33 Chapter 33
◎In your eyes, am I this kind of person?◎
After dinner, Mr. Zhang and Liao Yishen left early due to some matters.
"Xu Jianian, thank you," Sang Xinqi expressed her gratitude sincerely.
The studio was just established and had a shortage of customer resources. Without his great help, they would not have been able to develop so rapidly.
Xu Jianian's lips curled up slightly, a gentle smile spreading across his eyes. "Why are you so polite to me? Helping you is also helping myself. After all, one more partner means one more way forward."
Sang Xinqi was slightly startled and looked up at him.
In fact, she knew in her heart that with his current abilities and connections, having her as a fledgling partner would most likely only be a burden.
"I'll treat you to dinner tonight," she said cheerfully, changing the subject.
"Okay," Xu Jianian agreed happily, then changed the subject, "But before that, I wonder if Miss Sang would be willing to give me this afternoon as well?"
Although Sang Xinqi was a little confused, she nodded readily, "Of course."
Xu Jianian's smile deepened. "I heard that the newly released movie 'How Can We Fall in Love' is really good. Do you want to go see it together?"
"Ah... OK," Sang Xinqi responded with a hint of surprise.
The two quickly booked the movie tickets and had a few drinks at lunch. For safety reasons, they called a designated driver.
The afternoon sun streamed through the car window, casting a warm spot of light between the two of them.
At the cinema, Xu Jianian expertly operated the self-service ticket machine. Sang Xinqi stood nearby, her eyes casually scanning the small groups of people in the hall. It was a weekday lunchtime, and the theater was exceptionally quiet, with only the sweet aroma of popcorn lingering in the air.
"This movie has good reviews," Xu Jianian handed her the ticket and said in a low voice, "It's about a man and a woman who discover their partners are cheating on them, and then they meet by chance at the scene of the infidelity..."
Sang Xinqi tilted her head, her hair brushing his shoulder lightly. She raised her index finger to her lips, a sly smile in her eyes, "Mr. Xu, no spoilers allowed."
Xu Jianian made a gesture of closing his mouth, but there was tenderness in his eyes.
The lights in the theater dimmed just in time, and the production company's logo began to flash on the big screen, drawing their attention.
The movie is really good. The fight between the hero and heroine is really exciting. The mistress and the cheating man don't have a good life either. In the end, it ends in a very undignified way. It is very enjoyable to watch.
As I left the theater, dusk had already quietly enveloped the city. Streetlights lit up one after another, casting circles of warm yellow light in the cold night.
"Xu Jianian, what do you want to eat?" Sang Xinqi exhaled a puff of white air and turned to ask.
Xu Jianian put his hands in his coat pockets and said gently, "It's all right."
Sang Xinqi pursed her lips and thought for a moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up, "Then let's eat hot pot! Hot pot is the most comfortable thing in winter."
"Okay," Xu Jianing replied with a young smile.
The hot pot restaurant was filled with steam, and tempting bubbles were rolling in the bottom of the red oil pot. The two of them ate and chatted, and before they knew it, it was late at night.
Xu Jianian insisted on sending her home, and Sang Xinqi agreed.
When they arrived at the gate of the community, the two exchanged a few words, and then Sang Xinqi walked towards the community.
The light in the community was dim, and Sang Xinqi didn't walk fast.
Just as she turned a corner, a warm hand suddenly grabbed her wrist. Sang Xinqi screamed and reflexively swung her handbag at the person.
With a dull "bang", the bag hit the man's chest hard.
The other party groaned, and a hoarse voice sounded in the darkness, "It's me."
The raised bag froze in mid-air. Sang Xinqi, under the dim light of the distant streetlight, could clearly see the sharp-edged face. "Liao Yishen?"
"Yeah," the man replied softly, his voice thick with the smell of alcohol.
Sang Xinqi patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief, "You scared me to death!" Then she frowned and moved closer, "Have you been drinking?"
The two were so close that they could feel each other's breath.
Liao Yishen did not answer her question, but asked in a hoarse voice, "Are you having fun?"
After discussing cooperation with Mr. Zhang in the afternoon, they saw Xu Jianian’s circle of friends during the dinner party. The photos included her and Xu Jianian’s movie tickets and photos of them eating hot pot together.
He didn't know how to describe his feelings at the time. He just drank a few more glasses when Mr. Zhang raised his glass, even though he rarely drank.
At this moment, the alcohol was burning in the blood, and the emotions that had been suppressed for a whole day finally found an outlet.
Sang Xinqi pursed her lips and swallowed the words back.
Liao Yishen twitched his lips in self-mockery, his voice low and hoarse: "On the one hand, you said you wanted to pursue me, but on the other hand, you were flirting with other men."
These words stabbed at her like a knife, and Sang Xinqi's face instantly turned cold. She raised her head sharply, her voice trembling slightly, "Liao Yishen, what nonsense are you talking about? In your eyes, this is who I am?"
He remained silent and didn't answer, his dark eyes dim in the dim corridor. Sang Xinqi felt a tightness in her chest and turned away.
She had agreed to Xu Jianian's request today simply to thank him for his help, and she had no intention of crossing the line. However, Liao Yishen's attitude was like a bucket of cold water pouring down on her, chilling her heart.
During this time, she had been trying to get closer to him, but his attitude was always ambiguous, neither explicitly rejecting nor truly accepting. She walked quickly, her eyes slightly hot, and the more she thought about it, the more aggrieved she felt.
Just as the elevator door was about to close, a hand suddenly reached in and the sensor door reopened. Liao Yishen followed in, and the two stood in silence in the small space, neither of them speaking.
