Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 397 Yun Xiaqing 4

Han Yanzhi unbuckled his seatbelt and leaned over to buckle it for her. As the distance between them closed, the faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the rich aroma of whiskey lingered around her nose.

Yun Chu raised her eyes and met his deep gaze - it seemed as if there was a surging sea hidden in it, and unspeakable emotions hidden beneath the calm.

"Thank you." She said softly, her voice so soft that it was almost drowned out by the sound of the air conditioner in the car.

Han Yanzhi did not step away immediately, but reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair scattered by her ear, his fingertips brushing her earlobe lightly.

Yun Chu's breathing paused slightly, and his heartbeat was particularly clear in the silent carriage.

"Good night, Mr. Yun." He finally just chuckled, his voice low and gentle.

Yun Chu pushed open the car door, the night breeze caressing her cheeks, taking away some of the drunkenness. Standing at the hotel entrance, she glanced back—Han Yanzhi was still sitting in the car, the window half-rolled. The dim streetlight reflected on his profile, outlining a sharp outline.

Yun Chu nodded to Han Yanzhi and entered the hotel.

Outside the hotel gate, the black car slowly drove away until her figure completely disappeared behind the elevator door.

Yun Chu returned to the room and spent one point to redeem a hangover pill from the system mall.

Then he lay down to rest.

The next afternoon, Yunchu's team returned to Beijing.

More than a month later, Yun Chu received a text message from Han Yanzhi. He had returned to Beijing and asked her to have dinner with him.

"Lao Mo" Western Restaurant in Wangfujing, Beijing.

Han Yanzhi sat by the window, his dark gray shirt ironed meticulously.

There was a cup of steaming black tea in front of him, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, and his eyes glanced at the door from time to time.

In the restaurant, the tape recorder was playing Teresa Teng's "Sweet Honey". The soft melody mixed with the sound of knives and forks colliding flowed under the warm yellow light.

Outside the window, the sounds of bicycle bells rang out one after another on Chang'an Avenue. Occasionally, a Shanghai car passed by, and its headlights cast a brief shadow on the glass.

"Comrade, would you like to wait any longer?" The waiter came over with an aluminum tray, his tone a little hesitant.

Han Yanzhi was about to answer when the door of the restaurant was suddenly pushed open.

Yun Chu was wearing an off-white dress with a light blue knitted cardigan draped over her shoulders. The ends of her hair still had the scent of rain, and her cheeks were slightly flushed from her hurried journey.

"Sorry, I have a meeting." Yun Chu sat down breathlessly. "Have you been waiting for a long time?"

Han Yanzhi didn't say anything, but silently pushed the cup of tea in front of her, took out a neatly folded handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Wipe your hair, don't catch a cold."

Yun Chu was stunned for a moment, then took the handkerchief and gently pressed the water droplets on the ends of her hair. The handkerchief had a faint pine scent, like his own.

"What did you order?" she asked, her eyes scanning the menu on the table.

"Bordeaux soup and braised beef in a can," Han Yanzhi paused, "and the creamy roast salad you said you wanted to try last time."

Yun Chu's eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth lifted unconsciously: "You still remember."

Last time at a banquet in Shenzhen, Yun Chu and Han Yanzhi happened to talk about it. Yun Chu didn't expect that the other party had taken note of it.

The light from the restaurant fell on Yun Chu's eyelashes, casting a small shadow. Han Yanzhi looked at her and suddenly felt a slight softening in his heart.

After dinner, Han Yanzhi took Yun Chu to the movies.

It was almost midnight when the movie ended.

The crowd outside the Dahua Cinema had long since dispersed, leaving only a few dim streetlights swaying gently in the autumn breeze. Han Yanzhi and Yun Chu walked side by side on the empty West Chang'an Avenue, their shadows stretched out, occasionally intersecting and then separating.

Yun Chu still clutched the handkerchief she'd been given by Han Yanzhi in the restaurant to wipe the rain from her hair. The tragic plot of "The Garland Under the Mountain" on screen had brought tears to her eyes, and the night breeze still made her nose tingle.

"Are you cold?" Han Yanzhi suddenly asked.

"I'm not cold." Yun Chu shook his head, but couldn't help but wrap his knitted cardigan tighter.

