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Wine-red shirts were a signature look for M.K’s carefree young master. He bought them by the dozen.
He had only a passing interest in the group’s affairs, devoting most of his energy to flying, collecting wine, and acquiring artwork. He also had a peculiar habit—whenever he drank red wine, he added milk and ice cubes.
“Just waiting for you,” Chairman Shang scolded him in an elder’s tone. “Making so many people wait for you alone—you’ll have to punish yourself with two drinks later.”
“That’s a must.” Xie Yun Cheng put away his usual nonchalance and shook hands with Jiang Cheng Yu. “Long time no see, and thank you for supporting today’s spring auction.”
“Too formal.” Jiang Cheng Yu and Xie Yun Cheng had never collaborated; they simply shared mutual acquaintances.
Others greeted Xie Yun Cheng as well, but at this moment, their real curiosity lay in how Shen Tang would resolve the awkward situation now that the young master had arrived.
Lu Zhifei’s gaze fell on Shen Tang again. Of everyone present, she remained completely unfazed, exuding an air of indifference as if nothing could ruffle her.
Whether it was when Jiang Cheng Yu and she entered earlier or now, upon Xie Yun Cheng’s arrival, she hadn’t stood up to greet anyone.
Rumors said she used her beauty to get what she wanted, rumors claimed she thought highly of herself, and still others whispered that she treated everyone with aloof disdain.
Habit was a powerful thing. No one knew when exactly it started, but her behavior had come to be seen as normal. All the men silently accepted it.
Lu Zhifei leaned over to Jiang Cheng Yu and whispered, “What do you think Shen Tang will do to get out of this mess?”
Jiang Cheng Yu replied indifferently, “Whatever needs to be done, she’ll handle it.”
He hadn’t expected Shen Tang to block him entirely.
Was he angry?
Yes, he was.
But he still couldn’t bear to watch her become the laughingstock of so many people.
Jiang Cheng Yu sent a message to the group chat: [Does anyone have Xie Yun Cheng’s number? Send it to me now.]
Within moments, two or three people shared Xie Yun Cheng’s contact information.
Jiang Cheng Yu had no choice but to ask Xie Yun Cheng for help: [Xie, I need a favor. When you arrive, please help Shen Tang cover for herself. President Ge is making things difficult for her, and she mentioned you’re her boyfriend. She--] doesn’t know you’re coming tonight.
Before he could finish typing, President Ge spoke up. “Xie, punishing yourself with two drinks isn’t enough. You almost made Miss Shen wait anxiously for you.”
Pfft, calling her a Best Actress winner when she hadn’t won any significant awards yet.
With that remark, everyone turned their attention to Xie Yun Cheng, then shifted their gazes between him and Shen Tang. This dramatic moment naturally sparked a bit of schadenfreude among the crowd.
Shen Tang swirled the remaining red wine in her glass, not giving President Ge a chance to gloat. She addressed Xie Yun Cheng directly, “You came to Beijing without telling me?”
Xie Yun Cheng had already noticed Shen Tang but hadn’t had a chance to speak with her yet.
Shen Tang continued, “Just a moment ago, they were asking if I was single. I was waiting for you to confirm it.”
Xie Yun Cheng and Shen Tang had known each other for ten years. He recognized the look in her eyes—a silent plea for help. Tonight’s attendees were all people she couldn’t afford to offend, and she was currently isolated and without support.
Only in dire straits would she trouble him.
“I knew you’d be here tonight, and I wanted to surprise you,” he smoothly played along.
Jiang Cheng Yu deleted the text he had just painstakingly typed. Was this how quickly her new romance developed—like a rocket?
Xie Yun Cheng didn’t go to his assigned seat. Instead, he swapped places with the CEO of the sports brand.
“Why are you even skinnier?” His tone was natural as he sat beside Shen Tang.
Shen Tang looked at him. “I’m not skinny—it’s your perception.”
The two chatted as if no one else existed.
This sudden twist caught everyone off guard.
Chairman Shang was puzzled. Xie Yun Cheng returned to China only once or twice a year, sometimes staying just a day or two before rushing back to New York. His network and Shen Tang’s were worlds apart. How did they know each other?
Chairman Shang hoped to move past this misunderstanding quickly. “Yun Cheng, I need to say something to you. It’s very impolite of you not to introduce Shen Tang to us sooner.”
Tonight’s misunderstanding had nearly spiraled out of control.
Xie Yun Cheng handled the situation effortlessly. “Tang Tang didn’t want me to say anything. She forbade me from going public with our relationship, saying that under the spotlight, every move is scrutinized, and she feels uncomfortable.”
