Zhou Qishen hugged her tightly, saying, "It's okay, cry if you want to."
Zhao Xiyin's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a sore throat.
Her feigned ease was all a lie; Zhou Qishen knew her too well. Decades of teacher-student relationship had come to a complete breakdown today. Anyone would feel terrible in that situation, let alone someone as sentimental as Zhao Xiyin. Zhou Qishen truly cared for her.
Zhao Xiyin suppressed her emotions and remained quiet.
She hugged him for a while, then looked up and asked, "Brother Zhou, does your head still hurt?"
"It hurts." Zhou Qishen pressed his forehead against hers, and their hot breaths mingled as he spoke. "You were scared, and you might be a little short of breath. It's okay, I'll be fine after a nap."
Zhao Xiyin's eyes showed so much heartache.
Zhou Qishen gave her a comforting smile, "Xiao west, promise me. Don't keep your feelings bottled up inside. Tell me everything you want to vent or say."
Zhao Xiyin pouted, her expression a mix of sincerity and coquetry, "Brother Zhou, I'm so tired."
"Then I won't jump. I'll go back to Beijing tomorrow and settle down to be Mrs. Zhou."
Zhao Xiyin shook her head vigorously, which amused Zhou Qishen, who asked, "Why?"
The lamplight was warm and yellow, casting a soft, fuzzy glow. The room was small and old, but that didn't diminish the warmth and affection within. After a long day, Zhao Xiyin's face and eyes were tired, but in her gaze, a spark seemed to flicker and leap.
Zhao Xiyin looked at Zhou Qishen and said softly, "Because of a lifelong passion, it's too difficult to turn back."
——
The next day, Zhou Qishen woke up late. When he woke up, Zhao Xiyin was no longer in the room.
After a good night's sleep, his headache subsided, and he felt like he'd been given a second chance at life. He drew back the curtains to reveal a blazing sun; the days of rain and wind had finally come to an end.
The filming location was in a sandy area 30 kilometers away. Zhou Qishen had arrived in a hurry and left his luggage at the airport. Fortunately, Secretary Xu was very thoughtful and had already arranged for someone to pick it up, and had someone drive a Prado to him and park it outside the hotel early in the morning.
Zhou Qishen ate a bowl of local firecracker noodles before leisurely driving to the film set.
At that time, they were filming a scene with Su Ying and Zhao Xiyin.
Zhou Qishen stood outside the crowd, watching Zhao Xiyin's exquisite Tang Dynasty makeup. Rouge, yellow forehead, and a floral design painted between her brows. She wore a red opera costume, the sheer fabric fluttering, highlighting her graceful figure. Zhou Qishen had always thought Zhao Xiyin simply loved to dance. But now, he suddenly realized that a girl like her was born for the stage.
Zhou Qishen wasn't dressed in business attire, but his presence was still undeniably striking. He wore a black down jacket, a casual style, and matching sheepskin gloves.
The dancers waiting to perform whispered among themselves in small groups, occasionally blushing shyly and casting flirtatious glances.
Judging by the time, and to avoid controversy, Zhou Qishen left ten minutes early.
Basically, Zhao Xiyin and Su Ying's main scenes are finished here. They only have a few scenes with the main actors, not many, but they still need to be there. Zhou Qishen can only take a maximum of three days off; he has a lot of work to do at the company and has to return to Beijing tomorrow afternoon.
When Zhao Xiyin returned from the film set, she asked Zhou Qishen to tidy up and said, "I'll take you somewhere."
Heading west, after traveling dozens of kilometers on the highway, we arrived at the neighboring county.
"Her surname is Ruan, and her given name is Fei. I call her Aunt Fei. I met her when I was traveling here. She saved me, and we've kept in touch. Oh, right, on the first night of the Lunar New Year in Xi'an, she was the one who video-chatted with me."
Zhao Xiyin had a good memory and easily found Ruan Fei's place. The house was old but clean. It was a two-story self-built building, with a storefront on the first floor and living quarters on the second.
The two must have made an appointment; Ruan Fei was busy preparing lunch.
She didn't wear a headscarf at home; her medium-length hair was neatly tied into a bun. Ruan Fei wasn't a woman who took good care of herself, and you could tell her age, but her face shape and features were delicate, reminding one of the saying that time never defeats a beauty.
Ruan Fei was very hospitable, her smile never fading. "Xi Xi, please invite your partner to sit down."
Zhou Qishen gently raised his chin and said to Zhao Xiyin, "Go keep her company, I'll rest for a while."
Zhao Xiyin skipped and hopped to the kitchen to help, her chatter never stopping.
Zhou Qishen smiled unconsciously, then strolled around the room. The living room, about twenty square meters, was furnished with sparse and somewhat old furniture. Many photos and certificates of merit hung on the right wall.
Zhou Qishen first saw the certificate of merit—
Ruan Beilin.
Most of his honors are in mathematics.
Recalling Zhao Xiyin's words, this person should be Ruan Fei's son. Taking his mother's surname strongly suggests he and the male head of the household divorced.
Looking to the left, the children were three, seven, and ten years old; these must be him. Zhou Qishen's gaze fell on the last one, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old boy with thick eyebrows, big eyes, a straight nose, and a faint smile. He was mature beyond his years and very handsome.
Upon seeing this photo, Zhou Qishen frowned almost imperceptibly.
Ruan Beilin's eyebrows and eyes, and the charm of his facial features, all had a strange sense of familiarity.
For lunch, Ruan Fei prepared many dishes, mostly meat. She was quite hearty, eating both meat and vegetables without restraint, and could easily eat two bowls of rice from a large bowl. Zhou Qishen occasionally glanced at her, and if his gaze lingered too long, Ruan Fei would catch it when she looked up. She smiled generously, revealing deep lines at the corners of her eyes.
Zhou Qishen silently ate his rice, and Zhao Xiyin could tell that he had something on his mind.
Ruan Fei had to go out to pick up passengers in the afternoon, so Zhao Xiyin and Zhou Qishen said goodbye after lunch. On the return trip, Zhao Xiyin drove, but unlike the way there, Zhou Qishen remained silent for a while. Finally, he asked, "What does her husband do?"
"Aunt Fei?" Zhao Xiyin said, "I've never met her either."
"Ruan Beilin is her son?"
"Oh, right. A high school sophomore, a top student. Her grades are excellent." Zhao Xiyin asked suspiciously, "What's wrong?"
Zhou Qishen straightened his expression and said, "It's nothing."
Zhao Xiyin chimed in, "I last saw him last year. He's even more handsome in person than in photos. He's very composed and has big eyes, but actually, like you, he has single eyelids."
Zhou Qishen said calmly, "Yes, I saw the photo. He's a handsome young man."