Chapter 009: Reuniting with a Former Love

After disembarking from the plane and leaving the airport, a large coach was already waiting there. The group boarded the coach and first settled into a hotel in Chengdu, preparing to visit the Laojun Temple on Laojun Mountain the following day

Meng Xiaobai was suddenly frozen in place, and with a loud bang in his mind, at that moment, his soul seemed to shatter into billions of pieces, drifting aimlessly, unaware of his own whereabouts

She is still as beautiful as ever, with a watery radiance reminiscent of an ethereal fairy; no, she is even more beautiful, possessing a few more degrees of elegance and a mature demeanor than before

His snoring was of such a high caliber that if it were merely a single tone, one could still manage to sleep through it, even if it were loud. However, his snoring resembled singing, always producing irregular pitches, and occasionally punctuated by sounds reminiscent of bird calls. Meng Xiaobai could no longer endure it and had no choice but to rise and leave the room in frustration

In this constrained feeling, Meng Xiaobai no longer dared to turn his head until he reached Chengdu Airport

Ye Feixue's face suddenly turned pale upon hearing this, her body swayed slightly, and she hurriedly passed by him, leaving without looking back

As she approached, a familiar sense of beauty and sensuality radiated from her, drawing all of his attention like a magnet. Her naturally graceful stride revealed a unique elegance of feminine beauty

Although Meng Xiaobai did not understand what "fenzi" meant, she grasped his words and quickly waved her hands nervously. The short man persistently recommended, "Don't worry, big brother, it's very safe. You can do anything at the hole; just go have some fun!" As he spoke, he took out a large photo album from his satchel and said, "Why don't you take a look first? It's quite appealing!"

Meng Xiaobai felt a bit uneasy sitting next to her. He pulled out a newspaper wedged behind the back of the chair and, under the faint light, began to read. Beside him, Ye Feixue gently leaned forward and pressed a button, causing a beam of light to shine down from above Meng Xiaobai's head

Meng Xiaobai felt a pang in her heart, and it was only then that she remembered she was already married, having tied the knot at the end of last year. She recalled encountering her when she was distributing wedding invitations to the branch leaders in her line of work.

His residence is not far from the provincial bank building, and it takes less than ten minutes to walk there. Although it is summer, the air at this time is both fresh and cool. By the time he arrived in front of the provincial bank building, more than ten people were already waiting there, standing in small groups chatting.

Meng Xiaobai was extremely nervous, as if the police were standing right behind him. He hurriedly waved his hand and said, "No, no, no, I won't go!" As he spoke, he glanced at the photo album, feeling that it was filled with women posing suggestively. A hurried glance did not allow him to see their faces clearly.

Ye Feixue let out a silent sigh. She would rather Meng Xiaobai remain cold towards her, as that would make her feel better inside. The more he cared about her feelings, the heavier and more uncomfortable her heart became.

Upon hearing these words, the heartache at that moment was even more intense than it is now. Meng Xiaobai remembers that after being stunned for a while, she was still able to casually say to her: "Congratulations, aren't you inviting me to join?"

Ye Feixue walked over and handed her ID card to him, then turned her head to look back. Meng Xiaobai took a deep breath, assumed a calm expression, and strode forward, staring directly at the person as she handed over her own ID card.

The little sheep, who usually joked and had a very close relationship, did not come. Meng Xiaobai left her a message and then went to sleep after the call was disconnected. When the alarm on her phone rang, Meng Xiaobai hurriedly got up, quickly tidied herself up, picked up the luggage she had prepared the night before, and quietly stepped out the door, heading towards the provincial bank building

Ye Feixue got into the car, dragging her suitcase and just stopping in front of a seat. Upon hearing this, she was momentarily taken aback and looked back inquiringly. Meng Xiaobai shrank back slightly; there were people blocking the view in front, but Ye Feixue recognized him with just a glimpse of his shoulder. After hesitating for a moment, she walked over to him.

