Cheng Xi braved the heavy snow to arrive at the popular Puzhong Temple, where an elongated version of the noble Red Flag L9, coded '7777', with a full bulletproof structure had already been parked.
This was Zhou Jingchen's car.
The Zhou family was a symbol of royal power and wealth.
Zhou Jingchen's father, Zhou Huaikang, was the second most powerful figure in the city. His mother, a distinguished educator, hailed from a family running large businesses, having even made it to the Hurun Rich List. Such a combination of "power and wealthy couple" was widely recognized as the most dignified and stable.
On the first and fifteenth of each month, Mrs. Zhou, regardless of the weather, would go to offer incense and pray to the Buddha. She did not seek wealth or a son, but only prayed for peace in the family. On these two days, the monks at the Puzhong Temple would also refuse all other visitors to accompany her during the scripture chanting.
Today was the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and Mrs. Zhou made another large donation to the temple.
Upon entering the Buddha Hall, Cheng Xi immediately spotted Zhou Jingchen, wearing a black cashmere coat, standing up straight with his back to the entrance. His figure was upright and heroic.
Zhou Jingchen was admired for his appearance in his own social stratum. He was an outstanding student of aerospace engineering and the youngest chief engineer in the group. His abilities and manners were all exemplary. His public personal life was well-disciplined, as for whether or not he had a beloved, no one dared to ask.
Cheng Xi stood behind him, with a perfect view of Zhou Jingchen's side profile.
The night before, he had been passionately out of control, his stubble scraping against her chest till it was simultaneously ticklish and sore. He kissed her so passionately that he even extended his tongue. Struggling with his unpredictably aggressive movements, Cheng Xi instinctively bit him, not expecting the tooth mark to be so apparent.
She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and walked over to Mrs. Zhou, "Aunt Zhou."
After Mrs. Zhou finished her prayers, she took Cheng Xi's hand, "Your father's grave is on the back mountain, chosen personally by your Uncle Zhou. He's attending the New Year's meeting at the conference hall and asked me to let you spend the festival at the Zhou residence before he left."
Cheng Xi's father and Zhou Huaikang were old acquaintances, rising from being drivers to leaders. A few years ago, Cheng Xi's father had an extramarital scandal with a bewitching pharmaceutical saleswoman and committed suicide in an underground parking lot. Since then, her mother's mental health had been unstable, and she had been staying at a care home.
Mrs. Zhou treated Cheng Xi as her own daughter, yet she was still an outsider and Cheng Xi was reluctant to inconvenience them.
Just as she was about to reject the offer, Mrs. Zhou suddenly focused on Zhou Jingchen's chin, "How did you get that wound?"
Cheng Xi's words jammed at her lips, her face burned with embarrassment.
"It was accidentally scratched."
That's clearly a mark made from an over-energetic bout in bed. Lady Zhou's tone was loaded with implications, "It's perfectly normal to have a woman, why hide it from me?"
Zhou Jingchen glanced at Cheng Xi, his expression unchanged, "I didn't hide it from you."
"When it's October, you'll be thirty." Lady Zhou didn't pursue who the woman was, she plunged straight into the main point, "You know what you should do."
All of their offspring had gotten married one after another by the time they were thirty.
Thirty was a hurdle. Ones who frivolously enjoyed the playboy lifestyle before thirty were left unchecked by the family, but when they reached this age they couldn't escape marriage and parenthood anymore.
That includes Zhou Jingchen.
However, despite the yearly pressure Lady Zhou placed, he always brushed it off.
It wasn’t going to be easy to fend off this year, Lady Zhou's tone was decisive, "You better have an idea in your mind, you can't escape this."
Zhou Jingchen leisurely buttoned his coat, "Do you have a candidate in mind?"
"Your father is helping you select." Lady Zhou's tone exhibited both pride and caution, "A few of the girls come from great backgrounds, if there's anyone else in your life, you must break it off completely."
