Chapter 85: Confession: You are a fantasy beyond my reach

After embracing for a while, they finally separated. Xu Sui and Hu Qianxi sat together, their bodies close to each other.

Xu Sui patted her head and smiled, saying, “I messaged Liang Shuang. She’s stuck in traffic but will be here soon.”

“Okay,” Hu Qianxi replied.

During the interval before the food arrived, Xu Sui and Hu Qianxi sat together, occasionally whispering to each other with smiles in their eyes, completely ignoring the two big men sitting opposite them.

Zhou Jingze and Sheng Nanzhou exchanged glances. Zhou Jingze spoke first, raising an eyebrow, “Hey, have you forgotten that there are two live gentlemen sitting across from you?”

Hu Qianxi finally shifted her attention over, pretending to be annoyed, “Uncle, why are you so petty? I’m just borrowing your girlfriend for the night, and you’re worried she’ll run away?”

Zhou Jingze chuckled and handed a cup of tea to Hu Qianxi, speaking slowly with a hint of meaning, “My wife isn’t going anywhere. Isn’t someone here jealous?”

The “someone” was very obvious, and Hu Qianxi took the opportunity to cover her expression by drinking tea and laughing, “Stop making wild guesses!”

Not long after, Liang Shuang, with her high nose bridge and sunglasses perched on her nose, burst into the private room carrying a crocodile-skin handbag, about to complain loudly about the traffic. However, when she saw Hu Qianxi’s face at the table, her voice caught in her throat, unable to speak a word.

Because Hu Qianxi was too thin, it was heartbreaking.

Hu Qianxi noticed Liang Shuang’s change in expression, stood up with open arms, and smiled, “Don’t play sentimental games with me; it’s not like you, Shuang Shuang.”

With that sentence, the slightly melancholic atmosphere dissipated, and the sadness on Liang Shuang’s face disappeared completely. She raised her chin like a queen and reluctantly embraced Hu Qianxi, starting to scold her:

“Just look at yourself, so shabby. Are you still the meticulous Miss Xixi from head to toe?”

Hu Qianxi grinned and squinted her eyes, “Well, I often travel outside, so dressing like this is more convenient and I’m used to it.”

At the dining table, everyone’s conversation revolved around Hu Qianxi, after all, she was the star of the evening. Hu Qianxi openly shared her experiences with the international wildlife rescue organization over the years.

“You guys don’t know, I once rescued an injured lamb at the foot of a volcano, and the locals gave it to me as a gift. I named it Xixi.” Hu Qianxi waved a chopstick, her eyes sparkling under the light.

Xu Sui was immediately drawn in by her story and asked, “Do you have photos? Let me see.”

“Yes,” Hu Qianxi took out her phone and showed her the pictures.

“Another time, it was a local horse race. I was there as an animal doctor, and unexpectedly, they were short of a contestant and grabbed me at the last minute. They said it was a domesticated horse, very gentle, but as soon as I got on, it kicked me, and I lost on the spot. Everyone burst into laughter and forgot about the race.” Hu Qianxi recalled it with amusement.

“Haha, I’d laugh at you too if I were there.”

Sheng Nanzhou sat opposite, his brow furrowing slightly as Hu Qianxi shared this story. He unconsciously tightened his hand on the wine glass but ultimately said nothing.

As Hu Qianxi returned, everyone happily toasted, and Liang Shuang, after finishing her drink, hiccupped and hugged Hu Qianxi’s neck, sounding tipsy, “Girl, with such rich life experiences, how’s your personal love life?”

Hu Qianxi was also tipsy. She leaned on Liang Shuang’s shoulder, covering her face and giggling, “I don’t have time at all. Even if I go out in my spare time, others will complain about the smell of cow dung and elephant dung on me.”

“Actually, there’s none of that. Smell it, it’s fragrant!”

Hu Qianxi lay on Liang Shuang, rolling up her sleeve to expose her wrist, bringing it close to her to smell.

Liang Shuang teased her, “Fragrance of dung, did someone forget to flush the toilet?”

As soon as the words fell, Hu Qianxi immediately grabbed Liang Shuang’s throat and began beating her.

