Chapter 26

Before the next morning even arrived, Old Master Shao had sent someone to deliver documents to the Lin residence. Father Lin had already vaguely guessed the turn of events, because ever since Lin Jiayin returned from dinner with Shao Yihuai, she had worn a look of sheer terror.

Brother Shao remained as he always had: impeccably polite but calm and indifferent. Halfway through the meal, he hadn't even looked up at her. Later, he simply asked her if she had eaten at Rongji on Friday night and if she had run into Su Jingwen.

She said yes.

Brother Shao was silent for a moment before speaking again. He introduced the girl Su Jingwen had brought along as his girlfriend, named Chu Tong, who was a Chinese literature major at A University. Only then did he glance at her and say, "Seeing her from now on is the same as seeing me."

Lin Jiayin remembered widening her eyes in disbelief.

Shao Yihuai said, "You should go back now."

She didn't even remember how she had left the private room. As she was leaving, she still heard him making a phone call, saying, "Bring Tongtong over."

-

That day was the "Major Snow" solar term.

Outside, the snow was falling heavily. On the 20th floor of the Manhe Sky Villa, the air circulation system worked tirelessly, and a faint fragrance of plants and trees could be smelled even in the master bedroom.

Chu Tong dared not move, trying her best to breathe in shallow sips, yet soft, honeyed gasps still escaped her lips. She was terrified that Mr. Shao would cover her mouth again.

Shao Yihuai knelt on one knee on the bed, leaning over to look at her for a moment with a cryptic, mocking smile. "...Sleep."

He pulled the quilt over her.

Chu Tong gripped the edge of the quilt, blinking up at him. "Hmm?"

She didn't understand.

He had already risen to leave.

Chu Tong tossed and turned under the covers for a while before finally sitting up to look. Only then did she realize that there were only two pillows—one firm and one soft—truly the setup of someone living alone.

On the nightstand, there was only a flip-style alarm clock.

His life was truly minimalist.

At the foot of the bed stood a four-paneled Su embroidery butterfly screen, elegant and serene. Beyond the screen lay the living area of the master suite.

After a moment of hesitation, she tiptoed out of bed, picked up a blanket from the ottoman at the foot of the bed, and draped it over her shoulders.

On the long sofa in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows, Mr. Shao sat facing the view outside, smoke rising beside his hand.

Hearing the movement, he turned his head.

Chu Tong asked, "Why aren't you sleeping?"

Shao Yihuai raised the hand holding the cigarette.

She stood still and asked again, "...Can I sit on your lap?"

Shao Yihuai looked at her for two seconds. "...Come." As he spoke, he went to crush out the cigarette, but Chu Tong grabbed his hand. "No need, I don't mind."

She pulled her legs together and sat sideways on his lap.

The LED strip along the baseboards and the pale light reflecting off the snow outside gathered upon his face, clean and aloof. The masculine pheromones radiating from him, intertwined with his nonchalant demeanor, always gave him a mysterious allure.

Chu Tong tried to suggest, "Do you want to let me have a puff?"

Shao Yihuai just smiled and shook his head. "Child, no smoking."

"Then I want to kiss you," she said decisively, adding, "Don't use the excuse that you've been smoking to reject me again."

A profound glint appeared in Shao Yihuai's eyes as he slightly tilted his chin.

She cupped his face and pressed her lips to his.

She made the first move, but his response was faint, leaving Chu Tong feeling awkward—like riding a tiger and unable to dismount. Stopping felt wrong, and continuing was aimless.

Just as she was about to explode with embarrassment and anger, Shao Yihuai chuckled, pressed her into the crook of his arm, and took back the initiative, leaning down to kiss her.

He tossed the cigarette into the ashtray on the coffee table and used his free hand to clasp her lower back.

The kiss was deep. She gripped the fabric of his T-shirt tightly, feeling his palm slide under the hem of her nightgown, brushing against her hip and stroking her spine.

His fingers and palm seemed to carry an electric current, making her twist and struggle like a stranded fish lying in his arms and on his lap.

Shao Yihuai pulled back slightly, his peripheral vision catching her legs tightening and her constant squirming.

