Zhang Xu had originally planned to contact Yang Zi after leaving the airport, but unexpectedly, they had to meet under these circumstances. His body stiffened with excitement, and as the footsteps behind him drew closer, Zhang Xu slowly turned around.
Yang Zi had just walked out of the exit, followed closely by Sister Li, who was explaining something to her.
Feeling a wall-like figure in front of her, Yang Zi looked up in surprise and saw a face that delighted her.
"Hello, Yang Zi!" Zhang Xu smiled warmly.
"Zhang Xu?!" Yang Zi, thrilled, stepped forward and asked in a sweet voice, "What are you doing here? Are you back in the country?"
"Hehe, yes, I'm back. Surprised, aren't you? Haha," Zhang Xu laughed, feeling uplifted by the unexpected encounter with Yang Zi.
Sister Li, realizing the special relationship between this young man named Zhang Xu and Yang Zi, knew they were in public with many eagle-eyed reporters around. If Yang Zi showed too much emotion, it might be sensationalized by the reporters, potentially affecting her career negatively.
So, she stepped forward and whispered a reminder to Yang Zi: "Miss Yang, many reporters are waiting to interview you, and many of your 'Zi fans' are also waiting for your greeting. Perhaps you should ask your friend to wait a moment?"
Caught off guard, Yang Zi glanced at the reporters ready to interview her and hesitated before turning to Zhang Xu, "Zhang Xu, I'm sorry, but I have to do some interviews first. Could you wait outside the airport for a bit? I'll be quick..."
Just then, Yang Zi noticed Nicole hiding behind Zhang Xu, her eyes narrowing, "And who is this?"
"Oh, cough cough, let me introduce her," Zhang Xu, realizing his unintentional mistake in meeting Yang Zi today, answered reluctantly, "Nicole, my classmate, she's very interested in our country, so she came for a visit."
"Classmate?" Yang Zi sensed there was more to Zhang Xu and Nicole's relationship. Which classmate would visit another's home country right before Christmas?
"Hello, Miss Yang," Nicole said confidently, stepping forward and extending her right hand, "I'm Nicole. Nice to meet you! I've heard a lot about you from Zhang Xu. You're very beautiful!"
Despite her suspicions about Nicole's relationship with Zhang Xu, Yang Zi politely shook Nicole's hand, "I hope you enjoy your time in China, Miss Nicole!"
Yang Zi glanced at Zhang Xu and then, prompted by Sister Li, walked toward the reporters with a smile.
Zhang Xu watched Yang Zi's retreating figure, reluctant to leave.
"Come on, let's go outside!" Seeing Zhang Xu's affectionate gaze, Nicole, jealous, pulled him toward the exit.
As Yang Zi greeted the reporters and her 'Zi fans', she began to handle their inquiries.
"Miss Yang, who was that young man you were talking to just now?" A reporter, having witnessed Yang Zi's meeting with Zhang Xu, sensed a story and seized the opportunity to ask. The question piqued the interest of other reporters, who all extended their microphones toward Yang Zi.
"Oh, he's a friend," Yang Zi replied calmly.
"What kind of friend? Boyfriend?" The reporter pressed.
"Hmm," Yang Zi paused, "No, he's a foreign student I met abroad, nothing more!"
"So, Miss Yang, can we ask how you met him abroad? What's his name? Which university does he study at?"
Yang Zi was exasperated. She avoided the question, "I met him while touring Belgium. As for his personal information, I'm sorry, but I can't disclose it without his consent, thank you!"
...
While Yang Zi was dealing with the reporters, Zhang Xu and Nicole arrived outside the airport.
"Are we waiting here for her?" Nicole, seeing Zhang Xu continuously looking back toward the exit, asked irritably.
"Uh, didn't she ask us to wait outside? Let's wait a bit longer! We'll just say hello and then leave, okay? Don't worry, my parents will definitely see us tonight!" Zhang Xu pleaded.
"Wait here? Are you sure? She's a big star, and this place has no cover. If the reporters catch you two meeting, it'll be trouble for her!" Nicole reminded him, speaking from experience.
"Right, let's leave here then. Find a quiet place to wait! Wow, look, there's a quiet café over there. Let's wait there!" Zhang Xu spotted a nearby café and hurriedly dragged their luggage toward it.
