The news of the delegation's visit had been published in mainstream newspapers days ago, and the Chinese people, who had always loved a spectacle, wouldn’t miss such a lively event.
When Jiang Si arrived in the morning, the streets were already packed with onlookers.
By now, the crowd had swelled even further.
Yet, Jiang Si spotted Huo Tingzhou in the sea of people at a single glance.
At that moment, he was standing across the street, carrying several large bags of luggage, his face bearing the marks of a long journey.
No wonder… No wonder her entire family had been smiling at her when she woke up that morning.
She had assumed they were simply excited about the day’s visit.
Even Uncle Chen had dropped her off in a hurry before driving away abruptly.
He had claimed to have something urgent to attend to—turns out, he was rushing to pick someone up at the station!
There were several trains from Ha City to Capital City, with the earliest arriving at 8:12 a.m.
That meant Huo Tingzhou had come straight here the moment he stepped off the train.
Clearly, he had taken the time to freshen up on the train just to see her.
He was wearing the white shirt she had bought for him, the sleeves deliberately rolled up to reveal his well-defined arms.
It had only been two months and eighteen days since they last saw each other, yet the moment she laid eyes on him, Jiang Si felt more than just surprise.
Her heart began pounding uncontrollably.
"Ah Si—"
Just as their gazes met, a gentle male voice suddenly called out.
Jiang Si turned her head.
It was Chi Heng.
Unlike their last meeting, today he was dressed exceptionally formally.
A tailored dark suit, paired with meticulously styled hair, gave him an air of restrained elegance and charm.
No wonder his voice alone had drawn the attention of several women in the delegation.
Jiang Si wasn’t surprised by Chi Heng’s sudden appearance.
After all, his role was Chief Assistant to the Ambassador to China.
On occasions like this, where the ambassador couldn’t attend, it was only natural for him to represent the delegation.
What puzzled her, however, was the stark contrast between his tone and attitude now compared to their last encounter.
Before she could dwell on it, Chi Heng had already walked up to her with effortless ease.
Whether out of provocation or mere curiosity, he followed Jiang Si’s line of sight and looked across the street at Huo Tingzhou.
The two men were no strangers to each other.
From what Chi Heng remembered, Huo Tingzhou was a man of few words—apart from his fierce reputation in fights, he had never seen him smile.
Compared to before, he had changed quite a bit.
Though his presence was still imposing, there was a noticeable softness to him now.
But the moment that thought crossed his mind, Huo Tingzhou narrowed his eyes and looked over.
His gaze was as sharp as ever, radiating an overwhelming pressure.
Chi Heng felt an inexplicable chill run down his spine.
So, it had all been an illusion.
Huo Tingzhou hadn’t changed—he had simply reserved all his gentleness for Jiang Si alone.
Realizing this, Chi Heng suddenly chuckled and shook his head.
Right in front of Huo Tingzhou, he extended a hand toward Jiang Si.
"I didn’t expect to run into you here."
"Neither did I."
Meeting Chi Heng’s meaningful look, Jiang Si paused before offering a perfectly measured smile.
"What brings you here today?"
Chi Heng withdrew his hand, his tone composed.
"I’m currently working at the embassy. Today, I’m here on behalf of my organization to observe and exchange insights."
With that, he pulled a business card from his inner suit pocket.
"Old friend, I hope we can collaborate more in the future."
"You flatter me." Jiang Si took the card and glanced at it before engaging in small talk.
The delegation members and the accompanying Chinese personnel all looked on in surprise.
Who would’ve thought Jiang Si was acquainted with someone from the French Embassy?
Judging by their lively conversation, their relationship seemed far from ordinary.
"Chi, you know her?" Just as murmurs spread through the crowd, a golden-haired, blue-eyed woman in a chic dress stepped forward and looped her arm through Chi Heng’s.
Chi Heng adjusted his glasses.
"Yes, Chris. She’s an old friend of mine."
"An old friend?" Chris clearly hadn’t expected this.
How come she’d never heard of him having old friends in China?
"Yes, we’ve known each other since childhood."
Chi Heng’s explanation was straightforward, but Chris wasn’t entirely convinced.
"If you haven’t seen each other in so many years, how did you recognize her at a glance?"
"Chris, this is personal. I don’t owe you an explanation for everything."
Noticing the shift in his tone, Chris immediately softened her voice.
"Sorry, I was just curious."
As she spoke, she scrutinized Jiang Si several more times.
The two had been speaking in French the entire time, a language Jiang Si wasn’t entirely fluent in.
But the wariness in the girl’s eyes was unmistakable.
Chi Heng noticed it too—though what he picked up on was Jiang Si’s growing impatience.
So he clarified, "We ran into each other a few days ago and had a brief chat. I didn’t expect to see her again here today."
"Oh, I see." Chris finally relaxed.
Not that she could be blamed for overthinking—Chi Heng was simply too outstanding.
Even with her father being the ambassador, she never felt she could take him for granted.
Moreover, this girl before her was unlike any other Chinese woman she’d seen in the past few days.
She was stunning, with delicate features like a porcelain doll.
Her aura was unique.
Even dressed in the plainest gray workwear, she couldn’t hide her radiance.
Most importantly, in all the years Chi Heng had spent abroad, he had never engaged with any woman the way he was doing now.
Instinctively, Chris had felt guarded the moment she laid eyes on Jiang Si.
"Chi, aren’t you going to introduce us properly?" Chris blinked, deliberately switching to flawless Mandarin.
Chi Heng paused before turning his attention back to Jiang Si.
"Ah Si, this is Chris, the daughter of the French Ambassador. She currently handles cultural exchange work at the embassy."
Out of courtesy, Jiang Si nodded.
"Hello, Miss Chris. I’m Jiang Si."
"Hello." Chris smiled. "Since you’re Chi’s friend, you’re my friend too. Here’s my card—let’s stay in touch."
Jiang Si understood the underlying message.
It seemed Chi Heng and this girl had a special relationship.
But that wasn’t her concern.
Accepting the card, Jiang Si replied, "You two must be busy. I have some personal matters to attend to—let’s catch up later."
With a slight nod, she turned and strode across the street.
"Why didn’t you tell me you were coming back?" Jiang Si looked up at him, her smile evident.
Standing face-to-face with the person he’d missed day and night, Huo Tingzhou couldn’t help but soften.
"I wanted to surprise you."
Jiang Si feigned seriousness.
"Are you sure it’s a surprise and not a shock?"
Huo Tingzhou didn’t answer, his gaze fixed intently on her.
Jiang Si tried hard to suppress the smile tugging at her lips, but ultimately found it impossible to contain. She had no choice but to admit it openly.
"Alright, I'm genuinely thrilled."
If not for the important matters awaiting her later, she would have dragged him home right then and there!
