Chapter 58: Those who know me, Qingzhi

Li Jiyong smiled and said, "I'm just curious, because the last few times we met were all in Yunzhou!"

"If I told you I came here on a date, would you feel upset?"

Qingzhi's eyes remained as pure as ever.

Yet her words carried a subtle implication.

Li Jiyong walked forward without answering immediately.

"I'm quite curious what kind of guy managed to secure a date with you!"

"Do you want to meet him?" Qingzhi looked at Li Jiyong, standing right opposite him.

Li Jiyong's expression stiffened for a moment, and he shook his head.

"Actually, I don't want to either!" Qingzhi's words caught Li Jiyong somewhat off guard.

"He's probably considered a rather outstanding guy. We were classmates all through middle and high school, and he has always shown romantic interest in me.

Back then, though, I never thought about getting into a relationship, and I didn't have any special feelings for him. He was just a pretty decent friend, and nothing more.

After starting college, he would visit my school at least twice a month. Even though I turned him down several times, he still wouldn't give up.

He's very well-mannered and doesn't resort to pestering me. It's just... well, it feels as though he's like a ghost, constantly floating around me!"

"Heh, are you trying to say he's a haunting spirit that won't disperse?" Li Jiyong asked with a smile.

"Sort of, but that sounds too harsh. He is my friend!"

"The girls around me all started dating once they got to college, and there were plenty of guys chasing me too, but somehow, none of them compare to him!"

"So, are you finally ready to give him a chance?"

A slight sense of unease stirred in his heart, but this wasn't his place to comment. Perhaps they truly were an example of having fate without destiny!

"Originally, I really thought I had made up my mind. He isn't a bad person after all. But after arriving in this city, I suddenly didn't want to see him anymore, because I don't want to settle when it comes to my feelings!"

"Then don't settle. Matters of the heart require..." Li Jiyong paused.

"They require fate. Yet fate doesn't always work. For instance, I met someone who seemed destined—we crossed paths four times, and we could understand each other's eyes. But I arrived a step too late, which is quite a pity." Qingzhi said it all with serene frankness.

Li Jiyong spread his hands in a gesture of helpless resignation.

Then, both of them laughed. There was no melancholy or awkwardness, as if this, too, was a rather fascinating affair.

"May I know your name now?" Li Jiyong asked.

"A name is just a label. Isn't Qingzhi a pleasant sound?"

"It's a wonderful, very lovely name. But I'm not sure if this name alone could help me find you—unless you happen to love tea!"

"I do like it quite a bit, but may I keep this secret for a little longer?"

"Of course. I've always thought Qingzhi was a great name anyway."

"I have your phone number. Won't your girlfriend be upset?"

"If it's just drinking tea, she shouldn't be!"

"I only drink tea, never alcohol!" Qingzhi said with a smile.

"I rarely drink either; I avoid it whenever possible, but sometimes circumstances leave me no choice."

"That's only because there are too many desires in your heart."

"A lack of desire brings true strength, but no one can be completely devoid of desires and demands. It's only a matter of degree!"

Qingzhi did not reply, and the two continued walking.

When they reached the hotel front desk, Li Jiyong asked, "Where is your ID?"

"Are you trying to check my name?" Qingzhi asked.

Li Jiyong smiled. "I'm trying to get you a room, classmate Qingzhi!"

"It's in my bag... Oh wait, you must know my name already anyway!"

"It's not there, truly not there. Could it be in your coat pocket?"

"No, I never put my things in random places."

"Then I'm guessing it was thrown away. IDs are useless to robbers anyway."

Li Jiyong had no choice but to explain the situation to the receptionist.

No matter how much he pleaded, the staff simply refused.

"Let's go. I trust you won't pull any tricks, otherwise I must have misjudged you!" Qingzhi remained calm and poised.

Li Jiyong smiled faintly. "I'll do my best."

Back in the room, it was already ten past midnight.

Li Jiyong was feeling sleepy as well.

"Why don't you check if anything is missing from your bag?"

Qingzhi checked. Nothing was missing except her ID.

She pulled out the set of undergarments and looked at them, but for the life of her, she could not bring herself to put them on.

Li Jiyong yawned. "I'm going to sleep first!"

"Mhm!" Qingzhi murmured in response, knowing that Li Jiyong was doing this to save her from embarrassment.

Li Jiyong took off his outer jacket and closed his eyes, yet sleep completely eluded him.

Faint, rustling noises drifted from behind him.

He knew Qingzhi was likely about to take a shower, and it would be a miracle if his heart remained calm.

The patter of running water continued for half an hour before it finally stopped.

