Chapter 190 Extra 14
It was already dawn, and Mu Yanrui had barely slept the entire night. He thought of the stolen phone; of the moment she had come to him, bearing the scent of Spring; of her shy words two months ago, "I don't have a boyfriend"; of how she had worried about his injury just moments before, and how she had let him leave after that video call.
Why was it like this? It was only two months. Even if she had a boyfriend the day after that class, it had only been two months. If it were him, if he were Qin Tian's boyfriend, he wouldn't let her go to lectures in other places alone. He would accompany her, take care of her, appreciate her. During the day, he would listen to her talk about the communication channels between the Western Han Dynasty and foreign lands, and at night, he would accompany her on a boat trip on the lake, watching the moonlight cast on the withered lotus leaves. Instead of being far away, controlling her social life with just a phone call.
He got up from the bed and drew open the curtains. The West Lake, half-disappearing in the first rays of morning light, was shrouded in mist, like a fairyland, not a human world.
Only those who come early can enjoy this exclusive beauty. And those who come late will miss it forever?
Song Suiyang slept until nine o'clock. Since Tong Zhongyuan wasn't around, she could sleep as long as she wanted. She hadn't expected Tong Zhongyuan to be so remiss on such a big deal. The National Museum had even reserved a special section for him during the official opening ceremony. Now the whole process had to be changed.
He didn't say why, but she knew it with her toes. He was a homeless man with nothing urgent to do, so what else could it be? He probably couldn't bear it anymore and went to find Qin Tian. If he weren't his own disciple, no one in the world would have known that under his handsome appearance, he was actually a womanizer.
Another reason why he left early was probably that he was extremely annoyed by Zheng Rongyan.
Yesterday afternoon, she visited the Forbidden City. When she returned to the hotel after dinner, she saw Tong Zhongyuan and Zheng Rongyan talking face to face in the lobby bar.
Why did this woman love to pick fights so much? She'd even come to the hotel. Although he knew Teacher Tong would have no problem dealing with her, he was a man after all, and a man who appeared to be very polite and measured. If this young woman came to him and started a one-on-one fight with him, even if he could bring himself to argue with her, it would still damage his image. As Zheng Rongyan's apprentice, and a girl like her, she had no choice but to take on this kind of role.
She strode over aggressively.
"Mr. Tong, I didn't mean to offend you. In fact, I just wanted to... better showcase the cultural relics restoration industry to everyone. Maybe my way of expressing it wasn't very good..."
Zheng Rongyan's voice drifted in from a distance. Song Suiyang slammed on the brakes. What was going on? Wasn't she here to provoke? It sounded like she was here to smooth things over?
Tong Zhongyuan checked his phone. He didn't know if Qin Tian had returned to the hotel at this hour. He stood up.
"Ms. Zheng, I understand. Thank you for coming all the way here to explain. I hope to have the opportunity to see your masterpiece next time."
"Mr. Tong..."
Tong Zhongyuan nodded to her and left. Zheng Rongyan hesitantly followed him for a few steps, then stopped, unsure of where to go.
Seeing this, Song Suiyang didn't need to go up. She had nothing to do with it. Teacher Tong had already unilaterally ended the battle.
She glanced at Zheng Rongyan triumphantly. Although she didn't know why she'd changed her tune, Shangbo had won again! The eternal winner—Shangbo.
She returned to her hotel room and rested for a while. She remembered that after Tong Zhongyuan left, the National Museum had adjusted tomorrow's schedule and asked her to tell Tong Zhongyuan.
Tong Zhongyuan's room was right next to hers. As soon as she opened the door, she saw Zheng Rongyan again. This time she was really surprised. What was she talking about? Why did she even chase him to the guest room? What on earth was this girl thinking?
"Hello!" she shouted.
Zheng Rongyan was startled and looked at her.
"What do you want to see Teacher Tong about?"
"Who are you?"
"I'm Song Suiyang from the Shanghai Museum, and I'm Teacher Tong's apprentice."
She looked at Song Suiyang suspiciously: "He's only been at the Shanghai Museum for a few months, and he's already accepted an apprentice?"
This sentence made Song Suiyang a little angry. Although her own emotional intelligence was not high, she could not stand seeing others with even lower emotional intelligence than her.
The door rang and opened. Tong Zhongyuan leaned against the door frame and looked at the two of them with a grim expression.
