The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife-Chapter 549: Ban’er 6. Fu Chenxuan, long time no see

Fu Chenxuan’s company, after a month of bustling activity, finally started to find its rhythm, and he, too, at last had a chance to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Brother Chenxuan, where shall we eat tonight?" Guoguo stood up from her desk, stretching languidly. Her work skills were becoming increasingly polished; although she wasn’t exactly slicing through butter yet, she was at least no longer struggling as she had at the beginning.

Since the company was in its initial stages, everyone had been busy—working overtime even on weekends—and dinners were mostly taken care of by take-out. Now that they could finally relax a bit, naturally they wanted to treat themselves to a good meal.

Fu Chenxuan looked up from his computer screen, "Is it time to leave already?"

Guoguo glared, "It’s been half an hour past closing time."

Fu Chenxuan raised his hand to rub his forehead; he had encountered a problem today and was engrossed in trying to solve it, completely forgetting the passage of time.

"What about the others?"

"They’ve all left. Seeing you at work, I told them to go ahead."

Hearing this, Fu Chenxuan arched his eyebrows slightly. He had originally planned to treat everyone to relax today; since that was not to be, they’d do it some other day.

He packed up his things and stood up, "Then let’s go as well."

"Brother Chenxuan, treat me to dinner today, please. After a month of eating take-out, I’m really craving something else." Guoguo pleaded pitifully, having never before in her life relied so much on take-out.

"Alright, whatever you want to eat, even if you want dragon meat, I’ll find a way to get it for you," Fu Chenxuan declared generously.

"I want steak," Guoguo stated her desire for Western cuisine straight away.

Fu Chenxuan had no objections. He took a turn with the car and brought her to a nearby upscale Western restaurant.

"Starting next week, there won’t be a need for overtime. You’ve worked hard this month," Fu Chenxuan said apologetically, noticing that Guoguo’s face had visibly thinned.

Guoguo shook her head, "I don’t see it that way. I think it’s much better here than at my dad’s." At Fu Chenxuan’s company, no one treated her like the daughter of the Han Group. She was just a newcomer, and though there were many mistakes and even blunders in her work, everyone would kindly remind or help her. Unlike at the Han Group, where, even when they knew she was wrong, those people would just turn a blind eye simply because her father was Han Yi.

"Have you adapted to the work this month?" Fu Chenxuan asked again.

"Adapted really well," Guoguo answered casually, feeling free and content. Even if it was tiring, she was willing.

"Starting from next month, our new APP will officially enter into the development phase, and the company will become even busier. You must completely familiarize yourself with the work this month, to be able to handle it with ease, so there’s still hard work ahead for you."

Guoguo looked at him ruefully, "Brother Chenxuan, do you know what you remind me of right now?"

Fu Chenxuan looked at her puzzledly, waiting for her to continue.

"You’re like Zhou Bapi, the epitome of the evil capitalist," Guoguo teased, but it was all in good fun, without any real displeasure.

Fu Chenxuan laughed, "That’s because you haven’t seen when I’m even more like Zhou Bapi. I remember when we first started, we spent over a week living and sleeping at the company."

Guoguo was surprised, "Your company has rooms to sleep in?"

"We camped out on the floor. But back then it was summer, and you could just lay down a mat on the ground to sleep for a bit."

"Why didn’t you go home to sleep?" Guoguo didn’t understand.

"We were rushing a project back then. A company was interested in an office software we developed, but just a week before signing the contract, we found a bug in the software. So, we had no choice but to work overtime to identify and fix the bug." That was the first order for their company after its establishment, and naturally, they went all out for it. At that time, there were only five of them in the whole company, and they worked tirelessly to patch the bug.

Guoguo couldn’t imagine such hardships and looked at Fu Chenxuan with sympathy, "Brother Chenxuan, you all worked so hard."

Fu Chenxuan smiled. In truth, if he seriously considered it, they hadn’t been that hard-pressed. Although he started from scratch, his starting point was much higher than that of those who truly started from nothing.

The two of them chatted about the company and Fu Chenxuan’s study abroad experience in the past few years. The atmosphere at the dinner table was pretty pleasant.

"Brother Chenxuan, when you were in university, you were busy with courses and the company. How did you still find so much time to participate in those club activities? Compared to you, my university life was much more bland," Guoguo lamented, regretting the time she had wasted.

