Chapter 16 – Astray Youth (16)
The vehicle moved forward, and the view outside the window changed from tall buildings and streets to sparse trees.
This wasn’t the way back home, or rather, it was more like the way to the outskirts.
Indeed, they were heading to the outskirts.
As the car drove along the road, it swept up a series of fallen leaves on the ground. After a while, Zhou Kaiji saw the white fence appear not far away. A signboard above the road flashed past, indicating the direction of the Eastern Suburbs Cemetery.
The place Chen Luosong mentioned was indeed the cemetery, where the former chairman and his wife were buried.
The cemetery, like the entire outskirts, was very quiet. The piled-up leaves inside were also dry like those outside, but because of the high status of the people buried here, someone cleaned it every day, and only a shallow layer of leaves accumulated on the ground.
This place, rather than being called a cemetery, was more like a park, just with fewer people and extremely quiet.
The former chairman and his wife were on the other side, and Chen Luosong was only responsible for guiding the way, not for explaining. Along the way, he let the high schooler observe by himself.
They eventually stopped in front of two tombstones. Someone must have been here before, as there were still a few bouquets of flowers that hadn’t withered in the designated spot for them.
Zhou Kaiji looked at the photo on the tombstone. The person in the photo still seemed unfamiliar, but he recognized them somewhat.
He had seen them just this morning in that empty office.
The wind blowing near the ground brushed past his fingers, and he turned to look at the person standing beside him, wondering about the purpose of bringing him here.
Having already guessed what the high schooler was thinking, Chen Luosong slightly raised his head from his scarf and said, “Just brought you here to take a look.”
It’s about time, sooner or later, everyone has to come here.
He nodded slightly, looked at the man in the photo, and said, “Consider it the chairman’s wish.”
As the wind blew, a few figures approached from a distance.
Chen Luosong glanced at them, then looked away and said, “It’s cold here, let’s go back to the car.”
Zhou Kaiji always followed his words and nodded.
Instead of returning the way they came, Chen Luosong continued forward with the others, taking a different route back.
Zhou Kaiji glanced back at the few people gradually approaching from behind.
Three people, two men and one woman. The woman wore a hat adorned with pearls and stopped where the other two men had stood before, placing the flowers they carried on the rack.
After walking a few steps further, the group completely disappeared from view.
He turned to the person walking beside him and asked, “Does Brother Chen know those people?”
“Is there anyone there?” Chen Luosong said, “I didn’t pay attention.”
On the way back to the main gate, there was a lake. In winter, there were no plants on it, just a few scattered fallen leaves. Across the lake, Zhou Kaiji, who had been quietly walking alongside others, heard a sound coming from the opposite bank and turned his head.
On the opposite bank were several people who seemed to be visiting the deceased. They looked like a family. What he heard was the crying of a child. Objectively speaking, the sound wasn’t loud, but because it was so quiet here, even the slightest noise was amplified infinitely and could be heard clearly.
The child’s grandfather had passed away, and the child cried, saying that they must become a useful person to society as their grandfather had hoped.
He remembered hearing from Li Hua and others that their parents originally hoped they would become big bosses or experts, but now the expectations had lowered to just being able to support themselves.
Suddenly, he thought that even though they had been together for so long, he seemed to never know what Secretary Chen expected of him.
—Did Secretary Chen have any expectations of him?
After leaving the main gate, the driver was still waiting for them in the same place.
Once they got in the car, Chen Luosong asked the high schooler if there were any plans for the next few days.
Zhou Kaiji said he was going to the library with Li Hua and a few others in a week.
Those friends weren’t particularly fond of studying, but they had winter vacation assignments due the following week, so they thought the library would be a good place to work on them together.
That was indeed their style. Chen Luosong chuckled and felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He looked down, and his pupils reflected the faint light from the phone.
He turned and asked, “Want to go out to play?”
Then added, “We’ll come back before you go to the library.”
He said to go out to play, but it was actually the company’s team building activity. His subordinates had been planning it since the end of the year and after intense discussions, they had finalized the plan.
The team building was scheduled before the New Year break and allowed family members to join. They were going skiing on a snowy mountain.
Zhou Kaiji went along.
This was his first time seeing a snowy mountain up close.
It was different from what he saw in textbooks; a real snowy mountain was much more majestic than its printed, flattened appearance.
They took a flight and then a tour bus. They left in the morning and arrived at the hotel in the afternoon.
It took only half a day on the road. Zhou Kaiji got to know the company’s management, and other employees also learned that Secretary Chen had brought along the handsome little brother who had visited the company last time.
The most relaxed person was probably Chen Luosong; he only needed to put the high schooler in the crowd, let others chat with him, and he could quietly handle his work.
When they arrived at the hotel, he had just closed his laptop.
The accommodation at the hotel had already been arranged. Those with family members stayed in suites, while those without had chosen beforehand whether to stay with others or in a single room.
