The edge of the vent
[Morning in the corridor of the resort's administration building]
The sky and sea were pale, and a thin layer of light shone through the window. Hu Li held the folder in his arms and stood by the window for a while. Starting today, they would stagger their schedules: she would go to the design department first, and he would go to operations and security, agree on a meeting point, and then they would go to the materials room together.
The phone lit up—
Mu Tianlang: Don't take the shuttle bus yet. Take the bus two minutes past the time at the North Exit of the Outer Ring Road.
Hu Li: Received.
He didn't approach, only pausing briefly at a distant corner, as if looking at a sign. His phone lit up again—
Mu Tianlang: I'm in front. Follow me, keep a distance of two lamps.
Hu Li: So, are you still going to block the wind or not?
Mu Tianlang: Keep your distance. Don't tease me.
She moved the folder to the inside, her steps a beat slower. The wind was strong on the outer ring road, and the low-level lights receded one by one. He occasionally exchanged a few words with the stagehand ahead, his pace unwavering. After turning the second corner, he glanced at his watch, moved half a step to the inside, and made way for her. She walked past him from behind, exchanging only a brief glance before stopping.
The two kept a slight distance from each other, as if they were adjusting the distance to be just right.
[Resort Design Department Materials Room Day]
New paper was laid out on the design department's desk. Hu Li poured out a bag of sea glass, its iridescent appearance resembling fruit candy polished by time.
The assistant peeked in and asked, "Sister Hu, should we sand down the rounded corners a little more?"
Hu Li: "Leave the edges smooth and natural, don't polish them. Just keep them rounded, don't overdo it."
The assistant smiled and stepped aside, casually placing down the materials list sent by the cultural center: "This batch will be stored in the materials room for now."
Hu Li put away his sketchbook and color chart, and sent him a message—
Hu Li: Materials Room?
Mu Tianlang: Five minutes.
——
The curtains in the material room were half-drawn. She opened the kraft paper bag, poured the glass onto the table, and selected several translucent pieces with naturally rounded corners, arranging them in a row at varying heights.
He pushed the door open and came in very quietly. Hu Li held up a piece of light blue to the light, and the color spots fell onto the table.
She tilted her head: "Doesn't it look like a tide line?"
He looked at her and nodded: "Yes."
She changed to an amber-colored light: "We need to use warmer, low-level lights at night, illuminating from the floor."
He took a half step closer, his gaze shifting from the glass to her fingertips, and said in a very brief tone, "Be careful."
She laughed, "I wasn't scratched." Then, she held up the back of her hand in front of him, turning her fingertips and the base of her thumb over, as if letting him check, "Really."
He hummed in response, as if releasing a breath from his throat, then placed his hand over hers, holding it for a second before letting go to make sure she was alright. Her breathing softened slightly. He reached out and smoothed down a corner of a piece of paper that had curled up on the edge of the table.
Hu Li placed several pieces of blue glass at the far side: "Blue is only used as a highlight; sunlight will be used during the day, and small lights will be used to guide the way at night."
He pulled out two pages from the cultural center's list: "The source of the materials has been confirmed by Rodo, and the old fishing nets and driftwood will arrive tomorrow."
She glanced at him: "You were very well-behaved today."
He chuckled softly: "With you watching, I have no choice but to behave."
She stopped laughing: "Then watch me draw."
She wrote quickly, her words like grains of sand by day, like a quiet ray of light by night. The pen stopped, and she suddenly looked up: "You really can't get along with the sea?"
He looked out the window at the light and said in a low voice, "When I hear the sound of the sea, it reminds me of some things."
She didn't press further: "Then let's make it a quiet light."
He nodded: "As you said."
[Resort Meeting Room Day]
Zhang Qijie pushed open the door and entered, wearing a gray casual jacket and walking briskly: "Last time you only said one sentence, today we'll seriously discuss the cooperation."
Hu Li pushed the water glass towards him: "Go ahead."
The senior student sat down: "Our company is going to hold a small exhibition on 'light,' and I'd like to extend your 'House of Refraction' into a movable light segment and place it at the entrance. We'll cover the costs, and you can supervise the work here. Also, I'm flying to France next month for two exhibitions. If you follow up on the invitations there, our schedules can be staggered: either the small exhibition can be scheduled after you return to China, or we can work on a version remotely first, and then land there when you come back."
Hu Li's gaze swept over the material samples on the table: "My home turf is here now."
The senior student nodded: "Understood. Send me a rough schedule you have on hand, leave a time window, and I'll follow your plan."
She laughed: "Why are you suddenly being so easy to talk to?"
The senior smiled, putting away his joke: "Because you deserve it." He thought for a moment, "In our junior year, with 'Wilderness,' you used charcoal to draw a very long horizon, leaving the sky completely blank, with only one figure moving forward in the wind. I've always remembered that."
He looked up, his tone still restrained: "Work comes first. We can talk about personal matters another day."
A figure flashed by the door; it was his assistant delivering documents. The senior student stopped talking and stood up: "I won't disturb you any longer. Send me your schedule, and I'll reserve a time slot."