"If only I had gone out with you back then." Guoguo said emotionally, thinking that if she had, perhaps she wouldn’t have the troubles she had now with Pei Hao.

Thinking of Pei Hao, the smile faded slightly from Guoguo’s face. Her gaze slipped past the steak in front of her, and she suddenly lost interest. She looked around the restaurant, and then her gaze froze, and her complexion turned slightly pale.

Fu Chenxuan was speaking to her, but she did not respond. Following her gaze, he saw Pei Hao, who was not alone. There was a woman sitting across from him.

Fu Chenxuan slightly frowned and looked at Guoguo, "Guoguo."

Guoguo came back to her senses, her smile pale, "Brother Chenxuan, is that his girlfriend? She looks pretty. They must have already met each other’s parents by now, right?"

Over the past month, she had forced herself not to pay attention to any news about Pei Hao and had never mentioned him in front of Fu Chenxuan. She liked Pei Hao and wanted to be with him, but since he had a girlfriend, her upbringing didn’t allow her to do anything that would wreck someone else’s relationship. That was also the reason why, after being rejected by Pei Hao, she had taken the initiative to distance herself from him. If, at the time she confessed, Pei Hao was still single, she wouldn’t have given up, even if rejected.

Fu Chenxuan didn’t know how to tell Guoguo that there were problems between Pei Hao and his girlfriend. After all, he was unclear if those problems were resolved.

"Guoguo, let’s go."

"No need, Brother Chenxuan, I’m not that fragile. Besides, Pei Hao is our friend, I can’t avoid him forever, I have to face him at some point." Guoguo smiled at Fu Chenxuan. Whether she was comforting him or herself with those words, she didn’t know.

Fu Chenxuan sympathized with her. He hadn’t anticipated that the world could be so small, that they would run into Pei Hao while dining out.

Guoguo, however, had already resumed eating, but the smile had vanished from her face. Fu Chenxuan stared at her intently. Guoguo smiled at him, "Brother Chenxuan, although I know I’m pretty, watching me eat won’t fill your stomach."

"There’s a phrase called ’feast for the eyes,’" Fu Chenxuan smoothly changed the subject.

Guoguo laughed, looking at him puzzledly, "Brother Chenxuan, you’re so good at sweet-talking girls. How come you’re still single at twenty-five?"

"I call it ’better to wait for the perfect one,’" Fu Chenxuan calmly responded to her teasing. The atmosphere at the table immediately lightened.

Guoguo controlled herself to not look towards Pei Hao, forcing herself to finish the steak on her plate.

The plan was to leave the restaurant before Pei Hao and his company noticed them. But it turned out that she ran into Pei Hao when leaving.

"Chenxuan, Guoguo," Pei Hao called out to them.

Fu Chenxuan and Guoguo stopped and turned to look at the two.

"It really is you guys. I didn’t expect you to be dining here as well. Had I known, we could have joined together earlier," Pei Hao said to Guoguo, his eyes looking very natural.

Guoguo smiled back at him, calling out "Brother Pei Hao," then she remained silent.

Fu Chenxuan slightly smiled, "Guoguo and I just got off work. She said she wanted steak, so I brought her here. And who is this?" He looked at the woman sitting beside Pei Hao.

"Jiang Xiaoyue." Pei Hao only said the name, but didn’t introduce the relationship between them.

Fu Chenxuan’s gaze circled their faces and vaguely understood something. He smiled slightly at Jiang Xiaoyue, "Hello, I’m Pei Hao’s cousin." He also didn’t introduce Guoguo’s identity.

Jiang Xiaoyue’s expression was a bit stiff, but given that others were around, she still managed a smile and greeted Fu Chenxuan and Guoguo.

"Brother Hao, Guoguo and I have something else to do, so we’ll head off first."

Pei Hao nodded, glanced at Guoguo, and noticed she was looking down, seemingly lost in thought.

Fu Chenxuan’s hand on Guoguo’s shoulder, he led her out of the restaurant.

"What do you want to do? I’ll accompany you." Once outside the restaurant, Fu Chenxuan said to the downcast Guoguo.

Guoguo shook her head, "Brother Chenxuan, I don’t want to go anywhere, just take me home, please."

"Okay, get in the car."

