Chapter 44: Forty-Fourth Day as a Salted Fish
What was Zhou Shaoli like during his school days?
Qin Jiaojiao suffered from a bit of a lack of imagination. Observing the vibrant, youthfully energetic teenagers around her, she thought that while standard domestic school uniforms were usually quite average, on Zhou Shaoli, it must have fit impeccably well and looked amazing.
He had a tall, lean figure, capable of making a school uniform look like a tailored suit. Coldly distant, elegant, and handsome, he undoubtedly must have been the universally idolized campus prince back in the day, looking just like a noble young master straight out of a manga.
In her mind, she painted a picture-perfect portrait of a teenage Zhou Shaoli.
Zhou Shaoli’s warm, clean hand tightly held her slender arm as he led her into the campus, walking against the flow of students heading out of the school gates.
With one hand pulling her along and his suit jacket draped over the other arm, the man wore a dark-colored dress shirt paired with crisp trousers that accentuated his long legs and lean frame. He stood out exceptionally among the sea of students.
Qin Jiaojiao was dressed in a lavish, textured black skirt ensemble with high heels, looking like a breath-taking beauty who had accidentally strayed into a school on her way to a banquet.
The pair commanded a 100% turn-head rate from the students, attracting endless curious glances and hushed, scattered murmurs.
“Wow, so handsome!”
“Whose parents are those? He’s seriously so handsome, and his girlfriend is super pretty too.”
“Is some celebrity here shooting a drama at our school?”
Qin Jiaojiao was used to being watched by crowds, but being surrounded by a swarm of students still made her feel slightly shy. Lowering her eyes, she followed Zhou Shaoli with quick steps deeper into the campus.
As they moved away from the main entrance, the student foot traffic gradually thinned out, but Zhou Shaoli did not let go of her arm.
“Over here is the main academic building, and the building in the southwest direction is the school library…” Zhou Shaoli introduced the campus to her, his low, magnetic voice sounding particularly pleasant.
Qin Jiaojiao looked up, following his gaze toward the academic building. Night had fully fallen by now, and the streetlights across the campus were lit up. Bright lights shone from the academic building, where students lingered along the corridor, leaning against the railings and looking down.
Zhou Shaoli released her arm, and both of them slowed their pace to walk side-by-side.
Looking at the academic building, Qin Jiaojiao asked, “Did you use to come out to the corridor to hang around between classes?”
“No,” Zhou Shaoli replied casually.
Qin Jiaojiao teased, “Was it because too many girls came to look at you?”
Back when she was in school, whenever there was an exceptionally handsome boy or a strikingly beautiful girl, lots of students would run over during breaks just to get a peek. Zhou Shaoli must have been a prominent figure at school back then, so he surely couldn’t avoid being ogled during recess.
Zhou Shaoli glanced at her, a tinge of helpless resignation in his tone. “Yes.”
Every time break arrived, crowds of girls would squeeze along the corridor outside just to stare at him. Some would even track him down to hand him love letters or confess their feelings—though those details weren’t necessary to share with her.
“During break times, I would usually look for a quiet place to stay.”
Qin Jiaojiao looked at him with a smile. “The rooftop?”
Usually, the main characters in TV dramas would run up to the rooftop to find a quiet spot and only head back once class started.
Zhou Shaoli said, “No. The rooftop is locked; students aren’t allowed up there.”
In domestic high schools, many students facing intense academic pressure might act impulsively if they reached a breaking point. Although Beijing No. 1 High School had never suffered such a tragedy, to prevent any accidents, the rooftop doors were kept firmly locked, with personnel assigned to inspect them daily.
“Where did you go then?” Qin Jiaojiao asked curiously.
Zhou Shaoli thought back for a moment and said, “A secluded corner in the school’s back garden, the music room, or the art room.”
Qin Jiaojiao was amused. “Turns out you went to so many different places.”
By not sticking to a single location, any girl looking for him wouldn’t be able to find him even if she tried.
Zhou Shaoli said, “Recess is short. Most of the time, I still stayed in the classroom.”
The students had mostly dispersed, and the campus suddenly settled into quietude. Through the tranquil campus grounds, the two strolled at a relaxed pace.
