Chapter 81. She knew his feelings for her...
Wen Xue brought four roasted chickens back to her dorm and received unanimous praise.
When her phone rang, she glanced at the dorm room as usual. Her three roommates were all busy with their own things and didn't even notice her. She hung up and replied to He Yan's message: "Wait a minute."
This is what it means to have a guilty conscience.
No one paid attention to her, but she was filled with anxiety.
Wen Xue tidied up the table quickly, picked up her phone, and stood up. Just as she reached the door, Ye Manni, who was closest to her, casually asked, "It's almost ten o'clock, where are you going?"
“Go to the laundry room,” she said calmly.
Ye Manni's attention returned to the variety shows on her computer.
Wen Xue quietly left the dormitory. At this hour, the washing machines in the laundry room were running. She found a quiet place and dialed He Yan's number. The call was answered quickly, and his deep voice came through: "Back in the dormitory?"
"I'm back." She lowered her head.
On the phone, they remained silent.
Over this long period of time, He Yan was well aware that she didn't want to make or receive phone calls in the dormitory. To be precise, she probably didn't want to call him. He should hang up as soon as he was sure she was back in the dormitory, but that night he had drunk some alcohol that wasn't intoxicating, so he didn't want to hang up.
Even just hearing her breathing would be enough.
After a moment of silence, Wen Xue recalled what had happened that day and complained softly with a sigh, "Shi Tou almost bit a passerby's shoe today."
She paused, and then thought of mentioning that she had seen this passerby once before, but swallowed the words back.
Even though He Yan concealed it well, she wasn't oblivious; she knew how much he resented the opposite sex around her.
Like the man I met today, I've run into him twice this month.
She didn't think it was a big deal; He Yan wouldn't think that way, he would mind.
She was actually a little reluctant to bring these things up with him, worried that it would be the fuse that shattered the seemingly peaceful situation once again.
"Are you alright?" He Yan asked.
"It's nothing." She omitted some details. "That person was nice and didn't say anything. But I heard from Manny that there are pet schools now. Should we send Stone there so it can learn something?"
He Yan didn't think much of it and chuckled softly, "Does a dog have to go to school too?"
The laughter seemed to brush past her ear, making her ears feel hot. She lowered her head and unconsciously tugged at a loose thread on her pajamas. "Mmm."
"Being a dog isn't easy either," he remarked. "Do we even have to take exams?"
What is all this nonsense?
She couldn't help but laugh, "You've been drinking."
"I didn't drink much."
"……oh."
He Yan listened to her soft words, his expression becoming increasingly relaxed. Zhou Zhan, who grew up abroad, preferred drinking foreign liquor. He had clinked glasses with her a couple of times, and now that he had come out for some fresh air, he thought he would just say a few words and then go back. But as soon as the call connected, he forgot everything else.
The phone call went on and on, with pauses and conversations, and before we knew it, half an hour had passed.
After waiting for a long time, Zhou Zhan simply went to the underground parking lot, got into the car, and asked the driver to drive to the surface.
In the dim light of the night, the car was practically about to pull right up to He Yan before he could react. Speechless, Zhou Zhan could only roll down the window and call out, "President He."
Wen Xue, who was on the other end of the phone, heard this and quickly said, "It's getting late, you have something to do, I'll hang up now."
Before hanging up, she added, "Drink less."
Then, it hung up abruptly, leaving only the busy tone.
He Yan: "..."
He glanced at Zhou Zhan and put his phone away.
Zhou Zhan's address to He Yan was clearly a joke, and he called out again, "President He, get in the car."
He Yan didn't let Zhou Zhan's driver get out of the car; he opened the car door and got in.
Under the cover of night, Lin Baizhou frowned, watching the Bentley with consecutive license plates drive further and further away. His attention was still drawn back by the incessant vomiting. He approached his friend with a somber expression and asked absentmindedly, "Are you alright?"
"Don't even mention it," my friend waved his hand.
Around 10 o'clock, the quiet road was even more silent.
Lin Baizhou came to Huacheng on a business trip, but tonight he made a special effort to squeeze out time to meet up with his old classmates from abroad. Instead of choosing a quiet bar in the downtown area, they came to a private club. When he saw He Yan, he thought he was seeing things.
