Chapter 51

 

Liang Jiancheng cheated…

Why on earth would something so secretive and morally dubious be disclosed to her, an outsider?

Thinking about it for a moment, there were only two possibilities: The first was that Professor Liang was truly furious today—so furious that he had subconsciously taken her as one of his own and couldn’t help venting.

Saying it deliberately in front of her was simply a way to publicly shave a little dignity off Boss Liang.

Although she didn’t want to offend Liang Jiancheng, the professor was, after all, his father. As long as Mr. Liang didn’t argue with his father, she was perfectly willing to be a tight-lipped gossip audience, absolutely not breathing a single word of it to anyone else.

With that in mind, Ming Xi mentally prepared herself—and then her thoughts rolled straight into the second possibility.

This reason was much worse than the first, and the one she least wanted to be true.

That was—

Professor Liang actually suspected her!

Wuwu. If that were the case, then she hadn’t come today to deliver fruit at all—she had come to “deliver her own head” right to the chopping block.

…

A clear conscience fears no accusation. As long as it was a misunderstanding, it could always be explained. But of all things, at this very moment, Liang Jiancheng was still gripping her hand tightly.

She knew in her heart…

He was just afraid she’d fall.

But!

The professor didn’t know that…

She would rather roll down the stairs and be done with it. Dirty clothes were better than a dirty character!

A quick-thinking person naturally thinks more. Fortunately, Ming Xi wasn’t stupid; the more panicked she appeared, the more suspicious she’d became.

Although… she desperately wanted Liang Jiancheng to let go of her hand, she decided to calm herself first.

Once Ming Xi had fully regained her footing, her breathing calm, and her earlier skipped heartbeats finally catching up… Liang Jiancheng finally politely released her hand.

He maintained his composure, strong enough to ignore Professor Liang’s needle-sharp gaze entirely, calm and unhurried.

“My dad exaggerated things, you weren’t scared, were you?”

Liang Jiancheng said calmly, calmly flipped the narative, not only explaining the “cheating” accusation but also expressing concern for Ming Xi.

Ming Xi: …

Whether it was an exaggeration or not, she didn’t know, but she was definitely frightened.

Liang Jiancheng felt genuinely apologetic about that.

If it hadn’t been unavoidable, he wouldn’t have wanted to bring this up at all.

No man wants to be labeled as promiscuous and unfaithful, especially in front of the girl he likes.

Besides, Liang Jiancheng had received strict moral education from his father since childhood.

He could momentarily lose face in front of Ming Xi, but he absolutely couldn’t remain silent and not say a word to clear his name.

Hmph. Quite the gentleman, huh.

Up ahead, Professor Liang curled his lips, rolled his eyes, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked on without looking back.

Wait for me, Professor!

Ming Xi wanted nothing more than to catch up with him—but first she had to retrieve the orange that had rolled into the flowerbed ahead.

That was the professor’s after-meal fruit, after all.

Thud, thud, thud…

Ming Xi quickly ran down the stairs, bent down and picked up the orange. She happened to have a pack of tissues in her pocket, pulled one out, and carefully wiped the orange.

As she wiped the orange, a sudden realization dawned on her: why was the orange, which had rolled down from such a height, completely undamaged, not even a scuff on the peel?

Was it because it was cute? Extra fresh? Imported?

No, no, no. It was because its skin was thick.

Wasn’t it the same with people? If your skin was thick enough, you wouldn’t hurt yourself so easily.

Liang Jiancheng stopped behind her. Ming Xi turned around and saw that he still looked calm and unruffled—if anything, the more Professor Liang despised him, the more pronounced that refined, elegant, flirtatious air about him became.

Indeed, it was infuriating to look at!

Especially since—

He had dragged her into this!

In her heart, Ming Xi also wanted to glare at Liang Jiancheng. But she worried that showing too much resentment might create subtle reactions, making Professor Liang mistakenly think she was trying to cover something up.

But looking at Liang Jiancheng’s nonchalant attitude, Ming Xi was truly furious. She decided to side with the professor, slightly raising her chin and giving Liang Jiancheng a righteous side-eye.

