Section 2

Tang Xiaoxiao widened her eyes in surprise, while Wei Bi smiled at her: "If the Jet Airways aircraft encounters issues due to this oil control reform, then General Manager Lin will be in big trouble, don't you think?"

Nie Zhuoyang raised his hand to press down on the materials she had just stacked together, his voice deepening: "I, Nie Zhuoyang, have always relied on my skills and abilities; those who are clear will clear themselves, and there is no need to resort to such tricks"

"I am not referring to you, but to her—" Wei Bi shifted the topic, her finger, adorned with red nail polish, pointed at Tang Xiaoxiao. "As far as I know, Jiehang initiated a reform six months ago, linking aircraft fuel consumption to performance bonuses, and the planner of this reform, Jiehang's Operations Director Lin Yufan, happens to be the brother-in-law of your on-duty controller!"

After descending the stairs and not walking far, Tang Xiaoxiao saw the Hainan-registered Land Rover Range Rover parked under the shade of a tree by the roadside. The tall and imposing vehicle, having been washed by the rain, revealed a subtle deep blue hue that seemed to emerge from the originally simple black, resembling a lurking beast.

Tang Xiaoxiao frowned: "Why are you throwing cigarette butts around? What if it catches fire?"

Recalling the events of the afternoon, Tang Xiaoxiao was filled with anger and walked over to tease, "Captain Nie, are you waiting for your girlfriend?"

Thus, Tang Xiaoxiao pressed her lips together, leaned against the car door frame, lowered her head, and slowly said: "Captain Nie, let's forget about the gift; I cannot afford it. If you could give me fewer shocks in the future, I would be very grateful to you"

Nie Zhuoyang's hand rested on the steering wheel as he silently watched her departing figure. From behind, she still resembled the girl she once was—short in stature, slender and delicate, yet seemingly brimming with energy. As she walked, her ponytail swayed back and forth, as if time had never paused for her. ... It was just that her hair back then was not as dark as it is now; he often tugged at her braid and called her the yellow-haired girl ...

Tang Xiaoxiao returned home, looked down at the box in her hands, hesitated for a moment, and then decided to open it. It turned out to be a highly realistic model of an Airbus A380. It was exactly what she had always wanted, but how did he know? Was it just a coincidence?

Is that so? Wei Bi stood up straight and smiled at him, "Captain Nie, I heard that you gave up the opportunity to train for the latest and largest aircraft model, the A380, and instead opted to upgrade to the soon-to-be-retired CRJ model license. Why is that? Is it because the only aircraft models available at Jiehang are the Airbus A320 and CRJ?"

It seems that you suspect our Xinghang of refusing to yield to Jiexing's aircraft in order to save fuel. In fact, we also suspect that the air traffic controller on duty is intentionally favoring Jiexing, allowing their aircraft to land first. Wei Bi's words were sharp and aggressive

Wei Bi, once the school belle of Binhai No. 1 High School, is now a level above Gao Tang Xiaoxiao. Later, she chose to study abroad without taking the college entrance examination, and unexpectedly, she is now working at Xinghang. She still sports her signature neat short hair, with almond-shaped eyes and a delicate face. Dressed in a black shirt with a small stand-up collar, complemented by an eye-catching rose-red suit, she wears a shiny gold name badge on her chest, exuding a shrewd and capable demeanor that surpasses the vibrant charm of her youth.

Wei Bi's calmness finally showed a slight crack, but she quickly regained her composed demeanor: "So what brings you back? Is it truly because Aunt Nie wishes to return to her roots? Or is it that you are concerned about the cake of Jiehang being divided by others?"

