Lingmеi's соnferenсе stаndаrds hаve alwaуs bеen toр-tier.
Thе rеquirеmеnt fоr trilinguаl hosting stems frоm their global clientelе, mаny оf whom аrе industrу lеadеrs. Аdditiоnаllу, this cоnferencе dеmandеd live streaming аcross аll global brаnсhеs, роsing а signifiсant chаllеnge.
Shаng Zhi Таo hаd scоurеd the markеt fоr cаndidates. Bilinguаl hosts fluent in Chinеsе аnd English wеre relativеlу еasу tо find, but аdding Frеnсh tо the miх mаde thе seаrch difficult. Shе finallу fоund а toр grаduаtе from a forеign languages institute—eхceptiоnally bеautiful, but сhаrging twentу thousand yuan, excluding travel expenses and taxes.
With her modest means, Shang Zhi Tao bowed to the twenty-thousand-yuan price tag.
She brought her own black formal dress, had the stylist tie her hair up neatly, wore rented diamond earrings, and stepped onto the stage in high heels. The poise cultivated since childhood served her well today—her entrance carried a thunderous presence tempered with intellectual elegance.
Positioning, grounding, smiling—she had practiced countless times to make clients feel their money was well spent. With enough practice, she even began to believe she possessed a natural talent for it.
Song Qiu Han, seated beside Luan Nian, tapped the armrest of his chair, signaling him to look up and stop replying to messages. Luan Nian grunted in acknowledgment, lifted his head, and saw the radiant Shang Zhi Tao. She was just beginning her opening line: "Good afternoon, friends."
The script was well-written, refreshingly free of clichés.
She said, "The north may be covered in snow, but our hearts burn with warmth. Lingmei thanks you all for joining us in this wintry rendezvous."
This was followed by translations in English and French.
Luan Nian had never known Shang Zhi Tao could speak English and French. He was unaware that during those weekends she vanished from his home, she returned to her own place, buried herself in books, and traversed Beijing to study languages and knowledge.
Growth often happens silently. It requires enduring patience and restraint—times that are lonely and painful, yet also carry a certain warmth. Shang Zhi Tao remembered the gentle night breezes at Houhai, the golden autumn leaves of Beijing, and the hurried footsteps in the subway. Time was sliced into small segments, condensed into fleeting moments, scattered within her body, fused into her bones and blood, ultimately reshaping her.
When Luan Nian took the stage to speak, he passed by Shang Zhi Tao. The confident smile in her eyes belonged to a woman of thirty.
Gone was the trepidation of the past.
He spoke on stage while she watched from below, then they swapped positions—yet it felt as if they hadn’t swapped at all. Luan Nian had always cherished her gaze, ever since their first shared event.
During the forum, Shang Zhi Tao sat beside Luan Nian.
Several guests took their seats in turn, discussing the future of digital advertising. When it was Jiang Lan’s turn, she spoke about the influence of associations and alliances on companies and practitioners in the industry, stirring something in Shang Zhi Tao’s heart.
If she wanted to work in advertising representation, she needed to step into the circle and become an insider. After the summit, Jiang Lan was chatting with Luan Nian. Spotting Shang Zhi Tao, she called out, "Flora, come chat for a bit."
Shang Zhi Tao walked over to her.
"I had no idea you spoke French," Jiang Lan praised her. "Your accent is pure—clearly the result of dedicated training."
"I studied it in my spare time a few years ago."
"With Lingmei being so busy, you still found time for extracurricular learning?"
"Yes. Weekends weren’t too hectic, so I hired a tutor to study."
Suddenly, Luan Nian understood. Those early weekends she had disappeared weren’t entirely spent as a fake bride for hire—she had been studying, quietly and without fanfare, never mentioning it once in six years."Manager Jiang." Shang Zhi Tao smiled at Jiang Lan. "I'd like to ask you a question: I just heard you mention industry alliances and associations. I'd like to inquire, how much membership fee would a newly established advertising agency need to pay to join?"
"The membership fee is secondary. What matters is the guarantor. Do you have one?"
"What kind of person can serve as a guarantor?"
Jiang Lan pointed at Luan Nian. "Someone like your Mr. Luan."
Shang Zhi Tao glanced at Luan Nian, who was standing nearby without speaking, and nodded. "Alright, I understand, Manager Jiang."
"You could ask your Mr. Luan to be the guarantor. After all, you used to work at Lingmei, so you have a superior-subordinate relationship." Jiang Lan's eyes sparkled with interest, purely finding it amusing.