He felt Qingzhi climb into bed, accompanied by a faint, familiar fragrance—a blend of old books and gardenias.

Yet there didn't seem to be any perfume in Qingzhi's bag.

Could it be her natural bodily scent?

Like the legendary Fragrant Concubine?

Li Jiyong neither turned around nor spoke.

"Are you asleep?" a soft voice drifted over.

"Mhm," Li Jiyong replied.

Laughter immediately followed.

"You're half-asleep and forgot that people who are asleep can't talk. Ask me again!"

"All right. Are you asleep?"

"No!"

"Turn around and keep me company. I can't sleep either."

Li Jiyong did not hesitate and quickly turned over.

Since they were in separate duvets, it wasn't particularly awkward.

"I never imagined I'd be chatting with a guy while sharing a bed. It feels surreal."

Li Jiyong remarked, "Meeting you in Changjiang is the most surreal thing of all. By the way, I gave that robber a couple of extra kicks on your behalf!"

"Thank you. I was truly terrified. When he brandished that dagger, I thought I was going to die!"

"What? He pulled a knife on you? I'm going back tomorrow to kick him a few more times!"

"No need. He was driven by life's hardships, pushed to the brink."

"Ah, his family situation is indeed tough. His mother is bedridden, and his father and he work as low-wage laborers at construction sites, but there's no work in winter, which means no food. Plus, he has two twin younger sisters."

"Can you help them?"

"I told his father to come to Yunzhou. I can find him a job so he can support his family without any problem."

"You have a very kind heart!"

"It's all right, just occasionally soft-hearted."

"What brings you to Changjiang?" Qingzhi asked.

"I didn't want to come; I was dragged here!"

"Ah? Who dragged you?"

"The Provincial Bureau's Criminal Investigation Division. Scared yet?"

"Heh, it's a bit late to be scared now, isn't it?"

"Sigh, why am I such a good person? If I were to crawl over to your side right now, would you resist?"

"You wouldn't dare. If you crawled over here, I'd go find your girlfriend tomorrow and lay everything out in the open!"

"Just kidding! I chased her for eighteen years; it really wasn't easy!"

"She's so lucky."

"I'm not that great, otherwise the police wouldn't have hauled me in."

"What kind of bad thing did you do?"

"Nothing bad, just beat up a bastard."

"Can you tell me about it?"

"Sure..."

...

"Your arm is injured. Did you put medicine on it today?"

"Uh, I forgot!"

Li Jiyong suddenly remembered; he really had forgotten!

"You can even forget something like that? Get up, I'll put the medicine on for you!"

"This... well, alright, thank you very much!"

"Think nothing of it. You helped me out so much today, otherwise I would have had to sleep on the streets."

"As if! Someone as pretty as you would have people fighting to take you in."

When she saw Li Jiyong's wound, Qingzhi was startled as well.

"It's this bad!"

"It's fine. That guy will probably be laid up in the hospital for a couple of months."

"You really play rough."

"Heh, he nearly ran me over! Fortunately, I've trained since I was a kid."

"Trained in what?"

"My dad is a soldier, so he taught me military skills from a young age, always ready to charge into battle!"

"Oh, my grandfather was a soldier, but I prefer reading books!"

"I always figured you came from an intellectual family. *'Poetic grace springs from an inner reservoir of books'*—that describes you to a T."

"My grandfather traded the pen for the sword, and both my parents are teachers. We do have quite a lot of books at home. I'll take you to see them some day!"

"Great! Where is your home?"

"I won't tell you!"

"Fine, ah..." Li Jiyong let out a yawn!

"You're sleepy, go to sleep!"

"Mhm, goodnight!"

"Goodnight!"

...

"Good morning!"

When Qingzhi opened her eyes, a greeting met her.

Opening her sleep-dusted eyes, she saw the smile on Li Jiyong's face, and her memories seemed to awaken.

A smile gradually bloomed on Qingzhi's face as she raised a hand right before Li Jiyong's eyes.

"Please take good care of me for the rest of our lives!"

Li Jiyong froze for a second, but Qingzhi's innocent eyes made him realize how shameful his previous thoughts had been.

How could a girl like Qingzhi ever intrude upon someone else's relationship? Any improper desire toward her was nothing short of sacrilege!

"Please take good care of me for the rest of our lives!"

Li Jiyong reached out and shook Qingzhi's hand.

Qingzhi's hand was slender, white, and tender.

It had a similar charm to Su Wanqing's!

She must play the guqin or piano wonderfully too!

"How long are you going to keep holding on?" Qingzhi didn't pull her hand back, a wonderful feeling fluttering in her heart.

