Chapter 31 President Liang was once again "no..."

Afternoon, the editorial office of Florian.

The latest issue of the monthly magazine has reached the final layout confirmation stage. Jiang Nuanyu leaned on the edge of designer Tang Xi's desk, giving her final suggestions for adjustments to the page layout she was responsible for.

Midway through the conversation, her phone vibrated. Thinking it was a routine work message, she only unlocked it to check it on her way back to her workstation after ending her discussion with Tang Xi.

The message was actually sent by Ji Meng, and it was simple and direct:

"Arrive at Tianqi headquarters at 4 PM to prepare the feature article in advance."

Jiang Nuanyu's heart immediately jumped.

Could it be that Tianqi is not satisfied with the content of the manuscript?

She sat down at the computer and carefully went through the first draft again from beginning to end, but still couldn't find any obvious problems.

She felt increasingly uneasy; the biggest problem was that she couldn't even see the issue herself. She wasn't prepared at all; how was she supposed to respond when the other party asked?

But if there wasn't a problem with the content, why would they have asked her to go there in person?

A thought flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it.

This kind of document coordination certainly wouldn't require Liang Qi to personally handle it.

However, when she received the temporary visitor electronic pass at the Tianqi headquarters reception desk and saw the target floor marked below the QR code, her heart sank.

53 floors.

She clearly remembered that after being rear-ended when she came out of the art center, Liang Qi brought her here to pick up her car; his office was on the 53rd floor.

It had only been a weekend since they last parted, just two short days, and she hadn't had time to sort out her emotions, so she wasn't prepared to face Liang Qi directly.

Clutching her phone, she looked desperately at the white-collar workers hurrying by in the lobby. Her legs felt like lead, rooted to the spot, unable to move forward a single step.

She instinctively wanted to escape and act impulsively, but the rational little voice in her head reminded her: this was her job, and she couldn't refuse.

With four o'clock fast approaching, she forced herself to believe that being on the same floor was just a coincidence. After taking a deep breath, she scanned the code and passed through the gate.

The elevator lobby has several sections, with the section leading to the 53rd floor located at the very back.

As she walked further in, there were fewer and fewer people. When the elevator doors opened, she was the only person in the entire car.

She held the QR code up to the scanner, and after a "beep," the other floors on the control screen instantly went dark, with only "53" glowing a faint blue light.

She reached out and pressed it down.

The elevator was ascending, and whether it was because of the speed or her nervousness, her ears were ringing and her heart was pounding.

As she approached the 53rd floor, she consciously began to take deep breaths to calm herself, but her mind was almost completely blank.

The elevator doors opened, and there stood Peng Ze waiting; Jiang Nuanyu's heart sank.

Peng Ze, dressed in a well-tailored black suit, greeted her with a friendly and polite smile: "Hello, Editor Jiang, thank you for making the trip."

Jiang Nuanyu forced herself to stay alert and returned a polite smile: "You're too kind."

Peng Ze stepped aside to gesture and led her inside: "President Liang will personally communicate with you regarding the coordination of this report."

Despite having mentally prepared herself, Jiang Nuanyu's heart still skipped a beat when she heard those words, and her throat went dry, leaving her unable to speak.

Peng Ze noticed her nervous expression and said, "You don't need to feel too pressured. Just think of it as an extension and supplement to the exchange meeting. After all, your magazine is the only lifestyle media outlet. Since you're going to do reporting, the more comprehensive the content, the better."

Jiang Nuanyu nodded weakly: "...Okay."

As they spoke, the two had already reached the door of Liang Qi's office. Jiang Nuanyu asked, "President Liang, he..."

"Inside."

Peng Ze knocked on the door, then opened it and gestured for him to enter.

Behind his desk, Liang Qi was looking down at documents when he heard the noise. He raised his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over the two people at the door, and then landing a glare on Jiang Nuanyu's face.

"Mr. Liang, Editor Jiang has arrived," Peng Ze said.

Liang Qi nodded: "Mm."

Peng Ze left, leaving Jiang Nuanyu standing blankly at the door.

She hadn't expected to see Liang Qi so suddenly, without any time to prepare. For a moment, she didn't know whether to greet him first or to approach him more closely.

Hesitating for a moment, Liang Qi closed the folder in his hand, stood up, walked around the desk, and pointed towards the sofa: "Sit down."

Jiang Nuanyu inwardly apologized for her rudeness, but having missed the opportunity to greet them, she could only bite the bullet and walk inside.

She moved to the sofa and sat down, clutching her bag strap with her hand, her back ramrod straight.

Liang Qi sat down on the middle sofa, not speaking immediately, his gaze fixed on her face, quietly watching, as if trying to discern something from it.

Jiang Nuanyu found that she couldn't bear to look at him. Any part of his body, or even his very presence, immediately reminded her of the scene at his house that day.

Fortunately, the secretary knocked on the door and came in, bringing two glasses of water, which she placed in front of the two of them.

