Chu Yirou comforted Fang Hao with a few words and then got up and left first. Fang Hao, who had been sitting in a daze at the Koza, stood up to leave when he suddenly saw that Chen Jiayu hadn’t actually gone far. He was standing in the brightly lit Terminal hall. Instead of Yue Dachao, there was a tall and beautiful flight attendant. The two of them were chatting and laughing. Fang Hao could only see the girl’s radiant smile from his angle. After a while, they took out their phones—it appeared they were exchanging contact information. Fang Hao observed them for a moment before deciding to approach Chen Jiayu once again. He wasn’t good at conveying his thoughts through text messages and felt he couldn’t express his thoughts clearly, so meeting in person would be better. This time, Chen Jiayu couldn’t possibly turn and run away again, could he?
He thought for a moment. It didn’t seem appropriate to appear empty-handed, so he went back to Koza, ordered a latte, and walked over with the drink in his hand.
—
This week, Chen Jiayu had a pretty good schedule. After two flights to Hong Kong, it seemed like luck was finally on his side as he was assigned to lighter duties with hardly any late landings. While chatting with Yue Dachao after disembarking, they spotted Kong Xinyi walking past in her flight attendant uniform. He waved politely, but to his surprise, Kong Xinyi greeted a few other female flight attendants nearby before circling back to talk to him.
Seeing such a stunning woman with long flowing hair approaching, Yue Dachao, being a perceptive guy, quickly found an excuse to leave.
Kong Xinyi greeted him politely, “Captain Chen, about what happened on Flight 3146… thank you so much.”
That day, Chen Jiayu had rushed to the control tower immediately after landing and hadn’t had a chance to speak with her, naturally replied with consideration, “You don’t need to thank me, Xinyi. His behavior was out of line.”
Feeling grateful for his supportive attitude, Kong Xinyi sighed softly, “As you say, I… well, I flew with him once before and had a similar experience.”
Chen Jiayu nodded and said firmly, “If you want to report it to HR, you can mention my name. They can come to me if they have any questions.”
Kong Xinyi hummed softly. Seeing that Chen Jiayu hadn’t left, she asked another question, “After we landed that day… was everything okay? ”
Following their arrival at Daxing, the two pilots, Chen Jiayu and Duan Jingchu, left in a hurry and did not appear again afterward. Having worked as a flight attendant for several years, she naturally sensed that something was amiss.
Chen Jiayu had no intention of concealing anything and just said, “Well, co-pilot Duan forgot to turn on the landing lights during landing, so we were called by the tower to write an incident report. It wasn’t related to your incident.”
Kong Xinyi let out a sigh and, after a moment, found it a bit amusing: “It’s quite the hassle.” She didn’t dare say more; after all, Duan Jingchu was a pilot, and she didn’t want to cause any unnecessary trouble.
Chen Jiayu smiled and fell silent.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Stepping a bit closer, Kong Xinyi lifted her head and asked, “By the way, can I call you Jia Ge? I think everyone calls you that.” As she spoke, she casually tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, her eyes curved with a gentle smile.
Dflcu qfgmfqalnf, Jtfc Aljse mbeiv rfcrf tfg lcafcalbcr jcv rlwqis cbvvfv, “Vegf.”
Scmbegjufv ys tlr gfrqbcrf, Bbcu Wlcsl ybivis jrxfv, “Ktfc, mjc kf jvv fjmt batfg jr oglfcvr obg mbcnfclfcmf? P’v ilxf ab agfja sbe ab j wfji rbwfalwf.”
Jtfc Aljse tfrlajafv obg j wbwfca yea eialwjafis jugffv jcv abbx bea tlr qtbcf. Lf xcfk atja Bbcu Wlcsl’r oglfcvr kfgf kjamtlcu ogbw jojg, jcv tf vlvc’a kjca ab gfyeoo tfg boofg lc atflg qgfrfcmf.
As Kong Xinyi walked away, the group of girls that was with her seemed to have said something. They all started giggling, and some even stole glances in Chen Jiayu’s direction. However, Chen Jiayu didn’t catch their actions because Fang Hao was walking toward him from Koza.
For a split second, he considered turning and walking away, unsure how to face Fang Hao. But Fang Hao was walking towards him with a furrowed brow, looking rather urgent, and their eyes met. It was too late to evade or feign ignorance now.
Left with little choice, Chen Jiayu could only stand awkwardly as Fang Hao approached and greeted him with a somewhat lukewarm tone.
Fang Hao, who came over impulsively, was also uncertain how to start the conversation. So, he had to resort to finding a topic: ” Did your flight go smoothly today?”
