Jiang Yubai stared at Lin Zhixia for several seconds, causing her to instinctively step back, though her demeanor remained unfaltering. “Am I wrong?” she challenged.
Jiang Yubai willingly adopted his role from “Exploring the Universe”: “You’re right, Captain Lin Zhixia.”
When they were children, Jiang Yubai would always deliberately put on a serious, adult-like air when playing the “leader” role. Lin Zhixia found his earnest yet somewhat silly manner extremely amusing.
Now that he had truly grown up, with changes in both appearance and personality, when he uttered the five words “Captain Lin Zhixia,” it gave Lin Zhixia an entirely new feeling.
Lin Zhixia’s eyes grew brighter. She softly asked him, “Are you free tonight?”
“I have a video conference tonight,” Jiang Yubai replied. “Tomorrow…”
Before he could finish, Lin Zhixia guessed his meaning and sighed, “Tomorrow morning I have to teach undergraduates, in the afternoon I must supervise equipment relocation at the lab, and in the evening I’m meeting with Luo Ying and Feng Yuan to discuss some issues.”
Jiang Yubai walked up the steps. The polished glass doors reflected their images, and he gazed at their shadows standing close together, murmuring, “If I pick you up after work and take you home, I’d get to spend ten minutes with you.”
It wasn’t particularly romantic poetry.
But the genuine emotion he expressed made Lin Zhixia’s heart pound. She immediately took his arm, sincerely trying to console him: “How about this—I’ll stay at your place for a few days first.” She painted an even more appealing picture: “Next year during winter break, I have a month off. We can travel all over the world…”
Since Lin Zhixia had learned to swim, she was very much looking forward to a beach vacation. After discussing with Jiang Yubai, they decided to spend a week in the Maldives during next year’s winter break. As they chatted while touring the office building, over two hours passed without them noticing, and the bright daylight gradually faded. Lin Zhixia glanced out the window and said, “I want to go home now.”
Jiang Yubai still had a business meeting to attend.
Lin Zhixia knew he was busy. She suggested, “My brother gets off work at five-thirty. I’ll go home with him. You go ahead to your meeting.”
Lin Zeqiu worked at this internet company. However, he wasn’t aware of Jiang Yubai’s connection to the company. If he knew, he might immediately resign and look for another programming job.
*
At five-thirty in the afternoon, Lin Zeqiu slung his backpack over his shoulder and left his workstation. The phone in his pocket kept vibrating. He took it out, saw the caller was Lin Zhixia, and answered without hesitation.
On the phone, Lin Zhixia said, “Brother, are you off work? I visited the Quantum Technology Laboratory today, and I’m sitting in your company’s reception room now. I thought we could go home together… Jiang Yubai wants to drive us part of the way.”
Regarding the Quantum Technology Laboratory, Lin Zeqiu had heard a little about it. As a member of Lin Zhixia’s team, he’d learned quite a bit of inside information through emails and WeChat groups. He believed that the establishment of the Quantum Technology Laboratory depended on Jiang Yubai’s connections, facilitating cooperation between multiple parties. As for Jiang Yubai’s relationship with this internet company, it seemed minimal—Jiang Yubai was simply a wealthy third-generation heir with an extensive network of contacts… nothing more.
Jiang Yubai’s offering to take Lin Zhixia and Lin Zeqiu home was his seizing an opportunity to make a good impression. As Lin Zhixia’s brother, Lin Zeqiu couldn’t say much. He found his sister in the reception room. At that moment, she was holding a cup of tea, lowering her head to eat some snacks, mumbling, “The strawberry cake is so delicious…”
Jiang Yubai hadn’t noticed Lin Zeqiu. He raised his hand, wiping away cake crumbs from the corner of Lin Zhixia’s lips.
Lin Zeqiu frowned slightly. But he didn’t criticize Jiang Yubai’s action. He had pondered Jiang Yubai’s words and behavior repeatedly, and had concluded that Jiang Yubai often feigned vulnerability to win Lin Zhixia’s affection, successfully achieving some ulterior motives—this guy is simply unfathomable, Lin Zeqiu thought.
Jiang Yubai stood up, greeted him, and led the siblings toward the parking lot. On the way, Jiang Yubai chatted with Lin Zeqiu about new internal company projects, asking for his opinions. Lin Zeqiu found it increasingly strange that Jiang Yubai would know about their engineering department’s performance evaluation model.
He couldn’t help but ask, “Where did you get all this information?”
Jiang Yubai answered, “Colleagues told me.”
Colleagues?
Before Lin Zeqiu could think further, a young man approached from across the parking lot. He wore a loose-fitting t-shirt and jeans, which still highlighted his strong, tall physique—his appearance was also advantageous, with a straight nose and deep-set eyes, displaying a considerably mature demeanor compared to his reserved adolescent years in high school.
