Chapter Thirty-Seven
To make up for his mistake, Secretary Lin has been paying close attention to online developments in the past few days.
Fortunately, most netizens were just watching the drama unfold, and once the trending topic was removed, nothing much happened. Only in Shang Ruixing's Weibo supertopic were people still discussing it.
At the end of November, Chi Qingtang held a concert in F country, which was her first performance after picking up her beloved violin again.
She had wanted to visit France for a long time, and since she was going to see Chi Qingtang this time, she could also spend a few more days there.
Before going to Country F, Xing Bei did something she really wanted to do: she dyed her hair red again.
On the day she graduated from high school, she went to a hair salon and dyed her hair red. Later, in college, her red hair caused a lot of unnecessary trouble because it was too eye-catching, so she dyed it back to its original color.
In Zhuqing Bay, Xing Bei directly called her personal stylist to her home and handed the pre-selected color to Xiao Yang, who was in charge of dyeing her hair.
Xing Bei was wearing a simple white long dress and bathrobe, casually leaning back in her chair drawing and waiting, while the stylist behind her continued to do her hair.
Because Xing Bei chose an extremely vibrant aquamarine red, which required bleaching, the stylist reminded her before starting: "Ms. Xing, this one requires bleaching first."
Xing Bei didn't even look up, and lazily said, "Then let it float, remember, the more famous the better."
Xiao Yang: "..."
Looking at the person in the mirror, a hint of envy flashed in Xiao Yang's eyes. Xing Bei had dyed her hair red once before, but it wasn't as flamboyant as this time, yet it was still unforgettable. The image of her red hair was still deeply imprinted in her memory.
Xing Bei's skin is naturally very fair, and her features are delicate and bright. With just a little makeup, she is already incredibly charming. It's hard to believe that she will look so stunningly beautiful with such a flamboyant hair color.
During the dyeing process, Xiao Yang was constantly on edge, as she was genuinely afraid of messing up Xing Bei's request.
After several hours of hair dyeing, the job was finally done. Looking at the person in the mirror, the assistant couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
At this moment, Xing Bei leaned lazily against the sofa, her eyes closed, seemingly fast asleep.
Just sleeping peacefully like this, her exquisite face is displayed before people like a beautiful painting, as if she has stepped out of a comic book world.
Xing Bei's skin was as white as snow, as smooth and delicate as mutton fat jade, and her long eyelashes fluttered gently like butterfly wings, casting faint shadows.
Hearing the sound, Xing Bei groggily opened her eyes, glancing at the person beside her with a hint of hazy allure in her eyes.
She always had a smile on her face, which made people overlook Xing Bei's naturally somewhat aggressive beauty. Now, with her red hair and slightly upturned eyes, she looked over with a hint of coldness.
Seeing the striking red hair in the mirror, her thin lips curled up slightly, revealing a faint smile. Her newly dyed hair cascaded down her shoulders like a waterfall, shimmering with a captivating luster.
Xiao Yang felt that she exuded a mysterious and alluring bewitching aura, making people want to get closer.
Xing Bei raised her hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, a satisfied smile appearing on her lips: "As expected, Xiao Yang understands me best. I'll come to you again next time."
Xiao Yang: "..." He's really something else.
Fortunately, this young lady's looks are good enough to support such a flamboyant hair color. If it were someone else, they would have already been discredited and lost their job.
That evening, Lu Runxu returned with lotus-shaped pastries. When he saw the conspicuous red color on the sofa, he stood by the door and paused in surprise.
My memory was pulled back to a summer day, with the same flamboyant hair color, a girl sitting under a big tree sketching, and everything around her becoming her backdrop at that moment.
Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the trees, and a young girl chatted with her friends, a faint smile on her lips. The summer breeze gently blew through her hair, making her look like a beautiful painting.
"What are you spacing out about?" Xing Bei looked at the person standing blankly by the door, puzzled.
Lu Runxu snapped out of his reverie, a faint smile playing on his thin lips. He picked up the lotus-shaped pastries and walked toward the sofa: "Why did you suddenly decide to dye your hair red?"