He slid his hand from her waist downward, kissed the tip of her nose, and asked in her ear, "Do you want me to touch you?"

His voice was very low, with a grinding, husky texture.

Chu Tong's mind went blank for a moment, then she shook her head frantically and buried her face in his neck, hugging his shoulders.

Shao Yihuai acted as if he really wouldn't, only mocking her for being a tease with a half-smile.

He carried her back to bed, tucked her in, and dimmed the lights.

This time, Chu Tong fell asleep quickly. About ten minutes later, in a haze, she felt him get into bed. It seemed he had taken another shower to get rid of the smoke smell and changed his clothes.

Feeling secure in his embrace, she vaguely heard Mr. Shao call her name again: "Tongtong."

Even in her half-waking, half-sleeping state, she could sense that these two words sounded like an unfinished sentence. There should have been more to follow, but whether he didn't say it or her muddled mind failed to hear it, she would never know.

-

She woke up the next morning feeling refreshed.

As consciousness returned, Chu Tong realized she was in Shao Yihuai's residence in Manhe, and a sense of joy bloomed in her heart.

The other side of the bed was empty; the man seemed to have been up for a long time.

She got out of bed and went around the screen to see Shao Yihuai sitting on the sofa in a white shirt and black trousers, drinking coffee. As their eyes met, she felt inexplicably shy and quickly chirped, "Morning." Then, she fled like a runaway, dashing through the living room toward the bathroom at the end of the hall, her long hair flying behind her.

Behind her, Shao Yihuai let out a low, deep laugh.

After freshening up, Chu Tong appeared hesitantly at the corner, one foot stepping on the other. She whispered, "Um... where did my clothes go..."

Shao Yihuai looked at her and said, "There are new ones in the dressing room."

"Oh."

On the island in the dressing room sat a brand-new outfit: a white down jacket with a fluffy collar, vintage high-waisted wide-leg jeans, a white knitted top, fluffy snow boots, and even underwear and matching earrings and a necklace.

Once she was dressed, she draped the down jacket over her arm and came out, saying, "Why are there accessories? Do you even understand how to style these?"

"I had my stylist send them over," he explained. "She is responsible for my household items and clothing purchases."

"I see," Chu Tong glanced around. The interior design of this house was truly tasteful, so she added, "Her aesthetic is really good. Is she a girl?"

"A girl," he said, adding, "About the same age as Sister Wen."

She had only asked out of idle curiosity, but his explanation made her seem like she was jealous.

Chu Tong glanced up at him.

Shao Yihuai seemed not to notice, only saying, "Drink your milk, and I'll take you to school."

-

By habit, Uncle Zong arrived at the Manhe underground parking lot every morning at nine o'clock to wait for orders.

Today, he had come early, waiting there at eight.

Standing by the car, he soon saw Mr. Shao and Miss Chu walk around the corner from the elevator, holding hands. Mr. Shao was wearing a three-piece suit and a long coat, carrying a schoolbag in his hand, while Miss Chu wore the white down jacket. Looking at them—one tall and steady, the other lithe and lively—Uncle Zong couldn't help but think, although it was immoral to think this way, they really looked like a parent taking a child to school.

He suppressed the thought and opened the back door.

After all, it was early in the morning, and the privacy partition was not raised.

On the way, Chu Tong kept staring out the car window. After a night of heavy snow, Beijing had become desolate and cold.

The leaves on the roadside trees had fallen, and remnants of last night's snow clung to the branches.

Chu Tong turned her head back. "Do you know why my mother named me Tongtong?"

"...Because of the phoenix tree (wutong)?"

Shao Yihuai also looked out the window; the Maybach was passing a street lined with phoenix trees.

"No," she shook her head and smiled. "Because of the Paulownia (pao tong) tree. There are many of them where I'm from. Paulownia trees are easy to plant and raise and have strong adaptability. My mother hoped that I would be like this common roadside tree—perhaps simple, but living well without disaster or sickness."

A gentle smile spread across Shao Yihuai's lips. "There are many where you're from? I'll go see them sometime."

"Go where? My home?"

"Hmm."

