Chapter 65

 

The dining room was brightly lit, and the light made people’s heart bright and open.

Gu Shuangyang’s smile was very radiant. With such smile, she was basically certain of her guess without needing to ask any further.

Even during adolescence, when hormones ran rampant, Liang Jiancheng had never talked back to her the way he did tonight. This evening, all she had done was hand him a phone number, yet his reaction had been so intense. There was no doubt about it: there was already someone he cared about. And when a man had someone in his heart but still didn’t dare acknowledge it openly, there were usually only two possibilities.

One was that he had been dumped and couldn’t let go.

The other was even more interesting—he couldn’t even win her over, his pride bruised, and so he overreacted.

Whichever it was, both gave Gu Shuangyang a brand-new understanding of her son—

Utterly disappointing.

Having arrived at a fairly accurate judgment, Gu Shuangyang did not rush to press him. Instead, she observed Liang Jiancheng deliberately, hoping to glean more clues from his expression.

At that moment, the “disappointing” Liang Jiancheng was leaning back in his chair, one hand resting on the table, the other hanging loosely at his side. His face was calm and solemn, dark brows lowered slightly. Under the even, luminous dining-room lights, though he sat composed and steady, there was unmistakably a layer of unease shrouding him.

If the person was still thinking things through, Gu Shuangyang was in no hurry. She gave him time to sort himself out. Naturally, her gaze shifted to Yang Minwen—the other person who might know the truth.

Yang Minwen: …

In her youth, Gu Shuangyang had been famously beautiful, a standout wherever she went; otherwise, she would never have given birth to such a handsome son as Liang Jiancheng. Before China’s reform and opening-up, she had been selected as one of a hundred key technical and managerial talents by the state and granted a government-sponsored exchange opportunity to Germany. At that time, she was already a mother, and her son, Liang Jiancheng, was still a newborn infant. When the overseas assignment was announced, Gu Shuangyang could have refused. Instead, she resolutely weaned her child overnight, cut short her maternity leave, returned to her post to complete the procedures, and left her not-yet-one-month-old son in Old Liang’s care.

Old Liang was no expert at raising a child either, but he did not stop her. Fortunately, the grandparents were there to help.

As a mother, having missed so much of her child’s growth and nursing years, Gu Shuangyang had her regrets—but she never wished to dwell on them. And it was precisely that opportunity that gave her the ability to save a state-owned enterprise on the brink of bankruptcy and build it into the well-known conglomerate it was today. Who in life has no regrets? All along, she had minimized them at the lowest possible cost and the highest possible efficiency.

She had indeed been absent from her son’s upbringing, but it could not be said that she had failed entirely in her responsibilities.

Her single-minded focus on her career did not affect her son so much as it did her marriage with Old Liang. Incompatible personalities, added with long separations, eventually led to Old Liang proposing a divorce. At the time, Gu Shuangyang felt some reluctance, but she also knew that once Old Liang made up his mind—upright and uncompromising as he was—it could not be changed. After the divorce, she devoted herself even more fully to her career. During her busiest years, Liang Jiancheng was mainly raised by Old Liang. Thus, Gu Shuangyang understood clearly that, emotionally speaking, her son was closer to his father.

There was nothing to begrudge there, and nothing to argue about.

She had chosen this path, and she would not indulge in excessive regret over the scenery she had missed on the other road.

Had she reacted impulsively to petty antagonists the way Old Liang did, showing her true temperament too easily, Liang Jiancheng would not be enjoying such a carefree, privileged life today.

This past year, Liang Jiancheng’s career had taken off and progressed fairly well. Was that really possible without the backing of Shuangyang Electronics? She gave her son full credit in public, saying it was all due to his own diligence and ambition—but that was a mother’s public-facing narrative, not the full truth.

Since Liang Jiancheng still relied on her to some extent, how could she not have some desire to control him? She did not expect him to rise to the top overnight, but he absolutely could not be this disappointing! Even during the lowest point in his life, his father, Old Liang, always excelled at his work and maintained an insatiable thirst for knowledge.

