Lady

Meeting him at tonight's social event was unexpected.

Bian Jiaping only learned through connections that the investor behind Mo Cun Gallery was a wine distributor for Burgundy Lauren Winery. The charity exhibition further enhanced Mo Cun's reputation, and Bian Jiaping hoped to cooperate to break the smog dilemma and help Yun Que Hotel stabilize its high-end market position.

Chairman Sheng Zhen has an eldest daughter, Sheng Jiashu, who is two years younger than him but has already become the vice president. Bian Jiaping invited only this father and daughter today, and Sheng Qijing joined at the last minute.

As soon as he entered the room, he met Bian Jiaping's gaze. His eyes were expressionless, showing no surprise whatsoever.

Sheng Qijing shook hands with the president of Yunque Group, whom he was meeting for the first time, and sat down next to his father. A business map was slowly unfolded on the table, and he silently tasted two bites of the special dishes prepared by Yunque.

However, not long after, seemingly because of Sheng Qijing's arrival, the social atmosphere gradually shifted from a workplace setting to a blind date scene. Before the other party could reveal his true purpose, Jiaping directly stated, "I have a girlfriend."

Sheng Zhen offered his generous blessings and didn't discuss the matter further. After finalizing the cooperation agreement, he prepared to leave early. Before leaving, his assistant, who was traveling with him, slowed down by half a step and whispered a few words in Sheng Qijing's ear.

Close the door.

Only three young people remained at the dinner party, and they were all quiet.

"...Let's go, what are you still sitting here for?"

Sheng Jiashu picked up her bag and kicked her younger brother's shin. The elite image she had just maintained instantly crumbled. She hadn't been back to Ruobei for a long time, and she was still thinking about going to see Liuli.

Sheng Qijing didn't move: "No, Secretary Zhang said they're keeping an eye on things outside. You two need to continue talking."

Sheng Jiashu exclaimed, put her bag back in her seat, and smiled apologetically at Bian Jiaping: "My dad likes to play matchmaker... Our family rules are strict, and you must get married before you turn thirty. Please forgive me."

The two parties had just reached an agreement and the atmosphere was still very harmonious when Sheng Jiashu began to complain to Bian Jiaping about the various oddballs her father had arranged for her, praising him for being so handsome that he didn't seem like the kind of blind date her father would choose.

Bian Jiaping nodded from time to time, glancing at Sheng Qijing.

“When Mr. Bian says he has a girlfriend, he’s just making excuses, isn’t he?” Sheng Qijing met his gaze and asked with a smile, “Actually, my sister doesn’t have any feelings for you either. She prefers younger men.”

"……Um?"

Sheng Jiashu was shocked. How did he know?

"Recently, the winery received a quota of only 300 bottles of first-growth wine per year. My father has been looking for a suitable high-end wine event. If Mr. Bian doesn't have a girlfriend, he'd like to ask him to help my sister avoid blind dates."

At this point, Sheng Jiashu also became interested and blinked at Bian Jiaping.

"Sorry, I have a girlfriend, and we've been together for many years." Bian Jiaping answered with a smile, a smile that seemed rather inexplicable. He paused for a moment, then continued, "Sheng, let's not pretend we're not close anymore."

It felt as if the air in Sheng Qijing had been sucked away.

Bian Jiaping openly talked to him about their unexpected encounter at the art museum, saying that Ju Hui was afraid he would overthink things and call Sheng Qijing Yun Aonan's boyfriend. Sheng Jiashu was amazed by this serendipitous coincidence.

Sheng Jiashu: "Your surname is Ju? Are you President Bian's sister?"

Bian Jiaping: "No, we're just longtime friends."

Sheng Jiashu let out a long "oh" and jokingly asked Ju Hui about her relationship status. Her younger brother was single, and since summer wasn't over yet, it was a good time for something to happen.

"Hehe, never mind... that's not really appropriate." Bian Jiaping chuckled and took a sip of tea. "She needs to focus on her studies."

Just then, Sheng Qijing's phone lit up, and a familiar name appeared in the notification bar.

Yun Aonan: [Ju Hui said she made you angry?]

