Chapter 25

Her flight was tonight, arriving at nine o'clock the next morning. Liang Shi wore headphones to avoid excessive conversation with the man next to her. But listening to music at 10,000 meters altitude was uncomfortable for her ears, so she turned to the side. Li Junqian next to her was flipping through the books he had brought.

"M" is truly elegant.

She is an ordinary person. Even after living in Paris for more than a decade, she has not been influenced by the so-called art capital. Deep down, she is still a native of the mountain city.

“I read the annual report that Marry sent me. The total sales of new products across the entire Fanning line last year were not high. For Chinese consumers, they are used to the sense of security that classic products bring, and not many are willing to try new products at the same price. Mr. Li, in the new year, I hope the creative department can strive for a good revenue for Fanning.”

Li Junqian closed his book. The passengers around him had already fallen asleep. He looked at her in the lamplight. She was clearly exhausted, but she still insisted on being a good employee.

"Frankl is working to get you a raise; you really need to work harder for the company this year."

Liang Shi squinted at him, doubting the truth of his words.

"It's too late, and you're likely to experience oxygen deprivation at 10,000 meters altitude. Don't worry too much about work. Your wish has already been fulfilled."

Her wish? Could it be referring to the post she made on WeChat Moments before boarding the plane?

Liang Shi asked him with some skepticism, "You don't mean you got me a signed photo of Djokovic, do you? When did you do that? We just boarded the plane a short while ago!"

And his phone hasn't been turned on since he boarded the plane! Could it be that he had already...

He turned off the desk lamp, but Liang Shi still had the image of her handsome face lingering in his eyes. It took a long time for his eyes to adjust to the darkness.

Frankl got a lot of autographed photos through someone. Where do you want to go tomorrow?

The match is the day after tomorrow, so I have a whole day of free time tomorrow.

She turned her back to him and said, "Let's talk about tomorrow's problems tomorrow."

Liang Shi slept soundly that night, a rare occurrence. She rushed to the restroom to wash up and freshen up before the plane landed. When she returned to her seat, Li Junqian had just woken up. She pointed to the window through which the bright white clouds peeked out from the half-open curtains: "There's no one in the restroom. Do you want to wash your face? The plane will land in forty minutes."

When Li Junqian returned, Liang Shi was 'borrowing' his copy of "M" when he was caught red-handed.

"So? Did you get any inspiration?"

Liang Shi looked up at him. His stubble, which had been slightly bluish overnight, should have been cleaned up, and there were still some water stains at his temples. "I don't know how to appreciate a master's work, but the shadows and contours are handled quite well, the colors are delicate, and the changes in light and shadow are also handled extremely well. As for inspiration, would you like to hear my thoughts?"

Li Junqian sat back down, probably because he had talked to the flight attendant earlier. Just then, the flight attendant brought them two glasses of warm water: "Tell me about it."

When Liang Shi saw those paintings, he seemed to smell the perfume 'Remembrance', with its floral and grassy feel, very impressionistic.

"Most perfume bottles are made of transparent glass now, but I think we can try using ceramic."

As Liang Shi spoke, he flipped through the most classic water lily in the catalog: "The luster of ceramics is very suitable for gradient colors, while adding color to glass products would look particularly tacky. In addition, the work report included the conclusions of random interviews with respondents, one of which was about perfume bottle design. Most respondents wanted a more colorful presentation. Perfume is not just about the scent, but also about taste. Nowadays, most people buy perfume not just because it smells good, but because the most important thing is the appearance. It should be something that brings joy to people, whether displayed on a dressing table or given as a gift."

Li Junqian listened with great interest, his eyes full of admiration for her.

"Over the years, I've focused my efforts on perfume research and development. I don't pursue the ultimate in perfume bottle design because, for me, a good perfume isn't about the bottle itself, but about the perfume itself. I've also seen what was mentioned in the work report. The Chinese market is different from overseas markets. Consumers mostly shop online and rarely visit stores to try perfumes in person. A good appearance can stimulate consumption. Xiao Shi, you mentioned using ceramic to make perfume bottles. I think we could give that a try."

