Chapter 73

 

Late at night, the lights in the lobby of the Shilla Hotel were not bright, but a soft and calm warm golden tone, reflecting the faces of this unexpected reunion.

The light was delicate, and the emotions were subtle—like the gentle curve at the corner of Liang Jiancheng’s eyes, quietly alluring and stirring the heart.

“Ming Xi, it’s been so long… This past month, I’ve really missed you.” When they stood face to face, Liang Jiancheng naturally spoke his mind.

Without hesitation, Ming Xi wrapped her arms around Liang Jiancheng’s waist, burying her head in his trench coat.

Liang Jiancheng did not move. Emotion flickered across his face. His hands, which had been hanging at his sides, gently and tenderly rested on her lower back.

Restrained, yet genuinely affectionate.

This kind of embrace was truly wonderful. It felt as if everything around them had gone quiet.

Neither of them spoke much. They simply focused on savoring those few seconds together.

The next second, the person in his arms muttered in a pitiful, aggrieved tone: “Liang Jiancheng, my big client was stolen, did you do that…?”

Liang Jiancheng chuckled softly. As a competitor, he also felt regret upon hearing this news, but the lost order really had nothing to do with him.

So, was she hugging him like this because she thought he had stolen her client, and now she wanted to “steal” him as compensation?

“How big was the client?” Liang Jiancheng asked.

“Two containers.”

“That’s indeed a large order… but it really wasn’t me who did it, Ming Xi. I would never venture into a business I haven’t explored just to compete with you. Xinghai doesn’t do fabric business—you know that. Sigh… it seems your research on your competitors isn’t thorough enough.”

Liang Jiancheng’s tone was leisurely, a faint smile playing on his lips. It was less of an explanation and more of a consolation to his dejected ‘rival.’

Ming Xi knew it herself. She was just… feeling wronged.

The brief hug ended.

“Well, it’s still your fault. You came, and then my client ran away…”

Ming Xi pouted shamelessly. Tonight, she had finally run into a familiar person, and since she couldn’t possibly act spoiled in front of Korean strangers, she could only do it in front of this one friend.

She turned around and went back to the sofa and coffee table to pack up her laptop and document bag.

Above the sofa, her briefcase was crammed full, containing all her recent order contracts. A large bag of fabric samples lay in the corner of the sofa, which she also picked up.

After days of high-intensity work, Ming Xi had gotten used to handling everything alone. She carried the briefcase in one hand and the sample bag in the other. Even with Liang Jiancheng beside her, it never crossed her mind to ask him for help.

Liang Jiancheng couldn’t stand watching any longer. He reached out and took the heavy sample bag from her hands.

“Did Mr. He only sent you alone?” Liang Jiancheng asked.

“For a small exhibition like this, wouldn’t sending two people just increase costs?” Ming Xi said.

She wasn’t trying to defend He Yuan. From a boss’s perspective, this way of thinking was completely normal. If one employee could handle everything, why send two?

Liang Jiancheng, being a boss himself in foreign trade, naturally understood that sending one person to a Seoul exhibition was reasonable. But if it had been him, he might have chosen a male employee.

The sample bags he was carrying weighed at least twenty or thirty pounds. Had Ming Xi really been carrying this around to meet clients every day?

“It’s not just me… There are exhibition staff here to handle the coordination. The work itself isn’t complicated; it’s just there a lot of them. But I can only grit my teeth and bear it—because I’m looking forward to a promotion and raise next month!”

After a short while, Ming Xi regained some of her energy, stopped complaining, and even started showing off to Liang Jiancheng.

Meanwhile, Liang Jiancheng also needed to check in.

Ming Xi accompanied him to the VIP service counter. Liang Jiancheng handed over his passport and spoke fluent English with the Korean receptionist.

Ming Xi waited nearby, her feet already aching from wearing high heels. She leaned slightly against the counter for support.

The receptionist confirmed with Liang Jiancheng in English that he had booked a superior king room, and as a senior VIP customer, the hotel could upgrade him to a suite free of charge.

Ming Xi felt a pang of envy. VIP treatment was so good…

She had even been considering changing hotels tomorrow. Since she would be visiting clients over the next two days, she didn’t necessarily need to stay here.

