Zheng Wanqing sat on the sandalwood sofa in the living room, her slender fingers gently flipping through the newspaper that smelled of ink. She was wearing a moon-colored silk cheongsam, with delicate light blue orchid embroidery looming on the collar and cuffs, making her look even more elegant and refined.
She raised her eyes inadvertently, her gaze fell on the watch on her wrist, and her thoughts drifted to the important arrangement of the day - a meeting with Editor-in-Chief Liu of the newspaper.
"Young Madam, the car is ready." Uncle Zhou's low and respectful voice sounded at the right time.
"Thank you." Zheng Wanqing replied softly. When she stood up, the hem of her cheongsam rippled in an elegant arc, and she followed Uncle Zhou with light steps.
Uncle Zhou led the way and took Zheng Wanqing to a famous coffee shop in the French Concession. As soon as she stepped in, the melodious sound of piano floated out from the crack of the door, dancing in the air like an elf. Passing through the revolving door, the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee, wrapped in the mellowness of cigars and the sweetness of macarons, hit her face. The crystal chandelier hung from the high dome, reflecting the dazzling light. In the corner, a pianist was concentrating on playing the black lacquer grand piano, his slender fingers dancing on the black keys.
As soon as he entered the door, Liu Shizheng, who was standing by the window, was quick to notice the movement and immediately stood up to greet him. The editor-in-chief of Ta Kung Pao was wearing a navy blue robe, which made him look particularly neat and elegant. He had a pair of black round-framed glasses on his handsome face, and behind the lenses was a gentle and wise look.
"Madam." Liu Shizheng enthusiastically led her to a seat. The coffee in the porcelain cup on the table was steaming. "I heard that you majored in literature in France? Our literary supplement is in need of a brilliant writer like you."
Zheng Wanqing bowed slightly, with the corners of her lips raised just enough: "Editor Liu, you are too kind. These are just some boudoir writings. I hope you can give me some advice."
Liu Shizheng took a sip of coffee and said leisurely, "Madam, our literary supplement has always been committed to discovering excellent literary works. Why not let Editor-in-Chief Ji, who is in charge of specific matters, talk to you in detail first? I believe young people will have more common language."
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned his gaze towards the door, and a smile suddenly broke out on his face: "Speak of Cao Wei, Cao Wei will be here soon."
Zheng Wanqing looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man in a dark grey custom suit walking in calmly. The well-tailored suit outlined his tall figure, the collar of his dark grey shirt was slightly open, and the sapphire-inlaid tie clip on his dark blue tie was faintly visible under the light. His eyes behind his gold-rimmed glasses were as deep as a pool, and the faint smile at the corner of his mouth added a bit of gentle temperament to him.
"Ji Chen, this way!" Liu Shizheng waved enthusiastically.
Hearing this name, Zheng Wanqing was slightly startled, and a sense of familiarity came over her.
The man called Ji Chen had stopped in front of the table. The moment his eyes met hers, the pupils behind his lenses suddenly contracted, and a hint of elusive complexity flashed across his eyes.
"Do you know each other?" Liu Shizheng asked curiously.
Ji Chen was the first to come back to his senses, with a gentle smile on his lips: "The time I met when I was studying in France." His voice was low and magnetic, just like a mellow wine.
Zheng Wanqing also smiled and nodded, with a hint of surprise and joy in her eyes: "I didn't expect to meet you here again, Ji Chen."
"I had expected that this world is so small." Ji Chen sat down gracefully, but his eyes always lingered on her.
Liu Shizheng looked at the two of them, a pleased smile on his face, and said, "This is really amazing. Editor-in-Chief Ji and the young lady are old acquaintances."
"Young Madam?" Ji Chen interrupted suddenly, the reflection from his glasses covering his suddenly shrunken pupils. When his eyes fell on the warm Dongzhu ring on her ring finger, his heart felt as if it had been hit by a heavy hammer.
At this moment, the piano played the melody of "Jasmine Flower". The graceful melody flowed in the air, but it was like a sharp knife piercing Ji Chen's heart. His knuckles were unconsciously clenched, but he maintained a decent smile on his face: "So Wanqing is the wife of Marshal Xie."
Zheng Wanqing sensed the bitterness in his words, and her thoughts drifted back to the eve of graduation, when Ji Chen had invited her to visit the lavender fields in Provence, but she declined due to a letter from home urging her to do so.
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