Zhou Yancheng left on Monday morning.
When he dragged his suitcase out the door, he held Tang Luoqing in his arms for a long while, clearly reluctant to leave.
Tang Luoqing wrapped her arms around Zhou Yancheng’s waist and softly reminded him to eat his meals on time and take good care of himself. She watched him step into the elevator before finally closing the door.
In an instant, the apartment was left with only Tang Luoqing and Little Milk Candy, one person and one cat.
She shook her head, forcing down the disappointment in her heart, then turned around and buried herself in her artwork.
The deadline for the initial drafts for Lu’s project was neither too short nor too long, giving Tang Luoqing plenty of time to refine her work.
So she simply packed up her art supplies and went to the shared studio in the cultural and creative park.
After all, the atmosphere there was pleasant and quiet, and she might even find some inspiration.
Once she became absorbed in her work, she completely lost track of time.
By the time Tang Luoqing finished the first draft and stretched contentedly, lifting her head, she realized that the sky outside had already gone completely dark.
Not only that, rain was pounding against the windows, falling heavily and relentlessly.
Tang Luoqing became gloomy.
She had not brought an umbrella.
Everyone in the studio had left at some point without her noticing. Clutching her portfolio, she ran to the bus stop at the entrance of the cultural and creative park and huddled beneath the shelter to avoid the rain.
Raindrops as large as beans slammed against the ground, splashing water everywhere. Wind carried strands of rain into the shelter, soaking the hem of Tang Luoqing’s skirt. Even though it was the end of June, the air felt rather chilly.
To make matters worse, the ride hailing app on her phone was also showing a queue, so she could not even get a car.
Without thinking, Tang Luoqing called Zhou Yancheng.
Unfortunately, he was probably busy and did not answer.
Just as she was about to call a second time, Tang Luoqing suddenly remembered that Zhou Yancheng had left on a business trip early that morning. Even if he answered, there was nothing he could do to help.
A sense of disappointment gradually spread through Tang Luoqing’s heart.
Whenever something like this happened before, the first person she thought of was always Zhou Yancheng. Now that he was not there, she suddenly felt as though she did not even have anyone she could turn to for help.
Tang Luoqing slipped her phone back into her pocket and hugged her portfolio, staring blankly at the curtain of rain.
A black car sped past the bus stop, splashing water everywhere.
Zhou Jinbai was sitting in the back seat, slowly scrolling through a project report on his tablet, his expression indifferent.
He had just finished discussing the cultural and creative supporting facilities for the Chengbei Resort with Lu Yu at Lu’s headquarters in the cultural and creative park, and they had finalized the initial framework for their cooperation.
As the car passed the bus stop at the entrance of the cultural and creative park, the man casually lifted his eyes, his gaze sweeping over a slender figure inside the shelter.
The girl at the bus stop was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans, clutching a portfolio in her arms. She was crouched in the corner with her shoulders hunched, as though she was afraid the things in her arms might get wet.
Zhou Jinbai’s scrolling finger paused.
Then he said calmly, “Stop.”
There was no discernible emotion in his voice.
The driver froze for a moment but obediently pulled over.
Assistant Shen turned around in confusion and glanced at his boss. When he saw where Zhou Jinbai was looking, he immediately understood.
“I’ll go take a look.”
Assistant Shen quickly pushed open the car door, took an umbrella, and ran over.
Tang Luoqing was checking the ride hailing app on her phone again when she suddenly saw someone approaching with an umbrella and stopping in front of her.
She looked up and recognized him as the assistant who was usually by Zhou Jinbai’s side. She froze slightly. “Assistant… Assistant Shen?”
“Miss Tang, what are you doing here?”
Hearing this, Tang Luoqing awkwardly glanced at the sky, where the torrential rain continued to fall. She thought about how the sun had been shining brightly when she left home and how she really had not expected it to rain.
“I came here to draw and forgot to bring an umbrella…”
“Then that works out perfectly. Our boss’s car is right over there. We can give you a ride home since we’re going that way.”
Assistant Shen pointed toward a black car not far away.
“Ah? No, no, that’s okay. I don’t want to trouble you. My car is already on the way…”
Tang Luoqing quickly waved her hand while glancing at her phone. She added, “It’ll be here in thirty five minutes.”
