Tomorrow as Bright as Day – Chapter 43
Chapter 43
Normally, Liang Jiancheng would never attend this sort of dinner—one of those social gatherings arranged through distant family connections.
Strictly speaking, tonight’s dinner had neither meaning nor necessity for him. That day at the clay-pot stall, when Yang Minwen’s young relative asked for his contact information, he gave it out only out of courtesy.
Calling the man “Uncle De” had just been a lighthearted joke, meant to ease the awkwardness on Ming Xi’s face.
In truth, his relationship with Yang Kangde was nowhere near the level where he should feel obliged to show up just because the other person invited him. But Yang Kangde did have sharp instincts and a nimble mind. When he extended the invitation, he not only mentioned inviting Yang Minwen, he even emphasized that Ming Xi would be there too—saying the four of them wanted to thank both him and Yang Minwen.
Yang Kangde’s exact words were:
“Brother Liang, you and Brother Minwen have taken good care of the four of us these days. Junjun and I want to host a simple meal to show our appreciation. Ming Xi also been wanting to find an opportunity to thank you for your care. Although this meal might not be very fancy, it truly reflects the sentiments of all of us.”
When Liang Jiancheng received Yang Kangde’s call, he was still at the office. His assistant, Mark, had already bought the 3 p.m. flight to New York a week earlier.
Without much thought, he accepted Yang Kangde’s invitation.
Then, he told Mark to go ahead without him, while he changed his ticket to a midnight red-eye flight.
Mark assumed something urgent had come up and worried he missed something important—wondering why the itinerary had been suddenly changed.
“There’s a family dinner.” His explanation was unconvincing even to himself.
He didn’t even call it a gathering.
Liang Jiancheng was the type to consider everything carefully, and never doing anything meaningless. People move for profit; life is short, time is precious. He was already overwhelmed striving upwards—he had no spare energy for irrelevant people or trivial matters.
Therefore, he truly felt that Yang Kangde was incredibly cunning—
Inviting him to dinner while constantly bringing up Ming Xi.
Besides, while he had indeed taken care of Ming Xi, had he ever taken care of Yang Kangde, Han Junjun, and Jiang Cai Ni?
If even someone like Yang Kangde could perceive and exploit this, then it meant he had handled his relationship with Ming Xi poorly—so poorly that he had allowed Ming Xi to become a stepping stone for Yang Kangde to climb toward him.
So while agreeing to this dinner had been a spur-of-the-moment decision, after some thought, Liang Jiancheng realized that in both sentiment and principle, he should make this trip.
“Sorry I’m late.” Liang Jiancheng pushed open the door and addressed the five people in the private room.
Seeing him walk in, Yang Minwen deliberately put on a look of surprise. “Weren’t you flying to New York this afternoon?”
He knew about the New York trip because his wife, Gu Shuangyang, had asked him to contact her son—she wanted to invite Miss Zhang to dinner on Saturday evening. Worried about scheduling conflicts, he had called Liang Jiancheng two days earlier to ask him to bring Miss Zhang on Saturday.
At that time, Liang Jiancheng had refused without hesitation: “I’m flying to New York the afternoon after tomorrow and will be staying for a week.”
So for him to show up here now—was his flight delayed?
Before marrying Gu Shuangyang, Yang Minwen had often helped her manage household matters. A sudden, almost ominous premonition rose inside him: the troublesome household matters he needed to deal with might not be the previous ones at all—but something yet to come.
Facing Yang Minwen’s question, Liang Jiancheng replied calmly, “Something came up, and I had to change my plans.”
“We’re really lucky then, otherwise who knows how many years it’d take before we could treat Boss Liang to dinner?” Dezi quickly chimed in, speaking like a chatty country bumpkin full of curiosity, “New York is in America, right? To go to such a faraway place, Boss Liang must be away for a very, very long time, right?”
“Not long, just a week,” Liang Jiancheng replied to Yang Kangde.
Dezi’s eyes widened, and he came up with a phrase: “Boss Liang is one of those frequent flyers!”
Liang Jiancheng politely replied, “I work in foreign trade. I have to travel overseas to do business.”
What a blatant flattery. Cai Ni couldn’t bear to see Dezi embarrass himself; she turned away, looking only at Ming Xi. But then she noticed Ming Xi hadn’t looked at Liang Jiancheng much at all—her attention was only on her. Cai Ni nudged her, and Ming Xi looked back.
Still, Ming Xi was amazing—she didn’t put any of these rich men on a pedestal.
…Well, that’s not entirely true.
