Chapter 57: The White Swan That Could Not Be Kept

Zhou Luoyao felt a twinge of melancholy. All of these girls were good friends of Jiang Yuwan, having flown in with her from the capital just to enjoy themselves in Wuzhou.
Just moments ago, when facing Jiang Yuwan, Zhou Luoyao had taken the initiative to introduce Lin Cheng as a newcomer.
Yet Jiang Yuwan had not bothered to introduce her own circle of friends in return.
Zhou Luoyao recognized a few of them; their relationship with Jiang Yuwan was identical to the lifelong bond she shared with Zheng Nange.
Did this imply that, in Jiang Yuwan’s heart, her inner circle of "her own people" had no need to intersect with Wuzhou's circle of Zheng Nange?
Was having Zheng Nange alone enough for her?
Zhou Luoyao shook her head, berating herself for being petty. Jiang Yuwan would surely not be so calculating; she was always so warm and graceful.
Lin Cheng took in everything before him. Everyone's youth holds both joy and regret in equal measure... and one must navigate that journey entirely on their own.
Jiang Yuwan had already become the focal point of the room, and the onlookers vaguely sensed that Zheng Nange held deep romantic affections for her.
Yet, judging by Jiang Yuwan's practiced, socialite-like demeanor, Zheng Nange was likely no different to her than anyone else in the crowd.
The aura of mystery surrounding Zheng Nange had faded somewhat; he seemed so steadfastly composed that it was almost exasperating.
This left the girls from the capital feeling a bit underwhelmed. One by one, they went off to grab wine glasses, hit the buffet, and chat with familiar acquaintances.
"Yuwan, you're free tomorrow, right? Let's all head over to Qingwan. The hot springs and barbecue there are fantastic."
Someone extended an invitation to Jiang Yuwan.
Everyone knew this young woman was destined to be a prominent socialite. Despite studying abroad, her influence among her peers in the capital's elite circles was considerable.
"Really? That sounds lovely!" Jiang Yuwan smiled and glanced sideways at Zheng Nange. "If nobody else has claimed my time, I suppose I'll go."
Having seen off one group, another quickly took their place. After exchanging a few perfunctory words, Jiang Yuwan turned her head and pouted playfully at Zheng Nange, saying, "Hey, I'm thirsty."
"Oh," Zheng Nange stammered, trotting over to the table to fetch a beverage.
Meanwhile, a few of Jiang Yuwan's close friends were showing curiosity toward Lin Cheng. Lin Cheng responded to them politely, though his attention remained mostly fixed on Zheng Nange's expression.
This reaction only served to draw a trace of quiet disdain from Jiang Yuwan.
Just as Zheng Nange returned with a glass of orange juice, Jiang Yuwan murmured a "thank you" and gestured toward the seating area nearby.
Once the two of them were finally seated alone together, Jiang Yuwan leaned forward to massage an ankle that had been chafed by her high heels. The gesture was graceful, and—emmm—rather alluring.
Raising her head, Jiang Yuwan gave Zheng Nange a soft sigh. "Actually, Nange, I really don't wish to see you like this."
Zheng Nange looked momentarily stunned.
"You're simply too good to people. How should I put it? Perhaps you're wonderful, and you give people a sense of security, but there's always something missing."
"Perhaps it's a lack of surprises and unexpected thrills," Zheng Nange said flatly, a touch of melancholy in his voice.
Between them, their relationship had mostly existed as an idealized notion rather than a truly free and unrestrained romance.
Sensing a shift in the atmosphere, Jiang Yuwan raised a slender hand and pressed the air gently. "Alright, that's just my personal feeling. Just be yourself."
A heavy silence fell between them.
Jiang Yuwan still harbored a lingering incomprehension regarding Zheng Nange's departure from the capital back then. After all, Zheng Qun was a highly prominent figure among the red-third-generation elite, yet he had chosen to uproot his child and leave. Was returning truly impossible?
Rumors had it that the political currents beneath the surface in Jiangdong Province were turbulent right now; would he end up caught in the crossfire?
Compared to the standout young men within the inner-courtyard circles, today's Zheng Nange already lagged far behind.
After a long pause, Jiang Yuwan spoke again. "I suddenly feel like you've changed somewhat. You aren't as flamboyant as you used to be."
