Chapter 13

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On Monday, as soon as her morning classes ended, Chu Tong received a phone call while having lunch with Tao Ge in the cafeteria.

“Hello, Miss Chu. Do you remember me? I’m Mr. Shao’s driver, Zong Liangzhi.”

“Oh, Uncle Zong, hello. Is something wrong?”

“If you don’t mind, you can call me Uncle Zong, just as the gentleman does,” Zong Liangzhi said with a laugh. “When would be convenient for you? I’d like to bring you a few things.”

Chu Tong thought for a moment. “I have class at two this afternoon, so I’m free until then.”

After class, she had to go straight to Zhan Youran’s home to tutor her. She probably would not make it back in time.

“That works perfectly, then. Are you free right now? I happen to be at the West Gate.”

“All right. I’m in the cafeteria. It may take me more than ten minutes to get there, so please wait for me.”

“No rush, no rush. Finish your meal first.”

After hanging up, Tao Ge asked, “Who was that?”

“...An uncle I know,” Chu Tong said vaguely. “You go back after you finish eating. I’m going to the West Gate.”

She and Tao Ge were only somewhat familiar because they lived in the same place. As for her connection with Mr. Shao, Chu Tong instinctively felt that she should not say too much about it yet.

She hurriedly finished her meal and made her way to the West Gate. Following the memory of where the car had been parked the night before, she walked toward the spot. From far away, she saw Uncle Zong standing beside the black Maybach. When he spotted her, he smiled and waved.

Once she reached him, Zong Liangzhi opened the trunk and took out four enormous shopping bags.

“Miss, the gentleman asked someone to buy these things for you,” he said with a smile.

Chu Tong had already reached out to take them, but when she heard that, she immediately withdrew her hand.

“He bought these for me? I don’t need anything.”

“Yes, yes.” Uncle Zong continued smiling. “It was simply the gentleman’s gesture. Winter is here and the weather is getting colder. He was worried you might freeze, so he bought you a few clothes and such. Please accept them.”

Chu Tong was filled with confusion. They had not even made their relationship explicit the night before, and he was already sending her gifts by noon the next day?

Still, she could not keep Uncle Zong waiting. She accepted the bags and said, “Then I’ll thank him personally. I’m sorry to have made you come all this way. Thank you.”

“You’re too polite.”

That was what Uncle Zong said aloud, but inwardly he thought that he would probably be making many more trips here in the future.

“That was my phone number just now. Please save it. Whenever you need to go somewhere, call me and I’ll come pick you up.”

Chu Tong temporarily pressed down her doubts and nodded with a smile. “All right. Thank you.”

The four shopping bags were heavy in her hands.

When she returned to Room 202, only Tao Ge was in the dormitory. Ding Xue and Jin Ranran had gone off campus for lunch and would not be back during the afternoon break.

Seeing Chu Tong carrying so many things, Tao Ge was startled.

“Whoa, what’s all that?”

“A few clothes,” Chu Tong said with a smile.

She placed all the shopping bags on her desk and opened them one by one, taking everything out.

There were two wool coats, two knitted tops, a set of hat and gloves, as well as a mobile phone and a laptop.

Both the phone and computer were the latest Apple models. The wool coats were soft and light, and the knitted tops felt wonderfully smooth against the skin. The price tags had been removed, but the labels inside the collars remained. No matter how poor she was, Chu Tong recognized those luxury brands.

She was genuinely shocked. These things were completely beyond her usual spending level.

After calming herself somewhat, she used the phone to check the brands’ official stores. The two coats alone cost more than a hundred thousand yuan. Altogether, everything must have cost at least two hundred thousand.

Two hundred thousand yuan would have been enough for her to buy her mother a small courtyard house back home. The thought left her deeply unsettled.

Of course, she could tell that Mr. Shao was wealthy. But she had no idea what level of wealth could make a man buy two hundred thousand yuan worth of things for a girl with whom he did not even have a clearly defined relationship.

And he had done it the very next day. It was all happening far too quickly.

Tao Ge had been casting occasional glances in her direction. Now she joked, “What’s wrong? Those clothes look really nice, and there’s even a phone and a computer. Did you strike it rich, or have you been taken care of by someone? Ha-ha.”

