Chapter 41 Reunion
The lights at the Yingzhou International Convention and Exhibition Center shone like stars.
Cheng Yin stood at the registration desk, her black business suit standing out awkwardly among the many evening gowns.
"Director Cheng!" Company boss Mr. Wang strode over, beaming. "I've finally managed to get you here."
Cheng Yin nodded slightly: "President Wang."
"Come, come, let me introduce you to some business partners." Mr. Wang warmly pulled her towards the venue. "We have quite a few important clients here tonight."
Cheng Yin followed behind him, her high heels clicking silently on the thick carpet.
For the past year, she had declined all social events, but this time, President Wang came to her door in person, saying that it was related to an important project for the company, and she really couldn't refuse.
The venue was bustling with people, glasses clinking and toasting. The light from the crystal chandelier reflected off the champagne glasses, making Cheng Yin squint. She took the orange juice offered by the waiter, took a small sip, and found it cloyingly sweet.
"This is Chairman Liu of the Haojiang Tourism Industry..." General Manager Wang introduced him at length, while Cheng Yin nodded and smiled mechanically.
The words "Haojiang" are like a fine needle, gently pricking my heart. It doesn't hurt, but its presence is very strong.
"...President Li of the Li Group!" President Wang suddenly raised his voice, "What a coincidence, we were just talking about companies in Macau..."
Li Yaodong was thinner than a year ago, with more pronounced fine lines around his eyes and a sharper jawline. He was talking to several businessmen, holding a whiskey glass in his hand, the ice in it mostly melted. As if sensing his gaze, Li Yaodong suddenly turned his head, his eyes piercing Cheng Yin's gaze like arrows.
Mr. Wang was still saying something, but his voice was muffled, as if through a layer of water. Cheng Yin's fingertips were cold, and the water droplets condensed on the side of the orange juice glass slid onto her palm, wet and cold like tears.
Li Yaodong looked away first. He raised his glass to the person he was talking to, then turned and walked towards the terrace, his back straight as a pine tree, without the slightest hesitation.
Cheng Yin then realized that her fingernails had dug into her palm, leaving four crescent-shaped red marks.
"Director Cheng?" President Wang called out to her with a puzzled look, "Are you feeling unwell? You don't look well."
Cheng Yin shook her head: "It's nothing." She put down the orange juice. "Excuse me, I'm going to the restroom."
Her pale face was reflected in the mirror in the women's restroom.
Cheng Yin turned on the tap, letting the cold water wash over her wrists, relieving some of the heat. While touching up her makeup, her phone vibrated. It was an urgent email from the company's finance department regarding adjustments to the quarterly reports.
Cheng Yin breathed a sigh of relief and quickly replied with a few instructions. Numbers would not betray her; they were always clear and unambiguous, unlike the human heart, which was so complex that it was suffocating.
After leaving the restroom, Cheng Yin deliberately avoided the main venue and walked along the edge towards the food and beverage area.
A waiter pushed a food cart past, its Portuguese egg tarts golden and crispy, emitting a sweet aroma. Lai Yiu-tung had once forced her to try these snacks from Macau, saying, "Coming to Macau and not eating egg tarts is a wasted trip."
"Director Cheng!" Xiao Lin squeezed through the crowd, her cheeks slightly flushed. "So you're here! General Manager Wang has been looking for you for ages."
"You'll be representing the company on stage later," General Manager Wang said in a low voice. "The other party is a company from Haojiang, someone you're quite familiar with."
Just as Cheng Yin was about to refuse, the venue lights suddenly dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the stage. The host's booming voice rang out: "Please welcome Mr. Li Yaodong, Chairman of the Li Group!"
Thunderous applause erupted. Li Yaodong walked onto the stage, his suit trousers perfectly straight and his leather shoes gleaming. Standing before the microphone, his voice was deep and pleasant: "Thank you all. The Li Group is honored to participate in the development of the Hengqin New Area..."
Cheng Yin stood in the shadows below the stage, looking up at him. The stage lights gave Li Yaodong a silvery edge, outlining the sharp contours of his profile. As he spoke, his Adam's apple bobbed, and the diamond stud in his right ear occasionally glittered, like the North Star in the dark night.
"...In collaboration with Vanke Group, we will build a fintech park." Li Yaodong's gaze swept across the audience, lingering on Cheng Yin for half a second. "I believe this will open a new chapter in our cooperation."
Cheng Yin's breath hitched. Vanke? Cooperation? President Wang hadn't mentioned this before.
She turned to look at her boss, who was winking at her smugly, clearly already aware of the situation.
During the signing ceremony, Cheng Yin was brought onto the stage. She stood to the right of Li Yaodong, separated by other senior executives from both companies.
