It wouldn't be surprising to see the lady boss's car here, but considering the gossip among the colleagues, Mu Zi couldn't help but feel curious.
The car was parked in front of a high-end hotel. Coincidentally, just yesterday, the boss had gone to Guangdong to attend an entrepreneur training meeting and wouldn't be back until next week. Now, only the lady boss was at home.
Could it be…
Everyone has curiosity. Mu Zi decided to find out more. He glanced around and saw a square diagonally opposite the hotel entrance, where a car dealership was holding a promotional event. The clumsy yet adorable cartoon characters and the sensually appealing car models attracted a large crowd. Mu Zi quickly mingled into the crowd, blending in to observe the Hafei Roadster.
Surrounded by dynamic music and a noisy crowd, Mu Zi realized he might actually make a good spy.
After about fifteen minutes, the Roadster was still parked in the same spot, with no one getting in or out. Several people exited the hotel, but none seemed related to the Roadster.
If the car was parked at the hotel entrance and there was nowhere else nearby to go, she couldn't have stayed in the car for so long. So… the only possibility was that the lady boss was inside the hotel, and had been there the whole time!
What could someone do alone in a hotel for so long…
Were all the rumors true? It's rare for rumors to emerge out of nowhere.
For some reason, Mu Zi didn't think of an unrelated phrase this time, but instead, he thought of a person – his stepmother, the woman who had swindled all the money from his family.
He hoped they weren't the same kind of person…
While Mu Zi was thinking, a familiar figure came out of the hotel. It was a stunningly beautiful woman with long, shoulder-length hair dyed blonde and a flawless oval face. It was none other than the lady boss.
Following closely behind her was a man in his thirties, dressed in a sharp suit, tie, and black-framed glasses, looking very scholarly.
It seemed the man had come out to see off the lady boss. She walked to her car, turned around, and said something to the man. Mu Zi was too far away and the music was too loud to hear what was said, but from their demeanor and gestures, it seemed like a simple farewell. Finally, the lady boss and the man shook hands politely, and then she got into her car and drove off. The man waved at the car, then turned back into the hotel.
Mu Zi let out a sigh of relief. From their behavior, it was clear their relationship was strictly professional or friendly, not the secretive affair everyone imagined.
Maybe those gossipy colleagues saw them together on a business meeting and made a big deal out of it… How boring…
Watching the Roadster disappear into the distance, Mu Zi couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile. What's gotten into me, being so curious all of a sudden? Am I turning into a gossip?
I'm just a passerby here. Maybe next month, I'll leave for the next city. Why bother with things that don't concern me...
Do my job, earn my wages, walk my path, and never be this curious again...
As Mu Zi prepared to leave, someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder from behind, startling him.
He turned around and was surprised to see a familiar face. "Lao San?"
Standing behind him was a tall, thin, dark-complexioned young man, smiling broadly and showing off his white teeth.
It was Lao San, one of Mu Zi's dorm mates from high school!
"Lao San! I've missed you so much!"
Lao San's hearty laugh and firm handshake were a warm welcome.
Mu Zi had been a loner in school, with few friends. His dorm mates, including Lao San, were some of his closest friends. Among them, Mu Zi was the youngest, thus nicknamed (Fourth Brother), and Lao San, who was just a couple of months older, was (Third Brother). Lao San, a hardworking guy from the countryside, was not the brightest student but always put in his best effort.
The two young men enthusiastically caught up on each other's lives. Eventually, Mu Zi remembered to ask, "Lao San, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class, preparing for the college entrance exams?"
"Don't even mention it..." Lao San's mood darkened at the mention of classes. He changed the subject awkwardly, "What about you? What are you doing here?"
"I found a job at Ningxiang Pavilion," Mu Zi replied honestly, then pressed on, "But you still haven't answered my question. Why aren't you in class? Why are you here?"
"I... got expelled," Lao San murmured, looking down."
Expelled? Why? What happened?" Mu Zi was baffled, unable to comprehend how the diligent and honest Lao San could be expelled.
"For... stealing off-campus. Got caught and they informed the school."
"You? Stealing?" Mu Zi's mind was in turmoil. He couldn't believe the upright Lao San would resort to theft. "Were you framed or falsely accused?"
"No, neither," Lao San sighed, then admitted, "I really did steal. With a few folks from the village, we stole steel bars from a construction site at night and got caught."
"Stealing steel bars..." Mu Zi was speechless, struggling to reconcile this with the Lao San he knew. "But why? I know you'd rather starve than steal. Have you changed?"
"I haven't changed!" Lao San grabbed Mu Zi's hands, defending himself, then said more quietly, "But some things have changed."
"What things?" Mu Zi asked tersely.
Lao San released Mu Zi's hands and looked him in the eye, asking unexpectedly, "You liked Yezi, right?"
Startled by the question, Mu Zi struggled to respond, reflecting on his unspoken affection for Yezi, his classmate. His departure from school and the unfulfilled feelings for her remained a poignant memory.
As they continued their conversation, Mu Zi learned of Lao San's struggles and reasons behind his actions, deepening his understanding of his friend's situation.