Chapter 4: Love Across The Ocean

Luotang Pavilion was not her residence; it was a cloth shop opened by her aunt, Ji Xinhe.

When Ji Zhen Tang arrived home, Ji Xinhe was sleeping on a rattan chair on the second floor. Faint snores echoed in the stuffy environment. Her aunt, widowed in her early years, had not remarried. Now she raised her only son alone, managing this old cloth shop.

Ji Zhen Tang quietly tidied up a batch of newly purchased fabrics to avoid waking her aunt from her slumber. Afraid of disturbing her sleep, Ji Zhen Tang carried the goods out and closed the door. A plastic bag was caught in the door seam, making a rustling noise as she pulled it, and her aunt woke up.

Hearing the sound, Ji Xinhe abruptly sat up. Upon seeing Ji Zhen Tang, she breathed a sigh of relief, “Xiao Tang, why are you back so late?”

Ji Zhen Tang said, “It’s only nine o’clock, not too late. I went to the Zhong house for dinner today.”

Seeing the messy pile of goods beside her, Ji Xinhe tied up her disheveled hair and asked as she came out, “How come I remember you haven’t been dating this boyfriend for long, and you’ve already met his parents?”

“He’s being pressured by his family for an arranged marriage, but he doesn’t want it, so he pushed me as a cover.”

“Arranged marriage? In this day and age, they still arrange marriages,” Ji Xinhe chuckled, “It seems being born into a wealthy family isn’t as carefree as it seems.”

Ji Zhen Tang said, “It’s not much different from blind dates for us common folk. Marriage is a decision made after weighing the pros and cons from all sides. It’s just that wealthy people have even less freedom, and fame and reputation are important to them. Marriage should not be taken lightly—Auntie, is there any food left in the store?”

“It seems the Zhong family’s dinner didn’t fill you up.”

Ji Zhen Tang exaggerated, “I almost starved to death on the way.”

As she savored her favorite coconut mango rice, Ji Xinhe leaned over the table, asking questions, and Ji Zhen Tang explained everything in detail.

“Really? You spoke to his step mother like that?”

Ji Zhen Tang stuffed a grape into her mouth, “Yes, I really did. Who cares? Anyway, I’m never going back. If they have the guts, let them come and get me. I want to see how powerful the Zhong family really is.”

Ji Xinhe forced a bitter smile, shaking her head, unsure how to evaluate her behavior.

After finishing her meal, Ji Zhen Tang returned to her workstation. Ji Xinhe had set aside a room specifically for Ji Zhen Tang on the second floor of the shop for her to create manuscripts. The sound of rustling wind outside the arched window prompted Ji Zhen Tang to yawn and then close the window tightly, inserting the latch.

She picked up the scattered drafts blown by the wind. Taking up her pen, she turned on the desk lamp. On the table lay a jewelry sketch that was only halfway completed.

Her train of thought had been interrupted for several days. As Ji Zhen Tang forced herself to draw, her mind was filled with thoughts like, “Encouraging people to study jewelry design, what a joke. It’s a waste of money and time. Unless born into a top-notch family like the Zhongs, one would probably have no worries.”

The biggest lie in the world is that everyone is born equal.

If she were of a young girl of the Zhong family, perhaps her destiny of climbing to the top would have been written from the moment of her birth.

“And you? Have you ever thought about getting married?” Ji Xinhe sat behind Ji Zhen Tang on a small bed, embroidering by the light of her lamp.

Ji Zhen Tang replied, “Perhaps when the day comes that I truly believe in love, then I will consider settling down.”

Ji Xinhe quickly finished her embroidery, biting off the thread without saying a word of reminder as she left, “Don’t stay up too late drawing, get some rest.”

“No choice, the deadline is looming.”

The draft she was working on was an assignment due tomorrow. Ji Zhen Tang drew until early morning, with roosters crowing outside and a thin mist gathering, bringing coolness. After finishing her work, as she stood up, her heart suddenly clenched.

Ji Zhen Tang held her chest, leaning against the table for about half a minute until the pain subsided, but the palpitations persisted. She quickly lay down on the bed, and after a few minutes, her heartbeat slowly returned to normal.

At three in the morning, she searched the web for symptoms, but Baidu told her that her days were numbered. She quickly threw her phone aside and immediately lay down to sleep.

—

She managed to survive until the next morning.

Ji Zhen Tang realized that she had somehow brought back Zhong Heng’s cancer cells. She had promised to deliver them to her mentor yesterday, but had completely forgotten about it. She thought about calling him immediately, but the events of last night vividly flashed back into her mind, dispelling the thought.

In the morning, she bought rice dumplings from the usual breakfast shop and was startled to see the balance of 2.14 yuan in her account. The breakfast cost three yuan. She reluctantly opened her credit card account and displayed the payment code.