In front of Shen Tang was a glass of water, which he casually picked up and drank. Pretending to suddenly remember something, he said, “Didn’t someone just ask when Shen Tang and I got together?”
Curious glances darted toward them.
Jiang Cheng Yu placed his phone on the table and glanced at Shen Tang.
Xie Yun Cheng leisurely sipped some water, building suspense before finally speaking. “We’ve been together for over nine years. On her sixteenth birthday, I skipped class and went to her school to confess my feelings, beating out countless suitors to finally win her heart. By her twenty-sixth birthday, we’ll celebrate our tenth anniversary.”
Others were utterly shocked.
Shen Tang: “...”
She pressed her forehead.
She hadn’t expected him to fabricate such a story, complete with a “ten-year milestone.”
During those ten years, he probably wandered through countless beds.
Xie Yun Cheng had a natural talent for storytelling, weaving tales with ease. To make it seem more believable, he added, “Actually, we haven’t been together for the full nine years. We broke up several times because we were too young and stubborn. After arguments, neither of us wanted to back down, and pride kept us apart. But after breaking up, we couldn’t bear it, so I begged for reconciliation.”
He pretended to reminisce. “The longest breakup lasted over a year and eighteen days. We reconciled earlier this year. Now things have finally settled down, and I’ve completely committed. We’ll stay together from now on.”
He turned to Shen Tang. “Miss Best Actress, hurry up and win an award so we can get married.”
Shen Tang lightly nudged him with her arm, signaling him to stop talking nonsense.
But to others, this gesture appeared intimate, like a couple’s playful interaction.
Chairman Shang was half-convinced. He had previously worked at M.K’s New York headquarters and had only transferred to Beijing in the past two years. He had never heard Xie Yun Cheng mention a first love girlfriend like Shen Tang.
“You’ve known each other for so long?”
Xie Yun Cheng nodded. “Uncle Shang, do you remember five years ago when I was on a business trip and couldn’t attend an auction? I asked you to bid on a piano for me.”
Chairman Shang remembered vividly. “And you insisted on engraving a begonia flower—” He chuckled. “Now it makes sense. I was wondering about that.”
Xie Yun Cheng: “That was a gift for Tang Tang’s twentieth birthday.”
Everyone listened quietly as the two traded stories.
That piano—Jiang Cheng Yu had seen it before. It was the custom-made imported piano in the living room of Haitang Village.
The piano had some years on it. He had assumed it was purchased during her childhood, but it turned out Xie Yun Cheng had bought it at an auction and engraved a begonia flower on it.
The conversation continued. Chairman Shang turned to Shen Tang. “Miss Shen, did you live abroad before?”
Shen Tang nodded. “Mm, I started school in London at fifteen.”
Chairman Shang stopped doubting. After all, he had personally handled that piano delivery, and it had required considerable effort to send it to London.
He had always thought it was a gift for the daughter of a business partner, not realizing it was for Shen Tang.
Xie Yun Cheng couldn’t stop spinning yarns. “I bought that private island as a graduation gift for her.”
Shen Tang: “...”
She almost choked.
Coincidentally, the year he purchased the private island was the same year she graduated from university.
At this point, President Ge was convinced that Xie Yun Cheng and Shen Tang were a couple. He asked the server to pour four glasses of red wine, emptying the bottle completely.
This hurt more than losing two billion yuan.
“Teacher Shen Tang,” he raised his glass. Some things didn’t need to be explicitly stated. In one gulp, he downed a glass.
Three glasses remained in front of him.
After four glasses of wine, most people wouldn’t be able to handle it.
Shen Tang gave Chairman Shang face and said to President Ge, “President Ge, are you really planning to drink until you drop? If you do, the TV drama ratings might drop again tonight.”
Others laughed, and President Ge chuckled as well.
Sometimes, a little consideration was all it took to smooth things over.
This episode and farce were finally over.
In Xie Yun Cheng’s fabricated story, only the piano was real. At the time, she had been forced to abandon her piano studies because the Xiao family didn’t want her drawing attention on stage.
He and He Chu Yao comforted her by gifting her an exorbitant piano.
They reassured her that after graduating, she could return to her passion for music, either professionally or as a hobby.
Later, she didn’t pursue advanced studies and instead entered the entertainment industry after graduation.
Amidst truth and fiction, others believed the love story between him and Shen Tang to be real.
As the toasts began, Xie Yun Cheng asked the server to bring two pieces of semi-soft cheese. He ate something before drinking.
When semi-soft cheese was mentioned, Jiang Cheng Yu glanced at Xie Yun Cheng. It was Shen Tang’s favorite, and he had bought it for her a few times.