It was only a joke, but when Chu Tong heard that last phrase, her heart gave a sharp, painful tug.

Of course she was not being kept. Mr. Shao was a proper, respectable man.

—

Chu Tong had wanted to message Shao Yihuai and tell him that the things he had sent were far too expensive, completely beyond her normal means. But then she remembered Su Jingwen saying that he had something important to deal with that day. He was probably busy, and she decided not to disturb him.

Shao Yihuai did not message her either to ask whether she had received the things.

After her afternoon classes ended, she took the subway to Jinxi Garden, where Zhan Youran lived.

It was Zhan Youran’s father, Zhan Yi, who opened the door for her.

Zhan Yi smiled first. “You’re here.”

Even without meeting his eyes, Chu Tong could feel his gaze moving over her from head to toe.

She politely said, “Sorry to disturb you,” then changed her shoes and entered.

Zhan Youran was already waiting in her bedroom. At the sound of the door, she called Chu Tong inside.

The lessons were mainly intended to cultivate the girl’s interest, and Youran was obedient and eager to learn, so tutoring her was relatively easy. They chatted as Chu Tong explained the meanings of poems and verses, adding amusing anecdotes about the scholars who had written them. The hour passed quickly.

During the lesson, Zhan Yi came in twice to bring fruit and drinks. The second time he left, he seemed to touch Chu Tong’s shoulder casually.

“Little teacher, you’ve worked hard. Have some fruit.”

Chu Tong had not expected him to be so brazen. The contact, even through several layers of clothing, sent a nauseating shiver through her entire body.

As soon as the lesson ended, she immediately gathered her things and stood up.

Youran obediently walked her out of the bedroom.

“Daddy’s staying home with me today, so you don’t have to stay for dinner, Teacher.”

“All right. Then I’ll be leaving now.”

As Chu Tong passed through the living and dining area, she saw Zhan Yi standing beside the dining table.

“Youran, go back to your room first. Your father needs to discuss your teacher’s pay with her.”

“All right.”

Reluctantly, Youran turned and went back to her room.

Chu Tong crossed the dining area and headed straight for the entryway to change her shoes.

“Wait, there’s no hurry,” Zhan Yi said. “There’s something we need to discuss.”

Without changing expression, Chu Tong took out her phone. “Oh, all right. Please wait a moment while I call a car.”

After unlocking the phone, she opened the recording function, pressed the button, and slipped the phone into her pocket.

“There’s no need to call a car. I can drive you later. I was thinking of taking a look around A University anyway.”

“That’s all right. I don’t want to trouble you.”

That day, Chu Tong was wearing a loose, chunky-knit sweater with a long skirt—a very ordinary student outfit that gave her a scholarly air. Her excellent proportions were easy to see: a slender waist and long legs. Together with her beautiful face, they gave her an innocent, well-behaved appearance.

Zhan Yi’s sticky, undisguised gaze traveled over her body as he smiled.

“How have you considered the matter I mentioned last time?”

“I thought you wanted to discuss my pay?”

“Come now, didn’t you listen to what I said last time? Tutoring isn’t really beneficial to you in the long run. You’d be better off finding a proper internship.”

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Chu Tong’s mind raced. Then, as if she had suddenly remembered something, she said, “Oh, you mean Zhuoyi Group?”

Zhan Yi’s smile widened. “Yes. I’m a senior executive there.”

“I remember one of my elders mentioning it,” Chu Tong said quickly. “An uncle of mine also works at Zhuoyi and brought it up to me. I told him that I would think about it when I was a junior.”

For an instant, Zhan Yi’s smile stiffened. Then his tone changed.

“...What a coincidence. What’s your uncle’s name? Which department does he work in? Perhaps I know him.”

Chu Tong made her phone vibrate and glanced at it. Then she smiled.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Zhan. My car has arrived. Shall we discuss this another time?”

“Oh, all right.”

Chu Tong opened the door and fled. Only after taking the elevator down, leaving the building, and walking out through the residential compound’s entrance did she stop and draw a deep, steadying breath.

Remembering that her phone was still recording, she took it out and pressed pause.

Her heart was pounding.

