Food is the most important thing
However, this was a good thing for Zhiwei. A little while later, the waiters pushed some food carts around. Zhiwei was a bit hungry, so she went over to take a look. In addition to cold dishes, there were also some hot spring rolls, xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), and small portions of soup.
Zhou Xuanyu happened to run into some acquaintances and started chatting. Zhiwei, without any hesitation, headed straight for the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings). The juicy, flavorful dumplings made her taste buds leap with joy the moment they entered her mouth. Such authentic xiaolongbao were nowhere to be found in Chinatown. With such delicious food, who would want to eat something like a chicken sandwich!
She ate four xiaolongbao in a row, showing none of the anxiety that modern girls have when they're wearing formal dresses and feel like they can't eat for two days. Just as she was hesitating whether to eat spring rolls or continue with the xiaolongbao, a deep male voice sounded beside her, "This one over there is crab roe xiaolongbao, it's better with vinegar and minced ginger." As he spoke, a small dish of vinegar and minced ginger was handed to her.
Zhiwei looked up at the owner of the hand, about to greet him, but froze. The man was a middle-aged man who looked to be in his fifties, slightly overweight, and possessed an imposing aura. This was no young talent, so he could only be one of the organizers.
Although a little embarrassed, Zhiwei didn't want the host to hold the plate up like that indefinitely, so she took the plate, bowed slightly, and smiled in return. Unable to resist the temptation of the crab roe xiaolongbao, she picked one up and tried it in the condiment dish. It was indeed exceptionally delicious, even better than the xiaolongbao she had before, tasting just like the ones she and her mother used to eat in Shanghai.
Zhiwei couldn't help but squint her eyes, her satisfied expression resembling that of a little fox. Her complexion was rosy, and she was calm and composed, completely unlike those girls who were so weak and pale from dieting that they had to rely on rouge to brighten their complexion.
She finished one and then picked up another, finally putting down the small plate with satisfaction. The other person said, "To have such an appreciation for these xiaolongbao, it's no wonder we specially invited a xiaolongbao chef from China."
"So, going on a study tour and bringing along a xiaolongbao (soup dumpling) chef? Are they really rich and capricious?" Zhiwei didn't answer, so she smiled and nodded slightly, then focused on looking at other food. After finishing a small bowl of pickled bamboo shoot soup and a bowl of mushroom soup, Zhiwei felt this evening was truly wonderful. The food alone was totally worth the price of admission—oh, no, it was practically free.
After looking around and weighing her stomach, she decided it was best to go back and rest to avoid overeating. Just as she was about to leave, a waiter brought her a teacup. She was surprised to see the man from before had reappeared. He said softly, "This is Pu'er tea, perfect for aiding digestion."
She hadn't seen any Pu'er tea served around here, but she didn't have time to think about it. She couldn't keep the waiter waiting, so she took the tea and tasted it. The water temperature was just right, and the tea was clear and bright. Although she didn't know much about tea, she found it sweet and mellow, with a slight astringency at first, but quickly followed by a lingering fragrance in her mouth. It was truly a delightful experience.
It was only then that she realized the waiter had clearly ordered the tea from the man next to her. Had she just eaten something so astonishing that the waiter was worried about her digestion? She gave an awkward laugh and, making conversation, said, "Thank you. The tea is very good."
The other person nodded slightly to her in greeting, "Nice to meet you, I am Li Fuqiang."
Even though Zhiwei was an art student, she immediately recognized Li Fuqiang—Li Fuqiang from Fumao Company. She paused for a moment, then, seeing him still greeting her, instinctively extended her hand, "Nice to meet you. I'm Shen Zhiwei."
Li Fuqiang shook her hand politely and said, "I didn't expect that young people overseas would also like traditional food."
They were standing in a corner of the dance floor. The music had changed to a slow waltz, and several couples had glided to the center of the dance floor and started dancing. Li Fuqiang said, "At this moment, I regret that I didn't learn to dance when I was young. Otherwise, I could invite the ladies to dance with me."
Zhiwei secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said softly, "These are just child's play." As she spoke, Xuanyu waved to Zhiwei, who nodded slightly to Li Fuqiang in acknowledgment before walking towards her boyfriend. Li Fuqiang also nodded politely and said nothing more.
Walking up to Xuanyu, he said, "How was your meal? I was talking to some friends and didn't have time to keep you company. Do you want to eat some more, or shall we go dancing some more?"
One of his companions chimed in, "Johnny, if you're going to eat something, I'll ask this lady to dance."
Xuan Yu rolled his eyes at him, then looked at Zhi Wei. Zhi Wei was in a good mood, so she pulled Xuan Yu into the dance floor and began to dance gracefully to the music.
In a corner she wasn't looking at, Li Fuqiang sat in his booth, watching the crowd dancing on the field, lost in thought.
There were quite a few girls present, many wearing various styles of little black dresses, and their male companions were mostly dressed in black or dark blue suits. Since the group was predominantly young students, the attire wasn't particularly extravagant. This only made Zhiwei's bright red dress stand out even more dazzlingly in the crowd. Under the crystal chandeliers, her diamond earrings occasionally reflected a brilliant sparkle.
The people around him, following Li Fuqiang's gaze, quickly noticed who he was looking at. One of them slightly raised his chin towards Zhao Youlin, giving her a knowing smile. She, who had been chatting with her colleague, glanced at the dance floor, then looked back at Li Fuqiang a moment later.
"Mr. Li?"
Li Fuqiang seemed not to hear her, his gaze still following the figure on the dance floor.
Zhao Youlin got up and went to the reception desk at the entrance. She found a colleague in charge and asked softly, "Who is the woman in the big red dress on the field?"
A moment later, someone brought her a business card.
How did you know it was this one?
“When we helped her take off her coat at the door earlier, she was quite noticeable, so we paid more attention to her.”
Youlin looked at it carefully: "Vivian Shen, graduate student in visual arts at Columbia University's School of Design."
"Where's her companion's business card? Give it to me too."
She took the business card, walked back to Li Fuqiang's seat, and saw Li Fuqiang holding a glass of red wine, still leisurely watching the dance floor. She silently handed him the business card.
"Vivian is indeed as her name suggests. Zhiwei, Zhiwei, an intellectual rose, bright and charming."
The dance lasted until after midnight. Zhiwei danced several rounds and had a late-night snack, thoroughly enjoying herself. When she left, a waiter brought her a coat, which Zhou Xuanyu helped her put on. He then called a taxi to take her home.
When they arrived at her apartment building, Zhou Xuanyu kissed her. He waited until Zhiwei went upstairs and waved to him from the window before getting back into his car and driving back to his own place.
A short while later, in the hotel, Li Fuqiang was resting in his room, having changed into his pajamas and smoking. A colleague entered the room and said, "Miss Shen's friend called a taxi to take her home. The two seem quite close. However, after he got out of the car, he didn't go upstairs with her. Instead, he watched her go upstairs from downstairs before getting into his car and leaving. This is her home address."
"Okay, I understand."
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