Chapter 41: Seeing the humid rain from the south falling into her eyes...
The fate between people is always wonderful.
Sometimes an incident that happens inadvertently will one day become an inseparable red line between two people, but no one can predict it at the time.
This was not the first time that Bo Xia went out to eat with Meng Xubai. Her senior brother was a well-known gentleman. When they arrived at the restaurant, he considerately pulled out a chair for her and even asked her about every dish on the menu.
She sat opposite him and looked at him for a long time, saying that he looked very similar to someone.
Meng Xubai's eyes were a little inquiring: "Who does he look like?"
"A high school classmate of mine, he always used to take care of me."
He guessed it was probably a boy. "Did he tell you that you're always pretending to be strong, which makes people want to take care of you?"
Bo Xia wanted to deny it, but then she thought that denial would sound more like what he called "playing tough," so she could only accuse him of something and said jokingly, "Why are you just like him?"
They did not pursue the issue further.
A waiter was pushing a cake towards them. Bo Xia was still wondering if he had sent the wrong cake until the cart reached her. Meng Xubai saw that she had probably forgotten. "Today is your birthday. Do I need to remind you of this?"
Bo Xia recalled the scene when Wen Xin celebrated her birthday, and a warm feeling appeared in her eyes.
To be honest, celebrating birthdays has always been a luxury for her since she was a child. She always remembers that when she was ten years old, she wanted to eat cake very much. Her mother told her that it would be considered as an early tenth birthday, and she would not celebrate it when she turned ten.
That kind of happiness is an advance payment.
As she grew older she began to redeem herself.
But a long time later, perhaps because she had gained the right to be free, she began to ignore this day and no longer felt that there was anything special about it.
After all, it is not the day others expect, nor is it the time you choose, so it can be any day, which makes no sense.
The candles were already lit, and she closed her eyes and made a wish in front of the candlelight.
She wished to be more fearless and to persevere in moving forward on the path she had chosen. Apart from this, she had no other dreams.
Because this world belongs to the brave first.
From beginning to end, Meng Xubai always looked at her gently.
Who knew that after dinner, Bo Xia said she had to go back to work overtime. Meng Xubai felt that although he was the boss, he was also helpless sometimes: "Can you change your workaholic habit? You were the same when you were in school, always striving to be the best in everything."
Bo Xia wasn't one to pursue worldly success. Money was important to her, but not that important either. She could live comfortably in a secluded corner. She simply loved architecture so much that even after studying and working, she discovered the industry wasn't what she'd imagined, she still wanted to make a name for herself in it.
What's more, she knew better than anyone that a person without a family background would not be able to gain a foothold in a big city without working harder.
"It's you, not me, who should change. As my boss, you should also go back and work hard to make our firm bigger and stronger so that I can have a better future."
“…” What’s going on? Are you planning to manage upwards?
Meng Xubai smiled helplessly: "Okay."
The city lights flashed through the car window and hit their faces.
An unknown amount of time passed before Meng Xubai suddenly remembered what happened today and asked her, "Do you know Mr. Jin?"
She opened her lips, but felt there was no need to explain this relationship. After all, he no longer remembered her. If anything, she was just one of his many followers.
Bo Xia looked out the window at the vibrant lights and feasting: "Before, when we were caught in the rain on the side of the road, he handed me an umbrella."
Meng Xubai lowered his eyes, his voice unable to discern whether it was relief or some other emotion: "Is that so? Then you two are quite destined to be together."
When she returned to the rental house, the clock on the wall had already pointed to ten o'clock. Bo Xia turned on the computer to draw. Once she got serious, she tended to forget the time. When she came to her senses, it was already twelve o'clock.
There were several messages on the phone on the table. She opened it while brushing her teeth. It was a message Wen Xin sent her before midnight: "Happy birthday, baby."
"By the way, how are you doing lately? Don't think about work all day long. If your mental state is not good, can't you go out for a walk? If it's really serious, go see a psychiatrist."
She added:
"Such a grown-up person, yet I have to worry about him."
Bo Xia replied a few words and saw the message on the screen: "I'll be back from abroad soon. Where's that kid Zhou Suiye? When can we arrange a get-together?"
Wen Xin has had a wonderful life these past few years. She studied Spanish in college, but she's been teaching herself photography, capturing models everywhere she goes, even Bo Xia. She later chose to go abroad instead of taking postgraduate entrance exams, and is probably now preparing to return to China to start her own studio.
Bo Xia finished brushing his teeth and replied, "You know he has a job, and he can't be seen for ten days or half a month."
Wen Xin: "That's right."
Zhou Suiye works at the China Academy of Aerospace Technology, where his work is highly confidential. The three of them haven't seen each other for a long time because they are all busy with their work.
Sometimes a very cruel thing is that growing up often means separation.
This has nothing to do with whether they were sincere in the past or not. It's just that everyone has their own lives and their life trajectories no longer overlap. Even if they want to contact each other again, they will find that their worlds no longer intersect, and over time they will not be as close as before.
Sometimes she would think that maybe the number of times people would meet again was fixed, and the fate between them was already written in the book of destiny, and the day when the number of times ran out would mark the end of their relationship.
