Chapter 75

 

Heh.

Liang Jiancheng lowered his head slightly and let out a dangerously soft chuckle.

He met Ming Xi’s probing gaze and returned it with a clean, straightforward look. Beneath the pleasant expression, there was a hint of surprise, a trace of deliberation, and a touch of helplessness.

When it came to expression, he could never be as unrestrained, frank, and passionately candid as Ming Xi.

She could speak with such charm, yet retained that unique touch of wickedness.

His heart truly stirred after hearing what she said—both excited and embarrassed at the same time.

He felt both ashamed and delighted.

There was no doubt anymore. No further verification was needed. His pretenses had already been seen through by Ming Xi. She had guessed that he was “Jiangliu Dadao,” that he was “Smiling Without Talking.” Otherwise, she would not have wanted to see his passport, nor would she always look at him with that extra layer of contemplation whenever he talked about industry matters.

If before he had only harbored suspicions, always testing and maneuvering with her cautiously, now he needed to be even more careful. It wasn’t that he was deliberately dishonest, but Ming Xi’s frankness and cunning had given him an inflated imagination, filling him with endless, ambiguous feelings.

He had to admit that in matters of the heart, he was completely defeated by her! Perhaps relying on his advantage in age and experience, he could still salvage a bit of ground.

But even as the defeated one, he couldn’t surrender so easily. Like playing a match—if the opponent posed no challenge at all, the game would be utterly boring. As the “sparring partner,” he had to put in both effort and heart.

Hmm?

“Liang Jiancheng… do you have any advice for me on this matter?” Ming Xi asked again, her tone unreadable but her attitude aggressive.

“I have no advice.” Liang Jiancheng placed his hands on the table, leaning slightly closer. His equally long eyelashes fluttered, revealing a cunning glint in his eyes.

His expression brightened, and then he let out a sigh filled with jealousy.

“Ming Xi… are you deliberately trying to make me jealous?” he asked.

Ming Xi: “…”

“You girl—how can your heart be so… broad? You like that Beida guy, and you like Jiangliu too. You sure like a lot of things!”

After the jealous sigh, there was a slight reproach.

Whether it was Ji Runze or Brother Jiangliu, Liang Jiancheng lumped them together as “things.” When he teased others, he didn’t even spare himself.

“…”

She truly hadn’t expected Liang Jiancheng to be this kind of Liang Jiancheng!

If Ming Xi’s previous impression of Liang Jiancheng was that he was a smart and capable man, then now she discovered that he was not only smart and capable, but also incredibly perceptive and cunning.

Fine. Since he refused to admit it, she wouldn’t force him. Forcing an answer would be far too boring anyway. She had plenty of ways to make Liang Jiancheng reveal cracks and expose his identity.

Besides, she already knew the truth.

“There’s nothing I can do about it,” Ming Xi explained. “Many of my ideas were influenced by my idol… oh, that is, Young Master Jiangliu. His sharing of genuine insights shaped my thinking. He talked about harmony in the world, about people growing through tolerance, about sincerity being the weapon to win trust. So for everyone I admire, I truly like them from the heart.”

Liang Jiancheng smiled again.

That smile contained three parts pleasure, three parts concession, and three parts reservation.

The concession was to give him a chance to take the initiative later.

Those things he said online were never meant to use in romantic battles. Ming Xi was gambling on the fact that he couldn’t refute her—throwing his own words back at him.

Liang Jiancheng could only sigh helplessly.

“What’s wrong, jealous again?” Ming Xi teased.

Liang Jiancheng answered, “Yeah, I’m practically drowning in vinegar!”

Ming Xi lowered her head, finally unable to suppress her laugh.

At last, the waiter brought out the grilled meat. Beneath the grill, the charcoal crackled softly, glowing faintly in the dim light, occasionally releasing a thin smoky scent from incomplete combustion.

The barbecue restaurant was dimly lit, making every exchanged glance between them appear especially bright.

It was Ming Xi who changed the topic about “Jiangliu Dadao.” A couple of days ago, while learning authentic spoken English, she discovered something interesting: why does English use “green” to express jealousy or envy, instead of “red”?

