Chapter 82

 

“Liang Jiancheng, do you still have sexual desire now?”

The reason Ming Xi asked this was because a few days earlier, Miss Jiang—who was on the verge of becoming a self-proclaimed sexology expert—had told her that the richer a man became, the weaker his libido would be. Besides that, there was another extreme possibility: that he would become increasingly perverted.

That was why those rich men supposedly had especially “diverse” tastes in that regard.

Not only did they swing both ways, but they also indulged in endless variations.

Ming Xi understood perfectly well that when Maggie said all this, aside from mocking her, she was mostly taking jabs at her former boss, Liang Jiancheng. Maggie’s prejudice against Liang Jiancheng was like two towering mountains.

One was doubt about his character. The other was suspicion regarding his “abilities” in that particular area.

Of course, Liang Jiancheng also didn’t have a good impression of Maggie.

Back when Ming Xi first became friends with Maggie, Liang Jiancheng had expressed his opinion about her choice of friends the very first time it came up, hoping she would keep some distance from Maggie. That disagreement even led to an argument between them. In the end, since he was only her “good friend” and had no right to interfere in her social freedom, the matter was dropped.

As for that aspect…

If Liang Jiancheng really did have a problem, it was most likely the former. There was absolutely no way it would be the extreme situation Maggie described.

Ming Xi firmly believed this.

It wasn’t that she blindly trusted Liang Jiancheng’s character, but rather that she knew very well that Liang Jiancheng simply didn’t have the time or energy for anything perverted.

Over the past three years, even running her small company had left her dizzy with exhaustion, like a spinning top that never stopped turning. For Liang Jiancheng to grow his tech company, he naturally had to invest even more effort. Even though he stood at the crest of the wave and benefited from the era’s momentum, his success was by no means accidental.

Liang Jiancheng’s current desires and ambitions were no longer about making money, nor about men and women. These two points were obvious.

But… was it really completely gone?

That was what Ming Xi’s question meant.

Was there truly not even a trace left?

Hmm?

“Heh…” Only one dim light was on in the entire bedroom. Liang Jiancheng stood in the interplay of light and shadow, unable to suppress a soft chuckle.

If he had any desires before, hearing Ming Xi lying on his bed, asking this question with such seriousness—while the night-use sanitary pads he had specially bought for her sat on the bedside table—made it impossible for him to regard Boss Ming’s so-called “concern” as kindhearted. It only felt like someone was being extremely malicious.

After the annual banquet, he received a text message from her while sitting in his car, and he knew she had gone to his place.

Even if she didn’t contact him tonight, he would have.

If she was already resting, then tomorrow would be fine.

Unexpectedly, she came to see him first, not only now at his house, but also texting him to help him buy some feminine hygiene products. Earlier, when he told Mark to stop at a convenience store so he could get out and buy them, Mark hurriedly asked what he needed, offering to help.

“No need, I’ll buy them myself.”

He went in and out, and when he returned, there was a transparent bag in his hand containing two packs of night-use pads.

Mark clearly lowered his head, but the corners of his mouth still curved upward into a grin Liang Jiancheng could see.

…Just now, when he pushed open the door and saw her high heels kicked off to one side—even though they were neatly placed beside the shoe cabinet, one of them had tipped over slightly—he bent down to set it upright. In that brief moment, it was as if he had envisioned scenes of the two of them living together as a married couple. Then, when he walked into his bedroom and saw her lying on his bed as if it were the most natural thing in the world…

He was happy that Ming Xi had taken the initiative to come to him today, but was this kind of initiative goodwill—or something more mischievous?

Over the years, no matter what Ming Xi did, he had always accepted it calmly and supported her fully. Including tonight—he allowed her to occupy his bedroom and his bed, even though their relationship was still only that of “good friends.”

That was fine. But what was relatively excessive was her curiosity about his “physical condition.”

