TIMO - Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Of course, this thought was fleeting.

Even if she made up her mind, she couldn't possibly have Shi Nan come back tomorrow.

So, she could only suppress her excitement and the complex thoughts swirling in her mind. What she needed to do now was support Shi Nan in doing what she wanted to do, and to keep working hard on Nanke Island.

And wait for Shi Nan to return.

It's just...

Fu Zhao carefully placed the glass sculpture on the display cabinet. She then took a handkerchief and wiped every corner of the sculpture until it gleamed, making sure not a speck of dust remained before finally putting it inside the glass display cabinet.

It was getting late. The twilight of the setting sun slipped in through the window, its direct rays spilling across the row of glass display cabinets, shimmering with the afterglow of sunset.

Fu Zhao's gaze swept around the room. After a moment's thought, she gathered Shi Nan's pottery pieces, wiped each one clean, and placed them all neatly inside the custom-made glass display case she had ordered.

By the time she finished, it was nearly dark.

She was still alone in the house.

Fu Wanqing had barely gotten off work on time these past few days. Usually, it was fine; Fu Zhao didn't think being alone was so bad.

But now, Fu Wanqing wasn't back, and even Number Ten, someone she could talk to, had been given to Shi Nan. In the vast villa, aside from the housekeeping robot, there wasn't a single sound.

Summer was only half over, but the chirping of the cicadas outside had already quieted down considerably, no longer as noisy as before.

Yet, she suddenly found herself missing that noise.

Fu Zhao sat dazedly on the sofa, glancing at the smart clock on the wall.

Seven-thirty in the evening. It was dinnertime.

She opened her mouth, wanting to call the housekeeping robot to prepare dinner, but no words came out.

She didn't want to eat. She didn't know what she wanted to do, or what she should do.

What was she doing at this time every day in the past?

Excluding the days she was hospitalized, she was either out for a walk with Shi Nan, riding a small electric scooter or a motorcycle, or going for a drive in a sports car. Or she was having dinner with Shi Nan, watching that open-air movie that had been shown countless times.

It seemed to have become a fixed part of her daily routine.

But now, that fixed part was gone.

Her thoughts and her mood seemed to have disappeared along with it.

Fu Zhao's gaze remained fixed on the clock's numbers. She blinked blankly. Suddenly, she couldn't quite remember what she used to do at this time every day before Shi Nan came to Nanke Island.

It seemed that letting someone into her life was the simplest thing.

But to pull someone out of her life and place them back in a different way was an incredibly difficult task.

Twilight faded, and the night grew deeper.

Fu Zhao sat on the sofa for a long time. The numbers on the clock changed again and again, but she had no desire to move.

Not until the phone in her pocket buzzed.

Fu Zhao snapped back to reality and fumbled to pull it out. Shi Nan's profile picture was on the screen. She stared for a few seconds before pressing the answer button.

It was a voice call, not a holographic projection.

"Have you arrived? Why didn't you tell me?"

The soft, pleasant voice came through the phone, carrying the sound of gentle breathing and a hint of static. That one light sentence instantly filled Fu Zhao's empty heart.

It was as if her suspended heart had slowly settled back into place.

All her thoughts began to revive. Fu Zhao's gaze drifted to the sculpture in the glass display case. She pursed her lips. "I've arrived. I... sent you a message earlier. Maybe you didn't see it."

"A message?" Shi Nan's voice on the other end softened. "Then I probably didn't see it."

"From now on, if you have something to tell me, remember to call. Sometimes, hearing a voice or seeing a person conveys emotion more directly than a string of cold text."

Fu Zhao froze for a few seconds, her palms resting on her knees, feeling a little lost.

Regarding calling versus messaging.

To be honest, she had a habit: if she could type, she wouldn't send a voice message; if she could message, she wouldn't call. Only for work, when some matters required direct communication, would she use the phone.

But now, she felt that Shi Nan was right.

Being able to clearly hear Shi Nan's voice was much better at curbing her longing than text.

"...I understand." Fu Zhao replied. She opened her mouth to say more, but in the next second, Shi Nan spoke again.

"As long as you've arrived, I'm relieved."

