Shаng Zhi Тао hаd agreed with Lumi tо wаtch the sunrisе, but Lumi ended uр slеерing in, sо shе had to gо alone. She put on а trеnch сoаt, lеft thе hоtel, аnd wаlkеd tоwаrd the bеach.
Thе еmptу stretch of sаnd and the sеa still shroudеd in dаrknеss еvоkеd аn inexрliсablе sеnsе of fеar.
Еvеryonе аt the сompanу loved sleерing in. Fоr them, thе best kind of trip wаs stауing in the hоtеl, еаting аnd drinking tо their hеаrt's cоntent, gоing out for а stroll in thе еvеning, and nоt rеturning until lаtе at night. Shang Zhi Tаo was a little differеnt—she wanted tо see thе sunrise.
Wаlking аlonе by the sea, she spotted Luan Nian out for his morning run. Remembering her awkwardness in his room the day before, she gave him a perfunctory greeting before turning to face the sea. By the time Luan Nian finished his run, the horizon had already begun to change color, so he decided to stop and watch the sunrise, standing about three meters away from Shang Zhi Tao.
He never wanted to experience such uncontrollable moments again.
Luan Nian found himself a little hard to understand. He had never been a particularly possessive person before—his girlfriends could do whatever they liked, wear whatever they wanted. He never restricted them or demanded they act according to his wishes. But with Shang Zhi Tao, he felt a terrifying sense of possessiveness.
He didn’t like this about himself.
The two of them stood there, their silhouettes appearing somewhat distant from each other. A male colleague who had risen early and come to the beach saw the way they were standing and turned to go in another direction. It always felt as though they were locked in some kind of tension, and joining them would only invite trouble.
Shang Zhi Tao was grateful to Lumi and to Luan Nian. She was grateful to Lumi because Lumi had given her the opportunity to be at the forefront of the industry, allowing the world to unfold rapidly before her eyes—her efforts and rewards were proportional. She was grateful to Luan Nian because he had always been strict, pushing her to grow in his own way.
Yet her feelings toward Luan Nian were complicated. Half love, half admiration and respect. She couldn’t possess his equal love, nor could she love him without feeling inferior. The sunrise was so beautiful, and he stood not far from her, yet she didn’t dare take a step closer. Those three meters would always be the distance between them.
"Luke," she suddenly called out to him.
"Hmm?" Luan Nian looked at her. The first light of dawn had broken, and the gentle waves on the sea mirrored the tenderness in Shang Zhi Tao’s eyes.
"I’m really happy to watch the sunrise with you." Shang Zhi Tao was brave. Her heart was filled with so much love for Luan Nian—if she didn’t say a word, that love would spill out and fade away, and how unfortunate that would be. "Sometimes I wish I could watch the sunrise with you, and also watch the sunset."
I think you can tell—I love you. Shang Zhi Tao didn’t say this out loud. She wasn’t foolish; she could see whether a man loved her or not. She could only express herself this far. One more word, and today would mark the end of their relationship. Shang Zhi Tao loved Luan Nian so much that she lacked the courage to walk away. Even if she had to remain by his side in such a humble manner, she was still willing to accept it.
Shang Zhi Tao turned and ran back toward the hotel. When she was with Xin Zhaozhou, she rarely took the initiative to say "I love you." Most of the time, it was Xin Zhaozhou who would place his hands under her armpits and ask fiercely, "Do you love me?"
And Shang Zhi Tao would smile and say, "Yes."She ran back to her room, climbed onto the bed, and thought of that bouquet again. Shang Zhi Tao felt she should let herself go—today it was a travelogue, tomorrow a bouquet, the day after a phone call. If this continued, her pain would be endless. She shouldn’t always be like this; she should have her own life, meet other men, learn to leave Luan Nian behind.
A male colleague from the department was going surfing, so Shang Zhi Tao and Lumi borrowed surfboards from the hotel, each carrying one as they followed him. Shang Zhi Tao was bold; after mimicking the basics for a few minutes at the shore, she charged into the sea. A big wave knocked her over, but she stood up in the water, her hair soaked, grinning at Lumi under the sun, her white teeth dazzling. Lumi screamed in alarm, "Oh my god, you’re really a newborn calf unafraid of tigers! Have you ever surfed before?"
