To earn excellence awards, extra credits, and scholarships, Pei Ying joined the Student Union's Arts Department in her freshman year. When she first joined, she heard her childhood friend complain a lot about the scheming and internal politics in her own school's student union.
To be honest, Pei Ying was quite intimidated at the time. She felt she wasn't cut out for such power struggles.
Surprisingly, however, the Arts Department at S University was exceptionally harmonious. The senior students put on no airs, the staff members were all enthusiastic and friendly, and the atmosphere within the department was warm. They would also occasionally organize team-building activities to strengthen their bonds.
Today's gathering, for instance, was a team-building event.
There were still two days left before the winter vacation ended. Some out-of-town students had returned to campus early, and the local students had mostly wrapped up their holiday plans, just waiting for the new semester to begin. Therefore, the department head, Ji Chengguang, scheduled a small gathering for tonight. Except for two who couldn't make it, everyone else showed up.
It was Pei Ying's first time coming to a club-like place like this. She was quite nervous before entering, but once inside, she found the environment to be surprisingly nice.
The air smelled fresh, without any scent of smoke or other unpleasant odors. The passing waiters all wore uniform vests and had polite smiles on their faces.
Pei Ying was just about to respond to her friend's teasing when she suddenly felt an exceptionally burning gaze land on her. She subconsciously looked in that direction and was caught off guard, meeting a pair of narrow, dark eyes.
Those eyes were clearly unusually dark, yet she seemed to see a tantalizing fire within them. The flames surged, as if transforming into a giant serpent with its mouth wide open, ready to swallow her whole in one bite.
Pei Ying was so startled that her breath hitched. However, when she looked closer, everything just now seemed to be an illusion; the other party's gaze was very gentle.
The man sat on a single sofa, his two long legs stretched out lazily in front of him. Although he didn't stand up, judging from the length of his legs, he was at least 1.85 meters tall. The dim lighting fell on his gray and black color-blocked trench coat, resembling moonlight spilling over the stiff bristles of a black wolf's back, exuding an aura that warned strangers to stay away.
Ji Chengguang suddenly spoke, You didn't keep us waiting long. Junior Ye and I just arrived too.
Pei Ying's attention was pulled back by his words, and the lingering shock slowly faded. She smiled somewhat apologetically, I ran into the evening rush hour subway crowd control earlier. I'll definitely leave earlier next time.
Ji Chengguang handed the drink menu to Pei Ying, Take a look at what you'd like to drink, junior.
Ye Ziyi and Tan Momo, who was beside her, exchanged a glance, both seeing amusement in each other's eyes.
Calling them junior with their surnames, but calling Pei Ying simply junior, the difference in treatment couldn't be more obvious. However, everyone in the Student Union more or less knew that their department head had feelings for her.
It was understandable. This great beauty from the Chemistry Department had fair skin and beautiful features. Her figure wasn't purely thin; rather, she was perfectly proportioned, striking a balance between slender and voluptuous.
When she first enrolled, her photos completely dominated the school forum's chat section, generating over a dozen trending threads with a popularity that endured for a long time.
If she were arrogant, perhaps a small minority would silently admire her looks while cursing her as a wicked beauty. But not only did she possess superior looks, she also had a great temper, plus excellent final grades. Let alone the boys, even many girls really liked her.
Ye Ziyi glanced at Ji Chengguang and sighed in pity inwardly. It was a shame the department head wasn't from City A. He probably couldn't compete with Song Qinghe, who was also from City A and had attended the same high school as Yingying.
Did you guys see yesterday's trending news? That creepy stalker who was following girls near S University finally got caught, Tan Momo brought up a topic.
Pei Ying sighed, I saw the trending news, but I felt terrible after reading it. If I remember correctly, that creep had been reported to the police three times before for stalking girls. But because he hadn't done anything causing substantial harm, they couldn't successfully deal with him every single time.
Birds of a feather flock together. They should investigate that creep's friends; they might be able to catch a whole nest of gutter rats, the vice head, Ming Yi, said in disgust.
Ye Ziyi complained, I'd rather drink slop than be forcibly kissed by that kind of person. Drinking slop is only disgusting for a while, but being kissed by a creep would disgust me for a lifetime.
Tan Momo voiced her objection, No, Yezi, why do you have to choose between eating poop-flavored chocolate or chocolate-flavored poop?
