She paused mid-step. From the voice alone, she knew who it was without turning around.
Jin Zongmin walked up beside her.
Xu Youqing didn't stop, didn't look at him, her gaze fixed on a struggling blade of grass in a crack on the road ahead. She felt just like that grass—pressed down until she could barely breathe.
"Mr. Jin, what brings you here?" Her voice was lighter than the clouds above.
"Looking for you." Jin Zongmin's answer was concise and matter-of-fact.
She hadn't expected him to be so blunt. Xu Youqing said nothing in response. The two walked side by side, a full person's width between them.
Like a couple in the middle of a tiff.
He suddenly stepped in front of her, blocking her path. "Still angry?"
Jin Zongmin tilted his head slightly, looking at Xu Youqing's taut face.
Today she'd tied her hair back into a neat ponytail, revealing the pale curve of her neck.
"No." Xu Youqing denied it immediately, her tone stiff.
"Then why won't you look at me?"
He was actually smiling when he said it.
Xu Youqing took a deep breath, darted a quick glance at him—her gaze retreating before it could even meet his.
"Done looking."
"Does Mr. Jin need anything else? I should be going."
She responded to every word he said, yet every response was like a wall, blocking every path he had to reach her.
Jin Zongmin raised an eyebrow, unbothered, and said in a gentle tone, "It's about to rain. Let me drive you."
He turned slightly, gesturing toward a spot not far away. Only then did Xu Youqing notice a black sedan trailing a few meters behind him.
His car—how had it even gotten in here, and how was it just following along like that?
"No need. I can manage on my own." She didn't want to keep going in circles.
Jin Zongmin acted as if he hadn't heard her refusal, a faint smile on his face, like he was kindly helping her weigh the pros and cons.
"So you'd rather get caught in the rain, catch a cold, and then miss out on the project work you fought so hard to get?"
He was clearly not being kind.
Xu Youqing bit her lip.
Jin Zongmin always had a way of saying the most manipulative things in the most casual tone.
Just as she was hesitating—
"Youqing!"
Xu Youqing turned. A yellow sports car was parked at the school gate. The one calling her was Han Zheng, who was walking over from the car.
Han Zheng wore a light-colored casual jacket, his hair impeccably styled. He was like the car behind him—brand new, dazzling.
When he spotted Jin Zongmin, the smile on Han Zheng's face froze for a split second.
He suppressed his displeasure and still offered a greeting.
"Mr. Jin, what are you doing here too?"
Jin Zongmin swept a glance over the mass-produced entry-level sports car, skipping even the pretense of pleasantries. He tilted his chin toward Xu Youqing. "Looking for her."
The bluntness was nearly provocative.
The moment the words landed, the air snapped taut.
Xu Youqing stood caught between two gazes, her scalp prickling. She quickly smoothed things over: "Mr. Jin is here for the project kickoff meeting."
Han Zheng's fist tightened slightly—not just because of the look Jin Zongmin had given him, like he was eyeing a beggar, but because of those two words: looking for her.
Noticing Han Zheng's expression turning sour, Xu Youqing moved closer to him. "Why are you here now?"
"Didn't we agree to have dinner together?" Han Zheng said, glancing at Jin Zongmin.
A few days earlier, Han Zheng had mentioned he'd gotten a new car and wanted to celebrate with Xu Youqing over a meal.
Standing between the two men, Xu Youqing could clearly feel the shift in atmosphere. It looked like rain was coming soon too—she needed to leave quickly.
"I just finished up. Let's go."
Xu Youqing's peripheral vision swept over Jin Zongmin beside her. Han Zheng was also there, so she had to keep up appearances. She murmured, "Goodbye, Mr. Jin."
She was just about to turn away.
"Xu Youqing."
Jin Zongmin's voice rang out, carrying a strange penetrating force that froze her in place.
She turned to look at him.
"You left something at my place."
Jin Zongmin stared at her, speaking slowly and unhurriedly.
