Liu Jinzhong inquired about the arrangements for Liu Sisi.
A gentle, smiling gaze naturally fell upon her.
Liu Sisi heard a slightly indifferent voice slowly speak—
“Then follow me.”
In that moment, Liu Sisi couldn’t suppress the surge of joy in her heart.
As for what she would be following for, it didn’t matter—not in the slightest.
For now, Liu Sisi continued attending school as usual. When there was something to do, Jiang Fuyue would inform her directly.
“Alright.” The girl nodded obediently. “Then I’ll head back first.”
She was currently staying at Yufeng, and it was usually Liu Jinzhong who looked after her.
Jiang Fuyue watched her leave, a sigh escaping her lips. “She’s had it rough. Please take extra care of her.”
Liu Jinzhong responded with a low “Understood.”
Before leaving, he handed Jiang Fuyue an invitation and a disguise kit. “The invitation was sent to Yufeng Group. I’ve heard that members of the Lou family will also be attending. This mask is made of bionic real skin—it has pores, is breathable, fits seamlessly, and is highly practical for your needs.”
Jiang Fuyue examined it briefly, then placed it against her skin. As expected, it didn’t feel stifling at all. Instead, it was cool and smooth, with an excellent texture.
Finding something like this must have taken considerable effort.
“Thank you, Uncle Liu.”
“As always—stay safe, above all else.”
Jiang Fuyue chuckled. “I treasure my life now more than ever.”
…
Leaving Yufeng Kitchen, Jiang Fuyue took a taxi back to Yutian Huafu.
She got out at the main gate, politely declining the security guard’s offer to drive her to her doorstep in an electric cart. She planned to walk home.
A stroll, a bit of fresh air—it was good for clearing the mind.
She thoroughly enjoyed these moments of solitude.
If only the passing cars weren’t so annoying at times.
Sure enough, another set of high beams shone from behind. Without turning around, Jiang Fuyue instinctively stepped aside.
Unexpectedly, the car didn’t pass by—it slowed down and stopped beside her.
The rear window rolled down, revealing a man’s face, cold as melting snow, etched with quiet detachment.
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow—surprised, but not really. “Professor Xie.”
Living in the same community, running into each other was nothing out of the ordinary.
The man gave a slight nod. “Get in. I’ll give you a ride.”
“No, thanks. I’m taking a walk.”
The man turned to the driver and gave a brief command. The car soon pulled over and stopped completely.
Xie Dingyuan stepped out.
Jiang Fuyue: “?”
The man stated calmly, “I’ll walk with you.”
“…Oh.”
He was already standing there, leaving no room for refusal.
The driver stole a glance outside with a knowing smile before driving off.
Side by side, Jiang Fuyue and Xie Dingyuan walked under the moonlight. From afar, they looked like a serene and beautiful painting.
“So, have you thought about the research project?” he suddenly asked.
Jiang Fuyue was momentarily taken aback.
The man’s dark eyes were deep and unfathomable as he gazed down at her. “Did you forget?”
“…Sorry.” She didn’t make excuses or lie—just admitted it outright.
Xie Dingyuan wasn’t upset.
There was no trace of annoyance on his calm face—if anything, he seemed even more patient.
If any of the Xie family’s older sisters were present, they would probably be so shocked their eyeballs would pop out.
Xie Dingyuan said, “Then think about it now.”
Jiang Fuyue hesitated. She had a trip coming up, but the project also piqued her interest.
“…I’m worried about managing my schedule.”
“If I’m not mistaken, the national math competition has already ended. The results should be out by now. Senior year doesn’t have new content—just review. Given your ability, attending class or not makes little difference.”
His underlying message: I’ve considered everything for you. Your schedule is obviously free—you’re just making excuses.
Jiang Fuyue: “…”
Dealing with someone too smart wasn’t always a good thing.
“If you really have something urgent, I can wait.” The man relented slightly.
Jiang Fuyue looked up abruptly, clearly surprised.
Xie Dingyuan smiled. “What, you don’t believe me?”
She rubbed her nose and, after a long pause, muttered, “What did I do to deserve this?”
The man chuckled.
