Based on the information Sima Jing had revealed, Sima Chen was very likely Brother White. Mengying sat at her desk, her fingers lightly tapping the surface as she analyzed every detail.
Sima Jing's transfer to Anya might not have been a coincidence. That magazine could have been Sima Chen's deliberate arrangement. If her deductions were correct, then all of this was orchestrated by Sima Chen to draw her back. If he had arranged it, then he had always known where she was but never contacted her. Why would he suddenly try to draw her back after disappearing from her life for so many years? What was his purpose?
But since the opponent had already made their move on the chessboard, how could she not take the opportunity to investigate?
Aunt Mei's reluctance matched Mengying's expectations exactly. Her claim of having no money was just an excuse; the real reason was that she didn't want Mengying to go back. Aunt Mei always treated her like a child, keeping her within her protective sphere. But that wasn't a problem. If Aunt Mei wouldn't give her the money, her newly won scholarship was enough to cover this trip.
Now the decision was whether to go directly to Daheng or first to Yunxi to search for clues.
Sima Jing's art exhibition wouldn't begin for another week, so she should have time for a detour to Yunxi first.
Mengying wanted to find out what had happened after she left, whether Brother White had ever returned looking for her. Even if she couldn't discover anything, visiting the house she'd lived in as a child and reconnecting with old friends would at least be a nostalgic journey.
So Mengying decided to go to Yunxi first to gather clues before heading to Daheng to confirm Sima Chen's identity.
Just as Mengying was figuring out how to inform Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang of her plans, Aunt Mei suddenly knocked and entered. "Xiaomeng, you can go to Daheng now."
Mengying looked up, somewhat surprised. "Aunt Mei, why did you suddenly change your mind?"
"Your mother called just now and said she'd transfer money to you right away for your winter break trip," Aunt Mei said, her tone not quite happy.
"Mother called? Let me go talk to her." Mengying stood up.
"Your mother has already hung up," Aunt Mei said, her expression complex.
Hearing Aunt Mei's response, Mengying fell silent for a moment.
So Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang had contacted Mother. They had her contact information but had been keeping it from her all this time.
But Mengying didn't want to dwell on why Mother had hidden this from her right now, because even if she asked Aunt Mei and Uncle Qiang, she wouldn't get answers.
With that thought, Mengying nodded to Aunt Mei. "Then I'll leave tomorrow. But I'll go to Yunxi first, then to Daheng."
Aunt Mei looked at her suspiciously. "Why Yunxi?"
"I want to visit Xiaoyan," Mengying answered matter-of-factly.
After informing Sima Jing and Jiajia that she had other plans and would arrive in Daheng a few days later, Mengying booked a flight to Yunxi for the next day and a hotel reservation for that evening. Though Sima Jing and Jiajia were initially unhappy with her arrangement, they said nothing more once Mengying promised to definitely attend the art exhibition.
While packing, she looked at the chess set Brother White had given her years ago and hesitated for a moment.
Over the years, she'd carried this chess set with her everywhere. But what if she lost it along the way? Yet she couldn't bear to leave it behind.
In the end, she packed it into her suitcase.
The next day, Uncle Qiang drove her to the airport. Aunt Mei didn't accompany them. She had only repeated one more time as Mengying was leaving, "Nannan, it's so dangerous for you to travel so far alone. Why don't you just stay?"
Mengying simply shook her head, hugged Aunt Mei, and left.
The flight to Yunxi was very smooth. Mengying slept on the plane and woke to find they had already arrived at Yunxi airport. It was two o'clock in the afternoon in Yunxi.
Since Mengying had only brought carry-on luggage, she exited the terminal quickly. Outside, she discovered that Yunxi had just had snow. The air after the snowfall was crisp and cold. She planned to get to her hotel quickly and rest.
Just as Mengying reached the taxi stand at the airport exit, a black sedan pulled up and stopped beside her.
The driver rolled down the window and said, "Miss Zhuang, Mr. Sima Chen sent me to pick you up."
The driver knew who she was? Mengying glanced at him. It was Chen Shiwei, Brother White's bodyguard from back then.
So her previous deduction had been correct. Sima Chen was Brother White from all those years ago. And Sima Chen was here in Yunxi too.
"Mr. Chen, it's been a long time," Mengying said in a very calm tone.
"Miss Zhuang has an excellent memory," Chen Shiwei replied pleasantly, then got out to help her with her luggage.
Mengying didn't ask anything more and simply got into the car.
Come what may. Let's see what Sima Chen has to say when I see him.
The car smoothly pulled away from the airport. After a while, they passed through the city and reached the outskirts. The scenery outside the window flew by, and soon Mengying caught sight of the road near her family's villa in Yunxi, the small bridge Uncle Qiang always drove across, and the river she had fallen into when she was six years old. These scenes that often surfaced in her memory looked different now, perhaps because of the snow.
Finally, the compound with its iron gate appeared in Mengying's view. Mengying took a deep breath. This was where Brother White had lived back then. Was he still living here?
Soon after, Chen Shiwei brought Mengying to the study she had once been so familiar with. The study door was closed. The slanting afternoon sun shone on the large windows outside the study door, exactly as she remembered it. Because of the sunlight, Mengying couldn't see clearly inside the study from outside. She turned to look at the artificial lake in front of the study and wondered if there were still fish in the lake in winter.
"Nannan, welcome. It's been so long. You've grown so much," a warm, mature male voice came from the direction of the study.
Mengying came back to herself, turned around, and found that Chen Shiwei, who had been leading the way, had silently left.
Standing at the study door was Brother White. Also, Sima Chen.