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Luan Nian drove up the mountain.
Gong Yue had organized a poetry reading session with her students on the mountain. Luan Nian had originally planned to drop by to check on the event, not for any romantic rendezvous.
It was just an angry remark.
When he entered, the poetry reading had already begun, and coincidentally, Gong Yue was reciting a poem. She smiled at him when she noticed his arrival. The students exchanged secretive giggles, but Luan Nian pretended not to hear them. He walked behind the bar counter, placed his phone on the table, took off his coat, and started making himself a glass of orange soda.
Luan Nian was in a bad mood.
The idea of Shang Zhitao participating in matchmaking events really irritated him. It felt like he hadn’t been this angry in a long time. After finishing her poem, Gong Yue approached the bar and said to him, “Boss, could you mix me a drink?”
“What would you like?”
“Anything. Something strong.”
Luan Nian prepared a strong cocktail for Gong Yue. After taking a sip, she covered her mouth with her hand, almost tearing up from the spiciness. “So spicy.”
“You asked for something strong.”
“This is the cognitive difference between men and women.” Gong Yue stared at the glass hesitantly, then, steeling herself, downed it in one gulp. Quite a bold move.
Luan Nian raised an eyebrow, asking her, “Another one?”
She shook her head, “No thanks.”
“The cost of hosting your events here every week isn’t low.”
“We have wealthy and like-minded students.” Though Gong Yue put it that way, she actually put in a lot of effort. It wasn’t about getting close to Luan Nian; she just found him amusing and wanted to interact more. She enjoyed making friends.
Luan Nian didn’t mind. If she wanted to come, she could. Sometimes they’d meet, sometimes not. The bartender returned and took over mixing drinks. Preparing to take a walk, Gong Yue followed him, asking, “Where’s your dog?”
Luan Nian didn’t respond. He had never been a gentleman, especially when he was in a foul mood, always adopting an attitude of indifference. Not wanting to deal with Gong Yue, yet seeing her persistently follow him despite his cold shoulder, he stopped and looked at her. “Does Teacher Gong need something?”
Seeing his displeased expression, Gong Yue stepped back. “Nothing, see you later.” She returned to the bar and watched Luan Nian through the window, finding this man truly unpredictable. Initially, she only had a casual interest in him, but now she felt particularly motivated to bring him down from his pedestal.
Luan Nian strolled along a small path when Jiang Lan called him. “Kitty from your company came to interview with me. I think she’s good and want to hire her. But I wanted to ask you about her character.”
This had little to do with Luan Nian. Kitty had left Lingmei due to rumors of misconduct, sent out via anonymous emails. If Jiang Lan wanted to know, it wouldn’t be hard to find out. Since he was still calling, it meant he really liked Kitty. Thus, Luan Nian responded, “Mr. Jiang should trust his own judgment. Anything anyone says is just one-sided.”
“She mentioned some corruption issues in Lingmei during the interview, such as in the marketing department. Even junior employees have ties with suppliers. She said she personally saw suppliers giving gifts to marketing staff during the New Year.”
“So?”
“No real ‘so.’ In the future, I’ll make sure to avoid working with this person on our projects.”
“Who?”
“An employee named Shang Zhitao.”
Luan Nian found it amusing. If Shang Zhitao dared to accept bribes, she’d probably scare herself awake at night. He had known Shang Zhitao for four years and given her over ten bags, none of which she ever used. Now saying Shang Zhitao accepted bribes was interesting. So he told Jiang Lan, “I’ll say it again: anything anyone says or evaluates is one-sided. Lingmei is a very open company. We encourage integrity among employees and have a whistleblowing mechanism. If Kitty witnessed it and had solid evidence, given her personality, she would have reported it directly instead of waiting until now.”
Jiang Lan suddenly laughed. “See, if I hadn’t talked to you about this, I wouldn’t have heard your true thoughts about Kitty.”
“What thoughts?”
“You know well enough.”
“Flora has moved to the planning department through internal competition. You’ll inevitably work with her. Your bias will trouble her career.”
“Oh?” Jiang Lan became interested. “That girl joined your planning department? Impressive. Seems quite capable. Bring her along to the strategic cooperation meeting next week.”
“Sure. Grace will be on maternity leave in a few months. She’s currently Flora’s mentor, so we’ll both come see you next week.”
“Alright.” Before hanging up, Jiang Lan said to Luan Nian, “Coincidentally, Kitty starts next week. Let’s meet together. No need to feel awkward.”
“Not necessary.”
After hanging up, Luan Nian thought that Shang Zhitao must have bad luck, always encountering trouble one after another. This unlucky person didn’t even realize she was embroiled in financial issues and was watching a movie. Not wanting to waste her carefully chosen outfit today.
She occasionally checked her phone to see if Luan Nian would send any updates about their date, but he remained silent. The quieter he was, the less she wanted to reach out, yet she still told Sun Yu to delete her account.
Not wanting to waste her elaborate preparation, she went to watch a movie alone. The cinema was full of couples, leaving her feeling lonely amidst them.
Why can’t I have a love where we watch movies together and hold hands while watching sunsets? She suddenly realized her inner dissatisfaction. She had felt this regret before, but today it felt exceptionally strong.
As the movie was about to end, Sun Yuanzhu called her, “Want to come back for dinner? I brought back a small Tan sheep from Ningxia and plan to roast it tonight for you all.”
“Wow.” Shang Zhitao felt comforted just hearing about the small Tan sheep. She exited the theater and headed straight home.
