Chapter 48: The Blind Date

Tang Xi received the five million from Gu Yu and happily deposited it into her small vault.

She had never cared much for money, but who doesn't like having more of it?

In the past, wealth was merely a concept to her; her family had a dedicated financial planner, and Gu Yu spoiled her so much that whatever she wanted was handed to her on a silver platter.

As Tang Xi picked up a piece of food with her chopsticks, her phone rang.

It was the real estate agent she had contacted this morning. He was very enthusiastic and made a great first impression, so she had saved his number and asked him to keep an eye out for a suitable property.

"Ms. Tang, the large-flat-rate apartment at Champion Bridge that you viewed today—the owner has decided to put it on the market," the agent said excitedly. "As soon as I got the inside scoop, I immediately had my colleague intercept it."

Properties at Champion Bridge were in extremely high demand, and people who bought homes there would not sell them lightly unless facing an emergency.

After finishing their meal hastily, Tang Xi and Song Xining agreed to meet the agent at Champion Bridge.

She had already toured the model unit before and had been very satisfied with it.

She hadn't expected to find her preferred floor and layout so quickly.

Since it was a place she had set her sights on long ago, Tang Xi did not hesitate much. After spending the afternoon going through the procedures with the agent, she successfully obtained the red property title deed.

Although the apartment was second-hand, the original owner had only renovated it after purchase and had never actually moved in.

In Kyoto, there were countless such properties that were decorated but left unoccupied.

Fortunately, the interior design style happened to be just what Tang Xi liked; aside from purchasing a few favorite pieces of furniture, almost no major changes were necessary.

After picking an auspicious date, Tang Xi moved into her new home.

The north-facing bedroom was converted into a painting studio, filled with the artworks she had brought back from the Gu family estate.

Just as Tang Xi was painting, Tang Qiushuang called her.

"Are you free tomorrow noon? Let's have lunch together," Tang Qiushuang said. "I'll text you the address."

Assuming her aunt had been busy with work lately and was under a lot of stress, wanting to relax over a meal with her, Tang Xi readily agreed.

However, upon arriving at the designated restaurant, she didn't see her aunt; instead, a young man was sitting at the reserved table.

The man was handsome and refined, exuding an scholarly aura from the very marrow of his bones.

He looked like a man of profound depth and extensive reading.

"Are you Ms. Tang?" Seeing her, the man stood up first. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Bo Xuyao, and I'm a friend of Aunt Tang."

The Aunt Tang he mentioned must be Tang Qiushuang.

Seeing this scenario, how could Tang Xi fail to understand her aunt's intentions?

She had just gotten divorced, and her aunt was already eagerly arranging a blind date for her.

"Hello, I'm Tang Xi." Tang Xi couldn't bear to let down Tang Qiushuang's kind intentions, and Bo Xuyao lived up to his name, giving off an inexplicably warm impression.

He was also very conversational.

Not the kind of conversationalist who was eager to flaunt his knowledge and act like a walking encyclopedia, but genuinely profound with a broad and far-reaching perspective.

It wasn't hard to guess that he had received an excellent education, possessed a sharp mind, and held quite unique insights.

"Ms. Tang, it's a pleasure to meet you. May I add your contact information?"

Tang Xi hesitated for a moment before bringing up her phone's QR code.

After adding each other as friends, Bo Xuyao looked very happy. "Can we keep in touch often?"

She knew Bo Xuyao was here on a blind date with her, but the man spoke with propriety, never explicitly expressing his impression of her or his ultimate intentions.

Faced with such a request, she had no way to refuse while assuming too much.

Perhaps he simply wanted to make another friend.

After the meal, Bo Xuyao saw her to her car and watched her drive away before leaving.

While waiting at a red light, Tang Xi called Tang Qiushuang.

"Well, Xiao Bo seems like a good guy, right?" Tang Qiushuang's excited voice came through the receiver. "A finance PhD graduate, single, no bad habits, well-read and talented. He is an absolute, perfect match for a literary young woman like you."

Tang Xi was torn between laughter and tears. "Aunt, he's a good person, but I don't want to date right now."

"You don't want to date because you haven't met anyone better yet," Tang Qiushuang snorted. "Listen to me, spend more time with Xiao Bo, and you'll regain your confidence in romance."

"Does he know I'm divorced?"

"Of course he knows, but he doesn't mind at all. What era is this? It's not a feudal society anymore; marry if you're compatible, separate if you're not. Besides, my niece is such an outstanding girl—there are plenty of men who couldn't find her even with a lantern in hand."

Ignoring her aunt's heavily biased praise, Tang Xi appeased her vaguely, "I know."

Hanging up the phone, Tang Xi started the car.

This marriage had dealt her too deep a blow; even though she appeared calm and breezy on the surface, the hollows and scars within could only be healed by time.

She didn't show her pain simply because she didn't want the people who loved her to worry.

And as for her, she temporarily lacked the strength to start a new relationship all over again.

After parking the car, Tang Xi pulled out her card to swipe open the unit's elevator door.

"Invalid card."

Amidst the mechanical voice, Tang Xi swiped it again, only to receive the same reminder that the card was invalid.

She looked closely at the card in her hand, only to realize she had taken the wrong one.

This was the card for the Gu family villa, which happened to share the same blue color scheme as her newly purchased apartment, making them hard to tell apart at a glance.

She had actually forgotten to throw this card away.

Just as Tang Xi was about to call property management, a fair, slender hand reached over her shoulder, pressing a blue card against the scanner, and the door opened with a ding.

A faint hint of sandalwood drifted into her nostrils, causing Tang Xi to zone out for a fleeting second.

She turned around and collided with a familiar gaze.

The elevator lobby was brightly lit, enveloping him in a halo and outlining him with shimmering, hazy edges.

His eyes were exceptionally deep, as if any light shining into them would be instantly absorbed and drowned.

Tang Xi's wits seemed to be partially sucked away as well, and it took her a moment to snap back to reality, letting out an astonished gasp, "Mr. Zhou?"

Seeing Zhou Jingchuan in a place like this truly caught her by surprise.

"Mm," Zhou Jingchuan replied, his expression gentle. "Not going up?"

Only then did Tang Xi notice that the elevator doors were still open. She took a single step forward, but because they had been open for too long, the doors began to close automatically.

Just as they were about to clip her, a strong, powerful hand grabbed her arm and pulled her backward.

Tang Xi lost her footing, her back bumping against his chest.

It was very firm and full of strength.

Meanwhile, his other hand blocked the closing elevator doors.

"Be careful." The warning hovered by her ear, arriving tardily as if trailing a lingering echo.

"Thank you." Tang Xi stepped into the elevator with Zhou Jingchuan, her face still somewhat warm.

Had her brain short-circuited just now? She had almost been caught by the elevator doors.

It must have been because she was too shocked to see Zhou Jingchuan.

"Mr. Zhou, are you here on business?" As the elevator slowly ascended, the cramped space and the man's scent of sandalwood made Tang Xi feel slightly dizzy.

"No." His answer was always as simple and concise as he was, yet left people half-understanding.

Watching the elevator rise to the 7th floor—where she lived—she noticed Zhou Jingchuan hadn't pressed any other floor button.

"Mr. Zhou, which floor are you going to? Let me press it for you."

Zhou Jingchuan glanced at the elevator panel. "Already pressed."