Chapter 25: Remember to Think of Me

Lou Huainan was participating in the individual 1.15-meter youth competition.

Tang Yu and Lou Xizhou stood a few meters outside the arena. Watching Lou Huainan enter the field, Lou Xizhou used Tang Yu's camera to take photos, while Tang Yu held an umbrella for him.

"I’m going to get closer to take a few shots. The sun is harsh, so stay here and don't follow," Lou Xizhou instructed Tang Yu.

Though he said he would just move closer, Lou Xizhou ended up circling the perimeter of the arena, capturing photos of Lou Huainan from various angles. Tang Yu squinted as she watched the man walking back toward her.

Seeing him drenched in sweat and his face sunburned from his efforts to photograph Lou Huainan, Tang Yu felt genuinely touched by the bond between the uncle and nephew.

As Lou Xizhou approached, she handed him the water and towel she had prepared.

"The towel is a spare; it hasn't been used."

"Thanks, Tangtang." Lou Xizhou casually handed her the camera, downed half the water in one go, and then used the towel to wipe away his sweat.

Tang Yu was speechless at the nickname he had given her, but knowing that protest was futile, she couldn't be bothered to waste her breath. She opened the camera to look at the photos he had taken.

Every shot was high-quality and evocative.

"See which ones are good and pick out the most dashing poses for Huainan to keep," Lou Xizhou said as he watched her flip through them.

"They're all good..." Tang Yu replied without looking up.

Before her words had even faded, she noticed photos of herself mixed in—some close-ups, some from a distance.

She stared at a candid side-profile shot of herself for a few seconds, thinking to herself: Is that me? Am I really that good-looking?

Tang Yu then lifted her head and turned toward him. Unexpectedly, he was also looking at the photos. When she turned, he met her gaze, his eyes deep and filled with emotion.

"Don't think it looks good? There are more ahead."

Even with his sunglasses on, Tang Yu felt flustered and looked away.

To be honest, she couldn't bring herself to be angry because his photography skills were truly excellent, and she actually quite liked this side-profile photo.

"It’s beautiful, I like it. I’m keeping this one," she said, expressing her appreciation for the photo directly. This "like" was merely an acknowledgment of his photography skills; nothing more.

Lou Xizhou smiled. "As long as you like it, Tangtang."

Tang Yu was silent for a moment before changing the subject. "Mr. Lou, you can't be many years older than Huainan, but I get the sense that you dote on him like a child."

"Isn't he just a child?" Lou Xizhou looked toward Lou Huainan, who was in the waiting area, and smiled. "He’s the only blood relative left of my sister and brother-in-law; I have to spoil him."

He then lowered his head slightly to gaze at her through his sunglasses, his expression turning serious. "But I spoil you even more, Tangtang."

*But you keep avoiding me, tch.*

Tang Yu’s face, already burning from the sun, felt as if it were being seared by flames.

*Cough*, this conversation had become impossible to continue!

Seeing her so flustered that she looked like she wanted to vanish into thin air, Lou Xizhou turned his head toward the arena, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Let's go, let's find a place to sit." He picked up her bag from the ground and led her away.

***

Tang Yu took a deep breath, glancing at his broad, upright back. She wanted to refuse, but since he had her bag, she had no choice but to follow.

Lou Huainan had only finished one round, yet Lou Xizhou had already finished taking all the photos he needed, so now they could just sit.

Passing by the viewing building in front of the arena, Tang Yu caught the eye of Yu Shuang, who was among a group of reporters on the first floor.

Yu Shuang’s gaze drifted to Lou Xizhou, who was walking ahead carrying Tang Yu's bag, then shifted back to Tang Yu. Right in front of her, she raised her phone and took a picture.

Tang Yu could see that this gesture was a provocation, but she knew Yu Shuang wouldn't dare publish it in the news.

Yu Shuang sent the photo to Zhou Ruancheng.

*[Look for yourself. Tang Yu doesn't take you seriously at all. She already has a new flame. Is it really worth pining over an old love who doesn't have you in her heart?]*

*[She’s even secretly seeing a college student.]*

*[And there might be even more than just those two.]*

Zhou Ruancheng did not reply.