“Which classroom was yours back then? Do you still remember?” Qin Jiaojiao suddenly felt like visiting his old classroom. “Let’s go take a look and search for some nostalgic memories.”
“Building A, fifth floor.” Zhou Shaoli lowered his gaze to check her feet and asked, “Are you sure you want to climb all those stairs in high heels?”
Qin Jiaojiao declared with utmost confidence, “You’ve never seen a woman hike a mountain in high heels before. Would a mere fifth floor prove too much for me?”
Zhou Shaoli: “…”
He had clearly underestimated a woman’s competitive drive.
The two walked up the stairs of the academic building together. For the first two flights, Qin Jiaojiao didn’t even catch her breath. By the third floor, however, she couldn’t keep going and stood frozen in place, gripping the handrail.
Her cheeks slightly flushed, Qin Jiaojiao panted, “Let me rest a second.”
Zhou Shaoli leaned down, scooped her up in one swift motion, and said, “I’ll carry you up.”
Accustomed to it, Qin Jiaojiao naturally wrapped her arms around his neck and said, “Carrying me up the stairs is heavy work.”
“It’s not heavy,” Zhou Shaoli held her soft body, his voice steady. “You’re very light.”
Fearing he would strain himself, Qin Jiaojiao felt a little nervous, clinging tightly to him and pressing herself against his chest.
Carrying Qin Jiaojiao up the stairs, Zhou Shaoli suddenly remembered his high school days, when he used to walk up those steps day after day to get to class. Now, carrying his wife up to see the classroom where he once studied, a peculiar, wonderful feeling filled his heart.
They made quick work of the remaining two floors. Zhou Shaoli leaned down and set her firmly back on her feet.
Qin Jiaojiao glanced at the security cameras in the hallway. For the safety of the students, the entire campus was covered with surveillance, which meant Zhou Shaoli carrying her up the stairs was definitely caught on camera just now.
An inexplicable wave of embarrassment washed over Qin Jiaojiao. Tugged at Zhou Shaoli’s sleeve, she whispered, “There are security cameras.”
Zhou Shaoli said, “It’s fine. The school’s surveillance footage gets cleared and archived periodically.”
By this time, there were no students left in the building. The doors and windows of every classroom were shut, and the lights were turned off, leaving only the sound-activated lights in the hallway illuminated.
Zhou Shaoli showed her the classroom where he used to study, and after wandering around for a short while, the two headed back downstairs.
“Who’s there?!” A sharp shout suddenly rang out, followed by the glaring beam of a flashlight sweeping over toward them.
Without a second thought, Qin Jiaojiao grabbed Zhou Shaoli’s hand and began to run.
Some items had recently gone missing on campus, so the security guards were conducting routine patrols after school hours. Spotting a pair of unfamiliar adults out of nowhere, the guard naturally mistook them for thieves.
High schools typically restricted outside visitors from entering, prohibiting entry even on holidays to safeguard the students’ security and learning environment. Returning to one’s alma mater for a visit required following school protocol, and lingering on campus after hours was strictly forbidden.
When panic set in, people often lost their cool. Terrified of being caught by the security guard, Qin Jiaojiao pulled Zhou Shaoli along as they scrambled frantically through the campus grounds. “Run!”
Zhou Shaoli could have pulled her to a halt, stayed calm, and resolved the issue simply by offering the security guard a quick explanation before taking their leave.
However, watching Qin Jiaojiao drag him along in a wild escape was simply too amusing. Zhou Shaoli instead squeezed her soft hand in return and said, “Follow me.”
Even though he hadn’t visited his alma mater in years, Zhou Shaoli remained intimately familiar with every nook and cranny. Leading her through a series of lefts and rights, he quickly shook off the security guard and arrived at a secluded corner.
“Did we lose him?” Qin Jiaojiao asked anxiously.
Gosh, that was way too thrilling! Her heart was practically leaping out of her chest, and her entire body felt numb with adrenaline.
Zhou Shaoli’s voice remained cool and steady. “He won’t find us here.”
Following her breathless sprint, Qin Jiaojiao’s legs felt completely weak. She naturally leaned against Zhou Shaoli and asked, “The school gates are locked, so how are we getting out?”
