Section 2

He wandered the streets in a daze, initially intending to secretly help Tang Xiaoxiao resolve a problem. However, in a moment of impulsive provocation, he ended up fighting with someone, lying in the emergency room with a head injury and bleeding, experiencing an unprecedented sense of loneliness and helplessness

Lin Yufan lowered his eyes and shook his head with some difficulty: "I am sorry, Xiaoxiao, there are some things I cannot tell you right now, but I do not want to lie to you. Please do not ask anymore; all I can tell you is that Nie Zhuoyang will never be serious about you, no matter what he does."

And that first person... Tang Xiaoxiao bit the end of her chopsticks, lost in memories. That year, it was also a heavy rain, and she was drenched like a drowned rat. "Fool, all you do is cry!" The boy threw a dry towel onto her head, his tone dismissive, "What's the big deal? Come and take the entrance exam for our school! Believe in yourself, you can make it. Once you get into our school, I'll take care of you!" The boy raised his chin, looking down at her, his well-defined eyebrows highlighted by the overhead light, his eyes becoming increasingly dark and bright...

Tang Xiaoxiao widened her eyes, somewhat puzzled: "How did you know?"

In the early winter of that year, he flew back to Binhai from the Sichuan Flight Academy, solely to fulfill his promise to her and present her with a special birthday gift. Little did he know that he inadvertently gleaned the truth about Lin Yufan's background from his mother's lamentations to his little cousin. At that moment, his life at eighteen was nearly overturned.

Tang Xiaoxiao recalled how her mother would always return with a large pile of gifts, both useful and useless, for her. It seems that all parents share the same heart.

As soon as dawn broke, he took the earliest flight back, having been given a serious demerit for leaving school without permission, skipping classes, and getting into a fight. He fell seriously ill, suffering from a high fever for three days and three nights. After being discharged from the hospital, he got his first girlfriend, followed by a second, and then a third

Nie Zhuoyang smiled and said, "What is so strange about this? Just as Director Chen mentioned, the civil aviation circle is quite small. Don't forget that your mother was also a former employee of Xinghang, and I know she is from Yunnan. My hometown is also in Yunnan, so we can be considered fellow townsfolk."

"No, she is my girlfriend." This statement sounded quite awkward, as Tang Xiaoxiao lowered her gaze and instinctively twisted her fingers.

He knew that what she actually wanted to ask was not this, but when he learned who the mysterious major shareholder of the airline was, he swallowed those words back down. He still did not have the ability to offer her a pure emotion, free from any deception or exploitation. At this moment, speaking up, although it was genuine feeling, he also feared it might be misunderstood as insincerity in the future

Is this the feeling? The wine does not intoxicate, but the person becomes intoxicated, rejoicing and worrying for her

Nie Zhuoyang glanced around the empty waiting room and walked up to Tang Xiaoxiao: "Has Lin already left? It seems I have arrived a step too late."

I have never been a lady. " Tang Xiaoxiao chuckled and pulled Yang Buhui to sit down together, "I missed you so much while you were training in Nanjing for such a long time! "

"Hey, what are you thinking about? Aren't you going to eat?" A slender figure approached, carrying a faint fragrance. Upon hearing that familiar voice, Tang Xiaoxiao turned her head and couldn't help but jump up in surprise: "Miss Bu Hui, you are back!" Yang Buhui pouted and disdainfully pushed her away: "Sit properly! You have no semblance of a lady at all."

Recalling the warmth and encouragement reflected in that consistently profound gaze, Tang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion in her heart. In truth, she has never considered herself to be particularly intelligent; she has simply always worked very hard. Yet, even her loving parents, and even her long-time best friend Yang Buhui, would only offer her comfort in times of failure

With a loud "bang," the door to the VIP lounge in the waiting area opened. Tang Xiaoxiao turned her head and saw Nie Zhuoyang walking in, looking travel-worn, dressed in a crisp pilot's uniform. He had just completed a flight segment today and had probably just returned from it.

It seems that you truly know nothing. Lin Yufan sighed, The youngest captain of Xinghang, the future youngest chief pilot, no, his ambitions go far beyond this

Oh. Chen Ling nodded, drove onto the coastal highway, and did not say much more, driving all the way to the Civil Aviation Community, where he dropped her off at the entrance of the Rainbow Restaurant. "Director Chen, goodbye," Tang Xiaoxiao waved her hand. Chen Ling lowered the car window: "You must believe in yourself, you can do it!" Tang Xiaoxiao was taken aback for a moment before realizing he was referring to the air traffic controller competition. When she looked up again, the car had already turned a corner and left. Chen Ling lowered the car window: "You must believe in yourself, you can do it!" Tang Xiaoxiao was taken aback for a moment before realizing he was referring to the air traffic controller competition. When she looked up again, the car had already turned a corner and left.

