The cynicism on Chi Ze Rui's face vanished the moment he saw the message.
The beauties flanking him weren't pleased. They pressed against him again, cooing, "What's wrong, darling? Is your girlfriend checking up on you?"
"As if! When has the God of Cars ever cared about a girlfriend?" a handsome guy beside him chimed in with a laugh.
"Exactly, exactly," other guys joined the banter.
Everyone present knew Chi Ze Rui didn't care about Hao Luo'er at all, even if she held the title of his official girlfriend. He did as he pleased, always surrounded by women, even if Hao Luo'er showed up in person.
"Since that's the case, shall we continue at the hotel?" The beauty on Chi Ze Rui's right boldly slipped a room key card, intending to put it in his pocket.
But the moment her fingers brushed against him, he shoved her away forcefully.
"Scram."
The ice-faced youth walked towards his car without looking back, his steps unusually hurried.
"What's going on?" The group of guys who often hung out with Chi Ze Rui were stunned.
A closer guy reached out to steady the beauty who nearly fell, asking curiously, "Did you see his phone screen just now?"
The beauty shook her head. "It was in Chinese. I couldn't understand it."
A group exchanged bewildered glances, all puzzled. In their impressions, Chi Ze Rui was always unhurried, never displaying such obvious emotions.
"Did something happen back home?" someone guessed.
The others paused for a second and said in unison, "Why don't we follow him and see?"
...
Villa district.
As Chi Ze Rui drove home, Chi Ye called. His tone was sharp.
"I know you have informants in the capital, but I'm telling you, don't even think about coming back. This matter isn't something you can handle. Stay put abroad! Do you hear me?"
Chi Ze Rui put a cigarette in his mouth, biting down on it without lighting it. He slammed the car door shut, leaning against it, his voice lazy. "What if I have to go back?"
Chi Ye scoffed. "You can try. See whose wings are tougher, yours or my influence." He paused, fearing the rebellious streak in him wouldn't heed his warning, and added, "If you're really worried, I'll report to you twenty-four hours a day. If you're still uneasy, you can have Luo'er come back to keep an eye on things."
Chi Ze Rui glanced at the girl busy in the kitchen. "If she can go back, why can't I?"
"You?" Chi Ye snorted. "Don't I know your temper? You'll only cause trouble if you come back."
Chi Ze Rui fell silent. He hung up the phone, lit his cigarette, and smoked it slowly, much slower than usual.
Hao Luo'er, finished with her chores, finally noticed Chi Ze Rui at the courtyard entrance and ran out. "Lunch is ready. It's all your favorites."
The once pampered Miss Hao, now wore an apron and cooked for him. She didn't even ask where he'd just come from, willingly playing the role of a supportive wife.
Chi Ze Rui, his mind a complex swirl, flicked the cigarette butt away and crushed it under his foot. "Find someone better suited for you. I'm not the right person for you."
Watching his decisive back, Hao Luo'er's eyes stung.
As she stepped inside, Chi Ye's call came again.
Chi Ze Rui answered impatiently, "Regardless, I must go back to the country!"
"Oh." Chi Ye was remarkably calm. "Your passport has already been burned by my people. My connections control all sea, land, and air routes in Country Y. If you go, you'll be walking into a trap, you little brat. You can't fight against your elders. You..." He chuckled playfully. "Just stay put abroad." With that, he hung up, just as Chi Ze Rui had hung up on him earlier.
Chi Ze Rui was speechless. He was quite vengeful. Pocketing his phone, he continued upstairs.
Hao Luo'er stood at the doorway and said calmly, "Your uncle wasn't bluffing. Your passport was indeed taken by his people, half an hour before you returned." The call had been on speaker, and she had heard everything clearly.
Chi Ze Rui spun around, his gaze as cold as a snake's. "Why didn't you stop them?!"
His tone was accusatory. Hao Luo'er gave a bitter smile. "Do you care about her that much? You know even your uncle yields to the Fu family, and you still rush to stir up trouble? Chi Ze Rui, if not for yourself, you should at least consider the Chi family, right?"
"What's it to you?" Chi Ze Rui's face turned extremely grim.
Hao Luo'er's heart pricked, feeling a strange sense of retribution. But seeing him slouched on the stairs, almost defeated, she softened. "What are you planning to do?" she asked, sitting beside him. "Why don't I go back to the country?"
Chi Ze Rui didn't reply, his eyes downcast, lost in thought. Hao Luo'er couldn't stand seeing him like this and also felt her actions were wrong. She had the opportunity to stop them or swap the passport. But selfishly, she didn't want him to go back, so she watched them take it. Now, in hindsight, she regretted it, and she was also worried about Wen Tingxue's situation. "I'll pack my things right now!" Without waiting for his response, she stood up and headed upstairs.
