Chapter 74

 

An open and generous expression of affection was, of course, worthy of respect.

Especially considering the attitude of the person involved—passionate yet profound, romantic yet firm, and also responsible and composed—how could they not applaud and cheer?

Amid the warm, resounding claps, Ming Xi lifted her flushed face and met the gazes directed at her.

Goodness… her feelings at that moment were like the first time she tied her red scarf as a child, a shy and proud feeling welling up inside her.

The applause ended, but the gazes on her never left;

Because Liang Jiancheng’s introduction had been both solemn and romantic, the roomful of elite business professionals now looked at her with admiration and expectation.

For a moment, Ming Xi felt overwhelmed by the attention, yet she forced herself to accept it calmly.

Liang Jiancheng’s words had been straightforward and tinged with personal emotion. Naturally, their gazes carried curiosity—but not a trace of mockery.

Ming Xi glanced at Liang Jiancheng, and at the same time, he happened to be looking back at her.

Their eyes met, and both of them exchanged shy, knowing smiles.

Compared to Ming Xi’s visibly flushed cheeks, Liang Jiancheng’s embarrassment was expressed in a more restrained, masculine way. Though his gaze remained steady, his lips pressed together tightly, and his tongue brushed lightly against his teeth in a subtle movement. This appearance was utterly different from the calculating, commanding strategist he had been in the room earlier—so different that it was almost hard to believe they were the same person.

…

Years later, in an interview, Ming Xi suddenly realized something. From the moment Liang Jiancheng decided to pursue her, he gave her far more than just wholehearted love and unreserved affirmation.

He also gave her his own pride.

When she first rejected him, one of the deepest reasons in her heart was that she felt Liang Jiancheng was too proud.

Many girls believe that a love worth trusting requires the other person to lower themselves, to set aside their pride—as if that alone proves sincerity. Yet true, profound love, mutual love, is never about losing one’s pride for another.

Rather, it is about sharing one’s pride and honor with the person one loves.

Because she, too, loved deeply and fiercely that proud and passionate Liang Jiancheng.

…

The discussion had nearly wrapped up, staying any longer would only make them seem like intruders in the room.

The team that had come was personally assembled by Gu Shuangyang. Every member was among the nation’s top professionals. The person in charge of international legal affairs was Mr. Zhou from one of the country’s most prestigious law firms.

Mr. Zhou was also an old friend of Gu Shuangyang. Because of their familiarity, he was the last to leave. Before departing, he not only shook hands warmly with Liang Jiancheng, but also politely extended his hand to Ming Xi.

“Miss Ming, it’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Zhou Mingjun.”

Zhou Mingjun…!

This name was legendary. Although Ming Xi hadn’t dealt with the law firm before, she had certainly heard of such a renowned figure, even if she had no direct connection with him.

“Hello, Attorney Zhou.” Ming Xi’s gaze was respectful. She didn’t want to embarrass Liang Jiancheng in such setting, nor did she want to engage in empty pleasantries. She simply greeted him briefly without introducing herself.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Mingjun took the initiative to say, “I look forward to opportunities for cooperation in the future. Goodbye.”

The more capable a person was, the more gracious their words became. Ming Xi pressed her lips into a small smile and replied even more simply, “Alright.”

It wasn’t that she wanted to be curt—she was just afraid that saying one more word would expose her nervousness and lack of polish.

Finally, Zhou Mingjun shook hands with Liang Jiancheng again, leaving behind a meaningful remark: “Mr. Liang, I wish you success.”

The word “success” was clearly a double entendre.

Everyone in this room today was intelligent.

Ming Xi thought that she alone was the one with the lowest academic credentials.

After seeing off this elite team, Liang Jiancheng passed by the TV cabinet in the room. Before the negotiations, he had the staff bring ten bottles of mineral water. After distributing one to each person, four bottles remained.

Liang Jiancheng was also a bit thirsty. He opened a bottle of mineral water, but instead of drinking it himself, he handed it to Ming Xi.

Ming Xi, still holding a piece of dry bread in her left hand, needed some water to moisten her throat, so she took the water.

Liang Jiancheng opened another bottle, tilted his head back slightly, his Adam’s apple rolling as he drank nearly a third of it in one go.

Each member of the team had their own responsibilities. As the true leader and final decision-maker of the project, Liang Jiancheng alone had to remain fully focused on everyone’s analysis. During the three-hour discussion, he hadn’t even managed to take a single sip of water.

The reason this pre-negotiation meeting had been held in his hotel room was because the production-line technology introduction project between Xinghai and the Korean side involved many aspects and was bound by strict confidentiality agreements. Even the purchasing negotiations alone were split into two stages. Given the high level of secrecy required, it was impossible to discuss openly in the hotel lobby.