Han Zheng's posture stiffened as he looked between the two of them.
Jin Zongmin reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a neatly folded piece of paper.
Xu Youqing looked bewildered. "What?"
"Quite diligent in your studies."
Jin Zongmin smiled.
It was Xu Youqing's notes on the "Tomb No. 2" project—dense analysis, and even some anxious doodles in the margins. She must have accidentally dropped it into his coat that day when she was putting hers on.
Jin Zongmin held the paper out to her, his slender fingers pinching the edge.
Xu Youqing stepped forward and reached for it. Her fingertips touched the paper, and she pulled back.
The paper didn't move.
Jin Zongmin was holding it firmly—not with much force, but it wouldn't budge.
She tugged again, harder.
Still unmoving.
Xu Youqing looked up, frowning at Jin Zongmin.
He gazed back at her with that deep, unreadable look, as if waiting for something, or savoring the faint tremor only the two of them knew she felt.
He simply enjoyed watching her want to be angry with him, yet have to hold it back.
Meeting Jin Zongmin's gaze, Xu Youqing's heart raced—she couldn't tell if it was anxiety or something else.
Suddenly, Jin Zongmin let go.
The force vanished abruptly, and Xu Youqing swayed slightly. The paper was clutched in her palm, its edges already crumpled from her grip.
Han Zheng's expression visibly darkened.
He stared at the paper, then at Xu Youqing's flustered face, and finally his gaze settled back on Jin Zongmin's composed, all-controlling countenance.
Xu Youqing stuffed the paper into her coat pocket, not daring to look at either of them.
Something in the air was silently burning.
Just then, the sky finally gave way.
A single drop of rain fell, cold against Xu Youqing's forehead, followed by another and another, until a dense downpour suddenly cascaded down.
The driver, who had been waiting silently a few steps away, immediately opened a wide black umbrella and hurried to Jin Zongmin's side, tilting it over his head.
But Jin Zongmin reached out, took the umbrella directly from the driver's hand, and held it toward Xu Youqing, the canopy shielding her from the rain.
Xu Youqing froze, and before she could react, a hand reached in from the side, blocking between her and the umbrella.
Han Zheng's voice carried a restrained politeness: "No need, Mr. Jin."
The next second, he swiftly shrugged off his own jacket and draped it over Xu Youqing's head, the wide coat instantly enveloping her.
"Let's go."
Xu Youqing nodded, not looking back at Jin Zongmin.
Han Zheng held the jacket over her as they ran toward the car. Their figures dashed through the rain, looking no different from the other young couples around them seeking shelter.
Han Zheng opened the car door, helped Xu Youqing in, then circled around to the driver's seat.
Jin Zongmin stood in place, the driver already holding up another umbrella, carefully raised above his head.
The rain grew heavier, splashing against the ground.
The yellow sports car started, its lights flicked on, and it slowly pulled away. The taillights dragged two blurred red streaks through the rain curtain, quickly swallowed by the mist.
Jin Zongmin stared at the taillights disappearing into the distance, his face cold. "What did Secretary Gao say his name was?"
The driver held up an umbrella and thought for a moment. "His name is Han Zheng."
Not long after Xu Youqing got into the car, the phone in her pocket began to vibrate.
The screen lit up—it was Jin.
She instinctively glanced toward the driver's seat. Han Zheng was focused on merging into traffic.
She declined the call.
The vibration stopped. Less than three seconds later, it started again.
She declined it once more, then flipped the phone over, screen-down against her thigh.
The phone buzzed against her leg. She fidgeted with it anxiously—her heart rate must be through the roof right now.
One buzz, two, three… finally it stopped.
Xu Youqing had barely let out half a sigh of relief when the text message alert sounded.
She opened it. Only three words:
[Answer the phone.]
Forceful. Not allowing refusal.
Jin Zongmin did things his way, never caring what others thought, and he was decisive in action. If she truly fell out with him, it would only cause more trouble.