Just then, Liang Jiancheng said to the receptionist in English, “No need to upgrade. Please check whether there are still rooms available on Miss Ming’s floor. Arrange my room on the same floor.”

Ming Xi froze and blinked.

At the same time, she patted Liang Jiancheng on the back, puzzled: You won’t even take the free upgrade? What are you thinking?

The receptionist smiled at her and asked for her room number.

Ming Xi gave her the number.

After checking, the receptionist looked pleased and told Liang Jiancheng that there was indeed one superior king room left on the same floor, though it faced the main road and might be a bit noisy.

Liang Jiancheng nodded slightly, indicating it was fine.

Ming Xi shook her head helplessly, picked up her briefcase and sample bag, and headed towards the hotel elevator.

Liang Jiancheng took the suitcase he had temporarily stored from the receptionist, quickened his pace, and walked behind Ming Xi. He then took the sample bag from her again and they walked side-by-side towards the elevator.

He didn’t even have time to put away his ID card and passport, clutching them both in his hands.

Ming Xi suddenly became curious and wanted to see Liang Jiancheng’s passport to see how many countries he had visited. Without hesitation, she asked, “Liang Jiancheng, can I see your passport?”

Having made a mistake at the airport last year, Liang Jiancheng politely declined: “Sorry, may I refuse?’

“Why? Can’t it be seen?” she asked.

It really couldn’t

So Liang Jiancheng came up with an extremely childish excuse: “It’s not that it can’t be seen. It’s just that I’ll get embarrassed. The photo was taken when I was very young.”

“…” Handsome guys really were different; they still have an image to maintain.

“I’m just too handsome. I’m afraid you’ll see the photo and force me to marry you tonight. That would be troublesome.” Liang Jiancheng deliberately joked to divert her attention from his passport.

“Oh, whatever…” Ming Xi was too exhausted to even roll her eyes properly. She lowered her head and sighed, ignoring him as she walked ahead.

Quite coincidentally, Liang Jiancheng’s room was diagonally across from hers.

Compared to the lobby, the corridor lighting was even softer and gentler. Ming Xi swiped her key card, then turned back and asked: “Are we still going out for late-night food?”

“It’s a bit late. I’ll order room service instead. You go wash up first, then come directly to my room to eat.”

Even after nonstop traveling, Liang Jiancheng still looked energetic, but Ming Xi’s face was tired and her eyes heavy with sleep… He had originally wanted to take her out for a late-night snack, but it was indeed getting late. Whether she planned to keep working tonight or not, she would need to be in good shape tomorrow.

That made sense…

Ming Xi didn’t want to go out anymore. No matter how charming Seoul’s nightscape was or how tempting the food might be, none of it held any appeal for her. All that filled her mind were orders and targets. Before she left last week, Cai Ni had even specifically reminded her to try Korean kimchi and barbecue…

Forget barbecue, she felt like she was being “burnt out” by work.

“Okay,” she agreed to Liang Jiancheng’s plan, deciding to have a late-night snack at his room later.

Back in her hotel room, Ming Xi put her things down, connected her laptop, and carefully checked her email again. Only after confirming there were no new messages did she head to the sink to wash her face.

Earlier in the elevator, Liang Jiancheng had kept glancing at her. That detail had sparked a tiny, self-absorbed thought: Could it be that the way she worked so desperately was actually attractive? Had she completely mesmerized him?

But when she looked into the mirror, she nearly scared herself. What stared back at her was a face with makeup that had turned greasy and smudged.

She must have teared up from drowsiness while waiting in the lobby. Her eyeliner had bled into full panda eyes, the edges of her eyeshadow were blurred, and glitter had gathered in the creases of her eyelids. The makeup on her cheeks had begun to peel too—especially under her eyes and on her forehead—leaving her face looking patchy and dirty.

So Liang Jiancheng wasn’t mesmerized by her, he was frightened!

Sorry…

Ming Xi quickly removed her makeup and washed her face. Once her skin was clean again, her complexion looked at least two shades brighter. She soaked a towel in hot water and pressed it to her face for a full ten seconds. Only after letting out a deep breath did her whole body finally relax.

Afterward, she knocked on Liang Jiancheng’s door.

Inside, Liang Jiancheng, who had taken off his coat, opened the door for her. A short while later, room service brought up the late-night snacks.

