Chapter 37: Peeking

Since September, Jiang Ying had been busy with interviews and her thesis, while Meng Shao focused on building his own brand. Apart from the occasional chat on WeChat about the Netherlands, the two had not seen each other.

Zhou Anning had seen photos of Meng Shao before, but this was her first time meeting him in person. As soon as they met, she exclaimed, "You aren't photogenic at all! You’re much more handsome in real life than in your pictures."

Meng Shao chuckled, replying, "That's true."

He then shook hands with Yu Siyan, asking, "Are you from Hangzhou? Can you handle our Chengdu hot pot?"

Yu Siyan smiled and said, "I’ve been in Beijing for a few years now; I’ve grown accustomed to everything."

As they sat around the table, the waiter brought out appetizers and small desserts. The nine-grid hot pot base, shimmering with vibrant red chili oil, was placed in the center, and the rich, spicy aroma quickly filled the air.

Both Meng Shao and Zhou Anning were talkative, and despite it being their first meeting, they were soon chatting about everything under the sun. Jiang Ying and Yu Siyan listened from the side, chiming in occasionally.

When they heard Zhou Anning mention her fondness for handsome men, Meng Shao pulled out his phone to show her his friend circle.

"I have plenty of good-looking male models here. I’ll take you both to our shooting location for a visit next time."

Zhou Anning’s eyes lit up as she held his phone, browsing with great interest. "Can I touch their abs?"

"Just ask politely before reaching out. They’d be more than happy to show off their physiques to a pretty girl like you."

Jiang Ying was also curious to see the photos of the models on Meng Shao’s phone, but with Yu Siyan sitting right beside her, she felt too shy to lean in openly. Instead, she clutched her chopsticks and bowl, stealing glances at the screen whenever she could.

Noticing her gaze, Yu Siyan couldn't help but laugh. "If you want to look, go ahead."

Meng Shao, hearing this, gave him a thumbs up. "You’re a generous guy, brother."

A while later, Zhou Anning went to get milk tea, and Yu Siyan headed to the restroom, leaving only Meng Shao and Jiang Ying at the table.

Meng Shao set down his chopsticks, topped off her cola, and poured himself some liquor, creating an atmosphere of a private, heart-to-heart conversation.

"Your current boyfriend seems pretty decent."

"We get along very well."

"Mm, you do look much better now than you did back in September."

Jiang Ying stared at him for a few seconds. "Is there something you want to say?"

Meng Shao did indeed have something on his mind. He didn't speak immediately, taking a sip of his drink and scratching his head, his face full of hesitation.

"What is it that’s so hard to say?" Jiang Ying found his fidgeting slightly amusing.

Meng Shao sighed. "Since you’re seeing someone new, it’s not really my place to bring this up, but there’s been quite a stir on the international web lately... after you broke up with your ex-boyfriend, he hasn't come looking for you, has he?"

He had been in close contact with Lily recently and had, of course, heard her mention Lu Zhixi. Honestly, Meng Shao had never expected Jiang Ying to be capable of dating a "young master" of that caliber for her first love, but that circle was rife with trouble; breaking up was certainly not a bad thing.

Hearing this, Jiang Ying paused. "What’s wrong?"

"I know a lot of people abroad, and everyone is talking about this recently. The internet is flooded with news about his family. It’s okay here in China, but in foreign media, it’s constant—posts being deleted and reposted, as if someone is orchestrating it."

There were many speculations about the matter, and Meng Shao didn't want to explain the dark, complex details to Jiang Ying. After a brief, pointed mention, he changed his tone:

"Since you’ve broken up with that person, this has nothing to do with you. But some small-time reporters are like hounds; once they know you were once connected to that family, there’s no telling if they’ll come sniffing around for dirt. Be careful lately, and if anything happens, call me directly."

***

Meng Shao’s words made Jiang Ying feel a bit uneasy, but the following few days passed without incident.

Not only did no one appearing to be a reporter show up, but Lu Zhixi seemed to have vanished entirely.

News regarding the Williams family continued to circulate online, mostly sourced from foreign websites. The coverage shifted from the family members who frequently appeared in public to others, including the celebrities and models who had dated the family’s sons and daughters, their equally prominent spouses, and eventually even delved into the "dandelion seeds"—Anthony’s numerous illegitimate children.

This naturally included news about Lu Zhixi, with media outlets beginning to mention his time living in China after the age of seventeen and his current studies at Yale.

Everyone has a penchant for gossip, especially regarding the unknown affairs of the ultra-wealthy, where every detail involving money, power, and beauty serves as the perfect form of digital entertainment.

Compared to the uproar online, Jiang Ying’s life continued in a steady and peaceful rhythm.

Shortly after New Year's Day, she submitted the first draft of her graduation thesis to her advisor, Professor Lin. With two weeks left until the winter break, she found herself with more free time. Every day, she and Yu Siyan would grab coffee at a bookstore near the school and spend the entire day reading.

Hidden in a small alley near the Fifth Ring Road in Beijing, the bookstore always played soothing piano music, and the scent of coffee added to the tranquil atmosphere.

