Chapter 41 Snowfield Red Star
He Yanzhou stayed at Zhu Xu's place from then on. He had only brought some changes of clothes at first, but later he added several frequently used reference books, followed by notebooks and documents, and some small fitness equipment.
Zhu Xu cleared out a space on the balcony for him to work.
The small space didn't become cluttered with the increase in items; on the contrary, his presence gave it a homely feel.
One day at the end of March.
When He Yanzhou called, Zhu Xuzheng and Zhao Siqiao were accompanying a client to play billiards at a club. This place was quite famous in Beidao, covering a large area with three floors, and also had a bowling alley, tennis court, and a fitness center on the basement level.
Zhao Siqiao asked someone to join the membership, and he and Zhu Xu became super members, which allowed them to get discounts on any item.
The clients were a man and a woman, and they were about the same age, so it was relatively easy for them to find common ground.
Zhu Xu doesn't play billiards, so she stood on the sidelines handing out water to the three of them and chatting for a bit. When she received He Yanzhou's call again, she greeted Zhao Siqiao and quickly went out to meet him.
From afar, I saw him striding towards me from across the street. He was wearing a navy blue trench coat over a black suit with a matching shirt, but no tie.
She had actually seen this outfit that morning, but seeing him now, she still felt that his broad shoulders, tall stature, and long legs made the clothes look sophisticated and stylish.
Zhu Xu took a few steps forward to stand in front of him, raised his gaze to his face, smiled slightly with his lips pursed, and after a moment, saw a slight upward curve also appear on his lips.
She asked, "How did you get here so fast?"
"I just happened to be in this area for a business dinner, it's just a short walk away." He asked, "Have you eaten yet?"
"have eaten."
"How much longer until it's over?" he asked, raising his hand to tuck a stray strand of her wind-blown hair behind her ear.
Zhu Xu smoothed her hair. "They'll be here soon, I've been here for a while." She asked, "Shall we go in and sit down? And then go home together?"
He Yanzhou nodded: "Okay."
They walked through the corridor and took the elevator to the second floor.
The hall has more than a dozen pool tables arranged in two rows, with chairs around the perimeter and tables where you can order snacks, fruit and drinks.
The two sat down on a chair nearby, and Zhu Xu handed him a bottle of mineral water. Zhao Siqiao, who was not far away, looked over and greeted him.
He Yanzhou nodded slightly.
While the other player was hitting the ball, she walked over and said, "This place is spacious, bright, and has a nice environment. You, boss, have no objections, right?"
“Very good,” he replied calmly.
Zhao Siqiao wanted to roll her eyes: "It's really not easy for me. I have to take care of my business partners' families' feelings while doing business."
He Yanzhou sat with his legs crossed, smiled faintly, and gestured with his chin toward her back: "Your turn."
Zhao Siqiao turned around, immediately put on a different face, chatted and laughed with the customer for a few words, bent down, vaulted, but only scored one ball before committing a foul by hitting the black eight.
Zhu Xu brought them water and then sat down next to He Yanzhou: "We played several rounds, and Zhao Siqiao didn't win a single one. Was she faking it?"
"It should be." He Yanzhou leaned slightly towards her. "I vaguely remember she was pretty good at this when she was in school."
"And what about you?"
"Me?" He Yanzhou looked at her: "These are all things I'm tired of playing with."
Zhu Xu thought he was bragging, secretly pursed his lips, and asked again, "Do you come to places like this often?"
He Yanzhou shook his head: "The old billiard halls were much simpler." Back then, a group of boys had a clear goal, purely to compete in skill and win or lose, unlike now, where every man has a female assistant coach by his side.
Zhu Xu couldn't help but look ahead, where a female teaching assistant in black stockings and a miniskirt was bending over, correcting a man's movements.
Zhu Xu rested her chin on her hand, raised her eyebrows, and looked at him with bright eyes: "I thought you liked it."
"That one has long legs." He hadn't actually paid attention to that aspect; he simply gestured with his chin casually. "I like it."
Zhu Xu's face tightened, and he muttered under his breath, "Superficial," clearly displeased. He turned away to watch Zhao Siqiao play ball, not wanting to pay him any attention.
He Yanzhou glanced at her, then reached out and touched her palm, which was pressed under her elbow. She pulled her hand away and moved it in front of her. He smiled helplessly and said softly, "You always like to stir up trouble. I told you, but you don't understand." He touched her earlobe, his voice even softer, "Alright, you have the longest legs, and I like you the most, okay?"
