Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Dinner was at Xinghui Holiday Restaurant. The restaurant and the inn next door belonged to the same family—it was a family business.

When Qu Yixian arrived, Yuan Ye was standing at the kitchen door, ordering food.

His way of ordering was quite unique, somewhat like a seafood stall in the southern coastal region. He didn’t look at the menu, only at the ingredients.

Naturally, he chose the freshest ingredients, and how to cook them, which method to use, all had to be decided by him.

Qu Yixian didn’t need to worry and felt relaxed. She carried a kettle to the counter to fill it with hot water.

The water wasn’t enough, so she also grabbed a bag of Eight-Treasure Tea tea bags and put them in her thermos.

After Yuan Ye finished ordering, he called Fu Xun to let him know to get ready to eat at the restaurant next door. After hanging up, his eyes darted, and he shyly approached Qu Yixian, asking for Jiang Yun’s WeChat.

Qu Yixian was warming her hands by the radiator. Without looking up, she snapped, “You’ve already told her the story of the river flowing backward, and you still haven’t gotten her WeChat?”

Yuan Ye felt guilty and scratched his nose. “I just haven’t had the chance yet.”

She snorted coldly, glanced at him, and said, “I might not be pleasant to hear, but Jiang Yun isn’t as simple as she looks. Don’t rush in with your feelings.”

Her words were harsh, like a bucket of cold water thrown over him. The tiny budding feelings Yuan Ye had just started to grow immediately wilted.

“Count later,” Qu Yixian flipped her palms to warm the backs of her hands. “See how many times she secretly glances at that big butterfly during dinner.”

Yuan Ye didn’t respond immediately. His expression turned strange as he glanced behind Qu Yixian and dryly called, “President Fu.”

“You really have… initiative.”

Qu Yixian stiffened, almost pressing her hand against the radiator.

She glanced with her peripheral vision at Fu Xun standing right behind her and thought to herself: Damn it, how many times has someone been caught talking behind my back now?

Her mind cursed, but her expression remained calmer than Yuan Ye’s. She smiled and turned to greet him, “You’re down? Wait ten more minutes and we’ll start eating.”

Fu Xun nodded and sat in the empty seat next to her.

Having just showered, he carried a clean scent that was different from the restaurant. With the warmth of the heater, a subtle fragrance floated in the air—it was apt to call him a “big butterfly.”

Qu Yixian wrinkled her nose and frowned. “You took a shower?”

“The altitude at Heima River is high. When you first arrive on the plateau, it’s not recommended to bathe.”

Fu Xun lifted his eyelids and glanced at her without speaking.

Qu Yixian clearly understood that look: “Are you trying to teach me something?”

She thought he was probably just bored, hence the extra mouth.

When it was almost time, Qu Yixian called Jiang Yun to invite her for dinner.

This time Jiang Yun was punctual, arriving just as the dishes were being served.

As soon as she sat down, Yuan Ye pushed the menu toward her, asking if there was anything she wanted to add.

Qu Yixian noticed he hadn’t taken her earlier warning to heart and teased, “Only one menu? Why not give President Fu a copy to see if he wants to add anything?”

Fu Xun had been sitting for a while and felt warm.

He stood, took off his windbreaker, and hung it on the chair back.

When Qu Yixian said this, he looked at her as if they were strangers and said, “While I’m here, do I even have the right to look at the menu?”

Qu Yixian: “…” How can someone be this deliberately annoying?

She turned her head, rolling her eyes halfway.

Unexpectedly, she noticed he had changed clothes. Under the windbreaker, his quick-dry shirt had been swapped for a loose hoodie. The neckline was a bit tight, partially covering the collarbone, leaving only the long neck exposed.

Qu Yixian looked again and sincerely said, “This outfit… really tries to look young.”

Yuan Ye’s eyes nearly popped out.

This… actually came out of Qu Ye’s mouth?

——

After drinking and eating their fill, Qu Yixian kicked Yuan Ye away to handle the bill.

She went through the routine, reporting tomorrow’s schedule and setting the departure time. Before dismissing the meeting, out of concern as the team leader, she casually asked, “Do you have any plans tonight?”

Jiang Yun answered first, “I want to go take photos of the stars.”

Qu Yixian instantly felt a headache. “Take photos of the stars?”

Jiang Yun nodded. “I’ve prepared the camera and tripod.”

Qu Yixian was silent for a few seconds, then uncertainly asked again, “Tomorrow we’re going to Qinghai Lake to watch the sunrise. We have to leave at six. With the weather in Heima River, you still want to photograph the stars?”

Jiang Yun pressed her lips together, staring at Qu Yixian without yielding.