Liang Shi handed the book back to him: "I was just talking nonsense. If it doesn't sell well, don't blame me, Mr. Li."

She heard him give an irrelevant answer: "Memories"

Liang Shi asked, puzzled, "Huh?"

He took out the sample perfume from his briefcase and gestured for her to extend her hand. She did so, feeling a slight coolness on her wrist, followed by the fragrance that slowly diffused in the air.

"Memories is a perfect name for this fragrance, don't you think?"

Liang Shi's eyes widened slightly in disbelief. Could this person read minds?

Reminiscing is no different from Memories.

They really do have a great understanding...

"It sounds beautiful. It's French: Mémoire. Could the Chinese name be '追忆' (Zhuiyi)?" (meaning remembrance)?"

Liang Shi stared straight at him. If he asked her the difference between reminiscence and memory, she probably wouldn't answer him. She couldn't answer what she truly felt.

For her, if this memory is related to him, then it's a process of piecing together past memories from her mind, while reminiscence is her attempt to reclaim that ancient memory. To put it simply, deep down, she still wants to be with him again. This is why she had relations with him again.

But reality is like a broken perfume bottle; the beauty can never be restored.

Thankfully, he didn't ask. This made her feel a little uncomfortable; she was actually hoping he would ask her the same question.

“I would consider it, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be a name based on memories.”

Liang Shi shrugged: "Last time, Plaquemine was about striving for dreams, so what's the theme of this perfume you're developing?"

This time, it was his turn to stare straight at her.

"love."

The simple two words made Liang Shi instantly look away. Damn it, no wonder the word "reminiscence" flashed through her mind; it turned out she had already incorporated this theme into this perfume.

The private balcony of the Park Hyatt Hotel offers a view of St. Patrick's Cathedral. Since he was paying for Li Junqian's meal anyway, Liang Shi ordered a bottle of champagne, and the waiter quickly brought the wine and glass over.

Unfortunately, her entire operation was witnessed by Li Junqian, who lived across the hall. She couldn't close the door, nor could she ignore it. After all, she had refused his invitation to go out before returning to her room, lying that she needed to adjust to the time difference and sleep a little longer.

"Are you going out?"

Liang tried his best to appear as if he hadn't done anything wrong.

After saying that, she shook the champagne in her hand: "To help you sleep."

It's summer in Melbourne now, and although it's not that hot these days, it's still pretty scorching. It's rare to see Liang Shi dressed casually. Wow, this man can pull off any style.

"Want to go swimming together?"

Swimming? Liang Shi looked down at his expensive dark blue jeans, wondering if he was already wearing swimming trunks underneath.

When she came to her senses, Liang Shi blushed slightly; her 'Doraemon' appearance made her feel ashamed.

"Go ahead, I... I'll take a nap."

After Li Junqian left, Liang Shi was probably too nervous, and he didn't dare to touch the wine at all.

She had slept well on the plane, but now she couldn't sleep at all. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Li Junqian swimming. She had seen his body quite a few times, and it certainly stirred up all sorts of fantasies. The hotel pool was open to the public; would any women try to chat him up?

Unable to sleep the more he thought about it, Liang Shi rummaged through his suitcase, put on his swimsuit, called the front desk to find out the location of the pool, and without hesitation, slipped on a bathrobe and went downstairs.

There weren't many people. Liang Shi looked around and quickly found the man. She found a lounge chair and sat down, watching him swim a lap in the pool. His swimming style was fluid, and Liang Shi regretted not bringing her phone with her; otherwise, she would have taken at least a couple of photos.

Having probably swum enough, Liang Shi watched as he braced himself against the edge of the pool, his arm muscles forming perfect lines as he exerted himself. He quickly got out of the water, and then, while drying his hair with a towel, he saw her on the other side and paused for a few seconds.

Liang Shi avoided eye contact with him, took off her bathrobe, and went into the water. Swimming in the middle of summer was surprisingly comfortable.

Liang Shi wasn't a very good swimmer; her female colleague in Paris taught her. But she wasn't stupid; she remembered the basics of swimming. It's just that her swimming style might not be very graceful, but whatever, being happy is the most important thing.