Being with him genuinely brought a marvelous sense of peace and security.

She would never intervene in his relationship because her upbringing forbade it, but that didn't prevent them from becoming friends.

"Holding hands..." Li Jiyong uttered the first half of the phrase.

"Book fragrance and tea charm!" Qingzhi withdrew her hand.

"A talented woman's favors aren't easy to take advantage of. Let's go, I'll treat you to breakfast. This hotel is too stingy not to even include breakfast!"

"Okay! I know a great breakfast place. I'll take you there, and this meal is on me to express my gratitude!"

"Alright," Li Jiyong nodded, seeing that Qingzhi wanted to maintain an equal footing in their interaction.

Qingzhi sat up, wearing a high-necked wool sweater that accentuated her chest. Her undergarments seemed to have been washed last night, and seen this way, she was quite well-endowed.

Yet Li Jiyong merely glanced at her and looked away. Generating impure thoughts in front of Qingzhi felt like desecration.

Moreover, Li Jiyong and Qingzhi could never cross the line beyond friendship. If anything happened between him and Qingzhi, it would be a betrayal of the soul, not just the body.

Li Jiyong regarded Su Wanqing as his spiritual partner; being with her felt like the blending of soul and flesh, something neither Jiang藍 nor Di Yutong could ever evoke in him.

But Qingzhi was a woman who could match him on a spiritual level, which was why he didn't dare cross even half a step over the line—to do so would be a true betrayal of Su Wanqing!

"You go wash up first, I'll read for a bit!" Li Jiyong said.

"You're quite diligent," Qingzhi remarked.

"You must be quite diligent too," Li Jiyong replied.

Qingzhi shook her head. "Not really. My grades are average, and I read very casually. My father often complains that my reading is eclectic rather than specialized, broad rather than profound, making it hard for me to achieve great things in the future."

"Reading widely without seeking a pedantic deep-dive—I think that's a wonderful state of mind."

Qingzhi looked at Li Jiyong, her gaze lingering on his face for a few seconds before she asked, "What was our fourth encounter called?"

"Let's call it finding a kindred spirit."

"High notes find few singers; true kindred spirits are hard to find," Qingzhi said, heading toward the bathroom.

Li Jiyong watched Qingzhi's graceful and slender retreating figure. Not a single impure thought stirred within him; instead, his heart was filled with profound tranquility.

A dozen minutes later, Qingzhi emerged. Her hair was smooth again, and she still wore the high-necked wool sweater. Surprisingly, she still didn't seem to be wearing a bra.

Li Jiyong understood—the one she washed last night probably hadn't dried yet, and since the other was snatched by Zhao Ping, she refused to wear it again.

Li Jiyong didn't linger to avoid any awkwardness.

"I'll go wash up. I'll be quick!"

"Mhm, may I borrow your phone? I stood him up and need to apologize!"

"Go ahead!" Li Jiyong nodded.

Inside the bathroom, Qingzhi's voice was faintly audible, still sounding remarkably calm.

He didn't intentionally eavesdrop.

After finishing washing up, Li Jiyong felt much more refreshed.

It was not yet eight o'clock, a bit early. After breakfast, he would contact Zhou Jianguo and Chen Wei. Being able to get out in time last night was largely thanks to them.

Li Jiyong still wasn't sure if Long Dingguo knew about this incident, but since he was in Changjiang, not going to see him would surely earn him a kick in the rear next time they met.

Well, even though he didn't end up joining the army, a kick was probably inevitable anyway!

Li Jiyong walked out, and Qingzhi looked slightly hesitant.

"What's wrong? Does your classmate want to see you?"

Qingzhi nodded. "He accidentally saw my bookmark once and knows about you, so he wants to meet you. If you don't want to, we can forget it!"

"Want me to play the boyfriend? Act as a shield?" Li Jiyong thought of this classic trope.

Qingzhi shook her."That only happens in novels. Not to mention he wouldn't believe it, even I wouldn't. He's probably just as curious as you are about the guy who managed to cross paths with me four times!"

"Alright, but I need to make a few phone calls first, so I can't confirm the exact time just yet!"

"The breakfast place is very close to his school; he studies at Changda University!"

"Let's go! By the way, the strap of your bag is broken, you'll just have to make do for now. Want to go shopping later?"

"We'll see how I feel!"

"Oh, your lifestyle is truly enviable!"

"If you lived a little more simply, everything would become simple."

"Perhaps. I'm still a bit too worldly; I pursue too many things!"

"Such as?"

"Money probably isn't a major pursuit of mine!"

