Chapter 56

 

Liang Jiancheng had kept up the habit of playing tennis for many years. Back when he was a student, he had been the only Asian men’s singles player on the school team. He never went professional, for two main reasons: firstly, professional tennis players need systematic training from a young age, and the requirements for speed, strength, and endurance were completely different from those for amateur players.

Second, while he could withstand the high-intensity pressure of training, he found it difficult to tolerate the monotony and repetitiveness of daily routines.

Life, after all, is about experiencing things. At that time, he was also deeply interested in other fields.

Such as economic research

And wilderness exploration.

His interests were relatively broad, and he was able to fully immerse himself in each of them. During the stage when his body was developing into full adult maturity, an exhilarating match of tennis was an excellent way to release the hormones surging within him, keeping both body and mind relaxed and open.

After returning to China, Liang Jiancheng didn’t have many opportunities to play tennis, and it was difficult to find evenly matched opponents in Haigang. Last year, he joined a local tennis club, where he finally met several enthusiasts with solid skills. Despite his busy work schedule, he manages to play about two tennis matches a month.

This week, he felt the hormones that usually only “stir up” during puberty stirring within him again.

He woke up in the middle of the night, took a shower, and booked a court at the tennis club the next morning.

This was a newly established tennis club in Haigang. The annual membership fee was steep, but the facilities and coaches were excellent, and many professional athletes trained here.

After hanging up the phone with Ming Xi, Liang Jiancheng showered at the club. He had been so busy lately that he hadn’t had time for a haircut. At the sinks in the locker room were shared combs and men’s hair pomade.

After blow-drying his hair, Liang Jiancheng glanced at himself in the mirror. He took a small amount of pomade and lightly styled his slightly overgrown bangs. He rarely used hair product in daily life, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know how. With just a few simple strokes, a neat, refreshed-looking style took shape.

“Byron, got a date tonight?” one of his fairly familiar tennis partners asked, looking him over with exaggerated curiosity before laughing as he guessed.

“A gathering with a group of friends,” Liang Jiancheng replied.

“Then let me guess, there must be a beauty among those friends,” the other person joked.

Liang Jiancheng had finished tidying himself and picked up his sports bag, ready to leave. He pressed his lips together slightly, smiling with clear pleasure. “That’s true. There is one who’s quite beautiful.”

The other man, a well-known playboy type, immediately leaned closer, eyes lighting up. “A party? Can you bring me along?”

Liang Jiancheng coughed lightly, laughed heartily, and said, “Sorry, I’m afraid not. I was invited only as a friend myself.”

Uh…

The refusal was straightforward, but why did his tone sound a little regretful…

The playboy clicked his tongue twice. When men want to show off, they’re all pretty much the same. He hadn’t expected even the usually composed and polished Boss Liang to be no exception.

“Mr. Liang, do you have a girlfriend?” the other person asked tentatively, as if remembering something.

“I’m single for now.”

“I have a younger sister…”

“Sorry, although I’m single, I already have someone I like…”

Cough.

Now it wasn’t Liang Jiancheng coughing, but the young Haigang playboy standing next to him

Having consistently played tennis, Liang Jiancheng, while not the exaggeratedly muscular type, actually had an excellent muscle mass. Firm, elastic muscles were evenly distributed across his tall, lean frame. Not only did he have naturally long legs, but his broad shoulders and back were well-defined, smooth yet solid.

Whether from a male or female perspective, Liang Jiancheng’s physique, whether clothed or undressed, exuded a sense of discipline and health from consistent exercise.

Especially his forearm muscles, which were not only well-proportioned and attractive but also exuded sex appeal.

The playboy shook his head regretfully. His sister loved men with this kind of physique and had begged him to keep an eye out at the tennis club. He had done just that—felt a flicker of excitement upon hearing Liang Jiancheng was single—only to learn that his heart was already occupied.

As someone long immersed in romantic entanglements, he understood very well: when a man says there’s someone in his heart, it carries far more emotional weight than simply saying he has a girlfriend.