When Liang Jiancheng took the seat above hers, Ming Xi did greet him: “Hello, Mr. Liang.”
A polite, distant greeting.
Liang Jiancheng looked at her: “…Hello.”
Even more distant than her.
At a Chinese dinner table, important people talk; unimportant people should focus on eating. When the dishes finally arrived, a waitress in an elegant qipao served plates of food Cai Ni had never eaten before. Each time Cai Ni picked up something, she glanced at Ming Xi and whispered, “Is it good?”
Ming Xi would always try first: “It’s good.”
Only then did Cai Ni feel relieved enough to take a bite.
To Ming Xi, Cai Ni was not being cautious—she was anxious. Anxious about how much this meal was costing Dezi and Han Junjun; anxious about how to interact properly with Liang Jiancheng and Yang Minwen in this unfamiliar setting. Not everyone could comfortably socialize across social circles. Cai Ni believed she had embarrassed herself last time she met Liang Jiancheng, so today she was being extra careful.
Real friends were always like this—they felt heartache spending the other’s money like spending their own. Every time Cai Ni picked up a dish, she silently cursed Dezi for putting on airs and wasting money. She couldn’t understand why he wanted to curry favor with Liang Jiancheng and Yang Minwen. In Cai Ni’s heart, she was indeed grateful to Yang Min Wen, but she didn’t want to fawn over him.
It would be better for the four of them to go to a night market barbecue than to sit here and suffer.
Ming Xi rested a hand on Cai Ni’s leg again—quiet comfort and subtle reassurance.
Cai Ni’s thoughts had always been pure and simple. Ming Xi understood them, but she couldn’t explain: It’s because we’re too weak right now. Dezi and Han Junjun wanted to rise, and they needed every opportunity they could grab.
Dezi wasn’t just arranging a dinner tonight—he was setting a stage.
Indeed, over the past two weeks, interacting with different people in Haigang had taught Dezi and Junjun a very real truth:
Birds of a feather flock together. If you want to succeed, follow a model. If you want to advance, borrow a favorable wind. Who was the model? Who was the wind?
They’re all at his table. Today’s meal did cost Yang Kangde a lot of money, but he felt it was worth it. Yang Minwen was a distant relative, yes—calling him “third brother” wasn’t excessive. But when trouble came, distant relatives were never as useful as friends. That day at the foreign trade expo, he saw the strength of Liang Jiancheng’s company, especially since Liang Jiancheng was in the foreign trade industry. He and Junjun were going to enter the clothing industry later, and if they could ride on Liang Jiancheng’s coattails, it would definitely be beneficial.
And conveniently, Liang Jiancheng and Ming Xi seemed to share some kind of ambiguous connection, giving Dezi the perfect opening. As Han Junjun’s close brother, Dezi sincerely hoped Junjun could win over Ming Xi. But Dezi knew perfectly well that Junjun and Ming Xi were destined to be just friends. Relationships between men and women depended on chemistry.
That night at the clay-pot stall, just a couple of glances and a sniff had told Dezi—
Ming Xi was exactly the dish that appealed to Liang Jiancheng’s taste.
But Liang Jiancheng wouldn’t dare reach for his chopsticks.
…
“Since everyone’s here, let’s all four of us toast my third brother and Brother Liang first,” Dezi stood up and suggested.
As soon as Dezi finished speaking, Han Junjun immediately obeyed and stood up as well.
A month ago, Han Junjun had still been the proud, shy, loyal young man with a bit of small-town swagger about him. But once he realized that real financial opportunities required the help of those in higher positions, both his behavior and his way of thinking naturally began to shift toward maturity.
Why is it that during school years, girls often mature faster than boys, but once you step into society, boys mature faster than girls? Because in school, everyone competes for grades—symbols of their family’s pride. But in society, everyone is competing for tangible, real benefits.
Yes, everyone had figured it out—so what was there for her to hold back?
Ming Xi also stood up confidently, knowing exactly what Dezi was planning. As a friend, it was inevitable to be used sometimes; she could be a stepping stone, but she absolutely would not allow herself to be placed on this dinner table as a dish to be served and manipulated.
“Cai Ni, let’s also stand up and offer a toast,” Ming Xi said, tilting her head.
Pulling Cai Ni along, the two of them raised their glasses. Ming Xi stood gracefully, her smile composed, showing none of the restraint or timidity one would expect from attending such a formal dinner for the first time. On the contrary, she looked even more poised than the hosts themselves, dignified enough to draw attention.