She attended two classes of Marxist Philosophy in the morning, and Ji Zhen Tang had been drawing the whole time. Just before the class ended, she turned back to look at her roommate, Su Yunli.

“Li, does your car have enough fuel? I want to ride it to go to the medical village to deliver something later.”

Su Yunli raised her delicate and charming face, with small features and prominent facial features, showing a very straightforward sweetness. She asked, “Are you going to deliver something to your boyfriend?”

Ji Zhen Tang replied, “Yes.”

Su Yunli said, “I’ll help you deliver it. I happen to be going to the Medical School to find someone.”

She hesitated for a moment.

Su Yunli said, “Don’t worry, it won’t get lost.”

Ji Zhen Tang thought for a moment. “Then I’ll tell him.”

After handing over the specimen, Su Yunli asked curiously, “Do they usually experiment on mice?”

Ji Zhen Tang said, “Yes, they have a whole shed for that. He also raises rabbits and injects them with this stuff, observing their conditions, slowly watching them being tortured to death by cancer, for research, to write papers.”

She was about to say, “Isn’t that cruel?” But before she could finish, Su Yunli smiled, “That’s interesting, medical students do this kind of thing in class?”

“…”

Ji Zhen Tang smiled dryly, not knowing what to say. “I guess so, I’m not very sure.”

She turned back and listened to the class for a while, hearing Lin Guixue’s voice close by. “Do you think Lizi seems interested in Zhong Heng?”

“Who? Zhong Heng?” Ji Zhen Tang was surprised. “What’s good about him other than his face? Why would anyone like a debuff-stacked flirtatious turnip?”

Lin Guixue said, “Isn’t being handsome enough? Besides, he’s rich and generous to girls. I heard he takes his girlfriend to five-star hotels when they go out—don’t you want to experience that? Five stars!”

Ji Zhen Tang quickly raised both hands to plead innocence. “I have no such luck, I have to count the grains of rice even when I go to his house for dinner, afraid of eating too much and getting a bad look from the young master.”

Lin Guixue chuckled, “Are you two quarreling? Why do you seem so resentful towards him today?”

Ji Zhen Tang propped her cheek, feeling languid. “The relationship is on the rocks.”

She twirled her pen twice, recalling the events of last night. The first thing that came to mind wasn’t Zhong Heng’s face but—the man who made even the top school hunk pale in comparison.

Her pen slowed down, the man’s charm was crucial, and compared to him, Zhong Heng’s face wasn’t attractive enough.

Zhong Yu Bai’s criticism was accurate; he had a dull childishness about him.

Ji Zhen Tang didn’t really want to talk to Zhong Heng. She hadn’t replied to last night’s message, so he hadn’t sent another. But she was still afraid Su Yunli would go in vain, so she informed him: Are you in the lab? My roommate is going to deliver cancer cells to you, she said it’s on her way.

Zhong Heng: Who?

Ji Zhen Tang: Su Yunli.

Zhong Heng: It’s useless, the culture medium is already dead.

“…”

Ji Zhen Tang’s heart skipped a beat, wanting to ask if he had any remedies.

Zhong Heng seemed to guess her thoughts and said gently, “It’s okay, I’ll have more.”

She quickly summoned Su Yunli: Lizi, it’s useless, don’t go.

Su Yunli: Oh, I’m already here.

Su Yunli: It’s okay, let’s consider it returning to its original owner.

Ji Zhen Tang: I’m sorry to bother you then.

After sending the message, she felt Lin Guixue’s words were somewhat worth considering. Other people’s kindness wasn’t for her, and if she were too polite, her gratitude would seem wishful thinking.

Thinking deeply again made her angry because it was unfair. Some people didn’t even need to lift a finger, there was always someone willing to do everything for them.

She returned to the chat interface with Zhong Heng.

Ji Zhen Tang hesitated, pondered, and finally slowly typed out the words: “Let’s break up.”

At the moment of sending, she thought: If he agrees, thank goodness, it saves arguments, and all is well. If he humiliates her, she’ll block all contact. No communication for life, it’s only natural.

However, Zhong Heng neither agreed nor scolded her.

He sent two messages: The first one: “I’m sorry.” The second one: “Don’t be angry, okay? I never intended to target you.”

Seeing his apology was unprecedented. She couldn’t even imagine him saying these words in person, completely unimaginable. His response, however, made her feel a bit choked up inside. 

Perhaps because nobody loves her, she would cherish even the slightest kindness from others.

But this kind of kindness was too cheap.

Ji Zhen Tang put her phone down, not wanting to reply anymore.

