Chapter 72 "How could you like...?"

In early November, Tianqi and Conti jointly issued an announcement to establish the "Culture and Lifestyle Development Foundation" as an important extension of the first anniversary of their strategic cooperation.

The foundation's first cultural exchange event will be held in Milan in mid-November, lasting two days.

The event invited heavyweight guests from the international art, fashion, business and related government departments, and Chaleur, as a benchmark media in the French fashion industry, was naturally among them.

Given Tianqi's Chinese background, Jiang Nuanyu naturally became a member of the reporting team.

Jiang Nuanyu has been extremely busy lately, as the bi-monthly combined issue project for the end of the year and the beginning of next year is in its crucial final stage.

This combined issue was the first time she had independently executed a complete feature, which involved brand sponsorships and various personnel matters that she needed to handle and oversee. She was overwhelmed with work every day she opened her eyes.

This trip to Milan was purely an extra work arrangement, but because of "Tianqi," she still excitedly sent Liang Qi a WeChat message the moment she received the email notification.

Not long after, Liang Qi replied with a message that was concise and to the point: "See you in Milan."

Jiang Nuanyu stared at his reply, her eyes softening unconsciously. She slowly typed a few words: "See you in Milan~"

Before turning off the screen, she sent another cute emoji, admired it for a while, and then put her phone down to continue her work.

The day they departed for Milan was a Thursday. While waiting for their flight, Jiang Nuanyu and Eric sat together and chatted.

“Nora, you’ve been with Chaleur for almost a year now, haven’t you?” Eric exclaimed. “This is the first time we’ve actually worked on the same project together. It’s incredible.”

Jiang Nuanyu thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "It seems that's true."

The Chaleur system is much larger than Florian. Although they work at the same magazine, they don't have much interaction at work because they don't belong to the same topic group.

Eric said, "I recommended you here because I wanted to work with you someday, but Lino snatched you away first."

Jiang Nuanyu smiled and said, "I've never had the chance to thank you in person for recommending me. Thank you, Eric."

Eric didn't take credit, waving his hand and saying, "The team made the decision to invite you because they recognized your abilities, and it has little to do with my recommendation."

Jiang Nuanyu insisted, "I still want to thank you."

She was genuinely grateful for Eric's appreciation and recommendation. The fashion industry is full of talent, but mentors are rare. It's an industry where you have to reach the top to have a voice, and the bitterness of unappreciated talent is everywhere.

Her experience at Chaleur broadened the boundaries of her abilities and built the first stepping stone for her to reach higher and farther, for which she has always been grateful.

Eric said, "If you insist on saying that, then I should start thanking you for accepting the invitation." He glanced at her sideways and said, "Are you ready to 'spar' with me?"

Jiang Nuanyu was amused by Eric's humor and wisely stopped the conversation, no longer engaging in polite back-and-forth banter with him on the topic.

Eric said, "You probably won't be able to come back to my project team. By the time you renew your contract, you'll probably have been promoted."

Jiang Nuanyu shook her head and said, "It won't be that fast."

“Maybe,” Eric said. “Marianna thinks very highly of you. Your proposals are discussed quite frequently at the group leaders’ meetings.”

At this point, Eric shrugged, glanced up with his blue eyes, and said, "Oh, don't even mention it! Lino gets so smug every time your name is mentioned. I just can't stand her."

Although Eric spoke of Lino in a relaxed tone, there was indeed a real rivalry between them, and Jiang Nuanyu had heard about the various frictions between them.

With another colleague present, and Lino being her direct supervisor, Jiang Nuanyu didn't respond to Eric's words to avoid any unnecessary misunderstanding.

After a while, Eric suddenly leaned closer and whispered, "I heard that the group's senior management is planning to set up an Asia-Pacific branch. If there really is a 'Chaleur·China' project in the future, the editor-in-chief position might just be your name."

Jiang Nuanyu's eyebrows shot up, and she laughed incredulously, "Don't joke with me."

“You are absolutely the right person.” Eric covered his mouth with one hand and said seriously, “Your background is right, you have the ability, and you have the qualifications in Chaleur. Most importantly, you have the desire to do something well and do it beautifully, which is truly rare.”

Jiang Nuanyu couldn't believe it at all, and said, "I haven't had enough of Paris yet, why are you thinking of sending me back?" She shook her head and smiled at Eric.

Eric naturally understood what she meant and gave her a knowing look.

The establishment of the branch was not yet finalized, and the two did not discuss it further during the latter half of the flight.

On the plane, Jiang Nuanyu briefly recalled what Eric had said to her while they were waiting to board.

