"This girl is quite aloof," the secretary said, trying to flatter her while subtly criticizing Zhao Xiyin. "A little bit of airs is fine, but too much makes her less endearing."
Zhuang Qiu was in a good mood. "What do you know? Didn't you see what car she got out of? That Land Rover was a pure import; it could buy three of my cars. Don't be fooled by her simple clothes; her scarf and coat were Hermes."
To put it bluntly, the girl isn't short of money.
"By the way, what did her family do when you checked last time?"
"Her father is a university professor, and she comes from a single-parent family," the secretary sighed. "That makes it really difficult to get an appointment with her."
Zhuang Qiu disagreed, saying, "To get into this circle, there are no chaste and virtuous women; it just takes a little more effort."
The secretary nodded repeatedly.
"By the way, what has Xiao Lang been busy with lately?" Zhuang Qiu suddenly asked.
Although Zhuang Qiu held little status in the Zhuang family, he had many sisters and was adept at winning over a few of the younger generation. Lin Lang was the daughter of his second cousin, and from a young age, she was incredibly shrewd and knew how to read people's minds. Although Zhuang Qiu had no real power, his reputation preceded him, and he had a considerable network of connections. Lin Lang thus became close to him, and over the years, they had developed a genuine sibling-like bond.
The secretary hesitated slightly, thought for a moment, and wasn't quite sure either, "Let's stick to what we do. Have you checked her Weibo? She's kind of a celebrity."
Zhuang Qiu took the tablet. He wasn't familiar with these social media apps for young people, so he quickly scrolled through a few posts and was genuinely pleasantly surprised. "Not bad, it's quite professional." He took notes as he flipped through the pages. "Xiao Lang also graduated from the Beijing Dance Academy, right?"
Just as he finished speaking, he saw a promotional Weibo post about "Nine Thoughts" that Lin Lang had forwarded half a month ago. Zhuang Qiu's hand stopped, his eyes shining brightly, "What a coincidence!"
The secretary asked with a smile, "What's wrong?"
"I've searched high and low, but found nothing." Zhuang Qiu crossed his legs and closed his eyes, quite pleased with himself.
Over here, Zhao Xiyin finished a half-day class, mainly on facial expression management. After class, she even went to the restroom to practice her smile in front of the mirror. Her phone was locked in the locker, and when Zhao Xiyin took it out, Zhou Qishen had sent her a message ten minutes earlier.
"Is get out of class over?"
Zhou Qishen rarely contacted her like this during the day; he was too busy with work. Even if something really happened, he would call her directly. Strangely, as if by unspoken understanding, Zhao Xiyin called him back.
It was Secretary Xu who answered the phone. After hesitating for a moment, Secretary Xu told her, "Xiao west, President Zhou is having lunch with someone."
Zhao Xiyin sensed the underlying meaning in his words, "Socializing?"
"No, they are people from Qinghai."
Zhao Xiyin immediately understood: Zhou Qishen had never given up searching for his mother all these years. The fact that he could bring her to Beijing meant he must have some confidence in the situation.
Secretary Xu didn't say it explicitly, but her tone was filled with sincerity, "President Zhou, he..."
"I'm coming over," Zhao Xiyin said. "Could you please send me an address?"
He didn't speak or express his opinion, but Zhao Xiyin knew he must be nervous. He was filled with hope, yet afraid of disappointment, even though disappointment had come time and time again. The role of mother was what Zhou Qishen sought throughout his life and a knot he could never untie.
The restaurant was located near the Haiwen Building, serving authentic official cuisine. The setting was secluded and tranquil, with winding paths, verdant trees, and pavilions, creating a relaxing atmosphere. Inside the private room, an octagonal bamboo window added a touch of elegance. Zhou Qishen sat at the head of the table, opposite a woman around fifty years old.
Living in the high-altitude region year-round had given her a ruddy complexion and rough skin. Her eyes, which should have been large, had long lost their beauty with the passage of time. Her clothes were simple, but clearly carefully chosen—clean and tidy. She and Zhou Qishen stared at each other, an awkward silence hanging in the air.
Zhou Qishen remained calm. His features were already sharp, not the type to be approachable, and his unsmiling demeanor made him appear even more serious. The woman glanced at him, then quickly lowered her eyes, her embarrassment deepening.
Zhao Xiyin pushed the door open and came in at that moment.
The door opened a crack about two palms wide, and a shiny black head popped out.
Today, the temperature in Beijing was close to minus ten degrees Celsius, and the wind was mixed with ice shards, making it exceptionally cold. Zhao Xiyin wore a gray woolen hat with two small pom-poms hanging from her hair. Her eyes, visible beneath the brim, were full of spring breeze, like a little rabbit, as she winked at Zhou Qishen in a charming and contented manner.
Zhou Qishen was stunned, incredulous.
Zhao Xiyin came uninvited and walked in very naturally. When the girl smiled, the begonias on the flower stand next to her seemed to be coated with a warm color.
"Zhou Qishen, I'm freezing!" Zhao Xiyin rubbed her hands together, her slender fingers outstretched towards the woman. "Auntie, look, aren't they all red from the cold?"
The woman nodded and said in somewhat broken Mandarin, "Then you should wear more clothes."
Zhao Xiyin gave a loud and obedient "Mmm".
She naturally pulled up a chair, sat down next to the woman, and asked warmly, "Auntie, what would you like to eat? Would you like to see the menu?"
The woman blushed again and said, "I can't read."
Zhao Xiyin didn't show any surprise and said naturally, "It's alright, let me introduce them to you. This is braised pork knuckle, it's fatty but not greasy. This duck is stewed, with Chinese medicinal herbs added. Do you like it?"
Zhou Qishen watched and listened quietly, a fire rising in his heart, burning brightly, warming his entire body.
His little west was there to warm up the atmosphere for him.
Zhou Qishen had a difficult upbringing, lacking parental affection from a young age, resulting in a missing element of warmth in his personality. He clearly yearned for it, yet didn't know how to connect with others. Stiff, reserved, and dry, with a cold demeanor, he seemed less like someone seeking his mother and more like someone seeking revenge.
Let alone a simple, uneducated woman, anyone would be intimidated by this man.
Zhao Xiyin was like a clear spring, cascading down from a height, smoothing the winding mountain path, gently flowing, building this bridge. Such a kind and approachable girl put the woman at ease.
"You live in Wulan County now? It's not far from Chaka Salt Lake."
"Have you been there?"
“Yes, I’ve been there. I traveled there last year. Starting from Xining, I saw Qinghai Lake, Jiayuguan, and the Rainbow Mountains.” Finding common ground, Zhao Xiyin and the woman could talk a lot. She pointed to Zhou Qishen, “He’s too busy with work to travel. Me? I’ve been to many places.”
Zhao Xiyin is like a small sun, bright, energetic, and full of vitality.
Zhou Qishen suddenly felt a pang of regret. Was he really getting old? Was he really an old ox eating young grass?
What was supposed to be an awkward lunch turned into a pleasant and harmonious meal in the end.
Afterwards, Zhou Qishen had the driver take the woman back to her hotel. After the car drove away, he called his secretary to book a first-class ticket and arrange for someone to accompany her, ensuring the woman's safe return to Qinghai. Finally, Zhou Qishen paused for a moment, then said, "After you've delivered her, leave her 50,000 yuan. Don't let her find out."