Jiang Yubai turned on the hands-free function.
When Lin Zhixia heard Duan Qiyan's voice, she immediately said, "We are also planning to go back. What do you want to eat tonight? I'll bring it to you."
"I had dinner, oyster omelette and fish porridge." Duan Qiyan answered in detail.
Duan Qiyan lay on the big bed in the hotel, his mind full of messy thoughts. He chatted with Jiang Yubai casually for a few words and then hung up the phone.
He rested his arms behind his head, closed his eyes, and dozed off, his body and mind wandering in a dream.
The light in the room became dim and gloomy. He looked out the window and saw the red building, weeping willows, ancient pines, lake views and tower shadows on the Peking University campus. The bamboos in Linhuxuan were covered with a layer of winter snow, while the wax trees in front of the gymnasium were covered with autumn frost. The lianhua flowers on the east side of the audio-visual education building were waving in the wind in the bright spring light, and the road leading to the south gate was covered with the thick shadow of midsummer. For a moment, he could not distinguish spring, summer, autumn and winter, day and night, and did not know where he was or where he was going.
He heard someone calling him, "Did you have enough tonight?"
Duan Qiyan woke up from his sleep.
Tang Tingting extended a hand to him. She touched his forehead and put her face against his: "You didn't bring an umbrella. You got caught in the rain. You might have a fever, right?"
Duan Qiyan asked her back, "Did you just come back?"
Tang Tingting hooked her arm around his shoulders and said, "I came back with Lin Zhixia and the others. They booked a table for dinner at the hotel, and Jiang Yubai is treating. Come on, let's go get something to eat."
Duan Qiyan put on his coat and followed Tang Tingting out.
The two of them remained silent all the way, and no one spoke.
The hotel corridor was paved with a layer of dark red carpet. Tang Tingting was wearing high heels and her steps were quiet and slow. She tilted her head to look at Duan Qiyan, who stood still, supported the wall with one hand, and trapped Tang Tingting in a corner.
Tang Tingting was slightly surprised: "You are really good, you have learned the wall-dong technique."
On this rainy night, mist filled the busy streets, the wind knocked against the windows, and Duan Qiyan was in a rare mood. He said to himself: "The best job I found in the first month after returning to the provincial capital was a high school teacher... Being a teacher is very busy. I teach during the day, correct homework at night, and give lectures to students during breaks. The school arranged for me to be a class teacher next semester..."
He didn't organize his words well and revealed some information at random.
Tang Tingting straightened his collar and said, "I was just about to tell you that we should split up tonight. We all thought you were with the other guy. I was browsing the street stalls and was thinking of buying something for you."
She looked him in the eye: "You are a good worker and a nice person."
Duan Qiyan was still feeling awkward: "Come on, stop trying to appease me with these kinds of talk."
Tang Tingting chuckled. She took Duan Qiyan's arm and said, "You are so great. You are smart, hardworking, responsible, and you eat well and sleep well. You are so easy to take care of."
These compliments went straight to Duan Qiyan's heart. He wiped his trouser pockets with both hands and compared himself with Lin Zhixia again: "Can Lin Zhixia also eat and sleep well?"
"No," Tang Tingting explained truthfully, "She doesn't eat much."
Tang Tingting and Duan Qiyan were walking and talking, and they both stopped in front of the main entrance of the restaurant. Tang Tingting grabbed Duan Qiyan's sleeve and suddenly said, "Be confident, Xiao Duan, I have always regarded you as the 'No. 1 God of War'."
Duan Qiyan pretended to be humble: "'The First God of War' was a thing of many years ago. A good man does not talk about his past bravery."
Lin Zhixia's voice came from behind him: "When you were a child, you were the best warrior in the Normal School Attached Primary School. When you grew up, you became an outstanding teacher in the Provincial No. 1 Middle School, Teacher Duan."
Lin Zhixia happened to be standing under a chandelier, the light focused on her, making her sparkle. The walls on one side of the corridor were covered with landscape paintings. The mountains and rivers, the shadows of clouds at dawn all became her background.
She stood one meter away, Jiang Yubai and Luo Ying were standing behind her - Luo Ying was dressed to the nines tonight. She wore a pure black dress, her makeup was extremely delicate, and she had a crescent-shaped hairpin on her ear. She looked cool, mysterious, and otherworldly, giving off a sharp beauty like a blade being unsheathed.
The atmosphere in the restaurant is extraordinary.