However, midway, Fu Chenxuan took a turn and headed straight for the seaside.

"Brother Chenxuan, why are you taking me to the seaside?"

"I suddenly felt like looking at the sea, but it’s kind of boring alone." Fu Chenxuan casually made up an excuse.

"Brother Chenxuan, thank you!" Guoguo knew that Fu Chenxuan wasn’t really there to see the sea; he was worried about her being in a bad mood and wanted to cheer her up.

Fu Chenxuan ruffled her hair with his hand, "You really are a silly girl."

They walked along the beach for a while. Then, Guoguo found a big rock, sat down, and quietly looked at the sea.

The night had turned dark, and the sea was a pitch-black expanse; there was actually nothing clear to see.

The cool sea breeze brushed against her, and the sound of waves hitting the rocks echoed in her ears. Fu Chenxuan took off his jacket and draped it over her, then sat down beside her, "You can’t afford to catch a cold now, otherwise I’d be down one capable assistant."

Upon hearing this, Guoguo pouted, "Am I just an assistant to you?"

"Of course not, you are also my sister, and if you were sick, I’d be worried."

Guoguo was satisfied, "That’s more like it."

Fu Chenxuan couldn’t help but smile wryly.

They stayed by the seaside for about an hour before Guoguo stood up, "Brother Chenxuan, I feel much better now, let’s go back."

Fu Chenxuan didn’t object and drove her straight back to the Han Family.

As Guoguo entered the house, she found her father hadn’t gone to bed yet? He was sitting in the living room watching TV. She turned towards the living room, "Dad, why are you still up so late, what are you watching?" Her tone was playfully reproachful, like a spoiled young daughter.

Han Yi’s face turned somewhat dark, "It’s so late and you still remember to come back?"

Guoguo calmly sat next to him, "Brother Chenxuan invited me to dinner today, and I went to the seaside with him for a while, so I got back late."

"Humph, now in your heart and eyes there’s only Fu Chenxuan, that stinky boy, huh? No room for Daddy anymore?"

Hearing this, Guoguo knew Han Yi was jealous. She couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time. She hugged his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, "How could that be? You’re my most beloved Daddy. How could I ever not have you in my heart? You’re my favorite man."

Han Yi rolled his eyes at her without amusement, "You just have a sweet mouth. Han Nanyan? Tell me, how long has it been since you last ate at home? What have you been so busy with all day long?"

"Daddy, isn’t Brother Chenxuan’s company just getting on the right track now? There’s a lot to do, and everyone is working overtime. I can’t just come back alone, right? We need to have the spirit of sharing weal and woe as a team. Isn’t that what you taught me?"

"Guoguo, Daddy just doesn’t understand. You were doing just fine as the vice president at the company, so why resign and take on this burden? You’re a girl, isn’t it better to enjoy life properly?" This past month, watching his daughter get up early and stay up late, often working overtime until midnight before coming home, Han Yi was genuinely concerned and pained. If it hadn’t been for Yu Xiaoxuan stopping him, he would have voiced his concerns much earlier.

"It’s different. At the company, I am known as the Han Group’s daughter, not as the vice president. But with Brother Chenxuan, I am Han Nanyan. Dad, I want to be someone useful, not a canary you keep in a gilded cage." Guoguo was earnest and serious, without a hint of jest in her expression.

Han Yi looked at his daughter and for the first time, felt that she had truly grown up and become sensible. He patted her hair, "But, Guoguo, you will suffer this way." Guoguo was the daughter he had doted on his whole life. He had no other wishes for her, only hoping that she could grow up safe and happy, healthy, and eventually find someone who loved and cherished her, to live a blissful life till old age. Whether she succeeded in her career was of no real importance to Han Yi. Even if Guoguo were a wasteful spender with no skills, he had the means to provide for her for a lifetime.

"I’ve never been afraid of hardship." Though she grew up in pampered circumstances, she wasn’t one to be delicate and unable to handle a bit of hardship. In fact, one could say there was a streak of stubbornness in Guoguo’s character.

"Daddy, don’t worry about me so much. I’m 24 this year, not a four-year-old girl. And the company I’m going to is Brother Chenxuan’s; they take good care of me, so just be at ease."

