Chapter 7: Forbidden Fruit

Cen Yingshuang’s sudden outburst truly caught He Yuzhou off guard.

“You know me?” He Yuzhou raised his eyebrows with interest and asked.

The person who had only been a vague silhouette in her memory was now fully revealed before Cen Yingshuang’s eyes—especially the face she’d been so curious about.

Her curiosity was more than satisfied; it even far exceeded her expectations.

Cen Yingshuang became so excited that she blurted out her words without thinking, like a fearless, innocent child.

“You’re The Richest Man! Who wouldn’t know you!”

Her reaction was indeed unexpected for He Yuzhou.

Apart from his own family, no one ever spoke to him so frankly and without reservation.

He had just been thinking about how he should act to seem more approachable, so that she would lower her guard and feel less distant from him.

Who could have known she was even more lively and cheerful in person than she appeared online.

The most direct impression she gave people was.

So pure, pure as a blank sheet of paper.

His earlier worries were clearly unnecessary and actually saved him a lot of trouble.

He Yuzhou lowered his eyes to look at her, lips curling into a faint smile, and replied without hesitation, “You’re Cen Yingshuang.”

Now it was Cen Yingshuang’s turn to be surprised, almost losing control of her expression.

“You know me?!”

She really was a simple person—so simple, like a clear stream where you could see straight to the bottom.

Her eyes were especially beautiful—round and black like glass marbles, crystal clear.

He Yuzhou continued to gaze at her pleasing eyes and deliberately mimicked her earlier tone: “You’re such a famous Superstar. Who wouldn’t know you?”

Cen Yingshuang almost broke her composure and burst out laughing, not hiding it at all. She revealed eight or nine perfectly white teeth when she laughed.

Though she wore no makeup, her lips were still rosy and glossy, not too thick or thin, just right, with a faint dimple at the corner.

When she snapped out of it, she realized how exaggerated her laughter had been.

She was about to restrain herself but found He Yuzhou was still watching her. His expression was calm, his gaze as distant as a mountain valley—serene, mysterious, yet deeply focused. His slender eyes were dark and intense, but his brows were gentle.

His thin lips were lightly pressed together, as if carrying a subtle smile.

Cen Yingshuang had always thought that someone like He Yuzhou was unattainable, separated from ordinary people by a vast chasm.

But he was nothing like she’d imagined. He was easy-going and approachable. And just now, she’d realized—he was also humorous and witty.

After she blurted out, “You’re The Richest Man, who wouldn’t know you,” she immediately wondered if she had been rude or too presumptuous.

She really was too familiar too quickly, though that was just her natural E-personality. But after all, they were strangers, and he was such an extraordinary figure.

If Màn Jie knew, she would definitely scold her for her lack of social awareness.

He was nothing like she’d imagined.

He felt so approachable, with no sense of distance at all.

Little did she know, while He Yuzhou was watching her smile and her lips, he was thinking about that painting Chen Yanli had done, and about the dream he’d had before.

He wondered if she had ever smiled so freely in front of Chen Yanli.

The day they met in the sea. In his dream, she had swum up to him, kissed his lips, and gave him oxygen.

He hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now, he found himself always staring at her lips.

Wondering.

What would it feel like to kiss her?

“Looking for this?”

He Yuzhou collected his thoughts and handed over the Letter in his hand.

The Letter was folded in half between his fingers, hiding all of its contents.

“Yes!”

Cen Yingshuang took it cheerfully and opened it for a look.

“It’s a Letter from my Fan. I’m so glad I found it.”

“Thank you.”

She lifted her head to look at He Yuzhou, her usual bright and sweet smile on her face, her deer-like eyes curving like the moon.

“You’re welcome.”

It was strange—when talking to her, He Yuzhou unconsciously softened his voice.

At this moment, Cen Yingshuang suddenly realized something.

She blinked at him, asking tentatively, “Did you read what’s inside?”

“When people pick things up, they instinctively check what it is.”

He Yuzhou replied honestly, “It’s human nature. Can’t be helped.”

Cen Yingshuang asked again, “So… how much did you read?”

Behind his glasses, He Yuzhou narrowed his eyes slightly, pretending to think: “TO my dearest, cutest, most beloved Shuangshuang baby, today is another day I miss you so much. I wonder if you still remember me—I’m the one who gave you your favorite banana milk.”

Cen Yingshuang was stunned, looking a little dazed.

