Chapter 88 Zhong Fei's Secret
"This awful weather, I don't even know what to wear. I hate Monday mornings at 8 a.m."
"If the weather is as mild as it was last week, and it lasts until November, that would be great."
"You know perfectly well that Beijing doesn't have autumn."
"It's only mid-October, but it's already as cold as winter."
The cold wind was slapping my face haphazardly...
Zhu Fan listened to the conversation of the two girls walking a few steps ahead of her, took out hand cream from her bag, and squeezed some onto the back of her hand.
The air in Beijing is so dry.
My slightly dry hands were moisturized by the hand cream I applied.
Zhu Fan exclaimed that time seemed to be speeding up.
In the blink of an eye, it's a new week again.
The air is filled with the delicate fragrance of irises blended with the sweet and sour aroma of fruit, a scent that is both refreshing and gentle.
The short-haired girl walking ahead stopped with her companion and sniffed.
It smells so good.
She mustered her courage and looked at Zhu Fan behind her.
The short-haired girl was momentarily stunned by Zhu Fan's beauty.
A cool-toned smoky gray overcoat and white trousers looked effortlessly chic on Zhu Fan. She wore grey vintage-style casual sneakers. Her long, soft, silky black hair was casually clipped back with a shark clip; its texture and volume were the envy of many. As she looked down at her phone, her long eyelashes fell gracefully, their curves beautiful and gentle.
She was captivated by the clean, pale wrist bone of Zhu Fan's wrist, which was exposed to the air as he held his phone.
How can someone be so beautifully radiant just by walking that it's impossible to look away?
Zhu Fan looked up and met the short-haired girl's intense gaze, and was slightly taken aback.
The short-haired girl's face suddenly turned red.
She stared at Zhu Fan like a lovesick fool for almost a minute before he noticed.
She mustered her courage and spoke to Zhu Fan, "Could I ask you for a link to a hand cream?"
The hand cream Zhu Fan used was something she grabbed from Fang Qizhou's apartment.
She took out the hand cream and asked the girl to take a picture and use the image recognition function.
The short-haired girl looked at her gratefully, "Thank you, I'm done taking the picture. You're so gentle, not at all aloof."
No one dislikes being praised, especially when it's such a sincere compliment.
Zhu Fan smiled and said "thank you," then asked her, "Would you like to try it?"
The girl quickly extended her hand to her.
Zhu Fan squeezed hand cream onto the back of her hand, saying, "Your hands and nails are beautiful."
The short-haired girl felt like she'd been tricked into pouting by Zhu Fan, amidst her companion's coughing.
She was praised by the goddess and even tried the same hand cream as the goddess.
She no longer hates 8 AM today. She absolutely loves it.
The short-haired girl stared at Zhu Fan's retreating figure, clutching her wildly pounding heart. "My goddess, she... she complimented my hands!"
The envious and jealous looks from her companions made her feel smug and proud.
Zhu Fan took out her phone again and replied to Yi Jia's message.
Yi Jia asked her to bring her an iced red cheese latte on her way to the classroom.
F: [Can you drink iced drinks when you're on your period?]
Yi Jia: [I can drink, I can drink.]
Yi Jia: [Envy my constitution, I never have to watch what I eat during my period.]
Zhu Fan was indeed very envious.
Her last bout of menstrual cramps has left her hesitant to drink anything cold.
-
In the coffee shop, Zhu Fan ordered his food and waited a few minutes.
She carried the two cups of coffee she had just made out of the coffee shop.
The Shanyu Milk Tea shop next door has also reopened.
Because it was still early, there weren't many people, and it seemed a bit deserted. But after this time in the morning, the Chinese-style milk tea shop was still packed.
In just one week since its opening, Shanyu Milk Tea Shop has already built a good reputation at Kyoto University.
The first and second floors are for dining in. The third floor has been converted into a teahouse, where you can gather around a stove to brew tea and play chess when it's cold.
It once became a popular spot for students to take photos and make pictures.
Zhu Fan withdrew his gaze and walked towards the teaching building.
"Madam, I really can't come up with this money right now."
A somewhat familiar voice made her stop in her tracks.
At the end of Xiangzhang Road, some distance from the teaching building, a black Maybach was parked quietly.
Zhong Fei stood beside the car, bowing slightly, her posture extremely humble: "I will definitely repay you for the money you spent on me over the past three years."
Her voice grew increasingly hoarse, and her face grew paler and paler.
Inside the car, Leng Qiyi's lips curled into a mocking smile: "Zhong Fei, for the past three years I've paved the way for you, packaged you as a lady from a prestigious family, and sent you to the music academy for further studies—is this how you repay me?"
Zhong Fei's lips lost all color, and her hands, hanging at her sides, trembled slightly.
Everything she has now is indeed given to her by Leng Qiyi.
She couldn't understand where she had slipped up and been discovered as a betrayal by Leng Qiyi.
That day, her conversation with Fang Qizhou at the restaurant might be filmed, but it would be absolutely impossible for them to hear what they were saying.
Every time she returned to China, her whereabouts were closely monitored, and her every move was reported to Leng Qiyi. Under such tight surveillance, she considered herself to be extremely careful.
"How would I know if you were thinking that?" Leng Qiyi seemed to see right through her thoughts.
At first, she truly never suspected that Zhong Fei would betray her. This pawn had been used skillfully over the years.
Even after the Yueyuan affair was exposed, Zhong Fei remained deeply trusted by Fang Zeheng and continued to serve as Luo Shuixin's psychologist. At that time, she secretly rejoiced that although she had lost an aunt, her most important pawn was still in her hands, and Luo Shuixin was still under her control.
Until the private investigator sent those photos—
Zhong Fei frequently appeared at places where Fang Qizhou was, even secretly following and taking photos. Leng Qiyi was all too familiar with the way she looked at Fang Qizhou.
That was an obsessive, almost fanatical, love.
That look in her eyes was exactly the same as the look she had given Fang Zeheng all these years.
As for the USB drive and computer that Fang Qibai retrieved from Fang Qizhou, she didn't suspect Zhong Fei. Even if Zhong Fei had connections, and could obtain some photos and videos of her, she could never have that kind of high-definition, complete evidence—
Those could only have come from Fang Qizhou.
Fang Qizhou's methods made Leng Qiyi realize that the illegitimate son she had tried to get rid of using allergens back then had grown up and was now powerful.
Now it's a stray dog that no one can tether.
Fang Qizhou held leverage over her that could ruin her reputation, even though Fang Qibai had retrieved the photos and videos.
But she didn't believe that Fang Qizhou wouldn't have a backup.
This has meant that Leng Qiyi hasn't had a good night's sleep in a long time.
Fang Zeheng used to occasionally return to the Fang family villa, but now he never goes back to the home where she is anymore. Her calls and messages are treated like air.
Her son, whom she was so proud of, had been away from home for many days.
Leng Qiyi went to great lengths to maintain the facade of their home, which had slipped out of her control.
Her sharp eyes looked at Zhong Fei with disdain: "After three years of good times, you've forgotten who you are."
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