Chapter 7: My Secret Garden

  Ning Meng rushed back to the gallery and happened to run into Manager An, who was just coming out. She gave him a slight smile and was extremely polite.

  "Miss Ning, is there something wrong? Do you need any help?"

  Ning Meng lightly gasped for air, "Is Mr. Guan in? I have something to find him about."

  Manager An shook his head, "Too bad, Mr. Guan had an engagement, he left right after you guys did."

  Ning Meng was a bit annoyed, she walked downstairs and thought to herself that this man was really hard to find. Whatever the case, having that card in her hands wasn't a good thing either. She thought for a moment, then found the number and dialed it out.

  A pleasant tune had just started playing when a clear and melodious voice chimed in, "Ning Meng?"

  Ning Meng was taken aback by his voice for a second, and quickly picked up the conversation, "I think I'll return that card to you."

  Guan Xian paused for a moment, "I'm at a restaurant near the art gallery, I was on my way back. Where are you? I'll go find you."

  She reported the location. However, just five minutes later, a silver Land Rover had approached and suddenly stopped beside her.

  Ning Meng had already grabbed the card in his hand and signaled him to roll down the window, but Guan Xian suddenly opened the car door.

  "Come in, I'll send you back."

  There was a free dedicated car, and Ning Meng naturally didn't hesitate, handing over the card as soon as she got in. Guan Xian also didn't say much, giving her a sideways glance before taking the card.

  The lights and neon lights were flashing along the way, and the night life had just begun. Ning Meng was admiring the changing scenery outside the window, when she suddenly realized that the car had turned into the gate of C University, she was stunned, "Aren't we going home?"

  "Let's take a walk since we ate too much for dinner. The night view of C University is not bad, I haven't been here in many years..."

  A look of surprise appeared on Ning Meng's face, "You wouldn't happen to be from C University as well?"

  Gu Xiang smiled and glanced at her, "Isn't it strange? I did my undergraduate studies here, then went to the US for an MBA."

  It's no wonder. Because she had seen the complete resume of this business genius very early on.

  The C University, shrouded in the mysterious night, was filled with an unusual tranquility, like a gentle and elegant young woman. The two of them walked to the edge of Cuizhu Lake, and as they gazed out, the lake's surface sparkled with ripples, surrounded by lush green grass, while students strolled by in twos and threes, their faces radiant with youthful smiles.

  "Where do you live?"

  "Look, that's Cuilu Building over there with the red brick wall. Almost all the female students from the Management Department live there."

  "He pointed to a white building at the top of Nanping Mountain and said, 'I used to live there.'"

  Heh, Lingyun Building, that place was once the most familiar dormitory to her besides Cuihu Building, because Lin Ziyue had lived in that building for several years.

  The little woman in front of him had a faint sorrow in her eyes, which flashed by and turned into a sweet smile. Guan Xuan was puzzled for a moment, this Ning Meng, sometimes naive, sometimes profound, how could there be such a strange girl.

  "Didn't you ever come back here after graduation?"

  "Rarely, I think the last time was at a classmate gathering."

  He let out a sigh, furrowed his brow, and seemed to be searching for memories in his mind. Ning Meng turned her head to look at him, and the handsome face in front of her appeared to have a tired expression, with a hint of melancholy in his eyes.

  A man who has achieved success and fame is probably also very tired, flying east and west every day without stopping. Suddenly, she had a moment of tenderness.

  "Want to go somewhere nice?"

  "Good place?" Guan Xian was a bit puzzled, could it be that there was still a good place in C University that he hadn't been to?

  Unconsciously, Ning Meng had already led him to a small path by the lake, walking along the stone slab road upwards. After about ten minutes or so, they were standing under a red-brick building.

  This red-brick building seems to be a newly built structure behind, Guan Xian searched through his mind, but didn't seem to have any impression. However, it should be near the Geography Department.

  Ning Meng raised an eyebrow and smiled mysteriously, "This is the newly built Observatory, where the C University Astronomy Research Institute is located."

  The pipe ring looked around, the red brick building was very high, from here down, the school's dim night color was all in sight, the campus was full of vitality, and the air was filled with a fascinating atmosphere.

