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墨書 Inktalez
Junxi returned from the restroom, and the atmosphere at the dining table had turned much warmer. Lanxin was sharing her love story with Zhou Xuanyu, recounting her relationship with Gino.
A foreign man and a Chinese woman—such protagonists could fill half a day just talking about how they met, but Lanxin was different. Although she lived in Italy, her command of Chinese was particularly impressive. She told her story concisely yet vividly.
Whether out of politeness or genuine interest, Zhou Xuanyu listened intently.
"Mr. Zhou, do you have a close partner now?" Gino suddenly asked.
Lanxin was drinking water when this question was translated for Zhou Xuanyu by Junxi. As she translated, she secretly applauded the question; it was something she was curious about as well.
Zhou Xuanyu did not answer but simply looked at Junxi.
"What are you looking at me for? It wasn't my question," Junxi said, feeling a bit guilty as she averted her gaze.
"No," his deep voice came through.
"Hmm?"
"No," he repeated while looking into her eyes.
Junxi snapped back to reality, fearing he might change his mind, and immediately told Gino in loud Italian that he did not have one.
Lanxin and Gino both let out slightly regretful sighs, while Junxi couldn't help but feel a sense of triumph.
Zhou Xuanyu had no girlfriend!
So, did that mean that regardless of how passionate his past loves were or how beautiful the women around him currently were, there was still a chance for her...
Perhaps realizing that not everyone's love life was as fulfilling as theirs, Lanxin and Gino intentionally avoided the topic in the latter part of their conversation.
Both of them were wise and knew how to leave room for others, making dining and chatting with them very relaxed.
In the end, Lanxin even invited them to visit her and Gino's home before they left Italy, but Zhou Xuanyu politely declined, citing time constraints.
Junxi understood that in Zhou Xuanyu's dictionary, business was business and personal was personal. He didn't want to mix the two and risk affecting future work progress. Besides, there was no banquet in the world that wouldn't come to an end.
As they exited PALAGIO, night had already enveloped Florence. The streets were brightly lit, and the sound of singing filled the air.
PALAGIO was not far from Rocafort Hotel, and Junxi suggested walking back.
"Do you know the way?"
Zhou Xuanyu held the car door open by the doorman and turned to look at Junxi.
"I don't know, but we can ask along the way!" She patted her chest with a confident look. "After all, I'm here!"
Zhou Xuanyu didn’t say yes or no; after a few seconds of pause, he closed the car door again.
"Let's go," he said.
His casual indulgence made Junxi's heart bloom with joy.
She cheerfully quickened her pace to catch up with him.
Zhou Xuanyu slowed down, allowing her to walk alongside him effortlessly.
The gentle glow of the streetlights filled the space between them, their shadows tightly intertwined on the ground.
"The trip to Italy has been postponed by three days. Have you thought about where you want to go?" Zhou Xuanyu asked.
"Really? Have you already arranged everything?"
"Yes." He replied lightly, not mentioning that yesterday Galen had nearly choked on his drink upon hearing the news, coughing uncontrollably on the other end of the line.
Understanding that Galen had a hard time dealing with those people, he specifically instructed her to only inform them about the postponed meeting, while he would personally apologize for everything else when he returned.
Galen had asked him, "Mr. Zhou, do you have something important to attend to?"
He thought for a moment before answering, "Very important."
Galen accepted this without further questions about Junxi. She was a smart person, and smart people naturally have their own clever thoughts.
And he had no intention of explaining anything.
"I'll think about it..." Junxi said, clasping her hands behind her back as if he had posed a difficult question. However, the smile on her face clearly showed how happy she was.
Nothing was more important than her smile.
"The Cathedral of the Holy Mother of Flowers is a must-visit. I've heard it's breathtaking. I also want to see Giotto's Bell Tower and Saint Giovanni Chapel. Oh, and I want to take a boat at the Old Bridge..."
She chattered excitedly while he listened quietly, unsure if he was taking it to heart.
Junxi suddenly felt a bit shy and looked up at him. "Do I look like a typical tourist?"
He glanced at her.
"Yeah, a little bit."
"Hey, why are you being so blunt?" She playfully nudged him.
He took in her innocent pout.
Under the lights, her fair face resembled a piece of white jade, her eyes sparkling with light, radiating beauty in an instant...
Zhou Xuanyu suddenly reached out, gently grasping her arm and pulling her into his embrace.
"What are you doing?" She struggled slightly but didn’t put much effort into it.
Zhou Xuanyu remained silent, just watching her.
As people passed by on the street, their embrace began to attract attention. Some playful local residents, including Florence, even whistled at them.
"Let go! People will misunderstand," she said, lowering her head, her starry eyes shining brightly, cheeks slightly flushed.
"Misunderstand what?" He asked without changing his expression.
"Misunderstand our relationship."
"What's the big deal about a misunderstanding? Am I not your amore?"
Junxi froze, her face instantly turning crimson. She struggled in earnest this time, wanting to break free from him.
"You’re lying! You can’t possibly understand Italian!"
"Who’s lying here?" He firmly held her in his embrace.
"Well..." She tried to change the subject.
"Why are you lying?" He gave her no chance to escape.
"I'm not lying! The driver misunderstood; I just went along with it."
Zhou Xuanyu frowned, clearly dissatisfied with her explanation.
Junxi gave up struggling, sighed lightly, and lowered her gaze, knitting her brows. "Xuan Yu Uncle, you know I’ve never been in a relationship at my age and have no idea what love feels like. Finally getting to be with such a wonderful man like you, when others say you’re my lover, isn’t that just a roundabout way of saying I’m pretty enough to match you? My vanity just swelled up. It’s my fault, but can’t you pity me a little and let me boast?"