Pei Ying, holding the newly served fruit wine, was about to take a sip, but after hearing her friend's words, she silently put her glass down.
Ji Chengguang smoothly changed the subject, Forget it, let's not talk about such unlucky things. Tell me, where did you all go for fun during the winter break?
Tan Momo was about to speak when, out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of several people walking toward their table.
Immediately after, someone called her name, Tan Momo, long time no see!
Tan Momo looked directly at the person. At first glance, she was momentarily blinded by the row of sparkling cartilage piercings on his left ear. Then, in the dim light, she recognized a familiar face.
What, don't you recognize me? I'm Xiang Cheng, we were in the same class in high school, Xiang Cheng said with a grin.
Tan Momo was also a freshman this year. Having only been in college for half a semester, she naturally wouldn't fail to recognize a high school classmate.
Not to mention that in high school, this Young Master Xiang was like a tyrant. Skipping classes, fighting, breaking rules, early dating, forming gangs in school, there was nothing he didn't do.
But rumor had it that his family was super rich and even owned shares in the school, so despite doing all sorts of outrageous things, he was never expelled.
Towards such a school bully, Tan Momo, who was solely focused on her studies, kept a respectful distance. Sometimes she would even take a detour when she saw him. She had previously whispered with her desk-mate, wondering if this arrogant Young Master Xiang even remembered the names of all their classmates.
Now it seemed, oh, he actually remembered!
But then again, what was he coming over for? Throughout high school, she and he had basically zero interaction; there were no old times to catch up on.
You don't slap a smiling face, let alone the fact that this former school bully was no pushover. Tan Momo also smiled, I recognize you. It hasn't even been a year since we graduated, how could I forget my high school classmate so quickly? I just wonder if Classmate Xiang has any advice to share?
Xiang Cheng was also filled with confusion. What was Young Master Ze playing at, suddenly wanting to connect with this table?
Well, whatever the reason, since Young Master Ze wanted to come over and share a table, and he happened to recognize one of them as his high school classmate, he had to take responsibility for making this connection.
He had gone to great lengths to get his cousin to bring him into Young Master Ze's circle; he couldn't just sit there like a decorative ornament.
Ah, there's no advice to share. It's just that meeting by chance is fate. How about we all hang out together? I've got a bunch of handsome guys on my side, I promise you won't lose... The last word got stuck in Xiang Cheng's throat.
The lighting over here was dim, and earlier he had been entirely focused on recalling Tan Momo's name, so he hadn't paid much attention to observing the others. Now looking closely, he hadn't expected there to be such a stunning beauty here.
She was wearing a pale green dress, her skin was very fair, and her bright, limpid eyes were like shooting stars. In the dimness, she looked like a delicate, blooming white rose.
At the tender age of eighteen or twenty, she looked incredibly fresh. There was a touch of youthfulness in her features, along with the innocence typical of student days. Yet, Xiang Cheng, who had already dated seven or eight girlfriends, keenly noticed an indescribable charm about her.
Give it a few more years, once the immaturity faded, she would absolutely be a woman of infinite allure.
A sharp glance swept over from the side. Xiang Cheng shivered, suddenly understanding everything.
So Young Master Ze wanted to find a sister-in-law for them.
Pardon my disrespect.
When Xiang Cheng spoke, Pei Ying looked over at the sound. Her first glance was at Xiang Cheng, the one who spoke, but on her second glance, her eyes slightly deviated, meeting those narrow, dark eyes again.
The other party was quiet and silent, like a deep, bottomless sea. After looking at him for a long time, there was actually a trace of bizarre, inexplicable familiarity.
Pei Ying frowned and looked away.
She didn't like this baffling feeling, nor did she like the way he looked at her at the very beginning, as if he wanted to eat her.
Seeing her turn her head away, Huo Tingshan raised an eyebrow.
Fine, she was unhappy and wouldn't let him look.
Tan Momo was also observing the three boys who came over with Xiang Cheng. The tallest one was wearing a color-blocked trench coat, looking very cool and somewhat rebellious. He didn't look like the talkative type, and his aura was quite intimidating.
The other two were dressed in trendy brands, wearing silver chain accessories around their necks. They were cheerful and didn't seem distant.