The failed marriage arrangement with the Zhang family had been a rare mistake on her son’s part. Since it had already happened, she wouldn’t overly blame him, simply and straightforwardly putting it aside.

He and that Zhang girl were truly not meant to be.

Liang Jiancheng was handsome and socially adept. After the marriage talk with the Zhang family ended, there was no shortage of suitable candidates. For example, Director Jiang of Hehui held him in high regard; otherwise, he wouldn’t have specifically asked her to bring her son to tonight’s dinner. Could it really have been just to introduce Liang Jiancheng to Secretary Zhao?

When one’s position rose high enough, even a seemingly casual dinner could determine significant interests and opportunities. Handling relationships required caution and precision. If it were not necessary, where would she find the leisure to play matchmaker?

She didn’t care where he found a woman; the person he would spend his life with in the future wouldn’t be her, his mother.

But choosing not to interfere did not mean he was allowed to act without restraint.

At tonight’s dinner, if Mr. Jiang had not deliberately steered the conversation, would Liang Jiancheng have had any chance to shine in such a solemn, formal setting? Was such an obvious point really beyond his understanding?

He simply chose not to think about it!

Liang Jiancheng’s rogue behavior tonight truly disappointed Gu Shuangyang, but she didn’t get angry. She just wanted to know which girl had made him so anxious, even deliberately hiding her away—was she really that unpresentable?

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Is your relationship something you can’t bring into the open, or is that girl too disgraceful to be seen?” Gu Shuangyang raised her brows slightly, her gaze once more fixed on Liang Jiancheng.

Traces of her youthful beauty still lingered in her features. Years of navigating the corporate battlefield had given Gu Shuangyang a dignified, authoritative presence—clean brows and sharp eyes. With just the casual lift of an eyebrow, her decisive, commanding aura revealed itself.

There were things she could choose not to know—but she could never tolerate being deceived.

Both Liang Jiancheng and Yang Minwen should know this very well.

…

Compared to Liang Jiancheng, Yang Minwen was the one suffering the most. Even though he wasn’t directly involved, he was even more tense than Liang Jiancheng. In his heart, he did not feel that he had deceived his wife—he had simply not taken the initiative to explain. But the fact remained undeniable: he had known and failed to disclose it.

More than worrying that Liang Jiancheng’s feelings for Ming Xi might be exposed, Yang Minwen feared something else even more—that his wife might learn the real reason behind Liang Jiancheng’s broken engagement back then. On that matter, he, this awkwardly placed “stepfather,” knew more than she did as the mother.

Sigh!

Yang Minwen couldn’t help but sigh softly.

Gu Shuangyang keenly noticed Yang Minwen’s unusual expression, turned to him, and asked directly, “You know about this too?”

Yang Minwen silently sat down. He had only sighed inwardly—how had that alone given him away?

“I…”

“I do have someone I like. I’m afraid I’ve made you laugh, Director Gu.

 

“I didn’t say anything before simply because there was never a good opportunity to talk about it. Since things have come to this today, I might as well report it to you properly.”

Liang Jiancheng turned his head and cut off Gu Shuangyang before she could press Yang Minwen further. His tone was calm, with a hint of a joke, yet every word he spoke had clearly been thought through.

At the same time, there was no trace left of anxiety or childishness on his face. He had regained his rationality and restraint.

Gu Shuangyang nodded slightly, signaling him to continue, looking eager to hear more.

Calm and methodical, Liang Jiancheng went on. “Because of what happened with Zhang Min, I reflected seriously on my own problems in relationships. I’ve always planned and envisioned my marriage in an extremely rational way. Originally, I intended to find a gentle, traditional wife. Even if we weren’t true soulmates, as long as we could cooperate, that would be enough. But unfortunately, my relationship with Zhang Min failed. This not only shows that my emotional needs in marriage are higher than I once believe, but it also made me realize that I was arrogant and blindly confident. I underestimated modern women’s expectations of marriage. Beyond material stability and the title of ‘wife,’ they also seek spiritual companionship—especially independent, outstanding women, whose needs in this regard tend to run even deeper…”

“So?” Gu Shuangyang pressed.