Of the two pieces of cheese, Xie Yun Cheng ate one and placed the other in front of Shen Tang without saying a word.
It was natural and tacit.
Jiang Cheng Yu held his wine glass, and before the toasts began, he took a sip himself.
She and Xie Yun Cheng had been intermittently together for nine years, breaking up last year and reconciling earlier this year. What did their three years together mean?
Insisting on breaking up and blocking him outright.
So decisive.
Turned out her first love boyfriend had recently returned to the country and planned to stay for a while. Afraid of being found out, she used Wen Di and Yan Heyu’s engagement as an excuse to break up with him.
Thankfully, his typing speed wasn’t fast enough earlier. If that message to Xie Yun Cheng had been sent, he wouldn’t have known how to handle tonight’s situation.
Lu Zhifei glanced sideways, catching sight of him tilting his head back slightly, his Adam’s apple moving as he swallowed the wine.
What he swallowed wasn’t just alcohol—it was emotion.
For some reason, she felt a wave of relief.
Perhaps knowing Shen Tang was taken made her feel more comfortable around her. Before, she hadn’t closely examined Shen Tang’s features, and indeed, there was quite a difference from her on-screen appearance.
Each feature was captivating.
Such a woman should wield her beauty like a weapon.
Looking at Shen Tang, Lu Zhifei furrowed her brows slightly, feeling a strange sense of familiarity—not the kind you get from seeing someone on TV.
“Miss Shen, I think I’ve seen you in the UK.”
She initiated the conversation, surprising even herself.
Shen Tang glanced over, deliberately avoiding Jiang Cheng Yu’s direction, and smiled faintly. “Oh, really?”
Her tone was anything but friendly, but Lu Zhifei didn’t mind. By now, even she had grown accustomed to Shen Tang’s coldness.
Patiently, Lu Zhifei responded, “Mm, at a school club event. I was far away, so I wasn’t sure if it was you, but it probably was. Top-tier beauties aren’t common.”
Shen Tang: “I don’t know which school you saw me at, Miss Lu.”
The CEO of the sports brand chimed in, “President Lu is an Oxford graduate—quite impressive.”
Lu Zhifei smiled modestly. “Overpraising me. I barely scraped through to get my master’s degree.”
Setting aside character for a moment, everyone here was the cream of the crop.
She didn’t take such polite compliments to heart. In fact, the sports brand CEO was indirectly praising Shen Tang.
Thus, whether Lu Zhifei had actually seen Shen Tang or not, others were curious.
Jiang Cheng Yu leaned back slightly, realizing he didn’t truly know Shen Tang at all.
There wasn’t a single piece of information online about her educational background. He had previously assumed she hadn’t gotten into a good university, so the company hadn’t hyped it.
Now, looking back, it seemed Xie Yun Cheng had intentionally erased some details.
Regarding Shen Tang’s university life, Xie Yun Cheng knew best.
She reluctantly chose a business school she wasn’t passionate about. Among her peers, she was naturally gifted, possibly inheriting that from Xiao Zhen.
Even though she disliked the major, she persevered, scoring decent grades in several core courses.
In her final year, her grandmother passed away after ineffective treatment, dealing her a heavy blow that affected her grades that semester.
Xie Yun Cheng answered Lu Zhifei’s question on Shen Tang’s behalf. “During university, Tang Tang was too busy dating me to focus on her studies. Her grades were average—let’s not talk about it.”
This confirmed that Shen Tang and Lu Zhifei were alumni.
Regardless of whether she was an outstanding graduate, at least she had been admitted to that university—a testament to her abilities.
For the first toast, Chairman Shang proposed a collective toast to Shen Tang, a title of both beauty and talent she deserved.
Jiang Cheng Yu tilted his head back to drink, his peripheral vision constantly drawn to Shen Tang’s direction.
Last year, in Haitang Village, he had asked her which university she graduated from. She said she forgot.
She even feigned ignorance, asking him if the top business schools were hard to get into.
The business school she attended was already ranked highly, not far behind his.
Tonight’s dinner felt like a thorn in his throat.
It wasn’t until after ten o’clock that the banquet ended.
Xie Yun Cheng and Shen Tang walked ahead. During the meal, they hadn’t exchanged many words amidst the drinking and idle chatter. “What did you buy at today’s auction?” Xie Yun Cheng asked.
Shen Tang: “A few paintings with Wen Di.”
Xie Yun Cheng looked at her and smiled. “For me?”
Shen Tang shot him a disdainful glance. “Can’t you wait for me to give it to you? Act surprised next time!”