“Mr. Yang, I know Dezi holds deep gratitude toward you, and sincerely wants to get to know Mr. Liang. Cai Ni and I are also very lucky. We’re not only Dezi’s friends but also your fellow townsmen. By chance, we all ended up in Haigang struggling to make a living. You have looked after us, and truly, meeting a benefactor in a foreign place… Cai Ni and I were able to find good jobs so quickly only because of your help. We’ve been grateful all along, though chances to express it were hard to come by. Thankfully, Dezi is thoughtful and arranged this dinner. So today, taking this opportunity, Cai Ni and I offer you this toast.”
A waiter had already filled her small cup with baijiu, and her larger glass with a soft drink. Without the slightest hesitation, Ming Xi lifted the small cup and downed it in one go.
Yang Minwen originally wanted to persuade Ming Xi not to drink baijiu, but before he could say anything, Ming Xi had already finished hers.
He himself couldn’t hold his liquor, and as a man, he couldn’t refuse, so he also drank it down in one gulp.
Liang Jiancheng glanced at Yang Minwen, then looked at Ming Xi, and almost laughed. He wasn’t a heavy social drinker, but more than enough to recognize who could hold liquor and who couldn’t. And clearly, Ming Xi drank better than Yang Minwen.
Among those present, Cai Ni also knew Ming Xi’s alcohol tolerance; this amount of baijiu was nothing to her.
Ming Xi picked up the wine pitcher and poured herself another half cup.
This one she intended for Liang Jiancheng.
Liang Jiancheng looked at her, his gaze poised and elegant. Ming Xi met it with equal clarity and calm, even a touch of lightness. Her movements were unhurried. Through this glass of wine, she planned to publicly, cleanly, and decisively clarify all the misunderstandings and ambiguous space between her and Liang Jiancheng.
If Dezi could sense something between them, then how could Yang Minwen not? Otherwise, when Liang Jiancheng walked in earlier, he wouldn’t have blurted out a question implying the flight must have been delayed.
In this world where relationships form and fade based on interests, many people use the faint spark of attraction between men and women to push things forward. Whether it’s between men and women, men and men, or women and women, whether it’s helping or offering benefits, it doesn’t necessarily mean there’s genuine affection; often, it’s also about a sense of initial attraction.
The fact that she caught Liang Jiancheng’s eye was because she herself was capable, not because Liang Jiancheng had particularly discerning taste. She had no need to be overly grateful for his appreciation or his help.
Therefore, she should maintain a proper attitude today to avoid future criticism.
And no—she wasn’t saying “” The truth was, she never intended to go after Liang Jiancheng’s “bunch of grapes.” If she were a fox, she would rather eat meat.
Ming Xi smiled, raised her glass to Liang Jiancheng, and began, “Mr. Liang, this glass is for you.”
Liang Jiancheng, who had been sitting, hesitated for a second before standing up. By now, he had already guessed what kind of toast Ming Xi would make.
What would she say in front of everyone, especially Yang Minwen?
She had always been clever and adept at seizing opportunities.
Sure enough, Ming Xi proactively recounted how they had first met:
“In Yicheng, I met Mr. Liang while visiting Professor Liang’s home. Later, in Haigang, at Professor Liang’s request, he took great care of me and even planned to offer me a job. Although I missed that opportunity, I’ve always considered Mr. Liang as a benefactor, as a boss. I’ve indeed learned a lot from him. If I have the opportunity in the future, I’ll continue to learn from him.”
Using the identities of “benefactor” and “boss,” Ming Xi neatly boxed him in—carefully avoiding even the word “friend.”
Liang Jiancheng was more than half a head taller than Ming Xi. As she spoke, his gaze remained fixed on her frank and expressive eyes. She looked at him with a smile, full of polite gratitude and a desire to learn.
Indeed, in terms of learning, she owed him a toast.
But he also owed her one. Without her urging for updates, he wouldn’t have stayed up writing late-night forum posts after working overtime.
When she finished speaking, she lifted her head again, about to down the drink.
But Liang Jiancheng beat her to it, finishing his first.
“Ming Xi, I’ll drink. You don’t need to,” Liang Jiancheng said.
Ming Xi smiled easily: “Mr. Liang, you don’t need to worry about us kids, I can drink.”
After saying that, she drank it all in one go.
Setting aside the empty cup, her lips curved slightly. Her eyes gleamed—bright and captivating, with a sheen that looked like moisture about to spill over.
Was the alcohol hitting her already?
Liang Jiancheng lowered his gaze and sat back down, steady as stone.
