Chapter 54: Discerning the Heart's Secret

(I)

When Bian Xiaoqi arrived at the Quanjude Roast Duck Restaurant, Qin Ke and his younger sister Qin Yan were already there.

Seeing Bian Xiaoqi walk into the private dining room, Qin Yan immediately hurried over, grabbed her arm, and said with a smile, "Sister, I've missed you so much. I'm finally seeing you again."

"Little sister, I had so many things I wanted to tell you that day, but the occasion didn't permit it," Bian Xiaoqi said with a smile.

"Sister, you completely amazed all my classmates at T University that day. Not only did they enthusiastically talk about your beauty, elegance, and intelligence, but they also said it was incredible that someone so young could hold such a high position. When they saw me cheering loudly for you, they even asked if I knew you," Qin Yan laughed.

"And how did you answer them?" Bian Xiaoqi smiled.

"I told them I would definitely have the opportunity to get to know you. They said that if I knew you, I had to introduce them to you too. Especially the boys—they're even more eager to meet you," Qin Yan chuckled.

"It seems the young men at T University have quite a few active thoughts. Little sister, how are your studies going lately?"

"Sister, there are people smarter than me, but I'm not afraid of them. As long as I work hard, I certainly won't lose to them. I have confidence in myself."

"Both your brother and I have confidence in you. Is your money enough for your expenses?"

"Sister, the money you gave me is more than enough. Aside from meals, I basically don't spend anything."

"Little sister, I'm giving you a mobile phone now so it will be more convenient for us to keep in touch in the future. You can also frequently give Uncle Qin and Auntie a call." As she spoke, Bian Xiaoqi took a brand-new Samsung mobile phone out of her bag and handed it to Qin Yan.

"The phone is so pretty. Thank you, sister." Holding the phone as if she couldn't bear to put it down, Qin Yan smiled.

"Qin Yan still uses her spare time to do tutoring. Having a mobile phone will make things even more convenient," Qin Ke remarked.

"Little sister, I understand your desire for self-reliance and independence, but you must know when to stop. Your studies must remain your top priority. I hope to personally award you a scholarship next year," Bian Xiaoqi said.

"Sister, I won't let you down," Qin Yan promised.

"Yu Chuan is a PhD student in the Computer Science Department at T University. You should go find him and tell him you're my sister; he'll understand. You can ask him for guidance, which will help you be more targeted in your studies. See what research projects he's working on. If you can join him on a project, you'll gain infinitely more than you would from tutoring. Here is his phone number," Bian Xiaoqi instructed.

"Sister, I'll listen to you. I will contact Dr. Yu," Qin Yan said.

"Xiaoqi, the moment you arrived, you started talking nonstop with Qin Yan. Aren't you hungry? I'm starved. Let's eat the roast duck right away," Qin Ke laughed.

"I really am hungry." Bian Xiaoqi accepted a lotus leaf pancake wrapped with crispy roast duck slices prepared by Qin Ke. As she ate, she told the siblings about how she had personally stood at the sales office entrance today to welcome customers.

"Xiaoqi, standing for a whole day is exhausting. You could completely have let someone else do that job," Qin Ke said with a look of distress.

"I'm young and not afraid of fatigue. By leading by example, I ensure the others don't dare to slack off. Doing this is both for the company and, even more so, for myself," Bian Xiaoqi smiled and said.

"The taste of Quanjude roast duck is truly different. Little sister, eat a bit more," Bian Xiaoqi urged Qin Yan.

With her mouth glistening with oil, Qin Yan smiled and said, "Sister, it's truly delicious and lives up to its reputation. I've already eaten a lot."

(II)

After dinner, Bian Xiaoqi drove Qin Yan back to her student dormitory at T University. On the way home, she handed Qin Ke a bank card and said, "Go to our company's sales office tomorrow and buy the apartment. Choose the one with the smallest floor area. Use the 100,000 yuan on this card to make the down payment."

"Xiaoqi, using your money for the down payment makes me feel uneasy." Bian Xiaoqi's attentiveness and generosity moved Qin Ke deeply, but he still hesitated to use her funds.

"We are in this relationship now, yet you're still being so polite. Don't overthink it. This is Professor Jiang's money, and you are required to pay it back," Bian Xiaoqi said with a smile.

"This money must definitely be returned, and with interest at that. Please thank Teacher Jiang on my behalf," Qin Ke said as he accepted the bank card.

