Chapter Twenty-One
Recently, it has been raining lightly in Chanjing for several days, and there is a faint hint of summer heat in the air.
Chi Qingtang, who was the company's most procrastinator, was successfully promoted to deputy team leader of the planning department, and Xing Bei was assigned to mentor an intern.
I heard he's the son of Lin Yuan's business partner, and like her, he doesn't work at his own family's company but instead comes to someone else's company to experience life.
When Xing Bei arrived at the office early in the morning, she saw a tall, thin young man standing there. She pushed open the office door, and the man didn't even look at her. He simply bowed and said, "Good morning, Director."
Xing Bei was stunned for a few seconds, but she recognized the other person in a second. She didn't expect this kid to still be so funny after leaving school.
The person opposite looked up, saw that it was someone familiar, and their eyes lit up instantly: "Senior."
Xing Bei smiled, walked to her seat, and glanced at the documents on the table: "So your name is Tong Wulin."
She was in the Fine Arts Department at Peking University. Once, she went out to sketch with Tong Wulin and others. He forgot to bring a few of the paints he had prepared, and the others were using them and didn't want to lend them to him.
She has always felt more compassion for good-looking people, so she took the opportunity to help him out.
Later, we didn't run into each other often when we returned to school. On the few occasions we did meet, she was always busy and would just say a quick hello before leaving. After that, we didn't have any further contact.
Tong Wulin sat down opposite Xing Bei in a very familiar manner: "Senior, are you free at noon today? I've wanted to invite you to lunch before, but you're always too busy."
Xing Bei put his documents aside, smiled and looked at him: "I can grant you that request, but I need to bring one more person with me."
"No problem," Tong Wulin agreed immediately. "My senior's friend is also my friend."
Xing Bei looked at him, and his joyful mood infected her as well.
Every time I saw Tong Wulin, he always had a bright smile on his face, like a little sun.
He looks very handsome when he smiles, with his eyebrows and eyes curving, especially his eyes, which are like stars in the universe. His smile is like a spring breeze sweeping across a hillside, making people feel very warm and friendly.
Not long after Tong Wulin left, Chi Qingtang, drawn by the gossip, rushed over. Finding the office empty, she sat down opposite her, looking dejected.
Xing Bei glanced at her indifferently: "You've already been promoted, yet you still like to come here to see me."
Chi Qingtang unceremoniously picked up her cup, took a small sip, and said, "I heard you have a tall, handsome guy who's 1.88 meters tall here. Where is he?"
Xing Bei knew she was up to no good, so she gestured with her chin towards the glass and teased, "Little Sunshine, you're not my type."
"Who said that?" When Chi Qingtang looked over, she met Tong Wulin's gaze, and he smiled slightly at her.
Mom!
Such a well-behaved little brother, no wonder he just graduated from university, he's so youthful and energetic.
Xing Bei looked away speechlessly, her slender fingertips tapping lightly on the table: "Shut up, you look like you've never seen the world before."
Chi Qingtang turned around and winked at Xing Bei: "Sister, it shouldn't be hard to get his contact information, right?"
She couldn't bear to look: "If your dashing young master Lin knew, he'd make sure you couldn't go to work for three days."
Her eyes dimmed instantly at the mention of Lin Zhuochi: "Don't mention him. The Lin family is pressuring him to get married right now, he has no time for me."
Seeing that she was in a bad mood, Xing Bei sensed a hint of gossip. In her opinion, the relationship between Chi Qingtang and Lin Zhuochi was just about sleeping together, and there was no real affection between them. But now things were changing.
She capped the pen, rested her chin on her hand, and looked at Chi Qingtang: "Tell me what you think of Lin Zhuochi now. You don't actually like him, do you?"
Chi Qingtang retorted instinctively, "Whoever likes him, I'd love for him to leave."
Xing Bei gave a meaningful "oh": "That means you like it."
"I don't like it." Chi Qingtang felt a little annoyed.
As an observer, Xing Bei knew very well that Chi Qingtang had truly fallen for Ji Youli. She understood Chi Qingtang's temperament; if she really didn't like him, she would simply give up. But clearly, she was still waiting for Lin Zhuochi's reply.
Xing Bei leaned back in her chair, a nonchalant smile playing on her lips: "Miss Chi, if you really like him, why not have Grandpa Chi make the connection? He's always easy to talk to."
Chi Qingtang was somewhat tempted by the suggestion, but when she thought about her own childhood betrothal, she slumped weakly in her chair: "You forgot, I also have a childhood betrothal."
"Never mind," Chi Qingtang sighed, staring at the ceiling. "Let nature take its course."
