Chapter 26
Chapter 26
"The Ming and Qing Palaces seem quite different from the Forbidden City," Fang Zhou said thoughtfully, looking around. "I haven't been to the Forbidden City many times. Qingyuan, I heard from Sister Ting that you went to university in Jicheng, so you should be more familiar with the Forbidden City, right?"
Song Ting had revealed some basic information about Shen Qingyuan to him, such as that she was a top student at Jicheng University.
As for how the high-achieving student ended up living in cramped conditions in his hometown of Chenyang and being unemployed for half a year, even Song Ting herself didn't know, let alone Fang Zhou.
But I had some doubts.
Fang Zhou had a vague feeling that only the person who could solve this mystery could truly enter Shen Qingyuan's heart.
"It is a bit different, but I'm not very familiar with the Forbidden City; I've only been there a few times."
Fang Zhou said, "I went to university in Shanghai, and even though I became a journalist, I rarely went to the north, except for attending some large-scale national conferences in Jicheng."
Fang Zhou is from the Journalism Department of Fudan University and is also a top student, as Song Ting mentioned before. Anyway, the matchmaker will present the greatest strengths of both parties beforehand. As for weaknesses, you'll discover them as you spend more time together.
It's quite funny, really. In Shen Qingyuan's twenty-eight years of life, the most fitting summary of her highlights is this: a top student at Jicheng University.
A label, a kind of self-promotion. It's as if not pressing forward is tantamount to giving up. One must forge ahead triumphantly, with success blossoming along the way. Most of Shen Qingyuan's classmates were like this.
These academic high-achievers from their school days all possess a certain aloofness. They're self-important, arrogant, and sometimes excessively self-motivated. Therefore, Fang Zhou and Shen Qingyuan actually have very compatible personalities.
Shen Qingyuan laughed: "I wasn't used to it when I first arrived. The main problem was that it was too dry. I remember I often had nosebleeds in the winter."
Speaking of Jicheng, some small details from Shen Qingyuan's memory were activated.
Jicheng has some landmarks, such as the roses blooming brightly on both sides of the road at this time of year. In a few months, as autumn arrives, the red leaves of Fragrant Hills will be in full bloom.
A flower is a world, a leaf is a Bodhi tree.
Shen Qingyuan frowned slightly and touched the white marble railing outside the palace. It was brand new, showing no signs of age.
Fang Zhou laughed: "That's really not easy. I'm lucky. The climate in Chenyang is similar to that in Shanghai. Apart from the fact that there are too many people and it's too crowded, I've adapted to it quite well."
"You don't like crowds?"
“Yes, that’s why I chose to go back to Chenyang after graduation. Besides, my parents’ social resources are mainly in Chenyang. Rather than chasing dreams in a big city, I prefer a relatively stable life. I guess I’m a pretty practical person.” Soon, Fang Zhou changed to a self-deprecating tone, “Of course, you could also say I don’t have any grand ambitions.”
With parents holding bureau-level official positions, their social influence was undeniable. Fang Zhou's move to the local state-run media was essentially aimed at securing a position with the leadership. According to Song Ting, from the moment he joined the newspaper, the leaders treated him differently from others.
At first, Song Ting only treated him as an ordinary intern, but later she found out about his family background. After getting to know him, she thought he was a good kid, neither arrogant nor impatient, unlike the haughty children of officials.
Adhering to the principle of keeping the benefits within the family, Song Ting thought of her good friend Shen Qingyuan.
Shen Qingyuan laughed and said, "No, I'm very clear-headed. Very few people can make the right choice for themselves from the very beginning."
She only truly understood this point at her last high school reunion.
The vast majority of people choose a stable life, while the minority who drift in big cities seem to be more frustrated and uneasy.
Because once you enter society, you quickly discover that the lives of ordinary people in big cities and small towns are essentially the same. The more talented people there are, the more turbulent the environment becomes, and all that turbulence leads to exhaustion and anxiety.