"Sigh!" Nicole sighed reluctantly and followed.
Half an hour passed, no Yang Zi, no calls, no messages.
An hour passed, still no Yang Zi.
Unable to wait any longer, Zhang Xu dialed Yang Zi's number.
"Hello, you must be Zhang Xu. I'm sorry, Miss Yang is busy. Please call back later, thank you!" Sister Li's voice came through the phone, followed by a few courteous words before she hung up.
Another hour passed, and Nicole, exhausted, fell asleep on Zhang Xu's shoulder. He dialed Yang Zi's number again.
This time Yang Zi answered, "Sorry, Zhang Xu, I'm recording a show, and it's going to be busy all day. Can we talk another day?"
"Weren't you supposed to wait for me outside the airport? Why did you leave without saying a word?" Zhang Xu asked, a bit angry.
"Uh, something came up. I was about to meet you, but the director of this show called, saying there was a problem on set, and they needed me immediately. I had no choice but to learn my lines while rushing to the set. Sorry, I'll contact you after I'm done!"
"Fine, I'll head home then. My parents are waiting for me!" Zhang Xu said resignedly.
"Going home? What about your classmate?"
"Oh, she's with me." Zhang Xu thought for a moment and decided to be honest.
"With you?" The voice on the phone suddenly rose an octave, and it was cold: "What exactly is your relationship?"
"Really, just classmates!"
"I hope so. I'm busy now. Bye!" Yang Zi hung up.
Zhang Xu smiled bitterly, then helped Nicole up, "Hey hey hey, Nicole, we've got to go!"
"Finally leaving? Where to?" Nicole yawned, still groggy.
"Home, of course! Let's go!" Zhang Xu smiled, shouldered their luggage, and led the way out of the café they had waited in for nearly three hours.
Because they spent three hours in the café, by the time Zhang Xu and Nicole arrived in the small town on the outskirts of Xiangbei City, it was already 5 p.m.
Zhang Xu was well-known in this town, so as he got off the bus, everyone who saw him greeted him warmly.
"Ah, Xuzi, you're back!"
"Hey, little Zhang? Back from France? Here for the New Year?"
"Heard you're making big money playing football abroad? How much have you made?"
"Little Zhang, is this beauty your wife?"
"Haha, Xuzi, you've made it big, getting yourself a foreign girl!"
"What? Classmate? You're joking, right? Who brings a classmate to meet their parents?"
...
Zhang Xu greeted his hometown folks as he walked, explaining Nicole's situation to each one, but to no avail. In the end, he could only smile and remain silent.
Finally home, his parents were already waiting at the door.
"Mom, Dad, I'm back!" Seeing his parents, Zhang Xu waved happily and walked quickly toward them.
"Good, good, it's good you're back!" His mother wiped away tears from the corner of her eyes and patted Zhang Xu's shoulder, then walked past him toward Nicole, scolding her son, "This boy, not even helping his wife with the luggage!"
"Uh!" Zhang Xu was floored, "Mom, don't talk nonsense!"
"Alright, alright, I won't!" His mother took Nicole's hand, patting it kindly, "Poor girl, you must be tired from the journey!"
"Hello, auntie! Uncle, hello too!" Nicole greeted in clumsy Chinese.
"Mom, why don't you ask if I'm tired?" Zhang Xu set down the luggage, calling out somewhat discontentedly.
"Go away!" His mother waved her hand, leading Nicole into the small yard, "Come on, Nicole, put the luggage aside, we're about to have dinner! I've made a lot of delicious food, I'm sure you'll like it!"
"What's delicious?" Hearing about food, Zhang Xu's eyes lit up, and he quickly followed into the yard, heading straight for the kitchen.
"This kid, still the same, as soon as he hears about food, he forgets everything else!" His father pointed at Zhang Xu, who hurried into the kitchen, and laughed.
"Isn't that from you?" His mother retorted, "Go on, bring out the food. Oh, and prepare cutlery for Nicole! I'll have a chat with my daughter-in-law!"
"He hasn't even acknowledged her yet!"
"Even if he hasn't, she's still my daughter-in-law. I've set my heart on Nicole, no other girls for me!" His mother sat down with Nicole, starting a gesturing and guessing conversation.
His father chuckled, shook his head, and also went into the kitchen to arrange dinner for the family.