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Wen Di slept for six or seven hours. When she opened her eyes, she didn’t know where she was for a moment.
She turned her face. The person next to her was already asleep.
She stared at Yan Heyu for a few seconds, realizing it wasn’t a dream.
Shaking off the grogginess, Wen Di sat up.
The partition in the middle of the seats hadn’t been raised. Yan Heyu’s hand rested in the middle of the armrest. She had been too sleepy then and couldn’t remember if she had forgotten to raise the partition before falling asleep or if Yan Heyu had lowered it again.
After a quick wash, Wen Di asked for a glass of warm water.
Yan Heyu woke up; his sleep wasn’t deep.
When she went to the washroom earlier and wasn’t beside him, he woke up.
“Don’t you want something to eat?”
Wen Di shook her head, not hungry yet.
Yan Heyu folded the blanket, put it aside, and said, “When we go back, I’ll have Qin Xing book you a first-class ticket.”
“No need, I’m used to it.”
First class cabins were like private compartments, offering more privacy and comfort than this.
When Yuan Yuan booked the tickets, first-class tickets were sold out, so she booked business class for her and Qin Xing.
This was probably Yan Heyu’s first time flying business class.
But she was used to it.
For scriptwriting needs, she had to experience life. She had traveled in all types of cabins, lived in the oldest houses, often shuttling between extravagant settings and frequently walking on country roads.
She no longer cared about material things.
Yan Heyu knew she didn’t care, but selfishly, he still wanted to give her the best.
Afraid of disturbing others, he asked Wen Di for a notepad and communicated with her by writing.
[Is your workload reduced now that “Behind Desire” has moved to Manhattan?]
Wen Di: [Not much. I won’t be busy until after the New Year when we film in Jiangcheng.]
Yan Heyu asked her how many locations they were filming in.
Wen Di: [Five cities. Zhou Mingqian and the others are going to London soon, then Manhattan, Beijing, and Jiangcheng.]
Yan Heyu had overlooked London before, but then he thought that with characters authorized by Xiao Donghan, the London scenes naturally couldn’t be few.
He said: [Then when you’re not busy after the New Year, we can discuss “No One Compares to You” in detail.]
Wen Di: [Aren’t you going to be a co-writer? You go ahead with your own ideas.]
Yan Heyu remained silent. At most, he would be a nominal co-writer, giving her a few ideas. He didn’t have the skill to write a script.
Besides, he didn’t have the time.
There was nothing else to talk about.
He wrote down a name and number for her, [He’s a used bookstore owner. He also has a few private studies not open to the public, with a lot of books. You can go and browse when you have time; maybe it can bring you inspiration too.]
Wen Di took the sticky note. [Thank you.]
Yan Heyu told her: [The owner’s wife passed away almost twenty years ago, and he’s been reading books for her ever since, for almost twenty years. It’s also a story of ‘no one compares to you’.]
Wen Di was touched and decided to visit the old man when she returned to Beijing.
Yan Heyu: [Could you give me another notepad?]
Wen Di looked at the notepad in his hand, then at him.
Her expression implied, “Don’t you have more?”
Yan Heyu: [Consider it borrowed. I’ll return it to you after we return to China.]
Wen Di: “...”
She casually pulled another notepad from her bag, picking the blue one.
After that, both returned to a state of quiet.
Yan Heyu worked, while Wen Di revised script details. He didn’t speak to her again until the flight landed.
________________________________________
They stayed in different hotels, and their schedules for the next few days had no overlap. They wouldn’t meet at all during these days in Manhattan.
Kang Bo asked his boss, “Should we switch hotels?”
Yan Heyu was looking at documents. “No need.”
He asked, “Has Xiao Donghan arrived?”
“Yes, he has.”
“Let’s go directly.”
The driver drove directly to the place he and Xiao Donghan had agreed upon.
The project collaborated by Jingyue Group and Xiaoning Group, which lasted three years, was finally nearing its end. This was the last coordination meeting.
He had gone to London to find Xiao Donghan once, and then Xiao Donghan had contacted him voluntarily. This time, neither of them needed to seek the other out; they arranged to meet in Manhattan.
Upon arriving at the agreed-upon conference room, Xiao Donghan, his lawyer, and Secretary Lu were already present.