Unlike Tan Momo, who was looking at their appearance, Ji Chengguang came from a good family background, and his eyes eventually fell on the mechanical watch on Huo Tingshan's wrist.
Two apartments in a first-tier city, just worn on his wrist like that.
Ming Yi had already started chatting with Chen Quan. Hearing the other party say they would cover the drinks for their table, he immediately became happy: "Sure, let's join together then. We rely on our parents at home and our friends when we go out. Let's get to know each other."
This team-building event was funded by the remaining brand sponsorship from this year's New Year's Day gala, plus a little bit from each person.
Since someone offered to buy drinks, why decline? Only an idiot wouldn't take advantage of a good deal!
The large tables in the Fuxiang bar area were hexagonal. There were nine people in the arts department in total, two were absent, and seven were present. Tan Momo and Ye Ziyi had a very good relationship, so they sat on the same side.
Thus, when the latest arrival, Pei Ying, came, she, like the others, sat alone on one side of the hexagon.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" a deep male voice sounded beside her.
Pei Ying's eyes drifted to the side.
It really was him.
Receiving no answer, the person paused for two seconds, then said to himself, "Okay, thanks."
Then he sat down.
Pei Ying was greatly shocked.
What was so okay about it? Who answered him? This person really did whatever he wanted.
Seeing her finally look over again, Huo Tingshan got straight to the point, "Get to know each other?"
Pei Ying turned her head away, ignoring him.
Huo Tingshan: "..."
Over there, the extroverted Chen Quan began to exchange information with Ming Yi. He first pointed to Xiang Cheng and the other trendy guy, "These two are from S University."
Then he pointed to himself and Huo Tingshan, "Young Master Ze and I are from the National Defense University. What school are you guys from?"
They were all of a similar age and definitely studying. The first step to bridging the gap was to release school information.
S University was a top university in the country, but for locals, it wasn't as hard to get into as it was for out-of-town candidates. However, the National Defense University in S City, in addition to requiring high scores, also had strict requirements for height, weight, and vision. Before enrollment, a full-body checkup was required, and anyone with a single unqualified item would be directly eliminated.
Pei Ying, who had just ignored him, now looked at Huo Tingshan in surprise, "You're from the National Defense University?"
Huo Tingshan smiled faintly, "Why haven't I seen you have such a good impression of soldiers before?"
Pei Ying's eyes showed confusion.
Before? What before?
She hadn't met him before. Why was this person saying such weird things?
Ye Ziyi instantly perked up even more: "You guys are also from S University? What a coincidence. Which department are you from?"
...
After exchanging schools, majors, and names, the atmosphere became more harmonious. They ordered drinks, drank sake, and chatted.
There were quite a few people at this table. After chatting for a while, someone suggested playing a game.
With so many people, playing games would be lively.
"How about we play the King's Game?" Ming Yi suggested.
This proposal was passed unanimously.
There were seven people on Pei Ying's side and four on Huo Tingshan's side, making a total of eleven people at the table.
The King's Game, a mindless card drawing table game.
First, draw cards. The person who draws the Joker card has the right to designate a certain card number, give orders to them, and ask them to complete a certain task.
Since the game might get out of hand, it was unanimously decided to leave a way out for the judged party:
If the chosen person didn't want to do it, they could substitute it with a penalty drink. Boys drink three cups, girls drink two cups.
This drink was not sake, but Fuxiang's 30° medium-strength liquor, "Intoxication."
The cards were dealt, and Pei Ying turned over her card.
Nine of Hearts.
Among the eleven of them, there was one Joker card, and the rest were numbers 1-10. Pei Ying's number was quite large.
"Hahaha, I'm the King this round!" Tan Momo slapped the Joker card onto the table.
Ming Yi clicked his tongue, "Tsk, you actually got the King card. Fine, pick a number."
Tan Momo's eyes darted around, "For the first round, let's start gently. How about this, the boy with the largest number card calls his crush and tells her, 'Actually, I'm gay, I like boys.' Come on, handsome guys, please reveal your cards!"
"Damn, that's too vicious!"
"No way, playing this big right from the start? Momo, do you have a misunderstanding of the word 'gentle'?"
"Terrifying. Fortunately, I only got the Three of Hearts."
Chen Quan revealed his card, "Come on, come on, reveal your cards. Let me see what cards you all got."
