Chapter 67 Someone: Sleeping with someone is enough...
Liang Qi's reason for staying in Beijing until the weekend before returning to Europe was simple—Jing Yao was getting engaged, and the engagement banquet was this Friday.
Jingyao's marriage was arranged by Jing Chengming from beginning to end. The bride is the darling of a leading domestic medical manufacturing group, with a strong family background and abundant resources. Most importantly, she can highly complement Tianqi's nascent medical sector.
In the past, this part of Tianqi's business was nominally managed by Jingmai, which held controlling stakes in several medical equipment and biotechnology companies.
However, Jingmai mainly manages Tianqi's financial sector, which is the group's money bag. The affairs are complicated and extremely important, and Jingmai's energy is basically focused on this. As for the medical sector, he has always adopted a low-intervention strategy, and it has been in a state of neither success nor failure.
Although this resource is dormant, it exists in a power vacuum and has enormous potential.
A few months ago, Jing Chengming made it very clear to Jing Yao: "Don't you want a piece of land? Here is a piece of land. Do you dare to take it?"
Jingyao accepted the marriage arrangement without hesitation.
Since his complete defeat in the struggle with Liang Qi over Yun Jing at the beginning of the year, Jing Yao has been determined to open up other territories within the group. This marriage is a complete turning point for him.
The guests attending the engagement banquet included not only the elders of both families, but also many long-standing political and business associates. Almost all the prominent figures in the industry who had dealings with Tianqi Group were present.
The banquet was dignified and exquisitely arranged, but almost no one really paid attention to the couple's relationship.
The focus of the entire engagement party, from beginning to end, was on the merging of two forces.
Jingyao used marriage to gain control of the manufacturing source, and with the help of his father Jing Yuanchuan's transportation sector, he connected the upstream and downstream. The two, together with the medical sector he was about to control, formed a solid triangle, thus firmly grasping the group's medical industry chain in his own hands.
Jingyao no longer needs to engage in open and covert struggles with Liang Qi over the Yun Jing matter. As long as he achieves tangible results in the medical field, internal resources will naturally gravitate towards him.
Meanwhile, through repeated internal and external connections, the Tianqi Group has been propelled to become increasingly larger and stronger by the new generation of leaders in their own ways.
In the afternoon after the engagement banquet, Liang Qi received a call from Jing Chengming asking him to come back.
In the evening, Liang Qi drove into the courtyard of Jing Chengming's residence.
As the sun sets, its orange-red rays cast a highly saturated filter over the surroundings, dazzling yet not glaring.
Every plant and tree in the courtyard is neatly trimmed. When the wind blows, the fragrance of the plants and flowers is gently carried away, lingering in the air for a while before being slowly evaporated by the still-warm air.
Liang Qi parked the car, went inside, and passed through the entryway. The person on the sofa turned around; it was Song Lanxin.
"Liang Qi!" Song Lanxin's eyes lit up, surprised and delighted. "Why are you back?"
Song Lanxin is five years younger than him, and whether he calls her "brother" or not depends entirely on his mood. At this moment, he calls her by her name, which Liang Qi is used to.
Liang Qi glanced deeper into the inner hall, but didn't see anyone. He asked Song Lanxin, "Where's Grandpa?"
Song Lanxin craned her neck, glanced upstairs, and said, "In the study."
Liang Qi nodded, glanced at Song Lanxin briefly, then turned and strode towards the stairs.
Song Lanxin wanted to talk to Liang Qi a bit more, since it wasn't easy to see him these days. But seeing Liang Qi's brisk pace, she figured his meeting with Jing Chengming was probably for serious business, so she kept quiet.
Liang Qi went up to the second floor, knocked on the door of the study, and pushed it open to go in.
The old man was playing chess against himself under the lamp, black and white pieces, with only a few moves made on each side. Hearing the noise, Jing Chengming didn't look up, his gaze remaining focused on the chessboard.
Liang Qi approached, stopped, and said, "Grandpa, you were looking for me."
Jing Chengming tossed the white piece back into the chessboard, raised his hand, pointed to the sofa opposite him, and said, "Play a game with me."
