Don't underestimate the poor and elderly; I was thrilled to refuse the class beauty's adva

I just got back from Liancheng a few days ago.

Shen Chuan actually took a long vacation to stay home and take care of Shen Zhiyi.

The two met offline and immediately entered a hellish situation.

WeChat text and voice messages have become the only communication channels.

The probability of bumping into someone offline is infinitely close to zero.

Zhang Yifan would often go downstairs for a walk to try his luck.

Nine times out of ten, you can see Shen Chuan waiting outside the villa from afar.

Shen Chuan has now switched to a 24/7 surveillance mode.

All work at the company has been temporarily suspended, and I have taken a long leave of absence to stay at home.

He accompanied Shen Zhiyi closely throughout the grocery shopping, package pickup, and walks.

Standard anti-theft level control, leaving no loopholes whatsoever.

Zhang Yifan shook his head helplessly.

A perfectly good mutual attraction was forced into a secret, underground romance.

They can only meet when they have the perfect opportunity to escape.

The date for the rice launch event is drawing ever closer.

Tian Jun would send a message every two days to update me on the progress.

Invitations, exclusive accommodations, and media interview slots were all reserved in advance.

When Zhang Yifan first started planning, his ideas were very simple.

On the day of departure, I will take Shen Zhiyi with me on the high-speed train to Beijing.

We can keep each other company on the way, and then explore the Tsinghua University campus together after we arrive.

However, Shen Chuan's strict defenses prevented the original plan from being scrapped.

He repeatedly considered possible solutions in his mind.

After much deliberation, only one compromise remains.

He set off alone to the capital to make arrangements in advance.

Find a hotel and finalize all arrangements for the press conference in advance.

Shen Zhiyi will come to meet up with Shen Chuan after his long holiday ends and he returns to work and can relax his supervision.

After the plan was finalized, it was discussed at dinner that evening.

Zhang Yifan told Zhang Rongshan and Liu Guilan about the travel arrangements.

"I'll take the high-speed train to Beijing in a couple of days to report for duty ahead of time."

"Dad has been driving the Land Rover Defender around the house freely lately."

Zhang Rongshan paused for a moment while picking up food with his chopsticks.

"Don't worry, there are ten empty parking spaces. Do whatever you want. I won't mind if you scratch it a little."

Upon hearing this, Liu Gui unconsciously frowned.

Time flew by, and it was the morning of the day of departure.

A family of three stood outside the entrance to the high-speed rail station.

Passengers came and went, creating a noisy atmosphere.

Liu Guilan stared at her son, her eyes gradually reddening.

In the eighteen years since he was a child, Zhang Yifan had never traveled far away from home alone for such a long time.

In the past, the furthest I could travel was to nearby cities for short trips, and I could return on the same day.

This trip to Beijing included a press conference and a chance to familiarize myself with the campus beforehand.

My son might come home next during the National Day holiday, or even the Chinese New Year.

The thought of not seeing my child for a long time fills me with unbearable sadness.

Zhang Rongshan noticed that his wife was in low spirits, so he reached out and gently patted her back.

"How old is she? She's still as sentimental as a child."

"Beijing isn't some distant place; it only takes a few hours by high-speed rail."

"Once our snack shop is less busy for a couple of days, we'll buy two tickets and go to Beijing to find him."

"I'll also take a stroll around the Tsinghua University campus and soak up some of the provincial top scorer's good fortune."

A few lighthearted and joking words gradually dispelled the somber atmosphere brought about by parting.

Zhang Yifan stood beside the two of them.

His gaze involuntarily swept back and forth towards the distant entrance to the station.

A faint hope lingered in my heart.

What if Shen Zhiyi seizes an opportunity to sneak over and see me off?

He looked back and forth several times.

The pedestrians came and went in waves.

That familiar face never appeared.

My expectations were gradually dashed.

He sighed softly.

He turned to look at his parents beside him.

"I'll go through the station and get my ticket checked first. I'll send a message to let you know I'm safe as soon as I get to Beijing and settle in."

Zhang Rongshan raised his hand and waved.

"Be mindful of your spending on the road and don't waste money recklessly when you're out."

Liu Guilan quickly added.

Eat on time and don't stay up late all the time.

Zhang Yifan nodded in agreement and turned to walk into the security checkpoint.