Since they were talking about jealousy now, she took the chance to ask Liang Jiancheng, whose English—after years of studying abroad—was far more natural than hers.

Ming Xi’s strength in English lay mainly in memorization. When communicating with clients, she could be accurate, but not truly idiomatic.

Asking him this question now was practically “humiliating” him on purpose. Still, Liang Jiancheng patiently explained, “In English-speaking culture, green represents jealousy.”

Oh—now she understood!

“So ‘I’m jealous’ can be said as ‘This is making me see green,’” Liang Jiancheng added.

“Mr. Liang, you’re truly a good teacher,” Ming Xi said with mock admiration, smiling.

Liang Jiancheng was extremely modest: “It’s nothing, it must be that your previous English teacher didn’t teach very well.”

What? How could Liang Jiancheng not know who her English teacher was? This was clearly a sarcastic remark. Ming Xi’s eyelashes fluttered. No wonder the professor disliked Liang Jiancheng!

Even though Liang Jiancheng acted very obedient in front of the professor, deep down he was still a “rebellious son” with his own will.

The barbecue dinner in Seoul came to an end. Although Ming Xi had ordered quite a lot of meat, the two of them finished most of it. They both carried a faint greasy smell, but once they stepped outside, a gust of wind quickly swept it away.

Both of them were wearing trench coats, and the streets of Seoul were mostly populated by Asian faces. When they passed young couples, Ming Xi would observe them, and they would also glance at her and Liang Jiancheng.

At the time, duffle-style toggle coats seemed popular in Korea. Ming Xi paid attention to the clothing designs around her and couldn’t help admitting that aesthetics was often closely tied to economic conditions.

For example, in the environment where she grew up, almost no one studied art. When she once read Van Gogh’s biography, she had assumed he was destitute, but in fact, his family background was quite prominent.

On the way back, even though Liang Jiancheng still hadn’t confessed that he was Jiangliu Dadao, Ming Xi had already treated him as Brother Jiangliu in her heart and began talking with him about wealth.

As someone striving toward prosperity, she had always been curious about one question. So she asked him bluntly: “Are you rich people more likely to find happiness and joy?”

This question… Liang Jiancheng lowered his head slightly. He didn’t want to stand on the opposite side from Ming Xi, but he couldn’t deny that there was a financial gap between them at present. He thought sincerely about her question. Perhaps classes existed, but happiness and joy were equal—without hierarchy.

As Edison famously said, which Liang Jiancheng translated into Chinese, “If the rich are truly as happy as ordinary people imagine them to be, then they really are happy.”

That line was indeed full of philosophical weight.

Ming Xi understood part of what he meant, but more importantly, she came to understand Liang Jiancheng more deeply as a person. What made Liang Jiancheng most captivating was that no matter what his status, position, or financial strength might be, he always maintained an objective and neutral attitude toward society.

He could perceive the subtle movements of the human heart, and he could also see through the warmth and coldness of human relationships.

Ming Xi let out a soft sigh. Wearing her trench coat, her shoulders looked slender, her neck graceful. She lifted her gaze slightly, faced Liang Jiancheng, and praised him, “Liang Jiancheng, I’ve discovered that you’re quite wise too.”

Liang Jiancheng looked at her and deliberately asked, “Compared to your Brother Jiangliu?”

Ming Xi turned her head and looked straight ahead. The corners of her lips moved as she said, “You two should be evenly matched.”

Liang Jiancheng lowered his head casually, chuckled softly, and replied, “It’s an honor to receive such praise.”

“But—” Ming Xi suddenly turned sideways, cheerfully fixing her eyes on Liang Jiancheng and delivering the most ingenious and teasing compliment of the night, “You two must look very different. Even though you’re both cultured and intelligent men, your appearances must be worlds apart. I guess Brother Jiangliu can’t possibly be as charming and refined as Boss Liang. After all, he has never shown his real face—maybe he’s not very confident about his looks.”

What? Liang Jiancheng let out a light scoff, then burst into hearty laughter.

On the enchanting streets of Seoul at night, Liang Jiancheng smiled brightly, radiating an air of freedom. Helplessly, he glared at Ming Xi and said, “Miss Ming, I hope you won’t judge people too much by their looks. Luckily, I’m not too bad-looking, otherwise I wouldn’t have the face to be friends with you.”