Xu Sui thought to herself that time really can change a person. Hu Qianxi used to live a delicate life, unable to endure any hardship, truly a pampered young lady.

Now, dressed simply, she was living abroad enduring wind and sun, occasionally hearing gunshots, yet still able to find joy in hardship.

The only things unchanged were her vitality, her radiant smile, and their friendship.

After three rounds of drinks, the restaurant staff came over to remind them that they would be closing in ten minutes, and the neon lights outside had gone out.

The group parted ways on the roadside.

After they left, only Hu Qianxi and Sheng Nanzhou remained.

Hu Qianxi felt a bit uncomfortable from drinking too much, leaning against the lamppost with her head down.

Sheng Nanzhou walked over and handed her a piece of paper, his brows furrowed, “Didn’t I text you earlier not to drink? With your health—”

Huxianzi took the paper and wiped her mouth, her eyes gleaming with moisture, appearing gentle and lovely under the lamplight.

“This is happiness, isn’t it, Nanzhou ge? You’ve been annoying about this since we were kids.”

Sheng Nanzhou chuckled, ruffled her hair, then turned around and crouched in front of Huxianzi.

“What’s up?” Huxianzi looked puzzled.

“To carry you.” Sheng Nanzhou’s voice was calm.

“Okay.” Huxianzi jumped onto his back, instinctively wrapping her arms around his neck.

Sheng Nanzhou held her legs and lifted her up, his handsome brows furrowing slightly.

“You’re so light, there’s hardly any weight at all.”

“Xixi, don’t leave this time. What if your condition worsens?” Sheng Nanzhou interrupted.

“Don’t worry, I’ve been lucky all my life.” Huxianzi interrupted.

“And, I won’t leave. I want to spend more time with all of you.”

Huxianzi lay on Sheng Nanzhou’s broad shoulders, embracing his neck, silently speaking to herself.

“I’m worried,” Sheng Nanzhou added.

The night was gentle, leaves rustled in the wind, and though it was chilly, Huxianzi pressed closer to Sheng Nanzhou’s back to keep him warm.

The warmth made Sheng Nanzhou stiffen, his ears quickly turning red, but he continued carrying Huxianzi forward as if nothing happened.

“When you were eating earlier, you mentioned being kicked by a horse during the competition. Did it hurt?” Sheng Nanzhou paused.

Sheng Nanzhou’s low voice carried through the wind to Huxianzi’s ears, causing her eyes to tear up.

Everyone was amused by her joke earlier, but only Sheng Nanzhou asked if she was in pain.

“Yes, it hurt. I still have a scar on my waist. But my skin is thick, so it only hurt for a while. I was fine after that.” Huxianzi pinched his ear.

Sheng Nanzhou continued walking with her on his back. Suddenly, Huxianzi’s mood shifted, and she said softly, “Nanzhou ge, you don’t have to take care of me.”

Sheng Nanzhou paused his steps, a hint of a smile in his eyes, and said seriously, “I’m willing to.”

Because of Huxianzi’s return, Xusui had a great night, so much so that Zhou Jingze followed her in, catching her off guard.

She stood at the entrance until she heard the click of the door locking, and then she felt a sense of oppression.

Xusui looked up, feeling a tingling pain in her neck.

“What are you doing?” Xusui struggled against him.

Zhou Jingze pressed against her, his fingers deftly moving, and soon Xusui’s long hair fell loose, a hair tie ending up on his wrist.

“What do you think? I was left hanging all night.” Zhou Jingze frowned.

He drew closer, their bodies pressed tightly together. He cupped Xusui’s face, his rough thumb brushing her lips slowly.

Xusui’s throat felt dry. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen Xixi.”

“You haven’t seen your boyfriend in two days either.”

Xusui felt he was being unreasonable.

Zhou Jingze held her chin, leaning down to kiss her. It was passionate and serious.

First their lips met, then he bit her lip slightly.

Xusui winced, her lips being pried open and sucked on repeatedly, like eating a fresh peach, slow and deliberate.

Unconsciously, Xusui grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer with each kiss.

