The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

The September sun carried the warmth of late summer, and the Kyoto University campus was bustling with people.

At 10:30 a.m., Shen Qingyao dragged her silver suitcase into the campus.

The white T-shirt made her skin appear even whiter, and the denim shorts accentuated her straight and slender legs. Her black hair was casually tied into a high ponytail.

Shen Qingyao followed the red signs along the way toward the reporting area.

"Hey, what department are you in? Let me help you with your luggage!" A sunny and handsome face came into view, holding a basketball in his hand.

Several second-year students wearing volunteer vests saw Shen Qingyao and their eyes lit up. They rushed over to her.

"Junior, let me help you with your luggage!"

"I'll take you to your dorm; I know the way!"

"Junior, I've taken the new students to their dorms several times already, I know the way better than anyone!"

"Junior, the keychain on your suitcase is quite cute."

Amidst their enthusiastic chatter, there was an undisguised eagerness.

Shen Qingyao saw through their intentions at a glance—they wanted to woo her—and quickly waved her hand in refusal: "Thank you, seniors, but no need to trouble yourself, I can manage on my own!"

But her refusal had no effect. "How can you do that? How can a girl like you carry something so heavy!"

A senior student had already reached out to take her suitcase, his tone so eager it was hard to resist.

Shen Qingyao was somewhat helpless and could only back away while politely declining again, resulting in a slightly tense situation.

Meanwhile, at the other end of Wutong Avenue, Meng Jiangyu was walking slowly, surrounded by several school leaders.

He wore a well-tailored dark gray shirt, stood tall and straight, and exuded the composure and authority of someone who had long held a high position.

As a member of the Kyoto University Board of Trustees, visiting the university on the first day of each academic year is a regular activity. At this moment, he was listening to the president report on the enrollment of new students, but his gaze inadvertently swept over the bustling scene in front of him.

When Meng Jiangyu saw the white figure surrounded by volunteers, he paused almost imperceptibly.

A hint of surprise flashed in those deep eyes; it was the girl in the pea-green cheongsam he had met at Lingyin Temple.

Having shed the classical charm of the cheongsam, she appeared even more youthful and radiant in casual wear. The liveliness in her eyes was completely different from her previous devotion, yet it was equally captivating.

Shen Qingyao happened to look up and was caught off guard when she met Meng Jiangyu's gaze.

When she saw who it was, her heart skipped a beat, and she opened her eyes wide in surprise.

It was that man I caught a glimpse of at Lingyin Temple!

His features remain so striking that it's impossible to look away.

The moment their eyes met, time seemed to slow down.

Shen Qingyao's cheeks flushed slightly, and she subconsciously looked away.

Meng Jiangyu's eyes darkened, and he subtly gave Jason a look beside him.

Meng Jiangyu didn't stop and continued walking forward. In the brief moment they brushed past each other, his gaze couldn't help but linger on Shen Qingyao for a second longer.

Jason immediately understood, walked over to Shen Qingyao, nodded slightly to the group of enthusiastic senior students, and said in a polite but authoritative tone: "Thank you for your kindness, everyone. I'll take care of the luggage."

He was tall and straight, wearing a black suit, and clearly not a student. The volunteers were taken aback for a moment, but seeing that Shen Qingyao had a companion, they had no choice but to stop and leave dejectedly.

Shen Qingyao breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you so much just now, otherwise I wouldn't know how to get away."

Jason nodded slightly, maintaining a proper distance, his tone respectful yet not aloof: "How should I address you, classmate?"

"My name is Shen Qingyao!"

"Don't mention it, Shen. My boss asked me to come and help out."

"Who is your boss?" Shen Qingyao was stunned for a moment, then realized what he meant.

"My boss's surname is Meng!"

A hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, and she gently clenched the hem of her clothes, a thought rising in her mind to thank her in person.

Who wouldn't want to look at handsome men more often, hoping it will prolong their life?

But then he thought again, he didn't look like an ordinary person. He was in a high position and had many affairs to attend to. His help just now was probably just a casual act on a whim. If he stepped forward rashly, he might disturb him.

After a moment's thought, she said earnestly to Jason, "Please tell Mr. Meng that I am very grateful for his help."

Jason had followed Meng Jiangyu for many years and knew that his boss would never bother with trivial people and things. It was unusual that he took the initiative to help him out today.

He suppressed his doubts and asked calmly, "Excuse me, would it be convenient for you to leave your contact information? In case the boss responds later, I can let you know promptly."

Shen Qingyao didn't think much of it and took it as a polite inquiry, so she gave him her phone number.

Jason quickly jotted it down, then said, "I'll contact you immediately if there's any news," before turning and hurrying after Meng Jiangyu in the direction he had gone.

As Shen Qingyao watched his retreating figure, she still felt a pang of emotion.

That gentleman was not only handsome, but also kind-hearted.

-

A black Rolls-Royce Phantom lay quietly under the shade of a sycamore tree, its body lines sleek and majestic.