Ming Xi snorted, quickly retorting, “Liang Jiancheng, you really are something—getting benefits and then acting pitiful. If I judge by looks, aren’t you secretly very happy about it?”

“Happy, of course I’m happy. I’m just afraid that one day when I’m old and lose my charm, Miss Ming won’t look at me the same way anymore.” Liang Jiancheng’s words were equally witty, his jokes light and easy.

Ha…how interesting.

Liang Jiancheng’s mention of “old and losing charm” made Ming Xi grin uncontrollably. Some people not only pretended to be modest after gaining advantage—they even knew how to play the victim.

At this moment, their conversation carried a joyful feeling, like the sun breaking through the clouds.

So joyful that even the night air of Seoul seemed to ripple.

“Then you should save some of your strength, and try to be a handsome old man when you’re old.”

Ming Xi’s eyes sparkled as she mercilessly teased the slightly pretentious man, then quickened her steps and walked ahead.

Liang Jiancheng stayed where he was, smiling helplessly. Then he took long strides to catch up, naturally drawing close to her like a lover, walking side by side.

That night, back in their hotel rooms, the two of them each went about their own work and affairs.

Late at night, Ming Xi did indeed go downstairs again to meet a client.

That was how sales worked. If she didn’t actively meet clients, competitors would seize the opportunity to pester them. If she didn’t show enough sincerity, clients might be moved by someone else’s effort instead.

Returning late at night, before showering and going to bed, Ming Xi reviewed and conducted background checks on all the clients she hadn’t yet closed deals with…

Two days left. Could she still meet her target?

Leaning back against her chair, Ming Xi felt even more anticipation for tomorrow’s meeting with Ms. Luo.

The next day, Ming Xi had breakfast with Liang Jiancheng as usual, then began arranging meetings with potential clients. Today’s progress wasn’t as smooth as yesterday’s, but she still closed two deals—both with new clients.

At noon, Ming Xi met Ms. Luo. Accompanying her was a middle-aged man wearing glasses.

Ming Xi didn’t know what business Ms. Luo wanted to discuss until the man, named Benjamin, explained: due to cash flow problems at his company, he had to cancel three containers of clothing orders in China—all the latest Korean fashion. He was willing to pay a contract cancellation fee, but if someone could buy back the goods at cost price, the penalty he had to pay the Chinese factory would be much lower.

At present, no other intermediaries knew about this. Ms. Luo had been his business partner for many years, so he asked her to introduce a reliable Chinese contact who could properly handle the sales of this batch of clothing.

After hearing Benjamin’s explanation, Ming Xi roughly understood Ms. Luo’s purpose in contacting her. She had two thoughts in mind: first, they might have overestimated her abilities; she couldn’t handle three containers of clothes on her own. Second, although the profit margin was huge, she couldn’t easily agree.

After all, profit determined risk.

Still, it wasn’t completely impossible. Yang Kangde and Brother Junjun were in the clothing distribution business and already had sales channels. If she partnered with them, she might actually be able to take on these three containers of Korean fashion goods.

These were authentic Korean trendy styles. As Korean pop culture continued to rise on the mainland, it would inevitably influence public taste and fashion trends.

Ming Xi appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly she was calculating repeatedly. She displayed the most composed and confident demeanor; at this moment, she was no longer a sales representative, but an independent individual planning for her own career and wealth.

A business opportunity presented before her. Without negotiation, how could it become a deal both sides were satisfied with?

For the moment, Ming Xi still hadn’t fully decided on her bargaining terms.

If she couldn’t make a clear decision right away, it meant there was still room for maneuver and reflection. After careful consideration, she smiled and said that she needed to return to China to consult with her business partners. She expressed interest in cooperation and hoped the other party could give her half a month to consider.

“I might not be able to wait half a month.

“Ten days… Miss Ming, I can only give you ten days at most.” Unexpectedly, this middle-aged Korean man, Benjamin, spoke relatively fluent Mandarin.

Indeed, language was the key to opening the door to global trade.

