Chapter 43 Eat more, you're too thin
In the conference room on the 27th floor of the Parrot City Lishi Group branch building, the project launch meeting was proceeding in an orderly manner.
Cheng Yin sat on the right side of the long table, her notebook open in front of her, her pen drawing neat lines on the paper. The air conditioner was set very low, and small goosebumps rose on her forearms.
"Director Cheng, could you please explain the tax planning scheme for the fintech park?" Lin Shirong adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his tone businesslike.
"For the cross-border tax portion, we recommend a dual-Q structure," Cheng Yin said calmly and clearly. "The detailed plan is on page seven of the appendix."
Li Yaodong turned to the designated page, his fingertip pausing for a second on the paper. Cheng Yin's handwriting was as neat as printed text, each number accurate to two decimal places.
She hasn't changed at all; she's still the accountant Cheng who can keep the accounts spotless.
The meeting lasted two hours, during which Li Yaodong spoke only three times, each time for no more than three sentences.
Cheng Yin answered two professional questions, her gaze remaining fixed on the questioner, never glancing in Li Yaodong's direction.
The two were like parallel lines, politely maintaining their distance in business settings.
"That's all for today." Lin Shirong closed the folder. "Thank you everyone."
Everyone packed up their documents, preparing to leave. Just then, Mr. Wang suddenly clapped his hands: "Everyone! It's rare for us to get together like this. Lunch is on me at the Yingzhou Xiangwan Private Club; a private room has already been booked!"
The meeting room fell silent instantly.
"I hope Mr. Li will grace us with his presence?" Mr. Wang patted Li Yaodong on the shoulder warmly.
"I was here this afternoon..."
Cheng Yin's finger hovered above the laptop. As usual, she would politely decline such social events and leave with the excuse that she had a report to catch.
"Okay, Mr. Wang," Cheng Yin heard herself say.
Lin Shirong's glasses reflected the light. Li Yaodong's fingers, which were adjusting his cuffs, froze. He looked up at Cheng Yin, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"Dong-ge is free this afternoon," Lin Shirong suddenly interjected, adjusting his glasses. "I just confirmed his schedule."
"Then I'll take my leave." Li Yaodong turned his head, his gaze passing through half of the conference room and landing on Cheng Yin.
Their eyes met, but Cheng Yin calmly looked away and continued organizing the documents.
Lin Shirong pushed up his glasses, his gaze sweeping between the two men behind the lenses, but he said nothing.
Heung Wan Manor is tucked away in a secluded bay on Lovers' Road in Parrot Island.
Cheng Yin chose to sit near the door, the furthest away from Li Yaodong.
The waiter brought over hot towels, which Cheng Yin took and, as usual, began to scald the bowls and chopsticks for her tablemates. The sound of hot water rinsing the porcelain was crisp and pleasant; her movements were practiced and skillful, like that of a well-trained waitress.
"Director Cheng has really settled in at Yingzhou," General Manager Wang said with a smile. "He doesn't seem like someone from out of town at all."
Cheng Yin smiled: "Parrot Island is very nice."
"How does it compare to Haojiang?" Mr. Wang asked casually.
The teapot hung in mid-air, and the private room suddenly fell silent.
Cheng Yin's eyelashes fluttered, and she picked up her teacup. "It's not quite the same." Her gaze swept over Li Yaodong. "Macau...it's like a dream."
Li Yaodong's watch strap clinked against the bone china plate. He picked up a napkin and wiped his mouth, deliberately slowing his movements as if he were suppressing something.
The waiter began serving dishes: steamed grouper, boiled shrimp, oyster omelet... one seafood dish after another was placed on the table, a feast for the eyes and the palate.
Cheng Yin picked up a piece of fish and ate it in small bites. She remembered that Li Yaodong liked seafood, especially the tender meat from the fish's cheek. When they were in Haojiang, she always saved that part for him.
"Mr. Li, a toast to you!" Mr. Wang raised his glass. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you!"
Li Yaodong picked up his glass and downed it in one gulp. The alcohol made his eyes slightly red, as if they were covered in sand.
"Director Cheng, you're joining us too!" President Wang poured Cheng Yin a small glass of wine. "It's rare for us to get together like this."
Cheng Yin usually doesn't drink alcohol, but today she accepted the glass, stood up, and said, "A toast to President Li. Thank you for the Li Group's trust. It's been a pleasure working with you."
Li Yaodong stared at her for two seconds, then suddenly laughed, a laugh as cold as a knife: "Director Cheng, you're too kind." He tilted his head back and downed his drink, his Adam's apple bobbing violently. "A pleasure doing business with you."
After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation gradually shifted from the project to the private sphere.
"Does Director Cheng have a boyfriend?" President Wang took a sip of his drink, glancing casually at Cheng Yin with a beaming smile. "Several of my young project managers are single, and they're always saying they want to meet a career-oriented woman like you..."
The private room fell silent instantly. Lin Shirong's chopsticks froze in mid-air, He Jingwen nearly choked, and Li Yaodong's gaze pierced President Wang like a knife.
