Wang Zhenfeng could not see her face and kept speaking with her head lowered. "Where are you headed? I'll drop you off first, then I'll ride back to pick up Jiang Yue."
"Get on. I'll hand the scooter over once we arrive."
She climbed onto the back without protest, though she sat rigidly, deliberately keeping her distance, refusing to so much as brush against Su Qingyi.
Su Qingyi said nothing and set off.
It was clear she was not used to riding an electric scooter. She moved carefully, following every rule with almost textbook precision. As the time to meet Jiang Yue drew closer, Wang Zhenfeng hesitated before blurting out, "Why don't I ride instead?"
Su Qingyi glanced at the traffic light ahead as the countdown began and calmly twisted the throttle. "No need. I'm worried you'll sabotage me."
That set her off instantly. "What could I possibly do to you…"
Before she could finish, the scooter lurched forward. She collided squarely with Su Qingyi's back.
For someone who had stubbornly avoided contact the entire ride, the forced closeness was unbearable.
Her leg still throbbed where Su Yu had struck her earlier, so she did not dare push her luck. She merely sat there with a dark expression, lips pressed tight.
Su Qingyi had to exert real effort not to laugh.
When they were close to the destination, Su Qingyi stopped ahead of time and stepped off. Wang Zhenfeng took the scooter, clearly annoyed.
"Then how are you getting back?"
Despite everything, she was still worried.
Su Qingyi found that unexpectedly sweet and teased her, "What? Planning to come pick me up?"
Wang Zhenfeng scowled. "As if."
She sped off.
"Helmet," Su Qingyi reminded her.
Wang Zhenfeng ignored her and rode even faster.
With a faint shake of her head, Su Qingyi continued toward the temple.
The old quarter of Datong lay between low hills, split by a wide river. One side had grown into a modern district, gleaming and new. The other retained its historic county town charm, preserving Qing-era architecture with whitewashed walls and dark-tiled roofs.
The area was divided into East Market and West Market. East Market was where locals lived their daily lives. West Market catered more to visitors. In earlier years, the place had been quiet and largely overlooked. Compared to famous ancient towns, it remained obscure. Only in the past two years, thanks perhaps to online exposure, had it begun attracting attention.
The temple she was visiting stood at the eastern edge of West Market. Vendors lined the streets outside, but within its walls the atmosphere shifted. The faint sound of chanting drifted through the air.
A natural reverence settled over her.
The temple dated back centuries and was listed as a provincial-level protected cultural relic. Its statues and buildings reflected Tang dynasty design, majestic yet restrained.
She passed through the quiet halls and reached the innermost wooden structure.
Workers were restoring it.
It was one of the rare surviving Tang dynasty wooden buildings, assembled entirely with mortise-and-tenon joints, not a single nail used. Because of the damp climate, maintenance was required every few years.
Su Qingyi was here to see someone.
She had just leaned in when someone tried to wave her away.
Before that could go further, the man she sought had already recognized her. He climbed down quickly from a beam.
"What brings you here?"
The surrounding workers began teasing at once.
Embarrassed, the young man flushed red. Only after guiding her out of sight did he relax.
"So? What happened?"
"Nothing major. Just something I wanted to ask."
"Go ahead." He tucked his gloves into his back pocket and looked at her with unexpected focus.
She hesitated.
What she intended to do next would overlap directly with his line of work.
Zhou Xu might look casual right now, but he was a recognized inheritor of Datong woodcarving. He appeared at exhibitions, on television, owned multiple factories, and held an important position in the provincial association. While most craftsmen barely scraped by, he was flourishing.
If they had not been classmates, she would likely have struggled even to get an audience with him.
As she debated how to begin, Zhou Xu was quietly studying her.
The northern winds were said to be harsh, yet she had only grown more striking over the years. Even dressed plainly, she seemed set apart from everyone around her.
He stared longer than he meant to.
"Hm?" she prompted softly.
He blinked. "Sorry. What did you say?"
"I said, you know my grandfather works in this trade too."
"Yes." He nodded quickly. "When this building was first being restored, I approached Grandpa Su as well. He declined."
She had not known that. "He's too old now for climbing work like this."
Zhou Xu agreed.
There was something restrained in her expression.
"My grandfather has a number of carvings displayed at home…"
Before she could finish, he responded eagerly, "I can help sell them. No commission."
She looked slightly surprised. "Thank you, but that's not what I meant. I know you have a shop in West Market…"
"Four," he corrected.
She paused, realizing what he meant.
He hurried to clarify. "I'm not showing off. I just…"
"It's fine," she said calmly. "I wanted to ask what I would need to prepare if I wanted to open a similar shop."
Relief flashed across his face. "Come by tomorrow. I'll explain everything so you don't take unnecessary detours."
She raised a brow. "Not worried about competition?"
He smiled. "The market is big. There's enough for everyone. And Datong woodcarving isn't mine alone. Grandpa Su's craftsmanship is well respected. When West Market first started developing, we invited him to join us. He declined. Still, I'm glad you're willing."
She understood why her grandfather had refused. He had spent a lifetime independent and respected. He would not have agreed to work under someone else's banner.
She did not comment.
"How have you been in Beijing?" Zhou Xu asked.
She seemed slightly surprised. "Not very well."
He blinked. "Why?"
She did not elaborate.
Carefully, he asked, "You must have had plenty of admirers, right?"
"No."
"That can't be true."
She tilted her head. "Why not?"
"You mean no one pursued you?"
"It's normal," she said lightly.
He nearly blurted out that she was far too beautiful for that to make sense, but swallowed the thought.
"I'll go now. See you tomorrow."
"See you tomorrow," he replied, watching her leave.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out nearby.
"Wang Zhenfeng, you don't actually like me, do you?"
Su Qingyi turned.
A boy roughly her cousin's age was protesting, "Don't get the wrong idea. You're not my type."
"Who likes you?" Wang Zhenfeng shot back, her round face full of disdain. "I'm asking what kind of girl your brother likes."
"You like my brother? He's twenty-six. That's practically another generation."
"What are you thinking?" She kicked him sharply in the shin. "Just answer the question. Why are you talking so much?"