Не wеnt strаight to Huang Yingshi аnd аsked bluntly, "Мay I аsk if уоu hаvе аn emplоyee named Jiang Du?"
Sinсе he mеntionеd hеr bу nаme, Нuаng Yingshi rеsроnded with sоcial cоurtеsy, smiling аs she asked, "Мr. Wei, do уou know Хiао Jiаng?"
Хiао Jiang, Xiао Jiang—suсh а сommоn form оf аddress. In a соmpаny, there сould be Xiао Zhаng, Xiаo Wang, Xiао Li, аnd of соursе, Хiао Jiang. Yеt hоw magiсal this аddress was—Jiаng Du was nо lоngеr a tееnаgе girl. Like him, she had grоwn up many yeаrs ago.
Wei Qingуue said, "I knоw her. Wе wеre high sсhool classmates. I just saw someone who looked like her, but I wasn’t sure."
High school classmates? Huang Yingshi was surprised. Jiang Du had never mentioned it. Naturally, she shared a few details about Jiang Du with Wei Qingyue.
Besides interview programs, the company also managed new media accounts, closely following trending topics. One team was dedicated to writing articles for the public account, with Jiang Du responsible for reviewing the drafts. They published three to four articles per week, with a high average weekly readership. In the eyes of Huang Yingshi and her colleagues, Jiang Du was shy and reserved. She avoided speaking unless necessary for work, displaying typical social anxiety.
In the hotel parking lot, his driver, Old Luo, was still waiting for him. Wei Qingyue raised his wrist to check his watch and frowned. Had his watch stopped? The time remained frozen. He wondered if today was cursed or if the hotel’s feng shui was off, rendering all timekeeping tools useless.
He called Old Luo and asked him to come up, instructing him to take the watch to the shop for repair. Wei Qingyue had an obsession with time. His watch was essential—without it, he felt lost in the city. The time on his watch had to be constantly present.
The haze showed no signs of dissipating.
Wei Qingyue went to find Jiang Du. In another room, several interns were discussing the cover image for the current issue and speculating about how the footage would be edited. He spotted a girl with curly, wool-like hair, slender in figure, wearing a black dress. Her thin, pale arms were just as he remembered. She was explaining to the newest intern how to use the artificial intelligence system for image selection—a product developed by Wei Qingyue’s company, Lingdong Technology.
Just from her back and her arms, he knew it was Jiang Du.
Wei Qingyue tapped his fingers, making a sound. One by one, people looked up in his direction, and someone whispered something to Jiang Du.
Turn around and look at me, turn around and look at me, see me. Wei Qingyue repeated the words silently in his mind, over and over.
Finally, Jiang Du turned around, and a smile appeared on his handsome, now mature face.
He noticed a flicker of panic in Jiang Du’s eyes. Clearly, she recognized him—it wasn’t difficult at all. Though time had passed and things had changed, Wei Qingyue was still Wei Qingyue. Over the years, he had kept the same hairstyle from his high school days. His height remained almost unchanged, and his figure hadn’t altered in the slightest. He had made every effort to maintain his original appearance, hoping Jiang Du would recognize him at first glance.
Even if it only increased the chance of her catching a glimpse of a familiar figure in a crowded street and following it.
But there were still some changes—he was a man now, no longer a youth.
"I’m looking for Miss Jiang. Would it be convenient for you to step out for a moment?" Wei Qingyue paid no attention to the curious glances from others. When he said "Miss Jiang," he emphasized the words slightly.Jiang Du's face had become very small, almost smaller than in her girlhood, perhaps due to her hair—fluffy, dense, framing a face that was both delicate and pale, touched with a faint lipstick.
She looked up at him, and for a moment, time seemed to vanish. When she saw Wei Qingyue approaching with his unchanged, slightly long hair, all the dreams of her girlhood resurfaced, achingly and vividly. She felt as if she had bumped into the overhead light—the kind from her childhood home, a dim, old-fashioned bulb that, when touched, made the shadows of everyone in the room sway as if lifted by the wind.
Jiang Du tried to make her expression appear composed, with the effortless grace of adults meeting again with a smile. She told the intern she was stepping out for a moment, then followed Wei Qingyue toward the emergency exit.
"Long time no see, Miss Jiang." Wei Qingyue still emphasized the address, extending his hand. Jiang Du seemed unaccustomed to their sudden reunion; her expression was more one of bewilderment, and she blushed, her eyes misting over.
