Lady

"You were Xiaohui's college classmate, and you two have been in a long-distance relationship?"

"Yes, Aunt Rong."

In the living room, Sheng Qijing sat on a small stool that Ju Peilan had brought for him, smiling warmly as he faced a row of elders on the sofa.

Ju Peilan and Meng Liqiang still live in this old neighborhood. They have lived there for more than 20 years. The apartment was renovated once every 20 years, with new wooden floors and soft sofas. They are comfortable and spacious. The only thing that Sheng Qijing is sitting on is the old stool. It has short legs and is small. He is tall and his long legs are bent, but he still looks at them at eye level. The toes of his leather shoes are pointing at Ju Hui on the sofa.

Ju Hui sat between the two elders, her right hand held tightly by Aunt Rong's fingers.

She could feel the vibration emanating from Aunt Rong's body as she asked the question; it was powerful and resonant. In Aunt Rong's eyes, Sheng Qijing was no different from a rat that had stolen her family's wealth.

Rong Zhenfang had never seen such a person before.

They also don't believe that Ju Hui has had a boyfriend all these years.

"Xiao Hui," Aunt Rong tugged at her, "tell me not to make me angry because of Jia Ping—"

"Zhenfang!" Bian Shansong came out of the inner room with his phone in hand, his brows furrowed. "Don't yell at the child."

Bian Shansong glared at Sheng Qijing, sat down next to Rong Zhenfang, crossed his legs, and asked, "A friend of mine is an old acquaintance of your father, Sheng Zhen. They grew up in the same compound. How is your father now?"

“It’s alright,” Sheng Qijing smiled, “I’m retiring early and enjoying my retirement.”

“He’s not retired, he’s still a director,” Bian Shansong told him not to think he didn’t know. “You’re in charge of Mo Chen now, but you can’t manage on your own without him.”

Ju Hui was suddenly helped up by Ju Peilan from behind. She sat up straighter and smiled at her aunt.

Director, Mo Chen—these were unfamiliar terms to her.

After studying abroad, Ju Hui began to pay attention to the developments of Mo Cun. At that time, when Ju Hui told Sheng Zhen that because of Ju Hui's existence, Sheng Qijing was willing to take over Mo Cun, and Lao Run trusted Sheng Jiashu more, allowing her to expand the domestic sales market, Ju Hui was even more at a loss than her aunt, and did not believe that she could influence the business landscape of the two major fields.

Immediately afterwards, Sheng Zhen invited Ju Hui and Mo Cun to sign the contract, and then invited her to drink the aperitif in front of her, since Sheng Qijing's wine tasting ability was not high, and Ju Hui should learn more about wine tasting in the future.

Ju Hui clutched her clothes, the contract and wine laid out in front of her, unsure how to refuse. She could only look at Bian Jiaping, who had brought her to dinner. He spoke, deceiving Ju Hui with a high-sounding air: "This contract offers better terms than anyone else's. It was secured for you by Sheng Qijing over five years. He even gave up sculpting for you. Aren't you going to stay in the country with him?"

This was a moral blackmail meticulously designed by Bian Jiaping, but Ju Hui was unaware of it at the time. She only vaguely remembered that she had indeed told Sheng Qijing that her device experiment was done in order to apply for the ink texture technique.

Ju Hui still chose Norway. She left resolutely, without caring about anyone. She even told Sheng Qijing, who wanted to block her way and stay to help him, that she never wanted to see him again.

“It’s only nominally so, it won’t be for long,” Sheng Qijing nodded. “I know Xiaohui wants to stay in China, so I sent her father to France. It’s an internal company adjustment, I won’t go into details… Uncle Bian knows my father quite well, have you had contact with him?”

"No way, what connection could I possibly have with him?" Bian Shansong clicked his tongue and turned his head away.

The room became much quieter.

Ju Hui was also deep in thought at this moment.

What Bian Shansong said was also what Ju Hui knew. Sheng Qijing only had his own shares after Mo Cun had diligently worked and lay low for five years, but that was still not enough. He had to be in the same alliance as Sheng Zhen in order to be able to stand on equal footing with Bailan.