Chen Jiayu didn’t want to say much, “Today was fine.” He didn’t mention the recent close call with the fuel emergency or the favorable deal Fang Hao had given him.
Fang Hao had no choice but to press on, “About that landing lights incident… it wasn’t anything serious, right?”
Chen Jiayu responded in a measured manner, “It was fine for me; there was no problem afterward. I haven’t heard of any issues with Duan Jingchu either, and I haven’t asked. ”
Fang Hao was somewhat surprised to hear that Duan Jingchu wasn’t facing any issues. Even the slightest mistake was still a mistake, even if it meant deducting a few thousand yuan from the bonus as a gesture. He had even heard pilots being reprimanded or fined for incidents more minor than this. But having learned from past experiences, he didn’t want to bring up anything related to their flying. Chen Jiayu’s attitude clearly showed he didn’t want to discuss it further. However, Fang Hao still held the coffee in his hand, so he could only bravely carry on, “That day, I wasn’t my best, and I may have spoken too harshly. Please, don’t take it to heart. Consider this coffee I bought for you as… an apology. And today, too, as a compensation to make up for it.” Fang Hao was referring to arranging and securing the best runway for him. With that said, he pushed the coffee toward Chen Jiayu.
Chen Jiayu nodded slightly and quietly murmured, “Thank you.” He took the coffee but didn’t drink it.
Still sensing tension in the air and feeling the somewhat chilly attitude, Fang Hao persisted, “Could we find somewhere to talk?” He wanted to ask what had sparked Chen Jiayu’s anger and whether it was ultimately related to the Hong Kong issue. He vaguely felt that Chen Jiayu had some unresolved issues.
That day, during their hotpot dinner, Chen Jiayu had gone quiet after a certain point, and even the most oblivious person would have sensed something amiss.
Chen Jiayu hesitated, then glanced at his watch and said, “Let’s talk here?”
Fang Hao felt awkward discussing such matters in the bustling terminal, with the constant flow of people coming and going. It wasn’t appropriate to discuss such personal matters. “Um…then, let’s forget about it and leave it for another day.”
It suited Chen Jiayu just fine. “Hmm, we could do it another day when we both have time?”
Seeing that Chen Jiayu still wasn’t keen on talking about it, and Fang Hao didn’t want to impose on him anymore. After all, he had already tried his best. “Okay, then..I’ll head out first.” After speaking, he intended to turn and leave.
But Chen Jiayu halted him with a call, “Fang Hao.”
Fang Hao immediately turned around and looked at him—feeling hopeful.
However, Chen Jiayu simply said, “Let’s forget about 17 left. I shouldn’t have asked you about it, and you don’t need to make exceptions for me in the future. Let’s just forget that I ever brought it up,” As he spoke, his eyes drooped and gaze averted, avoiding looking at Fang Hao. His tone was calm yet distant.
Fang Hao was taken aback. “Are you saying… I wasn’t supposed to watch out for your fuel emergency. With so many flights today, you might have to queue up following the normal procedure.”
Chen Jiayu said, “I mean in the future. Let’s just stick to the standard procedures from now on.”
Chen Jiayu seemed eager to distance himself and seemed to be worried about the implied special treatment. This left him feeling embarrassed and somewhat ashamed. He had offered his help out of kindness. Suddenly, he didn’t know what to say and could only reluctantly agree. “Alright, if that’s what you want.”
Chen Jiayu met his gaze again, appearing more resolute, and nodded.
Fang Hao suddenly felt a little emotional. It dawned on him that he hadn’t really taken a good look at Chen Jiayu’s face before. Back when Chen Jiayu’s name was plastered all over TV and the internet, making Fang Hao feel like he knew him well. Yet he had never noticed that Chen Jiayu seemed to have a pair of expressive eyes, the way they could speak volumes with their warmth or smiling without words. Those eyes used to convey myriad emotions, but lately, they seemed fixed in a calm, silent, observing state.
When Chen Jiayu suggested postponing their chat to another day, it felt like a mere formality. Fang Hao understood better than anyone that Chen Jiayu had no desire to talk.
From the very beginning of their conflict, Fang Hao had been upfront with Chen Jiayu about his attitude and thoughts on the matter. While Chen Jiayu hadn’t been pleased with his stance at the time, he hadn’t seemed overly bothered either. So why was he suddenly being so evasive now? Why the sudden reluctance to address the issue? Fang Hao couldn’t quite wrap his head around it.
But things had already come to this point; after chasing after him in the pouring rain, sending messages, buying coffee, and offering apologies, Chen Jiayu was still not budging. Fang Hao felt he had exhausted all his tactics. The only regret was perhaps the belief that they could have been good friends—Chen Jiayu seemed to have shared this sentiment in the beginning, but now he had reverted back to being a stranger.