Cheng Xi shifted her eyes guiltily, meeting Zhou Jingchen's gaze. He promptly moved his away, "I've been busy recently, no need to rush."
After paying their respects at the tomb and leaving the temple, Lady Zhou's car descended the hill, but that Hongqi L9 was still there.
The car window was rolled down, the snow blew in onto the back seat. Zhou Jingchen looked at her in a thick, white fog, "I'll take you back to school."
"Cab?" She handed over two hundred yuan, asking the driver to wait for a while.
The man looked composed. "Let's go."
Closed all day, Pu Zhong temple had no taxis to fetch any business around. Cheng Xi had no alternative but to get in the car.
The strong scent of cologne coupled with a pleasant medicinal odor tickled her nostrils. It was a niche, dark fragrance, contradictory to his demeanor, which made it even more intriguing.
As soon as she sat down, a moan escaped her lips. A sour pain like an electric shock shot through the base of her thigh.
Zhou Jingchen’s bites weren’t any lighter than hers.
Except he had techniques and knew when to hold back. It was so comfortable at the time that she melted, but the aftermath was significant.
Cheng Xi took off her coat and cushioned it under her, reducing the friction with the seat.
Midway through, Zhou Jingchen glanced through the front windshield, his voice sounding in a low tone. "Did you apply some ointment?"
She clenched her hands.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "I remember it was swollen."
Cheng Xi dug her nails deep into her palm.
All these years, she had feelings for Zhou Jingchen, but she suppressed them and kept her distance.
Zhou family's only son, every step taken in his life was meticulously planned and selected, the partner, marriage, profession. The gap between their origins was enormous. It was better to have a short pain rather than a long one, knowing that there was no outcome.
Although she was somewhat unwilling, it was still better than falling deeper and ending up languishing.
Last night, Zhou Jingchen took the initiative under the influence of alcohol. Cheng Xi had never imagined that one day she would be naked with him, let alone dare to think about how the Zhou family would react if they found out.
Her mind was still in chaos.
After a long silence, Zhou Jingchen broke the silence, "Who have you told about this?"
Cheng Xi regained her senses, understanding his worries. If this got out, it wouldn't be good for the Zhou family or for him.
"I haven't told anyone."
Zhou Jingchen let out a grunt, "There's a new real estate development near the school. Go pick out a place, and let me know when you’ve made a decision."
Seeing her silence, he added, "You can also move into the Tan Palace under my name."
The Tan Palace was the mansion Zhou Jingchen inherited from his maternal grandfather, a prized family heirloom. The cheapest unit was worth over hundreds of millions.
Something she didn't have at birth and something she could never earn in her lifetime.
Zhou Jingchen was indeed generous and sincere, but Cheng Xi didn't like the explicitness of the compensation. "It's more convenient for me to stay in the dormitory."
Upon hearing this, he didn't insist further.
Half an hour later, the car stopped outside the dormitory building. Zhou Jingchen leaned across her to open the car door.
The sudden proximity of their two bodies, pressed together, was too intense, too overpowering, conveying an intimacy that shattered all taboos.
Cheng Xi was sensitive. His breath made her shudder.
Zhou Jingchen noticed, withdrew his hand and sat back up straight, "Your underwear is at my place. Find a time to come get it."
The lingerie was something he had manually unfastened, hanging half off her shoulder, it swung about halfway and dropped off. Zhou Jingchen helped her put it back on once again.
He enjoyed the feeling of a discreet tease, a thin layer covering, he ventured to explore.
No wonder they say that even the most serious and reserved man can change when it comes to love affairs.
Even Zhou Jingchen exposed his introverted eagerness.
Cheng Xi looked uncomfortable, "You should throw it away."
Zhou Jingchen wrinkled his brows, "You don't want it anymore?"
"I don't want it anymore." She got out of the car and ran back to the dorm through the snow, never looking back the entire way.