Xing Bei touched her hair: "I like it. I dyed it before, but it wasn't convenient, so I dyed it back."
"I know." Lu Runxu raised his hand and gently pinched her cheek. "She's beautiful, I like her very much."
Xing Bei stared at him in confusion, not understanding what he meant by "I know".
Could it be that Lu Runxu had seen her before? Logically speaking, that shouldn't be the case.
Men like novelty. While Xing Bei was taking a bath, Lu Runxu pushed open the door and came in to bathe with her.
Unsurprisingly, she won't get a good night's sleep tonight.
—
As the year draws to a close, Lu Runxu's workload has increased significantly compared to usual. Sometimes he doesn't get home from get off work until midnight, and occasionally he even stays at the company.
Xing Bei had no choice but to set off for F country alone, but Lu Runxu was worried about her, so he arranged for Secretary Hu to stay by her side and take care of her.
When Secretary Hu learned that he was about to meet the legendary Mrs. Lu, he was extremely excited: "Secretary Lin, do you think Mrs. Lu is as beautiful as an angel? I'm so nervous."
Secretary Lin glanced at her and shook his head helplessly: "You'll find out in a moment."
Not long after, Lu Runxu was pulling a suitcase with one hand and holding Xing Bei's hand with the other, a faint smile on his face.
When Secretary Hu saw the striking red hair, her eyes widened instantly. She tugged at Secretary Lin's sleeve in disbelief: "That's Mrs. Lu, isn't she beautiful?"
It's more than just beautiful. Many people would have a disastrous experience if they dyed their hair red, but Mrs. Lu is different. Not only did she not have a disastrous experience, but it also made her original appearance even more radiant, giving her a more aggressive beauty compared to before.
When she glanced over with her peach blossom eyes, there was a hint of aloofness in them. It's hard to find another person in the world with a similar temperament to Mrs. Lu.
Secretary Lin occasionally follows celebrities and has seen many female celebrities with red hair, but most of them are dyed and don't look as eye-catching. Mrs. Lu definitely chose the reddest color and bleached it.
Lu Runxu held Xing Bei's hand and gently kissed her forehead: "You're being so careful. If anything happens, just tell Secretary Hu. I'll come over to be with you as soon as I'm done with my work."
Xing Bei looked at his tone, which sounded like he was instructing a child, and a faint smile curved her lips: "I know, I'm not a three-year-old."
After getting into the car, Xing Bei leaned out the window and waved to him, saying, "I'm leaving now."
Lu Runxu stood there watching the car disappear into the distance until it was out of sight, then he looked away, and the smile on his lips gradually faded.
Let's go.
Country F.
Chi Qingtang was waiting at the airport early in the morning. When she saw a familiar figure, she excitedly ran towards her, and Xing Bei opened her arms to catch her.
"Mingzhu, I miss you so much." Chi Qingtang kissed her on the cheek.
Xing Bei wiped the drool off her face and teased, "Even though we haven't seen each other for a long time, it doesn't have to be this fierce."
Chi Qingtang smiled and looked at her red hair: "Why did you suddenly dye your hair such a bright color?"
Before Xing Bei could speak, Chi Qingtang praised her, saying, "But this color suits you well. It looks much better than the one you dyed before. A bright and beautiful woman should have such a bold hair color."
It was already evening when we arrived in Country F. Night had fallen, and the outlines of distant buildings were gradually becoming blurred.
The corner café was filled with a faint aroma, and the dim light shone on the tables, illuminating the people sitting in the corner.
After Secretary Hu finished eating with them, he put the luggage back in the hotel first, and Xing Bei planned to take a walk on the street with Chi Qingtang.
Chi Qingtang was a chatterbox to begin with, and she hadn't stopped talking since she landed, constantly telling her about the funny things that happened in F country.
Hearing the happy tone in her voice, Xing Bei felt much more at ease. After all, she was worried that Chi Qingtang would be bullied while she was away from home.
Xing Bei listened attentively to Chi Qingtang's sharing, but she had a strange premonition, a feeling that someone was following them for no reason.