"That's more like it. By the way, tell those colleagues of yours at your company who want to buy an apartment not to let President Gu's kind intentions go to waste. Have them come to the sales office tomorrow to handle the paperwork. Judging by today's customer volume, I'm afraid that if they delay, they might not be able to buy an apartment at all," Bian Xiaoqi advised.

"Xiaoqi, having a friend like you is truly their good fortune. I already spoke with them before leaving work today. I just don't know if they're still hesitating."

"Buying these two apartments doesn't necessarily mean we'll live in them; let's just treat them as an investment. In the future, smaller apartments should be the easiest to rent out or sell. I believe both of us will have the capability to buy a villa next year," Bian Xiaoqi said with confidence.

"I believe in you," Qin Ke replied.

Back home, after washing up, Qin Ke announced, "Xiaoqi, I've already signed up for the accelerated driving course during the National Day holiday. I'll go take the theory test tomorrow."

"During this National Day holiday, I certainly won't have time to go out sightseeing with you. That's fine too—take this opportunity to get your driver's license," Bian Xiaoqi said.

"Xiaoqi, there is one more thing I need to tell you. The company has arranged for me to go on a business trip to Xizhou this Sunday, and I won't be back until before National Day," Qin Ke added.

"What? You're leaving me again? How many days have we even been together?" Bian Xiaoqi immediately embraced Qin Ke and said.

"Xiaoqi, I don't want to leave you either. Our company's Southwest Branch has run into problems, so the Beijing headquarters is making a major fuss, dispatching technical, sales, and financial personnel together to Xizhou for a joint investigation. Director Zheng Yutong recommended me, and Director Qi Guosheng made the final decision, putting me in charge of all technical matters. I have a feeling the problem might not be minor, and I'll have to stay in Xizhou for several days. By the way, I can take this opportunity to visit Uncle Bian and Auntie Jiang for you," Qin Ke hugged Bian Xiaoqi and comforted her.

"I'm worried you'll end up being assigned to the Southwest Branch," Bian Xiaoqi said with concern.

"That definitely won't happen. How many days have I even been with the company? How could it possibly be my turn?" Qin Ke laughed.

"You never know. Capable people shouldn't be passed over just because of seniority. Why did Zheng Yutong recommend you? Why didn't she go herself?" Bian Xiaoqi asked.

"I don't like to guess the leaders' intentions. Their arrangements must have their own reasons," Qin Ke replied.

As the two were talking, Bian Xiaoqi's mobile phone suddenly rang. Glancing at the caller ID and seeing Zheng Yutong's number, she thought to herself: *Speak of the devil, and here she comes.*

Answering the call, she didn't hear Zheng Yutong's voice, but rather that of an unfamiliar man: "Hello! May I ask if you are Ms. Bian Xiaoqi?"

"I am Bian Xiaoqi. Who is this?" she asked.

"Hello! I'm a waiter at the 'Encounter' bar in Houhai. The lady holding this phone has had too much to drink. She told me to call you," the bar waiter explained.

"Please keep an eye on this lady. I'll be there in half an hour," Bian Xiaoqi said immediately.

Hanging up the phone, Bian Xiaoqi said to Qin Ke, "Your Director Zheng is practically turning into a barfly. She's drunk again. Let's go take a look together."

(III)

Beijingers call lakes "seas," so Houhai is not a sea; it is a component of the Shichahai lakes.

Shichahai, composed of three bodies of water known as Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai, is an ancient body of water within the city of Beijing. It was excavated 700 years ago during the Yuan Dynasty's Dadu period. With its expansive surface, shimmering ripples, and weeping willows lining both banks, one can fully experience here the poetic imagery of Du Mu from the late Tang Dynasty: "Through the thousand homes of warblers singing, green blends with red; by water villages and mountain towns, tavern flags flutter in the wind."

By now it was past nine o'clock in the evening, and Shichahai's enchanting appearance was fully revealing itself amidst colorful nocturnal hues. Neon lights flickered, brilliant colors flowed, boat shadows drifted hazily, and the melodious strains of the erhu and pipa echoed incessantly. As boats glided across the sparkling waves, one could not help but wonder: amid those millennial red walls, turquoise tiles, and eternal moonlight reflected on the water, just how many unfinished entanglements still remained?

