Chapter 15 "I'll pay the bill,"...
Shi Youning said she had booked a restaurant in advance, and Jiang Nuanyu nodded and said okay.
The two took a taxi, with Shi Youning taking the initiative to sit in the front seat, and the car remained quiet the entire way.
The destination was a quiet bar on the first floor of the Financial Street Hotel. This was Jiang Nuanyu's first time visiting such a place in all her years in Beijing.
The interior is decorated with light blue and white wood, and the air is filled with the scent of lemon and mint. With the air conditioning on, it really feels like being on a beach.
Shi Youning took the initiative to order three light dishes and a bottle of orange wine.
Jiang Nuanyu didn't order any alcohol, just a glass of lemonade.
After the waiter left, a brief silence followed.
Jiang Nuanyu was just thinking about how to start the small talk when Shi Youning cut to the chase and asked, "How did you and Liang Qi meet?"
Jiang Nuanyu was speechless for a moment; what she feared most had come to pass.
It wasn't that she was afraid; she genuinely didn't want to discuss Liang Qi with Shi Youning.
She was even more surprised that Shi Youning would be so direct. She was stunned for several seconds before pursing her dry lips.
Shi Youning did not urge her to answer, but stared straight at her.
Jiang Nuanyu felt awkward under Shi She's probing, even scrutinizing, gaze, but she still said quite politely, "Excuse me, Shi She, I don't really want to talk about this topic."
"Why?"
Shi Youning raised an eyebrow, his gaze still fixed on her face.
Jiang Nuanyu lowered her eyes and remained silent.
"Do you know about my relationship with him?" Shi Youning asked.
Jiang Nuanyu's heart skipped a beat. She looked up and met her gaze, saying, "As far as I know, you two are not in a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship."
As she said this, she felt a part of her chest trembling.
Upon hearing this, Shi Youning's eyes darted away for a moment, "Not for now."
She quickly looked back and said, "But it used to be."
Jiang Nuanyu felt a deep silence in her heart, but a ripple of emotion stirred within her because Liang Qi had not lied to her.
“We’ve known each other for twelve years,” Shi Youning said. “He will come back to me whenever I want.”
Jiang Nuanyu finally couldn't take it anymore, provoked by her overbearing attitude. She took a deep breath, looked at her, and asked, "So? Why are you telling me all this?"
Shi Youning's expression changed.
She felt uneasy.
During the period after returning to China, he ignored or declined almost all of Liang Qi's invitations.
She told herself that it was just because he was too busy.
She stubbornly believed that since she had once held a place in his heart, as long as there was no one else by his side, she still had a chance to make him come back. She could wait.
However, Jiang Nuanyu's appearance made her lose confidence in this idea.
Two days ago at Hans’s private exhibition, she asked him about it on a whim. Although Hans didn’t talk much about it, he still mentioned that he met Jiang Nuanyu through Liang Qi.
Liang Qi's willingness to introduce Jiang Nuanyu to his friends shows that he is at least not averse to her getting close to him.
She knew Liang Qi all too well. No matter how casual, even easygoing, he appeared, he was extremely aloof and unapproachable at heart. She dared not think too deeply about what simply not rejecting him meant to him.
Shi Youning composed herself and asked again, "You still haven't answered the question I asked you at the beginning. How did you two meet?"
Jiang Nuanyu pursed her lips and remained silent.
She has already said she doesn't want to talk about it.
Shi Youning smiled and said, "Since that's the case, I'll go first."
Jiang Nuanyu felt a chill run down her spine and gripped the glass in her hand tightly.
“I studied art photography at university in Belgium. In my senior year, I started taking photos for him.”
Shih You-ning asked, "Do you know what he did when I first met him?"
Art photography, taking photos, or perhaps modeling?
Jiang Nuanyu thought to herself.
"A model? Is that what you're guessing?"
Shi Youning noticed the subtle change in her expression, which seemed quite satisfied. She raised her eyebrows and smiled, "However, he did later work as my exclusive model."
Jiang Nuanyu's eyelids twitched involuntarily, and her eyes glazed over. Every word Shi Youning uttered felt like a blow to her face.
She knew her expression must be terrible, but she couldn't think of a way to hide it.
Shih Yu-ning spoke slowly, in her signature drawn-out Hong Kong-accented Mandarin: "He was once a dominant tennis player."
Jiang Nuanyu was shocked and bewildered, speechless at the fact.
Shi Youning continued, "After graduation, I stayed in Europe as the team photographer. I was present at every single one of his matches after he turned nineteen."
I witnessed his peak and also stood by him through the time he was tormented by injuries.
At this point, she fell silent, her gaze finally shifting to the side, as if lost in sad memories.
For some reason, Jiang Nuanyu felt a sharp pain in her chest.
“I was by his side during that most difficult time. After we returned to China, we got together. He was really important to me, and so was I to him—”
"I'm sorry to have interrupted you," Jiang Nuanyu instinctively resisted. "I don't want to know this."
