Chapter 22 The bouquets look quite well-matched.
As soon as Producer Sun pushed open the door to the private room, a crew member joked, "Where has the producer been? Is he deliberately avoiding drinking?"
"How could that be!" Producer Sun laughed heartily and joked, "I ran into an acquaintance on the way back."
Producer Sun glossed over the matter without saying much.
But when I sat down next to Director Liu, he asked in a low voice, "Who did you run into?"
“Teacher Jiang,” Producer Sun said with a smile.
Shen Yuheng, sitting on the other side of Director Liu, instantly caught those three words.
Suppressing his urge to ask questions, he raised his glass to his lips, but secretly perked up his ears.
But others don't have as many concerns.
"Teacher Jiang? Which Teacher Jiang?" someone who came over to toast the director asked abruptly.
Producer Sun was somewhat helpless. How did this loudspeaker hear it? He had no choice but to answer, "Who else could it be but Teacher Jiang? Consultant Jiang Xinglan."
"Oh, what's wrong, Teacher Jiang?" the man continued to ask.
"When I came back, I saw Teacher Jiang and his friends eating here as well," Producer Sun said truthfully.
"Why don't we send a representative over to offer a toast?" someone suggested.
Producer Sun shook his head. “That’s not a good idea,” Producer Sun firmly objected. “Just now, Teacher Jiang and her friend were having the waiter take photos. I noticed there was a bouquet of flowers on the table. Let’s not disturb them.”
"Oh~" the crowd cheered, "Could it be Teacher Jiang's boyfriend?"
At this moment, the crew's gossip instincts reached their peak.
"I don't know, but those two seem quite well-matched," Producer Sun described his feelings.
Just then, someone suddenly asked Shen Yuheng, "Teacher Shen, you usually spend a lot of time with Teacher Jiang. Does Teacher Jiang have a boyfriend?"
Shen Yuheng tightened his grip on the wine glass, instantly adjusting his demeanor to appear perfectly poised in front of the camera, and said, "I usually discuss professional matters with Professor Jiang; I'm not aware of such private matters."
"Is that so?" the man said thoughtfully.
She was a new actress and always regarded Shen Yuheng as her idol.
Being selected for this production team and getting to have close contact with her idol was like a windfall for her!
However, on set, she noticed that Shen Yuheng and Jiang Xinglan were getting very close.
She was closer than anyone she knew, and closer than any actress Shen Yuheng had ever worked with.
For a time, she wondered if Jiang Xinglan was Shen Yuheng's girlfriend.
However, what Producer Sun just said makes her idea seem a bit untenable.
So she spoke up, and Shen Yuheng's answer to her was so perfect that there wasn't a single problem.
But her intuition told her that Shen Yuheng and Jiang Xinglan must be related.
In a flash, she suddenly remembered the posts Shen Yuheng had made, and the interview related to his ideal type.
Scientific research, physics, a person focused on their own field... every single one of these seems to fit Jiang Xinglan perfectly.
She looked up at Shen Yuheng, whose expression remained calm, as if nothing had changed.
But having studied acting, how could she not see it?
The expression he's making now is the same one the teacher showed them separately during class.
So, does Shen Yuheng like Jiang Xinglan?
She leaned back in her chair, lowering her head to hide her expression.
How could this be? Although she also thought Jiang Xinglan was very outstanding.
But how could that be! These two people clearly have no connection whatsoever.
Just as this new actor thought, the calm on his face was not a disguise; a huge panic enveloped Shen Yuheng.
The words "taking photos," "bouquet," and "perfect match" struck his heart repeatedly.
He was eager to know who was with Jiang Xinglan at that moment.
Shen Yuheng glanced at the people in the private room without making a sound.
Compared to the attendees at the gathering before filming began, only Li Luo and Jiang Xinglan were absent.
So, could that man be Li Luo?
But how could that be? The producer clearly met Li Luo.
What if? Shen Yuheng held onto a sliver of hope.
So Shen Yuheng made a very bold decision: he took out his phone and sent a message to Li Luo.
"Teacher Li, is Teacher Jiang with you now?"
Li Luo, who was working overtime in the office, heard her phone vibrate. She picked it up and was somewhat surprised.
For the first time ever, Shen Yuheng actually sent him a message?
After reading the message carefully, Li Luo replied immediately.
"No."
These two words were like a sharp arrow, piercing through his barely maintained composure.
Shen Yuheng's sense of crisis reached its peak at this moment.
"What's wrong? Isn't today the wrap party? She didn't go either?" Li Luo sent another message.
Shen Yuheng controlled his trembling fingertips and typed out two words.
"No."
Shen Yuheng replied with the same sentence.
Li Luo could even sense the emotions hidden behind those two words.
Li Luo found Su Wan and sent her a message.
"Xinglan, are you still in the lab?"
"No, she has a dinner party today." Su Wan sent the message without thinking much about it.
"With whom?"
Su Wan looked at the question, somewhat puzzled.
She naturally knew that Song Huai had returned to China yesterday. After all, he posted on his WeChat Moments as soon as he got back, and it was hard not to know about it.
Moreover, Jiang Xinglan had told her that she was going to meet Song Huai today. Although it was called a blind date, it was actually just a very ordinary dinner party.
However, out of respect for Jiang Xinglan, Su Wan did not elaborate.
"Xinglan said she was catching up with a friend she hadn't seen in years."
"Oh." Li Luo looked at the message Su Wan sent and felt a bit overwhelmed. This news was not good news for Shen Yuheng.
After thinking for a moment, Li Luo sent Su Wan's chat history, after cropping out her name and profile picture.
This news certainly did not put Shen Yuheng at ease.