Shang Zhi Tao didn’t want to make that request. She didn’t even have startup funds yet, so what was the point of a guarantor? Her mind was completely occupied with money.
The company needed to grow, and its business needed diversification. Venturing into advertising agency work was a completely new field for her. She had to solve the problems of money and people.
While everyone was tidying up the venue, she chatted with Fu Dong. Fu Dong mentioned that he had a female classmate who studied advertising and, after graduation, went to work at an agency in Bingcheng. She was currently working as an ad specialist, leading a small team.
"Could I meet her?" Shang Zhi Tao asked him.
"Of course. I brag about you in our class group chat every day, so many classmates want to meet you." Fu Dong chuckled.
"Then after we return, find a time to invite her out. Let’s go learn from her, okay?"
"Sure. And then?"
"Then, we’ll figure out how to get the money. If your classmate is willing and suitable, we’ll recruit her, build a team to handle agency work, and add another layer of security to our company’s business."
"Great!"
The two of them discussed while finishing their tasks. Shang Zhi Tao reminded Fu Dong, "Tomorrow, the clients are going skiing. Make sure safety is guaranteed. For the snow-viewing event the day after, ensure the meals are taken care of. The main events are over, so don’t let any accidents happen at the last minute."
"Got it."
"Once we’re back in Bingcheng, let the team take a few days off. Working late nights like this all the time can be exhausting. At least for me."
Shang Zhi Tao’s hormones were out of balance. She needed to go back and take some traditional Chinese medicine. The upcoming New Year holiday would be a good time to recuperate. This was also one of the reasons she wanted to develop another business.
Lumi walked over and said to her, "I’ll treat you tonight. Let’s grab something at the hotel’s buffet."
"Alright."
"Also, luke, will, and Mr. Song. Mr. Song is leaving early tomorrow morning and won’t be joining the rest of the itinerary. Consider it a farewell."
"Then maybe I shouldn’t go? It’s your own gathering."
"will said to invite you."
"Oh. Then I’ll arrange to treat the bosses to drinks at the bar tonight? The hotel bar is decent. I have a friend who sings there."
It was the singer she met in Dali. He later wandered here and stayed for two years. Every time Shang Zhi Tao visited, she would sit with him for a while, listen to him sing, and chat.
"Alright. It depends on luke. His personality has gotten stranger over the years. I’m not sure if he’ll be willing to go."
"Isn’t it better if he doesn’t go?" Shang Zhi Tao retorted to Lumi.
Lumi raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. She could tell that Shang Zhi Tao treated Luan Nian like a formidable enemy or a venomous snake. She had no idea what had happened between the two of them. Lumi wanted to talk to Shang Zhi Tao about it, but since Shang Zhi Tao didn’t bring it up, she felt it wasn’t her place to ask.
Friendship requires a sense of boundaries. Although Lumi was straightforward, she knew where to draw the line.During dinner, Luan Nian arrived, and he also went along when they headed to the bar.
The bar was scattered with Lingmei’s clients. Luan Nian glanced around and asked Lumi, “Any plans for the evening?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll cover the clients’ tabs.”
“Alright.”
Lumi walked to the front, took the microphone, and announced, “Mr. Luan just said he’d like to buy drinks for all our client friends here tonight. We apologize for not considering that you might want to relax at the bar in the evening.”
Everyone applauded.
Luan Nian stood up to propose a toast: “Drink freely.”
Lumi asked Shang Zhi Tao, “Will you still cover the advance payment?”
Shang Zhi Tao nodded. “Okay.”
This hotel was arranged through Xing Yi’s connections, and Shang Zhi Tao had only paid a small deposit. She stepped aside to call Xing Yi. “Hey, friend.”
“What’s up?”
“I’m going to have another extra expense…”
“Late settlement, right?”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Then treat me to a drink. Turn around.”
Shang Zhi Tao turned around and saw Xing Yi sitting with a few people, likely colleagues from his government office. She walked over with a smile to greet them. Xing Yi placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let me introduce you. These are leaders from our unit. They’re holding a business seminar here tomorrow.”
Xing Yi introduced each one to Shang Zhi Tao, and she took out her business cards from her cardholder, handing them over respectfully with both hands.
After exchanging pleasantries, she walked aside with Xing Yi and asked, “Everything going smoothly?”
“Smoothly.”
“That’s good. I’ll talk to the owner later and vouch for you. Don’t stress.”
“Alright. I’ll treat you to a drink later.”