Zhou Jingze, finding it troublesome, lifted her onto the table.

Dazed by the kiss, Xusui felt Zhou Jingze’s fingers on the soft skin behind her ear, massaging gently.

But his body was warm against the cold table, their love contrasting like fire and ice.

Xusui’s heart skipped a beat.

The warm light from the lamp reflected in Zhou Jingze’s dark eyes, casting shadows over her.

Xusui broke out in a sweat, as Zhou Jingze continued kissing her and murmuring in a barely audible voice.

“Tonight, Xixi said, Xusui, when are you going to officially be mine?”

Xusui’s voice was hoarse. “Official? Aren’t you already my boyfriend?”

Zhou Jingze unhappily nibbled on her earlobe, then licked it and spoke slowly:

“Do you understand what I mean?”

“I’m asking when you’ll turn your boyfriend into a husband, hmm?” Zhou Jingze paused, pressing his thumb against her forehead, looking at her.

Xu Sui turned her face away, feeling uncomfortable for a moment. She thought about it and smiled, saying:

“Then I’ll consider it.”

Zhou Jingze chuckled lightly and carried her towards the direction of the room.

Xu Sui’s black hair brushed against his neck, her throat tickling. He somewhat roughly threw her onto the bed.

Instinctively, Xu Sui wanted to escape, but a distinct hand grasped her slender ankle and pulled her underneath.

“Take your time to think. After all, I’ve been waiting for so many years.” Zhou Jingze’s voice was low and husky.

The next day, Xu Sui woke up sore all over, unable to move from the bed.

The room was already empty; Zhou Jingze had left a note by the bed for her.

Getting up, Xu Sui’s blanket slipped off. She picked up the note and read it. It said he had gone out for something and that breakfast was in the kitchen.

Xu Sui lazed in bed for a while before finally getting up. After she finished washing up and was about to eat, her mother sent her a message:

“Your Aunt Wang has introduced a good match for you. When are you free to meet?”

Xu Sui blinked; she hadn’t told her mother she was dating, let alone that her boyfriend was Zhou Jingze.

But… it had to be him, Xu Sui thought.

She wanted to be with him all along.

Thinking this, Xu Sui typed in the chat box: “Mom, I’m in a relationship.”

As soon as the message was sent, her mother called.

Not wanting to answer, Xu Sui declined, quickly replying: “I’m working overtime. Text me anything you need.”

Her mother sent another message: “I’ve bought a ticket to come and meet your boyfriend tomorrow.”

“Ah? It’s the end of the year, and we’re both so busy. How about in a little while, or I’ll bring him home to meet you during Chinese New Year.” Xu Sui immediately suggested.

Her mother dropped the topic of meeting her boyfriend. After a while, she asked again:

“How old is he, and what does he do?”

Xu Sui hesitated, carefully choosing her words:

“He’s a year older than me, and his profession… maybe not as stable as you’d like for a boyfriend, but I’m a doctor, so it’s similar. We’re both busy, and sometimes he sleeps at work.”

“What does he do then?”

After hesitating, Xu Sui sent three words: “He’s a pilot.”

After sending that message, there was no response from her mother.

Zhou Jingze unexpectedly heard from his old employer, Dongzhao Airlines.

The leader, Zhang Chengzhi, asked to meet outside, and Zhou Jingze agreed.

Zhang asked him to meet near Crow River Square. When Zhou Jingze arrived, Zhang was dressed in a brown cotton jacket, wrapped in a thick scarf, holding a bag of bread, feeding pigeons in the square.

It was a far cry from his usual serious demeanor during presentations at Dongzhao.

Zhou Jingze walked over and sat beside him, taking out a pack of cigarettes, tearing open the plastic film, and shaking one out for him.

Zhang smiled, took it, and lit up.

“What brings you to me, Lao Zhang?”

“The result of that matter has come out. Li Haoning surrendered and confessed to the threats he received and everything he did. The company has officially sued Gao Yang and Li Haoning and is currently going through legal procedures.” Zhang coughed and said.

Zhou Jingze was stunned, tapping his lighter absentmindedly, and casually asked, “Why did Li Haoning suddenly dare to come out?”