If it's just a gathering of old friends who haven't seen each other for many years, why are there flowers?
Perhaps it was just a formality? Like the one she gave him today?
Shen Yuheng comforted himself in this way.
---
"So, why exactly do you want to see me?" Jiang Xinglan asked directly, looking at Song Huai who was still admiring the photos from time to time.
Song Huai put away his phone, a slight smile playing on his lips. "A blind date, of course it's a blind date!"
Based on Jiang Xinglan's limited understanding of Song Huai, whenever he showed that smile, he was most likely brewing some kind of plan.
"So what are you plotting?" She didn't believe a word Song Huai said.
Seeing Jiang Xinglan becoming increasingly serious, Song Huai said, "Alright, actually I have something important to discuss with you."
"Serious business?" Jiang Xinglan felt a sense of relief. "What serious business?"
"Look, haven't you been developing an instrument for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease lately?" Song Huai didn't beat around the bush and directly stated the reason he had prepared in advance.
"I was thinking, given our relationship, it wouldn't be too much to ask your brother Song Huai to get involved, would it?"
"To be frank, it's outrageous," Jiang Xinglan said directly. "Besides, these things aren't my responsibility."
“I know, but could you help make the connection?” Song Huai said.
"You can contact the research institute directly via email. If your application is approved, someone will contact you."
After listening to Jiang Xinglan's words, Song Huai sighed, "Zhou Cuo was right after all, you really won't agree."
Jiang Xinglan frowned. Was Zhou Cuo's appearance rate too high tonight?
"So, this cooperation is your ultimate goal?" Jiang Xinglan had a feeling that it wasn't that simple.
“Okay,” Song Huai nodded, “I’ll also celebrate your birthday for you while I’m at it.”
"Why didn't you just tell me directly?" Jiang Xinglan asked, puzzled. "Besides, my birthday was less than half a year ago, and there's still half a year until my next birthday."
Song Huai asked the waiter to clear away all the plates, ordered some desserts, and then said, "I heard from Zhou Cuo that you haven't contacted him for a long time, and I was afraid you didn't want to see me, so I asked my dad for help."
"But who would have thought it would inexplicably turn into a blind date?" Song Huai leaned forward. "Xinglan, I've given you my first blind date, so you have to take responsibility!"
"This situation is due to your subjective conjecture. I'm sorry, we are not responsible for it." A voice of utmost rationality reached Song Huai's ears.
“Although this is my subjective conjecture, it is based on objective facts,” Song Huai said confidently. “You said you used to follow Zhou Cuo around when you were a child, but you can still stop contacting him if you want, so why would you contact me?”
Jiang Xinglan glanced at him but didn't say anything.
"So, why don't you contact him?" Song Huai cautiously probed, this was his real purpose today.
"Busy." Jiang Xinglan ignored the slightly sweet cake and poured herself a cup of fruit tea.
"Since you work in this industry, you must have come into contact with researchers."
"Don't you know just how busy you are?"
Song Huai really couldn't refute this statement; those he knew were all genuine research fanatics.
"No matter what, you grew up together since you were little. Have you forgotten that you always liked to stick close to him?"
Song Huai tried to evoke those childhood memories.
"Is that so?" Jiang Xinglan took another sip of tea, her brows relaxing. "I seem to remember that it was because you were older that my mother told me to stay with you as much as possible if your parents weren't around."
"Also, my brother is a grown man, don't ignore him," Jiang Xinglan said calmly. "It was clearly me and my brother following the three of you."
"You really have no feelings for me?" Song Huai suddenly asked.
Jiang Xinglan nearly spat out her tea, looking at her with an expression as if she were crazy. "If you have this kind of illness, I can help you contact a doctor."
"Just kidding," Song Huai said, trying to change the subject because she didn't know how to continue the previous conversation. "I've always thought of you as a little sister."
“I know,” Jiang Xinglan put down her teacup, “which is why I came today.”
“Fine,” Song Huai said, his face showing the same helplessness he had when he was a child. What else could he do about his sister whom he had watched grow up?
"Have you finished eating?" he asked.
“Yes,” Jiang Xinglan nodded, “Thank you for the hospitality.”
"You're too kind," Song Huai said, paying the bill. "I'm not leaving this time. Let's get together again sometime."
"Sure, if I have time," Jiang Xinglan said jokingly.
"Okay, then I'll wait until Professor Jiang is free." The two chatted and laughed as they walked out.
Just before turning the corner, Song Huai glanced back at the red velvet cake that Jiang Xinglan hadn't touched.
Then, looking at Jiang Xinglan walking ahead, after all these years, he caught up with her.
When Shen Yuheng and the others arrived at the parking lot, the elevator doors had just opened when they saw a familiar figure.
A strange man placed the flowers he was holding on the back seat, then opened the passenger door and helped Jiang Xinglan into the car.
After Song Huai got into the car, he started the engine.
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the vehicle smoothly drove away from the parking lot.
Shen Yuheng clenched his fists, stood still, recalling everything he had just witnessed.
Wow! They look so good together!
"Look! What a huge bouquet of flowers!"
"Not only that, but when I closed the door just now, I also saw that the back seat was full of gift boxes!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, when will I have a boyfriend like that!"
"Let's talk about it when you're as excellent as Teacher Jiang!"
The crew's hushed conversations reached his ears clearly.
It was so clear it was almost jarring.
Every word seemed like a silent mockery, ridiculing his overestimation of his abilities.
Shen Yuheng lowered his head and gave a bitter laugh.
Before getting into the car, Shen Yuheng looked again in the direction the vehicle had gone.
The parking lot exit was like a giant black hole, swallowing up all the light.
-----------------------
Author's Note: It's a happy ending! Don't worry!!!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com