—

For a gathering with friends, casual clothing was more appropriate.

After returning from the tennis club, Liang Jiancheng stood in his walk-in closet selecting an outfit.

That group was fairly young. Though he was a few years older, he himself was still in the prime of his life. At work, he needed to dress in mature, steady attire to project authority as a boss.

But today was Saturday—and he was going to see Ming Xi.

Naturally, his clothing choices needed to be youthful, casual, and highlight his physique.

Besides the shirts, trench coats, and suits he wore for work, his wardrobe consisted of various simple V-neck, crew neck, and polo shirts.

Liang Jiancheng chose a white polo shirt, paired with beige casual pants and sneakers.

With his hair slightly styled, Liang Jiancheng saw a satisfactory image of himself in the mirror.

A woman dresses for someone she likes.

That saying was unfairly one-sided. Human nature generally desires to show the best of ourselves to those we like most. That’s a positive, optimistic expression of emotion—why should it be limited by gender?

Liang Jiancheng lifted his head. The Adam’s apple at his throat rolled gently as he raised his wrist to check the time. There were still thirty minutes before the dinner Ming Xi had arranged.

Since she was treating him, should he bring a gift?

In truth, he had already bought her one. Because it was relatively expensive, he hadn’t yet found a suitable occasion to give it.

It was a women’s watch.

Liang Jiancheng opened a drawer in the walk-in closet; inside, a women’s watch sat quietly in a velvet box. It was the same brand as the one he was wearing.

This was a brand he liked. Compared to their men’s watches, the women’s designs were even more distinctive. “Time is eternal because of you.” That was the promotional slogan for this particular model.

This watch suited Ming Xi perfectly, and the advertising slogan resonated with his feelings—it was the perfect choice.

When was her birthday?

Perhaps it would be more appropriate to give her the watch on her birthday?

Click

The open drawer slid shut along its tracks.

Gifts required proper timing. Given at the wrong moment, they became an intrusion.

Forget it.

He would give it to her another time.

After all, the relationship between him and her had already reached a point where private dinners together needed no special excuse.

Leaving five minutes early, Liang Jiancheng drove to Jiangnan Mei. It was a popular, casual restaurant—one he’d eaten at several times during business dinners.

Places like this had good food and friendly owners; the only downside was the lack of designated parking. Cars often clustered right in front of the entrance, blocking both people and traffic. If he had enough time, Liang Jiancheng preferred not to park there.

Fortunately, there were parking spaces on the street, and Jiangnan Mei was just across the street.

When Liang Jiancheng got out of the car, he called Ming Xi.

“I’ve arrived, where are you guys?”

“Ah, Cai Ni and I are still on our way…”

Ming Xi was a little surprised to receive Liang Jiancheng’s call so early. Liang Jiancheng, who was the last to arrive at the last gathering, was the first to arrive today.

She glanced at her quartz watch. There were still fifteen minutes before the agreed time.

“I happened to be playing tennis nearby, so I came straight over after I finished,” Liang Jiancheng explained.

In fact, he had gone home and changed into his favorite tennis polo shirt.

“Should I send you the private room number?” Ming Xi asked, phone in hand.

“Okay.” Liang Jiancheng agreed, then paused for a moment before asking, “Have you ordered yet? Want me to go in and help you order?”

The prices at Jiangnan Mei were relatively reasonable, so Ming Xi wasn’t worried that Liang Jiancheng would exceed her budget. What she was worried about was him paying the bill. Last time Dezi treated everyone, she and Cai Ni later found out that Liang Jiancheng had actually picked up the tab.

This dinner was her treat, celebrating her sales performance—and Liang Jiancheng had helped her at the airport as well. If he paid again today, she would feel truly indebted to him.

“Maybe I’ll just—”

“Ming Xi, I definitely won’t take the bill from you today,” Liang Jiancheng said with a smile.

Oh.

“Then I’ll trouble you, Mr. Liang!”

