Tomorrow as Bright as Day – Chapter 44
Chapter 44
In front of everyone here, Ming Xi had offered Liang Jiancheng two blessings: one for a smooth wedding; and two for early children.
Yet things turned out contrary to her wishes—
The wedding could no longer go smoothly, and the hope of early children naturally became an unfulfilled wish.
Nevertheless, Liang Jiancheng accepted Ming Xi’s deeply meaningful blessing.
Although at the moment, having children was already an ideal unlikely to be realized.
Because she was still too young.
An inexplicable sense of exhilaration rose in him. Ming Xi deliberately drew a clear line between them, yet every single sentence still circled back to him. In the past, when he was still young, Liang Jiancheng had once asked Yang Minwen a harsh, almost accusatory question: Why do you have to be so twisted? At that time Yang Minwen had answered with shame yet sincerity: Love destined by fate makes people lose control; and once a man loses control, he becomes twisted.
Back then, Liang Jiancheng had scoffed at that answer.
Now, he felt he wasn’t far from becoming twisted himself.
When he heard Ming Xi say “May you have an early child,” he felt so unreasonably pleased, so full of longing. He still wanted to watch her, to see the way she said those words—was she really as open-hearted as she appeared?
After speaking, Ming Xi lifted her drink and downed it cleanly. Her tone was earnest and ordinary—purely a blessing, without even a hint of anything more.
So, Liang Jiancheng put on a beaming smile, looking almost like a groom-to-be, genuinely overjoyed at the impending wedding.
The fact that Liang Jiancheng actually smiled—and smiled with such spirited delight—made Cai Ni even more upset than Ming Xi. Even though Ming Xi had stressed that Liang Jiancheng merely treated her slightly better than a normal friend, “slightly better” was still different. Yet the moment his wedding was mentioned, Liang Jiancheng lit up as if someone flipped a switch—his lips lifted, his eyes curved, his entire expression glowing with pride and joy. The sight nearly killed Cai Ni with frustration.
But with Ming Xi’s reminder to speak cautiously still ringing in her ears, Cai Ni could only swallow her emotions, gripping her wine glass very cautiously. Then, in one careless moment, she accidentally picked up the wine measurer from the table and almost drank from it.
This abrupt movement shocked everyone present.
“Cai Ni, you…you also want to toast Mr. Liang?” “Dezi quickly smoothed things over for Cai Ni.
Toast your head! Cai Ni lowered her face in mortification, then forced herself to remain calm. She set down the wine measurer and squeezed out a dry smile, lifted her juice glass again: “Sorry, I grabbed the wrong one. I can’t drink too much—I still have to take care of Ming Xi later. Mr. Liang, I’ll toast you with juice instead, and I also wish you many children and a house full of descendants.’
…Heh.
Cai Ni’s blessing made Yang Minwen, who was carefully observing everyone, purse his lips. Looking at the group of ambitious and bold young people in the private room, Yang Minwen silently pondered that sooner or later, Liang Jiancheng—this always respectable young master who was adept at navigating interpersonal relationships—would be dragged down from his lofty pedestal by them.
Then another thought crossed his mind: if Liang Jiancheng did end up blessed with many children, would he—this “little dad”—also benefit from the joy of having a house full of grandchildren?
All these years, Yang Minwen had already grown used to treating himself as the elder. After becoming involved with Gu Shuangyang, while she adored his youthful charm, Yang Minwen had instead tried to appear steadier, more mature. Love can let a person feel carefree, and also make them humble and self-reflective.
On the other side, Liang Jiancheng only longed for Ming Xi’s blessing, but Cai Ni had accidentally opened the floodgates.
The others followed suit with their blessings.
Especially Han Junjun, who, despite being tense, immediately broke into a simple yet polite smile upon hearing the news of Liang Jiancheng’s marriage, quickly raising his glass to toast: “Congratulations, Mr. Liang!” ”
Dezi naturally couldn’t fall behind. His heart was full of guilt toward Ming Xi. He had previously assumed Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng were in some ambiguous, budding phase, and only now realized the ambiguity masked a very real problem. Suddenly he understood why Ming Xi was upset before, and why she needed to clarify things so explicitly in front of Yang Minwen today.
Indeed, people from wealthy families rarely have complete freedom in their marriage decisions.
Filled with guilt yet quick-witted, Dezi lifted his glass high and started speaking on his own: “Brother Liang, congratulations! I was thinking that a golden bachelor like you wouldn’t get married so early. You must’ve met someone truly exceptional to be willing to step into marriage so soon… Aiya, I’m bad with words. Anyway—congratulations, Brother Liang!” ”
Dezi’s words regained him a little dignity.