Xiao Donghan was playing with his cufflinks. When someone entered, he didn’t even lift his eyelids.
Secretary Lu glanced at his boss. His boss had no desire to greet them, so he had to greet Yan Heyu and his entourage on his boss’s behalf.
Yan Heyu nodded and sat down opposite Xiao Donghan.
He opened the documents and got straight to the point.
Xiao Donghan also had no superfluous words. After this meeting, they would no longer need to sit down and negotiate as partners. The end was finally in sight.
He took off his glasses and focused on the documents.
At times like this, Assistant Kang and Secretary Lu were the most anxious.
But this time, it was fine. All procedures were completed in an hour.
Yan Heyu signed his name. As he capped his pen, he said, “Wen Di is in Manhattan.”
“I know.”
Yan Heyu looked up. “Did you come because of her, that’s why you set the meeting here?”
“I didn’t know she was coming. I guessed. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have kindly come a day early.” Xiao Donghan picked up his glasses and put them on. “Mr. Yan, I’m not like you. Shouldn’t a qualified ex be as if they’re dead?”
Kang Bo: “...”
His boss was being mocked.
Yan Heyu capped his pen. “You talk as if you’re dead. Don’t tell me you didn’t call her when her new drama started filming.”
Xiao Donghan unhurriedly replied, “I wasn’t dead; I just occasionally played dead.”
Yan Heyu: “...I’m just like you, but I play dead more frequently.”
Xiao Donghan didn’t know how to retort for a while. He collected the signed documents and handed them to Secretary Lu.
Secretary Lu wanted to remind his boss not to say undignified things, but then he thought that between his boss and Yan Heyu, the concept of ‘face’ simply didn’t exist.
After today’s meeting, all that would remain between them was competition.
A moment later, Xiao Donghan spoke again, “After today, I won’t mock you anymore, nor will I engage in verbal sparring with you. I don’t want people to think I lack perspective, and I also want to consider Wen Di.”
The key was “after today,” so now he seized the last opportunity to put on the cufflinks he had just removed.
In Yan Heyu’s eyes, this was a blatant display.
He took out a notepad from his document bag and said as he wrote, “Last time at the financial forum in Jiangcheng, I wanted to put up a banner for you, but I was too busy then and didn’t get to it.”
Xiao Donghan didn’t understand what he meant by putting up a banner and looked at Yan Heyu.
Yan Heyu tore off the sticky note and pushed it to Xiao Donghan. “Don’t you just want to say these words to me?”
[The cufflinks were given to me by Wen Di.]
Xiao Donghan finished reading: “...So what if they were?”
Secretary Lu: “...” He felt like he was sitting on pins and needles, looking at his boss several times, reminding him that they could leave.
Xiao Donghan wanted to put this note away, but suddenly realized it was Yan Heyu’s handwriting. He wanted to tear it up, but Wen Di’s name was on it.
As he left, passing by Yan Heyu, he slapped the note on the table.
Although he found Yan Heyu disagreeable—and of course, Yan Heyu didn’t like him either—there were still some things he had to say: “Between Wen Di and me, I couldn’t bear to abandon the interests of Xiaoning Group. I let her down, so no matter who she’s with in the future, I will sincerely wish them well, including you. From now on, there will only be business competition between us. My personal grudges with you end here. I want to respect Wen Di, and I believe you do too.”
After saying that, Xiao Donghan pointed to the words on the sticky note. “I feel like it’s pretty similar to my handwriting.”
Yan Heyu suddenly looked up. “Say that again.”
“Boss, you have a call.” Secretary Lu quickly diffused the situation.
Xiao Donghan strode out.
Yan Heyu picked up the sticky note and stared at the handwriting. Until now, no one had ever said his handwriting was bad.
He had seen Xiao Donghan’s Chinese handwriting before, which was worse than a kindergarten senior class level, yet he claimed it was similar to his.
Kang Bo handed his boss a glass of warm water, telling him to calm down.
The tense atmosphere during negotiations was always ultimately diluted by the bickering between his boss and Xiao Donghan.
Yan Heyu didn’t drink the water. He carefully tore the sticky note, removing the extra words, leaving only “Wen Di.” He took out his wallet and placed her name with his identification.