Shi Youning paused, her eyes flashing with a sharp edge: "You like him, don't you?"
Jiang Nuanyu's heart skipped a beat, and she could no longer maintain her composure. She closed her eyes and said, "I have no obligation to answer your questions." She shook her head, "I don't like this kind of conversation either."
Shi Youning remained silent for a moment.
Jiang Nuanyu calmed herself down a bit and tried to bring the two of them back to a relatively rational state: "No matter what you want to do with Liang Qi, I am not the one who can decide."
“You’re right, he doesn’t accept someone so easily,” Shi Youning said. “But your feelings, your presence, will complicate things. I don’t want to see that happen.”
Jiang Nuanyu frowned, a wave of bitterness rising in her heart, and she didn't know what to say next.
After a moment of silence, she pushed the cup in her hand further in, stood up, and prepared to leave.
Turning around, she encountered a waiter who was about to serve the food. She paused for half a second, then turned back and said, "I'll pay. Goodbye."
Shi Youning didn't look at her again, nor did she stop her.
·
Jiang Nuanyu hurriedly paid at the front desk and walked out of the bar without looking back.
It was already dark outside, the streets were bustling with traffic, and the lights on both sides were dazzling.
She didn't care which direction she was going, she just walked along the sidewalk.
My thoughts raced like wild horses, surging about aimlessly.
She wasn't usually jealous, but she couldn't deny that she was very jealous at that moment.
Shi Youning has a past that is closely intertwined with Liang Qi's, but even if it is just the past, it is something she can never touch or participate in.
Tennis players, matches, injuries...
She never imagined that Liang Qi's world contained such a glorious and painful period.
Vehicles sped past, the roar of tires rolling over the ground constantly approaching, passing by, and receding into the distance.
She reached up and wiped away the tears that had gathered on her chin, not wanting to appear so fragile and vulnerable.
But the tears wouldn't listen to her; they just kept flowing. She kept wiping them away, as if she were fighting against herself.
She thought that although Liang Qi might misunderstand her because of Jingyao, at least she had entered his world to some extent; at least she had experienced something beautiful, and possessed a gem that belonged to her and him.
But she only realized it today.
She was never actually invited into his world.
·
Tianqi Headquarters.
Even though it was past closing time, the office lights of Yunjing's senior management were still on.
In the six months since Liang Qi took over Yun Jing, the group's affairs have not seemed to have undergone any major upheavals. However, beneath the calm surface, a thorough restructuring and expansion is actually taking place.
YunJing's next key move is a strategic partnership with the long-established Italian giant, Conti Group.
Following a China-EU economic summit earlier this year, Conti Group proactively extended an olive branch to Tianqi, proposing a cooperation agreement.
Conti's goal is simple—to use Tianqi to enter the Chinese market; and for Tianqi, being associated with Conti would help enhance its international reputation and influence.
Both sides are of similar size and have mutual needs, so they quickly reached a preliminary consensus. Next month, a senior delegation from Conti will arrive in Beijing to hold the first round of talks with Tianqi.
As for discussions on the specific form of cooperation for the project, Jing Chengming handed over the leadership to Yun Jing. This is enough to show how much he values this subsidiary group.
Liang Qi also attaches great importance to this cooperation, regarding it as a key opportunity to enhance the market position of this branch of Yunjing International.
From the initial concept to the execution framework, he had to be involved in almost every important step.
At that moment, in the office, a vice president had just finished reporting his work and left. Liang Qi leaned back in his chair, raised his chin, and loosened his tie.
Less than half a minute later, the secretary knocked on the door and came in.
He composed himself and sat up straight again.
The secretary handed over a stack of documents: "President Liang, this is the final version of the latest proposal compiled by Vice President Liu."
Liang Qi nodded, reached out and took the documents, and opened the first one.
There were only three copies of the document, so the secretary stood on the other side of the desk and waited.
Liang Qi reads very quickly, his hand gestures and eyes moving in sync, finishing one document before moving on to the next without any unnecessary pauses or pauses, making him extremely efficient.
When they reached the last page of the last book, the secretary spoke up: "By the way, Mr. Liang, Ms. Shi Youning called again today. She wants to know when you would be available to arrange lunch or dinner."
Liang Qi didn't answer immediately. After finishing his final annotations, he closed the folder, handed it to his secretary, and said, "No need to make arrangements."
"Okay." The secretary nodded, took the approved documents, and left.
The door closed, Liang Qi hesitated for a moment, put his pen on the table, picked up his phone, and opened WeChat, which he rarely used.
At the top of the list are more than a dozen messages from Shi Youning over the past few days.
He didn't reply to the email, but instead dialed the phone directly.
The call was answered quickly: "Will?"
Shi Youning's tone couldn't hide her excitement. This was the first time Liang Qi had contacted her proactively in all these years since their breakup.
Liang Qi said directly, "Let's have a meal together. You set a time."
There was a two-second pause on Shi Youning's end before she said, "I'm at Blue Harber right now."