In the end, Jiang Fuyue agreed. “I’ll join—but I need to know exactly what the project is.”
If it interested her, she could devote herself fully.
If not, then there was no point.
“Alright.” Xie Dingyuan nodded and asked for her email address. “I’ll send it to you shortly.”
True to his word, as soon as Jiang Fuyue returned to her room, her phone notified her of a new email.
She ignored it for now, taking a hot shower and changing into pajamas before sitting at her computer.
Logging in, she bypassed the two-step encryption and opened the new email.
The next second, her eyes widened.
This wasn’t just a basic project overview. It contained the entire research plan—including experimental content, a completed research proposal, and even appendices listing all necessary methods and equipment.
Xie Dingyuan had actually sent her such a near-complete project.
Wasn’t he afraid she would steal it outright?
Or worse—leak it to someone else?
Jiang Fuyue didn’t text or reply. Instead, she called him directly.
Seeing her name on the screen, Xie Dingyuan was briefly surprised, but then his expression softened, as if he had anticipated this.
“Hello?” He inhaled, keeping his voice steady.
“Professor Xie, what’s the meaning of this?”
He smirked slightly, his voice still calm. “If you mean the research files, I think my sincerity is clear.”
“Aren’t you afraid that I—”
Before she could finish, he cut in. “Not at all.”
So decisive.
She was momentarily speechless.
Xie Dingyuan said, “When I choose a research partner, I give them my full and absolute trust. We are the same kind of people—I believe we’ll work well together.”
“…Alright.” Jiang Fuyue agreed.
Just for that one phrase: “Full and absolute trust.”
“When do we start?”
Xie Dingyuan: “In a week.”
“You’ll need to help me get a leave of absence.”
“No problem.”
After ending the call, Jiang Fuyue deleted the email, wiped all traces, and set it to be unrecoverable.
Since Xie Dingyuan had placed his trust in her, she would return the same level of sincerity.
That was a matter of principle.
But before the project started, she had something else to take care of.
She picked up the invitation Liu Jinzhong had given her. The name of an auction house was printed in English.
She glanced at it briefly before setting it aside.
Then, she picked up her phone and called Liu Sisi. “Get ready. We’re leaving for A City tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
…
Monday.
Students returned to school. In Class 3 of Senior Year, two students were absent.
Wan Xiutong rested her chin on her hand and sighed. “The first day without Jiang Jiang—I miss her already~”
Meanwhile, Liu Sisi’s seatmate glanced at the empty desk beside her and whispered to the student in front, “Not sure why, but the teacher said she might be sick. Honestly, I think she just wanted to skip class.”
“No way! Liu Sisi seems so quiet and well-behaved.”
“That’s because you haven’t seen the way her dark eyes stare at you—it’s creepy!”
Whatever was being said in the classroom, Jiang Fuyue and Liu Sisi remained unaware.
By then, they had already arrived in A City and were en route to their hotel in a luxury RV arranged by Liu Jinzhong.
At night, the city lights flickered to life, neon signs glowing. The true vibrancy of A City was just beginning.
This was a Christie’s-affiliated auction hall, now transformed into a gathering place for the elite.
Inside, there were fresh flowers and red carpets. Outside, a fountain sprinkled with roses.
Invited guests arrived one after another.
Among them, a well-dressed young man entered, escorting a woman in a deep green silk qipao.
The woman’s skin was fair, her exact age indiscernible—only the faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes hinted at the passage of time.
That striking green fabric, which could easily appear gaudy, exuded a unique elegance when she wore it.
Their entrance stirred quiet murmurs.
Soon, someone stepped forward to exchange pleasantries, their tone laced with flattery.
“President Lou, long time no see. You look younger than ever.”
“President Wei, you flatter me. But you, on the other hand, are as sharp as ever.”
“This gentleman is…?” President Wei eyed the young man beside her.
Lou Mingxin smiled graciously. “My secretary, Little Lin.”
President Wei chuckled and offered some polite praise, but inwardly, he speculated: Secretary? More like a personal companion, no?
Then again, it wouldn’t be surprising if Lou Mingxin indulged herself a little.
