The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

Chapter 180 Cautious and Carefree

Zhou Yanruo drove the car with focused concentration; apart from the gentle hum of the engine, the interior was completely quiet.

Shang Yibo sat quietly in the passenger seat, his gaze drawn to the scenery outside the window. It was late autumn, and rows of ginkgo trees silently told the story of the changing seasons with their unique postures.

The leaves have quietly transformed from the emerald green of summer into a rich and warm golden yellow. This color is both warm and not glaring, like the gentle afterglow of the setting sun, adding a unique charm to autumn.

A gentle breeze swept by, and the ginkgo leaves seemed to receive some mysterious command, beginning their final, magnificent dance. Some leaves drifted down lightly, twirling slowly, and finally lay gracefully on the ground, layer upon layer, like a golden carpet laid out by nature; while others drifted away with the wind, as if bidding a gentle farewell to this world, or perhaps carrying a longing and pursuit of the unknown.

Shang Yibo's gaze followed the dancing ginkgo leaves, a surge of indescribable emotion welling up within him. He could almost hear the leaves whispering, recounting profound philosophies about the passage of time, the cycle of life, and the changes in all things. At this moment, he only wanted to be completely enveloped by this tranquility and beauty, allowing his soul a long-awaited rest and relaxation.

Zhou Yanruo coughed lightly, breaking the quiet atmosphere in the car, and said with a hint of apology, "It was my oversight. You're injured, and I should have let you go home and rest. How about this, I'll take you home first. There's a restaurant near the neighborhood with pretty good reviews. I can pack some food for you to take home. Is that alright for you?"

Upon hearing this, Shang Yibo turned his gaze from the scenery outside the window to Zhou Yanruo and asked, "And what about you?"

Zhou Yanruo explained, "I've been thinking about it, and I really need to go back to the company today."

Shang Yibo tilted his head and thought for a moment, "Then let's go to Yishang Hotel for dinner together, and then I'll accompany you back to the company." He thought to himself, "Don't try to get rid of me. It's just going to Rushang Group. It's not like it's a den of dragons or tigers. What's wrong with going there?"

Zhou Yanruo readily agreed: "Okay, then we'll have dinner at the Yishang Hotel. If you don't want to go to the company, I can get you a room to rest. After all, it's our own hotel, and the security is good, so you won't be disturbed."

Shang Yibo nodded, "I'll go to the company with you, as long as it doesn't bother you." Then he thought of something else, "By the way, isn't there a shopping mall on the second floor of the Yishang Hotel? Come with me to buy some daily necessities after dinner, it'll be more convenient that way."

"I thought you would go back to Rushang Garden tonight."

Shang Yibo gently shook his head, "My injury hasn't fully healed yet, how can I be without someone to take care of me? Even the great doctor didn't complain about me, but you're already unhappy about it?"

Zhou Yanruo quickly denied it: "No, I was just afraid you would feel uncomfortable in someone else's house."

"I'm not as sentimental as you think. The PhD's house is great, much better than living alone. It's less lonely with one more person."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yanruo laughed and said, "Then why don't you go back to Zimo Garden? There are many people there, it's lively, and there are people who will take care of you."

"Do not."

"Tch, childish devil."

Chatting and laughing, the not-so-short journey was quickly completed.

Sitting in the Chinese restaurant of the Yi Shang Hotel, Shang Yibo looked at Zhou Yanruo across from him. A large, red pimple had popped up on her chin. He chuckled to himself, thinking, "How much internal heat did she get to cause such a big pimple? No wonder, I heard her mention that she was too busy and didn't get enough sleep recently. Plus, with all the unexpected events last night, it's no wonder she got anxious and stressed."

Zhou Yanruo waved to the waiter and got the menu. Seeing Shang Yibo looking at her with a smile, she asked, "What are you laughing at?"

Shang Yibo quickly wiped the smile off his face and said, "Oh? No. Let's order."

The two discussed and ordered some simple, light dishes. It was past the lunch rush, and the dishes and soup were served in no time.

Seeing Zhou Yanruo mechanically eating her food while looking preoccupied, Shang Yibo couldn't help but say, "Were you affected by what my mom said earlier, which is why you came to the company to work overtime on your day off? Actually, you don't need to worry about it. My mom is strict with others, and she's just as strict with herself."

Zhou Yanruo smiled and shook her head. "No. Oh, it's not that I don't care about what President Fang said. But I really do have something that requires me to come back today."

Her sensitivity saddened Shang Yibo. The Zhou Yanruo he remembered shouldn't be so cautious and ingratiating. Even her capable demeanor at work felt strange to Shang Yibo, a stark contrast to the carefree and slightly absent-minded Zhou Yanruo he knew.

Also, shouldn't Zhou Yanruo's home be in the Tsinghua-Peking University faculty housing area? Why is she renting a place outside after returning to China? It's been almost five months since I reunited with her, and I've never heard her mention her parents even once. Could it be that Professor Zhou and Professor Yang aren't in Beijing? Did they go abroad with her to settle down back then? It doesn't seem likely. I heard Zhou Zihang talk about his and Zhou Yanruo's life abroad, but he didn't mention Professor Zhou and his wife either.

Seeing Shang Yibo remain silent with his head down, Zhou Yanruo continued to explain, "It's like this, Chairman Chu is accompanying representatives from Rongchang Capital to Bangkok to inspect one of our group's projects. They're departing tonight. Colleagues from the group's investment department will be going with them. Although I'm not directly involved in the trip, as the overall coordinator for this project, I'm staying at the group's headquarters in Beijing to oversee the overall progress of the project, which is a significant responsibility. Originally, the Rongchang Capital team members in Beijing were supposed to gather at the group this afternoon for a pre-departure briefing meeting planned by the investment department. Considering that all the materials are ready, my participation in this meeting is optional. Since you have work that requires my involvement, after explaining the situation to Chairman Chu, I decided not to attend the meeting."

Shang Yibo ladled a bowl of chicken and pea sprout soup for Zhou Yanruo and gently placed it in front of her. "This soup is light and refreshing. You should like it."

"Thank you." Zhou Yanruo picked up the spoon, scooped up some soup, and took a small sip. "It's quite light, not bad. You have an injury, and the doctor advised that you should eat a light diet. You should have some too."

Shang Yibo also served himself a bowl of soup. "Okay, whatever you say."

The conversation then turned to Rongchang Capital, and Shang Yibo asked, "You said that a representative from Rongchang Capital went to Bangkok with my dad? Was it Jian Zheng?"

Zhou Yanruo nodded gently: "Yes, Jian Zheng, as the representative of Rongchang Capital, and his two assistants departed from Beijing, while the other team members departed from Singapore and then met up with everyone in Bangkok."

Although she was merely describing the situation, Zhou Yanruo's expression revealed a subtle unease.

Shang Yibo keenly noticed this and couldn't help but ask with concern, "Is there a problem with the project? I sense that you seem a little worried."