This round specifically targeted boys, so even if the girls got large cards, it didn't matter. Pei Ying revealed her Nine of Hearts and then sat back to watch the show.
Among the eleven of them, there were four girls and seven boys.
One by one, they revealed their cards.
"Wow, Senior Ji Chengguang, you actually got the Eight of Hearts. Could it be you this round?" Tan Momo rubbed her hands excitedly.
But just as these words fell, someone next door said, "Young Master Ze, you have the Ten of Hearts!"
Among the number cards, 10 was the largest.
Swish, swish, everyone instantly looked over.
"Handsome, do you have a girlfriend? If so, just call her directly," Tan Momo didn't think Huo Tingshan would be single.
"No, he's single," Chen Quan answered for the person involved, watching the fun without minding the trouble. "Brother Ze, who is your crush? Is it Li Rushuang from our compound, or..."
"Neither," Huo Tingshan interrupted him.
Chen Quan frowned and stroked his chin, "Speaking of which, Brother Ze, do you have a crush? If not, how about just drinking directly?"
With his conditions, as long as he had a target, he could probably turn her into a girlfriend immediately.
"Yes," Huo Tingshan smiled, his eyes sweeping to his side, and then he said something that many people present found outrageous, "But I don't have her phone number."
Pei Ying was originally watching the show until she caught the glance he cast over.
Meaningful, implying something.
It was hard to describe the complex feelings at that moment. Pei Ying was shocked by him and subconsciously looked away.
"You don't have her phone number? Really?! Handsome, could it be that you can't hold your liquor, don't want to drink, and don't want to make a fool of yourself, so you deliberately found this excuse?" Tan Momo was greatly shocked.
This guy was a national defense student with handsome features and an undeniably great figure. Looking at his outfit, it was refreshing and not overdone. Adding all this up, even if his family background was average, he still outclassed the vast majority of guys.
With all that, he actually couldn't even get his crush's phone number?
Huo Tingshan nodded: "I really don't have it. She doesn't seem to want to get to know me."
Pei Ying's brow twitched. The hand holding the playing cards couldn't help but tighten, praying no one had heard the first sentence he had said to her.
Maybe everyone's attention was drawn by the extrovert Chen Quan's chatter at first, or maybe her prayers worked. At this moment, no one looked suspicious.
However, someone didn't play by the rules.
"If you guys really want to hear this phone call, I can ask her for her contact info," he suddenly said.
"Awesome, I didn't know the game could be played like this."
"Playing it straight, Brother Ze is awesome!"
The crowd immediately exploded.
Ask her for her contact info?
How to ask? The person must be right here at the scene!
There were four girls here, so it was highly likely she was at their table. Combined with his current seat...
It was very pointed.
Pairs of eyes looked over. Some suddenly realized, some were surprised and shocked, and some were excitedly enjoying the gossip, waiting for the follow-up.
Being stared at by so many people, the tips of Pei Ying's ears slowly turned red, and she started playing ostrich. "I see you seem to really want to drink. Why don't you just drink."
Xiang Cheng, however, fanned the flames. "Alright, Young Master Ze, we really do want to hear you make a call. Go ask her for her contact info."
Unlike Pei Ying, being stared at by all these gazes, Huo Tingshan wasn't the least bit uncomfortable. He looked at Pei Ying, his voice very soft, "Can you give me your contact info?"
"Wow!"
"Yingying, why don't you just give him one, let me hear how he makes this call."
There was a lot of teasing, and Pei Ying's face burned hotly.
Huo Tingshan waited for three seconds. Not waiting for her to speak, he stopped the teasing crowd led by Chen Quan, "Alright, she's not willing right now, so I'll ask again later."
After saying that, Huo Tingshan took the poured wine on the table and drank three glasses in a row.
Pei Ying looked at the glasses emptying one by one and pursed her lips.
Ming Yi whistled, "Not bad, bro, so straightforward."
"Next round," Ji Chengguang said lightly.
The cards were dealt again. Pei Ying turned her card over and peeked at it.
Three of Hearts.
On the small side, but not the smallest. After all, there were still 1 and 2 below it.
"Hehe, I'm the king this round," Chen Quan said gleefully.
Perhaps Tan Momo's method of picking the biggest gave him inspiration earlier, so he also played with the biggest and smallest. "The girl with the smallest card number and the guy with the biggest card number will drink a cross-cupped toast."