A few seconds later, Zhu Xu couldn't help but laugh.
He gently tapped her head.
Want to play?
Zhu Xu looked at him and said, "I don't know how."
"Go set up the stage." He Yanzhou stood up, took off his suit jacket, shook it by the collar, and casually draped it over the back of the chair: "I'll teach you."
They were playing Chinese black eight. He didn't explain the rules to Zhu Xu too much, as he was just trying to coax her into playing. He simply said, "The single-color ball is me, and the double-color ball is you. After the break, use the cue ball to hit your target ball. Whoever pockets the black eight first wins."
Zhu Xu thought it sounded simple, so he copied him and started rubbing chocolate powder onto the cue stick.
He Yanzhou: "Shall I start?"
"good."
He stood on one leg, with the other leg slightly bent, his upper body bent low almost parallel to the table, his right hand supporting him on the table, and his other hand gripping the cue stick and aiming it at the cue ball.
His posture was proper, and his expression was calm and focused.
Zhu Xu's heart skipped a beat; he thought he looked kind of handsome at that moment.
He turned around: "It's open?"
She nodded, albeit a beat late in the morning.
He Yanzhou swung his cue stick, but it seemed he hadn't found the right spot. The tip of the cue stick grazed the cue ball, which didn't move an inch and instead started spinning in circles.
Zhu Xu was stunned, then burst out laughing, thinking to himself that he was just bragging. But the next second, he heard a "smack" – he had already stood up, his right hand casually supporting himself on the edge of the table, the cue stick resting on the back of his hand, and made a clean and decisive strike.
The 16 balls scattered across the table, exploding beautifully.
Zhu Xu stopped laughing in a second.
He Yanzhou enjoyed teasing her, as if seeing her expressive face could inexplicably improve his mood.
He braced his cue on the ground, casually smearing chocolate powder on his hands, a handsome smile curving his lips.
Zhu Xu glared at him angrily again.
He easily scored a few balls first, then deliberately let her continue. Zhu Xu didn't know how, so he put down his cue, walked behind her, and held her hand on the table: "Imagine your hand as a frame, spread your five fingers, with your index finger close to your thumb, and the gap between them is the fulcrum."
His voice wasn't loud, and his breath brushed against her ear. Her back was pressed against a chest, and his familiar, pleasant scent surrounded her.
Zhu Xu saw that on the bright green table, his long, slender fingers were gently manipulating her hand with a hint of warmth. Suddenly, she realized that at this moment, her emotions, her heartbeat, and her actions were all under his control.
"Then reach back with your other hand and grip the club." He suddenly paused: "What are you thinking about?"
"...No." She denied it. A laugh rang in her ears, and he said, "I told you to hold the cue stick, not my hand."
Zhu Xu's cheeks flushed instantly: "Who told you not to explain clearly?"
"It's my fault." He indulgently replied with two words, taking her hand along with the cue stick and bending her down with him. "For target balls like this that are close to the cushion, you can raise the fulcrum, aim at the back of it with the center cue, and gently strike the cue ball." As he spoke, he guided her hand forward with a slight push, the force brief and crisp.
The gun tip struck the cue ball, and with a crisp sound, the target ball went into the pocket.
Zhu Xu turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling, and whispered, "Wow!"
He Yanzhou couldn't help but chuckle, his eyes filled with tenderness. He loved seeing her eyes filled with him, so he couldn't resist leaning in and planting a kiss on the top of her head.
Zhu Xu said embarrassedly, "It's a public place!"
"What are you afraid of?" He raised his hand and rubbed her round and soft earlobe.
On the other end, Zhao Siqiao coughed lightly and exchanged a glance with Zhu Xu. Together they escorted the client to the door, and after watching the client drive away, the two returned.
Zhao Siqiao became interested and said to He Yanzhou, "I've been itching to play a game, shall we?"
He had nothing urgent to do today, so he agreed. It was a best-of-five match, with the lady breaking off, but he wasn't exactly a gentleman. One shot after another, the sound of shots hitting the table was deafening. In the deciding frame, He Yanzhou cleared the table in one shot, pocketing the black eight ball without giving Zhao Siqiao a chance to touch the cue.
Zhao Siqiao, his face flushed with embarrassment, turned to look at Zhu Xu and said, "This man has absolutely no gentlemanly manners?"
Zhu Xu suppressed a laugh: "It's a matter of sportsmanship not to be modest in a competition."
Zhao Siqiao realized the two were in cahoots, threw down his cue, and pulled his phone from his back pocket: "Wait, I'm calling for backup."