The girl’s eyes were clear and pure, clean as water, yet still carrying emotions unique to a young woman.

As if they plainly said: So Boss Liang isn’t just a black-hearted capitalist—he’s also a shameless womanizer.

Along with that pointed look, Ming Xi gave a light hmph, making it perfectly clear that she was now firmly in Professor Liang’s camp.

Ding Xiao was right; no matter how good she was at playing both sides, she couldn’t please everyone. Right now, she had to choose a side.

She wasn’t just standing with Professor Liang—she was standing on the side of morality.

Without thinking further, Ming Xi broke into a small run to catch up with Professor Liang.

“Professor, Professor…” Wait for me!

Ming Xi’s voice was light and friendly, with a delighted fawning tone.

Professor Liang finally showed a satisfied expression. His student was indeed clear-headed and quick to understand. He didn’t need to say much; she quickly made the right choice and judgment.

“Did that scare you just now? Some people are like that; you can know their face but not their heart,” Professor Liang deliberately lowered his voice, half serious and half joking.

Right… Ming Xi wanted to laugh but didn’t dare. Now that Professor Liang was speaking to her as one of his own, pretending to be an outsider or acting clueless would actually be the height of cluelessness.

However, she was still quite young. Cheating was something she’d heard plenty about but rarely discussed; there was no way she could jump into the conversation like those seasoned aunties and big sisters, spraying opinions the moment a topic came up.

She had to carefully consider her responses.

“Then… is Mr. Liang doing okay?” Ming Xi asked cautiously, and the moment the words left her mouth, even she felt how hypocritical they sounded.

Sure enough, the professor shot her a look of disdain. “Of course he’s fine. What could possibly be wrong with him?”

True…

Ming Xi felt embarrassed. This was her first conversational misstep. She’d asked the wrong person. The one she should have asked about was Miss Zhang.

“Then Miss Zhang…” is she okay?

“It’s over,” Professor Liang told her bluntly.

Oh… oh… oh…

It’s over?

So that means Mr. Liang’s cheating had driven his fiancée away…?

No wonder the professor was so angry.

Ming Xi was filled with mixed emotions, a hint of regret flashing in her eyes. She tried to say something kind, but what suitable words could she possibly utter in this situation?

Her mind was practically spinning, but she couldn’t think of anything appropriate.

After much thought, she decided it was best not to express any opinion on the matter and instead focus on comforting the professor. After a moment’s contemplation, a common yet helplessly generic phrase escaped Ming Xi’s lips:

“Professor, don’t be angry. Maybe Mr. Liang didn’t do it on purpose.”

What! Not on purpose?!

Professor Liang almost thought he’d misheard. He clicked his tongue twice and gave Ming Xi a long, sharp, worldly look, arriving at a conclusion—

As expected, this student of his was still too young. She didn’t understand anything yet.

Smart and tactful, yes—but still an innocent girl at heart.

Professor Liang folded his hands in front of him and walked leisurely on. Behind him, Liang Jiancheng had already caught up, maintaining a distance of about half a meter.

“That kind of thing, there’s no such thing as intentional or unintentional. It’s just that one’s heart is impure and lack of self-control,” Professor Liang said, full of mockery, but without his previous sharpness.

The professor really didn’t treat her like an outsider… Ming Xi was amazed, but her heart suddenly felt much lighter.

She was young, and she hadn’t experienced anything like that—but the moment she heard the words “lack of self-control,” she paused!

It couldn’t be her!

It definitely couldn’t be her!

She was young but not stupid; she understood perfectly well what really happened when a man and woman “lost self-control”—it was that kind of thing.

And she hadn’t done anything like that. She understood all too well!

In short—this was great. It wasn’t her.

For a moment, even stronger than the overwhelming emotions was the quiet relief after the alarm had been lifted.

