Chapter Three
Unlike Shen Qianzhan, who looked as if she had been struck by lightning, Jiang Yecheng and Ai Yi almost simultaneously stopped their conversation and turned to look at the doorway.
Beneath the enormous hanging crystal chandelier stood a young man in a sharply tailored suit, tall and upright.
He wore narrow-rimmed gold-framed glasses, the edges casting faint shadows on either side of his nose. His eyebrows were sharp and imposing, yet the lines of his brow bone were unexpectedly soft.
Beneath the frames, his eyes were deep-set and profound. When the corners of his eyes drooped slightly, their sharpness was entirely concealed.
Despite possessing a strikingly handsome and aggressive appearance, he seemed to have shed three parts of his sharpness and aloofness upon arrival. The remaining traces of detachment and indifference softened his overly refined and handsome features, lending him an air of sophisticated, restrained allure.
Ai Yi was somewhat surprised.
In her mind, the investor representative whom Jiang Yecheng held in such high regard might not necessarily be an old fox who had navigated the treacherous waters of fame and fortune for decades, but he certainly wouldn’t be this young man who looked like he could be a friend from a different generation.
But thoughts were one thing; speaking them aloud was entirely out of the question.
She set down her wine glass and, with a radiant smile, was the first to break the almost eerie silence in the private room: “I notice our distinguished guest looks unfamiliar—this must be our first meeting. Mr. Jiang, you’ll have to take charge tonight and introduce him to Qianzhan and me.”
As she finished speaking, her gaze lingered on Shen Qianzhan’s face for a few seconds, as if unintentionally. Then, she curled her lips into a subtle, knowing smile. Look at Shen Qianzhan’s hopeless reaction upon seeing a handsome man—it was as if her soul had been completely stolen.
If she remembered correctly, this was exactly the type of man Shen Qianzhan liked.
However, at that moment, Shen Qianzhan had no time to pay attention to Ai Yi’s meaningful, amused gaze or Su Zan’s frantic, exaggerated hints.
Her eyes were fixed, scanning the man with an almost critical intensity, starting from the faint mole at the corner of his eye, comparing him to the man she had met in Xi’an months earlier.
Unfortunately, when karma arrived, it struck with precision.
Shen Qianzhan was utterly devastated to confirm that the man before her, whether in facial features or physique, perfectly matched the one-night stand from her memory.
The man she had slept with and the unattainable investor identity overlapped—the blow was too great for Shen Qianzhan to process immediately.
By the time Jiang Yecheng stood up to make introductions, her mind was still in a daze. It felt as if all the sounds around her had faded away, replaced by a fisheye-lens view playing in slow motion, ten times slower than reality. Scenes flickered disjointedly, layers of light and shadow overlapping.
One moment, she saw the man in his pristine, dignified, and aloof appearance; the next, she recalled the man with his Adam’s apple bobbing, lost in passion.
As the two images alternated, Shen Qianzhan felt a shameful… stirring of desire.
But in such an ambiguous and uncertain situation, Shen Qianzhan despised herself for being able to fill her mind with indecent thoughts at a time like this.
She gritted her teeth, silently cursing herself for letting lust cloud her judgment. Yet, more than that, she felt a deep sense of injustice, convinced that her luck had run out. Who could have imagined that a man she slept with thousands of miles away would turn out to be an investor she couldn’t afford to offend?
But then again, they were both adults. What happened between them had been genuine in the moment, and walking away afterward was simply the reality of life.
Both were people of status and reputation. Now, unexpectedly reunited, she feared that her carefully cultivated image might crumble, while he probably feared even more that she would cling to him and stir up trouble.Thanks to her past experience handling the public relations fallout from Xiang Qianqian's relationship scandal, Shen Qianzhan almost instantly analyzed the pros and cons and devised the best course of action.
If time had allowed, she could have even written a lengthy piece to clear her name, passionately and eloquently justifying her one-night stand.
Taking a deep breath, she forcibly suppressed the still-churning storm inside her, stood up as if nothing had happened, and lined up behind Ai Yi, waiting to shake hands with the big boss.
Jiang Yecheng's introductory speech was finally nearing its end. Shen Qianzhan barely caught the phrase "Executive Director of Endless Year China." She raised an eyebrow, recalling how this scoundrel had once claimed he was a professional freeloader and that his family owned a general store that sold everything. She couldn't help but sneer inwardly: his family's "general store" ranged from high-end luxury goods to jewelry and watches—truly a hodgepodge.