"yes."
Liang Qi unbuttoned his suit jacket, sat down, picked up the white chess set, and placed it beside him.
He picked up a chess piece from the basket, his eyes fixed on the chessboard. After a moment's thought, he placed the piece.
Jing Chengming then placed a black piece, which landed diagonally opposite the white piece.
Jing Chengming didn't look at the chessboard; his gaze was fixed directly on Liang Qi's face. He went straight to the point and said, "You've been spending a bit more time abroad lately."
Liang Qi looked down at the chessboard and did not respond immediately.
Since shifting Cloudview's focus to European projects in the first half of the year, this phone call and this warning were already within his expectations.
After making his move, Liang Qi looked up and said, "The cooperation with Conti is progressing more smoothly than expected. Their team is reacting very quickly, and I need to personally oversee some key aspects."
A glint flashed in Jing Chengming's eyes, but he didn't say anything for a moment.
While Liang Qi was busy with overseas business, he didn't neglect domestic affairs, and core matters continued to proceed smoothly. Jing Chengming was aware of this and had no grounds for criticism.
Just as the grandfather and granddaughter were at a loss for words, the study door was pushed open, and Song Lanxin poked her head in.
Holding a pot of hot tea, she used one hand to knock on the door: "May I come in?"
Jing Chengming glanced at her and beckoned to her. Song Lanxin turned around, closed the door, and walked briskly and smilingly to Jing Chengming's side.
"Jingyao's marriage is settled, which is a good thing." Jing Chengming said with emotion and a hint of meaning, "At thirty-one or thirty-two, it's time to settle down."
Song Lanxin was pouring tea for Jing Chengming when she heard this. She looked up and glanced at Liang Qi across from her with a playful expression.
Liang Qi remained calm, showing no obvious reaction to these words, seemingly waiting for Jing Chengming to make his move.
The two players each made a few more moves, and the situation on the board slowly progressed.
Jing Chengming, holding a chess piece, suddenly spoke up: "You've heard of Shenfan. They come from the energy industry, and they've also been active in overseas computing platforms in recent years. Their foundation is in the military, and they still retain their technical expertise. They're truly from within the system, and we can get along with them."
Liang Qi listened, his gaze still fixed on the chessboard, offering no comment.
Jing Chengming placed another piece and said, "His daughter is also at the engagement banquet at noon today. I took a look at her; she's neither obsequious nor pretentious. Make some time tomorrow to go have a meal with her and meet her first."
These words were quite direct; Jing Chengming spoke them casually, yet they seemed to leave no room for doubt.
Liang Qi paused for a moment while picking up the chess piece, then quickly pinched one to his fingertip, twirled it gently, and said, "Next time, I have to go back to Europe tomorrow."
“If you don’t need to go there personally, stay in the country,” Jing Chengming said coolly. “Liang Qi, you don’t need any more manpower.”
Liang Qi didn't reply, but gently rubbed the chess piece with his fingertips, hesitating to make a move.
By this time, the sun had sunk below the western horizon, making the beam of light shining down from above the chessboard appear exceptionally bright. Each round chess piece on the board reflected fragments of light in different directions.
Jing Chengming stared at the chessboard and said, "The Shen family is not ostentatious, but they hold things we can't get. Military connections, energy, state-owned assets—they're not empty-handed in any of these areas. Your father's side, on the other hand, has a legitimate lineage and solid foundation. But he's gone too far and remains a layer removed from the system, making it inconvenient for him to act."
At this point, Jing Chengming paused slightly, shifting his gaze from the chessboard to Liang Qi's face, and said, "But if it's the Shen family, then it's like going with the flow. Your father's side of the door can also be opened legitimately. It's a win-win situation."
Liang Qi looked up and met Jing Chengming's gaze. He hadn't expected that this man in his eighties would possess such a clear mind and boundless ambition at his age.
Tianqi's current size cannot be driven by personal ability and vision alone. To move further up, it must adopt a different approach and leverage existing strengths.