________________________________________
Yan Heyu’s current trip, in addition to negotiating with Xiao Donghan, also involved meetings with others for cooperation, but those were all scheduled for after tomorrow. He had no other business activities today.
In the afternoon, Kang Bo asked him whether he wanted to find Qin Xing or return to the hotel.
Yan Heyu answered without hesitation: “Go back to the hotel. Wen Di has work to do.”
Wen Di and Qin Xing had not a moment to spare. They liaised with the equipment rental company there, rented equipment, signed for venues, and returned to the hotel around nine o’clock after finishing their busy schedule.
Just after she showered, she received a call from Yin Ziyu.
Wen Di smiled and asked, “Not busy now?”
Yin Ziyu said, “Not busy, waiting to board the plane.”
They were transferring to London today for filming.
The London scenes for Behind Desire would take about two to three weeks, at most.
Most of it would be filmed at a manor, which Xiao Donghan provided to the crew for free. For this drama, he opened up the Xiao family’s manor for their shoot.
During this time, Secretary Lu liaised with Qin Xing, and Wen Di was not involved.
Later, she specifically called to thank Xiao Donghan, who said, “You’re welcome. Come film in late autumn; the manor scenery is at its best then.”
She hadn’t planned to go with the crew; she didn’t want to see Xiao Zhengtou and the Xiao family.
Even though Xiao Zhengtou stated that it was a separate matter—he didn’t like her as Xiao Donghan’s girlfriend, but welcomed her as Wen Changyun’s daughter to visit—she still declined.
Yin Ziyu called to discuss a plot point with Wen Di.
Wen Di asked her to specify which scene’s plot.
Yin Ziyu: “The scene where my boss and I fall out.”
In the script, she discusses an acquisition plan with her boss over the phone. While on the call, her roommate accidentally overhears, causing her boss to halt the acquisition plan. She loses trust, and when they transfer to London for filming, it’s also when she resigns and moves to Gu Heng’s company.
“Sister Wen Di, because of a phone call, my boss suspects my roommate leaked it, and then terminates the acquisition. Isn’t this a bit forced to break my relationship with my boss?”
Wen Di: “Don’t forget your roommate’s profession.”
The roommate worked at a financial intermediary.
“You might think it was unintentional, but your boss will suspect whether you deliberately let your roommate overhear. Backstabbing is rampant in the world of fame and fortune. Your boss might even blame you for not being professional enough, wondering how such confidential matters could be overheard.”
Yin Ziyu: “Okay, I’ll immerse myself further and brush up on my professional knowledge.”
Filming wasn’t done in chronological order of the story. She had just finished shooting a scene with the boss in the drama, feeling a bit confused.
Wen Di said, “My handling of many situations in the script isn’t as brutal as reality, after all, it has to serve the plot. In your situation, if the boss you encountered in reality were Yan Heyu or Xiao Donghan, you would lose even more.”
In reality, Yan Heyu and Xiao Donghan were enacting this very scene.
Yan Heyu was handling work in his hotel room when Kang Bo knocked on his door, saying that General Manager Jiang wanted to meet him and was currently at the coffee shop on the second floor of the hotel.
Yan Heyu: “Did he say what it’s about?”
Kang Bo: “No, he just said he wanted to talk in person, and that he came to New York specifically for this.”
A late-night visit, unable to be discussed over the phone, it was undoubtedly a business secret.
Yan Heyu agreed to meet, not because he wanted to know the secret, but because he wanted to warn Jiang Yunxing’s uncle.
Changing into trousers and a shirt, Yan Heyu went downstairs.
Jiang Zhenggan leaned back in the sofa, slowly sipping his coffee.
He hadn’t adjusted to the time difference yet and was feeling wide awake.
Footsteps approached, and he turned around, smiling faintly. “So late, I apologize for the disturbance.”
Yan Heyu remained expressionless. His first words upon sitting down were, “You dared to investigate my whereabouts.”
Jiang Zhenggan: “I’m not trying to harm you; I’m here to make a deal.”
“That depends on whether I’m willing.”
“This deal, you only gain, no loss.”
Jiang Zhenggan got straight to the point: “My condition is simple: stop secretly hindering our family’s projects.”
The waiter brought Yan Heyu a cup of coffee.
