When Ruan Sixian came out of the elevator again, Fu Mingyu’s car had just driven out of her sight.

Looking in the direction of the departing car, Ruan Sixian was lost in thought for a moment.

During that minute, she considered when she might have time to get a driver’s license and buy a car, to avoid waiting in the sun on such scorching days.

There was no choice. June’s temperature had risen too quickly, giving people no time to adjust, and Jiang City was a furnace of a city where these high temperatures would last until October.

Only the security booth’s eaves provided shade from the sun, so Ruan Sixian stood there waiting for her car.

She had just settled in when someone appeared beside her.

At first, she only caught a glimpse of a familiar uniform. Turning to look, they both froze for a moment.

Ni Tong, pulling her flight suitcase, made eye contact with Ruan Sixian for a second, then looked away.

After a few minutes of silence, Ruan Sixian spoke first.

“You live here too?”

“…No.” Ni Tong’s eyes darted around, avoiding Ruan Sixian’s gaze. “My friend lives here.”

Ruan Sixian responded with an “Oh” and fell silent again.

Shortly after, Ruan Sixian’s phone showed her car would arrive soon, and she could go to the corner to wait.

Before leaving, she glanced back at Ni Tong. “Did you get a car?”

Hearing this, Ni Tong checked her phone. It was morning rush hour, and she was still in the queue with more than forty people ahead of her.

“…No.”

“Come on then.” Just as Ruan Sixian’s car arrived, she waved to Ni Tong. “If you keep waiting, you’ll probably be late again.”

“…I won’t. I’m two hours early today.”

“Fine then.” Ruan Sixian walked forward. “Stay and get sunburned.”

Although the eaves blocked direct sunlight, they couldn’t prevent UV rays.

As flight crew who worked at high altitudes, they were especially careful about sun protection, otherwise their skin would age quickly.

Ni Tong hesitated for two seconds between waiting in the blazing sun and sharing Ruan Sixian’s car, then quietly followed with her suitcase.

Yesterday she had checked this week’s flight assignments, and coincidentally, next week there was a chartered flight for national team athletes. She and Ruan Sixian happened to be scheduled for that flight.

They would have to work together anyway, so what was the point of maintaining this awkwardness?

In the car, they sat at opposite ends, neither speaking.

Ruan Sixian looked down at her phone while Ni Tong secretly glanced at her several times.

Ni Tong was still bothered by the elevator incident, but since they had to work together in a couple of days, she needed to ease the tension beforehand.

What should she say…

Ni Tong licked her lips and suddenly asked, “Are you pursuing Chairman Fu?”

“…”

Ruan Sixian looked up, not at Ni Tong, but directly addressed the driver: “Driver, please pull over. Someone needs to get out.”

“Hey, hey!”

Ni Tong panicked. “There’s nothing around here! How can you be like this?”

“This is how I am.” Ruan Sixian glanced at her. “Either be quiet or get out.”

Ni Tong was furious but didn’t dare express it. She moved closer to the door, thinking she shouldn’t have gotten in this car.

They remained silent until they got out. Ni Tong lifted her suitcase, looked back, and saw Ruan Sixian had already walked far away.

“What kind of person…”

Ni Tong dragged her suitcase and angrily followed, parting ways with Ruan Sixian at the elevator.

Ruan Sixian was off duty today but had a safety lecture that all pilots and mechanics not on flights had to attend.

Many people were resentful about their rest time being occupied. The lecture was boring, with the expert rambling on for several hours. By the time it finally ended, it was already noon, and even taking a nap wasn’t possible anymore.

During the lecture, Ruan Sixian sat next to a mechanic and chatted quietly, discovering they had attended the same high school.

The mechanic was a few grades ahead; he had already graduated when Ruan Sixian was in her first year.

“Are you going back after lunch? Or would you like to go to the cafeteria together?” the mechanic asked as they left.

Ruan Sixian declined, “I have something to do this afternoon.”

“Alright then.”

Ruan Sixian always walked with her eyes straight ahead. As she approached the elevator, the mechanic suddenly grabbed her wrist.

“What—”

Before she could finish, Ruan Sixian saw a group of people approaching the elevator from the other side.

Leading them was Fu Mingyu. With one hand in his pocket and his back slightly hunched, he looked down at the iPad Bai Yang held in front of him. His pace was unhurried, followed by seven or eight people with serious expressions.

Pulled back by the mechanic, Ruan Sixian stepped back to make their way to the elevator entrance.

She watched as Fu Mingyu passed in front of her, entered the elevator, and turned to face outside. His gaze remained cold and indifferent, showing no change even as the elevator doors closed.

Well, good.

Ruan Sixian thought he’d finally calmed down.

