Chapter 77 I didn't get enough sleep last night, all...
The auction officially began at 11:00 AM.
In the opening remarks, representatives from both foundations delivered speeches.
This auction is not only about the foundation's public influence, but also plays a crucial role in many other aspects such as cultural implementation, media dissemination, and brand endorsement.
After their speeches, Song Lanxin and Golini left the stage. The host solemnly introduced them: "Next, please welcome our distinguished guests today—Ms. Julie Conti of the Conti Group and Mr. Liang Qi of the Tianqi Group—to jointly unveil this auction!"
Applause erupted from the audience.
As Jiang Nuanyu clapped, she looked in Liang Qi's direction. Liang Qi and Zhu Li came up from the side of the guest seating area and stood on either side of a booth covered with black silk cloth.
The two exchanged a smile and a glance, then simultaneously pulled on the ribbon knot in front of them. A silk curtain fell, revealing a modern art painting with bright colors and flowing lines.
The auction items were successfully unveiled, and applause rang out again. Liang Qi and Zhu Li on the stage also applauded to the audience.
Under the flashing lights, Liang Qi stood calmly and gracefully under the bright white light, his face handsome and refined.
Jiang Nuanyu gazed at the man on the stage, her heart filled with admiration. Her gaze couldn't focus on the newly unveiled painting; she couldn't even hear the host's voice, and she couldn't even see Zhu Li anymore.
At that moment, she only had eyes for him.
The host led the two guests offstage, and the auctioneer took the stage, officially commencing the auction.
Jiang Nuanyu took a deep breath, calmed her flustered emotions, and refocused her attention on the scene.
As is customary, during the initial stages of an auction, most guests tend to adopt a wait-and-see attitude and bid cautiously. It is rare for there to be fierce bidding at the very beginning, and it is normal for there to be occasional periods of quiet when no one raises their paddle.
However, the first item up for auction was unveiled personally by the top figures from both organizers, instantly elevating its significance. Furthermore, the artwork is closely related to the resort project they are collaborating on, making it highly symbolic. Even if the guests had their own agendas, they would certainly be willing to give it their due at such an event.
After several rounds of bidding, the painting was successfully sold for more than double the starting price.
Next, the second item was brought to the stage.
After a brief introduction by the host, Jingru rose from the guest seats and walked to the center of the stage. With graceful steps, she took the microphone and began, "This set of calligraphy and painting albums contains authentic works of calligraphy and painting by several modern Chinese literati. It was treasured by my husband, Mr. Liang Qin, and was specially donated for this auction."
Jingru had her hair styled in a simple updo; her hair was jet black, and her eyes were bright. When Liang Qin was mentioned, her gaze naturally fell on the audience.
In the center of the second row, Liang Qin slightly stood up, covered his face with one hand, and nodded to the surroundings.
Jingru said, "He has always believed that calligraphy and painting are not only art, but also a continuation of cultural spirit, and a true reflection of the mind and character of literati. My husband and I are very honored to be able to support the development of the foundation with such a sentiment today, and we hope that the power of culture can be perceived and cherished by more people. Thank you."
As soon as he finished speaking, applause erupted. Jing Ru nodded his thanks amidst the applause and left the stage, allowing the auctioneer to take over the auction process.
With the endorsement of a member of the Tianqi Group, this item sparked enthusiastic bidding from the very beginning. The price climbed steadily, the atmosphere heated up, and after three consecutive bids, a round of applause spontaneously broke out in the room.
The guests around Liang Qin all looked at him with smiles. As the donor of the auction items, Liang Qin had no choice but to stand up again and bow to everyone to express his gratitude.
Amidst the applause for Liang Qin, Jiang Nuanyu's gaze fell upon Liang Qi in the first row.
Liang Qi was leaning back in his chair, so he wasn't blocked by the people around him. He clapped while glancing at his father with a faint smile on his face.
The lights from the ceiling shone down along the curve of the chairs, landing in the middle of each row. Liang Qi's silhouette was partially illuminated by the soft light, making him appear sharp and clear. Jiang Nuanyu watched, a slight smile subtly curving her lips.
As Liang Qi turned back, his gaze swept across the room, pausing precisely on Jiang Nuanyu's face. Jiang Nuanyu, who had been clapping, unconsciously slowed her movements when she met his gaze.
Liang Qi slightly raised the corners of his mouth and turned to face forward again.
The distance was too great for Jiang Nuanyu to tell whether his smile was for her or just a natural reaction to the occasion, but her heart definitely fluttered.
After multiple rounds of bidding and several price increases, the item donated by Jingru and Liangqin was finally sold to the wife of a well-known Italian entrepreneur for several times the target price.