Liang Jiancheng sighed softly in his heart, maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor as he silently removed his coat. He casually hung the suit jacket on the hanger without the slightest trace of awkwardness, preparing to take a shower.

Despite someone’s malicious intentions, he couldn’t even muster anger towards her, only letting out a soft chuckle.

“Gone… completely gone.” Liang Jiancheng replied bluntly to the person on the bed, then walked into the bathroom on his own. Even if he had possessed intense desire, her question had pretty much extinguished it.

Huh…?

On the bed, Ming Xi tilted her head, blinking in confusion before her mind could fully process it. With a “click,” the bathroom door was shut decisively by Liang Jiancheng.

Like a barrier, it ruthlessly separated the subtle atmosphere between them.

Ming Xi’s head sank back down onto the soft pillow. Pressing her left ear against it, she felt a faint buzzing, then turned her head the other way and curled up slightly.

Sigh! Indeed, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Where you spend your time is where your achievements lie… Liang Jiancheng had sacrificed a lot for his career over these years. Ming Xi let out a breath and slowly extended one slender leg from beneath the blanket. Under the dim bedroom light, the exposed calf was straight, pale, and delicate, as if coated in a layer of soft moonlight from outside the window.

Over the years, Liang Jiancheng had become increasingly composed. Even with her domineeringly lying on his bed, he not only remained calm and unruffled, but also remarkably generous. When he returned just now, he didn’t seem like he was returning to his own home, but rather entering her territory. He even asked her permission before turning on the light. Truly unshaken in crisis, unfazed by beauty.

It seemed that in these three years, Liang Jiancheng had truly lived up to the eight-character motto his professor had given him: “Unperturbed before the abyss, composed as jade mountain.”

The sound of running water soon echoed from the bathroom—soft and continuous, lingering on and on, like a spring rain falling outside. The steady sound reached Ming Xi’s ears, slow and rhythmic, as though the water from the showerhead wasn’t falling on Liang Jiancheng, but brushing across her own skin.

Steam spread and filled the shower room. With a final drip, the water abruptly stopped.

Liang Jiancheng stepped out of the shower on his long, strong legs.

The shower had been going on for far too long, causing steam to billow out as soon as the door opened. He walked to the sink, took a towel from the rack to dry his hair, and his gaze inadvertently fell upon Ming Xi’s undergarments on the laundry basket—

A thin, milky-white cotton lace piece…

Liang Jiancheng silently glanced at them, staring at Ming Xi’s two intimate items, a helpless smile playing on his lips.

The year he confessed his feelings, she was still wary of him. Three years later, with him as her male friend, she had become completely unreserved—no longer avoiding anything at all…

What a truly “wonderful” thing that was…

Liang Jiancheng didn’t avoid it either. Just as he had helped Ming Xi straighten her shoe earlier, he now tidied up Ming Xi’s intimate clothing and the clothes she had taken off, carefully folding them and placing them in another spot.

The bathroom light was warm yellow, its glow like melted honey slowly flowing along Liang Jiancheng’s well-defined back. The lingering steam spread across the mirror, forming a thin mist. Standing at the sink, Liang Jiancheng couldn’t see himself clearly. Then he raised a finger and wiped away a clear streak, catching sight of his damp brow bones in the mirror, dotted with fine beads of water like scattered stars breathed out on a cold night.

He suddenly clenched the towel, his knuckles pressing against the cold marble of the sink. He closed his eyes briefly and left the bathroom.

Compared to now—when she was merely wearing his clothes, sleeping in his bed, and covering herself with his blanket—that night three years ago was when he had truly left himself completely exposed in front of her, inside and out, with nothing hidden.

Liang Jiancheng turned off the bathroom light and came out. The soft lamp in the bedroom was still on, but Ming Xi already had her eyes closed, seemingly asleep. At least, she looked quiet and still, her eyes shut tightly. He walked to the wardrobe, took out another blanket, and placed it on the other side of his bed.

Then, he turned off the light.

