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Chapter 31: Snowfall On A Sunny Day

As night fell, the overcast sky seemed to skip dusk; the sunset was omitted from the sky’s canvas, transitioning abruptly from pale to dim without a gradient. Looking up, it was already dark outside.

Ji Zhen Tang’s face, previously heated by those forthright words, slowly cooled in the night, but the palm that had touched his heart still retained warm.

Or perhaps, his skin had long ceased to be warm; it was her heart that was warm.

The touch of their bodies was truly magical, like intertwining red threads, swiftly closing the distance between them.

He had touched her ears to put on earrings; touched her face to wipe away tears; took her hand to let her feel his heartbeat.

She had also touched his waist and chest, though lightly, the sensation vivid and unforgettable.

The contours of a mature man’s body repeatedly scorched the innocent and transparent heart of a young girl.

In the quiet teahouse, Ji Zhen Tang looked at the classic jade hairpin, but her thoughts wandered elsewhere. She didn’t think about the hairpin anymore.

She remained silent, savoring every word he had said, his firm stance towards her, like protection or coercion, because they had made a “treaty,” and she had been drawn into his world. Naturally, Zhong Yu Bai had to help her with this favor.

“Do you still want to be classmates with him?” he continued, referring to Zhao Siqi.

It was a rather abrupt question, soft-spoken but carrying a hidden edge. Ji Zhen Tang looked at him, appearing somewhat puzzled.

Before she could react, Zhong Yu Bai said, “I’ll decide for you.”

It was rare for him to directly bypass her opinion.

She hesitated for a moment, then asked incredulously, “Are you planning to make him drop out?”

He neither confirmed nor denied, simply saying, “We’ll wait for news.”

Ji Zhen Tang felt uneasy about this matter too. “I uploaded his video online, he must hate me. But he hasn’t come to me these past few days. I heard something happened in his family, everything’s chaotic now, he probably doesn’t have time to deal with me.”

Zhong Yu Bai chuckled, a shallow arc forming at the corner of his mouth, amused by her naive concerns. “He won’t.”

She almost forgot that she now had someone backing her up, even if she caused trouble at school, Zhao Siqi wouldn’t dare to confront her again. Ji Zhen Tang proudly flashed a row of teeth.

“I’m preparing to register a trademark recently. I posted about it on my new brand account, and everyone is eagerly following up on my progress. I gained a lot of new followers in a short time, and many praised my work as creative and wished me success.”

She spoke while smiling, but her smile soon faded, her tone becoming gloomy, as if she were doing something evil. “But popularity still relies on public opinion. I feel like I’m eating blood-filled steamed buns.”

“Eat once, and you’ll get addicted,” Zhong Yu Bai said calmly, “Give it a try.”

It sounded like he was used to it.

If she had heard him say this earlier, she would have been quite frightened. But now, Ji Zhen Tang’s fear of the mystery surrounding him had indeed diminished, especially in the context of today’s conversation. She truly agreed with his words, that the path nurtured by the blood of villains had been surprisingly smooth.

“Do you need help with the trademark?” he asked.

Ji Zhen Tang shook her head. “No need, just need to fill out an application, it’s not difficult.”

Zhong Yu Bai thought for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“It’s amazing. I think it’s amazing that I’ll be a boss in the future. When I was very young, my mother taught me to dance, I learned the basics, but later we separated, and I gave up. Later, in high school, I learned to draw. Suddenly, I had a dream of becoming an artist, holding art exhibitions. The name of the exhibition is ‘Free Bird.’” She said, tilting her head, earnestly asking him, “Does it sound too cliché?”

Zhong Yu Bai weighed up and said, “It shows a spirit of perseverance.”

She liked hearing him indulge her with compliments, as if everything she did was right. Ji Zhen Tang smiled, her eyes curved. “But now, the dream has changed to becoming a boss.”

“It’s normal, dreams getting bigger isn’t a bad thing, one by one, they’ll come true.”

Zhong Yu Bai listened with lowered eyes, showing trust in her.

Ji Zhen Tang stared at him, looking at his handsome face, relaxed posture, and occasionally, the aura of one who controls the situation. Occasionally, a little bit of silent tolerance overflowed from his eyes.

