Chapter 19: The Man in My Memories

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“Yi Yi, come here!” In the courtyard, a boy of seven or eight squatted a short distance away, his arms spread wide. A faint smile curved his lips. His handsome, finely featured face still held a trace of childishness, and his eyes brimmed with affection.

The little girl standing in the garden wore a white dress. Her delicate features were as exquisite as carved jade, and her limpid eyes were bright and clear. At the sound of his call, she turned toward him and smiled sweetly, a smile that could outshine a hundred flowers. Then she broke into a run, threw herself into the boy’s arms, and said clearly, “Brother Xie!”

“Yi Yi, don’t call me Brother Xie. Call me Brother Chen!” he corrected her patiently. Every time he heard that form of address, he felt a headache coming on. “Brother Xie” sounded too much like “thank-you brother.” It was simply too strange.

“Why can’t I call you Brother Xie? Why do I have to call you Brother Chen?” The little girl tilted her head, puzzlement shining in her clear eyes as she lightly pursed her lips.

“Well, Xie is your brother’s surname. Calling me that way isn’t polite, you know. Yi Yi, don’t you want to be a well-mannered good girl?” The boy’s temple throbbed violently. Then, struck by inspiration, he hastily invented an excuse.

“I want to be a well-mannered good girl!” She nodded earnestly. Yi Yi was a good girl, so she should say, “Brother Chen…”

“Miss, we’re almost at the Imperial Hotel!” Uncle Hai’s voice suddenly rang out, jolting her awake from her dream. The figure that had vanished before her eyes seemed to have been saying something, but regrettably, she had not heard it.

She opened her eyes and looked out the window. The Imperial Hotel stood in the commercial center of Linghai City, surrounded by a forest of towering buildings. Even before they drew near, she could see its brilliantly illuminated name in the distance: Imperial Hotel.

At that moment, Xie Chanjing was walking slowly into the hotel lobby. The lobby manager had already been waiting at the entrance. The instant she saw him, she hurried forward to greet him.

“Mr. Xie, Mr. Rong is waiting for you on the sixth floor. Please follow me!”

“Mm.” He was dressed in a formal suit, his right hand in his pocket and his jacket draped over one arm. His features were cool and aloof, his thin lips pressed tightly together. Without so much as a sidelong glance, he followed the lobby manager into the private elevator.

Inside the elevator, the lobby manager stole glances at him from time to time. The hotel saw all kinds of men come and go, but it was rare to encounter someone so captivating that one could hardly look away. A white shirt and black suit trousers—ordinary formal attire—took on an unmistakable air of nobility when worn by him.

With a soft ding, the elevator arrived at the sixth floor. She hurriedly composed herself, raised her right hand to hold the doors open, and bent slightly at the waist.

“Mr. Xie, this way, please!”

He stepped out of the elevator. After taking only two steps, he turned to look at her, his voice clear and cool.

“I’ll go on my own.”

After a pause, he added, “If anyone comes looking for me, remember to bring her to me.”

“Yes, Mr. Xie!” the lobby manager replied with a bow. Even after he had disappeared from sight, her mind remained filled with curiosity. Just who was this person he had taken such special care to mention?

Xie Chanjing was a household name—a rising star in the business world, engaged in the luxury-goods industry, with countless products under his banner. In recent years, he had ranked near the top of the wealthiest people’s lists. Young, accomplished, and strikingly elegant, he was the kind of man countless women pursued.

From her professional perspective, a man like that was suited only to distant admiration, not domestic life. He was refined and aristocratic, yet so cold and detached that no one could draw near.

“Miss!” Not far from the Imperial Hotel, the young lady suddenly asked the driver to stop.

“Uncle Hai!” For some inexplicable reason, a thread of fear rose in her heart. She did not want to go any farther. She did not know what taking this step today would mean for her.

“I’m here, Miss!” Having only recently recovered from her illness, she understood the young lady’s feelings. Anyone who opened their eyes to find the familiar world transformed into a landscape of strangers would feel not only lost, but tormented—just as he had once been.

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“All right, Mr. Xie!” The lobby manager bent at the waist in acknowledgment. Even after he had disappeared from sight, her mind remained filled with curiosity. Just who was this person he had taken such special care to mention?

Xie Chanjing was a household name—a rising star in the business world, engaged in the luxury-goods industry, with countless products under his banner. In recent years, he had ranked near the top of the wealthiest people’s lists. Young, accomplished, and strikingly elegant, he was the kind of man countless women pursued.

