Huo Chuxue carefully looked at the people around her and confirmed that she truly didn’t recognize a single one.
It was obvious she had walked into the wrong private room!
Her sudden intrusion plunged the previously lively and bustling Private Room 616 into an eerie silence. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at her.
She was just about to awkwardly explain that she had entered the wrong room when, without any warning, a familiar, deep male voice sounded by her ear. “Doctor Huo?”
She was far too familiar with that voice. Hearing it now made her heart tremble and skip a beat.
She followed the source of the sound and saw He Qingshi hidden among the crowd, his expression calm and peaceful.
He wasn’t wearing a jacket, just a pristine white dress shirt, perfectly proper without a single wrinkle. The hem was tucked into navy blue suit pants, shimmering faintly under the light.
He walked towards her, his steps seeming somewhat hurried, causing the hem of his shirt to flutter.
Stopping before her, he spoke with disbelief, “How is Doctor Huo here?”
His voice was clear and mellow, but it was pressed very, very low, betraying nothing.
She gave an awkward smile and explained in a small voice, “Wrong private room. How embarrassing!”
Her words were thick with helplessness.
He Qingshi intuitively guessed and continued asking, “Class reunion?”
“Yes.” Huo Chuxue nodded, slightly raising her gaze to sweep her eyes around the room. The private room was filled with young men and women, their youthful faces merry with drink and conversation, the atmosphere very lively.
They were most likely students from He Qingshi’s class.
Sure enough, he immediately said, “Class 3’s counselor is leaving his post. We’re holding a farewell party for him.”
As the two spoke, the students’ curious gazes kept circling them. After all, it was incredibly rare to see a woman by Professor He’s side!
Jiang Nuan stood in a corner, secretly sizing up Huo Chuxue. This young woman was undoubtedly beautiful, with delicate features and a lovely, clear face. The utterly ordinary pea-green long trench coat she wore somehow had the effect of a star’s outfit.
“Teacher He, who is this beauty?” The Class 3 monitor led the teasing.
“Beauty, introduce yourself!” The other students chimed in, and the private room became noisy for a moment.
He Qingshi pressed his lips together. “A friend.”
“Oh… a friend…” The students drew out the words, their faces full of implication.
Class 3’s counselor, Teacher Meng, was also a young man, not long into his job, and fond of bustle. He suggested, “Since she’s Teacher He’s friend, why not stay for a drink? What does everyone think?”
“Great!” came the unified, loud response.
Huo Chuxue was rather forthright and didn’t refuse what was offered. She poured herself half a glass of red wine, tilted her head back, and downed it in one go.
“Hello everyone, I’m Huo Chuxue. It’s our first meeting, please take care of me.”
“Alright!”
“Great capacity!” Applause broke out.
“I’m not much of a drinker, so just this one cup. I have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave now.” She looked at He Qingshi. “I’m heading out.”
He Qingshi said, “Alright.”
——
Most of the classmates were already in their late twenties, and many had started families. Once you had a family, naturally you couldn’t play too late. The gathering ended quite early, breaking up before ten o’clock.
Qiao Shengxi’s husband, worried about her, came to pick her up before the party even ended. Once it was over, he took her away directly.
After saying goodbye to a group of classmates, Huo Chuxue and the married couple, Zhou Mo and Zou Yi, were the last to leave.
She stood at the entrance of the restaurant, her figure appearing somewhat slender. The long trench coat was lifted by the wind, revealing a flash of the white knit sweater underneath.
Zhou Mo opened an umbrella, and Zou Yi linked her arm with his.
Zhou Mo asked softly, “Xiaoxue, did you drive here yourself? Why not ride back with us?”
Huo Chuxue said, “I drove over. You two go ahead.”
Zou Yi urged, “Let’s hurry back. I have an interview tomorrow morning and need to go over the script.”
Zhou Mo said, “You always like to cram at the last minute.”
“I just haven’t had time before now!”
The couple soon disappeared into the rainy mist.
It wasn’t until Zhou Mo reached the parking lot that he remembered he had forgotten to ask Huo Chuxue if she had brought an umbrella.
Seeing Zou Yi get into the car, he turned to leave.
Zou Yi saw this and quickly called out to him, “Hey, where are you going?”
Zhou Mo told her, “Xiaoxue probably didn’t bring an umbrella. I’ll go escort her over.”
Zou Yi’s expression changed. “How could Xiaoxue not have an umbrella? If she really didn’t have one, why didn’t she ask us to share ours just now? Don’t worry needlessly.”
