Chapter 10: Hypocrisy in Disguise
As evening approached, Cheng Feng drove the business van slowly up to the small courtyard. It was about an hour and a half on the road, and now the alley entrance to Yunhai Road was just ahead. The western clouds swirled in the sky, and An Tong stood in the slanting sunlight, glancing back to say goodbye to the man in the car.
The sky was still bright; Rong Shen didn’t get out. He tilted his head, looking at the girl bathed in the glow of the sunset. “Go on home. Call me if you need anything.”
His words were brief and warm, reminiscent of a benevolent elder. An Tong nodded, smiling lightly, and turned to walk away at an unhurried pace.
Perhaps there had been too many misfortunes in her life, but in just a few brief encounters, this gentle and upright mentor had left an indelible mark on the barren soil of An Tong’s heart.
Maybe, when the mind opens up, the days ahead won’t be so hard after all.
After An Tong left, Cheng Feng watched in the rearview mirror as the man’s gaze followed her departure. He hesitated and asked, “Master Rong, shall we… head out?”
He really couldn’t figure out why Master Rong would devote so much patience and energy to Miss An. An Tong was certainly beautiful, but women more beautiful and charming than her were everywhere. And Master Rong’s admirers were all exceptional in their own right—take, for example, the top socialite from Hong Kong who pursued him, or the heiress who had been secretly in love with him for years.
Yet, the refined and distinguished Master Rong showed favor only to the impoverished, ordinary An Tong.
It was a curiosity.
Perhaps sensing Cheng Feng’s scrutiny, the man glanced at the rearview mirror and said in a deep voice, “Back to the manor.”
...
A dreamless night.
At three thirty in the morning, An Tong stepped out into the thick darkness. Before dawn, the airport was bustling with travelers crossing the halls, and as flights arrived, more and more people gathered at the pickup area.
An Tong stood at the edge of the barricade, waiting for about half an hour until a group of men and women pushed their luggage out from the exit.
Each of them was dressed in striking fashion—the men in stylish casual suits, the girls in vivid fur-trimmed skirts and black stockings, their outfits loud and attention-grabbing.
“Are those celebrities? Why are people taking pictures?”
“Must be staged shots. These influencers really take themselves seriously.”
“No wonder, such high-profile behavior—definitely internet celebrities.”
An Tong overheard these comments but said nothing, her gaze resting on one person, smiling quietly as she watched.
Soon, the influencers circled around the barricade, crowding around a figure, chattering, “Sister Su, which gate is our shuttle?”
The woman addressed as Sister Su was scanning her surroundings; compared to the others, her attire was simple and businesslike. Hearing their childish questions, she snapped back, “The notice is in the group chat, check it yourself.”
Clearly, she had a fiery temperament.
She was Su Ji, twenty-five years old, an agent at the influencer company, and the confidante An Tong cherished most.
After a few more instructions to the group, Su Ji turned and pushed her luggage cart away. The influencers exchanged glances, well aware of Su Ji’s character, and had no choice but to find the shuttle themselves.
On the other side, Su Ji approached An Tong, gently bumping her leg with the cart. “Miss, I’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“I saw you were busy, so I didn’t want to interrupt,” An Tong said, her eyes mischievous.
Su Ji feigned annoyance, then nodded toward the cart, “Get on. Big sister will take you home.”
An Tong looked down and shook her head, politely refusing, “I’m fine today, no need…”
“Just get on,” Su Ji insisted, pulling An Tong onto the luggage cart. “Sit tight.”
And so, An Tong sat atop the cart, like an obedient child, as Su Ji pushed her all the way to the parking lot.
...
At six thirty in the morning, Su Ji’s SUV stopped at the apartment on Xiangnan Road.
Once inside, An Tong hugged a cushion and sprawled across the sofa arm, at ease and content. Su Ji dropped her suitcase to the floor, searching through her things while observing An Tong.
After more than a month apart, the girl had become noticeably more open and cheerful, no longer shrouded in gloom as before.
Su Ji pulled out a few foreign books from her suitcase and tossed them onto An Tong’s lap, then lifted her chin to study her closely. “Sweetheart, something’s different about you, isn’t it?”
An Tong tilted her head away, the corners of her mouth turning up. “Recently… I’ve been getting therapy.”
“Really?” Su Ji sat down on the carpet, pinching An Tong’s cheeks playfully. “I’m so relieved. At least my worrying wasn’t wasted.”
An Tong returned to her old saying—one must live, after all.
Su Ji was the only one who knew the truth of An Tong’s family tragedy. Hearing this somewhat downcast reply, she didn’t find it strange. “You think too much. Come, tell me, where are you getting therapy?”
An Tong answered honestly.
...
Perhaps too curious about her transformation, Su Ji asked a few more questions about the therapist. After listening, her expression grew odd. “These days, a therapist in a white coat described as a gentleman? You haven’t been watching soap operas, have you?”
Before An Tong could speak, Su Ji squinted suspiciously, “He’d better not be a sham. With your pretty face, a gentleman might not have such pure intentions.”
An Tong frowned and earnestly defended Rong Shen.
Su Ji smiled ambiguously, “The more I hear, the more he sounds like a hypocritical, pretentious guy.”
Unable to argue, An Tong lowered her head, picking at her fingers, lips pressed tight, even her expression dulled.
“Don’t let it get to you,” Su Ji hastily relented. “Fine, fine, he’s a gentleman, the gentleman, the most gentlemanly man in the world.”
An Tong lifted her head, her voice soft. “He truly is.”
She didn’t think Rong Shen was pretentious. On the contrary, he was courteous, thoughtful, and no one fit the word ‘gentleman’ better.
Su Ji, still unsettled: “…”
What a clever act!
In the end, Su Ji suppressed her doubts, determined to meet this ‘refined gentleman’ one day. Whether he could truly help An Tong was yet to be seen, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that he was deliberately playing a role.
In a world muddied by glamour, where could one find a true gentleman anymore?
Ridiculous.
...
At eight thirty in the morning, the two finished breakfast at a bun shop downstairs, and An Tong was ready to head to work at the magazine.
Su Ji, exhausted after a dozen hours on a plane, watched her with tired eyes. “How long do you plan to stick with that lousy part-time job?”
Fifty yuan a day couldn’t even cover the maintenance costs for An Tong’s high-tech gadgets at home.
An Tong stood, looking at the busy street. “I don’t know. I’ll keep at it for now.”
Su Ji thought of something, almost spoke, then swallowed her words. “Alright, let’s go. I’ll drive you.”