Chapter 227: Chapter 227

After leaving Bai Changxia’s home, Pei Che and Shen Jianian first went to the Xiting Hotel. They packed their luggage, checked out, had lunch in the hotel’s restaurant, and then took a taxi to the airport.

Pei Che booked the 3:10 flight, and it was still early, so the two of them rested in the VIP lounge at the airport.

During lunch, Shen Jianian seemed hesitant to speak, but at this moment, she couldn’t hold it back any longer. She tugged at the hem of Pei Che’s shirt with her fingers: "Can I ask you a question?" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ ɴovelfire.net

Pei Che turned to look at her, smiling with gentle eyes: "Ask whatever you want to ask, why so hesitant?"

Shen Jianian’s gaze stayed on his face, she pursed her lips and asked, "Did you know that Yan Qiusheng is my teacher?"

The smile on Pei Che’s face visibly faded, and Shen Jianian caught that, finding her answer: "You knew, right? Why didn’t you tell me?"

Pei Che: "Did Bai Changxia tell you?"

The two of them went to see Yan Qiusheng’s concert last night, so it was impossible not to talk about it when they met. He should have anticipated that Little Nian would ask.

Shen Jianian made a slight "Hmm."

"I’m sorry," Pei Che said apologetically, "I didn’t tell you because I was very clear that you had forgotten about it, and I didn’t know how to tell you."

Hearing him explain, Shen Jianian seemed to understand that even if he had told her, she wouldn’t remember anything and it wouldn’t change anything.

But she didn’t like the feeling of being unaware, like a fool.

After thinking for a moment, Shen Jianian discussed with Pei Che: "I don’t blame you. But will you promise to tell me all the things I’ve forgotten from the past? Even if I don’t remember those things, at least I would have an idea if you tell me. I don’t want to keep hearing from others about my relationships while I myself know nothing."

Pei Che felt a sudden tug at his heart, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, his voice dry: "Okay, I promise you."

Shen Jianian leaned into his embrace, and her anxious heart slowly settled: "How did I meet Yan Qiusheng in reality? Why did he take me as his disciple? I’ve asked Xiaxia, she doesn’t know, do you?"

In a place she couldn’t see, Pei Che closed his eyes in despair. He didn’t want to pile one lie after another: "Actually, I’m not very clear either, I was still abroad at that time."

Shen Jianian felt a little disappointed: "Oh."

From last night until now, she still couldn’t understand why Yan Qiusheng would become her mentor. When her parents were alive, they didn’t seem to have such connections, and it didn’t seem feasible on her own.

"If I contact Yan Qiusheng, will he be shocked?" Shen Jianian said, "Xiaxia and I have known each other for so many years, and she didn’t recognize me until I brought up the past and she believed I was Shen Jianian. My memory of Yan Qiusheng is still from childhood when he came to Beicheng for a concert and my parents took me backstage to take a photo with him. How do I prove it to him?"

"Do you want to acknowledge him?" Pei Che’s voice was hoarse.

"I admire him greatly, it’s not easy to be his disciple, but I..." In the end, Shen Jianian was still worried that her memory loss would add to the awkwardness when they met, since they would be unfamiliar with each other.

If it were another matter, Pei Che would definitely encourage her to try it and not have regrets, he would be her strong support. But when it concerns the past, he dared not push it too far.

After wrangling internally for a while without any conclusion, Shen Jianian decided not to trouble herself, she took out her phone from her crossbody bag and browsed the news.

She didn’t avoid Pei Che, and Pei Che saw her searching "Yan Qiusheng" on Weibo. What came up were all the latest reports related to the concert last night.

Shen Jianian scrolled through one by one, and most of them were music enthusiasts praising Yan Qiusheng, saying the master indeed lived up to his name, even after many years of silence, his work shocked the world, the foreign media reports were also abundant, and the momentum was huge.

Accidentally, she clicked on the trending topics on Weibo and was about to exit when an interview video caught her attention.

The person in the footage was the head of the Fu Family, and the background was not some high-end office building or plain whiteboard, it seemed to be in the garden of a mansion, with large blooms of roses in full bloom. The man was dressed in a well-tailored black business suit, showing the collar and cuffs of a white shirt, sitting on a wicker chair, with a stern posture and an aura that kept people at a distance.

The video lasted 35 minutes and 26 seconds, with a female reporter conducting the interview. She was not on camera, only her voice could be heard. For the first two-thirds, they talked about Jun Mountain’s future development direction regarding autonomous driving and AI healthcare. Because the answers from Jun Mountain’s leader were concise and clear, even outsiders could understand it, without feeling bored or distant.

Shen Jianian listened with relish to the interview content that had nothing to do with her profession, while a barrage of comments floated across the screen, varied in their praise for Jun Mountain’s CEO’s handsomeness.

The female reporter brought up the recent charitable undertakings of Jun Mountain: "It’s said that Junshan Group has d to build hundreds of Hope Primary Schools and medical stations in remote mountainous areas. What is Mr. Chen’s original intention for doing this?"

