In the pavilion, the fragrance of tea mingled with the fresh scent of the bamboo forest—elegant and serene.
The evening breeze rustled, making the bamboo leaves sway with a soft sound.
As the sky darkened, the surrounding students gradually left, and the lively bamboo grove suddenly became quiet.
Yu Qing sat upright on the stone bench, listening to Cheng Qinghuan talk about past events with a gentle smile, occasionally responding with a few insignificant words, while inwardly waiting for a chance to steer the conversation.
“Speaking of which, Teacher clearly promised me before leaving that she’d come back often to visit. But it’s been five or six years already!”
Talking about this, Cheng Qinghuan felt a bit indignant.
Back then, before leaving, she had promised her well, but once she was gone, she disappeared for several years without a word.
The opportunity arrived.
Yu Qing’s eyes lit up for a moment.
She gently patted the back of Cheng Qinghuan’s hand, the movement natural and affectionate, and spoke with slight guilt.
“Sorry, little Qinghuan, Teacher broke her promise.”
While speaking, she softly stroked the back of Cheng Qinghuan’s hand.
Yu Qing’s lips pressed together, a look of sorrow between her brows, as if there was an unspoken secret.
Cheng Qinghuan froze, clearly not expecting her casual joke to be taken seriously by Teacher, and hurriedly tried to apologize to Yu Qing, wanting to say she hadn’t really blamed her.
“Teacher…”
But as soon as she opened her mouth, Yu Qing pressed a finger to her lips, silencing her words.
“Shh.”
Yu Qing made a quiet gesture, then spoke softly.
“These past years, Teacher has been traveling all over the country, with more and more things to handle—so much so that even now, it’s still not finished.”
Cheng Qinghuan’s gaze shifted, wanting to say something, but under Yu Qing’s gentle eyes, the words vanished.
Yu Qing recalled what Wen Wan had told her the first time they met.
From Wen Wan’s mouth, Yu Qing had learned that she really had been traveling across the country—not for urgent business, but for leisure.
Whether it was truly leisure, Yu Qing didn’t know.
But knowing Wen Wan had been away all these years was enough.
Cheng Qinghuan couldn’t just investigate immediately, and the rest of the details could be improvised as long as they weren’t too outrageous—enough to keep things hidden for a few days.
“I’m not saying this to make excuses—just so you understand why it took me so long to come back.”
Yu Qing shifted, moving closer to Cheng Qinghuan.
She grasped Cheng Qinghuan’s hand, ready for the final step.
“So, little Qinghuan, tell me about what’s been happening lately. Like the thing you mentioned just now about meeting with a friend. Teacher wants to know you a bit more.”
The topic shifted abruptly, but it didn’t seem strange.
Yu Qing cleverly used the guilt from Wen Wan’s broken promise to steer the conversation back, without making it too abrupt or making Cheng Qinghuan overthink.
“It wasn’t a date, Teacher—don’t say that. The person I met was a girl.”
Just as Yu Qing expected, Cheng Qinghuan didn’t doubt her teacher’s words and even retorted, dissatisfied with her phrasing.
But under Yu Qing’s smiling gaze, her discontent gradually faded.
Looking helplessly at the “Teacher” before her, Cheng Qinghuan picked up the delicate teacup in front of her and, following Yu Qing’s lead, began to talk about her arrangement with Fu Yi.
“She’s a very promising junior, but we don’t usually interact. Last night, she suddenly contacted me, saying there was a special investment project she wanted to discuss. We set the meeting for half an hour later, here—probably for the peace and quiet.”
When she mentioned Fu Yi, Cheng Qinghuan’s tone became indifferent, as if speaking of a stranger.
“Come to think of it, this junior is also a young lady of the Fu Family. I heard she’s quite shrewd for her age and stands out among her generation’s heirs—considered the most likely to become the next head of the family.”
“By the way, Teacher, did you ever mentor a student named Fu Yi?”
Halfway through, Cheng Qinghuan suddenly remembered that her own teacher was regarded as the common instructor for their generation’s family heirs in River City, and asked curiously.
“Logically, during your years in River City, if the Fu Family wanted to train their eldest daughter, there’s no reason they wouldn’t invite you.”
