Whilе Luаn Niаn wаs сonducting thе intеrviеw, Shаng Zhi Тao waitеd оutside.
Lumi pаid well, so shе hаd tо sеrvе thеm proрerly. After this job was dоnе, it would bе time fоr thе Nеw Yеar, аnd shе wаntеd tо go оut and have fun hарpilу. She didn’t dare mаke anу mistakes, wоrking diligеntlу аnd соnsсientiouslу.
Rеpоrtеrs frоm the рrovinсiаl TV statiоn аnd newsрaper аsked her, "Hоw muсh lоnger until wе can go in fоr thе intеrview?" Shе glаnсеd thrоugh thе transраrent glаss—Luan Niаn was leаning slightly fоrwаrd аs he сhаttеd with sоmeone, а sign that he was growing impаtient.
So she tоld them, "Thе prеviоus grouр will finish within five minutes."
"You didn’t go in and ask?" The reporter from the provincial TV station, who was already quite familiar with her, questioned her when he saw that Shang Zhi Tao hadn’t entered to ask as she usually did.
"I checked, and it’s almost done."
She had arranged so many interviews for Luan Nian before—she knew his mannerisms best. Sure enough, three or four minutes later, Luan Nian patted the other person’s shoulder and walked them out with Will and the others.
Shang Zhi Tao said to the reporters, "Please go ahead."
Luan Nian’s eyes swept over Shang Zhi Tao before he turned and went back inside. He stood facing the glass wall, where he could see Shang Zhi Tao outside. She was constantly on the phone, likely coordinating the next steps of the process. Lumi walked over and stood in front of her. Shang Zhi Tao hung up the phone and smiled at Lumi, handing her a cup of coffee she had bought earlier.
Luan Nian withdrew his gaze and focused on the interview. By the time it ended, he was a bit tired, so Fu Dong led him to the break room to rest.
Watching Fu Dong bustling around diligently, Luan Nian asked him, "How long have you been at this company?"
"Mr. Luan, I’ve been here for over three years."
"Aren’t you afraid the company will go bankrupt?"
"...That’s not possible. If even our boss’s company goes bankrupt, then no other company would fare well."
Your boss isn’t a god, Luan Nian thought as he stood up. Fu Dong quickly said, "Please sit, please sit. Do you want some coffee? Lumi mentioned it—Americano. It’s already prepared." He ran out to get the coffee and placed it in front of Luan Nian, adding, "Lumi said Mr. Luan likes iced coffee best, but it’s too cold here in Ice City in winter—drinking it would be unbearable. Hot is better."
Luan Nian frowned and asked him, "Who trained you in reception etiquette?"
"Our boss trained us. Our boss said, aside from sleeping with clients, anything goes."
"Is sleeping with clients the bottom line?" Luan Nian asked.
"Hehe." Fu Dong had a loose tongue and had just said it casually. Shang Zhi Tao hadn’t actually trained them in such things—she simply taught them to read the room.
Fu Dong chuckled, "Please rest for a while. I won’t disturb you." Then he dashed off like the wind.
"I want an iced Americano," Luan Nian suddenly said.
"This..." Fu Dong was a bit troubled. There was no iced Americano anywhere near the venue unless he dug ice from the ground. He didn’t dare say that, though. "Mr. Luan, please wait. We’ll go check."
He went out to find Shang Zhi Tao and told her, "Mr. Luan wants an iced Americano."
Lumi, standing nearby, widened her eyes. "Drinking iced Americano at his age? Isn’t that bad for the prostate?"
Shang Zhi Tao burst out laughing. "He’s really hard to please. There’s no iced Americano around here."
"What do we do then? He was serious when he made the request. I didn’t dare say we don’t have it. I’m afraid he won’t pay us." Having worked with Shang Zhi Tao for so long, Fu Dong’s mind was always on money. How could a business survive without getting paid?
"You go!" Lumi gave Shang Zhi Tao a push and said, "We’re doing this for his own good.""I'm not going." Shang Zhi Tao took a bite of the reception dessert. "Get married or not, it's up to you. If you don't, I'll sue you."