Bai Lan knew what the Sheng family was thinking; they had never backed down. In this tug-of-war between Bai Lan and him, the thickness of the tree stump and the depth the saw could cut were always known. Sheng Qijing, who had just entered the game, wanted to win, like waiting for a giant ship to crash into the forest and sink to the bottom.

But what happened to Mo Chen? She'd only been back in the country for a month or two, yet Sheng Qijing's authority was so great that he could make Sheng Zhen leave at will. He must be going all in with Bai Lan—

His bet with Tera is real!

Ju Hui's surprise was palpable and quietly reached Sheng Qijing's eyes. Their eyes met, he chuckled softly, and lowered his gaze.

"Enough said," Bian Shansong said, looking down on Sheng Qijing's spoiled husband act. He stood up. "We should go back too. Jiaping booked us tickets back to Ruobei. Xiaohui, we're on the same flight, right?"

The grip tightened, and Ju Hui subconsciously looked at Sheng Qijing. He was looking at her, and there was a notification on Ju Hui's travel app that she was about to board a flight to Ruobei.

Bian Shansong waited for her reply.

Sheng Qijing was also waiting.

"Qi Jing and I went back to Shanghai by high-speed rail."

Ju Hui's smile was harmless.

Repeating something three times makes it seem as bland as water. Bian Shansong's meaning was already very clear, but Ju Hui still didn't know what was good for her. So he stopped considering the marriage and left in anger. Ju Peilan, who was seeing him off, was also feeling rather uncomfortable.

She was angry and frustrated, but she wasn't angry that Bian Shansong was disrespectful. On the contrary, she felt that their reaction was reasonable. If she had Rong Zhenfang's family background, she would probably be even angrier.

She was angry at Ju Hui for her lack of gratitude. Indeed, she was a lily that had been brought back to life, but it was they who had watered her to survive. She should repay them and take care of them in their old age.

Ju Peilan pulled Ju Hui into the second bedroom she used to live in. After thinking for a while, she grinned and said, "Xiao Hui, both of these children are good, but look, Qi Jing didn't even come to lunch today. Jia Ping was willing to come and visit us during the New Year... When you go back, you should have a good talk with Jia Ping and apologize to his parents together—"

"This bed is about the same size as the one I used to sleep in, right? Is Keke sleeping here?" Ju Hui took a step to the side and asked the brand-new bed in the room.

"...They're all 1.5 meters tall, so you can stay here when you come back. Keke usually takes a nap here."

Ju Hui, with her back to her, gave a soft "oh" and stared at the long, handmade table beside the bed. The table was a full two meters long, made of thick yellow wood, and ran from east to west around the window, complete with a table hole and frame. Ju Hui had never felt that the room was so long or so big.

Perhaps it's because in her mind, a single table can fill the entire room.

Her desk belonged to her older cousin; it was a flat table, tall and wide, only big enough to fit in the space between the bed and the corner of the wall. Ju Hui would use the bed as a chair, with one leg stretched under the table and the other dangling out, and she would lie on the triangular tabletop, about the size of a pencil case, to study.

Ju Hui learned the phrase "At first it was extremely narrow, only then could people pass through" on that table, and she remembered it immediately. Her room was cluttered with many things, and that was the feeling as soon as you entered. Later, Ju Hui read "You must enter through the narrow gate" on that table. That year, Bian Jiaping said he could bring her to Ruobei to study in high school and asked her if she dared to do so.

In the spacious room, Ju Hui breathed a sigh of relief.

Is that even possible...?

It turns out that even if the room is small, it doesn't matter, someone will make a long table for you.

-

Ju Hui always arrived in Shanghai at night, but this was the first time she had been with two men: Sheng Qijing and his secretary.

Ju Hui's biggest misunderstanding of Sheng Qijing was that he was a reserved person. For as long as Sheng Qijing held her hand, his secretary Cheng Yi glanced at her. Ju Hui didn't embarrass him and got along with him naturally in a good mood.