If she hadn’t been afraid of being misunderstood, as someone who had once harbored feelings for Liang Jiancheng, she might have felt a bit hurt or disappointed hearing what the professor said. But she’d just been wrongly implicated moments ago—compared to that, a clean conscience mattered far more than a little heartbreak.

In any case, the professor’s phrase “lack of self-control” completely lowered Ming Xi’s guard. A look of relief spread across her face. After a moment’s thought, she even cooperated by shaking her head along with him.

Oh dear!

Men!

Seeing her reaction, Professor Liang couldn’t help but laugh. The corners of his lips curved slightly, and a glint of amusement flashed in his eyes. In a better mood now, he finally turned to glance back at Liang Jiancheng. Look at him, still dreaming about breaking through that last layer of ambiguity—thinking that once things were said out loud, it’d automatically turn into a relationship?

Dream on!

The little fish wasn’t stupid; before the hook was even lowered, it had already swum far away!

Feeling thoroughly satisfied, Professor Liang walked with a spring in his step. Ming Xi, following closely beside him, trotted along like a puppy. She completely ignored Liang Jiancheng, not even bothering to look back.

Liang Jiancheng: …

Being slandered by his father like this, Liang Jiancheng was indeed hurt, dejected, and utterly humiliated.

His father’s actions were clearly intended to make Ming Xi wary of him and to cool his already determined attitude towards her.

…That’s all fine. What truly frustrated Liang Jiancheng wasn’t his father’s deliberate guidance, but Ming Xi’s response.

The fleeting mischievous look in Ming Xi’s eyes, and her almost triumphant reaction, were clearly seen by Liang Jiancheng, as if mocking his unrequited love.

The night breeze carried a slight chill.

Rows of streetlights cast an elongated shadow of Liang Jiancheng, making his already slender figure appear even longer. He strode silently behind Ming Xi and his father, entering Haigang long-established restaurant on this street.

This was a place he’d frequented since childhood with his father.

The unchanging signboard, a warm yellow tinged with red, read “Little Red House – Signature Dishes.”

Pushing open the restaurant’s distinctive hanging door, Liang Jiancheng was met with a rush of warm air.

There weren’t many diners left at this hour. Spotting him, the owner greeted him familiarly: “Professor Liang has already taken his student upstairs. Mr. Liang, what would you like to order today? Professor Liang said earlier that you even make money off your students—so he told me to let you order a few good dishes.”

Hearing the owner’s playful tone, Liang Jiancheng understood his father’s intentions perfectly.

This was the first time Old Liang had brought Ming Xi to a restaurant run by an acquaintance. With Ming Xi being pretty and spirited, it was inevitable others would speculate about her relationship with him.

Perhaps it was precisely because he didn’t want outsiders to misunderstand and think Ming Xi had any special connection to him that his father had repeatedly emphasized her identity as his student.

As for him—he was nothing more than the apologetic son footing the bill and accompanying them throughout.

This old-style restaurant didn’t use menus; you ordered directly from the day’s available produce and seafood. Liang Jiancheng was so familiar with the place that he didn’t even need to look, immediately ordering several of the house’s signature dishes.

Suddenly, he remembered that Ming Xi liked spicy food.

But being a coastal city, the flavors here leaned light and fresh. The only spicy dish on the menu seemed to be stir-fried squid?

The owner smiled and suggested, “We can do it a different way—dry-fried shredded squid is pretty good too.”

Given his current mood, the dish felt oddly fitting.

“Then let’s go with the dry-fried shredded squid.

“And please also simmer a bowl of rock sugar and snow pear soup,” he added. “Someone’s got too much internal heat—they need to cool down.”

The owner praised, “Mr. Liang is truly filial.”

Liang Jiancheng smiled sheepishly.

Filial? He was practically on the verge of being stripped of the Liang surname.

—

It was already a quarter past seven, and Ming Xi was genuinely hungry. She sat on a small round stool and deftly poured a glass of water for the professor.

With someone so well-behaved and keenly aware of self-preservation, Professor Liang naturally wouldn’t drag Ming Xi into the mess caused by his unfilial son. In fact, he even intended to offer her a bit of guidance.