"After all these years, still pretending not to know me?" Wei Qingyue looked at her with a smile, his hand still suspended in the air. Instead of withdrawing it regretfully, he directly grasped her hanging hand, applying a slight pressure. "I'm Wei Qingyue. Don't you recognize me anymore?"
In an instant, Jiang Du felt as if her entire soul had been seized.
The two maintained the awkward posture of a handshake. Jiang Du pursed her lips, the mist in her eyes growing heavier. She stared unblinkingly at his face. Wei Qingyue remained silent, not avoiding her gaze, patiently waiting for her to recognize him. His eyebrows were still that dark, his nose still that straight, his features slightly altered—sharper now, sculpted by time.
The world grew very quiet.
Finally, Jiang Du slowly revealed a faint trace of a smile, like a thin strand of hope blooming at the corner of her mouth. She nodded gently. "I recognize you." As she spoke, she withdrew her hand, unable to suppress a slight tremble.
"Good that you recognize me. Do you have time tonight? Let's have dinner together?" Wei Qingyue's tone was inquiring, but his attitude carried an unyielding assertiveness.
Jiang Du's heart ached at an incredible speed. She gazed at him wordlessly, as if trying to discern whether this was a dream lingering beside her or the reality of the world.
If it was a dream, she wished to wake up quickly. She couldn't help but glance outside, wondering if the skyscrapers were still there, if the sky remained, if she could see the bustling traffic and the glowing traffic lights.
"I have time." Jiang Du's chest rose and fell slightly. Whether it was a dream or not, she would agree to him first.
"Good, what time do you finish work? I'll pick you up," Wei Qingyue made the decision unilaterally, pulling out his phone. "Let's exchange contact information."
He didn't care whether this approach was too abrupt—a relationship severed for twelve years, to be picked up again within a minute.
As he entered the number, his fingers trembled imperceptibly. Lifting his eyes, he met Jiang Du's dark, profound pupils.
She truly seemed at a loss for words, even more silent than before. Wei Qingyue felt a strong urge to be angry with her, to ask, "What happened to you? Why have you been impossible to find all these years, never once willing to reach out to me?"
But upon seeing Jiang Du, all the pent-up frustration of so many years miraculously dissipated—in just a second.He had an inauguration ceremony to attend that afternoon, initiated by T University's Intelligent Industry Research Institute, jointly hosted by several tech giants and renowned automotive companies for an artificial intelligence training camp.
"Let's keep in touch," Wei Qingyue said as his phone rang. He apologized and answered the call in front of her. Jiang Du, wanting to give him privacy, gestured lightly to indicate she would leave first.
Wei Qingyue, holding the phone with one hand, grabbed her with the other, his eyes clearly telling her not to go.
This behavior crossed boundaries, yet he didn’t seem to care whether the girl he hadn’t seen in over a decade would be annoyed.
Jiang Du had no choice but to stay where she was. She remained silent, as if standing in the depths of the ocean. She didn’t catch a single word of what he was saying—only the sound of his voice. She was merely listening to that voice.
Wei Qingyue kept his eyes fixed on her as he spoke on the phone, not shifting his gaze even slightly.
This was completely different from what he had originally planned. All that nonsense about taking things step by step or playing hard to get—he now felt every scenario he had imagined for their reunion was foolish. He was twenty-eight, nearly a third of his life already gone. What more was there to waste? Life was short. Both he and she were approaching thirty, standing on the remnants of their youth. If they wanted something, they should speak up; if they wanted to do something, they should do it immediately. Not a single second more should be wasted.
Finally moving the phone away from his ear, Wei Qingyue said, "I have to go now, but I’ll be back to pick you up on time."
Jiang Du’s heart pounded as she tried to keep up with his pace. "Do you know where my company is?"
"Yes," Wei Qingyue replied with a smile. "Wait for me. I’ll definitely come."
Jiang Du nodded lightly again, her words sparse. "Then I’ll wait for you."
Their reunion felt abrupt, yet so natural.
At the afternoon inauguration ceremony, members of the Economic and Technological Development Zone Committee, professors from the research institute, and chief researchers were all present. Wei Qingyue brought along their company’s head of research and development. Centered around the selected topics, he shared the company’s technical approach and showcased a detailed 3D model.
The three automotive companies in attendance were all partners of Wei Qingyue’s company, Leading Technology. It had already been confirmed that Level 4 autonomous vehicles would be launched in 2025.
He condensed the entire process into a ten-minute, more accessible science presentation and posted it online.
By the time Wei Qingyue came to pick up Jiang Du, it was already past her usual off-work hours. Driving his modified Mustang, he called her from the underground parking lot.