In Jing Chengming's eyes, Tianqi seemed to be a huge chessboard of power. He sat firmly at the center, and then placed people into the game one by one.
Liang Qi knew that he might also have become a pawn in Jing Chengming's hands.
“Grandpa,” Liang Qi’s tone remained as composed as ever, but it was even calmer now, “I have no opinion on what you just mentioned.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Song Lanxin, who was standing to the side, quickly observed Jing Chengming's expression and secretly glanced at Liang Qi, hoping that he would at least slow down before speaking, but Liang Qi did not look at her at all.
A brief silence fell over the study as Jing Chengming and Liang Qi stared at each other quietly, neither showing any obvious emotional fluctuation.
A moment later, Jing Chengming calmly picked up his teacup, blew on the steam, and said unhurriedly, "You'd better know what you're doing."
Liang Qi's gaze remained fixed as he replied, "Yes, Grandpa."
Jing Chengming took a sip of tea, put down the teacup, and raised his eyes again. His eyes were slightly cloudy with age, but the penetrating sharpness in them had not diminished in the slightest.
Liang Qi maintained his respectful poker face, neither revealing his true intentions nor avoiding the slightest hint of evasion.
“Jingyao doesn’t have your sense of propriety, but he’s never made a mistake when it comes to women. Minor squabbles…” Jing Chengming paused, not stating it directly, and changed the subject, “You need to know what you should do. Everyone in this family is doing their job.”
After a long pause, Liang Qi said, "What I'm doing is Yun Jing's business, and I believe it's what I should be doing. I have no interest in anything else." His voice was low and restrained as he looked at Jing Chengming and said, "I won't do it either. If you think I'm not doing it well, you can remove me."
Jing Chengming's eyelids twitched, but he remained silent for a long time.
The old man Liang Qichong nodded slightly and made his move.
The chess piece was placed on the chessboard with a crisp click.
After the game of chess was over, Liang Qi made an excuse to leave, and Jing Chengming did not insist that he stay.
Liang Qi came downstairs and had just reached the bottom of the stairs when Song Lanxin heard the commotion downstairs. She immediately rushed over and pulled him towards the front yard, asking, "What exactly are you planning to do?"
Liang Qi was pulled along by her. He glanced at the door in front of him and asked her, "What? What are your plans?"
“A marriage alliance!” Song Lanxin turned to look at him, her voice filled with urgency. “What are you thinking?”
Liang Qi found her definition amusing, chuckled, and didn't answer.
The two walked to the steps of the front yard. It was getting dark; a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the leaves along the courtyard wall, and the chirping of insects could be heard intermittently in the distance. Summer evenings in Beijing are very pleasant outdoors.
Liang Qi sat down on the bench, and Song Lanxin sat down next to him, staring at his profile, waiting for him to speak.
Liang Qi gazed at the night outside the courtyard, slowly shook his head, and said, "I have never said that I wanted to marry anyone."
Song Lanxin said, "But you never said you wouldn't marry anyone."
Liang Qi glanced at her sideways: "Is there a difference?"
Song Lanxin nodded seriously at him: "Yes. There are so many girls, rich ladies, I don't believe you wouldn't like any of them?"
Liang Qi shook his head very slightly, looked ahead and said, "It has nothing to do with whether I like it or not."
"Tsk." Song Lanxin was dissatisfied with Liang Qi's ambiguous attitude and his tendency to only say half of what he meant. She lightly nudged his arm and said, "Brother Liang Qi, you really are the most pretentious person I've ever met!"
Liang Qi wasn't annoyed at all by this criticism; instead, he just smiled nonchalantly and continued to act politely towards her.
Song Lanxin said, "I'm just worried about you!"
Liang Qi nodded without turning his head: "Thank you."
Song Lanxin remained silent, glared at him playfully, and said, "Grandpa has already spoken, you'll have to go and meet him sooner or later."
Liang Qi's eyes darkened slightly as he said, "Whether I get married or not, and who I marry, is none of anyone else's business."
