Chapter 77

 

Shuangyang Electronic’s headquarters was located in Haigang Xujia’s district. Driving from Shuangyang to the suburban town of Ximing normally took an hour, but Liang Jiancheng arrived in just over forty minutes.

The sky was completely dark.

The night was deep, and the dim, bright, and softly glowing stars dotted the sky. The farther the car traveled into the outskirts, the denser and more brilliant the stars seemed to become. Sometimes, the strange, fascinating, and inevitably conflict-prone connections between people were like those scattered stars—guided by unseen forces of fate.

After finishing her statement, Ming Xi sat blankly on a bench outside the police station corridor, head lowered. She held her phone, let out a soft sigh, then another, and another—until after many sighs—

A black sedan stopped across from the Ximing police station.

She subconsciously looked up and saw Liang Jiancheng get out of the car.

He looked at her, and she looked back at him.

The corridor lights were hazy. On the wall, the bold characters “Serve the People” stood firm and powerful. Ming Xi remained still. Though filled with embarrassment, she forced out a positive smile, raised her hand to wave, and called out first: “Liang Jiancheng, I’m here…”

Earlier, during the phone call in the police car, she hadn’t been able to explain the situation in detail. Even while giving her statement, there were things she couldn’t fully say.

Later, Liang Jiancheng learned the entire course of events from the police report.

The written statement itself was not complicated. Someone had reported a missing watch, and the police had simply recorded the case as a watch theft.

Liang Jiancheng silently faced the older officer who had responded to the call. He had almost forgotten to identify himself when the officer asked first: “You… are you her boyfriend?”

Liang Jiancheng responded with an “Oh,” neither confirming nor denying.

After reading the statement, he frowned the entire time.

“This girl is clever. She couldn’t get back from the suburbs, so she called the police and used us as her drivers,” the older officer said sternly, though with a hint of teasing.

After reading the report, Liang Jiancheng had already guessed as much.

A report was just a report. To police officers who had handled countless sexual harassment cases, the situation was obvious at a glance. They had seen many similar incidents and could judge the nature of such matters from experience. Most women who suffered harassment could only report it afterward. Cases like today’s—using a theft report to trap a boss into trouble—were far less common.

Meanwhile, the other statement was still being processed. That Mr. He kept assuring the police that he would definitely retrieve Miss Ming’s watch.

He had already gone to look for it.

As a veteran police officer, the reason he was telling Mr. Liang so much wasn’t entirely out of a sense of justice, but also out of concern that the girl’s boyfriend might misunderstand. Although matters of the heart were not the police’s responsibility, they still didn’t want to see a good girl unfairly judged.

Since the other side’s statement wasn’t finished yet, he couldn’t disclose too much. That was the general idea.

Liang Jiancheng’s gaze darkened as he glanced again at the seemingly casual yet crucial sentence on the statement: “Everyone disappeared this afternoon…” His expression turned sharp and cold. Taking a deep breath, he straightened his posture and extended his hand to the officer: “Thank you.”

This was only a small rural police station, usually dealing with petty theft. It was rare to see such a well-mannered and distinguished-looking man. Even police officers, after all, were human and couldn’t help being influenced by appearances. “In the end, how this is settled still depends on your attitude,”

Liang Jiancheng’s brows were frost-cold, but his tone restrained but firm: “I will ask Miss Ming for her opinion. If necessary, we will reserve the right to pursue legal action later.”

The old officer was puzzled: “…So you’re not her boyfriend?”

Liang Jiancheng: “Mm… I’m her friend. Her best friend.”

The old officer said “Oh” twice, unsure how to respond. He could only wave his hand and ask Liang Jiancheng to sign the document as her accompanying party.

After signing, Liang Jiancheng walked out of the mediation room.

Ming Xi was still sitting on the bench outside. She hadn’t had dinner yet and was starving. Fortunately, the female officer on duty had given her a few pieces of old-fashioned sweet biscuits—the kind sprinkled with fine white sugar on top. Ming Xi was breaking them apart as she ate. Beside her sat a cup of free hot water.

