The elegant man before her was Huangfu Huazhang, yet he was no longer the Huangfu Huazhang she once knew.
The man in front of her no longer wore a black suit, but instead donned a casual white shirt. Below, he had swapped his usual straight trousers and handcrafted leather shoes for denim-colored casual pants and canvas shoes.
The hair, which was always ticulously trimd, now hung down naturally, faintly covering the upper rim of his ear.
Despite dressing so casually, the change in clothing style didn’t diminish the elegance and composure he regularly exuded. This casual look simply shed the previous formality, increasing his approachable charm. It made people no longer afraid, leading them to get closer.
Sunlight seed to finally settle on his shoulders, dazzlingly shining, generously enveloping his white shirt in a hazy glow, reflecting all that radiance into his eyes, making them sparkle like black diamonds.
Even his smiling lips and aligned teeth beca dazzling due to the light’s arrival, making it hard to look at directly.
...Is this really the Huangfu Huazhang she knew?
Under her gaze, Huangfu Huazhang, although still composed, couldn’t help but blush slightly.
His palm rested on the table, he slightly bowed his head, fists pressed against his lips, awkwardly coughing a bit: "Do I look strange like this? Sorry, it’s my first ti dressing like this in my life, feeling a bit like the emperor’s new clothes."
Shi Nian, surprised, couldn’t help but smile, leaning close and whispering: "Chairman, please turn your head to 3 o’clock."
"Hmm?" He was puzzled, instinctively following her direction.
Sitting there was a girl, blonde hair and blue eyes, overwhelmingly beautiful, staring at him with her pretty big eyes without blinking.
Shi Nian laughed: "From the mont you started talking to , she hasn’t blinked even once. So rest assured, there’s nothing wrong with your outfit, on the contrary—it’s impressively handso."
"Oh? Really?"
Yet he didn’t linger his gaze on that audience for long, soon returning to lower his eyes at Shi Nian: "...Are you saying this from her perspective; or representing your own?"
Shi Nian couldn’t help but secretly lant: Even with the wardrobe change, he still can’t escape his innately sensitive and prideful nature.
Shi Nian then smiled, pointing to herself: "Of course, representing myself."
Only then did his brows slightly lift, as if quietly releasing a breath, casually sitting down next to her, lowering his gaze at the paper filled with clues she had drawn: "Tell , what are you drawing."
Shi Nian, a bit nervous, quickly pulled the paper into her palm: "It’s nothing, just work-related issues. I’ll resolve it by myself, sorry to trouble you, Chairman."
He raised his brows, looked up at her, seeing her holding the paper with an intent to leave, he furrowed his brow and pointed to the bench: "Sit down."
Despite the casual attire, and the ability to smile under sunlight, the sudden stern words still held great authority.
Shi Nian then instinctively sat down.
His eyes glided lightly across: "No one here knows I’m the chairman. So change the way you address ."
Shi Nian realized a little too—indeed, although he was the chairman of Kangchuan University, few students had actually seen him. Even when he ca to campus, he would just stay in that mysterious office, never stepping into campus life.
Besides, dressed like this.
Shi Nian couldn’t help but feel a bit of heartache, then nodded in agreent: "Shall I call you Mr. Fude? Mr. Huangfu?"
He glanced at her helplessly: "Do you think those titles are different from calling chairman?"
"Oh right, sorry." Shi Nian stuck her tongue out.
"Then what should I call you?" Shi Nian was also in a dilemma.
He seed a bit startled and, hesitating, Shi Nian suddenly cheered softly: "I got it! I heard your driver and assistant call you ’sir’, so I’ll do the sa."
Huangfu Huazhang spread his hands: "For now, that’s okay."
As he spoke, he quietly sat in the sunlight, smiling at her. At this mont, he was elegant and noble, yet amiable and harmless, sitting so close with a full smile. Shi Nian couldn’t help but recall seeing him in the misty flower shadows back then, also dressed in white, but with an aloof deanor keeping people at a distance; and later when she saw him again, the impression left in her vision and heart was dominated by the black outfit he wore... Shi Nian lowered her head, unable to resist asking: "Why did you suddenly decide to dress like this today?"