Tang Xiaoxiao recalled that last month she had mentioned on Weibo her desire for an A380 airplane model, and this morning before going to work, she had also posted a Weibo update saying "Finally released the order." With this in mind, she quickly took out her phone and logged onto Weibo

Upon exiting the conference room, Chen Ling patted her shoulder and comforted her, saying: "Xiao Tang, prioritize the bigger picture; there is no need to be overly concerned about what others say"

"Let's go, it's already 7 o'clock!" The girl sitting in the passenger seat of the sports car couldn't help but remind him. "What's the rush? It's just a meal," Nie Zhuoyang replied lazily, slowly releasing the handbrake and signaling left to make a U-turn. "After delaying for so long, it's likely to be congested now that we're heading out." The girl took out a makeup mirror to touch up her powder. Nie Zhuoyang remained silent, gradually driving the car out of the Civil Aviation Community. "Oh no, why is it so congested?" The girl put away the mirror and complained while looking at the line of cars ahead, "Honestly, who is she to you? You went around asking people for a lousy model, and after so much effort, you finally got it, yet you still insist on delivering it yourself. If we hadn't waited for over half an hour, we would have arrived long ago..."

Wei Bi! Nie Zhuoyang interrupted her, a fleeting coldness flashing in his eyes before quickly returning to calmness. With a hint of sarcasm, he said, "You certainly know quite a lot, but I fear it is not to help me, but rather concerning the matter of Jiehang Financing, isn't it?"

In his childhood, Nie Zhuoyang was akin to the mushroom cloud of an atomic bomb, possessing immense destructive power. On the first day of elementary school, he tripped her at the classroom door, causing her to fall and injure herself; during the first exam, he deliberately knocked over a cup of water, ruining her test paper; she, with her good-natured disposition, held no grudges, while he took delight in stuffing her backpack with various strange creatures, leading her to have her 'first intimate contact' with caterpillars, frogs, and even a mouse's tail.

The insufficient fuel on the aircraft constitutes a serious aviation safety error. According to convention, a tripartite investigation meeting was held two days after the incident. Tang Xiaoxiao followed the tower chief Chen Ling into the conference room, where representatives from Jiehang and Xinghang were already seated. Besides Nie Zhuoyang, another person was surprisingly someone she knew, who stood up first to greet Chen Ling: "Director Chen, you came in person? I am Wei Bi from the passenger service department of Xinghang, do you remember me?"

"Of course, besides the chairman, there are so many shareholders!" Wei Bi smiled in agreement, "Zhuo Yang, do you know who that major shareholder is who never appears at the Jiehang shareholders' meetings? I heard this is quite a big secret!"

Nie Zhuoyang scoffed and said: "Jiehang does not share the surname Zhuo; Zhuo Qiyuan alone cannot be the master of Jiehang!"

Wei Bizheng bent down to tidy up the materials on the table and sighed, saying: "I just want to help you. You have just arrived at the Binhai headquarters, the youngest captain, and so many eyes are watching you! You cannot make any mistakes"

In the conference room, only two people from Xinghang remained. Nie Zhuoyang turned his chair halfway around and said, "Wei Bi, shouldn't you have communicated with me in advance today?"

"Get out of the car," Nie Zhuoyang said coldly. "What?" The girl widened her eyes, looking at him in disbelief. "I said get out of the car!" Nie Zhuoyang's expression darkened. The girl's lips trembled a few times: "You—"

Her Weibo still has only a few comments, all from colleagues and friends, and there is no mention of Nie Zhuoyang

Tang Xiaoxiao took the shuttle bus from the airport all the way back to her doorstep, only to realize that she had left her backpack in the conference room. She returned home in a daze, empty-handed, with nothing left except for the work badge hanging around her neck and the transit card in her pocket

As for the numerous instances where she was punished due to him, they are countless: being made to copy lines together, being kept after class together, writing self-reflections together, and being punished to clean together... Later, she took a year off due to illness, he moved away, transferred schools, and skipped a grade, and from then on they were separated, until she also gained admission to Binhai No. 1 High School

After the personnel from the Safety Supervision Department arrived, the meeting officially commenced, and the three parties sequentially recounted the events according to the established procedure. Tang Xiaoxiao, remembering Chen Ling's prior admonition, refrained from speaking unless prompted, thus she sat quietly with her head down, not daring to glance across the room. Unexpectedly, as the discussion progressed, the flames of conflict suddenly ignited.

This congratulatory remark, however, sounds somewhat insincere. Once a classmate from elementary school, she ended up starting her job three full years later than him due to various reasons. Now, he has become the youngest captain at Xinghang, while she has just managed to shed the title of "trainee controller". With today's incident, her prospects are precarious.