With that, the first two items were successfully sold, and the initial phase, which was most likely to become dull, was finally over.
Shortly after the auction, Jingru and Liang Qin went to the front row to say goodbye to Liang Qi and said they were leaving.
Liang Qi wasn't surprised by their early departure, which was also why he chose to adjust the auction order. Although Song Lanxin meant well, this wasn't Tianqi's home turf, and Jing Ru and Liang Qin didn't want to stay until the end.
Jingru and Liang Qin left the venue together. As they passed the media area, Jingru saw Jiang Nuanyu sitting there, and Jiang Nuanyu looked up and their eyes met.
Jiang Nuanyu was clearly working, so Jing Ru didn't go up to disturb her. The two exchanged smiles from a distance. Liang Qin, who was next to Jing Ru, also gave Jiang Nuanyu a friendly and gentle smile.
Jingru and Liang Qin, a married couple, have always been traveling all over the world. When Liang Qi was young, they would take him with them. When Liang Qi was five or six years old, in order to let him grow up in a relatively stable environment, but not wanting to sacrifice too much time with him, little Liang Qi began to frequently travel between Europe and China alone.
This is probably how Liang Qi's personality was formed. He became accustomed to weighing pros and cons early on, and he was also very good at thinking things through. No matter how big or small the matter, or how urgent or slow the situation, he could always make a judgment with a calmness and thoroughness beyond his years, so Jing Ru and Liang Qin could relax and let go. Now, they have even less intention of interfering with Liang Qi's personal choices.
Jiang Nuanyu watched Jing Ru and his wife leave, feeling inexplicably light and relaxed. She was relieved that Liang Qi's parents were easy to get along with, and at the same time, she felt that Liang Qi's demeanor was quite similar to his father's noble air.
She smiled secretly and continued to observe and record the auction scene.
The items were bid on and auctioned off one after another. In addition to regular artworks such as paintings and photography collections, there were also luxury goods such as limited-edition jewelry and watches. The most eye-catching item was a commemorative haute couture dress donated by a famous designer.
In addition, an invitation to a dinner party at a private residence donated by a celebrity attracted many high-priced bids due to its scarcity and mysterious appeal.
During a break between moving the auction items, Jiang Nuanyu flipped through the auction catalog at hand and found annotations in different languages on the back pages, which detailed the origins and design concepts of the cultural elements incorporated into the on-site setup.
This suddenly reminded her of what she did at Chaleur—respecting culture, tracing its origins, and opening up pathways for its presentation.
Amidst the floating voices, Jiang Nuanyu looked at the cultural elements in the scene and felt a subtle sense of resonance welling up inside her.
They seemed to be doing the same thing; she and he were in such perfect harmony.
After the auction ended and the group interviews concluded, it was already past 2 PM. Eric had arranged a private interview with a guest beforehand, so Jiang Nuanyu wasn't needed for that part. She took the opportunity to carefully observe the venue setup once more.
She walked around the venue alone, taking many photos with her phone. Back in the elevator lobby, she noticed that the sign at the entrance wasn't a regular printed board. The board was made of embossed Xuan paper, its surface shimmering with delicate textures under the light.
Upon closer inspection, there is a line of small print at the bottom that explains the origins and cultural significance of the Xuan paper embossing technique.
Even a place like the elevator lobby held hidden meanings, which stirred something subtle within Jiang Nuanyu.
A group of people walked in from the other entrance of the elevator hall. When Jiang Nuanyu turned around, she glanced over there and immediately saw Liang Qi and Zhu Li at the head of the group.
Peng Ze followed Liang Qi. Jiang Nuanyu didn't recognize the other two, but they were probably high-level representatives or important figures.
Liang Qi turned his gaze and met Jiang Nuanyu's. His eyes lingered on her face for two seconds before he looked away. The group stopped in front of the elevator, and Liang Qi spoke to her calmly.
Jiang Nuanyu silently watched that side, neither deliberately avoiding it nor taking the initiative to go over.
The two people not far away looked quite well-matched. In the past, she would probably have felt uneasy about such a scene, or even felt a jealousy she wouldn't admit. But after last night, she now felt at ease and peaceful facing this scene.
The elevator doors opened, and Liang Qi glanced in Jiang Nuanyu's direction before saying something to Zhu Li. Zhu Li then looked at Jiang Nuanyu as well, nodded and smiled at Liang Qi, and left with the others in the elevator.
Peng Ze went to see the person off on Liang Qi's behalf, while Liang Qi went straight over to Jiang Nuanyu's side.
Jiang Nuanyu stood still and waited for him to approach, her dark eyes gazing at him softly, but she didn't speak to him.