Two sumptuous hotel supper sets.

Ming Xi sat cross-legged in her hotel slippers. Without putting on any polite airs, she immediately began arranging the food before Liang Jiancheng could even invite her to start.

Although this late-night snack was ordered from the hotel, the selections was impressively complete: drinks, staple dishes, tteokbokki, and desserts. The beverage was corn silk tea. The hot dishes included stir-fried rice cakes and barbecue, along with ginseng soup and red bean pastries.

Holding a soup spoon, Ming Xi called out to Liang Jiancheng, who was still hanging up his clothes: “Mr. Liang, I’m starting first!”

“Go ahead, Miss Ming. No need to wait for me.” Liang Jiancheng had also finished his work. Before joining her, he washed his hands in the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror, noticing a few stubbles on his chin.

During this period, Ming Xi had been extremely busy, and so had he. The negotiations in South Korea were originally scheduled for April, but he had deliberately moved it up to March. A faster pace and a busier schedule weren’t necessarily a bad thing.

After washing his hands, Liang Jiancheng dried them with a towel and walked over to the desk. There was only one chair in the hotel room. When Ming Xi saw him approach, she tried to stand up to offer it. “No need,” Liang Jiancheng said, dragging over a bedside table instead.

When traveling, the more you fuss, the more uncomfortable you become.

Ming Xi smiled knowingly. On this foreign night, the relationship between her and Liang Jiancheng settled naturally into something relaxed, friendly, and unforced.

“What time are you getting up tomorrow?” Liang Jiancheng asked her.

She thought for a moment, “Six-thirty, I guess.”

A truly relentless workaholic.

“Then shall we go downstairs for breakfast together at six forty?” Liang Jiancheng suggested—booking tomorrow’s breakfast before even starting supper.

Ming Xi almost choked on her chicken ginseng soup. She slowly raised her freshly washed, clear-skinned face and blinked at him, then said boldly: “If Boss Liang is treating, I wouldn’t mind sampling this hotel’s breakfast.”

Liang Jiancheng’s eyelids twitched slightly.

There were some things Liang Jiancheng simply couldn’t understand. Ming Xi held her spoon in her right hand and propped her cheek with her left. With a mix of amusement and slight embarrassment, she pursed her lips cutely and explained: “It’s really not cost-effective. I didn’t buy the hotel breakfast package. Every morning I just grab a rice ball from the convenience store to get by.”

So, she didn’t have meal vouchers? Upon hearing this, Liang Jiancheng made a soft sound, whether it was a sigh or a chuckle, it was hard to tell.

“That Mr. He is such a stingy boss,” Liang Jiancheng said, scolding He Yuan on her behalf.

“Yes, yes, he’s stingy. Mr. Liang is so generous, a super good boss!” Ming Xi nodded in agreement.

After the hot soup, Ming Xi felt warm all over, even her eyes radiating a satisfied warmth.

She clasped her hands together and sincerely thanked Liang Jiancheng, “Thank you for the late-night snack, Mr. Liang. Since we’ve met by chance, I’ll also thank you in advance for tomorrow’s breakfast. For this breakfast, I plan to extend my stay by three days. Can you treat me every morning?”

Liang Jiancheng swallowed a mouthful of hot soup, his expression unchanged, and replied with a perfunctory attitude, “No problem. Occasionally currying favor with a competitor’s sales rep might lead to future cooperation opportunities, right?”

“Of course! If Mr. He doesn’t give me a promotion and raise this time, I’ll come work for you, Mr. Liang!” Ming Xi said, both ingratiating and playful.

Liang Jiancheng never really believed what smart women said, especially women who were both beautiful and intelligent. He moved his lips noncommittally.

He truly envied He Yuan for having such a hardworking employee like Ming Xi. However, such a hardworking and excellent employee would be difficult to retain without proper treatment. Liang Jiancheng secretly wondered what methods He Yuan would use to keep Ming Xi…

Having eaten and drunk her fill, both body and mind satisfied, Ming Xi prepared to return to her own room.

Liang Jiancheng personally saw her to the door.

As the hotel room door opened, he paused and spoke in the tone of a boss but with the stance of a friend: “Bosses usually set very high targets—especially when their market judgment isn’t accurate. When goals aren’t met, most of the time it’s not the sales rep’s fault. It’s because the targets themselves are unreasonable.”