After a moment, her eyes reddened slightly. Stubborn yet fragile, she blinked twice, continuing to maintain eye contact with Qu Yixian.

Alright, alright, she’s really intimidating.

Qu Yixian waved her hand in concession. “Wait for me in the inn’s parking lot in half an hour. Dress warmly—if you catch a cold, I’ll personally send you back.”

Jiang Yun, having already figured out Qu Yixian’s soft heart behind the tough words, instantly lit up with a smile and happily went to change clothes.

Qu Yixian watched her figure disappear out the door and sighed helplessly, “I don’t even have a boyfriend yet, and here I am worrying like a mom.”

She glanced back at Fu Xun.

Without Jiang Yun present, she didn’t care about appearances anymore. She crossed her long legs, raising one over the other, and asked him, “How about you? Planning to admire the moon or play Landlord?”

Fu Xun had originally intended to rest. Hearing this, his gaze shifted slightly, scanning Qu Yixian, and said, “Then I shall follow your lead with all due respect.”

Qu Yixian: “…” Which part of what I said gave you that idea?

She scowled, standing up.

She wanted to get angry but felt she had no ground to do so. Besides, with Fu Xun’s physique, if a fight broke out, she wouldn’t win.

Being outmaneuvered like this, she felt resentful. The more she thought about it, the angrier she got, and she could only take it out on a chair.

Qu Yixian kicked the chair away and, fierce and domineering, shouted, “Half an hour, parking lot. One second late, and I won’t take you.”

She tossed out the words stiffly, turned, and walked off without looking back.

Fu Xun, hands in his pockets, watched her figure disappear from view. He curled his lips into a small smile, in a very good mood.

A woman should have some temper—fierce, a little wild—that’s what makes it exciting.

Someone like Qu Yixian, not a bit more or less, is just right.

——

When Yuan Ye returned after settling the bill, he was stunned. “President Fu, where are Qu Ye and Jiang Yun?”

“They left.”

“They left?” Yuan Ye stared at the empty table and asked again, “Do you know where Qu Ye went?”

Fu Xun thought for a moment and said, “Parking lot.”

Yuan Ye rushed to the parking lot, and indeed, Qu Yixian was in the car.

She had been standing outside smoking, but the wind in Heima River was like a knife against her cheeks. Unable to endure the biting cold, she had slunk into the car.

Night had already fallen.

There was only one wall-mounted light in the parking lot, flickering as if swayed by the wind, casting ghostly shadows.

With nothing else to do, she switched the radio to listen to the news.

When Yuan Ye’s big face pressed against the car window, Qu Yixian was genuinely startled.

Recovering from the distorted face outside the window, she impatiently rolled down half the window and snapped, “What do you want?”

Yuan Ye looked a little wronged. He picked up Qu Yixian’s thermos left at the counter and said, “You left your thermos at the counter. I brought it over for you.”

He glanced at the lit dashboard and asked, “You’re going out tonight… do you want me to just take the thermos up to your room?”

The speaker meant nothing by it, but the listener read more into it.

A bold plan suddenly popped into Qu Yixian’s mind. She curled her fingers, signaling Yuan Ye, “Get in the car and we’ll talk.”

Yuan Ye went around the front of the car and sat in the passenger seat.

After standing in the cold wind for so long, his whole body was chilled. Once he climbed into the warmly heated car, he couldn’t help but shiver, teeth chattering for a long time.

Once he calmed down, Qu Yixian said, “Jiang Yun said she wants to photograph the stars.”

Yuan Ye’s eyes widened. He looked out the window at the night sky, black and cloud-covered. “She’s sure? With this weather, it’s uncertain if there’ll even be a sunrise at Qinghai Lake tomorrow.”

“Jiang Yun insists.” Qu Yixian patted his shoulder. “You take the thermos back to the room and make sure she comes downstairs. It’ll probably rain later at night, so we can’t afford any delays.”

Seeing her serious expression, Yuan Ye thought it must be something important. Running an errand was easy.

He agreed and went off with the thermos to fetch Jiang Yun.

Jiang Yun was ready to go at any moment. When Yuan Ye came to remind her, she grabbed her camera bag and followed him out.

Qu Yixian had already reversed her car to the inn’s entrance. Seeing Jiang Yun and Yuan Ye come out together, she got out first and opened the trunk to grab her tools.

When Jiang Yun arrived, Qu Yixian, holding a wrench, was about to crawl under the car.

Yuan Ye exclaimed, “Qu Ye, what’s wrong with the car?”

“There’s a noise from the chassis. I’m checking it.”