Yun Aonan: [So you're really not coming?]

Yun Aonan: [Come on, she said she wants to apologize to you.]

"ah!"

A girl's exclamation came from behind him. Before he could send the message, Yun Aonan turned around abruptly.

A male classmate, drunk, came to the spot she had just left and knocked Ju Hui and the girl next to her down.

Fortunately, his arm was held by someone next to him. He was carrying the wine, and his flushed face clearly showed that he was very drunk.

Ju Hui frowned, instinctively feeling troubled, and looked up to see if anyone else was drunk.

"Ju Hui..." The male classmate let out a disgusting burp, "I'm sorry, Ju Hui, although I may not have offended you in any way, I apologize to you... I'd like to toast you!"

His voice wasn't quiet, and an awkward atmosphere permeated the air with the bass interlude. A quick-thinking classmate stopped him from drinking, apologetically smiling and telling them he was drunk.

"No, I didn't!"

The boy finished his drink, and no one around him could stop him. They grabbed Ju Hui's wrist to prevent her from running away, but Ju Hui tried her best to stay calm and couldn't pull her hand away.

“It’s nothing, I have something to ask Ju Hui.” The boy paused and said, “Do you know the big boss behind Mo Chen?”

Ju Hui felt a pause in the surroundings for two seconds. The male classmate who had stopped him no longer grabbed his arm but instead lowered his head to snatch the wine glass. The gazes that had been fixed on her wrist also shifted to her face.

Ju Hui's throat felt dry; they were waiting for her to speak.

"I know him!"

Pu Yin suddenly called out from behind, her voice louder than anyone else's, even waking the boy up, "Stop guessing, I know him."

The female classmate who had been splashed with alcohol lost all her enthusiasm. Ju Hui accompanied her out of the bar and stood by the roadside waiting for a taxi back to school. The evening breeze casually tousled their hair.

"Ju Hui, they say behind your back that you only got the internship at Mo Chen because of Yun Aonan." She laughed self-deprecatingly at Ju Hui, "Isn't that annoying?"

"There are plenty of people who can intern there, and Mo Chen is a breath of fresh air in the industry, so he doesn't bother with connections to get ahead. Ju Hui, ignore them."

"Okay, thank you."

Ju Hui smiled and saw her to her car. She hadn't thought about why Hui Ling had stayed, but she firmly believed that she hadn't done it through connections.

Ju Hui walked back to the bar and headed towards her classmates' table. They were gathered in a circle with Pu Yin in the center. As she got closer, she heard Sheng Qijing's name.

"Sheng Qijing's family used to be wine merchants! His future boss is his childhood friend! Heavens... Have I ever offended him? How do Sheng Qijing and Yun Aonan have this relationship?"

"Wow, it's true! The vice president's surname is Sheng." The male classmate showed the company information on the webpage. "Hey, Jingyu, didn't you say he was his high school classmate? Did you know that?"

"...I don't know. He transferred here in his second year of high school. He was full of hostility. I only said that he came from Shanghai."

Hong Jingyu's lips twitched: "It can't be his childhood friend. Yun Aonan is a native of Ruobei."

“Did I say Yun Aonan is the CEO of Mochen?” Pu Yin was speechless. “That person is a man.”

Ju Hui heard this and slowed her pace. She and the others, lost in thought, suddenly realized what was happening. Someone noticed Ju Hui, chuckled at her, and called her over to ask:

"Ju Hui, what's your relationship with Sheng Qijing?"

Ju Hui's fingertips trembled unconsciously in the shadows. Pu Yin couldn't help. The problem had changed but not shifted. They had only changed the name in their hearts, still believing that she had risen to her position through connections, even making her herself begin to doubt...

Why did he help her?

Because they are roommates in Pei Yao's studio?

No, Ju Hui gritted her teeth silently. How could he have borrowed that studio?

Upon reflection, she realized that Sheng Qijing had driven her back to school that night, and had taken the key from his own pocket to open the garage door of the house across the street.

Pu Yin took her hand: "It's nothing."