Fang Zhou slowed his pace and gave Shen Qingyuan a deep look.
It seemed like this was the first time someone had said that to him.
His parents would give him career advice from a more realistic perspective.
Many of the close friends from their school days feel a little regretful. In their view, pursuing journalism and realizing their journalistic ideals naturally requires gaining experience on a large platform. Fudan University was a great stepping stone, but not using it in a big city is a waste.
There was a vending machine for drinks by the roadside. Shen Qingyuan happened to be thirsty, so she went to the vending machine to pick out a drink. They were all common drinks available in the market, so there wasn't much to choose from.
Shen Qingyuan decided to drink grape juice and turned to ask Fang Zhou what he wanted to drink.
Fang Zhou suddenly felt a surge of excitement, a joy he couldn't quite describe. He quickly took a few steps forward and moved closer.
Fang Zhou chose Coke. Life is short; happiness is possible.
Shen Qingyuan insisted on paying the bill, then apologized that she couldn't treat Fang Zhou to dinner.
"There was nothing I could do; my boss was urging me to go home early so he could have physiotherapy."
There was nothing that could be done about it; after all, they were all just animals. Fang Zhou felt a little heavy-hearted thinking about taking the high-speed train back to Chenyang for work the next day.
“…Qingyuan,” something stirred within him, and he suddenly blurted out, “After this job is finished, you’ll go back to Chenyang, right?”
"Maybe." Shen Qingyuan bent down and picked up the two bottles of drinks from the outlet, handing the cola to Fang Zhou.
Their fingers touched, and Fang Zhou only vaguely felt a soft warmth that stirred a tender feeling in his heart. Although it was only for a moment.
Her posture was a bit languid; at this hour, the sun was at its strongest, making everyone look listless. Her palms felt the coolness of the cold drink.
Shen Qingyuan wasn't the type to need a man to help her open the bottle; she did it herself and took two refreshing gulps.
The two sat down side by side on a roadside stone. The stone was hot.
"To be honest, I don't have a very clear plan right now. I might go back, but I might also move to another city." Shen Qingyuan narrowed her eyes, feeling a sense of comfort in her mouth and esophagus after drinking the cold drink.
Cheap pleasures are readily available whenever you want them.
"Change cities? Where do you want to go? Still to Jicheng?" Fang Zhou's tone was slightly anxious.
Shen Qingyuan smiled and screwed on the bottle cap. "I haven't decided yet, I'm not sure. Wherever I go, I'll probably focus on work for the next few years."
If we interpret her words more strictly, they are already a veiled refusal.
Fang Zhou frowned slightly and stared blankly for a few seconds.
With the future uncertain and fraught with challenges, there was no time for romantic notions. Shen Qingyuan didn't want to waste other people's time, and even less did she want to waste her own.
With Fang Zhou's intelligence, it's impossible that he wouldn't understand what was being said.
Fang Zhou took a few seconds to process this, his expression remained normal, and he even managed a forced smile, though his eyes looked elsewhere. "Yes, we are all still young, and we should indeed focus on our careers."
Romantic relationships should be casual and not stray too far from one's life goals, especially for those who are goal-oriented.
-
After estimating the end time, Shen Qingyuan contacted Xiao Chao in advance—if Xiao Chao wasn't allowed to pick him up, someone would most likely be unhappy again.
After visiting the Ming and Qing Palaces, Fang Zhou planned to go to Dream Valley to see the night view. The two then happily parted ways.
Shen Qingyuan was quite happy, and Fang Zhou didn't seem to be crying at all.
Near the exit, there are several food carts selling snacks such as grilled cold noodles, grilled sausages, Nanma meat pies, and shredded radish cakes.
The latter two items are probably local specialties; Shen Qingyuan had never seen them anywhere else.
The food stalls emitted a wonderful aroma.