It was precisely this tolerance that made her dependence on him even stronger.

She swallowed her saliva, selfishly hoping that this leisurely conversation could last a little longer.

“What would happen if one were to take advantage prematurely?” She suddenly returned to the unexpected pursuit from earlier.

Zhong Yu Bai opened his eyes, glanced over, and suddenly smiled lightly. “Men with sweet words and charming looks, they’ll lure you away, making me look like a scoundrel and you a fool.” victim

She nodded indifferently, “Being a fool isn’t so bad, I want to be one, and besides, you’re not bad.”

His smile turned somewhat indulgent, as if he were reciting a proverb to her with a coaxing tone, “Beware of those who take advantage of vulnerabilities, and be cautious of those who offer what you lack. When it comes to men, having a hundred minds is not too many.”

He added meaningfully, “For people like us who have aged, we understand the right remedy for each situation.”

The emphasis on “aged” was probably a reminder that he still harbored resentment towards the young men who had insulted her.

Like fine wine, a man who had been through thousands of trials and tribulations, experienced ups and downs, enriched with experience, intoxicating others, while he remained sober and free. This kind of charm from a high place often had a bewitching effect.

Wasn’t this a kind of villainy?

Ji Zhen Tang was confused by his words. “No, that’s not right. You shouldn’t reveal everything now. Would a villain tell their opponent how they plan to make every move?”

Zhong Yu Bai smiled faintly without saying a word.

“Or is this also one of your schemes?” She pondered for a moment. “So you’re telling me now that you’re manipulating me, deliberately deceiving me, just to reel me in?”

He used the lid of the cup to slowly skim the tea leaves.

She was infuriated, “I can’t outsmart you!”

He pointed to the table, “The melon seeds are sweet.”

Reminding her that her mouth still tasted bitter, Ji Zhen Tang glanced at the few melon seeds in the white porcelain dish.

Probably another considerate gesture for her.

She chewed on a few, suppressing the bitterness on her tongue.

Not long after, Mrs. Xu called out, “Mr. Zhong is here, it’s time for dinner.”

Zhong Yu Bai responded, but still didn’t rush, sitting there motionless, accompanying her as she finished the melon seeds.

“Your father is a teacher?” Ji Zhen Tang asked.

Zhong Yu Bai said, “He’s a real teacher, I’m a fake one.”

She paused, recalling the first time she met him and guessed he was a university professor, which made her laugh.

“I saw him last time, he doesn’t seem as shrewd as you,” she remarked.

Zhong Yu Bai fell silent for a moment, as if pondering, then said, “One aspect of resistance to parents is to pick out some intolerable faults from them, avoid making the same mistakes, and admonish oneself not to become such a person, to grow in the opposite direction.”

This seemed to be the first time he talked about family matters.

She was taken aback and asked, “Besides your shrewdness and his lack thereof, what else?”

“His indifference to worldly matters, which taught me an important lesson in relationships, that protecting one’s loved ones is as important as love itself.”

This statement was profoundly meaningful, not only a self-reminder for personal growth but also hinted at a deep pain he had endured.

The pain stemmed from his father’s indifference to worldly matters.

Ji Zhen Tang flattered him slightly, “No, you seem pretty indifferent to worldly matters too.”

Zhong Yu Bai smiled and looked at her, slowly saying, “What a fool you are to have believed that.”

She chuckled dismissively, her thoughts weighing heavier, faintly guessing the meaning behind his words, and further probing, “It seems I haven’t met your mother.”

“She passed away many years ago,” Zhong Yu Bai didn’t evade.

Instead, she felt uneasy, quickly rubbing her fingertips together, apologizing with folded hands, “I’m sorry.”

He stood up, “Let’s eat.”

“I’m not hungry, I just bought an onigiri from the convenience store, and I’m still full,” Ji Zhen Tang touched her stomach.

After some thought, Zhong Yu Bai said, “I’ll get you some soup.”

When he returned with a bowl of soup to the tea room, Ji Zhen Tang had already fallen asleep.