Before leaving, Ming Xi stood up calmly and politely. Ms. Luo gave her a locally made Korean silk scarf as a gift, thanking her for helping resolve the awkward situation with a handkerchief that day.

Ming Xi really liked the scarf, printed with cute little green flowers. Although green symbolized jealousy in English culture, she had always had a fondness for the color. She immediately tied it around her neck. Paired with her brown trench coat, it created a lovely accent.

“May I ask how old you are, Miss Ming?” Benjamin asked.

Ming Xi was reluctant to reveal her age, as it wouldn’t give her any advantage and would only reduce the client’s trust in her. Faced with this question, she blinked hesitantly and said shyly in English, “Can I keep my age a secret? If you think I look young, it’s because I take good care of myself. If you think I’m not mature enough, it’s because I have a more energetic and lively mindset than my peers.”

Her witty answer amused Ms. Luo and dispelled the potential partner’s concerns.

When saying goodbye, Ming Xi hugged Ms. Luo. Ms. Luo’s English wasn’t very good, but she could still express the basics: “You’re such an interesting Chinese girl. Welcome back to Seoul next time. I’ll definitely invite you to my home. I also have a handsome son—I wouldn’t mind introducing you to each other.”

Oh dear! Ming Xi suddenly realized that when they asked her age earlier, it might not have been to judge her ability, but to see whether she was of marriageable age. Thinking of this small misunderstanding, she couldn’t help but smile. Forget it—no need to dwell on it.

She had no interest in marrying a Korean man; even a handsome and wealthy Korean Oppa wouldn’t sway her.

This meeting with Ms. Luo, while not increasing her order value, did bring a business opportunity.

Opportunities indeed arise from interpersonal interactions. At a time when China’s foreign trade exchanges were not yet fully developed, this trip abroad—even if only to a small country like South Korea—made her feel an unprecedented sense of encouragement.

As long as she was willing, as long as she had courage and dared to be bolder, her life would never be limited to being just a salesperson.

And of course, she was not content with being only a foreign trade sales representative.

Haiou were definitely not the endpoint of her life. Even their development might not last as long as her youth. Even though she owed He Yuan gratitude for recognizing her talent, what she could repay him with was performance—not her ambition or her life’s pursuit…

When the day’s schedule ended, Ming Xi prepared to fly back to Haigang.

Liang Jiancheng still had to stay for a few more days.

Ming Xi sent He Yuan an email report on her performance. Although she didn’t fully meet the target, she came very close. Moreover, more than half of the orders she signed this time were from new clients, a very considerable proportion. Compared to stable old clients, developing new ones was what truly brought continuous hope and profit to a company.

He Yuan replied with a short message of praise.

The plane ticket was bought before departure, and the return date coincided with Liang Jiancheng’s formal negotiation.

Liang Jiancheng couldn’t see her off, so he arranged a car to take her to the airport.

Before leaving with her suitcase, Ming Xi wrote a message on a card on the hotel desk: “Green mountains remain unchanged, clear waters flow endlessly along the southern riverbanks. Liang Jiancheng, see you after we return home!”

Passing Liang Jiancheng’s room, Ming Xi slipped the card under the door.

She also sent the same message to “Brother Jiangliu” on QQ: “Green mountains remain unchanged, clear waters flow endlessly along the southern riverbanks. Brother Jiangliu, I’ll be waiting for you to return home!”

…

The weather was two degrees warmer on her way back. Wearing her trench coat and silk scarf, she checked in her luggage and samples at the airport. Before passing security, she spent the remaining Korean won to buy Cai Ni a handbag from a local Korean brand as a gift.

Her flight was at noon. By the time she landed in Haigang, her coworkers had not yet finished work.

In ten days, her performance results had been outstanding. When she pushed open the doors of Haiou Company, she walked in with her head held high and light, confident steps.

Normally, after finishing an exhibition trip, most sales rep were both physically and mentally exhausted. Ming Xi, however, only grew more energized with each battle.