Jiang Yubai and Luo Ying sat on the left and right of Lin Zhixia, while Lin Zeqiu's seat was close to Jiang Yubai. Jiang Yubai and Lin Zeqiu chatted for a few sentences, and the two no longer confronted each other and could get along harmoniously.
Lin Zhixia was very pleased.
The table was filled with delicious food, and the steam was rising like smoke. Lin Zhixia reached out her chopsticks and gently picked up a smooth fish ball, which slipped from her hand and fell into the soup bowl, splashing a little water.
Luo Ying picked up the spoon, scooped up two fish balls and put them into Lin Zhixia's bowl.
Lin Zhixia was very polite: "Thank you."
"Don't be polite to me," Luo Ying replied, "I'm sitting right next to you, it's a piece of cake."
Lin Zhixia casually asked her, "Do you like fish balls?"
Luo Ying picked up the wine glass and took a sip of red wine: "I prefer to eat vegetarian food." She lowered the rim of the glass and clinked glasses with Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia turned around and asked the waiter: "Hello, can you give me a strawberry-flavored drink?"
Jiang Yubai continued, "I ordered freshly squeezed strawberry juice. The kitchen is making it, but it hasn't been served yet."
Luo Ying said, "The alcohol content of strawberry wine is not high, and rose wine is also good. I recommend you to try it."
Jiang Yubai thanked him and said, "She doesn't drink often, so she has little contact with him."
Luo Ying put down the chopsticks in her hand.
Jiang Yubai picked up a shrimp dumpling and put it in Lin Zhixia's bowl, covering the fish ball. He asked her casually, "Do you like shrimp dumplings?"
Lin Zhixia took a small bite, savored it carefully, and said, "It's delicious."
In fact, this evening, Lin Zhixia had already tasted Hong Kong's street food at a night market. She was not feeling hungry now, and was about 50% full, so she ate very slowly. Luo Ying added a piece of sea cucumber to her rice bowl and placed it firmly on top of the shrimp dumplings.
Jiang Yubai took the glass of juice brought by the waiter and handed it to Lin Zhixia: "Your freshly squeezed strawberry juice."
"I may not be able to finish it," Lin Zhixia said honestly, "I'm a little full."
Luo Ying's tone was very natural: "Let's share some. Give me what you can't finish."
She held a tall glass with two fingers and poured three-quarters of the glass with red wine. Lin Zhixia also added some strawberry juice. She shook the glass gently, and her nails seemed to have a glossy luster, as if stained with the colors of roses and red wine.
She sipped the wine in silence and didn't move her chopsticks again.
The others were busy eating, and Lin Zeqiu had an even bigger appetite. He scooped a ladle of beef brisket and radish stew, put it on the rice, and took two mouthfuls of rice. He caught a glimpse of Jiang Yubai's elegant and graceful way of eating, and he unconsciously sat up straight and began to chew slowly.
The atmosphere in the restaurant was surprisingly quiet. Lin Zeqiu picked a random topic: "The chef's cooking skills are good."
"Yes." Lin Zhixia agreed.
At this time, Luo Ying pushed over a glass of red wine mixed with strawberry juice, and Lin Zhixia drank the wine in one gulp. The mellow wine and the sweet strawberries blended perfectly together, leaving her with an endless aftertaste. She couldn't help but drink another half glass, and Lin Zeqiu said directly: "Drink less, you can't drink that much."
"It doesn't matter," Lin Zhixia said arrogantly, "I've never been drunk."
Jiang Yubai questioned her: "Really?"
Lin Zhixia raised her hand and patted Jiang Yubai's shoulder, like a partner in his company. Then, she stood up from her seat, and everyone looked up at her, but she said, "Everyone, eat and drink well, and listen to me while you eat. I want to summarize our work results..."
The sound of dishes and chopsticks colliding around became lighter.
Lin Zhixia took two steps back, put her hands behind her back, and said in a slightly serious tone: "Today is the first day of our business trip. We have reached a cooperation intention with a local university in Hong Kong. This is something I did not expect before. Things are progressing more smoothly than I thought. I plan to set up a branch in Hong Kong, complete the listing plan in 2019, and solve the chip problem before 2021."
In fact, Lin Zhixia was quite drunk.
But her expression was calm and composed, her tone was firm and decisive, and her steps were steady and dignified. Everyone present thought that Lin Zhixia was making an impassioned speech and expressing her heartfelt words.
Duan Qiyan raised his hand and asked, "Your team has only been established for a few years, and you have to start a new company and list it in Hong Kong. Can you handle it?"
