The next day, Xun Xun got off at her usual stop, arriving at the company slightly later than Chi Cheng. As soon as she pushed open the glass door, she immediately sensed something unusual. Most of the colleagues who had already arrived were standing and watching, their attention focused on Sun Yi Fan’s office, where two uniformed police officers were speaking with Zhou Rui Sheng, who stood respectfully to the side.
Xun Xun walked into the finance office, unable to hide her shock. Only she and Old Wang were inside. Before she could ask, Old Wang had already lowered his voice mysteriously, “Have you heard about what happened at the company? Everyone’s saying Manager Sun was secretly selling company pharmaceuticals. The shipments he sent to Ji Shun ended up in his own hands – the distributors knew nothing about it. Now someone’s reported it, and they’ve filed a case. I heard it’s quite a large sum; he might even go to prison.”
“Where is he?” Xun Xun asked.
“Two other officers took him away. Do you know what these two staying behind are here for?”
Xun Xun didn’t need to guess – she soon got her answer. Just as they were speaking, Chen Zhou appeared at the company entrance carrying milk and a sandwich. The two police officers, following Zhou Rui Sheng’s identification, went to meet her, saying they needed her to come with them to “assist with the investigation.”
This caused an even bigger stir in the company, with colleagues whispering among themselves.
Before being taken away, Chen Zhou was asked to return to her office to gather relevant materials. Xun Xun and Old Wang, as department members, also helped with the work under the supervision of the two officers.
Chen Zhou’s face was ashen, but she showed little panic or surprise. She tried to stuff a stack of paper documents into a file folder – a simple action that she failed at several times, with some pages eventually falling from the folder’s edge to the floor.
Xun Xun, being closest, quickly crouched down to help pick them up, and Chen Zhou bent down as well.
This scene was so reminiscent of when Xun Xun first reported for work, though the circumstances were now entirely different.
Chen Zhou refused Xun Xun’s help, picking up the documents herself.
“Feel free to enjoy the show. I don’t need anyone’s sympathy.” Even now, her strong personality remained unchanged.
Though Xun Xun and Chen Zhou had no personal relationship beyond work, they had always gotten along well. Seeing someone she had shared an office with daily come to such an end made Xun Xun’s heart ache.
“You knew he was just using you.”
Chen Zhou had worked in finance for many years; her understanding of its intricacies was no less than any expert’s. No one could deceive her except herself.
She turned to Xun Xun with self-mockery, “As they say: one willing to hit, one willing to take the blow. He and I simply exchanged what we had most of and what was most useless to us – you can hardly call that exploitation.”
What did Chen Zhou have the most of? Endless work. And Sun Yi Fan? What he had in abundance was affection.
Xun Xun asked softly, “Was it worth it?”
Chen Zhou finished gathering her things and managed to force a smile at Xun Xun, “This time, his name and mine are finally written together.”
Xun Xun recalled the phrase “a thousand sails pass by the sunken ship.” Indeed, Sun Yi Fan was no longer just a passing sail beside Chen Zhou’s ship. She had given everything to follow his wind, and now with both ship and sail sunk, anyone who mentioned his past would remember her name. In some form, she had achieved the possession she longed for.
After the police left, the office staff still hadn’t recovered from their shock, excitement, or lingering fear. No one had expected such a dramatic scene on the last day of the Spring Festival holiday. Zhou Rui Sheng was loudly telling someone, “I always knew he had ill intentions. People who bite the hand that feeds them and are disloyal to the company never come to a good end!”
Others continued whispering until Chi Cheng walked out of his office. Only then did they pretend to return to their posts, heads down, each attending to their own work.
He walked through the center of the office into the finance department, now in disarray with only two people remaining. At first, he said nothing, expressionlessly looking left and right, making everyone inside and out uneasy.
Old Wang, being more experienced due to his age, initially kept his head down organizing things, but suddenly seemed to realize something. Muttering to himself, he found an excuse to leave the finance room.
Xun Xun didn’t know what Chi Cheng meant by this, only seeing him lean against what used to be Chen Zhou’s desk, smiling happily at her.
“Now are you relieved that I wasn’t helping count money while being sold out?” he said.
However, Xun Xun’s mixed feelings could hardly be summarized by the word “relieved.”
Seeing no one around, while keeping busy with her work, she said quietly, “So you knew this day would come. This is what you wanted to see.”
“Shouldn’t I be happy? I helped my father and his wife clean out a pest and an insider at the same time. Everyone should applaud enthusiastically.”