"I have a boyfriend." Cheng Yin put down her chopsticks, her voice clear.
Crack.
The shrimp head broke off between Li Yaodong's fingers, splattering juice onto his shirt cuff. He slowly wiped his hands, then looked up at Cheng Yin: "Oh? When did this happen?"
"Three months ago," Cheng Yin met his gaze, "a colleague introduced me; she's a very nice person."
Li Yaodong's pupils contracted slightly, as if stung by a bright light. He picked up his wine glass, then put it down again, and suddenly stood up: "Excuse me."
After the door to the private room closed, Lin Shirong adjusted his glasses and asked, "What does Director Cheng's boyfriend do?"
"The IT industry," Cheng Yin said without changing her expression, "working in Wushan."
"Long-distance relationships, huh?" He Jingwen sighed. "That's really not easy."
Cheng Yin smiled: "I'm used to it."
Five minutes later, Li Yaodong returned. His shirt cuffs were stained with shrimp juice, leaving a large water stain, and he still smelled faintly of smoke. His expression regained its composure, and he even offered Cheng Yin a piece of fish: "Director Cheng, eat more. You're too thin."
Cheng Yin looked at the fish in the bowl, specifically the tender flesh from the fish's cheek. She looked up; Li Yaodong's eyes were unfathomable, like the sea before a storm.
Mr. Wang started urging her to drink again, but Li Yaodong suddenly reached out and covered Cheng Yin's glass: "She can't drink."
"I can..."
"You can't." Li Yaodong's voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable force. "Remember how you got drunk after just two drinks last time?"
The private room fell silent instantly.
"President Li has a good memory," Cheng Yin said calmly. "But that was a long time ago." She then poured herself another half glass of baijiu.
Seeing this, General Manager Wang quickly tried to smooth things over: "Oh dear, General Manager Li really cares about his subordinates. He even remembers Director Cheng's drinking capacity clearly! Director Cheng is so lucky to have such a considerate partner! Come, come, let me toast General Manager Li to thank the Li family for giving us this opportunity!" He tilted his head back and downed a glass of baijiu, trying to use the alcohol to dispel the tense atmosphere.
He Jingwen immediately chimed in, his fingers twirling the teacup rapidly: "Yes, yes, IT guys are in high demand these days. There are many opportunities in Wushan, and Director Cheng has a good eye! I heard that housing prices in Nanshan have gone up again?"
Just as Lin Shirong was about to steer the conversation back to the financial report data, President Wang grinned at Cheng Yin and said, "Director Cheng is so young and accomplished, and so ambitious. Does your boyfriend know how outstanding you are?"
These words were like a needle, piercing the barely concealed windowpane once more. All the attention that had been feigned to shift instantly refocused.
Cheng Yin calmly replied, "He knows."
"What does he know?" Li Yaodong suddenly asked, his voice as cold as ice.
The private room fell silent instantly.
He Jingwen quickly tried to smooth things over: "President Li, please have some tea..."
"What does he know?" Li Yaodong stared at Cheng Yin, his pupils burning like black fire, and asked again, "Does he know you once used your body to pay off a debt? Does he know you almost died in Siam? Does he know I fucking..."
"Li Yaodong!" Lin Shirong interrupted sharply, his hand already on Li Yaodong's arm. "You're drunk."
Li Yaodong stood up, his chair crashing to the floor. He walked up to Cheng Yin, grabbed her wrist: "Come out with me."
Cheng Yin didn't move: "Official business can be clearly..."
"Now," Li Yaodong interrupted her, his voice low and rumbling like thunder, "unless you want me to go crazy here."
The private room was completely silent.
Mr. Wang glanced at Li Yaodong, then at Cheng Yin, his mouth agape. Lin Shirong calmly sipped his tea, as if he had expected this.
Cheng Yin slowly stood up and followed Li Yaodong out of the private room.
Li Yaodong pulled her along the corridor and pushed open the door to the emergency exit.
The stairwell was dark and damp, with only the emergency lights casting a pale green glow.
Li Yaodong pressed Cheng Yin against the wall, his hands bracing against her ears, his breathing heavy: "Boyfriend?" His voice was hoarse. "Three months ago? IT industry? Working in Wushan?" With each word, he drew closer, "You make it sound quite plausible."
Cheng Yin's back was pressed against the cold wall, Li Yaodong's scent wafting towards her, mingled with tobacco and ambergris. She calmly asked, "How do you know it's fake?"
"Because I have connections in Parrot Island," Li Yaodong sneered. "This past year, besides the company and your apartment, you've only been to the supermarket and the library."
"Are you spying on me?"
"Protect them," Li Yaodong corrected, "The matter in Macau isn't over yet, Ah King's men..."
"Li Yaodong," Cheng Yin interrupted him, "we have nothing to do with each other anymore."
These words were like a knife, stabbing directly into Li Yaodong's chest. He took a step back, then suddenly laughed, a bitter laugh: "Yes, it's alright now." He wiped his face. "I was the one who pushed you away; I deserved it."