Ming Xi’s eyes sparkled as she looked at him: “I know, He Yuan deliberately raised my targets, but I’m not achieving them for him, I’m doing it for myself.”

“That’s good… Looks like Miss Ming has reached the highest level a sales representative can achieve.” Liang Jiancheng genuinely praised her, pausing for a moment before adding, “Good night, let’s work hard together tomorrow.”

Oh, okay. Let’s work hard together! Right, she still didn’t know what Liang Jiancheng had come to Seoul for.

“I’m here to spend money,” Liang Jiancheng said half-jokingly, half-seriously.

Spend money?

Yes, spend money… a lot of money!

He also needed a good rest tonight. Even if he was reluctant to part and wanted to spend more time together, he should say goodnight. For both of them, career came first. Time was more precious than gold. Life was long, but youth was short. Opportunities were fleeting.

Therefore, matters of the heart were always postponed.

Many years later, when Liang Jiancheng looked back on the spring of 2001 in Seoul, and wondered why he and Ming Xi never made their relationship official back then, the answer didn’t seem to lie solely in their demanding careers.

What was rushed was never love—it was the heart.

Precisely because both he and Ming Xi believed they each held endless possibilities, their feelings drifted amid the grand tides of the era. It became impossible to tell whether she mattered more, or whether ambition, dreams, and beliefs mattered more.

Or perhaps, after falling in love with her, his feelings had already fused into his career and life blueprint. Amid fame, profit, and calculated interests, his heart had never grown barren. Instead, it flourished—lush and full of life.

A love that reaches into the depths of the soul never needs a specific moment to be defined. At any time, their souls were already drawing closer.

It’s a symbiotic achievement, belonging not only to Ming Xi but also to himself.

…

The next day, at seven in the morning in Seoul, Ming Xi and Liang Jiancheng enjoyed a buffet breakfast together.

During this short meal, Ming Xi learned from Liang Jiancheng’s brief explanation that he hadn’t come to Seoul for export trade. He was here to import a high-end display panel production line into China.

He wanted to buy not only the complete production line but also the technology patents.

The foreign trade industrial chain reflected a country’s position in the global economic structure. It was hard not to admire how Korea, despite being hit by the Asia-Pacific financial crisis, had rebounded so quickly—thanks to its high-end electronics and semiconductor panel exports expanding successfully into global markets.

At present, China still mainly focused on low-end manufacturing and raw material exports.

For example, the fabric exports Ming Xi handled. The profit margin on South Korean finished garments was far higher than that of fabrics. Domestic clothing factories existed, yet remained stuck in OEM processing.

The two sat by the bright, clean French windows. Ming Xi asked Liang Jiancheng, “Is this production line expensive?”

Very expensive.

Liang Jiancheng joked that he was now a “billionaire in debt.”

Ming Xi felt both terrified and excited, inexplicably trusting him. She believed this trip to South Korea would be a decision that would propel Liang Jiancheng to a new level in his career. Even so, she jokingly replied, “If I’d known you owed the bank so much, I wouldn’t have let you treat me to breakfast.”

“These days, there’s no difference between a billionaire and a billionaire in debt,” Liang Jiancheng said calmly. “Both deal in billions anyway.” Liang Jiancheng had a good attitude.

Ming Xi also had a good attitude; after all, it wasn’t her who owed the bank that much money. But Liang Jiancheng was truly capable! Though both worked in foreign trade, he and He Yuan had completely different styles. Xinghai could already maintain stable profits through Shuangyang, yet Liang Jiancheng still wasn’t satisfied.

Spending such massive sums to buy LCD patents was clearly not for simple manufacturing and sales—but for securing future domestic ownership of display technology…

Liang Jiancheng began, “Our export products right now are mainly daily necessities. High cost-performance is what Chinese goods are known for. That’s not a weakness—it’s our advantage. With our huge population base, production capacity will generate enormous dividends. With those dividends, we can upgrade our industries. When the private economy continues to rise, the domestic economic structure will change. When the nation is strong, foreign trade thrives. When the economy is strong, real industries prosper. This is a universally recognized path to victory—and also the path of profit we businessmen walks on.”

For the first time, Ming Xi sensed a sense of responsibility beneath Liang Jiancheng’s profit-driven businessman image.