After the waiter had left, Yan Heyu said, “I’m not interested in hearing your business secrets. Remember this: don’t investigate my whereabouts again.”
With that, he stood up and left.
Jiang Zhenggan took a sip of coffee. “Are you sure you won’t regret it?”
Yan Heyu didn’t even turn his head as he walked away.
________________________________________
Back in his room, he instructed Kang Bo, “Leak the news of Jiang Zhenggan’s visit to Xiao Donghan.”
Kang Bo: “Mr. Yan, do you suspect Xiao Donghan intends to maliciously acquire Huayuan Industrial?”
“More or less. Besides a hostile takeover of my company, he might also want to acquire other companies in the industry, under Jiang Yunxing’s name.”
By then, Xiaoning Group and the companies under Jiang Yunxing would jointly attack Huayuan Industrial.
Regardless of which company he acquired, he could not let Xiao Donghan succeed.
________________________________________
The next day, Jiang Yunxing received a call from Xiao Donghan, saying that all acquisition collaborations were halted.
Jiang Yunxing was bewildered, asking what happened.
“Your uncle sold you out, what else could it be?”
“Mr. Xiao, I’ll call you back in a moment.” Jiang Yunxing hung up, rubbed her temples, and drank a large glass of cold water, but she still couldn’t calm down.
Fuming, she went to confront her uncle.
The phone rang until almost the end before Jiang Zhenggan answered, “So late, not sleeping yet?”
“Where are you?”
“On a business trip.”
“Where are you on a business trip?!”
Jiang Zhenggan was eating breakfast, his face slowly changing. “Yunxing, I am your uncle. Watch your tone.”
“You still know you’re my uncle, huh! Do you know you almost killed me? How many times have I told you not to go looking for Yan Heyu, why don’t you ever listen?”
Jiang Yunxing pressed her throbbing chest. “What deal did you make with him?”
Jiang Zhenggan: “I didn’t say anything; he wasn’t interested.”
He had originally intended to trade business secrets for the smooth progression of other Jiang family projects.
Jiang Yunxing felt a sudden inexplicable relief, but she detested her uncle’s actions. “I told you, betraying Xiao Donghan will not end well, and I also told you that Yan Heyu will not cooperate with people who backstab.”
“Jiang Yunxing!” Jiang Zhenggan put down his fork and sharply rebuked her.
Jiang Yunxing was furious and spoke carelessly, but her uncle’s actions truly were backstabbing, and she didn’t apologize.
The atmosphere remained tense.
“Yunxing, who am I doing this for?”
“I know you’re doing it for the entire Jiang family.”
Indeed, if Yan Heyu had agreed to the cooperation, her uncle’s plan would have been feasible, as Xiao Donghan’s acquisition success rate was only sixty percent.
Yan Heyu didn’t need to go head-to-head with him, because there wouldn’t be enough time for preparation, but as long as he disrupted Xiao Donghan’s plan, they could end in a draw.
In this scenario, Yan Heyu wouldn’t lose anything, Xiao Donghan wouldn’t suffer too much, and her uncle would profit, with Yan Heyu no longer targeting the Jiang family.
But Yan Heyu would never be led by the nose. He would rather suffer a loss than be controlled by others.
“Uncle, what kind of people are Xiao Donghan and Yan Heyu? How could they let you manipulate them, or let you take all the advantages?”
Jiang Zhenggan: “I thought Yan Heyu might be unwilling to cooperate, but I didn’t expect him to turn around and sell me out to Xiao Donghan.”
“Don’t you understand him? When has he ever let himself be butchered?” Jiang Yunxing was too angry to speak. “You used to warn me not to harbor illusions about him. How is it that when it comes to yourself, you become confused?”
Jiang Zhenggan said, “I didn’t expect him to make concessions on profits. I thought he would at least still hold onto a little bit of past affection, not to the extent of not giving even this much face.”
Jiang Yunxing didn’t want to say anything more and ended the call.
Still feeling a bit breathless, she put on a jacket and went out onto the balcony for some fresh air.
She broke up with Yan Heyu in late autumn too. She had planned to go skiing with him when it got colder, and also planned for him to accompany her to small towns in Europe and America for half a month the following spring when he wasn’t so busy.
None of it came true.
When she first proposed breaking up, he didn’t want to, asking her: Are you sure?
