"Zhou Xiyang, don’t be nervous. I don’t mean anything by this. President Qi and I are just ordinary friends; it’s not that complicated. If you want to be friends with him... you should just... call him? Hmm?" Hua Xiaomo said with a sweet smile, making a ’call me’ gesture near her ear.
"I understand, I understand... Thank you, Xiao Mo!" Zhou Xiyang finally seemed to have regained his composure.
"Alright, I have to go now. I wish you success!" Hua Xiaomo smiled, patted his shoulder, then picked up a nearby pen and paper, jotting down a phone number ending with consecutive eights. She quickly left McDonald’s.
Zhou Xiyang stared at the number, his face as red as ketchup, clutching the paper tightly. He was speechless for a long while.
As night fell, twilight draped the entire sky.
In the Banshan White House Villa at Jinyin Shoal.
Yu Bao drove a silver-grey Lamborghini, speeding Hua Xiaomo along the mountain path.
"Hua Xiaomo, we’re going to be colleagues from now on, so please look out for me," Yu Bao said while driving, glancing at her in the interior rearview mirror.
Hua Xiaomo stretched lazily, her eyes half-lidded. "Hey, I’m just here for an internship; I’ll be gone after a month. Mr. Yu, I’m really curious. How on earth did President Qi get my diploma? And what sort of ’bewitching brew’ had he given Principal Wang?"
Yu Bao chuckled. "Hua Xiaomo, if you’re that eager to know, you could just ask President Qi yourself!" ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵
"Forget it, I can’t be bothered to ask him! Anyway... I’m just waiting for this month to pass quickly so I can be free!" Hua Xiaomo said with a laugh.
Since their long talk last time, Hua Xiaomo and Yu Bao’s interactions had become much more casual. Yu Bao no longer addressed her so formally as Miss Hua, instead calling her by her name directly.
They got along like friends.
Yu Bao smiled but didn’t respond, continuing to drive. Soon, the car pulled into the White House Villa. "We’re here."
"Oh, that was fast." Hua Xiaomo gave a sheepish smile, opened the door, and got out.
Qi Longbing hadn’t returned yet. With nothing better to do, Hua Xiaomo went to the kitchen to help Aunt Wang with the cooking.
"Miss Hua, President Qi’s favorite dishes are these sweet and sour spareribs, crystal shrimp dumplings, steamed chicken with ginger sauce, and soy-sauced beef steak," Aunt Wang said enthusiastically.
Hua Xiaomo listened with one ear and let it out the other. Still, the elaborate and varied dishes looked quite nutritious.
"Aunt Wang, what do you usually do with the leftovers?" Hua Xiaomo asked, a hopeful idea forming in her mind. If only I could take some back for my mother, that would be perfect.
"If it’s not finished in one day, it’s thrown out; we never keep food overnight. President Qi doesn’t like to eat leftovers," Aunt Wang told her, looking at her and warmly repeating her advice. She also shared a few more of President Qi’s particular preferences.
After spending some time with the girl, Aunt Wang felt she was sincere and down-to-earth, unlike other young women who were picky and had never set foot in the kitchen.
"Throwing it all away is such a waste!" Hua Xiaomo looked at the delicious dishes, her voice softening. "Aunt Wang, could you perhaps save some for me in the future? My mother is ill, and I’ll be starting work soon. She doesn’t get to eat many good things... could you possibly..."
At this, Hua Xiaomo looked utterly pitiable and trailed off.
"You’re such a kind-hearted and filial child... President Qi truly didn’t misjudge you," Aunt Wang sighed.
"Uh..." What did she mean, ’he didn’t misjudge me’?