“We leave through here.” Zhou Shaoli looked toward a brick wall that still hadn’t been raised higher over the years.
Qin Jiaojiao stared at the nearly two-meter-high wall, her eyes widening. “We’re hopping the wall?”
A subtle glint of humor flashed across Zhou Shaoli’s eyes as he nodded. “The street is right outside.”
Qin Jiaojiao had always assumed Zhou Shaoli was a rule-abiding, model student in his school days. Could he have actually skipped classes and climbed over the wall before? That completely ruined her mental image of him!
“You actually skipped class before?”
“Just once.” Zhou Shaoli pondered for a moment and added, “Xiao Rui dragged me out to play.”
Qin Jiaojiao’s eyes filled with astonishment. Finding it utterly surreal, the revelation completely shattered her stereotype of him.
Looking at the weathered brick wall, Qin Jiaojiao hesitated. “Are we really jumping over the wall?”
Zhou Shaoli, who occasionally felt like pushing beyond conventional boundaries himself, said, “I’ll boost you up first. Then I’ll hop over to catch you.”
Qin Jiaojiao looked at the old wall again. She supposed she should be grateful that the high school wall didn’t feature sharp glass shards or spiked fencing on top. Still, why did she have to climb over a wall to ditch school like a teenager when she was already an adult?
“Alright then.”
Zhou Shaoli reached out to lift her up, his powerful arms boosting her to the top edge of the wall. Experiencing wall-climbing for the very first time, Qin Jiaojiao felt a bit flustered, scrambling up with a flurry of hands and feet.
As she sat perched atop the high wall, Zhou Shaoli handed her his jacket, then expertly scaled the brick surface with nimble agility, flipping over to the other side in an instant.
Qin Jiaojiao watched in awe. Zhou Shaoli claimed he had only hopped the wall once, but how could she possibly believe that now?
Sitting on top of the wall and looking down at the ground from such a height, Qin Jiaojiao’s hands and feet went weak. It was so high up—she didn’t dare jump down!
To make matters worse, the beam of a flashlight began sweeping across the campus behind her, accompanied by the loud, booming voice of the security guard: “Strange… I clearly saw them run in this direction. Where did they go?”
Oh no, they were about to get caught!
Sitting atop the wall, Qin Jiaojiao felt just like a student who was about to get nabbed by a teacher for skipping class, completely at a loss, terrified, and nervous.
Standing beneath the wall, Zhou Shaoli looked up at her and held out his open arms. “Jump down. I’ll catch you.”
Qin Jiaojiao shook her head, her voice trembling. “I don’t dare to… I’m scared.”
Zhou Shaoli looked at her with gentle eyes, his tone soothingly calm. “Don’t be afraid. Trust me. Jump down—I will definitely catch you.”
At that moment, a warm summer night breeze swept over the top of the wall, carrying a wave of muggy heat. Qin Jiaojiao’s frantic heart, overwhelmed by extreme tension, thumped wildly against her ribs.
Seeing the security guard draw nearer, Qin Jiaojiao squeezed her eyes tight and leaped downward.
There was no hard impact or fall like she had envisioned. Instead, she was firmly caught and held in a warm embrace—like a drifting boat finally finding its safe harbor, secure and untouched by the storm outside.
Nesting in the man’s warm embrace and inhaling the familiar, subtle scent of eaglewood on him, Qin Jiaojiao’s heart traitorously accelerated its pace. She opened her eyes to look at him.
Zhou Shaoli held her tightly, as if holding the moon that had willingly fallen into his arms, his gaze locked onto her in a deep, unwavering gaze.
The street outside the wall was relatively quiet. From a distance, the sounds of street vendors hawking their goods and the hum of passing traffic intertwined, blurring into background noise.
Having successfully escaped the security guard’s pursuit, Qin Jiaojiao found the experience thrilling and fun, an irrepressible smile breaking across her face. “That scared me to death just now! I thought we were going to get caught by the guard for sure. Good thing I jumped fast.”
Zhou Shaoli loosened his arms to let her stand properly. “I told you I wouldn’t let you get caught.”