She took a bite of biscuit, a sip of hot water, and occasionally licked the crumbs from her lips, as if nothing had happened to her; she was only concerned with filling her stomach.

When Liang Jiancheng came out, this was the scene he saw.

He admitted to himself that he couldn’t remain as unaffected as Ming Xi.

After reading the statement earlier, a surge of anger and uncertainty had risen in his chest—along with overwhelming relief and pride. From the bottom of his heart, he felt proud of his Miss Ming… From about a meter away, Liang Jiancheng’s gaze lingered on her, deep and focused, until Ming Xi finished a piece of biscuit and suddenly turned her head toward him: “…Are you done?”

Liang Jiancheng sat down beside Ming Xi, and before he was fully seated, a biscuit was offered to him.

“Thanks for coming all this way. And sorry to trouble you. These biscuits are really good—I used to eat them in the countryside when I was little. Didn’t expect to find them in Haigang. Try one.” Ming Xi handed the cookies to Liang Jiancheng.

He sat with his knees slightly apart. He was tall—so tall that even seated, he was still noticeably higher than Ming Xi. Some of the fine white sugar crumbs fell onto his black suit trousers. Without thinking, Ming Xi reached out and lightly brushed them away, saying apologetically: “I’m really sorry, Liang Jiancheng. I always trouble you. As a friend, I don’t seem very useful… I keep letting you be the one giving more.”

Ming Xi’s voice was low and soft with disappointment, full of sincerity.

Liang Jiancheng’s heart felt as if it had been suddenly gripped by an invisible hand. He took the biscuit Ming Xi offered, held it in his hand for a long while, and then replied in his usual calm and collected tone, “How could you be useless, Ming Xi? You’re so capable that you make me feel like I’m the useless friend instead.”

Ming Xi tilted her head, staring blankly at Liang Jiancheng. After a few seconds, her dark, clear eyes finally welled up with tears.

She wasn’t afraid or aggrieved; she was simply moved.

Liang Jiancheng didn’t hesitate. His hand gently and respectfully wrapped around her pale wrist. Turning to face her with a serious expression, he said: “Ming Xi… I’m so glad to receive your call today. If possible, I would have liked it to come sooner, okay?”

This was the first time Liang Jiancheng had made a request of her, and she hadn’t expected it to be this.

Ming Xi pressed her lips together and deliberately joked: “Even if you drove faster, could you be faster than the nearby police?”

That was true—he couldn’t… Which meant she really had handled everything beautifully and intelligently.

Liang Jiancheng closed his lips, choosing not to expose the subtle, ambiguous layer of emotion beneath their friendship.

If this friendship were to continue, he would do his best to cooperate. But Miss Ming—he asked her with utmost sincerity—he could maintain the identity of a friend, yet he could not lie to his own heart. When he said “sooner,” he meant that he hoped she would inform him before she sensed danger, or before she agreed to attend this team-building event. Would that be possible?

If she could agree to this, he was willing to remain her “friend.” But the care, protection, responsibility, and even the focused, exclusive devotion meant for a girlfriend or a lover—he was willing to give those to her in advance.

Ming Xi slowly inhaled the cool night air, her chest rising and falling gently.

At this moment, besides her pounding heart, her chest was filled with a multitude of indescribable emotions.

Sometimes her luck seemed incredibly bad, and other times it felt like she was blessed by the heavens.

“…Okay,”

Ming Xi agreed to Liang Jiancheng. From now on, if she sensed danger, or if she needed to go out to overnight events, she would notify him.

Liang Jiancheng immediately felt much more at ease, and his expression relaxed considerably.

“You haven’t eaten yet, right? I’ll take you to get something to eat first,” he said.

Ming Xi asked hesitantly, a little embarrassed, “Can we wait a bit longer?”

She really wanted to go eat—but she still had to wait.

Her expensive watch hadn’t been returned yet. She was waiting for He Yuan to bring it over.

The watch would definitely come back.

And He Yuan would personally bring it to her with the villa owner. Back in the villa room, she kicked the watch under the bed—but she had never intended to actually lose money to avoid disaster. Why should she pay for something that wasn’t her fault?