Usually, people who claimed they were “bad with words” while giving formal remarks were the ones who understand social speech the best. Liang Jiancheng swept a glance at Yang Kangde. For Cai Ni and Han Junjun’s toasts, he had drunk from each cup. But facing Yang Kangde’s toast, he found himself reluctant.
These congratulations felt like children begging him for candy.
Liang Jiancheng held his glass tightly, maintaining a composed and polite smile. Today’s dinner party, he and Yang Minwen were just playing house with children.
Yang Kangde was, after all, Yang Minwen’s relative, and out of respect for Yang Minwen, Liang Jiancheng accepted Yang Kangde’s toast and drank it all in one gulp.
“Thank you,” Liang Jiancheng said.
He wasn’t thanking them for their congratulations, but rather thanking Yang Kangde—for quickly correcting his attitude once he realized that Ming Xi did not want to be used as a stepping stone.
These four kids had completely different personalities and wildly different talents, yet one thing was undeniable: they all sincerely wished for one another to do well. People who grow up together does form stronger bonds.
As for his arranged engagement to Zhang Min—which had been canceled in private while both families remained unaware—this was certainly not something he would mention today at this table.
So, he responded to the group of people eager to congratulate him in the most prudent and polite tone: “I’m not engaged yet. If there’s an engagement ceremony in the future, I’ll definitely invite you all to come and have fun.”
His usual cheerful demeanor vanished completely. His face showed no awkwardness, but also no joy, only composure.
Oh… so that meant good news was definitely coming soon.
Ming Xi liked this attitude very much—he had indeed cleanly distanced her from the matter.
Seeing Ming Xi’s lips slightly upturned, Liang Jiancheng smiled to himself, the fleeting tension in his heart seeming like an illusion. His reason and emotions surged, then gently settled.
Liang Jiancheng smiled helplessly at this, yet his heart pounding powerfully in his chest.
“Great! Since Mr. Liang has invited us, we’ll definitely go!” Dezi immediately stepped in to respond for all four of them.
Even though Cai Ni was still fuming inside, she nonetheless chimed in to show support: “Will Mr. Liang’s engagement party be like in the ones in TV dramas?”
Liang Jiancheng was very polite, his gaze slowly shifting to Ming Xi and Cai Ni, but he specifically answered Cai Ni: “I’ll have to consult my partner later, to see what style she prefers.”
Hmph… showing off already.
Men are just so unbearable! Cai Ni was so angry she almost stomped her foot under the table. However, no matter what Liang Jiancheng said, Ming Xi just sat quietly beside him, a smile of blessing on her face. Sometimes she lifted her head, sometimes she glanced around at the others, and every now and then she would unintentionally cast a glance at Liang Jiancheng, who was discussing his engagement.
Her eyes were calm, devoid of affection, jealousy, or heartache and disappointment, only a clear sense of self and careful plans for her own future.
“Mr. Liang will really invite us?” Cai Ni asked, raising an eyebrow.
Liang Jiancheng: “As long as you’re willing to come.”
“…That’s wonderful!” Since Ming Xi was so resilient and so carefree, Cai Ni quietly squeezed her hand under the table and, pretending to be delighted and expectant, said, “Then we’ll look forward to Mr. Liang’s engagement party!”
Ming Xi couldn’t help but smile faintly at Cai Ni’s thoughtful gesture, a subtle warmth stirring in her chest. She had already appeared so calm and composed, yet Cai Ni was still worried she might be upset.
Only people with deep feelings think this much.
Invitations were sent to everyone in advance and Liang Jiancheng drank his last glass of wine. The baijiu, with its savory aroma, was always deceptive; it was smooth and mellow on the palate, but once swallowed, the heat and sharpness would surge up fiercely.
But, for some reason, he tasted a slight sourness.
Afterwards, everything proceeded as usual.
Yang Minwen had remained a calm observer throughout, initially believing he could finally breathe a sigh of relief, thinking Liang Jiancheng would naturally marry Miss Zhang according to the plan recommended by both families. However, upon hearing the repeated congratulations at the table and observing the subtle changes in Liang Jiancheng’s expression, Yang Minwen couldn’t help but suck in two sharp breaths.
Everyone had been fooled by him.
He carefully recalled that from the moment Ming Xi offered her congratulations, Liang Jiancheng’s reaction had been very off.
As someone entrusted by Gu Shuangyang to help advance the marriage with the Zhang family, Yang Minwen had been involved in nearly every step. Not only did he know the Zhang family’s attitude, he was also quite familiar with Liang Jiancheng’s thoughts.