Her voice remained clear and pleasant, and Meng Xiaobai gently nodded without speaking

Lao Jiang said: "Let's visit the Laojun Temple tomorrow. I tell you, that place is quite effective. If we go, we should pray sincerely, hoping it blesses us to find good jobs."

She is so beautiful, in Meng Xiaobai's heart, her beauty surpasses that of all women in the world. If she belonged to him, even if someone offered a dozen beautiful stars in exchange, he would refuse without hesitation, but...

Gazing in a trance at the billowing white clouds, if one could fly among these layers like a bird, wouldn't that feeling be even more exhilarating? Hehe, if I had such a capability, and if someone were to see me from an airplane, wouldn't I then become a superhuman?

Meng Xiaobai turned back to take a glance and noticed a beam of sunlight shining directly on Ye Feixue's face, causing her to squint slightly. Meng Xiaobai immediately pulled down the window, and the area in front of the seat was instantly shrouded in darkness

Three young men are sitting on the sofa next to me. One is sturdy and strong, another wears glasses and has a somewhat scholarly demeanor, and the last one is thinner, shorter, and has a slightly darker complexion

From the edge of the tree, she stood by the roadside, reaching out to tuck her smooth, flowing long hair behind her ear. Her eyes slowly swept over the people chatting by the road, and the movement was indescribably elegant

Meng Xiaobai was initially filled with anger towards her, but when she truly appeared before him, he felt ashamed and inadequate. He timidly retreated behind a tree, hesitating and daring not to step out.

He lifted his head, mumbling a thank you, but the words only turned in his mouth, and he couldn't even hear them clearly himself. Glancing up secretly, he saw Ye Feixue already leaning back in her chair, pretending to doze off.

4:20 AM, just as dawn was breaking, that roommate who had only fallen asleep in the early hours of the morning was still sound asleep. Meng Xiaobai, who usually enjoyed being online, had refrained from chatting much last night. She exchanged a few words with several close online friends, and their responses were mostly expressions of regret: "It's a pity you aren't here; otherwise, we could meet up and I would treat you to a meal."

Meng Xiaobai's heart skipped a beat upon seeing this, and only then did he realize that Ye Feixue's eyelashes were also fluttering rapidly. He hurriedly turned his head back, his face flushed and his heart racing, thinking: "Has she already woken up? Has she noticed that I was looking at her?"

Old Jiang said earnestly: "Ah, don't doubt it, my family is currently in Chongqing, but my hometown is right here. My father has a classmate named Yang, who was a rebel commander during the Cultural Revolution. He went up the mountain to smash the yin-yang fish at Laojun Temple, and as soon as he struck it with a hammer, he disappeared. My father witnessed it with his own eyes"

Meng Xiaobai was lost in thought for a while, and suddenly burst into silent laughter: "How old are we now? How can we still have such unrealistic ideas?" He turned to glance at Ye Feixue and found her leaning against the back of the chair, seemingly asleep.

Meng Xiaobai shared a room with a colleague from the Lingbei branch. The dinner was quite lavish, and they enjoyed drinks until after 10 o'clock. After dinner, they watched television for a while, and then Meng Xiaobai prepared to go to sleep

The cigarette butt was pinched flat by his fingers, and he took two quick puffs before darting behind the tree

Meng Xiaobai's heart raced, and she did not know how long it had been when a person holding two sheets of white paper stood on the steps of the provincial bank, calling out loudly to everyone with an electronic megaphone. The people who were scattered and chatting gathered around, and that person checked the list row by row while collecting everyone's identification cards.

The two people gazed at each other for a long time, and in the end, she gracefully walked down, forcing a faint smile, and gently said to him: "I... am getting married!"

The light refracted by the white clouds, though bright, is soft and not glaring, reflecting her jade-like delicate and flawless skin, intoxicating like the morning glow or evening light. Her fair skin with a hint of pink and her lovely face are adorned with a subtle halo of sunlight.

Old Jiang whispered, "I can't believe it, they are Japanese!"

Ye Feixue stopped beside him, and Meng Xiaobai silently shifted a little towards the inner seat. Ye Feixue bent down to lift the suitcase, straining as she raised it towards the car rack. Although her clothing was loose, as she lifted her arms, the delicate curve of her waist and the graceful line of her chest subtly revealed themselves due to the fabric tightening and stretching.