Liang Qi stood in front of her, staring at her for a moment: "What are you doing here?"
Jiang Nuanyu thought for a moment, then suddenly answered with a serious expression, "I'll wait for you."
Her expression was a little too serious, and Liang Qi squinted and glanced elsewhere, clearly not believing her.
Jiang Nuanyu couldn't hold back her laughter and her eyes crinkled into a smile. Liang Qi asked her, "Are you done with your work?"
"Hmm..." Jiang Nuanyu hesitated, "So what?"
Liang Qi looked at her but didn't reply. She was being indirect; something was definitely wrong.
Sure enough, Jiang Nuanyu changed her tone and asked with a clear, innocent smile, "Um, Mr. Liang, are you free right now?"
Liang Qi did not answer.
Jiang Nuanyu said, "Could you... grant me a brief interview?"
Liang Qi didn't respond to her yet, his eyes trying to decipher the true intention behind her words.
He didn't refuse, so Jiang Nuanyu knew he was free, but since he didn't agree either, she assumed he was unwilling. She could understand that Liang Qi's time was precious, but she still looked a little disappointed and said, "I was planning to get up early to gather information at the site."
Liang Qi nodded: "Yes. So?"
"Well, I didn't get up this morning." Jiang Nuanyu muttered, glancing at him guiltily, and said, "Although you called me, but..." She whispered, "To be honest, I didn't get enough sleep last night because of you."
Upon hearing this, Liang Qi raised an eyebrow slightly, and Jiang Nuanyu said, "So you have to compensate me with an interview."
Liang Qi chuckled and said, "Is there anyone like you who can't distinguish between public and private matters?"
Jiang Nuanyu stopped trying to reason with him and used both soft and hard tactics: "Then I'll not distinguish between public and private matters, will you compensate me or not..." She frowned at him.
Liang Qi looked at her for a moment and felt that if they weren't outside, she would pounce on him and nag him.
He was distracted for a second or two, and she stopped calling him Mr. Liang and started calling him by his name, urging him on: "Liang Qi—"
Liang Qi's lips relaxed, and he nodded in agreement: "Okay."
Jiang Nuanyu paused for a moment, then her eyes slowly brightened, revealing a row of small white teeth as she smiled brightly at him.
The two went to the nearest café on the same floor and found a seat by the window. Through the glass, the soft afternoon sunlight of autumn bathed the table, and occasionally cars passed by on the streets of Milan outside the window.
After ordering, Jiang Nuanyu took out her notebook from her bag, turned to a page, and wrote down the keywords that inspired her from the exhibition design of the auction venue.
After confirming what she wanted to ask, Jiang Nuanyu raised her eyes to speak, but when she met Liang Qi's gaze, she suddenly forgot what she was going to say.
Liang Qi's tie today was lead gray, which she had noticed in the morning. Now, with the light shining obliquely on it, it had an added sheen, as if it were flowing silver lead.
Liang Qi leaned back in his chair, one hand resting on the table, his index finger tapping lightly on the surface as he quietly watched her, waiting for her to speak.
Since she said it was an interview, he is Mr. Liang at this moment.
Jiang Nuanyu also put away her thoughts that had almost gone astray and faced him in the manner of Editor Jiang.
She ran her hand across the page, a smile playing on her lips, and said, "Mr. Liang, do you remember that conversation we had about the collaboration between Tianqi and Conti?" Worried he might not recall it, she added, "It was the one in your office after the two parties officially signed the cooperation agreement."
As soon as she finished speaking, she lowered her gaze halfway down, deliberately avoiding his eyes.
She said that not long before that day, she and Liang Qi had their first sexual encounter. Afterwards, she fled in a panic, but had to confront him directly because of work.
She didn't think Liang Qi would remember the cause and effect so clearly, but the events of that time were indeed difficult to explain entirely with emotions, so when it came up again, she still couldn't face him honestly.
Liang Qi knew what she was thinking and could see that she was flustered because of that time she lost control, but he didn't use that as an excuse to tease her. He just nodded and said, "I remember."
Jiang Nuanyu felt a sense of relief. She glanced at Liang Qi's current state and, seeing that his expression was as normal as his tone, continued, "You said back then that culture should not only be 'seen' but also 'used.' At that time, I only felt that what you said made sense, but I didn't have a deep enough understanding of it. Only now do I feel that I truly understand what you mean."
Liang Qi looked into her eyes and listened intently.
“After I started living abroad and working at Chaleur, I gradually realized that most people… even if they are interested in culture and art, don’t really care where it comes from.”