She could not return to that household again. She had to find a reason to quit the tutoring job.

At that moment, she could not help thinking of Shao Yihuai.

He had been able to represent Zhuoyi Group at the exhibition, which meant he was probably a higher-ranking executive than Zhan Yi. According to Shang Yunmeng, the Shao family was an eminent, powerful clan. Yet Shao Yihuai himself was so upright, gentlemanly, and considerate. He was nothing like those other men who relied on their money and status to behave in greasy, repulsive ways.

After the first snow, the weather grew colder. The snow from the night before had melted completely, leaving the roads dry. When Chu Tong looked up, the leaves on the roadside trees seemed to have fallen overnight, leaving only bare, crooked branches that made the streets look bleak.

She remembered the sight of Mr. Shao standing in the snow the night before. He had given her his phone number. It was not yet nine o’clock, normally a time after dinner. Sending him a message probably would not count as disturbing him.

Chu Tong ducked into a chain bakery by the roadside and found an empty corner beside the floor-to-ceiling window. She took out her phone and typed:

“Mr. Shao, are you free to talk right now?”

She pressed send, feeling a little nervous.

She had no idea whether he would reply immediately.

She did not have long to imagine possibilities. After roughly half a minute, her phone suddenly vibrated. The trembling continued in her palm without stopping. It was an incoming call, and the caller ID showed only:

“Shao.”

Chu Tong’s hands trembled slightly. She cleared her throat, answered the call, and held the phone to her ear.

There was silence on the other end for two seconds. Then Shao Yihuai’s deep, gentle voice came through.

“...Why aren’t you saying anything?”

She pressed her lips together and called softly, “...Mr. Shao.”

Her voice was as faint as a mosquito’s hum, carrying a hint of barely perceptible embarrassment.

There was another brief silence. Shao Yihuai laughed.

“You’re still calling me so formally?”

What else was she supposed to call him?

Chu Tong’s thoughts became a tangled mess. Then she faintly heard the sound of clinking glasses on his end and asked, “Where are you? Are you still busy?”

“At a reception.”

A reception...

Chu Tong tried to imagine it: crystal chandeliers scattering their light, elegantly dressed men and women mingling, glasses raised amid a glittering crowd.

“...Am I disturbing you?”

“No.” Shao Yihuai replied, “What did you want to tell me?”

“Oh, it’s about the things you had Uncle Zong bring me.” After a brief pause, she said earnestly, “They’re too expensive. They’re completely beyond my usual spending level. Please don’t do that again.”

Shao Yihuai was silent for a moment. He did not say whether a few articles of clothing and some study supplies were expensive or not. Instead, he spoke in an even, indifferent tone.

“...Tongtong, from last night onward, I’ll take care of you.”

The way he said it made it sound as though something had happened between them the night before, and now he had to take responsibility for her.

For a moment, she was speechless.

While she remained silent, she heard someone speaking to Shao Yihuai in an intimate tone.

“Uncle Baai, when are you coming over? Everyone’s waiting for you to start the game.”

She had assumed the person was speaking to someone else, but then she heard Shao Yihuai answer calmly, “You go ahead and start. I’m talking to a little friend.”

Uncle Baai?

Wasn’t his name Shao Yihuai? Was that a nickname?

And did “little friend” mean her?

As Chu Tong sat there in a daze, Shao Yihuai asked, “How was your day? Are you tired?”

“...I’m all right. After class, I went to tutor a student. I’m on my way back now.”

“Don’t work too hard.”

“Mm.” She added, “You too, Mr. Shao.”

The repeated use of “Mr. Shao” and the formal “you” made him laugh.

“Next time we meet, are you still going to call me that?”

Heat rose to Chu Tong’s face.

He spoke slowly and unhurriedly, his voice rich and magnetic, somehow inspiring all manner of thoughts.

“...When can I contact you... I mean, when can I call you by your name?”

“You can contact me anytime. I’m not as busy as you think.”

Gathering her courage, Chu Tong asked, “...Then will you contact me when you’re free?”

“Of course.”

That was what he said.

Yet for the next two days, Shao Yihuai did not contact her at all. The “next time they met” he had mentioned seemed impossibly far away.