Jason strode forward, opened the car door, and sat in the passenger seat. His movements were swift and respectful, without the slightest hesitation.

"President Meng." He turned to the side, his gaze falling on the man in the back seat who was resting with his eyes closed.

Meng Jiangyu slowly opened his eyes, his deep gaze devoid of any extra emotion. His fingertips were still unconsciously stroking the Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist, and his voice was low and steady: "How is the situation?"

"We've already helped Shen Qingyao out of that predicament, and the volunteers have all left."

Jason reported truthfully, paused, and then added, "Student Shen asked me to tell you that she is very grateful for your help."

Meng Jiangyu's eyes deepened almost imperceptibly, and a faint smile curved his lips, so quickly it was impossible to catch.

"Hmm," he responded, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.

Seeing this, Jason quickly handed over the contact information he had written down: "This is Shen's phone number."

Meng Jiangyu glanced at the string of numbers, took the phone with his fingertips, and tapped the screen lightly to save the information.

He didn't say much, but simply closed his eyes again. The bright figure in a white T-shirt and a high ponytail under the sycamore tree appeared in his mind again, overlapping with the elegant pea green of Lingyin Temple, becoming even clearer.

"Back to the company," he said calmly after a long silence.

The Rolls-Royce smoothly drove away from the school gate and merged into the traffic. The man in the back seat still kept his eyes closed, resting. "Compile all her information and send it to me within three days."

"Yes, Mr. Meng!"

-

When Shen Qingyao dragged her suitcase up to the fourth floor, her arms were so sore she could barely lift them, and she was covered in sweat.

Finding the room number for 407, she took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door.

"Please come in!" A cheerful and loud female voice called out, with a distinct northern accent.

Shen Qingyao pushed open the door and went in; it instantly felt much cooler.

The dormitory is a four-person room with bunk beds and desks underneath. The two seats by the window have already been prepared.

A girl wearing a bright T-shirt and with her hair in a high ponytail was sitting on a chair eating an apple. When she saw her come in, she immediately stood up, revealing a face with distinct features, thick eyebrows, big eyes, and an exceptionally infectious smile.

"New roommate? My name is Xiang Yu, from Inner Mongolia!" The girl walked up to her in a few steps, her voice like a series of ringing bells, "Your suitcase is heavy, let me help you!"

Before Shen Qingyao could react, he reached out and took the handle of the suitcase, deftly dragging it to an empty spot.

"Thank you. My name is Shen Qingyao, and I'm from Wuzhen," Shen Qingyao said quickly.

"I spent a year here in preparatory school, so I know the school inside and out. If you have any questions in the future, just ask me!" Xiang Yu patted his chest confidently.

"Okay, thank you in advance!"

Pointing to the bed opposite, which was already covered with pink sheets, "That's Xu Huihui's spot. She's a sweet girl from Hainan. Her parents brought her here. She just said she's going out to explore Beijing. She probably won't be back until tonight."

Shen Qingyao looked in the direction she pointed and saw that the bed was made neatly and a string of seashell wind chimes hung at the head of the bed.

Just then, the dormitory door was pushed open again, and two people in uniforms walked in. One middle-aged man was pushing four suitcases, and the other two women, who looked like aunties, were carrying neatly folded quilts.

The two of them moved quickly to the last empty bed, made the sheets and put on the duvet cover, their movements as practiced as if they were completing a routine.

"This is Lu Ying's location," Xiang Yu whispered to Shen Qingyao. "She's a local from Jingbei, and I heard her family is very well-off."

How did you know?

"Someone posted about it on the school forum; she's practically a celebrity among this year's freshmen!"

Shen Qingyao nodded, watching the two of them quickly tidy up the previously empty bed, making it neat and tidy. Even the skincare products on the desk were arranged meticulously, and the bottles and jars looked quite valuable.

"Excuse me, student," the man pushing the clothes rack said politely, and Shen Qingyao quickly moved aside.

After the two finished packing and left, only she and Xiang Yu remained in the dormitory for the time being.

Xiang Yu glanced at her watch, then grabbed her backpack from the table. "Qingyao, my classmates from preparatory school invited me out for dinner. Do you want to come along? I can show you the way."

Shen Qingyao quickly waved her hand: "No, no, I haven't packed my things yet. You go ahead, thank you."

She was so tired that she didn't want to move, and she wanted to take advantage of the fact that no one was around to quickly tidy up her little corner.

"Okay, I'm off then. Call me if you need anything!" Xiang Yu waved and hurried out the door.

The dormitory fell completely silent, with only the occasional chirping of cicadas coming from outside the window.

The things Shen Qingyao had sent in advance were already placed near the bed. Shen Qingyao was tidying up her things while listening to music.

She's recently become obsessed with R&B.

After unpacking the items delivered by courier, it was already close to evening when my stomach started growling at an inopportune moment.

Shen Qingyao changed into a clean T-shirt, put her phone in her pocket, locked the dormitory door, and went to the cafeteria for dinner.