"It's a pleasure working with you." Li Yaodong extended his hand to her, his tone businesslike, as if they had never met before.
As Cheng Yin grasped his hand, the instant their palms touched, Li Yaodong's fingers tightened slightly, the force almost causing her to frown. But the next second he released her, turned to shake hands with President Wang, his smile flawlessly perfect.
The ceremony concluded, and the banquet began.
Cheng Yin found a corner to sit down, using the excuse of dealing with work emails to avoid socializing. The light from her phone screen shone on her face, a bluish glow, like a protective camouflage.
"Director Cheng," a deep voice sounded from above, "Long time no see."
Cheng Yin looked up and saw Li Yaodong standing in front of the table, holding two glasses of champagne.
"President Li," Cheng Yin stood up, accepted the champagne, "Congratulations on the project's successful launch."
Li Yaodong smiled slightly: "I heard you're doing quite well at Vanke."
"Just an ordinary job."
Are you used to Parrot Island?
"Good."
Their question-and-answer session resembled that of two former colleagues who had just met.
Li Yaodong's gaze lingered on her face, from her eyebrows to the corners of her lips, as if confirming something. Cheng Yin's ears burned, and her fingers holding the cup trembled slightly.
"You've lost weight," Li Yaodong suddenly said.
Cheng Yin was taken aback: "You've gained three pounds."
"My face," he pointed to his cheekbone, "here, it's sunken."
Cheng Yin subconsciously touched her face. She had been keeping a regular schedule and eating three meals a day for the past year, and her weight had indeed increased. But Li Yaodong was right; her face shape was sharper than when she was in Macau, the baby fat had faded, and a clear outline was revealed.
"I'm busy with work," she replied briefly.
Li Yaodong nodded, finished his champagne, and said, "Take care." He then turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the crowd.
Cheng Yin stood still, not touching the champagne in her hand.
The bubbles gradually dissipated, like some inexplicable expectation that burst before it even rose.
Before the dinner ended, General Manager Wang, beaming, approached her: "Director Cheng, General Manager Li suggested holding a project launch meeting tomorrow morning. Would you like to represent the company? It will be held at their Yingzhou branch."
Cheng Yin gripped her handbag tightly: "The finance department has quarterly reports..."
"Let Xiao Lin handle it." Mr. Wang patted her shoulder. "This project is very important; you know Haojiang businesses best."
As Cheng Yin stepped out of the convention center, the night breeze caressed her flushed cheeks.
The summer night in Yingzhou was humid and sweltering, yet she felt a chill. The car she'd called hadn't arrived yet, so she stood by the roadside waiting, watching luxury cars drive away one after another. The most eye-catching was a black Maybach, license plate number Ao M·8888, Li Yaodong's car.
The car slowly drove past her, the rear window half-open, and Li Yaodong's profile flashed by. He didn't look at her, but just looked down at his phone, the light from the screen reflecting on his tired face and highlighting the fine lines at the corners of his eyes.
The car Cheng Yin had called finally arrived.
Back home, Cheng Yin kicked off her high heels and walked barefoot onto the balcony.
The sea in the distance was pitch black, with only the occasional flash of ship lights.
She recalled the look in Li Yaodong's eyes when he said "you've lost weight," an emotion she didn't understand.
Cheng Yin's phone vibrated; it was a message from General Manager Wang informing her of tomorrow's meeting address and time. She replied that she had received it, put down her phone, and went to take a shower.
After drying her hair, Cheng Yin sat on the edge of the bed and opened her laptop.
There were more than a dozen unread emails in my inbox. The top one was a collaboration project document sent by Lin Shirong two hours ago.
Cheng Yin opened the attachment. The contact person at the end of the document was listed as "Li Yaodong, Managing Director," followed by a phone number.
Cheng Yin knew that string of numbers by heart, but she had never dialed it successfully.
She shut down her computer, lay on her bed, and stared at the ceiling.
The air conditioner hummed, like some kind of hypnotic white noise.
I have to see Li Yaodong again tomorrow. This thought made Cheng Yin's chest tighten. For the past year, she thought she had let go, but tonight's brief contact proved that some traces cannot be erased by time.
Outside the window, the night sky over Parrot Island is dotted with stars.
Cheng Yin turned over and closed her eyes.
In her dream, she returned to the suite in the Grandview Hotel in Macau. Lai Yiu-tung stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window smoking, his silhouette blurred and lonely in the swirling smoke.
She wanted to call out to him, but no sound came out; she wanted to go to him, but she couldn't move.
Just like tonight, they were separated by an entire hall, and neither of them took that step.
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