Chapter 68: Confession - Bumped into Bai Yu Shi walking her home

How could she possibly let go? Xu Sui’s hand, which had reached out, retracted.

After arriving home, Xu Sui felt a great sense of relief and collapsed onto the sofa, sleeping heavily. By the time she woke up, it was already ten o’clock at night.

Xu Sui took a shower, ate something, then watched TV for a while, but found she couldn’t concentrate. So she turned off the TV and went to bed.

Perhaps due to her earlier nap, Xu Sui tossed and turned in bed throughout the latter part of the night, unable to sleep.

Her mind kept revisiting the events of the day.

It turned out that when they broke up originally, Zhou Jing Ze wasn’t as indifferent and carefree as he appeared on the surface; he also cared about that relationship.

And there was that world map.

With so many markings, none pointed to the cities where she studied and worked.

Had he visited her many times?

Why did he never show up?

These questions hidden deep in her heart, Xu Sui wanted to ask but couldn’t muster the courage. Finally, she picked up her phone from the bedside table, opened a certain app, and made her first post asking:

“Could I ask everyone, if you’ve been broken up with your ex for many years and suddenly discover he never really let go of that relationship and is trying to pursue you again, but still, you’re hesitant to give it a try, what should you do?”

Since Xu Sui posted late at night, hardly anyone replied. At 2 a.m., only one anonymous account responded:

“Give him the cold shoulder for a while, listen carefully to your own feelings, see if you truly have the courage to try again.”

Xu Sui stared at this reply for a long time, thinking it made sense and giving her some direction.

Over the next few days, Zhou Jing Ze messaged her, but Xu Sui rarely responded because chatting with him made her feel unsure and confused.

However, Zhou Jing Ze didn’t notice any change. He seemed busy lately, occasionally sending voice messages sounding tired but still caring about her daily life as usual.

Finally, on the weekend, Xu Sui waited eagerly for the premiere of a movie she wanted to see.

She had actually seen this movie titled “Girl in the Back Street” when she was studying in Hong Kong; it was adapted from a bestselling Italian novel.

Xu Sui loved this movie and was thrilled about its re-release.

Most anticipated was the visit of her favorite female lead for promotion.

Xu Sui was captivated by a scene in the movie where the protagonist, Clarissa, wearing a shirt the color of the sea and red shorts, walked determinedly through a grimy, dusty back street, crossed a dark tunnel, and headed towards her “sea.”

In anticipation of this premiere, Xu Sui even brought the original novel with a green softcover and a movie poster, hoping to get them signed.

At three o’clock on Saturday afternoon, Liang Shuang appeared downstairs in her car.

After Xu Sui got in, Liang Shuang locked the car door and handed her a bag of pastries, saying, “Here, specially bought for you.”

“Thank you.” Xu Sui opened the bag and took out a croissant.

As Liang Shuang drove and chatted with Xu Sui, she smiled and said, “I’ve never met a celebrity before; hopefully, there’ll be a handsome blond guy!”

“There are blond beauties, but this movie is mainly about the female lead. Still, there are a few male supporting roles, all quite good-looking.” Xu Sui took a bite of the croissant.

About forty minutes later, they arrived at the International Convention Center and entered with their tickets. The event was held in a large screening hall.

The process was to watch the movie first, followed by interactions with the creative team and promotions.

Xu Sui switched her phone to silent mode and watched the movie attentively. The seats Li Yang reserved for them were in the middle of the back rows, the best viewing spot.

Xu Sui remained focused throughout the movie until the very end when the lights suddenly came on with a snap, brightening the room and bringing everyone out of the story’s world.

Meanwhile, various media outlets with cameras waited for the creative team. When they appeared on stage, Xu Sui sat excitedly in her chair, took out her phone from her bag, and snapped a picture of her favorite actor.

The host stood aside, asking the audience for their thoughts after the movie. Xu Sui leaned on the armrest, listening attentively to the questions and answers, occasionally joining in the laughter when the host made jokes.

She agreed with many viewpoints about the movie.

Later, some audience members went on stage to interact with the main actors and could get signed photos afterward.

Xu Sui’s heart fluttered a bit, but she didn’t make a move; she wasn’t the impulsive type.

She thought she would have another chance. Didn’t Li Yang say they could go backstage to get autographs after the screening?

After the movie, Xu Sui messaged Li Yang: [Hey, where’s your staff friend? The event is over now, and I’d like to go backstage for a signature.]

Soon, her phone screen lit up, and Li Yang replied: [Sweetheart, sorry, my friend took sick leave; you might not be able to get the signature.]