"Thank you," Jiang Nuanyu said subconsciously, but her voice was so soft as if she was afraid of startling someone.

"You're welcome," the secretary said gently.

Jiang Nuanyu stared intently at the glass of water on the coffee table, which seemed like a lifeline, but her peripheral vision kept drifting towards the gaze that fell upon her.

The pressure he exerted on her was too great; the more she tried to ignore it, the more she felt he was omnipresent.

She hadn't expected that she would be even less professional than anticipated. After the secretary left, she forced herself back to work, mechanically opened her bag, took out a pre-printed draft, and handed it to Liang Qi as she stood up slightly.

She glanced up briefly before returning her gaze to the A4 paper in her hand: "Mr. Liang, this is the first draft of the feature article. Please take a look."

Liang Qi took the manuscript and briefly looked away from her.

Her unnaturalness surprised him; she was like a frightened little animal. And he hadn't even done or said anything.

After she sat back down, he said, "I've already read your first draft."

Jiang Nuanyu raised her eyes, clearly unsure of his assessment.

Liang Qi nodded at her and said, "The layout of Yunjing is presented from the perspective of cultural heritage, and the logic is very clear. As a collaborative report, the writing is also very gentle. It's sufficient."

It seems... to be a compliment? At least not a criticism.

Jiang Nuanyu looked into his dark, bright eyes and said, "My choice to focus on cultural heritage wasn't to flatter Yun Jing..."

Liang Qi was no surprise that she would care about such trivial details. He smiled gently and said, "Focusing on cultural heritage is a good approach."

There were no mistakes in this part either.

Jiang Nuanyu felt a little relieved.

However, Liang Qi changed the subject: "But your first draft mentioned achieving inheritance through visual elements that combine culture with modern facilities. This form..." He paused, then said directly, "is a bit idealistic."

Jiang Nuanyu was slightly taken aback, but did not ask any questions, quietly waiting for him to continue.

Liang Qi flipped through the manuscript she brought and said, "You mentioned here that Yunjing, as the venue provider, presents cultural elements through visual integration and visual updates, allowing people to go from 'seeing' to 'getting used to seeing,' thereby achieving cultural inheritance."

He looked at her and said, "Ultimately, it all comes down to the level of visual perception. Right?"

Jiang Nuanyu nodded. This was exactly what she had in mind when she was writing the article.

“YunJing has indeed planned a lot of visual presentations of cultural elements in its future projects. But presentations are not YunJing’s fundamental purpose. Relying solely on presentations to pass on culture is far from enough.”

Seeing her growing confusion, he patiently explained to her: "Every culture is more likely to be truly perceived and passed down only when it is genuinely connected with the present. This connection is based on experience, not just static displays."

Jiang Nuanyu tried to understand, and hesitated before asking, "You mean that cultural heritage, in addition to visual displays, also lies in dynamic experiences and interactions?"

“That’s right.” Liang Qi followed the line of thought in her question and said, “If culture only stays at the stage of display, its value is easily fixed or even marginalized. Only through experience can culture truly integrate into life. To put it simply, it’s about giving people a sense of participation, allowing them to perceive its meaning in practice, and thus spontaneously passing it on.”

He continued, “For example, the leisure projects in Yunjing Resort should not only present cultural symbols, but also incorporate interactive elements that reflect the lifestyle preferences of the public, so that culture is not just something to be seen, but something to be used. Only in this way can it truly have vitality. Only in this way will people not feel that culture is just a form, or even just a gimmick.”

Jiang Nuanyu listened to his words and suddenly realized that he had actually shared similar views during the interview at Menghe Island.

A thought flashed through her mind, and she said, "By experiencing and interacting, we can transform culture from static to dynamic. Is this the core of Yunjing as a carrier of cultural heritage? Because people live in the present, not in the past or the future."

“You could think of it that way.” Liang Qi nodded at her, his eyes holding a deeper meaning.

Although he had his own selfish reasons for this meeting, her understanding was indeed as he expected, and in conveying Yun Jing's philosophy, she was worthy of making a special trip for him.

Jiang Nuanyu received the affirmation, and unconsciously pursed her lips, then lowered her head to quickly write down the key information in her notebook.

She felt something was missing from this part of the first draft, and Liang Qi's words filled that gap in her thinking. Those vague thoughts seemed to have found a connection point, gradually forming a clear narrative.

At the same time, the regret of not being able to ask more questions at the exchange meeting was also swept away.

Liang Qi didn't interrupt her train of thought. His gaze fell on the notebook in her hand, a small one, the same one she had used before. The edges of the paper had been soaked by rain, and now that it was dry, the corners were slightly wrinkled.

He slightly raised his gaze to her face. Today, she wore her hair in a low ponytail, revealing her long, fair neck; her hair was smoothly gathered behind her full head, with a strand of hair escaping from her sideburns, outlining her small, white ears.

She was taking notes intently, her pink lips slightly pursed, her long, curled eyelashes partially obscuring the light in her eyes. Unlike her initial unease upon entering, her attention was now completely focused on what she was writing, as if she had truly entered her own domain.

