Chen Zhizhong’s first impression of Xiao Heling’s mother was a positive one.
Upon learning that her family was coming to England, Xiao Heling felt as though she had invited a catastrophe upon herself, falling into a state of panicked helplessness. Chen Zhizhong, conversely, remained calm, adopting a "come what may" attitude. That was the age when he was at his most confident. Blinded by a few negligible achievements, he believed he had his life entirely under his control.
Mrs. Xiao received him at a small villa on the outskirts of Cambridge. The villa had some years on it, but it was meticulously maintained, with decor that was both archaic and elegant. A butler opened the door, and the cabinets were lined with sterling silver tableware; it looked like a set from a BBC period drama. Mrs. Xiao herself was like a character from a film—beautiful, slender, and possessed of a dignified bearing. She looked extraordinarily young. The afternoon light was pleasant as the two of them sat by a floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the garden, sipping tea and chatting. Mrs. Xiao was cordial, her words humorous yet sharp, and before he knew it, Chen Zhizhong had laid bare his entire background and history.
Unnoticed, the teapot reached its end. Mrs. Xiao rang a bell to summon the butler, but the silver tray he brought did not hold a fresh pot. Instead, it carried a black crocodile-skin wallet.
"I am very glad to have had the opportunity to meet you today, Mr. Chen." Mrs. Xiao continued to smile with elegant warmth as she drew a check from the wallet and placed it gently in front of him. "I hope this figure meets your satisfaction."
Chen Zhizhong didn't react for a moment. "Pardon?"
Mrs. Xiao’s meticulously groomed brows furrowed slightly. "Is it not enough? If I may be blunt, this sum is sufficient for you to purchase a very respectable little villa in the Mid-Levels of Hong Kong. Mr. Chen, one must know when to be content."
Chen Zhizhong did not answer. Mrs. Xiao sat in silence with him for a moment, a bright red smile splitting across her fair cheeks. "The youth of today are truly formidable. I shall double the price for you. With this money, I believe you could find a partner to your liking in any corner of the world."
She picked up a pen from the tray and gently unscrewed the cap. Every movement was composed, as if honed by years of precise training; every twitch of a facial muscle, the rhythm of her breathing, and the movement of her knuckles followed a set of invisible standards. A chill rose through the gaps in Chen Zhizhong’s spine. The beautiful facade—the "painted skin"—melted and cracked, revealing the reality within the fissures. A cold, heartless reality. He suddenly understood Xiao Heling’s rebellion, her innocence, her weakness, and her fear. Would his girl one day turn into this?
It was more than just love; a surge of righteous indignation rose from his core. Chen Zhizhong gripped the check with both hands and tore it. Then he tore it again. The sound of paper ripping was as crisp as splitting silk in the silence; with every tear, the smile on Mrs. Xiao’s face faded a fraction more.
Once it could be torn no further, Chen Zhizhong loosened his grip. The cream-colored paper blossoms fluttered down from his fingers like a miniature snowfall. He brushed the remnants of the "snow" from his lap and stood up. "It is a pity you do not believe me. But time will prove that I love your daughter, and I will do my utmost to treat her well."
He did not linger, turning to walk out. Mrs. Xiao’s voice drifted from behind him, neither loud nor soft. "Mr. Chen, are you truly certain you won't regret this?"
Chen Zhizhong smiled. Without waiting for the servant, he opened the study door himself and walked out. The foyer was right before him, and in the distance, he could see butterflies dancing in the small garden. The sky was a clear, transparent blue, mirroring his current state of mind.
How could he possibly regret it? he thought. This was the most correct decision he had ever made in his life.
Though it was the right decision, he felt a pang of apology toward Xiao Heling in his heart. It hadn't been his intention to part with Mrs. Xiao on such bad terms, but a young man’s pride would not allow for such disparagement. In the end, he had chosen the most vehement way to refuse her.
Xiao Heling would understand him, Chen Zhizhong told himself. The worst-case scenario was simply that she would have to learn to save money and live the life of a normal person for a while.
Love makes one great, but it also makes one ugly. Soaked in the high-concentration worship and dependence of a young girl twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, he had gradually lost the ability to maintain an objective and clear perception of the world. He had both overestimated his own abilities and underestimated a mother’s determination to protect her child—regardless of whether that determination was right or wrong.
That very night, Xiao Heling evaporated from the university.
Her phone wouldn't go through, she didn't reply to pager messages, and there was no sign of her in the dorms, classrooms, gym, cafeteria, supermarket, or the small bars and gardens they frequented. Chen Zhizhong searched for half the night, a premonition of doom gathering in his heart. Yet, before he could devise a solution, he was summoned to the Department Head’s office early the next morning.
The Department Head was an amiable Englishman, prematurely balding with a full beard. He laughed often, revealing two rows of bright, snowy-white teeth that made him look like he could play Santa Claus. Now, "Santa Claus" watched him with a sorrowful, disappointed gaze. Utterly bewildered, Chen Zhizhong watched as the man pulled a document from his drawer.
"I regret to inform you that you have been expelled."
It was a bolt from the blue. Chen Zhizhong’s entire body went rigid, and his vision blurred. He was still sitting in the office, but the Department Head’s voice grew faint, as if muffled by an invisible curtain.
"You are a very talented student. If you were experiencing financial difficulties, you should have told the university sooner. We would have done our best to find a way for you."
"Chen, I truly feel sorry for you."