Liang Jiancheng pushed open the wooden door of the private room and stepped inside. The space, already small, instantly felt more crowded. Without much hesitation, he sat down beside Ming Xi.

Ming Xi: …

She lowered her head slightly, awkwardly tucking her chin in, and shifted her body a little to the side.

Liang Jiancheng: …

It was just his character that was tainted; not his body.

Ming Xi: …Wasn’t she just trying make a bit of room for Mr. Liang? She was only worried his long legs would feel cramped.

Professor Liang noticed both of their movements. They say even the most virtuous woman fears a man who won’t let go—but if Liang Jiancheng were to seriously pursue a girl in a proper, persistent way, he still wouldn’t quite manage it. As for Ming Xi, she wasn’t some delicate rose easily plucked. She was more like a nimble, beautiful fighting fish—quick, clean, and impossible to entangle.

In the small private room, Professor Liang saw everything clearly and understood everything perfectly.

A small hanging lamp cast a warm yellow light, enveloping the entire space in an ambiguous atmosphere. Three faces faced each other, six eyes meeting: some anxious yet pretending calm, some solemn yet absurd, and some whose very breathing carried unspoken complaints.

Professor Liang looked at the unscrupulous Boss Liang and casually asked, “What dishes did you order?”

Liang Jiancheng listed them one by one—mostly the usual dishes they’d always had here, with the sole exception of one new item: dry-fried shredded squid.

Old Liang didn’t need to think twice before asking Ming Xi directly, “Ming Xi, you eat spicy food, don’t you?”

Ming Xi felt a little embarrassed and nodded lightly.

Old Liang snorted.

His son, however, couldn’t tolerate even the slightest spice. When he was little and ate at the cafeteria with him, even the slightest hint of chili in a whole pot of food wouldn’t escape his notice. Now he’d gone out of his way to order a spicy dish—who exactly was he trying to make sweat?

Surely not him, this old man—his stomach couldn’t take that abuse.

Hmph. Thoughtful, sure—but what’s the use? His character is flawed; it’s all for nothing.

Sigh…

Ming Xi, though observant, wasn’t observant enough to notice Liang Jiancheng had specially added a spicy dish for her. She and Liang Jiancheng had only eaten together once—clay-pot casserole that night. She knew he liked vinegar, but she had no idea he couldn’t eat spicy food at all.

Truth be told, between father and son, there was rarely a grudge that lasted overnight. One meal was enough to naturally ease the atmosphere between them.

Although the restaurant was small, Ming Xi had the most delicious meal she’d had since arriving in Haigang. The owner’s cooking skills were excellent; the heat control was perfect. The stir-fries were crisp and refreshing, the braised were fragrant and rich, the steamed dishes were delicious, and even the dry-fried shredded squid were a bit overwhelming for Ming Xi.

It was simply delicious!

And the steaming bowl of white rice—each grain distinct and fragrant—was good too.

It turned out that these days, whether you had money or not made such a difference even in the most ordinary things. Even rice tasted completely different.

She’d been eating boxed lunches for over half a year, the rice always clumped together in sticky masses. But this bowl—soft, sweet, glossy, every grain plump and inviting—was simply delicious.

She thought she had achieved a comfortable life, but suddenly realized she was still just scraping by. Ming Xi sighed quietly to herself. As she set down her bowl and chopsticks, a faint sigh slipped from her lips.

“I heard from Boss Liang that you changed jobs?” Professor Liang asked her.

The topic finally shifted from Mr. Liang’s infidelity; some breathed a sigh of relief, while others held their breath.

Afraid the professor might lecture her, Ming Xi quickly explained her reasons for leaving Longmao and switching to foreign trade: “I took the export sales certificate exam last month. Since it’s all sales anyway, foreign trade pays better, offers more flexibility, and has better long-term prospects…”

She spoke carefully, but how could Professor Liang not understand?

He wasn’t rigid or old-fashioned, nor did he harbor any prejudice against sales work. What he cared about were the practicalities.