Her sleeping posture was unsteady, with her hand supporting her cheek on the table, her head unstable, as if she might fall off any second.

Zhong Yu Bai set the pork rib soup aside, gently grasped her wrist, lifted her up, and carried her to the nearby recliner.

Bathed in the warm yellow light, he leaned against the side of the recliner, leaned forward, carefully observing her sleeping face for a while, capturing some shadows of her childhood, when Jane was a lovable and cheerful child, dancing happily in the garden every day. His mother called her a joyous nut, bought her many snacks, and treated her like a precious princess.

Her eyes spoke, expressing joy and sorrow. After crying for a long time, her eyelids would still be swollen. When she smiled, her eyes curved.

Until now, she hadn’t changed.

All the memories flowed vividly.

How important nostalgia was, it could make this parched riverbed of millennia sprout a bright rose.

Zhong Yu Bai lightly brushed her soft cheek with his finger.

It was time to accompany his father to the theater.

Today, it wasn’t Fang Mo performing.

Kunqu Opera was also a common repertoire at Chenzhang Garden. Having heard “The Peony Pavilion” many times already, Zhong Yu Bai had brought in some Beijing opera actors from the capital to perform a grand play today called “The Orphan of Zhao.” It told the story of a family being exterminated, and the orphan seeking revenge after growing up, one of the four major tragedies in classical Chinese literature.

“Should we call the little girl to watch?” Zhong Bingwen knew there was a little girl visiting today but didn’t inquire much about her identity. Pushing his thick-framed glasses up, he looked at Zhong Yu Bai.

“She doesn’t like to listen to these things, let her sleep,” Zhong Yu Bai replied.

Mrs. Xu came over to refill the tea, and Zhong Yu Bai brought her another chair. Mrs. Xu sat down.

He asked, “Did you add the blanket?”

Mrs. Xu said, “I covered her with two layers.”

He relaxed a bit.

“Has the new jar of candy been delivered to her?”

Mrs. Xu smiled warmly, shook her head, this was the third time he had asked, she said, “It’s already been prepared.”

Watching the play for a while, Zhong Yu Bai was absent-minded. After a while, he asked in a subdued voice, “How’s Second Sister-in-law doing lately?”

Mrs. Xu said, “Same as usual, refusing to take her medicine. Several batches of caregivers have been changed, but it’s no use. They all say she’s delusional and scared. But the security at Nanyang Tower is tighter, so she can’t run away.”

Upon hearing this, Zhong Yu Bai thought for a moment and said, “Prepare some gifts for her for the New Year and don’t invite her back to the Zhong family. One less person means a bit more peace.”

Mrs. Xu nodded in agreement.

Zhong Bingwen interjected, “I wonder if Ah Yu will come back this year. It’s been years since we last saw him.”

He was the son of the second brother and second sister-in-law, his name sounding like some forbidden word, brought up by his father, who didn’t understand the nuances, making the atmosphere tense. Mrs. Xu couldn’t help but feel a pang in her heart and hurriedly looked at Zhong Yu Bai’s expression.

About to smooth things over, Zhong Yu Bai coldly responded, “He has his own whereabouts.”

As the play on stage reached its climax, Zhao Wu stabbed Tu’an Gu, and the long-standing grudge was finally avenged.

The lingering sound of the performance evoked sighs from the audience.

Moonlight fell on the water, Zhong Yu Bai didn’t watch the actors, but gazed at the fragmented reflection of the moon in the ripples.

Finally, he commented, “What good does it do to live in hatred?”

Because of obsession, life’s essence becomes tragedy.

“Isn’t that so?” Zhong Yu Bai said like this, and neither Mrs. Xu nor Zhong Bingwen knew if he was talking to them or to himself. Perhaps he was muttering to himself, so they didn’t respond.

The spacious courtyard, after the opera performance, fell into tranquility, with only the sound of the wind blowing through the withered branches of the towering trees, making the night feel desolate.

Zhong Yu Bai quietly closed his eyes for a moment.

–

These days, Ji Zhen Tang’s brand account has been gaining followers steadily. The post she made accusing Zhao Siqi has already received over fifty thousand likes. Acting on her roommates’ suggestion, she took the opportunity to share her design sketches for hairpins, watching her followers skyrocket as if in a dream.