A short while later, a group appeared at the entrance – Chi Ze Rui's usual crowd of friends. "What's up, Rui?" "Did you run into some really tough trouble?" "Tell us about it, maybe we can help." Seeing Chi Ze Rui so downcast, the guys were initially stunned, then they started offering comfort in a flurry of words. Chi Ze Rui remained silent, not even looking up.
Until Hao Luo'er came down carrying a suitcase. Seeing so many people, she instinctively asked them to sit. Then she realized she was leaving and wouldn't be able to host them. So she smiled and said, "Sorry, I have a flight to catch. You guys, make yourselves at home." She walked past Chi Ze Rui with her suitcase, not looking back.
The group of guys exchanged bewildered looks. "Did they... break up?" "No way? After taking care of Chi Ze Rui so devotedly for so long, she's giving up so easily?"
Watching Hao Luo'er leave, everyone turned to look at the stoic Chi Ze Rui. After about half a minute of silence, the guys started pulling at his arms and legs. "Hurry up and chase her!" "Why are you spacing out here? If you can't bear to let her go, go after her!" "Can you act like a man!" "What about pride at a time like this? Luo'er is such a good girl. If you don't like her, plenty of others are waiting!"
Chi Ze Rui irritably brushed them off, ran a hand through his hair, and turned towards the kitchen. The group followed him, watching him take a cold beer from the fridge and down half of it in a few gulps. But he still showed no intention of chasing after her.
...
Back home in China.
Que You couldn't even bother to eat, speeding back to the apartment. Yu Wenli called Xing Jiahe to help. He was determined to recover the data from the computer before dawn.
Wen Tingxue sat by the bay window upon arriving home, not wanting to eat. She hugged her knees, staring blankly out the window. It was as if she was deep in thought, or perhaps thinking of nothing at all. Yu Wenli gently tried to persuade her a few times and even attempted to feed her, but to no avail. When he tried to carry her to bed to rest, she refused.
"You have to believe us. We'll definitely recover the evidence and clear your name," even the usually inarticulate Xing Jiahe said to comfort her.
Wen Tingxue gave a faint smile and nodded, "Okay." And that was that.
Xing Jiahe looked at Yu Wenli helplessly. Honestly, he had never seen her so stubborn. Yu Wenli took a deep breath and crouched in front of her, coaxing her softly, "We'll be right outside. If you get hungry, just call us, okay?"
"Okay." She still smiled and agreed. Yu Wenli had never seen her wrap herself up so tightly. It was as if no one could touch her inner self. Yu Wenli felt suffocated, almost to the point of exploding, but he maintained a smile and coaxed her, "Then we're going to fix the computer. You sit here obediently, and call us if you need anything, alright?"
"Okay." The same response, like a lifelike robot. In that moment, Yu Wenli could almost hear a buzzing in his head. Suppressing the churning emotions, he took away all the dangerous items in the room. The moment the door closed, Yu Wenli's expression darkened.
"What's going on? Is Xiao Sǎozi seriously ill?" Que You dared not voice the second part of the sentence. Yu Wenli tested his right wrist, fixed in a cast, his voice very cold. "She's blaming herself."
"Blaming herself?!" Que You and Xing Jiahe exclaimed in unison.
Wen Tingxue banged her head against her knees, her head throbbing. Her right hand, dangling by her side, fumbled, trying to turn off her phone screen. Accidentally, she tapped "Do Not Disturb," and the WeChat notification sounds kept ringing, aggravating her headache. Just as she was about to shut it down completely, a call came in.
Wen Tingxue, eyes closed, answered without looking. "Hello? Is this, Tingxue?" The amplified voice was quite loud in the quiet room. And... familiar? Wen Tingxue mustered her strength and looked up. The caller ID displayed only two words: Wen Di.
After a long absence, the name surfaced. Wen Tingxue, momentarily dazed, replied, "It's me. Hello, Teacher Wen." Hearing her voice, Wen Di sighed with relief and smiled. "I almost thought you changed your number." Compared to his cautious demeanor before, his tone now was clearly much more joyful.
Wen Tingxue really didn't have the energy to deal with him, but he was an elder and had taught her before. She had to be respectful. "May I ask, Teacher, why are you calling?" she asked, trying her best to keep her tone calm, even though she was on the verge of a breakdown.
Wen Di seemed to sense something. He paused for a moment and said, "It's nothing serious, I just suddenly felt like chatting with you."
The moment she heard this, the tears Wen Tingxue had been holding back fell. She remembered the instructor's words posted in the group chat when he left – "I will always believe that no experience in life is superfluous. Meeting you all and leading you must be a special kind of fate." Indeed. Everyone you meet on your life's journey, every experience you go through, will eventually become fuel for your progress, or armor for your forward charge.
Meanwhile, in Country Y.
Chi Ze Rui, who had been drinking several kinds of liquor like beverages, suddenly stood up. The person next to him, startled, asked, "Where are you going?"