The parking lot was vast and quiet, the light dim.
The man stopped in his tracks, silently gazing at Lin Zhixia’s group. He seemed to have something to say, yet also seemed to want to say nothing at all.
Before Lin Zeqiu could react, Lin Zhixia greeted the man, “Senior Nie Tianqing?”
Nie Tianqing held a briefcase in his left hand and car keys in his right. After a moment’s hesitation, he walked toward Lin Zhixia. “You still remember me?”
Of course.
Lin Zhixia remembered everyone she had ever met.
Twelve years ago, when Lin Zhixia first visited Jiang Yubai’s home, she played “Bubble Ball Battle” with a group of children, and Nie Tianqing was there. The other children said that Nie Tianqing was a top student at Provincial No. 1 High School, with excellent grades—very impressive.
Later, when Lin Zhixia was admitted to Provincial No. 1 High School, Nie Tianqing became her senior. However, the total words they’d exchanged didn’t exceed twenty sentences.
Jiang Yubai had a vague impression of the name “Nie Tianqing.” Nie Tianqing extended his hand, and Jiang Yubai instinctively shook it—this scene didn’t resemble a reunion of former schoolmates, but rather a meeting between business negotiators.
Nie Tianqing took the initiative, “I came for a fall recruitment interview. What about you?”
Jiang Yubai summarized, “We’ve collaborated with a university to build an emerging technology laboratory. The business is still in its early stages.”
The information Jiang Yubai disclosed could all be found online. Lin Zhixia’s university had partnered with companies before, with established protocols and processes in all aspects. Related first-hand news was written by administrative personnel within the college.
Nie Tianqing couldn’t extract any valuable information. After exchanging pleasantries with Jiang Yubai, he prepared to leave, but before going, he turned his gaze to Lin Zhixia and nodded to her.
Lin Zhixia waved at him.
He raised an eyebrow and smiled.
His silhouette gradually disappeared into the distance.
Jiang Yubai stood still for a moment.
Jiang Yubai had seen this year’s fall recruitment brochure; all position interviews were scheduled for mid-October. It was still late September, meaning Nie Tianqing hadn’t come to the company for an interview. So what was he doing here? Why deliberately lie?
Jiang Yubai knew Nie Tianqing was a senior from Provincial No. 1 High School. After brief consideration, Jiang Yubai couldn’t recall any interaction with Nie Tianqing. The “Bubble Ball Battle” from twelve years ago had faded from Jiang Yubai’s memory; he only remembered Lin Zhixia’s gallant figure saving the whole team with bubble balls in her arms. As for Nie Tianqing’s personality and behavioral habits back then… they were distant, unverifiable memories.
Lin Zhixia’s voice interrupted Jiang Yubai’s thoughts, “What are you thinking about? Is it about Nie Tianqing?”
Jiang Yubai concealed his thoughts, “Nothing.”
Lin Zhixia smiled, looking down, “Even if you don’t tell me, I can guess.”
As she spoke, Lin Zeqiu happened to walk past Lin Zhixia and overheard her comment.
Lin Zeqiu had his hands deeply tucked into his coat pockets and interjected at the right moment, “Lin Zhixia has been smart since childhood. Over the years, her mind has been trained, and she’s only getting smarter. If you’re hiding something from her and she finds out, it’ll be too late to remedy.”
Lin Zeqiu openly threatened Jiang Yubai, but Jiang Yubai wasn’t angry; rather, he found it somewhat amusing. He revealed an astonishing fact: “Xia Xia and I exchange diaries every year. She knows all my secrets.”
This was indeed true.
Lin Zhixia affirmed, “Yes, Jiang Yubai and I have exchanged diaries for over a decade. He also takes photos and puts them in the diary, showing only me.”
Lin Zeqiu was defeated.
He had nothing to say.
He slung his briefcase across his shoulder and slowly approached Jiang Yubai’s car.
Jiang Yubai, like Lin Zeqiu’s chauffeur, helped open the back door for him, naturally waiting for him to get in—this made Lin Zeqiu feel slightly appreciated.
However, just as Lin Zeqiu settled in, Jiang Yubai shut the door with a “bang.” He took Lin Zhixia’s wrist and seated her in the front passenger position.
Lin Zhixia turned to look at Lin Zeqiu in the back, “Brother?”
Lin Zeqiu rested his chin on his hand.
Lin Zhixia called again, “Brother?”
Lin Zeqiu ignored her.