If He Yuan didn’t find her watch, the nature of this matter would be more than just a stolen watch. He Yuan understood this perfectly well, which was why he was so enraged. If the police hadn’t arrived in time, judging from his furious and menacing gaze at the villa, it felt as though he might have attacked her.

But so what? She was safe now, with a respectable man like Liang Jiancheng by her side.

For the sake of his reputation and face, He Yuan would search high and low to find her watch, then personally apologize to her with the villa owner, turning a scandal that could ruin his name into something small and manageable.

So… who says men don’t care about their reputation? They only used to be too arrogant, believing that a little scandal wouldn’t damage them—as long as the woman was dragged into the gossip, they could remain untouched.

But now it was different. If her watch couldn’t be found, everyone from Haiou who attended today’s team-building event would be questioned. Could He Yuan guarantee that every single testimony would be flawless and consistent under pressure? Of course not. So even if her watch couldn’t be found, to protect his reputation, Mr. He would buy her an identical one as compensation.

Ming Xi pressed her lips together slightly. She glanced at Liang Jiancheng, then at the men’s watch on his wrist. Compared to her women’s model, the men’s version from the same brand was more minimalist and commanding. The silver metal strap suited his temperament perfectly.

Seeing Ming Xi staring at his watch, Liang Jiancheng thought to himself that he had an identical women’s watch, and if her watch couldn’t be found, he might have a chance to give it to her…

Each with their own thoughts, He Yuan and the villa owner returned—much earlier than Ming Xi had anticipated.

What followed unfolded exactly as Ming Xi had anticipated. To protect himself, the villa owner directly took the blame for Boss He, admitting that he had taken the watch. His excuse was clumsy and ridiculous: he claimed that he thought the watch left on the sink wasn’t valuable and didn’t belong to her, so he slipped it into his pocket.

With this version of events, He Yuan completely distanced himself from the incident, even putting on the act of a warm and conscientious boss who had been busily helping his employee search for her lost watch.

The old officer looked at Ming Xi. Whether this matter would be treated as minor or serious ultimately depended on the victim’s decision.

“Girl, don’t be afraid. We police officers will protect women,” the old officer said kindly, trying to reassure her.

Ming Xi looked at He Yuan, who was also looking at her, playing the sympathy card with fake sincerity. “Ming Xi, since the watch has been found, and the owner didn’t mean it, for my sake, let’s just drop it. Look, he’s already admitted his mistake. Running a small business isn’t easy either.”

The villa owner was indeed having a tough time, not only searching the room for her watch but also taking the blame for this hypocritical He Yuan.

“Alright,” Ming Xi agreed decisively, speaking polite but insincere words. “Since the watch has been found, for Boss He’s sake, I won’t pursue it.”

He Yuan let out a long, murky breath, finally feeling relieved.

Ming Xi took the watch and smoothly slipped it back onto her left wrist.

The old officer shook his head lightly, pretending to scold her, “Miss Ming, you also bear some responsibility for this. You must take better care of such valuable items in the future.”

“Thank you, Officer.” Ming Xi smiled brightly. At this moment, she truly understood: expensive things really did have their value. If this watch hadn’t been so costly, how could it have made Boss He so anxious and desperate?

Well, now that the watch had been found, she would become a forgiving, kind, and soft-hearted girl.

“Thank you, Mr. He. Thank you, Officer. And thank you, sir… The item has finally been returned to its owner,” Ming Xi said calmly, though the depth in her expression made it obvious—this compromise was a calculated choice.

Afterward, since Ming Xi was the one who reported the case, she still had to stay behind with the “innocent” villa owner to sign two more mediation forms.

He Yuan hurried outside, shaken, stepping into the corridor of the police station. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Just as he was about to light one, he saw Liang Jiancheng—from Xinghai Company upstairs—walking toward him.

His lingering fear instantly turned into false courtesy.

He Yuan made a slightly strained attempt at small talk: “Mr. Liang is really kind. One of my employees lost a watch, and you even came all the way here to show concern.” As he spoke, he offered him a cigarette.

Liang Jiancheng took the cigarette with ease. Then, with a clean, decisive motion, he snapped the cigarette in half and held the broken piece in his hand.