Lin Zhixia nodded and expressed her approval: "This is a very good question."
Duan Qiyan raised his glass to her.
Lin Zhixia walked around the table slowly, like a president. She said, "Quantum computing is becoming more and more popular, and the competition is becoming more and more fierce. In this field, I hope we can lead the industry and even the world. IBM is going to build a quantum computer in Germany, and Google is preparing to develop the world's most complex quantum processor by 2023. There are a total of 12 artificial intelligence and quantum research institutes in the United States, and Europe has implemented a quantum flagship program. Our company has already formed a brand effect and completed the original accumulation. At this stage..."
All the audience, including Jiang Yubai, stopped eating. Their eyes were focused on Lin Zhixia, who turned the hotel party into a company meeting. She bent slightly, put her hands on the edge of the table, and continued to talk: "Everyone, you are all core members of our team..."
Duan Qiyan turned his head and looked away. Lin Zhixia added: "And the families of the core members."
Duan Qiyan turned his head back.
Lin Zhixia said vigorously: "The number of customers is constantly increasing. What we need is global influence, to occupy the market as soon as possible and to achieve technological upgrades. No matter how busy or tired I am, I will not delay the company's development progress."
She remembered the product promotion program she had watched on TV when she was a child. She imitated the host's tone and said meaningfully: "Only by making the brand bigger and stronger can we attract talents and maintain a long-term flow. My success is a one-man show, while the success of our team is a multi-million-dollar show. From the company's macro perspective, every step must be steady and solid - this does not mean that we must pursue conservatism. Expanding cooperation partners and recruiting more talents are the focus of this year's work."
"Good!" Tang Tingting was the first to applaud, "Mr. Lin said it well, I support it with both hands and feet!"
Tang Tingting glanced at Duan Qiyan.
Duan Qiyan silently said in his heart, "Marry a chicken, follow the chicken; marry a dog, follow the dog," and clapped his hands. Lin Zeqiu's eyes were a little complicated, and Luo Ying had a faint smile on her lips. Only Jiang Yubai knew that Lin Zhixia was drunk.
Jiang Yubai helped Lin Zhixia to smooth things over.
He briefly analyzed the company's strengths and weaknesses - the quantum programming system and quantum cloud computing platform pioneered by Lin Zhixia represent the advanced level of current world technology. However, any material publicly released by Lin Zhixia and his team members may open up the Ren and Du meridians of competitors, making Lin Zhixia face cruel and fierce industry competition in the near future.
"Really?" Lin Zhixia was skeptical.
Jiang Yubai said in a businesslike manner: "I had a meeting today and discussed relevant issues. You can take a look at the meeting minutes."
"Then I'll go back to the room with you now." Lin Zhixia walked behind Jiang Yubai.
This was exactly what Jiang Yubai wanted. He spent a lot of effort to persuade the situation and finally guided the development of the situation. He took Lin Zhixia's wrist, said hello to his friends, and took Lin Zhixia away quietly.
Luo Ying lowered her eyes and frowned, her head half lowered. She glanced at Lin Zhixia's bowl and saw that she had only left half a fish ball and a small piece of sea cucumber.
The air around her was filled with the sweet aroma of strawberries. That aroma was soul-destroying and unsettling. Luo Ying had never felt anything like it before. This novel experience was both comforting and tormenting. She felt as if she was split in half, one half full of chaotic emotions, and the other half full of rational echoes. Reason told Luo Ying that love should be two-way, and she didn't have deep feelings for Lin Zhixia. She just liked her beauty, cuteness, optimism, and positivity, and admired her for reaching the top of the industry at such a young age.
Luo Ying tried to convince herself with this argument. But she accidentally bit her tongue, and the tip of her tongue started bleeding. The bloody smell filled her mouth, and the sour feeling filled her throat.
She was still thinking about Lin Zhixia.
She had never suffered any loss since she was a child, but this time, what could she use to fight for it? What qualifications did she have to fight for it?
She just felt like someone had installed a watch in her heart, with the second hand ticking away, recording countless sleepless days and nights, and the spinning needle tip cutting out a circular hole... Time flies, and she is the bull's eye.
The night rain was dripping with sound. The light of the street lamps was dim in the rain mist, and scattered into blurred spots. The apricot tree in the front yard of the hotel was full of wind and rain. Lin Zhixia leaned against a French window and sighed: "The fine rain wet my clothes but I couldn't see it. The flowers fell to the ground but I couldn't hear any sound. [1]"
Jiang Yubai stood beside her, holding a cup of tea. She bent over to drink from his cup, and he whispered to her, "Boss Lin."