Director Chen, I am not..." Tang Xiaoxiao could not continue, unsure of how to explain. She had experienced Wei Bi's sharpness during her school days; she was angry at Nie Zhuoyang, as he must have been the one spreading rumors about her relationship with Lin Yufan.

Later, she learned that the senior she had encountered was none other than Lin Yufan, the campus heartthrob renowned alongside Nie Zhuoyang, the legendary academic prodigy, forever the top student in his grade and a gold medalist in competitions. He was known for his aloof demeanor, yet he extended a helping hand to her. She still remembers that evening when the sky was filled with colorful clouds and the sunset blazed like fire, the elegant young man in white who appeared before her like an angel, becoming a picturesque scene in her heart. But who knew how much she wished that the person standing before her at that moment was Nie Zhuoyang? She had once waited in a corner of her heart, solely to await the return of someone who would never come back. Eventually, she realized that waiting was merely a habit of hers. They had never truly begun, so how could there be an end? He had never made any vows to her, so how could there be betrayal? Thus, she resolutely prepared to turn the page, along with all the sweet and bitter memories. But fate loved to play tricks on her; having already missed the opportunity, why did they still encounter each other unexpectedly? Having once been calm as still water, why did it stir up waves again?

Knowing full well that they cannot return, do you still find it hard to let go? After having worked so hard for so long, finally taking a step forward, why does seeing him come back again disturb your peace of mind?

Chen Ling faced Wei Bi's enthusiasm with his usual cold demeanor, merely nodding slightly and saying, "Hello"

Nie Zhuoyang's Weibo is verified under the name "Starship Captain," with tens of thousands of followers. Once, she desperately tried to forget everything related to him, but upon accidentally discovering his Weibo, she was overjoyed and began to follow him secretly, never missing any of his posts, yet never leaving a single comment.

"This is completely subjective speculation! Even if there is a familial relationship, so what?" Chen Ling's expression turned serious, and his tone became slightly cold. "The civil aviation industry is neither too small nor too large; friends, classmates, relatives—who can guarantee that they won't cross paths? However, we have strict control processes in place, advanced automated departure and arrival sequencing, and 24-hour recording devices. If you have any doubts, you can review the footage, listen to the recordings, and see if our controllers and logs have engaged in any violations!"

All three parties were delighted and shook hands in reconciliation, but only Tang Xiaoxiao felt both angry and wronged

No matter how large or excellent Star Navigation becomes, even if you eventually become the Chief Pilot, what difference does it make? Jie Hang is different. Wei Bi smiled enigmatically and said, "Zhuo Yang, I know you want to achieve something on your own merit to prove yourself to your father. What is Lin Yufan worth? He is merely a usurper. However, he has been injured for several months, and the most important Operations Director of Jie Hang has still not been replaced. There are now rumors circulating that he will be the successor of Jie Hang..." But he has been injured for several months, and the most important Operations Director of Jie Hang has still not been replaced. There are now rumors circulating that he will be the successor of Jie Hang...

By that time, Nie Zhuoyang had already become a prominent figure at the First High School, yet the way she was treated remained unchanged. On her very first day of school, someone had punctured the tire of her bicycle! In an unfamiliar place, she was left in tears at the sight of her deflated tire. Fortunately, she encountered a kind senior who took her to a nearby alley and helped her find a repair shop, pushing her bicycle all the way there.

Only Nie Zhuoyang was in the car, his head tilted back, the seat almost reclined flat, a pair of long legs casually propped up on the dashboard, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, and his eyes half-open. Although his posture seemed carefree and unrestrained, it exuded a sense of nonchalance and spontaneity, combined with a deeply contemplative demeanor, which unexpectedly drew the attention of passing girls who turned to look back repeatedly.

"Speeches must be supported by evidence. Moreover, what reason do we have to favor any particular airline?" Chen Ling's expression was calm, and his voice was steady.