Qin Jiaojiao shot him a glance and said, “Actually, even if we were caught, it wouldn’t be a big deal, right? We’re not students anyway.”
Zhou Shaoli replied, “Mm.”
By the time they walked out onto the main street, it was already quite late, and all the students on the road were gone. Qin Jiaojiao’s lingering adrenaline hadn’t settled yet, her legs still feeling somewhat weak as she held onto Zhou Shaoli’s arm for support.
Zhou Shaoli asked, “Do you want me to carry you?”
“No need.” Qin Jiaojiao hastily turned him down. This was out on the open street; if Zhou Shaoli carried her along, she would be far too embarrassed.
Zhou Shaoli dialed his driver’s number, and Driver Xiao Chen soon drove up to the curb to pick them up. Zhou Shaoli opened the car door for Qin Jiaojiao to sit inside before getting in from the other side.
Sitting in the car, Qin Jiaojiao was still replaying the thrill of scaling that wall in her head.
She had actually hopped over a high school wall with Zhou Shaoli at his former school. If she told anyone, nobody would probably believe it—or if they did, they’d probably think they were a married couple who really knew how to “roleplay.”
Upon returning to the garden villa, Qin Jiaojiao hurried upstairs to take a shower. Having eaten her fill earlier outside, she skipped dinner at home. After lounging on the bed and playing on her phone for a bit, she drifted off to sleep.
Meanwhile, in the study.
After replying to a few emails, Zhou Shaoli dialed Xiao Rui’s number.
When Xiao Rui picked up the phone, he assumed Zhou Shaoli had listened to Qin Jiaojiao’s pillow talk and agreed to lend him talent.
“Brother Shaoli, you’re finally willing to talk to me,” Xiao Rui joked. “If you ignored me any longer, I’d have to put on a whole tragic crying act.”
Zhou Shaoli’s voice was very cool: “Xiao Rui, I will not meddle in Xu Xueqing’s affairs. If you want to help her, figure out a way yourself, but do not mention her in front of me or Jiaojiao ever again.”
Xiao Rui hadn’t expected this outcome at all. “Brother Shaoli, hear me out…”
“If you have an issue, come straight to me,” Zhou Shaoli’s voice sounded cold and detached. “Next time, don’t blame me for not showing any restraint.”
“Brother Shaoli, saying that really hurts my feelings,” Xiao Rui explained. “I only promised to help Xu Xueqing because I saw how pitiful she was. After all, our families have some history, right?”
“I promise there won’t be a next time! I definitely won’t go bother Sister-in-law ever again!”
Zhou Shaoli hung up the phone directly. Sitting in the study for a short while, he stood up and returned to the master bedroom.
The lights in the bedroom were on, and Qin Jiaojiao was fast asleep on the bed. The air conditioning in the room was set quite low, leaving her arms resting outside the blanket.
Zhou Shaoli walked over to the side of the bed, leaned down to touch her arm, and tucked her hands back under the covers. Picking up the AC remote, he adjusted the temperature higher, then went to the walk-in closet for his pajamas before heading into the bathroom.
The next day.
Having gone to sleep early, Qin Jiaojiao woke up early as well. Upon waking up, she noticed the space beside her was empty, knowing Zhou Shaoli had gotten up early for a run, so she closed her eyes to rest a bit longer.
Drowsily drifting on the edge of sleep, she opened her eyes at the sound of movement.
Zhou Shaoli had just returned from his run and taken a shower. Dressed in a dress shirt and trousers, he looked noble and elegant, lowering his eyes to fasten his cuff links.
Lazing in bed, Qin Jiaojiao asked, “Are you off to work?”
Zhou Shaoli finished buttoning his cuff links. “Leaving shortly.”
Qin Jiaojiao suddenly remembered her mother-in-law had asked them to go back to the ancestral residence, which she hadn’t mentioned to him yet.
“We’re having dinner back at the ancestral residence tonight.”
Zhou Shaoli replied, “I’ll leave work early to come pick you up.”
Before closing the door, he turned back and added, “I’m heading to work now.”
Qin Jiaojiao gave a quick “bye-bye.” Once the door clicked shut, she sank back into bed, thinking to herself that she and Zhou Shaoli were starting to act more and more like a real married couple.
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