Thunderstorm ahead, climbing to 10,000 meters to avoid the storm

As they were about to exit the highway, Chen Ling invited Tang Xiaoxiao to help him choose a birthday gift for his daughter. Tang Xiaoxiao had always felt that she owed Chen Ling a significant favor, so having the opportunity to assist him was more than welcome, and she readily agreed.

Yet he had never experienced the taste of love... Until he discovered her presence on Weibo, his heart raced; until he learned that Lin Yufan was not with her, he was overjoyed; until he kissed her under the starlight, and then fell off the parallel bars...

Tang Xiaoxiao raised her head: "He said... he said that Zhuo Qiyuan, the founder of Jieyuan Airlines and the chairman of Jieyuan Group, is your father"

Since the last incident of insufficient fuel on the plane, Chen Ling seems to have paid a bit more attention to her. As for herself, she has also been somewhat consciously attentive to matters concerning Chen Ling, knowing that he has been living in the suburbs due to his wife's poor health requiring recuperation

What a coincidence..." Tang Xiaoxiao saw him practicing Tai Chi in a roundabout way, bit her lip, and decided to probe once more, "Azhong, can you tell me what exactly happened on my seventeenth birthday? Why didn't you come to the appointment?"

Tang Xiaoxiao took a step forward and, upon seeing the person inside, couldn't help but be taken aback: "Director Chen?"

She stood right behind him, gazing at him with such a poignant look, yet he could not turn around. For he bore too much upon himself, not merely his own life.

That faint voice, with an indifferent tone, seemed like a sharp blade, piercing through the eardrum and stabbing into Tang Xiaoxiao's heart

Cold, truly cold, so cold that it even hurts to the bone! Tang Xiaoxiao rubbed her shoulders and avoided his hand

The piano piece is wonderful; listening to fast songs while driving makes it easy to exceed the speed limit. Tang Xiaoxiao smiled and, along with Chen Ling, transitioned from discussing the car's music to driving safety, and then to workplace safety, gradually relaxing without even realizing it

Lin Yufan has gone to the United States to treat his leg injury, while Nie Zhuoyang has also been very busy lately, with his voice only occasionally heard in the corridors. Tang Xiaoxiao tilted her head back and closed her eyes; it turns out that even when unseen, the heart can still ache. Since this is a relationship that is unlikely to yield results, she has resolutely decided to become immune to it. She has made up her mind to eliminate all distractions and devote herself fully to preparing for the air traffic controller competition, with the first goal being to pass the preliminary round! Although pressure can be a driving force, these past few days, her mood has been as heavy as the overcast weather, making it hard to feel relaxed. As a newcomer with only two years of experience, she is the only one in this preliminary round. "Dark horse? Just don't turn into a drenched chicken," Tang Xiaoxiao looked at the sky again. English has always been her weak point, especially in speaking and listening. It's fine when she encounters crews whose native language is English, but she dreads pilots with accents. During her internship, she met an Arab pilot whose English was so twisted that it felt like her tongue was tied in knots; she couldn't understand a single word. She heard that in this competition, there will be a dedicated person simulating English with various accents, and every time she thinks about it, her head starts to ache.

He hesitated for a long time, then sent her a message, hoping she would come to the hospital to collect her birthday gift. However, he waited from dusk until dark, only to receive the words "No need anymore." He continued to wait from night until dawn, finally unable to bear it any longer, disregarding the dizziness from his concussion, and slipped out of the hospital to find her, only to see Lin Yufan walking out of her front door

At that moment, a passing car stopped in the rain curtain, the window half-open, and a voice from inside called out: "Tang Xiaoxiao!"

Tang Xiaoxiao glanced at him, said nothing, but instead lowered her head and hugged her shoulders tightly

At that time, in our youthful arrogance—" Nie Zhuoyang raised his hand to grasp the doorknob, letting out a slight sigh, "Those words spoken in ignorance of the vastness of the sky and the depth of the earth should not be taken too seriously

No, no!" Tang Xiaoxiao straightened her body and quickly waved her hand, "I have plans with friends tonight."

Nie Zhuoyang relaxed his expression and smiled, saying, "I thought you already knew. In fact, it’s nothing much. I have never made it public because I didn’t want to be labeled as a 'rich second generation'"

What are you still dawdling for? Hurry up and come up!" Chen Ling furrowed her brows

Nie Zhuoyang paused his steps

This soft utterance of "A Zhuo" directly touched the softest part of Nie Zhuoyang's heart

Tang Xiaoxiao was taken aback for a moment, then curled her lips and said: "I have nothing to do with him, we are just old classmates."

As if in response to the occasion, a flash of lightning tore through the sky, followed by a resounding thunder, and torrential rain poured down. Tang Xiaoxiao had not brought an umbrella, had left late today, and had no colleagues accompanying her. It was infuriating that this bus stop had no rain shelter at all. She had no choice but to raise her backpack above her head, hesitating whether to rush forward into the terminal or retreat back to the control tower.