After leaving the World Airlines building, Ruan Sixian took a taxi, passing a familiar flower shop on the way, and asked the driver to stop briefly.

She got out and walked to the flower shop entrance. The owner immediately greeted her: “Buying flowers?”

“Tie me a bouquet of lilies,” Ruan Sixian said. “Good blooming ones, please.”

“All our flowers bloom well.”

The shop had ready-made lily bouquets. The owner picked one for Ruan Sixian. “One hundred and fifty-eight, I’ll charge you one hundred and fifty.”

“Fine, thank you.”

Taking the flowers back to the car, the driver turned and asked, “Going to visit someone from the past?”

Ruan Sixian closed her eyes and gave a soft “Mm.”

The car slowly headed toward the suburbs.

The mountain road was rugged. The driver drove slowly, and it took nearly an hour of swaying to reach the destination.

After getting out of the car, Ruan Sixian walked into the cemetery with familiarity and found the grave.

Actually, when she was still several meters away, she already noticed a bouquet of flowers placed in front of the tombstone. As she got closer, sure enough, there was a fresh bouquet of lilies.

Ruan Sixian bent down, picked up that bouquet, and threw it behind the tombstone.

The moment the flowers hit the ground, several petals scattered on the ground.

Ruan Sixian looked at the flowers, sighed, then picked them up and put them back in front of the tombstone, placing her bouquet next to it.

She took a newspaper from her bag, spread it on the ground, sat cross-legged on it, and stared at the photo on the tombstone for a long time.

In the photo, the man smiled gently, his eyes tender, his features handsome. He had the same narrow eyes, and high bridge of the nose, and even the curve of his lips matched Ruan Sixian’s.

Ruan Sixian sat for quite a while before taking a small box from her bag and holding it in her palm.

“Dad, these are my shoulder stripes.”

She opened the box and placed it in front of the tombstone.

“Now it’s three stripes, and in two more years, it will be four.”

After saying a few words, she didn’t know what else to say, and Ruan Sixian fell silent again.

Several minutes later, she spoke again: “It’s such a pity you never rode on a plane. If you had held on for a few more years, you might have flown on a plane I was piloting, and I could have taken you abroad.”

The sun was blazing, and even the wind was hot, but in this desolate cemetery, there was always a sense of coolness.

Ruan Sixian sat with her head down for a long time. A few leaves fell beside her feet.

She picked them up and pinched them, then said: “Dad, even though an airplane is so big, once it’s in the sky, it’s about the same as these leaves. You don’t know, last week we had to return to the airport once, and we almost hit a cumulonimbus cloud. Luckily the captain was skilled and successfully navigated around it, but it still almost scared me to death. That thing was terrifying.”

The wind rustled through the weeds, making a “shasha” sound.

Ruan Sixian’s voice became somewhat hoarse. “Also, the wind has been particularly strong at night these past few days, howling outside the windows. I always feel like a thief is climbing over the wall to get in, even though I live on a high floor now, and there are security guards in the community. But I still think I’m back at our old place, where thieves often climbed through windows to steal things.”

“Well, let’s not talk about this. You don’t even know what a cumulonimbus cloud is.” Ruan Sixian rubbed her eyes and took out a book from her bag. “Let me read some poems to you.”

Paper offerings from another family’s tribute were scattered by the wind and landed on Ruan Sixian, but she didn’t notice. Her fine, hoarse voice continued intermittently in the cemetery.

The wind behind her never ceased, and the trees never stilled. The clouds in the sky gathered and dispersed. The bright sun gradually withdrew its radiance, silently setting behind the western mountains as time dictated.

When the clock pointed to seven, an entire afternoon had passed. Two elderly people responsible for cleaning carried brooms, wandering around. The sound of their cloth shoes stepping on the grass was audible.

Meanwhile, at the Jiang City State Banquet Hotel, stars and lights shone, reflecting each other. Four waiters in tuxedos stood in sequence outside the dark golden main door, raising their white-gloved hands to guide guests into a splendid interior.

Inside, the lights were brilliant. Fresh light pink lilies were everywhere, either wrapped around columns, blooming on tables or clustered beside pastries. The room was colorful, with cello and piano music floating continuously. The guests’ conversation was lively but orderly, creating a wonderfully harmonious atmosphere.

A black Bentley slowly stopped at the entrance. Two waiters immediately came forward, opening the left and right doors respectively.

Fu Mingyu got out first and waited briefly, and then He Lanxiang came from the other side, holding his arm as they walked in led by the tuxedoed staff.

Before He Lanxiang’s foot crossed the threshold, her gaze surveyed the room, catching today’s main character.