However, her happiness didn't last long. Liang Shi's leg betrayed her; it was the first time she had ever experienced a leg cramp in the water. The pain was so intense that she could only grab her calf with her hands. Her whole body instantly lost its balance. She tilted her chin up, but quickly sank into the water, and calling for help was no longer an option.

Besides her aching legs, the name Li Junqian was still on her mind. Would he come to save her?

Soon, she was embraced, breaking through the surface tension of the water and regaining oxygen, breathing heavily.

The man carried her from behind and swam towards the shore. When they reached the edge of the pool, Liang Shi braced her elbows on the bank and wiped the water off her face with her other hand. Before she could turn around, she heard that familiar voice in her ear.

He really did save her.

"Xiaoshi, how's it going? Can you make it up?"

Liang Shi's legs were in severe pain. She tried to climb up, but the pool was very deep and there was nothing to step on, so she couldn't get up.

"I have a cramp in my left calf, it hurts. Why don't you go up first?"

Li Junqian shifted his position, but on her right: "Step on my leg."

Trusting him, Liang Shi stepped on his bent thigh with her right leg and pushed upwards. He lifted her waist with both hands, and she easily reached the shore. Only then could she see him clearly in the water. The man swept his wet hair back with one hand, revealing his perfect face in full view.

"Li Junqian, those ladies over there have been staring at you. Am I blocking your path to finding a partner?"

Liang Shi never expected that this man would do something so childish, actually splashing water on her!

"Are you sick? Are you getting angry because I hit a nerve?"

As she raised her hand to wipe the water droplets from her face, she saw him emerge from the water. His body flashed past her, and wow, it instantly made her forget the pain.

Suddenly, a bathrobe was draped over his shoulders. Liang Shi turned to look at him. A bath towel was wrapped around his lower body. Ha, at least he still has some male virtue.

He squatted down and pointed slightly in a certain direction: "Xiao Shi, put on your bathrobe. I'm going to get dressed. Wait for me to come back."

Liang Shi looked in the direction he pointed, and a foreigner smiled happily at her and waved. She glanced down and saw that although the swimsuit was a bit conservative, she had a good figure. Liang Shi quickly wrapped her bathrobe around herself.

This man always speaks with hidden meanings.

She glanced in the direction of the changing room and decided to make a quick escape. After all, she had said she was going to sleep; she never expected that even swimming could lead to an accident!

Liang Shi, supporting himself with his belongings, had just reached the pool entrance when he was suddenly lifted into the air. He smelled a familiar perfume, and when he opened his eyes again, he saw Li Junqian's handsome chin.

"Li Junqian, are you really sick? Couldn't you at least have informed me?"

As she walked, she looked down and met his gaze: "You left without informing me."

Good grief, they've held a grudge?

When she arrived at the door, Liang Shi touched the towel pocket and thought, "Tsk, that's a bit silly. I think I forgot to take my room key."

The man was carrying her in his arms, facing her door. Liang Shi smiled awkwardly and said, "Mr. Li, why don't you put me down and then go back to your room and call the front desk to ask a waiter to open the door for me?"

Unexpectedly, the person turned around, walked to the opposite doorway, looked down at him and smiled: "Left pocket, can you get my room key for me?"

Liang Shi raised an eyebrow slightly: "You can put me down and then take it yourself."

Li Junqian, seemingly on purpose, tossed her into the air, startling her so much that she immediately clung to him: "Are you out of your mind?"

"As a child, I told you not to call me General Manager Li."

Liang Shi couldn't take it anymore. He reached into the left pocket of Liang Shi's pants with his right hand. Perhaps because of the wrong position, it was a little inconvenient to reach into the pocket. He struggled to take out the room card, his fingers still feeling the muscles of Liang Shi's thigh.

It was burning hot. Liang Shi stuck the room card to the doorknob and opened the door.

"Is that enough? Put me down."

Men and women are different, and the difference in strength is truly vast. Liang Shi only calmed down after he placed her on the bed.

Just as she was about to pick up the phone, a pair of warm hands grasped her left leg. Liang Shi turned around and saw that Li Junqian was actually... massaging her leg!

