Chapter 53 A body touches another body, both openly and secretly, in full view of everyone…
The lecture was scheduled for 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Meng Yanxi had originally planned to arrive early and have dinner with his girlfriend first.
It's been so long.
As a result, a video conference was called in the afternoon.
The world is a dog-eat-dog world, and even a behemoth like Yun Sheng Group is not immune to danger. In a world of constant change and historical upheaval, it's a matter of either moving forward or falling behind.
After the lecture, he rushed to the school, arriving just in time for the lecture. Jin Zhao was waiting for him outside with the principal and a group of people.
To her surprise, Meng Yanxi also brought Lu Jingyue along. Although Lu Jingyue looked indifferent and not very willing, it seemed as if she had been forced by Meng Yanxi to come, looking like she was being coerced into prostitution.
The school was pleasantly surprised to be able to invite both Meng Yanxi and Lu Jingyue.
Upon meeting, the principal and deans stepped forward to exchange pleasantries.
Jin Zhao stood in the wind, feeling a little cold.
The period from mid-to-late December to the New Year is the coldest time of the year, with temperatures almost reaching zero degrees Celsius. Jin Zhao was only wearing a light-colored coat, a thin cashmere sweater underneath, and a pair of high heels, revealing a section of her fair ankles.
She doesn't usually dress like this. Who would wear high heels in this freezing weather to maintain their style? Standing for two hours in class would give you blisters on your feet.
I haven't seen my boyfriend for a week now.
Jin Zhao missed him very much and wanted to show him her best self.
She had no classes in the afternoon, and it took her more than two hours just to do her makeup and choose her clothes.
She was already suffering in the wind, and she didn't know if the school's enthusiasm had warmed her heart, but it certainly hadn't.
"Go in," Meng Yanxi said suddenly after glancing at her.
Jin Zhao likes him even more now.
Back in the warm lecture hall, Jin Zhao came back to life.
The auditorium was more than just warm; it was lively.
The lecture hall at the university can accommodate more than 2,000 people. At this time, except for the first row which was empty, all the other seats were full, and people were standing in the back rows and aisles. It was almost a reenactment of the university's donation ceremony.
Fortunately, this was Jin Zhao's home turf, and Meng Yanxi was someone she had invited. The school had reserved a seat for her in the first row. She wasn't sitting next to Meng Yanxi, but very close by.
As Meng Yanxi went in, she passed by her, her fingers quickly hooking towards her.
Like a light feather, it brushed across her palm and down to her little finger. Her thumb and forefinger pressed down on her fingertips, giving them a gentle pinch.
Meng Yanxi loves sports. Don't let his delicate face fool you; his fingers are actually quite rough, with prominent knuckles. Back then, he deliberately played a trick on her, rubbing her fingers until she was driven to the brink of madness.
The lecture hall was bustling with noise even before the event started, and countless eyes were on him. He turned his head slightly and spoke to the principal.
In a secluded corner where no one could see, his fingers hooked around hers, and their bodies touched discreetly in full view of everyone.
One second or two seconds later, he walked past her.
Jin Zhao, however, spent the next twenty minutes in a state of utter chaos and confusion.
Twenty minutes later, Meng Yanxi's speech was nearing its end.
The principal spent five minutes presiding over the opening ceremony.
Jin Zhao suddenly realized why he had brought Lu Jingyue along—to fill time.
After all, the lecture is a full two hours long.
He didn't say much; when the National Day donation of 100 million yuan was made, he only said a few words.
He's a rather contradictory person; he seems high-profile, yet he doesn't like to show off. His high profile is almost an objective fact, but he himself doesn't seem to have much desire to share it.
His twenty-minute speech already showed his utmost sincerity.
After a lecture at a university, there is usually an interactive session where students and faculty can raise their hands to ask questions or exchange views with the speaker.
However, Meng Yanxi clearly hadn't planned this segment; as soon as he finished speaking, the principal immediately and tacitly went up on stage.
The teachers and students below didn't realize what was happening; in an instant, a whole host of arms shot up in the audience. There were just too many; the principal couldn't pretend he hadn't seen them.
To make matters worse, some people were raising their hands and excitedly shouting, "Pick me! Big shot, pick me!"
The sound reached the stage.
Jin Zhao: "..."
This person wasn't planning to interact at all, and the staff didn't even have microphones, so what's the point of all this fussing?
The principal looked at Meng Yanxi.
Meng Yanxi looked at Jin Zhao.
Their eyes met briefly, just like when he had secretly touched her in front of everyone. Jin Zhao's heart raced, but his expression remained unchanged as he quickly looked away.
He nodded slightly to the principal.
The staff immediately took a microphone to the audience.
Meng Yanxi is a well-known money-making machine. When the money-making machine descends to earth, everyone, whether they are studying finance or not, is seizing the opportunity to ask how to invest and how to make money.
When money was mentioned, enthusiasm soared, and no one was uninterested in the topic. The atmosphere became even more lively than before, reaching a new climax.
Meng Yanxi offered her insightful opinion in a low voice, seemingly aloof and calm, but her gaze inadvertently swept towards Jin Zhao several times.
Every time their eyes met, it lasted less than a second, yet it always made Jin Zhao's heart flutter.
Instead, she didn't hear any practical tips on making money.
Jin Zhao suspects that Meng Yanxi is deliberately trying to prevent her from getting rich.