He Lanxiang hummed softly: “I knew it. She’s wearing plain clothes again, standing there appearing frail and delicate, using minimal effort for maximum effect, making me look like a gaudy peacock with my heavy makeup.”

Fu Mingyu raised his hand to help her up the steps, not looking at the person in He Lanxiang’s sights.

He Lanxiang held up the hem of her lake-blue haute couture fishtail dress, moving gracefully forward.

The mother and son’s appearance immediately attracted the attention of many guests, and the hosts naturally noticed them too.

Seeing Dong Xian walking toward her, He Lanxiang said quietly, “She’s not even wearing lipstick today. It looks more like my wedding anniversary.”

Fu Mingyu looked straight ahead but softly said, “If you dislike her so much, don’t attend her banquets in the future.”

“That won’t do. My gallery still needs to collaborate with her.”

After saying this, He Lanxiang’s expression changed completely. Wearing a smile, she went forward to greet her. “Mrs. Zheng! Your dress today is so beautiful!”

Seeing this, Fu Mingyu rubbed his brow and stepped forward to follow.

After exchanging pleasantries with He Lanxiang, Dong Xian looked toward Fu Mingyu beside her. “I received the necklace you sent. I like it very much. Thank you for your thoughtfulness.”

“What thoughtfulness!” He Lanxiang continued. “I picked it out. He doesn’t understand these things.”

Fu Mingyu nodded beside her, agreeing with what his mother said.

After the greetings, He Lanxiang and Fu Mingyu had different social circles and naturally went their separate ways.

A waiter with a tray passed by Fu Mingyu. He took a glass, turned around, and caught a glimpse of Dong Xian standing beside He Lanxiang. For a moment, he was dazed.

He focused his gaze, and from her profile, he saw the shadow of another person, rippling in his heart, ultimately transforming into a sense of irritation.

That irritation had been appearing frequently these days — when he closed his eyes to rest when he ate alone — elusive and unfathomable, even more oppressive than this muggy weather.

On the other side, He Lanxiang watched as a young woman gracefully approached Dong Xian and said with a smile, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen You’an. I didn’t see her at the last exhibition either. Where has she been?”

Dong Xian, with Zheng You’an’s arm linked with hers, sighed, “She’s grown up and can’t stay at home anymore. She’s always going out. During the last exhibition, she went to Australia with her teacher for inspiration. She just returned yesterday.”

“That’s how it is when children grow up.” He Lanxiang pointed toward Fu Mingyu in front. “Mine is the same. He hardly stays at home a few days all year. Look, next week he’s going to Spain on a business trip again. Who knows how long he’ll be gone.”

Hearing this, Zheng You’an asked, “He’s going to Spain next week?”

“Yes, why?”

Zheng You’an pursed her lips without saying anything. Dong Xian looked up at Fu Mingyu and said, “You’an is also going to Spain next week, but this time she’s not going with her teacher. She’s going alone, and we can’t stop her.”

“That’s nice.” He Lanxiang looked Zheng You’an up and down, thinking that her son flew around all the time, so what was there to stop? But what she said was, “You’an studies photography. She’ll be traveling all over the world in the future. You’ll get used to it.”

Dong Xian said, “She’s still a girl. We’ve never let her go so far alone. It’s hard not to worry.”

He Lanxiang didn’t have a daughter and couldn’t understand Dong Xian’s feelings. She could only respond casually, “There’s nothing to worry about. There are drivers to pick up and drop off everywhere. It’s very safe.”

Since the conversation had come this far, Dong Xian asked casually, “How is Fu Mingyu going?”

Fu Mingyu was going to inspect the Spanish branch office, and with many people accompanying him, naturally, they would be taking a private flight.

Hearing this, Dong Xian suggested that they could take Zheng You’an along, which would give her peace of mind.

It wasn’t a big deal, and regardless of what He Lanxiang thought, she had to agree on the spot.

Only afterward did she worry a bit, fearing Fu Mingyu would be unhappy and blame her for making decisions without consulting him.

But when Fu Mingyu learned about this, he showed no particular emotion.

It was just one more person, carrying an extra piece of luggage. He wouldn’t spare a thought for such a trivial matter.

Early Wednesday morning of the second week, Ruan Sixian pulled her flight suitcase and strode forward, with the entire crew walking quickly.

Since it was a chartered flight, they needed to board the business terminal, and while there were no random passengers on the way, the distance was longer.

Ni Tong led the cabin crew, struggling to keep up, and muttered from behind, “Why are we walking so fast…”

To her surprise, Ruan Sixian heard this comment and turned to look at her: “Are your legs too short?”

Ni Tong’s eyes widened when she heard this. “I’m 1.7 meters tall without shoes, okay!”

“I’m also 1.7 meters,” Ruan Sixian said. “How am I so much faster than you? Isn’t it because your legs are short?”