—

Wednesday was the day Chu Tong had arranged to meet Liu Hao.

After class that afternoon, she went to the West Gate as promised. From a distance, she saw a McLaren pulled over by the roadside. Liu Hao was standing beside it with a bouquet of flowers in his hand.

He looked as though he were waiting for his girlfriend.

Chu Tong had no intention of accepting the flowers. “Where are we going?”

“I booked a restaurant.” As he spoke, Liu Hao held out the bouquet. “Seriously? You don’t even want the flowers?”

“I’m not going on a date with you.”

“It’s my habit. Whenever I have dinner alone with a girl, I give her flowers. My sister isn’t exempt.” Liu Hao stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Just take them. Otherwise, I’ll lose face. Haven’t you noticed that some of our classmates are watching?”

Chu Tong sighed. Continuing to stand there would only attract more attention, so she had no choice but to accept the flowers.

Liu Hao opened the car door for her.

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The McLaren drove toward the Central Business District.

Their destination was a restaurant high above the city, with a panoramic view overlooking the dazzling nightscape of the entire business district.

A waiter led them to a table by the window. Chu Tong immediately set the flowers aside. Liu Hao lifted his chin toward the window.

“Take a look at the view. I specifically reserved a table by the window.”

Chu Tong glanced outside without much interest, but a flash of wonder soon appeared in her eyes.

It really was beautiful. Row upon row of brightly lit office towers spread out beneath them, making it seem as though they were suspended among the clouds. She looked back into the restaurant. The décor was luxurious, and every man and woman passing by was polished and radiant. Compared with the city she saw in her everyday life—going to class and working part-time—it was an entirely different world.

A world like this was fine to admire from a distance. She still had to return to the ground and live with both feet firmly planted there.

The waiter brought over the menu. Liu Hao asked what she wanted to eat, but Chu Tong said indifferently, “Order whatever you like.”

Dish after dish was served. Chu Tong finally said, “I want to discuss something serious.”

“Sure, sure.” Liu Hao sounded somewhat perfunctory. It was not until the main course arrived that he took out his phone and tapped several times on the screen. Before handing it over, his expression suddenly became solemn.

“Let me make this clear first, so you don’t get angry with me later. I didn’t do this. It was that He fellow.”

Chu Tong said nothing. She took the phone from him, but the moment she looked at the screen, she froze.

The photographs were unmistakably of her. She had just finished bathing and was wearing a nightdress, standing in front of her wardrobe while drying her hair. The images were intensely suggestive—explicit enough that, if they were posted online, people might mistake them for scenes from an adult film.

“Swipe further. There are several more.”

She slid her thumb across the screen. There were four or five additional photographs. Without exception, they showed her in her nightdress, all taken from the same angle—from the direction of Ding Xue’s bed.

After examining them carefully, Chu Tong turned the phone face down on the table.

“Where did you get these?”

“That He kid has a group chat. He posted them there. One of the people in the group is my friend, and he forwarded them to me.” Liu Hao said, “Just say the word and I’ll beat up everyone in that group and make them delete the pictures. How about it?”

“No need.” Chu Tong remained calm. “I’m going to report it to the police.”

“Hey, don’t be impulsive. At most, you’ll anger their parents, and they’ll send the kids abroad. It would feel much better to beat them up.”

Chu Tong lowered her eyes and thought for a moment.

“...Help me with something.”

Liu Hao immediately perked up. “Tell me.”

“You said you have a friend in that group. Ask your friend to forward all the chat records related to me to you, and then send them to me.”

“Collecting evidence.” Liu Hao nodded, then realized what she meant. “So you still want to report it? Don’t be silly. At most, this counts as an invasion of privacy.”

Reporting it would certainly be the most convenient solution, but the matter would inevitably drag the school into it. Communication among all the parties would consume a great deal of time and energy. Besides, the photographs did not expose enough skin to qualify as the dissemination of obscene material, so the punishment would probably not be severe.

For the moment, she could not make up her mind.

“...Let’s collect the evidence first,” Chu Tong said. “I’ll think about it.”

She needed to consult a lawyer.

“That works. Be careful in the dormitory, though. I’m guessing Ding Xue took the pictures.” Liu Hao added, “I can beat her up too.”