Taking advantage of the opportune moment, Xing Bei suddenly stopped and turned to look behind her. She saw a black figure flash by, and the passing pedestrians made her think that she was imagining things.
Chi Qingtang also stopped and looked behind her in confusion: "What's wrong?"
Xing Bei looked away and shook her head: "I have a feeling that someone is following us."
Chi Qingtang smiled and said, "With hair as flamboyant as yours, it's hard not to attract attention."
She felt that the figure was somewhat familiar, especially resembling Ji Youli, but he had been quite busy lately, so it couldn't be him.
The person hiding in the dimly lit alley gently clutched their chest. After an unknown amount of time, the man in the black hoodie peeked out slightly, and only came out when he saw that he wasn't among the crowd.
The next day.
Chi Qingtang originally wanted to go shopping with Xing Bei, but before she could even leave the house, Teacher Bai called her to try on clothes.
—Mingzhu, I'm sorry, something came up and I can't go out with you.
—It's okay, the performance is more important.
Since Chi Qingtang couldn't come, she wasn't in a hurry to go out and went back to her room to catch up on sleep until noon when Secretary Hu woke her up for lunch.
November in F country rarely sees sunshine, but Xing Bei was lucky enough to encounter sunshine as soon as she arrived in F country.
The sun is warm, and it's quite pleasant to sit on a bench by the street for a while.
Xing Bei sat leisurely on a park bench, quietly waiting for Secretary Hu to buy that cup of fragrant coffee.
At this moment, the sunlight, like a golden veil, spilled onto the calm, mirror-like pool, creating shimmering waves. Beside the pool, a flock of adorable pigeons leisurely preened their snow-white feathers.
As people passed by, a few timid little creatures flapped their wings, flew into the air, circled a few times, and then landed lightly.
"Xing Bei?" A voice, tinged with uncertainty, suddenly rang out.
Xing Bei turned her head in confusion, the khaki coat making the man's figure appear even taller: "Brother Qingyan?"
Not far away, Chen Qingyan recognized the striking red hair as Xing Bei. However, he remembered Xing Bei as a very well-behaved girl, so he went over to ask her. To his surprise, it really was her.
Chen Qingyan, seeing that she was all alone, smiled and asked, "Why are you here all by yourself?"
Not far away, Secretary Hu returned with coffee. Xing Bei pointed and said, "My friend went to buy coffee for me."
Secretary Hu saw an Asian face talking to Xing Bei and immediately became alert.
She handed the coffee to Xing Bei, stood behind her and sized her up. Xing Bei also noticed Secretary Hu's gaze.
Xing Bei introduced with a smile, "This is my brother, there's no need to be so wary."
Chen Qingyan glanced at him indifferently and could tell at a glance that this was not Xing Bei's friend. It must be that Lu Runxu was too busy and had asked his secretary to accompany him.
Xing Bei knew that Chen Qingyan had been living in F country, so she asked Chen Qingyan to take her sightseeing.
Although Xing Bei had explained, Secretary Hu was still uneasy and observed Chen Qingyan's behavior the whole way.
The man was always polite and there was nothing wrong with him. The only thing was that she felt he had a special feeling for Xing Bei.
Unlike the familial affection a brother has for his sister, this one has a feeling of unrequited love. However, she has never been in a relationship and doesn't know if her prediction is accurate.
domestic.
Lu Runxu had just finished his work when he saw Ji Youli sending him messages non-stop. He raised his hand and gently rubbed his temples.
Knowing that Xing Bei was going to F country to see Chi Qingtang, he had told Lin Zhuochi in advance. Unexpectedly, Lin Zhuochi handed over his work to the vice president and went to F country himself.
He picked up his phone and glanced at it casually. Lin Zhuochi had sent him a bunch of photos, all of them about Xing Bei. Secretary Lin, who was standing to the side, also noticed them.
In the photo, Xing Bei is chatting and laughing with a man. Upon closer inspection, the man next to Xing Bei has an Asian face with three-dimensional and deep features, a gentle and refined temperament, and a faint smile on his lips.