Everyone asked her if it was true or not, and how she could get an internship at Mo Cun. Ju Hui's ears were overwhelmed by the layers of voices. She forced a smile, but her throat was tight with breath she couldn't catch.

“Ju Hui…your face is suddenly so red, stop drinking…” The senior student paused, her eyes darting behind them, and called out, “Qi Jing, over here!”

Ju Hui turned around and looked over. Sheng Qijing, dressed in all black, stood out conspicuously in the shadows. His eyes were like a torrential downpour of rain; she couldn't see who he was looking at. The next second—

Ju Hui suddenly lowered her head and cried.

In her panic, she squeezed out two tears by closing her eyes tightly.

"I'm leaving now."

After speaking in a low voice, Ju Hui slipped out of the crowd.

Tears welled up in her eyes again, and she walked even faster, accidentally bumping into Sheng Qijing.

Sheng Qijing grabbed her, and a loud commotion erupted behind them.

Instantly, Ju Hui felt as if the air was filled with blood. Her nose stung even more, and she used all her strength to shake him off.

He watched her departing figure, speechless.

Ju Hui found it difficult to pack up her studio and bring it back to school immediately. She sat in front of her workbench, where she had just welded a large iron frame, and the still unfinished No. 1 human figure was placed in the distance.

She came back just to hide nearby.

Ju Hui couldn't hold back her tears. She desperately wanted to ask him why, why he hated her so much. Sheng Qijing was friendly to everyone, even strangers who hadn't uttered a word in the darkness.

Ju Hui covered her eyes with a tissue and cried silently, while her phone rang repeatedly on the table...

After a while, the sound of the back door being unlocked rang out, and Ju Hui's nerves tensed up.

"Ju Hui".

Sheng Qijing appeared from the back door and walked in unhurriedly.

"Don't come any closer!" Ju Hui yelled at him. "I'm leaving in a bit, so don't come near me!"

Sheng Qijing remained silent, truly not getting any closer. Time seemed to slow down, and Ju Hui's cheeks remained flushed.

After a while, Sheng Qijing stood there and started making a phone call to himself.

“…She’s at the studio right now. You stay at school. You don’t need to come over.” Sheng Qijing paused for a few seconds. Ju Hui heard Yun Aonan speaking on the other end of the phone. He replied, “We’ll talk about this later.”

At the end, Sheng Qijing's tone was unpleasant. After hanging up the phone, he walked closer, his steps clear and distinct.

"I'm leaving." Ju Hui grabbed the tool bag she had just packed, and just as she stood up in a panic, Sheng Qijing walked up to her.

Sheng Qijing grabbed her hand: "Wait a minute."

"Don't take my bag." Ju Hui tried to shake him off, but she wasn't as strong as him, and her wrist started to hurt.

"...Why didn't you say this was your house? Why did you install a back door for me? Why do you treat me like a dog? Do you hate me that much?!"

"I didn't... I'm sorry."

Sheng Qijing pried her fingers open one by one, and she closed them one by one. Just as the two were at an impasse, Sheng Qijing quickly pressed her hand into his arms.

He placed the backpack steadily on the workbench.

"Calm down first."

Ju Hui was stunned. At that moment, her hands were clasped together, and the embrace was strong and firm, but weren't they arguing...?

"I'm sorry, I apologize for everything I've done that made you unhappy," Sheng Qijing's voice came from his chest.

Like a muffled thunderclap waking the spring rain.

Sheng Qijing easily enveloped Ju Hui's entire world with the most peaceful heart, using despicable silence to evade the problem, the fabric on his cheek as gentle as his attitude.

She slowly stopped crying and suddenly understood what Yun Aonan meant when he said, "Don't think of yourself as so noble."

She didn't like him, but she was desperately craving his body.

Ju Hui didn't push him away. After a while, she wrapped her arms around his back and hugged him.

Sheng Qijing stiffened.

The two stood stiffly for a long time, so long that Ju Hui felt her body temperature had dropped and the smell of alcohol on her body stained the corner of his clothes.

Slowly, Ju Hui raised her head in his arms and asked:

Can I take a shower at your place?