“So—it’s not that my feelings are something shameful, nor is she someone I can’t bring into the open.” Liang Jiancheng responded to his mother’s words and gaze, pausing briefly before continuing, “As for my marriage and my personal feelings—if the two cannot clearly align and become part of my life, then I won’t pursue other women, nor do I want to cause any misunderstandings.”

“So… you haven’t even won her over yet, right?” Gu Shuangyang raised her eyebrows high, looking incredulous, almost bursting out laughing. What does it mean that personal feelings not yet aligned with life? It means that relationships haven’t become a part of his life…

In simple terms—there was nothing there yet.

That was a fair interpretation, wasn’t it?

Liang Jiancheng: …

Gu Shuangyang found this genuinely hilarious. Fortunately, she was used to all sorts of high-sounding words, otherwise she would have been completely fooled by this son in front of her!

Then—

One remained silent, the other wore a mocking expression.

Two pairs of strikingly similar eyes locked onto each other.

There was no denying it—Liang Jiancheng had inherited his brows and eyes from Gu Shuangyang. But where hers, as a woman’s, curved with elegance and depth, his were sharper, more austere, carrying a restrained severity.

Liang Jiancheng, who had been talking animatedly, suddenly fell silent, his lips pressed lightly together.

Gu Shuangyang, meanwhile, was processing everything.

What exactly was her bold, decisive, even sometimes reckless son being so cautious about? What was he circling around, hesitating over?

“Whose genes did you inherit this romantic nature from?” Gu Shuangyang said with a cold, dry humor.

Liang Jiancheng lifted his head and replied with equal dryness, “If there’s really any slip-up in this matter, you’d surely know better than I would.”

“You brat!” Gu Shuangyang scoffed, then shook her head.

Liang Jiancheng no longer wanted to engage in a verbal battle, choosing instead to wisely compromise. He sighed softly, a helpless smile on his face.

If enduring a few barbs from his mother could protect Ming Xi—and eventually earn his mother’s approval—he was more than willing.

Finally…

The standoff between mother and son seemed to draw to a close.

Yang Minwen felt slightly relieved, wondering if he could go wash the dishes. There were only two bowls on the table, and he didn’t want to leave them for the housekeeper to wash tomorrow.

Just as he was about to take the bowls to the kitchen sink to wash them…

At the dining table, Liang Jiancheng, trying to ease the tension, asked, “How did you guess?”

Gu Shuangyang taught him a lesson with a sideways glance. “You know, men have a fatal flaw. On the surface you all appear united—but any hidden agenda is written all over your faces.”

Yang Minwen stopped in his tracks, ultimately unable to escape being implicated.

Liang Jiancheng smiled faintly. Looks like Xiaoge hadn’t performed well enough—his mother had seen through it.

Turning back, Yang Minwen smiled gently and defended himself. “I don’t have any hidden agenda.”

Seeing someone so eager to express their stance, it was clear they cared deeply. Liang Jiancheng leaned back comfortably in his chair and stated his position as well: “Director Gu, neither do I.”

He simply had determination, but no ulterior motives.

“Since you call me Director Gu, you should remember—you came from Shuangyang Electronics. You know our future plans. Your Xinghai Foreign Trade has grown, and you’ve drawn quite a bit of network and resources from Shuangyang—you know exactly how much. I won’t ask you to repay it, nor will I settle accounts with you. At tonight’s dinner, Mr. Jiang showed you favor—you can’t fail basic courtesy. Since Mr. Jiang made this request of me, you cannot refuse even to meet Miss Jiang. I don’t care whether you think misunderstandings will arise—that’s your problem. But you must meet her and play one game of tennis with her. This is my order to you, and don’t say anything more to me about this. You performed well tonight; keep it up. If you don’t want to stay here tonight, you can leave.”

After explaining everything, Gu Shuangyang dismissed him.

As for the identity and name of that woman—she knew her son was deliberately hiding it. She chose to respect his decision and would not investigate for now. She was still willing to believe that her son was a sensible person.

