Campus Ace Girl

Chu Ci suddenly covered his eyes.

Beside him, a figure sat down, followed by a heavy sigh.

Chu Ci whispered, "I just want some quiet."

Chu Changhe spoke in a low voice, as if he had made a big decision, "Chu Ci, you can try to make things right, no matter what happens, Dad won’t blame you."

Chu Ci didn’t respond.

Chu Changhe sighed, "Your mother is different now, she’s sick... don’t blame her, but take care of yourself, alright? I can’t take care of you while taking care of your mother, so, Chu Ci, you can make your own decisions now."

Chu Ci put his hand down and lay there for a while before saying, "It’s too late."

He... witnessed her with Bai Xun, she seemed happy, not as lively as before but still doing well. Now he wanted her back because she had a boyfriend, which even he found laughable.

Chu Changhe patted his son’s hand, voice hoarse, "Don’t leave regrets for yourself. Before she gets married."

With trembling hands, he took out a cigarette and lit it, but handed it to Chu Ci instead, "If she agrees, take her abroad, don’t come back."

He knew well that no family or career could compare to Yan Yan in Chu Ci’s heart, it was just his mother holding him back...

Chu Ci sat up on the bed, holding the cigarette, quietly watching it for a long time before speaking bitterly, "Dad, I took away her happiness once, do I need to do it again?"

He feared disappointing her, but he had already done that, he feared even more that she truly liked someone else.

Even if he took her back, what was the point?

Perhaps he would never let go for the rest of his life, but for Chu Yan, he was already a past she didn’t want to recall...

Chu Changhe couldn’t say much more, just patted his son’s shoulder, "Alright, as long as you have a plan."

Chu Ci said nothing.

Chu Changhe went downstairs, leaving Chu Ci alone upstairs, who did not return that night, sleeping in Chu Yan’s room.

With closed eyes, he had a dream, dreamt Chu Yan came back, looking sixteen or seventeen.

Back then, they weren’t together yet, he liked her and was waiting for her to grow up.

Later, before he could express anything, she brought Bai Xun home, telling him in a tender voice, "Brother, this is my boyfriend."

Chu Ci woke up.

Awake in the dark room, it seemed as though he could still smell the faint scent she carried in the air.

In his ears, it seemed his mother’s crying could be heard.

She had likely been upset all night?

Chu Ci knew he should go check, but at this moment, he didn’t want to move, just wanted to lie here quietly...

The next morning, Chu Ci got up, and Chu Changhe was already in the dining room.

He went over, picked up a newspaper, "Where’s Mom?"

"The doctor came last night, gave her a sedative, she’ll wake up around noon," Chu Changhe said softly.

Chu Ci nodded and suddenly said, "Why not cancel the birthday banquet."

If it really happens, it’ll just be a mess.

Chu Changhe was silent, a while later he spoke, "I’ve talked with your mother, she seems to understand some things, let it be a family gathering then, Chu Ci... I miss that child too. After all, she was raised by us, even if it’s just to see her once."

Chu Ci’s fingers clenched the newspaper tightly, only after a while did he speak faintly, "Alright."

Chu Changhe hesitated, "What about you, have you made up your mind?"

Chu Ci looked at his father, after a long time he smiled bitterly, "It’s no longer up to me."

Once, Chu Yan listened to him closely, now she might hate him just as much.

After he finished, he drank his milk and went to the company, he just didn’t see Mrs. Chu standing on the stairs.

Mrs. Chu listened to the father and son talking, quietly whispered as she went upstairs, "They have always been thinking of her, always."

In the courtyard parking lot, Chu Ci opened the car door and got in, he had an important meeting today.

Sitting down at the company, Secretary Yin brought the meeting agenda, he paused and asked, "Isn’t there a Hollywood project that was going to be offered to Bai Xun, help him take it."

Secretary Yin frowned slightly, instinctively asked, "Weren’t you against him taking foreign projects?"

It was a way to restrain Bai Xun, prevent him from having the chance to go solo, a tactic used by every big company.

Chu Ci raised his hand slightly, "Don’t move yet, I’ll talk to him."

Secretary Yin felt something was wrong with her supervisor, but couldn’t pinpoint exactly what.

After Chu Ci was done speaking, he took the documents and went to the meeting...

Halfway through the meeting, the company’s computers suddenly malfunctioned.

Chu Ci leaned back in his chair smoking, Secretary Yin immediately arranged for an electronics maintenance company to come because the sudden issue could result in loss of important company data.

She was quite nervous, and suddenly the usual partner company was no longer in service, Secretary Yin inquired and found a newly established company in the industry, reputed for its founder’s world-class computer skills.

Once she returned to tell Chu Ci, Chu Ci quietly said, "Continue the meeting once it’s fixed."

He instructed Secretary Yin, "Let me know when they arrive."

Given the importance of company data, he had to oversee personally.

Secretary Yin nodded.

Chu Ci returned to his office, sat on the sofa, and casually picked up a photo album to look at.

It was of Chu Yan’s childhood.

He had brought all these things to the office, not leaving them at the old house, as it would only upset his mother or might get thrown away at some point.

He quietly looked for a while, then placed it aside.

Secretary Yin knocked on the door, said softly, "Mr. Chu, the computer company’s people are here."

Chu Ci rubbed his eyes and sat up, "Alright."

But when he looked up, he froze.

Because the person who came was none other than Chu Yan.

Chu Yan was momentarily stunned too, not expecting her first business task to be with Chu Ci’s company, yet as it was business, she had no reason to withdraw, so she said coolly, "Let me look at where the problem is."

Secretary Yin noticed something was wrong, then suddenly remembering she had seen this person at the restaurant the other day, and Mr. Chu had been disoriented when seeing her... Secretary Yin, though a later addition, was quite clever, and quickly guessed her identity.

Chu Yan.

The girl rumored to keep Mr. Chu single.

She couldn’t help but look again, quite pretty, her face clean and neat, not exactly the pure type but very clean.

Secretary Yin intended to help her superior, "Mr. Chu, I’ll go handle some things, you can explain the situation to her."

Chu Ci stared at Chu Yan’s face, said alright.

Secretary Yin closed the door behind her.

At this moment, Chu Yan’s gaze fell on the sofa beside Chu Ci, where a photo album lay.

She recognized it was from her childhood, surprised he had brought it to the office.

Chu Ci followed her gaze and looked, then hoarsely said, "Come sit."

She hadn’t moved yet when he got up and poured her a glass of water, he didn’t seem in a hurry to let her fix the matter.

Chu Yan’s lips moved slightly, "Mr. Chu, I’m here to work."

"Did you not call me brother once?" he looked at her, "Is there a need for such formality? Or are you worried about Bai Xun being unhappy if he finds out?"

Chu Yan had nothing to say.

Chu Ci spoke softly, "He knows about our relationship."

Chu Yan lowered her gaze, ’So what?’

She laughed self-deprecatingly, "You taught me not to invest fully in affection, five or six points... is enough."

That way, should that person leave or be forced to leave oneself, it won’t hurt.

Seeing him again, she was still pained... not because she still loved him, but because when he abandoned her it wasn’t just him but the entire Chu Family, like they discarded her like some harmful disease or poison.