When it was time to take a taxi and part ways, Cheng Yi finally relaxed and boldly told Ju Hui, "President Sheng is speeding up the handover of work and will be able to come to Mo Chenruobei to accompany you soon!"

After saying that, he got into the car and hurriedly left.

"160812"

Ju Hui opened the door impatiently.

This feeling was like being drunk. Ju Hui's heart swelled to an infinite size. Her past mistakes seemed like a code that could be solved with a single finger. She pulled Sheng Qijing's collar, closed the door, and blindfolded him without him having to do anything.

He bent down obediently, and Ju Hui pressed her little finger on the spot where the small mole on the bridge of his nose was. Ju Hui remembered why she had only noticed it now—Sheng Qijing always wore his frameless glasses and was busy staring at the computer screen.

Now that's great! Once the bet is successful, no one will be able to keep Sheng Qijing busy making money for them. He can work whenever he wants and be free whenever he wants!

Ju Hui can help him. She's not very famous in China, but she's incredibly popular abroad. She's more famous than the red maple leaves of Fragrant Hills, and more famous than the sunrise, sunset, and dawn!

Ju Hui leaned closer, her fingertip accidentally brushing against the hump of his nose. Her inexperience caused her to apply too much pressure, making him blink his right eye.

Her eyelashes brushed against her palm, and she shivered.

"What's wrong?"

Sheng Qijing asked with a smile.

The pain gradually subsided, but the kiss lingered. Sheng Qijing pulled her hand down and looked at her.

Ju Hui's enthusiasm faded, replaced by suspicion: "Why haven't you mentioned Tera to me yet? If you wanted me to help you, you would have told me when we signed the agreement, right?"

The lights weren't on inside, so Ju Hui didn't have time to observe carefully. She felt both unfamiliar and familiar with the duplex behind her. It was a large place with many rooms, but she had only been to one or two areas where the doors could be closed. She had always been reluctant to get too involved with Sheng Qijing. Like the end of a tender moment, Ju Hui always regarded the brief interaction in the living room the next day as the real aftercare.

One person on the sofa and the other at the dining table, detached and without desire, can help Ju Hui detach herself in time and return to Norway.

She heard Sheng Qijing sigh: "Ju Hui, I'm not staying in Mo Chen because of you. Even if joining Tera can help me, I don't want you to get involved and deepen your misconceptions."

Being with Ju Hui and Sheng Qijing is like having a bucket of cold water constantly over your head.

Sheng Qijing's tone was excessively gentle: "Wang Liumu, who has already resigned, forgot the silk scarf that Secretary Wang gave you at the club. I suggest you return it to Director Wang in person. That way, your refusal will be more direct, and he won't use other newcomers to test you..."

Sheng Qijing stopped abruptly, as Ju Hui gave him a hard shove on the shoulder.

But it only shifted a few degrees.

"What if I don't? What if I continue to meet with his secretary in private? Then there will be a constant stream of new people being laid off. At that time, will you bring up Tera on your own? Will you ask me for help? Or will you play dumb and go to Nanchang to find me to pretend to be a couple in a cross-cultural relationship?"

Ju Hui's eyes burned with even more fury, angry that he always thought the problem could be buried. Sheng Qijing remained calm and answered her jokingly, "Ju Hui, we have always been a couple in a cross-cultural relationship."

Ju Hui's chest heaved even more. Angry, she stepped forward and grabbed his collar again, scoffing, "Stop pretending, Sheng Qijing! You don't believe what you're saying! You say it's not because of me that you stayed at Mo Chen, but who said they wanted to join Mo Chen? Who asked you to be their nude model? Who wanted to have an intimate relationship with you? If it's not because of me, then why did you cry when I said I was leaving? You said you were afraid to get involved in your mess!"

Sheng Qijing, a big, silly guy who was made to cry by Ju Hui!

Ju Hui now wants to make Sheng Qijing cry, but he has long been polished into a pearl by Ju Hui. Even if her sharp words pierce him, so be it. Leaving him around will only make Ju Hui buy pearl earrings.