To be honest, Tang Luoqing would rather wait than get into Zhou Jinbai’s car.
After all, that man was far too cold. The last time she had been in his car, she had barely dared to breathe.
Assistant Shen was about to say something else when the car window behind him slowly lowered.
Zhou Jinbai’s side profile appeared, his gaze sweeping over Tang Luoqing’s damp shoulders. He spoke in a low voice that nevertheless carried over the sound of the rain.
“Get in.”
The man’s tone was calm, as though he were saying something completely ordinary, yet there was an unmistakable force in his words that made it difficult to refuse.
Tang Luoqing found herself in a dilemma.
Refusing seemed impolite.
But getting in made her nervous about the awkwardness.
The rain grew heavier, and a gust of wind swept past, making Tang Luoqing shiver.
“Come on, Miss Tang. The rain is so heavy. If you keep waiting, you’ll catch a cold.”
Assistant Shen persuaded her from the side, tilting the umbrella more toward her. Then, after steeling himself, he lowered his voice and added, “If you catch a cold and Young Master Zhou finds out that we left you here without taking you home, he’ll probably get angry with President Zhou.”
Hearing that, Tang Luoqing thought for a moment, bit her lower lip, and finally followed Assistant Shen to the car.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
Clutching her portfolio, she carefully got into the car.
There was a faint, fresh scent inside, clean and crisp.
Most importantly, despite it being summer, the car was surprisingly warm.
Tang Luoqing’s tense body, which had been standing outside in the rain waiting for a ride, relaxed slightly.
However, because she had already been exposed to the cold wind outside, her shirt and pants were slightly damp and clinging to her skin. When her cool skin suddenly encountered the warm air inside the car, she could not help shivering.
Tang Luoqing froze.
She quickly held her breath and sat perfectly upright with her portfolio in her arms, afraid Zhou Jinbai would notice.
Fortunately, Zhou Jinbai was looking down at his tablet, his fingers scrolling across the screen. His side profile was cold and sharp, his jawline tense, making it seem as though he had not noticed Tang Luoqing at all.
But only Zhou Jinbai himself knew that he had not absorbed a single word from the document in front of him.
The car had not gone very far when the water ahead became too deep.
The driver stepped on the brakes, and the car suddenly rocked.
Tang Luoqing lost her balance. The portfolio in her arms slipped down and, by sheer coincidence, landed on Zhou Jinbai’s leg.
Tang Luoqing’s breath caught. She immediately crouched down to pick it up, only for her fingertips to accidentally brush against another hand with distinct knuckles.
It was Zhou Jinbai.
“S, sorry, big brother.”
Tang Luoqing quickly pulled her fingers back. When she saw that Zhou Jinbai had helped pick up her portfolio, she became even more flustered.
“I can do it myself. Sorry to trouble you.”
Zhou Jinbai said nothing. He simply handed the portfolio back to Tang Luoqing.
Tang Luoqing quickly accepted it and lowered her head even further.
She did not notice that Zhou Jinbai’s gaze was fixed on the top drawing inside the portfolio.
It was the initial draft for Lu’s project. It depicted an alley entrance on a rainy day, with a dessert shop giving off curls of steam and a little cat crouching beneath the eaves to escape the rain. The brushstrokes were soft, carrying a gentle, rain soaked warmth.
Then, almost instinctively, the man spoke.
“Bring the eaves in a little.”
Before the words had even finished leaving his mouth, Zhou Jinbai regretted saying them.
Tang Luoqing froze slightly and looked up at him in surprise.
“Big brother, you…”
Big brother had actually spoken to her? He had even commented on her drawing?
Tang Luoqing was completely bewildered, so bewildered that she wondered if she had heard him incorrectly.
But Zhou Jinbai merely glanced at her before withdrawing his gaze and continuing to look calmly at his tablet, as though that comment had been nothing more than an offhand remark, or perhaps he had never said it at all.
Tang Luoqing suspected that she really had heard him wrong.
She quickly lowered her head, and silence once again filled the car.