Ai Yi was the first to chime in. Covering her lips with a light laugh, her eyes filled with admiration, even her usually sharp and stern voice softened like a gentle breeze and drizzle: "Mr. Ji is truly young and accomplished."
Su Zan followed closely, his flattery unstoppable: "Mr. Ji is truly an outstanding role model for our generation. I always thought I worked hard enough, but now I see my perspective was too narrow." After speaking, fearing Shen Qianzhan's flattery would fall behind, he eagerly and silently passed the baton to her for the next round of praise.
Shen Qianzhan: "..."
Why did it feel like a game of invisible microphone relay?
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she glanced up slightly, looking at Ji Qinghe, who hadn't uttered a word since entering the private room.
He was loosening the buttons of his suit jacket. The fabric at his elbow stretched and folded, revealing a small section of his white shirt cuff embroidered with a subtle pattern.
His slender, well-defined hand, set against the cool tones of gray and white, looked as smooth as jade. From the line of his wrist to the joints of his fingers, every detail exuded the artistic refinement of a privileged upbringing.
Shen Qianzhan clicked her tongue.
In such welcoming and ice-breaking situations, she usually stood out effortlessly, leaving others in the dust.
But today, the guest of honor was special. She didn’t want to appear overly enthusiastic, lest she be mistaken for an emotionless sycophant in real life, nor did she want her personal discomfort to reflect poorly on her professional competence.
After much thought, the most appropriate approach seemed to be complimenting his hairline: "Mr. Ji is exceptionally gifted—both intelligent and not bald."
Silence fell over the room.
Only Ji Qinghe finally gave her a cold yet polite glance.
Just as the atmosphere was about to turn awkward, Su Zan, out of loyalty to his own people, stepped in to save the situation: "Mr. Ji must be tired from the journey. Why don’t we all sit down and talk?"
Standing around felt like gathering to listen to a leader’s lecture—exhausting even if the leader wasn’t tired.
—
Work matters always lost some of their intensity once removed from the office environment. And even more so when, alongside the change of setting, a table was laden with rare delicacies and exquisite dishes.
Shen Qianzhan admitted to herself that she couldn’t muster any work enthusiasm tonight, nor could she let down the feast before her, so she simply stepped back from the spotlight.
Without her involvement, the conversation quickly progressed smoothly, and the dining atmosphere gradually warmed up.
But Shen Qianzhan wasn’t idle either. Out of professional habit, even while elegantly devouring the delicious dishes, she could still lend an ear to analyze the ongoing conversation.This habit initially developed because industry bigwigs enjoyed chatting and laughing over drinks and meals, exchanging harmless little gossip while clinking glasses. Just as young people outside the industry liked to scroll through Weibo anecdotes and gossip while eating, usually by the time Shen Qianzhan had finished serving herself a round of dishes, the bigwigs had already moved from discussing the side effects of a certain celebrity’s recent thread lift to the romance between a rising starlet and a young heartthrob.
Later, as Shen Qianzhan climbed the ranks and secured her place, she gradually became a key player in the gossip-generating camp. Not only did she have to promptly clear her own artists’ names, but she also had to toss out high-quality bait to gather firsthand information.
Being a real producer was no easy task—it felt like she had offended the entire galaxy in a past life.
After discussing this year’s regulatory standards with the authorities for half an hour, Ai Yi and Jiang Yecheng suddenly felt tonight’s dinner had become rather dull. Upon reflection, Shen Qianzhan had been as quiet as a mouse since sitting down, aside from raising her glass for toasts, completely devoid of presence.
She was neither as socially adept and lively as usual, nor as relaxed and easygoing as she was in private gatherings.
Even Ai Yi could tell that Jiang Yecheng was trying hard to curry favor with Ji Qinghe. If not for his status as an elder, he might have acted just like Su Zan, completely dropping all pretense and showering him with flattery.
Yet here was Shen Qianzhan, a producer in desperate need of winning over investors, calmly and steadily eating for half an hour?
If a meal was too smooth, it lost its flavor.
Ai Yi withdrew her gaze and, while pouring wine for Jiang Yecheng, casually brought up Shen Qianzhan: “It suddenly occurred to me—didn’t you go to Xi’an several times before going abroad?”