That felt a bit far off, but Chu Tong nodded with a smile. "Alright, you're welcome to visit."

Just then, her phone buzzed. She picked it up and unlocked it; it was a message from Lu Zhiyun, asking why she hadn't returned last night and if she needed help bringing her textbooks.

She typed a reply.

Shao Yihuai noticed inadvertently and asked, "You haven't changed your phone yet?"

After a moment of reaction, Chu Tong immediately acted obediently. "I'll change it when I get back."

She had previously felt it was improper to accept all the expensive gifts he gave her, but now she felt it didn't matter. He was her boyfriend; with feelings involved, there was no need to draw such clear lines.

The Maybach pulled to a stop at the temporary parking area near the main gate.

Chu Tong grabbed her schoolbag, turned, and said brightly, "I'm off then?"

Shao Yihuai watched her quietly, then raised his hand to gently stroke her cheek with his fingers, saying warmly, "Go on."

He seemed to love touching her this way. Chu Tong sensed his affection in the gesture, and her heart felt even sweeter.

She got out of the car and closed the door.

After walking a few steps away, she couldn't help but look back.

The elegant Maybach started smoothly and drove away slowly. Looking at the street piled with leftover snow and the silhouette of the Maybach passing through, Chu Tong inexplicably recalled a youth film she had watched during adolescence called "Thirteen Paulownia Trees."

Youth, restless with hormones, clashing violently, with sweetness and bitterness intertwined. If the protagonist of the film looked back after growing up, she would likely be heartbroken.

At this moment, watching him drive away, she inexplicably empathized with that tragic intensity.

-

During a break, she unexpectedly recalled Mr. Shao saying he would visit her hometown. She would naturally welcome him, but upon closer reflection, if her mother found out, would she overthink it?

Chu Qinghe had entrusted Xiang Chengyuan to look after her to prevent her from going down the "wrong path." That "wrong path" likely meant getting involved with someone like Mr. Shao.

If he were just a rich playboy, it might be easier to explain, but Mr. Shao was of such noble status, and ten years her senior. If she were to say she loved Mr. Shao, Chu Qinghe would probably feel sad for her.

*Sigh*, it hasn't even begun yet; I shouldn't think about it so much for now.

Chu Tong shook her head and cast the thought aside.

That evening, she received a message from Shao Yihuai saying that when she returned to the dorm, she should stop by the dormitory manager's office. The books she had asked him to buy were too heavy; he didn't want her to carry them herself and didn't want to make her run to a delivery point, so he simply had someone deliver them directly to the dorm manager.

Chu Tong picked up the books from the office and returned to her dorm. As she unwrapped them, she remembered the book Shao Yihuai had borrowed from Professor Chen Xizhen was still in her bookcase.

She would just return it to him another day.

That "another day" became the weekend.

Chu Tong was busy with her studies, and there were always trivial matters from clubs and her department. She was ambitious and occasionally had activities to participate in, leaving her with no free time.

Mr. Shao was also busy with work. He seemed to have endless dinner parties and cocktail receptions. Every time he called her, the background noise was different—sometimes the clinking of glasses, sometimes laughter, and sometimes silence. When she asked him, he would say he was at Manhe.

On Saturday afternoon, braving the biting wind, Chu Tong went to the police station to pick up the passport and travel permit she had applied for on Monday. Afterward, she went straight to meet Sister Meng.

She and Sister Meng met for a meal every few days. This time, Sister Meng had made it clear she wanted to find out if she had broken things off with that Mr. Shao, and she was even more proactive in setting up the meeting.

Beijing was a "culinary desert," and there was nothing else to eat in winter. For something affordable, it was either hotpot, mutton, or iron-pot stew. The two of them met at a stew place near the Second Ring Road where they had eaten twice before.

Lifting the thick cotton curtain, the room was filled with steam. Having made a reservation, they were called as soon as they arrived and taken directly to a small private room.

They ordered the food with ease, and Shang Yunmeng asked, "How is it? You said in WeChat that you hadn't broken up? Still together?"

"Yes, we've defined the relationship."