Her ever-present brown bear backpack was pinched by her, and she brought her nose close, sniffing the scent of the bag. Xingzhou was an island, with a perpetual damp smell lingering all year round, permeating the campus, buses, and subways. When the bag was sent from there, it also carried this scent. As she closed her eyes and sniffed, it was as if she could see the sea breeze sweeping through coconut groves, clear skies, and bright seas, and she stood among them, as if she had never grown up.

Her mom said, “A Korean girl came to our coffee factory, carrying this cute bag. I asked her to buy one for Ah Zhen too.”

But after a few years, the scent on the bag was gone as well.

How could she retain a love that traveled across the sea?

…

In the next three days, life became very tight.

Ji Zhen Tang lost her appetite. She opened her chat records with her father countless times, looking at the date of the last money transfer, contemplating how to ask her old father for living expenses in a cute yet polite manner.

She deleted the expression of sticking out her tongue for the fourth time.

“Just wait a little longer,” she comforted herself, “Dad must have his reasons!”

On the fourth day, Ji Zhen Tang left the school dormitory, ready to go to class.

Today, the sky had a clear color.

At the intersection leading to the teaching building, several cars passed by, attracting some attention. Ji Zhen Tang and her classmate Lin Guixue turned their heads to look.

The principal’s red flag was at the forefront, followed closely by a white plate car and a black plate car. In between the two inconspicuous black plate cars, a Bentley leisurely drove, its windows tightly closed, casting a shade of dark green from the trees onto the glass, solemn and dignified.

Security personnel lined up on both sides.

The scene was too grand, attracting onlookers.

Lin Guixue: “Is it the city leader coming to visit?”

If so, it wouldn’t be surprising, as the school often had distinguished guests. The two walked among the students rushing for time, paying little attention. But after a few cars stopped, Ji Zhen Tang caught sight of the person getting out of the Bentley and paused her steps.

She turned her head and looked at the figure walking beside the principal, then fixed her gaze. At the end was two foreigners with curly hair. Among the group, she recognized his back. The youngest man among the visitors walked in the middle, his height and appearance catching attention.

In the orderly and solemn crowd around him, he appeared plain and relaxed, with lowered eyes, slightly bowing to match the principal’s height. He listened attentively as the principal spoke enthusiastically, occasionally nodding to show genuine interest. With his hands in his pockets, revealing a hint of indifference in his wrist, every movement and gesture exuded elegance and composure.

Zhong Yu Bai.

Ji Zhen Tang mouthed his name.

Today, he wore a simple black suit, exuding a refined temperament. The more understated he was, the more captivating he became.

Lin Guixue walked ahead, unable to pull her, then looked back at her. “What’s wrong?”

Ji Zhen Tang snapped back to reality. “Um, I suddenly realized that I forgot to bring my hard drive for the presentation.”

Lin Guixue said, “Is it in the dorm? Hurry back and get it.”

Ji Zhen Tang nodded hastily. “Okay, you go to the classroom first. I’ll be right there. Just tell the teacher I’ll explain the reason later.”

Lin Guixue urged, “Hurry, hurry up. I’ll help you buy some time.”

Ji Zhen Tang took a detour, making sure Lin Guixue had entered the teaching building. Then she walked into the school museum.

She tried to use the manual passage without swiping the card, but a security guard stepped forward. “Student, please swipe your card to enter.”

Ji Zhen Tang patted her pockets. “I don’t have my student card with me, but I’m a student of Qingcheng University. Can’t I enter?”

The guard pointed to a nearby register. “Then please sign in.”

“Okay.”

She took the pen and filled in the information, the footsteps of the person in front gradually fading away, prompting Ji Zhen Tang to speed up her writing.

During class time, there weren’t many people in the museum. Recently, there was an exhibition of works by old alumni. Ji Zhen Tang looked around, confirming that the person she was looking for wasn’t on the first floor.

She went upstairs.

Soon, she heard a conversation among men.

Ji Zhen Tang held her breath and peeked from the corner.

There were seven or eight men gathered together, discussing a famous painting. Ji Zhen Tang scanned the group and noticed that Zhong Yu Bai was not among them.

She held her breath and looked around again.

He really wasn’t there.

Could it be that she had just… mistaken?

Thinking this, Ji Zhen Tang unconsciously wandered into another exhibition area, occasionally bumping into a few people, but to no avail.

After walking around in circles, Ji Zhen Tang began to doubt her own eyes. She stopped in front of a wall displaying student artworks. Ji Zhen Tang stared blankly at the paintings on the wall for a while.

Before long, in just a dozen seconds.

Suddenly, someone tapped lightly on her cherry blossom hairpin twice.

It was a very light gesture, but it was right next to her head, and the dull tapping made Ji Zhen Tang turn around abruptly. Zhong Yu Bai stood behind her, holding a business card in his hand. Just now, he had used the corner of this business card to tap her little hairpin.

Looking at her dazed and bewildered eyes, he asked softly, “Are you looking for me?”

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