Ni Tong couldn’t refute this and was too angry to speak. She could only force a stiff smile.

Her expression made Ruan Sixian laugh. She slowed down to walk beside her, unconsciously adopting the habit she’d learned from the boys at Flight Academy about teasing girls: “Have you measured your proportions? Is your leg length 100 centimeters?”

“Mine is 101!”

“No way. I’d say at most 95.”

Ni Tong turned her head away, rolling her eyes, ignoring her.

After saying this, Ruan Sixian stopped teasing her.

The group walked to a corner and suddenly saw seven or eight people approaching from the front.

Although they were still about ten meters apart, Ruan Sixian recognized from afar that the person walking in front was Fu Mingyu.

That air of “heaven is big, earth is big, but I am the biggest” could only belong to him.

The only unusual thing was the woman beside him.

She wore a nude pink dress, with flowing long hair, and a white woven hat on her head, looking ready for a vacation.

Ruan Sixian pursed her lips.

Going out with a woman but bringing so many people — wasn’t he worried about all those third wheels?

She thought he had been busy lately, as she couldn’t even see his shadow, but it turned out he was accompanying a woman. No wonder he looked somewhat haggard recently. He was probably truly exhausted.

As the two groups got closer, their gazes collided. Ruan Sixian nonchalantly looked away, pretending not to see, the corner of her mouth curling into a mocking smile.

Unfortunately, the captain in front stopped to greet Fu Mingyu, so Ruan Sixian had to stop as well.

The moment she looked at Fu Mingyu, from the corner of her eye, she glimpsed Zheng You’an beside him.

Then her expression froze, and the curve of her lips gradually collapsed.

Zheng You’an was very thin, with a slender neck adorned by a lustrous pink diamond, making her skin appear even more fair and delicate. Beneath her dress were bird-like legs in thin high heels, exuding a fragile beauty that marked her as a princess raised in the palm of someone’s hand.

Ruan Sixian’s gaze flickered slightly. She pressed her lips tightly, suppressing the sourness in her heart. She wanted to look away but couldn’t help but examine her.

This was the first time she had seen Zheng You’an in person.

Previously, she would occasionally browse through her Weibo, looking at her daily life.

It felt somewhat like voyeurism, and Ruan Sixian had always deeply buried this dark aspect of herself.

She wanted to see if her mother, who had gone to be someone else’s mother, was doing a good job.

The evidence proved that she always did well.

Zheng You’an must have accepted Dong Xian early on and received the maternal love she was missing from her.

Seeing her post photos of traveling abroad, pictures with her cats and dogs at home, photos of birthday parties — that’s why she could recognize her at first sight today.

Ruan Sixian was lost in thought for too long. Even Zheng You’an noticed her gaze lingering on her and unconsciously took a step back.

Fu Mingyu, who had been briefly chatting with the captain, seemed to sense something and looked at Ruan Sixian, just as she forcibly averted her gaze.

But Ruan Sixian didn’t want him to notice anything, so she turned her head away, looking into the distance.

However, at that moment when their gazes crossed, he still saw the complex emotions in Ruan Sixian’s eyes.

After a few words, the two groups headed to their respective boarding gates.

After walking a few steps, Fu Mingyu suddenly looked back and saw that Ruan Sixian, who always stood tall, now had a somewhat lonely silhouette.

“What’s wrong?” Zheng You’an asked.

“Nothing.” Fu Mingyu turned and continued walking.

They boarded the plane and climbed to cruising altitude.

All the employees traveling to Spain together were attending to their duties; even on the plane, they weren’t idle.

The only one with nothing to do was Fu Mingyu.

There were many materials in front of him, but he couldn’t focus on them.

In his mind was Ruan Sixian’s expression as she looked at Zheng You’an.

And her silhouette.

Suddenly, music from beside him interrupted Fu Mingyu’s thoughts.

Zheng You’an covered her iPad and apologized, “I’m sorry, the earphones weren’t plugged in properly.”

Fu Mingyu’s gaze swept across her face.

A moment later, he suddenly understood.

The frustration that had been bottled up in his chest instantly vanished.

After a while, he picked up his phone and forwarded a news article to Ruan Sixian.

At this time, Ruan Sixian’s flight had not yet taken off.

The news was a heavy rain warning for the place where Ruan Sixian was about to land.

A few minutes later.

[Fu Mingyu]: Remember to bring an umbrella.

Ruan Sixian: Chairman Fu, you’re going out with your girlfriend but still caring about me. Isn’t that inappropriate?

Seeing this message, Fu Mingyu finally confirmed what he had been thinking.

A light snort escaped through his nose as he smiled, curling his lips.