Shi Nan paused, her voice carrying a hint of apology. "I have to attend a banquet later, so..."

"Okay." Fu Zhao quickly understood what Shi Nan hadn't finished saying. Her lips pressed into a tight line, and her fingertips on her knees trembled slightly. "You go. I'll hang up then."

Shi Nan was silent for a moment before finally speaking. "The banquet later is quite important. I need to meet some of the company's partners..."

"I'll call you later, okay?"

Fu Zhao had been feeling a little upset, but hearing Shi Nan's deliberately softened voice, using a gentle, coaxing tone, she found she wasn't so upset anymore.

So she smiled instead and replied softly,

"Okay~"

The call ended, and silence returned.

Fu Zhao breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't stay on the sofa but stood up, planning to go to Shi Nan's place to help tidy up, which would make things easier for Shi Nan when she returned.

"Beep beep-"

Before she could even leave her yard, she heard a car horn from outside.

Fu Zhao frowned. As she walked out the door, she saw a flashy, cream-pink sports car parked at the bottom of her yard's steps. Its lines were sleek, and its engine rumbled.

Three people were inside.

"Get in!" Kong Weiyan, in the driver's seat, wore sunglasses and tilted her head to look over. A smug smile played on her lips as she ruthlessly slapped the car door, seemingly unconcerned about her new vehicle.

Fu Zhao froze for a few seconds. Coming to her senses, she tossed the trash bag she was holding into the bin. "Where are we going?"

"For a drive~~"

Jiang Wenqing, sitting in the back and wearing a school uniform, looked like she had just gotten out of school. She tossed her backpack aside and grinned brightly. "Sister Kong said she got a new car today and is taking us for a drive around the island."

Ye Er, in the passenger seat, also gave Fu Zhao a slight nod. "Sister Kong just picked the two of us up from school."

"So? What do you think?"

Kong Weiyan pulled down her sunglasses, her tone relaxed and pleased. "I came to get you guys as soon as I picked up the car. You three are my little pink's first time."

"I knew you wouldn't want to be alone today. Aren't I reliable?"

Fu Zhao opened the back door and got in. As soon as she did, all three pairs of eyes focused on her. She sighed and rubbed her forehead, saying softly, "Reliable."

"Yeah!" Kong Weiyan's expression was excited. "Let's go!!"

Beside her, Jiang Wenqing waved her arms and legs, nearly taking off her school jacket to use as a flag. "Let's go, let's go!!!"

Ye Er said nothing, simply pulling his seatbelt tight with a calm expression.

Before Fu Zhao could react, the car started. Her ears buzzed, and the scenery flew past her eyes. The oncoming wind was so strong it made her face hurt and her lips feel chapped.

Kong Weiyan was driving very fast, so fast that Fu Zhao had almost no time to appreciate the scenery. It was practically street racing.

What's more, she had two equally noisy people, Kong Weiyan and Jiang Wenqing, screaming in her ears the whole time.

And so, she threw up.

Ever since differentiating into an Alpha, her physical constitution had improved significantly. Her previous habitual headaches, fevers, and waking from insomnia had all gotten much better.

But even a physically and mentally healthy Alpha like her couldn't withstand Kong Weiyan's new-car excitement.

She didn't even know where the car had stopped. The moment she got out, she clutched the plastic bag Ye Er had frantically shoved at her and vomited until the world spun.

Dizziness, unstoppable nausea and vomiting, feeling top-heavy and light-footed.

The wind in her ears seemed to be roaring, clamoring.

"Oops~~" Kong Weiyan handed her a tissue, blinking. Her tone had a naturally punchable quality to it. "I just got a new car, you know. I was too excited, too thrilled, and wasn't paying attention~~"

"Zhaozhao, just forgive me~~"

As she spoke, she even tugged on Fu Zhao's sleeve.

Fu Zhao took the tissue, wiped her mouth, and then pried Kong Weiyan's fingers off her cuff, one by one. She spoke with a smile that didn't reach her eyes, "Don't talk right now. I'm afraid I won't be able to stop myself from hitting you."

"Okay."

Kong Weiyan immediately fell silent and stood obediently to the side.