"That stinky kid, if he dares not take care of you, let him try and see how I’ll deal with him." Speaking of Fu Chenxuan, Han Yi became agitated, resenting how his precious daughter had been spirited away to toil for him.

Guoguo laughed, "Daddy, not to burst your bubble, but can you really take on Brother Chenxuan?"

Han Yi scowled, "Whose side are you on, you little girl with her elbow sticking out?"

Continuing to smile, Guoguo replied, "You’ve already said that my elbow is sticking out, so of course I’m on Brother Chenxuan’s side."

Han Yi lifted his hand as if to hit her but when it landed, it was gentle, more of a caress, "You’re so sure that I can’t bear to hit or scold you."

Guoguo chuckled, "That’s why I love you the most, Daddy."

"You’re really incorrigible. You can do it if you want, but if it gets too tough, just come home."

"I will definitely not let you look down on me. Daddy, I’ve worked all day today and I’m so tired. I’m going to head up to sleep."

"Okay, go ahead. You don’t have to work tomorrow, rest well at home."

Guoguo nodded and turned to go upstairs. Halfway there, she remembered something and stopped, turning back to Han Yi, "Daddy, aren’t you going to sleep?"

"Your mom won’t be home until 12 o’clock, I’ll wait for her a bit."

Guoguo shivered and made an exaggerated expression, "Daddy, no offense, but you and mom have been together for over 20 years, and you’re still so clingy? It’s a good thing I didn’t eat much for dinner, or I’d be stuffed from all your lovey-dovey stuff."

"Little girl, stop talking nonsense and go wash up," Han Yi said, displeased.

Guoguo stuck out her tongue at Han Yi and dashed away.

The next day was Saturday, and also the day of Shen Rui’s piano solo recital. Early in the morning, Fu Chenxuan was woken up by Fu Shuyi.

Fu Chenxuan had dropped off Guoguo the night before and then went home to deal with some company matters, not going to bed until 2 a.m. Getting woken up after less than six hours of sleep put him in quite a sour mood.

"Brother, get up quickly, today Xiao Rui is going to perform on stage, and we as her family and friends group absolutely cannot be late."

Fu Chenxuan furrowed his brows, "Isn’t the concert in the evening? Why wake me up so early?"

"You can’t attend such a formal concert in casual wear," Fu Shuyi insisted logically. "Of course, we’re going to style you."

Fu Chenxuan felt a headache coming on. "Tangtang, let me sleep a little longer. I can still make it if I get up at noon to go styling with you."

"Brother, stop sleeping. Look at your wardrobe, it’s all casual clothes. You don’t even have a proper suit. We need to go shopping for you, and if we don’t leave now, there won’t be enough time."

Tangtang stepped forward, trying to pry Fu Chenxuan off the bed, but she wasn’t strong enough to budge him.

"Tangtang, my dear sister Fu Shuyi, please spare me. I only went to bed at two in the morning, and I’m honestly exhausted. Let me sleep a few more hours and we can go buy clothes and get styled this afternoon. Or you could go first, and I’ll join you after lunch."

Fu Shuyi looked carefully at his face and noticed the dark circles under his eyes, so she let go of his hand, "Alright. Then get some good sleep. I’ll call you at noon to wake you up."

Fu Chenxuan waved his hand without even opening his eyes, "Okay, go ahead."

However, his sleep was so disturbed that Fu Chenxuan couldn’t fall back asleep. After lying awake for five minutes, he gave up and got out of bed. When going downstairs, he happened to see Shen Qinglan coming in from outside, holding a watering can, apparently just returning from the garden. After Old Sir Fu passed away, Shen Qinglan had been taking care of the flowers and plants in the garden.

Perhaps due to years of cultivation and self-care, Shen Qinglan had mellowed a lot compared to her youth, carrying a poise and composure that comes with time.

"Mom, good morning," Fu Chenxuan greeted his mother.

Shen Qinglan knew her son had slept late. She glanced at her watch and raised an eyebrow, "Why don’t you sleep a little longer?"

Fu Chenxuan helplessly explained, "Today’s Xiao Rui’s performance day, and Tangtang woke me up early in the morning."

Remembering her energetic daughter, Shen Qinglan couldn’t help but smile, "Since you’re up, go down and have some breakfast."