“As for how you handle your relationship with Miss Jiang, I won’t offer advice. But you must get along pleasantly—don’t sour things. Show her the respect she deserves. Don’t damage my relationship with Mr. Jiang, and don’t harm your own professional image in his eyes. Even if you don’t become his son-in-law, having another powerful figure who appreciates you in the business world can only benefit you. You want to pursue a life where love and marriage align—I won’t stop you. But if, because of this, you neglect your career and your future, then as your mother, I will seriously consider whether you’ve lost your mind… or whether that girl is simply too skilled at bewitching people. Even if you don’t tell me who she is, you should understand—I have many ways of finding out.”

Liang Jiancheng remained silent, licking his lips with a self-deprecating and helpless smile. Since Director Gu had given the order to leave, he didn’t linger and got up to leave.

Gu Shuangyang gave Yang Minwen a look, and Yang Minwen picked up the A4 paper with the phone number and name written on it, following Liang Jiancheng to the parking area in the backyard.

Liang Jiancheng’s black sedan pulled up smoothly next to a minivan. Tonight, after being scolded, he looked less like a son and more like a grandson—less arrogance, more careless nonchalance.

But the thought of late-night snacks brought a hint of relaxed anticipation again.

Yang Minwen folded the paper and slipped it into Liang Jiancheng’s pocket, saying,

“Your mother and I met Mr. Jiang and her daughter at a dinner party once. We had a brief meeting. That girl was spoiled growing up, very simple-minded. But girls from families like that are also proud and free-spirited. As long as you communicate well, you’ll be able to handle the relationship. Your mother rarely asks you for help—just treat this as doing her a favor.” This was the first time Yang Minwen had spoken to Liang Jiancheng in the tone of an elder.

Liang Jiancheng looked at him. “Thank you.”

Thank you—for keeping his secret all this time.

Yang Minwen was also somewhat puzzled and directly asked, “Your mother isn’t the kind of person who judges others by their background. Why are you still hiding Miss Ming? She’ll find out sooner or later.”

Liang Jiancheng leaned gently against the car. Everyone would find out eventually; he just hoped his mother, Gu Shuangyang, would find out the last.

His mother was indeed not the kind of person who would look down on someone’s background. Yang Minwen, in front of him, also came from a small town, and apart from having a slightly higher education than Ming Xi, there was nothing particularly special about him.

Why was he still hiding it? On one hand, no matter how intense his feelings were right now, they were still one-sided.

On the other hand—he was well aware of his mother’s strong personality.

Unlike his father, Old Liang, whose dominance showed in words, his mother’s dominance manifested in action.

Ming Xi was wonderful, and he believed his mother would like her as a person. But once his mother knew, she would naturally—and imperiously—begin arranging Ming Xi’s work and future.

He could already picture it: persuading Ming Xi to stop what she was doing, finding a university for her to enroll in under an affiliated program to complete or upgrade her degree; or suggesting she go abroad for further studies, then offering her a brand-new platform upon her return…

From beginning to end, he wasn’t afraid that his mother wouldn’t like Ming Xi, but that Ming Xi wouldn’t like his mother.

He hadn’t even managed to win her over yet—what if she ran away first?

Was Ming Xi someone who could be easily manipulated?

She already had him wrapped around her finger. How could he possibly expect her to let his mother mold her image and plan her life for her?

Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Pure wishful thinking.

Ding. His phone received a message from Ming Xi.

“Mr. Liang, would you mind if I brought one more person along for late-night snacks?”

She clearly knew he might mind—and asked anyway, deliberately.

“I don’t mind.” Liang Jiancheng replied to the text message, gripping his phone.

“Are you two dating?” Yang Minwen couldn’t help but ask.

“What?” Liang Jiancheng looked momentarily blank, then raised his brows handsomely—the expression was uncannily similar to Gu Shuangyang’s. Yang Minwen couldn’t help laughing. Shuangyang really did understand her son. Liang Jiancheng had started liking Ming Xi in the first half of the year; more than half a year had passed with no real progress. Yang Minwen had nearly forgotten about it. Who would’ve thought there still hadn’t been any substantial development?