Shen Qianzhan glanced at her but didn’t deny it: “Yes, I went a few times.”
“The Shaanxi Museum’s clock exhibition is a rare opportunity. Since we’re working on a theme about clock restoration, it’s essential to understand both ancient and modern aspects.” She sidestepped the main issue and even took the chance to flaunt her professionalism.
Ai Yi rested her chin on one hand, glancing sideways at Ji Qinghe, who seemed indifferent as he idly spun his glass, and continued: “I heard from Su Zan that you intend to invite Old Mr. Ji as a special consultant. How’s that going?”
Damn, what a profit-driven, fake sisterhood—breaking up a golden partnership so swiftly and ruthlessly.
Shen Qianzhan inwardly regretted having carelessly leaked the school district housing resources to her earlier. Shooting a fierce glare at the loose-lipped Su Zan, she quickly put on a professional smile and responded cheerfully: “Old Mr. Ji is a master among clock restoration experts. Although I’d like to invite him to serve as a special consultant, it ultimately depends on his own wishes.”
Ai Yi nodded knowingly and turned the topic toward Ji Qinghe, who seemed perpetually detached: “Mr. Ji, are you from Xi’an?”
Ji Qinghe paused his glass-twirling and nodded slightly: “My ancestral home is Xi’an.”
Dining table culture is actually full of artistry, behavioral nuance, and ritual. Smart people know how and when to seize the moment to facilitate cooperation and achieve their goals.
So first, one must be good at observation.
For example: If she needed to cooperate with Shen Qianzhan, she’d have to figure out what Shen wanted—whether it was youthful flesh, supreme dignity and power, or money sufficient to satisfy vanity.
The prerequisite for learning what the other party needs is to pick topics that interest her. At the very least, one shouldn’t discuss parenting, marriage views, or mother-in-law relationships with a woman exuding feminine charm and a flirtatious aura.
Moreover, this process isn’t achieved overnight—it requires continuous exploration.From the moment Ji Qinghe appeared, Ai Yi had been observing him. In her eyes, the title of Executive Director of Endless Year's China region was practically synonymous with top-tier business resources and money.
Not only did Jiang Yecheng want to get closer to him, but she was even more eager to latch onto this powerful connection.
However, just moments ago, when she and Jiang Yecheng had discussed investment trends in the industry, censorship standards for film and television, and even entertainment gossip, Ji Qinghe had remained completely indifferent. It was only when Shen Qianzhan was mentioned that he showed a flicker of attention, breaking away from his detached state.
Guided by the principle of seizing every profitable opportunity, Ai Yi had no qualms about handing Shen Qianzhan over to Ji Qinghe: "Qianzhan takes this meeting very seriously. Earlier, when discussing project preparations with me, she also expressed interest in setting the filming location in Xi'an. Why don't you share your thoughts with Mr. Ji, Qianzhan?"
Shen Qianzhan had been on guard the moment Ai Yi unexpectedly brought her up. After patiently listening to her roundabout intentions, she nearly pinched Su Zan under the table hard enough to induce a heart attack or muscle necrosis.
She smiled, picked up a warm towel, and dabbed the corner of her mouth. "I know very little about Xi'an. Mr. Ji grew up there, so the gap between us is like comparing a fleeting romance to a deep-rooted nostalgia—they can hardly be mentioned in the same breath." Then, feigning annoyance, she added, "I only asked Ai Yi to suggest between Xi'an and Beijing, but you went ahead and decided on Xi'an for me."
Ji Qinghe had originally been watching Su Zan.
The private room had a climate control system, maintaining a comfortable temperature. The air purifier and humidifier worked efficiently, ensuring the air was moist and well-circulated.
Yet, only Su Zan was sweating profusely, his face flushed red.
It was truly too conspicuous.
It wasn’t until Ji Qinghe heard Shen Qianzhan mention "fleeting romance" that his gaze finally shifted from her hand under the table. With a faint, ambiguous smile, he repeated, "Fleeting romance?"
His eyes were deep, his gaze gradually darkening. Looking at his expressionless face, it was impossible to discern whether he was pleased or displeased.
Only Shen Qianzhan seemed to sense some kind of danger signal. Her eyes fell on the hint of a mocking smile at the corner of his lips, and the back of her neck went completely numb.
Oh no.
This is going to crash and burn.
OpenNovel