"Nope!" Shang Zhi Tao laughed loudly. "It’s fun!"
She loved having fun to begin with, and getting tossed by the waves gave her a thrill. She lay back on her board and continued playing. A while later, a speedboat approached from the sea, with a man standing steadily on a surfboard behind it, arms outstretched for balance, his expression focused and joyful.
Lumi ran over to Shang Zhi Tao and exclaimed, "Damn, this guy is incredible. How does he know how to do everything?"
Shang Zhi Tao wasn’t surprised. She knew Luan Nian loved to have fun and that he kept work and life separate. But she still thought Luan Nian standing on the surfboard looked incredibly cool. She and Lumi sat side by side on the sand, and Lumi, who had somehow gotten her hands on a pair of binoculars, peered through them at Luan Nian. After watching for a while, she said to Shang Zhi Tao, "This guy has amazing stamina."
"Ah..."
"Maybe I should break through moral constraints today and sleep with him. I’m so curious about what he’s like."
"No need, no need. Your boyfriend is so handsome—dreadlocks, tattooed arms, muscles, a motorcycle guy. So thrilling." Shang Zhi Tao suddenly felt a bit guilty. She had almost blurted out, "I know, let me tell you." Lumi had been so good to her, yet she was keeping this secret. Shang Zhi Tao felt a little sorry for Lumi.
Lumi laughed heartily. "But I still want to sleep with a refined scoundrel like Luke. So exciting."
It really was exciting.
Shang Zhi Tao drifted off again for a moment. The two of them sat side by side on the beach, drooling over the man riding the waves in the sea. Even though Shang Zhi Tao had slept with him so many times, he still felt fresh and thrilling. Everyone grew tired from playing and changed clothes, agreeing to head to Phuket Town for food. They rented four cars, four people per car. Since Shang Zhi Tao and Lumi were always stuck together, it was decided to assign two men to their car. After some shuffling, they ended up with Luan Nian and Jony, a male colleague from brand communications.
The women weren’t very familiar with driving right-hand-drive cars, so they obediently sat in the back. Jony was in a hurry to revise a communication draft, so the driving task fell to Luan Nian. Since they were out to have fun, they decided to forget about hierarchy and happily enjoy the luxury of having their boss as the driver.
Phuket’s roads were full of steep slopes, and Luan Nian drove with flair, but Shang Zhi Tao felt like she was about to throw up, her heart leaping up and down. Finally, they reached the town, found a parking spot, and parked. Jony went to choose a restaurant while the others wandered around.Luan Nian rarely wore casual shorts and a T-shirt, sporting a baseball cap, his skin slightly sunburned, hands in his pockets as he followed behind Lumi and Shang Zhi Tao. The things girls liked were strange—first, they insisted on buying fridge magnets and postcards. Luan Nian trailing behind them seemed a bit out of place. What was so great about fridge magnets? You could find them from all over the world online.
When it came time to pay, Lumi suddenly looked at Luan Nian and smiled.
Luan Nian scoffed, "You’re broke?"
They really held out their hands—each wearing a dress, not even carrying a bag.
"Then stay and work it off!" he said, though he tossed his wallet to them. Shang Zhi Tao felt a bit embarrassed, but Lumi thought it was a rare chance to take advantage of the boss and couldn’t hold back. She took out three large Thai baht notes, handed the wallet to Shang Zhi Tao, and went to pay.
Shang Zhi Tao held Luan Nian’s wallet, feeling it was a bit too hot to handle. Luan Nian had given her a few bags before, but she’d never directly spent his money. Her hand hovered over the little elephant keychain, glancing at Luan Nian’s expression. Seeing no reaction, she picked up the elephant toy. When she reached for the notebook, she heard Luan Nian say, "Taking advantage of the rich?"
It wasn’t much money—just a few dozen yuan in RMB. Shang Zhi Tao slowly put the notebook back, but Luan Nian actually laughed. "Pick something nice."
Lumi returned from paying and heard Luan Nian’s words, widening her eyes. "Pick something nice?"
"Otherwise? Should I let people say your boss gave you this junk?"
"Then we won’t hold back?"
"Were you pretending to be polite?"