Thinking of her colleagues' attitude towards the chrysanthemum knot during the topic selection meeting, Jiang Nuanyu sighed softly: "Or rather, after everyone has accepted the most superficial and intuitive content, they don't have enough motivation to trace back to the source, but it's not malicious, so..."
At this point, she frowned slightly, organized her thoughts, and continued, "So I think that if cultural elements are only protected and collected, and are not actively taken out to be contacted and experienced by more people, they will not be truly understood, and may even be eroded or misunderstood by other forms of variation."
She said she was interviewing Liang Qi, but she immediately launched into a long list of feelings. It was because the setup of the event today resonated deeply with her. She vaguely sensed Tianqi's strategic plan for cultural dissemination, and a flood of emotions welled up within her.
Liang Qi nodded, still not intending to interrupt her.
Encouraged by his patient feedback, Jiang Nuanyu continued, "Just like Hollywood in the United States and K-pop in South Korea, they became popular all over the world because someone was actively promoting these cultures. Once the public has accepted these iconic ideologies, it becomes much easier to export other cultures later."
Her expression was one of regret and disappointment, with a hint of defiance in her tone. She said, "We clearly have so much excellent culture, and I even think our things are more worthy of appreciation and scrutiny. So we shouldn't be complacent and self-absorbed. We should actively let the world get used to accepting Chinese elements. Waiting for understanding, or just preventing misunderstanding, is not enough."
Liang Qi remained silent until he was sure she had said what she wanted to say. Seeing her looking at him expectantly, he nodded slightly and said, "I agree."
Jiang Nuanyu asked, "So, is this foundation... also Tianqi's purpose? To use the influence of enterprises to spread local culture?"
Liang Qi didn't answer her immediately, seemingly considering whether to be too blunt with her.
She could see the constraints on cultural transmission in reality, but the question she asked him still contained an element of idealism. She was immersed in and enjoyed this state, and he was reluctant to shatter her ivory tower.
But after looking at her for a moment, the sincere and pure longing in her eyes made him choose to speak the truth. He said, "Charitable foundations are non-commercial on the surface, but the Tianqi and Conti behind them are for-profit organizations, they are businessmen. For businessmen, profit is the most fundamental goal, and all forms and methods are just means to achieve that goal."
Jiang Nuanyu tried to process his words, blinked, and said, "You mean, the foundation does all this essentially to serve its business strategy?"
Liang Qi paused for a moment, then said, "Yes."
Jiang Nuanyu fell silent. Compared to his calm, almost cruel, reply, her previous argument suddenly seemed hollow and pale.
Liang Qi looked at her, smiled slightly, and asked, "Disappointed?"
“…A little.” Jiang Nuanyu lowered her eyes and admitted, “I originally thought that large corporations would have more specific and ambitious goals, but I didn’t expect…”
Liang Qi looked away without replying. After a few seconds, Jiang Nuanyu asked again, unwilling to give up, "Is that really all? All those cultural designs and every thoughtful presentation by the foundation, is it just because they don't conflict with commercial interests?"
Liang Qi thought for a moment and said, "Different means to achieve a goal bring different added value, so it's not just 'that'. But its effect is limited."
Jiang Nuanyu felt a slight sense of comfort, but compared to the blow the reality had dealt her, it wasn't enough to lift her spirits. She nodded reluctantly, "Oh..."
Liang Qi looked at her for a while and said, "To go further, for a country's culture to gain a foothold in the world, it needs national-level resources and systematic operation. In the past few decades, the promotion of Chinese culture has been difficult, not only due to objective constraints from the external environment, but also due to limitations in its own national strength. Like people, a country must first focus on survival before it has the spare energy to do other things."
"Only when your fist is strong enough will others be willing to listen to what you say," Liang Qi said. "Now that China has strong comprehensive strength, it will naturally gradually exert its influence in the cultural sphere. People are pragmatic and admire strength; this is true of people from any country. The international spread of Chinese culture is only a matter of time."
Jiang Nuanyu remained silent, deeply shaken by Liang Qi's answer. Compared to the nation's grand narrative, she profoundly felt how insignificant and trivial the individual truly was. Even a large corporation like Tianqi could only offer icing on the cake.
She rationally agreed with what Liang Qi said and was optimistic about the future of traditional culture, but her heart was still filled with complex emotions.
She originally thought she was doing something very useful, but the gap between her ideals and reality shook her belief and dampened her spirits.
She curled her fingertips around the top corner of the notebook page, looking at the words she had written on it. She felt a heavy emotion, a mix of frustration and confusion.
Jiang Nuanyu remained silent for a long time. Liang Qi glanced at the small notebook in her hand, then looked up and focused on her face.