Twenty minutes later, the car arrived at the entrance of Yujing Bay. When the property staff saw someone getting out, they immediately came running over with umbrellas and held one over Tang Luoqing.
Tang Luoqing turned around and stood beside the car, quietly thanking Zhou Jinbai in the back seat once again.
Zhou Jinbai gave a faint nod. The car window rose, the vehicle started, and it soon disappeared from sight.
Only then did Tang Luoqing turn around and, with the property staff holding an umbrella over her, return to Building Ten and enter the elevator.
When she got home, Little Milk Candy immediately rushed over with a meow and circled around Tang Luoqing’s ankles.
She crouched down and stroked the little cat’s head before carrying her portfolio into the study.
Tang Luoqing took the drawings out one by one and spread them across the table, checking to make sure none of them had gotten wet. Only after confirming they were fine did she let out a sigh of relief.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of one of the drawings. Tang Luoqing stared at the eaves in the picture, and for some reason, a sentence suddenly surfaced in her mind.
“Bring the eaves in a little.”
“Bring them… in a little?”
Tang Luoqing frowned, suddenly remembering that she had also felt something was strange about the eaves before.
Without thinking much about it, Tang Luoqing immediately picked up her brush and adjusted the perspective of the eaves, bringing them inward slightly.
When she looked at it after making the change, it really was different.
The entire picture seemed to come alive in an instant.
Tang Luoqing stared at the drawing for a long while, her fingertips gently rubbing against the paper.
Could it be that she had not heard him incorrectly? Was that really something big brother had said?
He had only glanced at it once, yet he knew exactly where the problem was?
That was… incredible.
Could he have studied art before?
Tang Luoqing shook her head in confusion and decided to ask Zhou Yancheng about it later.
Afterward, Tang Luoqing prepared some dinner for herself and Little Milk Candy. After eating and taking a shower, she returned to the bedroom.
Just as she lay down, Zhou Yancheng called.
“Did you miss me?”
Zhou Yancheng’s voice came through the phone, with a little noise in the background as though he were outside.
“I did.”
Tang Luoqing lay on the bed and asked curiously, “Are you finished with everything there? Where are you?”
“I just finished. I came out to have some late night snacks with a few friends.”
Zhou Yancheng yawned, sounding exhausted. “I’m dead tired. There’s so much going on here. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had a moment to breathe.”
Hearing this, Tang Luoqing’s brows knitted together with concern.
“Then go back and rest early. Don’t stay up too late.”
“Mm, I’m heading back now.”
Zhou Yancheng chuckled. “I just missed you and wanted to call. I’m going to sleep. You should go to bed early too. Good night.”
“Good night.”
Tang Luoqing hung up and then remembered that she had forgotten to ask whether Zhou Jinbai had studied drawing before.
Forget it. She will ask tomorrow.
But Zhou Yancheng really did seem busy lately. Every day, he barely even had time to talk to her for a few extra minutes.
Tang Luoqing sighed softly and opened Weibo on her phone.
She habitually browsed through her home feed. After scrolling for a while, a new post appeared.
It was posted by Su Leqi, whom she followed.
Su Leqi was Zhou Jinbai’s childhood friend and spent most of her time traveling around the world. Her Weibo was filled with photographs of scenery from different places, including snow capped mountains, oceans, and sunsets. Her photographs were clean, soothing, and comforting.
Tang Luoqing had initially followed her because of those scenic photographs. They had such a healing quality that they were especially useful as references for drawing.
Later, Tang Luoqing came across a photo of Su Leqi with Zhou Yancheng and learned that the two knew each other as well. They had grown up together and were considered childhood friends.
The Weibo post in front of her included a photograph taken inside a bar.
The lighting was hazy and intimate, and Su Leqi was holding a cocktail toward the camera with a smile.
Her winged eyeliner made her look both beautiful and striking. Beside Su Leqi, half of a man’s side profile was visible.
The man had a sharp jawline and a lazy smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He was casually spinning a wine glass in his hand.
It was Zhou Yancheng.
The caption read:
[Ran into Young Master Zhou. He lost at Truth or Dare and now owes me another favor. I’ve put it on the tab. Young Master Zhou said he’ll pay me back with interest next time.]
Tang Luoqing’s heart sank.