Sanlitun Bar Street plays the card of pop culture, whereas Houhai Bar Street plays the card of traditional culture. The bars in Houhai are mainly concentrated around the Yindong Bridge area. Countless small alleys run horizontally and vertically near the water, where the atmosphere of ordinary life blends with fragrant wine and modern fashion intersects with ancient courtyards, giving Houhai bars a sexiness that touches the hearts of literati and scholars. There is no deafening music here, only melodious singing, rendering a unique cultural atmosphere of old Beijing within the modern metropolis.

Holding hands, Qin Ke and Bian Xiaoqi walked across Yindong Bridge. He couldn't help but recite the lines from Bai Juyi's poem *Night Gazing from a River Tower to Invite Guests*: "Ten thousand homes with lights encircle the city's edge; a single stream of the Milky Way lies in the river's heart."

Yindong Bridge is located in the center of Shichahai. "Viewing Snow on Yindong" is one of the Eight Minor Scenic Spots of Yanjing and enjoys high fame. During the Xuantong reign of the Qing Dynasty, Prince Chun Zaifeng lived in the Prince Chun Mansion on the northern bank of Houhai, and Yindong Bridge was his obligatory route into the imperial palace every day. On March 31, 1910, Wang Jingwei planted a bomb under this bridge in an attempt to assassinate Zaifeng, failing only because his movements were discovered. This made Yindong Bridge all the more famous.

Bian Xiaoqi smiled and said, "Great Poet Qin, let's hurry along. Your Director Zheng is currently seated in the tower of ultimate fragrance, weeping tear threads as the deep night brings drunken slumber."

Qin Ke chuckled. "Legend has it that if lovers cross Yindong Bridge hand in hand, they will understand and stay with each other for a lifetime." He hugged Bian Xiaoqi and lingered on the bridge for two more minutes.

The exterior of the "Encounter" bar was low-key, its style achieving a perfect harmony with the surrounding environment. Inside, however, the bar was another world entirely, with neon lights slowly revolving. Walking in, Bian Xiaoqi recognized that the melody and lyrics drifting from the stage were none other than "Inseparable," the song Shen Jing had sung for them at her "Blue Bridge" bar: *"In beautiful Xizhou, let me walk with you once more. On the already deserted streets, walking beneath the moon past the western tower..."*

A female singer cradled a guitar, interpreting this tender, water-like song with a pleasing, neutral voice. Bian Xiaoqi couldn't help casting a few extra glances at the stage.

The bar was packed with customers yet remained uncrowded and quiet. Couples whispered softly in the ambiguous atmosphere.

Bian Xiaoqi found Zheng Yutong, who had slumped over her table, and saw the bar waiter who had called her standing guard nearby. She asked the waiter, "Has she been drinking here alone all evening?"

"No, there were two people at first. Later on, that gentleman left. This lady has been sitting here drinking by herself ever since," the waiter replied.

"How old was that gentleman? Did the two of them quarrel?" Bian Xiaoqi asked further.

"That gentleman appeared to be around thirty years old. When he left, he seemed quite displeased," the waiter said.

Both Bian Xiaoqi and Qin Ke immediately guessed that the man must have been Zhang Fang, though neither of them spoke it aloud.

Bian Xiaoqi remarked to Qin Ke, "She intended to have an encounter, but unexpectedly met the wrong person. No matter what, a man shouldn't just dump a woman here and leave her to drown her sorrows in alcohol."

"Has she paid her bill yet?" Bian Xiaoqi asked the waiter.

"Not yet," he replied.

(IV)

Zheng Yutong was truly drunk this time.

Bian Xiaoqi asked Qin Ke to help support her, but since she couldn't stand on her own, she could only lean against Qin Ke. Bian Xiaoqi simply had Qin Ke carry her on his back out of the "Encounter" bar.

Hit by the night breeze, Zheng Yutong seemed to sober up slightly, muttering incessantly as if sleepwalking: "Who are you? I don't need you to manage me. Not a single man in this world is any good. I want to go home."

Under the neon lights, looking at Bian Xiaoqi's meaningful expression, Qin Ke fell awkwardly silent. He hurriedly carried Zheng Yutong on his back and strode toward the parking lot.

Using the address Qin Ke knew, Bian Xiaoqi drove Zheng Yutong home. Finding the keys in Zheng Yutong's handbag, Bian Xiaoqi opened the front door, turned on the lights, and had Qin Ke lay Zheng Yutong down on the large bed in the master bedroom.

Qin Ke walked into the kitchen, poured a cup of warm water, and had Bian Xiaoqi help Zheng Yutong drink some. Then, he stepped out of the bedroom.