She spoke each word as if performing a monologue, tears brimming in her eyes to show just how miserable she felt.
Zhou Xuanyu was left speechless.
He released her, conceding to her.
Junxi chuckled and leaned closer to him. "Have you forgiven me? You think I’m pitiful too, right?"
Zhou Xuanyu pinched her nose playfully but without much annoyance.
"Pitiful? What is she pitiful for? The ones who are truly pitiful are the men who like her but have been overlooked by her.
"Let's go." He changed the subject and started walking towards the hotel.
Junxi, relentless, ran up to him and grabbed his arm tightly.
"Xuan Yu Uncle, since you think I'm pitiful, can you be my amore?"
Junxi blurted it out. Zhou Xuanyu was completely taken aback, staring down at her with a gaze that felt piercing.
"Say that again."
Junxi quickly waved her hands. "I meant it as a joke. Just like I was boasting to the driver! A joke! I really want to know what it's like to be in love. Can you..."
"Three days." Zhou Xuanyu coldly interrupted her.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Junxi suppressed her inner joy and shook his arm vigorously. "Clarify that for me. Are you agreeing to it?"
"For three days in Italy, you can boast as much as you want."
Zhou Xuanyu's handsome face seemed to take on a mysterious veil under the night sky of Florence. She couldn't see through his deep and boundless gaze, nor did she know what he was thinking at that moment.
But Junxi knew that even if there was an abyss before her, she would be willing to leap into it at this moment.
"Oh yeah! I have a lover now!" She shouted in Italian on the street, laughing like a child who had just received their favorite toy.
She must be the happiest Eastern girl laughing on the streets of Florence.
Zhou Xuanyu looked at her with eyes full of affection as he walked over and took her hand, but his words were laced with a hint of threat.
"Don't make me regret this."
"No, no, no, please don't regret it."
"Then let's go."
"Let's go, let's go, I'm right behind you."
"…"
What a sycophantic little brat.
---
Junxi woke up to bright sunlight streaming in. During her two days in Florence, she hadn't experienced any issues with jet lag; in fact, her sleep quality was even better than at home.
As she walked into the bathroom and shoved her toothbrush into her mouth, she heard a knock at the door.
"Who is it?" she asked in Italian.
"Room Service," came the reply from outside in Italian. The sound of running water from the sink made it difficult for her to discern the person's voice.
Junxi glanced at the time on her phone and thought it was unusually early for Room Service to arrive. However, she didn't dwell on it and ran to open the door with her toothbrush still in hand.
When she opened the door, she was taken aback to find Zhou Xuanyu standing there. He was dressed casually but was inexplicably pushing a food cart.
"Why are you here?" she asked vaguely, the white foam at the corner of her lips resembling a layer of cream, making one unable to resist the urge to lean in and taste it.
Zhou Xuanyu averted his gaze.
"Why did you just open the door for anyone?"
He walked around her and pushed the dining cart into the room.
"Who told you to act so convincingly?" Junxi closed the door and turned back to ask, "Do you really know Italian?"
"What do you think?"
Junxi shook her head. "You're so clever; how would I know?"
She truly couldn't guess. If he understood, he wouldn't have rushed into a supermarket to buy condoms and create such a scene. If he didn't understand, he wouldn't have exposed her lie and pronounced "Room Service" so perfectly.
His skills were not something she could easily comprehend.
"Go rinse your mouth."
He lifted the lid off the dining cart, and the aroma of croissants wafted out.
Junxi glanced over; there were breakfast sausages, pizza, foamy coffee... she was already swallowing hard.
By the time she finished washing up, Zhou Xuanyu had already set the breakfast from the cart on the small round table in her room. The table was made of mahogany, flanked by two sturdy chairs, giving it a particularly solid appearance.
He stood by the window, hands in his pockets, gazing out at the scenery, as if he were both part of this warm and inviting scene and yet somehow detached from it.
“Xuan Yu Uncle…”
“What did you call me?” He turned his face toward her.
Junxi bit her lip; she understood Zhou Xuanyu's meaning. Since they had agreed on how to interact over these three days, calling him "uncle," regardless of the playful nature, felt inappropriate.
“Zhou Xuanyu…” Junxi smiled, repeating his name loudly like she used to when she was a child: “Zhou Xuanyu!”
Her bright, crescent-shaped smile stirred something in his heart. To start a new day like this was something he had never imagined.
It felt wonderful, like a long-lost dream.
“Come over for breakfast.”
Zhou Xuanyu walked over and pulled out a chair for her.
“Do all men in love act this considerate?” Junxi asked with a playful smile, tilting her head to watch him sit across from her.
“When you truly experience it, you'll understand.”
“Isn't this real enough for you?”
Zhou Xuanyu said nothing but simply pushed a white porcelain bowl toward her.
“What is this?” Junxi casually lifted the lid, and a sweet aroma of red dates wafted up to greet her.
“Red Date and White Fungus Soup,” she said, “Drink it while it's hot.”
Junxi lowered her head to sniff, then took a spoonful and brought it to her lips. It was sweet, but not overly so.
“I didn't expect to find such traditional food in a hotel in Florence.”
“Is it good?”
“It's delicious, very sweet.”
Zhou Xuanyu smiled slightly. He picked up the cup of coffee beside him and took a sip; the bitter taste stimulated his taste buds. But looking at her rosy lips, he could imagine how sweet it must be.
“If it's good, eat more. It’s nourishing.”
His comment made her blush again.
Eating red dates during her period for blood nourishment—Zhou Xuanyu really knew quite a bit.
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