The team came from all over the country, time was tight, and they couldn’t find a more private place outside, so his hotel room was the only option.

Compared to outside, it was undoubtedly more discreet and safer here.

Smoking was prohibited in the room. Earlier, Old Xing, who was in charge of technical patents, had rushed out first. A heavy smoker, he was clearly headed downstairs to find a place to smoke.

But his pack of cigarettes had been left behind.

On Liang Jiancheng’s desk was a conspicuously placed pack of Huanghelou cigarettes, left by Old Xing.

During the meeting, Old Xing had been gripping the pack in his hand the entire time, pulling out one cigarette to hold between his lips, sniffing it repeatedly. When the craving grew unbearable, he had nearly chewed it apart in frustration.

In the end, he forgot to take such an important item with him in his haste…

“I’m going out for a bit.” Liang Jiancheng picked up the pack of Huanghelou cigarettes from the desk, intending to go downstairs to take it to Old Xing. Before leaving, he realized he hadn’t taken his room card. Turning back, he instructed Ming Xi, “Leave the door unlocked for me. I’ll be right back.”

Ming Xi: “…”

Didn’t he worry that leaving her here would turn her into a corporate spy?

However, the feeling of being admired and trusted was so wonderful. Ming Xi naturally wouldn’t betray Liang Jiancheng that trust. She nodded calmly, “Okay, I’ll wait for you here.”

Liang Jiancheng took the cigarette and went downstairs.

Ming Xi was left alone in Liang Jiancheng’s room. His room was almost identical in layout to her double room, except for the orientation. Hers faced the hotel’s inner garden, while Liang Jiancheng’s faced the street. At this moment, the tightly drawn curtains were opened, and standing on the high floor, one could almost see the entire panorama of Seoul.

Like Haigang, the city center was crowded with towering buildings. Giant billboards stood in the commercial district, radiating colorful prosperity while also carrying the simple yet resilient vitality unique to this era.

Ming Xi stood by the window, lost in thought. After a short while, the laptop on Liang Jiancheng’s desk suddenly emitted two soft notification sounds.

She glanced over unintentionally and saw several chat programs logged in—including OICQ, the very one he had once refused to add her on, claiming he rarely used it. At this moment, it was online.

Ming Xi would never look through Liang Jiancheng’s messages. She wasn’t the kind of person to do something so unethical. Yet with just a passing glance, she happened to see his account display name—

Smiling Without Talking!

His QQ had another chat account pinned to the top, and that account name was: A Smile Worth a Thousand Gold!

Ming Xi was instantly struck by the unexpected “shock”…

The level of shock was comparable to discovering, on a bewildering wedding night, that the groom standing before her was actually Liang Jiancheng.

She froze, her heart churning with turmoil.

Although she had harbored many suspicions before, now that it was finally confirmed that Liang Jiancheng was Jiangliu Dadao—also known as “Smile Without Talking”—the sudden truth made her head buzz loudly. Her heart skipped a beat, then began racing uncontrollably.

She felt like she couldn’t breathe.

Then, another guess surged into her mind—

Did Liang Jiancheng know that “A Smile Worth a Thousand Gold” on QQ was her?

If Liang Jiancheng knew that she was “A Smile Worth a Thousand Gold” and “Brother Ximen,” then it meant he had been pretending all along not to know that she was “Brother Ximen.”

But if Liang Jiancheng didn’t know, then the situation was even more interesting!

She learned of their shared “secret” before he did. Ming Xi was so excited that her breathing stalled for two seconds. She took a deep breath, grabbed the bottle of mineral water, and took a few gulps to moisten her lips.

Then, without thinking much further, she picked up Liang Jiancheng’s room card and forced herself to walk out of his room with feigned composure.

Back in her own room, Ming Xi washed her hands, went to the bathroom, and looked at her feigned calm and collected face in the mirror. She had already made up her mind.

Whether Liang Jiancheng knew she was “Brother Ximen,” she would pretend to know nothing until the secret was officially “exposed.”

She wanted to see if Liang Jiancheng was intentionally deceiving her or genuinely unaware.

Only by pretending to know nothing could she test him!

Ming Xi’s mind raced, and once her thoughts were sorted out, even her intense shock gradually subsided.

When Liang Jiancheng rang her doorbell…

Ming Xi had already brushed her hair and even reapplied her lipstick. She opened the door with an unhurried expression and gave the steady young man outside a slightly apologetic smile. “I had to come back to use the restroom, so I took your room key with me.”