Tong Wulin waited for them at Zuiyunjian after leaving get off work on time in the afternoon, and Xing Bei took Chi Qingtang with her.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Chi Qingtang looked at her with a puzzled expression: "Where are you taking me?"
Xing Bei glanced at her with a smile, her tone slightly raised: "Of course, it's to connect you and your brother."
Upon arriving at Zuiyunjian, a waiter led us up to the sixth floor. Looking at the magnificent interior, it truly lived up to its reputation as the most luxurious hotel in Chanjing.
You need to make a reservation in advance to dine at Zuiyunjian, and sometimes you can't even get a table, unless you have "money power".
Xing Bei really enjoys eating here. To make it convenient for her to come anytime, she became a black card member of Zuiyunjian, which allows her to choose any floor.
She usually prefers a window seat on the 23rd floor, which is the best spot to view the night view of Chanjing, overlooking almost half of the city.
Tong Wulin, who was by the window, saw them and quickly waved to them. The closer Chi Qingtang got, the more familiar she felt with this person, but she couldn't remember his name.
After sitting down, Xing Bei introduced the person opposite her: "This is my best friend, Chi Qingtang."
Upon hearing the name, the person opposite her visibly paused, looking at her with some suspicion: "You're Chi Qingtang?"
“Absolutely genuine.” Chi Qingtang frowned slightly. “But why do you look so familiar to me?”
Tong Wulin finally understood and pointed to himself: "I, Tong Wulin, am your childhood betrothed."
Chi Qingtang suddenly remembered and pointed at him excitedly: "You, you are Tong Wulin, you wouldn't have come here to take me back, would you?"
Tong Wulin rolled his eyes speechlessly: "I was forced to come here. Do you think I wanted to be with you?"
Xing Bei observed them meaningfully from the side; they seemed to be a pair of bickering lovers.
As Xing Bei expected, the meal was not peaceful. Both of them had the personality of elementary school students and couldn't stand each other.
When Tong Wulin went to the restroom, Xing Bei looked at the lifeless Chi Qingtang and teased her with a smile, "How about it, are you still tempted?"
Chi Qingtang waved her hand: "From now on, I intend to seal my heart and lock away my love. No man in this world can catch my eye."
Xing Bei bluntly exposed her: "If you have someone in your heart, how could you be interested in anyone else?"
Chi Qingtang: "...Mingzhu, this is no fun."
After the meal, they parted ways. Xing Bei, seeing that it was still early, took a stroll along the nearby riverbank.
Above, the night sky was vast and boundless, with only a lonely moon. The stars timidly twinkled with lonely light in the distance, and cautiously disappeared into the deeper and more distant space.
Late Spring Tavern.
Shang Yichen looked at the two people drinking alone on the sofa to his right, and asked Mu Rong in confusion, "What's going on with them?"
Mu Rong shrugged: "Lin Zhuochi's family wants him to marry Chu Yunyao. It seems that A Xu is doing it because his wife has been too cold to him lately."
Shang Yichen: "...Why have I been going through so many love tribulations lately?"
Seeing Lu Runxu's somewhat dazed look, she took his phone and called Xing Bei. After a brief conversation, she hung up. Looking at Lin Zhuochi, who was already drunk and unconscious, she really wanted to kick him over there.
Xing Bei quickly drove over after receiving the call. Seeing the man with his head slumped on the sofa, she walked over and gently patted Lu Runxu's shoulder: "Lu Runxu, wake up."
Lu Runxu groggily looked up, saw the person in front of him, and reached out to wrap his arms around her waist: "Wife, you're here."
After saying that, he gave her a silly smile. Xing Bei shook her head helplessly at his expression, rubbed the top of his head, and said softly, "Let's go home, okay?"
"Okay." Lu Runxu looked at her and nodded obediently.
Shang Yichen helped her get into the car, and Lu Runxu leaned back quietly in his seat the whole way.
After arriving home, Lu Runxu hugged her and wouldn't let her leave. Xing Bei could only let him do as he pleased. Aunt Huang brought over the hangover soup she had cooked, and Xing Bei was too embarrassed to look at Aunt Huang.
Xing Bei held the bowl and fed him spoonful by spoonful, while Lu Runxu stared at her intently. Xing Bei's face instantly flushed, and his blatant gaze was like a scorching sun that could burn a person.
"Mingzhu, have you been in a bad mood lately? Why are you suddenly acting like a different person, so cold towards me?" He asked suddenly, his face full of doubt and worry.
Upon hearing this, Xing Bei was slightly taken aback, and a ripple of emotion stirred within her.