"That year..." Nie Zhuoyang elongated his voice, smiled lazily, adjusted the hat on his head, stood up, and said, "I have another flight segment below, I must be on my way"

In fact, he is only in his forties, belonging to the young and capable faction within the bureau. In the past two years, he has been in the spotlight, especially with the recent personnel changes at the senior level, and it is said that he is one of the youngest candidates for the position of deputy director.

He clearly saw the disappointment in her eyes, suppressing the urge to pull her into his embrace, he turned around, straightened his back, and strode towards the door.

With Tang Xiaoxiao's guidance, Chen Ling quickly completed the procurement. On the way back, Chen Ling sighed, "I am actually quite an unqualified father. I am usually busy with work and cannot take care of my daughter; it is my parents who are taking care of her. There is only one birthday a year, and coincidentally, this time I have a meeting to attend in Beijing, so I can only buy more things as compensation.

After sending Lin Yufan off, Tang Xiaoxiao felt completely lost.

Nie Zhuoyang straightened up, quietly looked at her for a moment, and his voice became solemn: "What did Lin Yufan say to you?"

"Azhong—" Tang Xiaoxiao called out again, "Do you still remember your ideals from back in the day?"

"You are overthinking it." Nie Zhuoyang sat down across from her, "Who says that children must take their father's surname? My name includes both of my parents' surnames, isn't that quite good? Just like your name, it's because your mother’s surname is Xiao, right?" Without waiting for her response, he continued, "Your mother is named Xiao Jie, isn't she?"

Thinking of this, Tang Xiaoxiao couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile. They said that once she entered No. 1 High School, they would protect her, but was it really just to bully her? However, she ultimately got into No. 1 High School. That year, out of more than 200 students in the graduating class of the junior high division of the Civil Aviation Middle School, only five were admitted to No. 1 High School

Don't take it too seriously? That's because he has the capital for a life of games! So he embraces others while claiming he has no girlfriend, and after many years, he comes back to tease her, accompanies her for drinks, sings to her, and even kisses her while pretending to be drunk

As they spoke, Chen Ling had already driven the car out of the parking lot: "Xiao Tang, today I should be the one to thank you. It's so late now, let me treat you to a meal."

Nie Zhuoyang sensed that the atmosphere was off, and gently placed his hand on her shoulder, asking softly: "Xiaoxiao, what’s wrong? Is it very cold?"

Yet she has completely forgotten the pain after healing, and even after hitting the southern wall, she does not know to turn back

"Then why is your surname Nie?" Tang Xiaoxiao asked him without blinking, "Is it because the Nie family needs an heir?"

Tang Xiaoxiao raised her head in surprise, paused for a moment, and could not help but ask the long-buried question in her heart: "Senior Brother, what exactly happened between you back then?"

Tang Xiaoxiao found it difficult to refuse any longer, opened the car door and got in, unsure of where to place her hands and feet

It was already past 7 o'clock, and the rain had long since stopped. A few people were sparsely seated in the restaurant. For the first time, Tang Xiaoxiao did not order noodles, but instead called for a serving of Yangzhou fried rice, holding her chopsticks in a daze

Retiring early and traveling around the world with a loved one? That was merely her dream, not his. It turned out that they were not from the same world at all. The door to the waiting room opened and closed, bringing in a gust of cold wind. Tang Xiaoxiao watched Nie Zhuoyang's hurried departure, his back turned without a glance, and the tears she had held back for so long finally fell silently. This is the distance between a bird and a fish, one forever soaring in the sky, the other forever diving deep into the sea. Tang Xiaoxiao wiped her tears and looked up out the window. Outside, it was already pitch black, with only the runway lights neatly arranged in two rows, quietly waiting for the wanderers to return home, or perhaps for yet another farewell.

Let her undertake a task that is nearly impossible, encouraging her to believe in herself; Chen Ling is the second person to do so

As the evening sky darkened, Tang Xiaoxiao stood in front of the control tower, waiting for the airport shuttle to return, while murmuring incantations under her breath

Chen Ling also noticed her discomfort and turned on the speaker: "It must be stuffy in my car, right? I only have these old songs, or else it's just some piano pieces."

Ideal? Of course he remembers, he has always remembered! He said he wants to become a pilot in the future, to be the youngest captain before the age of 25, to become the youngest instructor before the age of 30, to be the youngest chief pilot by the age of 40, and then to retire at 45... to travel around the world with the person he loves...

Oh, boyfriend?" Chen Ling turned her head to glance at her, the corners of her straight lips slightly raised, with a faint smile in her eyes

"Well, you should take care of yourself too." Lin Yufan's voice was hoarse, filled with endless melancholy. After a pause, he changed the subject, "However, it would be best for you to keep your distance from Nie Zhuoyang."