Calm Bar.
Zhu Heqing sat on a single sofa, his long legs crossed. One hand rested against the armrest while the fingers of his other hand lightly tapped against his phone.
There were quite a few people in the private room, all of whom were close acquaintances.
He Zhiheng took a glass of wine from the waiter and looked at the woman in the white dress sitting directly across from him.
“Yunshu, you were gone for three whole years and didn’t come back even once. You’re such a heartless little thing.”
The others chimed in.
“Exactly. Back then, whenever Brother Zhu celebrated his birthday, you were always there. After going several years without seeing you, I actually got used to having you around.”
“You’ve become even prettier after being away for so long.”
Xu Yunshu smiled with her lips pressed together.
“There was just too much going on overseas, and I really didn’t have the time. I came straight back as soon as I finished everything.”
Tonight’s gathering had been organized by He Zhiheng to celebrate Xu Yunshu’s return.
He Zhiheng said, “You used to follow us around everywhere when you were little. When you suddenly went abroad, it took me a while to get used to it. If you’d waited a few more years to come back, I might not have even recognized you.”
Xu Yunshu smiled.
“Brother Zhiheng, you’re still as fond of teasing people as ever.”
“Hahaha. I guess I’m just too used to teasing my little cousin.”
The man sitting to He Zhiheng’s left nudged him.
“Yunshu isn’t your real sister. You’re teasing Brother Zhu’s sister right in front of him. Are you asking for trouble?”
Zhu Heqing’s mother and Xu Yunshu’s mother had been close friends since they were young. Before Xu Yunshu’s mother passed away, she had pleaded with Zhu Heqing’s mother to take Xu Yunshu into the Zhu family.
Xu Yunshu had grown up in the Zhu household. She regarded Zhu Heqing’s parents as her godparents and called Zhu Heqing her older brother, so there was nothing strange about it.
Xu Yunshu instinctively looked toward Zhu Heqing.
His fingers moved slightly as his deep gaze remained fixed on his phone. He showed no reaction to their conversation, his expression unchanged.
Xu Yunshu froze for a moment.
In the past, Zhu Heqing had never ignored her.
She forced an unnatural smile and ran her fingers along the rim of her glass.
“You’re all my brothers.”
He Zhiheng couldn’t stand watching Zhu Heqing sitting there with his mind obviously somewhere else.
Everyone present was familiar with one another, so no one bothered to hold back.
“Ah He, your girlfriend is just away on vacation. Don’t sit there looking like a resentful husband whose wife isn’t coming home. You’re staring at your phone so intensely that you’re about to scare it to death.”
The remark sent shockwaves through the room.
Aside from He Zhiheng, none of the others knew that Zhu Heqing had a girlfriend.
In their social circle, casually dating women was nothing unusual. Those who liked to play around might even have several “little girlfriends” at the same time.
But Zhu Heqing was different.
He had always claimed that he was afraid of corrupting Xu Yunshu, so he never kept women around him. In Beijing’s social circles, he was famously known as an untouchable, aloof bachelor.
Countless women had tried their hardest to win him over.
Whether they were popular female celebrities or daughters of prestigious families, none had succeeded.
And now they were suddenly being told that this unattainable man had a girlfriend?
Not only that, he was sitting there staring at his phone like a lovesick husband whose wife had gone away!
If word got out, who knew how many women would have their hearts broken?
“Holy crap. He Zhiheng, is that actually true?”
He Zhiheng rolled his eyes at the man who asked.
“The man himself is sitting right here. Would I make something like that up? Are you trying to get me killed by spreading rumors about Zhu Heqing?”
The man ignored the sarcasm in his voice and turned to Zhu Heqing.
“Brother Zhu, who is your girlfriend? When are you going to bring her around and introduce her to us?”
Zhu Heqing glanced at him.
The man had dyed his hair red, which somehow suited his face surprisingly well.
Then his phone began chiming repeatedly with WeChat notifications.
Zhu Heqing lowered his head to check.
Yu Huan had sent him several messages, all of them insults.
Yu Huan had grown up in a sheltered, beautiful world. She barely knew more than a handful of insults, so she simply repeated the few words she knew over and over.
Zhu Heqing had no idea what he had done to upset her this time, but he still instinctively apologized the moment he saw the messages.
[Baby, I’m sorry.]
The red-haired man rubbed his nose before turning back to He Zhiheng.
“Do you know which family Sister-in-law is from?”
He Zhiheng glanced at Zhu Heqing.
“She’s still in school.”
The man’s eyes widened.
Holy crap.
She was still in school?
Brother Zhu was really dating a much younger girl!
Xu Yunshu sat quietly in the private room.
Under the warm lighting, her face looked slightly pale, and her heart felt as though something was lodged inside it, leaving behind an uncomfortable, sour ache.
When Yu Huan received Zhu Heqing’s reply, she nearly puffed up like an angry pufferfish.
She had only cursed at him a few times, and he had already started apologizing.
That meant even he knew he had done something unforgivable.
“Driver, please go a little faster.”
Yu Huan urged the driver impatiently.
Through the rearview mirror, the driver saw the anger and grievance written all over her face.
He tried to reassure her.
“Miss, don’t worry. Traffic safety is the most important thing.”
Yu Huan raised her voice slightly. Her emotions were so intense that her eyes had begun to redden.
“I’m going to catch my cheating boyfriend!”
The driver immediately pressed down on the accelerator.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you catch them red-handed.”
As he sped up, the driver couldn’t help sighing to himself.
A girl as beautiful as a jade Guanyin statue had actually managed to run into a scumbag.
How could heaven be so cruel?
The journey should have taken half an hour, but the driver made it there in just over ten minutes.
When Yu Huan got out of the car, the driver kindly asked,
“Miss, do you need me to help you?”
“No, thank you.”
It was summer in Beijing, and even at night, the oppressive heat was still uncomfortable.
Yu Huan had rushed over without changing. She was still wearing the clothes she’d worn in Moscow.
The moment she stepped out of the car and the hot wind hit her, she immediately felt sticky and uncomfortable.
She hurried into the bar.
The first floor was packed with people.
Yu Huan didn’t know exactly where Zhu Heqing was, so she took out her phone and opened the location app again, carefully checking it.
Her appearance was exceptionally striking. The moment she stood there, countless people turned to look at her.
Someone approached her with a glass of wine, reaching toward her shoulder.
“Hey, beautiful. You here alone?”
Yu Huan frowned and stepped back, avoiding his hand.
“Go away. Who are you? Don’t touch me.”
A beautiful woman even when angry was still beautiful.
But seeing someone provoke such a beauty brought out the rare bit of chivalry in the other people around them.
If they could leave a good impression on her, it was worth a little effort.
“Buddy, she clearly doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“Don’t force yourself on someone. That’s not cool.”
“Exactly…”
The man was verbally attacked from every direction until his face turned bright red.
He wanted to say something else, but when he saw the obvious displeasure and disgust in Yu Huan’s delicate features, he finally shut his mouth awkwardly.
“Miss, may I ask what urgent matter brought you here?”
Most people who came to this bar were there to have fun. Their faces were generally relaxed and curious.
Yu Huan was obviously not here to party.
She glanced at the man who had spoken.
She didn’t know him, and he was wearing a strong, overpowering perfume.
The location app could only identify Zhu Heqing’s general area. It couldn’t pinpoint his exact location.
Yu Huan put her phone away and answered impatiently,
“I’m looking for someone.”
“I know most of the people here. Who are you looking for?”
Yu Huan eyed him suspiciously, clearly not trusting him.
Still, she finally gave him the name.
She was too tired of searching on her own.
“Zhu Heqing.”