Meng Jixue was nowhere to be found.
When Zhou Hanzhang reached the entrance, he didn’t see either of them. He assumed they had already gone inside, but when he entered, he couldn’t find them there either. He still had the movie tickets, so they couldn’t go in directly.
At first, he thought perhaps the two of them wanted some time alone together and had left him behind.
If that were the case, Zhou Hanzhang wouldn’t have thought much of it.
But just as that thought crossed his mind, Zhou Zhishu came hurrying back, carrying bags of all sizes and panting for breath. He excitedly called out to Zhou Hanzhang.
“Uncle!”
Zhou Hanzhang looked over.
Meng Jixue was nowhere to be seen.
When Zhou Zhishu finally ran up to him, Zhou Hanzhang asked expressionlessly, “Where’s Jixue?”
Zhou Zhishu froze and instinctively said, “Didn’t she go inside first?”
Zhou Hanzhang’s expression turned even colder. “I went inside and looked. She wasn’t there. She doesn’t have a ticket. And where did you run off to? How could you not keep an eye on her?”
Hearing this, Zhou Zhishu’s face went pale. “I… I went to buy some food. I thought Jixue might want something to eat. Could she… could she have left already?”
Zhou Hanzhang gave him a chilling look. “Did you two have a fight?”
If they hadn’t argued, why would she have left without saying anything?
Naturally, Zhou Zhishu was unwilling to admit it. Especially after what Meng Jixue had said to him, which had struck directly at his pride. If he told his uncle about it, he was certain Zhou Hanzhang would report it honestly to Old Master Zhou.
By then, even if Meng Jixue didn’t have to tell Old Master Zhou that she didn’t want to choose him, Old Master Zhou would directly eliminate him from consideration.
Thinking of this, Zhou Zhishu felt even more guilty and dared not say anything. He could only force himself to answer, “No.”
No?
Zhou Hanzhang’s sharp black eyes swept over him like a hawk’s.
Zhou Zhishu felt as though he could barely breathe. Yet at that moment, he was even more afraid that something might have happened to Meng Jixue.
The young man was so anxious that he was almost in tears. “Uncle, what do we do now? Should we go look for her? What if something happened to Jixue? She’s not the kind of person who would leave without saying anything.”
Although the times were relatively safe, that didn’t mean there weren’t any troublemakers around.
Meng Jixue was beautiful and striking. If she stood here alone, it wasn’t impossible for something to happen to her.
Zhou Hanzhang’s heart suddenly sank.
He frowned.
If something really happened to her, he would also bear responsibility.
Zhou Hanzhang was still able to remain calm. He said solemnly, “I’ll go look for her. You wait here. Jixue may have gone looking for you, or she may have run into someone she knows. Until we know what happened, we can’t panic.”
Zhou Zhishu nodded repeatedly, but he still couldn’t bring himself to relax. With a worried expression, he suggested, “Uncle, why don’t I go with you?”
Zhou Hanzhang glanced at him, his tone leaving no room for refusal. “You stay here. If Jixue comes back and doesn’t see either of us, it’ll only make things more troublesome. Comrade Zheng will also be coming soon. I’ll give you the movie tickets. Put two of them at the front. If Comrade Zheng arrives first, take her inside.”
The movie was about to begin as well.
Zhou Hanzhang quickly came up with the best solution.
Zhou Zhishu couldn’t think of anything better either, so he could only nod with a pale face.
After leaving the movie theater, Zhou Hanzhang searched the surrounding area but couldn’t find any sign of Meng Jixue.
It wasn’t until a little boy came running over and slipped a note into his hand.
The night was hazy with mist, and scattered streetlights stood along the deserted road.
Zhou Hanzhang strode over and saw a small, helpless looking girl curled up beside his jeep.
Unlike the radiant young woman he had seen at the old residence, she now looked thin and frail. She leaned against the wall beside the vehicle, arms wrapped around herself, her head lowered as she stared at her short boots, occasionally kicking at a pebble.
Seeing this, Zhou Hanzhang’s expression was hidden beneath the dim, shifting light and shadows. He slowed his steps and gradually approached her.
Meng Jixue heard the movement. She pulled herself out of her own thoughts and looked toward Zhou Hanzhang as he walked toward her.
Under the streetlight, she could vaguely make out his stern features. His jaw was tightly clenched, clearly showing that he was extremely displeased at the moment.
Meng Jixue thought to herself,
He probably wouldn’t scold her, right?
That thought remained with her until Zhou Hanzhang stopped in front of her.
The man’s frame was broad and imposing. Thanks to the Zhou family’s excellent genes, he was considerably taller than the others. Even without considering his aura, his exceptional height alone was enough to make people feel pressured.
Meng Jixue called out softly, “Uncle.”
Her voice was beautiful, clear and precise, with a slightly raised tone at the end. It was the kind of voice that made people want to keep listening.
Zhou Hanzhang remained expressionless, his gaze calm and unreadable. “Get in the car first.”
She wasn’t wearing much, and she really wasn’t afraid of catching a cold.
Meng Jixue didn’t refuse.
The jeep’s headlights came on, and Meng Jixue sat in the front passenger seat.
Seeing her movement, a subtle darkness flickered through Zhou Hanzhang’s eyes.
The two of them simply sat there. Neither spoke.
After a while, Zhou Hanzhang was the first to break the silence.
His face was cold, and his tone was serious. “If you don’t like Zhishu, tell to father tomorrow. There are still other people in the Zhou family, and you can take your time choosing. But you can’t act this recklessly again like you did today. Do you understand? If something had really happened to you, everyone would have worried about you.”
Thinking back on everything that had happened after they got into the car, it was obvious that Meng Jixue had no feelings for Zhou Zhishu. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have chosen to sit beside him. She had simply wanted to distance herself from Zhou Zhishu.
This time, Meng Jixue had agreed to watch the movie with Zhou Zhishu because Zhou Hanzhang himself had helped make it happen.
He was partly responsible for this.
But he hadn’t expected Meng Jixue to have such a strong temper, actually disappearing like this and nearly scaring Zhou Zhishu to death.
Naturally, Zhou Hanzhang was displeased about that, though his greater emotion was worry.
Fortunately, Meng Jixue wasn’t completely thoughtless. At least she had known to let him know where she was.
Hearing this, Meng Jixue lowered her head and softly hummed in acknowledgment.
Silence fell again.
Zhou Hanzhang glanced at the young woman from the corner of his eye. She had turned her face toward the window, looking outside.
The night seemed to cast a layer of melancholy over her.
Seeing this, Zhou Hanzhang couldn’t help thinking about the Meng family’s current situation. To suddenly suffer such a devastating change, she was probably hurting inside.
His tone just now might have been a little too harsh.
After all, the girl before him was only eighteen.
Zhou Hanzhang pressed his lips together.
He couldn’t quite tell what was going through Meng Jixue’s mind. Was she simply unwilling to have anything to do with Zhou Zhishu? Was she feeling down because of what had happened to the Meng family? Or had he frightened her?
Just as he was considering how he should speak to her again, Meng Jixue slowly raised her eyes.
Her large, watery almond shaped eyes were misted with tears, looking damp and vulnerable. Her voice was very soft, carrying a hint of confusion.
“Uncle, I’m scared.”