"Guys, show your cards."
Huo Tingshan didn't peek at his card first, but directly flipped it over.
Ten of Hearts.
Ten of Hearts again!
"It's my Brother Ze again. Who shuffled the cards?"
"This Ten of Hearts has recognized its master. Who knows, it might come back next round."
"Oh ho, is this a Shura field? Exciting!"
"Come, come, show your cards first. Let me see who the girl with the smallest points is?"
Everyone revealed their cards in turn. The Ace of Hearts soon appeared. Its owner was Ji Chengguang.
"The little 1 is with the guys, so it's 2 then. Who has the Two of Hearts? Hurry up and show me."
Someone flipped their card. "I have the Two of Hearts."
Everyone booed in unison, expressing their disappointment. Because the one holding the card was still a guy.
Pei Ying's eyes widened, looking at Xiang Cheng in disbelief. Her gaze went back and forth between him and the card he had revealed a full two times.
Huo Tingshan, who originally wanted to just go get a drink, noticed her little movement. A dark light flashed across his eyes, and his straightened back relaxed against the sofa again.
One by one, cards were revealed.
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 all came out one after another. Ye Ziyi had the Four of Hearts. At first, she was a bit startled, but after looking around, she quickly realized that the Three of Hearts hadn't come out yet.
Scanning around, everyone had revealed their cards except for the one in front of Pei Ying.
"Huh? Could it be Yingying again!"
"It must be her. She's the only one who hasn't shown her card." Tan Momo reached out and flipped the card in front of Pei Ying over.
Sure enough, it was a Three of Hearts.
Chen Quan clicked his tongue in wonder, "You two really have some fate between you. Come on, one cross-cupped toast."
Remembering that Pei Ying didn't give her phone number just now, Chen Quan added, "It's fine if you don't want to drink the cross-cupped toast. Just drink the Mizui directly. Classmate Pei drinks two glasses, and Brother Ze drinks three."
Pei Ying twisted her fingers. She didn't want to drink a cross-cupped toast with him. She had an inexplicable intuition that this man was very dangerous, far from the peacefulness he was currently displaying.
"I can help you drink those two glasses," Huo Tingshan suddenly spoke.
Pei Ying froze.
But he had a second half to his sentence, "After drinking, give me your contact info."
Chen Quan was secretly shocked.
What's going on with Brother Ze? Getting so worked up on the first meeting. Three glasses plus two glasses, plus the previous three glasses. He had already drank eight glasses in just the first two rounds!
Was this the rhythm of getting dead drunk here tonight?
Everyone thought Pei Ying would nod, because for many girls, a medium-strength liquor like Mizui was a bit strong, and she had to drink two glasses in a row.
Having someone else help drink it in exchange for just contact info wasn't going overboard.
However, someone didn't play by the rules.
"Let's drink the cross-cupped toast," Pei Ying said in a low voice.
The crowd stared dumbfounded. Huo Tingshan lightly clicked his tongue, "Your contact info really isn't ordinarily hard to get."
If they didn't have contact info, they probably wouldn't cross paths again after tonight. S City wasn't small, and they went to different schools. In the vast sea of people, the probability of meeting was extremely low.
Pei Ying poured two glasses of fruit wine. "Here."
Huo Tingshan took the wine glass without a word, and then crossed arms with the arm she used to hold her glass. He was much taller than Pei Ying, and his frame was larger. When drinking the cross-cupped toast with her, his back had to be slightly bent.
The two were very close, close enough that Pei Ying could clearly feel his exhaled breath, carrying heat and the smell of alcohol, overbearingly enveloping her.
He looked at her. The aggressiveness and burning heat that he had previously restrained in his eyes now revealed their true colors without any scruples, like a reef exposed after the tide recedes.
Pei Ying's eyelashes trembled slightly. She lowered her eyes and tried hard to only look at her own wine glass.
They raised their glasses and drank together.
Xiang Cheng secretly took a photo with his phone.
After finishing the glass of wine, Pei Ying quickly switched the glass to her other hand and then withdrew her arm from the crook of Huo Tingshan's arm.
Huo Tingshan's long eyebrows pressed down. Having lived a good life for so long, he really couldn't stand her attitude of avoiding him like a venomous snake or scorpion.