Yuan Ye frowned more. “Is the shock absorber acting up again?”

He glanced at Jiang Yun. “Otherwise, I can take you to the viewing platform.”

Jiang Yun hesitated, a little disappointed. “Am I the only one going tonight?”

Qu Yixian nodded without changing her expression and decided, “It’ll probably rain later, making visibility worse. Let Yuan Ye take you. I’ll check the car for faults.”

Jiang Yun reluctantly agreed.

——

Once Yuan Ye and Jiang Yun left, Qu Yixian tossed the wrench back, checked the time, and pulled a coil of rope from the toolbox. She weighed it, then carried it into the car.

After getting in, she turned off the engine and crawled from the driver’s seat to the trunk. Passing the back seat, she casually left the door ajar.

Five minutes later, Fu Xun appeared.

He glanced at the cruiser blocking the inn’s entrance. After confirming the license plate, he instinctively walked around to the front.

The car was empty.

Besides him, there was no living thing in the parking lot.

From Fu Xun’s understanding of Qu Yixian, in this situation, she had probably gone ahead with Jiang Yun.

After a brief thought, he chose between “make things difficult for her” and “let her go tonight,” and prioritized the former.

Fu Xun took out his phone, ready to dial.

Looking down, he caught a flicker of strange light in his peripheral vision, a dark green glow flashing past.

He paused and focused on it.

A piece of fruit candy wrapped in jade-green foil lay by the rear door of the cruiser. His movement had just blocked the parking lot’s only beam of light.

He raised his eyes, tracing from the dulled candy to the slightly open car door, paused slightly, and reached out his hand.

The back seat was empty, but residual warmth still lingered in the car.

Fu Xun cautiously scanned the front seats.

The light fell on the passenger seat, illuminating even the corners. A coil of rope lay spread from the passenger seat to the driver’s seat, disappearing under the seat.

It was like something deliberately designed to pique his curiosity and lure him into the car.

Fu Xun slightly raised his eyes, catching a glimpse of the rearview mirror inside the car. Just one glance, and he withdrew his gaze, cooperating with this “invite-you-into-the-trap” plan, and decisively got into the car.

The moment he sat in the back seat, like a ghost, someone silently appeared behind him and tightly wrapped their arms around his neck.

Fu Xun felt a chill on the side of his neck, something sharp pressing against him.

Qu Yixian’s cold voice quietly sounded inside the car: “Close the door.”

Fu Xun suppressed a laugh and cooperated, closing the car door.

In the brief silence inside the car, Fu Xun spoke first: “If you had something to ask, couldn’t you have politely invited me over?”

Qu Yixian smiled. “Who told you to be dishonest?”

She had already asked politely before—when had he ever answered seriously?

Fu Xun gave in: “Fine, ask.”

Seeing him cooperate, Qu Yixian could no longer bluff. She tossed aside the wrench that had been pressing against his neck. Her hand, still locked around his neck, shifted the knuckles upward, lightly pressing against his Adam’s apple.

The position made Fu Xun uncomfortable. He raised his eyes, looking through the rearview mirror at Qu Yixian, whose face was only partially visible.

She pursed her lips slightly and asked, “Dunhuang, the treasure hunt you mentioned… were you looking for me?”

“No.” His Adam’s apple slid under her palm as he spoke, his voice hoarse: “But I was indeed guarding you.”

Qu Yixian raised an eyebrow. “Looking for me is one thing, but what do you mean by sneaking around?”

“June 25th,” he said, the vibrations of his voice tingling under her hand: “You took a job. The passenger was male, twenty-eight, alias Xiang Xiaolong. Do you remember?”

Qu Yixian frowned, almost instinctively replying: “How do you know?”

No sooner had she spoken than Fu Xun softly whistled. The tone was low, the rhythm fast, the tail modulated, a few seconds from start to finish.

Before Qu Yixian could react, she saw out of the corner of her eye a white creature, moving so fast it was almost a blur, darting out from Fu Xun’s sleeve and straight toward her face.

Instinctively, she released her grip to defend herself. The moment her hand loosened, Fu Xun was free of restraint, turning to clutch the back of her neck and wrapping one arm around her waist. With a sudden spin, Qu Yixian felt a sharp pain in her back and waist, and her entire body was firmly pinned against the back seat by Fu Xun.

The warmth inside the car was gone.

The air she exhaled was cold and icy.

Pinned beneath Fu Xun, Qu Yixian couldn’t move and finally understood what it meant to “lose the chicken while trying to steal it.”

She raised her eyes, staring fiercely at the large white rat perched on Fu Xun’s right shoulder, grinding her teeth: “What the hell is that?”