Huo Mian couldn't remember how she got home. In the darkness, she sat alone for a long time, everything that had just happened feeling like a dream, so unreal. The faint pain on her cheek was the handprint Ning Zhiyuan had just left.
They had met in college, and Ning Zhiyuan had pursued her for a long time. She had carefully considered before agreeing to be with him. Ning Zhiyuan wasn't a particularly outstanding boy, but he was genuinely kind to Huo Mian. She thought she would just live an ordinary life like this.
Unexpectedly, at this critical juncture, such an incident occurred. Qin Chu's return seemed to disrupt all her rhythms.
After a long while, she snapped back to reality and picked up her phone. There were over a dozen missed calls, all from Zhu Lingling.
There were also three unread WeChat messages.
Huo Mian slowly opened the WeChat page, and Zhu Lingling's three messages were clearly visible.
"Xiao Mian, why aren't you answering your phone? Did something happen?"
"Xiao Mian, Qin Chu left shortly after you did. What's going on with you two? Is he trying to reconcile with you?"
"Xiao Mian, speak up, are you okay?"
Though Huo Mian had a thousand words she wanted to say, her mood at that moment had hit rock bottom, and she had no desire to speak.
After a moment's thought, she simply sent a reply to Zhu Lingling.
"I'm a bit tired today. I'll tell you the details when we meet another day. I'm fine, no need to worry."
Tens of seconds later, Zhu Lingling sent another reply.
"Okay, good to know you're alright, Xiao Mian. Some things, once they arrive, always have to be faced. I hope you understand."
Regarding all the past events between Huo Mian and Qin Chu, no one understood them better than Zhu Lingling.
As Huo Mian's best friend throughout her three years of high school, Zhu Lingling had witnessed her passionate love affair with Qin Chu back then.
Unfortunately, after that incident, they went their separate ways.
She picked up her phone and tried Ning Zhiyuan's number again. It showed that his phone was off.
She knew this matter was too sudden and too cruel for Ning Zhiyuan.
Her past had ended up making him pay the price. Whose fault was that?
In the darkness, Huo Mian sighed softly. She knew that what was meant to come would always come, and there was no hiding from it.
Wealthy suburbs
A silver-gray Audi R8 slowly drove into an ancient-looking estate. A dozen security guards saluted respectfully.
With a creak, the car stopped at the entrance. Qin Chu got out with an expressionless face, opened the door, and walked inside.
Mrs. Qin immediately stood up and smiled, "Ah Chu, you're back. Your father and I have been waiting for you to eat. Go wash your hands quickly."
Qin Chu didn't reply. Instead, he walked directly to the dining room, sat down beside his father, Qin Yumin, and stared at him with a complex expression.
"Dad, I want to ask you something."
"What?" Qin Yumin looked at his son's unfriendly gaze, feeling an inexplicable unease.
"Back then, what methods did you use against her family to break up Huo Mian and me?"
After Qin Chu asked this, both Qin Yumin and Mrs. Qin's faces changed dramatically.
"Ah Chu, what... what are you talking about?" Mrs. Qin chuckled awkwardly.
Qin Chu remained silent, just staring fixedly at his father, trying to find something in his expression.
After Qin Chu went abroad, he hadn't returned for seven years. All these years, he didn't know what had happened.
However, he had heard a strong sense of hatred in Huo Mian's tone just now.
With his intelligence, he couldn't help but suspect that his parents had used some despicable means against Huo Mian's family.
Being stared at like this by his son made him very uncomfortable.
After a long pause, Qin Yumin lowered his eyelids, seemingly intentionally avoiding the topic, and replied, "Why bring up something that happened so long ago?"
Qin Chu slowly twirled the black steel pen in his fingers, but remained silent.
All two dozen executives held their breath, daring not to speak, the atmosphere somewhat tense.
After a long moment, Qin Chu spoke, "I've passed on that project."
"Huh? Passed on it? Why, Mr. Qin? Our department spent a whole year on the budget and measurements for that project last year, and three months on the proposal. It's sure to make money. The chairman had already approved it."
Upon hearing this, Qin Chu looked up, casually glancing at the development director, then said, "Right now, at GK, I'm in charge. I don't need any reasons for what I do. If you can't accept that, you can submit your resignation."
With that, Qin Chu slammed the steel pen onto the table with a bang, startling everyone into silence.
Then he walked out of the conference room.
He knew the greenbelt project would be profitable, but to develop it, Second High School would be forced to relocate. No one knew how important Second High School was to him, just as no one knew how much he loved the girl named Huo Mian.
In the CEO's office,
"Mr. Qin, there was a call just now. I answered it for you, but the caller didn't state who they were."
Assistant Xiao Yang carefully handed over the phone.
Qin Chu glanced at the caller ID. In that moment, his usually cool eyes warmed slightly.
He immediately called back.
"Xiao Mian, you're looking for me?"
"Qin Chu, let's talk." On the other end, the now calm Huo Mian was no longer in a state of rage.
"Okay, where are you? I'll pick you up."
"No need, Left Bank Cafe on Half Mountain Road."
"Okay, I'll be right there."
Hanging up the phone, Qin Chu's lips curved into a slight smile, a completely different person from moments ago in the conference room.
Assistant Xiao Yang's jaw almost dropped in surprise.
This new CEO had been in office for a week, but he had never seen him smile at anyone, not even the chairman.
But this call actually made the boss smile. Oh my god...
It seemed the owner of this number must be important to the CEO. He needed to remember this and pay attention from now on.
Qin Chu arrived at the agreed location in his Audi R8 in less than fifteen minutes, and Huo Mian was already waiting there.
Through the large glass window, he saw the woman sitting by the window from afar.
Though only a side profile, it still sent ripples through his heart.
These seven years, he had thought of her constantly, almost to the point of madness.
He suppressed his inner impulse and slowly walked in.
Huo Mian was dressed very simply today. Before meeting Qin Chu, she had gone back to her rented apartment to change.
Very simple white trousers, a yellow short-sleeved top, simple and elegant.
Her face was bare; Huo Mian was a lazy woman who never wore makeup, except for necessary occasions, because she felt those chemicals on her face were sticky and didn't seem to resist aging anyway. It was better to just be clean-faced.
Qin Chu slowly walked over and sat down in front of her.
Huo Mian came to her senses and said softly, "What would you like to drink?"
"The same as you," he replied.
"I'm drinking plain water."
"Then I'll have plain water too," he insisted.
Huo Mian sighed helplessly and waved to the waiter. "Excuse me, a glass of plain water for him, please."
Turning back, she stared at his unfamiliar yet familiar face and slowly began, "Qin Chu."
"Hmm."
"Let's talk."
"Okay."
"What exactly do you want?"
"I want us to be like before," Qin Chu blurted out, seemingly without thinking.
"Heh, that's impossible, Qin Chu. It's different now, everything's different," Huo Mian said with a bitter smile.
"About your stepfather, I'm sorry, I just found out."
Unexpectedly, Qin Chu actually apologized, and his attitude was extremely sincere.
It was hard to believe; knowing him for so long, she understood how arrogant he was. Making him humble himself and admit fault was harder than ascending to heaven.
"The dead cannot be brought back to life. What good is an apology?"
"I can compensate," Qin Chu added.
Huo Mian sneered, "Compensate? Compensate with what? Your life? Or your money? Don't you know, yesterday you went to see my mother, causing her blood pressure to spike and putting her in the hospital? Our family has already lost one person; what else do you want? Do you want to force me to die too, to make you happy, huh?"