She wasn’t sure, but she couldn’t continue either.
Every time they had a conflict, he wouldn’t compromise, which exhausted her.
She replied to him: What if we don’t break up?
If only he had said he would change, how could she have broken up with him?
But he didn’t say it.
Looking back now, he was capable of changing, just not for her.
He had gone through those six years with Wen Di, especially the painful last three years. If you asked him now who his first love was, he’d probably have to think for a moment before remembering.
Even she understood these things, so why was her uncle still holding onto false hope?
Being on his opposing side, she also felt uncomfortable.
But what could she do?
You have to choose between feelings and benefits.
Jiang Yunxing stood in the cold wind for a while, then called Xiao Donghan back, saying her uncle didn’t say anything.
Xiao Donghan: “Whether he said something or not, it’s the same to me. Yan Heyu pretty much knows my plan now. He’ll definitely dig traps for me next, so this acquisition can’t proceed. From now on, between me and your Jiang family, there will only be exchanges of interests and resources. Acquisition cases involving commercial secrets and in-depth collaborations in other areas will no longer happen.”
Jiang Yunxing tried her best to salvage the situation. “Mr. Xiao, this was my mistake.”
“With me, there will be no next time.”
________________________________________
The price war between Huayuan Industrial and Xiaoning Group lasted for nearly half a year. By the end of the year, there was still no clear winner. Qin Xing felt a pang for them, mainly for the money spent on the price war.
Tomorrow was New Year’s Day, and their crew had also moved to their second-to-last stop, Beijing.
This year, everyone was spending New Year’s Eve with the crew. Although Qin Xing’s family was in Beijing, he still decided to celebrate with them.
Starting yesterday, they had been busy making dumplings. With so many people, they ate a lot, so they bought two freezers to store the frozen dumplings.
Wen Di’s dumplings weren’t very pretty, so she sat beside Yuan Yuan and learned.
Qin Xing muttered, “It seems those two will never end.”
Wen Di asked him, “Haven’t you finished the script yet?”
Qin Xing: “No. I can’t chew through the business warfare part.”
“Then keep chewing. Once you finish, you’ll understand why those two are still engaged in a price war.”
Yin Ziyu finished her scenes for the day and came to find Wen Di.
She put down her script and gently patted her cheeks, which had been tense all afternoon and almost stiff.
“Boss Wen, today a line of dialogue just cut deep.”
Wen Di asked, “Which line?”
“What if you’re capable? Unfortunately, you don’t have the strength.”
Qin Xing remembered that line; it should have been something Gu Heng said to Yin Ziyu.
Wen Di said, “You’re getting into character.”
Yin Ziyu sighed, “The part I’m filming now, I’m getting crushed every day. Boss Wen, please make my later lines when I turn dark more assertive.”
Wen Di smiled, “Okay.”
Qin Xing’s phone rang with an incoming call. He glanced at the number and went to a corner to answer it.
Yan Heyu asked him, “When does the crew go on holiday?”
“No holiday. We’re spending New Year’s Eve with the crew, and Wen Di isn’t going back to Jiangcheng either.” Qin Xing asked quietly, “It’s been three months now. Has Wen Di still not added your contact information?”
“No.”
Qin Xing comforted him. “Anyway, there’s not much work to contact about now. Tomorrow, everything will be fine.”
The two didn’t talk much longer and hung up.
________________________________________
The next day was another New Year’s Eve.
After eating the New Year’s Eve dinner, Yan Heyu stayed at his grandfather’s house until ten o’clock at night, playing a few rounds of mahjong with his family. His alarm rang on time, and he turned it off.
His cousin asked him, “Another party?”
“Yeah.”
He said goodbye to the other relatives and left with his overcoat.
Before he reached the door, his grandfather called out, “Heyu, come here for a moment.”
Yan Heyu had just put on his overcoat, holding his phone and two packs of cigarettes in his left hand, fumbling with the buttons with one hand. “What is it?” He turned back.
His grandfather was watching TV, the volume slightly lowered. “Jiang Chengyu is already a father. You’re way behind him.”
Yan Heyu smiled helplessly, saying, “Why don’t you mention that I’m two years younger than him?”
“Can you be a father in two years? If so, then disregard what I said.”