Fu Chenxuan ruffled his hair and nodded. It was only when he lived at home that his meals were regular. When he studied abroad on his own and wasn’t staying at Uncle Allen’s place, his breakfast was usually skipped or just tossed together, thus his stomach wasn’t actually very good.

After breakfast, Fu Chenxuan attended to some company matters in the study. When it was about time, he grabbed his car keys and went out.

First, he went to the styling center to find Fu Shuyi, who was still upstairs having a spa treatment.

He just sat down in the rest area, picked up a magazine to browse through, and waited. Once Fu Shuyi was done with her spa, it was past lunchtime. Fu Chenxuan wasn’t hungry since he had a late breakfast, but Fu Shuyi was famished. She dragged Fu Chenxuan out to eat immediately after, then the pair headed straight to a nearby mall to buy him a suit. After that, they rushed to the styling center, and by the time they were done, it was almost time for the concert.

Shen Rui’s performance was at Beijing’s most famous music hall. Being able to perform there at a young age was a recognition of his talent.

When they arrived, the makeup artist was applying makeup to Shen Rui, who was messing with his phone, evidently texting someone. Seeing them come in, he slipped his phone into his pocket, "Brother, Sister, you’re here."

"How are the preparations?" Fu Chenxuan asked kindly.

Shen Rui smiled slightly, "Almost there." He had been preparing for three months for this concert, and all the pieces were etched into his memory.

On such an important day, Shen Qinglan would definitely attend, so when Fu Chenxuan and Fu Shuyi went from backstage to the audience seats, Shen Qinglan was already seated.

Fu Shuyi sat down beside Shen Qinglan, "Mom, you look beautiful today."

"Are you saying I don’t usually look beautiful?" Shen Qinglan raised an eyebrow at her daughter.

Fu Shuyi responded with a beaming smile, "How could that be? My mom is the most beautiful woman in the world, always stunning even without dressing up."

"Smooth talker." Shen Qinglan gave a four-word verdict.

Fu Shuyi took it as a compliment to herself and accepted it without any qualms.

Fu Chenxuan was sitting on the other side of Shen Qinglan. Fifteen minutes before the performance, Fu Chenxuan’s phone vibrated.

He took it out for a glance and whispered to Shen Qinglan, "Mom, a colleague from my company is looking for me. I’ll step out to take a call."

Shen Qinglan nodded.

"Fu Chenxuan, is it really you? I thought I was seeing things. I didn’t expect to run into you here."

Just as Fu Chenxuan finished his call and was about to head back in, he heard a somewhat familiar female voice. He turned to see Jiandan standing not far away, her face lit up with surprise as she watched him. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

Jiandan was dressed in a dress, briskly walking over. Her face was adorned with delicate makeup, somewhat resembling her appearance at the bar that day.

"Are you here for the concert, too?" Jiandan asked gently.

Fu Chenxuan was surprised to encounter her here, but he politely nodded. "Yes. How about you? Are you here alone?"

"No, I came with a friend. She’s in the restroom and will be here soon. By the way, are you a fan of Shen Rui too?"

"Sort of," Fu Chenxuan replied indifferently.

"I’ve been following Shen Rui for a long time; he’s a musical genius. For this recital, I had to scramble for tickets a month in advance and was barely able to get two."

Jiandan said with a smile. Fu Chenxuan patiently listened to her speak, as leaving now would seem impolite.

"Are you here alone?" Jiandan asked curiously when she saw no one else by his side.

"I came with my family; they are inside. It’s about time to go in."

"Wait, my friend hasn’t arrived yet, just two minutes, do you mind?"

Fu Chenxuan, originally intending to leave, paused and replied with a gentle smile, "I don’t mind."

Jiandan checked the time on her phone and, seeing Lin Jing still hadn’t emerged, felt a bit anxious and sent her a message.

In fact, meeting Fu Chenxuan at the concert today was not an accident but the result of Jiandan’s meticulous planning.

A month ago, Jiandan learned that Fu Chenxuan’s cousin Shen Rui would be holding a piano solo concert here. She guessed that Fu Chenxuan might attend, so it took quite a bit of effort to secure two tickets through many friends. The goal was to provide Lin Jing and Fu Chenxuan with an opportunity to reunite as old friends.

However, her original plan was for them to bump into each other after the recital, not expecting to encounter him before it even started. This was a small, unexpected surprise in her carefully laid scheme.