Liang Jiancheng smiled gently in return. “Oh.”

“May I take a look around your room?” Liang Jiancheng asked.

Since he was already here, simply taking the room key and leaving would only make things awkward.

Ming Xi raised an eyebrow slightly. “Of course.”

The only difference between her room and his was that hers faced the hotel’s inner garden. Because she didn’t spend much time in her room, and the hotel staff had cleaned it today, the entire room was not only clean and tidy but also filled with a delicate fragrance.

Her laptop was also on the desk.

Ming Xi’s attention drifted between Liang Jiancheng and the matter of “Jiangliu Dadao,” until her gaze landed on the pair of branded women’s shoes on the bed. Only then did she remember why she had gone to Liang Jiancheng’s room in the first place.

Liang Jiancheng behaved with impeccable manners. Even in a hotel room, after entering, his eyes never wandered casually. He even deliberately avoided looking at the 1.8-meter-wide bed.

However, Ming Xi swallowed lightly and walked towards the bed. She picked up the gift-wrapped shoebox from the bed, smiled, and looked at Liang Jiancheng with a hint of confusion, asking pointedly, “These shoes suddenly appeared in my room. I wonder who put them here?”

Liang Jiancheng answered her casually, “Only housekeeping staff can enter and leave your room. They must have put them here.”

“Why would they leave a pair of shoes here? A gift?” Ming Xi asked again, her dark eyes innocent and clear.

Liang Jiancheng leaned slightly against the wall, smiling faintly, and said, “Perhaps the Chinese lady staying here is so beautiful and charming, and the way she works so diligently is especially attractive. She caught the attention of a certain young gentleman—who’s now trying every way he can to catch her attention in return.”

Oh. Ming Xi nodded, as if accepting his explanation. She sat down on the edge of the bed, opened the box, and inside was a pair of black and white two-tone flats, a classic design from a luxury brand.

She had already received more expensive gifts from Liang Jiancheng. Since he had been so thoughtful this time, she naturally accepted them happily. Taking off her hotel slippers, Ming Xi tried them on.

After putting them on, she muttered softly, “They seem a little small…”

“Too small?” Liang Jiancheng, standing by the wall, frowned slightly.

As he spoke, he stepped forward, naturally kneeling down on one knee, and picked up the other shoe, intending to try it on for her himself… However, before doing so, he raised his dark eyes, his gaze polite yet slightly “intrusive,” as if silently seeking her consent.

Ming Xi was stunned. Before she could respond yes or no, Liang Jiancheng had already taken the shoe and slipped it onto her foot.

It wasn’t small at all; it fit perfectly.

Liang Jiancheng did not doubt his own judgment. He had always been confident in his observation skills. Though he wasn’t familiar with women’s shoe sizes, he had paid attention to the size of shoes Ming Xi usually wore. The size he chose shouldn’t have been small.

Ming Xi: …

At this moment, her face was even redder than when she had been surrounded by onlookers earlier.

Kneeling before her, Liang Jiancheng’s expression was calm, his head slightly lowered, gentle and focused. If he had been a little anxious during his confession before, after the New Year he now carried a steadier, more composed certainty toward her. Even when he put the shoes on for her, he was unhurried, without any other intentions, simply a harmless and thoughtful service from a gift-giver.

He hoped she liked the shoes, so he didn’t mind helping her put them on himself.

That was all.

In contrast, she was extremely embarrassed, like a hypocritical, two-faced girl who was all surface and no substance.

It didn’t matter.

Liking someone was different from courting someone. Courting was about success rates—pushing too hard never worked. But liking someone was simply a personal feeling. All he needed to do was express it.

If there was any offense along the way, she could remind him—

And he would consider whether to change or not.

“How did your orders go today?” As the boss of a competing company, Liang Jiancheng was also quite curious about Ming Xi’s recent performance.

“Not bad.” Ming Xi raised her head slightly. After putting on the soft flats, the only drawback was the lack of heels. She was a few centimeters shorter, and standing in front of Liang Jiancheng, she felt slightly lacking in presence.

Regaining her relaxed and confident demeanor, Ming Xi quickly calculated the total amount of today’s orders and replied with a slightly smug tone, “At today’s pace, I might be able to meet my target before returning home.”

“That’s great news.” Liang Jiancheng was happy for her.

“What about you?” she asked Liang Jiancheng as well.

The many capable people in the room earlier further illustrated what Liang Jiancheng meant by “spending a lot of money” this morning.

She was also curious about the true scale of his ambitions.

A person with passion and a pragmatic spirit was bound to be passionate and bold at heart.

