Model couple

On a late summer night, with a gentle breeze whispering through the air, the darkness was sparsely dotted with a few stars. A sleek black Bentley glided along the pitch-black road, casting light on the vegetation lining the sides. In the back seat, a figure seemed to be in a state of repose, lips pursed lightly, complexion pallid. The contours of the face appeared stern and profound in the dimly lit cabin, enhancing their rugged elegance. As a call came in, he slowly opened his eyes, casting a glance at his phone before elegantly accepting the call with his slender fingers. "Xie, are you heading to Lucheng today?" "Yes, on my way home." "Don't refuse, it's been years since we last met. Let's gather tonight." Amber lights illuminated a road sign with bold white letters on a blue background, 'Lucheng First High School', clearly visible. Xie Mo glanced slightly sideways, drove past the school gate twenty meters ahead. The thick trunk of the poplar tree at the entrance had grown considerably, the shadow of the security guard reflected on the glass, and the teaching building was illuminated. Everything was as it used to be, yet somehow different. It wasn't until the person on the other end of the earpiece called him several times that he withdrew his gaze. "Not today, another time." "Since there's no one at your place anyway, it'll be dull to go back alone. I specifically brought my girlfriend to see you." "Girlfriend?" Fu Ming's voice came with a hint of pride, "Yes, I have a girlfriend now, a gentle and graceful girl, introduced to me by my grandmother." "Being in love is indeed splendid. Everything seems to have someone overseeing, someone caring. Xie, hurry up and get together with her. Don't let me get married before you two even start dating." Xie Mo's magnetic voice intervened, "Seriously?" "Now, I'm quite serious." He didn't want to pry into others' affairs, so he simply offered a casual blessing before ending the call. "Don't hang up. Is this all the talk we have after all these years? Xie, you haven't changed a bit, aloof and indifferent." Fu Ming half-jokingly said, "The 50th anniversary alumni reunion has brought many classmates from all over the country, even busy individuals like you flew back from Switzerland. Do you think Wen Huan will also come?" At the unexpected mention of that name, his heart tightened suddenly. After a long wait for a response, Fu Ming composed himself and said earnestly, "After so many years, you still remember her?" After a while, Xie Mo's low, hoarse voice came, "Have you heard any news about her?" "No, her family concealed her whereabouts so well back then, even her school records were erased. She seemed determined to sever ties with this place. Not to mention you, sometimes I think it's surreal. Do you think she actually existed? It's like she vanished into thin air. I really liked her back then," Fu Ming sighed, "I wonder if she recalls her time at First High and thinks of me." "Do you think after all these years of complete silence and no contact with anyone, she dislikes First High, dislikes the people here? Would she even spare a thought for this place?" "Why aren't you saying anything?" Xie Mo's calm voice replied, "What should I say?" With Fu Ming's side silent now, he paused for a moment before speaking again, "I don't think so. She's not that kind of person. Moreover, you've been waiting for her all these years. Perhaps, by some stroke of luck, you two will meet again soon. I feel that your connection hasn't been exhausted yet. Maybe she'll suddenly appear at the alumni reunion the day after tomorrow." Entering the villa with the keys, he switched on the lights, flooding the hallway with white light instantly. The house was regularly cleaned, everything in order, just like the last time he returned. The same silence, the same desolation. Last time, when was it? It seems to have been at the time of university graduation two years ago. "Borrowing your auspicious words." He stood in the hall, his cold, magnetic voice quickly dissipating into the air. Flying from Switzerland to Lucheng, after more than ten hours of continuous travel, fatigue tinged the stern man's face. "Mr. Xi, do you need someone to come and attend to matters?" The assistant, dressed in a black suit and with a well-trained demeanor, stood behind him. "Let's discuss it tomorrow. It's late, you should rest too." "Yes." As Jin Nan was about to leave, Xie Mo raised his eyelids slightly, "There's a guest room on the second floor." The assistant was momentarily stunned, and then said, "I'll go to the hotel..." "The innermost room on the second floor is off-limits, but you can choose any other room for yourself." With these words left hanging, he had already ascended the stairs. After taking a shower, he pushed open the door to the innermost guest room on the second floor. The room was arranged exactly the same as it was many years ago, untouched in the slightest. Leaning against the door frame, just like that night many years ago, his gaze gently fell upon the bedside. It was a quiet night, much like this one, with a gentle girl sleeping soundly in the bed, her black hair covering half of her face, her shallow breaths, and the startled look on her face when awakened by a kitten, seeing him standing by the door. Everything was vividly present, as if it were just yesterday. Yet upon closer reflection, time seemed to have flown by, as if it were something from a previous life. Seven years. It was too distant, so distant that sometimes in the middle of the night he would wake up startled, questioning himself, did such a person truly exist? She had entered his world with a gentle kiss, and when she left, it was as ethereal as that kiss, leaving nothing behind. The last time he saw her, she was lying weakly on the infirmary bed, the spring breeze lifting the white