Zhou Mo thought about it and agreed. He closed the umbrella and got into the driver’s seat. “Then let’s go back.”
Zou Yi smiled slightly. “Okay.”
——
The rain continued without end, the sound of the downpour lingering noisily in the ears, as if many singers were blowing, plucking, and playing, creating a chaotic symphony.
Hearing it only made Huo Chuxue more irritable.
A mist rose within the rain. Under the eaves, a single corridor lamp provided insufficient light, adding to the haziness. A curtain of rain obscured the view, leaving the entire city as nothing but a faint silhouette, its lights dim and scattered.
She stood for quite a while, but the rain showed no sign of letting up. She was just about to make a run for the parking lot when a black umbrella suddenly covered her head, cutting off the sound of the pouring rain outside and casting a large shadow before her eyes.
She was startled and looked up sharply, meeting the man’s pair of pitch-black, gleaming eyes.
His eyes were exceptionally well-formed, phoenix eyes with long, narrow tails, their pupils dark and profound like a pool of ink that could never be diluted.
“No umbrella?” As soon as he spoke, his voice was as clear and cool as a spring, startling the rainwater on the ground.
“Mr. He, you haven’t left yet?” She looked at him with shock.
He Qingshi reached up and rubbed between his brows, seeming somewhat tired. “Those kids were quite rowdy. It just ended.”
“Where to?”
“Escort me to the parking lot.”
“Okay.”
The two walked side by side towards the parking lot. Their steps were in sync, surprisingly harmonious.
Jiang Nuan had accidentally left her phone in the private room earlier. She went back to retrieve it and had just returned in time to see this scene.
The two shared an umbrella, their backs receding into the distance.
She dug her nails hard into her palm.
——
“Thank you, Mr. He.” After He Qingshi saw Huo Chuxue to the parking lot and she got into her car, she politely thanked him.
But he didn’t leave for a long moment, just quietly watched her.
Huo Chuxue didn’t understand. “What is it?”
“You drank. You can’t drive.”
Huo Chuxue: “…”
“Oh!” She laughed at her own forgetfulness. “I’d completely forgotten.”
He Qingshi’s tone brooked no argument. “Get in my car. I’ll take you back.”
“You didn’t drink just now?”
“No.”
Huo Chuxue was in a poor mood and had no mind to nitpick over such details. She directly got into He Qingshi’s car.
A silver sedan, its body gleaming, covered in raindrops.
He Qingshi focused on driving, silent. The car interior was quiet, filled only with the sound of two even breaths.
Raindrops pattered against the car window glass, creating a mottled view. Huo Chuxue looked at the world outside the window, her mind unsettled and filled with irritation.
“Mr. He.” She called out to him.
He glanced at her. “What is it, Doctor Huo?”
“Let’s find a place to have a drink.” She got straight to the point.
He Qingshi: “…”
He Qingshi was taken aback for a moment before finally speaking. “Where to?”
The car happened to be passing by a Japanese restaurant. She glanced outside, the bright lights falling into her eyes, and she decided on the spot. “This Japanese restaurant will do.”
He Qingshi looked outside. The Japanese restaurant’s gilded sign glowed brightly in the hazy rain mist, particularly eye-catching.
He stepped on the brake and said softly, “Okay.”
——
The Japanese restaurant had a quiet, elegant, and refined atmosphere, quite nice. At this hour, there were still many diners.
Huo Chuxue casually ordered a few dishes and called for sake.
What she ate didn’t matter; the key was finding someone to talk to. On this rainy night, she felt loneliness for the first time.
A bouquet of hydrangeas sat on the table, its small purple flowers blooming timidly.
The lighting was warm, making even the man’s face seem warm, shedding its usual coolness.
He Qingshi sat properly, his posture very formal, stiff and rigid.
He had taken off his suit jacket and wore only a thin shirt. The white dress shirt was ironed smooth, without a wrinkle, the button at the collar fastened meticulously.
Huo Chuxue stared at the topmost button on his shirt for several seconds, as if she could even see the pattern on it clearly.
He Qingshi faintly sensed her gaze and felt somewhat uncomfortable.
He gave a low cough, clearing his throat. “What is Doctor Huo looking at?”
Only then did Huo Chuxue withdraw her gaze, shaking her head with a smile.
My own true love
My own true love
At last I’ve found you
My own true love
No lips but yours
No arms but yours
Will ever lead me
Through Heaven’s doors
…
The shop played an English song on loop. The lyrics sounded familiar, but Huo Chuxue simply couldn’t remember the song’s name. Not that it mattered anymore.