"Hey!" Jiang Wenqing suddenly exclaimed, pointing at the beach across from where they parked. Her tone was exaggeratedly surprised. "Isn't that the Open-air Cinema? What a coincidence~~"

"Right." Ye Er nodded seriously. Although he wasn't quite used to Jiang Wenqing's jumpy rhythm, he played along. "Why don't we go sit over there?"

"The Little Island Master needs to rest anyway. The sea breeze over there might help."

Fu Zhao's head was groggy, and she didn't immediately notice the strangeness in Ye Er's tone. She just glanced at Kong Weiyan, who waved her hands and made a zipping motion across her lips, seeming to hold back something she wanted to say.

Fu Zhao's gaze swept across the three of them. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

"Let's go sit there then."

A cool crescent moon hung in the sky, its light scattering across the azure sea as scattered stars blinked. The silvery-white beach was filled with seats. Compared to the sparse crowds on a typical weekday, it could now be described as packed to capacity.

They couldn't find any seats.

Instead, they borrowed four chairs from a nearby convenience store and sat in the very back row.

Without a doubt, the Open-air Cinema was showing that same movie again today. She had already seen it countless times with Shi Nan. With Shi Nan gone, she had no interest in watching it.

But the other three were very excited. Even the usually calm Ye Er showed a hint of nervousness in his placid expression.

Bored, Fu Zhao picked up her phone and started browsing the StarNet.

There would be a press conference before the banquet.

The first-in-line heir of the Shi Corporation was making her first public appearance today. It was big news, and many media outlets had already started reporting on it.

The press conference hadn't started yet.

She planned to watch the live stream from a well-known media outlet.

Compared to the movie she'd seen countless times, Shi Nan's first public appearance was more important.

"Hey, hey, it's starting!" Kong Weiyan shouted in her ear. "Stop looking at your phone. You were just carsick, and now you're looking at your phone. Aren't you going to throw up again?"

"Exactly!" Jiang Wenqing chimed in. "The big screen is more comfortable to watch."

"Little Island Master..." Ye Er's voice was a bit soft. "I think you should watch the big screen."

Fu Zhao was at a loss for words. She reluctantly looked up, planning to watch for a bit and then secretly look at her phone once the others were engrossed. But with just one glance, she couldn't look away.

The screen wasn't showing that movie that had been played countless times.

It was a live broadcast of a banquet, with a long red carpet in the middle.

Someone was walking from the far end, her voluminous black velvet gown trailing behind her, spilling onto the floor. Her waist was slender, her proportions excellent, and her figure graceful. The lines of her shoulders and neck flowed smoothly to her collarbones. Her skin was translucent and fair, seemingly glowing with a soft light.

Her soft, voluminous black hair was styled in an updo, with only a single tendril at her forehead curled into an exquisite arc, framing her smooth face. Pearl earrings dangled from her earlobes, further accentuating her already superior jawline.

Her makeup was exquisite. Her eyebrows were beautifully shaped, and the translucent eye makeup enhanced her long, narrow eyes, adding a touch of fierceness and radiance. Her nose was high-bridged, her lips full, and the true-red lipstick wasn't overly garish but perfectly complemented her fair, translucent skin.

"I am Shi Nan."

Her red lips parted slightly. The beauty's gaze shifted to face the camera directly, a gentle curve forming on her lips. Her smile was radiant. "The person in charge of the Shi Corporation's upcoming Qixing Project."

"Doesn't this place only show that one movie?"

Fu Zhao stared intently at the big screen, muttering this in a daze.

"Who would've thought?"

Kong Weiyan's voice, confident and smug, sounded beside her. "Turns out, I'm good friends with the owner of this Open-air Cinema. So, naturally, she'll play whatever I want her to play."

"Exactly," Jiang Wenqing added, giving a thumbs-up. "And we promoted it beforehand, so all these people are here to see Sister Shi Nan."

Their voices, carried by the sea breeze, slowly filled her ears.

Fu Zhao came back to her senses and realized she was surrounded by gasps of surprise. It seemed everyone was lamenting not having taken a better look at Shi Nan while she was on the island.

"This is the first time I've seen Sister Shi Nan like this, out in the world," Ye Er also remarked, clasping his hands behind his head.

