Chapter 3 Indulging Your Arrogance "I don't like being forced."...
The corridor was backlit, and through a floor-to-ceiling window offering a view, Xie Qingci couldn't make out the face of the person outside. It wasn't until he walked into the shadow of the pillar outside the window that his deep, upright features became clear from the bright light.
The brow bone rises like a mountain ridge, and below it, the nose peak is steep and sharp. The facial lines are well-proportioned and naturally connect to the jawline.
His striking features carried a hint of quiet indifference. He glanced at her as he passed by the French windows, then walked past the screen in front of the hall and entered.
As Liang Jingzhuo stepped into the reception room, his gaze naturally fell upon the person sitting at the tea table.
He sat upright and ramrod straight, not relaxing in the slightest despite the long wait. He was bathed in the sunlight streaming in from the window, and his gaze followed his footsteps as he turned to look at him.
Their eyes met, and he silently looked away.
The newcomers were like snow-capped mountains and steep cliffs, majestic and imposing. Xie Qingci was inexplicably affected by their aura and subconsciously straightened her back even more.
She watched him sit down in the armchair opposite her and took the initiative to say, "Hello, Mr. Liang, I am Xie Qingci."
Her voice was low and gentle, yet it possessed a confident and straightforward quality.
The man sat down, looked at her, nodded, and gave a brief self-introduction: "Liang Jingzhuo."
His voice is deep, resonant, and magnetic, conveying a sense of calm and composure.
The opening lines for the blind date were a template, without much elaboration.
The atmosphere fell silent for a moment. Xie Qingci was not usually good at communicating with strangers and didn't know what to say.
Liang Jingzhuo glanced at the hem of her skirt, which rippled in the air conditioning, and broke the silence, "Miss Xie, where did you come from?"
Because of this arrangement, the old lady's nagging still echoed in my ears.
Xie Qingci rested her hands on her lap, exuding the solemnity of an interview, and answered truthfully, "The school... it was raining quite heavily, so I was a little late."
She sounded slightly apologetic; she had left a little earlier than expected, but still arrived a bit late.
Liang Jingzhuo didn't mind her lateness and apologized, "It was my oversight; we should have rescheduled."
If Uncle Zhong hadn't reminded him, he would have forgotten that he had a meeting scheduled for today.
Xie Qingci smiled upon hearing this, not particularly concerned, and said, "It's alright, we came by car, it wasn't difficult to get here."
She originally planned to transfer to the subway to get there faster, but the rain didn't let up. By the time she got off the train and walked to the subway station, her skirt would be soaked.
Arriving a little late is less embarrassing and impolite than being soaked to the bone.
Liang Jingzhuo didn't speak, his gaze falling on the slightly damp hair clinging to her jawline on both sides of her cheeks. After a moment, he responded very softly, "Mm."
The atmosphere fell silent again.
Xie Qingci glanced at the teacups on the tea table in front of her, from which steam rose gently.
What do we need to do now?
Should I introduce myself and give a brief introduction? Or should I ask him if there's anything he'd like to know?
After all, before this meeting, they knew nothing about each other except their family backgrounds.
Liang Jingzhuo didn't really have anything to ask. He already knew most of Xie Qingci's basic information from the old lady's seemingly unintentional but actually deliberate mentions during his stay in Jingzhao.
The Xie family's only daughter, twenty years old, is still in university, and—
"She's very beautiful! You'll see when you see her, but don't beg me to put in a good word for you with her!"
He gave a half-hearted laugh and said, "Really? Then I'll wait and see."
My hazy thoughts returned, and my gaze fell once again on the face opposite the tea table.
She has a smooth oval face, a clear and full forehead, a neat and regular hairline, long eyelashes and bright eyes, a gentle and kind temperament, and thick black hair that is half tied back and hangs down to her waist like satin.
Liang Jingzhuo never questioned the old lady's aesthetic sense, and this time was no exception.
It is indeed beautiful.
"Is Miss Xie still studying?" he asked.
Xie Qingci was just thinking about what to say when a man's deep, clear voice suddenly entered her ears.
?
Didn't she just say she came from the school? Or does she look older than her age, like she's already a faculty member at the school?
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and replied, "Yes, Peking University Academy of Fine Arts, junior year."
Actually, Liang Jingzhuo didn't know what to say, but he felt it wasn't good to leave the girl in an awkward silence.