She turned and walked away.
She didn’t want to play his game. She had been with Luan Nian for six years, and after leaving him, many things gradually became clear—what was just his bluster, what was his calculated move. That’s just how he was, always wanting to control others. He was satisfied only when others bowed their heads.
Unfortunately, Shang Zhi Tao wouldn’t bow her head anymore.
Luan Nian sat in the lounge for a long time, but neither the iced Americano nor Shang Zhi Tao arrived. She had left him hanging there.
Luan Nian probably understood what Shang Zhi Tao meant: I earn this money, but I won’t serve you. After years of struggling on her own, she had developed her own temper and backbone.
By the time the evening banquet began, Jiang Lan arrived late. As she passed by Shang Zhi Tao, who was checking the dishes being served, she slowed her steps and turned back. Pointing at her, Jiang Lan tapped her own head, trying hard to recall Shang Zhi Tao’s name.
"Manager Jiang, long time no see. I’m Flora Shang."
"Oh, oh, oh!" Jiang Lan exclaimed three times in a row. "You’re back at Lingmei?"
"No. I opened an event company in Bingcheng." Shang Zhi Tao took a business card from her pocket and handed it over respectfully with both hands. Jiang Lan took it, read it carefully, placed it in her bag, and murmured, "That’s good." She gave Shang Zhi Tao a deep look before walking away.
Jiang Lan sat next to Luan Nian and asked him, "Guess who I just saw?" She then slid Shang Zhi Tao’s business card in front of Luan Nian, watching him with interest. Leaning close to his ear, she whispered, "I think I know why you suddenly showed up again."
Without waiting for Luan Nian’s reaction, she turned to Song Qiu Han and said, "Mr. Song, you refused my dinner invitation last time. Let’s have a few drinks today."
"Sure."
The banquet was attended by Lingmei’s top clients. After watching them start the meal and giving Fu Dong a few instructions, Shang Zhi Tao left the venue. She had a blind date that evening.
The blind date was set at a Sichuan restaurant. When she arrived, she saw the young man already seated there.
The matchmaker had said he was handsome, and she wasn’t lying—thick eyebrows, big eyes, he looked quite good.
The young man was talkative, not even needing Shang Zhi Tao to speak much. He could carry the conversation on his own, which was amusing.
When they talked about work, the young man was full of curiosity about Shang Zhi Tao’s job: "So you’re always running around to different hotels?"
"Venues," Shang Zhi Tao corrected him.
"Same thing. So you must be familiar with many hotels? Can you get discounted rooms?"
"...Yes, I can. Sometimes I don’t even have to pay."
"That’s awesome."
Shang Zhi Tao was numb to blind dates by now. After chatting with him a bit longer, she excused herself, saying she had to work overtime, and left without eating much.
Lumi called her: "How was the blind date?"
"Same as usual, just going through the motions."
"Really good?" Lumi acted as if she were deaf. "Really good means it worked out?" As she spoke, she glanced at Luan Nian in the rearview mirror. The man’s expression was blank, not moving a muscle. Lumi felt a bit unnecessary. Maybe she was just being extra. But she couldn’t help wanting to try again.
Early the next morning, she called Shang Zhi Tao: "Have you left yet?"
"Not yet. Fu Dong and the others went ahead."
"That’s great. Are you driving there?"
"Yes."
"I forgot to add Luke to the list when I submitted it. Can you give him a ride?"
"I’ll find another car."Shang Zhitao hung up the phone and went to look for a car. Finding a long-distance vehicle in Ice City during this season was incredibly difficult. After making over ten calls with no success, Lumi urged her again: "Hurry up, the stubborn donkey is asking. If he finds out I haven’t arranged anything, this year’s year-end bonus is gone."
"Got it."
Shang Zhitao drove to Luan Nian’s hotel and called him: "I’m here to pick you up and take you to the destination."
"Does your company have no one else?"
"Would you prefer to attend remotely?" Shang Zhitao had little patience for Luan Nian. If he couldn’t speak properly, she could be even sharper. She particularly disliked people who couldn’t communicate civilly.