She had not even sat down at her desk when He Yuan came out of the director’s office. His face was full of delight and satisfaction. Walking up to her like a boss proudly doting on a favored subordinate, he placed a hand on her shoulder and announced to everyone: “Lamia’s excellence is obvious to all. Next, I hereby announce that Lamia is not only the star salesperson of the foreign trade department, but also—

Everyone’s role model.” He Yuan paused for two second before saying the last sentence.

Ming Xi: …Who wants to be the role model? She wants to be the leader!

Afterwards, she was naturally called into He Yuan’s office.

He Yuan had already printed out her performance summary and gave her another round of affirmation and praise. He looked at her with warm, deep eyes, and said with absolute certainty and sincerity, “Ming Xi, the company’s position adjustments and personnel arrangements still need some time for planning and consideration. In one month, I will give you everything you want.”

Compared to before, He Yuan’s words this time clearly indicated that he intended to promote her.

At this point, Ming Xi was no longer overly concerned about the promotion itself. What she cared about more was whether He Yuan would honor their agreement and pay her commission on time. She knew that in some foreign trade companies in Haigang, even after commissions were promised, management would often adjust them downward when order amounts were too large… After all, working for others always came with helpless compromises.

“Mr. He, I don’t care about many things. For a girl from out of town like me, what I care about most is cash. You must make sure to settle my bonus promptly,” Ming Xi said openly, half-joking.

“Ming Xi, that really hurts my feelings. When have I ever treated you unfairly?” He Yuan replied with his usual mild temper.

Ming Xi smiled naturally: “It’s precisely because Mr. He hasn’t treated me unfairly that I’ve worked so hard.”

He Yuan smiled as well. He once had a capable female subordinate who later jumped ship, causing him heavy losses.

Great talent is hard to use, He Yuan, having been a boss for so many years, knew this principle well.

For an excellent sales rep like Ming Xi, he naturally hoped she would stay at Haiou long-term—he even hoped she would remain by his side.

He suddenly looked closely at Ming Xi’s fair, porcelain-like face, and said in a deep and gentle voice: “Ming Xi, I still remember how you looked like when you first came to Haiou for your interview—short hair, bright eyes, and a bold way of speaking. At that time, I wondered whether this girl would have a big temper at work. Turns out it wasn’t a big temper—it was strong ability… You truly gave me a big surprise. Thank you for choosing Haiou.”

Even a worldly and experienced man could speak sincerely.

He Yuan’s two sentences made Ming Xi lower her guard a little.

“I also thank Mr. He for giving me the opportunity to grow,” Ming Xi replied politely and appropriately.

He Yuan nodded with satisfaction.

“Oh, right, here’s an extra reward for you.” He Yuan returned to his desk, his face beaming as he opened a drawer, pulling out two tickets to the Haigang Grand Theatre. “Take these and go see it with your boyfriend.”

Uh.

Ming Xi paused slightly, then politely accepted the tickets.

“What’s wrong? You looked a little conflicted just now. Did you break up?” He Yuan joked.

Ming Xi felt that her expression was perfectly normal; she just hadn’t expected her boss to give her Grand Theatre tickets. She knew nothing about art and truly couldn’t appreciate elegant orchestral performances.

Ming Xi explained that she didn’t know much about art.

He Yuan immediately shifted tone: “If you don’t understand it, I can be your guide. Art truly cultivates one’s temperament—especially for women. Enjoying and experiencing art more will make you more elegant and charming.”

Ming Xi’s eyes widened slightly. Her brows nearly twisted together.

Then He Yuan handed her the tickets and reminded her that the performance was next Saturday, telling her not to forget.

She accepted the tickets and noticed they were worth nearly one thousand yuan. To her, this reward was far less practical than two boxes of apples. Still, since it was given by her boss—even if it was only a symbolic gesture—she had to accept it first.

“Thank you, Mr. He.”

—

That evening at home, Ming Xi showed the symphony tickets to Cai Ni and asked if she wanted to go together. Cai Ni shook her head immediately. Watching that was worse than staying home and do nothing.

“Maybe it’ll cultivate your character and make you more elegant!” Ming Xi repeated He Yuan’s words as she ate the noodles Cai Ni had cooked.

Cai Ni looked at Ming Xi as if she’d been possessed after her trip to Korea.