Lin Zhixia almost choked on the tea. She coughed, stood up again, straightened her collar, and said, "Is this a role-playing game between the president and the secretary? I'm the president and you're the secretary."
"Sure." Jiang Yubai agreed to her readily.
"Secretary Jiang," Lin Zhixia said, "Come with me."
They went into the bedroom together.
The white gauze curtains were gathered on both sides of the window. Lin Zhixia lowered the curtains, and the screen of her mobile phone just happened to light up - she received a WeChat message from Luo Ying.
This evening, Lin Zhixia picked out a pair of strawberry pendant earrings in a street jewelry store. She and Luo Ying paid together, and the earrings were in Luo Ying's purse. Luo Ying sent her a WeChat message and mentioned the pair of earrings. Lin Zhixia said, "I'll come find you and return the money to you."
Luo Ying replied immediately: "I'll wait for you."
Lin Zhixia sent a love heart.
When Lin Zhixia chats with all her female friends, the most common emoji she uses is the heart. This habit was developed in college. At that time, her roommate Deng Shasha's grades were in the red and she was in urgent need of tutoring. Lin Zhixia volunteered to be Deng Shasha's tutor.
Deng Shasha often confessed her love to Lin Zhixia. On WeChat, she was passionate and unrestrained, "Teacher Xiaolin, I love you so much! I can't live without you, the light of my life. You must explain the test papers to me before the exam! I'll take care of your meal card!" This sentence often ended with a bright red, beating love heart.
However, this method of making friends doesn't work on Senior Luo Ying.
When the senior student saw Ai Xin, she stopped talking.
"She seems a little weird today," Lin Zhixia thought, "I'll go check it out."
The lights in the room were dim and shadows were intertwined. Jiang Yubai stood at the junction of the bedroom and the living room, blocking Lin Zhixia's way: "It's 9:30 in the evening, it's time to go to bed, you can go tomorrow."
Lin Zhixia explained: "It doesn't matter, I'll be back soon, my senior said she's waiting for me."
Jiang Yubai was silent for a while, then said, "Waiting for you?"
"What's wrong?" Lin Zhixia asked him back, "You're not the same as usual today. Are you hiding something from me?"
Jiang Yubai untied his tie, took off his watch and put it on the counter. He sat down at a desk and opened his laptop. He signed an important document with an electronic pen and said to Lin Zhixia, "It's nothing. Go ahead. I'll go back to sleep when you come back."
Jiang Yubai once discussed with Duan Qiyan the question of "how to run a family". Duan Qiyan pointed out that the most important thing between husband and wife is trust, freedom and emotional connection - this statement does make some sense.
Jiang Yubai is a giant in action. He has implemented the three major principles of "how to run a family", namely "trust each other, give freedom, and maintain emotions".
Lin Zhixia grabbed his arm and asked, "When I come back, I want to hear what's in your heart." She whispered in his ear, "Let's talk on the bed."
Jiang Yubai paused.
Lin Zhixia hugged his neck and kissed him on the face several times before running out of the study.
The sound of rain outside the corridor stopped, the dark clouds dissipated, the moon was dim, and a few lonely stars hung in the night sky.
Lin Zhixia knocked on Luo Ying's door.
Luo Ying was wearing a women's suit. She didn't change into pajamas or take off her makeup. She was neatly dressed, looked calm, and asked in a gentle tone, "Would you like something to drink?"
"No, thank you," Lin Zhixia said honestly, "I ate too much today."
Luo Ying nodded slightly.
The French window in the living room was opened a little, and the cool breeze after the rain poured into the room, bringing with it a faint fragrance mixed with the scent of roses - it turned out that there was a scented candle by the window.
The candle was surrounded by a layer of glass with an open lid on the top, and the flame swayed and flickered in the wind.
Lin Zhixia was partially distracted by the candles, while Luo Ying had already found the pair of earrings. She handed the earrings to Lin Zhixia and said, "They are not expensive, you don't have to pay me back, just consider it a gift from me."
Lin Zhixia rounded it up and transferred the money directly via WeChat: "Even if converted into RMB, it would be several hundred yuan."
Luo Ying asked with a smile: "You won't accept any gifts given to you by others?"
"I don't know why," Lin Zhixia put the phone behind her back, "I..."