Immediately afterward, Ming Xi poured herself another glass of wine, turning her gaze to Dezi. She was indeed slightly intoxicated, and spoke more boldly: “Dezi, this glass is for you. On the day of the graduation exam, you and Junjun showed me real loyalty. I told you then—if you ever need help, I’ll be there. You managed to invite Mr. Liang today, and in a way, that’s partly through the connection between him and me. But relationships between people always involve bridges, introductions, the right timing. Who knows—if you get close to Mr. Liang in the future, maybe one day I’ll need your help to reach him again.”
Dezi held his glass, understanding not only the meaning behind Ming Xi’s words but also her attitude—he absolutely could not use her as a pretext to contact Liang Jiancheng again.
A wave of shame washed over Dezi. He filled his glass, drank it down without a word, and downed it in one gulp.
Making a living wasn’t easy; he hoped she could understand. He flipped his empty cup toward her.
Exactly—because survival was tough, each step had to be taken with caution. Joking around between the four of them was harmless, and no one took it to heart.
But Yang Minwen’s situation was different!
No matter who he had been in the past, now he was Liang Jiancheng’s proper “little father,” and one of Gu Shuangyang’s people. If Yang Minwen ever misunderstood her relationship with Liang Jiancheng, the person she offended wouldn’t just be Liang Jiancheng—but also Gu Shuangyang.
How could she possibly throw herself into that fire pit?
Even if Liang Jiancheng was a future connection she might rely on, that relationship must remain clean—purely professional, untouched by romantic ambiguity.
After several drinks, Ming Xi’s face flushed, but her breathing remained steady. Whether speaking or sitting down, she remained unhurried and composed.
Cai Ni watched her with awe—completely impressed.
With each toast, Ming Xi had been precise and measured. Especially the toast to Mr. Liang—it was like a blade slicing cleanly through water, cutting away every trace of ambiguity.
But…
Feelings aren’t like water—when you slice through them, don’t they just flow even more?
Besides observing Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng, Cai Ni was also curious about the way Yang Minwen and Liang Jiancheng interacted. From the moment Liang Jiancheng entered the private room, she had been listening intently, eager to know how Mr. Liang would address Yang Minwen.
Would he call him “Dad,” “Papa,” or “Uncle”?
Surely not “Brother” like they did, right?
The more she wanted to know, the less she found out. The dinner was more than halfway through, and she still hadn’t heard Liang Jiancheng address Yang Minwen even once.
Their interactions were perfectly normal—like longtime friends. The more normal it seemed, the itchier Cai Ni felt, desperately hoping that Liang Jiancheng would call Yang Minwen.
Ming Xi noticed that Cai Ni’s eyes kept darting between Yang Minwen and Liang Jiancheng out of the corner of her eye, and guessed what Cai Ni was thinking.
She quietly poured Cai Ni a glass of juice and handed it to her.
Cai Ni shot her a guilty look before bowing her head and sipping the juice.
Ming Xi smiled slightly, and as she turned her head, her gaze inadvertently met Liang Jiancheng’s. His gaze lingered on her face, and Ming Xi maintained her smile with a clear conscience. She was not one to stir up trouble, but to protect her reputation, she planned to bring up a certain topic herself.
Both the organizer of the dinner, Dezi, and Liang Jiancheng’s “little father,” Yang Minwen, were here.
Ming Xi pressed her tongue lightly against her palate, thought for half a second, then lifted her glass toward Liang Jiancheng again. “Mr. Liang, let me toast you again.”
Liang Jiancheng returned to himself, his deep, unreadable gaze dropping to her raised glass. His lips subtly tightened. “Ming Xi, if you’re going to toast again, use juice instead.”
“This one can’t be replaced. I’ll switch the next one.” Ming Xi rejected Liang Jiancheng’s kindness, her lips curving upwards again, her bright eyes sparkling slightly. Then she revealed the meaning behind this drink, “Although we don’t know when Mr. Liang will get married, we all know that good things is approaching. So I’m toasting Mr. Liang in advance—wishing you a smooth wedding and an early, healthy child.”
A smooth wedding and an early child. A blessing he couldn’t refuse.
Liang Jiancheng felt that changing his flight to attend the banquet today was definitely the right decision.
A smile suddenly tugged at the corners of his lips, his long, delicate eyelashes drooping slightly. If his earlier expressions had been faint, now his face was warmed by a serene, wine-mellowed glow.
Liang Jiancheng lowered his head, raised his glass, and gently touched it to Ming Xi’s. Then he spoke a line layered with meaning and unmistakable sincerity: “I also very much hope I can be blessed with a child soon—Ming Xi, I’ll borrow your auspicious words.”