A handsome young man with slightly naturally curly hair, holding a cigarette, said: "Lao Jiang, you are a local, where are we going tomorrow? Once school starts again, we need to prepare for graduation and job hunting. If we don't go wild now, we won't have the chance. By the way, Xiao Jiu, are you still planning to take the postgraduate entrance exam?"

The side profile, resembling white jade, seemed a bit cold. Meng Xiaobai glanced at her, then quickly averted his gaze, feeling an indescribable sensation within: "Meng Xiaobai, what do you truly want? Isn't it just as you wished that she ignores you? Why then this feeling of emptiness? Her smile, her tenderness, will never belong to you again. What is it that you still cannot let go of?"

Ye Feixue was momentarily taken aback, and with a hint of surprise mixed with a touch of comfort, she asked: "I am inviting you; would you be willing to attend my wedding?"

Meng Xiaobai smiled faintly, with a hint of sarcasm, and said: "Don't you remember that you promised to walk with me into the hall of marriage? If you cannot be the groom, being the best man still counts as fulfilling your promise"

He let out a gentle sigh and suddenly noticed a few strands of blush appearing on Ye Feixue's oval face, which became particularly noticeable under the bright light, making her look even more charming and alluring

The flight is a direct one to Chengdu. Having had lunch on the plane, there is still over an hour of travel time remaining. Meng Xiaobai has flipped through the newspapers and magazines repeatedly, and feeling utterly bored, quietly pushed open the window cover. The sunlight no longer shines directly into the cabin, but the light remains bright.

The airplane has taken off, and Meng Xiaobai gazes out of the oval-shaped window. The weather today is splendid, with wisps of white clouds drifting lightly in the sky like silk. His colleague sitting by the front window is capturing the scenery outside with a camera.

As soon as the identification card was handed over, he quickly turned and walked down the steps. Just as he stood still at the bottom of the steps and took out a cigarette, he felt a delicate figure flash past him, accompanied by a faint and elegant fragrance. She had already walked towards her own suitcase

On the stairs, one is going down and the other is going up. When their eyes meet, though they are so close, in that moment their hearts feel as distant as the horizon.

Has Meng Xiaobai and Ye Feixue from the Tiedong Branch arrived?

He did not go to see Ye Feixue, but still felt that Ye Feixue smiled faintly at him, only for her smile to freeze due to his indifference. Meng Xiaobai also felt his face tighten, becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

Only the person waving a small flag walked to the service desk and spoke with the staff inside. A short middle-aged man approached the service desk and stiffly bowed to the guide waving the small flag, mumbling a string of Japanese words. A female translator hurried over and quietly explained.

The door on the other side of the car opened, and a very handsome young man swiftly got out, opened the trunk, and took out a suitcase on a rack. He walked to the roadside and affectionately said a few words to Ye Feixue, then gently kissed her delicate white face before turning back to the car

He leaned alone against a tree, took out a cigarette and started smoking. After five minutes, an Audi V6 approached silently and stopped in front of the provincial bank building. Meng Xiaobai's gaze inadvertently followed it. The car door opened, and first, a pair of long, slender beautiful legs stepped out, followed by a graceful figure emerging from the car.

The elevator came to a stop on the first floor. Seeing that the person did not seem like a player, he transferred to another elevator to go upstairs. Meng Xiaobai, unfamiliar with the area, wanted to go out for a walk but did not know the way, so he sat down on a sofa in the lobby and lit a cigarette

The young man, known as Old Ginger, nodded and said, "Well, I can't compare myself to you, Huo Qingfeng. Your father owns a factory and is a millionaire."

Xiao Jiu adjusted his glasses and said earnestly: "This is what we call reality. To be honest, this is the first time I have seen a Japanese person wearing clothes"

The airplane glided between the clouds, with clusters of white clouds crowded together below. In the distance, they resembled crystalline icebergs, while nearby they appeared like an endless glacier. Meng Xiaobai gazed leisurely at the cloud layers that closely resembled the glaciers on the ground, and her mood brightened.