“Why did you wait until this particular moment?”
Chi Cheng made a disappointed expression. “I thought you would ask me today when I first saw you. But since you asked this instead, I promised I wouldn’t hide anything from you.” He was like a child showing off his favorite creation. “Why not wait until this moment? Though Sun wasn’t doing this for the first time, why should I bother with those small scattered shipments? Report to headquarters just to have them scold him and then protect him? At most he’d be dismissed – what use would that be? If we’re going to act, we should wait until he makes one big move. At least now the amount is enough to keep him inside for a few years, and when he gets out, he won’t be able to work in this industry anymore. This is called striking the snake at its vital point – when dealing with a drowning dog, you must ensure it can never resurface!”
“How did you know Sun Yi Fan would make a big move before the New Year?”
“Nothing special – I just heard his father was sick, and ‘coincidentally’ the branch office adjusted its distribution system. His bonuses and commissions wouldn’t be paid until after the New Year. Given his contempt for me, I knew he would never come to ask me directly.”
“Now you’ve got Chen Zhou as an extra bonus – two birds with one stone. Couldn’t be more profitable, could it?”
“You and I together – it would be against all natural law!” Chi Cheng laughed openly.
Xun Xun thought of Chen Zhou and sighed, feeling a chill down her spine. What if she had been confused at that time and signed her own name on Sun Yi Fan’s shipping orders?
Seeing her hesitation, Chi Cheng comforted her, “Don’t worry about her. She knew what she was doing. People always have to pay for their foolishness.”
Xun Xun said, “She wasn’t foolish, she just loved Sun Yi Fan too much.”
“Not foolish? Xun Xun, would you recklessly do something stupid for a man?” He had already answered for her, “You wouldn’t! See, that’s what I like about you, and also what I hate about you.”
He straightened up and stretched. “Now that the pre-holiday cleanup is done, everyone can have a peaceful New Year.” He moved closer, playfully grabbing Xun Xun’s hand with natural intimacy. “What do you think those people secretly watching us are thinking?”
Xun Xun panicked and tried to withdraw her hand, but quickly realized there was no point – the curious onlookers had already gotten their answer. She hadn’t expected her relationship with Chi Cheng to be exposed to others in this way. Since joining Yao Kai, although they had maintained countless subtle connections, except for Zhou Rui Sheng, none of their colleagues had noticed anything suspicious, including Sun Yi Fan. This wasn’t just because they were both good at pretending, but largely because people had never connected them.
Someone like Chi Cheng, as long as he hid his peacock behind and displayed his beautiful tail feathers, couldn’t help but attract attention. But, among both clients and colleagues, very few women had any real designs on him.
An apple at the treetop, no matter how red and tempting, rarely occupies people’s thoughts. Everyone has their internal scale – the cost of climbing up is too high, and the probability of success too low. They prefer those they can reach by stretching their arms or jumping a bit, which taste pretty good too. It’s best to let the reddest apple hang high on its branch, but if it happens to fall and hits Newton, that’s one thing – who could believe it would wake up that drowsy housewife napping under the tree?
“What are you trying to do?” Xun Xun felt both uneasy and embarrassed.
Chi Cheng said, “I can’t think of any reason to keep sneaking around together. Don’t think I don’t know – you’re afraid people will think you reported Chen Zhou and Sun Yi Fan. Don’t worry, because they’ll think that eventually anyway, so we might as well be straightforward about it. Now that everyone knows about our relationship, it won’t be so easy for you to abandon me.”
Xun Xun gritted her teeth, “You’re too good to me.”
“I’ll keep trying harder,” Chi Cheng replied modestly. “Well, let’s get through this exciting day.”
“Don’t go. I haven’t asked yet – when exactly did you first see me?”
Chi Cheng’s lips curved upward, “You’ve already asked me many questions today, you’ve used up your quota.”
Seeing Xun Xun’s annoyed expression made him very happy.
“Don’t rush, I’ll tell you tomorrow when we’re up on the mountain.”
Gu Yang Mountain Forest Park is located 180 kilometers from the city center, a locally renowned scenic spot historically famous for its Taoist culture. Though it boasted spectacular views with “spring flowers, summer clouds, autumn leaves, and winter snow” throughout the year, its extended mountain range, steep and treacherous paths winding like sheep intestines had left countless visitors sighing at its base. For years, few tourists ventured up except for local villagers, some passionate photographers, backpackers, or devout believers brave enough to risk the climb. Tourism development only began in recent years, after a luxurious health resort was built at the main peak and roads were improved. Only then did tourists gradually increase, with various scenic spots being discovered one after another. Many came attracted by its reputation, viewing the mountain’s spiritual atmosphere as medicine to cleanse urban troubles.