This was the press conference before the banquet. Many media outlets took the opportunity to ask pointed questions about the Shi Corporation's Qixing Project. Their questions were highly targeted, even probing, with every line expressing skepticism about the project.

But Shi Nan remained calm and composed, maintaining the slight smile on her lips as she answered the reporters' questions methodically.

Someone questioned if this was just a vanity project for the Shi Corporation. Shi Nan replied, neither servile nor overbearing, that whether it was a vanity project or not would be clear from the results once it was truly launched.

Someone said it was a thankless task, that the lower-class people would still resent the rich and wouldn't be grateful. Shi Nan said their project wasn't meant to alleviate class conflict but to use their limited power to help those in need.

Someone asked if the project was related to the incident with Shi Nan at the starship port.

"Holy crap!" Kong Weiyan shot up from her chair, pointing at the reporter and cursing, "How can this reporter talk like that? Are they willing to do anything for clicks?"

Jiang Wenqing was even more agitated than Kong Weiyan, shaking her fists indignantly. "Does this reporter have any professional ethics?! I'm so mad!!"

Ye Er didn't stand up, but his lips were pressed tightly together, his gaze cool and distant. He was also angry.

Some of the other islanders also stood up, angrily declaring they were going to cause trouble.

But Fu Zhao seemed calmer than anyone. When Kong Weiyan finished her tirade and looked back at Fu Zhao, she found her still sitting quietly in her chair, watching the screen with a serene expression.

Her energy drained away. She realized that Shi Nan's response was more important than them shouting from the sidelines.

So she pulled Jiang Wenqing back down and gestured for the others to sit as well, waiting to hear Shi Nan's answer.

Shi Nan's eyes flickered slightly. The smile on her lips faded as she began to speak softly. "I know many of you here are waiting to see me make a fool of myself, to see an Omega who was forced into Heat in a public place make a public appearance."

"Perhaps many people think that for an Omega to be forced into Heat in public is a humiliating experience."

"But I don't see it that way."

She paused, her tone calm. "The one who should feel humiliated is the Alpha who carelessly released their pheromones in a public place. It's the people who take it for granted that this is an Omega's humiliation, forgetting that the Alpha is the true culprit."

"I am the victim, but I did nothing wrong, and I will not feel humiliated because of it."

"That is my response to this matter."

"Secondly, regarding the Shi Corporation's Qixing Project, the initial proposal was drafted two years ago. It has nothing to do with this incident."

"From now on, I will only answer questions related to the project."

Shi Nan's calm voice, broadcast through the Open-air Cinema's high-quality sound system, echoed around the West Archipelago, carried on the sea breeze, confident and bold.

"That's our girl! That's Sister Shi Nan for you!!"

"I'm done for, I'm done for. I'm starting to feel the Little Island Master's fiancée's charm. I think I'm falling in love with this Omega. She's so Alpha-like, but I'm an O too, boo hoo hoo~~"

The sound of quiet discussions rose from the crowd.

Listening to Shi Nan's calm response, Fu Zhao's secretly tensed wrist relaxed. She lowered her gaze, unable to stop a smile from gracing her lips.

That was indeed the Shi Nan she knew.

Smart, decisive, confident, beautiful.

This was the Shi Nan she loved, taking firm steps toward her ideals.

It had nothing to do with status or gender.

The Shi Nan in her eyes was confident and outstanding.

Not only that, but she also noticed a detail others had missed. The person in the exquisite, high-end gown was wearing a black watch on her wrist.

It didn't match at all.

But Shi Nan wore it anyway, appearing before the media wearing a watch covered in scratches.

Was it because she had told Shi Nan to wear it wherever she went?

Fu Zhao raised her eyes, her gaze fixed on the large screen in front of her. In the shot, Shi Nan happened to look over at that exact moment. The hair at her temple was gently swept aside, her eyes shimmering slightly.

In that one glance, their eyes met.

Her restless heart was instantly soothed.

Her heartbeat slowly quickened, accompanied by the wind in her ears and the surging emotions welling up in her heart.

Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

She had her answer.

They were clearly separated by 866 light-years, yet it felt as if they were right beside each other.

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