The Mysterious Night of Beijing

Professor Zhou smiled and said, "Yes, I heard that the base recently conducted a comprehensive safety inspection and repair on this road to ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Lin Chuxiu nodded and didn't think about it anymore.

Unbeknownst to her, just a few kilometers ahead of their bus, in an inconspicuous black SUV, Bai Xin was using a walkie-talkie to report to Meng Huizhou.

"Sir, Miss Lin and her group have entered section three of the road, and everything is normal."

"The rockfall risk area ahead has been cleared. Our assigned 'forest rangers' are also in place."

"Understood." Meng Huizhou's voice was calm on the other end of the phone. "Stay vigilant."

"Yes."

Bai Xin put down the walkie-talkie and glanced at the man in the back seat through the rearview mirror.

The man was leaning back in his chair, resting with his eyes closed, seemingly indifferent to everything around him.

But Bai Xin knew that her husband hadn't slept a wink since last night.

He personally reviewed all the procedures and safety plans for this survey, from the overall route planning to the catering standards at each rest stop.

They even investigated the background and health condition of the bus drivers thoroughly.

Bai Xin had been by Meng Huizhou's side for so many years, and he had never seen him care so much about anything before.

This Miss Lin probably holds a much heavier place in the gentleman's heart than he imagined.

……

After driving for another half hour in the mountains, the car stopped at a place with a sign that read "Geological Exploration Site".

Everyone needs to get off the bus and collect some rock and soil samples along the way.

Lin Chuxiu reminded everyone to be careful, and then took her tools and walked to the edge of a cliff to carefully observe the structure of the rock strata.

The rocks here exhibit a very special stratification, containing trace amounts of rare metal elements, which may provide inspiration for her catalyst research.

She was so engrossed in watching that she didn't notice that a rock on the mountainside dozens of meters above her head, which had been eroded by rain for a long time, was quietly loosening.

"Be careful!"

A loud shout suddenly rang in my ears.

Before Lin Chuxiu could react, she felt her arm being suddenly pulled, and she was pulled back a few steps by a huge force.

Almost simultaneously, with a loud "bang," a rock the size of a human head slammed down on the spot where she had just been standing, sending shards of rock flying everywhere.

Everyone screamed in fright at the sudden turn of events.

Lin Chuxiu's face turned pale instantly.

She looked at the deep crater that had been smashed into the ground and felt a chill run down her spine.

If that blow had hit me instead...

She dared not think.

Are you alright?

The man who grabbed her was wearing camouflage, had dark skin, and looked like a forest ranger.

The man released his grip, looked her up and down to make sure she wasn't hurt, and then breathed a sigh of relief.

"The rocks on this cliff face are severely weathered, and it's easy for rocks to fall. You researchers are so careless about safety," the man said in a lecturing tone.

"Thank you... thank you so much." Lin Chuxiu was still in shock and thanked him repeatedly.

"Alright, everyone, stop lingering here and get in the car." The man waved his hand, as if shooing away flies, urging everyone back to the car.

Then he turned around and quickly disappeared into the forest.

The whole process happened too fast and ended too fast.

On the bus, everyone was still chattering about the thrilling scene that had just unfolded.

"That scared me to death! That was so close!"

"Yes, thankfully the forest ranger reacted quickly, otherwise Senior Sister Lin would have..."

"Senior Sister Lin, you're so lucky!"

Lin Chuxiu leaned against the window without saying a word.

The scene from just now kept replaying in her mind.

That forest ranger's appearance was too coincidental.

The way he pulled her, the force and the timing, were so precise it was as if it had been calculated.

And his departing figure, though simply dressed, exuded a capable and efficient air that belied his ordinary role as a forest ranger.

The vague guess in her mind resurfaced once again.

But she still didn't dare, and was unwilling, to think about it deeply.

She just felt as if she were being shrouded in an invisible net.

This net has no malicious intent; in fact, it's protecting her in every way.

But this feeling made her feel inexplicably uneasy.

She turned her head and looked at the mountain scenery rushing past the window. For the first time, she felt a strange sense of peace that she couldn't quite explain.

……

In the evening, the group finally arrived at the research base.

The base is located in a valley, in a quiet environment, but with very advanced facilities.

Dinner was held in the base's internal restaurant, serving as a small welcome dinner.

The person in charge of the base was a middle-aged man who wore glasses and looked very refined.

He warmly welcomed Professor Zhou and the project team members.

Lin Chuxiu wasn't used to these kinds of social occasions. After eating a few bites, she made an excuse and slipped out.

Outside the restaurant, there is an open-air viewing balcony.

She walked to the balcony, leaned against the railing, and enjoyed the evening breeze.

The air in the mountains is very fresh, carrying the moist scent of grass and trees.

She took a deep breath and felt the lingering shock from the daytime subside considerably.

"one person?"

A deep, familiar voice sounded from behind.

Lin Chuxiu's body froze instantly.

She turned around abruptly.

Meng Huizhou was standing not far behind her.

He wasn't wearing a suit, but only a simple black turtleneck sweater and dark trousers, which made him look less sharp in the business world and more gentle at home.

He was holding a glass of red wine and looking at her.

"Mr...Mr. Meng?" Lin Chuxiu stammered, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to inspect a project," Meng Huizhou explained, as concise as ever.

He swirled the wine in his glass, his gaze falling on her still somewhat pale face.

"I heard you encountered a minor accident on the way today?"

Lin Chuxiu's heart skipped a beat.

He found out.

He really does know everything.

"It was just... a minor accident." She avoided his gaze and said softly, "It's been resolved."

"Mm." Meng Huizhou nodded.

A brief silence fell between the two.

Only the evening breeze rustled through the treetops.

Lin Chuxiu felt very uncomfortable.

She wanted to leave, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot, and she couldn't move.

She didn't know what to say, so she just lowered her head and looked at her toes.

"The mountain road is dangerous."

After a long while, Meng Huizhou finally spoke again.

His voice was low, and it seemed to drift away in the evening breeze.

"be safe."

Lin Chuxiu suddenly raised her head.

He was looking at her, his deep eyes reflecting the starlight and her slightly flustered reflection.

His gaze was not aggressive at all; it was calm and focused as he looked at her.

It's as if they're checking whether a precious item is intact.

Lin Chuxiu's heart skipped a beat.

She felt her cheeks getting hot.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that her throat felt as if something was blocking it, and she couldn't utter a single word.

Meng Huizhou did not say anything more.

He simply nodded very lightly to her.

Then, he turned around and walked back to the banquet hall.

Lin Chuxiu was left alone, standing there, her heart pounding uncontrollably.

She watched Meng Huizhou's back disappear into the bright lights, feeling as if she were in an unreal dream.

"be safe."

The four simple words seemed to possess a certain magic, echoing repeatedly in her mind.

It caused a small crack to appear in her heart, which had been frozen for a long time.

A warm, unfamiliar emotion was seeping in little by little from that crack.

She stood on the balcony for a long time until she felt a little cold, then turned around and went back into her room.

She took a shower and lay in bed, but tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

In his mind, one moment he saw the thrilling scene from earlier that day, and the next he saw Meng Huizhou's deep eyes.

Two completely different scenes intertwined, leaving her feeling utterly confused.