After weighing it over, she answered anyway. Afraid Han Zheng might hear, she deliberately turned the call volume down to the lowest setting.
"Hello?" She kept her voice as low as possible.
"Answering a call scares you this much," Jin Zongmin said, a hint of mockery in his tone. "Where's the nerve you had to hang up on me?"
Xu Youqing gripped the phone nervously, asking only, "What is it?"
"You didn't tell me the truth earlier."
Jin Zongmin spoke unhurriedly, like someone teasing a cat about to puff up its fur. "Still mad at me?"
Xu Youqing just wanted to brush it off. "No."
"No, what?" Jin Zongmin pressed, unwilling to let any ambiguity slide.
If she didn't give him the answer he wanted, he wouldn't let it go.
Xu Youqing conceded, saying words she didn't mean: "I'm really not mad."
The moment she finished speaking, Han Zheng turned his head and glanced at her.
Xu Youqing's heart skipped a beat, and an inexplicable sense of guilt rose in her.
She wanted to hang up.
Jin Zongmin's voice came through again:
"This meal—do you absolutely have to go?"
He clearly knew whose car she was sitting in. He knew Han Zheng was right there beside her. He knew answering this call would make her flustered.
He was doing it on purpose.
Jin Zongmin was plainly… toying with her.
A surge of anger at being played rose up. Xu Youqing pressed her lips together, refusing to respond.
The line was silent for two seconds, then his voice came again—not loud, but carrying weight:
"Speak."
Xu Youqing wanted to hold back. She couldn't.
Her voice went cold. "This doesn't seem to have anything to do with you. I'm hanging up."
With that, without waiting for his reaction, she ended the call directly.
Han Zheng found it odd and glanced at her again. "Who was that?"
"…No one. A classmate."
Xu Youqing put her phone back in her bag and gazed out at the blurry rain-soaked scenery. She looked calm on the surface, but her heart was pounding hard.
Fortunately, Jin Zongmin didn't call again.
…
The car fell quiet again. The windshield wipers swept mechanically across the glass, clearing away layer after layer of rain.
"Why would Jin Zongmin attend the launch event?"
Han Zheng asked suddenly.
Xu Youqing watched the street scenes outside the window. "He has a foundation that provides financial support to the university's archaeology projects."
"People like him don't waste money and time on things with no profit to be gained."
Han Zheng said.
"I've heard his foundation has done quite a few public welfare projects. Professor Zou said he's fairly committed to cultural heritage."
That was the one sliver of—if not exactly a change of opinion—a shift in her view of a rich playboy like Jin Zongmin.
Han Zheng let out a light scoff, his tone dismissive:
"Sanctimonious."
"This amount of money means nothing to them? They're more than happy to spend it to gild their own reputations. Philanthropist, cultured patron of the arts—what nice-sounding titles."
Han Zheng glanced at Xu Youqing out of the corner of his eye, his tone carrying a hint of something else. "They might also have other reasons. Youqing, don't be so naive."
Xu Youqing hadn't thought that deeply about it. "Maybe, but from what classmates say, Jin Zongmin is indeed quite generous when it comes to charity spending, and he often shows up in person."
"Are you defending him?"
Han Zheng's voice dropped, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel.
"Why would I defend him?" Xu Youqing turned her face toward him, her tone calm. "I'm just telling you what I heard."
Han Zheng fell silent. When he spoke again, he deliberately steered the topic toward what concerned him more. "How did your things end up at his place?"
"I returned something to him before—it probably fell out of the bag."
Han Zheng knew the two of them had crossed paths because of the porcelain bowl. He didn't press further, not wanting that man's presence to linger any longer between him and Xu Youqing.
The light turned red, and the car slowly came to a stop.
Han Zheng hesitated for a moment, then decided he still wanted to ask Xu Youqing.
"Did my mom… say something to you?"
Xu Youqing hadn't expected him to bring that up out of nowhere.