Han Yanzhi said nothing, simply taking off his coat and draping it over her shoulders. The warm, tweed material weighed heavily on her, a mixture of soap powder and a faint scent of tobacco. Yun Chu wanted to refuse, but she heard him say, "Wear it. You've caught a cold, and I'm afraid our cooperation will be affected."

He spoke in a businesslike tone, but under the streetlight, Yun Chu saw that the tips of his ears were slightly red.

The two of them walked slowly along Jingshan Front Street. The night was quiet, with only the rustle of fallen leaves rubbing against the soles of their shoes. Passing Beihai Park, Yun Chu suddenly stopped. The outline of the White Pagoda was reflected on the lake, wrinkled by the night wind, then restored.

The night wind blew, and a sycamore leaf swirled and landed between them. Han Yanzhi suddenly reached out and brushed away the willow catkins that had somehow gotten stuck in her hair. His fingertips were warm, and when they brushed Yun Chu's cold earlobe, they both froze.

After a moment of silence, Yun Chu said, "It's already late. I'll go back first."

"I send you."

Yun Chu also drove here, but because it was raining, he couldn't find a good place to park, and the car he parked was a bit far from the restaurant.

She also lent the umbrella in her car to an employee of the company, so she jogged into the restaurant in the rain.

The car I rode in when watching a movie was Han Yanzhi's car.

"Okay." Yun Chu nodded.

They soon arrived at Yun Chu's house.

The night wind swept across the wrought iron fence of the villa complex, bringing with it the chill of early autumn. A corner of Yun Chu's cashmere shawl was blown up, revealing the pearl-buttoned shirt underneath. Han Yanzhi quietly moved closer, shielding her from the wind.

"We're here." Yun Chu stopped in front of a small red brick building. The porch wall lamp was on, casting a warm yellow glow on the granite steps. When she turned, the agate pendant on her earlobe swayed gently, reflecting the moonlight like two drops of congealed blood.

Han Yanzhi's eyes swept across the second-floor window - there was a lace curtain hanging there, and a pot of Clivia growing beautifully on the windowsill.

Han Yanzhi had asked about Yun Chu and knew that the villa Yun Chu lived in now was once the residence of a foreign expert, and even the flower pots were imported from Czechoslovakia.

"Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?" Yun Chu took out the key from her handbag. There was a round copper coin hanging on the brass key ring.

The sound of the key inserting into the lock was particularly crisp. Han Yanzhi saw the gleaming mosaic tiles in the hallway, and on the sideboard in the distance stood a Sony tape recorder, its black casing gleaming with a cold glow.

“No.” He stepped back, his shoulder brushing against the wisteria trellis on the porch. “I have a meeting tomorrow morning.”

Yun Chu's hand stopped on the door handle and smiled, "Okay, I'll invite you to my house for tea when I have the chance."

"Okay." Han Yanzhi nodded and took note. "Rest early. I'll go back first."

"Well, be careful on the road."

"Okay, you go in first." Han Yanzhi said.

Yun Chu nodded slightly and went into the room.

Han Yanzhi left only after Yun Chu entered the room.

Because of the "Smart City" project, Yun Chu and Han Yanzhi met more and more often. They would go on business trips to Shenzhen together from time to time and would also make plans to have dinner together.

More than half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

Today, the two of them appeared at a dinner party without any prior arrangement.

After the dinner, Han Yanzhi blocked the tipsy Yun Chu in the stairwell.

Yun Chu leaned her back against the stair railing, and the coolness of the metal seeped through her silk dress.

In the darkness, Han Yanzhi's lips kissed Yun Chu accurately.

Han Yanzhi's kiss was fierce and urgent, with the peat smell of whiskey and the bitter taste of cigar. However, one palm gently rested on the back of her head, and the other hand tightly hooked her waist to prevent her from escaping.

"Three times." His canine teeth grazed her lower lip. "You ignored me three times tonight."

In the darkness, other senses were amplified. Yun Chu could smell the lingering smell of gunpowder on his collar—the smell he had picked up from setting off fireworks on the terrace.

"Your heartbeat is fast." He chuckled, and the vibration of his chest reached her collarbone. "Even faster than that night in the Shenzhen hotel."

"Hmph." Yun Chu snorted twice.