He Yuzhou dropped his gaze to meet her eyes and added, “That’s all I saw.”

She didn’t respond, so he said again, “If I offended you, I apologize.”

His manner was very humble and polite.

Cen Yingshuang finally snapped out of her daze and shook her head vigorously, like a rattle drum.

“No, no.”

She was honestly relieved he hadn’t read the rest, because the Letter contained a lot of personal things from the Fan that she couldn’t let a third person know.

It would be disrespectful.

She’d been distracted just now.

Because of He Yuzhou’s slow, lazy tone and deep voice.

Hearing him recite those mushy lines written for her, she couldn’t help but feel embarrassed, her ears growing warm.

As someone who loved voices, she was thoroughly satisfied.

Influenced by her parents’ upbringing, Cen Yingshuang was very expressive, so she said honestly, “I just think your voice sounds really nice.”

He Yuzhou was never short of such simple compliments.

But this time, it was his turn to be stunned.

His eyebrows twitched imperceptibly.

After a few seconds of silence, he shrugged nonchalantly, the corners of his eyes carrying a smile: “You flatter me.”

“And, you’re the best-looking person I’ve ever seen.”

She went on, speaking rapidly, “Actually, I saw you several times in Fiji, and in New York too. The reason I recognized you just now was because I recognized your walk. The way you walk is really nice—it’s the best I’ve ever seen.”

This was even more powerful than her earlier compliment.

Just from a silhouette, just from a walk, she could recognize him without seeing his face.

If it were someone else saying these things, there would be no doubt about their intentions.

But when she complimented someone, her eyes were bright and sincere, with not a trace of ulterior motive—just pure admiration.

She was so naïve, she dared to say anything, always charging ahead with enthusiasm.

He, on the other hand, his gaze was anything but innocent, yet she couldn’t see it at all.

He told himself—don’t rush.

He Yuzhou’s face remained calm, but his eyes gradually darkened, and his voice grew lower: “Next time you see me, you can just call me.”

She couldn’t tell if he was just being polite or truly meant it, but just that one sentence made Cen Yingshuang feel flattered.

She quietly drew in a breath.

The blue hour after sunset faded away, and the sky was soon filled with stars.

The Garden’s European-style lamps lit up one by one.

Around the large fruit tree in the Garden, several lights shone, making the fruit look even more vibrantly red.

“Wow.”

She looked up and saw that the branches of the tree almost covered her entire head, like a giant umbrella sheltering her.

The trunk was as thick as an elephant’s leg, its rough surface etched with the marks of time.

The tree was full of huge, bright red fruit.

She stared and exclaimed, “It’s an Apple Tree!”

Cen Yingshuang’s thoughts jumped around so much, her attention was easily drawn away.

He Yuzhou couldn’t help but laugh, following her gaze with a casual tone, “This Apple Tree is almost two hundred years old.”

“What?!”

Cen Yingshuang was shocked.

“Two hundred years? That’s such a rare number.”

She stared unblinkingly at the apples, unable to imagine an Apple Tree living for two centuries.

She swallowed and suddenly wondered aloud, “Are these apples like the immortal fruit in TV dramas—eat one and you’ll live forever and gain supernatural powers?”

Amused by her own imagination, she asked again, “This Apple Tree must be very well cared for, right?”

Otherwise, how could it still bear so much fruit after almost two hundred years?

“On the contrary,” He Yuzhou said, “It’s actually a wild Apple Tree.”

“Huh? Then how did it survive so long?”

Cen Yingshuang was deeply amazed.

He Yuzhou took a step forward, raised his arm, and effortlessly picked a bright red apple hanging high in the air.

He plucked it.

Handed it to Cen Yingshuang.

He looked down at her, the light unable to penetrate the darkness of his pupils, as deep as an abyss.

His eyes seemed able to capture souls, their dangerous, bone-chilling intensity barely concealed.

Yet his entire demeanor remained unhurried and casual.

“Maybe it’s Destiny.”

He smiled faintly, answering her question.

Destiny.

These two words.

At this very moment, Cen Yingshuang could never have imagined that, not long from now, she would hear him say those words again.

He would tell her.

Meeting in Rome was no accident.

Everything was part of his careful plan.

The only surprise was that evening breeze.

It blew away her Letter, sending her to him ahead of time.

He was still smiling, just like tonight, but it sent chills down her spine.

He said…

Look, we’re destined to be together.

This is Destiny.