She certainly longs to grow into a more influential person, but rather than the unreality of imagining the future, she wants to do her best in the present.

She may not be strong yet, but at least for now, she can use the international platform of Chaleur to express the topics she cares about, and she is already satisfied with having such an opportunity.

*

Upon arrival in Milan, the organizers will arrange a shuttle service from the airport to the hotel.

On the way, Jiang Nuanyu showed no signs of fatigue from the journey. Looking at the late autumn street scene of Milan outside the window, she was even a little excited.

It was already afternoon when she arrived at the hotel. After checking in, Jiang Nuanyu opened the welcome package in her room and started looking through the booklet provided by the organizer.

That evening was just a welcome dinner; the main event of the day was the charity auction of cultural and artistic works the following day.

The banquet and auction were both arranged inside the hotel. After casually marking the specific floor where the events were held in the corner of the brochure, Jiang Nuanyu suddenly became curious and checked the hotel's information. Sure enough, it was a property under the Conti Group.

She chuckled lightly, "They really do keep the good stuff in the family."

She casually flipped through the list of important guests, her gaze lingering on "Liang Qi" at the very top of the first page, and a smile crept onto her lips.

Just seeing his name made her feel inexplicably comforted.

She picked up her phone, lay back on the bed, and intended to send Liang Qi a message to ask if he had arrived in Milan yet, but she opened the chat box and then closed it again—she'd find out soon enough, wouldn't she?

Seemingly unable to bear her own clingy thoughts, she shook her head at the ceiling.

Flying is ultimately a bit tiring, and she unconsciously closed her eyes, dozing off for a while. When she opened her eyes again, the light outside the window was already dim. She got up and washed her face.

Although it was a banquet in the evening, Jiang Nuanyu had to do an interview with Eric first, so she didn't choose to change into that long dress and temporarily kept her original outfit: a royal blue wool short jacket paired with black jeans.

However, to save time on changing clothes later, she curled her hair with a curling iron and touched up her makeup before picking up her handbag and going downstairs.

The banquet was held in the banquet hall on the third floor, which was bustling with people. The venue was divided into social islands with interplay of light and shadow by carefully designed lighting. Near the entrance was a huge champagne tower, with bubbles of champagne rising joyfully to the accompaniment of jazz music.

Before the dinner officially began, representatives from Conti and Tianqi each gave speeches, briefly introducing the background of the foundation's establishment and its vision for cooperation.

These kinds of speeches are mostly routine platitudes with little information, but out of professional habit, Jiang Nuanyu still made a few concise notes in her notebook.

However, she was genuinely surprised when the second speaker took the stage—the representative from the Tianqi Foundation was Song Lanxin.

Jiang Nuanyu and Song Lanxin had only met once, at the latter's birthday party. In her memory, the other party was a rich young lady with extremely high emotional intelligence, who never showed off and always had a sweet smile.

At this moment, Song Lanxin spoke clearly and fluently. After finishing her presentation, she was able to respond to the host's impromptu questions in English. When she talked about key points, she also knew to pause at appropriate times to give the audience ample room to react.

Jiang Nuanyu looked at Song Lanxin, who was handling the big stage with ease, and after a brief moment of surprise, she felt that this scene was particularly reasonable. After all, few people who grow up in that kind of family environment are truly spoiled, and it is impossible for them to only have smiles and politeness.

The person who appeared after Song Lanxin was also a "familiar face" to Jiang Nuanyu.

As the true host of the dinner, Julie, dressed in a deep blue off-the-shoulder gown and with her hair in an updo, confidently and relaxedly strode onto the stage.

Compared to the formal speeches of the first two representatives, Julie's opening remarks were more like a relaxed conversation between host and guests. She welcomed all the guests in a calm and unhurried manner, easily drawing everyone's attention to her with a series of appropriate and witty remarks.

Julie was truly dazzling, but for Jiang Nuanyu, the light Julie emitted was one that she could not openly look at.

What she was unwilling to admit was that she didn't really like this feeling.

While she was still lost in thought, Julie on stage was about to finish her speech.

"I hope everyone has a pleasant chat tonight. For formal questions, please move to the interview area and find me. Of course, I won't be alone. My perfect partner—" Julie turned to the left side of the room, smiling and nodding, "Mr. Liang Qi will be with me."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone's eyes turned to him.

Liang Qi stood up, buttoned up his suit jacket, and nodded slightly towards the stage.