Bian Xiaoqi took off Zheng Yutong's outer clothes, tucked her comfortably into bed, and pulled the quilt over her. As she reached out to turn off the bedside lamp, she suddenly caught sight of a small photo frame standing on the nightstand containing a picture of Zheng Yutong together with a little girl. She picked up the frame and looked closely at it. The little girl, with small braided hair, appeared to be about three or four years old—fair-skinned, clear-eyed, with a radiant, innocent smile. She leaned against Zheng Yutong, who gazed down at her with tender affection. Bian Xiaoqi felt that the little girl's facial features bore a striking resemblance to Zheng Yutong's, and in an instant, everything became clear to her. She walked out to the living room and handed the photo frame to Qin Ke. Upon inspecting the photo, Qin Ke immediately realized that they unmistakably looked like mother and daughter. Stunned as well, he muttered, "At the company, I've never heard that Director Zheng is married. Nor have I ever heard that she has a child."

"Can't someone have a child without getting married?" Bian Xiaoqi countered.

"Could it be that she had a child out of wedlock?" Qin Ke suddenly understood.

"We must help Zheng Yutong keep this secret. Look, you have things to do tomorrow, so you should go home first. I'll stay here and take care of her," Bian Xiaoqi suggested.

"Xiaoqi, make sure you get some good sleep after I leave," Qin Ke instructed.

After Qin Ke left, Bian Xiaoqi lay down fully clothed on the living room sofa, her mind revolving around everything that had happened to Zheng Yutong that night. Eventually, overcome by exhaustion, she drifted into a hazy sleep.

A little past three in the morning, Zheng Yutong woke up parched with thirst. Feeling herself undressed once again upon touching her skin, she was startled back to sobriety. Groping around in the dark for a long while, she realized she was in her own home, which helped steady her nerves. Remembering the man from the previous evening, she felt momentarily bewildered and dazed. After a moment, she fumbled to turn on the bedside lamp, spotted a glass of plain water on the nightstand, picked it up, and drank a few sips. As her dry-mouthed sensation subsided, she wondered if that man had been the one who brought her home. If she saw him again, how should she face him? At this thought, she hurriedly put on some clothes, intending to get up. Raising her gaze, she caught sight of her daughter in the photo frame on the nightstand watching her. Connecting this with the events of the previous night, an overwhelming sense of sorrow welled up inside her. She slumped back down on the bed, covered her face with both hands, and wept softly.

Hearing movement in the bedroom, Bian Xiaoqi woke up as well. She got up, pushed open the bedroom door, and stepped inside.

Thinking the man had entered her bedroom, Zheng Yutong immediately choked back her cries. Raising her tear-stained eyes, however, she saw Bian Xiaoqi instead of the person she had hoped for. A rush of shyness, guilt, sorrow, and pain washed over her all at once, causing her to cover her face and burst into tears anew.

"Sister Yutong, do you feel a bit better?" Bian Xiaoqi walked over, sat down on the edge of the bed, placed a hand gently on her shoulder, and asked softly.

"Xiaoqi, I'm sorry, I've troubled you again. Why is my life so bitter?" Leaning against Bian Xiaoqi, Zheng Yutong sobbed uncontrollably.

When Zheng Yutong's weeping subsided slightly, Bian Xiaoqi fetched a tissue for her to wipe her face. Then, picking up the photo frame from the nightstand, she asked gently, "Sister Yutong, are you in a bad mood because of her? Or because of him?"

Seeing Bian Xiaoqi holding the photograph of her and her daughter, Zheng Yutong realized that the perceptive Bian Xiaoqi had already figured out everything about her. With another sigh, she said, "Xiaoqi, it's because of her, and it's also because of him."

"Sister Yutong, would you be willing to tell me about it?" Bian Xiaoqi asked softly.

"Xiaoqi, will you laugh at me?" Zheng Yutong asked, her voice timid and faint.

"Sister Yutong, I won't laugh at you. If you can talk about it, it might make you feel better inside," Bian Xiaoqi encouraged.

"Xiaoqi, up until now, neither my classmates nor anyone at my company has known that I have a daughter. Over these past years, I've yearned to be loved, and I've also hoped to love someone. At the same time, I've been terrified of falling in love and terrified of being loved. This tangled dilemma has made me feel as though my psychological state isn't even normal. So be it! Since you're willing to listen, I'll tell you my story today." Having made up her mind, Zheng Yutong wiped away her tears, squeezed Bian Xiaoqi's hand, and sank deep into her memories of the past.