“A drink sounds good. Invite Shang Zhi Shu too.”
“…Why invite her when you’ve already broken up?”
“Can’t I invite her just because we broke up? Call her out. I want to hash things out with her.”
“What’s there to hash out? You want to get back together, don’t you?”
Xing Yi laughed. “I’ve even finished decorating the wedding home.”
The two stood to the side chatting warmly. Song Qiu Han glanced at Luan Nian’s expression and noticed he looked impassive. He typed in the group chat, “There’s something I don’t understand.”
“What?”
“Does Mr. Luan actually like his little peach or not?” He snapped a photo of Luan Nian and tossed it into the group. Among friends, they teased each other lightheartedly. “Hard to tell if he’s heartbroken or just indifferent.”
“Honestly, I feel like I’ve seen this girl somewhere before,” Tan Mian said.
“You probably have. She used to work at Lingmei,” Song Qiu Han replied, having pieced together the story between Luan Nian and Shang Zhi Tao over the past couple of days.
“?”
“Missed your chance to get to know Mr. Luan when he was single, huh?” Chen Kuan Nian teased them. “None of you are up to it. Fine, I’ll go investigate.”
The group chatted and joked in the chat, but Luan Nian didn’t check his phone, focusing instead on the music.
Shang Zhi Tao returned to her seat. The others had only left the spot next to Luan Nian on the two-seater sofa for her. Without hesitation, she sat down beside Luan Nian. As she settled in, the sofa sank slightly, and she shifted to one side, creating some distance between them.
“I still remember years ago when Luke sang at the annual party! So handsome! I said back then I’d never seen such a good-looking guy! How about another song to liven things up tonight!” Lumi cheered, but Luan Nian remained motionless, pretending not to hear.
“It’s been a while since I sang too. Let’s do it.” Song Qiu Han stood up. “Let’s do one together.” He invited Luan Nian.
“No.” Luan Nian didn’t want to move. Performing at the annual party had been forced upon him, and right now, he wasn’t in the mood.Song Qiu Han gestured an invitation; only their group dared to treat Luan Nian this way. Earlier, Chen Kuan Nian had created a separate group chat, saying he wanted to coach Luan Nian on turning an empty contact into a regular one. He assigned Song Qiu Han a task: to help Luan Nian unleash his charm.
Tan Mian remarked, "For someone like Luan Nian, if the tools go unused for too long, they might just rust."
Luan Nian stepped onto the stage and picked up a guitar. Song Qiu Han took another. The friends often played together and had practiced many songs.
"What should we sing?" Song Qiu Han asked him.
"Anything."
"‘You’re Beautiful’?"
"Sure."
"This is for all our client friends here," Luan Nian said.
I saw your face in a crowded place～ As he sang this line, Luan Nian’s gaze met Shang Zhi Tao’s stare. Just for a moment, she looked away.
In recent years, whenever Luan Nian felt particularly troubled, he would fly to Ice City. Sometimes he’d sit on a random street corner before flying back. He prided himself on not being a sentimental person, but the years he spent with Shang Zhi Tao, though not intensely passionate, had slowly seeped into him. Just when he felt his heart and soul belonged to her, she walked away.
Luan Nian believed he had hurt her and had been hurt by her in return.
It was the following evening when they stayed in Snow Village. Snow Village—everywhere was covered in snow, pristine, cold, and biting. He sent Shang Zhi Tao a message: "Come out. I’ll wait for you on the path ahead."
Shang Zhi Tao saw the message but hesitated to move. She knew this chance encounter was unavoidable and that, given Luan Nian’s personality, he would want to talk. He would be confused about why she sold the gifts he gave her and angry about her sudden departure without a word.
Shang Zhi Tao knew all too clearly that during those six years, Luan Nian had also given his heart sincerely. She remembered the fights he got into for her, the spontaneous trips they took together, and how well he treated Luke.
But relationships were like that—even with those fleeting moments of sweetness, most of the time, they were unhappy. During those years, Shang Zhi Tao had been lost in a fog, hesitant and indecisive about love, torn between hopeful anticipation and constant self-doubt. She never wanted to return to those days of being pulled in opposite directions.
Through the window, she saw Luan Nian standing under a lantern at the end of the path. Snow Village was already freezing, but his posture was even colder.
Shang Zhi Tao sighed, finally put on her coat, and walked out.
Her footsteps crunched on the snow, and the cold of Snow Village made it hard to even open her mouth. There were no birds or sounds around—it was too cold, as if the chill had frozen everything.
Including the past.
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