"I can tell. Your family background is very good."

"Average. Mostly I just feel that making money is the simplest thing in the world for me."

"That sentence would make a lot of people want to rob you."

"Definitely not including you!"

"Not necessarily. Who knows, maybe one day when I'm out of food, I'll have to play Robin Hood and rob the rich to aid the poor!"

"You're welcome anytime! Though I really don't consider myself rich. I have a friend who is far more exasperating. Once, a group of us were discussing: What would you do if you encountered something you super liked, but it was ridiculously expensive and you didn't have enough money in your pocket? Guess what he said?"

"He probably never encounters such a situation!"

"Exactly! While the rest of us were racking our brains for solutions, he said such a situation simply doesn't exist. I felt like robbing him!"

"And what was your answer?"

"Me? I planned to use the weapon of the law to help the shopkeeper solve his difficulties, and then he would gift me that item!"

"And if there are no difficulties, would you manufacture them for him?"

"He who understands me is Qingzhi!"

Li Jiyong laughed, then asked, "And you?"

Qingzhi didn't answer immediately. Instead, she glanced at Li Jiyong. "It's enough to occasionally catch a glimpse of something; why must one possess it? Possessing it doesn't necessarily lead to the best outcome."

Her words seemed to carry a deeper meaning, and Li Jiyong nodded silently.

Stepping outside, the air was still rather chilly.

"You're dressed a bit too lightly," Li Jiyong remarked.

"Well, when I came yesterday, I didn't expect the temperature to drop this much. I originally planned to buy clothes!"

"It's eight o'clock now; some shops should be open, right?"

"Too early. Clothing stores rarely open before nine. Who goes shopping for clothes at the crack of dawn?"

"True. You wait inside the doorway, and I'll flag down a taxi before you come out."

Qingzhi nodded, a strange feeling of loss welling up in her heart—a kindred, considerate guy, yet alas, arriving a step too late.

Yet this very regret made their encounter all the more precious!

The place Qingzhi mentioned was a Hong Kong-style morning tea restaurant. There were plenty of patrons, but it wasn't chaotic.

The customers here all seemed well-mannered; at least no one was shouting loudly.

"Great atmosphere. Your classmate knows how to pick a spot."

Qingzhi had never been to Changjiang before, so this place must have been chosen by her pursuer.

"I told you, he's a very decent person in every respect. If only he weren't chasing me, I'd say he has no flaws at all."

Hearing this, Li Jiyong smiled faintly. "If he weren't chasing you, he'd have one glaring flaw: bad eyesight!"

Qingzhi smiled and didn't pursue the topic further.

"He should be here by now!" Qingzhi looked around left and right.

"Upstairs—there's a somewhat handsome guy who looks like he wants to punch me. Is that him?"

Li Jiyong looked up toward the second-floor railing. A handsome, slender young man wearing a black long trench coat with a slight side- parting was gazing at the two of them with a complex expression.

Seeing that Qingzhi had spotted him, he forced a smile, stood up, and waved.

"Yutong, over here!"

Li Jiyong looked at Qingzhi.

Qingzhi smiled. Knowing her real name was only a matter of time.

It was just that since Li Jiyong hadn't pried out her name himself, she didn't want to hand it to him on a silver platter either. Perhaps deep down, she was still a proud and stubborn girl.

Li Jiyong and Qingzhi walked upstairs to the table. Both Li Jiyong and the young man instinctively pulled out a chair on either side.

Then Li Jiyong gave a helpless smile and glanced at Qingzhi. But Qingzhi naturally stood right beside Li Jiyong. Coming here today, she partly intended to make this pursuer give up and stop wasting time on her.

Naturally, she wouldn't give him any false hope.

"Hello, my name is Li Jiyong," Li Jiyong proactively extended his hand.

"I know, Shen Hao," Shen Hao shook hands with Li Jiyong.

Li Jiyong noticed a watch on Shen Hao's wrist—it looked inconspicuous, but it was a Longines, a brand that would become extremely famous later on, and even now it must have cost over thirty thousand.

Unlike Lu Bin, who flaunted his luxury watch as if terrified others wouldn't know its value, Shen Hao was much more understated.

"Hello."

The two shook hands and sat down respectively.

"Yutong mentioned you're studying for the college entrance exams again this year," Shen Hao asked casually.

"Yeah, I used to fool around, but now I realize time is as precious as gold."

"We're still young; nothing is ever too late."

"True. Youth is a wonderful age where we can look forward, have expectations, and even afford to make mistakes."

Chatting like old friends, the initial awkwardness quickly dissipated.