Zhou Tuoxing had a much clearer memory of what happened afterward. It was as if each scene was etched with
the sharpest of tools, leaving incredibly deep outlines and vivid colors in his mind.
He just thought that, to He Chuan Zhou, the experience must have been mundane, like recalling what she had
for lunch on a random day, not worth paying much attention to.
He didn't expect He Chuan Zhou to actually remember.
That afternoon, after they finished paying their respects and were descending the mountain, Zhou Tuoxing
followed He Chuan Zhou from half a meter behind, not saying another word the entire way.
When they passed a small supermarket at the foot of the mountain, He Chuan Zhou stopped again and glanced
back at Zhou Tuoxing.
"I don't have any money left!" Zhou Tuoxing's expression could almost be described as terrified at that
moment. "You don't want me to cover you again, do you?!"
He Chuan Zhou replied slowly, "Why are you so nervous? Do you want an ice pop? My treat."
Doubting her credibility for a moment, Zhou Tuoxing said nothing more. He Chuan Zhou walked into the store
and bought two mung bean popsicles, extending one to him with an indifferent yet domineering demeanor,
"Here."
The summer heat had left Zhou Tuoxing dizzy and unsteady, feeling as if he couldn't keep his balance. When
he took the ice pop from, He Chuan Zhou, it felt like a dream.
He unwrapped it and took a bite, the refreshing sweetness and intense cold pulling him out of his
near-melting state.
He lifted his head and gazed at the vast, serene sky, feeling his chaotic thoughts and trivial emotions
dissipate like the wisps of elusive clouds.
He Chuan Zhou pulled him into the shade of some trees.
Their hair was soaked with sweat, and their clothes were damp and darkened. Standing in the shadow cast by
the greenery, they quietly observed the summer scenery.
The distant sound of cicadas was like the breath of the earth boiling, rising and falling in waves.
The hot wind swept through the leaves and branches, making a grand passage through the universe.
"So sweet." He heard He Chuan Zhou say, "Do you want some water?"
Zhou Tuoxing couldn't remember if he nodded, feeling like he was just staring blankly at the ice pop
emitting white cold mist.
He Chuan Zhou walked away and soon returned with a bottle of iced mineral water.
After resting enough, they started walking along the winding road back to the city.
Zhou Tuoxing still lagged behind by a step. When a large truck roared past, kicking up dust and then
rumbling away, he jogged a few steps to catch up and asked, "You had money all along, so why did you take my
five yuan?"
He Chuan Zhou, without looking at him, replied matter-of-factly, "Aren't we friends? Why should you charge a
friend for accompanying them to a grave?"
Zhou Tuoxing paused, his steps halting, his feelings of unease and hope laid bare.
"Are we friends?"
He Chuan Zhou didn't turn around, just raised her hand and casually gave him a thumb-up.
Zhou Tuoxing stood still for two seconds, then sped up to get in front of He Chuan Zhou, turning to observe
her expression.
She wiped her forehead, brushed aside her sweat-soaked bangs, and smiled brightly at him.
She rarely smiled like that, so Zhou Tuoxing smiled too.
He lifted his head, and at the top of his vision was a stretch of faint clouds and scattered sunlight.
Although the air was filled with the endless clamor of life, at that moment, Zhou Tuoxing felt a sense of
peace and tranquility.
All the noise was just the background of the vast world, with only the gentle sound of clouds and wind
leaving a faint trace.
The vibrancy of summer, the dazzling sunlight, and all the indescribable elements were forever represented
by this scene. It was a memory that replayed every summer.
The vivid colors always made Zhou Tuoxing feel like it happened just yesterday. Fresh and intense.
Many people thought He Chuan Zhou was cold and not good at making friends, but Zhou Tuoxing knew that wasn't
true.
She seemed to have a special talent for making people happy. She always showed kindness and consideration at
the most crucial moments, effortlessly becoming your closest friend.
This might be an inherited trait; she was very good at understanding people.
At the same time, her intentions were never hidden, and her cruelty was straightforward.
When you thought badly of her, it was either because she didn't care about you or because she genuinely
wanted to hurt you.
So, when He Chuan Zhou wanted him to leave, she didn't use any harsh words or lies. She just used a cold and
indifferent statement to cut off all his excuses.
During the long period that followed, she never apologized or asked him to come back.
Now, it seemed as if nothing had ever happened.
Zhou Tuoxing closed his eyes, sighed faintly, and softly said, "You always brush me off."
He Chuan Zhou didn't understand what he meant, innocently stirring her noodles with her chopsticks, and said,
"Me? Even the price of noodles has gone up over time. It used to be 4.5 yuan, now it's 18.5, keeping pace
with my age. You didn't think I was brushing you off before."