In the darkness, as soon as he lay down, Ming Xi turned over and leaned against him.

“…Did you really come here because of the formaldehyde issue?” Liang Jiancheng asked, knowing she wasn’t fully asleep. His tone was helpless.

“No…” Ming Xi immediately denied this reason.

“Oh? So Miss Ming now trusts me, this good friend, so much that you believe there’s no distinction between men and women anymore?”

“Yeah, didn’t you say you had no sexual desire? Not even a bit, so what do I have to be afraid of…” Ming Xi yawned, responding lightly and shamelessly.

“…”

Liang Jiancheng was full of vigor and high spirits at the annual banquet earlier. Who would have thought that after returning home and lying on his own bed, he would be teased like this by Boss Ming who was closest to him.

“In recent years, Boss Ming has snatched quite a few orders from Xinghai, and her business keeps growing bigger. Yet her understanding of her good friend seems to be getting worse instead,” Liang Jiancheng said calmly. There was a trace of self-mockery hidden in his words, his warm breath lightly brushing out.

“Okay… I was just kidding.” Ming Xi yawned again, not wanting to argue with Liang Jiancheng anymore. She was on her period today, and even if she wanted to test Liang Jiancheng’s abilities in a certain area, she was powerless. She had only asked out of curiosity earlier. Couldn’t Boss Liang just not hold it against her?

Ming Xi stretched a hand out from under the covers and gently tugged at Liang Jiancheng’s strong wrist—a gesture that was a tacit plea for forgiveness and appeasement.

Liang Jiancheng asked his last question of the night: “Did you meet Jiang Meiqian again?”

Ming Xi turned away, a sudden despair washing over her. It had been so long already—why was Liang Jiancheng still holding a grudge? She sighed softly, propped herself up halfway, leaned slightly toward him, and said, “Liang Jiancheng, you say I don’t understand my good friend—aren’t you the same? Do you really think I’m so bored that when I meet friends all I talk about is men, all I talk about is you?”

Having been countered once again, Liang Jiancheng said nothing more and closed his eyes.

Ming Xi suddenly grinned. “…But last time we met, Maggie and I really did talk about you.”

Liang Jiancheng: “Boss Ming, please stop bringing up this topic. I’m going to sleep.”

Ming Xi snorted, turned over, and continued sleeping.

Friendships come in many forms, and even among opposite-sex friends, there are different ways to get along. She and Liang Jiancheng were upright and open in how they conducted themselves. But when it came to being friends, they had indeed reached a level of closeness that outsiders would find nearly “abnormal.”

Otherwise, who else could sleep in the same bed without reservation like they did—both taking it for granted, yet each harboring their own thoughts? However, their unique friendship had become a distinctive label for them in their circle. Whether in the foreign trade circle or the tech circle Liang Jiancheng was now involved in, it was common knowledge that Miss Ming and Mr. Liang were extremely close friends.

The female boss of Mingzhou had a close male friend named Liang Jiancheng.

Similarly, Mr. Liang of Xinghai had someone he admired and pursued for many years, yet they remain just good friends, named Ming Xi. How close were they in Haigang’s business circle? Whenever they attended a dinner together, no matter who arrived first, they would always save the seat beside them for the other.

This kind of relationship both support and burdened each other.

It supported each other’s careers, and burdened their personal emotions.

In any case, over the years, neither she nor Liang Jiancheng had found it easy to find other suitable partners. Ming Xi had made a fortune in recent years, becoming more radiant and glamorous in appearance, yet compared to when she was a sales representative, she now had far fewer suitors. Liang Jiancheng was the same. Even when heiresses and socialites showed interest, he would politely decline, using his pursuit of her as the reason.

“Sorry, my heart already belongs to someone. I’m still pursuing Miss Ming.”

When Liang Jiancheng first said this, it was a passionate and charming declaration of love. But after he used this line for years and fended off countless admirers, people’s feelings about it slowly changed.