After several rounds of the 1.15-meter competition, the results were in.

Lou Huainan had made one mistake and settled for second place.

Although this was a ranking many people would kill for, Lou Huainan was unhappy. Not only had he failed to prove his riding skills to his uncle, but he also felt he had lost the face to confess his feelings to Sister Tang Yu.

Neither Lou Xizhou nor Tang Yu could reach Lou Huainan, and they couldn't find him despite having people look for him.

"Stop looking. He must be hiding," Lou Xizhou said. "When he figures it out himself, we'll see him."

Tang Yu looked at him, confused.

Lou Xizhou explained, "The more you try to prove yourself, the easier it is to make a mistake."

Hearing this, Tang Yu suddenly understood Lou Huainan’s psychology. He must have viewed his uncle as a role model, secretly pushing himself to catch up, bit by bit.

"Alright, then I need to get back to work. Are you leaving, Mr. Lou?"

Lou Xizhou checked his watch, gave a slight nod, and turned to her. "The kid will be back for dinner tonight; let's eat together."

Tang Yu looked down at her phone. Seeing a message from Xiao Wu, she replied while saying, "There’s an equestrian dressage competition tonight, so I’m not going back."

Glancing briefly at her phone screen, Lou Xizhou said, "Then after you're done with these few days, how about I take you golfing?" He lowered his voice slightly. "The Feng family is looking for me to invest."

"The Haicheng Feng family?" Tang Yu looked up at him abruptly, her eyes wide with surprise, meeting his deep, smiling gaze. She momentarily forgot her fluster.

But she had a split-second pause in her reaction.

Had the Feng family reached this stage already? She had planned to wait until after the Equestrian Culture Week to continue her investigation. This was an exclusive scoop that hadn't even leaked yet.

"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you for the tip, Mr. Lou!"

Lou Xizhou grinned, reaching out to pat her hair affectionately. "I'm off."

***

Tang Yu said flatteringly, "Alright, take care, Mr. Lou!"

"Remember to think of me."

"..."

Tang Yu muttered to herself: *We were having such a nice conversation, did you really have to throw that in there!*

Meeting up with Xiao Wu on the first floor of the viewing building, Tang Yu glanced coldly at Yu Shuang in the front row, then sat down in a corner in the back row and began drafting her news report.

Halfway through, her phone received a message from Lou Huainan. She frowned, lost in thought.

"Xiao Wu," Tang Yu called out softly.

Xiao Wu, who was taking pictures with his camera, turned around to look at her, his eyes subconsciously darting to the iPad tucked inside her bag.

"What is it?"

"I need to step away for a bit. My bag has the camera in it, and it’s a bit heavy. Could you keep an eye on it?"

"No problem!"

Tang Yu left the bag in his care and went to find Lou Huainan.

She was gone for half an hour. When she returned, it was lunchtime. After dropping Xiao Wu off at the newspaper office, she returned to the Haoting villa to rest.

The competition resumed at 4:00 PM and went on until 11:30 PM.

Tang Yu and Xiao Wu both had to return to the office to compile the news before heading home.

"Xiao Wu, my draft is gone again!" Tang Yu’s face changed dramatically as she looked at Xiao Wu, who was at his desk.

Xiao Wu turned his head toward her, looking startled, and stood up slowly to walk over.

"Why have I been losing my drafts so often these last two days?" Tang Yu asked him.

Xiao Wu flipped through her iPad and said, "Perhaps..."

"Perhaps I deleted them by mistake again, is that it?" Tang Yu said coldly.

Sensing the shift in her tone, Xiao Wu looked up at her. Seeing her icy expression, his heart skipped a beat.

"What do you mean?"

Seeing that he wouldn't give up until he saw the coffin, Tang Yu spun her chair around and used the mouse to operate the computer.

On the screen appeared a video of him opening her bag and operating her iPad.

With the evidence right before him, Xiao Wu’s face went rigid. His fingers gripped the iPad so tightly they nearly pierced through it.

"When did you find out?"