The two went to the door together. The senior turned halfway back and lowered his voice: "If you're free these next couple of days, let's grab a meal and go over the French part first; if that's inconvenient, we can reschedule."
Before she could answer, she just smiled and said, "It depends on the time on my end."
In the shadows at the other end of the corridor, Mu Tianlang stopped, his gaze coldly sweeping over his senior's back, without stepping forward.
A breeze swept through the cracks in the long window, bringing a touch of coolness. Footsteps approached from afar, and Hu Li looked up, meeting Mu Tianlang's gaze.
She raised her glass, as if to lightly touch it to the glass: "Busy, but happy."
Mu Tianlang understood her signal and lowered his voice, "As long as you're happy, don't skip lunch. Your trip to France is your private matter; proceed at your own pace. What did that friend want to discuss with you?"
She chuckled, "I understand, Mr. Mu. It's just about Xiao Zhan and his schedule; let's check that out first."
He hummed in agreement, his gaze lingering on her shoulder for half a second: "Pull your coat up."
She whispered, "Don't worry."
She added, almost laughing, "I'll make things a little easier for you."
He replied in a low voice, "I'll arrange for two people to be with you. Be careful." He paused, then added, "I'll have the PR team prepare Zhang Qijie's schedule."
——
Someone on the company intranet sarcastically commented: "Someone's proposal is on the boss's mind."
Hu Li didn't reply, only sending the proposal as an email to everyone who needed to see it. Her phone vibrated several times; the confirmation messages had arrived. She put her phone in her pocket without explaining. The post on the intranet was quickly removed by the administrator, and the whispers in the hallway quieted down a bit.
As she passed the corridor leading to the CEO's office, she paused. Mu Tianlang emerged from his office, the door closing softly behind him, casting a ring of light from the motion-sensor lights.
She tilted the drawing tube up slightly: "The first version has been sent out."
He looked into her eyes: "I saw it."
She smiled in the halo of light: "Some people are being sarcastic towards me, so I'll take it even more seriously."
He nodded: "I'm relieved that you're serious."
They stood side by side for two seconds, then each took a half-step back. He reached out and smoothed the edge of a piece of paper in her hand: "Don't let the corner cut your hand."
She lowered her eyes and said, "I understand."
He stopped, and fastened his cufflinks one more notch.
[Night at the Resort Staff Dormitory]
Back at her place, she flipped the note over to jot something down. Her phone vibrated first.
Unknown numbers: Stay away from them, don't ruin them.
A short line of text, like something rising from dark water. She stared at the screen for three seconds, then didn't reply. She tucked the note into the back of the sketchbook, picked up a pen, drew a horizon line, lit a small lamp on the right, and then drew a wind direction line. She didn't draw the fox and the wolf—she left the middle blank, writing only two words: Don't rush.
She thought for a moment and opened her chat window with him.
Hu Li: I'm at the dorm. The materials today were good.
Mu Tianlang: I saw your picture. Very good.
Hu Li: I'll adjust the angle of the entrance again tomorrow.
Mu Tianlang: Very good. Get some rest.
She looked at the words, a slight smile curving her lips. She turned off the light, leaving only the dim glow of the streetlights outside the window.
[Night in the Resort CEO's Office]
The desk lamp was turned down to its lowest setting, and only a laptop and a matte black cup remained on the table. Mu Tianlang opened two dashboards side by side—the drone and evidence collection process had been handed over to the legal and security departments, so he no longer focused on the details and directly presented a comprehensive overview.
—Main theme: Cultural Season integrated into the group's public welfare; park demonstration, Beijing extension; concept draft this week, supply to be determined next week, implementation in three weeks; look at four numbers: visitor flow, stay, publicity, conversion.
—Finance: Activate standby credit/factoring; use public welfare funds for expenses; maintain a weekly cash flow cycle; and segment procurement and payment.
—Legal Department: Third-party security audit; handing over drones to the police for evidence collection; internal confidentiality re-signing; external preparation of infringement letters and media Q&A.
—Public Relations: Consistent material distribution; media coverage control; warnings against negative articles; KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) should only touch upon certain points.
—Operations security: background checks on suppliers/temporary workers; visitor whitelist; necessary drills.
—Board of Directors: Three-page summary; two authorizations; family meeting postponed, but the wording remains unchanged.
He scheduled the key points and assigned them to people. A notification popped up in the bottom right corner: Assistant Xiao Zhou replied, "Group created, template ready."
He made another list, which consisted of only two lines:
1) Her position: To the outside world, she is a contracted designer; internally, she is given priority in scheduling and is well protected.
2) Arrangements for returning to Beijing: He will return to the city two days in advance; he will personally attend the board meeting; she will take a different route, changing vehicles and time slots.
My phone lit up; it was a sketch she'd sent along with a line of small print: "Let the sea speak during the day, let the road speak at night."
He glanced at it for a few seconds and replied: Received. Good evening.
The cursor stopped at the last cell of the memo, and he added a sentence that he would only see himself: When I return to Beijing, I will give you a formal reply.
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