She sidestepped the weight of it. "Auntie did say a few things, but nothing much."
Han Zheng could roughly guess what had been said.
He looked at Xu Youqing, at the way she swallowed everything down, and felt a pang in his chest. She used to be a girl who would act spoiled in her parents' arms. Ever since they passed, she'd grown much colder and more distant.
"You know my mom—she's blunt and doesn't watch her words. Don't take it to heart."
Xu Youqing forced a faint smile. "I haven't taken it to heart. Actually, what Auntie said… wasn't wrong."
Han Zheng froze.
He found a quiet side street and pulled the car over.
"There's something I want to say to you." Han Zheng's expression turned serious.
Xu Youqing could guess what he was about to say. She also felt that some things needed to be made clear today.
She spoke first, her voice soft but clear. "Han Zheng, I'm actually a pretty boring person. When I get busy, I can't make time for dates, can't keep up with messages, and maybe can't even manage the whole… romance thing."
Xu Youqing paused. "For me, a relationship isn't my top priority. I might not be able to give a boyfriend the emotional support he'd want."
The implication was obvious: if we actually get together, you might regret it.
But Han Zheng just smiled. "That's it?"
He'd thought it was his mother's words that had made Xu Youqing uncomfortable—she'd always had strong pride.
Han Zheng relaxed considerably. "Youqing, how many years have we known each other? Do you think I don't know what kind of person you are?"
As he said this, his gaze settled on her face, intent and focused.
Rain pattered against the windows outside; the dim light inside the car cast a warm glow. The moment their eyes met, the air seemed to hold its breath.
A subtle tension began to bloom between them.
Han Zheng's gaze deepened, and his body unconsciously leaned closer to Xu Youqing.
Inch by inch, the distance shrank, his breath drawing nearer.
Just as he was about to close the gap, Xu Youqing turned her head slightly.
The kiss landed on empty air.
Flustered, she scrambled for an excuse: "Your car… it's so low. I'm not used to sitting in it."
Han Zheng's movement halted, then he let out a soft laugh, taking it as her being shy, unaccustomed to the sudden intimacy.
No matter how much he liked her, until she gave him her answer, he wouldn't dare overstep a single line.
Once, while Xu Youqing was working on English exercises, she'd said a sentence: "You are the apple of my eye."
It meant: you are the person I treasure most.
He remembered that English phrase. To him, Xu Youqing was that apple in his eye—the person he treasured most.
Han Zheng smiled and pulled back. "Fine, I'll bring the company's business van to pick you up later—that one's taller."
"No need. It's not like you're my driver."
"Then…" Han Zheng seized the opening, his gaze burning as he looked at her. "Would you give me the chance to be your 'personal driver'?"
The probing and anticipation in his words were completely undisguised.
Xu Youqing opened her mouth but didn't know how to respond. Just then, Han Zheng's phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID—"Meidi jie."
The phone was connected to Bluetooth, and a gentle female voice sounded in the car, tinged with weakness.
"Ah Zheng, where are you? I'm not feeling well…"
Xu Youqing recognized the voice—it was the "Meidi jie" Fang Dayu had mentioned. She'd met her before; beautiful and capable.
"Where do you feel unwell?" Han Zheng asked.
"The usual problem—stomach ache." Fan Meidi's background noise was a bit chaotic, like she was in a shop. "Manager Qin and the others are here today, and I can barely hold on… When are you coming back?"
Han Zheng glanced at Xu Youqing from the corner of his eye. "Take some medicine first. If it's bad, have Xiao Wang go to the hospital with you."
"That medicine you bought last time worked really well, but I can't find it. Where did you put it?" Fan Meidi asked.
Han Zheng thought for a moment. "In the second drawer on the left side of your living room, in a white medicine box."
Xu Youqing lowered her eyes, her long lashes trembling slightly.
"Forget it, don't push yourself. I'll come back as soon as I can and buy you another box on the way."