Soon, a figure emerged from the elevator. Jiang Du walked out, looking around. Wei Qingyue got out of the car and snapped his fingers.
The way she walked was quiet and calm, and Wei Qingyue found everything about her familiar—a familiarity tinged with a bittersweet warmth.
What remained unchanged about him was his innate ease and casual demeanor. He had worn sneakers for the interview earlier, but for the inauguration ceremony, he changed into a white shirt and long trousers, standing tall and straight as he greeted Jiang Du:
"Sorry, I’m a little late."
Jiang Du tucked her hair behind her ear, her fair earlobe catching the light. She offered him the shy smile he remembered. "It’s fine. I stayed a bit late to finish some work."
He gallantly jogged over to open the car door for her. With his long limbs, the muscles in his arm flexed with a distinctly masculine strength as he pulled the door open."What would you like to eat?" Wei Qingyue naturally steered the conversation toward food. Hearing Jiang Du say, "Anything is fine," he replied, "Then I'll decide."
"Okay." Jiang Du quietly fastened her seatbelt, sitting upright with a tense posture.
"After all these years apart, you're still this nervous around me?" Wei Qingyue teased her, glancing over. Her hands rested properly on her lap, and he felt a strong urge to reach out and hold one in his palm.
Jiang Du offered a reserved smile, nodding and then shaking her head, confused by her own jumbled response.
"I'm really happy to see you today. How about you?" He cleared his throat softly as the car slowly pulled out of the parking lot, immediately merging into the city's turbulent sea of neon lights.
So direct—it completely defied the usual steps in the development of feelings between a man and a woman.
As he expected, Jiang Du felt embarrassed. What kind of situation was this? Wei Qingyue deliberately ignored the gap of over a decade, as if he and she could speak this way from the very start.
"Happy," she said softly, all her emotions suppressed behind her heart. Her gaze began to wander, seemingly curious about his car, as she subtly glanced at the interior.
Wei Qingyue caught the movement of her eyes, his voice tinged with amusement:
"I modified this car myself. Originally, it was a secondhand old car."
Jiang Du looked at him in surprise. Wei Qingyue actually drove a secondhand car? The price didn’t quite match his status as a tech elite. Not only did he buy a beat-up car, but he also modified it himself?
Yet this wasn’t hard to understand—he had always been this unconventional.
Without her needing to ask, Wei Qingyue continued explaining, "Actually, it’s nothing. It’s not like abroad; regulations here are stricter. This time, I just added some comfort features. Unlike abroad, where I could reprogram every system."
"You did it yourself?" Hearing about the novel technology, Jiang Du didn’t show surprise. She was more concerned that it was Wei Qingyue who had done it.
"Yes," Wei Qingyue told her. "I like tinkering around."
The soft interior light fell on his handsome profile, like a dream.
The intense sense of dreaming made Jiang Du suddenly feel breathless. She wanted to grab his arm but knew it would be too abrupt. Instead, she let out a soft sigh: "You’re still so clever."
"When you praise me, it makes me happy," Wei Qingyue said, becoming unusually expressive about his feelings. Something about him had clearly changed. "Should I return the compliment and say you’ve become even more beautiful?"
Jiang Du finally smiled, turning her head shyly to look out the window.
Outside, tall buildings and beautiful lights rushed past. The city resembled a colorful, vibrant planet.
She nearly shed tears: You came to find me, Wei Qingyue. So, what happens next?
"Let’s go to Longfeng Pavilion for lobster soup with rice. By the way, you’re not allergic to seafood, are you?" Wei Qingyue’s voice floated beside her ear once more. Turning, she saw his utterly earnest face.
Jiang Du shook her head, sitting upright again and looking straight ahead.
"Want to listen to some music?" Wei Qingyue asked. "Though there are only two songs."
Jiang Du immediately turned to look at him.
Soon, the familiar, lingering prelude of "Half a Heart" filled the car. Jiang Du’s vision quickly blurred. The melody from years past wrapped around them like a lake of gentle, drowning water, enveloping them in the present moment.They didn't speak again after that. After listening to "Half a Heart," they played "Cold Rainy Night" on repeat, the songs weaving together like an endless circle they couldn't escape. The cycle continued until the car stopped near the restaurant. Wei Qingyue retrieved a jacket from the back seat, draped it over his arm, and entered with Jiang Du to order.
Jiang Du remained as easygoing as ever, saying, "You order." Wei Qingyue didn't argue with her about it and straightforwardly requested a variety of dishes.