Song Suiyang shuddered and immediately said, "She rang the doorbell, not me."
"What's up?"
This time there was no courtesy or politeness, and there was undisguised impatience between his brows.
"Mr. Tong," Zheng Rongyan thought to herself that the timing wasn't very good, but if she didn't say it, there would be no chance to speak. "It's like this, I haven't finished what I said before. There's a national-level cultural relic restoration competition next month, and all the well-known restorers in the country will participate..."
Tong Zhongyuan interrupted her: "I'm not participating in the competition."
"No, no," Zheng Rongyan said quickly, "I'm not suggesting you compete. I'm just saying this is a very prestigious competition, an opportunity for mutual learning and display. I hope this will allow us to observe and learn the Southern School's restoration techniques."
"I only do repairs for a fee," Tong Zhongyuan said coldly, "and they're not cheap."
Zheng Rongyan was stunned. Tong Zhongyuan was about to close the door when he caught sight of Song Suiyang.
"I have something to do and need to go back first. Please help me check out later. I won't be attending tomorrow's event. Please contact the National Museum."
"Teacher Tong!" Zheng Rongyan saw him about to leave, and before she could finish her words, she quickly grabbed the corner of his clothes and said, "The competition has a high prize..."
Before she could finish, Tong Zhongyuan lowered his head, pulled out his clothes, and closed the door without saying a word.
Zheng Rongyan probably hadn't expected such a rebuff, and her expression faltered. Song Suiyang suspected she was about to burst into tears. While they were enemies, they were still peers. She felt a little reluctant. You know, getting along with Teacher Tong requires a strong heart. He'd often make you question your life, and how much he truly disliked her. But honestly, while he might be aloof, this kind of rudeness was the first time she'd seen him treat her this badly. No wonder the girl couldn't handle it.
Song Suiyang took a step forward, just as she was about to say something soothing. Zheng Rongyan gave her a sidelong glance, lowered her head, and quickly walked away. Song Suiyang's outstretched hand paused awkwardly in the air.
This girl! She's really not likable at all!
Mu Yanrui finished washing up in the bathroom. It was already nine o'clock, not far from the end of breakfast. Qin Tian hadn't contacted him yet.
He'd thought it through. Qin Tian's new relationship was just beginning, and there was no reason for him to withdraw from the competition. How deep could the feelings of a relationship that had only lasted a month be? They were likely still in the adjustment phase, and even without external forces, they could break up at any moment. If he hesitated again, his regrets would never cease. Just like Feng and Chunjun two thousand years ago, when he first saw Qin Tian on the news footage of Chunjun's tomb, he suddenly realized that "heartbeat" wasn't an adjective, but a verb.
When he learned Qin Tian was coming to the school as a visiting professor, he wondered: numbers truly are the secrets of the universe, and also its answers. What were the odds of fate bringing the person who moved his heart to his side? Perhaps it was the fluctuation of his heartbeat at that moment that changed the trajectory of their destiny. This ridiculous and childish thought lasted only a moment, the last fantasy of love for a man about to enter society. Until he met her.
In her first class, she was professional yet uneasy, confident yet shy. She was a powerful and knowledgeable guest professor in the course, but he could see that apart from her professor identity, she was just a lovely and sincere girl.
For some unknown reason, he asked his roommate to ask her if she had a boyfriend. Her answer of two words - no - landed lightly on his expectations like a butterfly.
He wasn't blindly confident, but he certainly wasn't self-deprecating. He possessed all the advantages a boy his age had: height, good looks, a prestigious school, career prospects, and a family background. For Qin Tian, the only thing he lacked was age. But in today's society, that wasn't a disadvantage; it was an advantage.
He didn't hesitate for long, nor did he lose time. Now was another chance fate had given him.
He took the door card and walked out. Qin Tian's room was two floors up. He fixed his hair in front of the mirror in the elevator. The Band-Aid she had put on yesterday was still on her face. It was time to get a new one today.
He walked silently on the thick carpet until he reached the door of Qin Tian's guest room and took a deep breath. He raised his hand and pressed the doorbell. There was a slight movement in the room. The door lock clicked and the door opened.
A tall man stood with his back to the light, his cold, dark pupils casting an emotionless gaze. Shirtless, his slender collarbone drew a striking line of light and dark under the corridor light, his well-proportioned muscles shimmering in a graceful arc.
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