Three hundred, three thousand, thirty thousand…

She pinched her thigh hard, feeling the pain sharply.

She never thought her dream would actually come true this time!

Grabbing a meal from the cafeteria, Ji Zhen Tang sat at a table absentmindedly eating, while scrolling through the comments on her phone.

【I never thought he was like this. I used to think he was quite handsome.】

【Handsome my foot, just a rich man’s facade!】

【Will anyone still sponsor his brand? Is it completely ruined now?】

【Definitely, that arrogant attitude of his is really disgusting.】

【Rich and powerful men are like this. But to have so many flaws at such a young age, it’s really indulgent.】

【Will his dad bail him out?】

【Don’t you know that Zhao Hang is in trouble himself?】

…

There was a slight movement nearby, as Su Yunli walked out carrying a water bottle.

Ji Zhen Tang glanced at her, hurriedly set down her chopsticks, grabbed a water bottle, and rushed out, forgetting to put on a coat.

Su Yunli hadn’t been back to school for a while, almost becoming a non-resident student. So Ji Zhen Tang hadn’t found a chance to properly thank her.

In the open-air corridor, the cold winter wind blew in. Ji Zhen Tang shivered from the cold.

“Lizi!” she called out, catching up quickly, exhaling a puff of cold air, feeling her teeth clenching. Ji Zhen Tang rubbed her hands together. “It’s so cold these days.”

Su Yunli glanced at her. “Freezing.”

She had been successfully raised in luxury, unable to hide her wealth anymore.

With bracelets on both wrists, one side ancient-style gold, the other jade and agate, she exuded a kind of accumulated aristocratic air.

Whether it was jewelry thrown by Zhong Heng or bought by herself, it was not surprising.

Ji Zhen Tang looked at her neck again, realizing that she had taken off the necklace at some point.

Su Yunli came from a small noble family, born a wealthy young lady. Although not born in China, she was close to the big cities. She had access to readily available resources, but surprisingly, Su Yunli didn’t have much ambition. After graduation, she just wanted to open a small shop selling jewelry. People who were overly pampered tended not to strive for more. Ji Zhen Tang could understand this mentality from her perspective.

After having everything one could want, desires and ambitions tend to diminish.

“It’s actually good this way. It dampens his spirits. He’s so disgusting. If we don’t deal with him today, someone else will tomorrow. How could one person really have everything under control?” Su Yunli brought up the matter. “I heard he was short on funds anyway, so the brand wasn’t going to launch, right?”

Ji Zhen Tang shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s none of my business now.”

Ji Zhen Tang nodded in agreement. “You’re right. He’s bound to get into trouble sooner or later with that kind of personality.”

“Exactly. This kind of person is used to getting away with everything, defying rules and regulations. He probably got away with a lot in the past, which emboldened him further. I heard—” Su Yunli indignantly said, then paused for a moment, omitting a certain name, “I heard his family made their fortune in shady businesses. His grandfather even went to jail. Such people have a twisted origin and a corrupt heart.”

Ji Zhen Tang didn’t pay much attention to what Su Yunli was saying, just looking at the dimples that appeared when she spoke. She had a very sweet appearance.

They say a sweet girl can save the world. If Su Yunli’s eyes didn’t hold any melancholy, Ji Zhen Tang would believe that saying.

But her complexion seemed a bit pale at the moment.

“Thank you that day,” Ji Zhen Tang suddenly interrupted.

Su Yunli was still complaining about Zhao Siqi. Hearing her, her tone stiffened. “It’s nothing. I had to help.”

She said, giving a simple smile.

The two went to fetch water.

Amidst the gushing sound of water droplets, Ji Zhen Tang’s thoughts turned, hesitated, and finally, with the noise as cover, she found the courage to bring up something with her face to face. “Don’t believe Zhong Heng’s words.”

Su Yunli looked at the steam rising from the hot water, showing no reaction, as if she hadn’t heard, but she must have.