Perhaps…

Maybe…

Anyway, anything is possible in this world!

—

Liang Jiancheng had gone to bed later than her, yet woke up earlier.

Because Ming Xi had dreamed last night, combined with it being the second day of her period, and because Liang Jiancheng’s curtains blocked light extremely well, she slept until eight in the morning.

Opening her eyes and turning her head, she saw the pillow beside her was empty.

Today was Saturday, and it was just after the New Year period. She didn’t need to go to the office. She just didn’t know whether Liang Jiancheng had any work scheduled today. If not, she needed to visit the professor—he had called her a few days ago and asked her to come by.

Ming Xi slowly sat up. The room had excellent soundproofing, yet she could still hear some movement from outside. So Liang Jiancheng had only gotten up—he hadn’t gone out yet.

Tilting her head back, last night’s dream surfaced vividly in her mind.

Actually… it wasn’t a dream,

But a scene that actually happened between her and Liang Jiancheng three years ago.

Logically speaking, even if she and Liang Jiancheng intentionally avoided crossing lines, there had already been physical interactions that couldn’t be avoided. The first slip-up happened three years ago, also under the influence of alcohol, when everything naturally moved toward intimacy. Indeed, almost everything that should have happened was about to happen. At that point, she had already seen Liang Jiancheng thoroughly, without missing a single detail.

Their conversation from that time still echoed in her ears. In her drunken stupor, she had been admiring every part of Liang Jiancheng’s body, her face flushed and her heart pounding. To her surprise, even in that state, her verbal expression was still remarkably sharp. Despite her muddled mind, she had no trouble praising Liang Jiancheng with shameless words: “Our Boss Liang… truly is a man without any shortcomings!”

No man dislikes being praised, and Liang Jiancheng was no exception. With her words already reaching that point, when things should have naturally progressed, everything was suddenly stopped.

The reason could only be described as the “boomerang effect”—the bullet she had fired a year earlier ended up hitting her right between the eyebrows.

The unexpected trigger was Maggie, who happened to send her a message: “I hope you won’t disappoint me today!”

…

Then the awkward part was this: she had seen everything. Even Liang Jiancheng’s most private parts had been examined by her for quite some time, and she had said the most explicit things. Yet because of that “boomerang,” Liang Jiancheng had actually been able to lift her straight off the bed, get himself fully dressed, help her put her clothes back on properly, and personally send her back to the professor’s apartment.

“If even our feelings can become tools for Miss Ming to use, then we might as well just be friends.” These were Liang Jiancheng’s words before leaving that night.

From that night on, Liang Jiancheng was truly angry.

From the time they met to becoming each other’s closest friends, struggling side by side and building each other up in the business world, he had never once lost his temper with her. She had always thought Liang Jiancheng was simply good-tempered by birth. It wasn’t until that incident that she finally understood what the professor meant by the extreme pride hidden in Liang Jiancheng’s character.

Similarly, once he got angry, he was incredibly difficult to appease. In any case, Mr. Liang was angry for a long time afterward, and she spent a lot of time and effort to soothe him. And then—after everything—she herself belatedly became angry too. The two of them ended up in an awkward phase for quite a while. On top of that, both of them were genuinely busy. If they didn’t deliberately make contact, it wouldn’t be strange for them not to see each other for half a year.

Liang Jiancheng had a reason for being angry, but what was she angry for? That night, although she was a little tipsy, her eyes were clear, and her memory was excellent. With this level of ‘awareness’, they had gone back to being just good friends!

Did he really think that the friendship between the two of them was so profound and unforgettable?

Of course, describing their “friendship” as unforgettable wasn’t an exaggeration at all.

When you pretend long enough, you can end up fooling yourself. Yet last night’s dream had replayed that real scene from the past. After appraising his body, she had clung to him like a fawning little puppy and said, “Our Boss Liang really is a sexy daddy with no flaws at all!”

Almost the exact same words—she had said them again in last night’s dream to this friend surnamed Liang.