Chen Ling skillfully diverted the topic with minimal effort, immediately suppressing the discussion. The meeting continued, and he subsequently presented the pre-prepared audio recording of the ground-air communication. Facts speak louder than words; ultimately, the incident was classified as an accident caused by prolonged detours due to weather conditions, not attributable to human error

Nie Zhuoyang glanced at her and curled his lips: "Nonsense, Xingyi Airlines is a giant in the Southeast region, who would be foolish enough to abandon Xinghang and switch to a private airline?"

The sky had completely darkened, and Tang Xiaoxiao leaned against the window, watching the streetlights illuminate one by one. Students returning late, carrying their backpacks and wearing the unchanged blue and white uniforms of the Civil Aviation School for over a decade, looked like clouds seen from an airplane when viewed from above.

Nie Zhuoyang retracted his foot, sat up straight, flicked the cigarette from his fingertips, and curled his lips: "Are you talking about that one from last time? She's not even my girlfriend yet, and she's already acting like a princess. Whoever wants to serve her can go ahead and do so"

"Then consider it a little scare for you!" Nie Zhuoyang smiled, lifting his face, his smile as radiant as a sunny day after the rain. The once-familiar smile blossomed before her without warning, leaving Tang Xiaoxiao momentarily dazed. On this very road, how many times had the sun-like boy rolled up the sleeves of his school uniform, spinning a basketball on his middle finger, walking backward in front of her with a lively expression, his mouth full of teasing words... and then she would snatch the ball away and smash it hard against his head... On this very road, how many times had the sun-like boy rolled up the sleeves of his school uniform, spinning a basketball on his middle finger, walking backward in front of her with a lively expression, his mouth full of teasing words... and then she would snatch the ball away and smash it hard against his head... Tang Xiaoxiao felt a weight in her hand; it turned out that in her moment of distraction, Nie Zhuoyang had already shoved the box into her hand. The box was heavy, quite substantial. Even after such a long time, she still could not refuse his smile, so she could only say a faint thank you and quickly turned to walk ahead.

I have never been interested in so-called secrets, especially those of the airline. " Nie Zhuoyang pushed back his chair and stood up, " I have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now.

"Zhi---" Nie Zhuoyang stepped on the brake with one foot

Unexpectedly, Nie Zhuoyang was also looking at her, his eyes dark and deep, resembling a bottomless abyss.

Father is on duty at the radar station tonight and will not be coming home, while Mother is probably still flying over the Pacific Ocean. Tang Xiaoxiao stood at the door, lost in thought for a long time, before pouting her lips and reluctantly going downstairs, preparing to check the single dormitory to find an empty bed for the night and, by the way, to have a meal with a colleague.

Tang Xiaoxiao's face immediately flushed red; she wanted to retort, but Chen Ling slightly shook his head at her, signaling her to remain silent. She had no choice but to close her mouth tightly and cast a glance at Nie Zhuoyang

"What are you? What do you mean to me now?" Nie Zhuoyang glanced at the girl, his tone indifferent. The girl huffed, reluctantly muttering as she opened the car door, "What's the big deal? If it has to be, then so be it." The car door was slammed shut, and Nie Zhuoyang turned the car around, heading back to the Civil Aviation Community. Today, he had specifically changed to an early flight, intending to create a "surprise" for her, but unexpectedly, it turned into a "shock." What was she to him? Nie Zhuoyang self-deprecatingly curled the corner of his mouth. In kindergarten, she was the little girl who wet the nap mat and framed him for it; in elementary school, she was the classmate who fiercely jabbed him with a pencil for crossing the line; in middle school, ... she was the girl who sat with him on the parallel bars in the playground counting stars... She was his childhood sweetheart, yet he was not her childhood friend. Time does not flow backward; he left during her most beautiful blooming season, separated for seven years, and when he returned, even the rainy season had passed.

The gazes of the two individuals met, and Nie Zhuoyang squinted his eyes, the corners of his mouth slowly curling into a secretive arc, once again wearing that ambiguous smile. Tang Xiaoxiao felt an overwhelming urge to rush over and pull up the corners of his mouth, but in the end, she could only grit her teeth and lower her eyelids.

The girl was not wearing her seatbelt, and her nose nearly hit the windshield. In a state of shock, she exclaimed, "What are you doing?"