Shen Qingyuan thought for a moment. Since Zhou Bapi was urging her to go back for physiotherapy, he probably wouldn't have time for dinner. She bought two snacks and ate them by the roadside while waiting for her ride.
-
Ye Chuyang squinted slightly, comfortably sprawled on the narrow physiotherapy bed. His brows and eyes were relaxed, and he looked quite at ease, with a half-smile on his face.
His calm face was adorned with strikingly handsome features. Any clichéd phrase used to describe a handsome man could be used to describe him, the simplest of which could be: "His beauty makes one forget all worries, and his good looks can ruin a country."
But soon, the face suddenly began to grin and grimace. Thus, the face became both handsome and funny.
Shen Qingyuan was massaging his lower back. The former orthopedic doctor's strength was not to be underestimated, and it seemed especially strong today.
Ye Chuyang had good reason to suspect that she was settling a personal score!
He suppressed the groan that was about to escape his lips, his back muscles tensing instinctively.
"Relax, relax!" Shen Qingyuan said expressionlessly, a hint of coldness playing on her lips. "Is the pressure alright?"
"More than that," Ye Chuyang said with a wry smile, "it's not time to admit defeat yet."
"The muscles around your neck are a bit stiff too," the deadly little hand shifted its position, just inches away from choking him. "You've been studying the script very diligently, let me give you a good massage!" The tone was still caring, almost like Snow White's stepmother inviting someone to a poisoned apple.
Ye Chuyang knew he was in the wrong and decided to just accept it silently. Interrupting a young couple's date was rather impolite.
But he didn't regret it. In fact, he was secretly pleased.
It's clear that success has many benefits; if the boss tells you to go east, you have to go east.
The phone rang, the sound coming from Shen Qingyuan's crossbody bag.
The phone rang several times, but she didn't plan to answer it now. The massage was nearing its end, and it was best to finish it in one go. Then she could go back to her room.
The phone kept ringing, which was annoying.
"Dr. Chen, please answer the phone!" Ye Chuyang urged, as he also wanted to take a break.
Shen Qingyuan stopped what she was doing and took her phone out of her bag.
The caller ID showed Song Ting; it shouldn't be anything urgent, so Shen Qingyuan answered.
"I'm a bit busy right now, I'll get back to you later."
Song Ting ignored her. "Shen Qingyuan, I heard Fang Zhou say he's going back to Chenyang tomorrow. I thought he'd stay a few more days. What's wrong? Did your date not go well?"
Fang Zhou isn't a big mouth, and even if he were, talking about his failed attempts to woo a girl isn't very interesting.
Reporter Song has a knack for seeing the big picture from small details. There's no better matchmaker than Song Ting.
Although neither party involved may necessarily like this kind of spying.
"...I'm working, I'll call you back later. Bye."
"Ye Chuyang is next to you?" Song Ting exclaimed excitedly in a low voice, "Ah... this..."
Shen Qingyuan quickly hung up the line.
After putting her phone away, Shen Qingyuan's gaze returned to her employer.
Ye Chuyang suddenly had a photo in his hand. At first glance, he recognized it as the one Fang Zhou had given to Shen Qingyuan during the day at the scenic spot.
It turned out that when she took out her phone, she accidentally brought the photo out with her, and it floated to the ground, where Ye Chuyang happened to see it and picked it up.
Shen Qingyuan stretched out her hand, "Give it back to me."
Taking something without permission is theft.
Ye Chuyang glanced at the photo again. The boy was fairly good-looking, and among ordinary people, he was considered pleasing to the eye.
Unfortunately, in the film and television industry where he works, beauty is rampant and sold by weight.
Is it really worth collecting photos of such an ordinary person?
Ye Chuyang chuckled slightly: "You treasure it so much, Dr. Shen's taste has really declined a bit!"
Saying that makes it sound like her previous aesthetic sense was so sophisticated.
Making judgments and criticisms is certainly not sophisticated.
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