From her professional perspective, a man like that was suited only to distant admiration, not domestic life. He was refined and aristocratic, yet so cold and detached that no one could draw near.

“Miss!” Not far from the Imperial Hotel, the young lady suddenly asked the driver to stop.

“Uncle Hai!” For some inexplicable reason, a thread of fear rose in her heart. She did not want to go any farther. She did not know what taking this step today would mean for her.

“I’m here, Miss!” Having only recently recovered from her illness, he understood the young lady’s feelings. Anyone who opened their eyes to find the familiar world transformed into a landscape of strangers would feel not only lost, but tormented—just as he had once been.

“Yi Yi, come here!” In the courtyard, a boy of seven or eight squatted a short distance away, his arms spread wide. A faint smile curved his lips. His handsome, finely featured face still held a trace of childishness, and his eyes brimmed with affection.

The little girl standing in the garden wore a white dress. Her delicate features were as exquisite as carved jade, and her limpid eyes were bright and clear. At the sound of his call, she turned toward him and smiled sweetly, a smile that could outshine a hundred flowers. Then she broke into a run, threw herself into the boy’s arms, and said clearly, “Brother Xie!”

“Yi Yi, don’t call me Brother Xie. Call me Brother Chen!” he corrected her patiently. Every time he heard that form of address, he felt a headache coming on. “Brother Xie” sounded too much like “thank-you brother.” It was simply too strange.

“Why can’t I call you Brother Xie? Why do I have to call you Brother Chen?” The little girl tilted her head, puzzlement shining in her clear eyes as she lightly pursed her lips.

“Well, Xie is your brother’s surname. Calling me that way isn’t polite, you know. Yi Yi, don’t you want to be a well-mannered good girl?” The boy’s temple throbbed violently. Then, struck by inspiration, he hastily invented an excuse.

“I want to be a well-mannered good girl!” She nodded earnestly. Yi Yi was a good girl, so she should say, “Brother Chen…”

“Miss, we’re almost at the Imperial Hotel!” Uncle Hai’s voice suddenly rang out, jolting her awake from her dream. The figure that had vanished before her eyes seemed to have been saying something, but regrettably, she had not heard it.

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She opened her eyes and looked out the window. The Imperial Hotel stood in the commercial center of Linghai City, surrounded by a forest of towering buildings. Even before they drew near, she could see its brilliantly illuminated name in the distance: Imperial Hotel.

At that moment, Xie Chanjing was walking slowly into the hotel lobby. The lobby manager had already been waiting at the entrance. The instant she saw him, she hurried forward to greet him.

“Mr. Xie, Mr. Rong is waiting for you on the sixth floor. Please follow me!”

“Mm.” He was dressed in a formal suit, his right hand in his pocket and his jacket draped over one arm. His features were cool and aloof, his thin lips pressed tightly together. Without so much as a sidelong glance, he followed the lobby manager into the private elevator.

Inside the elevator, the lobby manager stole glances at him from time to time. The hotel saw all kinds of men come and go, but it was rare to encounter someone so captivating that one could hardly look away. A white shirt and black suit trousers—ordinary formal attire—took on an unmistakable air of nobility when worn by him.

With a soft ding, the elevator arrived at the sixth floor. She hurriedly composed herself, raised her right hand to hold the doors open, and bent slightly at the waist.

“Mr. Xie, this way, please!”

He stepped out of the elevator. After taking only two steps, he turned to look at her, his voice clear and cool.

“I’ll go on my own.”

After a pause, he added, “If anyone comes looking for me, remember to bring her to me.”

“All right, Mr. Xie!” the lobby manager replied with a bow. Even after he had disappeared from sight, her mind remained filled with curiosity. Just who was this person he had taken such special care to mention?

Xie Chanjing was a household name—a rising star in the business world, engaged in the luxury-goods industry, with countless products under his banner. In recent years, he had ranked near the top of the wealthiest people’s lists. Young, accomplished, and strikingly elegant, he was the kind of man countless women pursued.

From her professional perspective, a man like that was suited only to distant admiration, not domestic life. He was refined and aristocratic, yet so cold and detached that no one could draw near.

“Miss!” Not far from the Imperial Hotel, the young lady suddenly asked the driver to stop.

“Uncle Hai!” For some inexplicable reason, a thread of fear rose in her heart. She did not want to go any farther. She did not know what taking this step today would mean for her.

“I’m here, Miss!” Having only recently recovered from her illness, he understood the young lady’s feelings. Anyone who opened their eyes to find the familiar world transformed into a landscape of strangers would feel not only lost, but tormented—just as he had once been.

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