“My character is already excellent, and my personality is perfectly fine. I earn barely a thousand a month—why pretend to be upper-class? I really can’t listen to symphonies unless there’s a handsome guy with me… Why don’t you take Mr. Liang?”

Ming Xi shook her head; no way.

She casually tossed the two tickets into a drawer.

…She truly regarded them as nothing more than two tickets—at most, a boss’s reward to a high-performing employee. She never imagined that these tickets were actually a test and a hunting signal from an older man toward a young woman.

Soon, it was next Saturday.

Ming Xi was fully focused on her expected promotion, raise, and generous bonus, and had long forgotten about the symphony.

That Saturday, He Yuan organized a team-building event for Haiou’s mid-level management. Ming Xi was also invited. She was the only participant who was not yet a manager.

While attending the team-building event, Ming Xi secretly wondered if she would soon be a manager.

The team-building activity was rather boring; the location was a suburban resort-like place, with seven people in total.

Ming Xi was not only the only one who wasn’t a middle-level manager, but also the only woman.

To be honest, she hesitated about attending. What ultimately made her decide to go was her memory of Liang Jiancheng’s mother—sharp and decisive, no less formidable than any man. Perhaps for women to survive in the workplace, they had to treat themselves like men and fight men head-on.

At the beginning, everything seemed normal…

The leaders from finance, product, and technical departments were all there. Ming Xi usually worked with them, but since she was only a sales rep, she was often given perfunctory treatment.

If she became head of the foreign trade department, standing on equal footing with them, she would not only receive more support from He Yuan but also gain more efficient cooperation from colleagues. That was why she wanted the promotion.

No matter how capable a person was, not everyone would acknowledge it. But when a title was placed there, most people would give the corresponding respect.

This was the helplessness of human nature.

After rounds of socializing, Ming Xi used “rest” as an excuse to retreat to her room in the afternoon. If not for work, she had no desire to spend long hours with a group of middle-aged men. She deliberately waited until dinner time to go downstairs.

At dusk, Ming Xi walked down the stairs alone.

The entire villa was silent, except for He Yuan, who was busy in the kitchen… On the long table, a European-style candle lamp cast dim, flickering light. He Yuan had changed into casual clothes, looking inexplicably intimate and bold. Ming Xi sensed something was wrong. Her throat tightened, and she asked He Yuan, “Mr. He, where did Manager Ding and Old Dong go?”

“They had to go back. They all have wives and children, so they won’t be staying here tonight,” He Yuan casually told her, as if it were a perfectly normal little thing.

Ming Xi bit her lip lightly, a bad feeling creeping over her.

Then, He Yuan looked at her confidently, a meaningful smile on his face: “Ming Xi, this team building is also a promotion banquet prepared for you. Tonight, we must have a few drinks. Do you prefer whiskey or baijiu?”

Ming Xi froze on the stairs, completely stunned, her mind blank.

She felt like an absolute fool.

The situation had taken a sharp turn. She could no longer pretend nothing was happening. She now understood exactly what He Yuan intended to do. He had placed all rewards and promises at the end like bait on a fishing line, slowly dangling them before her. Even the theater tickets had merely been used to test whether she truly had a boyfriend.

In the workplace, invisible traps always existed. You never knew when danger would strike.

The more amiable an older man seemed, the more likely he was harboring ulterior motives.

These were the two painful lessons Ming Xi recorded in the spring of 2001—before she completely resigned.

Both came from the final boss she worked for, He Yuan.

To keep her, to ensure she devoted herself wholeheartedly to the company and to exploit her youth and everything within her—

He Yuan…professed his love to her!

Years later, when Ming Xi recalled this, it seemed like an absurd joke, and she couldn’t help but chuckle whenever she thought of it.

Later, Haigang even had an amusing piece of news: a professor proposed to his family’s maid and was rejected. When Ming Xi saw it, she immediately thought of He Yuan’s actions back then—the two situations were essentially identical.

However, at this very moment…

The candlelight flickered, the villa was silent, and He Yuan still stood there, exuding an air of elegance, confidently displaying what he considered to be the charm of a mature man…

And Ming Xi had only one thought in her mind at that moment—

How to escape this countryside villa.

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