"There are so many things I want to ask you," Wei Qingyue said with a smile. "I don't know where to start. How have you been all these years?"
To him, Jiang Du's face always seemed somewhat unreal. Perhaps it was because a long-held hope had finally come true, creating this strange feeling.
As he spoke, his gaze slowly swept over every inch of her face—her messy bangs, eyebrows, eyes, nose, and lips like roses.
"I've been fine," Jiang Du replied, unwilling to dwell on hardships. She asked in return, "And you?"
"Just muddling through," he said with a sly smile. "The show invited me, so you probably already know my career history over the years, right? It's all public information. I hope it doesn't make me seem pretentious. Let's talk about something more personal, okay?"
His tone suddenly became more intimate. Jiang Du, ever poised, lowered her head to eat a shrimp ball and softly replied, "Mm," her mind filled with thoughts of "personal."
"I don't know if you'll want to hear it," Wei Qingyue said, his gaze deepening as he looked at her. He could sense that Jiang Du was deliberately or unconsciously avoiding him. Was it because they had been apart for too long? Or was it just like before?
He felt a tinge of disappointment. Or perhaps his overly direct attitude had crossed the boundaries of their social distance. How could he be so sure that Jiang Du felt something for him?
A silence fell between them.
Jiang Du slowly looked up and asked cautiously, "Do you... still want to talk?"
"I don't know what to say for now," Wei Qingyue admitted with a light laugh.
"I'd love to hear whatever you have to say. It's just... if you start talking about Lingdong Tech's business, I might not understand much. I'm quite old-fashioned—I've only heard of these cutting-edge tech terms but don't really know much about them." After speaking, a faint blush spread across Jiang Du's face, hidden by the lighting.
Wei Qingyue seemed to catch something in her words and asked with interest, "Old-fashioned? How are you old-fashioned?"
Jiang Du spoke slowly and gently, "I rarely order takeout or shop online. I don't like chatting with people on the internet. Aside from work, my WeChat history is practically empty. If something comes up, I prefer calling Grandpa and Grandma to let them know instead of sending a message. I don't even like using my phone much. I feel like I'm out of touch with the times, full of old-fashioned habits. I'm not sure if that's the right word to describe it."
"Not at all," Wei Qingyue said, giving her a gentle smile. "What does 'out of touch with the times' even mean? No one says you have to like what everyone else likes."
"Thank you for understanding," Jiang Du replied, her demeanor carrying a polite distance, as if she were observing from afar.
Wei Qingyue watched her intently, his gaze always probing. Jiang Du grew increasingly uncomfortable under his scrutiny until he chuckled and asked, "How are your grandparents? Are they here or...?"
"They're both in good health. They're here with me, but we can't afford to buy a house. We rent a place closer to my company, though it's smaller than our old home." When Jiang Du mentioned not being able to afford a house, she spoke with remarkable openness, as if it weren't a big deal at all.Wei Qingyue nodded and said, "I remember your grandpa's cooking was delicious." His fingers unconsciously tapped the table. "Someday, may I pay a visit? To see your grandpa and grandma."
Jiang Du was taken aback, her expression one of uncertainty about what Wei Qingyue was thinking. Her beautiful eyes always seemed to carry a hint of wariness when looking at others, along with a mist-like sorrow.
"Was that too abrupt?" Wei Qingyue asked. "If you think it's inappropriate, pretend I never brought up such an impolite topic."
"Do you really want to go?" Jiang Du's gaze at him held a trace of timidity. "I don't know if you're just being polite or what. I'm afraid I might misunderstand."
"I don't speak politely with you. What I say is exactly what I think," Wei Qingyue corrected her. "Eat up, try this shredded chicken with fish maw soup. It tastes good."
"Wei Qingyue," Jiang Du suddenly called his name. When he actually looked at her, her eyes instead dodged away. She seemed to focus intently on fiddling with the food in front of her. "Did you come to see me today still thinking of me as a good friend? Like when we were in high school?"
Wei Qingyue slowed his chewing, took a sip of light tea, and said, "No, I don't think of you as a good friend, nor do I plan to."
Jiang Du immediately stopped her movements, her brows slightly furrowed, lips pressed tightly together. She thought, then why did you come to see me?
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Wei Qingyue asked her in a low voice.
The question was too sudden, making Jiang Du abruptly flustered. She shook her head.
"What a coincidence, I don't have a girlfriend either. So, what do you think of me? Would I make a suitable boyfriend for you?" Wei Qingyue said straightforwardly, both reserved and bold, his gaze burning like a dense net, enveloping Jiang Du.
OpenNovel