She responded softly.

Even though she herself came from humble beginnings, she shared the same hope—that the land beneath their feet would soon rise, flourish, and grow strong.

When the nation is strong, foreign trade prospers—what an attractive and alluring prospect in international commerce!

She hadn’t expected that beneath Liang Jiancheng’s calculating exterior lay such a fervent patriotic heart.

And what he had just said…

It seemed vaguely familiar, not in the exact words, but the spirit behind them.

Ming Xi’s lips trembled slightly, almost blurting out, “Liang Jiancheng… are you Jiangliu Dadao?”

If he truly was, then she—this “little brother from Ximen”—had been fooled badly!

Just then, her phone beeped—a work call.

Ming Xi immediately answered and switched into fluent professional English: “…yes, we have a wide selection of colors and designs…the quality must be in strict conformity with the sample.”

Liang Jiancheng picked up his coffee and took a sip. Outside, the March sun shone brightly, illuminating the entire city of Seoul. However, to him, all that brilliance paled in comparison to the person before him, so focused on her phone call.

In just one night, Ming Xi had regained her positive and energetic spirit, completely different from the dejected look she had last night when she was begging to be taken care of. In a few years, who knew who might be “taking care” of whom?

After ending the call, Ming Xi hurried to leave. She apologized—she couldn’t stay to finish breakfast with him.

Before leaving, Ming Xi neatly wrapped the unfinished pieces of dry bread into a napkin and put them in her briefcase. Then, she picked up her half-finished Americano and downed it in one gulp.

“Mr. Liang, I’ll be going now. Please enjoy your breakfast. If you’re free tonight, I’d like to discuss this grand plans again. Bye!”

She spoke briskly, nodded lightly, grabbed her briefcase and document bag, and walked away with straight posture and decisive steps.

Liang Jiancheng watched with admiration. Her heels clicked crisply against the floor—but he noticed a bandage on the back of her heel. The shoes had clearly been worn too long, the heels visibly worn down.

As someone who traveled frequently, Liang Jiancheng knew very well how painful it was to rush around a foreign country without comfortable shoes.

Liang Jiancheng’s first business negotiation of the day was scheduled for noon. Later, he would meet with an intermediary. Just the service fees alone for purchasing the production line amounted to two hundred thousand US dollars.

But expensive fees naturally brought top-tier service.

Just like in foreign trade—why do freight forwarders and shipping agents exist? Because cooperation, mutual benefit, and shared success are the true engines of future economic growth.

After breakfast, Liang Jiancheng returned to his hotel room and made a call. He dialed the housekeeping line and made a request to the room attendant: to purchase a pair of comfortable women’s flats suitable for walking. The size should be US 6, and the material had to be soft lambskin.

After giving his instructions, Liang Jiancheng left a tip in the hotel room.

Oh, and his sheets needed changing too.

Liang Jiancheng propped up the card indicating that his sheets needed changing.

Last night he had a dream that was both pleasant and somewhat embarrassing. Even though he had tried to restrain himself, the spark hidden deep within him had truly been ignited by Ming Xi’s and emotional gaze the night before—

After their late-night embrace, in his dream, he had slowly and deliberately parted her lips… Many scenes were still vivid in his mind when he woke up this morning.

Never trust any man who appears composed and restrained. He was, in fact, better than anyone at putting on a façade.

Liang Jiancheng opened the hotel wardrobe, took out his suit, and changed. Before leaving the room, he paused in the hallway mirror. Long legs straight and lean, a sharply dressed, radiant young man filled the reflection.

He lowered his gaze in shame.

Then, composed himself and with the dignified air of a traditional Chinese gentleman, Liang Jiancheng walked out of the hotel.

Moving forward in life, keeping the one you love in your heart—was there anything better than this?

Ming Xi.

May we both have good luck today.

…

And indeed, Ming Xi did encounter good luck the moment she stepped out of the hotel. She actually ran into Ms. Luo—the client who had stood her up twice the night before.

Ms. Luo was a South Korean businesswoman, short and plump, but remarkably well-maintained. Ming Xi had established contact with Ms. Luo during the exhibition. Originally, this order was very promising, but unexpectedly, someone interfered halfway through, and it fell through.