curtains, tousling a few strands of her black hair on her forehead. He couldn't help but brush them aside for her, then couldn't help but caress her delicate face uncontrollably. He thought that was just the beginning, that they would have a long future ahead of them. With a heavy breath, Xie Mo sighed deeply and entered the room. He clicked on the avatar of the cartoon girl and typed in the input box. ["I've returned to Lucheng, and as I drove past First High tonight, I thought of you."] ["I'm sitting in the room you used to stay in now, remembering how cute you were when you were hungry that afternoon."] ["Will I have the fortune of seeing you at the school reunion the day after tomorrow?"] ["Fu Ming said our fate isn't over yet, when will you condescend to appear?"] ["What am I to do with you, Wen Huan?"] —— The Lucheng First High School reunion was bustling with activity. In the afternoon, the auditorium's rear hall was filled with outstanding alumni from various years, and the classmates dressed in elegant attire exchanged pleasantries and reminisced with high spirits. As everyone was engrossed in conversation, the chatter in the crowd momentarily softened, as if a noisy classroom had simultaneously fallen silent for a moment. All eyes, intentionally or unintentionally, followed the man who had just entered. Clad in a luxurious black suit, his cold and noble demeanor cut through the crowd without glancing sideways. Someone whispered to the person beside them, "Isn't that Senior Xie Mo?" "Yes, it's him, he still looks the same after all these years. I thought he would have gained weight like most of the male classmates after starting to work." The lady in a bright yellow silk dress beside them heard their conversation with interest, her eyes following the slender figure, "Xie Mo? Which year did he graduate?" "The class of '11, three years younger than you, so it's normal that you don't recognize him." The lady smirked, "Three years younger? Judging by his demeanor, I thought he was several years older than me." As Xie Mo approached, the Lu sisters were chatting with Rong Qiu. Suddenly seeing the impeccably dressed man, they all paused for a moment. "Xie Mo?" They hadn't seen this person in six years, hearing that he had gone abroad after high school graduation. Xie Mo inclined his head slightly towards them, gracefully inquiring, "Just the three of you?" Rong Qiu nodded, "Are you here to ask about Wen Huan?" Looking at the somber expression on the man's face, Lu Yu deliberated for a few seconds before saying, "It's still the same, she hasn't contacted us, and she probably doesn't know about this alumni gathering." After Wen Huan left, her number, WeChat, and QQ were all useless, her profile picture forever grayed out, unreachable by anyone. But every six months, Xie Mo would ask the three of them, lest he miss any news about Wen Huan. Unfortunately, she truly had lost contact with everyone. Even her former roommates, who used to spend every day together, were no exception. "After so many years, she may be even less likely to remember us. Perhaps she has truly decided to cut off all ties for the rest of her life," Lu Lin shook her head slightly. As emotions flickered in Xie Mo's eyes, he was about to speak when his phone vibrated in his pocket. "If there's any news about her in the future, please do inform me, no matter when." The three of them paused slightly, then nodded politely, "Of course." "Thank you." He nodded in acknowledgment, "I won't disturb you any longer, farewell." "Ah, alright, goodbye." Watching his tall and noble figure depart, the three of them sighed imperceptibly after a moment. "He's changed a lot." "Yes," Lu Yu nodded, "He's shed the arrogance of high school, becoming even more composed and reserved, and he's more polite now than before." "But," Rong Qiu pursed her lips, "he's also become colder than before." "He's been waiting for news from Wen Huan for so many years, it's a testament to his deep feelings for her. Who would have thought that someone with such a proud and arrogant demeanor in the past would have such a passionate side. How many of the classmates who used to like Wen Huan still remember her now?" Hearing Lu Lin's words, Rong Qiu, who used to be Wen Huan's biggest fan, felt uncomfortable. "I always feel that they shouldn't be like this, such a well-matched couple, this outcome is too sad. Oh, I can't, my nose feels so sour..." She fanned her eyes to prevent tears from falling, this was an hour of carefully applied makeup. "Sigh, let's hope they meet again soon, I hope Wen Huan hasn't married yet." After the first day of the alumni exchange, there were lectures in the school auditorium for the next week. When alumni went to give lectures, they prepared various exquisite snacks and fruits for the entire school faculty and students. The elite alumni made the students of First High have a very luxurious week. On the evening when Xie Mo went to give a lecture, the sky was filled with a rosy sunset. The students in the lecture hall were quiet and attentive, unlike the other lectures that were lively. The principal was initially puzzled until the end of the lecture, when the question-and-answer session suddenly became enthusiastic, and he realized that these kids had been holding back. A well-behaved and quiet-looking female student in the front row stood up, looking at the elegant and noble man on the stage with excitement and nervousness, and timidly asked, "Senior Xie... are the beautiful senior sisters from your class also coming to meet us at the school? We really want to see her. We've been looking forward to meeting you since we entered school. Seeing you today is really exciting! When can we see her?" The man's wrist on the table was pale, the luxury watch on his wrist cold and noble, and upon hearing this, he paused slightly, "Are you referring to..."