This trip to South Korea was indeed a decisive and daring move in expanding Liang Jiancheng’s business territory. But he did not consider it recklessness or adventurism. Leaving everything entirely to fate—that was real risk.

He needed luck, but he trusted his judgment even more. He believed that China’s semiconductor and electronics industries would inevitably rise in the future, and the electronics industry would shift from being primarily military-oriented to primarily civilian-oriented. Only through technological reform and upgrading could the national electronics industry truly be upgraded and transformed, and China’s electronics foreign trade could truly step onto the international stage. On this path, he was not some grand leader—just a small but passionate and responsible participant in the industry.

Earlier this year during the Spring Festival, he had discussed this plan with his mother, Director Gu, for an entire morning in her study. When they finally stepped out, she told him: “If you have an idea, just do it. Having ideas alone is not enough—the key is turning them into reality. If you need help, say it directly. I’ll support you as much as I can.”

Now standing face to face with Ming Xi, Liang Jiancheng’s brows carried youthful ambition, yet his smile remained restrained and gentle. He smiled lightly and echoed her words: “Not bad.”

Young Master Liang was truly modest!

Ming Xi glanced at him and, in a tone both intimate and polite, extended an invitation: “Mr. Liang, have you made any dinner plans yet? If not, may I invite you to a meal as thanks? I hope you’ll honor me with your presence.”

Liang Jiancheng was delighted and nodded in agreement.

Ming Xi gently pressed her full, glossy lips together and glanced at her watch. It was 5:40 PM, and she felt there was still plenty of time.

“Could you wait half an hour? I want to organize today’s signed orders and reply to some work emails first.”

“Alright…” Liang Jiancheng agreed.

He also felt that leaving a little later would be better. Beautiful night scenery and beautiful people were best enjoyed after dark.

“See you in half an hour.”

Ming Xi nodded and then sat down at her desk. Before starting her work on the computer, she leaned her face out from beside the screen and said: “Could you please close the door behind you, Mr. Liang? Thank you.”

You’re welcome. Liang Jiancheng very considerately closed the door behind him, holding the doorknob carefully to make the sound as quiet as possible.

Holding the room key Ming Xi had returned to him, Liang Jiancheng returned to his room.

He still had half an hour; he could still handle quite a bit of work.

On his computer, his assistant Mark sent the list of new employees at Haiou via QQ. Liang Jiancheng’s slender fingers lightly tapped the touchpad below the keyboard, glancing at the pinned account “A Smile Worth a Thousand Gold,” a suspicion mixed with a sneaky thought rising in his mind…

…Ming Xi probably didn’t see it, right?!

Half an hour later, a sincere greeting from “A Smile Worth a Thousand Gold” popped up in his chat window.

[Brother Jiangliu, have you been busy these days? I haven’t heard from you for two days; your Brother Ximen kind of misses you.]

Leaning back in the hotel swivel chair, the back of his head lightly pressed against the chairrest, Liang Jiancheng pondered for a moment. Then his fingers tapped the keyboard casually, replying bluntly: [I’m in Seoul.]

Inside her room, Ming Xi: …

[Seoul in South Korea?] Ming Xi replied cautiously, afraid of exposing that she was also in Seoul—while simultaneously testing whether Liang Jiancheng knew her real identity.

“Probably.” Jiang Liu’s reply was even more perfunctory.

Probably?! That answer was so deliberately aloof it was almost theatrical! Now that she knew Brother Jiangliu was Liang Jiancheng—and especially considering that he was literally replying to her from the room across the hall—Ming Xi had ten thousand sarcastic comments boiling inside her.

He was just analyzing the Korean economic situation with her this morning!

[What are you doing in Seoul?] Ming Xi asked, feigning ignorance.

Work. Liang Jiancheng typed this reply, then deleted it half a second later.

He changed his answer.

[Chasing a girl.]

The unreserved answer in the chat window felt like a declaration, conveying a certain message to her in a roundabout way.

Ming Xi slightly raised her hand, involuntarily covering her mouth.

[Did you succeed?] she typed and sent.

[Not chatting anymore. I’m waiting for her to ask me out to dinner.] “Smiling Without Talking” abruptly ended the conversation, brushing off “Brother Ximen” without the slightest courtesy.

Ming Xi: …

Looking at the conversation in the chat window, for a moment, she really couldn’t be sure how much Liang Jiancheng knew about the online “Brother Ximen” behind his ambiguous response.

Did he know that the “her” online was the same “her” sitting across the hallway in real life?

Within half an hour, Ming Xi had basically replied to all the emails. Earlier that day, a local client had recommended a charcoal barbecue restaurant called Sinchon Canteen, not far from the hotel.