Huo Chuxue raised her wine glass and drank by herself.
“Why aren’t you drinking?”
“I’m driving.” He Qingshi clasped his hands together on the tabletop, revealing a small portion of his shirt cuff, clean and fresh.
She raised an eyebrow and smiled, very much like a mischievous black fox. “Doesn’t Mr. He know the 21st century has designated drivers?”
He Qingshi: “…”
Huo Chuxue poured wine for him. “This sake isn’t strong. It won’t get you drunk.”
“I don’t drink.” The man was very stubborn.
“Back in the private room, with your students making such a racket, you didn’t drink then either?”
“They know I don’t drink. They wouldn’t force me.”
“So it’s me forcing someone to do something difficult.” Knowing his obstinate nature, she didn’t press further.
Although she said she wanted to find someone to talk to, their conversation wasn’t actually extensive. She had many things she wanted to say to him, but didn’t know where to start. Many matters weighed on her heart, each seemingly worth discussing with him in detail. But for the moment, she couldn’t find an opening.
“Is Mr. He’s toothache better?” It sounded a bit like making conversation for the sake of it.
“It’s already better. Thank you for your concern.”
After two cups, Huo Chuxue seemed somewhat drunk, half-sprawling on the table edge in a lazy manner.
She slowly swirled the wine in her glass, the transparent liquid sloshing, creating little ripples. Her gaze unconsciously turned again to He Qingshi’s collar. This time it was even more direct and blatant than before, without any attempt at concealment.
He Qingshi looked puzzled. “What exactly is Doctor Huo looking at?”
“Could you undo that top button?” Liquor gives courage to the timid. Having drunk, her mind wasn’t very clear, and the words popped out without thinking.
He Qingshi: “…”
“What?”
“I have a bit of a compulsion. Seeing you buttoned up so tightly makes me uncomfortable.”
He Qingshi: “…”
He Qingshi froze completely. He was so accustomed to dressing this way; for a long time, no one had ever mentioned this point to him.
After a long pause, he finally raised his hand and undid the button.
With the button undone, a small section of his collarbone was revealed. Unaccustomed to exposure, the surrounding skin was extremely pale, shimmering faintly.
Huo Chuxue couldn’t help herself and greedily looked a couple of times.
“Now the person with the compulsion feels much more comfortable.” Her eyes were hazy as she curled her lips into a light smile. “I wanted to tell you last time at the congee shop too. Aren’t you always hot, buttoned up so tightly?”
Hot?
Maybe a little. He was just used to it.
She didn’t wait for his answer and changed the subject. “This song sounds familiar.”
He Qingshi listened quietly to the lyrics, his emotions in turmoil, which he suppressed. “It’s the theme song from Gone with the Wind, ‘My Own True Love’.”
“Oh, an old song.” She murmured softly, “No wonder it sounds so familiar.”
He took a cigarette case from his pants pocket and asked softly, “May I?”
Huo Chuxue gestured with her hand. “Please, Mr. He, make yourself at home.”
The lighter’s flame flashed and vanished, a wisp of blue smoke curling upward, spreading the scent of tobacco, permeating the air.
This was the first time Huo Chuxue had seen He Qingshi smoke.
He held the cigarette, smoking very slowly, as if preoccupied.
Huo Chuxue was somewhat distracted, preoccupied with watching He Qingshi smoke.
Outside the window, the sound of the rain pattered, no longer as clear and audible as before, seeming to drift farther away.
She didn’t know how much time passed before she regained her train of thought, tilting her head back to take a gulp of wine. “I’ve never seen Mr. He smoke before.”
“I smoke very little normally.” He took two deep drags from the filter and then immediately stubbed the cigarette out.
She glanced casually. More than half of the cigarette remained in the porcelain-white ashtray.
It didn’t seem like he really wanted to smoke, but rather just wanted to satisfy a craving.
Beneath the haze of smoke, the man’s face appeared indistinct and profound, his eyes holding dense, complex emotions.
Huo Chuxue keenly sensed that, from some point she couldn’t pinpoint, He Qingshi’s mood seemed to have changed.
“Mr. He, what’s wrong with you?”
“Then what’s wrong with Doctor Huo tonight?” He looked at her calmly, turning the question back on her.
Huo Chuxue: “…”
She suddenly looked up, her eyes growing slightly red. “I was thinking of a teacher.”
“What happened to him?”
“He passed away.”