Cheng Qinghuan muttered to herself, and when she reached a point of curiosity, looked at Yu Qing expectantly.
“No.”
Yu Qing shook her head, extinguishing the small spark of curiosity in Cheng Qinghuan’s heart.
Her eyes were clear, and she tensed slightly to avoid revealing anything.
“The name Fu Yi did come up often in conversations with friends from River City, said to be an outstanding child with strong comprehension.”
She spoke unhurriedly, raising her teacup to her lips, blowing on the steam, and taking a sip to moisten her throat before continuing.
“But during the time I was in River City, I never received an invitation from the Fu Family. Plus, I wasn’t much in the mood to teach then—so I suppose it was a missed opportunity.”
She shook her head again in response.
“I see.”
Cheng Qinghuan nodded in understanding, then said regretfully.
“If Junior Yi had been guided by Teacher back then, perhaps things wouldn’t be as they are now.”
There was a hint of regret in her expression—whether for Fu Yi missing out on a good teacher, or Wen Wan missing a chance to save a student.
“Destiny has its own plans. Let’s not dwell on it.”
Yu Qing followed her words, then shifted the topic back to the investment project Cheng Qinghuan had mentioned earlier, teasingly.
“But really, young people these days are incredible. Still in school and already thinking about investments.”
Her tone carried a hint of laughter.
Though her words were instructive, there was no trace of distrust or reproach—just a reminder from an “elder”.
“Still, investment has always come with both risk and opportunity. Qinghuan, you’re experienced, so I’m sure you can judge for yourself—I won’t say more.”
Remembering her “Teacher’s” guidance, Cheng Qinghuan nodded seriously.
“You’re right, Teacher. When it comes to investments, you can never be too careful.”
She paused, her mind suddenly recalling some recent investments.
She’d heard that the Fu Family’s Fu Mingxuan’s New Energy company seemed to be facing big trouble, but since she hadn’t invested much, she hadn’t looked into it deeply.
“Take this recent period, for example. I invested in a company focused on New Energy and other cutting-edge fields. Unfortunately, it seems unable to keep up with the times. The technology hit a bottleneck, and there are considerable policy risks as well. For such New Era Enterprises, extra caution is needed.”
Out of respect for the Fu Family, Cheng Qinghuan didn’t mention project details or who was in charge.
But the words “New Energy” were enough for Yu Qing to understand instantly.
As expected—it was Fu Mingxuan’s critical project!
Recalling the information about Fu Mingxuan that her junior had sent her earlier, Yu Qing roughly understood the purpose behind arranging this meeting.
Burying her speculation deep inside, Yu Qing let a trace of concern show on her face at the right moment and asked kindly.
“New Energy?”
“I don’t know much about these things, but I’ve heard that such companies require huge initial investments. If the direction is wrong or funds fall short, it’s easy to end up in trouble.”
“So what do you plan to do, little Qinghuan? Will you withdraw your investment?”
Her words carried genuine concern, as if she truly cared about her student.
Hearing this, Cheng Qinghuan shook her head, seeming a bit troubled as well.
“I haven’t decided yet. The company seems on the verge of collapse, but it hasn’t gone under. Since I didn’t invest much, I haven’t paid close attention—just heard bits from my people.”
She spread her hands, hesitating, but decided to reveal a little to the respected “Teacher Wen”.
“That company has significant backing—the Fu Family. I can’t be sure whether someone will step in to help at the last moment. If I pull out now, it might offend them. If they manage to make a comeback and want revenge, things could get troublesome.”
“On the bright side, even if I don’t withdraw, my losses won’t be too great. And if they get through this, I might gain a bond forged in adversity.”
A comeback?
That would be difficult.
Yu Qing shook her head inwardly, disagreeing with Cheng Qinghuan’s hopeful thinking.
According to the information her junior provided, if Fu Mingxuan didn’t receive external support this time, there was a high chance his company would lose half its value—or, in the worst case, collapse entirely.
What’s more, her junior had clearly stated that the family would not offer Fu Mingxuan any further assistance in the short term.
Though she wasn’t sure if it was true, it seemed highly relevant to the current situation.