Jiang Ying sat in the corner sofa reading a mystery novel, while Yu Siyan read "The Order of Time" by Carlo Rovelli. When she grew tired, she would lean over to him and ask what his physics book was about.

He would set his book aside and explain the concepts of general relativity, the second law of thermodynamics, and Planck time to her.

After the events from the summer through this semester, Jiang Ying had gradually come to understand that living a life of high drama could be exhausting, as it meant constant highs and lows, turmoil, and anxiety.

A life as plain and predictable as the one she had now was, in its own way, a different kind of happiness—one filled with a sense of security.

They both enjoyed reading in their spare time, though their interests differed; Yu Siyan preferred foundational subjects like mathematics and physics, while Jiang Ying favored novels with strong plots.

Their tastes in film also diverged. Jiang Ying liked art-house movies, though during her time with Lu Zhixi, she had developed a fondness for mystery and horror, which had now become her favorite genre. Yu Siyan, however, had little interest in movies; if he had to choose, he only cared for science fiction.

"You’ve been staring at me for five minutes. Is something the matter?"

Yu Siyan’s attention suddenly shifted from his book as he looked up at her.

Jiang Ying shyly withdrew her gaze, pulled a candy from her pocket, and asked, "Want a candy?"

They each unwrapped one and ate it. She asked Yu Siyan, "What flavor do you taste?"

Yu Siyan replied, "Orange."

"And what else?" she asked, looking at him with anticipation.

Yu Siyan looked puzzled. "Is it a mixed fruit flavor?"

"No, it’s just orange," Jiang Ying shook her head.

"It seems that wasn't the answer you were looking for."

Jiang Ying smiled. "I didn't have a specific answer in mind; I just asked on a whim. If I were to answer, I’d probably say: it’s a sweet and sour candy. It’s very tart when it first hits your tongue, and only after a while does the sweetness emerge. You have to let the candy sit on your tongue for a while to get the full orange flavor. But it doesn't matter; it’s just a piece of candy."

Complementary.

That was what she thought.

Being with someone different from yourself, as long as you get along, is a form of complementarity.

Behind everyone’s actions, thoughts, and preferences lies some form of logic. Yu Siyan’s lack of sensitivity in his emotional thinking actually gave him more stable moods and calmer judgment.

Jiang Ying felt this was a wonderful thing; she could draw a sense of peaceful strength from him.

***

Around six o'clock in the evening, Zhou Anning came to the bookstore to find Jiang Ying. With the winter break approaching, they planned to have one more meal at the tavern near the school gate before it closed for the holiday.

"I have something to take care of at school tonight, so I won't join you two. Stay safe on the way."

Yu Siyan parted ways with them at the bus stop.

Watching his retreating figure, Zhou Anning said, "You and Yu Siyan always give me a very strong impression."

Jiang Ying asked curiously, "What kind of impression?"

"When the two of you are together, it’s like one cup of warm water being poured into another cup of warm water."

After saying this, Zhou Anning immediately clarified, "That’s a compliment! Anyone who has been hurt in love understands—simplicity is the only truth!"

The two chatted and laughed their way to the tavern.

It was finals season, so the tavern was sparsely populated. They ate and talked until after nine o'clock.

On the way back, as they were nearly at the school gate, Zhou Anning realized she had forgotten to return a power bank. She had to ask Jiang Ying to wait for her in place while she rushed back to the shop in a hurry.

"Excuse me, are you the student Jiang Ying?"

Jiang Ying had been standing under a tree by the side of the road, playing on her phone. Hearing someone call her name, she looked up abruptly.

When she saw who it was, she hesitated for a moment before saying, "I am. Are you a student at Huada University?"

The young man standing before her was a foreigner with brown hair, speaking fluent Chinese.

Receiving her confirmation, he enthusiastically said, "Great! I’ve been waiting here for you all day."

Seeing Jiang Ying’s wary expression, he immediately offered a friendly smile and said, "Don't be nervous. I’m not a bad guy. I’m not a student at Huada, but actually, I work for a newspaper."

Jiang Ying did not lower her guard, asking back, "Are you a reporter?"

"No, I’m not a reporter either," the man said. "I provide information that they want, but that’s not important. I heard your ex-boyfriend is Alex from the Williams family. Would you like to talk about him? Are you still in contact with him?"

Jiang Ying immediately knew what was going on. She said, "Sorry, I’m not available," and quickly lowered her head to walk toward the campus.

The man didn't give up and followed behind her, chattering incessantly.

"If you are willing to provide some information, we can offer you some money. If you are willing to let us make your photos and name public, you might even have a chance to become famous."

Jiang Ying noticed a rectangular object in his pants pocket and realized it might be a voice recorder. Her expression darkened, and she broke into a run toward the school entrance.

"Hey, don't run!" the man called out.

Before Jiang Ying had gone two steps, two men suddenly appeared on the path ahead, walking toward her.

They were dressed in very ordinary clothes but were quite tall. A sense of unease washed over her, and she stopped in her tracks instinctively.