“Jiancheng, although I have a lot of confidence in you, but when it comes to Miss Ming, you should put a bit more effort in. Don’t let her get snatched away before she ever connects with your plans for marriage. You have great qualifications, but Miss Ming doesn’t look like someone who wouldn’t have suitors,” Yang Minwen kindly advised.

Could that be possible?

Ming Xi did have quite a few suitors—but she didn’t seem like someone with poor judgment. Liang Jiancheng merely acknowledged it and said nothing more, then got into the car.

A cold wind swept through. It was already late November. Even though the daytime temperature was still in the twenties, the night air was gradually filled with a biting, desolate chill. Only then did Yang Minwen realize he’d come out wearing nothing but a thin shirt.

Deep in the backyard, the faint lingering scent of the last osmanthus blossoms drifted in the air—light and soothing.

…

Ming Xi had spent almost the entire day at Ji Runze’s computer shop. At first, she only wanted to discuss a small technical issue with him. After that, their conversation naturally deepened into building overseas websites—big things like registering international domain names and choosing foreign servers, and small details like designing pages for target users.

She currently lacked the expertise to build overseas websites, but Ji Runze had a deep understanding of current internet and computer technology and his ideas were very advanced.

After learning about her needs, Ji Runze introduced her to a website she’d never heard of before—Alibaba.

He said this startup aimed to provide an online trading platform for small and medium-sized enterprises, and would eventually open overseas services.

Ming Xi made a note of it. At present, Haiou Company relied mainly on existing resources and trade fairs to acquire overseas clients. The internet wasn’t yet fully popularized in the business world, but technological progress was advancing rapidly. Even with good products, she would need the wind of the internet to push them onto the global stage.

Ji Runze was a bona fide Peking University graduate in economics, who had since shifted into computer technology.

Whenever Ming Xi proposed an idea, the two of them could always delve deeply into discussion.

At noon, Ji Runze treated her to boxed lunches at the shop. By evening, they simply filled their stomachs with biscuits. Ming Xi felt genuinely apologetic about taking up his entire day and felt she had to show some appreciation.

That was why the late-night snack she’d arranged with Liang Jiancheng had gained an extra person at the last minute—

Ji Runze.

The location was also recommended by Ji Runze. He asked her what she wanted to eat, and Ming Xi’s first thought was to consider Liang Jiancheng’s tastes, remembering his preference for light Cantonese cuisine.

There happened to be a well-regarded Cantonese congee shop near the computer mall. After Ji Runze recommended it, Ming Xi sent the address to Liang Jiancheng.

The congee shop wasn’t far. That evening, the computer store finally got a customer—disassembling and reassembling a machine.

Ming Xi figured Liang Jiancheng wouldn’t arrive so soon, so she decided to stay at the shop and wait for Ji Runze to finish.

By the time Ji Runze finished, it was almost 9:15 PM, exactly the time she and Liang Jiancheng had agreed upon.

Ji Runze rode his bike, giving her a lift to the congee shop.

Ming Xi was dressed casually today, wearing a purple cable-knit sweater, wide-leg trousers that were currently in fashion, paired with her eye makeup. She looked stylish and radiant. Sitting on the back of Ji Runze’s bike, she politely held only the edge of the seat.

“Has Brother Liang arrived?” Ji Runze asked.

Ming Xi glanced at her phone, turned her head slightly against the wind, and said, “He just arrived.”

“Ming Xi, hold on tight!” Ji Runze kindly reminded her, “I’ll ride faster.”

She stopped being so reserved and reached out to grasp Ji Runze’s jacket.

Ji Runze picked up speed, weaving through one main street and two narrow alleys, soon arriving at the stall called Lingnan Congee Shop. Before she even got off the bike, Ming Xi spotted Liang Jiancheng’s car parked by the roadside.

Liang Jiancheng had arrived early but hadn’t gone inside, waiting outside.

Ming Xi spotted him immediately—and naturally, Liang Jiancheng also fixed his gaze steadily on her and Ji Runze.

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