He Yuan tried to force a smile: “Mr. Liang, that’s not necessary, is it?”

Liang Jiancheng rarely liked open confrontation. Businessmen like him usually prioritized profit. Offending He Yuan brought him no benefit. But today, he was not standing here as a rival company’s boss, but as Ming Xi’s friend.

“Mr. He, you know exactly what you intended to do today and why you came here. I don’t know whether you’ve done this to other female employees before. Maybe you still think you got lucky today—it doesn’t matter. But if there’s a next time, the way this is handled will definitely not be the same.”

He Yuan narrowed his eyes. “Mr. Liang, I don’t need to explain myself to you; it’s none of your business.” ”

“True. This kind of filthy business has nothing to do with me. But in the future, any contract Haiou can compete for—Xinghai won’t mind using more aggressive methods to fight you for it.”

“Heh… looks like Ming Xi seduced you too?” He Yuan sneered, deliberately dragging Ming Xi into the mud.

What! Anger instantly surged across Liang Jiancheng’s handsome face.

He Yuan glanced back toward the station. Seeing the police inside, his attitude softened again. Putting on the posture of an older brother, he lowered his voice and spoke with fake gravity: “Liang Jiancheng, she’s just a countryside girl. Is she really worth you going this far for? You’re a rich kid who studied abroad—what kind of woman can’t you find? You’re too young. Do you really think Ming Xi is that ‘clean’? Are you sure she’s only seducing you? Ming Xi, she—”

He Yuan deliberately lowered his voice for the last sentence since the police were inside.

The next second, He Yuan cursed “Fuck!” and took two steps back, covering his face in disbelief and pain as he clutched it where Liang Jiancheng had punched him so quickly.

Liang Jiancheng, a seasoned tennis player, had never hit anyone before. He couldn’t control his strength at all, and almost made He Yuan stagger and fall to the ground.

Ming Xi and the villa owner, brought out by the old policeman, happened to witness this scene.

This—

Even while claiming to act impartially, the old policeman clearly took a side. He immediately shouted loudly, waving his hand with authority, “What are you doing? What are you doing…” He then waved his hand, sternly telling everyone to leave. “Since the matter’s been resolved, all of you leave right now! What are you standing around here for? Don’t interfere with our work.”

From beginning to end, the middle-aged policeman chose to ignore Liang Jiancheng’s punch.

Ming Xi also pretended she hadn’t seen anything. She grabbed Liang Jiancheng’s hand and pulled him outside… Let’s go, let’s go! She was starving to death. Time to eat!

He Yuan stood there, embarrassed and angry, a surge of barely suppressed rage welling up inside him. Liang Jiancheng’s punch made him suddenly realize that although the CEO of Xinghai Foreign Trade was rumored to be so calm and formidable, when it came to matters of the heart, he was ultimately still an impulsive young man.

He had to admit—Ming Xi was the one with real skills. She had actually managed to make Liang Jiancheng throw a punch for her…

Today’s loss—He Yuan knew he wouldn’t be able to get it back from Liang Jiancheng. But someday, he would reclaim it from Ming Xi instead!

…

Finally!

She could eat something hot!

On the way back, Liang Jiancheng asked what Ming Xi wanted to eat. The first thing that surfaced in her mind was that decent meal she had once had in Haigang—the one at the restaurant called “Little Red House,” where Professor Liang and Liang Jiancheng had taken her the first time.

No problem, no matter what Ming Xi wanted to eat or where she wanted to go, Liang Jiancheng would take her. Coincidentally, Haigang had recently opened a new elevated highway that connected Ximing Town directly to the business district near his father’s university. It was extremely convenient.

The traffic was smooth at night, and they arrived in less than half an hour.

At this hour, most diners had already left. Liang Jiancheng led Ming Xi straight to a small private room on the second floor. Under the owner’s warm and curious glances, he ordered a bowl of warming soup and several classic stir-fried dishes.

“Professor Liang just finished eating and left,” the owner said with a smile.

Liang Jiancheng replied, “That’s unfortunate timing.”