Jiang Nuanyu stood in the interview area, gazing at the figure through the crowd. The spotlight shone on Liang Qi, making his features appear even more defined and his shoulders and back straight.

She could see him, but he wasn't looking in her direction.

At this moment, he was not Liang Qi who would say "See you in Milan" to her, but Mr. Liang who belonged entirely to his own business world.

Julie stepped off the stage in her high heels. There were about five or six steps. Liang Qi reached out and gentlemanly offered his hand for support.

Julie placed her hand naturally in his palm, lifted her skirt, and slowly stepped down the stairs. After landing, she took Liang Qi's arm and walked with him toward the interview area.

Applause rang out again, and the atmosphere in the hall became both warm and subtle at that moment.

The interview venue was set up in a separate area at the edge of the venue, and the interview format was a quick standing interview, without a clear boundary between the stage and the audience.

In the exact opposite order of speaking, Liang Qi and Zhu Li were the first to be interviewed.

Eric asked the questions for "Chaleur," while Jiang Nuanyu was only responsible for recording and organizing the content.

As they approached the interview area, Liang Qichao glanced in the direction of the waiting media. Jiang Nuanyu stood at the very edge of the first row, her eyes fixed on him.

His gaze lingered on her briefly, then naturally shifted away as he passed her, continuing to scan the area.

Jiang Nuanyu glanced at the back of his head again, then angrily looked away.

Tonight was a work occasion, and she didn't expect the two of them to be very intimate after more than a week apart, but she never expected things to turn out like this.

She wasn't unaware that he was playing along with the occasion, but his casual glance still made her feel a surge of jealousy.

The coordinator announced that the interview could begin, and Jiang Nuanyu took a deep breath, trying her best to calm herself down.

The standing interview style, unlike the formal press conference, emphasizes personal style and interaction between the interviewees.

Microphones and cameras swept back and forth, with reporters asking questions that were either relevant to the project itself or indirectly targeted individuals.

Jiang Nuanyu found the scene opposite her too glaring and tried to avoid looking up. She tried to hide it, but she couldn't block out their voices.

Zhu Li and Liang Qi are similar in their approach. They handle various issues with ease, their words fitting the tone of the event while maintaining their personal charm. They strike the perfect balance between professionalism and approachability.

Soon it was Chaleur's turn to ask questions, and Jiang Nuanyu finally glanced at the stage. As soon as Eric spoke, Zhu Li and Liang Qi both turned to look at her. Jiang Nuanyu quickly lowered her head, staring at the notebook in her hands.

Eric first introduced himself as a member of the media, and then asked the two of them which item they were most looking forward to at the auction the following day.

Midway through, Jiang Nuanyu couldn't help but glance in Liang Qi's direction. Liang Qi, who was originally looking at Eric who was speaking, shifted his gaze almost the instant she looked over, and their eyes met.

The focus of everyone's attention on stage was on Eric, and when Liang Qi looked at her, everyone else assumed he was looking at Eric. So, under everyone's watchful eyes, his gaze was so blatant and brazen.

Jiang Nuanyu actually sensed the reassurance in his eyes, but deliberately challenged him, immediately turning her gaze to look at Julie, just as the latter began to answer Eric's question.

Her eyes were fixed on Julie, and she couldn't hear what the other person was saying at all. Her mind was filled with the scene from earlier and her eye contact with Liang Qi.

After Julie finished answering the question, when she looked back, she found that Liang Qi was still looking at her.

Jiang Nuanyu's heart skipped a beat, and the wall she had just erected in her heart immediately crumbled. However, Eric's question then fell on Liang Qi, who naturally turned his gaze away.

Jiang Nuanyu: "..."

Everything that just happened seemed like her illusion.

She felt terrible.

Eric finished asking his questions, and the interview continued. By the last few questions, the media visibly relaxed and began to openly display their gossip instincts.

A reporter asked with a smile, "It's clear that you two work together very well. Does this chemistry come from work or from your private conversations?"

The question didn't specify who should answer it, and before Liang Qi could react, Zhu Li smiled and took over, saying, "Mr. Liang Qi is a very important partner of mine. To be honest, many things only gradually became clear after communicating with him. He gave me a lot of forward-looking inspiration."

“Of course, he’s more than just a work partner; to me, he’s a very precious friend.” Julie took Liang Qi’s arm again and said, “So I think this tacit understanding is mutual. We get along very well at work, and in private…” she added lightly, “not bad at all.”

Julie's gesture of linking arms, coupled with the somewhat ambiguous definition of "friends" at that moment, sparked laughter in the media area, and the atmosphere visibly warmed up quickly because of her answer.