Bo Xia didn't know what he was thinking about, lying on the sofa and typing: "I saw him recently."
As she said this, his familiar yet unfamiliar appearance still appeared in front of her eyes. For a moment, she felt as if she was in another world.
Wen Xin seemed to have a premonition, but still asked who it was.
"Jin Yunyan."
Sure enough, this is the answer.
She actually didn't want Bo Xia to still remember this person. If that didn't work, she could just look back at Zhou Suiye. Why would she be a moth flying into the flame?
Fortunately, Bo Xia's next sentence was: "He no longer remembers me."
Wen Xin was both relieved and angry: "He doesn't remember you? Do you believe that he, a top student with a photographic memory, doesn't remember you, or do you believe that I am Qin Shi Huang?"
Maybe it was because it was late at night, and a chaotic mix of emotions always easily surfaced and disturbed one's mind: "I understand. At that time, I didn't say more than ten sentences to him in total."
Looking at this line of words, Wen Xin found that she had not changed over the years. When she had a crush on someone, she would always deify him or her. Even if the temple collapsed, she would still worship a non-existent god.
Wen Xin hesitated to speak: "You..."
"I understand." When you like someone for too long, you can't tell the difference between liking and obsession. She herself doesn't believe that after so many years, she still has true feelings for him. After all, what she liked at the beginning was just a shadow in her heart, not the whole him.
The conversation ended there, as if they had completed a tacit communication without words.
It was three days later that I received a call from home.
She had rarely contacted her family since graduation, and since she was so far away, her parents couldn't control her, so they got anxious and asked her why she didn't call. She found it funny, thinking they had remembered her birthday.
Sometimes Bo Xia herself didn't understand why she was so homesick.
It was only later that she realized that it might be because she was ignored by her parents when she was very young and needed a sense of security, such as crying for comfort but being scolded. So in order to survive, the baby developed an independent character, and over time she no longer relied on anyone.
Bo Xia was no longer silent. If a person could not fight against the injustice she suffered, she would not be able to escape from this situation. "I've been very busy with work lately. And don't you like that I'm independent now? I remember you liked it before."
When the child is independent, you think it is easy for you to take care of her, but when she grows up, you hope she can rely on you. What is the difference between this behavior and not depositing money in the bank but expecting to get a huge sum of money?
It's understandable that the person on the other end of the phone was furious. They themselves hadn't considered their child an independent individual, and they couldn't stand her transformation: "You were so sensible when you were little. How did you become so selfish when you grew up? I gave birth to you and raised you, and this is how you repay me?"
In today's world, selfishness is often a compliment.
Bo Xia controlled her emotions and tried to keep her tone calm. She transferred some money to her mother: "I didn't say I don't care about you, but I can't give you anything extra."
After hanging up the phone, she felt like her chest was being hit hard by something.
When confronting others, even if a knife is stabbed into your chest, you will only feel physical pain. However, it is different from the pain of your relatives. Their knives are dipped in salt and their whips are barbed. Even the slightest touch will cause a wound that is difficult to heal.
Before coming out of the bathroom, she tidied herself in the mirror, straightened her slightly messy hair, and then walked straight to the meeting room.
During this period, their firm had to compete with several other rival companies for projects. Bo Xia lowered his eyes and looked through the documents in his hand. When he saw Wan Sheng on it, his fingertips paused.
I could hear the project manager introducing Wansheng, and then he said, "Everyone knows that high-tech industries like this have a higher pursuit of innovation. We traditional architects tend to pursue more humanistic aesthetics and functional narratives, but this time I hope everyone can focus more on function and creativity..."
It is easy to imagine how important this project is to the company. Since technology research and development projects need to be kept confidential, Wansheng will not openly bid, but will instead specifically invite several companies to compete and negotiate.
Bo Xia followed the person in charge to Wansheng several times, but Jin Yunyan was not there. One time, she happened to stop Jin Yunyan's car.
It was so hot that her cheeks were sunburned. She tied up her previously loose hair, revealing her smooth forehead. She looked neat and tidy. "Mr. Jin, can you give me a moment?"
Few people can pull off a bright hairstyle, but she looks very generous and decent. Jin Yunyan politely refused her: "I have a dinner party right now, sorry."
He was always gentle, like the moist rain from the south falling into her eyes.
But he rejected it very cleanly. Anyone who first came into contact with him would be curious about how one person could have two contradictory qualities. You would be fascinated by his gentleness, but no one would dare to enter his heart.
Jin Yunyan glanced at her, wondering if she still remembered her invitation to dinner, but the answer she got was a little different. Bo Xia said it would only take up a little of his time, and hoped he would listen to her proposal.
It turned out to be a work matter.
But his attitude remained unchanged. He just sat there and did nothing. He naturally carried a sense of oppression and distance, making it impossible to force him no matter what.
The car window rolled up, completely obscuring the delicate profile.
Bo Xia glanced at the information in his hand, but he wasn't discouraged. Not everything in this world can be done easily, and encountering difficulties is just the norm.
From a long distance, the people in the carriage saw the slowly shrinking figure in the mirror standing in the same place, with his back still straight.