Liang Jiancheng was thorough and considerate even when ordering food. There were six people in total; he didn’t try to save Ming Xi money, ordering nine dishes plus a fresh fruit platter.

Dezi and Han Junjun arrived a bit earlier than Ming Xi and Cai Ni. Just as Liang Jiancheng finished ordering, he saw the two of them.

The three entered the private room together and chatted briefly about Dezi’s and Han Junjun’s recent business ventures. Dezi was sharp-minded—once he spotted an opportunity, he never lacked ways to act on it.

Some of those approaches, however, carried… legal risks.

If a business aimed for long-term development rather than quick money, certain risks needed to be avoided—or at least kept within legal boundaries.

Skirting the line still left room to maneuver.

Crossing the legal red line outright would only demand a much higher price later to make up for short-term cleverness.

Whether because Dezi was related to Yang Minwen or out of regard for Ming Xi, Liang Jiancheng spoke plainly, pointing out where Dezi’s thinking crossed into dangerous territory.

Being shrewd in business was necessary—but being too shrewd wasn’t always a good thing.

Dezi understood immediately. Liang Jiancheng’s tone, his level of thinking, and his opinions were all easily accepted by Dezi, even giving him the feeling that a single conversation with him was worth ten years of study.

“Thank you, Brother Liang. What you’re saying… Some of this stuff… I really didn’t know. Junjun and I would never intend to break the law,” Dezi said, scratching his head.

“If your business grows bigger in the future, I have a book I’d recommend to you. You can both take a look,” Liang Jiancheng said half-jokingly but seriously.

“What book?” Han Junjun, who had recently become very studious, eagerly asked.

Liang Jiancheng said, “The 2000 edition of ‘China Taxation Guide’ was just updated this year. It goes into corporate income tax practice in quite some detail.”

Han Junjun laughed awkwardly. “Uh… do small companies like ours really need to study taxes?”

Dezi already considered Liang Jiancheng his mentor, and rolled his eyes at Han Junjun, “Mr. Liang telling us to study it means he thinks highly of us—right, Brother Liang?”

Compared to Han Junjun, Dezi’s mind was indeed much more agile.

Liang Jiancheng nodded. “Even small businesses need proper tax planning. Understanding the law helps you avoid potential risks. Often, the difference between staying within the legal boundary and crossing it is huge. Being cautious is never wrong.”

“Thank you, Brother Liang.”

“No need, we’re all family.”

Ah!

If they weren’t abstaining from alcohol today, Yang Kangde would’ve wanted to toast Liang Jiancheng a couple of times. Dressed casually and looking youthful, Liang Jiancheng appeared especially fresh and sharp today. From a man’s keen eye, it was obvious—Brother Liang had put some effort into his appearance.

Men might not always tell whether a woman has put on makeup, but women usually can.

Likewise, women might not immediately sense when a man has deliberately groomed himself—but other men can tell at a glance. Today, all three of them looked pretty good.

Dezi, being perceptive, knew that Liang Jiancheng’s presence in this private room was as Ming Xi’s friend. Since they were all friends, he spoke directly: “There’s one more person coming today. Does Mr. Liang know who it is?”

Liang Jiancheng leaned back in his chair, his gaze meeting Dezi’s slightly probing eyes. He smiled and said, “A new friend, I haven’t met him before. Haven’t you met him either?”

Beside him, Han Junjun practically perked up his ears. Hearing that Liang Jiancheng hadn’t met this person either, he breathed a sigh of relief and interjected, “Xi’er hasn’t mentioned him. Maybe she’s not familiar with him yet.”

Liang Jiancheng nodded. The word “Xi’er” almost caught him off guard—he glanced up at the lights in the private room. They were quite bright.

Intelligence wasn’t about speaking eloquently—it was about speaking naturally. Compared to Han Junjun, Dezi expressed things much more smoothly: “We’ve all been busy lately and haven’t had time to see Ming Xi or Cai Ni. As for her new friend—how would we know? I only heard Cai Ni mention him once. Seems like a top student.”