Lin Jing was actually already out and was standing around the corner. She watched Fu Chenxuan talking to Jiandan, her palms slightly sweaty. It was the first time they had seen each other in 20 years, and naturally, she was quite nervous.

As the recital was about to begin, Lin Jing bit her lip and quickly walked over. "Jiandan, it’s starting soon, let’s get inside." She pretended not to notice Fu Chenxuan.

"Jingjing, don’t rush, let me introduce you to a friend," Jiandan said, grabbing her.

"Jingjing? Are you Lin Jing?" Fu Chenxuan stared at Lin Jing’s face and suddenly spoke up.

Lin Jing was slightly stunned, then looked at Fu Chenxuan, her confused gaze transforming into surprise, "Fu Chenxuan, long time no see."

The corners of Fu Chenxuan’s mouth lifted slightly, "Jingjing, long time no see."

"Hey, you guys know each other," Jiandan spoke up just in time.

Fu Chenxuan cracked a slight smile, "Lin Jing and I were childhood playmates, and even classmates in kindergarten. I didn’t expect the two of you to be friends."

"I was roommates with Jingjing in university. We really do have a connection. Now I don’t need to introduce you two," Jiandan was very happy, she thought to herself, perhaps Fu Chenxuan never forgot Lin Jing at all. It was just Lin Jing, this fool, who always didn’t dare to recognise Fu Chenxuan, afraid that he had already forgotten her.

"The concert is about to start, let’s go in first. We can talk after it’s over. Fu Chenxuan, do you think that’s okay?"

"Of course."

Naturally, Lin Jing’s seats weren’t with Fu Chenxuan, and the three agreed to go out for a drink after the concert ended and then parted ways.

"Jingjing, now you can be assured, right? Not only does Fu Chenxuan remember you, but he recognized you at first glance," Jiandan was in high spirits, as if she had accomplished a great deal.

Lin Jing had a shy smile on her face; she hadn’t expected that Fu Chenxuan would really still remember her.

"What should I say to him when I see him later?" Lin Jing asked nervously.

"Of course, you talk about old times. That way you can quickly bridge the distance between you. Once the concert has ended, you can also talk about your respective experiences over the years. A twenty-year gap needs to be filled little by little, so don’t be too anxious," Jiandan advised her.

Lin Jing listened carefully to Jiandan’s advice. However, they spoke very quietly, and as soon as Shen Rui took the stage to perform, they stopped talking altogether, since it wasn’t polite to whisper at a concert.

After the concert ended, Fu Chenxuan didn’t leave with everyone else, but said he had met an old acquaintance and went to catch up. Shen Qinglan didn’t ask who he met and left first with her daughter.

Lin Jing and Jiandan were waiting for him at the entrance, afraid of missing him. Jiandan even sent him a message informing him of their exact location.

"Fu Chenxuan, over here." Jiandan was the first to spot Fu Chenxuan walking out at a leisurely pace, waving at him. Fu Chenxuan walked over.

"I’m sorry, I was just having a word with my mother, and it caused a delay," Fu Chenxuan said apologetically. He wasn’t accustomed to making ladies wait for him.

Lin Jing smiled, "We just came out too. Where shall we go next?"

"How about Charming Color?"

"Good."

"I won’t join you guys, I have to go home to write. Otherwise, it’s going to be a tragedy for tomorrow’s update," Jiandan spoke, "Since the two of you knew each other as kids and haven’t seen each other for so many years, you surely have a lot to talk about. I won’t interfere," she winked at Lin Jing with a ’you can do it’ look and slipped away.

Lin Jing looked at Fu Chenxuan somewhat awkwardly and explained, "Jiandan is a professional internet writer, writing is her job."

"I know, she’s told me before. Let’s go, my car is over there," Fu Chenxuan pointed in the direction of the parking lot. Lin Jing followed him, looking up slightly at his back. The mochi-like Anan had grown up into the tall man before her.

Lin Jing looked a bit dazed, with many jumbled images flashing through her mind. When she hadn’t seen him, she wanted to, even travelling back to Beijing against her parents’ wishes. But now that she had seen him, she couldn’t connect the man in front of her with the boy from her childhood. Had the years drawn a chasm so great that it had separated them into two different worlds?