She slowly raised her head and met Lu Runxu's deep eyes. In an instant, she instinctively looked away as if she had been electrocuted and said in a low voice, "No, I'm just a little tired from work."
Lu Runxu lowered his head slightly, wrapped his arms around her waist, buried his face in her long, fair neck, and gently rubbed against her, feeling the warmth and softness of her skin.
"Then...then will you leave me?" His voice trembled slightly, as if this question was of utmost importance to him.
He raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on her eyes, his deep pupils filled with unease and anticipation.
Xing Bei hesitated for a moment, then gently raised her slender fingers and lightly brushed them across his cheek like a gentle breeze. The soft touch sent a jolt through his body, making his heart flutter.
"Won't."
Xing Bei's voice was soft yet firm, like a gentle breeze in spring, carrying a touch of tenderness.
"Mingzhu, you can't lie to me." Lu Runxu stared intently into Xing Bei's eyes, as if trying to see through her shimmering peach blossom eyes to discern her truest thoughts.
Xing Bei lowered her eyes and stood up: "I'm not lying to you."
After several days of deep thought, Xing Bei finally managed to sort out the tangled mess of thoughts in her mind.
Because of her previous failed relationship, she rejected her current thoughts. Now, she no longer deliberately avoids or denies her ambiguous feelings for Lu Runxu, regardless of whether she has truly fallen in love with him.
--
Originally, she wanted to find some time to make up for her coldness towards Lu Runxu during this period, but it just so happened that the company's business was doing well recently.
Xing Bei finally got a free early shift, so she grabbed her bag and rushed home. But as soon as she got downstairs, Chi Qingtang dragged her off to some company team-building event.
Xing Bei's heart was breaking. She really didn't understand why every company liked to hold team building activities. Couldn't they just let her go back and catch up on her sleep?
She had told Lu Runxu in advance that she would be back early today, but now she had to stand him up.
Lu's Group.
Upon seeing the message, Lu Runxu gave a cold snort without any expression. Secretary Lin, who was standing to the side, also saw it and inwardly groaned.
Why did this lady stand up President Lu?
From the moment he went on the business trip with his boss, he lived in constant fear.
Lu Runxu put his phone down and continued working, while Secretary Lin sighed softly to herself.
As night fell and twilight deepened, a thin layer of deep blue mist filled the sky, while scattered lights illuminated the night, creating a mysterious and tranquil atmosphere.
Xing Bei was distracted all night, but seeing that everyone was having a good time, she felt too embarrassed to leave.
She usually had a pretty good tolerance for alcohol, but for some reason, she felt unwell as soon as she drank the wine that Chi Qingtang handed her.
At first, she only felt slightly dizzy, but later her stomach started churning violently, and waves of nausea kept coming, making her want to vomit.
Xing Bei staggered into the restroom, went to the sink, and turned on the icy cold faucet.
The water was rushing and splashing. Xing Bei put her hands underwater, scooped up a handful of clear water, and gently splashed it on her face. Instantly, a cool sensation washed over her.
Xing Bei closed her eyes tightly, letting the cold water flow freely down her face, trying to clear her muddled mind.
She braced her hands on the sink, her gaze involuntarily falling on the mirror in front of her. She saw that her face was as pale as paper, and her once bright and spirited eyes now revealed deep fatigue and weariness.
When Tong Wulin saw that she hadn't returned for a long time, he went out to look for her. He saw a familiar figure by the sink and quickly went over to help her.
A strong jasmine scent wafted into Xing Bei's nostrils, and the discomfort in her heart surged up again.
Suppressing her discomfort, she pushed Tong Wulin away, saying, "Your perfume is too strong, stay away from me."
Tong Wulin pulled up his collar and smelled it, his brow furrowing slightly; it must have just been rubbed against him.
He stepped back a little and looked at the person in front of him with concern: "Senior, are you alright? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"
Xing Bei waved her hand: "No need, just tell them when you get back that I'm not feeling well and I'm going home first."
"I'll take you." Tong Wulin stepped forward to help her.
Xing Bei shook her head: "I called a designated driver. You go back and have fun with them."
After saying that, Xing Bei leaned against the wall and walked out. Her vision became increasingly blurry. When she passed the corner, she seemed to lose all her strength and accidentally bumped into someone walking towards her while leaning against the wall.
She looked up, about to say sorry, but before she could even utter the first word, everything went black and she fainted. The other person reacted quickly and caught her.
Upon seeing the familiar face, the other person chuckled helplessly: "Every time I run into you, I end up looking so disheveled."
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