“You had a dorm at Longmao before. Now that you’ve changed jobs, where are you living?” he asked.

That question…

Ming Xi answered honestly, “I’m still living in the dormitory for now, but I have to move out by the end of this month.”

She was indeed currently living in the Longmao dormitory with Cai Ni. Having changed jobs suddenly, she’d had nowhere else to stay, so Manager Li had kindly turned a blind eye and given her a few days’ grace.

Mainly because the dorm was relatively empty at the moment. But she was no longer a Longmao employee, and running into Longmao staff every day on her way in and out made her uncomfortable.

Especially during peak hours at the shared bathrooms—she always felt like she ranked lower, instinctively waiting until everyone else was done.

These days, whenever Cai Ni had time, she was helping look for rental places, determined to move out together with her.

When people were away from home, food was easy to deal with, but accommodation was the biggest headache.

Ming Xi didn’t dwell on the bitterness of living in a foreign city, but sitting across from her, both Professor Liang and Liang Jiancheng could easily imagine it. Their hearts softened, and so did their tone.

Without overthinking it, Professor Liang asked directly, “Where are you working now?”

“Right downstairs from Mr. Liang’s company…” Ming Xi smiled, phrasing it tactfully. Her peripheral vision unconsciously drifted toward Liang Jiancheng beside her.

Liang Jiancheng also turned to glance at her, then withdrew his gaze.

A man who’d made a mistake had no right to speak. From the start of dinner until now, most of the conversation had been between Ming Xi and Old Liang. Liang Jiancheng had been unusually quiet.

When his father asked about housing, Liang Jiancheng already felt reassured—Old Liang must have something in mind to help.

At the same time, he knew very clearly where his father would arrange for Ming Xi to live.

Which was precisely why Liang Jiancheng said nothing. He was afraid his father might suddenly remember that the currently vacant apartment—he himself had lived there just last year.

“What a coincidence, how did you end up finding a job downstair from Liang Jiancheng’s company?” Professor Liang asked.

Ming Xi explained, “My abilities are limited, I can only look for work within a two-kilometer radius, and there are only two foreign trade companies within that range. Mr. Liang’s company has high requirements, so I can only choose the other one.”

Liang Jiancheng smiled and moved the corners of his lips: “It’s because my company isn’t strong enough to recruit people.”

“Not bad, not bad!” Professor Liang was very satisfied with all of Ming Xi’s choices and approach. Whether from the perspective of career planning or life planning, before Liang Jiancheng showed his determination and sincerity for a lifetime, she absolutely shouldn’t place both her work and her emotions on the same man.

Once that man changed his heart, she’d lose not just the relationship, but her job too. That would be a complete disaster.

Ming Xi was so clear-headed and smart—it eased Professor Liang’s mind considerably. He then tested the waters with another question: “Now that your job is settled, have you thought about dating?”

Just then, the restaurant owner brought in three bowls of freshly stewed rock-sugar snow-pear and white fungus soup.

One bowl was placed in front of each of them.

Ming Xi scooped up a spoonful, gently blew on it. Under the soft, dim yellow light, her bright smile seemed to make the lamp above glow a little more. She said, “Professor, I won’t consider dating until I’ve established myself in Haigang.”

Excellent!

Professor Liang showed his most satisfied and appreciative smile of the evening, and finally revealed his good intentions: “Ming Xi, I happen to have an old apartment near your workplace that my parents left me. It’s been sitting empty anyway—how about I rent it to you?”

Ah!

What a coincidence? Ming Xi smiled, flattered, yet also nervous and conflicted.

Father and son—one sold her a computer, the other wanted to rent her a place. She really should’ve checked the almanac before leaving the house this afternoon—was today her money-losing day?

Was all the money she’d worked so hard to earn over the past six months going to be taken by this father and son in one go?

Sigh… they were both wonderful people. It was just her wallet that wasn’t wonderful enough.

Knowing the professor genuinely meant to help her, Ming Xi still asked cautiously and carefully, “Professor… how much is the rent for that place?”

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