Just as she finally calmed down and decided to listen carefully, the microphone was given to a girl in the back row.
"Hello, Senior Meng. I also attended the High School Affiliated to Sui University. I apologize for addressing you in this way."
The girl sounded very excited; her voice was trembling. The lighting in the back row was dim, and she held the microphone in both hands, looking rather thin.
"Sorry, I'm a little nervous." She gave a self-deprecating laugh and took a deep breath.
“I am a senior student who will graduate next June, but I don’t want to ask you any questions about my future or wealth today. I kept raising my hand and standing there attracting the staff’s attention just because I wanted to thank you in person.”
As the girl spoke, she bowed deeply to Meng Yanxi.
"Thank you, Senior Meng!"
If this was an unconventional opening, then she successfully attracted everyone's attention, even Jin Zhao turned around curiously.
"You may have too many accolades, and my situation is just a tiny, insignificant thing for you, but the 'Accompanying the Feather' Single Parent Growth Fund that you established eight years ago has truly changed my destiny."
The girl paused for a moment, as if gathering her courage, and when she spoke again, her voice was more composed.
“I come from a single-parent family. My parents divorced when I was in elementary school, and they both remarried. Children from normal families can't understand the difficulties we face, both materially and emotionally. At that time, the court awarded custody to my mother, and I had to go to my father every week to get living expenses. My father had a new family and even had a younger brother and sister, so I always had to be mindful of their attitude. When I was in my third year of junior high, my father angrily told me, “Can you please stop bothering me? Every time I go to ask for money, it causes him and his wife to argue. Because of me, his family is in turmoil.”
The girl smiled bitterly: "Girls in their adolescence have a strong sense of self-esteem. At that time, I thought, I don't want to study anymore. Life isn't just about studying. Maybe I can become a female tycoon by working and starting my own business? I told my homeroom teacher that I wanted to drop out of school. By the way, my homeroom teacher's name is Chen Nuo. You may not know her, but she has an older sister named Chen Shu, who used to be your high school homeroom teacher."
“Teacher Chen seriously stopped me at the time and told me about your ‘Accompanying the Feather’ Single Parent Growth Fund. Actually, I had inquired about many funds that specifically help children from single-parent families before, but the threshold for funding was very high. My family’s conditions were okay, so I couldn’t apply for any of them. Only your ‘Accompanying the Feather’ fund has almost no threshold, and in addition to financial assistance, it also provides psychological support and legal aid.”
"I don't know how to describe that feeling. I can only use the simplest language of us small-town girls to say that it was like a miracle."
As the girl finished speaking, her previously heavy emotions seemed to be released to some extent, and she chuckled softly.
"Really, let alone someone as privileged as you, even my best friend, who might be on my side, can't fully empathize with my predicament despite her perfect family background. But you seem to be able to. You've considered all the difficulties that children from families like ours might face, and you've provided precise help like a god. Because of your sponsorship, I barely made it into Sui Da High School that year, and later went on to university, receiving sponsorship all the way to now. Although I don't have much talent, and even after entering Sui Da High School, I've always been in a regular class, and even after going to university, I can't become as outstanding as you to give back to society, at least I have a bright future, and I don't have to fall into the abyss because of the pain of adolescence and regret it for the rest of my life."
The girl later expressed her gratitude, but Jin Zhao didn't listen anymore; the name of the Single Parent Growth Fund kept echoing in his ears.
Accompanying Ling on her journey.
Which ling?
As if possessed, she looked down at her phone and started searching.
Accompanying the feathers.
The feather in the character 翎翎.
The applause suddenly erupted like thunder, vibrating her eardrums, more enthusiastic and powerful than all the applause combined before.
Jin Zhao suddenly looked up and met the man's dark, almond-shaped eyes on the stage.
The stage lights shone brightly, illuminating his handsome features. When he lowered his eyes, they were as unfathomable as the sea.
Later, the principal abruptly ended the interaction, allowing Meng Yanxi to rest. Lu Jingyue stepped in to make up the time needed for the remaining interaction.
Meng Yanxi didn't sit down for long before making an excuse to go to the restroom and leaving.
Jin Zhao got up and made way for him in the aisle.
As the man passed by her, his eyes met hers briefly before looking away.
Soon, Jin Zhao also went out.
The lecture hall has two doors; a short distance from the front door are several student activity rooms.
At this time, the students were all crowded in the lecture hall to listen to the lecture, and the activity room was empty, with no lights on.
Jin Zhao doesn't remember how he was pulled in.
By the time she came to her senses, Meng Yanxi had already pinned her against the wall.
The classroom was dimly lit without the lights on, and the lights in the corridor were distant and weak. Jin Zhao could only vaguely make out the man's three-dimensional and moving outline.
Her hands were wrapped around the back of his neck. Meng Yanxi supported her back with one hand and reached into her coat with the other, lingering and caressing her lower back with a mixture of passion and restraint through her cashmere sweater.
The distant sound of the auditorium's speakers drifted in and out, occasionally piercing the already tense atmosphere and making it even quieter.
Jin Zhao could only hear rapid and disordered breathing around him, tightly intertwined and inseparable.
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Author's Note: Six days of updates, one day off. Next update will be on Thursday morning. I'll try my best to update earlier Thursday morning. Mwah!
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