"Is that so? Perhaps it's because I've been away for too long," Zheng Nange replied with a faint smile, though his heart tasted bitter.
"Maybe." Jiang Yuwan seemed somewhat distracted.
Not far away, a prominent group of people caught sight of Jiang Yuwan and Zheng Nange tucked away in the corner, and they began walking toward them.
Leading the group was a man in his mid-twenties wearing rimless glasses. He was quite tall and looked significantly more mature than the others.
Before they even reached the table, Jiang Yuwan and Zheng Nange had already stood up.
"Brother Xiaou!" Jiang Yuwan smiled lightly, a hint of shyness coloring her features.
"Yang Jun mentioned today that you'd be coming, so I rushed right over to check in. The last time you came back, you left after just a few days without us even getting to catch up properly. So, will you be able to stay a bit longer this time?"
"Brother Xiaou" smiled with an easygoing confidence. Not only did he possess a mature appearance, but he also radiated an innate sense of self-assurance.
Dressed in a blue shirt and a light gray casual vest, every single button on his attire was meticulously fastened.
The moment he appeared, he usurped Jiang Yuwan to become the new center of attention.
Jiang Yuwan offered a gentle smile. "My last visit was just for the half-term break, but this time it's the winter holiday, so I can stay much longer. What about you? I heard your uncle handed the southwestern operations over to you. That's impressive."
"It's just the protection of the family umbrella. Not like you—your academics are thriving, and you've grown even more gorgeous. Who knows how many young men have had their hearts broken in America!"
Hu Xiaou chuckled heartily, then turned and reached out a large hand to clap Zheng Nange reassuringly on the shoulder.
"Nange, playing the roadblock between Yuwan and all the other guys again, are we?"
Hu Xiaou then turned back to address the cluster of men trailing behind him.
"Let me introduce everyone. This is our esteemed young lady, Jiang Yuwan."
"And this is Secretary Zheng Qun's son. Some of you might have seen him before; we used to run around together all the time years ago. Look at him now—quite the handsome fellow."
This revelation left more than a few people stunned. Hu Xiaou was on such casual, bantering terms with the municipal party secretary's son?
It seemed this Marriott heir had known everyone in the capital's elite circle since childhood.
Zheng Qun had always maintained a scholarly, refined public image in the media, and judging by his facial features, his son naturally inherited that gentle disposition.
"Hu Xiaou was someone Jiang Yuwan admired deeply when she was little. He's very assertive and acted like an older brother to our entire circle, always organizing games for us back then."
Noticing Lin Cheng's perplexity regarding the familiarity between Hu Xiaou and Zheng Nange, Zhou Luoyao lowered her voice to explain.
"Back when we used to play war games in Fengshan, Zheng Nange was shorter than the rest of us, so Brother Xiaou would always assign him to be the vanguard scout and things like that."
"We all idolized him back then. We lost touch a bit when he moved to Wuzhou, but now he's the heir to the Marriott hotel chain. His cousin Yang Jun has always been insufferable, though."
Zhou Luoyao thought to herself that given Jiang Yuwan's capricious and willful nature, she probably wouldn't have bothered coming if Yang Jun was the only draw—she was clearly here for the sake of Brother Xiaou, whom she had always looked up to.
Someone in the crowd recognized Lin Cheng and whispered to a companion, "Look at the guy standing next to Zheng Nange. His father is the chairman of the Lin Group!"
"That's nothing. See that guy in all black over there? His name is Qi Yu, and his dad is the head of the Propaganda Department. He wanted to study music instead of books, so his father packed him off to the Sichuan Conservatory affiliated high school, and he even opened his own bar! He's already quite the minor celebrity in the local nightlife scene."
"Brother Xiaou's family owns over a dozen Marriott hotel branches nationwide. You can see his name on the billionaire wealth lists every single year."
"To be honest, if Jiang Yuwan ends up with Brother Xiaou, I could actually accept it. Zheng Nange simply doesn't deserve her..."
The girl speaking clearly loved watching the drama unfold and didn't care how much chaos it caused.
Who knew what ancient grudges or lingering bitterness she harbored, but she seemed determined to single out Zheng Nange.
In truth, she and her close girlfriends had long since mocked Zheng Nange behind his back: Jiang Yuwan was a swan he could never hope to capture.