“I heard the pressure was too much for him. His mother also found out about the matter and refused to accept the money for his treatment. Most importantly, he felt guilty towards you.”

Zhou Jingze snorted without a word. After the truth came out, he didn’t have much excitement or emotional ups and downs.

How should I put it? He knew that justice would come eventually.

Zhang patted Zhou Jingze’s shoulder and exhaled deeply, “The company will issue a clarification statement, apologize to the industry, and offer you three times your salary to return. You’re still the head of Dongzhao Airlines. What do you say, Captain Zhou?”

Zhou Jingze was still looking down, but at Zhang’s words, he tilted his hand, and a fleeting flame scorched his palm.

Continuing to light his cigarette, he took a drag, exhaled, smiled, and flicked the ashes off, “No thanks, I plan to do something else.”

Zhang was surprised, patting him and asking, “Seriously? Willing to change careers?”

“Not exactly. A university teacher friend sent me an invitation,” Zhou Jingze took the cigarette out of his mouth, paused, and continued, “to join the Ministry of Transport’s Marine Rescue Team.”

He would still be flying, but from jet planes to helicopters, becoming a member of the aerial rescue team, more dangerous, and carrying even greater responsibilities.

Zhang was surprised, “Good for you. You, this kid, will shine wherever you go with your outstanding credentials.”

“But how did you decide to go there?”

Although they all belong under the same blue sky, with different roles in different departments, the responsibilities also differ. Engaging in aerial rescue isn’t just dangerous; it carries a greater social responsibility, almost like entrusting your life to the nation.

Zhou Jingze paused for a moment, took a drag of his cigarette, and spoke slowly, “My girl, she’s uncertain about the career she chose in this society, and I just want to tell her: ‘This world is still good.'” Even in troubled times, we hold onto our own set of principles, whether mediocre or grand, anchoring ourselves.

Old Zhang suddenly understood and recalled, “Your girlfriend? Is that Xu Sui, the one who wrote numerous complaint letters to the company, asking us to investigate thoroughly, saying you’re not that type of person? She even attached your past achievements and honors… I don’t know where she got so much information about you.”

“Isn’t this unnecessary? Our old employer still doesn’t know about your past.”

Zhou Jingze’s pupils contracted slightly, ash falling from his cigarette as he spoke slowly, “When did she send you the email?”

“Let me think… It was around the time you had just started as an instructor at the base,” Old Zhang reminisced.

At that time, they hadn’t reconciled yet; everyone ridiculed, cursed, looked down on him, accused him, and treated him coldly, as if he deserved to be a stray dog.

Only Xu Sui believed he wasn’t like that, silently working behind the scenes, hoping that one day he could return to the sky.

“This girl is really something. I heard she went to see Zhong Haoning a few times,” Old Zhang sighed, “You’re lucky, kid, to find such a good girl. Don’t let her slip away.”

“But this is mutual; cherish each other—” Old Zhang was commenting when Zhou Jingze suddenly stood up, extinguished his cigarette, and hoarsely said, “Old Zhang, I have something to do. I’ll go first.”

Zhou Jingze returned to his car, started the engine, accelerated all the way, his eyes determined, stepping on the gas as if flying to Amber Alley.

Running up to the second floor, Zhou Jingze pushed open the piano room where they used to rehearse, dragging out a box from the corner.

Using a paper knife to open the dust-covered box, Zhou Jingze kept searching. Among the plethora of love letters and gifts he received during his youth, he found a dusty record.

It was a Mayday album he loved, “Children of God Dance.”

Alongside it fell an expired tube of ointment and a finger cot.

Now he knew this gift was from Xu Sui.

During college, when Sheng Nanzhou discovered her gift, Zhou Jingze casually said in front of everyone, “So many people give me gifts; do I have to think about each one?”

This sentence shattered a young girl’s dream.

Opening the sealed album, a bookmark “popped” onto the floor.

Zhou Jingze picked it up and read the back. The girl’s handwriting was neat and careful:

“You are my unreachable fantasy. I hope you are loved throughout your life, carefree and honest, forever upright.”