The audience gradually dispersed, but Xu Sui remained seated, showing her phone messages to Liang Shuang.

“Oh, what does this mean? Is it all off? Li Yang is so unreliable,” Liang Shuang frowned and handed the phone back to her. “Sui Sui, why don’t we try our luck backstage? You came here just for an autograph, right?”

“Okay,” Xu Sui hesitated and nodded, standing up.

Hand in hand, they discreetly left the theater and sneaked into the actors’ lounge. Xu Sui felt nervous for some reason, as it was her first time doing something like this, her heart pounding. Her eyes scanned the makeup rooms and lounges, finally stopping at the door of actress Keli Sha’s dressing room.

Liang Shuang was about to knock on the door when a stern voice came from behind, “What are you two doing?”

Xu Sui turned around and saw a staff member approaching with a serious expression.

“Hello, can we go in for an autograph?” Xu Sui asked.

The staff member gestured dismissively and said firmly, “No, please leave.”

“Well… can we wait here for a bit? If she comes out, can we get an autograph?” Xu Sui asked hopefully, trying to appeal to the staff member.

But the staff member remained unyielding and seemingly annoyed, “Don’t disturb the actors’ rest. If you don’t leave, we’ll have security ‘escort’ you out.”

Liang Shuang was about to retort angrily, but Xu Sui stopped her by holding her hand.

Feeling deflated, Xu Sui apologized to the staff member, “Sorry for the disturbance.”

As Xu Sui and Liang Shuang turned to leave, a low, magnetic voice suddenly came from behind, “Xu Sui?”

Turning around, Xu Sui stared at the man not far away for three seconds.

He was wearing a sharp black cashmere coat, tall with slightly short hair, and striking features. He was looking at her.

Realizing who it was, she exclaimed with surprise, “Professor Bai?”

Liang Shuang, seeing such a handsome and gentle type for the first time, was excited and nervous, nudging Xu Sui with her elbow, “Who is this? Is this the professor you met in Hong Kong?”

Bai Yu Shi casually tucked his hand into his coat pocket and walked towards them, smiling with a fine line at the corner of his eyes, “Long time no see, young lady.”

“Long time no see, Professor Bai. I didn’t expect to run into you here,” Xu Sui couldn’t help but smile, recalling something, “This is my friend, Liang Shuang.”

“Hello,” Bai Yu Shi extended his hand, smiling again.

Liang Shuang was completely stunned, lost in his smile, stammering, “Hello… you…”

Bai Yu Shi lightly shook her hand and then withdrew, the process considerate and gentlemanly. He raised an eyebrow, guessing right away, “Want an autograph?”

“Yes, we’re hoping for some luck,” Xu Sui said somewhat sheepishly.

Bai Yu Shi nodded, gestured to his assistant behind him, who immediately understood and knocked on the door, then spoke to the nearby staff member, “This is a friend of Professor Bai.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the staff member looked momentarily flustered, hurriedly apologizing.

Bai Yu Shi didn’t make things difficult, waving his hand to dismiss the staff member.

After the door opened, Bai Yu Shi walked in. Xu Sui stood outside the door, hearing Bai Yu Shi speaking Italian inside, his pronunciation clear and melodious like twilight strings.

Soon, the assistant invited them in. Xu Sui successfully obtained a signed photo, and the actress even hugged her briefly, saying, “Thank you for your support, it’s an honor.”

Xu Sui blushed, her heart racing, feeling happy even after leaving.

Bai Yu Shi stayed behind to chat with the actress for a few moments before bidding farewell with a close-up gesture.

Outside, Xu Sui waited for Bai Yu Shi to come out, thanking him, “Thank you, Professor Bai. But how coincidental to meet you at this movie.”

“Because I’m the voice actor for this film,” Bai Yu Shi explained lightly.

“You’re really amazing, Professor Bai!” Liang Shuang praised.

“Just a bit of interest,” Bai Yu Shi glanced at his watch, smiling, “I have something to attend to. If you don’t mind waiting ten minutes, would you join me for a meal?”

“Sure,” Xu Sui nodded.

After Bai Yu Shi left, the comforting scent of sandalwood on him dissipated into the air.

Sitting backstage waiting for Bai Yu Shi, Liang Shuang linked arms with Xu Sui, asking, “Sui Bao, how do you know him?”

“I saw him today and suddenly understood the charm of older men.”

“There’s a story behind it. I’ll tell you next time,” Xu Sui explained.