"This...isn't what Grandpa said just tacitly agreeing?" Song Lanxin scoffed. "Take Jingmai and Jingyao for example, or your eldest and second uncles for example. Weren't they all arranged by Grandpa? Did you even have a choice?"
Liang Qi said, "I'm different from them."
Song Lanxin raised an eyebrow: "How is it different?"
Seeing that Liang Qi did not answer, Song Lanxin narrowed her eyes, leaned closer to him and teased, "Could it be... that you are even more loyal to the death than them?"
“Heh…” Liang Qi chuckled, neither admitting nor refuting.
What he meant by "different" was a difference in their understanding. The Jing family's surname is Jing, while his surname is Liang.
“But why were you so resolute in the study just now?” Song Lanxin frowned and said, “I could hardly breathe. Grandpa just wanted you to meet the girl first, to get a feel for her, it’s nothing serious.”
Liang Qi remained silent.
Song Lanxin's expression suddenly changed. She turned her head and asked him, "...You're not in love, are you?"
Liang Qi tilted his head slightly, his gaze sweeping over the tall trees in the courtyard and looking up at the boundless night sky.
The wind rustled the leaves, and he squinted, but did not answer.
"Really?" Song Lanxin perked up immediately and turned around. "Who? Do I know them?"
Liang Qi didn't reply. He stood up, took a step forward, and said calmly, "Don't be so gossipy."
Song Lanxin blinked, not quite understanding at first.
"No...no!" She suddenly slapped her thigh, stood up, rushed to Liang Qi's side, tilted her head and said, "You're always going to Europe, she must be in Europe! Isn't she?"
Liang Qi still didn't answer, nor did he bother to explain. He jumped down the steps in two steps, waving his car keys in his hand: "Let's go."
"Am I right?!" Song Lanxin stood there, her eyes shining.
Liang Qi kept walking, and Song Lanxin hurriedly stepped down the stairs from the other side, saying, "Liang Qi, wait for me!"
"Let's go back together! I didn't drive!" Song Lanxin chased after them in her high heels, "Brother Liang Qi..."
*
In the days following her return to Paris, Jiang Nuanyu focused mostly on her work. Only during her spare time in the evenings would she think about the days ahead and look forward to meeting Liang Qi one of the weekend days.
My phone alarm went off on Friday morning.
Jiang Nuanyu squinted and turned off the ringer. She glanced at the screen and saw an unread WeChat message, which she opened casually.
It was a message from Lin Zhiwei: "Pearl, are you still asleep? Mom and Dad just boarded the plane and will land in Paris tonight. We wanted to surprise you, but Dad said it's better to tell you beforehand. See you tonight!"
Jiang Nuanyu gasped and sat up abruptly from the bed.
"...My God."
She brushed the hair that had fallen across her forehead behind her head, blinked, and read the message again.
The news came two hours ago, and her parents are already on the plane to Paris. She seems to have only one choice now – to accept this "surprise," which, even after being spoiled, is still quite "surprising."
Actually, after learning that Jiang Nuanyu had undergone surgery and was hospitalized, her parents had been wanting to visit her in Paris. They had mentioned it on the phone before, but Jiang Nuanyu had no idea when they booked their tickets or when they got their visas.
She sat on the bed for two minutes, still reeling from the shock. It wasn't until the second alarm rang that she got out of bed to wash up.
Her parents only said they would arrive in the evening, without specifying a time, and obviously didn't intend for her to pick them up from the airport. However, in the afternoon, Jiang Nuanyu still casually checked the flight information.
There are no direct flights from Linping to Paris, so they most likely took the same flight as her when she returned to Paris on Monday, which departed from Beijing.
Jiang Nuanyu glanced at the time; if she wasn't mistaken, the plane would be landing soon.
Having finished her work, she thought for a moment and left the company half an hour early, heading towards the airport.
Jiang Nuanyu sent a message to her mother in advance, and they were able to contact each other smoothly as soon as the plane landed.
She stood at the exit, looking at the crowd. In the distance, she saw Jiang Wenrui pulling a small suitcase, with Lin Zhiwei holding his hand as they walked side by side.