…So it turned out that this “friend” Liang Jiancheng not only helped her expand her connections, but could also affect her hormones.

Ming Xi got out of bed. When she had come over yesterday, she had taken a bag from the car with her, which happened to contain a change of clothes. Together with the toiletry bag she kept at Liang Jiancheng’s place, she managed to freshen herself up decently before leaving his bedroom.

On the curved sofa in the living room, Liang Jiancheng sat silently, holding his laptop and browsing through emails.

On the dining table was a simple breakfast. One portion had already been eaten, while the other remained untouched—clearly meant for her.

Ming Xi sat down naturally and ate the simple sandwich Liang Jiancheng had made. At the same time, she gave a brief explanation for her sudden visit the night before: “I came to get my toiletry bag yesterday. It was too late, Xinyu left early, and walking back would’ve been too much trouble…”

Liang Jiancheng turned his head slightly, gold-rimmed glasses resting on the bridge of his nose. His gaze passed quietly through the lenses and landed on her. He remained motionless, said nothing, only moved his lips slightly before turning back to his screen to continue reading emails.

His gaze had conveyed a clear message: I don’t care what your explanation is; it’s unnecessary.

Ming Xi took a large bite of her sandwich.

“I’m going to the professor’s place for lunch today…” Ming Xi said with her cheeks puffed out, taking a sip of still-warm milk.

This time, Mr. Liang—who had been fully focused on work and ignoring her—finally replied, “What a coincidence. I’m going there too.”

“The professor invited you as well?” Ming Xi asked.

Liang Jiancheng didn’t answer, because his phone rang. Both of them were constantly on the phone because of work. But if possible, no one wanted to bring the irritation of business calls into a pleasant breakfast moment.

Even though he was at home, Liang Jiancheng walked out onto the long balcony to take the call, simply so Miss Ming—who was having breakfast in his home—could enjoy a relatively quiet and comfortable meal.

Ming Xi’s breakfast lasted exactly as long as Liang Jiancheng’s phone call. Over the past few years, both of them had been tempered by work into people who neither rushed nor dragged things out. Even their conversations with each other were unhurried.

It was Saturday. Her tennis coach messaged her, asking whether she wanted to train this week. Ming Xi thought she was going to the professor’s house at noon, and since she didn’t have any work scheduled for the morning, she could indeed go to the tennis club.

When Liang Jiancheng came back inside after finishing his call, Ming Xi had already tidied up the dishes she used.

“I’m leaving, Sophia asked me to train today,” Ming Xi said, getting up to say goodbye to Liang Jiancheng. Sophia was her coach, and Liang Jiancheng knew her too.

“Aren’t you on your period? Why are you still playing tennis?”

“It’s fine. Exercise boosts metabolism.” Ming Xi shrugged, then shamelessly held out her hand toward him. “Can I borrow your car?”

Liang Jiancheng didn’t hesitate at all: “Let’s go, I’ll take you… I haven’t played in a long time either.”

Oh.

On the way, Ming Xi pretended to be clueless and asked Liang Jiancheng about the toiletry bag: “I really can’t remember why my toiletry bag is at your place…”

“Hong Kong Expo in the first half of the year. Your suitcase was too full, so you left it with me when we came back. I forgot to return it to you,” Liang Jiancheng explained.

Ming Xi nodded in understanding. “Right, I think I bought Cai Ni a bag and didn’t have space in my suitcase. Mr. Liang really has a good memory.”

Liang Jiancheng drove calmly and replied lightly, “It’s not that I have a good memory. It’s mainly that I’m not as smooth-tongued as Miss Ming.”

Ming Xi turned her head away, letting him say whatever he wanted.

Liang Jiancheng accompanied her to play tennis today, but Ming Xi didn’t enjoy playing with him—

Because he kept feeding her the ball.