Liang Jiancheng said “Oh.”

“Ming Xi is ambitious and smart, and she learns quickly. The people she befriends now are excellent too. Nini, Junjun, and I just had the advantage of knowing her early. If we’d met her a few years later, maybe we wouldn’t even qualify as her friends,” Dezi said modestly.

Liang Jiancheng smiled noncommittally, then spoke sincerely on Ming Xi’s behalf: “Friendships don’t work that way. If Ming Xi cared about that sort of thing, she would’ve only hung out with top students back in school.”

“Yes, yes, Brother Liang really knows how to put things,”

Liang Jiancheng moved his lips but didn’t continue. He understood Ming Xi a little better than they did.

And just as they were talking about her—she arrived.

Two girls entered first, followed by another person.

A refined-looking young man with a buzz cut, a restrained smile—clean, intelligent-looking.

Ming Xi smiled happily, and seeing that her friends in the private room had all arrived, her gaze naturally turned to Liang Jiancheng. He caught her eye immediately today, and the compliment slipped out without thought: “Mr. Liang, you look so handsome today!”

Liang Jiancheng smiled gently and reservedly. Her open admiration caught him off guard—for a moment, he didn’t quite know how to respond.

Just then, Ming Xi’s gaze swept over the others, also praising Dezi and Han Junjun: “Dezi, Brother Junjun, you two look more and more impressive. If I haven’t seen you in the private room, I wouldn’t have recognized you on the street.”

Han Junjun’s face flushed slightly.

Dezi chuckled, looking at Ming Xi and Cai Ni. “You two too, you’ve changed so much! Junjun and I feel like we’ve got new friends.”

Cai Ni gave a light snort and quickly sat down next to Dezi.

It wasn’t that Cai Ni was deliberately trying to sit close to Dezi. There were six people total, and Dezi, Han Junjun, and Mr. Liang were already seated in order. Ming Xi clearly needed to sit with the new friend. If Cai Ni didn’t sit next to Dezi, she’d have to sit next to Mr. Liang.

Mr. Liang was very handsome—but Cai Ni was intimidated by Professor Liang, and felt much the same toward the professor’s son…

“Haha… Hello, Mr. Liang.” After sitting down, Cai Ni was the first to greet Liang Jiancheng.

“Hello, Cai Ni.” Liang Jiancheng was somewhat helpless. As Ming Xi’s best friend, he actually hoped she wouldn’t be so distant with him.

Oh well, Liang Jiancheng turned his attention back to Ming Xi and the young man. He observed the newcomer, who also looked at them politely.

New friends always needed a bit more care. Ming Xi lightly placed a hand on the young man’s back and introduced him cheerfully: “Ta-da! Let me introduce you, this is my friend from Beidaa short of Beijing Daxue, a.k.a Peking University, Brother Ze.”

“Brother Ze?” Dezi was the first to raise an eyebrow.

Ji Runze looked genuinely embarrassed, his face even turning red. He glanced at Ming Xi seriously. “Ming Xi, with such a grand introduction, I feel a little ashamed.”

Then he introduced himself in front of everyone, “My name is Ji Runze. I run a computer shop now—right over at the digital plaza nearby. If you ever have computer problems, feel free to come find me. The shop’s called Beida Computers—easy to remember.”

Oh, I see.

Dezi immediately understood—“Beida” was just the shop name.

“Then Brother Ze… you’re not actually from Beida?”

There was a vocational school heavily advertised on TV these days—Beida Qingniao Computer School. Could Ming Xi’s “Beida” have meant that instead of Peking University?

With this guess, Dezi suddenly felt closer to the other person.

Ji Runze said frankly, “I did graduate from Beida, majoring in economics. I didn’t do very well. After quitting my job at the bank, I opened a computer store and just getting by.”

Oh, oh, oh.

Even if a Beida graduate “doesn’t do well”, that’s still… Beida!

Dezi was still full of admiration. His gaze shifted to Liang Jiancheng, who sat calmly, composed. After a brief moment of thought, Liang Jiancheng lifted his eyes and asked the question everyone was curious about: “…How did you two meet?”