It was the first time Chu Tong had looked at him seriously.

“Thank you.”

Liu Hao immediately beamed and leaned back in his chair.

“Why are you being so polite? Come out and have fun with me next time.”

Chu Tong’s expression paused. Liu Hao leaned toward her in surprise.

“Seriously? I helped you with something this important, and you won’t even agree to this little request?”

She would still need his help collecting the evidence, so Chu Tong nodded.

“Then send me the chat records tomorrow.”

“Done. I’ll ask my friend for them right now.” Liu Hao stood up. “I’m going to the restroom.”

He lowered his head and tapped out a message to his friend as he walked toward the restroom. When he rounded the corner, he collided with someone. Their eyes met.

Well, what a familiar face.

“Uncle Ren? You’re here too?”

Ren Mingyuan smiled. “I’m having dinner with a friend. Look at you, grinning from ear to ear. Are you on a date with a girl?”

“Exactly. She’s the beauty queen of our Chinese department. I’ve been pursuing her for months, and she finally agreed to have dinner with me.”

Ren Mingyuan laughed. “That’s all it took to make you this proud?”

“You have no idea how beautiful she is, or how difficult she was to pursue.”

Ren Mingyuan raised an eyebrow and pretended to move toward the dining area.

“Is that so? She’s that beautiful? Then I have to meet her.”

Liu Hao quickly grabbed his arm, his expression pleading.

“Uncle Ren, please don’t tease me. It’s our first time having dinner together. If you go over to greet her, you’ll scare her away.”

Ren Mingyuan had only been joking with him, and now he could not stop laughing.

“All right, all right.”

“Oh, by the way, are you and Uncle Shao going to Baisen on Saturday? I’ll bring her along then.”

“You’ve already arranged the next date? Things are moving quickly.” Ren Mingyuan said, “...I’ll stop by for a while. Your Uncle Shao probably won’t be coming.”

“That’s true. Uncle Shao rarely shows his face.”

“When it comes to romance, he’s an old fossil. He’s not even as proactive as you.”

“You’re the only one who dares say things like that.” Liu Hao flattered him discreetly. “In our circle, you’re the only person who’s close to Uncle Shao.”

Ren Mingyuan laughed and patted him on the shoulder.

“I’ll be going back, then.”

“Take care, Uncle Ren.”

As Ren Mingyuan crossed the lobby toward the private dining rooms, he still took a careful look around. He immediately noticed a young woman sitting alone at a table by the window. Even from a distance, she had an extraordinary air about her, with the unmistakable presence of a great beauty. She was probably the Chinese department beauty Liu Hao had mentioned.

When Ren Mingyuan returned to the private room, the meal was nearly finished. He called Shao Yihuai.

“Are you at home? I’m not going to the office tomorrow morning. How about I come over tonight and have a drink with you?”

“I’m in Nancheng.”

“You still haven’t returned from your business trip?” Ren Mingyuan’s spirits fell at once. Then he thought of something else. “...What did you decide about that favor the Liu family asked you to do?”

“I can’t do it.”

“I’ve never met anyone as incorruptible as you.”

Then again, that was only to be expected. The Shao family had been passed down through four generations, with family members spread across every profession. No matter what position they held, they had all inherited the same integrity, handling their responsibilities faithfully wherever they served. That was also the secret behind the family’s prosperity.

“Was that what you called about?”

Shao Yihuai’s tone was calm and indifferent.

“Oh, right. You should be back in the capital by Saturday, shouldn’t you? Are you coming to Baisen?” Ren Mingyuan sounded more interested now. “I just ran into that boy from the Liu family. He says he’s dating the beauty of the Chinese department at his university, and he’s bringing her along on Saturday so we can meet her.”

Ren Mingyuan had already prepared himself for Shao Yihuai to refuse. He had even expected him to hang up without another word.

Instead, after two seconds of silence, Shao Yihuai asked, “...Which university?”

His voice held no particular emotion.

“A University.” Ren Mingyuan suddenly remembered something. “Oh, right. Isn’t Professor Chen, your mother’s close friend, a teacher in the Chinese department there? That means—”

Before he could finish, the call ended.