The owner of the Little Red House naturally remembered Ming Xi. Their meeting last year had already raised his suspicions, and this time he was even more certain that this girl was most likely Liang’s sweetheart.

The dishes were served. Liang Jiancheng had originally arranged to meet his mother, Gu Shuangyang, for business and dinner today, but who would have thought that his first dinner since returning from Seoul would be with Ming Xi?

Relationships between people were about fate, and so were meals. Who you accompany in this life, who you share meals with—it all seemed predestined. Love often arrived without awareness, yet somehow fate explained everything.

Ming Xi finished eating, let out a small satisfied burp, lowered her head and drank another sip of seafood soup, then contentedly set down her spoon. Looking at Liang Jiancheng’s clean-cut handsome face, she finally asked: “Liang Jiancheng, what did He Yuan say that made you hit him?”

Ming Xi was perceptive, and so was he.

Liang Jiancheng didn’t want to repeat He Yuan’s disgusting words and shook his head: “He didn’t say much. But what he did today—wasn’t it worth teaching him a lesson?”

“You know what happened today?” Ming Xi asked softly, she hadn’t had a chance to tell Liang Jiancheng the details yet.

Liang Jiancheng sighed, his gaze stern yet tinged with helplessness: “Ming Xi, I despise everything He Yuan did today. Not only me, but the police officers who responded to the call also understood. So, the punch I gave He Yuan was entirely deserved. You don’t need to feel any guilt about it.”

Liang Jiancheng, in many ways, was more delicate and emotionally perceptive than she was.

Ming Xi looked at Liang Jiancheng apologetically and voiced her concerns: “I’m afraid you’ll offend him.”

Liang Jiancheng rarely spoke forcefully, but tonight was different. He needed to show Ming Xi a sharp, assertive side. From now on, he would not only be a trustworthy friend but also her source of confidence.

“Don’t worry about that. Compared to whether I offend Boss He… he’s probably more afraid of offending me,” he said.

This was the first time Liang Jiancheng had said something so unapologetically dominant in front of Ming Xi. Well—there was that one time in the elevator with Mrs. Huang.

Having someone you could rely on truly made a person feel proud and happy.

“Liang Jiancheng… why are you so good to me?” Ming Xi said, deeply moved.

Liang Jiancheng felt ashamed, his gaze fixed on her: “Ming Xi, I’m only this kind to you. After what happened today, I hope you remember not to trust men too much, except for me, of course.”

Ming Xi smiled, grinned, and replied with an “Oh.”

“So, what are your plans after this… You probably won’t go back to Haiou and keep working yourself to death for He Yuan, will you?” Liang Jiancheng posed the crucial question.

Resigning was inevitable.

After today, Ming Xi not only made up her mind—she also felt a rebellious fighting spirit rise within her. She had once feared taking risks and dared not start a business alone. But this incident left her with a deep lesson and emotional scar. She would rather take the risk of going solo than return to a workplace where she was constantly constrained, no matter how capable she was.

She didn’t know if Liang Jiancheng had any intention of recruiting her to Xinghai, but she still wouldn’t join Xinghai.

“I want to work independently, Liang Jiancheng. Do you think it’s feasible?” Ming Xi voiced her thoughts.

Liang Jiancheng held his cup. Hearing her decision, he neither hesitated nor tried to dissuade her. He simply raised his glass with calm grace. “I’m glad I’m the first person to know about this decision that will change your life.”

Of course he was—

He was her best and most trustworthy friend.

“I’ll be relying on Boss Liang’s care in the future,” Ming Xi said, trying to flatter him.

Liang Jiancheng smiled: “No matter which business Boss Ming pursues in the future, Xinghai is willing to be your steadfast partner. Congratulations again, and best wishes for your continued success and bright future.”

Ming Xi also raised her glass, lightly and happily clinking it with his.

She had already laying the groundwork for connections before even starting anything!

“Thank you, Mr. Liang, and thank you, Xinghai!” Ming Xi raised her glass again, clinking it against Liang Jiancheng’s.

If possible, she hoped that one day, she too could become part of Liang Jiancheng’s network.

The lights shining above them were warm, soft and just right.

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