The word "start of school" felt distant to him. He glanced at the girl in front of him; even without her saying it, it was clear she was young. "That's good."
Then came another silence that lasted for several seconds.
The other person's expression seemed indifferent, as if they were just trying to keep her from feeling awkward and were only bringing up a topic casually, without actually being curious about the answer.
Xie Qingci understood a bit of the underlying meaning, straightened her back, and took the initiative to break the deadlock, saying, "If Mr. Liang is not satisfied, we can end it here."
Even when stating her position, her voice was clear and soft, and her bright eyes and brows looked serious and sincere.
Upon hearing this, Liang Jingzhuo paused for a moment, and after meeting her expression full of emotion, he suddenly found it interesting and chuckled.
His originally handsome, cold, and dignified face suddenly came to life.
Xie Qingci looked at him, puzzled.
She didn't think there was anything wrong with what she said. Although their relationship was arranged by their parents, there was still room for mutual choice. It was pointless to be forced to sit together.
The man, dressed in a suit and tie, exuded a sense of fatigue, as if he had just come from a business event. The standard three-piece suit was worn, but the tie at the collar was missing, and the shirt was slightly unbuttoned, giving off a strange, ascetic, and frivolous air.
His features were striking, and his masculine charm was imbued with a passionate nature. However, his gaze was rather cold, making even that unique allure seem unapproachable.
Liang Jingzhuo didn't speak, but bowed slightly, reached out, picked up the celadon fairness cup on the tea table, and poured tea into a crackled glaze teacup in front of Xie Qingci.
"Miss Xie, please have a taste of this year's new tea."
The clear, golden tea liquor was slowly poured into the cup through the notch of the fairness cup, the sound of the flowing water was clear and bright, and the mist dispersed.
The man's hands were broad and strong, with long, cold, slender fingers. He held the inside of the fairness cup, poured the contents, and then withdrew his hand.
Xie Qingci swallowed the words of farewell that were on the tip of her tongue. She glanced at the tea in her cup, steadied the cup, and said, "Thank you."
She picked up her teacup, took a sip of the tea, and as the slightly hot tea entered her mouth, Liang Jingzhuo suddenly called out to her, "Miss Xie."
She looked up at him, waiting for him to continue.
The man's gaze lingered on her face for two seconds, his deep eyes revealing an unreadable emotion. After a brief pause, he continued, "I don't like being forced."
Xie Qingci paused for a moment while holding the teacup.
I didn't understand whether he meant he didn't like this kind of forced blind date, or whether he was indirectly answering her previous statement that if she wasn't satisfied, they could stop.
But it seems there is no difference between the two.
They are all expressing reluctance.
She put down her teacup and replied softly, "I understand."
It's good to explain things clearly.
"Should I go and explain the situation to Granny Zhuang, or should you tell her yourself?"
It was Old Mrs. Zhuang who brought them together, and only later did the two families finalize the marriage arrangements.
Actually, Xie Qingci didn't quite understand. It seemed that her father and Liang Jingzhuo's father were not on good terms in the business world, and even seemed to be mortal enemies.
She was surprised that the engagement could be finalized.
Moreover... the Xie family has not been as powerful as it was a few years ago. As far as the marriage alliance is concerned, it does not bring any immediate benefits to the Liang family. On the contrary, the Xie family has lost its checks and balances and can expand its territory in Hong Kong and Macau without any worries.
She didn't understand whether Liang Jingzhuo's father had figured out the deeper interests involved, or whether he simply couldn't resist the old man's insistence and thus chose her.
Liang Jingzhuo paused for a moment, then asked in confusion, "What did you say?"
She looked at him and said seriously, "Say we're not a good match, say we're breaking off the engagement."
After the words were spoken, there was a two-second silence.
Liang Jingzhuo glanced at her. "Did I say that I felt we weren't a good match?"
Xie Qingci was taken aback.
Being unwilling means they feel they are not a good match, right?
She moved her lips, "You're not..."
"I am very satisfied."
The man's voice was firm and deep as he interrupted her, answering her question directly.
Xie Qingci held her breath and remained motionless, but a flush of heat involuntarily rose to her cheeks.
She pursed her lips, maintaining her composure, and gave a very soft, low "Mmm..."
"And you?" Liang Jingzhuo asked.
She hummed in response, then looked back over after her gaze had been elsewhere.
Liang Jingzhuo stared at her intently, waiting for her answer.
She blinked. "It's...okay."