The one paying was the boss, so a few jabs didn’t matter. Lumi didn’t take it to heart, spending Luan Nian’s money more freely than her own. She took the wallet and went on a shopping spree, while Shang Zhi Tao went to pick postcards.
Luan Nian sat across from her, watching her write on the postcards. She’d chosen over a dozen—who knew how long it would take to finish. Luan Nian glanced at the names: the first was addressed to someone named Sun Yu, the second probably Sun Yuanzhu? So they were for her roommates.
He sat there drinking coffee, waiting to see which one was for him. She wrote over a dozen and finished—none intended for him. Her emotional intelligence was clearly lacking, so he reminded her, "Done?"
"Yeah."
"Did you forget anyone?"
Shang Zhi Tao carefully looked them over and shook her head. "No."
"What about mine?" "You want one too?"
"Otherwise? I spend money and get nothing? What are you thinking?"
"Oh."
Shang Zhi Tao got up and picked another one, asking Luan Nian, "Is this one okay?"
"Mm."
Shang Zhi Tao’s beautiful handwriting finally came in handy. Luan Nian lowered his gaze to watch her write—her strokes were elegant, the characters truly lovely. But she only wrote three words: Wishing you happiness. That was it. A bit perfunctory.
Luan Nian reached over, took a look, and tossed it back on the table. "I got it. No need to mail it, save on postage." He stood up and went outside to take an international call. Through the window, he watched Shang Zhi Tao intently sticking stamps, the collar of her dress askew, revealing half of her fair, delicate shoulder—an unconscious beauty.
Luan Nian didn’t like it, but he no longer restrained her. He realized something: he’d been meddling too much in Shang Zhi Tao’s affairs, exceeding the boundaries of a casual relationship. If this continued, it would be hard to rein in.
It was already hard to rein in.Luan Nian didn't speak much during dinner. They ended up choosing a Thai restaurant, as the locals said this place cooked seafood well. While Lumi and Jony were selecting seafood, Luan Nian received a call from Jiang Lan. He didn't avoid Shang Zhi Tao, smiling as he chatted with her. Jiang Lan asked if he wanted to try Thai-style services, to which Luan Nian replied that his physical stamina hadn't been great lately. As he said this, he glanced at Shang Zhi Tao.
The latter deliberately turned her face away, but her earlobes flushed red.
As if she were the culprit behind his lack of stamina. They hadn't done anything today, yet she felt guilty first.
Luan Nian felt restless, as if scratched by a cat, and under the table, he grasped Shang Zhi Tao's wrist. Her hand moved toward his, her nails grazing his palm, only to be gripped tightly by him. Luan Nian thought: When we meet on Friday, nothing must stand in the way. He couldn't wait another week, then another. In the prime of their youth, being entwined physically was what truly mattered—anything else was just wasted time.
His palm grew slightly sweaty, and he released her hand before Lumi and the others returned, also saying goodbye to Jiang Lan.
Shang Zhi Tao couldn't quite explain what had changed during this trip, but things between her and Luan Nian felt different again.
He was urgent, fervent, restraining her with both hands, forbidding her to move, making all her passion explode within her own body. He ignored her hoarse pleas for mercy, abruptly asking her, "Was Mount Tai fun?"
"Better than being with me, right?"
At his core, Luan Nian was a petty, grudge-holding person. To see her on Friday, he had worked overtime for three days, rushing back to the office only to find her sneaking off early with her backpack. He asked her where she was going.
She said she was going hiking.
Knowing full well it was Friday, she chose to go hiking without even an explanation.
Just like when she stayed overnight at his place, waking up early on Saturday and leaving without a word, always leaving just a note on the pillow.
Shang Zhi Tao finally couldn't take it anymore, biting him hard. Luan Nian grunted, pinching her face to make her let go, then punished her even more severely. He left her utterly exhausted, inside and out. Afterward, she curled up in bed, unwilling to move, until he pulled her into his arms, where she fell into a deep sleep.
===
It wasn't until she returned to work that Shang Zhi Tao learned what Alex and Luan Nian had been discussing so seriously on the beach in Phuket.
Alex was resigning.
Workplace personnel changes were common, but Shang Zhi Tao felt a bit down. She really liked Alex and couldn't understand why he was leaving. So she quietly asked Lumi, "Alex does such a great job. Why is he resigning?"
