Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 160 Love Before Dawn

Su Manli paused for a moment, then continued, "However, shortly after Ruoxi's father passed away, Yang Baocai suddenly said that his father in America was seriously ill and he had to go back to take care of him immediately."

As a result, after leaving, there was no news of him. He couldn't be reached by phone, and all contact methods were invalid, as if he had vanished into thin air.

Ruoxi almost broke down during that time, and it took her a long time to recover.

Wu Zhiyuan asked, "So suddenly? Without any warning? And without any contact afterward?"

Su Manli shook her head: "No. We all suspect that this guy is a con artist."

Perhaps he already had a family in the US, or maybe he wanted to climb the social ladder because Ruoxi's family owned a private company. Later, when Dadi Company was state-owned, he felt there was no more profit to be made, so he made up an excuse to leave.

Wu Zhiyuan chimed in, "That's really hurtful. No wonder Ruoxi is so cautious about relationships now."

He was filled with doubts: the timing of Yang Baocai's appearance and disappearance was so coincidental and crucial.

Is this really just a romantic scam, or is there more to it than meets the eye?

What role did Yang Baocai play in all of this?

Is his background really just that simple, that he's of Chinese descent?

……

In the evening, Wu Zhiyuan sent Hu Ruoxi a message: "Ms. Hu, I apologize for bothering you, but I suddenly remembered your enviable swimming pool. Would it be convenient for me, a swimming enthusiast, tonight to try it out? Of course, if you are busy or it's inconvenient, that's perfectly fine."

About five or six minutes later, Hu Ruoxi replied: Okay, I'll be home around seven. Let me know before you come.

Wu Zhiyuan was delighted and replied, "Thank you, Mr. Hu. I'll arrive around eight o'clock."

At 8 p.m., Wu Zhiyuan appeared at the door of Hu Ruoxi's villa carrying a sports bag containing swimming trunks, swimming goggles and a towel.

The door opened, and Hu Ruoxi stood in the doorway.

She had just finished exercising and was wearing a light gray yoga outfit that perfectly accentuated her tall, well-proportioned, and curvaceous figure. Her long-term training had given her smooth, firm muscle lines, exuding a healthy and beautiful aura.

"Good evening, Mr. Hu. Just finished exercising?" Wu Zhiyuan greeted him with a smile.

"Yes, I just finished yoga. Exercise is an essential part of my life."

As Wu Zhiyuan changed into his slippers, he said, "It seems we have a lot in common in this regard. Swimming is also the best way for me to relax."

"The housekeeper went out on business. My mom went to a friend's house to play cards and will be back later." Hu Ruoxi pointed in the direction of the basement. "The swimming pool is in the basement. You should remember the way."

The changing room is by the pool, and it has clean towels and slippers. I have something to do, I'll go down in a bit.

"Mr. Hu, please go ahead with your work and don't worry about me."

Wu Zhiyuan went down to the basement alone.

The heated swimming pool area was brightly lit, and the pool water shimmered with azure light under the illumination.

He changed into his swim trunks in the locker room, did some warm-up exercises, and then went into the pool.

The water temperature is just right.

Wu Zhiyuan swam several laps with great enjoyment.

The experience of a private pool is indeed far superior to that of a public pool, offering quietness, privacy, and crystal-clear water.

After swimming for about twenty minutes, he heard faint footsteps.

Hu Ruoxi came down.

She was wearing a dark blue one-piece swimsuit, her hair was tied up at the back of her head, revealing her graceful swan neck and delicate collarbone.

Wu Zhiyuan stood up from the water, water droplets sliding off his strong chest and arms.

He has a well-proportioned physique, well-defined muscles, and very prominent abdominal muscles.

Hu Ruoxi's gaze lingered on him briefly before shifting away. While warming up before getting into the water, she asked, "Is the water temperature alright?"

"Very good, very comfortable." Wu Zhiyuan wiped the water off his face.

Hu Ruoxi glided into the water with an elegant posture, her movements fluid, and then swam the breaststroke with composure.

"Mr. Hu's swimming style is very standard and graceful," Wu Zhiyuan said, trying to make conversation.

"Really?" Hu Ruoxi replied casually, continuing to swim.

Wu Zhiyuan and she went hand in hand.

After swimming for a while, the two lay down on lounge chairs by the pool, which were submerged in the water.

The two were submerged in warm water, with only their heads above the surface.

"Mr. Hu, is this a 25-meter-long swimming pool?"