So familiar that—
All the happiness Liang Jiancheng had shown toward this marriage combined probably still wasn’t as genuine as the fleeting joy he revealed the moment Ming Xi said, “May you be blessed with an early child.”
Had Jiancheng gone mad?
Or was he seeing things?
Yang Minwen was astounded, even starting to doubt himself.
And in Liang Jiancheng’s frank, casual response to Ming Xi, he could feel—within the man’s tall, steady posture—a surge of emotion that only arises when a mature, accomplished man confronts a relationship he can’t control:
That sharp, delicate, faintly edged yet vulnerable jealousy and competitiveness.
Jealousy is the clumsiest expression of love.
A truly intelligent man naturally knew how to hide such emotions well.
Unfortunately, Liang Jiancheng’s temperament and abilities were too similar to Gu Shuangyang’s—strong and extremely confident. Which meant that even the smallest slip of emotion became glaringly obvious.
Of course, the only reason Yang Minwen could read Liang Jiancheng so clearly wasn’t because he understood Liang Jiancheng deeply, but because he understood Liang Jiancheng’s mother all too well.
While Gu Shuangyang was extremely strong-willed, she wasn’t cold-hearted. She always left three parts courtesy for others, and the remaining seven parts were decisiveness and self-will. By comparison, Liang Jiancheng possessed a few more degrees of gentleness and humility, so in social settings he would leave five parts courtesy.
As the dinner neared its end, Dezi skillfully shifted the topic to the business he and Han Junjun were working on.
Dezi excitedly announced his intention to start a clothing company. What they were doing now was like bamboo shoots breaking through the soil—growing fiercely. He and Junjun felt the prospects were good, so they wanted to seize the moment and pursue it boldly.
They had invited Liang Jiancheng and Yang Minwen today because they hoped to hear the opinions of two business elites. Liang Jiancheng, needless to say, had become a successful entrepreneur at a young age. And Third Brother Yang Minwen, who worked long-term alongside a powerful woman, surely wasn’t lacking in insight.
If they could offer just a bit of practical guidance, Dezi and Junjun’s entrepreneurial road would become much smoother.
Dezi’s ambitions were high, but he remained practical.
Though Liang Jiancheng was displeased with Yang Kangde’s scheming earlier, he would never let that influence his attitude toward someone pursuing their career. Especially in business matters, Liang Jiancheng possessed the same broad-mindedness as his mother—he was never the type who climbed up only to suppress others. If he were, he never would have written forum posts sharing his experiences in the past.
Regarding Dezi and Han Junjun’s business direction, Liang Jiancheng gave two solid pieces of advice, pointing out specific problems they might encounter during the startup process.
He didn’t provide direct solutions, but once Dezi followed the ideas and thought deeper, he became more and more energized—so excited he nearly slammed the table.
“Mr. Liang, let me toast you again!” Dezi gratefully raised his glass to Liang Jiancheng once more.
Liang Jiancheng usually had a decent alcohol tolerance, able to handle various types of liquor. But today, he truly felt he was a bit overwhelmed. His gaze inadvertently fell on Ming Xi, who sat calmly on the side—her earlier blush had faded, and under the soft lights, her face looked bright and luminous once more.
He was falling behind…
It seemed that only when he talked about business did Ming Xi rest her cheek in her palm and listen intently.
“I have to catch a flight tonight, I can’t drink anymore,” Liang Jiancheng explained, placing his hand over the rim of his glass.
Upon hearing this, Dezi naturally didn’t dare to insist, a fleeting hint of confusion crossing his mind: Could it be that Liang Jiancheng really delayed his flight because of this dinner?
After giving his advice, Liang Jiancheng didn’t forget to encourage Yang Kangde and Han Junjun, saying, “People strive courageously to make a living, and you have the courage to start this as a career. Whether from the perspective of timing or opportunity, now is the right moment. I can’t guarantee success, but the moment you start, the battle is already half won.”
Encouraged, Dezi was deeply grateful to Liang Jiancheng: “Mr. Liang is very knowledgeable; you speak differently from others. Junjun and I don’t have much education, and finding a good job in this society is really difficult. We might as well give it a shot. We don’t have much to lose, but we do have passion and drive.
“Ming Xi, Junjun and I also have to thank you,” Dezi continued, turning his gaze to Ming Xi across from him. “If it weren’t for the distribution strategy you suggested last month, Junjun and I might still be selling goods on the street. You’re a benefactor to me—just like Mr. Liang and Brother Minwen.”
His voice carried fervor and sincerity.