Once he was sure he hadn't mistaken the person for someone else, he had no interest in going up to greet them.
They were strangers to begin with, and would not have met if it weren't for Wen Xue.
What surprised him even more was that He Yan knew Zhou Zhan, and the two seemed to have a close relationship.
He and Zhou Zhan were alumni, though not in the same year, but they had met a few times. But here's the problem: Zhou Zhan had been in the United States for the past ten years and only returned to China in the last few months. How could he and He Yan have any connection?
He fell into deep thought.
-
When He Yan returned from his business trip, Wen Xue happened to be home. Standing at the door, she could hear Wen Xue talking on the phone. Wen Xue had a good temper and never got into conflicts with anyone.
He leaned against the door, listened for a few moments, and roughly understood what was going on.
She bought a bookshelf online, but the seller didn't send a finished product; she had to assemble it herself. However, the product details page didn't mention this. After unpacking the box, besides wooden blocks of varying sizes, there was only a bag of screws and a simple instruction manual.
Stone pounced over and bit his slippers.
Hearing the commotion, Wen Xue came out of the study and saw the person who was supposed to return tomorrow standing before her. She froze for a few seconds, then said, "How come you..."
He Yan didn't explain why he rushed back a day early. "The bookshelf you bought?"
"Yes." She fell for it again.
“Okay,” he glanced at it a few times, then reached out and took off his wristwatch for her. “Hold this for me.”
Caught off guard, she had already taken the still-warm men's watch. He Yan rolled up his sleeves and stepped into the study—this was Wen Xue's study. Some time ago, he overheard her chatting and saying that the library was always packed, and if you went late, there wouldn't even be a seat. He remembered it and, after returning home, cleaned up this room with floor-to-ceiling windows to use as her study.
He's busy with work, leaving early and returning late, so he just sleeps here.
If she wants to review, she can come over; no one will bother her.
Wen Xue held the watch, her palms slightly warm. She looked around, intending to put it back on the coffee table, but her gaze shifted to the innocent-looking stone. She pursed her lips. The dog had been quite mischievous lately, and if it accidentally broke the watch, it wouldn't be as simple as sending it to pet school.
She looked back at the master bedroom; the door was open, but she had only been inside once.
Let's forget about it.
She looked down and carefully put the watch into her pocket.
For some reason, Wen Xue suddenly felt a heaviness in her body.
In the study, He Yan was intently assembling a bookcase. He was very serious and meticulous when he worked, and the messy pieces of wood began to take shape in his hands. Sometimes he would turn his back to her, his shirt clinging to his back. Wen Xue watched him absentmindedly, the soft light from above shining on him. Time seemed to pass slowly and gently.
She really likes the present moment.
Happiness, peace of mind, and warmth—these words have become tangible.
There's a cup of milk tea on the table; I brought it for you.
He didn't even look up, but as if he sensed her gaze, he spoke while tightening the screws.
Wen Xue then noticed the milk tea on the dining table. She walked over, opened the bag, and stared blankly. There were still unmelted ice cubes inside. She looked closely at the brand of the milk tea, her face showing surprise. She walked quickly to the study door, "Did you buy this from Huacheng?"
He Yan hummed in agreement, his tone flat, as if bringing back a cup of milk tea from afar was a very common thing. "I saw a lot of students lining up to buy it."
After a brief moment of surprise, Wen Xue fell silent.
Back at the table, the milk tea was still iced, and the cup was wet, sticking to her hands. Feeling flustered, she pulled out a tissue to wipe it clean and put it in the refrigerator.
Assembling the bookcase was not difficult for He Yan.
Half an hour later, a pile of wooden blocks had transformed into the bookshelf Wen Xue had seen online. She was overjoyed, exclaiming, "Amazing!"
He Yan, his hands covered in dust, remained calm and composed upon hearing this, saying, "It's very simple."
After saying that, he went into the restroom to wash his hands.
She didn't come over, nor did she stare at him, and he gave a short, pleasant laugh.
After he finished his work, Wen Xue took several photos of the bookshelf, liking them every time she looked at them. Remembering the milk tea in the refrigerator, she excitedly took it out, tore off the plastic seal, and carefully washed the cup she had bought at the supermarket last time, dividing one cup of milk tea into two.