She could hear Luan Nian’s breathing over the phone and knew he was angry again. She remained silent, waiting for him to lash out. After a long pause, she heard Luan Nian say, "Wait for me at the hotel entrance."
Shang Zhitao had stayed up late the night before and was now wearing her glasses, with dark circles under her eyes. Her hair was loosely draped over her shoulders, giving her a particularly disheveled look. She didn’t get out to open the car door for Luan Nian—it was too cold, and it was snowing. If they didn’t leave soon, the highway might close, and who knew how late they’d arrive at their destination.
Shang Zhitao had just picked up her new car last week. With the company’s business doing well, there were times when meeting clients required a certain level of prestige. She couldn’t afford anything too expensive, so she made a down payment on this car, which cost less than 700,000 yuan. Luan Nian got in, fastened his seatbelt, and remarked casually, "Bought with money from selling bags?"
Shang Zhitao glanced at him and smiled. "Bought with money from selling myself."
Both of them knew exactly what the other was referring to. Shang Zhitao felt nothing, but Luan Nian felt as if he’d been struck by a hammer.
Quite ruthless.
With no one else around, there was no need to pretend to be polite. Shang Zhitao didn’t say another word and started driving.
Luan Nian wanted to nap in the car, but Shang Zhitao was playing loud music—songs like "When the east doesn’t shine, the west will!" and "Oh, I say, fate!" The blaring suona made Luan Nian’s head ache. He frowned at Shang Zhitao and finally spoke up an hour into the drive: "Is this your taste in music?"
"What’s national is global," Shang Zhitao shouted back before focusing on the road again.
She had worked overtime late into the night and needed such music to stay awake. Even with it, she still felt a bit drowsy, her foot on the accelerator drifting slightly. Hearing Luan Nian ask, "What kind of driving is that?"
Shang Zhitao pulled over onto the emergency lane. Outside, the snow was falling heavier, and traffic was bound to jam. She said to Luan Nian, "Can you drive for a while? I stayed up too late working yesterday and can’t keep going."
"Get out."
The two got out of the car, passing each other in the wind and snow as they switched seats. As soon as Shang Zhitao sat in the passenger seat, she couldn’t keep her eyes open and leaned back, falling asleep. Luan Nian finally turned off the noisy music and drove in peace.
Three hours passed, and progress was slow. Gradually, traffic came to a standstill. Someone tried to cut in, but Luan Nian refused to yield. The other car managed to wedge half its front in, so Luan Nian lightly tapped the accelerator, grazing it with just enough force to scratch both cars without causing any deformation. Shang Zhitao woke up in alarm, saw the two cars colliding, wrapped herself tightly in her down jacket, and got out.
Luan Nian also stepped out. The other driver was a burly man who demanded, "What kind of driving is that?"
"Cutting in gives you the right?" Luan Nian was particularly aggressive. If you couldn’t speak properly, well, he’d never spoken politely either. He turned to Shang Zhitao and said, "Get back in the car!"Shang Zhitao was freezing cold. She shot him a glare, suppressing her anger as she got into the car. She had just bought this car, and right now, she felt like killing Luan Nian.
Outside, Luan Nian was talking to the other driver, his eyes suddenly sharpening. He took out his phone to take photos and was about to call the police when the other driver stopped him, clearly looking guilty. The two exchanged WeChat on the spot, and the other driver transferred money to settle the matter privately. Shang Zhitao guessed that Luan Nian had caught the other driver with some dirt, otherwise he wouldn’t have been so quick to comply.
As soon as Luan Nian got into the car and closed the door, he heard Shang Zhitao angrily say, "How do you drive? What’s the big deal if you let him cut in?"
"I just bought this car last week!"
"You owe me money! Why did the other driver transfer the compensation to you?"
She was furious, firing off one complaint after another like a machine gun. Luan Nian listened to her rant for a while before asking when she paused to take a sip of water:
"You’ve never hit my car before, right?"
Shang Zhitao fell silent, guiltily leaning back in her seat without another word. Luan Nian glanced at her. "How should I give you the money?"