Ming Xi and Ji Runze sat down together. Ji Runze looked at Ming Xi: “Ming Xi, why don’t you tell it?”

“Sure.”

Before the food was served, Ming Xi briefly explained how she met Ji Runze.

Their acquaintance actually stemmed from Pierre’s deal. Last month, while developing a new product, she split her time between factories and the computer market, looking for someone who could do graphic design.

Most shops there repaired or sold computers—almost no one could use advanced design software. Ming Xi asked at each shop, and was about to give up and head to Xinhua Bookstore to teach herself when she saw Ji Runze’s computer store—”Beida Computers.”

…It looked impressive.

She carried her laptop into the shop and asked, “Um… may I ask—can you draw design blueprints?”

Ji Runze was assembling hardware at the counter. Without lifting his head, he replied, “I can, but I don’t have time right now.”

“Then when do you have time? I can wait.”

Being good-looking did have its advantages. Ji Runze glanced at Ming Xi twice—at first without much interest, but the second time he took a closer look. Then he said, “Wait five minutes.”

Ming Xi waited five minutes, but ended up taking more than five hours of Ji Runze’s time.

If she learned drafting, could she design products herself in the future? What about packaging design? She voiced her desire to learn drafting on the spot.

“It’s a bit difficult.”

“I want to try.”

“Alright…”

Ji Runze worked on the computer while explaining, and Ming Xi watched attentively.

“Are you from Haigang University of Economics and Trade?” Ji Runze asked which school she went to, since she looked like a foreign-trade sales rep.

“No, I’m from Yicheng TV University.”

“Yicheng TV University? Is there such a school? What kind of university is it?” ”

“It’s a Radio and Television University!”

“Oh… then your TV university is really impressive.”

“How so…?”

“I showed you once and you already got it. This set of operations—I had to learn it twice myself.”

That was because her memory was good. “And you, are you really from Beida?”

“Yes.”

“Beida, or Beida Qingniao?”

“Beida.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. This is the first time I’ve met someone from Beida.”

“I used to think Beida was pretty good, but after meeting you… it feels like Beida might be a bit overrated. Your TV university seems more impressive…”

…

Ming Xi didn’t go into detail about how they met, but during this period she and Ji Runze had indeed grown quite close. She needed to learn CAD and Photo Draw, and Ji Runze’s computer shop wasn’t doing very well, so he had free time every day and enthusiastically took her on as a diligent TV-university student.

“Ming Xi is really diligent, very perceptive, and learns things very fast. I’ll soon run out of things to teach her.” When the first dish was served, Ji Runze praised Ming Xi first, without praising himself.

Because she needed to look after the new friend and also sit next to Cai Ni, Ji Runze ended up seated between Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng.

After hearing Ming Xi’s story, Liang Jiancheng was surprised, yet felt it was perfectly reasonable. Just as Ji Runze had said—once she came into contact with useful knowledge, she would not only throw herself wholeheartedly into learning, but also feel deeply grateful toward whoever taught her.

During this time, she was probably busy learning “CAD” and “Photo Draw,” and hadn’t been following the posts on the forum for a while.

She learned fast—her teacher was “phased out” fast too.

That was a good thing.

“Of course, our Ming Xi is the best. No wonder I haven’t seen her lately; she’s been learning new things with a top student from Beida,” Cai Ni said sourly.

“No, no, no, I’m really not a top student. I was just average in school, and I wasn’t particularly interested in my major, otherwise I wouldn’t have failed so badly at work. Ming Xi even said she’d introduce me to even more impressive TV-university classmates. You must all be very capable.”

Ji Runze was shy; his academic qualifications were indeed his greatest pride at the moment, and he felt embarrassed to bring them up. Besides, after meeting Ming Xi, he had come to understand that a person shouldn’t be judged by academic credentials alone.

When he entered the room, the first person he noticed was the man in the white polo shirt. His bearing and demeanor immediately marked him as someone extraordinary.