Luo Ying picked up a long glass stick and moved the candle wick. The flame illuminated her face and reflected it on the rain-stained glass window. She didn't even look at Lin Zhixia, but Lin Zhixia said frankly: "I'm embarrassed to accept your gift. Maybe it's because you didn't want a penny when I sold a software. Since then, I always feel that I owe you a favor."
"You don't owe me anything," Luo Ying said softly, "You taught me programming and introduced me to the basics."
Lin Zhixia looked at the bright moon in the sky and said, "After you graduate with your doctorate, you could have gotten a better job, but you chose to join our startup. You come to work at 8 o'clock every day, leave the latest at night, and have the best performance evaluation results. This year's 'Outstanding Employee Special Award' must be you, senior sister."
Luo Ying found an excuse: "The company you and Jiang Yubai founded together has a 100% chance of going public. I worked overtime to get more shares. I came here to make money... It's not as simple as you think."
Lin Zhixia was a little surprised. She turned her head and stared at Luo Ying quietly.
"Senior," Lin Zhixia said softly, "I have always felt that..."
Luo Ying looked at her, and she commented: "You are gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. It is difficult for others to shake your decision." She paused and said: "I completed my undergraduate studies in three years. In the last year of undergraduate studies, we often attended classes, formed teams, and did homework together. That experience was very special to me..."
Luo Ying closed her eyes for two seconds and then opened them. Her emotions fluctuated violently, but her face showed very little. Lin Zhixia always called her "senior, senior", and she was always trying her best to play the role of a caring sister, and it was almost a habit, and she herself was completely unaware of it.
Lin Zhixia observed her expression, and her palms felt a little hot. She keenly caught the inexplicable change in Luo Ying's body. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. Lin Zhixia spoke faster: "For me, it is a memory worth cherishing."
"Is Jiang Yubai good to you?" Luo Ying changed the subject, "I always feel that men are unreliable."
She took off the rubber band tied around her wrist and tied up her long hair, revealing her beautiful, snow-white neck like a swan.
Lin Zhixia also tucked her hair behind her ears and replied seriously: "Jiang Yubai is very good to me. He is a very interesting person. However, no one is always reliable. From a certain perspective, I am not reliable either."
She seemed to be sending a subtle hint.
Luo Ying touched the cold windowsill. She said nothing, thinking to herself: That's right, Lin Zhixia is very smart, with a very high IQ. She is a genius among geniuses, a well-deserved pride of heaven. It is not difficult for her to guess what I am thinking.
Luo Ying didn't know where to put her hands, and her thoughts were still a mess. She was exposed by Lin Zhixia implicitly, and could only weigh her words again and again. Lin Zhixia called herself "unreliable", and the deep meaning of this couldn't be more obvious - Lin Zhixia probably wanted to help Luo Ying before she fell into the quagmire, and now was the right time to make a move, because Luo Ying's heart had just begun to show signs of trouble, just like an ancient well that had been silent for many years was suddenly injected with a pool of fresh water, and there was a small fish at the bottom of the well, the water was rippling and chaotic, and was turned upside down by the fish's tail.
Before this, Luo Ying had rejected many boys with excellent conditions. One boy asked her directly: "Are you gay?"
She was so excited that she blurted out: "I'm not gay. I'm straight."
However, a series of chemical reactions triggered by Lin Zhixia confirmed the boy's judgment. Luo Ying was upset and at a loss. She wrapped the satin strip of the curtain around her wrist and said in a low voice: "What you said just now is right. There is no perfect person, and there is no perfect life... Many people desire things that they can never get in this lifetime."
Lin Zhixia took a step back, and the reflections on the glass window overlapped.
Luo Ying babbled incoherently: "I am, actually I..."
Lin Zhixia comforted her: "Life is divided into several stages, and what you want at each stage is different. Local optimality does not mean global optimality... Not getting it is not necessarily a bad thing."
Luo Ying sighed softly.
Lin Zhixia gave an example: "When I was a kid, I wanted a basket of strawberry candies. If that dream had come true, I would definitely have a mouthful of cavities now."
Luo Ying was amused by her and responded, "It's almost ten o'clock, you should go back to your room, you have a meeting tomorrow morning."
"Okay, I'm leaving first," Lin Zhixia said goodbye to her, "You should get some rest early. See you tomorrow morning."
Luo Ying stayed where she was.
There was a slight sound of a door closing in the living room, and Lin Zhixia's footsteps gradually faded away.
Luo Ying slowly lowered the curtains. The candlelight in front of the window was dim, the candlelight was dim, and the wax dripped into flowers.
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