A surge of indescribable emotions welled up in Jiang Nuanyu's heart, a mixture of excitement and a long-lost sense of peace.
Seeing my parents in person made this unexpected surprise feel real.
Lin Zhiwei looked up and saw Jiang Nuanyu. She immediately let go of Jiang Wenrui's hand, took a few quick steps, and opened her arms to hug her daughter.
Jiang Nuanyu nestled on her mother's shoulder, the familiar scent of her mother washing over her. She closed her eyes in relief, and a smile unconsciously curved her lips.
"Did you lose weight when you were sick recently?" Lin Zhiwei released Jiang Nuanyu, looked her up and down, her eyes filled with undisguised affection. "But it doesn't affect our daughter's beauty."
Jiang Nuanyu was amused by her mother's words and said, "You haven't lost weight, you've gained weight."
Jiang Wenrui walked to the mother and daughter, stood still, and waited for his daughter to turn her gaze towards him.
"Dad." Jiang Nuanyu also hugged her father.
Jiang Wenrui patted her on the back: "Finally, we've met our Pearl."
Jiang Nuanyu raised her face and said, "Dad, it's a good thing you had Mom tell me you were coming in advance, otherwise I would have been terrified by this 'surprise'."
Jiang Wenrui smiled, and Jiang Nuanyu pursed her lips, then added, "But actually, I'm a little scared too."
Jiang Wenrui put his arm around his daughter's shoulder and said, "Tomorrow is your birthday, so we thought we'd come over. Birthdays always need a little surprise."
“I know.” Jiang Nuanyu took Lin Zhiwei’s hand, and the three of them walked side by side toward the exit. “But this is so unlike your style.”
Jiang Wenrui chuckled: "Then what do you think would fit our style?"
Jiang Nuanyu thought about it carefully for a moment and said, "Tell me at least a month in advance."
“Hmm.” Lin Zhiwei echoed from the other side, saying, “That does sound like your father’s style.”
Jiang Nuanyu asked her parents excitedly, "How long do you plan to stay?"
"I'll spend the weekend with you, and we'll head back Sunday night," Lin Zhiwei said.
"Huh?" Jiang Nuanyu was quite surprised. She had originally thought her parents would stay a few more days.
“You’re busy with work and don’t have time to come home, so we’ll just make time to come see you,” Lin Zhiwei said. “It’s enough for Mom and Dad to celebrate your birthday together and see you; it won’t affect your work. Besides, Dad’s work means he can’t be away for too long.”
Upon hearing "I don't have time to go home," Jiang Nuanyu immediately felt guilty.
She didn't dare mention that she had just returned to China a few days ago, and although the trip was rushed, she hadn't informed her parents at all. Bringing it up now would seem incredibly heartless.
She simply shut up about it and instead asked her parents what they wanted to eat later, declaring that she would treat them.
In the taxi heading into the city, Jiang Nuanyu confirmed the hotel her parents had booked and frowned, saying, "The location is good, and it's expensive, but the hotel rooms in that area are all very small, and they don't even have air conditioning."
"I see..." Lin Zhiwei didn't seem as concerned as Jiang Nuanyu, and said, "Mom decided to go there because it would be convenient for travel."
Jiang Nuanyu seemed a little helpless: "If you had told me in advance that you were coming, I could have rented you an apartment for a short period of time, which would definitely be more comfortable than staying in a hotel."
Upon hearing this, Lin Zhiwei glanced at Jiang Wenrui beside her, then smiled and spread her hands: "My bad~"
Jiang Nuanyu was both amused and exasperated, but since everything was already set in stone, she didn't say anything more.
After dinner, Jiang Nuanyu originally planned to take her parents back to their hotel, but Lin Zhiwei and Jiang Wenrui insisted on taking her back first. Jiang Nuanyu couldn't refuse, so she gladly accepted and was escorted all the way to her apartment building.
When they arrived at the building entrance, Lin Zhiwei said, "It's so late, your parents won't go up. We'll come see where you live tomorrow."
Although she spoke with a smile, Lin Zhiwei's voice betrayed a hint of weariness. Jiang Wenrui explained, "Mom is a little sleepy and not used to the time difference."