Hsieh Ching-Tzu does not judge people by their appearance; she believes that good character and lifestyle habits are far more important than looks.
But since it was only their first meeting, these things could not be verified. At least from her appearance, she had no complaints.
Objectively speaking, he is very good-looking.
Liang Jingzhuo nodded. "That's satisfactory."
"..."
I guess so.
They sat at opposite ends of a tea table, exuding an aura of solemn negotiation.
Thinking of this, Xie Qingci paused for a moment, recalling what her mother had said to her that day—
"If you feel it goes well after meeting him, Aunt Zhuang means that you two should register your marriage next month."
Marriage registration next month.
Their relationship is now no different from that of strangers.
Liang Jingzhuo noticed the awkwardness and absent-mindedness of the person opposite him.
Today she wore a short-sleeved dress with delicate shoulder straps that fastened on both sides of her collarbone. The highly saturated color scheme complemented her fair skin, and her porcelain-like shoulder and neck lines were straight and beautiful. A small, inconspicuous brown mole was located three fingers above her collarbone.
His gaze swept across her face. "Is there anything else you'd like to know, Miss Xie?"
Xie Qingci suddenly snapped out of her daze, hesitated for a long time, and after a moment of thought, finally asked, "Mr. Liang, have you ever had a girlfriend?"
After asking the question, she immediately added, "Please don't misunderstand, what I meant was that we should have a premarital medical examination before registering our marriage."
Her word order was somewhat disordered, and although she didn't say it explicitly, the meaning was self-evident.
Hsieh Ching-Tzu doesn't really care about premarital romantic history; it's normal whether she has it or not.
What she really wanted to ask was about the development of intimacy in a romantic relationship. Before asking, she didn't know if he had ever been in a relationship before, or how many times.
In the new era of the 21st century, nothing is surprising; she just wants to confirm that the person she is about to marry is 100% healthy.
Liang Jingzhuo naturally understood the implication and didn't see anything wrong with it. "No, and premarital checkups are necessary."
Hearing this, Xie Qingci breathed a sigh of relief. She had been worried that he would feel offended if she made this request rashly.
But, does "no" mean "never had a girlfriend"?
As if reading her mind, Liang Jingzhuo repeated, "I've never had a girlfriend. I'm too busy, I don't have time."
This statement is half true and half false. It is true because he has undergone countless changes since joining the Liang family and is indeed very busy. It is false because even when he is busy, he still has free time.
Ms. Zhuang arranged countless meetings, but he never went to any of them, thus offending more than half of the daughters of prominent families on Hong Kong Island.
Xie Qingci nodded. "Okay, I will send you the medical report before next week."
After saying that, remembering that he had just mentioned he was quite busy, she added, "You can have any time you like there, just get it done before you register."
Liang Jingzhuo had no objection and nodded in agreement, "Okay."
After the negotiations on this most important issue were concluded, Xie Qingci had nothing more she wanted to know.
So I tried asking, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
From the moment she sat down, it seemed that she had been in control, while he responded and agreed.
Liang Jingzhuo leaned back in his chair, looking at her with sincere eyes. After a couple of seconds, he asked, "And what about Miss Xie?"
"What?" Xie Qingci didn't understand.
Liang Jingzhuo asked, "Have you ever had a boyfriend?"
...
He would ask the same question in return, no matter what she asked.
Xie Qingci gave a negative answer, "No."
She hadn't had this idea before.
Upon hearing her answer, Liang Jingzhuo paused for a moment before nodding to indicate that he understood.
Suddenly, a series of muffled thunderclaps came from outside.
The sky, which had been blazing with sunshine, gradually darkened, and it looked like it was going to rain again.
Xie Qingci turned to look out the window, paused for a moment, then turned back to look at the person opposite her, seemingly having nothing to say.
She smiled and said, "It's about to rain. If you have nothing else you'd like to know, then I'll take my leave."
I also need to stop by Fangxinzhai on the way; it will be inconvenient if the rain gets heavier.
Liang Jingzhuo pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment before replying, "Okay."
Xie Qingci stood up, picked up her bag, nodded slightly, and politely said goodbye: "Goodbye, Mr. Liang."
After saying that, he walked out from behind the tea table.
"perhaps--"
Just as she was about to step out of the reception room, a gentle sound came from behind her. She stopped and turned around to look.
Liang Jingzhuo had already stood up from the armchair and looked at her, saying, "Next time we meet, you can try calling me by my name."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com