"It doesn't hurt anymore, stop pressing."

I must say, it was quite comfortable, and the massage technique was very professional.

"Have you studied massage?"

"I used to enjoy sports and learned some muscle relaxation techniques. Don't bear the pain if it hurts. Are you hungry?"

Liang Shi nodded honestly: "A little."

"Call to order food."

Liang Shi felt very comfortable being pressed down and didn't want to move: "My English isn't good."

Liang Shi, who was feeling a little sleepy from the massage and had her eyes slightly closed, saw him chuckle and asked, "So, how did you order your champagne?"

Good grief, they've been waiting for her here.

She lamented, "Champagne is so simple, the waiter can understand me if I speak Chinese. As for ordering food, forget it, my English is even worse than my French."

Liang Shi met his gaze. Li Junqian smiled at her without saying a word, as if he could see right through her.

After all, when he invited her to Colmar to celebrate her high school graduation, Liang Shi showed him the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary that she had worn out from reading it so many times.

Li Junqian is very clever; don't try to fool him.

She surrendered, picked up the portable landline, and started making a call. The call was quickly answered, and a clean, strong hand reached out. Liang Shi looked at him, then placed the landline in his palm.

She propped herself up on the bed, listening to him on the phone. To be honest, this man spoke English really well, with a slight British accent, it was extremely pleasant to listen to. She hadn't been listening carefully enough to notice what he was talking about.

Liang Shi put the landline back in its place, turned around and asked him, "Your speaking speed is faster than the listening comprehension section of the college entrance exam. What did you press?"

Just then, his phone rang. Liang Shi watched as he took it out of his pocket, and the screen showed a transoceanic call.

He drew the curtains wide, letting the Melbourne summer sunlight stream into the room. Liang Shi rubbed his calves, staring at the backlit figure of the man standing by the window.

She understands French.

So this is how he catches up with friends—casual, natural, and even laughing and joking. It seems he's always been putting on an act of coldness and aloofness.

Five minutes later, the man put away his phone and walked to the bedside against the light. Only then could Liang Shi see his handsome legs clearly. His hair was a bit long, and since it had just dried after swimming, it wasn't held in place by hairspray, making him look even younger.

Wow, in a high school uniform, he looks exactly like a handsome young man who has just come of age.

"A friend of mine happened to be in Melbourne on a business trip. We hadn't seen each other in a long time, and this afternoon..."

Liang Shi shrugged and took over the conversation: "I did understand some of the French. You can go out and socialize this afternoon, I'll take a break. Don't worry about me."

Li Junqian hesitated for a moment, looking at her legs, but still wanted to take her with him: "Golf, interested?"

Liang looked like he'd seen a ghost: "My legs don't support my love of sports."

"There are golf carts."

Liang Shi remained unmoved: "I heard that Jay Chou and Hannah Quinlivan often play golf in Melbourne, but yesterday I saw him in Taipei."

The implication is that if she could bump into her idol, she would risk her leg injury to try her luck.

He raised an eyebrow: "When did you become a fan of Jay Chou?"

She chuckled softly, "I don't like him, but I admire his talent and his excellent works."

Have you heard of Connell?

Liang Shi frowned slightly: "You're not talking about Connell Thomas, are you?"

That man, practically the pinnacle of French tailoring! Several of the gowns in her wardrobe were made by this Cornell! If she hadn't been involved in the fashion world and had some connections, she might have had to wait years or never even have the chance to get a gown.

Liang Shi stood up from the bed: "Really?"

The man, unusually, looked up and met his gaze: "So, are you going?"

Liang Shi stared at his smile; it was so deceptive that it was impossible to tell whether his words were true or false. This man was truly capable.

"If you're lying to me, I'll use your head as a golf ball."

Liang Shi got out of bed but lost her balance. Li Junqian was indeed very sensitive and reached out to support her: "Xiao Shi, be gentle."

She's always been irritable and has never been gentle.

"Then don't lie to me."

Liang Shi had originally intended to punch his hand, but he grabbed it as if taking the initiative and said to her with a smile, "I won't lie to you."

She pulled her hand away from his: "It had better."