The autumn sunset slanted in, casting a golden glow. She was writing, and he just kept watching her.

Jiang Nuanyu stopped writing, gently raised her eyes, and met Liang Qi's deep gaze; he quickly lowered his eyes, pointed at her notebook, and looked at her again: "Is it still usable?"

Jiang Nuanyu glanced at the wrinkled notebook in her hand, recalled the rain, and her face inexplicably flushed. She nodded, "...It just looks a bit old."

Liang Qi smiled faintly: "Mm."

His interruption made Jiang Nuanyu forget where she was in the conversation. When she looked up again, she met his deep gaze.

She was caught off guard and shyly looked away.

Not wanting her to feel uncomfortable, Liang Qi looked away, bent down and placed the manuscript on the coffee table, saying, "Your first draft was already quite good. As for the rest, you're better at it than I am."

For some reason, Jiang Nuanyu's feelings suddenly stirred again. She had never imagined that being recognized for her work could make her feel so moved.

She tried to maintain a professional attitude: "Thank you for your recognition...and suggestions. I will adjust the structure when I get back and complete the report as soon as possible."

Liang Qi nodded: "Looking forward to the final draft."

Jiang Nuanyu pursed her lips and didn't say anything more.

After the work was finished, the atmosphere immediately became awkward.

After a brief silence, Liang Qi asked, "How did you get here?"

Jiang Nuanyu was surprised by his sudden question, paused for a moment, and then replied, "Take a taxi."

"Oh." He then asked, "Does Editor-in-Chief Ji reimburse me?"

This question surprised Jiang Nuanyu again, but she shook her head and said truthfully, "It's not reimbursed; it's all included in the transportation allowance."

Her willingness to answer every question made Liang Qi chuckle silently.

He glanced at her for a few seconds, checked his watch, and said casually, "It must be stuck in traffic on the way back now, right?"

Jiang Nuanyu couldn't figure out what he meant, so she didn't answer him.

Just then, the phone on the desk rang. Jiang Nuanyu subconsciously looked in the direction of the sound, but her gaze met Liang Qi's.

Liang Qi nodded slightly to her: "Wait a moment."

Jiang Nuanyu lowered her eyes and nodded gently.

Liang Qi walked to his desk, picked up the phone, and heard Peng Ze's voice on the other end: "Mr. Liang, I'm sorry to bother you. The latest supplementary materials for the safety approval of the outdoor diving project have been prepared and need your confirmation and signature so that they can be submitted to the relevant department before the end of the workday today."

Liang Qi thought for a moment and said, "Bring it in."

As soon as he hung up the phone, Peng Ze knocked on the door and came in.

Liang Qi leaned against the end of the desk, picked up a pen, took the document, glanced at it, and then flipped to the last page to sign his name.

He closed the folder and handed it to Peng Ze: "Submit it today, and make sure you get approval within this week. Contact Wang Wentao at the Security Administration Bureau to confirm if any further explanation is needed."

Peng Ze understood that the next step would depend on connections, not simply waiting for procedures, and nodded, saying, "Yes, I will follow up."

Before leaving, Peng Ze asked again, "Vice President Liu said that the person in charge who was assigned to the Conti headquarters has booked a flight to Milan for tomorrow morning. Before leaving, is it necessary to have a final discussion with you? Would you prefer to arrange it later, or perhaps online later?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Liang Qi glanced at Jiang Nuanyu on the sofa. Peng Ze immediately lowered his eyes upon seeing this and sighed inwardly.

He knew the question was inappropriate, but he couldn't leave it unasked.

Liang Qi has been extremely busy lately, with his schedule packed every day. Even after work, he has to make decisions remotely. This half-hour of coordination work right now was squeezed out of his spare time.

Jiang Nuanyu naturally heard Peng Ze's words, met Liang Qi's gaze, and tactfully said, "Then, I won't disturb you any longer."

Liang Qi said, "If there's nothing else planned, you can wait a moment—"

"No need," Jiang Nuanyu interrupted him hastily.

Her direct and decisive reaction surprised Peng Ze.

Peng Ze subtly glanced between the two men, but couldn't glean any further information from Liang Qi's indifferent expression.

Seeing that Liang Qi didn't try to stop him, Peng Ze hesitated for a moment before breaking the deadlock: "Then, shall I see you out first...?" He spoke to Jiang Nuanyu, but his eyes glanced at Liang Qi at the end of his sentence.

Liang Qi didn't reply. Jiang Nuanyu bowed slightly to him and said, "Goodbye, Mr. Liang." Regardless of politeness, she hurriedly walked out the door after saying that.

Peng Ze glanced at Liang Qi, then quickly caught up: "Editor Jiang, let me see you off!"

Liang Qi leaned against the table, watching the direction the two had left, his fingers toying with the pen. The door slowly closed, his gaze still fixed on it.

A moment later, the pen was gently tapped on the table, making a "click" sound.