The door opened, and to his surprise, only two people were inside.
His mother and Gong Beibei.
It had truly been a long time.
Before the Gong family had moved away entirely, Gong Beibei had gone to Northern Europe to study alone. She rarely returned to China over the years. Their last meeting had been at his father's funeral.
Zhan Beijue wasn't familiar with her, but he had to admit, he remembered Gong Beibei's appearance very clearly.
His mother always praised her, calling her a beauty from childhood.
Now grown, she had become even more stunning.
However, no matter how beautiful she was, he wasn't in the mood to appreciate her. That damned Jiang Nanfang, every time he saw her, she managed to upset him.
"Where's Uncle Gong? Hasn't he arrived yet?" he asked, casually sitting down near the entrance.
After such a long absence, Zhan Beijue didn't even offer a handshake or a greeting. Instead, he sat so far away, which was rather impolite. But Gong Beibei didn't seem to mind.
"There's a patient at the First Affiliated Hospital in a very serious condition, and the case is extremely rare in China. Upon hearing of his return, the expert team temporarily invited him to a consultation. So, it's just the three of us today."
"Oh."
Gong Beibei showed no signs of being a spoiled young lady. She blinked her big eyes and looked at him enthusiastically.
"A Jue, when I went abroad, you were still a child, not much different from me. How did you get so tall now? Can I ask how tall you are?"
Madam Zhan chuckled at her words, "Silly child, that was so many years ago. If A Jue had stopped growing then, Auntie would have been worried to death."
"Heh heh, I just wanted to say how tall you are now. Maybe I'm a bit... what's that word? Something that doesn't convey..."
Zhan Beijue chimed in, "Lost for words."
"Yes," she beamed, "lost for words. Don't mind me, okay?"
This girl was genuinely cheerful. When she smiled, a small dimple appeared on her left cheek, making her look quite adorable. She wasn't rigid or boring, and Gong Beibei's laughter cheered Zhan Beijue up a bit.
He made a rare lighthearted joke, "No, I'm not that petty. I'm 192 cm. Sorry, I'm just taller."
"Oh, I'm only 172 cm. You're amazing."
Madam Zhan chimed in again, "Silly girl, why would a girl compare heights with a man? At 172 cm, you're already quite tall among girls. If you grow any taller, who will be worthy of you!"
Gong Beibei stuck out her tongue.
A waiter came in to take their orders. Each person chose two dishes, and Madam Zhan resumed the conversation.
"I remember you two are the same age. Almost thirty now, and neither of you is mature."
"Even though A Jue is a father, he still causes people to worry. Beibei, you're also so beautiful, why do you always encounter unreliable people."
"..." Zhan Beijue knew the conversation would eventually turn in this direction.
Gong Beibei smiled again upon hearing this, "It's not too bad. At least I'm not married, so I saw through their true colors in time and stopped before it was too late..."
"A Jue, I saw your child on Aunt Zhou's phone. So cute and beautiful."
It was comforting to Zhan Beijue that even such a beautiful girl encountered emotional difficulties. "Thank you."
"Dad is settling down in China and won't leave anymore. I just failed at my recent romance and don't want to be alone abroad for now. If I'm bored and free later, can I visit your kids?"
"Perhaps because I'm older, my maternal instincts are overflowing. I really love children now."
He felt she spoke very frankly, appearing completely protected and pure. Seeing the tenderness in her eyes when she mentioned children, Zhan Beijue felt even better.
"Of course. Children love it when people are informal with them. I believe you'll become good friends with them in the future."
"That's great! Let's exchange contact information. I'll let you know before I visit."
She suddenly stood up and walked over to Zhan Beijue with her phone.
There was a faint scent of perfume about her, perhaps Bluebell. Zhan Beijue didn't mind.
"I don't have WeChat, only phone calls for now. Please enter my phone number for me," she said, handing her phone to Zhan Beijue.
Her fingers were white and slender. Her nails were slightly long, with something called nail art at the tips – a narrow strip of white, making her skin appear even fairer, and her fingers more delicate.
However, Zhan Beijue, accustomed to men's clean-cut short nails, was somewhat repulsed by this cat-claw-like hand shape and subconsciously took a step back.
"You're making things difficult. Aunt Zhou is right here. She knows my phone number by heart, so you can just ask her to tell you."
Gong Beibei was slightly taken aback by his reaction. She slapped her forehead and laughed to ease the tension.
"You're right! How silly of me! So, if you get a call from an unknown number later, remember to answer it. It might be me."
She walked back with a smile, and Zhan Beijue let out a sigh of relief, "Of course."
Because Gong Beibei was talkative and not fussy, and they all knew each other well and had much in common, the meal was quite harmonious.
The three of them only drank one bottle of red wine. After the meal, Gong Beibei was still not satisfied. "It's still early, it's only past eight o'clock. I slept all day to adjust to the time difference, so I don't want to sleep now."
"A Jue, I heard the night scenery in South City is beautiful. Could you accompany me for a stroll?"
After all, she had just returned, and even as a host, he should accompany her. If Zhan Beijue refused directly, it would seem ungentlemanly. "Sure. Where do you want to go?"
"Aunt Zhou, you go home and be with the children first. We'll wander wherever the mood takes us. I'm borrowing your son for a few hours today, don't be jealous."
Madam Zhan smiled and nudged her head, "Don't be so cheeky. Alright, the city at night is for young people. A Jue never bothers to go out usually, so it's thanks to you."
"Go ahead. Play as long as you want and come back when you're done."
"Oh, thank you so much! You're so open-minded and magnanimous. I love you, Aunt Zhou!"
Madam Zhan was delighted by her sweet words. She gave Zhan Beijue a few instructions and left the private room first.
With only the two of them left, Zhan Beijue felt the urge to smoke. He took out his lighter and gestured to her.
"Go ahead, I don't mind."
He lit the cigarette, took a puff, leaned back against the chair, and tilted his chin. "Where do you want to go, tell me."
Gong Beibei smiled playfully, "You might not believe me, but I've never been to a bar in my life. Since you're accompanying me today, and I know I'll be safe, can you take me to a bar?"
Zhan Beijue raised an eyebrow, "Is this why you specifically sent Aunt Zhou away?"
"Mmm~ Don't tell them~ I'm really curious~ Please~"
He couldn't resist a girl's pleading, including his own daughter. Zhan Beijue raised his hand to interrupt her instantly, "Fine, it's just a trip to a bar, no need to act like this."
"Yay! I've already done my research! 'Overlooking the Night Sky' has a nice name. Let's go there!"
Nearly thirty years old, yet she was as innocent as a child. Zhan Beijue couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head. He stubbed out his cigarette and stood up, "Let's go."
As the door opened, a sudden burst of noisy laughter reached their ears.
Zhan Beijue looked across the courtyard. On the other side, a group of people, having finished their meal, were also opening their private room door, laughing and walking out.
They were too far away to hear what they were saying. But he could see everyone surrounding Jiang Nanfang, teasing her.
Someone grabbed her arm, and someone pushed her from behind. Jiang Nanfang smiled at everyone, seeming to enjoy herself.