Since her heart had opened up, even if Su Yunli didn’t want to listen, Ji Zhen Tang couldn’t hold back her thoughts anymore. “Did he ever tell you he would take you abroad, buy you a car and a house, and even asked you to accompany him to study abroad? Don’t believe it. It’s not that I’m saying he won’t do it, but his indifference is ingrained in him. His upbringing has had too much influence on him. You mustn’t be lured by the promises he—”

“No.” Su Yunli interrupted, sounding dull, gently shaking her head. “He never said those things to me.”

Ji Zhen Tang was stunned.

She felt embarrassed and remained silent for a long time before asking again, “Did you hear what he said to me that day?”

Su Yunli responded without hesitation, “I heard.”

Ji Zhen Tang fell into an awkward silence.

Regret, profound regret. She had only brought embarrassment upon herself.

She closed the water bottle and prepared to leave.

Su Yunli stopped her with a single sentence, “We broke up.”

Ji Zhen Tang’s heart almost blurted out: So soon…??

Although she didn’t say it, her surprise was evident on her face.

Upon careful consideration, it wasn’t that quick. Compared to her own relationship with him, it had lasted quite a while.

Su Yunli didn’t say who initiated the breakup, she didn’t explain anything, just vaguely said, “It was a hazy relationship anyway. But it’s okay. Who has that kind of ’till death do us part’ love?”

She said, smiling at Ji Zhen Tang. “It was Wong Kar-wai’s movie that you recommended to me.”

Ji Zhen Tang felt as if she had been struck by something distant. The lines she almost forgot herself were now casually spoken. She had lied, saying she had watched it 99 times, when in fact, she had only watched it twice. It was only the day before getting into his car that she revisited it, so it came naturally to her.

After all these years, she had long forgotten about Wong Kar-wai’s philosophy of love. She seemed to have also forgotten that she once truly believed that “a lifetime of love is a lie, and a misty romantic relationship is the truth of life.”

“Yes,” she nodded.

Su Yunli said, “I remember. Let’s encourage each other.”

She smiled lightly, her curved lips seeming to express relief, but her weary eyes lacked a certain determination to look forward.

Su Yunli walked in the wind along the corridor, and Ji Zhen Tang watched her from behind. For convenience, and since it was a quick trip, Su Yunli didn’t wear a coat when she went out, with only a thin autumn silk nightgown hanging on her slender figure.

She felt fragile and in need of a hug, something firm. She wanted something airtight, tightly wrapped around her, enveloped in love, giving her the right to be willful and spoiled.

Ji Zhen Tang buttoned up the top of her nightgown and walked into the chilling wind, her shoulders drawn in.

Aren’t they of the same kind?

—

On this day, there were “guests” at Boyang.

When Zhao Hang led Zhao Siqi, his pace showed some signs of panic.

The news of the acquisition of the Zhao family’s jewelry business had spread out just the previous week. Despite the Zhao family’s painstaking efforts to run the business for more than twenty years, although it had been faltering recently, there were always people trying hard to save it. Never had they expected that one day, their signboard would fall.

Overnight, their home was turned upside down. When they looked up, the sky had changed without them noticing.

The one who acquired the Zhao Jewelry was the well-known Mr. Zhong from Boyang.

The two were stopped in the lobby on the first floor.

On a sunny day, this glass-like building was illuminated brightly, bathed in the sunny blue sky. But Zhao Hang’s mood was far from sunny. An entrepreneur, being pushed and shoved by security at the door, he even felt a bit humble, saying, “I want to see Mr. Zhong. Please let me in.”

Zhao Siqi followed behind, looking resolute, feeling a bit embarrassed, pulling his sleeve, “Dad, please…”

Zhao Hang pointed at him, unable to contain his anger, “Shut up!”

Facing the security guards, he then made a pitiful expression, “Or, can you ask him to come out? If he’s busy, tell him to schedule a time. Whenever he’s free, we can talk. Our Zhao family’s company really can’t be sold, really can’t. Please convey that.”

“I haven’t even spoken to Mr. Zhong, so how can I deliver a message for you?” The security guard was also speechless. “If you want to see him so badly, wait outside. I heard Mr. Zhong is busy today—”

Before he finished speaking, there was a hush among the pushing and shoving.