The man arrived shortly afterward. He was wearing a short jacket and casual pants, had a burly build, and possessed a handsome face with strong, angular features.
Zhu Xu recognized who the other person was.
Zhao Siqiao did not explain his relationship with him, only mentioning his name.
He Yanzhou leaned forward and shook hands with him. The men exchanged a few brief words; He Yanzhou chose a single-color ball, while the other chose two. They prepared to begin.
At this moment, Zhao Siqiao suddenly suggested, "Comparing each other is boring; it'll be more fun if we place some bets." No one objected, so she said to Zhu Xu, "If He Yanzhou loses, we'll switch offices."
Zhu Xu paused, glancing at He Yanzhou beside her. She secretly tugged at his sleeve, shaking her head pitifully. Actually, when they rented the office building, Zhu Xu had already given the choice to Zhao Siqiao; she disliked the afternoon sun and chose an east-facing room. Later, as time went on, every sunset, the rich orange sunlight pierced through the glass, bathing every corner in a warm glow.
Zhao Siqiao took a liking to the long sofa she had placed under the setting sun, and felt very comfortable lying on it and relaxing for a while.
He Yanzhou squeezed Zhu Xu's fingers reassuringly, without saying a word, and casually raised his chin, signaling her to speak.
Zhu Xu seemed to have been inspired by Zhao Siqiao and slowly asked, "What will your friend say if he loses?"
"I'll treat you to afternoon tea for a month, and I'll personally deliver his portion."
"Okay," Zhu Xu readily agreed.
The atmosphere was slightly more serious as the game officially began.
Watching from the sidelines, Zhu Xu suddenly realized that the rules were far more complex than he had just explained to her. Clearly, the opponent's skills were also top-notch. After the score was tied at two-two, Zhu Xu was so nervous that sweat poured down her forehead, while He Yanzhou appeared completely relaxed.
In the deciding game, the opponent played quickly, and with only two balls remaining, the cue ball was knocked away, giving He Yanzhou a free ball.
He was sitting on the side table with his arms crossed, the cue stick resting in the crook of his arm.
Zhao Siqiao looked annoyed and urged, "It's your turn."
Seeing this, He Yanzhou stood up and placed the ball in a favorable position. He remained silent throughout, circling the table and hitting several balls in succession.
Zhu Xu suddenly realized that being handsome wasn't about having the right posture. He was wearing a black shirt and trousers, his movements were casual, and he even sat casually on the edge of the table, gently pushing the cue with one hand, and the target ball went into the pocket accurately.
Zhu Xu's eyes followed his figure.
Finally, only one single-color ball and one black eight remain on the table. Simply pocket them in order to win the game.
He Yanzhou stood there for a moment, then turned and waved to Zhu Xu: "Come here."
Zhu Xu, not understanding why, stepped forward.
"You do it."
"Me?" She waved her hands repeatedly: "I can't."
He Yanzhou pulled Zhu Xu in front of him and handed her the golf club. "I just taught you," he whispered in her ear. "A wide angle to the cushion, center shot, aim at the angle, and gently push."
What if they say no?
"There's still a chance." He Yanzhou saw that her opponent was in a bad position, and even if she lost this shot, there was still a possibility of turning the game around.
Zhu Xu took a deep breath, lowered her body, and raised her cue. Her gaze aligned the angle between the cue ball and the object ball, and she made a clean putt. Perhaps it was the confidence given by the teacher beside her, or perhaps she was simply lucky; the last single-color ball went in beautifully.
Zhu Xu was incredulous. He dropped his cue and, somewhat carried away, clung to He Yanzhou's neck and pecked at his lips.
He Yanzhou saw the starlight shining in her eyes, held her waist, and just smiled silently.
With the outcome decided, He Yanzhou didn't fight the final black eight. He walked over and shook hands with the man, glancing at Zhao Siqiao as he did so: "Just invite her."
Zhao Siqiao was furious.
Afterwards, they parted ways at the club entrance. The two went to the parking lot across the street to get their cars, while Zhu Xu and He Yanzhou walked home.
Not far away, Zhu Xu turned around and saw Zhao Siqiao using both hands and feet to attack the man. After taking a few hits, the man raised his hand and restrained her, pressing her into his arms. A voice came from afar: "What's so good about her room? I'll break two windows for you later."
Zhu Xu smiled and turned back.
April is just around the corner, and winter in the North Island will finally be over.
The daylight had lengthened, and under the darkening sky, a sliver of orange and purple still lingered in the distance.
