CHAPTER 217: CHAPTER 56: LUCK AND MISFORTUNE

Chang Mei’s usually composed façade had cracked at this moment, revealing a resentful jealousy that made Su Ziceng keenly aware of her long-suppressed resentment.

Realizing her lapse, Chang Mei collapsed into a chair. "I know you hate me, thinking I intervened in your father’s and mother’s love, but actually... what stood between Qiao Chu and Qing Chang was Ye Taina. It’s good that Qiao Chu left, at least she didn’t see, the Qing Chang who came back from abroad, his heart was already empty. At least at the moment of her death, she still believed Qing Chang loved her most."

The naive and innocent Qiao Chu, at her death, was serene like lilies under the moonlight, heavy bleeding had drained the flush from her skin, but she was still beautiful, quietly as if she had merely fallen asleep. Chang Mei wandered in her memories, a strange smile playing on her lips.

Su Ziceng stood up; she did not believe this was the truth, but the truth could only extend this far for now.

Listening to Su Ziceng’s footsteps heading upstairs, Chang Mei softly chanted as if she were back at Qiao Chu’s corpse. Her once beautiful days had slipped through her fingertips like sand. All of her, now vanished completely.

The unfinished conversation haunted Su Ziceng’s mind, distracting her as she packed her bags, until she was seated in the bus provided by Kelly Women’s College and regained her wandering mind.

Not many students were undergoing the promotion exam this time, it seemed like everyone carried little luggage, except for Su Ziceng whose LV bag was stuffed full. Naturally, only she and Wen Maixue needed to fly across continents.

Before departing, Su Ziceng had inquired about the weather in Paris; this season, the falling yellow leaves and the bright autumn colors on the Avenue des Champs-Elysees, were enough to lift anyone’s spirits.

Contemplating these things, the sleep-deprived Su Ziceng couldn’t help but doze off. The school bus stopped several times, and one by one, the students headed to various parts of the country disembarked. Left on the bus were only a few students going abroad, and Su and Wen. Unlike Su Ziceng, who had packed everything neatly, Wen Maixue had nothing save a small Hermes tote bag beside her.

The bus jolted a few times, and Su Ziceng muttered something, opening her eyes. She watched Wen Maixue speaking briefly to the bus driver who then came over to her seat and took her luggage.

"Thank you," Su Ziceng said gratefully, the driver shrugged noncommittally, and stepping off the bus lightly, Su Ziceng headed towards the airport terminal.

Wen Maixue walked briskly ahead, her small Hermes bag swaying.

"Wait," Su Ziceng called out, "Where’s the luggage?"

"No luggage," Wen Maixue waved it off.

"I mean my luggage," Su Ziceng found a line for inspection, standing to the side, but there wasn’t a trace of the bus driver nearby.

"It’s been taken back. That one hundred francs includes accommodations. I’ve already informed Chairman Su in advance, your bank card has also been temporarily frozen," Wen Maixue stood in a queue nearby, glanced sideways at Su Ziceng, and then proceeded to check herself in.

"Accommodations?" It dawned on Su Ziceng that this was a "mission impossible."

As the line moved forward, Su Ziceng thought of breaking through the crowd, but she watched as Wen Maixue passed through the security gate, without a moment’s hesitation.

"There’s no reason others can and I cannot," she muttered to herself, and followed through the security check.

While waiting for the flight, Su Ziceng checked again all she carried with her. She wore a leather autumn jacket that was possibly worth some money, her handbag was also branded, the cards in her wallet were unusable, only containing the "one hundred francs."

Glancing at Wen Maixue, who wore a chiffon dress, decidedly the most minimalist, Su Ziceng felt slightly more confident.

The boarding call played repeatedly, Su Ziceng finally found a reason to comfort herself: "It’s fine, it’s France, your French is better than your English."

Having crossed the Indian Ocean, Su Ziceng headed towards the France across the Atlantic. The flutter of nerves she felt boarding the plane was soothed by the flight attendant’s sweet smile, but when the wheels heavily touched down, her heart involuntarily leaped.

This trip to Paris was the most unique in Su Ziceng’s life. Surrounded mostly by blond-haired and blue-eyed foreigners, it was rare to see a few Asian faces. Su Ziceng stood bewildered in the hall, and it took her half an hour to start understanding the French spoken around her.