When she reached the floor, Sang Xinqi walked straight towards her home. She raised her hand to enter the password, but his wrist was grabbed by him.
"I'm sorry," he said in a hoarse voice, his fingertips slightly burning, "Just now... I spoke without thinking."
Sang Xinqi had her back to him, her shoulders slightly tense. After a long pause, she spoke, "You've had too much to drink. Go back and sober up."
After saying that, she gently broke free from his hand.
After closing the door, she leaned against it and let out a long breath.
Just now, she even began to doubt whether they were really not suitable for each other. After all, eight years were like a chasm between them.
But his words of apology made her give up her doubts about whether they were suitable for each other.
In the morning, when Sang Xinqi opened the door, she found a breakfast hanging on the door and a note tucked inside the bag. She pulled out the note, which was written in Liao Yishen's familiar handwriting: "I was drunk yesterday and said something inappropriate. I'm sorry."
She stared at the note for a few seconds, and the corners of her mouth rose unconsciously.
Forget it, don’t bother with a drunkard.
As she tossed and turned last night, she suddenly realized that his intense reaction just proved that he cared about her.
However, she also thought of Xu Jianian.
During this time, he frequently helped her and asked her out, which even made her start to wonder if he was interested in her. However, he never made it clear, so she didn't dare to speak up rashly.
Sang Xinqi knew very well that her studio could not always rely on Xu Jianian. If she did not work hard and only relied on the support of others, problems would arise sooner or later. She had resigned from her job abroad and returned to start a business, not to depend on anyone.
In the afternoon, she went to Mr. Zhang's company, finalized the details of the cooperation and formally signed the contract. Mr. Zhang was efficient and decisive, and the money was transferred three days later.
Although she decided to keep her distance from Xu Jianian, she was still grateful for his help, so she asked him out for dinner.
In the Sichuan restaurant, the two sat opposite each other.
Sang Xinqi took out a brown paper bag from her bag and pushed it in front of him. "Thank you."
Xu Jianian raised his eyebrows, half-smiling, "Are you serious?"
"Of course," she said firmly.
He had recently learned that if he didn't accept it, she would always feel like she owed him. But he actually... really wanted her to owe him so that they could have more interactions.
But seeing her conflicted look, he couldn't bear it.
Finally, he smiled and put away the paper bag. "Okay, I won't be polite then."
After dinner, Sang Xinqi returned home, hesitated for a while, and knocked on Liao Yishen’s door.
The door opened quickly.
"Have you eaten?" she asked.
Liao Yishen moved aside, and she saw several steaming dishes on the table at a glance.
“Just made it,” he said.
"Why are you so late today?"
"I worked overtime for a while."
"Oh—" She drawled out her tone and walked straight in, "Then I'll get some."
Liao Yishen watched her natural movements and closed the door silently.
Sang Xinqi glanced at the three dishes and one soup on the table and deliberately asked, "How can one person eat such a sumptuous meal?"
"I have a big appetite," he said without changing his expression.
"I never saw you eat so much when we ate together before."
She tilted her head to look at him.
Liao Yishen paused and said lightly, "I'm grown up now."
Sang Xinqi suppressed her laughter, said "Oh", and sat down at the dining table.
Liao Yishen went to the kitchen to get the dishes and chopsticks. The two of them ate quietly. Sang Xinqi picked up a dish with chopsticks and her eyes lit up, "Delicious!"
Fortunately, she didn't eat too much at night.
At the dinner table, the two chatted idly, the atmosphere much more relaxed than the previous few days. The warm yellow light cast a shadow on Liao Yishen's profile, outlining his deep features. Sang Xinqi's eyes unconsciously lingered on his eyebrows, and she felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
But when her gaze moved down and landed on his rosy lips, she suddenly recalled fragments of that drunken night - the warm touch, the interlaced breathing, and the red tips of his ears when he pushed her away in panic.
"Ahem..." Sang Xinqi averted her eyes abruptly, her fingertips unconsciously rubbing the rim of the bowl. She rolled her eyes and suddenly said, "Liao Yishen, do you have any wine?"
Alcohol gives cowards courage.
Liao Yishen paused while picking up the food and looked up at her. "Want to drink?"
"Let's have a few drinks," Sang Xinqi supported her chin, her eyes sparkling.
He stared at her for a while, said nothing, then stood up and walked towards the wine cabinet.
The crisp sound of glasses clinking echoed in the air. Sang Xinqi looked at his tall and slender back, and her heart suddenly skipped a beat.
Liao Yishen quickly returned, holding a wine bottle and two crystal clear wine glasses. He gently placed the wine utensils on the coffee table, slowly poured amber liquid into the glasses, and pushed one in front of her.
"Sweet?" Sang Xinqi took a sip and raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Specially made cocktail." Liao Yishen raised the corners of his lips slightly.
Her fingertips gently stroked the intricate patterns on the bottle. "This packaging looks like aged whiskey."
"Appearances are always deceiving," he shook his head meaningfully.
Sang Xinqi suddenly raised her glass and invited him, "Come on, have a drink!"
Liao Yishen tried to dissuade him, "Don't..."
Before she could finish her words, she raised her head and drank it all in one gulp.
"What were you about to say?" Sang Xinqi put down her wine glass, feeling a slight intoxication coming over her. "This wine's aftereffects..."
"This wine needs to be savored slowly," he said helplessly, shaking the glass he had just taken a sip of, "otherwise it's easy to..."
"Why didn't you say so earlier!" She held her forehead in frustration.
Liao Yishen looked at her flushed cheeks and sighed softly, "I was only halfway through my words when you finished your drink."
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