If handled well, this question could establish a good image for the enterprise, possibly leading to a surge in the stock price.

However, this cold-faced CEO of Jun Mountain pondered for a moment and then answered earnestly yet casually: "I’ve often heard people say that good deeds bring good rewards. I’m an ordinary person, and because I have something to seek in my heart, I want to try if doing more good deeds would bring good returns."

The female reporter probably didn’t expect him to say this, remained silent for a few seconds, and then replied with a hint of laughter in her voice: "Personally, I think regardless of whatever Mr. Chen is seeking, the ones truly benefiting are the children in remote areas and the patients who can’t afford to see a doctor due to poverty. Isn’t that the meaning of charity? Sincerely, on behalf of those who have received help, thank you."

Fu Jichen’s gaze was distant, his eyes somewhat ethereal, as if he hadn’t heard the reporter’s question, not giving any response.

On his fair wrist was a black cord, and in his hand, he held a jade carving of a lotus root, smooth and translucent, exuding a demeanor reminiscent of an ancient gentleman.

The serious questions had mostly been asked, and as the interview neared its end, the reporter saw Fu Jichen staring intently at that patch of roses and asked an off-topic question: "Which rose in that patch do you think is the most beautiful?"

Fu Jichen slightly came to his senses but said nothing.

The female reporter thought he wouldn’t answer, and was about to turn off the camera set up not far away, when unexpectedly, in the last second of the video, Fu Jichen gently opened his lips and said, "The most beautiful one has already withered."

With that, the interview concluded.

In the comments section, a netizen left a message: "Why do I feel like Fu Jichen’s last words were describing a woman, tsk tsk, that gaze of his really... carries endless longing. Still, I suggest those idol drama actors come and learn!"

"I’ll speak for myself, my hometown is a remote mountainous area, and the Hope Primary School completed earlier this year was named ’jianian’. Don’t ask why I’m using pinyin, because I discovered typing those two characters gets blocked, those who understand, understand."

"Is it who I think it is? The one secretly referring to a slogan, the one who plays the cello?"

"Gosh, I thought I was the only one who noticed, that name can’t be typed out. Last time when I talked about Fu Jichen and the Xu Family’s daughter, I mentioned that lady’s name, and in the blink of an eye, it was deleted."

"So, what Fu Jichen desires in his heart, is it that person?"

"The concept of a big shot’s white moonlight, we aren’t even worthy of mentioning the name, sob."

Shen Jianian was scrolling through the comments, but before she could read them clearly, Pei Che took her phone away and gently said, "The announcement is reminding us, we should board now."

At 3:10 p.m., the plane to Jiang City soared into the ten-thousand-meter sky.

At 4:30 p.m., the plane from Yicheng landed at Beicheng Airport.

The first-class passengers disembarked first, Song Fang followed behind Fu Jichen, turned off his phone’s flight mode, and unread messages and missed call notifications popped up.

He glanced at the unread messages, quickened his pace to catch up, and hurriedly reported important content to Fu Jichen: "The latest issue of the ’Chenyang Daily’ has been published, and the related interview video has also been released. There’s nothing wrong with the newspaper’s text content, Lin Shuang’s usual high standard, but that video..."

Song Fang paused, then honestly said: "Secretary He reviewed it and said the unrelated off-topic remarks at the end weren’t edited out and were released together. The public is discussing it, and it’s likely to trend. Secretary He is unsure if the PR department should manage it."

That day when the boss was interviewed at Rose Manor, Song Fang watched the entire process, and of course, he was clear on what Lin Shuang later asked. Thinking carefully, it wasn’t too out of line.

It was just asking the boss which rose in the patch was the most beautiful, more like a question to lighten the mood.

Fu Jichen said, "No need."

Song Fang replied, "Okay, I understand."

Just as he was about to put away his phone, a call came through. Seeing the caller ID was "Zhou Zhizhen," Song Fang glanced at the ahead-walking Fu Jichen and felt compelled to answer, taking it seriously: "President Zhou, hello, is there something you need?"

"I called Fu Da’s phone, but it said it was off." Zhou Zhizhen’s tone was a bit urgent, "Are you with him?"

"We just got off the plane, Mr. Chen’s phone might not be turned on yet."

"Are you at Beicheng Airport?"

"Yes, we are about to leave."

Zhou Zhizhen spoke faster: "Don’t let him leave yet. The airport just sent out a lost property notice, and I saw that the item is Fu Da’s handheld piece. How come he doesn’t know his own item is lost?"

After all, it’s worth the price of a limited edition supercar, how can it just be left behind.

Song Fang was holding the phone, his gaze swept to his boss’s wrist, around which was a black woven cord, the piece was in his hand, not lost: "Are you sure it’s the boss’s?"

"It’s carved into the shape of a lion. How many such pieces can there be in the world? If it isn’t his, whose would it be?" Zhou Zhizhen said with certainty, "I’ve often seen him playing with it in his hand before."