"Let's continue the game."
...
They played many more rounds after that. Pei Ying's winning probability wasn't as high as at the beginning, but when she encountered some things she didn't want to do, she chose to drink.
She didn't drink much, just two glasses, and took a penalty once in total.
They were a temporarily formed table, but surprisingly they got along well. At least when it was time to disperse at midnight, Chen Quan and Ming Yi had their arms around each other's shoulders and had already started making plans for the next time.
"Yingying, are you going back to school or going home?" Ye Ziyi asked Pei Ying. "If you're going back to school, share a ride with us."
The subway had already stopped running at this hour, so they could only take a bus or a taxi back.
"I'm going home. My computer is still in the apartment, and I haven't finished packing my luggage, so I have to go back," Pei Ying said.
The home she referred to was a two-bedroom apartment her brother bought for her in S City. Land in S City was worth its weight in gold, so the apartment wasn't in the city center, but it wasn't as far out as the suburbs either.
"It's not safe to take a cab at this hour. I'll take you back." Huo Tingshan took out his car keys. He had been drinking, and he wouldn't drink and drive, but he could hire a designated driver.
"No need, I can just call a car to go back. It's very safe," Pei Ying refused without a second thought. She felt that if he took her home, she would be even more terrified.
With that, Pei Ying took out her phone, swiftly opening a ride-hailing app to book a car.
Someone accepted the ride.
Pei Ying showed her phone screen to Huo Tingshan. "I got a car."
Huo Tingshan asked again, "Can we exchange contacts?"
Pei Ying's eyes curved into a smile. "Let's talk about it if fate brings us together again."
Huo Tingshan: "..."
As the gathering dispersed, Tan Momo and the others' car arrived first. "Yingying, text me when you get home!"
Pei Ying smiled and nodded. "Okay."
After the first group left, the designated driver Huo Tingshan hired arrived shortly. It was a man in his mid-twenties, whose eyes practically glued themselves to the Aston Martin car keys.
Damn, my luck is off the charts today. Not only do I get to drive a luxury car, but I also get paid for it.
"Wait a moment." Huo Tingshan didn't move.
The driver didn't understand why, but since the car owner wasn't moving, it wasn't his place to complain, so he waited along with him.
Pei Ying's car arrived.
Only after seeing her get into the car did Huo Tingshan toss the keys to the driver. "Let's go. Follow that black car with the license plate ending in 578."
Inside the black car ending in 578.
The man driving looked at Pei Ying through the rearview mirror, a glint of light gathering in his eyes. "Miss, let me tell you in advance. Road construction started on Mingchuan Road tonight, so we can't go that way. We'll have to take a detour."
Pei Ying had taken the subway here tonight and hadn't gone out the past few days, so she didn't know the traffic situation there. Hearing the driver mention roadwork, she didn't suspect a thing. "Okay."
The car started.
"Miss, how much did you drink? The car smells like alcohol. Do you mind if I open a window? Otherwise, if we get stopped by the traffic police, they might think I'm driving drunk," the driver suddenly said.
Pei Ying said that was fine.
So the front passenger window and the window next to Pei Ying were rolled down, forming a diagonal airflow. The wind instantly rushed in.
There is a saying called "falling at the wind," which means that if someone who has been drinking is only slightly tipsy, the moment they are hit by the wind, they will immediately become dizzy and disoriented.
Pei Ying was currently in this exact state. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples to relieve the discomfort.
"You have deviated from the route. Recalculating." Given the driver's prior warning, Pei Ying didn't think much of the deviation.
An unknown amount of time passed. "You have deviated from the route. Recalculating."
"Sorry, is that too loud? I'll turn the volume down a bit." The driver reached out to press the volume button.
Pei Ying: "It's fine, no need to adjust it. Leave it as is."
After waiting for another moment, she didn't hear the deviation alert anymore, but an inexplicable sense of unease made Pei Ying open her eyes.
It was pitch black outside the window, with very few shops around. In the distance, a few unfinished buildings could be faintly seen. The street view was completely unfamiliar; it wasn't the district she knew at all.
The hand holding her phone trembled slightly. She opened the navigation app on her own phone, and a single glance made her face turn deathly pale.
The car had deviated from the route.
It was heading in the complete opposite direction.