Lost in thought, Lin Jing didn’t notice that Fu Chenxuan had stopped his steps until she bumped into him, causing him to chuckle, "Thinking about something? Not paying attention to where you’re going?"

Lin Jing felt awkward, "I was thinking about some things from childhood, got lost in thought."

Fu Chenxuan smiled and opened the car door, "Please."

Feeling a sense of estrangement, Lin Jing didn’t talk much the whole way, and fortunately, Charming Color wasn’t too far from there, taking only about twenty minutes to reach.

Fu Chenxuan didn’t choose the bar this time but found a relatively quiet booth instead.

"This whole way without saying a word, don’t you recognize me anymore?" Fu Chenxuan spoke first, breaking the silence.

Lin Jing was slightly startled, and then smiled, "Yeah, it must have been twenty-one years since we’ve seen each other. We were just kids when we parted, and now we’ve grown up. It’s scary to think about time."

"Have you become a poetess?" Fu Chenxuan teased her.

At first, Lin Jing didn’t catch on, but when she realized what he meant, she embarrassedly lowered her head a bit.

"Jingjing, why didn’t you get in touch with me afterward?"

During the first couple of years after Lin Jing left, they still kept in touch, although it was only through a few peculiar drawing cards, but that was also a way to maintain their friendship. Yet, after two years, her family suddenly disappeared without a trace, and even Lin Jing’s mother hadn’t contacted Shen Qinglan again. It was as if the whole family had just evaporated from the world.

Upon hearing this, Lin Jing’s face changed slightly, as if she was reminded of something, and after a moment of silence, she spoke softly, "That year my younger brother got into an accident. He was playful and ran into the street, and got hit by a car."

Lin Jing had a younger brother, Fu Chenxuan knew. By his calculations, her brother would be a bit older than Fu Shuyi and Fu Shuchen.

"I’m sorry," Fu Chenxuan said apologetically. He hadn’t expected the reason to be so tragic.

"At that time, my mother’s mental state wasn’t good, and our whole family fell into grief. To help my mother get away from the sad place, my dad applied for a transfer and got relocated to an even more remote location. Communication there was inconvenient, so we gradually lost touch," Lin Jing said softly, with a depth of sorrow in her eyes.

Listening, Fu Chenxuan comforted her, "I had no idea you all went through so much. When did you come back?" he shifted the topic.

"I just came back not long ago. My dad’s current military region is on the border. It’s a remote small city and I couldn’t find a good job with my profession there, so I came back. I’m living with Jiandan now."

"What are you working on now?"

Lin Jing mentioned the name of a company, and Fu Chenxuan thought it sounded familiar. After thinking it through, he finally remembered that it was a technology company in Beijing also specializing in software development—one of his industry peers and competitors.

"You studied computer science?"

Lin Jing affirmed with a sound, "Mhm, actually, my dad hoped I would join the military and become a technician, but I didn’t like the military life and didn’t agree. By the way, what are you doing now? Are you in the military?"

Fu Chenxuan shook his head, "No, I started my own company, and it’s just getting off the ground. I’m also developing software."

"I remember you telling me your biggest dream was to become a hero like your father. I thought you would join the military when you grew up."

"People’s dreams change. I remember when you were little, your biggest dream was to become a teacher," Fu Chenxuan said with a smile.

Lin Jing thought about it and agreed, "Indeed, we have both grown up. By the way, how is Auntie doing?" She remembered Shen Qinglan; when she was a child, Shen Qinglan had been very kind to her. Every time she visited the Fu Family, there would be a lot of food prepared for her. Shen Qinglan even gave her gifts on her birthday. In the first couple of years on the border, she would often receive packages from Beijing, many of which were sent by Shen Qinglan.

"My mom is doing well. Come over for a meal sometime; my mom certainly won’t recognize you now."

Lin Jing looked hesitant, "Wouldn’t that be a bit inappropriate?"

Fu Chenxuan laughed, "What’s wrong with that? You and my mom know each other. She’d be delighted to see you again. Oh, right."

"Okay, I will definitely visit Auntie when I have time," Lin Jing agreed.

Fu Chenxuan was good at making conversation, primarily focusing on topics from their childhood. He maximized the reduction of any sense of distance between them, and by the time they left the bar, their relationship resembled that of childhood friends who had grown up together.