Wearing the shoes Liang Jiancheng had given her, she put on a trench coat over her professional skirt and blouse. Although this outfit might be a bit cold, she still wanted to look her best.

After touching up her makeup, she rang Liang Jiancheng’s doorbell.

To her surprise, when Liang Jiancheng opened the door, he was also wearing a trench coat.

They exchanged a knowing glance. Liang Jiancheng’s gaze paused slightly. After a brief thought, he asked first: “Won’t it be a little cold?”

“We’re having barbecue tonight, it shouldn’t be cold…”

Liang Jiancheng: “Mm.”

As they walked out of the hotel, Liang Jiancheng was surprised by how familiar she was with the streets of Seoul, like a local Korean girl. She led him directly to a well-known Korean barbecue restaurant without needing to ask for directions.

At this time, Korea’s economy was still recovering from the Asia-Pacific financial crisis. The exchange rate was relatively low, but Korean barbecue was still expensive.

However, since she was treating him, she couldn’t be stingy. Ming Xi ordered several plates of meat and then asked if he wanted some drinks.

Korean soju was famous. It was also one of the signature drinks in barbecue restaurants—clear, colorless, and refreshing. Liang Jiancheng had visited South Korea before and once drank several local specialty liquors under a host’s hospitality. What left the deepest impression was Baeksaeju, a ginseng-based health wine that kept him awake almost the entire night.

If he drank again now, he wasn’t sure what he might end up doing.

“Are you drinking?” he asked the person opposite him.

Ming Xi shook her head: “I might have to meet a client around 10 pm, so I can’t drink with you.”

Liang Jiancheng: “I also need to work tonight.”

Then neither of them would drink. She had only asked out of courtesy anyway. Ming Xi smiled lightly and flipped through the menu again, ordering two more dishes—carefully avoiding spicy items like tteokbokki, since Liang Jiancheng didn’t eat spicy food.

When abroad, it was better to be cautious with food. Once your stomach acted up, it could become very troublesome.

Before the barbecue even arrived, Ming Xi received a call that made her genuinely happy—it was from Ms. Luo, the client she had met earlier that morning. Although Ms. Luo didn’t explain the details over the phone, she asked to meet again tomorrow, saying she wanted to discuss a potential collaboration.

That kind of uncertainty—full of possibility—was the most exciting. Even though Ming Xi tried not to raise her expectations too high, she still couldn’t suppress her joy.

Foreign trade worked like this. It required careful relationship maintenance. Sometimes, a deal would come together unexpectedly—just like a quote she had once seen on the forum from “Jiangliu Dadao”: There are no small orders, only big opportunities.

After hanging up, Ming Xi couldn’t hide the smile on her face, as bright as the glowing charcoal beneath the grill.

“Looks like you got good news,” Liang Jiancheng said, watching her intently.

Ming Xi thought for a moment, blinked, and spoke in a confident yet relaxed tone, “I don’t know if it’s good news yet, but I’ll try my best to make it good news.”

Liang Jiancheng nodded, his gaze approving.

Ming Xi’s heart skipped a beat. After a moment’s thought, she brought up a topic: “Liang Jiancheng, do you know why I got into foreign trade?”

Liang Jiancheng answered confidently and humorously, “Isn’t it because I initially suggested it to you?”

“Of course not!” Ming Xi gave him zero face and immediately denied him. After hesitating a moment, she tossed out her probe about Jiangliu Dadao’s identity. “Because of a male confidant I met online.”

“A male confidant?” Liang Jiancheng raised an eyebrow slightly. “What’s a male confidant?”

“It’s a confidant of the opposite sex.”

“Oh…who is it?” he asked with a smile.

“His surname must be Jiangliu—” Ming Xi leaned closer, her eyes sparkling. A sly curve lifted the corner of her lips. Her long lashes fluttered casually, carrying a dangerously charming allure as she said to Liang Jiancheng: “He’s an intelligent man I admire and respect deeply, and I desperately want to meet in person. My admiration for him has even influenced my life choices. Tell me, shouldn’t I meet such a capable and outstanding man in person?”

She finished speaking in one breath, her body still leaning forward, her confident, captivating eyes fixed on Liang Jiancheng’s sharp, handsome face—like she was trying to pierce through every layer of disguise.

All her composure had been carefully prepared.

Every word she spoke in this barbecue restaurant had already been mapped out in her mind.

The charcoal crackled beneath the grill. Ming Xi’s lips curved slightly upward. Light flickered in her blinking eyes. Her expression was patient, playful, and full of quiet anticipation.

She waited quietly, patiently, waiting for Liang Jiancheng to reveal a flaw…

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