship.
Zhou Xian's face was ashen, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
…
He Yan led Wen Xue into the car.
The air conditioning in the car was blasting. She was stunned for a moment; he had seemed so calm and composed. But if he was truly calm, why had he rushed over to pick her up without even turning off the engine?
"Don't be afraid."
She didn't speak, lost in thought. He Yan thought she was scared, so he forced himself to calm down and comforted her gently, "If you see him again, just leave."
"I'm not afraid."
She turned her head to look at him, her eyebrows and eyes smiling, her eyes clear, "I think he... is just so-so."
"What?"
"He actually doesn't have the guts."
Once she figured this out, Zhou Xian was no longer a monster in her eyes, and she wasn't afraid of him at all. "I've met people who are truly courageous. He's nothing. People with courage don't fear struggle."
In her view, if Zhou Xian were a man of courage, he would not have taken Zhou Zhan's life; he would have fought for it openly and honestly.
He can't even do that.
Is there anything to be afraid of?
He Yan stared at her intently.
So that's what she was thinking? His breathing slowed down, as if he were seeing more facets of Wen Xue. He thought she would hate Zhou Xian and be afraid of him in her past life, but she said, "He's nothing."
Wen Xue looked directly at him, her eyes and heart revealing emotions he couldn't perceive.
He completely failed to notice her comment that she had met truly courageous people.
He didn't know that the person she was talking about was him.
“So, he’s bound to lose,” she whispered.
He Yan's eyes flickered slightly; on this summer night, he could hear his own heart pounding loudly.
-
"This should be it."
Wen Xue and her roommate Chen Bingwen emerged from the subway station, looking up at the towering skyscrapers, their eyes sparkling.
Chen Bingwen quickly asked, "Is my makeup smudged?"
This was her first formal job interview, so she was inevitably nervous. She was wearing a white shirt and black skirt, and her heels were aching from the shoes, but she still smiled broadly.
"No, you look very energetic," Wen Xue praised.
“Wen Xue…” Chen Bingwen tugged at her hand, a little embarrassed, “Thank you for introducing me to such a great opportunity.”
"You have to treat me to a meal," Wen Xue said, feigning seriousness.
"Definitely! Regardless of whether it's a formality or not, I'll treat you to seafood!"
Wen Xue is here today to accompany Chen Bingwen to her job interview.
When she was in the drama club, a few people asked her about her future plans. She said she wanted to find an internship and wasn't considering graduate school yet. The senior student in planning took this to heart and recommended someone to her a few days ago. This person was also from the mathematics department at Xida University, so she was considered her senior. She was now a manager at a promising company, and her department was short-staffed. The senior student had an internal referral opportunity.
However, her internship is now pretty much confirmed.
It was one of the companies that Wu Yuejiang helped her select.
Besides that, there was another important reason: she had rented an apartment with a one-year contract. The apartment wasn't close to her place; it was in a different district, and her daily commute took two or three hours. After careful consideration, she took the initiative to message the senior student and recommended Chen Bingwen, who was struggling to find an internship.
My senior sister is very kind; she actually waited for them on the first floor of the building.
Wen Xue and Chen Bingwen, the two newbies, blushed and kept thanking her, almost bowing.
The senior student couldn't help but chuckle, "Alright, alright, come upstairs with me, there's an interview and a written test—"
As she spoke, she looked at Wen Xue.
Wen Xue understood immediately: "It's alright. I need to prepare my lessons anyway, so I'll wait for Bingwen at the nearby coffee shop."
She winked at Chen Bingwen, who was so nervous she could hardly breathe, silently encouraging her.
After watching Chen Bingwen and her senior sister pass through the gate and enter the elevator lobby, she turned and walked out. There were quite a few coffee shops nearby, and she used her eyes to measure and chose the closest one. The shop was not crowded on a weekday afternoon, and the air conditioning hit her face. She sighed and walked to the counter. When she was about to order, she met a gentle but unexpected gaze.
It is Lin Baizhou.
He never expected to run into Wen Xue at the coffee shop downstairs from his company.
He didn't ask her why she was there, but instead asked her, "What would you like to drink?"
Worried that she might refuse, he added, "I topped up the card, and there's a lot of money in it. Weiwei did well on her high school entrance exam, and she estimated her score; she should be able to get into a pretty good high school."
Wen Xue knew Fang Lingwei's situation better than he did.
She knew he brought it up because he didn't want her to refuse the coffee.
Wen Xue looked at the shop's signboard and said, "Iced Americano, please."
Lin Baizhou gave his phone number to the clerk and said, "One iced Americano and a stack of tiramisu."
A few minutes later, Lin Baizhou helped her carry the tray to a seat by the window before asking, "Are you here on business? If there's anything I can help you with, just let me know."
"I accompanied a friend to the job interview."
Wen Xue pointed to the skyscraper and said a company name.
Lin Baizhou looked surprised and chuckled, "I also work at this company."
Wen Xue was stunned.
She knew he had a bright future, but she couldn't recall which company he worked for. Fang Lirong might have mentioned it, or she might not have; she simply didn't remember.
It was at this moment that she remembered something.
Lin Baizhou had previously stated that Zhou Xian's attack on Zhou Zhan stemmed from a power struggle, a point He Yan had also mentioned. Because He Yan saved Zhou Zhan, Zhou Zhan successfully returned to China and took over his position. So, what if something happened to Zhou Zhan, or he were no longer alive...?
Wouldn't that mean Zhou Xianhui would be hired?
She seemed to have found the beginning of a tangled mess of yarn, staring blankly at Lin Baizhou in front of her, and involuntarily asked, "Your company has a partnership with Wanbo, right?"
When Lin Baizhou heard her suddenly mention Wanbo, his expression turned serious. "Yes."
Do you see Zhou Zhan often?
"It's alright." Lin Baizhou thought for a moment, "Why?"
The sound of snow made him lose his composure.
She was thinking about another possible scenario.
She hadn't stopped thinking about it these past few days. The scraps of paper with Zhou Xian's name on them that she saw in He Yan's room that night were firmly in her mind, but no matter how she tried to sort them out, she couldn't make sense of them.
If we look at it another way, if He Yan hadn't come to see her that winter night, and Yue Jiang hadn't helped her with her internship and job search, would she be the one being interviewed today?
And what would the situation be like now if He Yan hadn't saved Zhou Zhan?
Zhou Xianhui was parachuted in to replace Zhou Zhan.
"I saved more than just him."
"You have no idea how much I regret it."
"sorry."
"He has to win."
The words He Yan once said had taken root in her mind.
"Teacher Wen, are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?" Lin Baizhou asked anxiously and with concern when he saw that she seemed dazed.
Hearing the snow brought him back to his senses.
Previously, she was completely puzzled, not understanding why He Yan was involved in these dangerous things, let alone what reason he had to do them.
Her gaze faltered slightly.
Or more accurately, for whom did he risk his life at all costs?
The answer is obvious.
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