He looked at her, his gaze softening, and called her, "Editor Jiang."
"Hmm?" Jiang Nuanyu raised her head dazedly.
Liang Qi smiled slowly at her, but didn't speak immediately.
His eyes were so gentle that Jiang Nuanyu couldn't help but smile, tilting her head and softly asking him, "What's wrong?"
After a while, Liang Qi said, "If you do it, it won't be meaningless."
Jiang Nuanyu was stunned, her heart suddenly clenched, and she fell silent.
She met his gaze, her heart pounding faster and faster.
She liked and admired Liang Qi. He was intelligent and resourceful, frank yet self-possessed when facing interests; he was rational, calm, and logically sharp, with a strong and mature inner strength. But what moved her even more was the tenderness he chose to show her despite his somewhat sharp edges.
She wasn't sure if that conversation in his office a year ago had subtly influenced her thinking. But she was certain that, setting aside personal feelings, both that past exchange and this current conversation were extremely meaningful to her.
After a long silence, she said to him very solemnly, "I understand."
Liang Qi responded to her just as earnestly: "Mm."
After exchanging a smile, Jiang Nuanyu closed her notebook. Although the conversation had long since gone beyond work, she still said, "Mr. Liang, thank you for accepting my 'interview'."
Liang Qi raised an eyebrow slightly and replied in her official tone, "You're welcome."
Seeing his composed and nonchalant demeanor, Jiang Nuanyu felt inexplicably pleased and seized the opportunity to say, "Oh, then I really won't thank you."
Liang Qi said, "Okay. I'll compensate you."
Jiang Nuanyu was speechless. This persistent and clingy tactic was indeed something she used.
Liang Qi glanced at his watch, watched her stuff the notebook into her bag, and said, "Can we talk about something else now?"
Jiang Nuanyu zipped up her bag, a hint of expectant smile playing on her lips, and asked him, "What do you want to talk about?"
Liang Qi glanced out the window and asked, "Do you have any plans for the weekend?"
Jiang Nuanyu pondered for a moment, then shook her head: "No... there are no plans for the time being."
Liang Qi said, "How about spending a couple of days in Milan?"
Jiang Nuanyu was taking a small bite of mousse cake when she heard this and paused, stunned. Her and her colleague's return tickets were for 9 p.m. that night, and they hadn't really planned to stay any longer. But after hearing what he said, she started to weigh the options in her mind.
Still thinking, Liang Qi added, "With me."
"Mmm!" Jiang Nuanyu reacted subconsciously, nodding without a second to think, "Okay."
Just thinking about it made her excited, and she said, "Of course it would be great to be with you."
Liang Qi looked at her for a few seconds, then suddenly smiled.
When it came time to pay, Liang Qi was about to take out his card from his pocket when Jiang Nuanyu stretched out a hand to stop him, saying, "Although I won't thank you, I'm the one who's interviewing you, so you still have to follow the basic rules."
Liang Qi smiled lazily, lowered his hand, and gestured for him to proceed.
Jiang Nuanyu took out her card and handed it to the waiter with satisfaction.
The two turned out of the coffee shop and ran into Eric, who was walking from the other side of the passage.
Eric had just finished a private interview when he saw the two of them and instinctively smiled and went to greet them.
He was smiling and about to greet them when he caught sight of their naturally clasped hands, and his eyebrows immediately shot up.
Eric spread his hands, his gaze shifting between the two of them, looking as if he understood something but wasn't sure, and drawled out, "Oh—"
Jiang Nuanyu was momentarily flustered, then turned to Liang Qi and introduced him: "This is my colleague, Eric." She then said to Eric, "Uh, Mr. Liang... is my boyfriend."
Eric then looked at Liang Qi, who nodded to Eric without saying a word.
“Oh—oh my god…” Eric’s expression was undeniably exaggerated as he looked at the two of them and said, “I thought you were just finishing up some kind of… interview.”
Jiang Nuanyu smiled awkwardly and silently swallowed back the words "That's really how it is."
“Yesterday, and today… I didn’t see it at all!” Eric recalled, jokingly adding, “Nora, you’re really good at keeping a straight face with a boyfriend like that!”
Jiang Nuanyu felt guilty for a second, then smiled apologetically at Eric.
Eric recovered from his initial shock, composed himself, and extended his hand to Liang Qi: "Hello, Mr. Liang."
"Hello." Liang Qi extended his hand and shook hands with him.
Eric exchanged a few casual words with Liang Qi, while Jiang Nuanyu pretended to listen, but in her heart she was thinking—
Boy friend?
That's exactly right.
Liang Qi, Mr. Liang, are both her boyfriends.
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