The house was filled with the heavy aroma of barbecue spices. Sun Yuanzhu, wearing transparent gloves, was marinating the lamb. The segmented lamb was something he bought early in the morning and transported back.
Shang Zhitao wanted to help, but Sun Yuanzhu refused, “You lack a sense when it comes to cooking...” Shang Zhitao chuckled and withdrew her hands, standing beside him and giving unhelpful directions like an old cadre.
“Are you leaving soon?”
“Not for the next few months.”
“Really?” Shang Zhitao was delighted. “Then, how about we find a weekend to visit Long Zhentian? He’s leaving! Let’s see him off and I’ll treat you all to a good meal. Last year, Long Zhentian introduced me to a very reliable French teacher!”
“How’s your French coming along?” Sun Yuanzhu asked her.
Shang Zhitao nodded. “It’s going well. You know, I never realized I had a bit of a knack for languages when I was in school. My French teacher says I have a great sense of language. She even complimented me, saying that I look like a French woman when I wear a long trench coat.”
Shang Zhitao did have a certain French flair about her. She was tall with a good figure—not petite but not overly slender either. When she wore fitted sweaters, her straight shoulders were noticeable.
Sun Yuanzhu watched as Shang Zhitao gestured animatedly, her joy uncontainable and formless. Happiness shouldn’t be bound or shaped—it should just flow freely. It was beautiful.
A bit of barbecue seasoning had stuck to his cheek, and it stung slightly. He used the back of his hand to wipe it off, but ended up spreading it further. Shang Zhitao quickly fetched a tissue and helped him clean it. Standing closer than before, she noticed his clear eyes and suddenly felt uneasy, pulling her hand back. “Go wash it off,” she told him.
“Alright.”
Shang Zhitao stood there lost in thought when Sun Yu walked in.
She looked a little tired but brightened up upon seeing Sun Yuanzhu emerge from the bathroom. “You’re back?”
“Yes. Tonight, we’re roasting lamb ourselves.”
“I’ll go prepare some cold dishes then.”
Sun Yu was an excellent cook, but over the years, she hadn’t cooked for anyone outside this house. Shang Zhitao followed her into the kitchen and softly asked, “Are you happy?” She pointed toward the living room.
Sun Yu smiled. “It feels like I haven’t been this happy in a long time.”
“And so...?”
Sun Yu patted Shang Zhitao’s head without saying anything.
“Is Luan Nian doing okay?” Sun Yu asked.
Shang Zhitao pouted.
“You two are really strange. If he’s just a casual fling, why is he so angry? And if he’s not, why hasn’t he made any further moves? I checked that account of his—it’s only women who graduated from prestigious overseas universities. Regardless, that shows a certain attitude.” Sun Yu glanced at Shang Zhitao, worried she might upset her, and decided not to say more. This was already the fourth year of Shang Zhitao’s entanglement with Luan Nian. Four years without even a proper title—should they wait another four? Probably not.
Shang Zhitao sat silently peeling garlic. Most of the time, she was clear-headed, knowing that nothing would come out of her relationship with Luan Nian; but occasionally, she let herself fantasize. Especially during those moments when Luan Nian lost control and stood up for her—she sometimes believed there was something different between them.
Sun Yu sighed. She ran a matchmaking business where every attribute was quantified, making it easy to see everything online. That was the essence of most marriages: whether your conditions matched mine.
Midway through dinner, Sun Yu was called away by a colleague’s phone call, leaving only Shang Zhitao and Sun Yuanzhu behind. She asked him, “Still no plans to fall in love?”
Sun Yuanzhu shook his head. “I don’t want to ruin some girl’s life.”
“How could falling in love ruin someone’s life? Any girl who dates you would be so lucky!”
Sun Yuanzhu laughed at Shang Zhitao’s earnest expression, reaching out to pinch her cheek but stopping short, finally just patting her on the head.
“Love isn’t important; being together is.” That’s what Sun Yuanzhu said.
Shang Zhitao felt that this statement seemed to reflect her relationship with Luan Nian, perhaps hinting that Sun Yuanzhu understood something. But in fact, he wasn’t talking about her and Luan Nian—he was referring to himself and Shang Zhitao. Ever since the day he returned from a business trip and saw that panicked girl running into his home late at night, he felt that his perpetually aching heart finally had somewhere to rest.
The girl was sincere, always offering her heart openly. She was simple—her thoughts written plainly on her face, no need to guess. The girl worked hard too, moving forward every day without pause.
Sun Yuanzhu liked this girl.
But he would never say it out loud.
“How’s my roasted meat?” Sun Yuanzhu asked.
“Delicious!” Shang Zhitao nodded.
“Does that help ease your unhappiness?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good.”
“I dressed up today.” Shang Zhitao stood up to show Sun Yuanzhu.
He smiled. “If you’ve dressed up this nicely, you should be going on a date.”
Unconsciously mimicking Luan Nian’s shrug, Shang Zhitao didn’t realize what she was doing. She didn’t want to continue the topic. She didn’t want to tell Sun Yuanzhu that her feelings had never seen the light of day—it was merely a fleeting interest on Luan Nian’s part. In front of Sun Yuanzhu, she wanted to hide all the less-than-glamorous parts of herself, though she didn’t know why.
Shang Zhitao felt particularly down today. Why was she feeling so low? She got up and grabbed a glass of wine. “I want to drink a little.”
“Go ahead. Don’t worry about Luke—I’ll take him for a walk.”
“Thank you.”
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