Chu Tong told her about the dinner with Xiang Chengyuan and how Mr. Shao had come to pick her up and introduced himself as her boyfriend.

"Have you met his friends?"

"I've met two," Chu Tong said. "The sister of one of them is even a senior in my dorm."

"That's good. The most important thing is how he introduces you in front of his friends," Shang Yunmeng recalled. "I had a friend before who was with a man, only to find out later that everyone in their circle knew the man had a set marriage arrangement. The three of them would even occasionally bump into each other at dinner parties—talk about awkward. Oh right, he ended up marrying that fiancée."

"Ah? Both girls would be angry, right?"

"Not at all. The fiancée didn't show any sign of minding; she had her own man too. Their circle is like that, they don't affect each other. As for my friend, she tried to make a scene, but it was useless. The man just gave her the cold shoulder, telling her to get a grip and decide whether to break it off now or stay together until he got married. There was no choice; my friend loved him and could only stay with him like that for several years."

Chu Tong thought of the Second Miss Lin she had bumped into at Rongji that day.

Su Jingwen had introduced her as a family friend of the Shaos. If Mr. Shao also had a marriage arrangement, would it be with a girl like that?

Would Mr. Shao have a marriage arrangement?

Probably not; he didn't seem like that kind of person.

Then, would he marry a socialite from a family of equal status in the future?

As soon as she thought of this, Chu Tong stopped her train of thought.

This wasn't something she should worry about now. She had never been one to dwell on such things; let the future take care of itself. She didn't have the time to worry about so much anyway.

Halfway through the meal, Shao Yihuai sent a message asking when she would be finished so he could come pick her up and take her to Manhe.

Seeing her smile uncontrollably while replying to the message, Shang Yunmeng teased, "So sweet."

Chu Tong took a drink of water openly and nodded. "It is very sweet."

She had actually started dating Mr. Shao—it felt just like a dream.

Chu Tong paid the bill for this meal, and Shang Yunmeng said, "Since you have such a rich boyfriend, I won't stand on ceremony with you."

Chu Tong smiled, very calmly.

When they lifted the thick curtain and came out, they saw the black Maybach parked by the roadside. Uncle Zong was holding the rear door, and Shao Yihuai was just stepping out of the car, walking toward the restaurant entrance through the scattered crowds.

In a black long coat, with broad shoulders and long legs, his elegant and noble temperament was completely out of place in this bustling street. People who passed by him all turned to look.

Those waiting at the entrance began to whisper.

From a distance, Chu Tong met his gaze, which held a deep, heavy affection.

He reached her and naturally pulled her into his arms.

Chu Tong introduced him, "As I mentioned to you, this is Sister Meng. Sister Meng, this is Shao Yihuai..." Remembering his reaction last time, she immediately added, "My boyfriend."

Shang Yunmeng nodded and smiled. "Shang Yunmeng, Tongtong's friend."

Shao Yihuai nodded slightly, polite but unable to hide a hint of detachment. "We met last time, but I didn't get to say hello. Thank you for taking care of Tongtong before."

With his handsome and refined face, he was indeed gentle and elegant, yet there was still an overriding pressure from his status. Born into that life, no matter how approachable he was, it was only the downward compatibility of someone in a high position.

That was what Shang Yunmeng thought to herself.

However, this Mr. Shao did look truly clean and didn't seem like a player.

Shao Yihuai looked down at Chu Tong. "Are you finished eating?"

"Yes."

He looked at Shang Yunmeng. "Where do you live? I'll drop you off on the way."

Shang Yunmeng naturally declined, saying she could just hail a taxi.

Chu Tong was about to say something, but Shang Yunmeng said, "Riding in the same car as you two, having to eat dog food—no thanks."

At this point, it wasn't good to insist further.

Chu Tong waved goodbye and left with Shao Yihuai.

Shang Yunmeng watched their retreating figures.

At the car, the driver opened the back door. Shao Yihuai held the car frame to protect Chu Tong, then walked around to the other side, opened the door, and got in.

Watching the Maybach drive away into the winter night, Shang Yunmeng realized belatedly:

Perhaps Tongtong was lucky. She had embarked on the best path she could.