Jiang Nuanyu was stunned for a moment before realizing that it was already the next morning in China, meaning her parents had essentially stayed up all night.
She nodded quickly and said, "Okay, then you all get some rest. We can see each other a little later tomorrow."
Lin Zhiwei patted her hand and said, "Okay, see you tomorrow."
Jiang Nuanyu watched her parents leave, only turning away after they had walked around the corner. She let out a soft sigh and then turned to enter the building.
While waiting for the elevator, Jiang Nuanyu recalled everything that had happened that night. Although she was caught off guard, she felt inexplicably at ease.
It feels so good to have my parents around.
*
The next morning, Lin Zhiwei and Jiang Wenrui arrived as promised.
Upon entering, the couple carefully examined their daughter's living environment. Overall, they were satisfied; the apartment was spacious and bright, with a warm atmosphere, and the floor-to-ceiling windows made it feel airy and comfortable.
"This house is nice, and the lighting is good too." Lin Zhiwei looked around, then changed the subject, "It's just that the space isn't clearly divided, and there's no separate bedroom."
Jiang Nuanyu leaned against the kitchen counter, watching the kettle heating up, and answered casually, "I'm used to it."
Lin Zhiwei walked into the kitchen, opened the cupboard, and frowned when she saw it was empty. She then opened the refrigerator and saw that there were ingredients inside, which reassured her somewhat.
Jiang Nuanyu watched her mother's changing expression and secretly smiled.
Jiang Wenrui casually picked up a book from the bookshelf, flipped through it, and found it was a French book. He said to Jiang Nuanyu, "Pearl is already reading original French books?"
"Huh? That one?" Jiang Nuanyu glanced at it and said, "It's a little difficult for me to read."
As she unpacked the tea—which she had bought but hadn't yet drunk—she said, "It's a book written by a local designer. There's no English version, so I had to grit my teeth and read the original."
"Pretty good." Jiang Wenrui nodded, closed the book, and put it back in its original place.
Jiang Nuanyu poured tea for her parents, sat at home for a while, and then the family of three went out for lunch.
Lin Zhiwei and Jiang Wenrui's trip to Paris wasn't for tourism, nor did they have any particular destination in mind. In the afternoon, Jiang Nuanyu simply spent the afternoon with her parents in a café.
The three sat in outdoor seating with a parasol overhead, a gentle breeze blowing around them, and the Eiffel Tower in the distance.
Jiang Nuanyu chatted with her parents about her daily life in Paris. She talked about her work, the challenges she faced, and the small achievements she had recently made. Her words were full of reflections on the past few months and expectations for the future.
Jiang Wenrui and Lin Zhiwei listened attentively, occasionally asking a question, and offering gentle advice when necessary.
Jiang Nuanyu talked most about the topic of adaptation.
Adapt to the language, the weather, and the rhythm of sunrise and sunset; adapt to the work pace and the social patterns with colleagues and those around you; adapt to the food, the pickpockets on the subway, and even the way of crossing the street without strictly following the "stop at red lights and go at green lights" rule.
This topic seems endless, with no standard answer and no definite end in sight. The issue of adaptation appears to be the core of Jiang Nuanyu's struggles living in Paris.
During a pause in her silence, Lin Zhiwei said, "Actually, no one is 'finished.' The world is changing every day, and everyone is adapting every day. Everyone will have a sense of uncertainty. Being aware that you are adapting actually means that you have entered the right state of mind."
Jiang Nuanyu listened and nodded gently. She gradually realized that the saying "it will be fine once you get used to it" didn't seem to hold true in reality. Rather than hoping for a moment when everything would settle down, accepting the "in progress" state might be a better solution.
She thought about it seriously for a while, and greatly encouraged by her mother's words, she cheerfully said, "I know!"
Looking at her daughter's appearance, Lin Zhiwei smiled gently and with a sense of relief.
Jiang Nuanyu talked to her parents about her recent illness.
