Chapter: 2688

The sleek Concorde airliner took off from Beirut International Airport in Lebanon. It climbed into the sky, heading toward China at top speed. Inside the plane, He Zhiqiu sat by the window, lost in thought. She still felt that the events of the last hour seemed like a dream.

But when she glanced over at Charlie Wade, who was resting with his eyes closed, she knew this was all very real. She remembered how he had gone to Syria alone to rescue her from danger, and a wave of guilt washed over her alongside her gratitude.

He Zhiqiu realized that after years of studying economics and finance, she had been naive about human nature. At first, she felt no shame in abandoning her peers. But now, as she reflected, she saw how her friends had chosen to stay together, even if it meant risking their lives. They had a chance to escape, yet they wasted it, feeling angry that they could have left but didn’t. This made her truly understand the darker side of humanity.

With these thoughts swirling in her mind, she quietly stood and walked over to Charlie Wade, taking a seat beside him. Charlie opened his eyes when he sensed someone next to him. Seeing He Zhiqiu, he smiled and asked, “Why don’t you take advantage of this flight time to get some rest?”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, He Zhiqiu replied, “I’m really confused and can’t seem to sleep…” She turned to him, seeking comfort in his presence.

He Zhiqiu said with a hint of shame, “Mr. Ye, I feel really embarrassed today.”

Charlie Wade smiled gently and asked, “Are you feeling this way because of your friends?”

“Yes…” He Zhiqiu nodded slightly and continued, “I never thought they would act like this. You’re right. I still have a lot to learn about people. Maybe I just don’t have enough experience.”

Charlie Wade replied, “The fact that you lack social experience shows that you’ve been well protected since you were a child. Many kids and teens gain social experience early on, which often means their families didn’t protect them enough.”

Then, Charlie added, “Also, what you went through is quite rare. Usually, a normal person wouldn’t face being kidnapped by armed forces from another country. Out of 100 million people, I’d guess only about six or seven thousand have had that experience. That means on average, only one in a million people goes through something like this. So, congratulations! After tonight, you will be one of those few. 99.99% of people never get the chance to have this kind of experience, and most forget it quickly.”

He Zhiqiu felt even more embarrassed and blushed, saying, “Please don’t tease me. I know I messed up from start to finish.”