Chapter 21: An Appointment with a Beauty (Requesting Votes)

At five o'clock, Zhou Zhihan found an empty track and ran several laps. Drenched in sweat, he felt incredibly refreshed, and the lingering scent of alcohol was swept away.

Returning to the dormitory, he found it completely empty. Following the boisterous drinking session that afternoon, the cadets had been swept up by the alcohol and had all gone out in search of further amusement.

After showering and changing into a newly purchased pair of shorts and socks, he tossed his discarded undergarments into the trash bin. He sniffed his undershirt; it still smelled clean, so he decided to make do and not change it. It was his way of being a thrifty, diligent student who helped the military academy save water—a habit he had maintained back in his high school and college days before traveling through time.

He pulled on a pair of jeans, threw on a windbreaker, donned a black student cap, and wrapped a black scarf in a modern, stylish fashion. Then, he hopped on his bicycle and headed out the academy gates.

Two different guards were on duty at the gate. They greeted Zhou Zhihan with smiles; he had often shared fine cigarettes with them in the past.

Zhou Zhihan finally understood now: his previous display of wealth had been an accidental success in capturing the attention of a wealthy woman. Just that morning, simply by accompanying her for tea, pastries, and conversation, he had pocketed over 90 dollars. In 1936, the purchasing power of 100 dollars was enough to hire five young ladies to play volleyball with him on the beach.

Passing by the Tangren Tea House, he saw the stout owner still napping behind the counter, clutching that same copy of the I Ching. Shu Qin was sitting on a stool, lost in thought, seemingly preoccupied with some hidden concern.

After turning several corners and crossing a few main streets, Zhou Zhihan locked his bike in front of a bar and walked about a kilometer to a secluded alleyway, where he spotted He Ningyu’s Ford.

He Ningyu was waiting for him at their usual spot after finishing work. While the comfort of this Ford couldn't compare to the little QQ car Zhou Zhihan had owned before his journey, the interior craftsmanship rivaled a 21st-century Mercedes S-Class. Most notably, it lacked the smell of plastic or formaldehyde, retaining only the natural scent of wood and leather upholstery.

"Zhihan, tonight I want to take you to see another property my family owns in New York. Before this, only my parents and I have ever stayed there. You are the first person other than them I have ever brought along."

One truly shouldn't take everything a beautiful woman says at face value; she had never mentioned her family owned other properties in New York. But that didn't matter. What mattered was that He Ningyu was an only child.

Sitting beside her, breathing in the faint fragrance she wore, Zhou Zhihan felt his heart tighten, and he sat in the seat with an air of restraint. He adjusted his posture to appear more relaxed.

Looking at He Ningyu from the side, she was so beautiful that he found it hard to look away. It was no wonder his predecessor hadn't fully won her over after all this time. Beyond his own cowardice, the fact that He Ningyu was so stunning and from such a wealthy family had made the predecessor feel intimidated.

Some men are like that: seemingly suave and natural in casual conversation, yet the moment they encounter a woman they truly adore to their core, they become timid, insecure, and anxious, fearing loss to the point of self-effacement, eventually losing themselves in the process.

After twenty minutes of driving, they arrived in front of 21 Bruce Street.

Oh! It was a villa.

The villa wasn't massive, but it was exquisitely built and situated in an elegant environment—the perfect place to escape disturbances and enjoy a peaceful life with family on weekends. The interior wasn't overly luxurious, favoring warm tones and complete furnishings that gave it a homely, relaxing, and liberating feel.

Once inside and the lights were on, He Ningyu first lit the firewood in the fireplace, bringing a touch of warmth to the room. She went to the small bar, picked up a bottle of 1918 wine, opened it with practiced ease, and took two stemmed glasses from the rack. She poured wine to one-sixth of the capacity of each glass, handed one to Zhou Zhihan, and held the other between three fingers, swirling it gracefully before clinking her glass against his.

"Clink!"

The glasses rang softly. He Ningyu took a delicate sip, her clear eyes looking at Zhou Zhihan with deep affection.

The night air in New York was still quite cold. Moments later, the fire in the fireplace roared, and the room became as warm as spring.

"Zhihan, why don't you go take a bath? On the way here, I noticed your shirt hadn't been washed in at least a day." He Ningyu bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushed, and she looked down. "Though, I must admit, I like the scent."

See? This was the benefit of not wanting to wash one's undergarments. A man needs to have a bit of a masculine edge.

Zhou Zhihan kept a straight face: "But if I take a bath, I don't have any clean undergarments to change into."

A shy look suddenly crossed He Ningyu’s face: "There are bath towels in the bathroom. You can just... you can wrap yourself in one..." Her voice grew quieter, and by the time she reached the end, the words were as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

Zhou Zhihan froze. He had set out tonight determined to help his predecessor win over He Ningyu, but given the current situation, it seemed He Ningyu was the one trying to win him over!

After two seconds of stunned silence, a look of surprise, joy, and anticipation appeared on his face. He grabbed He Ningyu’s hand: "Ningyu... I... can I stay tonight?"

"Oh my..." He Ningyu gently pulled her hand away. "You're hurting me..."

She turned away bashfully and murmured, "From tonight on, promise me you'll always be good to me. Can you?"

Zhou Zhihan stepped forward and held her arms: "Ningyu, I promise... I will love only you for the rest of my life. You have to believe me, I..."

"Alright, alright! If I didn't believe you, I wouldn't have brought you here!" He Ningyu said, bowing her head and turning away, unable to look him in the face. She nudged him, "Go on, go on! Once you come out... I want to take a bath, too."

These words, too, were barely audible.

He Ningyu’s bashful demeanor was so beautiful that Zhou Zhihan was mesmerized, only heading into the bathroom after a long, lingering moment.

The bathroom’s hot water pipes were connected to the fireplace; as the firewood burned and the fireplace heated up, hot water circulated into the bathroom’s supply system.

Zhou Zhihan began to undress. He opened the shoe cabinet, but it only contained a few pairs of women’s slippers. They were very small, and his feet were cramped, but he had to make do.

Above the slippers were drawers and cabinets for clothing. Zhou Zhihan opened a drawer, and it was filled with He Ningyu’s undergarments. Another drawer was packed with swimsuits of various colors and styles. The wardrobe contained pajamas and beach hats.

In the bathtub, hot water was running. He didn't know what kind of spices He Ningyu had put in the water, but the scent made his heart race.

He stepped under the faucet and turned on the hot water. After a while, the bathroom was filled with steam, like a fairyland. Zhou Zhihan lathered up with soap, his body covered in foam, scrubbing away.

"Creak!"

The bathroom door opened.

"Zhihan, I’ve taken your clothes out. They get damp easily in the bathroom. I’ve washed your shirt and hung it by the fireplace; you can wear it tomorrow morning."

Hearing this, Zhou Zhihan quickly covered himself with his hands. Just as his heart began to race, "Bang!" the door was gently closed again.

Ten minutes later, Zhou Zhihan finished. He gave his wet hair a quick wipe and walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a bath towel.