He didn't hesitate at all when he bought the ticket.

Select the high-speed rail business class ticket directly.

With my current worth, there's no need for me to deliberately compromise myself.

I'd rather be comfortable than squeeze into a cramped, ordinary train carriage.

After waiting for half an hour, I successfully checked my ticket and boarded the high-speed train.

The first impression upon entering the business class cabin is its spaciousness.

The seat can be fully reclined, and it is equipped with leg support, charging port, and independent small table.

Compared to online posts complaining about the cramped second-class seats, the difference in comfort is huge.

Zhang Yifan leaned back in his seat.

I plan to take advantage of the safe journey to close my eyes and rest, and recuperate from the long journey.

I had just closed my eyes, less than two minutes had passed.

The sound of fabric rustling as someone sat down came from the empty seat beside me.

The noise wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible.

He did not open his eyes immediately.

They treated him as just another passenger on the same train and didn't think much of it.

Three or four minutes passed in silence.

A persistent and intense gaze fell on his face.

No matter how he adjusted his head angle, that gaze always followed him.

I can't get any rest at all.

Zhang Yifan slowly opened his eyelids and turned his head to look at his side.

A pair of dark, bright eyes stared straight at him.

Who else could it be but Shen Zhiyi?

Zhang Yifan instantly lost all his drowsiness, his tone filled with unexpected surprise.

"Why did you come early without telling me at all?"

Shen Zhiyi's lips curled up slightly, with a hint of smugness.

"If I tell you in advance, can it still be called a surprise?"

"Just now, outside the station entrance, I was standing to the side of the crowd watching you say goodbye to your uncle and aunt."

"You kept looking into the distance, were you hoping I would come and see you off?"

Zhang Yifan made no attempt to hide his true thoughts and answered frankly.

"That's right, I was standing there just now, eagerly anticipating seeing you."

These two short sentences were the words that resonated with me.

Shen Zhiyi's cheeks flushed red instantly.

He quickly turned his head to look at the roadside trees rushing past the window.

Her voice was low and soft, tinged with a hint of embarrassment and annoyance.

"How can you be so shameless, spouting such cheesy things so casually?"

Zhang Yifan looked at her flushed profile and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Is it against any rule to confide in my girlfriend?"

He then changed the subject, revealing his biggest question.

"My father-in-law was on high alert at home a few days ago, guarding against me like he was guarding against a thief."

"How come you were able to leave home so smoothly today, and even ended up on the same high-speed train as me?"

Shen Zhiyi stuck out her tongue slightly and explained the reason to him.

"My dad's company arranged an important meeting in another city at the last minute, so he drove off early this morning."

"I told my mom I wanted to go to Beijing in advance to familiarize myself with the area around the university."

"My mom is soft-hearted, so she immediately agreed to let me travel alone."

After hearing this explanation, Zhang Yifan instantly understood.

He sighed to himself.

As expected, the future mother-in-law was the best wingman of the whole affair, the most understanding and reasonable person ever.

What was originally a tedious and lengthy high-speed rail journey instantly became full of fun.

The two sat side by side next to each other, chatting about endless little things.

They discussed the differences between courses in different majors by sharing anecdotes from their high school classmates.

They talked about the upcoming rice launch event and the Beijing streets and alleys they wanted to visit together.

Couples never lack for trivial daily topics to talk about.

We chatted and laughed all the way, and the several-hour drive passed in the blink of an eye.

The high-speed train slowly pulled into the Beijing high-speed railway station, and the train's public address system announced the arrival time.

The two packed their small bags and followed the flow of people out of the exit gate.

The arrival hall was packed with people, with people from all over the country holding up signs to welcome passengers and standing on both sides.

Zhang Yifan's gaze quickly swept across the entire crowd.

They quickly spotted a piece of handwritten cardboard with his name neatly written on it.

He lifted his foot and walked towards the middle-aged man holding the sign.

Before he could even introduce himself...

The other person took a half step forward and spoke in a polite yet distant tone.

"Young man, could you please move aside a little?"

"I'm waiting here for a very important guest."

Zhang Yifan raised his hand, his fingertip pointing to the reception sign in the man's hand.

He then pointed to his chest.

"If you are a staff member arranged by General Manager Tian Jun to pick you up at the airport."

"Then the person you're waiting for is me."