So what if they graduated from TV University? He felt they were all doing pretty well.

“Yeah, our Yicheng TV University is really impressive, okay?” Dezi also started boasting.

“So you’re all Ming Xi’s classmates?”

“I am!” Cai Ni was the first to raise her hand, playfully. “Hello Beida, I’m the impressive TV University student Ming Xi mentioned.”

After Cai Ni took the lead, Dezi followed suit, “Hello Beida, I’m also one!”

Then came Han Junjun, who nodded slightly, though silently.

Ji Runze responded to each of them, and finally looked at Liang Jiancheng with a friendly yet nervous expression.

Liang Jiancheng felt a bit regretful—he wasn’t from Yicheng TV University at all, which broke the chain. The only connection he had was that his father had once taught there as a substitute lecturer.

“I…” He found it difficult to introduce himself.

Ming Xi’s voice beat him to it. Under the bright lights, she smiled warmly at Liang Jiancheng and gave him special treatment, introducing him separately to Ji Runze.

“This is Liang Jiancheng. He’s our teacher’s son. He’s always looked after us here in Haigang, and he’s also a very good friend of mine.”

If a moment ago Liang Jiancheng had felt slightly overlooked, that single phrase—a very good friend—completely erased that feeling.

“Hello, Boss Ji,” Liang Jiancheng greeted him first.

Ji Runze immediately waved his hand: “Don’t call me Boss Ji, I don’t look like a boss at all.” The person in front of him was the one who truly looked like a boss!

Ji Runze blushed easily. Although Liang Jiancheng looked young, his aura was anything but ordinary. It was hard to believe he was also from a TV university, so he asked cautiously, “Did you graduate from Yicheng TV University too, Mr. Liang?”

If so, then Yicheng TV University must be unbelievably impressive.

Ji Runze still had a strong attachment to his alma mater and was unwilling to admit that Beida was overrated, so he could only elevate this unheard-of Yicheng TV University instead.

“I’m not…” Liang Jiancheng denied gently.

Not being from Yicheng TV University somehow made him feel embarrassed.

Because of Cai Ni and Dezi’s “chain introduction,” Ji Runze had misunderstood and assumed Liang Jiancheng was also from the TV university. Ming Xi found it inexplicably amusing, though she herself didn’t actually know which university Liang Jiancheng had attended.

Cai Ni was enjoying herself too and blurted out without thinking, “Mr. Liang isn’t one of us…” Then she stuck out her tongue discreetly—she hadn’t meant to exclude him.

“Brother Liang, which university do you go to?” Dezi, always quick to read the room, immediately shifted the focus back to this half-relative, Liang Jiancheng.

Dezi’s question naturally drew everyone’s attention to Liang Jiancheng.

Whatever it was, it had to be a legitimate university.

Liang Jiancheng: …

After returning to China, this was the first time he’d been in a situation where everyone was reporting their alma maters. Back in the US, during weekend student social events, students from different schools would introduce themselves.

After returning to work in China, he rarely mentioned his own school. As a boss, he was more interested in other people’s schools.

“Princeton.” Liang Jiancheng paused for half a second before stating the university he graduated from.

He had completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies there.

Uh…

Dezi paused, not understanding…

For a moment, even if he wanted to flatter Liang Jiancheng, he didn’t know how. It was a name he’d never even heard before. All he could manage was a politely non-awkward look of astonishment, without any suitable words of praise.

Similarly, Han Junjun and Cai Ni were the same.

Ming Xi was slightly better—she knew Princeton, vaguely. Somewhere in America…

And that was about it.

“So, Mr. Liang went to university in the US!” Ming Xi curved her lips, responding with a tactful, emotionally intelligent hint of surprise.

Liang Jiancheng: …Yes.

For the first time, Liang Jiancheng felt that his alma mater was a little embarrassing. Especially when compared to Beida’s reception.

Not only was it less famous than Beida, but its prestige was also less than Yicheng TV University.

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