At this moment, Ms. Luo was looking quite disheveled on the side of the road. Ming Xi noticed her because Ms. Luo had stepped in dog poop and was looking flustered, rubbing the sole of her shoe on the granite paving stones with great embarrassment.

Nearby, Ms. Luo’s Hyundai sedan was parked. She definitely had to clean the dog poop off her shoe before getting in.

Ming Xi walked over and gracefully helped Ms. Luo lean against the wall. Then, she took out a clean handkerchief and a bottle of mineral water from her briefcase. She wet the handkerchief and handed it to Ms. Luo.

“If you’d like, I can help you clean it,” Ming Xi smiled, her gaze neither humble nor arrogant. Even though her words were accommodating, her composed demeanor and friendly expression revealed no hint of fawning.

As a salesperson, Ming Xi naturally hoped her clients would like her. But she believed that in modern society, winning customers did not mean sacrificing one’s dignity to please them—it meant building trust.

Like now, with the order already gone, her help to Ms. Luo wasn’t out of any ulterior motive, but simply out of kindness as a fellow woman to someone in an awkward situation. In Chinese terms, it was—

A small favor, hardly worth mentioning.

Ms. Luo thanked her warmly.

After parting ways, Ming Xi continued visiting the clients scheduled for the day.

Thanks to a full meal and good rest the night before, she was in excellent shape, and her efficiency was noticeably higher. With the foundation built during the exhibition, today’s visits went smoothly. Her clear logic and strong memory gave her a major advantage in negotiations.

Most sales reps needed to constantly check brochures to confirm prices, calculate shipping fees, and even consult their boss before replying to clients. Before leaving for Seoul, she had already confirmed the price range with He Yuan. Each sample had a minimum price line set by him. Occasionally, when the order volume was large enough and profit calculations allowed, and when she judged the client to have both financial strength and long-term potential, she would boldly make executive decisions to offer the lowest possible price.

After a full day of visiting clients one by one, she had completed nearly two-thirds of her target, with one-third remaining.

With such impressive results, Ming Xi clocked out early.

That evening, she returned to the hotel starving.

Remembering the bread she had packed into her briefcase that morning, she pulled it out in the hallway and bit into it as she walked.

After unlocking her room, she found it had already been cleaned by housekeeping. What surprised her was the gift-wrapped shoebox placed neatly on the bed. Her mind instantly filled with question marks: had she entered the wrong room?

After a moment’s thought, Ming Xi left the hotel room and rang the doorbell of the room across the hall.

After a while, the door opened.

Ming Xi, still with a piece of bread in her mouth, saw five or six other business professionals, also dressed in formal suits, in Liang Jiancheng’s room.

More question marks exploded in her head.

After a moment of awkwardness, she quickly removed the bread from her mouth and said apologetically, “Sorry to disturb you!”

“Not at all, we’re almost done,” Liang Jiancheng told her, while inviting her in, “Would you like to come in and sit down?”

Wasn’t that inconvenient?

For him, nothing about her was inconvenient.

And so…

Ming Xi was led into the room by Liang Jiancheng.

Liang Jiancheng had come to South Korea to purchase an advanced high-tech display production line. Naturally, he hadn’t come alone.

He had simply arrived one day early. Today, the international team that Gu Shuangyang had arranged for him was all present. These were the six people he was now discussing business with in his room.

Liang Jiancheng carefully introduced each of them to Ming Xi: the chief negotiation lead, the technical expert, as well as the legal and financial specialists.

This was his introduction of the team.

Then, he was to introduce her—

Ming Xi was already lowering her head in embarrassment. As a salesperson from a competing company, wouldn’t it be strange—or even embarrassing to be introduced?

“This is my amazing crush, Miss Ming—the brilliant lady I’m totally into and trying to win over!” (TN: the sentence’s originally in English, the author’s English!)

He introduced her with solemn sincerity, deep respect, and disarming romance.

He told them: This is Miss Ming, the woman I deeply admire, and the one whose heart I am trying to win! (TN: this is the Chinese translation of that sentence, which I translated back to English. LOL)

Ming Xi: …

It seemed Liang Jiancheng’s English was far more direct than his Chinese.

After his introduction, the room filled with amused respect and romantic goodwill. Someone even started applauding.

Previous     TOC     Next