She started playing tennis relatively late, and her technique and power couldn’t compare to experienced players. Although she trained hard and had relatively fast reflexes among beginners, how could she possibly match Liang Jiancheng, who had once nearly become a professional athlete?

Sophia had invited her to play today, but she ended up playing with Liang Jiancheng for half an hour.

Throughout, Liang Jiancheng didn’t make it very obvious, but Ming Xi could still sense that he frequently and deliberately passed the ball to her.

Playing like this was so boring!

What counted as “interesting”? For example, the one-handed backhand winning point she had just fired back at him. She had clearly seen the look of surprise Liang Jiancheng shot her.

“Sorry about that.” Ming Xi set down her racket and flashed Liang Jiancheng a smug smile.

Didn’t expect that, did he? Although she had been busy lately, she still kept up one tennis training session every week. It had been nearly three months since they last played together—didn’t he think she had improved at lightning speed during that time?

That was how tennis worked. You didn’t see obvious progress after every single training session; improvement came in stages. She had already advanced from being a complete beginner to the entry-level stage.

Surprised? Just now, Mr. Liang hadn’t even managed to return that shot.

When the match ended, Ming Xi jokingly showed off a little in front of Liang Jiancheng, the seasoned player. She even thoughtfully reminded him in English not to let his guard down—whether in business or on the court.

After all, besides being good friends, they were also competitors in business.

Liang Jiancheng moved his lips and replied simply “Alright.”

The two of them sat together drinking water. Liang Jiancheng twisted open a bottle of mineral water and took a few gulps. Ming Xi reached out her hand, but instead of handing it to her, he called over the coach nearby and asked him to bring her a cup of hot water.

She was dying of thirst. Couldn’t she at least take a sip of something cold to wet her throat?

Liang Jiancheng: “Although I’m not a woman, I still have to cautiously remind Miss Ming that girls really should drink warm water, especially during their periods.”

She had just reminded him not to let his guard down, and now he was reminding her to be careful in a different way.

Ming Xi stopped insisting. On the surface she looked annoyed, but inwardly she was completely won over by this side of him. He never tried to hide his concern for her. Even when he was a little forceful, his actions were always impeccable.

After leaving the tennis club, they went to the professor’s house together.

The two arrived at the professor’s building at the same time in the same car, but went upstairs at different times.

In Haigang, once Little New Year passed, it basically meant the New Year had arrived. Since they were visiting the professor today, Ming Xi had naturally placed the New Year gifts she bought earlier in Liang Jiancheng’s car to bring along. But before they even reached the professor’s place, Liang Jiancheng said to her, “You go up first.”

Their unspoken understanding was such that even when Liang Jiancheng didn’t explain everything clearly, Ming Xi could still understand what he meant.

She and Liang Jiancheng deliberately went upstairs at different times to avoid the professor noticing they had come together.

Ming Xi went upstairs briskly, and when she knocked on the professor’s door empty-handed, the professor, seeing her alone, only said, “Come in quickly, it’s cold outside.”

Ming Xi walked into the professor’s house, changed her shoes, and then suddenly froze. Only then did she remember—her gift for the professor seemed to still be in Liang Jiancheng’s car.

Oh my god…

Similarly, Liang Jiancheng opened the trunk of his car and immediately saw a beautifully wrapped box among a pile of gifts… He raised a hand to his forehead and frowned slightly.

It seemed that every time he came to Old Liang’s place, he managed to outsmart himself and end up doing something ridiculously obvious.

More than ten minutes later—

Ming Xi was helping the professor shell peas in the kitchen when she heard the doorbell ring. She quickly got up and said to the professor, “It must be Mr. Liang. I’ll go open the door!”

Professor Liang, holding a spatula, let out a heavy “Oh.”

At the entryway, Ming Xi put on a serious face to open the door for Liang Jiancheng and even put on an act: “Mr. Liang, you’re here!”

Liang Jiancheng, carrying several bags, including her gift box, handed them directly to her.