Zhou Tuoxing suddenly felt it wasn't worth it. Being angry with He Chuan Zhou was extremely exhausting.
He had never won in their back-and-forth.
It seemed like He Chuan Zhou was concerned about him, belatedly asking about his current situation.
"What are you doing now?"
"I'm not just lazing around." Zhou Tuoxing was very sensitive about Brother Huang's accusations and
emphasized, "I got my degree last year, quit my job at B University, and now I'm at A University."
He Chuan Zhou asked curiously, "Didn't you start a business with Xiao Chen?"
"Yes, but the business is mainly managed by him. I'm still studying and researching. I majored in automation
in college and later focused on artificial intelligence." He paused, afraid He Chuan Zhou wouldn't
understand, so he skipped that part and explained as plainly as possible, "Xiao Chen started a robotics
company. Some of his employees are my classmates and students."
He Chuan Zhou, influenced by Brother Huang, had a fleeting, inappropriate thought: It sounded a bit like
pimping.
It's hard for a new company to recruit skilled and responsible graduates from prestigious schools,
especially in today's tech-driven world where many are eager to attract such talent. You can't just sell a
bright future to a promising young person.
Maybe it had been too long since they'd seen each other, making it hard to gauge their distance. Zhou
Tuoxing spoke cautiously.
He hesitated and added, "But we didn't make any money at first."
He Chuan Zhou inexplicably wanted to laugh and covered it by resting her chin in one hand.
Zhou Tuoxing's tone was a mix of frustration and resignation, "Xiao Chen then turned to social media,
started an account, and got into short videos, which went viral. Then he had us use our expertise to help
other companies optimize their systems. That's how we made money."
Zhou Tuoxing had to admit that Xiao Chen had a talent for making money. Not only did he have excellent
social skills, but he also navigated the complex rules of society with ease, truly embodying the phrase
"grounded and aiming high."
If it weren't for him, a group of idealists might have already had their dreams shattered in this fast-paced
era.
He Chuan Zhou asked, "And then?"
Zhou Tuoxing carefully chose his words and earnestly explained, "With the money we earned, we continued our
research. Later, we went for funding, and another company was also applying. Xiao Chen said their robots
weren't as functional or technically advanced as ours. Our core team is younger, but overall, we're more
skilled."
He Chuan Zhou thought that Xiao Chen's words were likely exaggerated to some extent. She nodded and asked,
"Did you get the funding?"
Zhou Tuoxing lowered his head, stirred the nearly mushy noodles in his bowl, and replied somewhat unhappily,
"They got the funding."
Meaning Zhou Tuoxing's team did not.
He Chuan Zhou felt a slight strain in her facial muscles and asked, "Why?"
"Xiao Chen said the other company's boss has a well-connected father."
Zhou Tuoxing appeared very earnest, insisting on attributing the remark to Xiao Chen to show that it wasn't
him speaking ill of others behind their backs.
He Chuan Zhou bowed her head and chuckled quietly. The bowl of noodles was barely touched.
"But we got the funding later," Zhou Tuoxing said with a peculiar expression, "Do you really enjoy listening
to this?"
He Chuan Zhou shook her head, "No."
She wasn't particularly interested in topics outside her field of expertise; she just found Zhou Tuoxing's
way of speaking amusing.
His expression revealed his effort to control his emotions. He was sincere and fully engaged, trying to
converse with He Chuan Zhou after so many years, searching for topics she could understand amidst their now
completely separate lives.
Today, she was unusually generous with her friendliness: "I just like listening to you talk."
Zhou Tuoxing blinked, a bit taken aback. After a moment, he said, "They don't particularly like listening to
me talk, especially Xiao Chen."
He Chuan Zhou said, "I can understand."
Driver Chen was probably often exasperated. That he remained so patient was already a testament to his great
tolerance.
Observing the person across from her, He Chuan Zhou noticed that Zhou Tuoxing had changed a lot. He had shed
the recklessness of his youth and now seemed like a calm, still body of water. His former anger, anxiety,
and fear had settled with learning and time, leaving only clarity and tranquility on the surface.
He Chuan Zhou asked, "Why did you decide to return to City A?"
Zhou Tuoxing stiffened slightly and replied, seemingly nonchalantly, "Xiao Chen wants to move the company
here, saying that the policies in City A are more conducive to the company's development. The research at A
University is also quite good."
He spoke objectively, mentioning Xiao Chen's ideas but not his own reasons.
If he had followed Xiao Chen's advice so obediently, Xiao Chen would probably have been moved to tears.
He Chuan Zhou nodded and didn't press further: "Let's eat then."