He Yan was stunned.
At the study door, she leaned against the left, and he was on the right. If she moved even slightly closer, her knees would touch his.
"Is it good?" she asked.
He Yan frowned and said insincerely that it tasted good.
It made her laugh nonstop.
…
In the early hours of the morning, Wen Xue stared at the mosquito net hanging above her eyes and sighed quietly. This half-cup of milk tea had kept her awake, which showed that it was made with the finest ingredients.
She put on her headphones and listened to music, listening to that audio clip she had listened to countless times.
The light from her phone screen illuminated her face. She wanted to ask He Yan if he was also having trouble sleeping, but she didn't ask, nor did she dare to.
A few days ago, Siyi said she was walking a tightrope.
But she wasn't the only one walking the tightrope. She walked behind, and He Yan walked in front. Below was a sea of clouds. She didn't dare call out to him, afraid that he would turn around, lose his balance, and fall. If he fell, she would catch up with him.
Why risk being shattered to pieces?
-
May marks the transition from spring to summer.
Life went on peacefully and steadily. One day, Wen Xue finished teaching Fang Lingwei as usual and was about to leave. When she changed her shoes and went out, she ran into Lin Baizhou, who was returning home looking travel-worn.
Both of them were taken aback.
She gave a slight smile, which served as a greeting.
Lin Baizhou gazed at her calmly and nodded slightly. He had been very busy lately, and it was common for him to work day and night when he was busy. But he didn't know when it started, but it seemed that there was a command in his body that made him think of her and want to see her every Friday and Sunday.
Wen Xue brushed past me.
How strange, apart from knowing that her name was Wen Xue and that she was a student at Xida University, he knew nothing else about her, yet he felt so familiar with her aura.
Aunt Zhang came out of the kitchen and saw Lin Baizhou standing in the doorway like a statue. She was suspicious and asked, "Why don't you come in?"
Lin Baizhou's expression shifted slightly. He turned and followed Wen Xue into the elevator. Wen Xue had already gone downstairs. He pressed the down button on the elevator repeatedly, his thin lips pressed tightly together, his mind in turmoil.
Wen Xue walked lightly toward the parking lot, and just as she was about to leave, a male voice called out to her from behind, "Teacher Wen, wait."
She stopped in her tracks. Although she recognized Lin Baizhou's voice, she couldn't hide her surprise when she turned around and saw him. "Mr. Lin, is there something you need?"
Lin Baizhou calmed his breathing and walked steadily to stand in front of her.
A hint of hesitation appeared on his usually calm face. "There's something I've been hesitating about for a long time, and I don't know whether I should tell you or not."
Before Wen Xue could press for answers, he slowly said, "Not long ago, I was on a business trip in Huacheng. One night, I ran into him, the one who always picks you up. I saw him get into Zhou Zhan's car." He paused, "Zhou Zhan, do you know him?"
Wen Xue was taken aback. She was familiar with the name; it was the person He Yan had risked his life to save.
But He Yan got into his car?
How could that be??
He never mentioned Zhou Zhan. Didn't the matter end after he returned from the United States?
Seeing the constant changes in her expression, Lin Baizhou already knew what was going on. "I don't know what his relationship with Zhou Zhan is, but I want to tell you, or you can remind him when you get back, that the Zhou family is in a very unstable situation right now. As far as I know, some of Wanbo's elders are avoiding these things, not wanting to take sides, and just wanting to protect themselves."
Wen Xue was stunned. She wanted to ask, what did these things have to do with her and He Yan?
But she didn't ask; she didn't want to interrupt him at this crucial moment, and stared at him intently.
"It's very dangerous..." Lin Baizhou looked directly into her clear eyes. "It's best not to get involved in those things, understand? And—"
He hesitated, unsure whether to mention the thing that had compelled him to remind her.
"What?" Wen Xue barely managed to calm herself down and quickly asked.
Lin Baizhou said in a low voice, "Moreover, I heard from my friends in America that Zhou Zhan almost lost his life last November, which was very likely done by his brother. If so, no one knows if it will happen a second time."
She's very simple; she's still a student who hasn't graduated yet.
She shouldn't get involved in the complicated struggles; even a gust of wind could hurt her.
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