Ming Xi blinked at him and hurriedly took them, then quietly placed the gift on the floor beside the professor’s sofa, silently praying that the professor’s memory wouldn’t be too good and that he wouldn’t notice the gift had been brought up later by Liang Jiancheng.

Unfortunately, Liang Yuzhi’s memory was excellent.

When the simple meal was ready and placed on the table, Ming Xi, as the only outsider in the house, acted like a second hostess, busily serving the two men surnamed Liang.

“Professor, here you go—”

“Mr. Liang…this is yours.”

After distributing everything and just as Ming Xi was about to sit down, Professor Liang, who had been relatively silent since leaving the kitchen, looked at the two of them across the table. His eyes narrowed again and again. The words at the tip of his tongue were swallowed back.

“Professor, Happy New Year!” Ming Xi raised her drink. “I’ve been so busy these past six months that I haven’t had a proper meal with you. Since after Little New Year it’s basically New Year anyway, let’s treat today as my first New Year in Haigang.”

Whenever the three of them ate together, Ming Xi was always the one to liven things up. Since it was a holiday, of course she had to say something festive.

“Are you staying in Haigang for the New Year this year?” the professor asked.

“Mm…” Ming Xi nodded in confusion. Wasn’t this something the professor himself had suggested? He had said that in the first year after moving, one should celebrate New Year in one’s own home. How could he forget so quickly?

Professor Liang certainly remembered this. He deliberately asked the question to lead into the following conversation.

“If you’re staying in Haigang for the New Year, will you be spending it alone?” he asked again.

Ming Xi pursed her lips, lowered her head shyly on purpose, sighed, then looked up and said, “I’m still single, after all. Of course I’ll be spending it alone. But… can I come celebrate with you, Professor?”

“Why come to me? I’m just an old man—what New Year is there to celebrate with me?” Professor Liang said, glancing at Liang Jiancheng beside him.

Ming Xi hadn’t had a chance to look at Liang Jiancheng beside her, thinking the topic was over easily. Just as she was about to pick up some food with her chopsticks, the professor suddenly shook his head, sighed heavily, and said to her with exasperation, “Ming Xi, turn your head and take a look at the person next to you. He—”

Ming Xi had just picked up a piece of braised pork rib. Hearing this, she naturally turned to look at Liang Jiancheng.

Look at him for what? To admire how handsome he was?

Then, she heard the professor’s previously suppressed disappointment return in an extremely sarcastic and forceful tone: “He’s been secretly in love with you for three years!”

Ming Xi: …

The rib dropped from her chopsticks with a “thud.”

She was shocked. Completely panicked.

What shocked her wasn’t that Liang Jiancheng had a crush on her—it was that the professor actually knew! Not only did he know, he had ruthlessly exposed it at the dinner table without any regard for her and Liang Jiancheng’s feelings.

Even worse—

The professor’s words reminded her of years ago, also here at his place. The three of them had been walking downstairs normally when the professor suddenly turned around and angrily said to her, “He…cheated!”

Now, years later, the professor once again announced to her in a reproachful tone that Liang Jiancheng had been secretly in love with her for three years.

It was as if the thin veil of propriety between men and women had been torn away on the spot. Back then, she had believed she wasn’t the “other woman” in Liang Jiancheng’s so-called cheating incident, but in today’s festive dinner atmosphere, the professor was clearly trying to place that old label squarely on her head.

“Professor… I…” The usually sharp-tongued Ming Xi started stammering.

Beside her, Liang Jiancheng finally couldn’t watch this any longer. He silently put down his chopsticks. His face was mature and handsome, yet filled with absurd helplessness. He was now the boss of two companies—could Old Liang at least give him a little face?

Having been a boss for many years, Liang Jiancheng possessed exceptional mental fortitude. He steadily picked up his chopsticks and carefully placed the piece of pork rib that had fallen from Ming Xi’s chopsticks back into her bowl.

Then, he corrected him, “It’s not three years, it’s three and a half years.”

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