"Yes, twenty-five meters. When it was designed, space and practicality were taken into consideration, and this length was just right. Fifty meters round trip."

Wu Zhiyuan chimed in, "Twenty-five meters is indeed ideal for a family swimming pool."

It meets training needs without taking up too much space.

Hu Ruoxi said, "Yes, after get off work, I swim a few laps, and my body gets a great relaxation."

Wu Zhiyuan turned his head to look at Hu Ruoxi.

In the misty air, her profile appeared softer, less aloof than usual.

Perhaps it was because of the water temperature, but her cheeks were flushed with a faint blush.

At this moment, a slight disturbance in the water flow, perhaps due to the circulation system, caused Hu Ruoxi's body to tilt slightly towards Wu Zhiyuan.

Her arm accidentally brushed against Wu Zhiyuan's arm, which was resting on the side of the deck chair, in the water.

Hu Ruoxi felt as if she had been electrocuted, and instinctively tried to pull her hand back, but stopped halfway through the movement.

Her arm remained lightly touching Wu Zhiyuan's arm, neither moving away nor going any further.

After what felt like an eternity, or perhaps just a few seconds, Hu Ruoxi gently moved her fingers, her fingertips lightly brushing against Wu Zhiyuan's forearm.

This subtle action, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, created ripples in Wu Zhiyuan's heart.

Without further hesitation, he gently covered Hu Ruoxi's hand with his wrist.

Hu Ruoxi did not struggle, nor did she even turn her head to look at Wu Zhiyuan; she simply let him hold her hand.

The two lay quietly in the water, their hands clasped together in the warm water, neither of them speaking.

There was no passionate kiss, no explicit flirting; it was just the silent holding of hands underwater that conveyed a more probing signal than any words.

It broke down the subtle barrier between the two, pushing their relationship into a more private and delicate phase.

After a while, Hu Ruoxi broke the silence first: "Mr. Wu, shall we swim a little longer and then go ashore?"

"Okay." He smiled slightly. "Mr. Hu, in private, please don't call me Mr. Wu, just call me Zhiyuan."

"Okay, then you can call me Ruoxi."

After swimming and rinsing off, Hu Ruoxi dried her hair with a towel and suggested, "Want to watch a movie? I have a home theater here."

Wu Zhiyuan was naturally delighted: "I'm a bit tired anyway, I'd like to relax a bit."

The villa has a professional-grade home theater.

The soft, electric sofa, the huge acoustically transparent screen, and the top-of-the-line surround sound system create an ultimate movie-watching experience.

Turn off the soft lighting, leaving only a few dim floor lamps.

"What kind of content do you want to watch?" Hu Ruoxi asked.

"What you like to watch, I like too."

Hu Ruoxi chose a classic romance film, "Before Sunrise".

The film tells the story of a man and a woman who meet on a train and spend a romantic night in Vienna, filled with intellectual and emotional exchanges.

The film begins in dim light, with the two figures blending into the darkness, their faces illuminated only by the flickering light from the screen.

As the film progressed into its second half, Wu Zhiyuan, using the light from the screen, suddenly noticed that Hu Ruoxi's eyes were moist.

She was crying.

Wu Zhiyuan silently pulled out a few tissues and handed them over.

Hu Ruoxi paused for a moment, took the tissue, and said to cover up her embarrassment, "Thank you, the movie was so touching."

Wu Zhiyuan knew that Hu Ruoxi's tears were triggered by the scene before her.

His hand gently covered the back of her hand.

Hu Ruoxi's hand trembled slightly, but she did not pull it away.

The movie ended after a long time.

Hu Ruoxi finally spoke: "Zhiyuan, don't I look ridiculous?"

Wu Zhiyuan still held her hand and asked softly, "Why do you say that? Are you still hung up on that relationship?"

"Did Manly tell you that? Why are you asking about this?"

"I'm sorry, Ruoxi, I didn't mean to pry into other people's privacy, I just wanted to understand you better."

Hu Ruoxi was silent for a while, then sighed softly: "Sigh, even though I know it's fake, maybe it's a scam from beginning to end, something in my heart is still touched."

"Ruoxi, some departures are not necessarily losses, but rather paving the way for the right people."

You shouldn't punish yourself for so long because of other people's mistakes.

"Do you know, Zhiyuan, the time he left was less than a week before and after my father passed away."

During that time, I really felt like the sky had fallen!

I lost my closest family members, and the lover I thought I could entrust my life to also disappeared without a trace.

I even suspected that my father's death might also be related to him.