"Okay." Liang Qi glanced at his watch. "I'll be there in half an hour."
·
Peng Ze drove to the bar called "Blue Harber," and Liang Qi got out of the car and went inside.
He was dressed in a sharp suit, and his tall and outstanding figure made him stand out in his surroundings and attract attention.
Shi Youning spotted him immediately and waved to him.
Liang Qi sat down opposite her, glanced at the plates that hadn't been cleared from the table, and didn't ask any further questions.
Shi Youning ordered the dishes again, picked up the bottle of orange wine and the wine glass in front of Liang Qi, and was about to pour it for him.
"No need," Liang Qi said calmly. "I'm not drinking today."
Shi Youning paused for a moment, then poured the wine and placed the glass in front of him.
Liang Qi watched her movements without saying a word.
Shi Youning poured herself another glass, took a sip, and said, "The taste is a little different from before, but it's still very delicious." She looked at him, "Aren't you going to try some?"
"No, thank you," Liang Qi said.
Shi Youning smiled, put down her wine glass, and looked up at him.
Liang Qi calmly met her gaze, and after a moment, he asked, "Have you been busy lately?"
Shi Youning carefully observed his expression, but faced with his emotionless demeanor, she found herself unable and unwilling to ascertain his thoughts.
She forgot to answer for a moment, and Liang Qi didn't seem to be in a hurry to get an answer either.
She snapped out of her reverie and said, "I signed a long-term cooperation agreement with that magazine I mentioned last time we met, and that's what I've been busy with lately. I'm quite satisfied with this job."
"Hmm." Liang Qi nodded. "That's good."
“Will,” Shi Youning suddenly said, “I came back because of you.”
Liang Qi didn't reply, nor did he show any expression; he simply shifted his gaze away without making a sound.
“After returning to Europe, I obtained a higher degree and won many awards. I held solo exhibitions in London, Paris, Berlin and Brussels. I thought I had gotten what I wanted, I thought this was what I wanted.”
Shi Youning laughed self-deprecatingly, "But without you by my side, none of this is what I imagined."
She shook her head, seemingly surprised that she could say such things.
She sensed his distance when they ate together last time.
That sense of distance—not intentional, but a feeling that he had genuinely excluded her—made it impossible for her to say she wanted to get back together.
That day, she restrained herself from revealing her true feelings and ended the dinner early. But today, she couldn't control herself anymore.
She said, "It's been almost five years, Will, and every day I regret it more than the day before, regretting choosing to leave you. I—"
“Five years,” Liang Qi interrupted her calmly, saying only, “I thought that was enough for you to move on.”
“No, I’m still there,” Shi Youning quickly replied. “I’m very sure now that, compared to all those achievements, honors, and reputations… you are what I want most. I truly mean it.”
Liang Qi glanced at her for a moment, then shook his head, seemingly having nothing to say.
Shi Youning's expression instantly turned even more unpleasant.
Never before had her relationship with Liang Qi felt like this, as if she were asking him for something.
She was so ashamed that she almost lost her temper and asked, "Is it because of Jiang Nuanyu?"
Liang Qi looked up at her, his chin twitched slightly, and he narrowed his eyes.
Shi Youning said, "In fact, she was sitting in the seat you are sitting in not long ago. I chatted with her."
Liang Qi took two seconds to interpret the sentence, frowned slightly in displeasure, and his eyes sharpened.
Shi Youning noticed the only change in his mood after he sat down, and her heart felt like it was in an ice cellar: "Is the reason you won't get back together with me because of her?"
"It has nothing to do with anyone."
Liang Qi stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "Whatever your reason for choosing to return to the capital, it's good that you have your own plans." He paused for two seconds and said, "But what's done is done, and there's no going back."
Shi Youning's eyes were filled with panic and helplessness.
She knew him so well, understood the meaning behind his words, and could even guess what he was going to say next.
She tried to stop him: "Will..."
"As a former friend, if I still have any hope for you, it is that I hope you can look forward."
Liang Qi looked at her and said, "You don't need to text me or call the company anymore." He said, "I came here today to say this."
Shi Youning stared at him in disbelief, her eyes filled with love, pain, resentment and regret, but mostly despair.
Her eyes gradually reddened, but Liang Qi met her gaze, his eyes remaining calm and indifferent.
Shi Youning finally understood that even if she laid bare her entire emotional world to him, she would never be able to touch his true emotions again.
She was out of control and disheveled, ashamed and broken; but he remained unmoved, indifferent and resolute.
She became the powerless and pathetic person who could see through his alienation but could only stand outside the door.
Sensing that she was on the verge of collapse, Liang Qi lowered his eyes and looked away, no longer giving her any further stimulation.
Shi Youning suddenly stood up, grabbed her bag, and strode towards the door.
Her movements were so sudden that Liang Qi glanced at the direction she left in, but ultimately did not turn back.
He dialed Peng Ze, who was waiting in the car: "Take her home and have the driver pick me up."
After hanging up the phone, he nodded to a passing waiter and said, "Check, please."
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