Zhu Xu held He Yanzhou's hand and walked briskly: "I have a small hibiscus on the windowsill of my office. It loves to bask in the sun. Every time I see the sunlight shining on it, it looks very comfortable."
"That little pink flower?"
Zhu Xu asked in surprise, "You noticed that?"
Like a lollipop.
Zhu Xu laughed: "Yes, the flower head is round and plump." He added: "Zhao Siqiao took a liking to that sofa, but it's really nothing special. She just likes to laze around on it."
"And what about you?"
"I am very serious about my work."
"I believe it," He Yanzhou said, showing his support.
She wrinkled her nose shyly: "Actually, I do take a break sometimes; the sunset feels so warm on my skin."
He Yanzhou smiled silently and chatted with her. She kept talking all day, and it was clear that she was in a very good mood.
The two weren't in a hurry, strolling leisurely along the coastal road. On one side, traffic flowed continuously, and on the other, the boundless sea stretched out. The temperature was still a bit low, but the sea breeze blowing in their faces was much more pleasant.
“I invested in a piece of land,” He Yanzhou said.
"Where?"
"On Ji Island."
"Oh." She didn't seem surprised. "You run hotels too?"
"The initial plan is to present it as a guesthouse." He Yanzhou released her hand and instead pulled her into his arms: "The sea there is clear and unpolluted, and the scenery on the island is also quite nice. The government intends to develop tourism to increase revenue."
After a long pause, Zhu Xu finally said, "It's a bit of a pity."
Many tender memories remain between her and He Yanzhou. She occasionally recalls the cool beach that morning, the school with its white walls and red tiles, the hillside covered with columbine, the night market, the bonfire party, the sunset on the rooftop, and even the grilled fish at that restaurant.
With tourists flocking to the area, it will probably be difficult to find that pristine place again.
He Yanzhou hugged her tighter: "Developing tourism has become an unchangeable fact, so it's better for me to do it than for others."
"Then you should do it well."
“Of course.” He looked down at her. “If you have any good ideas, you can participate.”
"I'll pass, but I want to be one of the first guests there."
He Yanzhou smiled and agreed, then paused, pulled the person along, and led them towards the seaside railing.
The sky turned from dark to black, and the line of orange-purple faded below the horizon like the receding tide. In the distant sky, a few stars gradually became clear.
Before I knew it, the streetlights behind me were coming on.
The two of them quietly enjoyed the sea breeze, without speaking for a long time.
Often, this silence—a state of mental independence coupled with physical dependence—is more powerful than any expression of emotion.
Mid-April is the season for peonies to be on the market.
The batch ordered by Zhu Xu finally arrived. I went to the flower shop with Xiao Zhou and Lin Yuan to unpack it. The varieties included Blue Fuji apples, Cream Bowl apples, Sunset Coral apples, etc.
Lin Yuan looked at the walnut-sized flower buds hidden among the lush leaves and said with great disappointment, "They don't look special, but the name is very nice."
Zhu Xu smiled and said, "Wait for it to bloom; it will amaze you."
Among them was a bunch of red snow-covered stars, which were the two tattooed on her arm. The rest were thrown into the flower-awakening bucket, but she wrapped up this bunch and took it home.
It was noon when she left the flower shop, and a light drizzle unexpectedly started to fall on the road. By the time she entered the residential area, the rain had intensified.
Zhu Xu covered his forehead and ran into the building entrance; the raindrops on his shoulders had already melted.
She went upstairs and unlocked the door, only to find He Yanzhou's suit hanging on the hanger, with his suitcase next to it. Zhu Xu kicked off her shoes and peeked into the living room, then tiptoed in barefoot.
He lay on her narrow sofa with his eyes closed, his long legs crossed and resting on the other armrest. The room was quiet, and his breathing was even.
Zhu Xu tiptoed to his side, took off his cardigan and casually tossed it aside, then sat down on the floor very quietly.
He went to Lincheng at the beginning of the month and did not inform us of his return date. We thought it would take as long as usual, but he returned in the middle of the month.
Zhu Xu unconsciously breathed very softly, afraid that even uneven breathing would wake him up.
He had one hand resting on his body, and the other hand hanging down almost touching the ground. He was sleeping peacefully with his thin lips slightly pursed, but his usually clean and neat chin was covered with bluish stubble.
Resisting the urge to reach out and touch him, she changed to a kneeling position, supporting herself with her hands on the ground, and unconsciously leaned forward to take a closer look at him.
He Yanzhou suddenly moved, raised his hand to his forehead, did not open his eyes, but a smile appeared on his lips.