Jiang Cheng Yu trailed behind them, hearing every word of their flirtatious banter.
He had been at the auction earlier. The cheapest still-life painting sold for 2.1 million yuan.
She was giving Xie Yun Cheng such an expensive gift, while the gifts she gave him included a set of sportswear costing less than a thousand yuan.
And a box of spicy gluten costing over a hundred yuan.
He didn’t care about the price of gifts, but sometimes the value indicated a person’s standing in someone’s heart.
Jiang Cheng Yu suddenly chuckled bitterly. Since when had he started caring about these things?
He turned and headed toward the restroom.
Xie Yun Cheng had only walked a few steps when he handed his suit jacket to Shen Tang. “Wait for me. I’m going to smoke a cigarette to avoid riding the elevator with Uncle Shang and the others.”
Shen Tang waited in the hallway near the elevator. At the elevator entrance, Lu Zhifei and Chairman Shang were chatting and laughing. When the elevator doors opened, Lu Zhifei turned her head, not seeing anyone, and didn’t rush inside.
No need to guess—she was waiting for Jiang Cheng Yu.
She redirected her gaze to the oil painting on the hallway wall.
Out of the corner of her eye, a shadow slowly approached.
Shen Tang turned her head slightly, unexpectedly meeting Jiang Cheng Yu’s gaze.
Jiang Cheng Yu slowed his pace. Seeing the jacket in her hand, all thoughts dissipated.
Shen Tang had nothing to say to him. Regarding her “nine-year relationship” with Xie Yun Cheng, she figured that when they were both sober tomorrow, Xie Yun Cheng would explain everything to him. That way, their future business dealings wouldn’t be affected by misunderstandings.
The strong smell of alcohol passed by her.
Her three years with him—completely shattered.
The only thing she regretted was their time together in Haitang Village, stolen moments that felt borrowed.
In her heart, she measured how far he was from the elevator and resisted the urge to turn around.
These three years, she considered them part of a performance, where she fell in love deeply.
Every performance eventually wraps up, and she had to return to her real life.
After heartbreak, letting go became easier than before.
“Are you planning to memorize the painting?” Xie Yun Cheng returned from the smoking area, still carrying a hint of tobacco scent.
Shen Tang didn’t argue, handing him his jacket.
Xie Yun Cheng studied her. “That man from your dream, the one getting married on my private island—is it Jiang Cheng Yu?”
Shen Tang didn’t deny it.
Xie Yun Cheng put on his suit. “I’ll be staying in the country for a few months to finalize some projects. Once I’m done, you quit the industry and come back with me.”
Shen Tang shook her head. “Not considering it for now.”
Xie Yun Cheng didn’t press further. “No rush. Think about it carefully. This industry isn’t suitable for you.”
Suitable or not, she had already come this far.
________________________________________
Downstairs at the hotel, Lu Zhifei’s car was parked alongside Jiang Cheng Yu’s.
She leaned against her car door, watching Jiang Cheng Yu with the air of a victor. “I haven’t felt this happy in years. After you rejected me, I spent a long time trapped in self-doubt.”
It took over a year to barely recover.
That lingering attachment was hard to let go.
Things you can’t have always stir restlessly.
“Do you even know how much you drank tonight? You treated it like water. Too bad—Shen Tang has Xie Yun Cheng to shield her from drinks.”
Borrowing courage from the alcohol, she blurted out recklessly, “Never thought our second young master Jiang would be the third wheel.”
This arrogant man had become a mere passerby in someone else’s romance.
What mattered to him wasn’t even on her mind.
Jiang Cheng Yu’s face betrayed no emotion. Despite Lu Zhifei’s biting mockery, he maintained his composure.
Lu Zhifei didn’t know how long this fleeting pleasure would last. Human hearts were prone to comparison. Having loved him, she would seek someone similar.
But it was so difficult.
If she found someone inferior to him, the disparity would crush her.
After years of wandering, she had nothing but her career.
She refused to admit it, but deep down, she still loved him.
Lu Zhifei smiled, relishing this rare moment of happiness. “Then I wish you a sleepless night. Goodbye, goodnight.”
Jiang Cheng Yu opened the car door and got in.
The small group chat was tagging him: [@ you, are you collaborating with Xie Yun Cheng?]
Hours later, Jiang Cheng Yu replied: [No, a friend needed his number.]
After drinking over a bottle of red wine and quite a bit of liquor, Jiang Cheng Yu rested his forehead, closing his eyes to relax.
His mind was like a jumbled video montage, playing scenes uncontrollably—all related to Shen Tang.