Fang Hao thought of all the unspoken moments of understanding between them, like when Chen Jiayu playfully teased him in the channel, patiently indulged his birthday wishes for Fang Shengjie, frequently bumped into him at Koza, and comforted him after the radar incident. These moments had formed a small river in his heart, nourishing it, but overnight, the river had dried up, exposing a barren and unsightly riverbed. He thought maybe he felt something more than regret, but he didn’t want to dwell on it because thinking about it made him uncomfortable.
At this point, Fang Hao almost wished that Chen Jiayu would confront him again, to finally break open and discuss the matter thoroughly. Chen Jiayu looked calm, but Fang Hao felt unsettled as if he had punched into cotton, causing no ripples.
As he walked away, Fang Hao felt a little frustrated. It seemed like they had talked, had a conversation, but he hadn’t achieved his goal. On the surface, everything seemed the same, but suddenly everything had changed.
————————
On the way back to Shuangjing around five or six in the afternoon, there was indeed a traffic jam. Chen Jiayu thought with some helplessness. It seemed that either the flights arriving around six or seven in the evening coincided with the rush hour but with a smooth drive home, or the flights landing around four or five in the afternoon with no obstacles, yet the drive home became a nightmare stuck in traffic. Today happened to be the latter, giving him plenty of time to let his mind wander.
In fact, two days after deciding not to respond to Fang Hao’s message, Chen Jiayu coincidentally met Fang Hao while on duty. Their exchange was brief, strictly professional and devoid of any unnecessary pleasantries. However, the familiarity in Fang Hao’s voice and tone stirred up a mix of memories, both good and bad. Despite everything, any form of communication was better than the current state of being total strangers. At that moment, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. With this chasm between them, he had resolved to maintain the status quo, allowing them to gradually drift apart. Yet, Fang Hao’s bold step forward had caused him to waver again.
He knew there would still be opportunities if he wanted to take a step forward and reconnect with Fang Hao. He could find an excuse to reply to Fang Hao’s message even if it was late. This thought lingered in his mind like a persistent feather tickling his heart. Normally, he wasn’t the indecisive type. When making decisions, he was decisive and resolute, whether in work or personal life. The lives of over 200 passengers on Flight 416 were a testament to that. But this time, he didn’t know what was wrong with him. Even though he had decided to let go, he found himself continually mulling over the matter.
His left hand gripped the steering wheel, while his right hand rested on the center console—where a cup of latte, bought by Fang Hao, sat untouched. He usually ordered skim milk without sugar, but Fang Hao didn’t know his preference and must have ordered whole milk instead, which he noticed with the first sip. Surprisingly, it tasted good —rich and creamy, with a warm, silky texture. The entire car was filled with the aroma of coffee. Normally, drinking coffee at five in the afternoon was too late for him. He usually avoided caffeinated after midday. But this could also be their last connection, so Chen Jiayu was willing to take the risk of potentially staying awake until late at night, savoring every moment of it.
Translator notes: I should be working on my assignments… XD Oh well, enjoy!
The chasing-in-the-rain scene still feels sudden and weird. Reading back, it’s like Fang Hao is chasing after his girlfriend. 
He couldn’t even let go of a coffee …. I guess he will steam a little more before trying to reconnect…
😂 I can’t even deny it. He’s very indulgent toward Fang Hao actually hahahah
Thank you for the chapter. Good luck on your assignments 🤍
I’m a bit annoyed that FH doesn’t realize what he said wrong. 😭 I had great expectations for this chapter but it was too short and somewhat uneventful. 🥺
Thank you for the translation. 💐
Expectations are too high. 🤧 The author does build tension, but the payoff is only so so. The novel actually lean more towards feel-good, the mature romance is beyond lovely after chapter 30 . XD
I don’t doubt that the relationship will be wonderful 😍 I enjoyed the one in Tailhook too, for instance . I love mature, calm, wise, kind and tender characters so much
Thank you again for your work. ❤️
Thank you!💜
Thank You for the new chapter (♡´艸`)
💜 thanks for reading !
We already got a whole break-up scene but they haven’t even started dating yet 😂
Thank you for the update!
It’s like some people begin with marriage then dating. 😂 Work their way backwards, the spark might last longer.
I thought they’ll have issues with ex-es appearing and causing trouble and stuff, but it seems like the biggest obstacle in their relationship is they themselves. 😅
Thank you! Read all this in one day!! I love this novel and your translation with the extra mile of explanations!
Aww thank you! This makes me very happy. Thanks for reading. 💜