venue
Chapter 28: Venue
Two years later in late autumn, the Shanghai International Convention Center was brightly lit.
Bai Ke stood in front of the bathroom mirror, gently adjusting the collar of her suit. The image in the mirror had shed its youthful immaturity, a more composed expression. Today, as a core developer of the "Heart Language" psychological assessment system, she had been invited to give a special presentation at the annual meeting of the National Psychological Association.
"Bai Ke, it will be your turn in ten minutes." A colleague reminded outside the door.
Bai Ke took a deep breath and gave her speech a final check. For the past two years, she'd devoted herself to her work. The assessment system she developed not only gained industry recognition but was also used by dozens of institutions nationwide. She had transformed past pain into motivation.
The venue was packed. Bai Ke stood on the stage and calmly began her speech. Under the spotlight, she appeared confident and professional, clearly and logically presenting the system's innovations and application results.
"...Therefore, through multi-dimensional data analysis, we can more accurately assess an individual's psychological state..."
As she was explaining the system architecture, her eyes inadvertently swept across the audience and suddenly stopped on a figure in the back row of the venue.
Time seems to stand still at this moment.
Chen Yiyu.
He was wearing a dark grey suit, sitting quietly in a corner, his eyes fixed on her. Two years had made him more mature and steady. His once clear eyes had a deeper depth, and his jawline was stronger than he remembered.
Bai Ke's breathing stagnated, and she almost forgot what she was going to say next. She forced herself to look away and continue speaking, but she felt the air in the entire venue grow thinner.
How come he is here?
After the speech, there was thunderous applause. Bai Ke bowed politely to express his gratitude, but when he looked up again, he found that Chen Yiyu was no longer in his original position.
In the tea break area, she finally met him again.
"What a wonderful speech." Chen Yiyu stood in front of her, holding a coffee cup, his voice deeper than he remembered.
"Thank you." Bai Ke tried to keep his voice steady. "Why are you attending the psychology conference?"
"Our company has recently been expanding into the mental health business." He handed over his business card. "I'm currently working at Core Technologies."
Bai Ke took the business card and saw the title of "Senior Project Manager," and his heart skipped a beat. Core Technology was a well-known technology company in the industry and a direct competitor of the Qiu Group.
"I heard you did a great job." Chen Yiyu's gaze fell gently on her face.
"How... did you know?"
"It's all reported in the industry news." He smiled slightly. "The girl who was struggling with statistics questions in the library two years ago is now an outstanding developer."
This sentence made Bai Ke feel as if she was back in college, the days when they met by chance in the library, and the moments when he quietly helped her.
"How about you?" she asked softly. "Are you doing well in Germany?"
Chen Yiyu's eyes darkened: "Not bad. I returned to China a year ago. Ke Rui gave me a good opportunity."
"Why choose Ke Rui?" Bai Ke couldn't help but ask, "What about the Qiu family..."
"Corey's business direction is very consistent with my major." Chen Yiyu's voice was very soft. "Also... I need a completely new environment and can completely break free from the constraints of the past."
Bai Ke noticed that he used the word "get rid of" with a resolute tone.
"Is everything okay at the Qiu family?" she asked cautiously.
Chen Yiyu's eyes flashed with helplessness: "Luo Di is still in Germany. I changed all my contact information after returning to China. It will take some time... for her to accept the reality."
At this moment, a familiar voice interrupted: "Bai Ke, so you are here."
Lu Zihan walked over with a smile and stood next to Bai Ke naturally: "Chen Yiyu? Long time no see."
Chen Yiyu's eyes shifted between Lu Zihan and Bai Ke, and his expression instantly returned to aloofness: "It seems that you are still together."
Bai Ke opened her mouth, wanting to explain something, but found herself at a loss for words. Two years ago, she had said she was with Lu Zihan, so how could she clarify now?
"We..." She just started to speak when she was interrupted by Lu Zihan.
"Yes, Bai Ke and I both work here." Lu Zihan smiled and stood beside Bai Ke. "Would you like to have dinner together?"
Chen Yiyu shook his head, his eyes dim. "I have something else to do, so I'll leave first. Bai Ke, congratulations again on your success."
As he turned and left, his back was still straight, but with an indescribable loneliness.
Bai Ke looked at his receding figure, feeling mixed emotions.
Lu Zihan said softly: "I'm sorry, I think he seems to have misunderstood our relationship..."
"It doesn't matter." Bai Ke shook his head. "There's no need to explain anything."
After the meeting, Bai Ke returned to her hotel room alone. She stood by the window, gazing at the night view of Shanghai, her mind replaying Chen Yiyu's deep eyes.
The phone rang. It was a message from Li Meng: "I heard you met Chen Yiyu today? How was it?"
Bai Ke hesitated for a moment and replied, "He has changed."
"Yes, I heard he's working very hard at Corey and has paid off most of his debts," Li Meng replied quickly. "His mother can finally live peacefully in the old house."
It turns out that he has been working towards this goal.
Outside the window, neon lights flickered, and this city that never sleeps was filled with endless possibilities. Bai Ke gently stroked the shallow scar on his wrist, a wave of emotion rising in his heart.
Two years have passed, and they have both moved forward on their respective tracks, becoming better versions of themselves. And fate seems to have brought them closer once again.
Will there be a different ending this time?
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