Several pairs of eyes, almost simultaneously, looked up along the void of the lobby, to the terrace on the third floor. Zhong Yu Bai stood tall there, his brows furrowed, looking down at the commotion below.

Dressed in a suit and leather shoes, with a refined and elegant demeanor, there was no emotion in his eyes, nor was he particularly cold. His face was gentle, never showing a hint of ruthlessness that could kill someone with a glance.

Yet there was a kind of deepness that made one shiver down the spine if stared at for too long.

“Be lenient, Mr. Zhong. I brought Zhao Siqi to apologize to you!” Zhao Hang dragged his son forward.

Zhao Siqi moved his lips, his tongue pressing against his cheek, a hint of defiance. He was about to speak, then turned stubbornly to his father, “I won’t say it. If you want to say it, you say it yourself!”

Ding Jialing walked up from behind Zhong Yu Bai, holding a black plastic briefcase square in shape. With a clang, he lifted the box and placed it on the railing.

The dull thud reverberated, heavy and profound.

“Can’t hear you,” Ding Jialing tugged, “How about… kneeling down to speak?”

“…”

Zhao Hang signaled Zhao Siqi with his eyes, seeing him not moving, he almost kicked his knee, “Kneel down!”

“I said don’t bother begging! It’s so ugly.” Zhao Siqi was completely frantic.

The two men upstairs waited for about half a minute.

Ding Jialing said something to Zhong Yu Bai’s ear, and he nodded lightly.

Then, with a bang, the revolving door of the lobby was tightly sealed, as if a war horn had sounded. No one was allowed in, nor out.

Immediately after, Ding Jialing opened the black plastic case in his hand.

“This is the final payment for the acquisition. Take it, Mr. Zhao.”

With a whoosh—

In an instant, a whole box of banknotes poured down from above, the red of the scattered money flying everywhere, catching the two people below off guard.

After spreading the money, Ding Jialing clapped his hands, threw away the empty box, and reminded, “Hurry up and pick it up! Every note not picked up is a loss!”

It was as if, on a sunny day, there was a sky full of snowfall that couldn’t be stopped, one banknote after another, slowly falling onto the smooth floor of Boyang, reflecting in the glass.

It was hard not to feel that this was also a spectacle.

The man orchestrating this “snowfall” stood calmly at a high place, in the center of this eye-catching scene. When Zhao Siqi looked up, he could see his deep eyes and the rich black suit, faintly visible among the hot and dazzling red.

Zhong Yu Bai also silently gazed at him, his eyes like an abyss, devouring people whole. A glance reminded him of how he had smashed the bank card onto her face that day.

How she was humiliated, he would repay doubly.

“Zhong Yu Bai!”

Zhao Siqi pointed upward angrily, his hand shaking, “Every industry has its rules. Why do you have the right to cause such destruction?! Whether my family’s business survives or not, why should it be up to you?! What benefit do you get from doing this?”

Zhong Yu Bai listened, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, inscrutable. There was mostly mockery in this smile, or perhaps pity.

He slowly spoke, his rich voice resounding—”If I say, I am the one who sets the rules.”

Zhao Siqi’s pupils tightened, staring wide-eyed and tongue-tied.

Surprised, stunned, flustered, regretful. Countless complex emotions intertwined, quickly filling the eyes of this young, still very proud and reckless boy.

Zhao Siqi found it hard to calm down for a moment. He swallowed hard, standing dumbfounded for a while. No matter how many lines he had, he didn’t dare to say anything.

Finally, all the banknotes returned to their place, covering the floor, and the dust settled.

There was a slight curve at the corner of Zhong Yu Bai’s mouth, showing a bit of courtesy, as he said to the deeply affected Zhao Hang, “Take care, Master Zhao.”

Then, his gaze fell on Zhao Siqi.

With no other choice, Zhao Siqi could only squat down with his father to pick up the money.

Regardless, getting some money meant not being too miserable. He gritted his teeth and got through it. “Turning over a new leaf” was a motivating phrase.

At that time, he really thought this was the end.

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