  This guy is actually able to find a place.

  In a daze, Ning Meng had already walked past the red brick building and was heading towards the slope in front, with Guan Xuan following closely behind her.

  On the slope, a small park is laid out. In the downward terrain, a large stone suddenly stands upright, smooth and flat, which can accommodate more than ten people at the same time, somewhat like a natural viewing platform.

  Ning Meng climbed up and called back to him, "You come over too." Guan Xuan took a big step forward and sat down beside her.

  The evening breeze blows, the small park is filled with fragrance, mixed with a few cicadas and frogs, looking up at the moonlight, the quiet sky is a vast expanse of deep blue, the stars are shining brightly above, happily blinking eyes, bright and lovely, mysterious and vast...

  Gazing up at the night sky, quietly appreciating the grand nocturnal view, for a moment it's as if I've abandoned the worldly din and obtained a brief relaxation.

  "How did you know this place?"

  "After a moment of silence, Ning Meng said, 'A friend once brought me here, but he's gone now. I've come often since then.'"

  Guan Xian gazed at her profile, with a hint of melancholy in his bright eyes, and a faint sorrow seeping into his words. The inexplicable tenderness in his heart resurfaced once again. He casually asked, "I'm guessing... is he your boyfriend?"

  Ning Meng lightly nodded her head.

  The separation and reunion of campus men and women are too common, especially when graduation is imminent. The fleeting romance has long been seen as nothing out of the ordinary... Guanxian didn't think deeply about it, so he stopped asking questions.

  As they chatted, half an hour passed in the blink of an eye. The evening breeze blew gently, gradually bringing a coolness, Guan Xuan's eyes swept to her corner, and he suddenly took off his windbreaker, covering her with it. This action was natural and instinctive, and he himself was startled.

  Gentlemanly demeanor, he comforted himself.

  A warm, masculine breath carrying a refreshing scent wafted over, and Ning Meng raised her head. The man in front of her had a chiseled, handsome profile, deep eyes, a straight nose, like a model from a magazine. Some people say that men with this kind of looks should be very strong-willed and overbearing, although it's not the type she likes, but at that moment, she was captivated.

  "It's getting late, let's go," she said with a cough, covering up.

  She glanced around, the gentle breeze blew her long hair up, covering her eyebrows and eyes. He nodded, "It's good, girls' bodies seem to be relatively weak, you mustn't catch a cold."

  She muttered to herself, are all the weak girls just "ordinary" girls? The problem is, in her twenty-something years of life, almost no one around her has ever treated her as this so-called "ordinary".

  When she was young, she saw that her classmates who had a fever and a cold could ask for leave to stay in bed. Her mother would hold them in her arms, asking about their condition, and even give them small gifts when they took medicine... She was very envious, but unfortunately, she was so healthy it was as if heaven and earth were angry with her. For an entire semester, she went to school every day without fail. One time, she was really bored and wanted to test her body, so she deliberately didn't bring an umbrella and walked home from school in the rain. That night, she successfully caught a cold, sneezing several times and having a high fever of 39 degrees.

  She fantasized that her mother would come over with medicine, give her a warm hug, and offer her rock sugar as a gift... But in reality, it was all just daydreaming. At the time, her mother gave her a slap on the butt, scolding her for being so lazy that she didn't even bring an umbrella or wear a raincoat. She hastily defended herself, which only earned her mother's angry roar, who also said that neighbor Ah Bao had seen it with his own eyes and wouldn't lie. In her heart, she cursed stupid Ah Bao to death, but could only resign herself to her fate, tilting back her head and drinking the bitter medicine in one gulp, not forgetting to scrunch up her face and take advantage of the situation to demand a reward.

  There is a reward, of course. If she doesn't get it, that's deducting her pocket money for a month. Poor thing, from now on, she vowed not to look for trouble again.

  Ning Meng brought back her distant thoughts. She stared at Guan Xuan's back, stunned for a moment. Rumors outside said that this man was ruthless and cold-blooded in business, with strong means, but why did the Guan Xuan she saw reveal a warm side unintentionally?

  What kind of role did this man play in that matter, suddenly, she was a little confused.