He casually withdrew his gaze and went back to processing the email.
A few days later, Bo Xia learned of Jin Yunyan's whereabouts from a client she had met previously. She got into her car while thanking the person on the other end of the phone. The person said it was nothing, "Come over here, I'll take you in."
After arriving at the place, Bo Xia thanked Miss Xie. She took the materials and went in. She walked around the elegant screen and saw several young men playing mahjong.
He was facing away from her, his white shirt faintly revealing his butterfly bones, and he exuded a restrained and mature aura. For a moment, her heart skipped a beat.
Bo Xia didn't want to interrupt, so she watched from the side for a while. It was Jin Yunyan who spoke to her first. His sharp eyebrows and eyes looked a bit aggressive under the light, but his gentle temperament neutralized the sharpness. He didn't ask her purpose, but deliberately said, "Would you like to play two games in my place?"
The man supported his face with one hand, looking casual and gentle.
Sheng Chi, who was sitting across from him, spoke up at the right moment: "Don't be fooled by him. He's just unlucky in that position and has already lost several rounds."
Bo Xia said she wasn't very good at it, but she could try.
"I'll teach you."
He gave her his seat and, from a distance, raised his hand to explain the rules of winning. Bo Xia listened attentively, trying to ignore his fingers, which were as soft as jade, and the blue veins on the back of his hand.
Her breathing became a little rapid, as if she was back to the time many years ago when he was explaining the problem to her.
"Do you understand?"
Bo Xia said, "Almost."
Sheng Chi quickly said forget it, he didn't want to bully a girl, but Bo Xia didn't buy it. She raised her eyes and said in a calm voice: "Don't worry, I'm not the kind of person who bullies men."
Sheng Chi was retorted with this sentence.
Bo Xia learned a few sentences and got the hang of it quickly. It was not known whether it was because of good luck or the aura of a novice, but after it was her turn to play, her luck was extremely good and she won without any clue.
Sheng Chi suddenly felt a little embarrassed, but also felt a bit of admiration for the girl.
It looks gentle and beautiful, but it has sharp thorns.
Several people fell silent, and Jin Yunyan's eyes darkened. He sat beside her and looked at her for a long time without saying a word. She tilted her head to look at him, as if she wanted to say something, and Jin Yunyan said lightly, "Everything you win today belongs to her."
She never thought that she would be so lucky one day, but she didn't want any of these things: "I want you."
As soon as the words fell, the people around him immediately started to make a fuss. They originally felt a little unhappy about losing, but now they all looked at him with gossipy eyes.
After all, everyone knows that Jin Yunyan is not interested in women, and the sudden appearance of someone who seems to have a story with him makes people curious.
After she finished speaking, Bo Xia realized that she had said something wrong. What she actually wanted to say was that she wanted his time. Her cheeks felt a little hot, especially when she raised her eyes to meet his inquiring and teasing gaze.
But thinking that the two sentences expressed similar meanings, she simply did not change them: "Mr. Jin, can you give me a moment?"
Soon, she was invited to the adjoining lounge. The view was beautiful, with a vast expanse of green jungle outside the window. Bo Xia watched him pour her a glass of warm water, then sit down on the sofa next to her. He looked at her patiently, "Go ahead."
For a moment, she felt that this was like an exam, but it was not Jin Yunyan taking an exam for Bo Xia, but she taking an exam for herself. It was as if she wanted to use this moment to prove the long years that had passed.
"Okay, take a look at these first."
The information she provided included some of her firm's past collaborations with technology companies, as well as some awards she and other architects had won.
Bo Xia had recently researched a lot and had learned quite a bit about his field. After discussing her understanding for a while, she said, "I think if you can give us a chance, we will definitely be able to give you a satisfactory answer."
After she finished speaking, she observed Jin Yunyan's eyes and seemed to be very satisfied with her answer.
Bo Xia was right in her guess. Jin Yunyan did have a little more appreciation for her. He leaned back on the sofa, looked at her with narrow eyes, and praised her for what she said.
"So, are you considering having our firm join the negotiation?"
Jin Yunyan didn't answer the question. He watched her pick up the cup and drink water, then suddenly said, "I just thought about it..."
I thought he had loosened up, but unexpectedly what Bo Xia heard was——
"We are short of a liaison architect in our real estate department. Would you consider switching jobs?"
For a moment she suspected she had misheard and almost choked herself: "Are you kidding me?"
What she wanted to ask more was whether doing so was somewhat unethical.
I wonder how Meng Xubai would react if he knew that his employee was poached by the president of the opposite company when he went to discuss a project.
Bo Xia put down the water cup, but saw that his expression was still very serious, without any sign of joking.
She saw her small reflection in his deep eyes, and suddenly there was some moisture in his eyes, so she was finally seen by him, right?
She restrained her expression and said, "Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to do this? How can you poach employees from other companies like this?"
The business world is like a battlefield, and Jin Yunyan is not as upright a gentleman as she thought.
He raised his eyes to look at her, and vaguely made people feel that there was a bit of determination in his eyes: "I don't think there is anything inappropriate."
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