TES - 16

Shang Zhitao sent the meeting minutes to Luan Nian and followed up with a message: “Luke, the meeting minutes have been sent to your email. Please check.”

Ten minutes later, Luan Nian replied: “What were you doing earlier?” His meaning was clear—if you knew the minutes had been sent, why didn’t you confirm it last night?

“It was late last night. I didn’t want to disturb your rest.”

“Good work habits have nothing to do with timing.”

“Thank you for your guidance. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Luan Nian furrowed his brow, tossed his phone aside, and continued confirming other tasks with Grace.

“We’re heading to the client’s factory in Shunde this evening to follow up on their product and grassroots endorsements. Once we gather the basic information, we can draft the first version of the creative.” Grace outlined her responsibilities. “But the client’s schedule is tight, so I’ll need an extra pair of hands when we arrive. Can Lumi join us? She’s worked with me a few times before—she’s sharp and assertive, capable of handling clients well.”

“Sure. Take Flora too,” Luan Nian added.

“Great! We all like her—she’s cheerful every day and very capable.” Shang Zhitao had approached Grace twice; she found her humble and easy to communicate with, making conversations effortless.

Capable?

Luan Nian glanced at Grace but said nothing further.

“So we’ll depart at four in the afternoon. Are you coming with us, Luke?”

“No, I’ve got something else to attend to.”

Luan Nian stayed behind at the hotel to handle work. In the evening, he stepped out. He rarely visited Guangzhou, but when he did, he always made time for a special friend. At Gangding, there was a small dance studio. When Luan Nian arrived, the children were still in class. He stood by the door watching for a while. Zang Yao looked just as she always had—her hair tied neatly into a bun at the back, revealing a smooth forehead. During a pirouette, she spotted Luan Nian standing by the entrance and smiled radiantly, looking stunning.

A sight to behold.

If anyone asked Luan Nian who he thought the most beautiful woman was, his friends would surely answer without hesitation: Zang Yao! Wasn’t it obvious?

Luan Nian waited patiently by the door, watching Zang Yao dance.

He didn’t have many friends—only Tan Mian in China, a couple of close acquaintances in the U.S., whom he saw a few times a year, and then there was Zang Yao. They had known each other for ten years, from ages eighteen to twenty-eight—a significant portion of their lives.

Tan Mian once asked him, “Did anything ever happen between you and Zang Yao?”

Luan Nian would never answer that question. There was always something missing between him and Zang Yao—but what exactly, he couldn’t articulate.

After finishing her class, Zang Yao walked over to him, smiling brightly. “Why are you here so early? I need to shower and change.”

“Not in a hurry. Go ahead.”

Zang Yao took a step closer, beaming. “You look good. Seems like this breakup didn’t hit you too hard either.”

“Nosy,” Luan Nian teased, tapping her head lightly. “Go ahead. Let’s grab a drink later.”

“Alright, wait for me.” Zang Yao turned and ran off, her ballet skirt fluttering gracefully behind her—a beautiful sight.

Zang Yao treated Luan Nian to rooftop barbecue near her studio. The two sat on the rooftop, enjoying the salty, humid evening breeze of Guangzhou.

“I’m thinking of moving to my next destination,” Zang Yao said, nibbling on an oyster.

“Where’s that?”

“I’m considering Guiyang. Guangzhou is too hot; Guiyang is cool and refreshing.”

Zang Yao raised her beer glass with one finger. “But won’t there be no clients from your company in Guiyang?”

“There are two.”

“Will you still visit me?”

“Yes.”

Zang Yao set down her glass, her fingertip touching Luan Nian’s hand. “Why did you break up again?”

“Boredom.”

“You find women boring?”

“No, intimacy is boring.”

“So you’ll stay single forever? No physical needs?”

Luan Nian shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Luan Nian hated being controlled. He couldn’t understand why women, once in a relationship, felt the need to micromanage him—what time he came home, who he was with, whether he was texting other women. While taking a walk, he asked Zang Yao, “Would you care if there were women in your boyfriend’s contact list?”

“Why should I? If anything, he should be nervous about me.” Zang Yao looked incredulous. “Only insecure women try to control men. Confident women have men chasing after them.” After a moment of reflection, she added, “Maybe the reason you hate being controlled is that you don’t love enough.”

“Are you starting psychotherapy now?” Luan Nian teased.

“Don’t even joke about that!” Zang Yao flicked her long hair to one side, exposing her elegant neck, laughing. “You don’t have psychological issues. Your problem is simply that you’re too proud.”

“Am I proud?”

“Aren’t you? Didn’t you once say most of your colleagues were idiots?”

“I take that back. The reason I said that was because I hadn’t met a real idiot yet.”

… Shang Zhitao sneezed.

“I thought you retracted that statement because you realized your own flaws. So tell me, aren’t you just particularly nasty-tongued?”

