Chapter 21: Coming back to his senses the next morning, he...
The next morning, they boarded the cogwheel train heading up the mountain. The carriage was sparsely populated. The scenery outside the window gradually shifted from a snowy plain dotted with wooden huts to a fir forest blanketed in thick icicles, and finally to a snowy slope dyed golden pink by the sunlight.
The Gornergrat viewing platform was much colder than at the foot of the mountain. Shen Shutong was wearing thick winter clothes, and her nose was a little red from the cold. She picked up her phone to take pictures, the camera pointing at the snow-capped mountains and then turning to the town below.
Fu Jingchuan stood beside her, and as he watched her getting closer and closer to the guardrail, he reached out and gently pulled the back hood of her coat.
"Be careful."
Shen Shutong turned around and smiled at him, then put the phone in his hand: "Take a picture for me, and include the entire mountain."
Shen Shutong leaned on the railing with a smile, with the Matterhorn shining with golden light behind him.
Fu Jingchuan carefully found the right angle and pressed the shutter. After taking the photo, he lowered his head to check the photos he had just taken before handing the phone back to her.
"How's the photo?" Shen Shutong asked as he checked it out. The composition of the photo was perfect, and the lighting was good, capturing both her and the snow-capped mountains behind her clearly. "Not bad, you're quite talented."
Fu Jingchuan smiled, took out the thermos from his coat pocket, unscrewed it and handed it to her. Inside was the hot chocolate he had picked up at the hotel before leaving, still steaming.
Shen Shutong took it and took a big sip, feeling a lot warmer. "Do you want it?"
Fu Jingchuan shook his head and signaled her to just drink it.
They stayed at the observation deck for nearly an hour, watching the sunlight creep across the snow slopes, changing the color of the entire mountain. Then they took the train down the mountain and returned to the ski rental shop in the town.
Fu Jingchuan was very skilled at skiing. After changing into his ski gear and adjusting to the new conditions, he was able to ski smoothly on the intermediate slopes with ease.
Shen Shutong could skate, but she wasn't very skilled. She mostly practiced turning and braking on the flatter sections. Fu Jingchuan skated with her for a few times, occasionally sliding to her side when she was about to lose her balance, offering her an arm for support, or simply saying, "Move your center of gravity a little further forward."
At noon, they ate at an open-air restaurant halfway up the slopes of the ski resort. They both ordered simple pasta and hot soup. Shen Shutong was starving and ate quickly. Fu Jingchuan smiled and gave her half of the meatballs on his plate.
"Let's try the blue trail over there this afternoon?" Fu Jingchuan pointed to another snow trail that was wider and had a gentler slope.
"Okay," Shen Shutong nodded vaguely, still eating noodles in his mouth, "that one doesn't look that scary."
The afternoon sun was getting a bit dazzling. Shen Shutong, wearing snow goggles, followed Fu Jingchuan, carefully controlling her speed. Once, she lost control while turning and fell directly into the snow, with her snowboard tilted up.
Fu Jingchuan immediately slid back, stopped beside her, and reached out to pull her. "Are you okay?"
"It's okay," Shen Shutong stood up with his strength and shook off the snow on his body, "I just didn't turn around."
Fu Jingchuan checked her snowboard bindings to make sure they were all right. "Follow my path," he said, and then he began to ski ahead of her, deliberately slowing down to leave a clear, continuous S-shaped trail.
Shen Shutong followed those traces and felt that it saved a lot of effort. They slid to the foot of the mountain in one breath without stopping.
In the evening, they returned their skis and slowly walked back along the town's main street. Their boots crunched on the packed snow. Warm lights shone in the streetside shop windows, displaying a variety of watches, chocolates, and handmade crafts.
When they passed a chocolate shop, Fu Jingchuan stopped her. "Wait a minute."
He pushed the door open and went in. After a while, he came out with a small paper bag in his hand and handed it to Shen Shutong. Inside were a few pieces of handmade chocolate in the shape of small snow mountains.
Shen Shutong took out a piece and put it in her mouth. "Delicious." She took another piece and handed it directly to Fu Jingchuan's mouth.
Fu Jingchuan lowered his head and ate. The two of them stood on the street and divided the chocolates.
On the way back to the hotel, passing by a small supermarket, Shen Shutong pulled Fu Jingchuan in again and bought some local beer and snacks.
The hotel room was still heated. They took hot showers one after another. Fu Jingchuan finished first and sat in a chair by the window to deal with a few work emails. When Shen Shutong came out of the bathroom, drying his hair, he had already turned off his computer.