As Zhu Li spoke, Jiang Nuanyu kept looking at Liang Qi. His expression remained as calm as ever, but when Zhu Li finished speaking, a faint smile appeared on his lips.

That smile almost made Jiang Nuanyu lose her composure. Her chest felt like it was being scrubbed by a brush with fine barbs; she couldn't pinpoint the exact location of the pain, but it was making her uncomfortable.

She looked away, feeling her face flush with anger.

The reporter followed up with, "With such close cooperation, have there never been any disagreements? Or, how have disagreements been resolved when they have occurred?"

This time, Julie didn't answer immediately. She glanced at Liang Qi slightly, as if recalling something, and said, "I don't seem to remember anything." She then looked at the media and added, "Mr. Liang always manages to resolve disagreements before they actually arise, or he convinces me before I even realize the problem."

The media burst into good-natured laughter again. Jiang Nuanyu lowered her head, unable to even manage a forced smile in agreement.

She understood what Julie was saying. Liang Qi seemed to have a natural ability to solve problems and persuade others, and she had come to appreciate this deeply during the time she spent with him. She just hadn't expected that Julie would feel the same way.

Jiang Nuanyu became even more unhappy, and traced the words she had written back and forth on the notebook with a pen until the handwriting was almost unrecognizable.

At this moment, someone else raised their hand and asked, half-jokingly and half-seriously, "Did you two choose your own outfits tonight? Did you discuss the style beforehand?"

Jiang Nuanyu then noticed that the dark blue tie under Liang Qi's shirt collar and the dark blue tuxedo worn by Zhu Li were surprisingly harmonious.

She didn't believe that Julie had picked out the tie; Liang Qi never needed anyone to do those things for him. But Julie didn't answer directly, only smiling and saying, "I've said it before, we have a great understanding."

Jiang Nuanyu bit her lip, looking at the notebook in her hand. Among the densely filled notes, the word "tacit understanding" was the most prominently displayed. She hated those two words.

Finally, someone asked the question that was most likely to trigger a heated debate.

A bespectacled reporter handed over the microphone, his tone ambiguous: "Besides work, have you considered taking things further? For example, building a relationship that goes beyond partnerships and friendship?"

A moment of silence fell over the surroundings, the air thick with a quiet yet intense restlessness.

This time, Julie didn't respond. She turned to Liang Qi, raised her eyebrows slightly, and waited for his answer.

Eric turned around, winked at Jiang Nuanyu, and whispered, "This is going to be interesting."

Jiang Nuanyu felt a lump in her throat, so tense she could barely breathe. If she could, she really wanted to turn around and walk away; she was afraid of hearing Liang Qi give an ambiguous answer to maintain appearances. But deep down, she longed for him to deny it definitively.

He's already her boyfriend, and she already considers him her boyfriend. How can he leave room for the possibility of developing a relationship with other women that goes beyond friendship?

All eyes were on Liang Qi, even the photographer holding the camera looked up at him from the viewfinder.

Liang Qi replied almost without hesitation, "Of course."

Jiang Nuanyu's heart sank heavily.

Liang Qi continued, "Julie is an outstanding collaborator. She is visionary, passionate, and knows very well how to balance creativity and practicality in cultural projects. It is my good fortune to be able to work with her to advance this foundation. I hope that in the future, in addition to this foundation, Tianqi and Conti can have more promising and meaningful collaborations."

As he spoke, he calmly looked at each reporter holding a microphone across from him. Although his bright eyes revealed a keen insight, the faint curve at the corner of his mouth softened much of that sharp pressure.

As soon as he finished speaking, the media, who were eagerly waiting for the juicy gossip, were completely bewildered. After a moment of reflection, they realized that his "of course" was just a way of giving Julie face.

His answer clearly and explicitly defined the boundaries of their relationship; he and Julie would only ever be partners in the future.

Julie smiled and nodded, as if Liang Qi's answer was exactly what she had expected. However, her arm, which was holding Liang Qi's, slipped a few inches unnoticed before she quietly let go.

Julie turned her gaze to the event coordinator beside her, indicating that this round of interviews could end.

The coordinator immediately understood, stepped forward, and nodded slightly: "Thank you, Ms. Julie and Mr. Liang Qi, for sharing."

Julie nodded slightly to the media section, and Liang Qi also nodded slightly in acknowledgment before turning and leaving the interview area.

Jiang Nuanyu stared in the direction they left, lost in thought for a long time.

The coordinator's voice rang out again: "Next, we'll move on to the interviews for the next group of guests..."