Chapter 335: A Narrow Encounter

Running into Song Qinghuan again was something Fang Zhou never anticipated.

He had always believed that once people parted ways, their connections were severed for good. He thought the time they spent together had exhausted their shared fate, leaving no room for future encounters. But fate, it seemed, loved playing tricks on him, especially involving his exes. No matter where he went, he kept running into old flames.

Of course, part of that was his own fault for dating so many women. It seemed like no matter where he went, someone from his past would show up.

Facing the curious stares of the group, Fang Zhou sighed inwardly. “They’re so entertained by this? Why don’t they just go watch a circus act?” he thought.

He had hoped that asking Song Qinghuan who she was would embarrass her enough to back off, but he had underestimated her boldness.

“Oh? You don’t recognize me? You have a red birthmark on your lower back, a scar near your belly button, and hemorrhoids on your butt…”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence because Fang Zhou clamped his hand over her mouth. This woman! She had no filter and was airing his private details in front of everyone. It was like she was making him run naked through the streets.

“Stop it! I do NOT have hemorrhoids!” he said loudly, trying to salvage his dignity.

The looks from Li Siming, Zhang Zhiyin, and his sister were already skeptical. Not to mention the group that had come with Song Qinghuan—everyone seemed to be sneaking glances at him with expressions that clearly said, “Handsome guy with hemorrhoids? Really?”

He could hear their whispers. “Wow, you really can’t judge a book by its cover. Even good-looking guys have problems!” “Poor guy, no wonder he pretended not to know her. She knows his embarrassing secrets!” “Don’t worry, dude, hemorrhoids are treatable!”

Fang Zhou’s forehead had a few new lines from the sheer frustration. “You believe everything she says?” he fumed internally.

He shot Song Qinghuan a furious look and whispered harshly in her ear, “Say another word, and I’ll tell everyone your game ID is ‘Sexy Cockroach.'”

Everyone has their quirks, and Song Qinghuan’s online persona was a far cry from her sweet, innocent appearance. Her game ID was something she wouldn’t want revealed to her friends.

Song Qinghuan giggled, pulling Fang Zhou’s hand away. “Just kidding, haha! You guys go ahead and play—I ran into an old friend and want to catch up.”

She turned back to Fang Zhou, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “Let’s find a place to chat, shall we?”

The breeze caught her hair, making her look even more charming. Fang Zhou thought this woman had no limits, much like his other exes. Maybe they did need to talk, or she might ruin his reputation completely.

“Fine. Let’s sit down and talk,” he said, forcing a smile. He waved to his friends, “You guys go ahead. I’ll be back soon.”

They found a bench just outside the pool area, where they could still be seen but not heard. It was the perfect spot for a private conversation.

As Fang Wenjing and Zhang Zhiyin tried to make sense of it all, Li Siming nudged them. “Come on, let’s get some juice. I’m thirsty.”

Zhang Zhiyin, deep in thought, asked, “Do you know that woman?”

Li Siming scratched his head, debating whether to tell Zhang Zhiyin that Song Qinghuan was another of Fang Zhou’s exes. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but lying felt wrong too.

Just then, Fang Wenjing chimed in, “Oh! I remember her! She used to play games with my brother all the time!”

Zhang Zhiyin nodded, “I see. Let’s go inside then.”

Smart as she was, Zhang Zhiyin could tell the relationship between Fang Zhou and Song Qinghuan was complicated. She was confident this woman wasn’t a significant threat.

Li Siming sighed in relief. “Thank goodness for Wenjing,” he thought. “Who knows how I’d explain this otherwise.”

The bench was shaded, making it a cool spot to chat. Song Qinghuan bought two drinks from a nearby vending machine, handing an iced tea to Fang Zhou. “Here, have a drink.”

Fang Zhou didn’t take the drink, his eyes questioning. “What are you doing here?”

“My friends and I came for a team-building retreat,” she replied with a smile.

Fang Zhou was skeptical. “Is the world really this small?” he mused. “A random villa party and I run into Song Qinghuan?”

It was almost like fate had a twisted sense of humor, throwing him back into encounters with his past. “But she’s no bitter enemy—just an ex,” he reminded himself.

Still, he felt like he needed to clear the air. “Alright, what do you want to talk about?” he asked, finally taking the drink she offered.

Song Qinghuan’s smile widened. “Let’s catch up. It’s been a while.”

As the two settled into their conversation, the tension began to ease, though the air was still charged with the unresolved emotions of their shared past.