"People move on to better opportunities."
"Is there a better place than this?"
Seeing Shang Zhi Tao's genuine confusion, Lumi spoke to her earnestly for once: "Flora, you won't stay at Lingmei forever either. For Alex, a better place means better pay and more room for growth. There will definitely be companies willing to pay more to hire him."
"Then why doesn't Lingmei try to keep him?"
"They made a symbolic effort. In Phuket, Luke talked to him. But there was no better offer, so Luke's stance was clear: Lingmei never lacks for talent."
"They had a good relationship."
"This is the workplace."Shang Zhi Tao was greatly shaken. Alex had been so good to her, consistently supporting her. She even felt a bit apprehensive—what would her situation be like under the next leader? During the department meeting after work, Alex officially announced the news and said to everyone, "Before the new marketing director is in place, Luke will oversee the marketing department."
Shang Zhi Tao heard everyone's groans.
A new boss meant adapting to a new working style. Luan Nian was like a devil, and deep down, everyone felt a bit resistant. But as professionals, after the initial groans, they moved on and continued working as usual.
When Shang Zhi Tao arrived home in the evening, she received a message from Lumi, who said to her, "Alex will probably take two people with him. I heard the salary increase is over 50%, and the job level goes up one rank."
"Did he approach you?"
"Yes."
"Then you're leaving too?" Shang Zhi Tao suddenly felt nervous. Secretly, she didn’t want Lumi to leave. Lumi was the first friend she had made in the workplace, and she had been genuinely good to Shang Zhi Tao—the kind of good that came from the heart.
"I’m not going. It’s not like I need the money. Changing places means adapting to a new environment again. Lingmei is great—I’m familiar with it, I can walk around freely, and everyone gives me space."
Shang Zhi Tao breathed a sigh of relief, then heard Lumi say, "Alex approached me, and he approached Sunny. There’s one more person he wants to take, and that person is you."
"What?"
"Yes, you heard right. Alex wants to take you with him. If you go with him, you’ll be under his wing. As long as he stays strong, you’ll do well. If he falls, you’ll have to start over. If you don’t go, you’ll face pressure from the new boss. The new boss will definitely bring in his own people. Currently, the department’s hiring quota is full, so naturally, he’ll have to make changes among the existing employees. Whether you’ll be let go or not is uncertain."
Alex wanted to take her with him—why? She was so mediocre. Shang Zhi Tao was still young and didn’t understand a boss’s hiring strategy. Not all bosses were like Luan Nian; most were like Alex. They valued employees who were diligent, obedient, capable, and highly loyal. Luan Nian prioritized ability above all else. That was it.
Shang Zhi Tao happened to be the kind of person most bosses liked.
When Alex called her, she felt a bit flustered and even a little touched. She heard him say to her, "Flora, the marketing department was your first stop at Lingmei, and I was your first boss. Over the past year or so of working together, I believe you’ve come to understand my character. I’m going to build a new marketing team in another emerging field. You can consider whether you’d like to come with me."
The first question that came to Shang Zhi Tao’s mind was: Am I capable? I’ve only been out of school for a little over a year, and I haven’t even independently handled any projects. I’m still a rookie in the workplace. What help could I possibly be to you? She was genuinely concerned for Alex’s sake and had no concept of the so-called salary increase. She only wanted to know if she was up to the task, so she asked directly, "May I ask why you chose me? I feel like I’m too mediocre."Alex laughed on the other end of the phone: "Flora, don't underestimate yourself. Think about your achievements over the past year—establishing the supplier qualification and bidding system, independently completing the first stop of the touring exhibition project, managing the budget without any mistakes. Why do you think you're not capable? Don't doubt my judgment. You just need to decide whether you want to come with me."
Shang Zhi Tao rarely received such direct praise. Alex's words moved her deeply, even bringing a hint of tears to her eyes. After hanging up, she remained excited for a long time. Only after calming down did she realize she couldn't make a decision at all. She wanted to seek Luan Nian's advice but felt it would be equivalent to betraying Alex, so she held back.
She held back, but Luan Nian sent her a message: "If Alex wants to take you with him when he jumps ship, there are only two reasons: you're cheap and obedient. Figure out the rest yourself."
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