Although Xun Xun had known about this mountain since childhood, she had never visited. Given her personality, she naturally felt more secure in the ordinary human world. But Chi Cheng was determined to take her up the mountain, saying he wanted to find a special place to spend an unforgettable Spring Festival with her.
The process of moving from hesitation to persuasion was difficult for both of them. Spring Festival is the biggest Chinese holiday of the year, though Xun Xun was divorced, she still had a mother. Even with their disagreements, it wouldn’t be right to ignore her during the New Year. She had planned to return home for a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, and if Chi Cheng was willing, he could come too. Before going back, Xun Xun called Sister Yan Li again. This time, Sister Yan Li didn’t ramble but enthusiastically insisted she bring Chi Cheng. However, when Xun Xun mentioned the reason her mother had borrowed money from Chi Cheng, they quickly got into another argument over the phone. Additionally, when Sister Yan Li excitedly mentioned that Zhou Rui Sheng would show off his cooking skills on New Year’s Eve with some special dishes, Xun Xun completely abandoned the idea of “reunion.” While others had their reunions, she was alone.
With returning to Sister Yan Li’s place temporarily out of the question, Xun Xun inevitably felt somewhat lost, but Chi Cheng was delighted. As he put it, he also had a home he couldn’t return to – they were both wanderers in the same boat. Xun Xun should have given up struggling from the start and simply followed him up the mountain.
Xun Xun had no idea what awaited them on the mountain, but she was certain that if she didn’t agree, Chi Cheng’s persistent pestering would never end. Moreover, she would remain in the dark about the mystery he had consistently refused to reveal. She and Chi Cheng had reached this point, like rowing against the current – not advancing meant retreating.
According to Zhou Rui Sheng, who was responsible for arranging their mountain trip, this season was the best time to view the rime ice on Gu Yang Mountain – a rare sight for southerners who lived in humid environments year-round. The mountain’s accommodation was limited, with good hotel rooms in high demand. If not for his extensive connections, it would have been difficult to arrange everything in such a short time.
The day before New Year’s Eve, Xun Xun found herself in a car heading to Gu Yang Mountain, beside an pleased Chi Cheng. Zhou Rui Sheng had volunteered to drive them. At the scenic area entrance at the foot of the mountain, Xun Xun gazed at the snake-like mountain road and, despite Zhou Rui Sheng’s boasts about his years of driving experience, insisted on switching to a local driver for the remaining journey. This left Zhou Rui Sheng with no reason to go up the mountain, and Chi Cheng told him to leave the car in the parking lot and take the day’s tourist bus back to the city.
The weather that day was far from ideal for an outing, with fine rain mixed with cold wind. During the nearly hour-long journey from the foot of the mountain to their destination, Xun Xun felt several more white hairs secretly sprouting on her head. The warning signs along the road displayed the most honest slogan she’d ever seen – “High Mountains, Narrow Roads, Steep Slopes, Sharp Turns.” Often with a cliff on one side and a precipice on the other, first-time visitors could never predict where the next turn would lead. After several jolts that caused backseat passengers to hit their heads, they learned that rollover accidents weren’t uncommon on these mountain roads, making Xun Xun deeply grateful for choosing a local driver.
Chi Cheng carelessly laughed at Xun Xun’s timidity. At first, he quite enjoyed her nervousness, as she would instinctively grab his clothes at every sharp turn and dangerous path, until her fingers dug into his flesh, making him both laugh and cry out in pain.
“Hey, be gentle. Don’t take advantage of me!” he teased, yet used each sharp turn as an excuse to hold her tighter and tighter.
Xun Xun knew his wicked intentions but could do nothing about it, only secretly suspecting that this might have been his purpose in coaxing her up the mountain – she should have known he wouldn’t have good intentions.
When they finally reached their destination after countless twists and turns, Xun Xun opened the car door, and the piercing mountain wind hit her face, seeping through every gap in her clothes until she felt like a flash-frozen carrot.
Chi Cheng rubbed his hands together as he handed their luggage to the resort’s bellboy, grinning as he asked her, “Cold enough for you? I hope you’re mentally prepared because it’s even colder at night when you’re sleeping.” Only then did Xun Xun painfully realize that one should never underestimate a man’s vulgar yet tenacious determination.