Ming Xi smiled modestly and said, “Advice is just dead words—action is what brings ideas to life. You’ve done well yourselves, so don’t push the credit on me.”
“Then I’ll finish this last drink and thank fate for the opportunity.” Dezi said, eyes shining.
…
As long as one keeps smiling, the atmosphere between people rarely turns bad—even if there are class differences. Just like how Granny Liu could still make Wang Xifeng laugh in Dream of the Red Chamber.
When this mismatched dinner gathering finally ended, everyone left with their own sense of lingering thoughts. After waiting the entire night, Cai Ni finally saw the private interaction between Yang Minwen and Liang Jiancheng.
In the hotel lobby, Dezi and Junjun went to the front desk to settle the bill, while Ming Xi and Cai Ni waited nearby.
Liang Jiancheng and Yang Minwen stood together beneath a magnolia-shaped lamp. The gentle, clear light illuminated their figures sharply. One had an imposing presence, the other had an elegant air; the sight of them standing side by side was strangely eye-catching.
“Come to my car later, I have something for you to take back,” Liang Jiancheng said to Yang Minwen.
Yang Minwen agreed and also told Liang Jiancheng, “Try to go home for dinner when you have time.”
As for why Liang Jiancheng had changed his flight tonight, Yang Minwen no longer wanted to ask.
Like his mother, Liang Jiancheng had always been forging ahead on the path of the strong. His personality was already evident since his school years, with a passion for adventurous activities. After entering the workforce, in order to better integrate and play the role of a boss, he learned the ways of social navigation and sometimes adopted the cool, restrained posture of someone in power.
However, deep down, like his mother, he possessed a heart more passionate than anyone else’s. Their minds were sharp as fire, their inner selves fervent like flame, and they even retained a kind of intense individuality and a purity that few could truly reach.
Yang Minwen couldn’t treat Liang Jiancheng like a true father; his feelings for him were based on respect and tolerance.
He respected every good decision Liang Jiancheng made, and tolerated every not-so-good decision he made in moments of impulse.
And regarding all of Liang Jiancheng’s inappropriate behavior tonight, Yang Minwen chose to categorize it simply as: youthful impulsiveness.
—
Yang Minwen was indeed the type who never touched a drop of alcohol—just a little would leave his face flushed for a long time. Before leaving home today, he sent a text message to Gu Shuangyang to report his plans. Although Gu Shuangyang didn’t really care, every time Yang Minwen went out alone to meet friends or family, he would still consciously send his wife a message, clearly stating who he was with, where he was, and when he expected to return.
It was all written clearly in one text message.
Tonight, both Liang Jiancheng and Yang Minwen had been drinking, so naturally neither could drive. Liang Jiancheng originally intended to book a room at the hotel to rest for a bit before taking a taxi to the airport.
Then, in a rare moment, Gu Shuangyang actually called to “check” on him.
Throughout the call, Yang Minwen’s lips curved with a gentle, satisfied smile, responding again and again, “Okay… okay… then I’ll wait here.”
Liang Jiancheng heard the conversation. His eyelids didn’t even twitch—he was used to it.
“Your mother happens to be in the area for a meeting. She’ll come pick me up afterwards. She knows you’ve been drinking as well and arranged for the driver to take you home.” After hanging up, Yang Minwen relayed the message to Liang Jiancheng.
Hearing Yang Minwen’s words, Liang Jiancheng’s gaze shifted to Ming Xi not far away. He originally planned to ask the driver to send her home as well. But just as he was about to speak, Ming Xi and Cai Ni walked over and took the initiative to say goodbye: “Mr. Liang, Mr. Yang, we’re thinking of going for a walk by the river later. You two go ahead—we’ll see you next time.”
The hotel really was only one street away from the Minghuai River. Liang Jiancheng had indeed intended to let Gu Shuangyang’s driver take Ming Xi home, but thinking about it more carefully, he felt it was inappropriate.
His reputation was about to tank, and he couldn’t drag her down with him.
Thoughts became action. Faced with Ming Xi’s farewell, Liang Jiancheng didn’t linger on her for even a second—he simply turned his head away.
Likewise, Ming Xi casually tilted her head in the opposite direction.
Seeing this, Yang Minwen let out a helpless chuckle: “Alright, be safe. Call if anything happens.”
—
Yang Minwen and Liang Jiancheng walked to the hotel parking lot. Since neither Gu Shuangyang nor the driver had arrived yet, the two could only stand around and chat.
What to chat about?
There were some things Yang Minwen really wanted to ask, but he didn’t know how to bring them up.