Not long after, Bai Yu Shi emerged and waved to them in the corridor.

Xu Sui and Liang Shuang walked over and got into Bai Yu Shi’s car. Bai Yu Shi told the driver an address, and the car headed towards Jingnan Road.

Sitting in the back seat, Xu Sui and Liang Shuang caught a faint scent of cedar in the car, feeling chilly. Finding it boring, Bai Yu Shi played music, soothing piano sounds like flowing water.

Liang Shuang, bored in the car, suddenly noticed something sharp-eyed: in this distinctly masculine car, there was an old-fashioned pink origami crane on the center console, which didn’t fit his style.

“Professor Bai, do you like origami?” Liang Shuang asked.

Bai Yu sat in the passenger seat with his eyes closed, resting. Upon hearing the words, he opened his eyes and looked towards the small origami crane in front of the car. A rich blackness flashed in his narrow eyes for a moment, then subsided into calmness. He spoke softly, “It’s nothing important.”

The car veered away from the city center and stopped at a restaurant near Wutongkou. The driver got out and opened the door. A pair of long legs stepped out, and Bai Yu fastened the second button of his coat. He gestured to stop the driver with a glance.

The driver immediately understood and went to open the door for the two ladies.

Professor Bai took them to a French restaurant. Walking beside them, he spoke slowly, “A friend recommended this place. If it’s not good, we can go somewhere else.”

Liáng Shuǎng, a local who had lived here for nearly thirty years, was surprised to discover an art museum restaurant behind Wutongkou.

The restaurant, both in appearance and interior design, resembled an art gallery. Bai Yu hosted the meal meticulously, attending to every detail and etiquette. In this setting, they became guests while Bai Yu became the host.

Xǔ Suí felt a bit embarrassed and said, “Professor Bai, since you’re in Beijing North City, I should be treating you to this meal.”

Taking a sip of wine, Bai Yu replied in a gentle and melodic Cantonese accent, “I’m here on a week-long business trip. I’ll trouble you to host me during these days.”

This remark relieved Xǔ Suí’s pressure and put them on the same level. She smiled lightly, “Of course.”

Liáng Shuǎng sat on the side, enjoying the view outside while eating, feeling comfortable and relaxed. She took her phone and snapped a photo of a cat jumping onto the roof, then another of their meal.

Neither Bai Yu nor Xǔ Suí appeared in the photos. Instead, there was Bai Yu’s hand holding a highball glass and a glimpse of Xǔ Suí’s fair wrist as she reached for fruit.

Liáng Shuǎng posted these two photos on her social media with the caption: “Following me and Suí Bao for a free meal, hehe~”

Xǔ Suí was unaware of this. She chatted with Bai Yu about recent events and learned that he was still teaching at University B in Hong Kong.

After the meal, Bai Yu drove them home. Liáng Shuǎng lived nearby, so she got out first. Bai Yu sat in the passenger seat and suddenly remembered something. He pulled out two tickets from his wallet, turned around, and asked, “There’s a modern foreign film poster exhibition in a couple of days. Will you be available?”

Xǔ Suí took a look, nodded with her hand on her knee, and said, “I am. But this time, let me treat you to the meal.”

Bai Yu smiled, the attractive fine lines around his eyes creasing. The passing lights outside brushed against his temples.

The car slowed down in front of Xǔ Suí’s home. Bai Yu got out first and opened the door for her. Xǔ Suí stepped out with her handbag but accidentally stumbled on her heel.

With a slightly loud exclamation, Xǔ Suí began to fall forward uncontrollably. Bai Yu’s voice sounded warm in the darkness, “Be careful.”

After Xǔ Suí steadied herself, she moved back a bit and said, “Thank you.”

“Go inside. I’ll watch you go in.” Bai Yu stood in front of her, pulled out a cigar from his coat pocket, and twirled it between his fingers.

Considering the exhibition dates, Xǔ Suí said, “Alright, see you the day after tomorrow, Professor Bai.”

After speaking, Xǔ Suí smiled and turned around. Inadvertently looking up, she spotted Zhou Jingze standing not far away, staring at them with an intense gaze, half lost in the darkness. He wore a black parka, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a cigarette, unmoving and fixated on them.

The gray-white smoke exhaled by Zhou Jingze made his gaze appear like that of a beast lurking in the dark, deep and chilling, cutting through her heart like ice.

Xǔ Suí felt pinned in place by Zhou Jingze’s gaze, unable to move, although there was nothing between them.

“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Zhou Jingze extinguished his cigarette, his voice deep and steady, never leaving her.