“I was really starving, that’s why I sent you that message.” She pouted, as if complaining about how pathetic she was. “I wasn’t planning on telling you guys.”
Despite saying that, she wasn't the type to only share good news with her parents and never bad.
She rarely shares her life with her parents, not intentionally, but simply because she's used to facing things alone. But once she does open up, she doesn't just tell them the good things. She shares both the happy and the unhappy moments.
She never hesitated to show her vulnerability to her parents, nor did she worry that they would become anxious, flustered, or at a loss when they heard about her predicament.
She knew their love was generous enough to encompass all her emotions; similarly, they were rational and wise enough to support her while offering her understanding and encouragement.
Lin Zhi smiled and teased her, "You miss your mom when you're hungry?"
Jiang Nuanyu chuckled and said, "Of course I think about it even when I'm not hungry."
Her words were largely a cover-up, and Lin Zhiwei, of course, understood her. After exchanging a glance with Jiang Wenrui, the two smiled knowingly, neither of them calling her out.
Jiang Nuanyu smiled with a contented squinting eye.
This freedom of speech suddenly reminded her of Liang Qi, the same person she was willing to share her thoughts with.
She lowered her head, took a sip of coffee, suppressed the smirk that was secretly rising on her lips, and didn't allow herself to think any further.
My parents were talking about the climate and streets of Paris, comparing the differences between here and back home, and discussing the gap between the reality they saw and their previous stereotypes about the city.
Jiang Nuanyu picked up her phone and blatantly "took photos secretly".
The two glanced at her camera, neither posing nor refusing to be filmed.
As soon as Jiang Nuanyu's camera panned out, Jiang Wenrui was listening intently to Lin Zhiwei's words, his hands naturally holding one of Lin Zhiwei's hands on his lap, gently patting it.
Jiang Nuanyu pressed the shutter.
On a warm afternoon, the air is filled with the aroma of coffee, and the sunlight shines at your feet, making time flow slowly and pleasantly.
In the evening, Jiang Nuanyu curled up alone on the sofa, scrolling through her phone.
Considering her parents' time difference, she urged them to go back to the hotel to rest early after dinner. Now alone in the room, without the familiar presence of her parents, she felt a strange emptiness.
On this day, apart from birthday wishes from Ye Ji, the phone screen remained almost silent all day.
It's almost 11 p.m. now.
It seems Liang Qi won't be coming today.
However, he said he would arrive in Paris by Sunday at the latest, and there's still tomorrow.
As Jiang Nuanyu thought this, she still felt a little disappointed.
She sighed, tossed her phone aside, and got up to take a shower.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Paris, Liang Qi landed and was on his way back to the city.
The flight was delayed by nearly four hours, and it was already night when Liang Qi arrived in Paris. He asked the driver to take him directly back to his residence.
He arrived in Paris as planned, ignoring Jing Chengming's advice, and ultimately rejected the blind date without any tact.
He didn't like being in a passive position, even if the person who wanted to arrange things for him was Jing Chengming.
On the way, Liang Qi glanced at Paris outside the window.
He is a rational person; rationality is his nature and a requirement he sets for himself.
He understood perfectly well that his decision to expand Cloudview Europe was driven by business considerations. But he also couldn't deceive himself that, over the past few months, with each phase of a project completed, he would sit behind his desk and inadvertently think of that person, that figure who had already gone to Paris.
He is a man who never looks back; nothing and no one can keep him in place.
But on the night before she left the capital, she told him to wait for her to come back.
She was drunk and her words were incoherent, but he understood her.
What he didn't say was that he might have the patience, but he didn't want to wait too long.
The first half of the journey from the airport back to his residence followed the same route as to Jiang Nuanyu's apartment. As they approached the fork in the road where they were supposed to turn right, Liang Qi slightly turned his head to look ahead through the windshield.
At this time, there were still quite a few cars on the road, their taillights glowing red, reflecting the road signs ahead.
As the driver turned on the turn signal, preparing to change lanes, Liang Qi suddenly changed his mind: "Go straight ahead."
The driver understood immediately, and the car drove straight towards Jiang Nuanyu's apartment.
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