“If speaking the truth counts as nastiness, then I admit it.”

Zang Yao gave up trying to argue with him. “When are you leaving?”

“Friday evening.”

“Can you have dinner with my boyfriend tomorrow?”

“No, I’m busy.”

“Why don’t you like my boyfriend?”

“Should I?”

Zang Yao’s boyfriend was a somewhat sickly-looking guitarist. Luan Nian didn’t like people like that—not because of his attitude, but because he looked too thin, like a lamppost, and spoke in an overly aggressive manner.

“If you don’t like him, fine. Anyway, I’ll be leaving for Guiyang soon.”

“He’s not going with you?”

“Nope. Wealthy old Guangzhou men can’t live without clay pot congee and herbal tea.”

“Aren’t you also a wealthy Boston girl? Why are you wandering around?”

“Money doesn’t run out…” Zang Yao’s voice trailed off, sounding both boastful and tinged with melancholy. Luan Nian understood her sadness and softly comforted her. “Don’t be like this.”

“Oh.”

Zang Yao sighed deeply, leaning against the railing by the river, gazing into the distance. She wanted to ask Luan Nian—if she left Guangzhou, could she go to Beijing? Beijing wasn’t as hot, and Luan Nian was there. But she didn’t dare ask.

She felt that this was probably the best state their relationship could be in—neither closer nor farther apart. She had once thought about getting drunk with Luan Nian, stripping away inhibitions, and breaking the strange tension between them. But they were alike—they refused to yield in romantic relationships.

“Have you been interested in any woman recently?”

“No.”

“What about anything else?”

“Work.”

“Liar.” Zang Yao chuckled softly.

“?” Luan Nian looked at her.

Zang Yao shook her head. “Never mind. It’s none of my business.” She jogged a few steps ahead. “Want to walk me home?”

“Sure.”

They walked from the Pearl River toward Zang Yao’s home, occasionally passing groups of black men along the way. “Try not to go out alone at night,” Luan Nian advised.

“I’m such a homebody, you know that.” Jumping over a puddle, Zang Yao casually grabbed Luan Nian’s sleeve and joked, “If neither of us gets married by thirty, let’s just settle for each other.”

“I don’t settle.”

In Luan Nian’s eyes, marrying out of convenience was tragic. He’d rather stay single than compromise. Silently, he escorted Zang Yao to her doorstep and declined to go upstairs. “Go on. See you next time.”

“I might visit you sometime.”

“You’re welcome.”

Zang Yao took a step forward, slipping her hands through Luan Nian’s arms and patting his back gently. “I’ll miss you.”

“Take care.”

Luan Nian watched Zang Yao until she disappeared upstairs, then pulled out his phone to see several missed calls from Shang Zhitao.

“What’s the matter?”

“Luke, I’m really sorry. Grace left some documents in your room. The courier won’t make it in time, so she asked me to pick them up tonight and bring them to Shunde tomorrow morning.”

“Wait for me at the hotel.”

After hanging up, Luan Nian saw a sincere apology from Grace. She knew how much he disliked such careless mistakes.

“Be more careful next time.”

When Luan Nian arrived at the hotel, he saw Shang Zhitao standing stiffly by the entrance, like a student waiting to be scolded by their teacher. Without saying a word, he walked past her. Shang Zhitao silently followed him onto the elevator. It was strange—she was only there to retrieve the documents, not to sleep with him, so why was she so nervous?

But she was.

A man and a woman, alone in an elevator late at night, heading to one person’s room—the story already sounded scandalous. Shang Zhitao’s young mind couldn’t help but wander wildly, imagining scenarios where a woman rose to prominence in the company.

Following Luan Nian off the elevator, she stopped automatically outside his room, waiting. Inside, Luan Nian searched for a while but couldn’t find the documents Grace mentioned. From inside the room, he called out to Shang Zhitao: “Come in.”

“Huh? Isn’t that inconvenient?” Shang Zhitao’s mind filled with imagined scenarios too steamy to describe—just fleeting thoughts, but intoxicating and vivid.

What nonsense! A sudden surge of irritation coursed through Luan Nian. In a few quick strides, he reached the door, grabbed Shang Zhitao’s wrist, and dragged her inside. “Find it!” Ignoring her soft gasp, he stood guard by the door.

The warmth of his palm burned Shang Zhitao’s wrist. She glared fiercely at him—I have feelings too! But Luan Nian didn’t see it. Facing the corridor, he maintained the appearance of a gentleman.

Most men, including Luan Nian, were useless when it came to searching for things. Within three minutes of entering, Shang Zhitao found the document tucked in a compartment of Luan Nian’s laptop bag. As she exited, she noticed his clothes hanging neatly in the closet—his taste was impeccable.

“I found it, Luke. Sorry to bother you so late.”

“What were you thinking about earlier?”

“What?”

“When you were standing there, what were you thinking?”