OSM Chapter 3: They meet again

The view from the observation deck truly lived up to its reputation. Through the spacious floor-to-ceiling windows, the entire A city was spread out below.

On the bustling intercity highways, cars moved in a steady stream, and the constant “beep-beep-beep” of horns filled the air.

It was past 7pm, and the evening rush hour wasn’t over yet.

To make matters worse, certain sections of the road were closed for construction, making the already congested traffic even worse.

In the seven-seater nanny van, there were only four people, including the driver.

Meng Lin, sitting in the front passenger seat, barely dared to breathe. He occasionally glanced at the rearview mirror, exchanging looks with Xiao Yue, the makeup artist sitting in the second row.

The two were too far apart to communicate effectively and ended up exchanging confused expressions for a while. Finally, Meng Lin pulled out his phone and gestured that they should type instead.

Xiao Yue nodded in agreement and gently typed on his phone: “Why does it feel a little cold in here? Is the AC on?”

Meng Lin replied: “It’s late September. Who’s still using the AC?”

Xiao Yue shivered and typed: “Then look back and see if our ge is still asleep.”

Meng Lin replied instantly: “You’re closer. You look.”

Xiao Yue hesitated: “I can’t! When I made eye contact with him for one second after work today, I almost wet my skirt in fear!”

Meng Lin’s mouth twitched: “You’re exaggerating.”

Xiao Yue replied: “If it’s not an exaggeration, why don’t you look back?”

Meng Lin considered it seriously for a few seconds, then slowly turned his head 45 degrees before quickly turning back. Nervously, he thought it might be safer to check through the rearview mirror. This glance was enough to meet a pair of dark, intense eyes staring back at him. Startled, he straightened his posture and quickly typed: “Awake.”

Xiao Yue shivered even more and typed in an even lighter tap: “No wonder it’s so cold… What’s wrong with our ge lately? His mood is so heavy it’s scary. Who angered him?”

Meng Lin replied: “Who would dare? If my guess is right, it probably has something to do with this reunion.”

Xiao Yue asked: “Didn’t Yuze-ge always ignore these kinds of gatherings before? Why did he agree this time?”

Meng Lin admitted he didn’t know but recalled that the invitation from Jiang Cheng this time was a little different, specifically mentioning someone named He Zhiqiu.

Xiao Yue asked: “Who’s He Zhiqiu?”

Meng Lin replied: “Not sure. But as soon as that name was mentioned, our boss immediately agreed to go. I also feel like I’ve heard that name somewhere before. It sounds familiar.”

After another half an hour of being stuck in traffic with no signs of improvement, Meng Lin wasn’t particularly worried. He had already called Jiang Cheng’s assistant to inform them of the delay. Sneaking another glance in the rearview mirror, he noticed those dark eyes were now looking out the window. Relieved, he relaxed a little and leaned back to rest—only to hear someone say, “Open the door.”

The voice was low and firm, with a slight gravelly texture.

It was obviously not the driver.

And definitely not Xiao Yue.

Meng Lin quickly turned around and uncertainly asked, “Ge, what did you say?”

Li Yuze, sitting in the last row, was still looking out the window. “Open the car door.”

Meng Lin hesitated. “But we’re not at the hotel yet…”

“I said open it. Why so much nonsense?” Li Yuze frowned and shot him an impatient look.

Not daring to argue, Meng Lin immediately instructed the driver to open the door and gestured for Xiao Yue to get out with her makeup kit.

“Ge, the road will clear soon. I’ve already spoken to Jiang Cheng’s assistant and told them to wait a little longer… Hey, ge! Ge—!”

Before Meng Lin could finish, Li Yuze had already stepped off the road and started running along the stationary traffic.

Xiao Yue hesitated with her makeup kit in hand but dropped it as soon as she saw Li Yuze running off. “Meng Lin! The boss ran off!”

“I see that!” Meng Lin wanted to chase after him but hesitated, looking at the congested cars and Li Yuze’s completely unguarded outfit. He first called the PR department before pulling Xiao Yue along to follow.

Fortunately, the traffic jam was not far from the address Jiang Cheng had provided, and there weren’t many onlookers along the way. They managed to proceed without much trouble.

It was just before eight o’clock when Li Yuze arrived at the hotel entrance and stopped in his tracks.

When Meng Lin caught up, his tie had slipped to the back of his neck. He wiped his sweat and was about to accompany him inside, but Li Yuze fixated on the revolving hotel door and didn’t move.

“Ge…” Meng Lin, who had worked with him for years, still couldn’t fully grasp his temper. Cautiously, he asked, “Shall we go in?”

Li Yuze didn’t respond. Once his breathing steadied, he finally said to the reflection in the revolving door, “Let’s go.”

The reunion on the top floor was still ongoing.

Because of Li Yuze’s fame, no one had left. Everyone was eagerly waiting for this superstar who had truly taken the world by storm. Even if they couldn’t get a group photo, just standing nearby and snapping a picture would be enough to brag about for a long time. Jiang Cheng held a wine glass, chatting with classmates who came to greet him, occasionally glancing at the recently returned He Zhiqiu with a meaningful smile.

He knew there must be some hidden secrets between Li Yuze and He Zhiqiu.

Although he wasn’t clear about the specifics, the prospect of this dramatic reunion after years of separation and so much change was intriguing.

He raised his hand to check the time and focused on the elevator countdown.

With a soft ding, the elevator doors opened again, and Li Yuze stepped out, his face expressionless.

“Oh my gosh! Li Yuze! It’s really Li Yuze!” Xu Lanlan tried to keep her voice low, covering her mouth as she let out a muted scream. “I haven’t seen him in person for almost ten years! Where’s my camera, where’s my camera?”

Tao Yang was also a bit excited. “It’s been years for me too. I had the chance to interview him when he first became famous, but after I stopped covering the entertainment industry, I never got the chance again. Now he barely shows up in the media—only for essential movie promotions. He’s practically invisible otherwise.” Taking a sip of red wine, he added, “Still, even with such rare appearances, he regularly dominates the trending charts. If he showed up more often, no one else would even get a chance to make the headlines.”

Tao Yang couldn’t quite figure it out and asked He Zhiqiu, “What is it about him? A married male celebrity—where does he get this kind of charm that keeps everyone hooked?”

He Zhiqiu had already zoned out, staring blankly at the elevator entrance. It wasn’t until Tao Yang asked the question that he blinked, his hand holding the wine glass trembling slightly.

Through the crowd gathering around, he finally saw Li Yuze.

Li Yuze was looking at him too, his gaze unwavering.

He Zhiqiu replayed Tao Yang’s last question in his mind, then silently greeted Li Yuze with a small nod before curving his lips into a faint smile.