Her mind still turning over thoughts of money, Su Nian was suddenly pulled across the seat toward him. He leaned in, bowed his head, and claimed her lips with deliberate, possessive skill kissing her so deeply and thoroughly her tongue grew sore, as if he were venting quiet resentment. Only then did Su Nian understand why he had accused her of being devoid of romance.
It was a long, searing kiss. Sometime during it, the pink insulated container slipped unnoticed to the floor. When at last he drew back, Su Nian was breathless, her chest heaving violently brushing, again and again, against his. Zhou Beiming’s gaze darkened to unfathomable depths. Then, abruptly, he pushed her away. “Get out.”
Su Nian’s lips tingled, swollen and surely bright red. She lingered, head bowed, reluctant to step out. What if someone saw her like this? The locks clicked open. She did not move.
Zhou Beiming rested one arm lazily over the steering wheel, glanced sideways, his tone edged with mockery. “Losing your nerve again?”
Su Nian said nothing, pretending he was not there. The tingling warmth still lingered on her mouth. Then someone knocked on Zhou Beiming’s window.
Honking was strictly forbidden here a rule born of the researchers’ belief that noise frightens away inspiration. Su Nian also knew this was a one-way street. Before she could stop him, Zhou Beiming rolled down the window.
“Sir, this is a one-way street. You cannot park for so long we are all running late.”
Su Nian froze. Of all possible voices… She wished the ground would open up and swallow her whole. Standing there was Director He. She turned her face away, staring resolutely out the opposite window. But Director He was sharp-eyed; he recognized the back of her head at once. “Su Nian? And this gentleman is…?”
The air inside the car turned perfectly still. Su Nian had no choice but to turn back and face him. “Good morning, Director He.”
Director He took in her flushed cheeks and unnaturally full, red lips. A man of the world, he tactfully asked no further questions. He turned his gaze to Zhou Beiming strikingly handsome, seemingly poised and refined, yet with eyes that looked upon the entire world as beneath him. It was hard to imagine quiet, gentle Su Nian with a man of such commanding presence.
Director He laughed awkwardly, scrambling for neutral words. “Well… quite well. Your boyfriend is certainly… very tall.” He fell silent, afraid any more praise might be taken poorly or worse, provoke him to violence.
Then Zhou Beiming spoke. “Good morning, Director He.” His tone was neither warm nor cold utterly composed.
Director He blinked in surprise. Even Su Nian stared. She had not known Zhou Beiming possessed such polite grace. Desperate to get him away from prying eyes, she said quickly, “I really must be going.”
Her mind felt empty; she fumbled clumsily with the door handle. Zhou Beiming, meanwhile, acted as though nothing were amiss. His fingers hooked the strap of her bag, and he placed the pink container gently into her arms. “Leaving this behind?”
Su Nian grabbed it and fled swifter than a startled rabbit. Zhou Beiming watched her darting figure vanish, a cold smirk touching his lips. Am I truly so unworthy to be seen beside? He spun the steering wheel with one hand and sped away.
In the office, Su Nian looked up at yet another colleague. She was already the eighth person to ask whether she truly had a boyfriend. It had all started when someone complained aloud about the delay on the one-way street. To spare Su Nian further embarrassment, Director He had stepped in: “It is his first visit here. He simply does not know the area well enough.”
The remark had caused an explosion of curiosity. Su Nian nodded mechanically. One after another, people came by asking how old was he? What work did he do? She answered briefly, keeping things vague.
Then two tall men walked in. The one in the lead wore a sharp suit and carried himself with effortless grace. It was Gu Yinchen.
Su Nian had mentioned his proposed collaboration to Director He only yesterday; he had said it merited consideration. Beside her, a fellow student breathed audibly. “Niannian… am I dreaming? Isn’t that the most handsome alumnus of A University? I heard he went abroad to further his studies. Why has he come back?”
Gu Yinchen was the sole heir to the Gu family fortune. Doubtless he had returned to take the reins of power. Su Nian offered simply, “Perhaps to serve the motherland?”
“What a patriot!” Her classmate’s eyes shone. “Handsome, excellent character… I wonder if he has a girlfriend yet?”
Su Nian returned quietly to her thesis.
At midday, Su Nian walked to the cafeteria with her classmate, carrying the pink container. Her friend nudged her playfully. “Dropped off by your man himself? A homemade lunch to keep her heart warm?”
Su Nian’s mind flew instantly to the thick, black ginger syrup he had forced down her throat that morning. “It was his grandfather who sent it.”
Her classmate sighed enviously. “That settles it you’ve clearly won the family’s approval.”
Just then, Su Nian noticed someone waving wildly at them from across the room. Zhou Kang? He was certainly not anyone employed here. She pretended not to see and sat with her friend at a distant table.
A shadow fell over them moments later. Zhou Kang looked aggrieved. “Little sister-in-law completely ignores me. People are starting to think I’m some gibbon escaped from the zoo.”
Su Nian recalled his flailing gestures and conceded he had borne an unfortunate resemblance. “I’m sorry I truly didn’t see you.”
When Zhou Kang addressed her as “Little sister-in-law,” her friend leaned in, eyes sparkling with gossip. “His younger brother?”
“Something like that,” Su Nian murmured softly.
She unlatched the container and peered at the top layer, feeling suddenly uncertain. This looked nothing like the simple home cooking she had imagined. What met her gaze was a beautifully prepared, luxuriant bowl of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Whatever came next would surely be extraordinary.
Her friend leaned in, gasping. “Wow! No wonder they say new brides are cherished this costs more than I earn in a week!” She helped lift the remaining lid, eyes widening. “Is his grandfather a master chef or something?”
Earlier that morning, Zhou Beiming had arrived in a modest sedan worth barely over a hundred thousand yuan witnessed not only by Director He but others as well. Zhou Kang, who knew nothing of the arrangement, seethed silently: Can these two grand old men even boil water, let alone cook like this? The memory of the pitch-black sludge he had been forced to drink nearly made him gag all over again.
Her classmate, noticing Zhou Kang’s stricken expression, laughed. “Never tasted anything like it, huh? Don’t be jealous learn a thing or two! Your brother drives a humble sedan, yet spoils his girlfriend with a lunch worth a month’s wages. Denies himself so she may want for nothing. What a truly remarkable man.”
Zhou Kang stood bewildered. This is just ordinary soup! But then Zhou Beiming driving a car worth barely a hundred thousand yuan?! He glanced out the window. The sky was overcast. Had the sun risen from the west today?
He looked back at Su Nian. She had hunched over her meal like a defensive little hedgehog, doing her utmost to disappear to pretend, quite literally, you cannot see me. Was pretending poverty some kind of secret romance ritual? Zhou Kang wisely held his tongue, forcing a dry chuckle. “Indeed I have not. My cousin only ever serves me… burnt sugar syrup. By the basin.”
Su Nian ducked her head so low it nearly touched the table. It has nothing to do with me. I never made him drink that.
Then a low, familiar voice vibrated above her. “Niannian… eating so well?”
Su Nian stiffened. Gu Yinchen what on earth was he doing in their cafeteria?