His voice was slightly hoarse: "So how much longer do we have to wait?"
Zhu Xu was taken aback, then a wide smile spread across his face as he asked in a low voice, "Waiting for what?"
"I thought you were going to do something to me." He opened his eyes a crack and looked over.
"I'm sorry to disappoint you." Still afraid of disturbing him, her voice was very soft, almost indistinguishable from his lips: "Did I wake you up?"
He mimicked her, speaking in a feigned tone, "I'm not sound asleep yet."
"You're so annoying!" Zhu Xu said coquettishly, raising her voice a few decibels. "When did you get back?"
I came in ten minutes earlier than you.
"Oh." Zhu Xu lifted his arm that was hanging down and placed it on the sofa. "You can continue sleeping. I'll go to the bedroom and get you a blanket." She got up after she finished speaking, but He Yanzhou suddenly grabbed her wrist. Before she could stand up, a force pulled her down, and she lost her balance and fell onto the sofa, landing on top of him.
"Hey!" she exclaimed.
He Yanzhou rolled over, pinning her against the inside of the sofa. He straddled her legs, trapping them between his own, one arm under her neck, the other hand supporting the back of her head and pressing it against his neck.
He closed his eyes: "Sleep with me for a while."
The two-seater sofa was already narrow, and Zhu Xu was curled up in his arms like a human-shaped pillow, unable to move.
Outside, a light rain was falling, tapping out a tight and regular rhythm on the glass window.
The overcast sky made the indoor lighting dim.
He Yanzhou slowly opened his eyes: "Is it raining outside?"
"Mm," Zhu Xu responded softly.
"Are you wet?" He touched her up and down.
"No," she replied. She raised her hand and hugged his waist tightly.
In an instant, my sleepiness vanished.
He Yanzhou looked down and kissed her forehead.
Zhu Xu also looked up and, in return, lightly pecked him on the chin.
They looked at each other for a moment and then smiled.
He Yanzhou asked, "What have you been busy with these past few days?"
Being squeezed into a small corner, the sense of security becomes more tangible at that moment.
Zhu Xu rubbed his forehead against his slightly prickly chin and said, "We're working on a real green wall project, near the city center. It's a large-scale project, and we might make a small profit."
"Wow!" He perfectly mimicked her tone of surprise.
Zhu Xu chuckled softly and poked his back: "I'll treat you to a big meal then."
"I'm really looking forward to it," He Yanzhou said.
He raised his hand to comb through her soft hair, his fingertips gliding across her earlobe before moving downwards, his palm resting on her arm. His fingertips touched the prominent scars, and he lowered his gaze, opening his palm, suddenly startled.
Zhu Xu noticed something and looked up: "What's wrong?"
He Yanzhou looked into her eyes, then after a moment, looked at his own palm. Zhu Xu shrugged and followed his gaze, her breath catching in her throat for a few seconds.
At the base of his left ring finger, there was a leaf tattooed, dark green in the center and slightly thin and pinkish at the edges, shaped like a water droplet. It had been artistically styled to match the peony tattoo on her body.
To the untrained eye, it might look like an ordinary leaf, but Zhu Xu could tell at a glance that it was the calyx of the Snowfield Red Star.
His palm covered her arm, the calyx almost blending into the flower.
He Yanzhou was also extremely shocked, never expecting the angle and proportions to be so perfect.
Actually, the night I sent He Xi off was a spur-of-the-moment decision. We had been talking about tattoos the whole time, and I felt that I should leave some kind of connection with Zhu Xu, but I had no plan on what to get the tattoo or where to get it.
On the day they went to the tattoo shop, He Yanzhou reluctantly trusted He Xi.
But as the leaves at the base of his fingers gradually took shape, he frowned inwardly.
He Xi could tell he didn't understand, but still raised her eyebrows confidently: "You'll thank me later."
"Thank you for a single leaf?"
He Xi carefully colored in: "It's not a leaf, it's the calyx of the flower on Sister Xu's body."
He Yanzhou remained silent for a moment, then said nothing.
“I bet you don’t know what a calyx is,” He Xi explained. “It’s located on the outermost layer of the flower and is an important part that wraps around the bud to protect it from external damage and pathogens.”
In fact, the calyx has more than just that function; it can also provide nutrients to the flower through photosynthesis, allowing it to bloom healthily.
He Yanzhou remained silent for a long time, then looked down at his palm.
As He Xi finished his last stroke, he seemed to be given the same mission as the calyx.
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