This chaotic reel played the entire ride home, stopping only when the car pulled into the villa’s courtyard.
The night was accompanied by mist, the sky far from clear.
The recent warmth brought out the chirping of unknown insects in the garden.
Jiang Cheng Yu smoked in the courtyard, the alcohol clouding his mind.
Facing Lu Zhifei’s barbs, he didn’t mind.
But thinking about Shen Tang’s attitude toward him, his remaining shred of dignity crumbled.
Under the influence of alcohol, regardless of the late hour or whether he was interrupting her time with Xie Yun Cheng, he borrowed the housekeeper’s phone to call Shen Tang.
Shen Tang, holding her pajamas, was about to take a bath when the phone rang at the bathroom door. She returned to the bedside to answer.
An unfamiliar number.
“Hello, who is this?”
“It’s me.”
Shen Tang held her pajamas with one hand. She didn’t want Lu Zhifei to confront her tomorrow, accusing her of playing games. “Don’t contact me again. I owe you a favor, and I’ll repay it. As for everything else, Xie Yun Cheng will explain it to you clearly tomorrow.”
Jiang Cheng Yu’s prepared accusations were hastily changed. “There’s nothing between me and Lu Zhifei, and I don’t have a girlfriend. Wearing the same color shirt tonight was just a coincidence. As for you, is it convenient to talk now? If not, it’s fine.”
So she wasn’t his girlfriend.
Shen Tang had no inconvenience—just the bathtub water about to cool. The rental apartment’s tub didn’t have an automatic heating function.
Five minutes should keep the water warm enough.
“Is five minutes okay?” she asked.
Jiang Cheng Yu never imagined a day would come when calls to her would be timed.
A brief silence on the line.
Shen Tang prompted him, “What is it? Speak.”
Jiang Cheng Yu didn’t know how to start. He wanted her to offer an explanation.
The line was too quiet, their breathing faintly audible.
“If there’s nothing, I’m hanging up.”
“Not even five minutes have passed.” Jiang Cheng Yu sat on the outdoor lounge chair, tossing the cigarette butt into the trash. Tonight’s drinking had numbed his nerves.
Reason and logic were slipping away.
The words spilling out felt beyond his control. “I knew your legs were long and flexible, but I never imagined you’d be so skilled at playing both sides—one foot abroad, one foot here.”
Shen Tang: “...”
Jiang Cheng Yu pressed his temples forcefully. “Tang Tang, how am I inferior to Xie Yun Cheng? You’ve been纠缠 with him for nearly ten years, while we were only together for three. For him, you broke up with me.”
Shen Tang confirmed he was drunk. His usually haughty personality couldn’t descend to such depths of lamentation unless intoxicated.
“Xie Yun Cheng and I are friends. What he said tonight was just to help me out of a bind. For specifics, Xie Yun Cheng will explain everything to you tomorrow. You’re drunk—rest early.”
“Not drunk, just drank a bit too much. Red wine has a strong aftertaste.” Ignoring her explanation, Jiang Cheng Yu’s numbed nerves failed to process it. “Tang Tang, how much of what you felt for me was real? You had a boyfriend and still spent three years with me.”
Shen Tang sighed, thinking of the cooling bathwater. “Enough, goodnight.”
“Hold on before hanging up.”
“Holding on twice won’t help. Even if you hear it, you won’t remember tomorrow.”
Jiang Cheng Yu’s brain churned a few more cycles. He randomly hit record on the call, so he could replay it tomorrow if he forgot. He was fixated on one question: “Tang Tang, what do those three years mean to you? What are you going to do?”
Shen Tang brushed him off with a few dismissive words and hung up.
The next morning at 7 AM.
Jiang Cheng Yu woke up an hour later than usual, his head pounding from the hangover.
After a hot shower and a glass of warm water, he finally felt clear-headed and comfortable.
He vaguely remembered calling Shen Tang in the early hours of yesterday, but the details of their conversation and how the call ended were fragmented, lost to a blackout.
He didn’t know if he had acted improperly.
Dressed, he picked up his phone, contemplating how to approach Shen Tang appropriately. It was only 7:30 AM—she and Xie Yun Cheng might not be awake yet.
He stared blankly at the screen for a moment.
The housekeeper had sent him a recording.
He vaguely recalled borrowing the housekeeper’s phone last night. Perhaps this recording was his.
The audio was short, lasting only a few dozen seconds. He opened it.
First came his voice: “Tang Tang, what do those three years mean to you? What are you going to do?”
Shen Tang’s reply: “How about this—I’ll compensate you for three years of youth loss fees.”
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