He smiled again, his smile expanding a bit, then pointed up and down at her: "You like dressing like this at school. Frankly, I previously didn’t really like girls being too casual with their looks, but I think you dress well. So I wanted to try this style."
Saying this, he felt himself blush a bit and turned his head, looking up at the old do of the building: "Besides, dressing like this seems more in line with the atmosphere here."
"Yes, yes, yes," Shi Nian lightly clapped his hands. "Your current deanor is like that of a university professor, perfectly fitting in here."
The man in black clothes from before... well, he was better suited for acting in a vampire movie.
But when it cos to university professors, she couldn’t help but get distracted. That guy is genuinely a visiting university professor too, except—even if he wears plain glasses, casual knitwear, and khaki trousers, his dazzling aura still can’t be hidden in the classroom, always a bit removed from being truly civilized.
"What are you thinking?"
She quickly snapped back to reality, looked up, and t his gaze. Though calm, it carried hidden ripples.
She quickly smiled, "I was wondering, you said you’d never been to this library before, so why did you suddenly appear today? If everyone knew you were the mysterious Chairman, would they scream on the spot?"
"Shh," he raised a finger to his lips, playfully winked at her, "Don’t tell them. Because my visit here today has nothing to do with them," his dark eyes matched hers.
"I ca here just to et you."
.
Ti seed to silently freeze within the enormous library of this century-old academic institution. Amid the campus’s long history and the ink-scented books, ti truly seed insignificant, didn’t it? Even if people lived as long as a lifeti, compared to this university and its collection, what does it an?
Shi Nian stared blankly at Huangfu Huazhang, then laughed, "You’re joking, sir."
He squinted his eyes, the smile disappearing from his face, "You won’t accept ?"
Shi Nian bit her lip, "When I visit you, I need to make an appointnt by phone in advance; why couldn’t you call ahead before visiting ?"
Huangfu Huazhang’s expression changed slightly, his gaze firmly fixed on her. But it was just for a mont; he quickly smiled again, "Of course, you are even more prideful than I am."
If it weren’t for her, maybe any other woman in this world right now would be eager and flattered to talk to him. Only she dared to demand phone appointnts; she wasn’t pleased without one, even on the spot.
He took out his phone, placed it on the table, and hugged his elbows, "Look for yourself, I called you so many tis, but never got through."
Shi Nian glanced at it but didn’t buy it, "Sorry, your phone is too expensive. This one costs over 60,000 and I’m not familiar with operating it."
Huangfu Huazhang angrily grabbed his phone, almost wanting to smash it on the ground!
Shi Nian still calmly looked at him, "...Besides, since I’m temporarily refusing to answer your calls, it ans I don’t want to see you. Your unannounced visit isn’t a surprise to but a disregard for my wishes."
.
Huangfu Huazhang tightly clutched his phone, closed his eyes.
Since he beca the chairman of the Fude Group at the age of twenty, how many years has it been since soone said ’no’ to him? But the woman before him... really made his teeth itch, yet he was helpless.
He opened his eyes, put the phone back in his pocket, but instead cald down, gazing at her with a helpless smile.
"Alright, it’s my fault, I’m sorry. I just really wanted to see you, and even if you don’t want to, I’ve still seen you. You can’t vanish from my sight by magic, nor find ti to avoid ... so please bear with for now."
Shi Nian crossed her arms, "I’ve already endured and talked with you quite a lot. I’ve been polite enough, so now I’m leaving. Goodbye."
As she spoke, she picked up the book on the table and got ready to leave.
Huangfu Huazhang closed his eyes and hurriedly reached out to grab her wrist.
"Okay, I... apologize to you. I know why you’re angry with , it’s because I suddenly confessed to you that day, catching you off guard. That day, I forgot my age and status, acting like a young boy, arguing with Yanqing over the phone about you... I didn’t consider your feelings, I was wrong."
Shi Nian bit her lips, feeling unsure how to respond.
Such an always aloof man, that one who always seed to hide in the darkness, ca today dressed in white, standing in the sunlight smiling at her, lowering his noble head to say sorry...
At this mont, should she say "forget it" or "scram"?
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[Continuing to add updates today, eight thousand words, five thousand in the morning.]
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