Secretary Lin was startled and silently felt a chill for Secretary Hu.
The lady was already very beautiful, and now with her striking hair color, she naturally attracts attention. As President Lu's secretary, I should report the situation immediately.
Secretary Lin secretly glanced at her boss, only to see that President Lu was looking at his phone, his expression growing increasingly grim.
Lu Runxu turned off his phone and continued working with a cold expression.
Um?
Shouldn't the boss call his wife at this point to ask what's going on?
Does that mean they're not worried at all about being poached by their partners?
Secretary Lin looked at the boss's face and nodded slightly. The boss's face was indeed unmatched; he had been overthinking it.
For a boss's secretary to doubt his abilities is utterly heartless.
It's fine if she doesn't go shopping, but after a round of shopping, she ends up with bags full of things. Xing Bei can't control herself and wants to buy any strange or unusual things she sees.
After dinner, Chen Qingyan escorted them to the hotel before leaving. After Xing Bei rested, Secretary Hu reported the day's events to Secretary Lin.
Chen Qingyan was stopped by his mother as soon as he got home, and a hint of barely perceptible annoyance flashed in his eyes.
Chen's mother smiled and pulled him to sit down on the sofa: "Qingyan, Ayue is also in France these days. If you have time, go and keep her company."
"I don't have time," Chen Qingyan refused bluntly. "And I don't like Cheng Yuexin either."
The smile on Chen's mother's face vanished instantly: "Don't think I don't know you went out with Xing Bei today."
Chen Qingyan looked coldly at his mother and chuckled, "I don't like Xing Bei either. I only treat her as a younger sister. Don't even think about touching her, and don't even think about me being with Cheng Yuexin."
After saying that, Chen Qingyan left the villa that made him feel uncomfortable without even looking at his mother's expression.
From childhood, Chen's mother had always been very controlling. She had no right to resist before and was forced to transfer schools. Now that she finally had the right to resist, the person she wanted no longer belonged to her.
—
With two days left until Chi Qingtang's performance, Xing Bei didn't want to go out anymore and stayed in the hotel to draw sketches.
Outside the window, the sky had already darkened.
Xing Bei stood in front of the French windows and muttered to herself, "I heard that the first snow in France is in the next few days. I wonder if I'll be there."
Looking at the bustling pedestrians outside the window, Xing Bei suddenly pulled Secretary Hu out the door.
Secretary Hu, who was replying to messages, was suddenly pulled and was so startled that she immediately put her phone in her pocket.
Secretary Lin just sent me a message saying that President Lu has arrived in F country and asked her not to tell his wife yet.
Xing Bei found a coffee shop and sat down. She liked spending time in coffee shops; she didn't feel comfortable staying in the hotel for too long.
A light snow began to fall from the sky, and Xing Bei found herself missing someone far away.
Not knowing she wouldn't have the chance to see the first snow with Lu Runxu this year, she looked out the window and silently made a wish.
Xing Bei hadn't been in the coffee shop for long when Secretary Hu told her that the hotel had called to say that an acquaintance was looking for her. Xing Bei thought it was Chen Qingyan, but when she arrived at the hotel, she found out it wasn't him.
From afar, Xing Bei spotted that familiar figure. Lu Runxu, dressed in a black coat, stood there languidly, a faint smile on his face, and a silver earring on his left ear swayed gently in the breeze.
The dazzling lights shone on him, bathing him in a golden glow. He stood there smiling at her on the bustling street.
The snowflakes, which had fallen as gently as willow catkins, were now growing larger and larger, falling in a flurry.
As the snowfall intensified, the entire world seemed to be shrouded in a white curtain, making everything hazy and mysterious.
Xing Bei stood there stunned for two seconds, then excitedly ran towards the person standing next to the hotel and threw herself into Lu Runxu's arms. She couldn't describe how she felt at that moment.
When Lu Runxu suddenly appeared in front of her, she had only one thought in her mind: to rush over and hug him, and that's exactly what she did.
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