Unexpectedly, Liang Jiancheng calmly opened his mouth first: “It’s over between me and Zhang Min. We’ve agreed not to move forward with the marriage anymore.”
Ten minutes ago, Yang Minwen had dismissed it all as youthful impulsiveness.
He hadn’t expected that impulsiveness would become a fait accompli.
Liang Jiancheng was smart, capable—rational and strong, just like his mother.
But once such a person made a decision, even an irrational one, they possessed more courage and decisiveness than the average person.
Yang Minwen remained silent. If he could leave immediately, he really didn’t want to hear what Liang Jiancheng was going to say next—or become the first one to know. After a moment, he looked steadily at Liang Jiancheng and asked, gentle but with an unmistakable tone, “Jiancheng, you’re not drunk, are you?”
Liang Jiancheng was equally calm. “I’m not drunk. But if you prefer, you can pretend I am.”
Yang Minwen: …
How was he supposed to do that?
He had never imagined that the always-stable, always-decent, always-considerate Liang Jiancheng would do something like this—acting first and informing later.
“You’ve ended things—yet neither of our families knows yet?” Even now, Yang Minwen maintained his composure, though his speed of speech betrayed his urgency.
“There’s been a lot going on in the Zhang family. The old man is still in the hospital. Zhang Min wants to wait a little before telling them.” Liang Jiancheng explained.
So when exactly did they settle things privately?
Yang Minwen held back the question. But he couldn’t restrain himself from bringing up the dinner table conversation: “Then why you invited them to your engagement party earlier?”
“I’m just not marrying Zhang Min. It doesn’t mean I won’t get married in the future,” Liang Jiancheng raised his eyelids, a faint tug at the corner of his mouth.
Yang Minwen took a slow, deep breath. “So… you intend to marry Ming Xi?”
Liang Jiancheng was honest and direct: “Perhaps… but for now, it’s just my own thought.” After one failed experience, he no longer dared to make definitive claims about love or marriage—he could only state what he currently felt.
Yang Minwen felt like his ears had broken. It was too unbelievable! What kind of absurd statement was this? Was this really something Liang Jiancheng would say?
“You and Zhang Min broke up—” Yang Minwen hesitated for a second, wanting to ask for the real reason.
“It has nothing to do with Ming Xi.” Liang Jiancheng stated firmly, completely silencing any doubts Yang Minwen might have.
“…”
A light in the hotel parking lot seemed to be dim, flickering indistinctly.
It seemed that while they were eating, a spring rain had fallen. Neon lights from tall buildings reflected in puddles, melding with rainwater until nothing was distinguishable.
Liang Jiancheng held his coat in his hand, wearing only a striped shirt and casual pants. He looked clean and composed, with a calm and unruffled demeanor. Even if he was about to say something selfish, it didn’t diminish the air around him. There was even something refined and distant about him.
He first addressed Yang Minwen as “,” just like Gu Shuangyang had addressed him.
Upon hearing Liang Jiancheng call him “Xiaoge,” Yang Minwen glanced away, already sensing that he was about to be dragged into something troublesome.
Sure enough, Liang Jiancheng said,
“Xiaoge, I know what you’re thinking. You saw everything tonight. You’re someone who’s lived through life—I can’t hide it from you. …I really do like Ming Xi. But the reason Zhang Min and I ended things is that our needs and visions don’t match—we couldn’t agree to go further. That’s unquestionable, and it has nothing to do with Ming Xi. I can guarantee that. So I’m asking you for a favor: when my mother finds out and things blow up, don’t let any of that fall on Ming Xi. You’re the only one who knows the truth about this.”
What? Yang Minwen was stunned by the “only one who knows the truth.”
After all their years of dealing with each other, this was only the second time Liang Jiancheng had played rogue with him.
And then the third time soon followed.
Liang Jiancheng raised his gaze, his lips slightly pursed, meeting Yang Minwen’s gentle and good-natured face. With impeccable seriousness—and childish determination—he demanded a promise: “You won’t betray me, right? If I hadn’t agreed back then… you wouldn’t have ended up with my mom in the first place.”
Yang Minwen: …!
Just then, not far away, Gu Shuangyang personally drove a sedan into the hotel, with the driver following behind in a business vehicle. The two cars swept in a graceful arc through the rainwater, gliding forward.
Headlights shone straight and bright.
Liang Jiancheng naturally stood up straighter.
In that moment, the determination and self-assurance in his eyes were exactly like Gu Shuangyang’s.
!!! liang jiancheng is taking steps forward … I tot it would take long for him and zm to end things and now I’m curious to know how they ended things. Did she confess ?