It was completely dark outside the window, with only a few lights flickering.
Shen Shutong opened a can of beer and sat cross-legged on the carpet beside the bed. Fu Jingchuan also took a can and sat down next to her.
"It's much more comfortable than being in school," Shen Shutong sighed after taking a sip of beer. "I don't have to worry about the code not being finished and the report not being written."
"Yeah." Fu Jingchuan agreed. He usually didn't like to be idle, but at this moment, this feeling of doing nothing and relaxing was not bad.
Shen Shutong leaned back on the edge of the bed, staring at the ceiling. "Speaking of which, you're about to graduate. What are your specific plans? I heard you mentioned before that you had a few offers from Silicon Valley."
Fu Jingchuan twirled the beer can in his hand. "I've considered staying in the US before. The conditions in several labs and projects there are really good."
"What about now?" Shen Shutong turned his head to look at him, "Have you changed your mind?"
Fu Jingchuan was silent for a few seconds: "You must return to China after graduation. Shen Group needs you."
Shen Shutong was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect him to take her plan into consideration so directly. She put down the beer can and sat up straighter. "So? You feel the need to return home because I want to go back?"
"This is an important factor." Fu Jingchuan looked at her and said seriously, "A different place is not an ideal choice. Besides, the development speed of related fields in China is very fast, and there are many opportunities."
Chen Shutong looked at him and suddenly laughed: "So what are your specific plans after returning to China? Which company did you accept the offer from? Or do you want to do something on your own?"
"I'm still looking. I have a few options, but there's no rush." Fu Jingchuan said, "You can go back and decide later."
Shen Shutong rolled his eyes and suddenly said, "Why don't you come to work at Shen's?"
This time it was Fu Jingchuan's turn to be stunned. He had obviously not considered this option. "Shen's main business is traditional manufacturing and real estate. My direction does not match."
"That's why we need you," Shen Shutong said as a matter of course. "The group has been talking about transformation, and the investment in the technology sector is increasing, but we lack people who are truly knowledgeable and trustworthy. You are here, and you are just right to be in charge of this area. How about considering it?"
Fu Jingchuan seemed to be genuinely considering the feasibility of this proposal, but after a moment he shook his head. "It's not quite right. Technology research and development and group management are two different paths. Besides, I don't want people to think that I got the position because of your connections."
"Who dares to say anything?" Shen Shutong raised an eyebrow. "Your ability is obvious. Besides," she deliberately bumped him with her shoulder. "Wouldn't it be good to work for me? I'll support you."
A smile appeared in Fu Jingchuan's eyes. "You support me?"
"Yes," Chen Shutong raised his chin, as if it was a matter of course, "I guarantee preferential treatment, how about it? This opportunity is rare, and it will never come again."
Fu Jingchuan looked at her deliberately exaggerated expression, smiled, and reached out to hold her hand. "Let me think about it again. At present, I still prefer an independent technical team or research direction."
"Okay, I won't force you." Shen Shutong didn't insist, but pinched his fingers with his backhand. "Anyway, remember, the door of the Shen family is always open to you. Whenever you figure it out, come over anytime."
"Okay." Fu Jingchuan nodded.
After finishing the beer, Shen Shutong opened another can and unpacked the snacks he had bought. The two of them chatted casually while eating snacks, ranging from a funny scene they saw while skiing, to a professor's recently published controversial paper, to the trivial matters they might have to deal with after returning home.
It was late at night, and Fu Jingchuan collected the empty beer cans and snack packaging and threw them into the trash can. Shen Shutong yawned and climbed lazily into bed.
Fu Jingchuan turned off the headlights, leaving only a bedside lamp on, and then lay down beside her. Shen Shutong naturally rolled into his arms and found a comfortable position.
"Let's go skiing again tomorrow morning?" she suggested, eyes closed. "We have a flight this afternoon, so we still have plenty of time."
"Yeah." Fu Jingchuan lowered his head and rubbed his chin against the top of her head, "Go to sleep."
The room became quiet, and Shen Shutong quickly fell asleep in his arms. Fu Jingchuan listened to her breathing and closed his eyes after a while.
…
The tranquil snowy scenery of the Alps seemed to be still before his eyes, and the sweet aroma of hot chocolate seemed to be still permeating his nose. Shen Shutong leaned back in the car seat, finally coming back to his senses from those distant and warm memories.
She suppressed the bitterness in her heart and sighed.
How did she and Fu Jingchuan get to this point today...
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