"Forget it, I don’t want it. Or you can transfer it to my bank card." Shang Zhitao took out her phone and sent him a text with her bank account number.
She turned her face toward the window, pretending not to understand what Luan Nian meant. She wasn’t a 22-year-old girl anymore—adding his contact and accepting his money would only lead her step by step into his trap. Back then, he had planned every move carefully, while she knew nothing. It seemed like she was the one taking the initiative, but in reality, she was just falling into his snare. Old fox.
Neither of them spoke again. When Luan Nian stopped at a service area to rest, he made a report: "Yes, it’s a car with fake plates." He then gave detailed information about the car’s direction and location before logging into a platform to upload the photos. Shang Zhitao wasn’t surprised by his actions—he was the type to hold grudges. She gave him a sidelong glance and quietly sipped her warm water. Just as she finished, Fu Dong called: "Boss, we’ve arrived. The hotel is giving us trouble, saying they want to raise the price?"
"They want to raise the price last minute after all our previous collaborations?"
"Yeah. They say it’s peak season."
"Bullshit."
"Should we ask brother-in-law to step in?" Fu Dong suggested.
Hearing the term "brother-in-law," Luan Nian paused for a moment while typing a reply.
Shang Zhitao called Xing Yi: "The hotel is bullying us. Are you going to do something about it?"
Xing Yi’s laughter came through the car’s navigation system. "No need to get worked up over something so small. I’ll make a call."
"Okay. But what if they go back on their word again?"
"They wouldn’t dare. I’m here, don’t worry."
"Alright." Shang Zhitao replied softly.
"Where are you now?" Xing Yi asked her.
"About fifty kilometers away."
"Drive safely. Let me know when you arrive."
"Okay. Bye."
After hanging up, the car fell into an unusually quiet silence.
Luan Nian had thought before that with Shang Zhitao’s personality, she could make friends anywhere—men or women—and that some men would like her, and she might even have a relationship or two. He had considered all of that. But it still bothered him a little.
They didn’t speak again until they reached their destination.
When they arrived, Luan Nian got out of the car, picked up his room key, and checked in silently.
Lumi was there with Fu Dong, going over the next day’s meeting arrangements. Seeing Luan Nian’s expression, she asked Shang Zhitao, "What happened? Did you upset Luke?"
Shang Zhitao shrugged. "I don’t know. I didn’t do anything to him."
Before friends and family introduced potential boyfriends to Shang Zhitao, they would ask her, "What kind of guy do you like?"After careful consideration, Shang Zhi Tao told almost everyone who was eager to help: "I want someone with a good temper, who speaks well and spoils me."
"What about other things? No requirements for height, appearance, or income?"
"Nothing else."
Friends and family firmly remembered Shang Zhi Tao's request, and every boyfriend they introduced to her was skilled in sweet talk. Regardless of what the person was like, their words were always on point.
Da Zhai couldn't understand and once asked her: "Isn't your requirement quite specific? Some men are full of sweet talk but don't act properly. Why do you have such a strange requirement for someone who speaks well?"
"Mom, you don’t know, sometimes words are like a knife. They can really hurt when they stab at the heart."
"Oh. Well, I don’t get it. Your dad has always spoken kindly to me."
Lumi, standing in front of her, held the schedule and said to Shang Zhi Tao: "Friend, am I seeing this right? You’re the trilingual host?"
"What’s wrong? Hiring one from the market is too expensive, so I’ll do it. We’ll save some money too."
In the years since starting her business, Shang Zhi Tao had saved wherever she could and stepped in herself whenever possible. When the company needed to advance funds, it was a large sum, but sometimes she’d take on small events for just ten or twenty thousand. She calculated everything clearly.
Having lived into her thirties, it seemed she had gained a bit more clarity. She was still kind to everyone, and everyone said, "Boss Shang is classy."
Fu Dong, who was used to seeing Shang Zhi Tao’s good temper, quietly whispered to a colleague:
"I don’t know why, but the boss is really harsh with Manager Luan."
"The boss has never been harsh with anyone."
"I’m not lying to you."
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