If it were the younger Lin Zhixia, she would likely unleash a string of “Brother brother brother brother,” but now, grown-up Lin Zhixia had developed various tactics. She said exceptionally calmly, “I want to inform you about something. Working in an internet company, you surely understand better than I do that small retail physical stores can’t match online stores in performance. I’ve discussed with Mom about selling the old house in Ancheng District, giving me the remaining money to help her with financial investments…”
Lin Zeqiu finally responded, “You want our parents to retire?”
“Yes,” Lin Zhixia answered, “They’ve worked too hard.”
Lin Zeqiu leaned back in his seat. He stretched his legs and silently sighed. Born a few years before Lin Zhixia, he had witnessed how hard the adults in their family worked before Lin Zhixia was old enough to understand.
He muttered to himself, “I completely support Mom and Dad’s retirement; they should have rested long ago. They wouldn’t indulge in good food or nice things, unlike those born and raised in the city.”
After speaking, he belatedly realized—Jiang Yubai was still in the car.
At this moment, Jiang Yubai assumed the role of driver. With hands on the steering wheel, the car speeding along the highway, he didn’t interrupt the siblings’ conversation, just like a diligent, ordinary driver.
Lin Zeqiu folded his arms, his gaze sweeping across Jiang Yubai’s profile.
Lin Zhixia didn’t notice the subtle atmosphere and continued enthusiastically, “Dad wants to learn Tai Chi, so I enrolled him in a Tai Chi class at our neighborhood gym. Classes are Monday through Thursday…”
Lin Zeqiu suddenly realized, “You arranged all these things with Mom and Dad, why didn’t they tell me anything?”
Lin Zhixia explained, “I wasn’t busy with work the past few days and woke up early, so I chatted with Mom and Dad at home while you were still asleep. And you hardly speak during dinner at the table…”
Lin Zeqiu felt conflicted. In his family, all responsibilities that should have been borne by an elder brother had been shouldered by his sister alone.
*
What distressed Lin Zeqiu even more was that early the next morning, Lin Zhixia packed her suitcase, said goodbye to their parents, and “temporarily” moved to Jiang Yubai’s home.
When Lin Zeqiu saw Lin Zhixia off, she repeatedly assured him, “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself.”
It was a fresh autumn morning, pale mist shrouding the dawn city, with the faint fragrance of osmanthus flowers drifting everywhere. Jiang Yubai stood at the bottom of the apartment building with his hands in his pockets. He looked up at the sky, his expression the same as usual, yet even his profile was eye-catching—from his forehead to his nose, lips, and chin formed a perfectly flawless line.
Lin Zhixia sensitively perceived that Jiang Yubai’s mindset differed from usual, though his expression and appearance remained unchanged.
She dragged her suitcase and ran toward him.
Lin Zeqiu called after her, “Hey, what’s the rush?”
Ah, girls in their early twenties…
Still getting so excited seeing their boyfriends, really lacking composure, Lin Zeqiu thought.
Lin Zhixia didn’t care how Lin Zeqiu called after her. She jumped in front of Jiang Yubai, looked into his eyes for a brief moment, and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“A lot is going on at the company these days,” Jiang Yubai explained patiently, “I might not have time…”
His voice trailed off.
He was still formulating his words.
Lin Zhixia guessed his meaning: “No time to spend with me?”
Jiang Yubai immediately denied it, “No, that’s not it.”
But Lin Zhixia was understanding and saw through his thoughts, “We’ve both grown up, we have to work, to take responsibility… You’ve grown well, with high emotional intelligence, especially skilled at dealing with others, but you don’t need to be that way with me… What I mean is, you can speak directly to me, straightforwardly, just like I do with you. No matter what happens, I’ll always stand by your side.”
After speaking, Lin Zhixia hid her suitcase behind her.
Due to Lin Zeqiu still standing like a pole not far away, Lin Zhixia couldn’t make any intimate gestures toward Jiang Yubai. She stood straight and simply stated, “Go ahead and focus on your work. I won’t be staying at your place.”
Jiang Yubai hadn’t expected her to be so considerate.
But in the next second, he grabbed Lin Zhixia’s wrist tightly, like someone snatching a bride. She stared at him without blinking, trying to guess his situation by observing his expression, but he suddenly smiled—smile that would make both crabapple and osmanthus flowers pale in comparison.
“Stop smiling,” Lin Zhixia said quite clearheaded. “Have you had breakfast? Come to my home for some breakfast.”
Jiang Yubai honestly said, “After we parted last night, I didn’t eat anything.”
“You didn’t have dinner?”
“Yes.”
Lin Zhixia became a bit serious, “No matter how busy, you must eat.” Then she asked, “What kind of breakfast would you like?”
Jiang Yubai answered absently, blurting out, “Will you feed me?”