Zhou Kaiji and Chen Luosong shared a suite with two rooms. Upon entering, there was a living room, and straight ahead was a floor-to-ceiling window that offered a direct view of the snow-covered mountains.
There were no skiing arrangements on the first day, so everyone could choose to go out for a stroll or rest in their rooms.
The high schooler was indeed a high schooler; after sitting in the car for half a day, Zhou Kaiji still seemed energetic.
Chen Luosong put away the room key card, gestured slightly, and said, “Let’s go out for a walk.”
The high schooler immediately followed along.
At this time, many people were heading out. On the way downstairs, they also encountered employees who were planning to take a walk, but they just exchanged greetings and then went their separate ways.
The hotel was built halfway up the mountain. After passing through the artificially paved road, they walked towards a higher point along the exposed rocks. When they stood still, the mountain that had previously blocked their view moved aside, much like the floor-to-ceiling windows in their rooms, allowing them to see the towering snow-capped mountains in the distance. The cold wind blew directly at them, causing the stray hairs under their hats to flutter.
Zhou Kaiji turned to look at Chen Luosong and asked, “Have you been here before, Brother Chen?”
He seemed quite familiar with the place.
“No,” Chen Luosong said, “others mentioned it, saying the scenery here is good.”
It was now evening, and the yellowish sunlight moved across the sky. Chen Luosong nodded slightly and looked towards the distant mountains, saying, “Take a look.”
Zhou Kaiji followed his gaze and in an instant, his pupils were filled with the yellowish color.
Teachers had talked about the phenomenon of the “Golden Mountain illuminated by the Sun.” However, it was mostly discussed from a theoretical perspective without photos, just a sentence stating that “the mountain appears golden due to light scattering.”
His pupils shifted slightly, and using the brim of his hat for cover, he turned to look at the person beside him.
Most of the person’s face was buried in a scarf, his features faintly discernible, bathed in the pale yellow light that illuminated his eyes.
The wind howled on the mountain, and all that could be heard were the constant sounds of the wind.
Zhou Kaiji said, “It’s very beautiful.”
The sound of the wind seemed to pause for a moment, and the person beside him turned to look at him.
At the moment their gazes met, his hand hanging by his side instinctively clenched.
He thought he had whispered something very quietly, but the person beside him heard it.
Chen Luosong just glanced over, and then turned his head back and said, “Indeed, it’s beautiful.”
The brightness in the distance gradually dimmed, and their vision began to darken along with it.
After dusk came the night. Before the sky completely darkened, Chen Luosong took the high schooler back to the hotel.
It was dinner time when they returned, and most people had already left their rooms and were sitting in the dining hall. Some were still shaking off the snow from their bodies, likely having gone straight from playing in the snow outside to returning.
Tomorrow would be skiing day, so everyone, including the high schooler, was treated equally with orange juice instead of alcohol.
There were no formal speeches during the team building, only the start of the meal, finishing the meal, and dispersing to return to their rooms. Tomorrow would require an early start, so they needed to start packing and getting ready for bed once they returned to their rooms.
When they got back to the room, Chen Luosong finally took off his thick coat and scarf. Hanging the coat on the rack, he walked into the living room and saw Zhou Xiaoji already there, rummaging through his backpack.
He pulled out a book, one he often read.
Chen Luosong couldn’t help but laugh and said, “You brought this book all the way here?”
Zhou Xiaoji nodded. “To read before sleeping.”
Chen Luosong chuckled.
The once obscure and difficult-to-understand book had now become a bedtime read.
He placed his phone on the table and went to take a shower as usual.
Zhou Kaiji conscientiously brought the book to Secretary Chen’s room to prepare.
The room had a TV and a small table for placing things, but no desk. After looking around for a while, he finally chose to sit on the edge of the bed.
Just as he placed the book on the bed, his phone in his pocket kept chiming with message notifications.
The only ones who would send messages so frequently at this time were Li Hua and the others. He just took out his phone when he heard a sound again coming from outside.
It sounded like a vibration. He remembered that Secretary Chen’s phone was outside.
Indeed, it was his phone ringing. He stood up, went to the living room, and picked up the phone. As he glanced down, he saw the caller ID, and his movements paused.
Zhou Kaiji held the phone at the bathroom door and said there was a call, mentioning the caller’s name.
The person inside didn’t hear clearly and asked again, “Who’s calling?”
Zhou Kaiji said, “Yuan Yan.”
Chen Luosong told him to answer. If it was important, deal with it; otherwise, say he was in the shower and hang up directly.
Zhou Kaiji agreed and turned back towards the living room.
As soon as the call connected, a voice came through:
“I went to see the place I mentioned to you today…”
“Hello,” Zhou Kaiji raised his eyes and said, “Secretary Chen is in the shower and not available to take calls right now.”
The other end instantly fell silent.