Yan Heyu didn’t reply. It was hot indoors, so he unbuttoned the buttons he had just fastened.
Grandpa: “It’s time to settle down. Many people who came to visit for the New Year asked about you, saying you’re still not planning to get married? They wanted to introduce someone, but I didn’t take the bait, afraid you might be dating again, and it would end up like that girl Wen Di. If you’re not dating now, I’ll reply to them. You go meet the person.”
His seven-day agreement with Wen Di was known to everyone in the family. Everyone thought he and Wen Di were completely over. His decision to pursue Wen Di again wasn’t widely publicized by his mother; only a few people knew.
“Grandpa, I’m not considering an arranged marriage.”
His grandfather was silent for a few seconds, then finally said, “As you wish.”
With a wave of his hand, he signaled that Yan Heyu could leave.
Leaving his grandfather’s place, Yan Heyu went to Jiang Chengyu’s house.
The mahjong game at Jiang Chengyu’s house was two hours later than in previous years. Jiang Chengyu had become a father this year and said he wanted to spend more time with his child.
On the way, Yan Heyu posted on his Moments, [Happy New Year.]
Soon, someone replied: [Same to you! What are you up to?]
Yan Heyu: [Nothing much, just thinking about how to pursue someone.]
[!! So I was being self-indulgent, that “Happy New Year” wasn’t meant for us.]
Yan Heyu: [Indeed not.]
Subsequently, several group chats were discussing and guessing who Yan Heyu had set his sights on recently.
Anyone he’d pursue would certainly not be an ordinary person.
He himself was in the group, and they didn’t hold back when chatting idly, even @ing him: [Who’s so important that you made a separate Moments post for them? Wen Di didn’t get that treatment back then.]
Yan Heyu replied: [Which of my previous Moments posts wasn’t specifically for her?]
A friend dug up Yan Heyu’s Moments posts from six years ago until now and counted twenty-three updates, ten of which were song shares, and twelve were book shares.
And one, from three years ago in winter, read: [My phone’s broken, can’t receive messages.]
They couldn’t connect these updates specifically to Wen Di. At that time, Yan Heyu and Wen Di were already together. If he shared songs and books with Wen Di, it should have been a private message, no need to post on Moments.
Yan Heyu: [We had a fight then, and I wasn’t talking to her.]
He didn’t want to send her a private message, so he posted on Moments instead.
He then sent another message in the group: [Let’s not talk about these things.]
Them: [Right, let’s not. It’s all in the past. So, let’s talk about the person you’re pursuing now.]
Yan Heyu didn’t respond. When he arrived at Jiang Chengyu’s house, he exited the chat.
This year, without Qin Xing, it was a little less lively than previous years.
Yan Heyu tossed the two packs of cigarettes he brought onto the mahjong table. He barely smoked now; keeping them would be a waste.
Fu Yanzhou opened a pack of cigarettes and tossed one to him. “It’s New Year’s Day; have a smoke.” He added, “I thought you’d be spending New Year’s with the crew this year.”
Yan Heyu tapped the cigarette on his lighter. “She wouldn’t be comfortable there.”
Their table was short one player, as Guan Xiangmu was still on his way. The two tables next to them were bustling. They called out to him, “Brother Yan, come play a couple of rounds first.”
“You guys play.” Yan Heyu waved the cigarette in his hand. “I’ll have a smoke.”
He held the cigarette in his mouth, picked up his lighter, and went into the courtyard.
This year, Wen Di wasn’t spending New Year’s in Jiangcheng, so she wouldn’t see the fireworks there.
The courtyard was chilly and windy. Smoking alone was boring. Yan Heyu opened his phone and dialed her number on the keypad to pass the time.
He put out the cigarette before finishing half of it.
His right thumb hovered over the green dial button. After a few seconds, he pressed it.
Over the past few years, he had called Wen Di a few times on and off. Sometimes when he missed her, even though he knew he wouldn’t get through, he would dial to try.
Because she had blacklisted him, without exception, each time he would hear the mechanical voice: “Hello, the number you have dialed is currently busy.”
And this time, he still held no hope.
“Du—du—du” came a rhythmic sound from the phone.
Yan Heyu froze for a moment. Three years after their breakup, he had finally gotten through to her.
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