Huo Qingfeng laughed heartily and said, "Is it true or not? Do you really believe this?"

Huo Qingfeng and Xiao Jiu laughed heartily, clearly still in disbelief. At that moment, a group of people entered through the door, led by someone holding a small flag for a tour group. Although they appeared to be Chinese, their demeanor seemed somewhat peculiar.

Once they boarded the plane, the two sat together again. Although they still did not speak to each other, Meng Xiaobai felt less tense psychologically.

Today marks the second meeting since then, right? In fact, it cannot really be considered a meeting; it was merely me catching a glimpse of her. Her husband, it seems, is indeed in a much better position than I am. What do I have to compete with him?

Since breaking up with Ye Feixue, although they are in the same industry, they have hardly crossed paths. Today, he is to meet her again and travel together. Meng Xiaobai feels an indescribable sensation in his heart; although thinking of her brings a kind of anger that makes him want to tear her apart, he also feels an inexplicable longing to see her again.

Meng Xiaobai was momentarily entranced, his gaze shifting to Ye Feixue's rosy, tender lips. He felt a fleeting sense of disorientation, recalling how he had once kissed those cherry blossom-like lips, still fresh as petals adorned with morning dew. However, now he could only steal a glance when she was asleep.

Huo Qingfeng excitedly glanced over the group of Japanese people, then disappointedly cursed, "Damn it, why isn't there a single good-looking one? Are the people in adult films all computer-generated?"

Ye Feixue gracefully sat down beside him, and a faint fragrance immediately filled the surroundings of Meng Xiaobai. The car started, and Meng Xiaobai kept his gaze straight ahead, his mood oscillating between heaven and hell. The nearly one-hour journey felt like just a fleeting moment, and it was only upon reaching the airport that he let out a long sigh

He usually goes to bed after 12 o'clock when chatting online at home. At that time, he originally couldn't fall asleep early, and his roommate, who drank too much, was snoring loudly while leaning on the quilt, making it impossible for anyone to sleep even if they wanted to.

Ye Feixue softly said, "Thank you"

They lived on the seventh floor. Meng Xiaobai stood in the corridor, momentarily stunned. It was so late, and he had no idea which room to go to in order to ask the team leader for a room change, so he had no choice but to go downstairs for a stroll. Just as he stepped into the elevator, a short man with a shoulder bag followed him in, sizing him up with a glance. In a somewhat unstandard Mandarin, he said mysteriously, "Big brother, want a bath and massage? Afterward, find a girl to relax with, very cheap."

Ye Feixue was dressed in a deep blue suit, her slender and tall figure still captivating. The white lining at the collar resembled a pure white lily, complementing her fresh, lively, and flawless complexion.

Ye Feixue struggled to lift the suitcase but was unable to place it on the luggage rack. Meng Xiaobai could no longer pretend not to see; he stood up, shifted slightly to the side, took the suitcase from Ye Feixue's hands, and effortlessly placed it horizontally on the luggage rack before silently returning to his seat

A large Huanghai vehicle arrived at the intersection, and Meng Xiaobai hurriedly boarded the car, finding a seat towards the back to sit down, finally letting out a long sigh. People entered in succession, and the comrade leading the group from the provincial bank stood by the door and loudly said: "Comrades from each bank, comrades from each bank, please sit together. Throughout the journey, comrades from each bank should try to sit together, do not wander around, keep an eye on the people in front, behind, and on both sides, and do not get separated!"

The car was in disarray, with some people searching for seats and others placing their luggage, yet all of Meng Xiaobai's senses seemed to function like a radar operating at full capacity, capturing every move of Ye Feixue.

The personnel list of the seventeen branches has been verified. A person holding an electronic megaphone announced loudly: "The vehicle will arrive shortly. We will board the plane at Gate 11 of the airport in one hour. Please adhere to the rules and do not act independently. There should be two people per group, looking out for each other, and ensure that no one gets lost."