Han Zheng sounded a bit worried.
"Okay." Fan Meidi's voice seemed to relax a little. She added a word of caution before hanging up.
After the call ended, Han Zheng looked somewhat apologetic. "Meidi jie has a bad stomach, and she works herself to the bone. There's an important client today, so it looks like our meal…"
"It's fine. Just take me back to school." Xu Youqing spoke up.
There was a moment of silence in the car.
Aside from his mother and younger sister, Xu Youqing had rarely seen Han Zheng be so attentive and patient with anyone.
She couldn't help saying, "It's rare to see you this patient."
The moment the words left her mouth, she didn't know what kind of mentality that was. Had she suddenly realized that Han Zheng was this good to other women too, and felt uncomfortable?
She was somewhat surprised at her own reaction.
Han Zheng froze for a moment, then a glimmer of light flashed through his eyes.
He looked at Xu Youqing's calm, composed face and suddenly smiled, with a hint of delight in it:
"You're jealous?"
"I'm not." Xu Youqing answered too quickly, which only made it seem like she was trying to cover it up.
Han Zheng's smile faded. He looked at her seriously, his voice lowering:
"Youqing, in my eyes, no one can compare to you."
He reached out and gently took the hand Xu Youqing had resting on her knee.
Xu Youqing tried to pull away, but he held on with a little more force.
Han Zheng's gaze was sincere as he continued, "Not in the past, and not in the future."
He had accompanied her through a very difficult time.
After her parents' funeral, Xu Youqing had been taken to her aunt's house, and she never cried in front of anyone again. Han Zheng knew she was hurting inside—she was just holding on, pretending to be well-behaved.
He stood guard downstairs every day. As long as she opened the window, she could see him. As long as she was afraid, she could see that he was always there.
Xu Youqing had seen all of this.
At this moment, his warm hand enveloped hers, and she no longer pulled away.
Han Zheng seized the opportunity, his tone more earnest than ever before: "I know what you're worried about. If you're willing to be with me, I promise I will never interfere with your pursuits or dreams. If you want to study archaeology, restore cultural relics, or go anywhere you want, I'll support you."
Even the coldest stone would eventually be warmed by persistent heat. Xu Youqing appeared strong on the surface, but only she knew how fragile she truly was during those nights when she silently cried.
Sometimes, looking back, she would feel grateful that Han Zheng had always been there, especially when she was on the verge of breaking down.
These feelings she had previously overlooked seemed to be growing stronger lately.
She had never responded to Han Zheng because she wasn't sure, and because she valued this friendship too much. She was afraid of losing it, afraid that if she made even the slightest misstep, they wouldn't even be able to remain friends.
After losing her parents, she thought nothing could make her fear loss anymore, but that wasn't true—she seemed to want to hold on to everything even more tightly.
Her hand was held in Han Zheng's, warmth gradually seeping through.
Life was never without risks. Would she push away this certain warmth because of a little uncertainty and anxiety over what might be lost?
In the end, she didn't pull away again.
Han Zheng felt Xu Youqing's subtle concession, and his heart surged with joy.
He called Fang Dayu, settled the matters at hand, and let Xu Youqing enjoy their meal with peace of mind.
…
After the meal, when he drove Xu Youqing back to school, the rain had already stopped.
The two got out of the car and walked toward the school gate. Han Zheng tentatively reached for Xu Youqing's hand.
She didn't dodge.
His eyes were filled with delight. "Then… I'll take that as your agreement!"
With that, Han Zheng gave her no chance to change her mind or hesitate. He turned around and ran back to his car.
He rolled down the window, waved at her, and the sports car quickly disappeared into the neon lights.
Xu Youqing pressed a hand to her slightly flushed face, then turned and walked inside.
At the same time, in a private club in the city.
Jin Zongmin sat at the east end of the card table, a cigarette held between his fingers, though he barely smoked it, letting the ash accumulate into a long, untouched column…