Cheng Yin straightened up and straightened her wrinkled collar: "Let's go back. Mr. Wang must be getting impatient."
"Cheng Yin," Li Yaodong suddenly called out to her, "I'm sorry."
The stairwell lights flickered, illuminating Li Yaodong's angular face. He looked exhausted, the fine lines around his eyes more pronounced in the green light, making him appear like a boy who had aged overnight.
"Apologize for which things?" Cheng Yin asked softly. "Too many."
"Everything." Li Yaodong's voice choked, "From the very beginning... I bound you with debt, adorned you with gifts, almost killed you in Siam, and then pushed you away without my permission..." His fingers trembled slightly, "I'm a fucking bastard."
"Do you know?" Cheng Yin said softly, "it was you who made the magic fail."
Li Yaodong's breath caught in his throat. He wanted to refute, to explain, but he realized that what Cheng Yin said was true.
He did just that, pushing her away in the cruelest way, thinking it was for her own good.
"I'm sorry," he apologized again, his voice almost inaudible, "I just... didn't want you to get hurt again."
Cheng Yin turned around and looked at him for a very long time, as if she wanted to get to know him all over again.
Then, she stepped forward and gently hugged him.
Li Yaodong stood frozen in place, like a puppet that had been frozen in place.
Cheng Yin gently patted his back, like soothing a child having a nightmare. "I lied," she whispered in Li Yaodong's ear, "I don't have a boyfriend, never."
Li Yaodong's body jolted. He grabbed Cheng Yin's shoulders, pushed her away slightly, and stared intently into her eyes: "You...you're playing me?"
Cheng Yin nodded, a slight smile playing on her lips: "To get back at you for your pretentious act last night."
Li Yaodong's expression shifted from shock to anger to helplessness, finally settling on a complex tenderness. He took a deep breath, about to speak, when Cheng Yin tiptoed and kissed his lips.
This kiss was different from the awkward touches in the car, and also different from the comforting contact in the car.
Cheng Yin's lips were warm and soft, carrying a faint tea fragrance. She gently held his lips, as if savoring a dessert. Li Yaodong's mind went blank for a moment, his hands hanging in mid-air, afraid to touch her, lest he lose control if he did.
As they parted, Cheng Yin's eyelashes trembled slightly, and her breathing became slightly rapid.
She whispered in Lai Yiu-tung's ear, "'I like you so much.'"
Li Yaodong's heart stopped for a second. This confession came too suddenly, like a straight ball, catching him off guard. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He could only hold Cheng Yin tightly, "Say it again," he pleaded in a hoarse voice.
Cheng Yin looked up at him, her eyes clear and bright: "I like you so much, Li Yaodong."
Li Yaodong lowered his head and kissed her. This kiss was more passionate than any before, carrying the longing, pain, and regret of the past year.
They kissed for an unknown amount of time before finally separating. Li Yaodong cupped her face in his hands, his thumb gently stroking her cheekbone: "You've lost weight."
"You said that yesterday."
"It's different." Li Yaodong's eyes softened. "Yesterday was just polite talk; now it's genuine concern."
Cheng Yin raised her hand and touched the corner of his eye: "You seem to have aged a bit."
Li Yaodong chuckled softly, his forehead pressed against hers: "Almost forty, how can you not get old?"
The emergency exit door was suddenly pushed open, and blinding light shone in.
Lin Shirong stood at the door, his gaze behind his gold-rimmed glasses calm as still water: "Mr. Wang said he's going to call the police."
He glanced at the two embracing and added, "Or call an ambulance."
Li Yaodong raised his head: "Get out."
Lin Shirong pushed up his glasses, turned and left, considerately closing the door behind him.
"Let's go back," Cheng Yin said softly after a long silence. "They must be getting impatient."
Lai Yiu-tung reluctantly released her: "Come back to Macau with me tonight."
Cheng Yin raised an eyebrow: "So soon?"
"It's been a year, Cheng Yin," Li Yaodong's voice was hoarse. "I've fucking waited a year."
Cheng Yin's face flushed slightly, but she remained calm: "I need to go back to the company to hand over my duties..."
"Tomorrow," Li Yaodong said firmly, "Come with me tonight."
Seeing his stubborn expression, Cheng Yin suddenly smiled: "Let's talk after we finish eating."
Li Yaodong took Cheng Yin's hand, their fingers intertwined, holding it tightly as if afraid she would run away.
At the door of the private room, Li Yaodong suddenly stopped: "Wait." He straightened Cheng Yin's collar. "Are you ready?"
"Prepare...what?"
Li Yaodong pushed open the door to the private room, and the room immediately fell silent, with everyone's eyes focused on their clasped hands.
Mr. Wang opened his mouth wide, He Jingwen whistled, and Lin Shirong pushed up his glasses, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Excuse me, everyone." Li Yaodong's voice carried an undisguised smile. "Director Cheng's boyfriend is me."
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