"Those are all in the past, I've let them go."

Ju Hui was speechless. Sheng Qijing was the one who wasn't pushing the story forward. She straightened her neck and said, "Didn't you just say it wasn't because of me? What have you let go of now? Fine, if you don't want to tell the truth, then I'll go back. Back to Ruobei, or back to Norway—"

Sheng Qijing gripped her wrist tightly, only admitting his feelings about her decision to stay or leave: "Ju Hui, don't say things like that to upset me."

"Let go!"

"You're very tired, you should get some rest."

"No," Ju Hui slowly turned her tightly clenched left hand away, her brows furrowed, her eyes brimming with tears. "I don't want to, I don't want to rest, I don't want to go back to the country only to sleep with you! You want to break away from Bai Lan, I can help you, and I can even help me whitewash the past. Maybe we'll have a better ending, don't you think?"

To cover it up, to scrape a new layer of putty onto the wall that had been painted beyond recognition, even if it would stain and bleed, at least it would let her know that she had made amends and atone for her sins.

He said, word by word, "Using ink wash to cover it up only makes it dirtier the more you try to cover it up."

“As long as I feel clean, that’s fine. I just need a way to back down,” Ju Hui stepped back, wiping away her tears heavily with her sleeve. She was getting impatient, and her words were filled with despair. She wanted to look at Tianlu. “Now that you have it, you’re unwilling to give it to me. What makes you think you want a healthy relationship?”

"And what about you?" Sheng Qijing scoffed, laughing at her, "Why do you think I'd want to see you help me get the Ink Stroke, completely let go, and leave me all alone in the same place?"

Ju Hui's eyes widened in shock, and tears suddenly fell.

He wanted to hold onto her tightly.

“You know who the real culprit is, Ju Hui. Believe me, as long as you stop contacting him, we can let go of any problems.”

Ju Hui seemed unable to hear clearly: "What are you saying..."

The entryway was too dark. Disappointed, Ju Hui wanted to turn around and leave, but Sheng Qijing pulled her back again, his whole hand covering her wrist: "I'll say it again, even if I stay in Mo Chen for five, ten, or twenty years, it's not because of you. I just can't let go of how decisively you left. Now you're back so casually. You know that very well."

“Back then we all walked with our ears covered, I don’t blame you, but now you’re still taking the blame on your shoulders, isn’t it just because you want to apologize for Bian Jiaping? If it weren’t for him, I might have made it in a year, if it weren’t for you, I might have become Sheng Qijing… Ju Hui, you always treat Mo Cun as a mistake, but treat him as one of your own.”

Ju Hui gritted her teeth; she felt a chill run down her spine from her feet, and she had nowhere to hide.

“He used me to scheme for you to stay, telling Sheng Zhen and the board that we were together, ruining your reputation in the country,” Sheng Qijing said, his forehead pressed against hers. He had somehow taken her hand and placed it on his heart, pressing it lightly, feeling her heartbeat. “Abandon Bian Jiaping. He’s the one who messed up your past.”

He's serious.

Sheng Qijing finally voiced his cold wish.

Sheng Qijing actually told her to leave Bian Jiaping.

Does Ju Hui's departure from Bian Jiaping, his loft, and the walls covered with portraits in his studio not remind her of her shameful deeds? Or can the Mo Cun board of directors give Sheng Qijing a few more years of autumn in Ruobei, allowing him to fall in love with Shanghai again?

Bian Jiaping was wrong, but how could Ju Hui leave him?

Will Sheng Qijing understand? Ju Hui's rise to this point is entirely due to Bian Jiaping. It was Bian Jiaping who asked her if she dared to come to Ruobei, and Bian Jiaping who sent her to the art studio to study. All of Ju Hui's efforts need a support.

Sheng Qijing actually said that she would feel better if she forgot about this fulcrum...

So absurd, so heartless.

Her lips trembled with excitement as she whispered:

"No, no...!"